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[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 7)

Summary: You and Ari celebrate New Years Eve together, making sure to start the year with a bang.

Word Count: 8.3k words

Warnings: Language! Alcohol Consumption! Fluff! SMUT! 18+ ONLY! MINORS DNI!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Fake Out Series Masterlist /Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 7

The energy in the stadium felt electric, everyone was in a good mood. You guessed that everyone was looking forward to celebrating the new year this evening. That and Ari had told you that the match today was almost a guaranteed win. It was the last home match for a while too. 

You were sitting at your desk in the office doing some pre-match work when Steph poked her head out of her office and beckoned you over. You quickly locked your computer before heading over to her. 

“You’re going down to the sidelines soon, right?” she asked as you stepped inside her office.

“Yeah, I was just finishing up the templates, and then I’ll head down” You sit down in the chair opposite. 

“Great, I want you to be the one who captures the post match content too, should be pretty jovial considering our opponents today are at the bottom of league” Steph nodded as she too sat down “But the reason I called you in was because I just wanted an update on the situation with Ari, how is that all going from your end?”

You paused for a moment, you hadn’t told her that the relationship had moved past fake to real. Elena and her dad knew and you guessed by extension, Chris knew now too, everyone else thought it was real anyway. Steph was the only person who didn’t know. Out of everyone, she probably had the most right to know since there was a chance, albeit slim, that this could all blow up and go wrong and it would be her job to clean it up. 

There was absolutely nothing in your contract that said you couldn’t date a player, so you didn’t have to worry about termination, but that didn’t make the prospect any less anxiety-inducing.

“Uh right yeah, it’s up going great” you nodded “We’ve heard that the USA head coach is paying attention to Ari and all media I’ve seen is good, I think it’s gotten the preferred message across” you said, hoping that all the good news would soften the blow “there’s has been a slight change of plan though”

Steph arched a brow as she looked over at you, “In what way?”

You shifted uncomfortably in your chair “Well, naturally we’ve spent a lot of time together and the fake affection we showed each other quite quickly changed to real affection and we decided that we don’t want it to be fake anymore”

“Right”, Steph said slowly tapping her pen against her lips. 

“Frankly, I think even if we hadn’t been doing this fake relationship, the end product would be the same, considering our mutual friends and similar interests and values”, you rambled.

Steph held out her hand to silence you, “Stop panicking, it's okay I’m not mad” 

“You’re not?” You weren’t entirely convinced, her reaction didn’t scream I’m not mad. 

“Like you said, it’s perfectly natural that feelings changed and this relationship blossomed, and I am happy for you, jealous like a lot of other girls would be, but happy” Steph said, a reassuring smile appearing on her face “Ari despite his hot-headness and stubbornness is a good guy, someone who would do anything for the people he loved”

“Thank you”, you smiled bashfully.

“I do have to warn you though”, Steph said, her voice turning serious “If this goes south and blows up, then it’s my responsibility to make sure he comes out of it unburnt in the media, I like you, but I can only protect one of you and it's not my job to protect you”

You nodded, “I understand, I’m not the kind of person who likes to cause a scene anyway”

“Good, and I must remind you that Ari’s position on Team USA isn’t confirmed yet, won’t be for a while, so if this goes south before then, you will still need to act like his girlfriend until it is confirmed, possibly a little longer”, Steph told you. 

“Of course, I know we’re probably still in the honeymoon phase, but I don’t see that happening, and if it does, I’m sure I can put aside my feelings”, you reassured her.

“Good, I’m sorry that I have to be the devil’s advocate here, I am really happy for you, I don’t know exactly what went down back in LA for you but I can see you’re a much brighter person, you two was the cutest couple at the christmas gala” Steph smiled softly “I just need to say all of that PR bullshit stuff so we all know where we stand and there’s no nasty surprises”

“I appreciate it, anything else you need from me?” You breathed out a sigh of relief.

“No all good, hope you have a good New Year’s”, she smiled, gesturing for you to leave.

“You too” You made your way back to your desk. 

You grab your phone and quickly shoot Ari a text to wish him good luck and let him know that you'll see him after the match. He responded before you even had a chance to lock your phone telling you that he couldn’t wait to see you. You smiled to yourself, a warm feeling spreading from your chest outwards across your entire body. 

You pocket your phone before grabbing the team phone that everyone used to capture media during match days. Apparently, they made the move to an official team phone after a college intern accidentally posted a personal photo on the team’s Instagram page after a wild party. It wasn’t anything highly appropriate, just a picture of college kids dancing at a house party, but some of the kids were underage. You wondered what happened to that intern and where they were now.

The fans were beginning to fill the stadium when you made it down to the sidelines, a sea of blue jerseys and bobble hats with drinks and food in hand, as they found their seats. You stopped a few people for photos in between capturing a few videos and candid moments. The mascot was causing havoc with fans as usual, stealing bobble hats, so there was a lot of content to capture.

When the teams made their way out to start warming up, you made your way to that end of the pitch to capture moments. You enjoyed watching how the different players warmed up. Some like Curtis, were in the zone and nothing would break them out of it, others were hyping themselves up and turning any nervous energy into determination. 

Johnny spotted you as he was running up and down the pitch, pausing at the end of his run to show off his guns with a joking pouting expression. You laughed and snapped a few photos, and sent them straight up to the media team to be edited and posted on team socials. You had no idea whether they would, but they seemed like the perfect photos that captured the jovial feeling in the stadium.

The team appeared to agree because you got a text from Steph asking more of the same. You smiled proudly, and as you looked up from the phone, you caught Ari watching you with a smirk on his face and an eyebrow arched. You snapped a photo of him, poking your tongue out at him which earned you a playful roll of the eyes. A photo you also captured.

You continued to capture videos and photos of the team warming up, laughing and talking with each other right up. You even got photos of Elena and the rest of the pitch-side team having fun before the match. 

When it was time for kickoff, you found your seat and settled in to watch the game. The team photographer and videographer would take over the content capturing now with their higher-tech equipment, better suited to the fast nature of sport. Your job now was to monitor the socials for fan reactions and enjoy the match. 

The match was probably one of the best you’ve ever seen. The bears were running in tries from the second the whistle blew. Almost every player of the team scored tries, Johnny scored a hat trick, and Ari scored one too, which had you screaming in joy from the stands. You almost felt bad for the other team, but it was like they hadn’t even turned up. 

When the whistle finally went, the team took their time heading back into the changing rooms. They walked around the pitch celebrating with the fans, taking photos with kids and other fans. Everyone in a very good mood, perfect for New Year’s Eve celebrations later. 

The entire team was back in the changing room by the time you managed to make your way through the crowds. The sounds of celebrations bled through the walls, so you knocked as hard as you could before entering, camera rolling on your phone to capture the moment.

“Everyone decent?!” You called out.

“Always decent for you”, you heard Johnny call back, shortly followed by a yelp.

The door opened and you saw Elena “You’re safe”, she chuckled.

You laughed as you walked in, panning the camera around at the team. Most had their match day shirts off, beers in hand. You smiled when you saw Ari, standing next to Johnny, who was rubbing the back of his head.

“Pay me no attention, just here to film you celebrating”, you tell the team, who promptly return to their conversations, all except Ari, who makes his way over to you “Congrats on the try”, you smile up at him.

“Thank you, scored it for you”, he said with a lopsided grin, leaning down to swiftly kiss you. 

“Look at the lovebirds!” Johnny calls out, making Ari groan in annoyance.

“Storm”, he warned, shooting a look over at the winger who paid him no attention.

“I knew you two were endgame from the second you met at my Halloween party”, Johnny continued, pointing to you with his beer bottle. 

“No, you didn’t,” Chris snorted, shaking his head, being one of the few who knew you and Ari had met months earlier.

“I did, it’s all thanks to me, I’m Cupid” Johnny grinned victoriously.

“You had nothing to do with it”, Elena called out, “it was me who invited her!” 

“Thank you for making none of this footage usable!” You laughed, shaking your head as you stopped filming. You looked up at Ari, who was chuckling along with you as he moved to wrap his arm around your waist.

“It’s usable”, Johnny argued, shaking his head.

“They’re not gonna put a video of you discussing our love life on the team socials”, you pointed out, laughing.

“I meant for your wedding! When are you gonna propose Levinson?” Johnny smirked.

“Not before I kill you”, Ari warned. 

Johnny just winked and turned his attention away to Jensen and a couple other teammates.

“I’m sorry”, Ari apologised, running his hand up and down your back.

“You have nothing to apologise for”, you smiled, lifting up onto your tiptoes to kiss him, “but if you wanna make up for it… Get your shirt off”

Ari’s grin widened “Anything for you” he said, putting his beer bottle down “Give me a hand” 

You put down the team phone next to his beer before helping him with the surprisingly difficult task of peeling his matchday shirt off his body. You had no idea how tight to the skin they were, not that you were complaining, that tightness made Ari look incredible. You did wonder whether they felt the same relief that women feel when taking off a bra.

“Thank you”, he breathed out as he tossed the shirt into the laundry bin.

“No problem, I’ll never say no to undressing you”, you smirked, turning to pick the team phone back up only to find it missing “What?” You muttered in confusion.

“What is it?” Ari asked, frowning in concern.

“The media team phone is gone, I could have sworn I put it here,” you said, looking around where you last saw it.

“I’m sure it just fell onto the flo- oh, there it is”, Ari said pointing to the opposite side of the changing room.

You turn to see Johnny taking selfies with his teammates using the media team's phone. He was currently trying and failing to get Curtis to smile, only getting a disgruntled raised eyebrow.

“That either makes my job so much easier or harder”, you sighed, hoping it was the former and the selfies were what Steph wanted.

Ari shrugged his shoulders, “If it means I can celebrate with you a little longer, I don’t mind at all”, he smiled down at you.

You smiled back at him, “Yeah there’s worse things to be doing”

Eventually, you got the phone back from Johnny, you checked the photos he took, and thankfully, they were perfect. You sent them up to the media team and got back to work, filming and taking pictures of the entire team celebrating. You made sure to include the coaching and medical staff, too, because they deserved the spotlight just as much.

The bathroom was full of steam when Ari stepped out of the shower, a consequence of having a shower after you. He had suggested that you share a shower, but you reminded him that you had a party to get to and couldn’t get distracted. However, the heat in your eyes and the smirk on your lips told him that you had seriously considered it. 

He wrapped the towel around his waist before stepping over to the large mirror and wiping away the condensation. He did a quick assessment of his torso for bruises post-match but found nothing. Not that he was expecting anything, the match today had been so easy it was like playing against 5-year-olds. Ari had just run straight through any player who tried to stop him. 

Once he did everything he needed to, he stepped out of the bathroom, glad for the cooler air. He spotted you sitting at the end of the bed putting in some earrings, already dressed, but all Ari could see was the black trenchcoat you wore.

He glanced at the imaginary watch on his wrist “I didn’t think I was in there for too long”, he joked.

You chuckled, “I was starting to worry we’d miss midnight”, you smirked.

Ari walked over to the closet to grab the clothes he was planning to wear “What’s with the coat?” he asked as he laid the shirt and trousers on the bed.

“Well, you see there’s this thing called seasons, and right now it’s the one called winter”, you said, glancing over your shoulder at him, he levelled you a look, but you continued “and winter is like super cold, especially here in New England”

“Hilarious. But it’s pretty warm in here, it’s like a rainforest in there, thanks to you,” Ari said, pointing to the en-suite where steam was still spilling out. 

You just shrugged your shoulders in response. Ari narrowed his eyes at you as he shrugged on his shirt “So I’m not gonna see what you have on underneath that coat of yours?” He asked.

You looked over your shoulder at him again with an innocent smile on your face, “Who says I’m wearing something underneath it?”

That mental image immediately made Ari’s cock twitch, the corner of your lips tilted up in response. Ari took a deep breath to control himself because he knew he wasn’t gonna get a chance to indulge in that yet. He quickly pulled up his boxers and trousers, hoping the fabric prison would help. 

“As much as I’d love that, I don’t think the club we’re going to will be” he said as he buttoned his trousers and tucked in his shirt “you know, no shirt, no service”

You didn’t say anything, he watched as you stood up, his eyes falling to the red heels you wore, the only part of your outfit he could see. You sauntered over to him, hands reaching up to his chest. 

“You did one too many”, you said, voice low and sultry, as you unbuttoned his shirt by one.

Ari’s hands instinctively moved to your hips, but before he could make contact, you stepped back from his reach “I’ll let you finish getting ready”, you smirked as you walked out of the bedroom, grabbing a red clutch as you went. 

The door shut behind you with a soft click. Ari was silent for a moment before he laughed quietly to himself and shook his head. The girl he met in LA was back, no… she’d evolved. Ari barely knew that girl in LA, that girl was just one facet. Over the past few months, he’d seen there was far more to her. She was beautifully complex, and Ari got to see every single detail. 

He finished getting ready as quickly as he could. He sauntered out of the bedroom, spotting you leaning against the kitchen island. He strode straight over to you, you had barely looked up when he cupped your jaw and kissed you deeply.

“What was that for?” You breathed when he finally pulled away.

Ari smiled down at you, the pad of his thumb brushing over your chin, just below the cherry red lips he had just kissed.

He took a deep breath as he searched for a reason. He didn’t know why it was taking so long because the answer was so obvious that it couldn’t be anything else. He just wasn’t quite brave enough to say it. Give him hundreds of scrum players to tackle anyday, that was so much easier than those 3 words.

“Because I can’t believe I get to have you Bon… even if you are torturing me right now, not knowing what’s underneath this coat” Ari smirked, toying with the collar of your coat.

You laughed and smiled up at him, “All in good time, Clyde,” you said, reaching up to lift his hand off your coat, weaving your fingers through his “Let’s go before we’re really late”

Ari chuckled as he let you lead him out of the apartment. The team had organised the New Year's Eve party at one of the more popular clubs in town, booking out one of the VIP areas so they could have their own space away from the crowds. 

As soon as he stepped inside the club, Ari turned to you, “May I take your coat?” he held out his hand.

You laughed and slowly began to undo your coat “I guess you’ve waited long enough” you smirked as you slipped your coat off your shoulders.

Ari’s breath caught, and he had to stop himself from groaning when he finally saw your outfit. You wore a sparkly ruby red mini dress that made you look like a work of art. The corset-like bodice showed off the shape of your body in the best way. The skirt of the dress was swept to the side to create a thigh slit, where Ari noticed a couple of chains. 

“Are you gonna take my coat or should I slip it back on?” you smirked, bringing his attention back to your face. 

“Don’t you dare” Ari warned as he took your coat and quickly passed it to the cloak room attendant “I’m gonna have to keep you on a tight leash tonight” he murmured as he wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you close to his side.

“You don’t trust me?” you laughed, looking at him as you walked further into the club.

“I don’t trust the rest of the male population of Boston”, he said, eyes scanning the room to identify anyone who was looking for too long, sending them glares. 

“Good thing I only have eyes for you, Clyde,” you reached up to press a kiss to his cheek. 

The majority of the team was already in the VIP area when you got over there. Chris and Elena spotted both of you, the latter rushing over to give you a hug.

“Oh my god, you look incredible, Ari, Chris, I’m sorry but she’s mine now” Elena said as she pulled out of the hug and admired your outfit. 

“I’d like to see you try Rogers” Ari huffed, wrapping his arm around your shoulders.

“You might regret that, Levinson” Elena smirked “I got some new tape… extra sticky”

“You’re fighting a losing battle, man” Chris chuckled, clapping Ari on the shoulder “I’m gonna get some drinks? Join me?” 

Ari nodded, “Sure, what do you want?” he asked you. 

You shrugged your shoulders, “Surprise me.”

“C’mon, there’s a dance floor with our names on it” Elena said, grabbing your hand and dragging you away from Ari. 

Chris guided Ari in the opposite direction, but Ari couldn’t help looking over his shoulder to watch you disappear into the crowds. At the bar, Chris flagged down a bartender who gestured he’d be over in a minute while Ari turned and leaned against the bar, keeping his eyes out on the dancefloor. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched you laugh and dance alongside Elena. 

“I’m gonna cut straight to the point”, Chris said, grabbing Ari’s attention. 

Ari arched a brow as he glanced over at his captain, “Oh yeah?”

“You and Y/N…” Chris started with a pointed look.

“Those are our names”, Ari nodded “I thought you were cutting straight to the point”, he added with a smirk. 

“I am, as diplomatically as I can anyway”, Chris huffed before taking a deep breath “It’s all real now, isn’t it?”

Ari nodded as he looked back out at you on the dance floor “Yeah, it is”, he admitted “No point beating around the bush, still gonna give me that ‘you hurt her, I’ll hurt you’ talk?” he asked, glancing over at Chris. 

“It still stands, but no”, Chris shook his head “I’m happy for you two. I have to admit, when you guys first met in LA, I could see the spark, so I knew it was only a matter of time”, he smirked.

Ari chuckled as he turned to face the bar “Good to know she has that many people looking out for her, but the warning is not needed because I have no intention of hurting her, she’s gone through hell and back. I’m not gonna send her there again” he promised. 

Chris smiled softly, “Good, glad to hear it”

“When did you figure it out in the end?” Ari asked, curiosity getting the better of him. 

“The week after the gala”, Chris admitted.

Ari arched a brow “Really? What gave it away?”

“Nothing, El told me after she got back from Brunch”, Chris huffed before glancing over at Ari “I was waiting for you to come to me and tell me…”

Ari smirked, “After that warning you gave me?” he reminded him.

Chris chuckled, “Fair, thought we were pretty close though, I’m your captain, but I’m also your friend”

Ari breathed a deep sigh as he considered his next words, “You are… i’m just not great at that sort of thing” There were many cards Ari held close to his chest, some so closely he didn’t know how to show them if he wanted to.

Chris nodded, “Fair enough, but if you ever need it”, he said with a pointed look. 

Thankfully for Ari, the bartender finally appeared and ended the conversation, so he didn’t need to respond. He ordered himself a beer and you a cocktail before heading back towards the VIA session, more importantly, back towards you.

Your eyes lit up when you spotted him “Ooh, that looks nice” you smirked, taking the beer from his hand and taking a sip.

“Hilarious” he deadpanned as he passed you your cocktail and took his beer back.

You grinned up at him, tucking yourself into his side and taking a large sip of your cocktail, “god this is good,” you hummed to yourself.

“Looked like you were having fun out there” Ari nodded towards the dance floor.

You nodded enthusiastically, “Yes and you” you said, pointing to his chest “should join me” 

“I like that idea a lot” Ari grinned, not just because he liked the idea of dancing with you, but because he could send a message to every guy in this bar that you were here with him.

“Let's not wait around then”, you smirked, downing the rest of your drink in a way that would impress any rugby star before grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the dance floor.

Ari laughed, barely having enough time to down his own drink and ditch the bottle on a random table as you passed. Once his hands were free, he placed his hands on your hips to keep you close.

The next few hours were a blur of drinks, dancing, and Ari trying his hardest not to drag you to a dark corner and have his way with you. Each sway of your hips against his was a test of his patience in a way he never wanted to be tested again.

Before he knew it, it was nearing midnight. You had your arms wrapped around his shoulders, a warm smile on your face as you looked up at him. Ari couldn’t help but smile down at you, brushing some hair from your face. He could barely hear the countdown, all he could focus on was how fucking gorgeous you looked. 

The only reason he knew it was midnight was that you were reaching up to kiss him. He immediately responded, fingers weaving into your hair, hand gripping your hip. He felt you sigh into the kiss, your chest pressing into his as your back arched. He deepened the kiss, not caring that you were out in public. Let people stare, at least they’d know that you were his.

His lips chased yours as you pulled away “Happy New Year, Clyde” you smiled up at him.

Ari smiled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear “Happy New Year Bon”, he traced his fingers along your jawline, drawing your lips back to his.

You chuckled softly, resting your hands on his chest as he kissed you “Got any resolutions?” you asked, head tilting in the cutest way.

Ari shook his head, “My life feels pretty perfect already”  he admitted, there was nothing he wanted to change right now.

Being here with you was something he thought he could only ever dream of, now that it was his reality, he didn’t want to change a thing. There was nothing to improve on.

“What about you?” he asked.

“Same, life feels pretty good” you smiled up at him “I guess my resolution can be to make sure things only get better” 

“I think that’s the best resolution I’ve heard” Ari smirked, he leant down to kiss you again but was interrupted by Johnny.

“Shots! Take a shot!” he cheered, shoving a tray full of shots between the two of you.

“What are they?” you asked as you took one from the tray.

“Vodka” Johnny said, pushing the tray towards Ar,i who reluctantly took one.

“Vodka? I thought you’d go for tequila”, you arched a brow.

“Don’t encourage him” Ari warned. 

A smirk grows on Johnny’s face “You want tequila? We can do tequila” he agreed “get that down you and I’ll get the order in”

“Deal” you smirked, shooting back the vodka.

Ari’s brows rose in surprise as you easily handled the liquor, he smiled though, because you were happy and that’s all he wanted.  

“Don’t go crazy, you’ll regret it in the morning” he chuckled as he downed his shot. 

“I know my limits, don’t worry” you smirked. 

As it turned out, you really did not know your limits. By the time you managed to encourage you home, it was 3 am and you were definitely drunk. Not that Ari was complaining because you were a cuddly drunk. Elena had offered to help Ari get you home but he waved her off, because he would be an awful forward if he couldn’t handle someone less than half his size. 

He initially had his arm around your waist to keep you steady, but you were so clingy that you were tripping both yourself and him up, so he switched tactics and got you to climb onto his back. It made it easier to walk, but it was very distracting when you kept pressing kisses to his neck.

Eventually, he made it into his bedroom, where he carefully placed you down at the bottom of the bed. You instantly lay down, giggling as you looked up at him, his hands on his hips. 

“You look so big from here” you giggled. 

“And you look pretty drunk” Ari chuckled, grabbing your hands to pull you back up to a sitting position “and we need to get you ready for bed”

A seductive grin grew on your face, well as seductive as you could be while drunk, as you stood up. Ari catching you when you wobbled. 

“You gonna undress me Clyde” you asked, trailing a fingertip down his peck.

“Yes but not like that” he sighed, an amused smile on his face. 

You pouted, “but you wanted to earlier, I saw you looking at me in the club” you said, booping him on the nose.

“I did, but that was before you got this drunk” he explained as he gently turned you around and unzipped your dress “I’m far more sober than you, so it wouldn’t be appropriate” 

He stepped away to grab one of his tees for you to sleep in. When he turned back around he saw you had turned around to face him too but your brows were furrowed and your pout more pronounced “it’s my fault” you muttered, voice cracking. 

Ari closed the distance between you quickly, cupping your cheek to get you to look up at him “no its not” he stated firmly “You had fun tonight, more fun than I bet you’ve had in years” you nodded slightly in response, making Ari smile softly “And that makes me so happy”

You tilted your head, “but you wanted to,” you reminded me. 

“I did” Ari admitted, “but I’m happy to wait for another time because we’ve got all the time in the world, Bon”

You bit your lower lip as you looked up at him, your eyes turning glassy, “god I love you” you whispered. 

Ari’s breath caught at your admission. You were pretty drunk so he had no idea how real that admission was, whether you meant to say it out loud or at all. He had no idea whether you would even remember saying it in the morning. He knew he had to respond, though, and there was only one true answer. 

“I love you too,” he smiled, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to your lips  “Now put this on” he chuckled, holding out the tee he grabbed for you. 

You smiled up at him and did as he said, he then guided you to your side of the bed, sitting you down, “don’t fall asleep just yet” he told you before stepping away. 

He first went to the kitchen to grab you a glass of water “Drink that,” he ordered. 

“But what if I need a wee in the middle of the night” you pointed out as you took a few sips. 

“Trust me, needing a wee is better than a hangover” he chuckled as he made his way into the bathroom to grab some cotton pad and your makeup remover.

He crouched down in front of you and began removing your makeup for you, he knew you’d feel awful in the morning if you slept in your makeup. As he did so you giggled like a 5-year-old who was having their face painted and found the sensation ticklish.

Once the glass was empty and your face free of makeup, he tucked you into bed. You pouted again saying you couldn’t fall asleep until he got in bed too, so even though he had a couple more things to do he quickly stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed beside you. You curled up beside him, head resting on his chest, arm outstretched across his torso, legs tangled with his.

He smiled down at you, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head, “sleep tight, Bon”

Your head was pounding when you woke up the next morning. An involuntary groan escaped your lips as you rolled onto your back, hand moving to rub your forehead like that would make any difference. You peeked to the right when you heard a soft chuckle.

Ari was sitting up against the headboard, shirtless, his phone in hand as he smiled down at you, “How are you feeling?”

”Like I shouldn’t have had that 3rd tequila shot” you groaned, covering your eyes with your hand even though the room was still pretty dark.

”You had 4 shots of tequila”, Ari reminded you. 

“Storm is a bad influence”, you grumbled. 

“I did try to warn you,” Ari chuckled “, there’s painkillers on your bedside table and a fresh glass of water” he nodded over in that direction “Are you hungry or is food the last thing you want?”

You let out a long sigh, taking stock of how you felt. You felt like you had been run over by a truck, but your stomach felt calm and not on the verge of a revolt “A little hungry, nothing greasy though, I feel fine, but I don’t want to tempt fate”

Ari chuckles as he climbs out of bed, you watch him walk around to your side. He leans down to press a kiss to your forehead “Take some painkillers and drink that, and I’ll be right back with food”

You did as you were told, sitting up enough to take the painkillers. You had drunk over half the glass when Ari returned, a plate of food in one hand and a banana in the other. 

“One thing rugby players know best is how to cure a hangover quickly enough so coaches don’t find out you had one”, he said as he put down the plate of food on your lap. 

“So it's not some strange cocktail that looks like it's from Shrek’s swamp and smells like it too?” You asked as you looked down at the avocado toast and banana that he’d brought you. 

“That’s only for extreme cases, if you had a couple more shots, we might have needed it” Ari smirked as he returned to his side of the bed. 

“Aren’t you hungry?” You asked as you tucked in, noticing his lack of food.

Ari shook his head, “already ate, I’ve been up for a while”

Your brows furrowed as you realised you had no idea what the time was “What time is it?” You asked, glancing around. 

“Just gone midday”, Ari said, glancing at his phone. 

You nearly choked on your avocado toast “Seriously? I don’t think I slept in that late when I was in college” 

Ari chuckled, “It was New Year's, so I think you can be forgiven, especially since you seemed to have so much fun last night”

You smiled softly to yourself as you recalled the events of last night. You couldn’t remember the last time you just let loose and had fun like that. In college, you went to parties, but you were always a little self-conscious, so you restrained yourself and played it cool. Dan and his friend weren’t the big partying type either, so even though you had the confidence, you never had the opportunity. 

For the first time in your life, you had both. The confidence and the opportunity. You didn’t have to worry about feeling self-conscious because you had Ari. Ari, who would be by your side, laughing along with you, making you feel like there was no one else in the room.

You looked over to him and remembered the admission you had made when he was trying to get you into bed. You probably wouldn’t have said it if you hadn’t been so drunk, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true. You were just loose-lipped enough that you were brave enough to say it.

”You love me,” you said softly.

Ari blinked like he was surprised that you remembered. His usual charismatic smile grew as he looked back at you, “and you love me too, I didn’t think you’d remember that”

”There’s no way I could ever forget that” you smiled, “especially since it's true”

It was, and it felt so simple. When you said that you loved dan for the first time, you could remember how sweaty your palms were and how your heart raced. At the time, you thought it was because it was such a momentous occasion, but you were so wrong. Because this is how it was supposed to feel, peaceful and just so right. You weren’t nervous because there was nothing to feel nervous about when everything was exactly how it should be.

”I’m very glad to know that” Ari grinned, leaning in to kiss you, but you lifted your hand to cover his mouth and stop him.

” Morning breath, we’ll have time for that later” you reasoned. 

Ari chuckled, wrapping his long fingers around your wrist and pressing a kiss to your palm “Sounds like a plan, what do you want to do today?”

You shrugged your shoulders, “Just relaxing with you sounds good to me, read a book, watch a movie” you suggested.

” Sounds perfect” Ari grinned. 

For the rest of the day, you and Ari did exactly as you suggested, you curled up in bed together, watched movies and read your respective books. Ari read the new book you’d gotten him for Christmas while you read the romance book you were currently loving. You were sitting curled up next to Ari, his arm around you as you both read.

” Your book looks interesting” Ari said grabbing your attention. You looked up to see the cheeky grin on his face that told you that he was very aware that the chapter you were reading was a spicy one.

”I’m definitely enjoying it” you admitted candidly.

Ari moved to put his book down before taking the book from you, careful not to lose your place as he looked at the cover, “Burnin’ Up” he read out loud. 

“It's a Romeo and Juliet type romance between a cop and firefighter, she’s the commissioner's daughter and he’s the chief's son, they hooked up before knowing that, though and through miscommunication thanks to a lost sticky note, they end up hating each other” you explained.

Ari hummed as he opened the book to the page you were on “Looks like they like each other quite a bit here” he commented. 

“That’s because they realised that they actually loved each other all this time, but god did it take them ages to get there” you exclaimed making Ari chuckle “so they ended up calling a truce after she found a fatal RTC and they become good friends and he ends up learning more about her childhood and it turns out her dad is an abusive piece of shit but she doesn’t realise that yet and when he tried to point it out it caused an argument because he’s a bit hot headed so didn’t go it in the right way” you continued gesturing wildly with your hands as you did so “but then they both respond to this major apartment building fire and he decides to go be the hero and save a little girl but he’s not got his gloves or respirator and while he’s in there the stairs collapse underneath him and he barely makes it out with the girl. She thinks he died and realises that she loves him and they both admit it to each other in the back of the ambulance”

”wow” Ari muttered, “that is a rollercoaster”

”yep and that not all, while in the hospital he hears her talking to his mom about how terrified she was and asking how to cope and because he decides that he can’t be the one who hurts her he decides that they can’t be together so he breaks up with her” you shake you head at the idiocy of the male character “he’s then miserable and she’s heartbroken and after going on a bit of a personal journey where he faces his own trauma he realises he needs to win her back which he does and this chapter is their first date”

Ari was silent for a moment longer than you expected, so you looked up to see him smiling warmly down at you “What?” You asked. 

“Nothing I just love watching you talk about something you love” 

You blush bashfully, “in another universe, I do wonder whether I could work in the literary industry,” you admitted.

”What’s stopping you in this one?” He asked. 

“Nothing, I love what I do and I’m good at it, if I worked in publishing, I’d never get any work done because I’d be reading instead of working” You shrugged your shoulders “plus, working in PR got me here”

”and I’m very grateful for that, now I think I’m hooked on this book, so why don’t you read the rest out loud?” Ari smirked, passing the book back to you. 

“Really?” You asked, surprised.

Ari nodded, “of course, maybe I can pick up some tips from this firefighter” he winked.

You rolled your eyes at him, “You don’t need any tips” you said with a pointed look.

” No harm in learning more, now c’mon get reading” he smirked, nodding to the book as he got comfy beside you. 

You let out a small huff of a laugh but opened the book anyway picking up where you left of. You only read a couple of words before he interrupted you and took the book back out of your hands.

”you can’t start in the middle of a chapter” he chided playfully as he flipped the pages back to the beginning of the chapter. 

You arched a brow at him as he passed the book back “any more requests? Do you require different voices for the different characters?”

Ari returned your look with one of his own “your voice is perfect now get reading”

you rolled you eyes but did as you were told and started reading out loud from the beginning of the chapter. Ari listened intently beside you, humming occasionally as he reacted to the story. You glanced over at him a couple of times and couldn’t help but grin. Who knew reading a book outloud could be so romantic? Dan was never interested in what you were reading, and here Ari was taking an active interest. You wondered what it would be like if he read outloud to you, his deep voice would be perfect for some of your favourite male characters. 

Your mind started to drift as you picture Ari reading out some of the spicier scenes, leading his voice to the dirty talk that the male characters loved to do. The thought alone was enough to make heat pool at your core, you shifted pressing your thighs together to try and contain yourself. You glanced over at Ari to see if he’d noticed but there was no indication that he did.

soon enough the spicy started to ramp up in the book which was making it even more difficult to focus “ ‘oh you don’t know what you’ve started’ he said with a lopsided grin, rolling me onto my back, propping himself over me with his elbows, his knee moving to push my thighs apart” you read out loud.

Ari hummed beside you, his hand moving to run up and down your thigh teasingly close to where you wanted him. 

As you continued to read you realised that Ari’s motions were beginning to mirror what the firefighter was doing. You glanced over at him, expecting to see his usual charismatic smirk but instead he wore a poker face, making you wonder whether it was his subconscious or if you were imagining it. 

“His hands ran over my sides cupping the underside of my breast” you continued, Ari’s left hand mirroring the action “his thumb brushed over my sensitive peak making me gasp” you continued sucking in a harsh breath when Ari hand slipped under your shirt to copy. 

You swallowed as you continued to read, your voice wobbling with desire when, like the firefighter, Ari began pressing kissing to your neck. You glanced over at him again and saw the smirk he was trying to stop, he definitely knew what he was doing and there was no way in hell you were gonna stop him. 

You nibbled your lower lip as he moved to kneel in front of you, his nimble fingers reaching out to unbutton the pajama shirt you changed into after your shower earlier. Where he could he pressed kisses down your body until he reached your pajama shorts.

”he smirked up at me, his eyes never leaving my as he leant down” you read, watching Ari do the same.

”keep reading” Ari prompted softly.

”as he leant down to press a kiss to my clothes core” you read, whimpering just like the cop as he did so. 

“‘Do you want me to feel just how wet you are?’ His fingers runs over my clothed core” your hips arched as Ari did the same, you couldn’t wait to see where this was going, you had never been so invested in a spicy scene before especially when you saw the next sentence, your gaze lifting to meet Ari’s “ ‘do you want me to fuck you with my tongue?’ “

Ari arched a brow in question as you read outloud the response “ ‘yes, yes to it all’ “ you nodded. 

you continued to read as Ari matched exactly what the firefighter did, pulling down your shorts and diving in like a man starved. You tried to focus on reading but your mind quickly turned to mush but when you stopped reading, Ari stopped too making you whine.

”gotta keep reading otherwise I won’t know what to do” he smirked, a mischievous look in his eyes. 

Your heart raced as you returned you attention back to the book, as soon as you started reading Ari dove straight back in. Just like the cop you could feel sparks of electricity coursing through your body as Ari fucked you with his tongue and circled your clit with his thumb exactly like the firefighter. 

You were amazed that you managed to not drop the book when your orgasm hit and Ari worked you though it. 

“Do they do anything else?” Ari asked once your breathing returned to a somewhat normal level, his beard glistening with your release. 

You quickly scanned the page and a smirk grew on your lips “ ‘You’re far too dressed,’ I stated, pushing his shoulder to flip him over” you read.

Ari’s smirk grew as he glanced down at himself, he was still only wearing boxers and that was far to many clothes “let me fix that now” he said moving to push his boxers down. 

“Wait, not yet, on your back first” you said quickly patting the space next to you in bed. 

Ari chucked and held his hands up in surrender as he moved to lay down beside you, you then moved to straddle his hip, one hand on his abdomen to keep you steady, the other keeping the book open “now you can” you said and just like in the book his erection sprang free and slapped against your ass cheeks. 

“I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to keep reading during this next bit” you admit as you quickly scan ahead. 

“I don’t doubt you one bit” Ari smirked “so keep reading”

you nibble your lip as you did what you were told “he didn’t complain, especially when i repositioned myself, lining my entrance up with him and slowly sinking down onto his erection” you read following the instruction to a tea, earning a moan from Ari in response. 

You continued to read and match your actions to what was happening in the book but the sensation was too good that soon it became impossible to roll your hip, hold the book and read at the same time. Before you knew it the book started to slip from your grip, luckily Ari caught it and picked up where you left off.

”his hands roamed over my body, squeezing my tits and hips, his own thrusting up to meet mine” Ari read, copying each motion to the letter. 

You braced your hands on his shoulder and moaned in response, it was so much hotter to hear the story in his voice, especially when the firefighter spoke “ ‘fuck darlin’ you look so good riding me like this’ he growled” Ari read, the headboard beginning to hit the wall with the ferocity that he moved to meet your thrusts. 

You moaned a whined, digging your nails into his shoulder and you chased your high. It felt like you had ascended into another universe, where it was just you and Ari, the pleasure you were feeling and the deep timbre of his voice surrounding you. 

Right on cue you found your second release which was even better than the first. You didn’t know how Ari did it but he just kept getting better and better. Your body pulsated around Ari as you felt him hit his own peak not long after your. 

You slumped down ontop of him, his arm’s wrapping around your body securely as you pressed kisses to his neck “I think we need to read together more often” you hummed.

Ari’s chest rumbled as he laughed “I love that idea”

Sharing is caring so please reblog and leave a comment to really make my day!

This series has no schedule, please don’t ask when it will be updated! Same goes for Masterlist, AO3 and Wattpad!

Fake Out Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

I don’t have a taglist but follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications to stay up to date!

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears Series Update

Firstly I want to say this isn’t bad news, not really anyway, just a bit of an explanation of the future of the Boston Bears series.

I am aware that it has been a looong time since I’ve updated the Boston Bears series and I wanted to explain why.

For those of you who don’t know I am currently studying for a PhD and it’s goddamn hard at times and it takes up a lot of my time too. Meaning that when I do have free time, to save my sanity, the only thing I am capable of doing is non screen time activities. Which means I haven’t had the time or mental capacity to do much writing at all or posting or editing. As much as I wish I could be like the writers of old and use a quill and parchment to write out my little fics, it’s just not possible.

That being said, this series is NOT being abandoned. I love my little rugby team, I am often daydreaming about my little rugby team and the stories that have yet to be told. I have managed to write up to Part 9 of Ari’s story and I have johnny’s story mostly planned out too, i just haven’t had the opportunity to post or edit them yet.

They will be coming at some point (pun somewhat intended 😉)

Thank you for bearing with me 🩵

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 6)

Summary: With everything out in the open you and Ari enjoy the holidays together as a real couple

Word Count: 10.9k words

Warnings: Language! Mention of Cheating Ex! Alcohol Consumption! Fluff! Very Minor Angst! SMUT! 18+ ONLY! MINORS DNI!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Fake Out Series Masterlist /Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 6

The snow had definitely arrived in Boston, you’d expected to hate it, especially since when you first moved back to the East Coast, you didn’t have a winter wardrobe. But you were loving it, it just felt so magical and cosy. Seasonal depression? You didn’t know her. 

You guessed that it probably had something to do with the very real man in your life. If you were alone right now, you probably would be the Grinch, but it seemed impossible not to be happy with Ari. Even if he wasn’t physically with you, you could feel the joyous energy he brought to your life. 

Although if you were being logical, it was probably because of the multiple orgasms you’d had over the last couple days. You have had more earth-shattering orgasms in the last couple of days than you had in the last few months of your relationship with Dan. In the 3 days since the charity gala, you and Ari had barely been outside. 

On Sunday morning, he made you breakfast, which was quickly abandoned in favour of him eating you out on his kitchen island. You returned the favour when you had a shower later and took him down your throat. You both went back to your apartment to grab a few things because Ari said, ‘I want you in my bed for a couple more nights at least’, What should have been a quick visit to your apartment turned into an hour or two when he bent you over the back of the couch. 

Monday and Tuesday had been a bit of a break since you had to go to work, and he had to go to training. The media team had joined the team for their cryotherapy session, you couldn’t stop yourself from laughing at Ari in his little pod. You could only see his beanie covered head over the top of the stall, the tip of his nose turning red in the cutest way.

He’d punished you later by teasing you with an orgasm only to pull back just as you were about to peak. He did this multiple times until you swore not to laugh at his cryotherapy visit again. The promise you made was a white lie, though, because if this was the punishment, you’d do it all over again. 

Needless to say, it took you a lot longer to walk places now, which meant you were a few minutes late to brunch with Elena on Wednesday “I’m so sorry I’m late”, you apologised as you hugged her. 

“No problem, was traffic bad?” Elena asked as you sat down at the table. 

“Uh, no, just forgot how long the walk from the car was”, you lied as you sat down, hiding the small wince. 

Elena just smirked, “Sure, it’s got nothing to do with all the sex you’ve been having with Ari the last couple of days then”

Your jaw dropped “Elena!” you hissed “How did you even know?”

“Same way you could tell I slept with Chris, you’ve got the post sex glow”, she grinned as she sipped on her mimosa “That and I saw the two of you sneaking out of the equipment cupboard yesterday”, she added.

Your face flushed, and you dropped your head into your hands “Oh my god”, you groaned in embarrassment. 

Elena laughed softly, “Don’t be embarrassed, I’m glad you’re getting some”

You sighed and dropped your hands from your face “It has been nice”, you admitted as you grabbed your champagne glass and took a sip.

“Only nice? Poor Ari,” Elena smirked.

You rolled your eyes “Okay, it’s been great… the most incredible few days in… forever”, you admitted with a dreamy sigh “Even the aches are great”, you leaned in to quietly add.

Elena laughed and nodded her head “They just remind you of a great night”, she agreed.

“Or morning, or afternoon or evening,” you smirked.

Elena gasped dramatically, “You dirty dog”, she winked “so what are you guys now? Exactly?”

You tilted your head in confusion, “What do you mean?”

Elena smiled softly “Well, to the outside world, you’re boyfriend and girlfriend, but in private, are you friends with benefits or in a real relationship?” she asked quietly. 

You opened your mouth to answer but then realised that you didn’t have a definitive answer. Both you and Ari had agreed that it had never really been fake and it certainly felt like you were a real girlfriend but neither of you had explicitly said so.

“Hey, it's okay, it's pretty early days,” Elena said, reaching across the table to hold your hand “Do you know what you want?”

“I want it to be real, all of it”, you admitted with a soft sigh “You don’t think it’s too soon, do you?” You winced slightly.

Elena snorted “you’re asking me? The girl who got into bed with Chris only a week after the shit went down with Byrce” she said with a pointed look “so no i don’t think its too soon, why wait around for the right around of time when there’s someone right in front of you that can make you happy now”

You nodded, “You’re right, I’m seeing him tonight so I’ll talk to him about it then, I’m pretty sure he wants the same, but it's better to be on the same page, right?” 

“Definitely, I wish me and Chris spoke about it earlier”, Elena sighed “That might have stopped everything that went down with my dad…But I feel closer to my dad now, so I guess things do always work themselves out in the end if it’s supposed to”

You hummed in agreement, whenever you thought back on your relationship with Dan you regretted so much. You wished you hadn’t stayed as long as you did, but if you hadn’t found out about him and hightailed it over to the east coast you wouldn’t be with Ari right now. 

With your mind put at ease you switched the conversation away. Ari had mentioned that Chris was planning on proposing to Elena but wanted some input from you to ensure it was perfect. You already had a good idea about what Elena wanted from the conversations you’d had when you got engaged, but you wanted to make sure her preferences hadn’t changed. So you put your PR training to use and told her about an old co-worker of yours who had recently gotten engaged to trigger the conversation.

Once brunch was over, you made your way back to Ari’s apartment, swinging by a bakery that you spotted nearby his building. You managed to catch him just as he was entering the building, his phone pressed to his ear. His brow was furrowed, and there was a look of tiredness and concern on his face, but as soon as he caught sight of you, his charismatic smile returned. 

“Sorry, I gotta go, I’ll try and call back later”, he said as he hung up “Hey how was brunch?” he leant down to kiss your cheek. 

“Great, feeling very jolly”, you grinned “Is everything okay? You looked off on the phone” 

Ari’s smile twitched ever so slightly, so quick and subtle that you weren’t sure if it even happened “Yeah, it's nothing, just tired from training, that’s all” he reassured you “What have you got there?” he nodded down to the pink box in your hands.

“Oh, I got us some gingerbread from that bakery down the block” you explained before your brow furrowed “Wait, are you even allowed this sort of thing with your diet plan? El is really strict about it with Chris”

Ari chuckled warmly “one can’t hurt, plus i’m sure we can find ways to burn the calories back off” he smirked “c’mon we’ve got decorating to do and i’m willing to be you’re an expert” he took the pink box from you, holding it in one hand as he took your other hand and led you inside the building. 

Over the next couple of hours, you helped put up the Christmas tree, decorate it alongside the rest of his apartment. As you did so, Ari taught you more about Hanukkah and how he celebrates it, promising to make you some of his favourite dishes. 

The last task was to put the star on top of the tree. With his height, Ari could have easily done it himself, but he insisted on lifting you up and getting you to do it yourself. You giggled and squealed slightly as he lifted you like you weighed nothing. 

Once the star was in place, he carried you over to the couch and sat down with you across his lap. You smiled softly as you shifted to face him, straddling his hips as you brushed a rogue strand of hair from his face. He smiled softly back at you, his large hand caressing your cheek, his fingertips trailing over your jawline as he drew your lips closer and captured them with his. 

You couldn’t help but melt into his touch, but as you did so, you remembered the conversation you had with Elena over brunch. 

“What’s wrong?” Ari murmured, You hadn’t even realised you had tensed up for a second. 

“Nothing’s wrong…” You reassured him with a gentle shake of the head, “I just wanted to ask you something, make sure we’re on the same page”

Ari’s brow arched ever so slightly, and the smallest of smirks spread across his lips “Okay, ask away,” he encouraged. 

“Okay” you shifted, taking a deep breath as you gathered yourself “Of course, to everyone else we’re in a relationship, boyfriend and girlfriend” you started. 

Ari nodded, rolling his lips as if he was trying to contain a smile “go on”, he prompted when you paused, his hands moving to rest on your hips. 

You took another deep breath, his touch distracting you, “and I know we said this was never really fake and it's not fake now…”

“But…” Ari dragged out, his smirk growing. 

“But what exactly are we now? Are we the same to what we are to everyone else? Are we something more casual or…” Ari’s shoulders were shaking now “You’re laughing at me”, you pouted. 

Ari rolled his lips as he took your hands in his “I’m sorry, I’m sorry”, he apologised “I’m just finding this cute, you’re cute”, he said.

You frowned “in a good way or bad way” 

“A good way i promise” he swore “look, i meant what I said that his has never been fake for me, to me who we are in public and in private are one and the same” he told you with a soft smile “but if you want to take it slower and not have that title in private then we can do that”

You shook your head “no, no, no, I want that title… I just didn’t want to assume”

Ari smiled as he cupped your cheek and kissed your forehead “It’s okay, I understand,” he nodded “and just to make it as crystal clear, you are not only my girlfriend but also the Bonnie to my Clyde” you smiled at the pet name “now Bonnie, I have a question for you in return”

You chuckled, “I guess that’s only fair”

“We’ve already agreed to spend christmas together, but the question is whether we spend it here or at yours”, he asked.

You pursed your lips and tilted your head in thought “Here, your apartment is nicer anyway, and it would be a shame not to put all this effort to good use”

Ari smiled as he nodded in head in agreement “Okay, but I have one condition” You tilted your head in a silent question “You have to bring that purple toy you’ve hidden in your bedside table”

Your jaw dropped “Did you go snooping?!” you gasped, sitting upright. 

Ari laughed and shook his head “Snooping implies I didn’t have permission, I had permission, I was even told to go through it”, he smirked.

You frowned and tilted your head in confusion “I’ve never… Oh my god”, you muttered when you worked it out “You were the one who packed it! Oh my god!” you exclaimed, burying your head in your hands from embarrassment. 

Ari laughed as he pulled your hands from your face, “and I took great care of it,” he said, referring to the many layers of bubble wrap he wrapped it in. 

“This is so embarrassing”, you whined. 

“The only one who should be embarrassed is your piece of shit ex, who clearly wasn’t doing enough for you”, Ari said with a pointed look. 

You let out a resigned sigh “So you’re not bothered by it?” you asked.

“God no, I think we could have some fun with it, hence why I asked you to bring it, consider it a Christmas present”, he smirked.

You nibbled your lower lip, unable to stop the mental images in your mind of how exactly he would use it. You couldn’t help but shift, a move which told you that Ari was also thinking of what fun ways he could use it. Your eyes met his and saw them darken, wordlessly, your lips crashed together like you were dying of thirst, and each other was your first sip of water. 

Ari quickly found the hem of your sweater and lifted it and the top underneath up and off of your body. Your exposed skin chilled, but soon heated once more as Ari traced his lips over the newly exposed skin. Heat that travelled across your entire body and made you return the favour and remove his top layers. 

In one quick motion, Ari shifted you to lie down on the couch, one hand was securely placed on your hip while the other moved to pat his jean pockets, which were halfway down his hips. 

“Shit”, he muttered, his face screwing up in frustration. 

“What?” you asked, pushing yourself up onto your elbows. 

“I’ve made a serious schoolboy error and forgot to get more condoms”, Ari sighed.

You bit your lip to stop yourself from laughing, “That was a schoolboy error Clyde”

Ari laughed softly, “Will you forgive me Bonnie?” he smiled. 

“I think I could”, you grinned, running your hands up and down his biceps, unable to feel a bit disappointed that you couldn’t have all the fun you could possibly have. You hadn’t had to worry about condoms for a long while now. That thought alone had the gears in your brain turning.

“What are you thinking, bon?” Ari asked, dipping his head to kiss your forehead. 

“Well…” you started, “considering we’re in a committed relationship, maybe we don’t always need them”

Ari’s lips parted slightly in surprise “We have to get tested as regularly, and I haven’t been with anyone besides you since my last one, so I’m all good on that front”

You nodded, “I’m on the pill and I’ve only ever been with Dan but we both know he wasn’t faithful, so I don’t actually know” you winced, you had no idea whether the wedding planner was the only one or not, you also hadn’t slept with Dan for a while before you found out.

Ari gave you a reassuring smile, “That’s fine, it's not your fault”

“I’ll book myself in to get tested as soon as possible”, you promised. 

“And I’ll make sure I’m stocked up in the meantime, but before that”, his tongue poked out to wet his lips “there’s still fun to have”

You squeaked in surprise as he found the waistband of your trousers and pulled them off in one quick motion. Your surprise soon melted away as his head disappeared between your thighs, and your moans echoed around the room as he brought you to oblivion.

You woke with a feeling of warmth and cosiness surrounding you. Smiling to yourself, you rolled over to see Ari fast asleep beside you. He always looked so much more relaxed and at peace when he was asleep, like all the worries of the world melted away. You couldn’t stop yourself as you reached up and carefully brushed your fingertips over the worry lines across his forehead. Your featherlight touch ran down to his thick beard and onward to his broad chest. 

“Is this my first Christmas present?” Ari hummed, his chest rumbling beneath your fingertips. 

You grinned as you looked back up at him “Certainly can be”

Ari matched your grin, his hands moving to grip your hips and shift you to straddle his hips. His desire very much present and obvious beneath you. You had been slightly shocked to find Ari almost always slept in the nude, but it certainly wasn’t going to be something you complained about. Especially since you typically ended up joining him, too.

“Merry Christmas Bon”

You chuckled as you leant down to kiss him, “Merry Christmas Clyde”

“I have your first present for you if you want”, Ari murmured into the kiss.

You pulled up enough to look down at him your brow arched in question, “You have my attention”

Ari gave you a lopsided smile as he tapped your hips with his fingers, “bring those up here” he gestured to his head “and hold on tight” 

Your jaw dropped in surprise, but excitement soon took hold as you shifted up his body. You held onto the headboard, grip tightening when he pulled you down and you felt the first swipe of his tongue through your folds. Your hips rolled, but Ari kept you exactly where he wanted you.

You didn’t bother holding back your moans as he swirled his tongue around your clit, which was already sensitive from last night’s fun. The scratching of his beard against your thighs burned in the best way imaginable and only added to the pleasure you felt. You swore that if he ever shaved it off, you would observe a whole month of mourning.

You reached one hand down to run your fingers through his long locks. Gripping the strands tightly when he pushed his tongue against your entrance. He responded with a moan of his own that vibrated against you. His hands gripped your thighs and hips tightly, opening you up further for better access.

It wasn’t long until you came undone on top of him. It took all your effort to stay upright and not completely collapse on top of him. Ari didn’t seem to care though, as he kept his face buried between your thighs, working you through your orgasm, prolonging it.

He only let up when your body stopped shaking, almost reluctantly letting you shift back down his body. His face came back into view, his lopsided grin glistening with your release. 

“A very merry Christmas indeed”, you panted before a lopsided grin grew on your face “How would you like your present?”

Ari’s grin widened as he reached up to cup your jaw “How about we start here?” He suggested running his thumb over your lips.

You pressed a kiss to his palm and nodded, but as you moved to shift off of him, he gripped your hips, “but keep this up here,” he added, his hand moving to cup your soaked core.

Your lips parted in surprise, but you soon understood what he meant when he reached over to grab your purple vibrator from his nightstand. Your core clenched in anticipation as you quickly turned around and positioned yourself on your hands and knees over his body.

Ari’s hands ran over the globes of your ass as you lowered your lips to press an open-mouthed kiss to his tip. His erection twitched in response, spreading the beads of pre-cum across your lips. You began to run your tongue over his shaft, using one hand to grip him at his base.

“Fuck you do this so good”, Ari groaned.

You moaned in response when he began running the vibrator through your folds, covering it in your release from your last orgasm. As you began to take him into your mouth, he turned the toy on and began teasing your entrance, making you moan around him, your hips rutting back towards the toy.

You tried to focus on taking as much of Ari as possible, but it became increasingly difficult with the sounds of his groans and the feeling of him pressing the toy into your core.

“Fuck you have no idea how fucking gorgeous this view is,” he groaned, his hips thrusting up into your mouth. 

You whimpered in response, the feeling was so intense you couldn’t decide what to focus on. The thickness of him in your mouth and down your throat or the feeling of his thumb circling your clit as he slowly thrusted the vibrating toy into you. 

“You set the pace Bon, show me how you want it”, Ari instructed.

You instantly responded, bobbing your head at the tempo you desired. He returned the favour by matching your pace with the vibrator. So everything was in perfect time, like a symphony by the best musicians in the world. You were already so close already when he turned up the intensity and brought his lips into the mix, sucking on your clit. 

You tried to hold on until he was ready, but there was no stopping the tsunami that crashed over you. You moaned his name around him as you climaxed, trying your hardest to maintain the rhythm as you tried to catch your breath. 

“Don’t worry Bon” he said, placing a hand on your shoulder to stop you “I’d rather finish here” he pulled the vibrator from you and pressed a kiss to your soaked core, and I want you to watch”

He easily shifted both of you to the end of the bed, positioning you on your side. He moved to lie behind you, bending your top leg so he had easy access to you from behind. You would never get over how strong and sexy Ari was when he easily manhandled you into the position he wanted. He lined himself up and slid into you as far as possible in one smooth motion. Your head rolled back towards his shoulder at the motion, the sensation of him filling you up at this angle was almost enough on its own to bring you to orgasm. He hooked his finger under your jawline and lifted your head so you made eye contact with him through the full-length mirror against the wall opposite the bed. 

“I want you to keep your eyes right here”, he said, pointing to where your bodies joined “I want you to watch how you take me so perfectly” 

Your vocabulary had been reduced to only moans, so you nodded and did as you were told. You watched as he began to slowly thrust into you, your gaze never straying, even when your back arched in response to his lips on your neck and fingers pinching the sensitive peaks of your breasts.

Ari wasn’t lying when he said this was the most gorgeous view. You couldn’t draw your eyes away as you watched your body take him. It was perfect, his body was made for yours. You knew in that moment you were utterly ruined and no one would ever compare. If you and Ari ever split, it had the potential to destroy you because no one would pleasure you like he could.

You must have entered some pleasure-filled daze because sooner than you believed was possible, you orgasmed again. Your walls clenching down around him as the most intense orgasm of your life crashed over you. 

Despite how lost in your pleasure you were, you still managed to keep your eyes open. You watched your orgasm tremble through your body and trigger Ari’s high. The sight of him coming done behind you was a gorgeous sight in itself. He kept thrusting into you, dragging out the best orgasm of your life.

You watched as he moved his fingers to your clit and began to circle it, triggering yet another orgasm so close to the last. Causing you to do something you previously thought impossible. You watched in astonishment as Ari made you squirt.

“Oh my god”, you gasped, slumping back against him. 

“I’m guessing that’s never happened before”, Ari chuckled as he pressed a kiss to your neck.

You shook your head in response, you wouldn’t have believed it happened if you hadn’t witnessed it with your own eyes.

“Well, you know what I’ll be aiming for now in the future”, he chuckled, running his hands up and down your side.

You let out a worn-out laugh, “I think you’re gonna kill me, Clyde”, you admitted as he shifted back enough to let you roll onto your back and look up at him.

“Nah, I’ll just be taking you straight to heaven Bon,” he smirked, leaning down to press a kiss to your lips. 

The rest of your Christmas day was just as amazing as how it began. You spent what was left of the morning getting the Christmas lunch ready. You had been shocked when Ari came home with a turkey big enough to feed 6 people. When you questioned it, he just arched an eyebrow and said ‘leftovers’. 

Once everything was cooking, the two of you sat down to exchange presents, and you had both gone with the book theme. He had gotten you a contemporary romance book subscription box, which came with exclusive editions and gifts themed around the chosen book. You had gotten him a crime novel about a woman who had lost her memories, and her so-called fiancé didn’t seem to be who he said he was. 

“Thank you bon”, he smiled as he kissed you. 

“I’m glad you like it, it looks like you’ve got another present to open”, you said, nodding to the large box that had been delivered a couple of days ago, “from your parents, I’m guessing”

Ari shook his head as he stood up to grab the large box “We just send each other money, this is from my secret Santa on the team,” he explained as he carried it back over to the couch.

“Oh, that’s sweet, who did you have?” you asked

“Curtis”

You winced, “oh, I bet that was difficult to find something, what does he even like?”

Ari shook his head “No clue, I’ve known the man for a few years now, and I can count what I know about him on one hand”, he said with a small chuckle.

“He’s an enigma, I tried to get him to smile for a video and all I got was a slightly smaller frown”, you huffed in amusement. 

“Yeah, I just got him a new beanie, which I doubt he’ll wear, I swear he’s worn the same black beanie his entire life” Ari shrugged. 

“Maybe it's his good luck charm, you sportstars can be pretty superstitious”, you suggested with a knowing look “So do you know who this is from?” you asked as he started to open it.

“No clue, they might have-” he starts before stopping “Storm, it’s from Storm”

“How do you know?” you asked, Ari simply responded by tilting the box so you could see it was full of condom packs “oh my god”, you muttered in disbelief. 

“I’m gonna kill him”, Ari muttered as he reached in to grab the note that was folded on top “for you to use as much or as little as you like, winky face”, he read aloud. 

“If only we had this the other week” you comment making Ari snort with laughter “Jeez, it's like a lucky dip” you say, rifling through all the packs, seeing all the different varieties “I think there’s more here than anyone could possibly use”

A lopsided grin grew on his face “I think we could” he smirked. 

You rolled your eyes as your face flushed “Possibly, but you said and I quote ‘it feels so fucking good we’re never going back to condoms’” you reminded him with a pointed look.

“And I remember you emphatically agreeing” he said with a pointed look of his own “would donating them to a sexual clinic be okay?”

You paused and thought about it from a PR perspective “generally it would be fine but some people might question why you have and are donating so many which might spiral so a anonymous donation would probably be better, and we’d have to take certain ones out like these” you explained, grabbing a pack of flavoured and ribbed for her pleasure ones. 

“Sounds good, I’m sure we’ll find use for these” he smirked taking the flavoured one from you. 

Your conversation was then interrupted by your phone ringing, You looked over to see it was your parents calling to FaceTime “shit, get rid of these”, you hissed as you threw the box you held back into the large box. 

“On it”, Ari chuckled as he tidied it all away. 

“Um, do you want to, um, you know-” you stuttered, trying to find the words to ask him whether he wanted to sit in on this call with your parents.

“Talk with your parents?” he finished for you with an arched brow. 

“If you want, I know you haven’t really met them yet, so…” you said as he walked back over to the couch. 

“I want to” he smiled, sitting down next to you, his arm wrapped around your shoulders. 

You smiled back at him warmly, your heart warming in the sweetest way possible as you swiped to answer your phone, and the faces of your parents appeared, “Hi mom, hi dad, Merry Christmas” 

“Merry Christmas sweetpea”, your dad smiles, his eyes darting to Ari with an excited glimmer.

“How’s your day been so far?” Your mom asked as she held back an excited smile.

You chuckled and shook your head at them “Good, we’ve had a slow morning” you said, glancing over at Ari “This is Ari, as you know”

Ari raised his hand in greeting, “Hi, nice to finally meet you, virtually at least,” he said with his trademark charismatic smile.

“Hi, it’s lovely to finally put a face to the name, Y/N’s been uncharacteristically secretive about you”, your mom said with a smirk.

“Mom”, you complained, your face heating.

Ari chuckled, “We’ve just been making sure everything is right”, he smiled running his hand up and down your back.

“How’s your Christmas been?” You asked, getting the conversation back on track.

“Great! We had snow! Look!” Your mom exclaimed, turning the phone to show the inch of snow they got “Have you had much?”

“Quite a bit, yes” you laughed, glancing out of the window to see the much larger amount of snow. 

“I went to a rugby game last weekend” your dad interrupted. 

“First time or are you a fan?” Ari asked, his interest clearly piqued.

“Both” your dad laughed “hooked me in one game, I have no idea what’s happening most of the time, but god it’s incredible” he said, shaking his head in awe.

“I’m sure Y/N can explain the rules to you” Ari smirked, making you roll your eyes.

“I barely understand them myself, you’re the actual expert” you reminded him “I still don’t get why you don’t just throw the ball down the pitch” 

“Where’s the fun in that?” Both your dad and Ari exclaimed at the same time.

“I like you Levinson” your dad grinned.

“I like you too, both of you, you’ve raised an incredible woman” Ari smiled warmly.

“Such a gentleman” your mom beamed “I guess we’ll have to try and see you because you two will be busy until the summer, won’t you?”

“Mom you don’t have to travel, it’s too expensive, I’ll try and come soon maybe February for your birthday mom” you said shaking your head, you hated the idea of your parents paying for a transatlantic flight especially since you didn’t have a guest room in your apartment so they’d have to pay for a hotel too.

“I could pay” Ari offered as if it was nothing, making you gape at him like a fish out of water.

“No, you’re such a sweetheart, Ari but you’ll do no such thing” your mom said, shaking her head “We have savings for it anyway” she said, waving it off.

“We’ll figure it out” Ari winked in a way that made you suspicious that he would end up paying for it one way or another. If there was one thing you knew about Ari, it was that he’s stubborn as hell.

You continued talking with your parents for another half an hour or so, except you didn’t do much talking. It was mostly your parents asking Ari questions, but not in an interrogation kinda way, but in a way they felt like they genuinely wanted to know him better and he did too. 

If they could have, they would have talked for longer, but the timer went off for your Christmas dinner, so you had to hang up. It was slightly overwhelming the amount of food that you’d made just for the two of you, but when you saw how much Ari piled onto his plate, it reassured you.

You also piled your plate higher than normal, which led to you falling asleep curled up next to Ari on the couch, only 5 minutes into the Christmas movie you were watching. When you woke up, you had no idea how much time had passed but the sun had set, the movie was over and Ari was no longer sat beside you. 

You sat back up with a yawn and a large stretch as you looked around to spot Ari. He wasn’t in the kitchen, which was now all cleaned up, the leftovers were put away in the fridge. You heard the deep rumble of his voice travelling through the apartment from the bedroom. You followed the sound of his voice, which became clearer with each step.

“Can you at least consider it?” he asked his voice tired, a few silent moments later, he sighed “Thank you”

You gently pushed the door open, poking your head into the room. 

Ari’s eyes quickly darted to you before returning his attention to his phone “yeah I’ll talk to you soon, call me whenever you need me” he said “okay bye” he dropped his phone screendown onto the bed and shifted as he smiled back at you with a smile that didn’t seem to reach his eyes “hey i was starting to wonder whether I should call you sleeping beauty” 

You let out a halfhearted chuckle as you walked over and moved to sit on the bed near him, keeping more distance than you normally would “It was an intense food coma… was that your parents?” 

Ari was silent for a second before stiffly nodding, “yeah, you were fast asleep and looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you” he explained running his hand through his hair.

“Oh… okay, yeah” you muttered, glancing down at your hands, fidgeting in your lap.

“Sorry, next time they call I’ll make sure you meet them” Ari apologised, reaching out to put his hand on yours, stopping them from fidgeting. 

“Its okay… really it’s fine” you said, shaking your head, unsure why you felt the way you did, the strange feeling in your gut telling you something wasn’t right. You looked over at Ari and studied him for a moment. It felt like the strange energy was coming from him, he wasn’t his usual carefree self. You glanced at his phone and took a stab in the dark, “Do you miss them? Being so far away today?”

Ari took a deep breath like he wasn’t expecting that question “Yeah… yeah I do…” he admitted before his usual lopsided grin returned to his face “But I feel less lonely this year”

The strange energy dissipated and you smiled back at him, shifting closer to snuggle back into his embrace “This has been the best Christmas I’ve had in a while” you admitted as you rested your head on his chest.

Ari wrapped his arms around you and pressed a kiss to the top of your head “I’m glad, it's what you deserve,” he hummed. 

You tilted your head up to look at him, “and it’s all down to you,” you said softly.

Ari gazed down at you, his throat working as his eyes roamed your face, his lips parted for a second like he was about to say something but instead he brought his lips down to yours for a soft kiss. 

Ari smiled to himself as he kept one hand on the wheel and the other on your thigh as he drove the two of you towards the stadium. 

“So what is this whole Boxing Day match thing? I only learnt about Boxing Day when my parents moved to the UK,” you asked, looking over at him. 

“It is a bit of a odd thing, it started ages ago, twenty odd years I think, the head coach at the time started it” Ari explained “his mom was from england so he spent a lot of his time there and playing a match on boxing day is a tradition a lot of clubs, especially grassroots clubs, take part in and it was something he loved and missed so started it up here”

“And it's just the bears that do it?” you questioned.

“As far as I’m aware, some lower-level clubs probably do it, but I think we’re the only one in the league that does it” Ari shrugged “It's changed a lot over the years too”

“Oh really, in what way?” you asked shifting in your seat to face him more.

“Well, when it started every player would have to do a shot of sherry at the beginning of the match, and if you scored a try, you had to take another shot of sherry, and then we’d all take one at the end too,” Ari chuckled.

“Oh god” you cringed. 

“Yup, but now that we invite the fans to watch and have turned it into a charity event, we just do the one shot before and after in the changing room” Ari explained.

“Is it the same charity every year?” you asked. 

Ari shook his head “no, so each player has a charity their attached to that they raise money for individually each season, so mine is Doctors without borders, Johnnys is one that helps with childhood bereavement, jensen does girls that code, curtis does mountain rescue crews and each year the club picks one of the charities that the entire club fundraises for each year, this year its Christopher’s Haven which is Chris’ chosen charity” he explained. 

“Wow, and do lots of people turn up?” 

“We don’t fill the stadium but a lot of fans do come, it's the best match of the season and not just fun to play but fun to watch too” Ari smiled. 

“I thought derby matches were the best ones?” you questioned.

“In the regular season, they are, there’s nothing better than to beat your rival, but this one is better because with the exception of rules that keep us safe, there aren’t really any rules, and we all play out of position” Ari explains.

“Oh, so instead of playing in the scrum, you would play in the backs? Would you be a center or in the back three?” you asked.

Ari couldn’t stop the grin that widened on his face. You had been adamant that you would never love rugby, yet here you were throwing out positions and understanding them all. He smiled as he squeezed your thigh “I’m gonna be one of the centers, it's a position I used to play when I was a kid before I bulked up, so I know it pretty well, it’s also gonna be handy since I’m one of the captains this year”

You bit your lower lip and grinned back at him, “That’s exciting”

“Yep, can’t wait to beat Chris’ team and win the Adler Cup”, Ari smirked.

“There’s a cup?” you asked, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah, named after the head coach who started the tradition, Frank Adler, he’s retired down in Florida now” 

“What happens if someone gets injured?”

“Elena will probably kill them, and so will Coach Rogers, so we try and avoid hunting anyone because we don’t want injuries impacting the second half of the season too,” Ari shrugged.

You chuckled, “This is gonna be fun, I hope you win” you smiled over at him.

“Me too,” Ari grinned as he pulled up into the stadium car park “Do you have to do much work today?” he asked as he climbed out of the car.

You shook your head as you rounded the car to join him, slipping your hand into his “Not really, we’re filming some stuff with the mascot, but during the match, I’ll be able to just watch”

“Nice, I’ll try and score for you” Ari grinned down at you as the two of you walked into the building

“Thank you Clyde, I'd better let you go, I’ll see you on the pitch” You smiled, moving up onto your tiptoes to kiss him.

“See you later” Ari smiled before watching you disappear down the corridor towards the media team offices. 

Once you were out of view, Ari turned around to head towards the changing rooms, as he did, he came face to face with Coach Rogers, who was watching him with a knowing look on his face.

“Hey coach, have a nice Christmas?” Ari asked, shouldering his pack more. 

Coach Rogers nodded, “Yeah we did, you?”

“Yeah, it was nice, chilled out” Ari shrugged, wondering why Coach Rogers seemed so interested.

Coach Rogers hummed and gestured for Ari to follow him “Walk with me to the changing room?”

It wasn’t a question or a request. So Ari nodded and followed his coach, wondering what on earth he had done wrong. He ran through everything he could think of, he’d been playing pretty well, had posted anything on social media that would be a cause for concern.

Once they were halfway down a quiet corridor, Coach Rogers glanced over his shoulder before saying, “So what’s the real story of you and Y/N?”

Ari was caught so off guard that his step faltered “Exactly what I said at that charity thing, met at Storm’s Halloween party” he answered, “where a totally acceptable level of alcohol was consumed” he added quickly.

Coach Rogers hummed “strange… because I can recall El telling me after the cup final that you and Chris had joined her and Y/N for lunch in LA”

That did make Ari stop in his tracks, his mind racing as he tried to explain it. He was drawing a blank.

“So when you told Wilson that you met months later at a Halloween party I knew something was up and considering what I told you a few weeks prior I decided to go talk to Steph who explained what was going on” Coach Rogers said turning to face Ari, his face completely neutral giving Ari no indication as to how much shit he was in.

“Yeah… wasn’t really what I expected when I went to her for help” Ari admitted. There was no point denying it.

“But I know you spent Christmas together, which makes me think this arrangement you have has changed” Coach Rogers continued.

Ari took a deep breath. He couldn’t believe he was about to talk about his relationship with his coach “Yeah… we quickly realised that nothing about it was fake and decided to give it a go for real” he explained, unable to stop the small smile forming on his face.

Coach Rogers smiled softly “I’m happy to hear that” he said sincerely “Look, I don’t involve myself in my players' personal lives, as long as it doesn’t affect how they play, I don’t care”

“Didn’t you issue a hands-off rule on El?” Ari reminded him.

Coach Rogers shot him a warning look, “a lapse in judgment as I’m sure you understand, especially if you end up having a daughter someday,” he said, “and I’m sure you’ll also understand that my warning that I gave on Thanksgiving still stands”

Ari nodded, “Of course, and my promise still stands, too”

“Glad to hear it” Coach Rogers smiled, clapping him on the shoulder “go get ready and I’ll see you on the pitch” he smiled before walking off in the opposite direction.

Ari huffed out a laugh to himself and shook his head as he carried on towards the changing room.

 As he approached, he could hear the uncharacteristically raucous laughter of the other players. As he pushed open the door, he instantly saw the other players laughing and messing around. Chris had Jensen in a headlock, the two men laughing as Jensen tried to wrestle himself free. Even Curtis seemed more jovial, well, if you could call no scowl but no smile jovial.

Usually, before a match, everyone was in the zone, going through plays in their heads and mentally preparing themselves for 80 minutes of brutal tackles. Rugby was as much a mental game as it was a physical one.

But today was just about having fun, from the moment they arrived to the moment they left.

When Chris spotted Ari he let Jensen go and pointed over at him “you ready to lose Levinson?” he grinned.

“Nope, I’m ready to win” Ari retorted as he walked over to his cubby and dumped his bag “I told Curtis not to hold back”

Chris grimaced slightly, “still pissed about that” 

Ari laughed. When they had drawn teams and he got Curtis on his he was ecstatic. Curtis never held back when tackling, there was a reason he was called The Axe. He literally cut players in half and was probably responsible for the most broken ribs in the league. Ari was also relieved to know he’d be leaving with his ribs intact today.

Once they changed, they all gathered around the table in the middle where the shots of sherry had been poured out.

“To Frank Adler”, Chris said, holding up his shot.

“Frank Adler,” everyone echoed, closely followed by a grimace as they took their shots.

“Right go warm up, and properly, Rogers will have my balls if someone gets injured because they didn’t warm up properly” Chris said as he put down his shot glass.

“Which one?” Johnny laughed.

“Coach figuratively, El literally”, Chris grimaced.

The entire squad made their way onto the pitch to warm up, Ari’s half of the squad taking one side, Chris’ half taking the other. As Ari jogged onto the pitch, he scanned the stadium for you. He spotted you pretty quickly, thanks to the large bear mascot standing next to you. He watched as you worked and laughed at the chaos the mascot was causing. He loved watching you work, especially when you were clearly loving what you were doing. It made him wonder whether you still planned to find a better job in New York and what that would mean for the two of you.

He shook his head to try and get that thought out of his head. That was a thought for later rather than now. He turned to warm up and spotted Coach Barber warming up on the sidelines, ready to be the touch judge which made Ari groan internally. Andy was notorious for making sure they didn’t get themselves injured, which considering his history, wasn’t surprising, but it still took a little fun out of the match.

Putting that too out of his mind, he got to work warming up, and soon enough it was time to kick off. Coach Rogers was the ref for the match, and the defence coach was running the other touchline. Ari got himself in position for kick off and made eye contact with Chris, gesturing that he was going down. Chris responded with a gesture of his own just as the game kicked off.

It was the best kind of chaos from the get-go, even though the stadium was nowhere near as full as it could be, the atmosphere was insane. Everyone on and off the pitch was having the best time ever. It was days like these that reminded Ari just how much he loved this sport.

As they neared halftime, Ari got hold of the ball and made his run for the tryline. He could see Chris approaching, ready to tackle him. Ari smirked to himself because he knew exactly how to play against Chris. He waited until the telltale sign that Chris was committed to his tackle, and then did a fake out to the left and slipped right past. As he dove for the try line, he heard his teammates and Chris’ team laughing and the crowd cheering.

He immediately jumped back up and punched the ball up into the crowd in celebration. The rest of his team joined him, clapping him on the back and shoulder in celebration. As he turned to walk back to the centre of the pitch, he caught sight of you cheering on from the sidelines, a big smile on your face, which just made him smile more.

The rest of the match was just as entertaining, especially in the second half when they switched out the ball for a much larger version. The game ended with a win for Ari’s team, which he was more than happy about, especially when he saw Chris pouting about it. 

He made his way with his team over to the sidelines, where the trophy was waiting to be lifted. It was nowhere near as big as the championship trophy he lifted in Chris’ absence, but it felt so much better. Everyone, including the losing side, cheered and applauded as he lifted the trophy with his team.

But the moment he was most looking forward to was seeing you. So as soon as he could, he made his way over to you, his heart warming when he saw your wide smile.

“That was the best match I’ve ever seen”, you laughed, wiping the tears of laughter from your eyes.

“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself”, Ari grinned as he leant down to kiss you “It looked like you were having fun with the mascot too before the match” 

You laughed and nodded your head, “Yeah, it was hilarious. Honestly, this is the best job I’ve ever had” 

“So you’re not planning on finding something else, then?” He asked, knowing not to get his hopes up.

“Nope, i didn’t realise how much stress I was under with my old job, always cleaning up messes, here my day involves celebrating all the great things the team does and it’s just perfect” you explained, smiling up at him “plus I have another really good reason to stay here in boston” you said wrapping your arms around his shoulders.

“Oh really, who’s that?” Ari smirked as he wrapped his arms around your waist.

“Oh I’m sure you’ve heard of him, quite notorious… goes by the name of Clyde” you grinned.

“Well by the sounds of it Bonnie, you’ve got a very good reason to stay and Clyde won’t be the only person that’s happy to hear that” Ari smiled.

“Good to know” you smiled, leaning up to capture his lips again.

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Fake Out Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

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[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 5)

Summary: After waking up in each other's arms tensions increase between you and Ari. It all comes to the surface at the charity event when you get to know Ari much much more than you previously expected.

Word Count: 10.9k words

Warnings: Language! Mention of Cheating Ex! Alcohol Consumption! Sexual Tension! Fluff! Angst! Talk of the care system! SMUT! 18+ ONLY! MINORS DNI!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Fake Out Series Masterlist /Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 5

Ari was in deep shit and he knew it. It was why he had been strategically avoiding Chris the past couple of days. He had crossed the line with you on Monday, but he just couldn’t help himself. When he brought you the bookcases, it wasn’t to make a move, it was just something you deserved and he wanted to do something for you. It was a good excuse to hang out, he just really liked spending time with you. That in itself was not the problem.

He crossed the line when he stayed overnight. He hadn’t planned to and didn’t mean to either. When you fell asleep curled up to him, he told himself to wait until you were fast asleep and then he’d carry you to bed. But every time he went to do so, he said ‘5 more minutes’. He hadn’t planned to fall asleep, but listening to the rhythmic sound of you breathing, it just lulled him to sleep. 

He’d woken up a whole hour before you did, you had both moved in your sleep so Ari was lying down with you on top of him. You looked so peaceful with your head resting on his chest. Even though the couch was no way near big enough for him to sleep on comfortably, that was the best night's sleep he’d had in a long time. 

You’d shifted a couple of times in your sleep, snuggling in further, your hips brushing against his crotch. He had to take a few careful deep breaths, he didn’t want to accidentally jolt you awake. Not until he got his morning wood, which was 100% brought on by your proximity, under control. 

He spent the first hour of his day carefully running his hand up and down your back, softly playing with the tendrils of your hair. When you finally began to stir, he pretended like he was too, he knew you would freak out if you knew how long he’d been awake. You lifted your head and blinked tiredly as your eyes met his. Your face was soft for the few seconds that it took for you to register what was going on. Once you had your eyes bulged and you shot up, making Ari groan when your knee knocked against his semi-hard erection. 

You mumbled and stuttered apologies that Ari waved off. He shot you his signature charismatic smile and told you it was okay. He wanted to tell you that it was more than okay, that it was perfect, that he wanted to wake up like that every morning, but you were already panicking so he kept that to himself. 

It was a stark reminder that while in public you were in a ‘relationship’, in reality, you were just friends and couldn’t be more than that. You had just gotten out of a serious relationship and Ari didn’t want to mess with that, confuse you. Especially since his captain, the boyfriend of your best friend, told him not to hurt you. He also needed to make the national team, if you decided you couldn’t do this anymore he would be screwed. 

While Ari knew he could take Chris in a fight and probably win, he didn’t want that. So he did the logical thing. He pulled away. If he avoided you and Chris, then he could get his head back on straight and not ruin everything. 

The next time he was scheduled to see you was the charity gala on Saturday, so as long as the media team didn’t need any footage of training, he wouldn’t see you until then. Chris was trickier because of training, but since Chris was a back and Ari was a forward, they didn’t often do drills together. The only person Ari was spending a lot of time with was Curtis, and he didn’t say much. 

“You going to the gala on Saturday?” Ari asked him while the scrum was taking a water break.

Curtis grunted, “Have no choice”

Ari nodded. That was an obvious answer since everyone was obligated to attend “Bringing anyone?”

Curtis looked over at him with an arched brow “No, you bringing Y/N?”

Ari took a long gulp of water “Yup”, he muttered. Silence fell between the two of them that stretched to the point that it started to become awkward “Great chat”, Ari nodded as he slapped Curtis on the shoulder as he walked away.

He grabbed a ball from the side and started throwing it up in the air a few times, “Levinson”, he heard Coach Rogers call out. Ari caught the ball and looked over in his direction, spotting him standing by the door, “Just want a word”

Ari nodded, “Sure” he tossed the ball to the side and crossed the training room. He hoped this was a good thing and not a bad thing “What’s up, sir?” He asked as they stepped out into the hallway.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad”, Coach Rogers chuckled “I just wanted to say that you’re playing really well at the moment, and it’s not going unnoticed” 

“Really?” Ari couldn’t help but feel excited.

“Yeah, I just got off the phone with the Team USA head coach, and he asked me about you, mentioned that he thought you were a strong player, one that makes a big impact” Coach Roger smiled.

“You think I might get called up?” Ari asked, trying not to get his hopes up.

“I’m hopeful, if you carry on like you are then he would be stupid to not pick you” Coach Rogers nodded “whatever you’ve been doing lately has been working, keep it up” he patted Ari on the shoulder “it’s Mexican for lunch so if you want first dibs I’d head over now”

Ari grinned, “Thanks, sir”, he winked. Mexican was a team favourite, so any heads up was valuable if Ari wanted to get what he wanted. 

The tip off paid off because Ari was the first in line and managed to fill his plate full of his favourites, whistling to himself as he found a seat and tucked in. He flicked through his phone as he ate, making sure he hadn’t missed any important texts or calls. 

Once he was reassured that nothing was wrong, he continued to flick through his social media. He paused when a photo you had taken from a window that looked out onto the harbour popped up. He liked it, but that wasn’t enough. He clicked onto your profile and started scrolling, there were a couple of you and him on there that instantly made him smile. 

“Hey, you got in here quick”, Chris said, making Ari jump and quickly hide his phone. 

“Got a tip off”, Ari muttered. He hadn’t considered that getting here early meant he couldn’t control who sat next to him. 

“Lucky, you seemed to grab the best bits”, Chris chuckled as he sat down next to Ari “What were you doing on your phone?”

“Nothing, just scrolling”, Ari shrugged his shoulders.

Chris seemed to take that excuse, or at least decided not to question it further. The rest of the team filtered in and sat down with Chris and Ari, conversations starting up between the groups. Ari kept quiet as everyone talked, focusing on his food instead of inviting conversation. 

“You alright? You seem pretty quiet,” Chris said quietly, leaning over to talk to him. 

“Yeah, yeah, fine, just hungry”, Ari nodded, keeping his eyes on his plate in front of him.

“Feel like I’ve barely seen you this week”, Chris pointed out with a small shrug. 

“Just the way it is sometimes, been focusing hard on my game”, Ari reasoned.

“Yeah, Steve said you’re playing well and your plan seems to be working well”, Chris smirked.

“Did you just use Coach’s first name?” Johnny exclaimed, inserting himself into the conversation. 

Chris shrugged, “he told me to stop calling him coach, and I thought I better get used to it”

Everyone paused mid-bite as they stared back at Chris, “What do you mean by that?” Jensen asked. 

Chris smiled bashfully before looking around and leaning in to whisper, “I’m gonna ask El to marry me” 

“Shit, really?” Jensen exclaimed.

“Sh, sh, sh!” Chris chastised, “Yeah, of course I am”

“Have you gotten permission?” Curtis huffed. 

“Yeah, coach might kill you if you haven’t”, Johnny chuckled.

“Not yet, I’m gonna ask him at Christmas, plus I don’t need his permission, just his blessing”, Chris explained. 

“Wait, are we still gonna have our monthly gaming nights when you’re married?” Jensen asked with a genuine look of worry on his face.

“Yes, we will,” Chris said, reassuring his best friend.

“When you gonna pop the question?” Ari asked, surprised to find himself a little jealous.

“I don’t know, I want to find the perfect ring first and work out the perfect way to do it” Chris smiled softly “She deserves it to be perfect”

“Why don’t you ask Y/N to help?” Johnny suggested “girls talk about this sort of shit all the time”

Chris looked over at Ari “You think you could ask her?” he asked hopefully. 

Ari stuttered for a second, “Uh yeah sure, I’ll ask when I next see her”, he nodded before taking a sip of his water to get rid of his dry mouth. 

“Hey, if you hold off a little bit, you two could have a joint wedding,” Johnny smirked “I bet Y/N and El would love to get married on the same day”

Ari choked and nearly spat out his water, making everyone laugh, and even Curtis let out a small chuckle. He cleared his throat a couple of times, sparing a glance over at Chris, who had a brow arched but also an amused expression on his face “It’s a bit soon guys, don’t ya think?” 

Chris shrugged, “I knew pretty much as soon as I met El”

“That’s different”, Ari muttered as he wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. 

“I bet you’ll be down on one knee by the summer”, Johnny leaned back in his chair, arms crossed and a shit-eating grin on his face. 

“Nah, give them a year, Halloween maybe? Since that’s when you met?” Jensen wagered. 

“Guys, drop it, it's too early”, Ari huffed, starting to get annoyed at the conversation. 

The topic was too much of a minefield, and Ari had no clue how he should respond. Because yeah, he did want to marry you eventually, he’s been obsessed with you since that lunch in LA. But that wasn’t on the cards, he knew that and Chris did too. He didn’t know whether to play along to keep up the ruse of being in a relationship with you or to shut it down. He didn’t want Chris to think he was leading you on and was going to hurt you, but he didn’t want the others to work out that this was all fake. 

“What about Christmas?” Curtis offered, not bothering to look up from his plate of food. 

“I’m telling you it's gonna be during the summer, oh I know! He’ll take her on holiday and do it on the beach, oh wait, no! While underwater diving,” Johnny argued, waving his hands around excitedly. 

“Guys”, Ari warned, fists clenched as they rested on the table. 

“Yeah, maybe we should-” Chris started to intervene, but was drowned out by Johnny and Jensen arguing over when it would be.

“No, it’ll be sentimental,” Jensen pointed out. 

“A beach holiday can be sentimental”, Johnny smirked. 

“Fuck this” Ari growled, shooting up from his seat swiping his water bottle from the table and storming out, abandoning his plate which still had half his lunch still on it. 

He didn’t know where to go, training didn’t start back up for another half an hour, and he just needed to get out before he let his frustrations get the better of him and say or do something stupid. Deciding he just needed some air, he made his way outside to the training pitch. A rugby pitch had always felt like a safe space for him, ever since he was a kid. 

He walked onto the pitch, stopping by the posts and leaning against them, taking a deep breath as he looked down the length of the pitch. 

“Hey man, you alright?” he heard Chris say behind him. 

“Fine”, Ari huffed, not bothering to turn around.

“Wanna talk about it?” Chris asked, his voice getting closer. 

“Not really”

“Want me to get Y/N?”

“Definitely not”

“Okay”, Chris sighed, “well, I grabbed you a banana since you didn’t finish your lunch” 

Ari glanced over his shoulder to see Chris holding out the fruit to him. He let out a long sigh before turning around “Thanks”, he said as he accepted it. 

“Just ignore those two, Johnny chases anything with a pulse and Jensen…” Chris said, trailing off slightly, clearly trying to think of a way to describe his best friend, “his heart is in the right place”

Ari took a deep breath and nodded his head “I know, just a bit of minefield navigating that kinda conversation don't want to give anyone the wrong impression or screw up” he said as he unpeeled his banana. 

Chris nodded “Of course, well, I’m here if you wanna talk,” he said with a small shrug of his shoulders “The whole reason I know is to be someone to talk to about it”

“Yeah… thanks man, I will”, Ari lied. There was no way Ari was gonna be confiding in Chris. 

“Cool, I’ll let you be, and you have my permission to smash into the two idiots during tackling drills”, Chris smirked.

Ari let out a small huff of a laugh “What about Everett? He joined in”, he reminded him.

“Only an idiot would smash into the axe on purpose, we want you on Team USA, not 6ft under”, Chris scoffed, drawing a genuine laugh from Ari. 

You were a mess. A mess that was pissed off at yourself and Ari. You hadn’t seen him since Monday, and it was like he was avoiding you. You had expected some sort of cheeky text from him about the charity gala tonight, but his texts had been short and to the point. 

It was all your fault too, you had been the one who fell asleep on top of him. You hadn’t planned to, but you had just felt so comfortable that it was a losing battle. It had been the best night’s sleep you’d had in a long time. It had been so long since you’d woken up in someone’s arms, and you hadn’t realised how much you had missed it. 

You had felt so incredible when you woke up, lifting your head to see Ari’s clear blue eyes, which brought a smile to your face. But then you fully woke up and realised what had happened, and you freaked out, especially when your knee brushed past his erection. 

He’d brushed it off and said he’d see you later, and then disappeared. You felt so confused. It felt like whatever was going on between you and Ari wasn’t fake anymore, and you weren’t sure how you felt about that. You felt this aching in your chest as you recalled all the sweet things he’d done for you, the way it felt in his arms, the way he kissed you. But you also felt freaked out by the whole prospect, it had only been a couple of months since you broke off your engagement. It was too soon. 

You couldn’t work out what Ari felt either. The way he acted suggested that he didn’t feel like it was fake either. He didn’t need to buy you expensive bookcases, build them for you and help organise your books. But he did. He seemed to be very happy that you had fallen asleep on top of him, if his erection was anything to go by. 

But he’d then disappeared, which meant he was probably trying to create some distance because you were completely wrong. He didn’t like you, this was all fake, and he was an incredible actor. Leaving you feeling pissed off and hurt. 

Your anger at the situation made you want to storm up to him with your head held high and give him a piece of your mind. Your pain made you want to curl up into a ball and blow off the event tonight, make up some excuse that you were ill. You couldn’t do that to Ari though, he needed you there tonight, hanging off his arm like the perfect girlfriend so he could make the national team. Plus, you would bet that if you did say you were sick, he would come and look after you, which would just confuse you more. 

You were once again stood in front of your mirror, assessing the gown you had decided to wear. It was a backless red crushed velvet dress with a split that went up to your mid-thigh. You were no stranger to these sorts of events, you had attended multiple red carpets for work with your clients back in LA. But you usually dressed smart and understated so all the attention would be on the client, except now you had to be the one drawing the attention. 

You let out a sigh as you ran your hand over the material, twisting slightly to check out the entire look. You couldn’t help but smile because damn you did look good. You might be pissed off, confused and hurt by Ari but you were actually kinda excited to show this look off. 

You took a deep breath when your phone buzzed on your nightstand. You knew without looking that it was Ari saying he was outside. Your suspicions were confirmed when you picked it up to see the brief message.

Ari: Car’s here when you’re ready

You bit your lower lip and took a shaky breath. The shortness of the text and lack of kisses made your stomach turn with nerves. You suddenly felt tears well up, but you took a deep breath and held them back as you grabbed your coat and purse.

As you walked out of your apartment, you expected to find Ari waiting in the car for you, but instead you found him waiting by the front door to the apartment block. He was looking down and giving you the perfect view of his side profile through the window in the front door. His brows were furrowed like something was bothering him, you wondered whether it was you. Regardless, you walked over and opened the door, his head lifted, and his lips parted as he looked down at you.

“Fuck” he muttered under his breath, worry completely gone from his face, replaced by something you couldn’t quite decipher.

“Hey”, you said quietly as you shut the door behind you. 

“Hey… you look… fuck you look incredible” he said with a small shake of his head. 

You couldn’t stop the bashful smile and the heat that travelled to your cheeks, you just hoped that you could blame it on the cold weather “Thank you, I’m glad this event’s inside”, you said with a quiet chuckle. 

Ari didn’t say anything, and when you looked back up at him, you could see the same undecipherable look on his face, it was almost like he was stunned into silence. 

“Shall we go?” you prompted gently. 

He cleared his throat and nodded, “yeah, yeah of course”, he said, running a hand through his head “here its slippy” he held out his hand for you to take, his other wrapping around your waist to help you down the stairs which had turned icy in the december weather. 

He opened up the door to the town car for you and helped you in before rounding the car and climbing in on the other side. The drive to the venue was quiet, about 5 minutes into the drive Ari’s phone chimed and he disappeared into it, his body angled to lean against the car door. 

You ended up striking up a conversation with the driver, whose name was Cole. He told you how he used to live in Washington DC but his ex-girlfriend told him to get out there and see the world more so instead of travelling he decided to take odd jobs around the country. You asked if he was into sports and he shook his head and showed off his inhaler. 

When you finally pulled up to the venue, you looked over to see Ari had put his phone away and was glaring daggers into the back of Cole’s head. You frowned at him, confused by his behaviour, especially when he shot out of the car and around to your side to open the door before Cole got the chance to.

Ari muttered a tight thank you to Cole before resting his hand on your back and guiding you straight inside he building. Once inside, he led you over to where you could check in your coats, he helped you out of your coat, and you could have sworn you heard him groan as your back was exposed. 

You glanced over your shoulder at him to see his eyes set firmly on your back, his tongue poking out to wet his lips. His gaze met yours, and you saw a flash of heat before he blinked and it was gone again. 

He stepped past you to pass the clerk your coat, followed by his, allowing you to see the classic black suit he wore. When he turned around you spotted that his bowtie was slightly off and without thinking you stepped forward and reached up to fix it. Not realising what you had done until he froze, your hands paused as you glanced up at him. That unreadable expression on his face again. 

You cleared your throat and quickly finished the job before taking a couple of steps back “Ready?”

Ari’s eyes roamed over you for a second before he nodded and gestured for you to go ahead. You pursed your lips before turning and walking in the direction of where the media team had set up a small red carpet. As you approached, you sensed Ari falling into step with you, his hand resting on the bare skin of your back. The heat of his touch travelled through you, causing your heart to hammer and your breathing to deepen. 

You spotted Steph who gave you a bright smile and a thumbs up before gesturing for you and Ari to step onto the red carpet “Look at you love birds,” she grinned as she pointed at where to stand.

You let out an awkward chuckle because that sentence felt very real and very fake all at the same time. You glanced up at Ari who had the perfect poker face, not looking down at you. 

You forced a smile as you stepped closer into Ari’s side and smiled for the cameras. Ari’s hand slipped from the small of your back to your hip and his charismatic smile returned as he looked out at the small collection of reporters and photographers. 

Steph caught your attention and subtly gestured for the two of you to kiss. You looked up at Ari, who was already looking down at you, a silent question on his face. You gave the smallest of nods, and he started leaning down. You reached up to meet him, and even though you were wearing heels, you still had to go onto your tip toes, your hand resting on his chest to steady yourself. You could feel the tension in his body but as soon as your lips met, you felt him relax. 

You couldn’t stop yourself from sighing quietly as he tugged you closer ever so slightly. It had only been a few days since you last saw him and over a week since you last kissed, and oh my god, you didn’t realise how much you missed it, missed him. Your fingers flexed against his chest as you resisted the urge to grip his shirt and hold him close.

It was only a brief kiss, but it felt like the universe had come to a stop and time had frozen. The only thing was this kiss that felt so different to all the others before. At the same time, it was over too soon, and Ari pulled back enough for you to see the lopsided smile on his face. His thumb brushed against your skin slowly as he looked back out and smiled for the cameras. You did the same but didn’t step away nor drop your hand from his chest. His side was the only place you wanted to be.

“That's great, thanks guys, enjoy the evening,” Steph winked, waving the two of you off.

You turned to walk into the party and spotted Chris and Elena standing there, you had no clue they had been there watching the entire time. Ari didn’t seem to either, if the way his step faltered was anything to go by. Elena had a smirk on her face, and Chris’ head was tilted ever so slightly.

“I’m starting to think you two are going for the hottest couple”, Elena smirked as you walked over.

You shook your head bashfully “We all know that title belongs to you, you look amazing El” She really did in her navy blue sequin gown, which perfectly matched Chris’ navy suit. 

“You look like a spy in that bow tie, hiding any secrets?” Chris smirked.

Ari huffed out a small laugh “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you” he looked down at you and ran his hand down your back “Shall we head in then?”

Elena glanced over at you and smirked again “See you in there lovebirds”, she said before linking her arm with Chris and pulling him inside the party.

You and Ari followed, Ari pausing just inside “I’m gonna get us some drinks, why don’t you find our seats?” he said. You went to tell him what you wanted, but he had already slipped away.

You took a deep breath and scanned the room. A lot of the players were already here, some with dates, some without. Johnny had some blonde bombshell on his arm that looked like she was straight from a Victoria’s Secret runway. You recognise a few of the coaching staff and the execs who looked like they were all schmoozing with the donors.

Ari returned just as you found your seats “Here you go”, he said, passing you a glass of white wine, exactly what you wanted.

“Oh, thank you, so how does this normally go down?” You asked, taking a sip of your wine.

“Well for the first couple of hours it’s all about the schmoozing, Evans has already been snatched away by the CEO by the looks on it” Ari said nodding over you shoulder to where Chris and Elena were stood talking with the CEO, another rich looking guy and a women in her early to mid twenties who guessed was the CEO’s daughter. She looked bored at the conversation, her eyes scanning the room before pausing on Andy “Then it’ll be dinner and then the auction and usually by then the donors are so drunk they’re throwing money around like we’re strippers”

You laughed, which made the corner of Ari’s lips twitch upwards “Does everyone have to schmooze?” You asked, “Curtis doesn’t seem like the schmoozing type”

Ari chuckled as he took a sip of his beer “No, we have to be here, but we don’t have to actively schmooze. The donors usually come to us, which means Curtis gets left alone, the lucky bastard”

“Not a fan of schmoozing? I thought you’d love it with all your charm,” you arched a brow.

“Well, for the last god knows how many years, the ones that usually approach me are the cougars”, he explained before glancing down at you with a smirk, “but with you here to protect me, I might be fine this year”

You laughed again, “and here I was thinking you liked my company,” you joked but it fell flat, Ari only let out a small huff of a laugh.

“Ari, there you are,” you heard Coach Rogers say from behind Ari, as Ari turned you could see Coach Rogers stood there with a dark skinned man with a greying goatee “Ari, this is Coach Wilson. Sam, this is Ari, the player I’ve been telling you about”

You could see Ari freeze, so you stepped forward to stand beside him, your hand resting on his back. That seemed to snap him back to reality as he flashed a genuine albeit somewhat nervous smile and held out his hand, “Honour to meet you, sir”

Coach Wilson smiled as he shook Ari’s hand “Please to meet you Ari. I’ve seen you play and I must say I would hate to be on the wrong side of your tackles” 

“Well, when I commit to something, it’s always 110%”, Ari smiled.

“The coaching staff have the bruises to prove it”, Coach Rogers chuckled.

“I’ll keep that in mind, now who’s this?” Coach Wilson nodded to you.

“My apologies”, Ari said as he wrapped his arm around you “This is my wonderful girlfriend Y/N”, he smiled warmly down at you.

You smiled brightly up at him before turning your attention towards Coach Wilson “Lovely to meet you, Ari speaks very highly of you, I look forward to seeing what you do in the upcoming World Cup”

Coach Wilson arched a brow “You’re a rugby fan?”

You smirked up at Ari, “Not quite, but slowly being converted”, you admitted.

Ari smiled warmly back down at you, his hand running up and down your exposed back. His touch sent shockwaves through your body. Heat pooling at your core, he wasn’t even touching you erotically, but you wanted his hand further down.

“How did you guys meet?” Coach Wilson asked.

“At a Halloween party”, Ari answered easily, “Y/N recently moved to Boston for a fresh start, and we have a mutual friend through Chris’ girlfriend, Elena” Ari said, nodding to Coach Rogers.

Coach Wilson arched a brow at his friend, “I’m surprised you let your daughter date one of your players”

Coach Rogers shrugged, “She doesn’t need my permission, plus he makes her happy, so I’m happy,” he smiled warmly.

Coach Wilson chuckled, “Bet you still put him through the ringer”, he said before turning his attention back to you “So you guys are pretty new still?”

You opened your mouth to speak but Ari beat you to it “yeah but it doesn’t feel it, in the best way possible of course” he smiled as he looked down at you “as soon as I saw her I knew she was someone special, it was like there was this invisible string pulling me towards her, I can remember thinking she better be single because I would fight any man and go to the ends of the universe just for a shot”

Your lips remained parted in shock as you looked back up at him, as you got the impression he was talking about when he really first met you in LA. You felt yourself tear up, so you took a deep breath to get yourself under control. Ari smiled at you softly before reaching up to tuck some hair behind your ears.

“Lovely, well, I wish you two all the best and keep up the good work Ari”, Coach Wilson said before heading off with Coach Rogers.

“I think you might just have made the team”, you said once they were gone.

Ari hummed as he turned to face you “I’m definitely on the radar, a lot can happen between now and the summer”, he said as a lopsided smile grew “But I’m feeling confident and that’s all thanks to you”

You smiled softly up at him, and it felt like something unspoken passed between you, but you had no idea what. It felt like something was shifting. The hammering sensation in your chest returned, which made you look away and rub your chest to soothe it.

Over the next few hours, you continued to schmooze with Ari and that hammering sensation in your chest only got worse. You held onto his side as he spoke with different donors and sang your praises whenever he got the chance to. Each time you got a new tidbit about how Ari supposedly felt. He seemed back to his usual self, but you still didn’t know whether it was real or fake. 

During the meal, he shifted his chair closer to yours, his hand often resting on the exposed skin of your thigh or your back. He would smile over at you warmly and whisper the odd joke in your ear. By the end of the meal, the hammering was so bad that you had to quietly excuse yourself and lie about needing the restroom. 

The restroom was a good walk away from the event hall, which gave you a chance to breathe. Inside the restroom, you turned on the cold tap and braced your hands against the cool marble countertop. You took a few deep breaths before carefully tapping some cold water on your neck in an attempt to cool down. It was the wrong end of your body though, so it did very little to help. 

You stayed in the restroom as long as you could, you didn’t feel any better, but you didn’t want anyone to worry. If you took a long walk back to the event and stopped to look at some paintings on the way, it would look more innocent if someone came looking. You wouldn’t have to lie and say you were okay when you weren’t. 

Taking a deep breath, you stepped back outside and started the long walk back, You had only turned the first corner when you spotted Ari. He was standing, leaning against the wall like he was waiting. He looked up when you appeared with a concerned look on his face.

“Hey, is everything okay?” he asked, pushing himself off the wall to face you.

You opened your mouth to talk before deciding against it, you didn’t trust yourself not to blurt out what you were feeling. So you just gave him a small smile and nodded.

“Y/N”, he said softly as he stepped closer and put his hand on your arm. Your gaze followed his motion, noting how small your arm looked in his hand “I might not know you as well as El, but I can tell when something’s wrong, you’ve been acting off”

You couldn’t help the scoff that passed your lips as you stepped back out of his touch “that’s rich coming from you!” you retorted, Ari sighed and went to speak but you held out a hand to stop him “you practically disappeared on me! You’ve been ignoring my texts or your responses have been clipped! You didn’t even bother talking to me on the drive here!” you ranted your chest heaving as all your frustrations tumbled out “and then you do a complete 180 and act all mushy and sweet and say all those things about how you felt when you first met me and it’s so goddamn infuriatinly confusing because I have no idea what the hell is going on anymore! I don’t know what’s real and what’s fake! So i’m sorry if I needed a fucking moment to get my head back on straight” you huffed.

Ari looked back at you with that unreadable expression but didn’t say anything which just pissed you off even more. Your fists clenched as you went to storm past him, maybe you could find somewhere else to get some air, somewhere away from him.

You had barely passed him when he quickly moved, his hand wrapping around your arm to stop you, your head snapped up to look up at him as he said “it’s never been fake, not for me” your lips parted at that admission, at the confirmation you had been searching for and were terrified of “everything I said in there tonight was true, the only lie was the date, you are the only person I’ve thought of since that day”

“But-”

Ari wasn’t done “I hated your ex before I even knew who he was because he got to you before I did, when Steph suggested this relationship I was so fucking happy because I would take anything you were willing to give me, fake or not.” he continued as he turned you around to face him “I pulled back because I thought I crossed a line on monday, the last thing I want is to hurt you more than you’ve already have been so I pulled back and I fucking hated it and i’m sorry if I’ve confused you” he said before letting out a deep and sad sounding sigh “and if you can’t do this anymore I understand, whatever you want”

You stared back at him, shocked at his admission. Your heart was hammering in a completely different way. You knew what you wanted, and it terrified you. You must have taken too long to respond as Ari muttered something and went to step around you, and in that moment, you were more terrified of losing him, so you reached up, cupped his cheek and crashed your lips against his. 

Ari instantly responded, one hand cupping your cheek, the other resting on your hip as he walked you back and pinned you against the wall.

“I don’t think it was ever fake for me too,” you admitted quietly in between kisses “I thought about you too… after that lunch”

Ari growled in response and tilted your head back to deepen the kiss. You hadn’t realised how much he’d been holding back until this moment. All the other kisses had been amazing, but this one was sinful and heavenly all at the same time. 

You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, fingers running up into his long locks, which were just as soft as you imagined. You gave them a soft tug, earning a small groan in response from Ari. His hand on your hip ran down your thigh and hooked under your knee, lifting your leg to hook around him. He pressed closer, pinning you to the wall, the bulge in his pants evident. 

You had already felt it once, on Monday, but that was just a brush. Now you could feel just how large it was, “Oh my god”, you moaned, arching your back.

“I want you so much” Ari muttered as his lips travelled along your jawline and down your neck “wanna head out early?” he asked as one hand gripped your ass, the other cupping the underside of your breast.

You whined because you really did, but it would look bad if you ducked out early from a charity event. He needed good press, not bad press “We can’t… it would look bad for you”

Ari sighed and pulled back enough to smile down at you “Okay… but I’m feeling hungry still”, he smirked.

You tilted your head in confusion because you saw how much Ari had literally just eaten. He just gave you a lopsided smile as he sank down to his knees in front of you. Your eyes widened in realisation when you worked out exactly what Ari meant.

“Ari…” you muttered, starting to protest, not because you didn’t want this, because oh my god you really did, but because of where your mind was taking you. Like how someone could catch you, or how Dan always seemed to be reluctant to go down on you.

Ari seemed to read your mind as his hands ran over your hips “Y/N, I want to do this… do you?” he said softly.

You didn’t trust yourself to say the true answer, expecting your brain to take over and say no, so you kept your mouth shut and nodded. A wolfish grin grew on Ari’s lips as he slipped his hands underneath your dress, your heart pounded, and the ache in your core got so much worse when his fingers wrapped around the string waistband of your thong and pulled it down.

You watched as he pocketed your thong and turned his attention back to you. His large hand hooked around the back of your knee and lifted your leg over his shoulder. Your breath caught as he started to press kisses to the inside of your thigh, his beard scratching against the sensitive skin in the best way.

He hummed to himself when he finally reached your soaked core, “Is all this for me?”

“For you, because of you… Just you,” you panted, desperate to feel his touch “Please”

“You don’t need to plead with me, sweetheart, not now, not ever”, Ari swore as he pressed a soft kiss to your core. 

“Oh my god”, you moaned. You muffled yourself with one hand while the other found Ari’s head. It was a simple and soft kiss, one touch as you were already close to falling apart, 

A fact Ari seemed to know, if the smirk you felt was anything to go by. He also started off slow, drawing the pleasure out for as long as possible. Taking his time to explore you with his tongue and lips, working out what made your breath hitch. It didn’t take him long because everything he did felt amazing, and he soon dove in with the killer combination that made your legs feel weak and electricity course through your body. If your leg wasn’t over his shoulder, you wouldn’t be standing. 

You couldn’t believe this was even happening. Anyone could walk in on you right now. Whenever you considered public sex, you thought the anxiety would be too much for you to enjoy it, but the adrenaline you were feeling was thrilling. It felt so good that you didn’t even care what the PR repercussions would be if you did get caught. If anything it would feel like the perfect fuck you to Dan if someone did catch you. 

You could feel your peak getting impossibly close, you opened your mouth to say so but Ari sucked on your clit and took the words straight from your mouth as the best orgasm of your life crashed over you. It took all your willpower not to scream his name as it hit, you could barely breathe as he worked you through it, only letting up when your breathing slowly returned to normal.

You looked down to see him reemerge from underneath the skirt of your dress, a lopsided grin on his face, his beard glistening with your release. He moved to stand, and as soon as you could, you launched yourself at him, moaning at the taste of yourself on his lip.

Ari chuckled softly as he kissed you back, his arms wrapping around you to keep you steady. When you pulled back, he smiled gently and carefully pushed some hair from your face “Are you ready to head back in there, or do you need a few minutes?”

You couldn’t help but smile, “I’m fine, thank you”

Ari pressed a gentle kiss to your lips before bending down once more, except this time to help you put your underwear back on. When he rose back to his full height, you could see the remnant of your red lipstick on his face.

“Hold on”, you said, reaching up to carefully rub it away. You were able to wipe away most of it, but there was a slight tinge to his skin “I probably need to fix my make-up too,” you admitted.

Ari shrugged his shoulder “I kinda like the messy look”, he admitted, “but yeah, at least for the rest of the evening, I’ll see it again back at my place”, he smirked.

“Sounds like a plan, I’ll be a couple of minutes”, you grinned before slipping back away towards the restroom. 

You did your best to fix your makeup, you probably could have done better if you had spent more time on it, but you were desperate to get back to Ari. Hopefully, the auction wouldn’t take too long, and you and Ari could finish what you started.

As soon as it was socially acceptable to leave, you and Ari made a swift exit from the charity event. The car ride to his apartment was the complete opposite to the journey to the event. This time, you sat right next to Ari, his arm slung around you, his fingers trailing over the exposed skin on your thigh. You couldn’t stop yourself from giggling when he pressed kisses to your neck and nipped at your ear. 

You did lightly scold him when he shot daggers at the back of Cole’s head, “you have me”, you whispered in his ear, “so you don’t need to go all caveman on the poor guy”

Once you arrived at his apartment building, he took you by the hand and led you inside. He waved to the doorman at his desk and led you to the elevator. As soon as the doors shut, he spun you around and kissed you deeply. You squealed in surprise but soon relaxed into his touch.

“I can’t get enough of you”, he murmured, which made your heart skip a beat because you felt the same.

The doors opening onto his floor broke the two of you apart, but you guess not for long as Ari took your hand again and walked you towards his apartment. He quickly unlocked the door and gestured for you to walk in. 

He flicked the light on as you stepped inside and got a good look at his home for the first time ever. You were expecting some bachelor pad like Johnny’s, but Ari’s apartment was nothing like that. It was surprisingly modest for a professional athlete, with no more money than what was necessary being spent. 

Instead of the stereotypical blues, blacks and greys of a bachelor pad, Ari’s apartment was full of warm tones like brown, red and mustard. The furniture was 70s-inspired but still looked modern. It wasn’t like you had fallen through a wormhole to 1975; it was like he’d brought a bit of the 70s to the modern day. Along one wall were the same kind of bookcases that he’d brought you, full of different kinds of books as well as souvenirs which his parents must have sent.

“This is not what I expected”, you admitted as you looked around. 

Ari arched a brow “What did you expect?”

You shrugged your shoulders, “the stereotypical bachelor pad, with modern furniture that looks nice but isn’t comfy at all,” you explained.

“I take it you like it then?” he chuckled as he walked over to you, resting his hands on your hips as he came to a stop behind you. 

“Yeah, not everyone can pull off 70s furniture without looking like a wannabe serial killer”, you smirked, “but you do”

Ari laughed loudly and wrapped his arms around you “I’ve missed this side of you”, he chuckled, pressing a kiss to your shoulder.

Your brows furrowed in confusion “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been quiet and reserved since you arrived in Boston, it's like you retreated into your shell instead of being the loud and witty person I met in LA”, Ari explained softly.

You let out a long sigh because you had been a different person back in LA but looking back in hindsight you weren’t sure if that person was ever you either “i’m not sure what kind of person I am anymore” you admitted as your turned around in embrace to face him, resting your hands on his chest.

Ari tilted his head slightly as he looked down at you “What do you mean?” 

“Before I met El, I had been the shy, quiet girl that nobody really noticed, I didn’t party or have many friends, I spent most of my time at home or in the library reading” You recounted thinking back to your teenage years “When I met El she… I dunno made me feel more confident like I was feeding off of the energy she put out, kinda felt like I was faking it until I made it kinda thing and when I started working in PR I learnt pretty quick that celebs and politicians don’t listen to meek and shy girls so I kept the mask on until it basically became who I was” you sighed “part of me feels like I’ve just returned to who I was before, the real shy me”

Ari nodded slowly as he took in what you said “Can I tell you what I think?” he asked “I think you’re both of those people” 

“I can’t be, nobody can be shy and confident at the same time”, you said, shaking your head. 

“You can, it just depends on who you’re with and how safe you feel with them” Ari explained as he softly caressed your cheek “people change and evolve, shy people don’t always stay shy and confident people won’t always feel confident and when you’re with someone who make you feel safe and secure like El does it allows you to be the real you”

You took a quiet, shuddering breath as tears collected in the corner of your eyes. You had never felt more seen, “I feel safe with you”, you whispered. 

Ari’s eyes softened as he looked down at you, his thumb brushed over your cheekbone softly as his head dipped, and his lips met yours. It was the exact response you wanted as you melted into him. Your arms looped around his shoulders as you moved up onto your tip toes to get closer to him. Ari responded by crouching and hooking his arm under your knees and sweeping you off your feet and carrying you to his bedroom. 

You had expected to crash into his apartment like two horny teens, ripping clothes off each other as you stumbled to the near surface. But what was actually happening was so much better, it felt more real, raw and special. 

He gently set you back down at the foot of his bed and stepped back enough to run his eyes over you, top to bottom, twice “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to see you standing here, in my room” 

“Since that lunch in LA?” you tilted your head in question. 

Ari shook his head gently, his tongue darting out to wet his lips “Since before I even met you”, he said, cupping both your cheeks with his large hands as he dipped his lips to meet yours. 

You sighed dreamily into the kiss, your hands resting on his chest. As his tongue mingled with yours, you cursed the fabric that separated you. You reached up to tug at his bowtie until it came loose. You tossed it aside before moving to push his suit jacket off his shoulders. Ari responded in turn, pressing kisses to your neck as he found the zipper of your dress. As soon as the fabric was loose enough, he guided it off your shoulders, taking advantage of the newly exposed skin to press kisses to your chest. 

“Oh my god”, you muttered when you finally unbuttoned his shirt and could touch his rock-hard chest. You ran your fingers over his pecks, past his abs and down to his Adonis belt. You didn’t think this level of physique could exist, yet here it was, and you were touching it.

You were so distracted that you hadn’t even noticed that your dress had completely fallen to the floor, leaving you standing in only your completely ruined thong and high heels. You only noticed when Ari’s large cupped and squeezed the globes of your ass. You went to kick your heels off, but Ari stopped you. 

“Keep ‘em on”, he murmured as he captured the sensitive peak of your breast in his mouth. 

You gasped when he raked his teeth over the peak, the sharp sensation sending shock waves through your body and down to your core. He quickly soothed the pain with a gentle swirl of his tongue. 

Your back arched, and your hips brushed against his, allowing you to feel his erection through his pants. You immediately decided that there were too many layers of clothing between you, so your hands dropped to his belt buckle and tugged it loose. You pushed down his pants and boxers enough for his erection to spring free. 

Your fingers wrapped around it making you gasp “Fuck” You glanced down and saw the sheer size of it, your hand looking tiny in comparison “Oh my god you’re gonna kill me with 

that monster”

Ari snorted against your skin and laughed when he pulled away enough to smile down at you “Don’t worry sweetheart”, he said as he lifted you up, wrapping your legs around his waist. 

“You have seen the size of it, right? That's a world record breaker” you panted as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders “Maybe you are a serial killer, but your weapon is your dick”

Ari laughed harder as he kicked his shoes off and stepped out of his boxers and pants “firstly, I’ve already told you we’re bonnie and clyde” he said as he laid you down on the bed, his chest mere inches away from your “and secondly, I have seen the size of it, touched it whenever I thought of you which is why I know it’ll be fine because I know it’s made for you” 

Your heart skipped a beat because how could he be so romantic and sexy at the same time? You reached up to push some of his hair back behind his ears because, as much as you loved his long hair, you didn’t want anything blocking the view of his face. Especially not the oasis that was his eyes. 

“But if you’re hesitant-” he started, but you silenced him by pressing your fingers to his lips.

“Don’t you dare stop Levinson”, you warned, your body ached for him, and if he didn’t touch you soon, you’d lose it. 

Ari smirked against your fingers, “Your wish is my command, Bonnie” 

You laughed as your fingers moved to scrape through his beard. You didn’t use to think beards were sexy, you typically preferred clean shaven or the smallest bit of stubble, but when you touched Ari’s beard, it was like a drug, and you were hooked. Ari smiled down at you softly before pressing a languid kiss to your lips. 

You watched as he sat back on his haunches in between your thighs and gazed down at your body. He rested his hands on your knees, spreading your legs further as his hands glided down your thighs. In one quick motion, your thong was ripped from your body and thrown over his shoulder. 

“Ari!” you gasped in shock.

Ari gave you a lopsided smile “What? They were already ruined,” he pointed out.

You went to argue back but all that left your mouth was a moan when the pad of his thumb drifted over your slit, spreading your arousal. Your back arched as his thumb strummed your clit once, a second time and then a third.  All you could feel was pleasure - so intense that you previously thought it was unimaginable - as he slowly rubbed circles over your clit with his thumb. 

You didn’t think it could get any better until he slid one thick finger inside you. You almost came apart at that moment, but it wasn’t quite enough. Your chants changed from his name to a plea for more. A plea that was granted when he added a second finger on the next pass. 

In the haze of your pleasure, you looked up at his face, watching him as he watched his fingers disappear inside you. It was the sexiest he had ever looked. He looked like a lion that was staring down at its prey, the hunger in his eyes unmatched. Your eyes fluttered shut as he dipped his head down and wrapped his lips around your clit. The combination of his sucking and his curled fingers pushed you over the edge. You screamed his name as the best orgasm of your life rolled through your body, one so intense you wondered whether you ever actually orgasmed before him. 

Ari gently guided you through your orgasm, prolonging it to impossible lengths. He only pulled away when your body fully relaxed and your breathing returned to a close to normal as possible. You watched as he sat back once more and licked his fingers clean, smirking to himself when you muttered a curse. 

He then reached over to his bedside table and pulled out a familiar foil square, he held it in his mouth as he grabbed a pillow and positioned it beneath your hips. You watched as he ripped the wrapper and rolled the condom on, the sight alone making you desperate for him. It didn’t matter that you had already had 2 mindblowing orgasms from him tonight, you wanted, no, needed more. 

Once he was ready, he positioned himself over you, coating himself in your arousal before pressing the broad tip against your entrance. His eyes found yours as he dipped down to kiss you softly, “Tell me if it’s too much”

You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, threading your fingers through his hair and nodded. He kissed you once more before he slowly started to rock into you. You had taken barely an inch, and you already felt so full, but with Ari’s lips on your neck, you relaxed and slowly took more and more with each gentle thrust.

He stilled once he was fully seated inside you. You expected it to hurt, but it didn’t, not really. There was a burn as your walls stretched around him, but it was the most pleasurable burn you had ever felt. 

“You okay?” he gritted, his teeth nipped at your skin. 

“I’m more than okay… I’m so, so good,” you moaned. 

“Good because I can’t hold on any-” he started, but you hooked your leg around his hip and the movement alone spurred him on. 

You clung onto him, and he deeply thrusted into you with the perfect rhythm. You gripped onto the dress shirt he still wore so tightly, you were surprised that it hadn’t ripped. You cursed the fact that you couldn’t touch his skin, feel the way his back muscles worked. You wondered whether Ari felt the same, whether he read your mind or if you had spoken your thoughts out loud because he quickly pulled back and ripped off his shirt before returning his lips to yours. 

You held on for as long as you could, but with Ari, it was a losing battle. He played your body like an instrument he’d played his whole life. He knew exactly what you needed better than you ever did and all it took was a simple touch to your clit to push you over the edge once more. 

You saw stars as your orgasm hit and your walls clenched around him, you were able to stay aware enough to feel him hit his peak soon after yours. Each moment was better than the last as you felt Ari’s weight press against you, he was the best weighted blanket you could ask for. You smiled blissfully as he peppered your neck and jaw with kisses. 

“You still alive Bon?” he smirked down at you.

You chuckled as you cupped his cheek, brushing your thumb through his beard “I think you brought me back to life, Clyde”, you admitted. 

Ari smiled softly, his eyes shining as he kissed you deeply. You held onto him for as long as possible, but far too soon, he slipped away, making you whine at the emptiness that you had never felt this intensely before. The feeling was soon soothed when Ari returned with a warm, damp cloth and started cleaning you up. He then removed the heels you wore, his large fingers expertly undoing the tiny buckles.

Once he was done, he climbed back into bed beside you and pulled you into his side. You smiled as you rested your head on his chest and curled up beside him. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head as you trailed your fingertips over his bare chest. 

As you did so, you remembered something that Elena had mentioned to you once “El told me that the team all got tattoos after winning the championship,” you recounted.

Ari hummed as his fingers ran up and down your back “They did”

“Where’s yours? Is it on your ass?” you smirked since that was the one place you hadn’t gotten a good look at. 

Ari chuckled, “No, I didn’t get one”

You lifted your head from his chest “Really? Why not?”

“Because I’m Jewish”, he answered simply, like it was obvious. 

“You’re Jewish?” you repeated in surprise, your gaze travelling over his body down to where the sheets now covered his crotch. You admittedly didn’t know much about Judaism but you got pretty personal with his cock tonight.

Ari laughed, clearly knowing where your mind had gone “I only started practising Judaism when I was 1,7 and at that point the idea alone of circumcision was too painful”, he explained with a chuckle. 

“Oh”, you muttered, that made more sense. “What made you decide to become Jewish?”

“My birth mom”, Ari answered.

“Your birth mom?”

Ari smiled softly down at you, “Yeah, I’m adopted”, he explained “My birth mom was Jewish and died a few hours after I was born. There was no other family to take me in, so I ended up in the care system”, he sighed. 

“I’m so sorry”, you whispered, you’d heard horror stories of the care system and how difficult it can be. 

“It’s okay”, he said softly, “I bounced around foster homes until I was five. I’ve always had anger issues, and being in the system didn’t help. The home I landed in was my parents and I don’t know why but they didn’t give up on me even when I was the worst I could possibly be to try and push them away, they helped break down the walls I’d put up and adopted me when I was 6” he recounted, you sniffled slightly trying and and failing to hold back your tears “I still had issues with my anger though, still do now, but my teachers suggested they signed me up for rugby as a way to channel that anger into something productive and I’ve been playing ever since” 

You looked up at him through teary eyes, “They sound like incredible parents”

Ari smiled softly as he brushed away your stray tears “They are. When I was sixteen, they told me everything they knew about my mom. It was a time in my life when I really needed it, and when I was 17, I decided to start practising Judaism to help feel closer to her”

“How does that work with your rugby schedule? Doesn’t it make it difficult?” you asked. 

“It can, I don’t follow all the rules strictly, I’ve never been much of a rule follower to begin with”, he smirked, “so I do what fits into the lifestyle of a professional rugby player, anything I can do that makes me feel closer to the woman who gave me life”

You smiled up at him, “That’s really sweet, so do you not celebrate Christmas?”

Ari shook his head, “No, I do, I just celebrate it alongside Hanukkah” he shrugged his shoulders “Speaking of which”, he tapped your shoulder with his fingertips “are you flying to England to celebrate with your parents?”

You let out a long, sad sigh “No, I can’t afford the flight, and because of work, it’ll be such a short visit” 

“I can pay if you want”, Ari offered. 

“No, no, it's okay” You shook your head, resting back against his chest, fingers running over his chest. 

“What will you do instead?” Ari asked, his brows furrowed. 

“I don’t know”, you admitted. 

“Why don’t you spend the day with me?” Ari asked, making your head snap up from his chest.

“What?” 

Ari chuckled as he brushed some of your hair out of your face, tucking it behind your head “have you got gunpowder in your ears, Bonnie?” he smirked “spend Christmas with me, it’ll just be me and I can’t think of anyone else I’d want to spend the holidays with”

You smiled and reached up to press a kiss to his lips “I’d love to” you smiled “thank you, not just for the invite but for being honest with me about your past, it means a lot to me” you admitted “Dan’s affair wouldn’t have hurt so much if he’d been honest, I’d much rather he told me that it was over than go behind my back” 

Ari nodded, his eyes searched yours for a moment before he said, “You’ll never have to worry about that with me, I promise”

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Fake Out Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

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Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 4)

Summary: You and Ari continue to grow closer as you celebrate Thanksgiving and go to your first rugby game ever.

Word Count: 7.7k words

Warnings: Language! Mention of Cheating Ex! Alcohol Consumption! Sexual Tension! Fluff!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Fake Out Series Masterlist /Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 4

Y/N: What kind of thing do I need to wear to this thanksgiving meal?

Ari: You’ll look great in whatever you wear x

Y/N: Knew I should have asked El

Ari: It’s smart casual so nothing too fancy and something that has some give because there’s enough food to feed an army or one rugby team

Ari: Can I ask you to wear something red? x

Y/N: Thanks, smart casual it is

You let out a small sigh as you looked over yourself in the mirror, you had decided to go for a red tartan skater dress. Not because Ari asked you to wear red, but because it was your nicest fall dress which gave you enough room to account for the food baby you were going to create. Although you weren’t sure how much food would be available after all the players got their hands on it. 

Looking in the mirror, it felt like something was missing from the look, you had paired the dress with some brown knee-high leather boots and you had one of your new jackets to go with it. You were also considering wearing Ari’s denim sherpa jacket which was still hanging in your wardrobe despite your attempts to give it back. It would look good PR wise, and you had to admit you kinda liked the pine scent that lingered on it. You may or may not have given it a sniff or two whenever you opened your closet. 

You moved to grab your phone so you could text Elena to see what she thought, but when you opened up your phone it opened up onto the text conversation you had with Ari yesterday. Your eyes landed on his request to wear red and it suddenly clicked. You tossed your phone back onto the bed and moved to your vanity, grabbing your favourite red lipstick.

After a couple of careful swipes, you looked back in the mirror and nodded to yourself. You used to wear red lipstick all the time in LA, it made you feel powerful, but since coming to Boston you’d opted for nudes and muted shades. The closest you got was a red-tinted balm. It had just felt a bit wrong to wear a bold colour, at least it had until now. 

Your phone vibrated on your bed, it was Ari telling you that he was outside. You had nearly suggested that Elena and Chris could pick you up, or you could drive yourself, but you knew that arriving with Ari would look better. You had mentally kicked yourself for even thinking it, you had led multiple fake relationships back in LA but you didn’t realise how difficult it would be to actually be in one. Ari seemed to be a natural at it while you felt like a teen who had never been kissed and got jumpy at a simple touch. You really needed to get these feelings, whatever they were, under control. Not only because you were supposed to be enjoying single life and finding yourself but because you wanted this to work for Ari. You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if this failed and he didn’t make the national team. 

You texted him back to say you would be out in a minute before grabbing your new jacket, only to pause and scrap it in favour of Ari’s jacket. You grabbed your purse, threw on one of your new scarves and quickly made your way out. You found Ari parked up right outside your apartment block, leaning against his jeep looking down at his crossed feet. He hadn’t spotted you yet which gave you a moment to take him in because holy shit did he look incredible. 

It was a relatively simple outfit, a charcoal sweater tucked into grey herringbone trousers and a long back coat. But he pulled it off like he was some GQ model. You had seen men dressed smart for work all the time, Dan had often worn a suit to work but Ari was on a whole other level. 

He looked up when you took a few steps down towards him, a lopsided grin growing on his face as his eyes roamed over your body, “you look incredible”

“I’m starting to think this jacket is too casual” you admitted as you closed the distance.

Ari gently shook his head, “no, it's perfect” he opened up the passenger door for you and held out his hand to help you up “and I’m very happy you went with red” he whispered in your ear. 

You felt your heat rise to your cheeks as you did your seatbelt, you were hoping that maybe he’d forgotten that request, but you knew that was never gonna happen. 

It was a short drive to the training center where they were hosting the Thanksgiving meal. Ari held your hands as the two of you walked in together, not every member of the team was present, but most were. You spotted Elena and Chris stood on the far end of the large room talking to Elena’s dad and Coach Barber. 

“Do you want a drink?” Ari whispered in your ear, his lips brushing over the shell of your ear, causing shivers down your spine. 

“Uh yeah, a glass of wine would be nice, thank you” you nodded, glancing up at him. 

“On it, back in a minute” he murmured, resting his hand on your back as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head. 

You watched as he walked away towards the bar they had set up, before glancing around the room nervously, tugging at the cuffs of his jacket. You felt really out of place, even though you had been working for the team for over a month you still felt like an outsider. You decided not to wait for Ari to return and made your way over to Elena.

She smiled widely when she saw you approach, opening her arms out for a hug, “oh my god you look incredible”

“Thank you, you do too” you smile gesturing down to her outfit which consisted of blue checked trousers and a white long sleeved tee.

“Y/N, how lovely to see you, El said you’d moved back to the east coast” Coach Rogers smiled “how are you finding Boston?”

“Cold” you admitted honestly making everyone chuckle “but it’s good and thank you Mr Rogers for organising this meal, it's really sweet”

“I’ve told you plenty of times to call me Steve” Coach Rogers scolds gently “don’t make me sound like a broken record”

You chuckled looking down at your feet, you’d known Elena and her dad for years now, and it still felt strange to call him Steve, especially now that you worked for the same organisation. 

“Sorry, I’ll try and remember” you smiled.

“There you are, I was worried for a second” Ari said, interrupting you as he came to a stop at your side. 

“Sorry Levs, can’t keep us apart for long” Elena smirked. 

Ari shrugged before passing you your drink “here you go sweetheart” 

“Thank you, are you not drinking?” you asked noticing he didn’t have a drink for himself. 

Ari glanced at his coaches and captain before shaking his head, “not with the game tomorrow, all the players aren’t allowed to drink”

“Glad to hear it Levinson, hopefully the players who aren’t here are abiding by that” Coach Rogers nodded in appreciation.

“Are you watching the game tomorrow?” Andy asked you.

“Oh” you muttered caught by surprise, you did actually have the day off tomorrow so you should be, it would look bad if you didn’t, but you also didn’t want to just sit there on your own watching a game you didn’t understand “uh yeah I am, it’ll be my first which is exciting” you nodded forcing a smile. 

“You can be sure I’ll be playing at my best” Ari grinned as he wrapped his arm around your waist. 

Coach Rogers smiled as he looked over at the two of you, “I’m sure you will Levinson, maybe you can finally convince Y/N how good Rugby can be” he smirked making you roll your eyes. Both Elena and Steve had been on at you whenever you visited to give rugby a shot. 

“I’ve already won her over once” Ari said as he smiled down at you, almost lovingly, which made you purse your lips to stop yourself from smiling back. 

“You two do seem very happy together… settled”, Coach Rogers nodded with a knowing smile “so don’t mess it up Levinson, her father might be across the pond but I’m here” he warned

“You won’t have to worry about that at all sir” Ari promised.

The six of you continued to chat until it was time to go sit down for the meal. As you went, you quickly stepped out of Ari’s hold to have a quiet word with Elena. Ari frowned when you stepped away, but you sent him a reassuring look as you went. You linked your arm with Elena and pulled her to the side.

“Hey, um I know you’re probably working tomorrow, but could you maybe teach me a bit about rugby?” you asked her quietly.

Elena’s eyes widened almost comically, “you want to know more about rugby?” she asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, if I’m supposed to be dating a rugby player I better at least understand it” you reasoned with a casual shrug of your shoulders.

An excited grin grew on Elena’s face and she bounced a little on the spot “yes! I’ve been waiting for this moment for years! I’ll go okay it with my dad and I’ll sit with you during the game tomorrow and explain it as they play, that’s the best way to understand it” 

“Are you sure?” you asked.

“Yeah it’ll be great! I’ll make sure you get the proper rugby experience, you’ll be a fan in no time,” she smirked, “now you better go because your boyfriend is waiting for you”, she nodded. You looked in that direction to see Ari stood by your seats, waiting for you while everyone filtered around to get to their seats “how is that going?”

“Uh” you muttered slowly, drawing your attention back to her “Good, it’s um, it’s been fun”, you nodded, trying to find a good way to explain it. 

“Good, you deserve some fun” she winked before stepping away to go sit down in her spot next to Chris and her dad. 

You turned your attention back to Ari and walked over to join him, he pulled out your chair for you and placed a hand on your back as you sat down, “everything okay?”

“Yeah, El is gonna sit with me at the game tomorrow” you told him as he sat down next to you. 

“Ah nice, you looking forward to it?” he asked as he unfolded his napkin and laid it across his lap. 

“I think so, I caught a bit of the final and that wasn’t bad” you admitted with a small shrug, focusing your attention on your napkin because you caught more than just a bit, you watched the entire match.

A lopsided grin grew on Ari’s lips, “Well it’s a whole other game live,” he grinned, “you’ll love it”

You sent him a pointed look because you didn’t think you’d ever love rugby, “we’ll have to see”

Ari chuckled before returning his attention back to the food which was beginning to be passed around. He began loading up his plate while also helping you with yours. You couldn’t believe the amount of food he was putting on his plate, the sight of it alone could put you in a food coma. You had no idea how any of the players could run around a pitch tomorrow.

“How is this not against your diet plan?” you asked as you stared at the mountain of food on his plate. 

“The day before a match is carb-loading day, so Thanksgiving is actually perfect” Ari explained with a grin. 

“You rugby players are another breed” you muttered in disbelief. 

You hadn’t been to a sports game in a long time, Dan took you to a baseball game once but that was completely different to the atmosphere in the stadium today. Your seats seemed to be pretty good, close enough to the pitch that the players weren’t tiny specs but high enough that you could see the entire pitch. 

“Wine is not a drink for a rugby game so I got you a beer” Elena said, passing you your drink as she sat down next to you.

“Thanks”, you said, taking a couple sips of your pint “so what’s the basics I need to know?” you asked, looking out at the players who were warming up. 

“Um, well they have to the pass the ball backwards, and get it over the try line over there” Elena said pointing to the try line “and when they score a try it has be converted by the fly half usually which is Chris” she continues pointing to Chris who was practicing his kicks.

“What position does Ari play?” you asked, scanning the pitch to find him, unable to spot his head of long hair anywhere. 

“He’s a second row in the scrum, they’re usually the strongest and tallest on the team and they provide most of the power in the scrum, he’s right there doing tackling drills” Elena said pointing him out on the pitch. 

You looked at where she was pointing and finally spotted him, your mouth going dry at the sight of him. You knew he was a large and muscular guy, but now that he was in his kit, which looked almost too small for him, you could see just how muscular he was. Especially those thighs which were bursting out of those shorts. The sight of them made you ache and cross your legs, shifting slightly in your seat. You had to shift your eyes away and decided to look above his shoulders, that was safer ground, just.

“What’s he wearing on his head?” you frowned, a bit disappointed that you couldn’t see his locks.

“A scrum cap, most players don’t bother with them but it protects their ears and I guess in Ari’s case it protects his hair” El smirked.

No wonder you couldn’t spot him with that cap hiding the long hair that you secretly loved and wanted to run your hands through.

“I don’t remember seeing him wear one during the final?” you hummed as you watched him warm up, when Elena didn’t say anything you looked over to see her smirking back at you.

“The chin strap broke so he had to use tape instead for his ears, he was really grumpy about it all”, Elena explained “you really paid attention to the clips you saw” she smirked into her pint.

You stuttered slightly as you tried to think of a good explanation, “well it’s pretty hard to miss that mop of hair” you landed on.

Elena snorted, “sure, anyway that’s kinda the jist, the only other main rules are that you can’t tackle a player above the shoulders, past the horizontal or while they’re in the air” she explained.

“Which is why that tackle on Chris in the final was a red because he was in the air and Bryce tipped him” you recalled as you sipped on your beer.

“Exactly, I still want to kill him for that”, Elena growled, shaking her head “And red cards stand for the rest of the match and sometimes lead to match bans, while yellows send the players to the sin bin for 10 minutes”

“Like in hockey?” You asked, you remembered representing a hockey player who spent far too much time in the penalty box.

“Yeah, that’s right, you’re picking this up quick,” Elena said, patting you on the shoulder “you’ll be an expert in no time” she winked.

“Well seems easy enough, is there anything else?” You shrugged.

“Loads, Ari can probably explain the scrum part better, but the rest I’ll explain as it happens because otherwise it’s overwhelming” Elena said with a wave of her hand “oh look our boys are looking this way!” She stood up and waved down to the pitch.

You stood up with her and looked in the same direction to see Chris and Ari stood together with water bottles in hand. Chris was beaming up at Elena, holding his hand up to wave back. You looked over at Ari to see him looking at you with a lopsided grin. You gave him a shy wave which he returned with a wave of his own, followed by him blowing you a kiss.

You then saw Johnny jog over clearly intrigued by what was going on, he looked up to see you and Elena and sent you an over-exaggerated air kiss. An act which had Ari spinning to face him and giving him a shove and exchanging harsh words. Chris stepped in between the two of them, sending Johnny away back to his warm up.

Elena whistled in appreciation, “possessive Ari is hot”

“He was not being possessive” you rolled your eyes as you sat back down.

“Are you blind? Yes, he is, he went all caveman at the Halloween party too,” Elena pointed out as she sat back down and took a large sip of beer.

“He has no reason to”, you shook your head. 

“You’re a catch, only an idiot wouldn’t fight to keep you”, Elena said with a pointed look.

You rolled your eyes, “you know what I meant”

Elena nodded, “I do, but my point still stands,” she said, making you frown over at her “Look, I know you’ve been through hell but don’t let that stop you from finding something good, no matter how soon” she added quietly.

You looked back over at Ari, who was doing some stretches with the rest of the team, “it’s not that” you said quietly. 

It couldn’t be. It was too soon, this was all fake. All of these feelings you had were because you had been starved of affection. They weren’t real feelings, they would all go away eventually as you got used to all of this.

 “Okay, as long as you’re happy”, Elena said putting a comforting hand on your knee.

“I am” you said honestly. 

You didn’t feel sad about what happened anymore, you were still pissed but you weren’t crying into a pint of ice-cream sad anymore. The only thing that lingered was the feeling of self-doubt, the thoughts of what you could have done or hadn’t noticed plaguing you. You felt like you had reverted back to the person you were before you met Elena, the shy girl who avoided confrontation. Maybe you had never stopped being that girl, maybe you did see the signs but ignored them to avoid confrontation. Heck, you didn’t even confront him when you caught him, you left a note and high-tailed it out of there.

“Right, it’s time for kick off”, Elena grinned, bouncing in her seat excitedly, rubbing her hands together “you’re gonna love it!”

You hummed noncommittally “we’ll see” 

To your surprise, you found yourself really getting into it. The energy of the stadium was electric and infectious, Elena always said that you had strange telepathic abilities but you just felt like you fed off of people’s energies. You just got a gut feeling when someone was upset. You were definitely feeding off of Elena’s energy as she cheered and jumped up from her seat. You found yourself jumping up and cheering too when the Bears scored.

She explained what was happening between her cheers and you found it surprisingly easy to understand. You would have to ask  Ari about scrums because even Elena couldn’t tell what was going on and why penalties were awarded.

“Okay, so they’re gonna do a line out so they’ll be lifting either Ari or Curtis up to catch the ball”, Elena said, pointing to where the forwards were gathering. 

“They’re gonna lift Ari?” you asked in disbelief, you knew the players were strong but Ari was huge, could they really lift him?

“Yeah, they always lift the tallest players and since both Ari and Curtis are 6ft 4 they’re the ones” Elena explained.

“6ft 4?” you squeaked in surprise, you knew Ari was tall by the way he towered over you but hearing his exact height was shocking. It made you wonder whether everything was in proportion… his hands were big…

“Yeah, they’re not even the tallest players, there’s a guy who used to play for England that’s 6ft 7” Elena told you with a casual shrug.

“Jesus Christ what do they feed these guys?” you muttered in disbelief. 

The rest of the game was pretty close, the Bears were losing by 3 points by the final couple of minutes. Elena said it was okay though because they had another lineout 5 meters out from the try line and they would easily push themselves over the try line. 

It didn’t pan out like that though, you weren’t sure what exactly went wrong, but when they lifted Ari up into the air to catch the ball, it brushed past his fingers and into the hands of the opposition. You saw Ari swear as they dropped him back down, the Bears scrambling to regain possession. It was too late, the time ticked over to the 80th minute and the opposition kicked the ball out to end the game.

“Shit” Elena cursed running her hand through her hair “they were so close” 

“What happened?” you asked, not able to take your eyes off of Ari who’s head was hanging low, fists clenched as he rested them on his hips.

“I don’t know”, Elena shrugged, “maybe the throw was mis-timed, or it just slipped through his hands, it's just unfortunate” She sighed “c’mon, we can head down to pitchside to meet them”

“Oh okay” you muttered following after her.

You made your way through the crowds who were trying to make their way out of the stadium. The security recognised Elena and let both of you straight through to pitchside. The players were still walking around the pitch to say thank you to the fans for their support, but you could see how disappointed they all were. 

When they finally started to approach you, you spotted Chris first who smiled softly at Elena before jogging over to hug her. You stepped away from them and looked out to the rest of the players. Ari was at the back of the pack, his gaze set on his feet as he walked. He’d taken off his scrum cap so his hair was loose forming almost a curtain around his face. 

When he finally looked up, your eyes met, he smiled but you could tell it was forced. He was pissed but was trying his hardest to hide it. 

“Hey” you said softly when he reached you. 

“Hey, did you enjoy the match?” he asked, running his hand through his hair to push it out of his face. 

You nodded and smiled up at him, “yeah I did, sorry that you didn’t win” you said sympathetically. 

Ari huffed and shook his head, “it’s my fault, I should have caught the ball”

“Hey no”, you said instinctively reaching out to put your hand on his bicep “no result depends on one moment”

Ari let out a long sigh, “still should have caught it”

You took a deep breath, there was no point trying to convince him otherwise now. It was too soon and too raw for him. You just had to support him until he was ready to look back at it with unbiased eyes. 

“Okay, but you still played really well the rest of the match, I thought you killed the guy when you tackled him so hard” you said running your hand up and down his arm soothingly. 

“Thank you”, he chuckled softly “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself” he said resting his hand on your shoulder. 

You could see he was still really disappointed, so you did the next thing you could think of, “c’mere” you murmured reaching up to wrap your arms around his broad shoulders. 

You felt Ari relax as he wrapped his arms around your waist and hugged your back. He buried his head in the crook of your neck and pressed a gentle, barely there kiss to your neck. His hand slipped underneath your jacket, his hand warm against your skin.

He then pulled back with a small frown on his face, “Are you wearing a jersey?” he questioned. 

You nibbled your lower lip, your hands linked together on the nape of his neck, “Elena suggested it, but I didn’t realise it would be so cold,” you said.

“Can I see?” Ari asked, his hand running over the small of your back. 

You nodded and stepped back out of his hold, you unzipped your jacket and took it off to reveal the Bears jersey you were wearing underneath. A more sincere smile grew on his face as he looked down at you, he reached out to put his hand on your shoulder and turn you around.

“My name looks great on you” he murmured. 

You felt your heart pounding and you were so glad you had your back to him right now. Heat was rising to your cheek while also pooling elsewhere. You took a deep and shaky breath to control yourself as Ari turned you back around. His head tilted slightly and the corner of his mouth twitched upwards. 

“I really want to kiss you right now” he smirked. 

You took another deep and shaky breath, “okay” you whispered. 

Ari smiled as he rested his hand on your hip and pulled you back towards him. His other hand cupped your cheeks and tilted your head back. He slowly leaned in to the point it was almost torturous but it made it so much better when his lips finally met yours. Just like before you felt yourself melting into his touch, you had to grip hold of his jersey to keep yourself upright. The stadium was still loud but you couldn’t hear any of it, it was like everyone had melted away.

Once again, when he pulled away you found yourself chasing after his lips, Ari smiled down at you and ran his thumb over your jawbone “thank you, it means a lot to me that you came today” he said softly. 

“It was nothing, I enjoyed myself” 

“So you’ll come to more?” he asked with an arched brow. 

You didn’t need to think about it, “of course” you smiled. 

Ari grinned down at you before pulling you into his embrace, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. You couldn’t help but smile as you rested your head against his chest, feeling his pounding heartbeat. The rugby world was not your world, but you couldnt help but feel like Ari’s arms felt like home. 

Ari stretched out his shoulders and neck as he stood behind Elena and waited for her to open the door to your old LA apartment. Yesterday's match had been a physical one, but the Bears had come out on top and as a bonus Langley had to go off injured after 3 hard tackles from Chris, Curtis and Ari. 

It was good to get a win following their loss against the Texan Tigers Thanksgiving weekend. Ari had kicked himself for that loss, he should have caught that ball and they would have been guaranteed the win. He had expected to go into his 1-2-1 review and get ripped apart by the coaches for that mistake, but they barely covered it. They pointed out that the ball shifted in direction mid air, caught by a gust of wind, so it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Coach Rogers had also repeated what you said, that he had played really well for the rest of the game. The reason the scoreboard was so tight was because of little errors made by others on the pitch. 

Ari had wanted to go straight to you after that meeting and by some miracle you were working with the media team on some training content that day. Ari couldn’t help himself and walked over to greet you with a kiss on the cheek, he was just so happy to see you, he wanted to tell you that you were right. 

It had meant so much to him that you came to watch him play. He hasn’t had anyone come to watch his games in a long time now. His family would go when the Bears were playing in New York, and before he transferred to the Bears but since then it had been no one. Seeing you in his jersey was the cherry on top, it was a sight he didn’t want to forget and he wasn’t ashamed to admit that he pictured you wearing only his jersey, riding him, as he found some release that night. 

“Are you sure he’s out?” Chris asked as Elena put the key you had given her in the lock. 

“Yeah, he goes golfing with his mates on Sundays, he’ll be gone all day” Elena said as she pushed the door open. 

“I kinda wish he was here” Ari murmured as he carried in the bags and boxes they’d brought to pack up your stuff. 

“You and me both”, Elena grumbled as she shut the door behind them “huh”, she frowned, looking around the apartment. 

“What is it?” Chris asked, looking over as he dropped a couple of suitcases by the couch.

“It’s just… this was her place originally and there used to be a lot more of her stuff about, now its mostly his” Elena commented as she looked around. 

“You think he packed it up?” Ari asked, glancing around to see if he could spot a box.

Elena shrugged her shoulders “I don’t know, she usually came to mine when we hung out, maybe it's been this way for a while”

“Regretting not bringing glitter?” Chris asked, looking over his shoulder at Elena with a knowing look. 

Elena pursed her lips as she looked around the apartment, hands on her hips, “a little, but he’d know it was us and I’m not a PR expert”, she said, holding her hands up “but I think that would be a bad move” 

“Right, well let's get to work, our flight leaves this evening” Ari said, clapping his hands together. 

“Okay, I’ll handle her clothes, Chris, if I point it out can you handle her stuff in the bedroom?” Elena asked looking over at Chris who nodded, “good and Ari, I’m trusting you with her books, do not damage a single one because she will kill you, her books are her babies” Elena said with a serious look on her face. 

“Sure, which ones are hers?” Ari asked, pointing to the bookcase in the corner, which was practically overflowing.

“All of them, Dan didn’t read” Elena said before disappearing into the bedroom with Chris. 

Ari turned and walked over the bookcase letting out a low whistle as he took in the sheer amount of books that had been carefully stacked to make the most of the space. He noticed a few shelves were bowing under the weight of the books, with closer inspection he realised that the bookshelf was just a cheap one. That made him frown because if you cared this much about books you should have the best bookcase possible, and as many as you wanted. You shouldn’t have to stuff them all into one, you should have as many bookcases as possible. 

Ari’s fists clenched as he glanced around, there was no space for another because of all the stuff that was clearly not yours. This had been your apartment and your ex had infested it and shoved you into a small corner. He was seriously considering going out and buying some glitter and maybe some sand. He was sure he could come up with the best kind of payback. 

The only thing that stopped him was the fact he knew you wouldn’t like it, so he grabbed a box and got to work. He lined the inside of the box with bubblewrap to provide some extra protection and provide some waterproofing just in case. He then carefully started packing away the books. Any ones that looked like special editions, he wrapped up in bubble wrap too. 

He took his time and did it as carefully as possible, holding each book securely like it was a baby. Once he was done, he looked back at the bookcase to see how damaged and cheap it was, it was a miracle it was still standing. You deserved better than this. 

Once he was done, he popped his head into the bedroom so find Elena and Chris sorting through your clothes, “I’m all done”, he told them. 

“Cool, I found a lot of her stuff stored away in her closet so that makes it easier” Elena said with a sad sigh. 

“Is there anything else? In the kitchen, Ari asked, looking around. 

“Uh, maybe, but I’d have to look, I’ll do that now, can you clear out her bedside table, there might be more books in there?” Elena said as she stood up and brushed her hands over her jeans.

“Sure no problem, the sooner we’re out of here the better” Ari huffed as he grabbed a smaller box and made his way over to your bedside table. 

There were a few knick-knacks including a photo of you and Elena from what appeared to be your college days. Ari couldn’t help but pick it up to take a closer look, your smile was so wide that Ari could almost hear your laughter. A wave of sadness crashed over him because you hadn’t laughed like that with him since that lunch in LA, this was the side of you that had yet to fully emerge and he hated that. He needed to work harder to pull that side back out of you.

He put the photo away in the box along with all the other items that were ontop of your bedside table. He moved onto the drawer and started clearing that out, it was mostly things like hand creams, tablets and packs of tissues. He reached in further to get the last few things at the back and froze when his fingers wrapped around something made of silicone. He glanced over his shoulder to see Chris had his back to him as he continued to pack away your clothes, Elena was still in the kitchen. 

Ari shifted so his frame blocked the view of the bedside table as he pulled out the item and confirmed his suspicions. It was a purple vibrator. He swallowed as he pictured you using it, his jeans suddenly very tight in the crotch area. Elena clearly had no idea you owned this otherwise she wouldn’t have asked Ari to clear our your bedside table. He wasn’t about to announce it either, so he grabbed some bubble wrap and carefully wrapped up the toy so it wasn’t obvious what it was and put it in the box under a few packs of tissues. 

He took a few deep breaths to get himself under control and back to the task in hand but he was thoroughly distracted now. He managed to get through it though and once he was done he was given the perfect out when his phone rang. He looked down to see who it was and knew he needed to answer straight away and this call definitely would get him to stop thinking about you and that purple toy.

“I just need to take this” Ari said standing up and making his way out of the apartment. 

He was on the phone for about 30 minutes or so and by the time he hung up his mind was definitely elsewhere. He stood there for a few moments just looking out at the view to clear his head, taking a few deep breaths, hands in his jean pockets. 

“Hey, we’re ready to go,” Elena called out from the front door. 

Ari turned around to see Chris and Elena holding boxes, “Sure, is this all going on the jet?” he asked as he jogged back over.

“Don’t see why not? There’s not as much as I thought, so there shouldn’t be a weight issue, but I’ve written the address on a couple of boxes that can be shipped if needed”

“Great, well let's get the hell out of this place” Ari nodded, not wanting to spend more time than necessary in the apartment. 

It was Monday evening and you were unpacking everything that Elena, Chris and Ari had packed up for you. Finally, the apartment felt a bit more like yours as you put out all of your belongings. 

You had been shocked and embarrassed when you found your vibrator wrapped up in bubble wrap. You had completely forgotten about it and hadn’t told Elena, you just hoped that it was her that packed up your bedside table and not one of the boys. 

The only thing you hadn’t unpacked was all of your books, they would probably have to stay in the box for a while until you brought a bookcase. You might be able to find a cheap one online because you didn’t really have the money to spare. 

You had just finished putting away your clothes when you heard a knock on your apartment door. You frowned since you hadn’t buzzed anyone into the building, it must be one of your neighbours which was still odd considering you hadn’t really spoken to any of them. 

You hung up the last item before making your way to your door, surprised to find Ari stood there with a lopsided grin on his face.

“Ari? What-what are you doing here?” you stuttered in shock.

“I brought dinner” he said, holding up the plastic bag, “and a couple of bookcases”

“Wh-what” you muttered. 

Ari grinned as he passed you the bag of food before turning to grab the two boxes that were leaning against the wall out of sight “well you have a lot of books and I remembered that you didn’t have a bookcase here so I went out and got you a couple so you could put them away and have space for more” he explained as he carried the boxes in. 

You looked at him in disbelief, “you didn’t have to do that, I was just gonna get a cheap one online” you said as you closed the door, watching as he propped the two boxes up against the far wall. 

“Well now you have two good quality ones that won’t collapse on you” Ari smiled as he walked back over towards you, stopping over a couple inches away “and building can be hard work so I got us food and made sure you got extra fortune cookies”

You looked into the bag and saw he’d gotten Panda Express again, and there were more fortune cookies than you knew what to do with, “Ari” you muttered in disbelief.

“Yes dear?” Ari smirked.

You rolled your eyes, “you really didn’t need to do this,” you told him.

“I wanted to” he said as he took the bag from you and stepped closer, “and I like to do whatever I want” he smirked, you could barely breath as you looked up at him, if you did, your chest would brush against his “shall I serve up?”

You didn’t trust your voice, so you nodded, Ari smirked down at you before stepping away towards the couch. You took a deep and shaky breath while his back was to you, quickly fanning yourself. You had no idea what was going on, you weren’t out in public so there was no reason for him to be acting this way with you.

“You not hungry?” Ari asked, snapping you from your thoughts, you looked over to see him sitting on the couch with the food spread out on the coffee table.

“Oh no-, I mean yeah- sorry was in my own little world for a moment there” you say, flapping your hand around your head “I’m hungry” you nodded as you moved to sit down next to him.

“Care to share?” Ari grinned as he passed you a pair of chopsticks.

“Huh?” You asked confused.

“What was going on in your own little world?” He asked with a lopsided grin.

You stuttered as you tried to think of what to say because you definitely couldn’t tell him the truth, “nothing of importance, let’s eat, hm” you say digging into your orange chicken to avoid more questions. 

Ari chuckled but didn’t ask you anymore questions, grabbing his food and tucking in himself. Once you were done eating Ari tidied up all of the containers before grabbing the boxes and started unpacking the contents. 

“Should I stick a movie on?” you asked as you moved to put the screws and other small parts into bowls so they wouldn’t get lost.

“Yeah, that would be cool” Ari hummed as he pulled off the sweater he wore to reveal the sleeveless grey top he was wearing that showed off his large biceps. 

You froze as you stared at him, watching as they rippled as he lifted the wooden pieces. Your mind started going down a dirty path as you pictured those arms caging you in. 

“You gonna pick one?” Ari smirked pulling you from your thoughts again. 

“Uh yeah of course, any preference?” you asked as you grabbed the remote from the coffee table.

“Nah you pick” Ari said with a lopsided smile. 

You nodded before turning your attention back to the TV. You had no idea what you wanted to watch, you knew you were probably gonna get distracted, so there was no point sticking on a movie you really wanted to watch. There were plenty of christmas movies streaming now, so you just stuck on of those on. 

“Didn’t take you for a cheesy christmas flick person”, Ari smirked as you put the remote down. 

“Yeah, they’re awful but that kinda make them good” you shrugged as you moved over to help him. 

Ari chuckled, “true, mind holding this?” he asked nodding to the side of the bookcase. 

“Sure” you hummed doing as you were told. 

Over the next hour, you watched and helped Ari build the two bookcases he had brought for you. You wondered how much they cost because they were good quality ones, definitely not cheap at all. They were real wood instead of chipboard. 

When he was done, he helped you reorganise all of your books onto the shelves, “what’s your favourite?” Ari asked as he put some books up on the top shelf for you. 

“That’s like asking me what my favourite child is” you snorted from your spot on the floor, where you grabbing the books from the box.

Ari chuckled and smiled warmly down at you, “okay which do you really really like?” he smirked. 

You sighed and tilted your head to the side as you thought “I really liked this series about cattle ranchers in Alberta” 

“Cattle ranchers?” Ari hummed, arching a brow.

You felt heat rising to your cheeks as you looked down and focused on your job, “it's a romance series”

“Oh” Ari grinned “you like to read romance?”

“Yeah don’t judge me” you said shooting him a look.

“I’m not I think it’s cute” Ari smiled sincerely. 

You smiled bashfully, “do you read much?”

“Not as much as you seem to, but I do read when we’re on the road, we have a lot of free time during away games, especially when we have to travel far” Ari shrugged his shoulders. 

“What genre do you read?” you asked as you passed him a couple of books, trying to ignore the way your fingers tingled when they brushed against his.

“Usually non-fiction, but sometimes a good crime thriller” 

“Wait” you paused “this hasn’t been one elaborate scheme, and you're a serial killer and I’m your next victim?”

Ari let out a loud and warm laugh “shhh, I’m actually trying to recruit you, we can be Bonnie and Clyde” he smirked. 

“I guess I could live with that” you smirked. 

It didn’t take much longer to get your books into their new home, you still had plenty of space for more books which excited you. 

“I found this really cute bookstore the other day” you said as you sat back down on the couch.

“Really? Whereabouts?” Ari asked as he sat down right next to you, his arm slung over the back of the couch. 

“By the harbour, its pretty small but upstairs there’s this cute baywindow that they’ve turned into a reading nook that looked out over the harbour, i’ve gone there a couple times just to get away and disappear into a book for a while” you told him smiling gently to yourself before letting out a small yawn. 

“Cute” Ari smiled “should we watch another movie?” he nodded to the TV, which was showing the credits from the last movie. 

“Sure, you can pick this time” you said with another yawn, tucking your legs up underneath you to get more comfortable. 

Ari smiled as he grabbed the remote, you expected him to stick on a completely different movie but instead he selected the sequel to the cheesy movie you had picked. He relaxed back into the couch, his arm moving from the back of the couch to around you.

You weren’t sure if it was because it had been a long day of work and then building the bookcase with Ari or because of the comforting heat radiating off of him, but you found yourself slowly drifting off. Your head dipped towards his shoulder until eventually, you dozed off curled up in his embrace. 

Ari must have been pretty tired too because he fell asleep with you, right up until the morning when you both woke in each other's arms. Ari sprawled out across the couch, one arm behind his head, the other resting on your back as you lay on top of him, legs tangled together.

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Fake Out Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

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Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 3)

Summary: It's time to get the fake relationship underway and straight away you realise it's going to be harder than you thought.

Word Count: 7.5k words

Warnings: Language! Angst! Sexual Tension! Fluff!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Fake Out Series Masterlist /Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 3

Ari: what are you planning on dressing as for Storm’s party

Y/N: I don’t know yet

Ari: do you think we should go in matching costumes?

Y/N: no we’re supposed to ‘meeting’ at this party

Ari: it could be cute, like we’re fated to be together or something 

Y/N: that doesn’t happen in real life

Ari: and this isn’t a real relationship remember

Ari: at least give me a hint

Y/N: no.

Ari had been pestering you to find out what your costume was going to be all week. You hadn’t actually given him your number, he must have gotten it from Elena or Chris. It made sense to have his number so you could plan ‘dates’ but if he was gonna keep pestering you it wouldn’t be long until you ‘accidentally’ lost it.

Especially since you had spent the last week trying to get him and that damn kiss out of your head. That kiss haunted you. Not because it was a bad kiss, no it had been the best kiss you’d ever had. Every time your mind wandered it would go back to that moment, it even invaded your dreams except in your dreams it lasted so much longer.

It didn’t help that you had spent part of your workday planning strategies for this fake relationship. A fake relationship where you shouldn’t be thinking this much about a kiss. You tried to rationalise it. It was practice just like he said. Intimacy had been lacking with Dan for a while before you found out he cheated so it was probably just your body reacting to something it had been missing. It meant nothing. It was nothing. 

Even if you wanted to tell him what your costume was you couldn’t because you had no clue what you were gonna go as. You had been so busy with work too that you hadn’t had a chance to go shopping for one until the evening before which was a bust. The only costume left were the god-awful ones or slutty ones and while you were supposed to ‘attract’ the attention of Ari at this party you didn’t want to do it in a way that wasn’t you. 

You had to slump for a homemade costume instead, one that was pretty obscure too. If it wasn’t for the sharpie on your tee it would look like you hadn’t bothered at all. You tried not to feel self-conscious but you were sure that everyone was gonna have amazing costumes and you’d stick out like a sore thumb.

Chris and Elena looked amazing in their couple's costumes. They’d gone as Woody and Jessie from Toy Story and you heard Elena mutter something like ‘save a horse, ride a cowboy’ when you complement it as you got in their car.

You hadn’t spent much time with Johnny, only the odd occasion that the PR team turned up at training. You only really knew what Elena had told you which was that he was the stereotypical player but also a secret softie. You had only seen the player side so far and when you walked into his apartment it definitely screamed bachelor pad. It wouldn’t have surprised you if he had customised it like Barney Stinson. 

“Hey, who’s this that you’ve brought along” Johnny smirked as he walked over to greet the three of you.

“Johnny this is my best friend Y/N, she just moved from LA she is working with the media team at the Bears” Elena said introducing you.

Johnny flashed you a charming smile and held out his hand “Ah yeah I’ve seen you around” he lifted your hand to his lips and kissed your knuckles “Pleasure to finally meet you, are you here alone?”

“Storm” Chris warned. 

“She’s with me,” Elena said as she linked her arm through yours.

“Well if you ever want a bit of fun you can always call me, I know some great-“ Johnny smirked before a deep voice warned him again.

Except this time it was Chris, it was Ari that practically growled “Storm”

It was like he appeared out of nowhere. One second there was just space behind you, the next here was there. You looked over your shoulder as Ari towered over you, he was dressed in some sort of Greek armour costume which showed off his biceps which were bulging as he clenched his phone in one hand. You guessed he must have just gotten off a call and walked back into the party. 

You turned back to Johnny who looked up at Ari and then you and then back at Ari before chuckling and shaking his head “Sure thing, let me know if you guys need anything” he said before turning around and leaving the four of you. 

You turned around to scold Ari because this was not part of the plan at all, you were supposed to mingle first and then ‘meet’. But just as you opened your mouth he held out his hand “Hi I’m Ari nice to meet you” he winked.

You gaped up at him completely taken by surprise, it took you a second to recover and reach out to shake his hand “Y/N”

“Ah yeah I’ve heard a lot about you from El” Ari smiled, you blinked a couple of times because he was a natural at this and you were a floundering idiot. You were supposed to be the expert here. 

“Only good things I promise” Elena played along “Um do you want me to grab you a drink?” 

You stuttered slightly which must have sounded like a yes because Elena looped her arm through Chris’ and the two of them walked off leaving you with Ari.

“So what are you dressed as?” He asked nodding down to your homemade costume which consisted of jeans with a Yankees cap tucked in the back pocket and an orange tee with Greek writing across it.

“Oh um I’m a book character from one of my favourite series, I doubt you’ve read it,” you said glancing down at your costume “It was the best I could do at short notice”

“What’s the series about?” Ari asked seeming like he was actually interested. 

“Uh a bunch of teens who are Greek demigods and have to go on quests and save the world, they’re all dyslexic and ADHD, the author originally came up with the main character as a story for his son who was dyslexic to show him that heroes could be just like him” 

That really seemed to pique Ari’s interest, you could see a spark as he nodded his head “Well I guess we kinda match then” he smirked. 

“Let me guess Hercules,” you asked, you wondered how this could have happened because you hadn’t told anyone what your costume was, not even Elena.

Ari smirked as he posed and showed off his very impressive biceps “the one and only”

You rolled your eyes and decided to scan the room. You spotted Elena near the kitchen holding up an alcoholic drink in your direction, you smiled grateful for the escape.

“Well it was lovely to meet you but there’s a drink with my name on but I’ll see you around maybe” you said taking a couple of steps back.

Ari gave you a lopsided smile “There’s no maybe about it, enjoy mingling and I’ll see you in a bit” he agreed.

You nodded before turning on your heel. You felt his gaze on you as you walked away, your suspicions confirmed when you glanced over your shoulder and caught him looking at your ass.

Over the next couple of hours, you somewhat successfully managed to mingle and avoid Ari. You stuck by Elena’s side most of the time, letting her introduce you to other players on the team and friends she had made over the past few months. You could feel Ari’s gaze on you most of the time, catching him looking over at you as he spoke to others at the party. On the occasions you didn’t feel his gaze you found yourself distracted and looking around the party, your eyes catching on him every time. 

You were currently sat on a couch next to Elena who had discarded her own hat and replaced it with Chris’. She was caught up in a heated debate about women’s rugby so you once again found yourself looking around the party. Except this time you couldn’t spot Ari at all, your initial reaction was concern. What if he was off flirting with another girl, there were plenty of bombshells walking around, you wouldn’t blame him but it would jeopardise the whole plan. 

Your eyes then zeroed in on a closed door for some unknown reason but a second later Ari stepped out, holding his phone to his ear. You watched as he nodded and said one last thing before letting out a long sigh and hanging up. His expression seemed unguarded for a moment, he looked exhausted from that call. It made you wonder what it was, maybe his parents? He said they were travelling maybe they got into a bit of trouble somewhere.

You watched as he tapped away at his phone for a moment before looking up, his eyes met yours and the tired expression shifted to a charismatic smirk. You quickly adverted your gaze and tried to look like you were involved in the debate when you saw him walk over towards you.

It didn’t work though as you felt the couch cushion sink next to you and heat enveloping you as he rested his arm on the back of the couch behind you “Hey” 

You bit your lip to hold back a curse as you shifted to turn to him, forcing a smile “Hey”

“Thought you could do with some company, us Greek heroes need to stick together” he tapped your shoulder with his finger and you tried to ignore the sparks of electricity that you felt when he did “So how do you know El?”

“We were roommates in college, been best friends ever since,” you told him unable to stop the smile that grew as you recalled your college days with Elena. 

She had been the best friend you had needed your entire life. She really helped pull you out of your shell and become much more confident. Thanks to her you got up to so much stuff that you wouldn’t have dared to do before. 

“Nice, what did you major in?” 

“communications, did you go to college?” you asked him, you were pretty certain that he was one of the popular jocks that everyone wanted to hook up with.

“Nope, went straight into playing rugby, although I did do a semester in International Politics when Barber made us all take a class to ensure we had something to fall back on” Ari explained with a casual shrug of his shoulders. 

“Really?” your eyebrows rose in surprise, you hadn’t expected that answer. 

“Yeah his career got cut short due to injury so he’s been really on at us to be careful with our money and have something to fall back on because even if we don’t get injured we typically retire at around 35 and there’s a lot of life left to live after that,” Ari said with a deep sigh. 

“What do you think you’ll do? When you retire?”

Ari let out a long sigh, his gaze shifting to the distance as he thought. It gave you an opportunity to study his face in better detail. The freckles that poked out from beneath his beard and the way his eyes were the same colour as a tropical ocean. 

“I don’t know” he finally said with a small huff of a laugh “might just see where my life is when it comes to it, if I have responsibilities to take care of”

You tilt your head, curious as to what he meant “like what?”

A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked back at you “I’m not sure” There was a long pause where it felt like neither of you knew what to say until Ari finally spoke “You moved from LA right? Is that where you’re originally from?”

You shake your head “East Coast girlie, New York to be specific”

Ari’s smile perked up “I’m from New York too, which part?”

“Upstate, didn’t actually get into the city very often, we lived closer to Canada than the city,” you said. 

Whenever you told someone you were from New York they always assumed the city and would ask you so much about it and most of the time you didn’t have an answer because you’d only gone into the city a couple of times in your whole life.

“Ah nice upstate is really beautiful, I’m from Queens” Ari smiled “If you ever want a tour guide the next time you go to the city”

You chuckled “I’ll hit you up” You smiled “Do you go back often?”

Ari’s smile seemed to falter for a split second, you weren’t sure if it even did or if you imagined it “A bit, not as often as I’d like but it’s difficult with my schedule” he said with a small shrug.

“I guess with your parents travelling there’s less of a reason too” you add, Ari hummed in response “Are they away long?”

“Two years so far”

Your eyes widened “two years!”

Ari chuckled, the warm sound of it sending chills down your body “Yeah they’ve always wanted to travel the world, experience different cultures so when they retired they sold up and started travelling, they’ll visit a country, rent a place for a few months and do a bit of work to get some money before moving onto the next place, I get postcards from them when they get to a new country”

You shook your head in disbelief “That’s incredible” you muttered in amazement. 

“Yeah I have no clue when they’ll be back, probably when they get a bit too old but they also might just find a remote tropical island to live on” Ari chuckled. 

“What about you though?” you frowned. You didn’t particularly like living so far away from your parents but at least they were in one place, it’s expensive but not impossible to visit them.

Ari tilted his head slightly like he was surprised by that question, like no one had thought to ask him that before “I’m okay with it, they deserve it, they did so much for me growing up and to help me achieve my dream of playing rugby professionally, I can’t not let them have their dream” he smiled “and maybe when I retire in a few years I’ll just join them on the island” he chuckled. 

“That does sound like a good retirement plan” You smiled, you then felt a blast of cold air from where someone had opened a door to step out onto the balcony. It instantly made you shiver, your costume wasn’t great for New England fall temperatures.

“You cold?” Ari frowned as you wrapped your arms around you, goosebumps appeared on your skin.

“Just a little, thought a jacket might ruin the look” you tried to joke. 

You also didn’t own any jackets, you didn’t need cold-weather clothes back in LA which meant you had none now. Elena had lent you a few jumpers and coats, like the red one you’d worn the day Ari came to your office to apologise. You’d promised that you would go out and buy a proper coat and warmer clothes but hadn’t found the time, you also worried about how expensive it would be. 

Ari sat forward and tugged at his shoulders, the purple cape that was attached coming loose “Here, it's not thick but it's an extra layer” he said as he offered it to you. 

“Oh no it's okay I’m fine,” you said shaking your head. 

Ari shifted closer to you, the heat from his body doing enough to warm you up “Take it” he pressed, wrapping it around your shoulders before you could protest again “Think of the pictures” he added quietly. 

You blinked a couple of times. Right. Yes. The pictures. It would look good for the ‘relationship’ if there was a picture with you wearing his cape. There would be no explanation as to where else you got it from, no one else here was wearing a bright purple cape. It would be the perfect crumb to lead people to believe this relationship. 

You nodded and wrapped and cape around you “Thank you”

Ari gave you a lopsided smile “Not a problem sweetheart” he grinned leaning back into the couch, except this time there was less than a couple inches between you. 

Ari didn’t really know much about PR, he typically just did whatever he was told by the team to fix whatever mess needed fixing. But if he had to guess how well the Halloween party went he would say it went really well. 

He’d seen a few photos circulating online and all of them looked good. There were a few where both you and him were in the photo either in the background or in the group shot. Not all of them had you standing or sitting close to him, but someone had taken a photo of you and him chatting on the couch.

That was Ari’s favourite photo from the night, you were mid-chuckle as you looked back at him. His purple cape wrapped around your body. He’d saved it to his phone so he could look at it whenever he wanted. 

He was just glad you warmed up to him again. He could tell you were pissed at him when he went all caveman over you but he couldn’t help himself. Ari was an impulsive man at the best of times and when it came to you that impulsivity increased by a million.

Johnny Storm was notorious for being a playboy, often seen at parties with multiple girls hanging onto his every word. It was surprising that he got away with it some much, but it never seemed to affect how well he played and he hasn’t gotten into serious trouble so maybe the coaches were happy to turn a blind eye. Ari and Johnny got on well enough on the pitch and at training but he still didn’t trust him with you. He wouldn’t trust him with anyone. 

Ari was looking forward to today, it was the first official fake date. The team had the morning off so the plan was to go to brunch. Ari had met the three of you a short walk away from the bunch spot that you and El had picked.

He was currently walking a few paces behind with Chris, watching as you and Elena walked ahead chatting and laughing with each other. You were wearing that red sweater again, but this time you’d paired it with a pair of black jeans. You’d tucked the sweater in giving Ari the perfect sight to behold. He couldn’t help but smile as you threw your head back and laughed at whatever El had said.

“I’m surprised you agreed to all this,” Chris said as the two of them walked, his pace slowing so that the distance between him and the girls grew.

Ari shrugged as he matched his pace “Want to make the team, I’d do anything”

Chris hummed and nodded his head “So it’s got nothing to do with the crush you have on her” 

Ari let out an unconvincing snort “I do not have a crush… crushes are for children” he huffed. 

Chris chuckled and shook his head “Fine but you were definitely into her back in LA, I don’t think I’ll ever forget the moment you got shot down, it so rarely happens”

Ari took a deep breath, recalling the moment he saw your engagement ring “Yeah, that lunch was a bit of fun” he agreed “but this is just a deal so I have my best chance of getting called up and if it means her asshole ex doesn’t rock up and try and win her back then it's a win-win”

Chris hummed and glanced back over at you “So you don’t still have feelings then?” he asked. 

“Nope” Ari lied “we’re just friends who are helping each other out”

“Good” Chris nodded “I don’t know Y/N very well but she means a lot to El which means she means a lot to me too so I don’t want to see her getting hurt because you lead her on or made her uncomfortable”

Ari swallowed and nodded his head “You don’t have to worry about that at all, we’ve got clear boundaries and we’re not gonna cross them” he promised as he looked back over at you.

Ari cared a lot about you and the last thing he wanted was to hurt you or for you to get hurt more than you already have been. If that meant pushing his feelings aside then he’d do it. At least he was getting a taste of what it would be like. 

“Glad to hear it man because honestly, I don’t think I’d win the fight” Chris chuckled as he slapped Ari on the shoulder.

Ari smirked over at him “You right about one thing”

When they turned the corner onto the street that the restaurant was on, Chris changed the topic to the league and how he thought the other teams were doing. Ari wasn’t paying much attention though, he kept his sights on you. He knew there were some paps across the street, the plan was to tip them off so they could capture everyone arriving and leaving together.

The girls both paused when they reached the restaurant waiting for Ari and Chris to catch up. Chris opened up the door and gestured for everyone to go ahead, Ari followed closely behind you resting his hand on your lower back. He flashed you a smile when you glanced over your shoulder at him. 

At the table Ari pulled out the chair for you, making sure to be the perfect gentleman “Thank you” you muttered as you sat down. 

The two girls ordered mimosa while Ari and Chris settled for coffee “To brunch” Elena grinned “And new friendships” she winked over at you and Ari.

You chuckled lightly as you lifted your glass “to brunch”

The conversation quickly returned back to rugby, Chris continuing what he’d been saying to Ari outside. This time Elena joined in with her own inputs as they discussed the Bears' next opponents and how well they’d been so far this season.

Ari glanced over to see you sat back in your chair your gaze set on the plate in front of you as you absentmindedly twisted your glass of mimosa around. Ari wondered why you weren’t participating before remembering that you weren’t a fan of rugby so you had nothing to add.

“Why don’t we talk about something other than rugby?” Ari interrupted “I think Y/N might fall asleep if we carry on” he added with a smirk. 

You rolled your eyes “I was not about to fall asleep, if you guys want to talk about rugby you can talk about rugby” You waved your hand dismissively. 

“No it's fine, I’m sorry that was my fault” Chris apologised “What would you like to talk about Y/N?” he asked with a sincere smile. 

“Oh um” you muttered shrinking back into your chair. That made Ari frown because it was not like you to shrink away, he expected you to come back with some witty response. “I don’t know, I don’t mind” you shrugged. 

“Why don’t you tell us some wild college stories, I bet you two got up to a lot of trouble” Ari smirked, nudging you in the side. 

Elena snorted into her champagne glass “We were the perfect citizens” 

“Bullshit” Chris laughed “You’re trouble, trouble” he grinned as he looked lovingly over at Elena.

“We had a lot of classwork, didn’t leave much time for antics” You shrugged, you were trying to look innocent but Ari could see the smirk playing on your lips. 

“There might have been a few dares here and there when we went to parties” Elena shrugged her shoulders taking a sip of her mimosa. 

“Now we’re getting there” Ari smirked twisting in his seat to face you more “What kind of things did you have to do?”

“Y/N usually went for truth” Elena supplied, ignoring the pointed look you gave her. 

“That’s not true, I did dares” you argued. 

“Only when that guy on the hockey team called you out, you know the one you had a cru-”

“Sh-sh-sh” you interrupted flapping your hand in an attempt to silence her, your cheeks turning a cute shade of pink. 

“Hockey player? I thought you didn’t like athletes” Ari asked arching a brow.

“Where do you think that dislike came from?” you retorted, making his look with your own.

“Well don’t worry sweetheart, I’ll change your opinion” he winked, the roll of your eyes he got in response just made his smile grow wider. Seeing that feisty side of you seemed rare now but Ari wasn’t gonna give up on it. 

“Well I’m sure whatever you had to do wasn’t as bad as what we all had to do during our first pre-season with the Bears,” Chris said, shaking his head as a shiver ran through his body. 

Ari felt the exact same, he’d been with the bears for a few years but the memory of his initiation was still fresh in his mind. He hadn’t looked at a pint of milk in the same way since. 

“What did you have to do?” you asked sitting forward, intrigue clear in his voice. 

“We have to down a pint of milk and then run the full length of the pitch and back, if you puke you have to spin a wheel to decide your punishment” Ari explained, unable to hold back the smile when he saw your horrified reaction. 

“Does anyone ever succeed?” 

“Nope, Curtis came close though, kept it down until the next newbie started chugging the milk and that's when he went” Chris chuckled “he had to shave his eyebrows”

Your jaw dropped as Elena threw her head back laughing loudly “Wait is this where Jensen got his frosted tips?” Elena asked in between breaths.

Ari nodded his head as he laughed along “Yeah that one didn’t really end up as a punishment” 

“What did you two have to do?” You asked nodding to Ari and Chris.

“We both had to shave our heads, I didn’t mind it to be honest it was easier to manage” Chris said as he ran a hand through his hair. 

Elena pouted “Please don’t shave it again, I like your fluffy hair” 

“Don’t worry trouble, it's staying” Chris grinned as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. 

“Wow stealing a pig doesn’t seem so bad now” you muttered under your breath but Ari heard it. 

“You stole a pig?” he huffed in surprise. 

“Yeah that hockey guy convinced me to help steal the rival team’s mascot” you said with an embarrassed wince. 

“That’s amazing” Chris laughed his hand slapping his chest as he leant back in his chair. 

“They sent her in the distract the team while our guys took the pig” Elena recounted. 

“What did you do with it after that? And please don’t say bacon or sausages” Ari asked.

You looked back at him horrified “god no! We actually took it to the ASPCA, it was in awful conditions the poor thing” you pouted “A bunch of their players got suspended because of it”

“Meant our team went ahead in the division” Elena smirked victoriously.

“Wow so you’ve been pulling the strings behind the scenes for a long time” Ari noted with an impressed nod. 

“There’s a reason I’m so good at what I do” you smirked. 

Ari smiled back at you glad to see you feeling far more comfortable. It was almost like the lunch back in LA all those months ago. The rest of brunch was great too, Ari just enjoyed sitting there and watching you open up more and more. The dynamic you had with Elena was like two sisters who were also best friends. He was happy for you that you were back with your best friend. 

Far sooner than Ari would have liked brunch came to an end. He wanted to stay longer but he had to get back to the training facility for afternoon training. This time though he made sure to walk out next to you. Chris and Elena walked a few paces ahead.

When you stepped out of the restaurant Ari noticed you shiver and wrap your arms around yourself “You cold?” he asked.

“Yeah still used to LA weather” you explained as you hugged yourself closer. 

“Not used to needing a coat” Ari added with a playful smirk. 

“I don’t actually have one” you admitted.

Ari paused and turned to face you “You don’t own a coat? Like at all?”

“Not a winter one no” You went to walk off but Ari held out his arm to stop you.

“Why not?” he asked unable to wrap his head around it. 

“I didn’t need one in LA, my closet is full of summer clothes, this jumper is El’s not mine” you explained gesturing down to your sweater. Ari noticed how it was slightly too large for you and it wasn’t a design choice. Elena had a much broader and more muscular frame than you. “I just haven’t had the chance to go out shopping yet, that and money is tighter now, I can’t really afford a whole new wardrobe”

“You need to get a coat at least, it's only gonna get colder, especially when the snow finally arrives” Ari pointed out.

You shot a glare up at him “Yes I am aware of that” you huffed spinning on your heel and speeding off away from him.

Ari cursed under his breath before shrugging off the jacket he was wearing. He jogged to catch up with you and draped the jacket around your shoulders. You startled slightly and looked up at him in confusion. 

“Let me keep you warm in the meantime,” Ari said softly. 

“But what about you?” you asked as you pulled his large jacket around you more. 

“I run hot” he shrugged. 

You looked down bashfully as you carried on walking “Thank you”

“It's nothing, and you can keep it until our next date” Ari winked. 

“Are you sure?” you asked surprise clear on your face, pausing and turning to face him. 

“Never been more sure sweetheart” he smiled as he leant down to press a kiss to your cheek.

Ari: I want to plan our next date

Y/N: Oh okay, yeah sure what do you want to do?

Ari: It’ll be a surprise

Y/N: But I need to know so I can tip the right people off

Ari: I’ll get Steph to deal with it

Y/N: I don’t know, how am I supposed to make sure this works if I don’t know what we’re doing

Ari: just trust me, it’ll be fun and will work perfectly

Y/N: Okay fine

Ari: Great I’ll pick you up at 11

Ari jogged up to the front door of your apartment block and pressed the button for your apartment “Hey c’mon up I’m not quite ready yet” you said through the intercom.

“Sure, see you in a second sweetheart” Ari grinned as he pushed open the door and made his way up to your apartment.

You greeted him at the front door, a smile growing on Ari’s face when he saw you were wearing his jacket. It was definitely too big for you but it looked adorable so Ari had no intention of taking it back. Plus it meant you hadn’t had a chance to go shopping yet which worked perfectly with his plan. 

“I just need to grab my bag,” you said as he stepped inside the apartment.

He glanced around and noticed how sparse it was. It had all the necessary furniture and a few things like a rug, but there was nothing specific to you. It looked like a showhome rather than an apartment that had been living in. 

“Had El moved all her stuff out?” Ari asked glancing over at you as you sorted through your bag. While he never visited he knew this used to be Elena’s place but moved out when you turned up so you could have your own apartment.

“Uh yeah, she left things that she didn’t need any more,” you said as you shouldered your bag “Once I get the rest of my stuff it’ll look less barren”

Ari hummed and nodded his head, maybe after today it’ll be less barren. He made a note of that for later “Let’s get going, I’ve got a lot planned” he grinned as he moved to head back out.

“You gonna tell me what we’re doing now?” you asked as you shut and locked the door behind you. 

“Nope that would ruin the surprise” Ari grinned as the two of you walked down the stairs together. 

You groaned in annoyance “Have you at least let Steph know?” 

“Yeah she’s sent someone from the media team to take the odd photo of us while we’re out and she suggested that we post a couple things to social media ourselves” Ari explained as he opened the car door for you. 

“Like Instagram stories?” you asked as you climbed into his jeep, Ari putting his hand on your hip to help you up.

“Yeah nothing crazy” he nodded “and trust me you’re gonna love it, I have good intel that girls love this sort of thing” he winked before shutting the door. 

It wasn’t a long drive to get where Ari was taking you and he was relying on you not knowing Boston very well. The drive was pretty quiet which Ari didn’t mind, it didn’t make him feel uncomfortable and he was just happy to be in your company. 

When he pulled up in the parking lot you looked up from your phone and frowned as you looked around and realised where he’d taken you “A shopping mall?”

“Yep, you said you needed a winter wardrobe but didn’t have time, we also needed a solo date so two birds, one stone” Ari grinned and he killed the engine.

“Yeah but the date should be a dinner date or something” you argued, shaking your head.

Ari shrugged “There’s a food court, why do you think I picked you up before lunchtime?” he offered with a lopsided grin “If you want something fancier I’ll keep that in mind for next time, I just didn’t think you were that kind of girl”

Your mouth opened to argue but you didn’t say anything, which told Ari that he’d gotten that assumption right. He grinned to himself as he got out and rounded the car to open your door.

“I don’t dislike fancy restaurants” you supplied as he held out his hand to help you down.

Ari grinned “Noted, now c’mon sweetheart as much as I love seeing you in my jacket… let’s get you a winter coat” 

You rolled your eyes but took his hand and let him help you out of his jeep. Once you were on firm ground Ari shut the car door but didn’t let his hand drop from yours. He loved the feeling of it, your hand was so much smaller than his. The feeling of your soft skin against his callused palms felt magical and he wondered what they would feel like on other parts of his body… his chest… his thighs… his cock. 

Ari shook that thought from his head. As much as he wanted otherwise, this relationship was fake. There would be no sex at all and once this was over you would be leaving Boston for bigger and better things. He had to make do with and make the most of this time he had with you, at least that way when it came to an end he had something even if it wasn’t real.

“So do you want to get some food first or straight into shopping? I know they say it’s bad to shop on an empty stomach” Ari asked as you walked into the shopping mall hand in hand. 

“That’s food shopping” you pointed out making Ari snort with laughter “but I guess it would be a good idea energy wise”

“Good plan, what would you like?” Ari asked as you rounded the corner towards the food court. 

“I don’t mind, what fits with your diet plan?” you asked looking up at him.

Ari smiled softly, he found it cute that you cared enough about that, most people didn’t “None” he answered honestly “but one meal won’t hurt, I’ll just have to pump more iron in the gym” he winked not missing the way your cheeks pinkened as you looked away quickly. 

“Okay well, how about Panda Express?” you suggested pointing over in its direction. 

“Perfect, that’s actually my favourite” Ari grinned as he started walking over it. 

“Me too” you hummed quietly as Ari led you through the crowds. 

He arched a brow and looked over his shoulder “Really?” he asked surprised. 

“Yeah me and Elena ate way too much of it during college” you chuckled softly. 

“I’m jealous, I rarely get to have it, mostly during the off-season,” he told you as he reached the back of the line. 

“What’s your go-to order?” you asked as you looked up at the menu. 

“Never the shrimp” Ari snorted shaking his head, he’d had a bad experience with the shrimp before, it wasn’t bad enough to put him off the chain but he learnt never to get seafood from a fast food chain “I go for the shanghai Angus steak and brown rice if its during the season and white or noodles for my end of season meal”

“You get it for your first meal after the season ends?” you asked turning your attention to him.

“Yeah, look forward to it every season” Ari grinned.

“You don’t go for something more fancy?” 

“Nope, what better to celebrate or drown your sorrows with than some greasy, unhealthy food” he smirked, “what do you go for?”

You let out a bit of a dramatic sigh “I’m basic and I love the orange chicken and noodles and extra fortune cookies”

Ari chuckled “Nothing wrong with being basic” he smiled warmly down at you.

“I beg to differ” you snorted shaking your head, Ari heard the hint of self-consciousness in your voice and immediately knew you were referring to what happened with your ex.

“There’s nothing wrong with it” Ari reiterated firmly “Why mess with perfection?” Your lips parted in surprise before you looked down at your feet “Plus the orange chicken is iconic”

“I guess” you mumbled still looking down at your feet. 

Ari squeezed your hand a couple of times before stepping forward to place the order, making sure to order extra fortune cookies for you. He didn’t miss the small smile that you tried to hide when he did so. 

Once he had the food he kept hold of your hand and carried the tray over to a free booth with his other hand. He placed the tray down and gestured for you to slide in, he slid in next to you and rested his arm behind you. You were so close that Ari could smell the scent of your shampoo and he loved it.

“This okay?” he asked quietly, “Steph said she’d position someone in the food court”

You turned to look at him, your eyes widening as if you only just noticed how close he was, these booths weren’t really meant for two people to sit together, especially not a rugby player “Yeah” you muttered breathlessly.

A smile twitched at Ari’s lips “Let's tuck in then, we’ve got a lot of shopping ahead of us”

You flashed him a smile before turning your attention to the food. As the two of you ate Ari asked you more questions about your life before moving to Boston. He tactically avoided anything that involved your ex since you always closed in on yourself when that happened so he focused on your life back in upstate New York. 

“I’d say that’s given me enough energy to do some shopping, without filling me up enough that I can sneak a pretzel later” Ari smirked as he stacked the empty containers “Can’t forget these though,” he said pushing the multiple fortune cookies your way.

“I can’t have all of them” you argued pushing some back towards him.

“Of course you can, I brought them for you” Ari pushed them back to you with a smirk.

“You have to have at least one,” you said grabbing one and holding it out to him.

Ari grinned and took the cookie from you “Deal but you have to tell me your fortune” 

You rolled your eyes but didn’t argue, cracking open a cookie and munching away as you read out the fortune “Be curious. Be present. Embrace uncertainty”

“That sounds like good fortune” Ari hummed as he rested his arm behind you again.

You hummed in agreement “Guess so, what’s yours?”

Ari opened up his cookie and smirked to himself “You will place your trust in others and be rewarded… in bed” Ari said wiggling his eyebrows.

You laughed and threw your fortune at him “You added the in-bed bit”

Ari shrugged “Maybe, maybe not… maybe in bed is where I want to be rewarded” he winked. 

You rolled your eyes and gave him a playful shove which made Ari laugh, he dropped his arm around your shoulder and pulled you into his side. His smile turned warm when you didn’t pull away from him. 

“Should we get shopping?” you asked looking up at him. 

“If you’re ready” Ari hummed as he collected up all of the leftover fortune cookies and put them in your bag for you for later. 

“Yeah let's go, it shouldn’t take too long” 

“It’ll take however long as you need or want” Ari smiled as he stood up from the booth and held out his hand to help you up. 

You smiled softly and took his hand “It’ll take however long as my bank account can handle” you said with a pointed look.

“Don’t you worry about that” Ari winked. 

You frowned over at him “You are not paying for my clothes” you stated.

“We’ll see about that” Ari grinned “I save money for situations like this, so let me spoil my girlfriend” he said we you walked out of the food court. 

“Fake girlfriend” you corrected quietly. 

“Shush, we’re in public” Ari whispered as he leant in closer to you and pressed a kiss to your temple. 

Your head snapped in his direction, your eyes wide like saucers. 

“Sorry should have asked” Ari apologised, squeezing your hand. 

“No, no it's fine” you muttered looking down and clearing your throat. 

Ari grinned “Good” he lifted your hand up so he could kiss your knuckles. 

Over the next few hours, Ari took you into every shop that sold warm clothes. You were pretty reluctant at first but after the first couple of shops, where Ari practically had to block you from the card machine so he could pay, you started to warm up to it and have more fun. Even Ari was enjoying it, he didn’t mind sitting in the designated chair outside of the fitting rooms especially when you came back out to show off and get his opinion on a few things.

His favourite moment though was when he took you to buy a proper winter coat suitable for heavy snow. He made sure to get you the best one possible and when you tried it on he grabbed a bobble hat and scarf to go with it. Laughing when you were all bundled up and your beautiful eyes were the only part of you visible. It was such a cute sight that he had to take a photo which he saved so he could look back at it later.

Once you were done Ari carried all the bags out while you carried the pretzels, the only thing he had let you buy “Thank you for doing this Ari, you really didn’t need to” you said softly, tearing a piece off your pretzel as you both sat in his jeep. 

“I know but I wanted to” Ari smiled softly as he tucked into his own pretzel, the perfect after-shopping trip treat. 

“I promise to pay you back” 

“It's okay, I had the money and you’re helping me get onto the national team” Ari shrugged as he demolished the last of his pretzel, he wasn’t going to admit that he would have done it anyway, he did it just to see you smile and to make sure you were warm. 

“Well at least you can have your jacket back” You nodded down to his jacket that you were still wearing. 

“You can keep it, it looks good on you” Ari winked, not missing the way you blushed and looked down at yourself.  

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Fake Out Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

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[secretswiftymarvelfan]

The Demigod On Earth - Steve Rogers x Reader (Back In Time)

Summary: You and Steve celebrate Valentine's day

Word Count: 840

Warnings: FLUFF!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Masterlist / Main Masterlist

You carefully rocked Talia and approached her crib, she seemed to be fast asleep in your arms but you knew better. JJ had been such an easy baby, even when he was suffering from colic, it lulled you and Steve into a false sense of security when it came to Talia. Talia was only 4 months old but she was a wild child already. She had an unbelievable amount of energy which meant it was very difficult to get her to sleep.

Like you were holding a bomb you placed Talia into her crip, holding your breath to see if she was about to wake back up. This was already your third attempt to put her down. She stirred slightly but stayed asleep. You waited for a few minutes just to be safe, breathing out a sigh of relief when she didn’t wake. Once Talia was out she was out, an alien invasion could happen and she’d sleep straight through. 

You made your way back downstairs to find Steve making Pepper a cup of tea while Morgan and JJ coloured in the living room. 

“She finally down?” Steve asked as you walked in. 

“Finally, only took 3 attempts this time” you sighed tiredly.

Pepper chuckled nervously as Steve passed her drink “only slightly regretting agreeing to babysit”

“Don’t worry she should be out for good now” you reassured her.

“We love her but god she is a wild child” Steve sighed shaking his head.

“You’ll be fine, she should stay asleep until we get back, she has a fresh diaper, and milk in the fridge but if you have an issue just call it’s fine” you chuckled. 

“I’m sure we’ll be fine, don’t rush back and enjoy Valentine's day” Pepper smiled softly “What are you doing?”

You arched a brow over at Steve “I don’t actually know, Steve has planned all of this”

Steve grinned “It’ll be fun”

“Well you two get going and enjoy your evening” Pepper said ushering the two of you out of the kitchen. 

“Thanks again for this pep,” Steve said as you said goodnight to JJ.

Once Steve had said goodnight he took your hand and led you out of the house, you expected him to lead you to the car but instead, he led you over to his bike which was out of the garage. 

“I feel like I’ve fallen through a wormhole back in time” you chuckled as you approached the bike. 

“Thought I might take some inspiration from our past” Steve smiled softly “c’mon” he climbed onto the bike.

You smiled as you climbed on behind him, wrapping your arm around his waist. You pressed a kiss to his neck making him smile over his shoulder at you. You held on tight as he revved the bike and pulled away from the house towards the city. 

It wasn’t long until you pulled up outside a venue you hadn’t visited for many years “I didn’t think this place would still be here” you muttered as you climbed off the bike. 

So many businesses had shut following the snap, New York was a completely different city when you returned. So you were surprised to see this small business still going.

Steve shrugged “I think people just like to escape the modern world from time to time, shall we?” he held out his hand.

You grinned as you took his hand and followed him inside the dance hall that you had taken him to all those years ago. The 40s music was in full swing as he guided you straight onto the dance floor and spun you around into his embrace.

You spent the next hour or so dancing and having fun just like you did the first time you came here. Your lives have completely changed since then in ways you never imagined.  

“It was a year ago today that you told me you were pregnant” Steve hummed his mind on a similar wavelength to yours.

“Yeah, I was just thinking about how much our lives have changed over the years” 

“Do you think our past selves would have believed it if they knew what would happen?” Steve asked as you slowly swayed to the beat.

You took a deep breath “No, I don’t think we would have” you sighed “Some unimaginable things have happened like Thanos and losing the people we’ve lost, but I think at that time I don’t think we thought we could get to the place where we are now, retired and just a normal suburban family”

“There were days when it felt like a pipe dream” Steve agreed.

“We did it though, and as much as I do miss elements of being an avenger, like the comradery, I wouldn’t go back” you admitted.

Steve nodded “Me neither, why would I when I have everything I need and want at home” he smiled softly.

“I love you” you smiled, reaching up to cup his cheek.

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Masterlist / Masterlist

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[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 2)

Summary: After a week back on the East Coast you start your new job at the Boston Bears only to find out your boss has an interesting job for you.

Word Count: 7.6k words

Warnings: Language! Angst! Mention of Cheating! Sexual Tension!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Fake Out Series Masterlist /Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 2

You were sat with your chin resting on your knee, on Elena’s bed which technically was your bed now. You glanced around the room which was now yours, the entire apartment was yours. The first thing Elena did Tuesday morning was put your name on the lease and take her name off. That evening she started packing up her stuff and helped unpack yours.

It didn’t feel like your apartment though. You wondered whether it would when she was fully moved out and only the small collection of your belongings remained. But then it would just be as empty as you felt, most of your things were back in LA and you wouldn’t get them back for another couple months.

Even now the apartment felt quiet. Elena was at work and it was just you. The silence was deafening. Elena had asked if you wanted her to stay a couple night to keep you company but you lied and said you were fine. Last night you had just stared up at the ceiling until exhaustion finally took over.

You were pulled from your thoughts by your laptop coming to life. A video call from your parents. You’d been expecting this, your mom had texted you yesterday to ask what was going on. You hadn’t felt ready to tell them yet so you said they could call you today.

“Hey mom, hey dad” you forced a smile as the call connected and you saw the concerned faces of your parents.

“Hey sweetpea, how you feeling?” Your dad asked with a sympathetic look.

You let out a weak chuckle “shit” you admitted. There was no point denying it, they knew how you felt even if they didn’t know why.

“Has this got something to do with Dan calling us to ask if you were here?” Your mom asked softly.

You nodded, you expected that too. Dan had called Elena Monday evening, she played dumb and said she didn’t know where you were and if she did she wouldn’t tell him “did he tell you why?”

“No he didn’t, he just asked us to call if you turned up” your dad told you. 

You scoffed and shook your head. He didn’t tell Elena what he’d done either, didn’t admit his mistake “Did you tell him I was with El?” 

Your mom shook her head “No we didn’t, we knew that you clearly didn’t want to be around him and we respected that”

“Thank you” your voice felt weak as you looked down “The um- the wedding’s off… he’s been cheating on me with the wedding planner”

“The motherfucker!” Your dad growled shooting up from his seat, only sitting down when your mom grabbed the back of his sweater and tugged him to sit back down.

“More like wedding planner fucker” you joked weakly.

Your mom sighed “I’m so sorry sweetheart you don’t deserve that, he doesn’t deserve you either” 

“Is El looking after you?” Your dad asked.

You nodded “She’s at work now but yeah she has, she’s given me her apartment and her and Chris got me a job working in the PR department with the Bears, I start tomorrow they’re gonna give me a bit of an induction ahead of the game again Washington on Friday night”

“That’s good, will you be travelling with them?” your dad asked.

“No the PR and comms team takes it in turns to go on the road and report back, I’ll just be shadowing the team who stay in Boston and post updates on the match etcetera” you explained.

The new job was a bit of a step down, not just in pay. You’d gone from one of the best PR firms on the West Coast that handled movie stars to being a PR and Comms staff for a sports team. But it was just temporary, you’d find something with better pay once you were a bit more settled.

“Well I’m sure you’ll smash it darling” your mom said, making you snort quietly they’d been living in the UK for less than a year and the British vernacular had already snuck in.

“Thank you and I’m so sorry that the wedding has been called off, I know you guys have put a lot of money into it” you sighed, guilt wracking your body.

“Sweetpea, money means nothing if you’re unhappy, we’d rather you be happy than marry that piece of shit because of the money that’s been spent,” your dad told you.

“And look the wedding wasn’t going to be until spring so we might be able to get some of the deposits back,” your mom said “Why don’t you leave that with us to sort and you just focus on yourself and your happiness”

“Thanks mom, that would be really helpful,” you said, a lump of emotion forming in your throat.

“What are you going to do about Christmas? You’re more than welcome here” your dad said.

“I don’t know, I’ll have to look into it, money is gonna be a bit tighter now and I don’t know what my work commitments will be” you sighed with a shrug of your shoulders.

“That’s okay let us know as soon as you know what you’re doing, you know we’d love to have you” your mom smiled.

“Thanks Mom,” you said before chuckling quietly “I don’t know why I was so scared to have this chat”

“You never have to be scared to talk to us, the only person who should be scared is that piece of shit, I swear he’s dead when I next see him” your dad swore.

You chuckled “that’s good to know, so how is rainy Britain?” You asked to change the topic.

You and your parents caught up for the next hour or so, by the time you finally ended the call you felt so much better. You wished they were here to hug you and make you feel better but just talking to them did enough to make you feel a little less empty. It made taking on the next chapter of your life less scary.

Your first couple of days working at the Bears had been a whirlwind. While you were mostly shadowing over the weekend it still felt like you had been dropped in the deep end. The entire office was a hive of activity during the game. You were used to this level of activity being a bad thing because it meant someone was having a PR disaster. But in this new world, it was a good thing because it meant the team was winning.

You had to admit the excitement was a little contagious, the entire PR team were avid fans. Cheering and complaining at the ref as the game played on the big screen. You didn’t know much about the sport nor the players so you couldn’t follow it very well. You did see Ari get sent off for a yellow, one of your colleagues said he was lucky it wasn’t a red but there was enough mitigation that his high tackle remained as a yellow. What that actually meant you had no clue.

It was Monday morning when your new boss, Steph called you into her office.

“Is everything okay? I haven’t done something wrong have I?” You asked as you followed her into her office.

“No, no, you’ve been great! Frankly, you’re overqualified” She smiled as she sat down “I just want your input on something that’s all” She gestured for you to sit.

“Oh I’m very flattered, I know I don’t know much about the rugby world,” you said bashfully as you sat.

Steph smiled softly “You’ve done a lot of PR work with celebrities back in LA right?” She asked leaning back in her chair.

“Yes my company worked with a lot of celebs” You nodded shifting in your seat.

“Did you do a lot of PR relationships?” She then asked.

You nodded your head again “Yeah there are not as many PR relationships in Hollywood as people think, but I have worked on quite a few” 

“Good, so what makes a successful one?” She asked.

“Um well, it depends on what image you’re trying to get across” you explained.

“Someone settled, someone you can trust and is moving past their wildcard days” Steph  supplied gesturing with her hands in a vague manner.

“Right well you want someone who is that kind of person, no one who grabs the spotlight for the same reasons you’re trying to fix” you told her.

She sat forward and started taking notes “What else?”

“You have to make sure the people are well matched, if one of them has a clear type then you need the meet that type. So if someone has publicly said they like a woman with curves you can’t set them up with a Victoria’s Secret model” you explain.

She hummed studying you for a moment before returning to her notes “Anything else?”

“A mutual connection helps, makes it more believable. If fans and media outlets can easily trace how they would have potentially met then they’re more likely to believe it. So in this case if it was someone a fellow teammate knew, there’s a clear link, if you pick someone who has no connection to the player people are going to be suspicious” you continued.

 “And you’re close with Elena and Chris aren’t you?” 

Your brows furrow for a moment confused as to what the relevance was  “uh yeah Elena is my best friend, I don’t know Chris that well though” you shrugged your shoulders.

“Okay” she hummed tapping her pen against her chin in thought.

“Are you considering it for one of the players?” You asked.

“Yes, I’ve never suggested one before though, usually you just send the players to charity events but he needs a long-term solution” she explained.

“Well if you want I could maybe take the lead, or advise?” You suggested.

A smile tugged at her lips “I’ll keep that in mind, thank you for your insight I have a lot to think about before my meeting with him tomorrow”

“No worries glad to help, is there anything else you need?” You asked.

“No thanks, can you go with the team who will be filming training content? Familiarise yourself with that?” She suggested.

“Of course” you nodded before getting up from your seat.

As you walked back to your desk you wondered which of the team needed a PR relationship. You barely knew any of them, so you could only go on what El had told you. Chris was out for obvious reasons, from what you knew of Curtis you doubted it was him. Ari came to mind but you instantly shook that thought from your head. Not because you didn’t think it was him, but because you didn’t want to work with him. You settled on Johnny instead, even though El said he was a bit of a secret softie he was known as a player. 

You nodded to yourself, yeah it had to be Johnny. You instantly thought of different strategies for him, where to stage the dates. He’d be an easy client too, the only problem would be getting him to keep it in his pants. You just hoped that whatever reason he had would be incentive enough to keep him in line. 

Ari grunted in pain as Elena dug her hand into the back of his shoulder “Jesus fuck woman” he complained, fists clenched “Do you get off on torturing people or something”

Ari hated physio, he swore it was just the medical team’s excuse to get some revenge.

“It’s your own fault you’re here” she pointed out as she continued to work on his shoulder. 

He knew she meant his high tackle that resulted in a yellow card and sore shoulder “There was mitigation” he reminded her. 

“You were lucky, if Chris hadn’t tackled him too your shoulder would have gone straight into the wolves’ head and it would have been a red” Elena pointed out as she finally stopped working on his shoulder. 

“Like I said mitigation” Ari said as he sat back up sending a smirk her way. 

She rolled her eyes “That’s not the only reason I’m pissed at you” she said with a pointed look as she grabbed a towel and wiped her hands clean.

Ari dropped his shoulders with a heavy sigh instantly knowing what she meant again. You. You had been on his mind for over a week now. He was pissed off at himself for the way he treated you, he kept replaying the situation to see what he could have done differently. In the perfect situation, you would have ended up in his arms as he comforted you. He wanted to apologise and make it right but he also didn’t want to make it worse.

 “i know, i just haven't seen her to apologise” he sighed glancing down at his hands. 

“Haven’t seen her or avoided her?” Elena asked with a brow arched “She was in the gym on Monday” 

“I was at my 1-2-1 analysis while she was there” Ari reasoned “getting ripped into by your dad for that yellow” he added a pointed look.

Elena shrugged “You deserved it”

“Whatever” Ari huffed as he pushed himself off the medical bed “Look I promise I'll apologise to her now, I’m heading up to the PR office for a meeting after this” 

“What do you need PR for?” Elena asked her brows furrowed.

“I want to make the national team this summer, your dad said I need to improve both on and off the pitch” Ari explained as he grabbed his top and pulled it back on.

Elena nodded “It is criminal that you haven’t been picked yet” she hummed “Don’t worry I’m sure whatever Y/N has cooked up will work, she’s the best around” she winked before pointing at him “Just don’t make her life difficult, she’s been through enough shit” she warned.

Ari held his hands up in surrender. He still didn’t know the full picture, only that you were back on the East Coast without your engagement ring. He’d asked Chris what had happened but he said it wasn’t his story to share “I swear, I won’t” he promised “You can beat the crap out of me if I do”

Elena smirked “Good, now go on and stop doing stupid shit,” she said waving him out of the medical room. 

Ari huffed as he walked out, he wanted to stop doing stupid shit too. But that was easier said than done. He’d been told that he was hot-headed for as long as he could remember, there were times when it felt like he blacked out and one came back around after he’d done the stupid shit. Like the fight he started at the cup final, he remembered seeing Bryce make the illegal tackle on Chris and then the next thing he remembered was Bryce on the floor below him as he landed multiple blows to the face. 

He’d always been like this. Like there was pent up anger he had at the world. He could blame the first five years of his life for that. He was signed up to play rugby at the age of 7 at the advice of his teachers to try and work through a lot of that anger. Rugby helped a lot, it gave him somewhere to direct his anger and frustrations and work through it in a healthier way. 

It didn’t take away all the pressure though, evident by the way he shouted at you. Another moment when his frustrations got the better of him and he blacked out. He just hoped that you would accept his apology.

He spotted you as soon as he stepped into the PR and Comms office. He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips as he looked over you. You were standing at a coworker's desk, looking over his shoulder at something on the screen. You had a contemplative look on your face, your red-tinted lips pursed. You listened to whatever your co-worker was saying before nodding your head, arms crossed over your chest. You were wearing a red sweater that seemed a little baggy on you but still looked incredible. Especially with the black skirt and knee-high boots you were wearing.  

When you finished what you were saying you finally looked up and over at him. The expression on your face became guarded as you studied him. He expected you to tilt your head up in defiance but you did the opposite. Your chin dropped as you went to move back to your desk, shoulders turned inwards. 

Ari internally cursed at himself, he’d fucked up majorly if you weren’t fighting back against him like you did back in LA.

“Y/N,” he said as he stepped in your path. 

“Ari,” you said forcing a smile as you looked up at him, which was wrong you should have crossed your arms and arched an unimpressed brow at him. 

“I wanted to apologise for the other week, I was out of line” he apologised “I was tired and was having a shitty day and I took my anger out on the first person I came across”

“That’s no excuse” you pointed out as you looked down at your feet.

That response was closer to what he expected from you, the words were right but the delivery was off. The words should have been sharper, not downtrodden. 

“You’re right it's not,” Ari said before holding his arms out “So c’mon rip into me” he invited with a playful smirk “We both know how well you can do it, knock me down a peg or two” 

You studied him for a moment. Ari could see the gears turning in your head which made his smirk grow. He knew you were going to come out with something brilliant, something that would knock a less confident man out. He couldn’t wait. He wanted to see that side of you again, he wanted to play. 

“I’ve got work to do” you muttered as you dropped your gaze and stepped around him.

Ari frowned as he turned around “Y/N” he muttered in disbelief, his hands dropping back down to his side. 

“I’m busy Ari and I’m sure you have training or something” you sighed as you refused to look at him as you gathered a notebook from your desk.

“Y/N c’mon” he pressed stepping in your way as you went to walk away again, “I said I was sorry, why are you still freezing me out?”

“Apology accepted, now leave me alone I have a meeting” you said looking up at him with a tired expression on your face. 

Ari’s brows furrowed in concern as he took you in, how tired and worn out you looked. It made his fists clenched. Whatever happened back in LA did this to you and he wanted to know what so he could beat the crap out of it. 

“Y/N,” he said softly. 

He reached out to put a hand on your shoulder, feeling the need to provide comfort in any way he could. He wanted to ask what happened, what he could do to make it better and bring back the version he knew.

He didn’t get the chance though, before his hand even made contact he was interrupted by Steph “Ah Ari, perfect timing, we have the perfect strategy for you” she smiled from her office. 

He didn’t look away from you so he saw how your brows furrowed in confusion, looking over at Steph and then back at him. 

He let out a quiet sigh as he took a step back “Glad to hear it” he said as he turned and walked towards her office.

He stopped though when she said “Good, right c’mon Y/N” She waved for you to join.

He looked over his shoulder and saw you take a deep breath as you looked down at your boots. The fake smile plastered on back on your face when you looked back up and said “Of course”

Ari blinked in surprise when you walked past him into Steph’s office. You didn’t know he was your meeting and clearly weren't happy being trapped in a small office with him for the next half an hour or so. Evident by the way you sat in one of the furthest away chairs. 

“Right I have decided on the best strategy for you, and I want to remind you that you said you’d do anything” Steph said as Ari sat down in his chair. 

“That doesn’t concern me at all” he smirked as he leant back. 

“Trust me this will work” Steph smiled “We’re going to set you up with a PR relationship for the rest of the season”

Ari arched a brow, he wasn’t expecting that at all. He expected lots of charity work, which he wouldn’t have minded, but not this “a relationship?” 

“Yes, we want to portray you as settled or at least settling, what better way to do that than a relationship” Steph said with a proud.

Ari nodded slowly as he took in the information “With who?”

The smile on Steph’s face widens “Well we want this to work so I’ve brought in the best” she grinned before turning her attention to you “Y/N will be the perfect match”

“Excuse me?” you squeaked in surprise. 

Ari frowned, you had clearly been blindsided by this idea. Something that didn’t sit right with him, it wasn’t fair on you. 

“Yes you said so yourself, there needs to be a mutual connection and you were the only person we found that had one” Steph explained as she gestured over to you “Plus you know how to do this better than anyone, I trust you to take lead on this”

“Steph this isn’t going to work” you stuttered sitting forward in your chair “I’ve just broken off an engagement, no one would believe this”

“Is there any evidence of your relationship online?” Steph asked, her head tilted in question.

“Uh- no, I- I deleted everything,” you said your voice cracking. 

“Well that’s one less thing to worry about, plus it's not uncommon for people to get into a relationship soon after another” Steph points out. 

“There must be someone else” you pleaded.

Ari’s heart broke, as much as he would love just the chance to be your boyfriend even if it was just pretend, he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable. 

“Not someone who fits the criteria you gave me, and we need this to work for Ari” Steph sighed, her voice sympathetic “you’ll be in charge and will take the lead on it so you’ll have control over what happens, you can make it suit you, I only ask that it's believable” she continued before turning her attention back to Ari “what do you say?”

Ari took a moment before turning and looking at you, hoping his expression conveyed how sincere he was “I’m in if you’re in” he said softly “I need this and I trust you, but if you really don’t want to do it then we don’t have to”

You sat there stunned, staring back at him with a look of panic in your eyes. 

“Why don’t I leave you two to talk it through some more and get back to me when you’ve come to a decision” Steph said as she stood from her chair and strode out of the room. 

Once she was gone Ari turned to look at you, your hand was resting on your heaving chest, the look of panic in your eyes getting worse. 

“Hey, hey, hey,” Ari said moving to crouch in front of you, keeping enough distance between the two of you to make sure you were comfortable “Take some deep breaths,” he told you, when you didn’t respond he put a cautious hand on your knee “deep breaths sweetheart”

You finally responded to him and took the deep breaths you needed, your eyes finding his. He watched as the panic slowly faded from them with every deep breath you took.

“Feeling better?” he asked after a moment. 

“Not really” you admitted as you shook your head, “I thought it was gonna be Johnny that needed this not you” you muttered as you rubbed your forehead “and that I would just be leading it not actually part of it”

“Yeah, I didn’t like how she blindsided you with that” Ari told her earning a huff of a laugh from you.

“You could say that again” you mumbled “What do you even need this for? I mean you got yellow cards recently but I thought those weren’t a big deal” 

Ari nodded his head “Normally they’re not, but if I don’t reign myself in this season I won’t make the national team, the head coach is gonna be watching me and I want him to know he can trust me” he explained. 

“You’re doing this for a spot on the national team?” you questioned “Seems a bit extreme”

Ari let out a small chuckle “Yeah well I’m pretty desperate, it’s been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid, a dream that hasn’t happened yet” he admitted. 

“Right” you muttered looking down at your fiddling hands. 

“Can I ask what happened back in LA?” Ari asked, causing your eyes to shoot back up at him. 

You took a couple of moments before admitting “My fiance cheated on me with the wedding planner”

“The fucker” Ari growled making you jump “Sorry” he apologised taking a deep breath to calm himself “Well dating a sexy rugby player is a great way to say fuck you to him” he then smirked. 

You rolled your eyes “Yeah but Johnny’s not the one who needs it” you muttered making Ari grin. This was the side of you that was missing, it wasn’t completely gone it just needed coaxing back out. 

“There she is” Ari whispered earning a small confused frown from you “Look I won’t lie to you and say I don’t need this because I really really do, but considering all the shit you’re going through and the fact I don’t think you’ve actually accepted my apology” Ari continued “it's up to you, take the time you need to think it through and I promise if you decide to do this I won’t make your life difficult and I’ll do whatever you say”

You took a deep breath and nodded your head “Yeah okay… I’ll think it through and I’ll um get back to you”

“Great, that's all I can ask for” Ari said standing back up “And look I’m sorry about your fiance, he’s a dick and clearly insane for not realising he already had the most incredible woman on the planet” he said, Your lips parted in surprise as you stared up at him. 

You went to say something but Ari didn’t want to hear you turn him down so he just flashed you a smile and walked “See you soon” he said as he stepped out.

You thought about Ari’s proposition all day and still couldn’t come to an answer. You thought it would be a simple answer, a straight-up no, but you couldn’t bring yourself to say it. There was a small niggling thought at the back of your mind that was holding you back. 

So instead of going straight home after work, you went to Chris and Elena’s house to talk it out with them. Hopefully hearing them say it was an insane idea would reassure that little thought and you could just say no. 

So here you were sitting on the couch, feet tucked up beneath you as you cradled a cup of tea. You would have preferred a glass of wine or something stronger but you needed a clear head, drunk decisions were almost always bad decisions. 

“Right, so what is it that Steph wants you to do?” Elena asked as she sat down on the adjacent couch next to Chris, their dog Dodger jumping up to join them. 

“She wants me to be Ari’s fake girlfriend for the rest of the season” you sighed, running your finger around the rim of your mug. 

“Why you?” she questioned. 

“Because I stupidly gave her the perfect criteria and I match it” you scoffed shaking your head “the mutual connection, someone who’s looking to settle down” you didn’t say the part about being his type because you weren’t quite sure what to do with that information yourself. 

“And there’s no one else?” Chris asked as he scratched Dodger behind the ear. 

“Apparently not” you shrugged, “Steph said she trusted me because of my expertise in the area”

Chris hummed and nodded his head “What did Ari say about it?”

“He’s in, said he’s desperate to make the national team and is willing to do whatever it takes” you sighed, taking a sip of your tea. 

“Makes sense, he’s 30 now, will be 31 by the next world cup and 35 at the one after, but he might have retired by then” Chris shrugged “This might be his last chance”

You let out a small huff “Thanks that doesn’t make me feel guilty at all”

Chris gave you an apologetic smile “Sorry, it’s just that being his captain I want to see him make that team, it would be awesome to play alongside him at the world cup”

“Why is it that you don’t want to do it? I mean before last week you two seemed to get on pretty fine” Elena asked as she sat forward a bit.

That was another problem. You two did get along well, too well. You could recall the first time you saw him, you noticed him the moment he walked into the hotel. It was like a moment in a romance novel when the female lead sees her love interest and the whole world stops for a moment. 

You’d looked away before he spotted you, you were engaged and couldn’t be ogling other men. When he came over and shook your hand it made your entire body jolt and your next breath felt like the very first. You tried to put up a front and push him away but he kept coming straight back and you felt your resolve breaking. You had felt so guilty at the time, especially when you had a less-than-innocent dream about him that night. 

You had tried to forget about him, but he seemed rooted in your mind. When you watched the livestream of the cup final you told yourself it was for Elena’s sake, even if you had told her you wouldn’t be watching. But deep down you knew it was because of a large man with gorgeous long locks and a thick beard. 

“Because I just got out of a long-term relationship” you landed on with a sigh “I can’t just fall back into another one”

“It's not a real one though” Elena pointed out “You’ll still be single, and you’ll have time to be single for a while without interference and find who you are without Dan”

“I guess” you sighed.

“And we both know Dan is going to work out you’re here if he hasn’t already, if he saw you had moved on with a big beefy rugby player he’s gonna be too scared to try and win you back” Elena added. 

“You know when I came over I expected you to agree that it was a bad idea” you pointed out over the top of your mug, taking another large sip.

Elena chuckled “I’m sorry but I wouldn’t be a good friend if I straight up lied to you” she pointed out “I understand where you’re coming from but I can see how this benefits you too”

“Yeah and frankly i don’t think you could find someone better to do this sort of thing with” Chris added.

“You really think you should do this?” you sighed. 

“I think you should at least give it a go” Elena nodded. 

You took a deep breath. Everything they said was true, yeah you would be in a fake relationship in person but in private you would be single and undisturbed. Ari would provide you with that privacy, and in return, you could help him achieve his childhood dream.

“Okay fine I’ll do it” you sighed in resignation. 

Elena smiled back excitedly “Yes this is gonna be great!” she grinned “You should let him know now”

“Not now, we’ll have to go over the rules and the plan,” you said shaking your head. 

“You could invite him over here? Go over it together with us?” Chris suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

“You’re not going to drop this are you?” you sighed knowingly.

“Nope. please this is so exciting! It's like something out of a movie!” Elena grinned. 

You rolled your eyes “Fine, but I don’t have his number so you’ll have to call him”

“Sure not a problem” Chris said reaching into his back pocket to grab his phone.

Faster than you expected Ari was knocking on the front door. Dodger instantly ran to greet him, you could hear Ari’s deep chuckle down the hallway. Chris and him were chatting as they walked towards the living room. You noticed that his long hair was damp, it wasn’t raining so you wondered whether he’d just gotten out of the shower when Chris called. The mental image of Ari in the shower flashed through your mind, your mouth went dry at the image, all the moisture travelling elsewhere. You cleared your throat and shifted in your seat as you pushed the mental image from your mind. 

Ari’s gaze shifted to you and a lopsided smile grew on his lips “Y/N” he greeted.

You cleared your throat again “Ari” 

“Chris said you wanted to talk to me about the whole fake dating thing,” he said as he walked over and sat on the same couch as you. 

You took a deep breath, which you quickly regretted because even though he was sitting on the opposite end of the couch you could smell his body wash. It was pine with a hint of citrus, it was fresh and comforting all at the same time. 

“Uh yeah, I uh thought it over and I think we should do it but we have to lay out some rules” You shifted and turned towards him, fidgeting with your hands in your lap. 

“Of course, like Steph said you’re in charge and I’m your puppet” he smirked reclining back, arm resting across the back of the couch.

Your gaze shifted to his hand, his long thick fingers which were now much closer to you. You hadn’t noticed how large his hands were. Your mind started down the rabbit hole again, you wondered how warm and comforting they were. How they might feel against your body… holding you…

“So what rules have you got in mind?” Ari’s fingers drummed against the couch breaking you out of your trance. 

“Right yes rules” You cleared your throat, shifting further away from him “Well obviously we cannot tell anyone about this, the fewer people that know the better”

Ari nodded “of course, I’m assuming you two won’t say anything” he glanced over to Chris and Elena. 

“Lips are sealed” Elena confirmed, “what about your parents though Tommi?”

You shrugged your shoulders “with them in England it should be fine, especially since we’re gonna take this slow, a whirlwind romance doesn’t sell settling down” you looked over at Ari who was rubbing his hand over his beard “what about your parents?”

“Same as you, they’re travelling” he hummed “How slow are we taking this?”

“Uh well we need to lay some groundwork first” you explained “like establishing that I’m here in Boston not LA”

“What about your ex? Are you sure you want him to know that?” Ari frowned, hand dropping back down to the back of the couch. 

“Not really, but I’ve blocked him and any of his friends so I should be fine,” you told him. 

Ari tightly nodded “As long as you’re sure, so what’s after that?”

“Uh well, maybe a social event that we’re both at, somewhere where we can appear in the back of photos chatting?” you suggested.

“Johnny is throwing a Halloween party next week? You could be my plus one” Elena suggested. 

“What about me?” Chris huffed looking over at Elena.

“You have your own invite meatball” Elena slapped his chest, shaking her head at him. 

“Okay yeah that works, there will be group photos and we can be in the background of a couple” you nodded thinking it through in your head “It’ll establish a when and where we met”

“But we met back in LA, don’t tell me you forgot that lunch?” Ari pointed out, a fake look of hurt on his face.

You rolled your eyes “It will establish it for people online” you clarified before taking another deep breath “And then after that, we need a time where we meet up, maybe as a four?”

“We can go to brunch?” Chris suggested. 

“Perfect, and then we just need to go out a couple of times just us two but we can decide on that later, are there any events I should be aware of?” You asked glancing around at everyone, only allowing yourself to look at Ari for a second or two.

“Only Thanksgiving and the Christmas charity dinner at the beginning of December, the rest of our events are at the end of the season” Ari explained.

“You don’t go home for Thanksgiving?” You frowned, you couldn’t imagine not spending time with your family for Thanksgiving. Although it didn’t look like you’d be able to fly to England to celebrate with your parents this year.

“It depends on what day the match is that weekend, if it’s Sunday or Saturday some players do go home to family but if it’s Friday like it is this year my dad organises a team Thanksgiving for players who don’t have family in the state” El explained “players can bring a friend or their partner”

“Are you going to your parents?” Ari asked grabbing your attention.

You shifted in your seat, glancing down at your fiddling fingers unable to focus with his intense gaze “I don’t know, it might be too expensive this year” 

“I could help if-“ Ari started but you interrupted. As much as you wanted to see your parents for Thanksgiving, you didn’t want to owe Ari money.

“No it’s fine, me going to this player's thanksgiving is good for PR, it can essentially confirm the relationship and then we’ll make our official outing as a couple at the charity dinner” you said with a sharp shake of your head.

It looked like Ari went to argue but when his eyes met yours his mouth snapped shut. He cleared his throat and nodded in agreement “sounds like a good plan… what else do we need to discuss?”

You were grateful for the slight change in topic but the only thing left to discuss was the part that made you the most uncomfortable. Public displays of affection. You knew you couldn’t outright ban it but you just weren’t sure how you felt about Ari holding you and kissing you. 

“Right” your voice came out strained so you cleared your throat “Of course we will have to do some PDA but we should ease into it as a normal couple would and we should clear it with each other beforehand”

Ari nodded “Understandable, I’m not one for big displays of public displays of affection”

You breathed out a sigh of relief even though there was a small part of you that was ever so slightly disappointed. You pushed that part away though, you had just gotten out of a serious relationship, you needed to be single for a while and focus on yourself. Even if you did have to be in a fake relationship to do so. The irony was not lost on you.

“Cool I think that’s it for now, I’ll um plan out more of the strategy for later on is there anything you want to ask?”

“What’s the end date on this?” Ari asked.

“Well I guess once we know if you’ve made the team we can start putting things in place that lead to the eventual breakup” you shrugged “which works nicely since I’ll probably want to move onto a better-paid job in New York or something”

Ari frowned “You don’t plan on staying here?”

“You just got here” Elena pouted.

You looked over at Elena and felt instantly guilty “I know and I’m grateful for what you guys have done but sports PR is a bit of a step-down, I’m staying on the east coast though so we’ll be able to see each other easily”

Elena gave you an understanding smile “Guess I can live with that” she playfully rolled her eyes.

You smiled back before shifting your gaze back to Ari who still looked unhappy at the idea of you moving. For whatever reason you had no clue. You could practically see the cogs in his head turning as he looked back at you with an unhappy frown. It made your hands itch like you wanted to reach out and comfort him. It made you quickly jump up from the couch, you needed out. Especially when Ari’s frown changed to one of concern at your sudden motion.

“Right if that’s everything, I’m gonna head home because it’s been a long day” you ran your hand through your hair, pushing it from your face.

Ari slowly rose from the couch “Me too, I’ll walk you out” he said barely looking away from you as he said “Thanks for having us Evans”

Both Chris and Elena had amused looks on their faces as they looked up at you “sure we’ll see you both at the Halloween party” Chris nodded.

“Thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow El” You cleared your throat and grabbed your bag and made a swift exit.

Ari with his long legs had no issue keeping up with you, following you at the door and towards your car. His jeep parked next to yours, you had expected him to be more of an Audi kinda guy. You had seen more sides of him since landing in Boston than you expected. The angry, grumpy side, the cheeky side and a really calming and sincere side.

You couldn’t forget the way he put his hand on your knee and calmed you down with just that gesture in Steph’s office earlier today. The way he had apologised and told you how blind your ex was. An apology that you had yet to officially accept. You paused as you reached your car, you couldn’t go into a fake relationship and not accept his apology.

With a deep sigh, you quickly turned around. Ari’s brow quirking in surprise as you looked up at him “I accept your apology for the other day, you had a bad day and so had I, it’s all water under the bridge”

Ari nodded “My bad day was no excuse, I am really sorry and I promise not to hurt you like that again” he held his hand over his heart.

“Thank you… I’ll um see you at the party or at work I guess” You nodded, and just as you turned back towards your car Ari spoke up. 

“Hey I know you said about asking before doing public displays of affection, but what about the other kind of PDA?” Ari asked. 

You frowned in confusion and turned to face him “What other kinds?” surprised to find him a couple of steps closer. 

Ari smirked down at you “private displays of affection”

You let out a scoff that sounded more like a squeak “Definitely not”

“C’mon we can call it practice, the only reason I play well on game days is because of practice” he points out “It’ll mean you’re not as awkward when it happens”

“What about you?”

“Trust me the last thing I’ll be feeling is awkward”

You thought about his reasoning. You had seen plenty of fake couples who couldn’t sell it because they seemed uncomfortable in each other’s presence. The slight flinches here and there.

“Fine but you have to ask” you huffed starting to turn back towards your car.

“Good, so can I kiss you?” Ari asked 

“Now?” You squeaked.

“Yeah I don’t see why not” he shrugged “It's dark, no one’s around, seems pretty perfect otherwise I’d have to sneak to your apartment or something and risk getting caught and that’ll blow the going slow part” he sighed.

“Fine! One kiss” you snapped glaring up at him.

Ari’s smirk grew as he stepped closer and cupped your jaw “one kiss” he promised with a whisper before leaning in.

Your intention had been to pull away a second later. It didn’t need to be anything more than a peck. But it was like your mind shortcircuited and instead of pulling away you stepped forward. Your hands moved to rest on his chest as he tilted your head back, his other hand moving to the small of your back to pull you closer. 

You had planned to be the one to pull away but when Ari did you found yourself chasing his lips. 

“I’d say that was a perfect practice attempt,” he said, voice low as his thumb brushed over your cheekbone.

That snapped you back to reality. You scurried back until your back hit your car door. Your hand touched your lips as they continued to tingle. 

“Yes, right. Bye. I’ll um see you at work or the party or” you didn’t finish your sentence. You just got in the car, slammed the door shut and drove off as quickly as you could.

You glanced in the rearview mirror as Ari disappeared into the distance. You could see him laughing as he shook his head, watching you go.

Sharing is caring so please reblog and leave a comment to really make my day!

This series has no schedule, please don’t ask when it will be updated! Same goes for Masterlist, AO3 and Wattpad!

Fake Out Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

I don’t have a taglist but follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications to stay up to date!

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

IMPORTANT EXPERIMENT RESULTS! ALL MUST READ!

Okay so you may remember last week I posted two experiments that revolved around engagement and reblogging.

I did plan on doing a big ol' post to explain the results because I am a scientist by nature and it's what I do but lets be honest you guys don't want to read a long ass post and I need you guys to read this because its important!

Post 1: was to see how far a post would travel if it was mostly reblogged so I asked you guys to reblog it if you saw it and not to like it at all.

That post got 97 notes (90 reblogs, 1 comment, 6 likes). On tumblr desktop they produce a tree like diagram that shows you how far a post has travelled due to reblogs.

This is the tree from that post:

to compare lets look at another post of mine that had a similar number of notes. I chose my Bait and Switch fic which has 96 notes (36 reblogs, 60 likes)

This is that tree:

Immediately, you can see that the post with more likes has a far less complex tree and did not travel as far as the post with mostly reblogs.

It is important to note that I saw more blogs that I did not recognise and I'm willing to bet they did not recognise me either. Of course I would not be a good scientists if I was not open about the limitations of this experiment, the main one being that I have no way of knowing how many people saw this post and did not interact at all. If tumblr introduced a viewed statistic I believe this would fix this.

Post 2 was a simple poll to see how people use tumblr, do you use the for you tab or following tab?

as you can see from over 28k votes, following only won by a mile. The for you tab does occassionally get used but as explained by many participants it is done out of sheer boredom, not because people like the algorith.

why is this important? when users mostly use the following tab they are relying on reblogs to discover new posts and accounts. without reblogs, you don't see new content which once again highlights the importance of reblogs.

once again my notifications was full of blogs I have never seen before and ones outside of the fandoms I belong. I also saw an increase in followers and this post was reblogged by over 4.5k blogs.

and for those interested here is the tree from that post:

the tree looks more like a brain now, and this was as far out as I could zoom so this isn't even all of it.

TL;DR

If you use the following tab, you rely on reblogs.

If you use the following tab, you should be reblogging over liking.

That is how this site works and survives

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader (Part 1)

A/N: Just a quick reminder that the reader from Off-Limits has now become an OFC called Elena and Tommi is now our reader!

Word Count: 5.8k words

Warnings: Language! Mention of Masterbation! Angst! Cheating! Brief SMUT! 18+ ONLY! Minors DNI!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 1

A/N: Just a quick reminder that the reader from Off-Limits has now become an OFC called Elena and Tommi is now our reader!

It was Saturday morning and you were at work trying not to pull your hair out. Today was supposed to be your day off, one that you desperately needed. You were supposed to be having a long lie-in, cuddled up to Dan your gorgeous fiancé, then you were supposed to go to a market together to see if you could find some cute decorations for your wedding reception.

But instead one of your clients had made a minor PR hiccup which caused them to spiral and panic. Your boss had called you and a couple of others in to talk them down from making a statement about something barely anyone knew about. 

“Look right now the news is only circulating in one small pocket of the internet” you sighed running your hand through your hair as you leant back in your chair “Very few people know, if you made a statement to your millions of followers, millions of people will know about it and then the gossip mags will sink their fangs into it and the even more people will know and you can kiss any deals goodbye”

Your client shook his head “I don’t care there’s a disgusting rumour going around about me! I need to shut it down!” He argued.

“Y/N is right,” your boss said from her seat at the head of the conference table “We understand that you’re anxious about this, so we’ll do our best to squash it on the down-low and keep monitoring the situation so if the time does arise when a statement is needed we’ll be ready”

The client sighed “You swear?” 

“There’s a reason we’re the best PR agency in the state” your boss promised. 

“Fine, I’ll hold off” he sighed before ending the Zoom call.

You slumped down in your seat letting out a long sigh “Why is it the men that cause us the most issues?” You muttered as you rubbed your forehead tiredly. 

“Because they’re less evolved” your boss sighed as she got up from her seat “Look you’ve been working so hard recently, on top of planning your wedding so why don’t you head home” 

She wasn’t wrong, the summer was a busy time in the PR world. It was like everyone decided to go crazy over the summer months and there were more messes to tidy up than normal. This year it seemed to bleed into September too, much to your annoyance. You had spent any time off you had trying to plan for your wedding, even with a wedding planner it was more stressful than you thought it would be.

“Are you sure? I’m happy to help out” you said even if the idea of going home and having your afternoon back sounded incredible. 

You probably wouldn’t go to the market now but you could relax, have a bath, and spend some quality time with Dan. God knows it had been a while, both of you too busy or tired to do more than relaxing on the couch together.

“Yeah we can handle the rest now, you deserve the break after talking him down, get on home” she smiled patting you on the shoulder.

“Well I can’t argue with that, I’ll see you Monday” you smiled as you got up and shouldered your bag.

You glanced at the time as you got in your car, it was lunchtime so you decided to grab some bagels from your and Dan's favourite bakery. You didn’t text Dan, wanting to surprise him, and made your way home.

As you opened the door you heard a strange noise. You paused waiting to hear it again, you heard it almost immediately. You realised with a start that it sounded like moaning. 

You silently crept through the apartment following the noise, which was getting louder and louder. You followed it to your bedroom door which was ever so slightly open. You peered inside but instantly regretted it. Because inside you saw Dan and your wedding planner naked in bed, getting busy, getting very intimate. 

“Oh god don’t stop” she moaned as she wrapped her leg around his waist.

“Fuck you feel so good, I’ll never get enough of you” Dan groaned as he thrusted deep with far more passion than you’d ever seen.

You stumbled back as your world crashed down around you. You turned on your heel and rushed back out of the apartment and to your car. You went into autopilot mode as you drove away, only snapping out of it when you pulled up outside of Elena’s old apartment remembering she didn’t live here anymore. She moved back to Boston in the spring after a horrific incident with her ex Bryce Langley.

You slumped back in your car seat as your mind began to replay everything. This wasn’t a one-time thing, they’d clearly been doing this for a while now. Maybe since you hired her over a year ago. Everything suddenly made sense, the way Dan always seemed to be busy, how he seemed to be dragging his feet with the wedding planning.

How could you have been so blind?

You didn’t know what to do. You knew that if you confronted him he would end up talking you around. He promised he wouldn’t do it again and you’d want to believe him. You would end up married to a man who would willingly cheat. 

You glanced over to the passenger seat where your bag and bagels you brought were. Your blood boiled as you looked at the bagel you got for him. You had done a nice thing, you got his favourite bagel and he cheated. You snatched his bagel and stormed out of your car to a nearby trash can, throwing it away with force. 

That act alone made you feel better. You realised you just needed to cut ties. No confrontation, which was something you absolutely hated to begin with so avoiding it was perfect. You just needed to leave and get as far away as possible. 

Climbing back into your car you started planning. Your parents had moved to the UK so you couldn’t just up and leave to them. You didn’t have any close friends in LA anymore, not any that you could live with until you got yourself somewhere new to live.

You glanced up at Elena’s old apartment, she was the only friend you wanted to see right now. She was like your sister. The only reason you hadn’t already called her was because you knew the Boston Bears were playing today and she was busy as their medic. 

You knew what you needed to do. You grabbed your phone and started searching for flights to Boston. The earliest you could find was tomorrow night at 10 pm that stopped in Denver meaning you wouldn’t get into Boston until 10 am on Monday. It wasn’t ideal but it worked out pretty nicely, you could sleep the entire flight and while Dan went out with his mates you could pack up as many of your belongings as possible.

The next thing you needed to do was quit your job. You needed a clean break from LA, you didn’t want anything to draw you back or tie you to this city. So you sent an email to your boss, you didn’t tell her you were leaving because you had been cheated on. You said that you had a family emergency that meant you had to go back to the east coast and you were handing in your notice effective immediately. You made sure to schedule the email to be sent on Sunday evening just in case she reached out to Dan. 

Soon enough everything was planned and ready to go. You would call Elena tomorrow during her day off to warn her, then you’d pack and get the hell out of LA for good. You slumped back into your seat feeling more exhausted than ever. Your stomach growled so you grabbed your bagel and took a bite trying to ignore how it now felt tainted with betrayal.

You spent the rest of the day alone trying to keep yourself busy until the time you were originally supposed to return home. The last thing you wanted was to intrude on them again. You just hoped that Dan changed the sheets.

You were so exhausted that you got Chinese takeout on your way home. As you walked in you made sure to make a racket just to be safe, dropping your keys and bag down by the door. Thankfully Dan was alone this time, sat reclining back on the couch.

“Hey, how was work?” He asked walking over and pressing a kiss to your cheek.

You had to fight the urge to recoil away in disgust. You didn’t know and didn’t want to know where those lips had been.

“Exhausting but we’ve got it under control now” you sighed “I got us Chinese”

“Oh nice did you get spare ribs?” He asked eagerly.

“Uh no sorry I forgot but I got you chow mein” You lied, you knew they were his favourite and you deserved to be a little spiteful.

“No worries” Dan shrugged as he took his food and walked back over to the couch.

You resisted the urge to heave out a heavy sigh as you grabbed your food and moved to join him. Sitting down on the opposite side of the couch.

The two of you ate in silence, the only noise coming from the TV which was playing some program that Dan liked but you didn’t care for. Normally you’d sit and read your book but you were too exhausted. 

When you decided to call it a night you walked into the bedroom to find the bed made but still the same sheets as before. Your body shuddered at the thought of sleeping there where they had gotten busy. You had no choice though, so to make it more bearable you decided to sleep in leggings and a long-sleeved tee.

When Dan joined you, you pretended to be asleep. Trying not to flinch when he kissed your shoulder. You tried to fall asleep but couldn’t, you stared up at the ceiling and listened to Dan’s snores which never irritated you before but now you wanted to smother him. 

You looked over at him and saw him in a completely different light. You wondered how you ended up in this position, and whether there was something you could have done. You wondered whether than man you considered the love of your life ever loved you.

Ari woke with a long sigh. He should be feeling properly rested, he’d had all of Sunday to recover from the match but instead of relaxing, he’d flown to and from New York to deal with something. He was exhausted, the last thing he wanted to do was go to training. A good portion of the day would be going back through the game on Saturday but that didn’t help Ari since he got sent off with a yellow card. He was expecting another chewing out from the coaches for that. 

He let out a long yawn before sitting up, he checked his phone relieved to see no missed calls. He then stood up and grabbed some boxers to slip on, he ran hot so often slept in the nude but didn’t want to give any neighbours a show. He walked out of his bedroom and towards his kitchen to grab himself a much-needed coffee. 

As he drank his coffee he made himself a quick breakfast before sitting down in front of his laptop. He had a few things he wanted to search up and look into before he had to make his way to training. 

Soon enough he got dressed and made his way to the training centre. He was one of the last to arrive, his nose buried in his phone as he walked into the media room finding a seat near the back. 

“Look all I’m saying is that girls who love NFL players should love us too! More so! We don’t need a helmet or padding” Johnny exclaimed as he leaned back in his chair spinning side to side. 

“Maybe but it is two completely different sports, they get more funding than we do, they’re like gods” Jensen pointed out. 

“Minor gods are still sexy” Johnny smirked “Don’t you think so Levs?” 

Ari looked up from his phone “huh?” he hummed.

“That us minor sports gods deserve the girls just as much as the regular gods” Johnny repeated. 

Ari just shrugged “Maybe they just didn’t like you storm” he said before returning his attention back to what he was doing. 

“I beg to differ” Johnny scoffed. 

“Hey, you okay?” Chris said as he sat down in the seat next to Ari. 

Ari nodded as he put away his phone, out of sight “Yeah, just tired” he said.

Chris smirked “Celebrated too much yesterday?” as he leaned in to whisper.

“Yeah something like that” Ari said clearing his throat. 

Thankfully the conversation died out as the coaching team walked in ready to start the game review. Ari reclined back in his chair ready to relive Saturday, not that he particularly wanted to. 

Ari kept pretty quiet as the coaching team ran through each passage of play, highlighting all the good moments and moments where something went wrong. His fists clenched when it got to the moment when he got his yellow card. It was a ridiculous yellow, the opposition got away with the exact same thing he did. 

“We need to remember not to argue with the ref, leave it to the captain to deal with,” Andy said, his arms crossed as he surveyed the room. 

Ari tried his hardest not to huff in annoyance. Thankfully they didn’t linger on it too much longer. They then moved on to watching clips of the Washington Wolves play, they were the team they were facing next week. The coaching team ran through the different clips highlighting the weaknesses the Bears could exploit. 

“Right, that’s it for now, get yourselves into the gym” Head Coach Rogers said “We’ll call you in for your 1 to 1 reviews, Levinson we’re gonna start with you”

Ari made an effort to keep his face straight as he nodded, walking over to go join the coaching staff, all of them sitting down at a small table.

“Have a good day off Levinson? Get up to much” Coach Rogers asked as he tapped on his laptop. 

“Uh yeah,” Ari muttered in response.

Coach Rogers arched a brow, exchanging a glance with Andy before returning his attention back to his laptop “How do you think you played on Saturday?”

“Pretty good, I didn’t miss any tackles, won a few turnovers” Ari shrugged.

“And the yellow card?” Andy asked.

“Unfair, the other team got away with it the entire match” Ari huffed shaking his head as he leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well we’ll get to that, but first let’s look at this” Coach Rogers said as he turned the laptop so Ari could see the screen.

They spend the next 20 minutes going over different passages in play where Ari made an impact or could have made more of one. They went over the yellow card in more detail than Ari would have liked.

“Look Ari” Coach Rogers sighed “you were right that you shouldn’t have been penalised for the same act that our opposition got away with, but that’s not why you got the yellow, you got the card because you argued with the ref” 

“But-“ Ari went to argue, he wanted to explain that Chris wasn’t nearby to argue for him.

“No,” Coach Rogers said holding up his hand to silence him “You should have let Evans deal with it, he’s the captain it’s his job to talk to the ref, not you”

Ari shook his head. He knew that Coach Rogers was right, he shouldn’t have argued but sometimes his temper got the better of him.

“Look Ari” Coach Rogers sighed “you want to make the National Team don’t you, get called up for the World Cup next year” 

“That’s right sir” Ari nodded, it was something he dreamed of ever since he first picked up a rugby ball, but had been overlooked every time.

“Well I’m good friends with the new head coach, Sam Wilson, he’s even asked me for my opinion on a few players” Coach Rogers continued.

“Right,” Ari said sitting to attention, this might be his best chance at finally getting the call-up. 

“You’re a great player Levinson, it’s criminal that you haven’t been called up yet,” Coach Rogers told him, Andy and the other coaching staff nodding in agreement.

“Thank you sir, that means a lot coming from you,” Ari said gratefully, Coach Rogers had been one of the best players in the league back in his day. He led the Boston Bears to multiple championship wins. 

“Coach Wilson is interested but not sold yet, he doesn’t like players that are too much of a wildcard, players he can’t trust, players that get sent off for dissent” Coach Rogers explained with a pointed look. 

Ari felt his shoulders deflate “So I have no chance is what you’re saying”

“No, but you need to sort this sort of behaviour out, he’s going to be watching the entire season on and off the pitch so you need to show him that he can trust you,” Coach Rogers told him, Ari failed to hold back a scoff as he shook his head “Ari you are a great player, you just need to keep your cool more”

“Well that’s easier said than done when the ref is as blind as a bat” Ari snapped his fists clenched as his anger got the better of him again.

To his credit, Coach Rogers didn’t react “It can be done, we’ll help you on the pitch but it’ll be up to you off the pitch” he continued.

“How? What could I possibly do?” Ari huffed.

“I leave that to you to sort out,” Coach Rogers said “We want to see you in the Team USA jersey as much as you do”

“Sure” Ari muttered as he shook his head.

“Levinson is everything okay?” Coach Rogers questioned with an arched brow “Everything at home?” 

Ari felt his defences go up all of a sudden “Perfect” he stated “Can I go to training now or is there more to say on how I won’t represent my country?”

Once again Coach Rogers didn’t react, nothing more than clenched his jaw “No” he said gesturing for Ari to leave. 

Ari did exactly that, storming out of the media room. The door slammed loudly behind him. He couldn’t wait to get to the weight room where he could work through his frustrations which were only getting worse. 

He was so caught up in his anger that he wasn’t really looking where he was going. He turned a corner and ran straight into someone. He looked down to see a woman he didn’t recognise, her hair up in a messy bun, and baggy clothes. She certainly didn’t work here, and only staff and players were allowed in the building.

She stuttered an apology but Ari’s anger and frustration that had been simmering since the match on Saturday boiled over “Who the hell are you? You know you can’t be back here? What are you a fan desperate for an autograph or media desperate for a scoop?” He demanded.

The woman stuttered slightly before completely breaking down in tears. Ari scoffed in frustration and moved to step around her, he’d have to go find security to deal with this. 

He’d just stepped around her when he heard someone speak up behind him “Y/N? What on earth are you doing here?” Elena said.

Ari turned around and saw Chris and Elena stood there. Elena had a look of shock on her face, while Chris was frowning at Ari. He then glanced back down at the woman beside him who was sobbing. It took him a moment but he then recognised you. You were the bombshell that had him by the balls from the moment he met you back in late April. 

“What the fuck Levinson” Chris demanded as Elena rushed over and hugged you. 

“I- I didn’t-“ Ari stuttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

“What's wrong? Why on earth are you here?” Elena asked you softly.

“I’m sorry I meant to call yesterday but I forgot and- and-“ you stuttered before breaking down into sobs again. 

“Hey, hey, hey it’s okay let’s get you out of here” Elena said shooting a glare up at Ari before wrapping an arm around you and leading you away.

Chris watched as Elena took you away and out of sight before turning back to Ari “What the hell man? Why’d you yell at her? Why’d you upset her like that?” Chris demanded.

Ari shook his head unable to think of a reason “I didn’t even recognise her” he muttered “I thought she was a crazed fan or something”

“You shouldn’t have yelled at her even if she was!” Chris argued shaking his head at him.

“I know… I- I fucked up” Ari admitted.

Fucked up was an understatement. From the moment he set eyes on you in that hotel bar you captured his attention and never let go. You looked absolutely stunning in the red sundress you’d been wearing, a beautiful smile on your face as you laughed with Elena. He’d felt this tugging sensation that drew him closer and he knew he had to at least say hello. 

He’d been secretly devastated when you held out your hand and showed off your engagement ring. He’d only just met you, he knew nothing about you but he found himself cursing the universe that he’d met you too late. He hadn’t missed his chance, he never had one. Yet despite all that he couldn’t just drop it, he wanted to get to know you, flirt with you. Maybe he hoped that your relationship was on the rocks and he had a chance, that he couldn’t leave LA without even trying. Maybe he hoped it would get you out of his system.

It didn’t.

He hadn’t stopped thinking about you for the last 5 months. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he’d fantasised about you, and thought of you whenever he needed to find a release. Ari was no stranger to finding hookups but he hadn’t even managed to do that because he couldn’t get you out of his mind.

He kicked himself for the way he behaved. If you didn’t want him before, you definitely wouldn’t want him now after he made you cry. His heart ached as he replayed the moment your face crumpled, your left hand moving to cup your mouth as if you could stop yourself from crying.

Wait.

“She wasn’t wearing her ring” Ari muttered as he looked over at Chris.

Chris frowned as he glanced in the direction Elena had taken you “Wasn’t she?”

Ari shook his head “No she wasn’t, she seemed upset before I said anything, maybe they split”

Chris hummed “Maybe, I hadn’t heard about it if they have but you still need to apologise,” he said with a hard look.

“I will I swear, next time I see her I will” Ari promised. 

“Good, now get to the gym and work off whatever is going on with you” Chris ordered before walking off back towards the media room,

He’d probably need to tell the coaches what happened since Elena was Coach Rogers’ daughter. This probably meant Ari was in an even worse position now if he wanted to get called up. He let out a long sigh before heading off towards the gym, not before popping into the PR and Coms office.

“Ari, what can we do for you?” Steph, the head of PR asked as he walked into the office.

“I need some good PR, something that shows I’m not a wildcard and can be trusted so I can get a call up to the national team” Ari explained.

“Right that shouldn’t be a problem, have you got any ideas?” She asked.

“No but I’ll do whatever is needed” Ari said with a small shake of his head.

A lopsided grin grew on her face “That’s exactly what I like to hear, give me a couple of weeks to come up with some strategies and I’ll get back to you”

You were sat wrapped up in a fluffy towel on the edge of El’s bath. You hadn’t realised how much you’d been running on adrenaline until you literally bumped into Ari and promptly broke down after he yelled at you. Under normal circumstances, you probably would have ripped into him but you were too exhausted.

You hadn’t been able to sleep Saturday night. You felt too disgusted, sleeping in the bed and on the same sheets that Dan had cheated on. You had been so tired and busy packing up as much as you could on Sunday that you forgot to call Elena. You barely slept on the plane either so you were running on empty when you got to Boston.

Now you just felt empty. Unable to bring yourself to move. Just static in your mind.

A gentle knock on the bathroom door pulled you from your stupor “Hey food’s here” El called out softly.

“Okay,” you said with a quick sniffle “be right out”

You finished drying off from the bath El had run for you before getting changed into a new set of comfies. You shuffled out of the bathroom to join El and Chris in the living room, a couple of pizza boxes open on the coffee table.

“Here,” Chris said as he passed you a glass of wine, a plate full of chicken, veg and pasta in his other hand.

“Thanks” you muttered as you accepted the glass sitting down on the floor by the coffee table “Aren’t you having pizza?” 

Chris shook his head as he sat down next to El on the couch “Diet plan” he explained as he dug into his large meal.

You shouldn’t be too surprised, you remembered all the times El mentioned the diet plan the players had to stick to. Especially over the summer when she was helping Chris recover from his broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder. You didn’t know much about it all but it was a testament to both El and Chris that he’d recover enough to be fit again in time for the season. 

“Wanna talk about what happened?” El asked gently as you took a bite of your pizza slice.

You took your time chewing before eventually swallowing to give you a bit more time “Dan’s been cheating on me with the wedding planner” you finally admitted.

That clearly wasn’t what either of them expected. El nearly spat out her wine while Chris choked on his mouthful. 

“Shit,” El said as she patted Chris’ back “What did he say when you confronted him?”

“I didn’t” you sighed “I just left, left him a note and the ring and left”

“Wow… god I- I never expected him to do something like that” El muttered as she shook her head.

“Me neither” you sighed “I was supposed to be working all day but my boss said I could take the afternoon off since I wasn’t supposed to be working in the first place, I decided to surprise him with his favourite bagel but when I got back to the apartment I saw the two of them going at it on our bed”

“Oh god” El muttered a look of horror on her face “and you just left straight away?”

“Not straight away no,” you said looking down “I knew I needed to get a few things sorted, so I stayed the night and pretended everything was okay before packing up as much as I could yesterday, quitting my job and flying out here”

“God, I could never do that, I would have smothered him in his sleep” El commented, slapping Chris’ hand away when he went to grab a slice of pizza after putting his empty plate down.

“Ow,” he complained as he rubbed his hand “and noted” he muttered.

“I just still can’t quite believe it, I thought everything was good between us,” you said “Yeah things were tense but I thought that was just the stress of the wedding planning” you sighed rubbing your forehead tiredly “I- I don’t know when it started or why or-or if I could have done something different”

“You did nothing wrong, he’s to blame in all this,” El told you “And the wedding planner, she was supposed to relieve you of the stress not steal your man” 

“But-“ you started.

“But nothing, I know there’s that little voice in your head that’s telling you all the things you could’ve done, tearing you down,” El said, her voice shuddering. 

Chris gave her a sympathetic look, placing his hand on her back and rubbing it soothingly. She’d gone through hell last spring, her ex Bryce had told the entire LA Lions team what her naked body was like except he lied and made up hurtful rumours. Like you she ran away, you had tried to pick up the pieces for her, tried to help and guide her. You originally didn’t like the idea of her dating Chris after everything she’d been through but after you met him in LA and found out what he’d done for her you knew that she’d found her special person. 

Like you thought you had.

“But don’t listen to it, none of what it’s telling you is true” El continued “What is true is what we’re telling you, that nothing is your fault and you are deserving of so much better“

“and when you are ready… you’ll find someone who won’t even want to look elsewhere because he knows he found the best woman he’ll ever find” Chris added as he smiled softly over at El.

“Thank guys, I’m glad I came to you” you sighed as you wiped away a few stray tears.

“It’s okay and just let us know what it is you need” El smiled “Chris stop it! Diet plan!” She scolded when he reached for the pizza slice again earning a huff of annoyance from him.

“Thanks, I- I um, I guess I need to find a job and somewhere to live” As you said it all the consequences of what you’d done hit “god I have no job or home” you muttered dropping your head into your hands and breaking down. 

You heard El get up and move to sit beside you, wrapping her arms around you and holding you close as you broke down. 

“It’s okay you did the right thing” she reassured you. 

“Yeah he clearly didn’t realise what he had right in front of him if he looked elsewhere, you deserve better than him” Chris said taking advantage of El moving and grabbed a slice of pizza. 

“But what am I gonna do now?” You stuttered as you wiped away your tears.

“We’ll work it out don’t worry” El reassured you as she rubbed your back soothingly.

“Yeah, you work in PR right? I’m pretty sure they’ve been looking for someone to join the team at the Bears for a while” Chris suggested.

“There we go, we can get you a job with the Bears, we can see each other at work all the time” El said, nudging your shoulder trying to get you to smile.

“That would be nice” you admitted, it would be like college again when you and El were practically inseparable, but then you remembered your encounter with Ari “But I don’t know anything about rugby, and wouldn’t I need to work close to the players” you gulped nervously.

“You don’t need to know much” Chris reassured you “and Ari said he was sorry”

“Yeah my dad said the 1 to 1 had been pretty tense so he was probably just in a bad mood and took it out on the first person he came across, you guys got along great in LA” El reminded you. 

You sighed, Ari did seem different to the man you met in LA but still he shouldn’t have shouted at you “I don’t know”

“Just give it a go, and it can just be somewhere you work until you find somewhere else” El suggested “And you can stay with me until you find somewhere, we can either share the bed or take turns sleeping on the couch”

“Why don’t you move out?” Chris interjected.

“Huh?” El muttered in confusion.

“I mean why don’t you move in with me El? You spend most of your time at my place anyway and it means Y/N can have this place” Chris explained.

You watched as El’s face softened, the look of love shining in her eyes. You were so happy for her but it also broke your heart because you used to look at Dan like that. 

“Really?” She whispered in disbelief.

“Yeah move in with me Elena Rogers” Chris smirked.

El grinned as she blew him a kiss “I’d love to”

You had to look down unable to see such pure love while your heart was so broken “I’ll um have to get the rest of my stuff at some point not that I particularly want to be back in the apartment” you sniffed.

“We’re playing the Lions in LA the last weekend of November so we can get anything you want” Chris suggested.

“Yeah, just give us a list and we’ll get it, you won’t ever have to step foot in the state again” El promised you.

“And if you want us to destroy anything of his, glitter bomb the apartment or slash his tyres just let us know” Chris winked.

“Chris” El gasped shaking her head at him.

“What?” Chris laughed “You know you were thinking it” 

“I’ll let you know” you chuckled weakly.

“Good, well I better head off back to Dodger” Chris said standing up from the couch “I’ll leave you ladies to curse the male species and do whatever else it is you girls do” he bent over to quickly kiss El goodbye.

“See you tomorrow” she smiled.

“See you tomorrow,” he said grabbing yet another slice of pizza “One for the road” he reasoned before heading out.

“How can he eat so much?” You muttered in amazement. You didn’t have much of an appetite to begin with but even if you were ravenous you couldn’t eat as much as Chris just did.

“It’s insane isn’t it, my dad showed me the food bill at the club once… eye-watering,” El said shaking her head in disbelief “Now let’s forget about all mankind and just have a girl's night,” she said grabbing her glass of wine.

You let out a long sigh, part of you just wanted to wallow but you knew that would only make you feel worse. Maybe getting wine-drunk, talking shit about men and distracting yourself from everything was the way to go for now.

You grabbed your glass “Girls night” you said forcing a smile.

Sharing is caring so please reblog and leave a comment to really make my day!

This series has no schedule, please don’t ask when it will be updated! Same goes for Masterlist, AO3 and Wattpad!

Off-Limits Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

I don’t have a taglist but follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications to stay up to date!

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player!Chris x Reader Masterlist

Series Summary: Your life was going perfectly to plan, you had a great job and a perfect boyfriend who you were set to marry. That was until you found him in bed with your wedding planner. Without another word you packed up and moved back to the east coast to be with your best friend Elena with the plan to enjoy being single for a while. Ari had a lot on his plate and big dreams he wanted to achieve. The upcoming World Cup would be one of his last chances to represent his country but his reputation needed polishing and he was determined to do anything to achieve his dream, including a fake relationship with the girl who stole his heart back in LA.

Pairing: Rugby Player!Ari x Reader

Series Warnings: Fluff! Angst! Cheating! SMUT! 18+ ONLY! Sports Related Injuries! Fake Dating!

Boston Bears Masterlist

Rugby Explained

Part 1 (Coming Soon)

Boston Bears: Off-Limits (Book 1)

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/Happy Random Tuesday and Wednesday!!!

Happy Holidays everyone! I was fully intending on writing and posting a christmas themed oneshot either today or tomorrow and while I had ideas whenever I sat down to try and write them it felt forced and so I stopped! (I totally blame RugbyPlayer!Ari for taking up all my brainspace!)

However if you want to read something christmassy/winter themed from me you have all of the following fics to re-read/discover!

Snowed In - Steve Rogers x Reader

Call it Even - Chris Evans x Reader

Call me babe for the weekend - Chris Evans x Reader

Let it Snow - Chris Evans x Reader

Best Wrapper - Chris Evans x Reader (The Interview Series)

Make it up to you - Colin Shea x Reader

Miracle Maker - Colin Shea x Reader

Winter Wonderland - Frank Adler x Reader

Make or Break - Ransom Drysdale x Reader

Happy Hanukkah - Ari Levinson x Reader

Home for Christmas - Ari Levinson x Reader

Keeping you warm this Christmas - Johnny Storm x Reader

Snow on the Beach - Johnny Storm x Reader

Ghost of Christmas Past - Jake Jensen x Reader

Magical Mystery Christmassy Tour - Nick Vaughan x Reader

Hallmark Movie - Guy x Reader (Playing it cool)

Christmas Evie - Andy Barber x Reader

Mine For Christmas - Andy Barber x Reader

The Grinch - Mechanic!Curtis x Reader (Fixer Upper AU)

This is me now signing off for the year and taking the next few days away from the internet to enjoy time with my family so I won't be responding to any messages, comments, asks until the new year.

Hope you all have a great festive period and I'll see you in the New Year when Boston Bears: Fake Out - Ari Levinson x Reader drops!

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Off-Limits - Rugby Player!Chris x Reader (Epilogue) AND Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari x Reader (Part 1 SNEAK PEAK)

Summary: A year has passed since the championship final and it's a rare opportunity to watch Chris play from the stands

Word Count: 707 words

Warnings: Fluff! Mention of Past Sexual Harrassment! Allusion to SMUT! 18+ ONLY

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Series Masterlist / Masterlist

Epilogue

1 year later

It was very rare for you to watch a rugby game from the stands. You were generally on the sidelines, watching and making sure you were ready to run on at a moment's notice. It meant you could never really properly enjoy the match.

It was a different story today though. Instead of your navy blue Boston Bears tracksuit and medical bib, you were wearing a white jersey with red and blue stripes and Chris’ name on the back.

You cheered loudly from the stands in the French stadium, watching Chris play in the first World Cup match of the tournament. You thought you would be the loudest person in the stadium but to your surprise, Tommi was shouting and cheering much louder than you. 

“He’s off his feet sir!” Tommi shouted gesturing to the ruck.

If you had told her two years ago that she would have travelled all the way to France for a rugby game she would have died laughing. Yet here she was, lots has changed over the last year and a bit.

One major change was Bryce’s career. Exactly a year after you left the Lion the news broke that an investigation was being launched against Bryce for several sexual harassment allegations. The head coach got in touch with you and asked you to provide a testimony on what Bryce had done to you. You had been apprehensive to go through it all again but Chris promised to be by your side the entire time. He even missed a game to do so. Thanks to you and the other women who came forward, Bryce’s career was over. It took a whole year but you finally had your justice.

“Oh my god ref are you blind!” Tommi shouted.

You chuckled and shook your head as you turned your attention back to the game. It wasn’t long until the final whistle blew and the two of you could make your way down to the sidelines.

Chris smiled as soon as he saw you, his chest still heaving as he caught his breath following an intense match. He always looked so sexy after a match, his hair was always a mess, the veins were bulging in his arms. Energy would radiate off of him which made the rest of the stadium disappear.

He walked over to you and enveloped you in a tight hug. Anyone else would feel a little grossed out because of how sweaty he was but you didn’t care. The two of you spent plenty of time getting sweaty together and it never bothered you.

“Sorry that you guys lost,” you said rubbing his biceps soothingly.

He shrugged his shoulders “We knew it was gonna be tough going against the hosts but I think we did well” 

“You did very well, I’m very proud of you” You smiled reaching up to kiss him.

“Thank you sweetheart” he grinned “Knowing you were out there wearing my jersey definitely helped” 

“I can wear it later if you want” you smirked.

“I want you to only wear it, and this of course” Chris smirked as he lifted your left hand, this thumb brushing past the ring on your fingers.

“I think I can do that” you smiled. 

Chris had proposed to you on the anniversary of the championship win. He had admitted that he planned to do it earlier on the anniversary of when you first met but with everything that went down with Bryce, he decided to hold off. It was a beautiful May evening, the stadium was deserted when he led you onto the pitch right to the centre before getting down on one knee and asking you the most important question you’ll ever have to answer. You had barely let him finish when you squealed yes multiple times and tackled him to the floor in a massive hug. The sound of his laughter echoed around the stadium as you landed on top of him. 

“God I love you so much” he beamed as he cupped your cheeks.

“I love you more” you smiled reaching up to first kiss the tip of his nose before landing on his lips, the ones you’ll call home for the rest of your life. 

Boston Bears: Fake Out - Rugby Player! Ari Levinson x Reader

A/N: Just a quick reminder that the reader from Off-Limits has now become an OFC called Elena and Tommi is now our reader!

Word Count: 796 words

Warnings: Language! Mention of Masterbation! Minor Angst!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

“Levinson is everything okay?” the head coach questioned with an arched brow “Everything at home?” 

Ari felt his defences go up all of a sudden “Perfect” he stated “Can I go to training now or is there more to say on how I won’t represent my country?”

Once again the head coach didn’t react, nothing more than clench his jaw “No” he said gesturing for Ari to leave. 

Ari did exactly that, storming out of the media room. The door slammed loudly behind him. He couldn’t wait to get to the weight room where he could work through his frustrations which were only getting worse. 

He was so caught up in his anger that he wasn’t really looking where he was going. He turned a corner and ran straight into someone. He looked down to see a woman he didn’t recognise, her hair up in a messy bun, and baggy clothes. She certainly didn’t work here, and only staff and players were allowed in the building.

She stuttered an apology but Ari’s anger and frustration that had been simmering since the match on Saturday boiled over “Who the hell are you? You know you can’t be back here? What are you a fan desperate for an autograph or media desperate for a scoop?” He demanded.

The woman stuttered slightly before completely breaking down in tears. Ari scoffed in frustration and moved to step around her, he’d have to go find security to deal with this. 

He’d just stepped around her when he heard someone speak up behind him “Y/N? What on earth are you doing here?” Elena said.

Ari turned around and saw Chris and Elena standing there. Elena had a look of shock on her face, while Chris was frowning at Ari. He then glanced back down at the woman beside him who was sobbing. It took him a moment but he then recognised you. You were the bombshell that had him by the balls from the moment he met you back in late April. 

“What the fuck Levinson” Chris demanded as Elena rushed over and hugged you. 

“I- I didn’t-“ Ari stuttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

“What's wrong? Why on earth are you here?” Elena asked you softly.

“I’m sorry I meant to call yesterday but I forgot and- and-“ you stuttered before breaking down into sobs again. 

“Hey, hey, hey it’s okay let’s get you out of here” Elena said shooting a glare up at Ari before wrapping an arm around you and leading you away.

Chris watched as Elena took you away and out of sight before turning back to Ari “What the hell man? Why’d you yell at her? Why’d you upset her like that?” Chris demanded.

Ari shook his head unable to think of a reason “I didn’t even recognise her” he muttered “I thought she was a crazed fan or something”

“You shouldn’t have yelled at her even if she was!” Chris argued shaking his head at him.

“I know… I- I fucked up” Ari admitted.

Fucked up was an understatement. From the moment he set eyes on you in that hotel bar you captured his attention and never let go. You looked absolutely stunning in the red sundress you’d been wearing, a beautiful smile on your face as you laughed with Elena. He’d felt this tugging sensation that drew him closer and he knew he had to at least say hello. 

He’d been secretly devastated when you held out your hand and showed off your engagement ring. He’d only just met you, he knew nothing about you but he found himself cursing the universe that he’d met you too late. He hadn’t missed his chance, he never had one. Yet despite all that he couldn’t just drop it, he wanted to get to know you, flirt with you. Maybe he hoped that your relationship was on the rocks and he had a chance, that he couldn’t leave LA without even trying. Maybe he hoped it would get you out of his system.

It didn’t.

He hadn’t stopped thinking about you for the last 5 months. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he’d fantasised about you, and thought of you whenever he needed to find a release. Ari was no stranger to finding hookups but he hadn’t even managed to do that because he couldn’t get you out of his mind.

He kicked himself for the way he behaved. If you didn’t want him before, you definitely wouldn’t want him now after he made you cry. His heart ached as he replayed the moment your face crumpled, your left hand moving to cup your mouth as if you could stop yourself from crying.

Wait.

“She wasn’t wearing her ring” Ari muttered as he looked over at Chris.

A/N: I am so sad to be sharing the offical ending of Chris' story but so excited to share the first proper sneak peak into Ari's story which will go live in the New Year!!! and for those of you who will miss Chris and his medic as you can see they will definitely be featuring in future stories! See you in the New Year!

Sharing is caring so please reblog and leave a comment to really make my day!

This series has no schedule, please don’t ask when it will be updated! Same goes for Masterlist, AO3 and Wattpad!

Off-Limits Series Masterlist / Boston Bears Masterlist / Masterlist

I don’t have a taglist but follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications to stay up to date!

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

VERY LAST ARI SNEAK PEAK

I told myself I would stop.... after this I will....

Your fingers wrapped around it making you gasp “Fuck” You glanced down and saw the sheer size of it, your hand looking tiny in comparison “Oh my god you’re gonna kill me with  that monster” Ari snorted against your skin and laughed when he pulled away enough to smile down at you “Don’t worry sweetheart” he said as he lifted you up, wrapping your legs around his waist.  “You have seen the size of it, right? That's a world record breaker” you panted as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders “Maybe you are a serial killer, but your weapon is your dick” Ari laughed harder as he kicked his shoes off and stepped out of his boxers and pants “I have seen the size of it, touched it whenever I thought of you which is why I know it’ll be fine because I know it’s made for you” 

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Run Free - Alpha!Ari Levinson x Omega!Reader (Part 6: You Belong With Me)

Summary: You help host the first couple of events at the bar to bring in new customers and both you and Ari start feeling something different towards each other

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: Fluff! A/B/O dynamics!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Series Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 6: You Belong With Me

The first event you and Ari planned for the bar was an open mic night. You’d reached out to bands and performers in the area to see if they’d perform. A few of them agreed.

The bar was pretty quiet as the first band arrived early to set up their gear. You had spent the majority of the day in the office running over the accounts. When you walked out to the bar to grab a glass of water you saw Ari helping the band carry in their amps.

“Hey would it be okay to grab some water?” Someone asked behind you.

Turning around you see one of the band members, a beta, leaning over the bar.

“Oh yeah sure, how many?” You asked grabbing a couple more glasses.

“Just 4 thanks” the beta said with a lopsided grin.

“Are you new to the bar? I’ve been in here a few times before and never seen you?” He asked as you poured his drinks.

“Fairly new, moved to the area a couple of months ago now” you nodded giving him a small smile.

“Well it's nice to have you, especially since I heard this was your idea” he grinned.

“I can’t take all the credit” you chuckled shaking your head.

“You should its a really good idea, there’s not many places to play on a regular basis around here” he smiled making you look down bashfully.

“So what’s your band’s name?” You asked him.

“We’re the Beatas, because we’re all betas and beat like music beat” he said proudly.

“Oh like the Beatles?” You smiled.

“Exactly like that! I’m glad you got it” he exclaimed making you laugh “I’m Colin by the way” he added holding out his hand.

“Y/N” you smiled shaking his hand.

“Nice meeting you Y/N, mind giving me a hand carrying these over,” he asked as you placed his drinks on the bar.

“Sure let me just make Ari one” you agreed, quickly making a 5th pint of water.

Ari was just carrying in some of the band’s equipment when he spotted the guitarist Colin stood at the bar talking to you. At first, he worried that you were uncomfortable but then he saw your smile, hearing you laugh at whatever he said.

He knew he should be happy that you were more comfortable talking with strangers, it meant you were becoming more confident. But he felt this possessive feeling stirring deep inside him, that he needed to show the beta you were off limits. 

Which you weren’t. You didn’t belong to anyone, especially not Ari. 

He pushed the possessive feeling out shaking his head slightly as he put the equipment he was carrying down. He sighed running his hand through his hand as he stood back up. Turning around he was surprised to see you stood right behind him holding a pint of water.

“I thought you might be thirsty” You smiled passing him the glass.

“I am, thank you ‘mega” Ari grinned taking the glass from you “You alright?” He asked you quietly, glancing over at Colin.

“Yeah, I’m good just needed another drink” you smiled up at him “I should probably get back to work” you added pointing over your shoulder towards the office.

“Don’t work yourself too hard” Ari smirked with a playful wink as you chuckled stepping away.

“I’ll try not to, but the numbers are just too fun” you smirked walking back to the back office.

You were halfway to the bar when Colin called out grabbing your attention.

“Hey, you gonna come see us perform later?” Colin smiled.

Ari went to reassure you that you didn’t have to if you didn’t want to. They were expecting and hoping it would be a busy night tonight. He didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed. But before he had the chance you spoke up.

“Yeah, of course, wouldn’t want to miss it” you smiled nodding your head before disappearing to the back office.

Ari glanced over at Colin seeing him smiling proudly to himself as he turned around and unpacked some gear. Ari let out a small huff as he turned around to grab the last of the gear from outside.

As the band was setting up Ari made his way into the back office. The door was slightly open allowing him to peek inside, and watch you as you worked. He couldn’t help but smile as he watched you, biting your lip in thought as you looked down at the paperwork.

As he pushed the door open you glanced up smiling when you saw him.

“Hey, everything okay?” You smile putting down your pencil.

“I’m good, the band is just setting up now,” Ari said as he sat down on the small couch. 

“Cool, hopefully, it draws in a crowd” You smiled leaning forward and resting your arms on the desk.

“It will, it's a good idea I can’t believe I didn’t think of it earlier” Ari smiled noting your bashful smile “Speaking of which, you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to, if there’s a big crowd which hopefully there will be then it might be overwhelming and I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable and unsafe,” Ari said sitting forward a serious expression on his face.

“I’ll be fine, I think so anyway” you sighed standing up and walking over to him, sitting beside him on the couch.

“If you’re not certain then-“ Ari said shifting to face you.

“I want to see how it goes” you interrupted “After spending the last couple weeks working here I feel much more comfortable and confident and I don’t want to be hiding away in here, not comfortable enough to come out to the bar” you sighed shaking your head “So by being here tonight I’ll be able to see where I am, I won’t know if I don’t try and if I do feel uncomfortable with the crowds then I can come back here or one of the guys could drop me back to the cabin,” you told him shrugging your shoulders slightly.

“As long as you’re completely sure, and as soon as you feel uncomfortable and want to go let me know” Ari said earning a warm smile from you.

“I’m sure, Thank you Ari” you smiled.

Later on, much to Ari’s relief a crowd started to form in the bar. It started small but once the music started, more people made their way into the bar. Ari was kept busy behind the bar serving drinks alongside Rachel and Max.

Whenever he could he would glance over to where you were sat with Jake and Sammy. Smiling whenever he saw you smiling and enjoying yourself.

He had just stepped out of the bar for a couple of minutes to change one of the barrels but when he got back to the bar he had to stop himself from growling. Looking over at you he saw you’d been joined by Colin who was sitting far too close in Ari’s opinion. Especially since Sammy and Jake had seemingly disappeared.

“Whoa, what’s put you in a bad mood? Dodgy barrel?” Rachel smirked when she saw him.

He didn’t answer, glancing over at her briefly before looking back at you. Watching as you laughed at whatever Colin said, putting a hand on his arm.

“She’s fine, don’t worry I’ve been keeping an eye on it” Rachel told him once she saw where he was looking.

“I still don’t like it” Ari huffed crossing his arms over his chest.

Rachel frowns at him before smirking up at him realising what the issue is.

“You’re jealous” she stated.

“What? No I’m not” Ari huffed shaking his head.

“Yeah you are, you don’t like him getting so close to your omega” Rachel smirked.

“She’s not my omega” Ari reminded her sternly.

“No but you want her to be don’t you” Rachel retorted.

Ari huffed unable to respond because, yes he did. The more time he spent with you the more he fell for you. But after everything you’d been through it had to be up to you, he couldn’t betray your trust by admitting how he felt.

“Why don’t you tell her how you feel, she trusts you” Rachel said gently.

“I can’t, I don’t want to break that, I’m the first Alpha she’s really trusted, showed her that we aren’t all out for an omega to fuck whenever we please, I can’t tell her how I feel and undo all of that” Ari sighed shaking his head as he looked down at the floor.

“Maybe a beta would be better for her, more trustworthy and less intimidating, I just wish it wasn’t that douche” Ari grumbled looking over at you and Colin.

“He’s not a douche, he’s being really sweet and charming” Rachel scolded.

“He’s a womaniser and gets away with it because he’s a beta” Ari fired back.

“God you’re practically green with envy” Rachel muttered under her breath.

“Look why don’t you go over and hang out with Y/N, it’s quietening down a bit, me and Max can handle it while you have a break” Rachel offered, making Ari raise a brow as an idea popped into his head.

“I have a better idea” he said walking over towards you.

When you saw him approaching in the corner of your eye you turned smiling at him. Ari put on his most charming smile as he leaned on the bar across from you.

“Hey you alright?” He asked looking only at you.

“Yeah I’m good, the music’s been great” you smiled glancing over at Colin.

“I was thinking while we had a quiet few minutes I could teach you how to pour a pint so you can help out behind the bar on the omega-only night?” Ari suggested.

“Really?” You asked slightly uncertain.

“Yeah it’ll be fun, c’mon” Ari smiled gesturing for you to join him behind the bar.

“Yeah sure, be right back” you told Colin with a smile before hopping off your bar stool and making your way behind the bar.

“Okay I’ll start you off easy, this larger isn’t too lively” Ari smiled passing you the glass.

“Now you want to hold the glass at an angle and pretty close to the tap” Ari instructed as you stepped up to the tap.

“Like this?” You asked holding up the glass.

“Bit more like this” Ari said stepping closer so he was standing right behind you.

His arm reached around you, hand resting on top of your tilting your hand so you held the glass at a 45-degree angle. You glanced over your shoulder at him, smiling up at him.

“Then pull the tap all the way down” Ari instructed, you followed, the larger flowing into the glass.

“Okay so as it gets closer to the top tilt it back upright slowly” Ari instructed. 

As you continued to pour the drink, Ari glanced over at Colin spotting him watching you. However when Colin saw Ari looking at him he quickly averted his gaze.

“There we go and if it needs more of a head then you just give the tap a small pushback like this” Ari demonstrated “And now you have the perfect pint” he smiled as he passed you the pint.

You smile up at him as you take a sip, nodding your head “Tastes good” you grinned licking the top of your lip.

“You’ll be running this place in no time” Ari smirked as he moved to lean against the back counter.

“Well I don’t know about that” you chuckled shaking your head as you moved to stand next to him.

“Yeah you’re a natural with the numbers and you can pour a good pint” Ari smirked taking the glass from you and taking a large sip.

“But you have the charm” you pointed out with a smirk, stealing the glass back from him.

Ari grinned as he looked down at you, Colin shifting in his seat at the end of the bar caught Ari’s eye, the beta cautiously watching you interact with Ari. The possessive feeling he felt earlier returned. So he moved his arm around you, leaning down to whisper in your ear.

“Don’t sell yourself short ‘mega” Ari whispered.

You threw your head back laughing, your hand landing on his chest as you smiled bashfully shaking your head.

“I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one Alpha,” you say with a small smirk “now I’ll be right back, just popping to the ladies,” you said patting his chest as you passed him your drink.

“I can’t promise this will still be full when you get back” Ari joked as he took another large sip.

You smiled over your shoulder at him, shrugging your shoulders “You deserve it” you smiled before heading out of the bar.

Ari grinned down at the floor as he took another sip of the pint. As he glanced back up he spotted Colin watching him again, but once their gazes met Colin quickly averted his and moved away from the bar back towards his band.

Ari finished the pint before moving to pour you a fresh one, as he did so he spotted Sammy and Jake walking past.

“Oi you two” Ari called grabbing their attention.

“What’s up?” Sammy asked turning to face him.

“I trusted you to look out for Y/N tonight, not leave her alone with strangers” Ari stated.

“She was fine, we left her with Colin,” Jake said pointing over his shoulder.

“I don’t care” Ari growled “Don’t do it again” 

Sammy and Jake raised their brows at him before exchanging a glance with one another.

“Alright, not a problem boss” Jake nodded with a shit-eating grin.

A couple weeks later the bar was once again packed, but this time with Omegas. You were worried this idea wouldn’t work, that no omegas would want to come. But the place was full and business was booming. 

You and Sammy were busy behind the bar serving, while Jake stood on the door making sure it was only Omegas let in. Ari remained in the office the entire night, ready to step in if an Alpha tried his luck.

During a quiet five minutes, you took your chance to head to the toilets. As you walked down the corridor you heard the sounds of an Omega giggling. You assumed it was someone giggling about how hot they found Jake since you’d heard a lot of that tonight. 

But as you rounded the corner you froze for a moment when you saw Ari stood with the giggling Omega. You quickly hid, peeking around the corner to watch them. You watched as the Omega flirted with Ari, twirling her hair as she batted her eyelashes at him. 

You expected little to no reaction from Ari but instead, you saw him smile back at her with the most charming smile you’ve seen. You instantly felt sick to your stomach as you watched, forcing yourself to look away.

You had no idea why you felt this way and you knew you shouldn’t. You weren’t bonded to Ari, you weren’t even dating. So despite the deep connection you felt with him, you couldn’t stop him from flirting with others.

Glancing back around the corner you watched as Ari flashed her another smile. He put his hand on her shoulder before turning away and walking back into the office. You waited in your spot for a couple more moments before making your way back behind the bar.

“Hey, you alright?” Sammy asked you when you returned.

“Yeah… fine” you said clearing your throat.

For the rest of the evening, your mind was stuck on what you witnessed. Your mind running over every possibility. Leaving you questioning everything, your friendship with Ari, your place in his life and home.

The next day you were sat at home, cup of tea in hand as you sat on the couch. Barely listening to the story Rachel was telling you.

“Hey you okay? If you’re tired from last night say and I’ll let you rest” Rachel asked grabbing your attention.

“Hm? Oh no I’m good i just-“ you started before sighing and shaking your head.

“Just what?” Rachel pushed gently.

You glanced up from your tea debating whether to ask her or not. Out of everyone she was the one besides Ari you trusted the most with the question you had.

“Do you think Ari wants me to move out?” You asked her.

Rachel choked slightly on her sip of tea “what on earth gave you that idea?” She asked.

You shrugged your shoulders slightly “I just saw him being quite um friendly” you said clearing your throat “With an omega last night and I just thought maybe he’d want to have his space back”

Rachel nodded slightly before moving to put her mug down on the coffee table.

“Do you want to move out?” She asked you.

Your mouth opened and shut as you tried to answer. Because no you didn’t want to move out, you loved living in this cabin with Ari, but you knew it wasn’t for forever. Eventually, you’d have to move out. 

“I-I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter, if he likes this omega-“ you said before Rachel interrupted you by placing her hand on your arm.

“Then he won’t want you to move out,” Rachel told you gently.

“But-“ you started.

“But nothing, look Ari is a very charming Alpha and knows how to charm his way out of a situation, but here’s a little secret, I’ve always thought that it was just a bit of a bravado and if he really likes someone he gets nervous around them, so if you saw that charm… he didn’t like the omega,” Rachel told you.

You let out a sigh nodding your head slightly “But it’ll happen eventually though, he’ll find someone he likes and they won’t want me around” you said gesturing to the house.

“Maybe” Rachel admitted with a shrug of her shoulders “but don’t worry about that for now” 

You nodded slightly, looking down at your tea, finger running over the rim as silence fell in the room.

“Can I ask you something? Woman to woman?” Rachel asked breaking the silence, you nodding your head “How did you feel when you saw Ari with that Omega?” Rachel asked you.

“I hated it” you admitted “I felt physically sick” 

You saw Rachel smile slightly as she nodded her head “Do you like him? As in more than a friend?” She then asked you.

You let out a long sigh shaking your head “I don’t know” you admitted.

“Okay that’s fair, love is always a bit confusing to begin with” Rachel reassured you.

“I know there’s this connection, and moments when I know I’ve wanted to kiss him, and he makes me feel so safe and comfortable but…” you sighed shaking your head.

“It's scary to take the jump” Rachel finished for you.

“Ye,s” you sighed.

“I know how you feel and I know it must be even scarier considering this is your first time experiencing this sorta thing… but if you ask me, you couldn’t go for a better guy” Rachel said with a warm smile.

“Really?” You asked unconvinced.

“Really, and all you need is a moment of bravery, but don’t do anything you aren’t comfortable with,” Rachel told you.

“Okay, thank you Rachel” you said with a small smile.

“It’s nothing, now I’ll let you get some rest you had a late night last night” Rachel said standing up.

You gave her a grateful smile “thank you Rachel for everything”

Sharing is caring so please reblog and leave a comment to really make my day!

This series has no schedule, please don’t ask when it will be updated! Same goes for Masterlists, AO3 and Wattpad!

Series Masterlist / Masterlist

I don’t have a taglist but follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications to stay up to date!

[bostonboy1981]

Chris whenever he sees a dog

Chris while filming sacrifice

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

Boston Bears: Off-Limits - Rugby Player!Chris x Reader (Part 10)

Summary: After the eventful weekend that was the championship final, you and Chris talk about your relationship and attend the end-of-season party together as a couple. But will everything be okay with your dad?

Word Count: 6.7k

Warnings: Fluff! Angst! Mention of Panic Attacks! Language! SMUT! 18+ ONLY! MINORS DNI!

Rugby Explained

Dividers by Me!

Series Masterlist / Masterlist

Chapter 10

It was late at night that the hospital discharged Chris, he was still so drowsy from the painkillers that he slept the entire car journey back to his house. You sat in the back with Chris as Lisa drove the both of you. You and Lisa had tried to get Chris to sit in the front, but despite being pretty out of it, he was adamant that he wanted to be next to you. So you sat in the back, right next to him holding his hand as he rested his head against yours. 

Scott was waiting for the three of you when you got to the house “Thought you two might struggle to get a 6ft rugby player into the bed” he reasoned as he helped get the semi awake Chris out of the car. 

You watched nervously as Scott draped Chris’ uninjured arm over his shoulder and patted him on the cheek to wake him up a bit more before helping him to the door which Lisa had already opened.

Thankfully between the three of you, you managed to get Chris into bed without hurting him any more than he already was. He was snoring before his head hit the pillow, you didn’t blame him, it had been a long day and he didn’t even know the half of it.

“I can look after him, you guys get some rest it’s pretty late” you sighed glancing at the clock to see it was past midnight.

“Are you sure? He can be a pretty awful patient” Lisa warned with a small smirk.

You gave her a small chuckle “I don’t doubt that, but I’m good I wouldn’t be a good medic or…” you started before realising that you still didn’t know exactly what you were to Chris “Um if I didn’t stick around” you finished.

“Okay but I’ll leave my number in case you need to call for backup” she smiled softly, putting her hand on your shoulder.

“Thank you” you smiled.

Once Lisa and Scott left you set about getting yourself ready for bed because you were exhausted, mentally and physically. You found the spare toothbrush you always used on the occasion you stayed here and one of Chris’ tops to sleep in. You then grabbed a glass of water and the meds the doctor prescribed for Chris ready for when he needed them before carefully climbing into bed next to him.

You let out a long sigh as you rested your cheek into your hand against the pillow and just watched Chris as he slept. Today had felt so long, it didn’t seem right that the call you had with Tommi had only been that morning. So much had changed and happened since then. You now knew you loved Chris and that he loved you too. Your dad knew about you and Chris. Chris now had 1 less working shoulder thanks to Bryce. 

Yet there were still so many unanswered questions. Would you and your Dad be okay? What would he say when he’s finally ready to talk? What’s next for you and Chris? Would you be in a committed relationship? Were you already in one since you admitted how you both felt?

It was enough to make your head hurt. 

You rolled onto your back and stared up at the ceiling, your mind too wired to fall asleep. A blue glow then lit up the room as your phone buzzed on the bedside table. You instantly grabbed it hoping it was your dad texting to say everything was okay. After your mom's passing, he never liked going to bed still mad. 

You sighed in disappointment when you saw Tommi’s name instead.

Tommi: I understand you’re probably busy following what happened to Chris but please check in to say you’re alive and okay

Tommi had texted you during the match after she found out what happened to Chris, but you hadn’t found the time to get back to her.

You: sorry, alive but not sure about okay

Tommi: is Chris okay?

You: he’ll be okay, got a broken collarbone and dislocated shoulder but he’s fast asleep and high on painkillers next to me so all good

Tommi: that’s good, it looked really nasty 

Your eyebrows rose in surprise.

You: you watched?

Tommi: no, saw a clip online, you looked really shaken.

You: it was horrific, but that’s just the start of it…

Tommi: Okay, what else happened

You spent the next half an hour or so texting with Tommi telling her everything that had gone down. Feeling much better for getting it off your chest.

Tommi: I’m sorry that shit with your dad must really suck, but focus on the positives. You love Chris and he loves you, I’m sure as soon as he’s awake and not high he’ll ask you to be his girlfriend, he probably already considers you his girlfriend

You: I hope so

Tommi: and don’t worry about your dad, you guys are so close you’ll work it out, it’s probably just a big shock that he needs to get his head around first

You: yeah, I just hate being in an argument with him

Tommi: I know but it’ll be fine I promise, now get some rest I know it’s really late on the East Coast

You: I will thank you for being here for me

Tommi: I’ll always be here

Tommi: before you go 

Tommi: what happened to Ari? I saw he got into a brawl following the tackle

You let out a small huff of laughter, shaking your head, Tommi clearly didn’t dislike Ari as much as she said.

You: he’s fine, a split lip and knuckles but Bryce saw the worst of it

Tommi: glad to hear it

You smiled softly, wondering if she was glad to hear about Ari or Bryce as you put your phone away. You rolled back over to face Chris and watched him again, smiling to yourself as you looked at the man you loved. Falling asleep soon after.

To your relief, you didn’t wake in the night with one of your panic attacks like you expected you would. Instead, you woke up to the sound of Chris groaning and shifting beside you.

You woke with a start as soon as you heard him, a quick glance at the time told you it was 10 am so at least he managed to sleep through the night too. You looked over at him to see he was definitely in some discomfort as he woke.

“Hey, you alright? Do you want some painkillers?” You asked sitting up.

Chris blinked a couple of times before rubbing his eyes with one hand “Oh hey” he muttered before glancing around and frowning “I don’t remember coming home”

You chuckled softly “I’m not surprised, you were half asleep and pretty out of it thanks to the painkillers they gave you at the hospital” you explained as you helped him sit up, as you grabbed the painkillers and water for him you started to worry that maybe he didn’t remember anything from the hospital “do you remember much?” You asked as you passed him the painkillers.

Chris swallowed back the painkillers and down half of the glass before speaking “Um not too much” he admitted “I remember waking up on the pitch in agony but then it was a blur, then I remember being in the hospital with Ma” he recalled before a lopsided grin grew on his face “I remember you telling me you love me if that’s what you’re asking”

You bit your lip to hold back a smile before ultimately failing “Maybe”

“Um I also remember a nurse hitting on me but I told her to back off because I love you instead” he recalled looking proud of himself.

You laughed dropping your head “Chris…” you started.

“Yeah?”

“That nurse was me,” you told him.

He blinked a couple of times before laughing himself “Oh shit I really was out of it, I don’t remember anything else, did anyone else visit besides you and Ma?”

“Ah” you muttered nibbling your lower lip “my dad was there with me too”

“Oh” Chris hummed in surprise, his face falling with realisation a second later “Oh”

“Yeah….” You said slowly knowing what conclusion Chris has reached.

He ran his hand down his face “shit Y/N I’m so sorry I had no clue…. Did he take it well?”

You shifted slightly recalling exactly what went down “It’s okay you don’t have to apologise he worked it out before you admitted it,” you told him, Chris furrowed his brows in confusion “The mic to my radio pack was on so the entire coaching and medical team heard me call you sweetheart and you call me babe, after the match he pulled me into his office to get some answers” 

Chris reached out to take your hand, this thumb running back and forth soothingly “I’m guessing that didn’t go well” 

You took a deep breath “No he said I was stupid for dating another rugby player after Bryce especially after he told you guys I was off limits, I told him that you were different, that I’d told you stuff about Bryce that I hadn’t even told him and that I loved you” you told him “he told me it was still a mistake and that I should end things before you hurt me and I agreed”

Chris blinked a couple of times “Wait hold up are you-“ he started, panic clear in his voice.

“No, no, no I’m not I promise, I’m not gonna end things, not now, not ever” you promised him making Chris breathe out a deep sigh of relief “I actually want us to be more… serious… a real committed relationship,” you said hesitantly.

Chris smiled “Good, because I want that too, I have for a while” he admitted “What changed? Why didn’t you end it like you promised?”

You smiled softly “You told me you loved me, he said he couldn’t expect me to end things now, but I think he’s still mad at me,” you said your smile dropping, “he told me to leave him alone until he was ready to talk” you sighed.

Chris sighed sympathetically “I’m so sorry sweetheart, I wished this all came out differently”

“It’s okay… I just hope me and my dad will be okay, I hate fighting with him” you sighed.

“I know, but we’ll work it out, I bet by the end-of-season dinner in a couple of weeks you’ll be back to normal” Chris promised.

“You think so?” You asked, uncertain.

Chris smiled softly “I know so, now c’mere I wanna hold the woman I love” he said holding out his arm.

You chuckled as you shifted closer into his embrace careful not to accidentally hurt him. Chris pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head as he held you close.

A few minutes of peaceful silence passed when Chris suddenly asked “Where’s Dodger?” 

“Oh he’s at your sister’s, your mom thought it would be better so he didn’t jump up and hurt you while you were still out of it” you explained.

He nodded “Probably for the best, can we pick him up later though?”

“I can probably ask your mom or Scott to bring him around now if you want?” You offered.

“That would be nice, but I want to celebrate the win with you, my gorgeous girlfriend, first” he smirked.

You instantly caught on to what he meant, tilting your head “I’m not sure that's a good idea with your shoulder” you point out.

Chris smirked as he climbed out of bed and turned to face you “As the playmaker I know how to get inventive” You watched as he knelt down on his knees beside the bed “Now lose your underwear, and sit here” he smirked patting the edge of the bed in front of him.

You bit your lower lip, part of you knew it was a bad idea but a much larger part really wanted it too. Chris was a drug and even if you knew better, you were hooked.

You quickly did as you were told and moved to where Chris wanted you, spreading your legs wide so he had enough space and wouldn’t risk bumping his shoulder against you. You watched as his tongue poked out to wet his lips as he looked up at you with hooded eyes. The look of Chris between your thighs was one of your favourite sights, and from this vantage point, it looked spectacular.

Chris leant in and started pressing wet kisses up your thighs, switching back and forth, making the journey painfully slow. You were arching for him already and couldn’t wait for him to get to the end destination. 

When his lips finally ghosted over your core you let out a breathy gasp, leaning back on your hands as your back arched. Chris groaned in response before diving in like a man starved, using the arm he could use to pull you closer.

“Fuck Chris” you moaned, a hand moving to his head, fingers running through his hair as this beard scratched your inner thighs.

“God I love you” he moaned against you.

“I love-“ you started but you cut yourself off with a loud moan as your orgasm rolled through your body.

Chris worked you through it, not letting up until you had collapsed onto your back. Your chest heaved as you caught your breath, you looked over when the mattress dipped beside you. Chris smiled back at you lazily as he lay beside you.

You rolled over to face him, pushing up onto your elbow “I love you too” you finished as you leant down to kiss him.

As much as you wanted Chris to be right and for your dad to get in contact with you before the end-of-season party, he didn’t. Chris tried to reassure you and encouraged you to make contact first but you refused. Your dad barely asked you for anything, the least you could do was give him the time he asked for. Even if it did hurt you.

You were standing doing Chris’ tie for him but you were struggling to focus only able to snap into the present when Chris put his hand over yours “What’s wrong sweetheart?” He asked softly.

I sighed looking down at the floor “I’m not sure I should go tonight” you admitted.

Chris cupped your cheek and tilted your head back so you were looking up at him “It’s gonna be okay” he reassured you.

“No it’s going to be awkward and awful, I’m supposed to be sitting next to him” you pointed out with a sigh.

When the end-of-season party was planned you and Chris were still a secret so he said no to a plus one and you were placed next to your dad on the seating plan.

“Maybe he’s waiting to talk to you then, he might think you’re upset with him too” Chris suggested, shrugging his uninjured shoulder.

“He won’t want to talk about this sort of thing in public” you said with a shake of your head, your dad was a private man who hated being the centre of attention.

“Maybe we can do a little bit of seat swapping” he suggested.

“I dunno it’s a lot of hassle for my sake” you sighed “I should just-“

Chris leant down and shut you up with a kiss “Nothing is a hassle when it comes to you” he said “Look we might be overthinking the whole thing so let’s put this gorgeous dress to use” he said nodding down at the blue dress you wore “we’ll go, we’ll sit where we’re told to sit and if you need to move, you come straight to me and we’ll sort it out, you can sit on my lap if you really want” he suggested wiggling his eyebrows.

You sighed and nibbled your lip in thought before glancing up at him. He gave you a pleading look with puppy dog eyes that could rival Dodger’s and before you knew it your resolve was melting away.

“Okay, hopefully it won’t be as bad as we think” you relented.

Chris grinned as he dipped down to kiss you “Perfect, I can’t wait to show you off as mine”

You chucked “Well let’s get this tie sorted first” you said returning your attention back to his tie “There we go, perfectly handsome” you grinned smoothing it down.

“Thank you sweetheart, you’re definitely the best and sexiest nurse I’ve had” he smirked making you roll your eyes.

The car soon arrived to take you to the hotel where the end-of-season party was being held. Chris wasn’t going to be drinking because of his painkillers but he couldn’t drive either. You had offered to drive but Chris said you should celebrate too.

You couldn’t help but smile when the two of you walked in hand in hand, you didn’t realise how refreshing it would be to not have to hide anymore. You could show the world just how much you loved Chris.

Chris guided you through the room towards the table he was supposed to be sitting at, as you went you glanced around to see if your dad was here yet but you hadn’t spotted him. You did spot Sam and the other ticket office mean girls who were all glaring daggers at you, something that made you smirk to yourself.

When you got to the table Chris was given a warm greeting by Jensen, Johnny, and Ari. Even Curtis gave him a gentle pat on his uninjured shoulder.

“Good to see you cap” Ari smiled “Can I get you a drink?”

Chris shook his head “Can’t, painkillers, Y/N will have a beer though” 

“On it” Ari winked before moving off towards the bar. 

Johnny walked over to you with a smile “Looking hot Y/N I’m almost regretting not getting to you before Evans did” he smirked.

“Back off Storm” Chris warned pulling you closer into his side. 

You rolled your eyes at Chris’ possessiveness, even if you did secretly love it.

“Careful storm we’ve already seen what he did to Langley” Ari said as he returned and passed you your drink. 

“He had it coming” Chris grumbled “Still does, he better look out the next time we play the Lions”

“I think we’ve all decided to hit him hard next time, nobody gets away with illegally tackling our captain” Jensen promised, Curtis grunted in agreement. 

“Just keep it legal, you guys cause the medical team enough headaches as is” you chuckled.

As the guys kept chatting you glanced around and finally spotted your dad. He was stood talking to Andy, hands deep in his trouser pockets as he nodded along to whatever Andy was saying. You hoped that he would look over but he didn’t. Your fists clenched by your side, you bet he knew you were looking over, your dad always had a good sense for that sort of thing, and yet he was still clearly angry enough to completely ignore you.

“Looks like they want us all to sit down” Jensen said nodding over to the hotel staff who were getting ready to bring the food out. 

You swallowed nervously “I better get to my seat then” you muttered.

“It’ll be fine” Chris promised, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of your head.

“Where you going? Your seat is right here” Johnny said as you went to step away.

“No I’m supposed to sit with my dad” you sighed gesturing over your shoulder with your thumb.

“No look,” Johnny said lifting up one of the name tags “You’re here between Chris and Ari”

“Oh” you muttered unsure what to think. 

“That’s a good sign,” Chris said as the two of you sat down “Maybe he’s okay with me and you” 

“Or a really bad one, what if the idea of just sitting next to me was too much to bear” you pointed out with a heavy sigh. 

You glanced over your shoulder again towards your dad who now had Andy sat next to him instead of you. He finally looked over at you, his expression unreadable as he looked away again. You let out a heavy sigh as you turned back around. 

“Don’t let this spoil your evening” Chris murmured as he leant in and whispered in your ear “This whole evening is supposed to be a celebration”

You nodded your head “I’ll try” you sighed. 

“That’s all I can ask for” Chris smiled softly as he kissed the side of your head. 

The dinner was soon served which gave you a good distraction from everything, especially since you couldn’t help but chuckle at how quickly the boys all devoured their meals. You wouldn’t blame anyone for thinking they had been starved but you knew this was just how they were. Chris was the only one who was a bit slower since he only had one arm to work with.

In between courses, you noticed Ari looking down at his lap with a deep frown on his face. More specifically he was frowning at his phone which he was keeping mostly out of sight underneath the table. 

“Everything okay?” You asked quietly.

He quickly pocketed his phone and looked over at you “All good” he said with a lopsided grin that didn’t meet his eyes.

“Ari-“ you started, knowing something wasn’t right.

“I have to say I’m glad you guys are finally out in the open, we were all wondering when the secret would get out” he interrupted making your jaw drop.

“You knew?” You gasped quickly looking over at Chris who looked just as shocked. At least that meant he wasn’t the one who squealed “Johnny!” You complained.

Johnny held his hands up “I didn’t say anything I swear!” He defended.

“We all worked it out, you guys were pretty subtle but we weren’t oblivious” Jensen explained.

“Yeah I saw you whispering sweet nothing during our lunch” Ari smirked.

“Thought you were too busy getting shot down to notice” Chris shot back, making Ari’s brows flatten.

“I was not shot down” he grumbled. 

“Wait did all of you guys seriously know this entire time?” You asked pointing around at all of them “Even you Curtis?” You asked when you realised he hadn’t said anything.

Curtis let out an offended grunt “You really thought I fell for your excuse in LA?”

Chris groaned pinching the bridge of his nose and shook his head, while you pursed your lips together remembering the rambling mess Chris had become when Curtis caught him leaving your room.

“Even Andy knew” Johnny chucked.

Your eyes bulged, you assumed he found out at the same time as your dad. Not that he already knew “what?” You squeaked.

“He grilled us on it when your dad wasn’t around one gym session, he wasn’t initially pleased considering the warning your dad gave us but he said he’d keep it quiet since Chris was playing better than ever and he wasn’t gonna screw with that” Jensen explained.

“Really?” Chris asked surprised.

“We’re superstitious guys, we weren’t gonna mess with your new good luck charm,” Ari said shrugging his shoulders.

“Well thanks, I thought we were hiding it pretty well” Chris chuckled shaking his head.

“You guys were so obvious! I mean you couldn’t take your eyes off her!” Johnny laughed.

“Don’t forget that water bottle stunt” Ari pointed out. 

“And ditching us at the bar” Jensen added.

You sat back in your chair shaking your head in disbelief as the three of them continued to rattle off times you had been less than discrete. Even Curtis chimed in occasionally. Had you really been that obvious? You were surprised that you hadn’t been caught earlier if that was the case.

You looked over at Chris who looked just as shocked and dumbfounded as you. Your eyes met and before you knew it you were laughing and you couldn’t stop. The absurdity of it all sinking in. Maybe you should have been straight up and honest with your dad from the beginning, it was a miracle it took him so long to notice.

Eventually, the guys all calmed down and the conversation moved away from you and Chris. Just in time for the meal to end and the ceremony part of the dinner to start. Which began with your dad giving a speech to everyone, you watched as he got up from his seat and walked over to the small stage and lectern. The championship trophy on a pedestal next to him, along with the other awards that would go out tonight.

Your dad let out a long almost dramatic like sigh as he rested his hands on the edge of the lectern and shook his head “Well that match was one hell of a way to end the season, took me back to the good old days” he started earning a low chuckle from everyone “this season didn’t start well, we were on the back foot a lot of the time, after Christmas break we came back fighting but the scoreboard was still a lot closer than I would have liked but then something changed in the spring” he said his gaze shifting to you for a split second “and all of sudden we weren’t just winning, we were blazing ahead” 

He chuckled to himself when Johnny called out “hell yeah! Never count the bears out” he hooted.

Your dad looked over at the trophy next to him before speaking again “I want to thank everyone here in this room for getting us this, you all played a part no matter how small of a part it was, its was game changing, I know if it wasn’t for you guys the boys would just be a bunch of guys running around and not a team” he continued earning another laugh “And boys” he said directly to the team “I think of you lot like family, like my sons, even if you do cause me enough stress to go grey” he chuckled running his hand through his hair which had yet to go grey just yet “but I am extremely proud of you all, you deserved this win more than anyone else in the league” he smiled pausing as everyone applauded the team “it’s a testiment to how well you work as a team that even when you lose your leader in the first 15 minutes of a match, you powered on” he continued nodding to Chris “and since he spent the rest of the day high on painkillers I would like to invite our captain up to finally lift the trophy” 

Chris’ eyes widen slightly as you exchanged a glance. You gave him an encouraging nod, despite everything with your dad you weren’t gonna stop him from having this moment.

Chris cleared his throat as he stood up from his seat and made his way towards the stage. When he got there he shook your dad’s hand but you could see the nervousness and tension in his shoulders.

“Chris you are a player and man that I admire, this win was a testament to your leadership,” your dad said making Chris’ head dip bashfully “When I watch you play it makes me wish I wasn’t retired and playing alongside you because what you do with that ball is magical” he continued shaking his head with a warm smile on his face “I’ve coached you since we were a kid just out of the academy, I’ve watched you grow from a party animal that could rival Storm to a well-rounded gentleman who I would trust with my most precious possession”

“Should I be offended?” Johnny muttered but you weren’t paying any attention to him.

You were too busy listening intently to your dad, biting your lower lip to stop it from wobbling. 

“Speaking of which, should we lift this bad boy together?” He asked Chris nodding to the trophy. 

Chris smiled, glancing out at you before nodding his head. Both you and him knew that your dad didn’t mean the trophy. He meant you. Despite not hearing from him in two weeks, this was him giving his blessing. Everything was going to be okay.

“It would be my honour sir” Chris smiled before moving to stand one side of the trophy. 

Your dad stood on the other side “Drum roll please” he said.

The entire room filled with the sound of people drumming their hands against their legs and the tables. The silverware and glasses clattering. All culminating in a large cheer when Chris and your dad lifted the trophy above their heads. The room exploded, the rest of the team jumping up from their seats and cheering loudly like they would on the pitch, you joining them. 

You were laughing and clapping as loud as you could, letting out a few cheers too. Your voice not completely cooperating since you were trying and failing to stop yourself from crying happy tears. Chris’ eyes met yours from across the room, he smiled brightly back at you before mouthing ‘I love you’ to you. 

You were wiping away your tears as they put the trophy back down and before you knew it he was rushing over to you. He wrapped his arm around you and tilted you back as best as he could before kissing you deeply. You smiled into the kiss, one arm wrapped around his shoulders to keep you steady while your other hand cupped his cheek. 

“You’re the best trophy” he murmured against your lips.

The next thing on the agenda was the awards ceremony. Chris walked away with the player’s player award something that wasn’t that surprising following your conversation earlier and the fact that he often gave away his man of the match medal. It was once that was done and the party really started that your dad made his way over to you and asked if you could talk. 

You squeezed Chris' hand reassuringly before following your dad. He led you out of the main function room and to a balcony that gave you a gorgeous view of Boston Harbour. 

The two of you stood there for a moment in silence, just admiring the view. All you could hear was the waves crashing against the harbour walls and the clinking of metal. It reminded you of all the times your dad would bring you here as a kid, watching all the boats go in and out. Munching away at a pretzel or an ice cream. 

“I need to apologise” your dad started as he turned to face you. 

“No I do” you said shaking your head “I should have told you much sooner that I was dating Chris I-“ you continued. 

“I should never have said you were off-limits” your dad interrupted “and I shouldn’t have said all the things I said after the match or at the hospital”

“It’s okay you were angry, we all say things we don’t mean when we’re angry” you reassured him with a gentle shake of your head.

“I wasn’t angry, shocked but not angry” he said making your lips part in surprise.

“I thought you were angry, you said to leave you alone” you muttered shaking your head in confusion.

Your dad looked back at you apologetically “I’m sorry, I… I had a lot to process and a lot of emotions to deal with and I’m sorry it took so long I did swing by your apartment before coming here but you weren’t in” he sighed.

You nodded your head unable to think of anything to say.

“Look” your dad sighed “when you called me about Bryce I- it broke my heart hearing you in so much pain, I wanted to jump straight on a plane and beat that punk up myself, it killed me that I couldn’t protect you from that,” he said his fist clenching in anger “I swore I wouldn’t let you get hurt like that again”

“So you told the team I was off limits” You nodded.

“Yes, so when I found out you’d both gone behind my back I was shocked and angry at myself for not protecting you, I knew deep down Chris wasn’t the boy I first met anymore but I couldn’t take the risk” he explained “but then when he turned down that ‘nurse’ because he loves you I realised I was wrong… I saw you two and you reminded me of your mom and me, you already look so much like her” his voice broke.

You bit your lower lip trying to stop yourself from crying. You hated seeing your dad in pain. 

“I also realised how upset she would be with me for what I said and tried to make you do, I would have been sleeping on the couch” he muttered “I promised that I would look after you, I thought I’d done a good job, I felt so proud that you felt comfortable enough to tell my what Langley had done so when you admitted that you hadn’t told me everything, that you had been having panic attacks and that I’d been so goddamn oblivious to all of this I started to spiral and wonder what else I missed, failed”

“Dad” you muttered taking a step forward “you didn’t fail at anything, you have been the best dad I could ask for, the fact I was able to tell you anything about what happened with Bryce is a testament to that” you reassured him “the only reason I didn’t tell you everything was because I didn’t think you’d be comfortable knowing the intimate details of my sex life” your dad’s face scrunched up just at the thought of it “exactly,” you said with a watery chuckle “and like I said I didn’t realise I was having panic attacks until the trip to LA, but I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner, mom would be so proud of you, you’ve been my mom and my dad and I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for me,” you said unable to hold back your tears any longer.

“C’mere” he sighed softly, opening up his arms.

You immediately accepted his hug. It had only been two weeks but you missed your dad and his hugs so much. His hugs were the best, you always felt safe when he hugged you like he was shielding you from the world.

“I’m so sorry” he muttered, his voice thick with his own tears.

“It’s okay, I forgive you” you promised “and thank you for what you said during your speech, it really meant a lot to me and Chris,” you said as you stepped out of the hug.

“It’s okay, I didn’t know if you’d be willing to speak to me after everything so thought it would be a good way to say that I gave you my blessing and that I was sorry” he said with a small smile.

“It was a great speech” you smiled.

“Thanks” he smiled bashfully as he looked down at the floor running his hand through his blond hair. He then chuckled shaking his head “I still can’t believe I didn’t notice it, I can’t believe I was so oblivious”

You laughed, knowing thanks to the guys that he had been very oblivious “Yeah you were a bit”

“Oh I know, Barber and some of the guys came to me after I left the hospital” he told you.

“They did? Why?” You asked, surprised.

“They were worried about what would happen to Chris, they told me that you were Chris’ good luck charm” he explained.

“And can’t mess with a player's good luck charm” you finished with a knowing smile.

“Exactly, and as long as you’re happy, I'm happy” he smiled “But just a word of warning, Rugby weddings are crazy and hectic”

“Dad I think you might be getting ahead of yourself there” you chuckled.

Your dad gives you a gentle smile and he shakes his head “No I'm not, I see the way Chris looks at you and it was the same way I looked at your mom” 

You couldn’t help but smile warmly at that because you had never felt this sort of love for someone, even though it was just the beginning you knew Chris was it “So you’re not gonna give him a hazing at training?” You asked.

“Oh no as soon as he’s back to full fitness he’s gonna get the most intense training regime out of all of them” your dad smirked before glancing over your shoulder “Speak of the devil, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it” he smiled nodding to someone behind you before stepping away.

You turned around to see Chris stood by the door. Your dad said something to him as he passed that Chris nodded in response to. You couldn’t hear what Chris said but it looked like he said ‘With my life sir’

“Hey,” you smiled as Chris walked over to you.

“Hey, it had been a while so I thought I’d better check if you were okay” he said as he came to a stop in front of you. 

“We’re good, very good” you smiled up at him.

“Glad to hear it” he smiled as he cupped your cheek and kissed you softly “So I’m not completely screwed when it comes to next season then?”

You laughed “Not completely, but we better get you fighting fit because he’s not gonna go easy on ya” you grinned.

“It’s a good thing I have the best medic in the league as my girlfriend then” he smirked kissing you again.

“How’s the party?” You asked nodding back to the party inside.

“Nice but it would be better if you were there with me” he grinned. 

You laughed “Well take me back inside captain” you smirked, holding out your hand.

“Certainly” Chris took your hand with a grin and led you back into the part and straight to the dance floor where the rest of the team was. 

You laughed as he spun you around, his hand moving to your hip using it to pull your back against his chest. You grinned over your shoulder at him as you grinded your hips against his, smirking when he quietly groaned. 

He leant in to whisper in your ear “If you keep this up I’m gonna have to find us a closet” he warned. 

“What if that’s what I want” you smirked. 

Chris groaned as he pressed a kiss to your shoulder “You are trouble”

The two of you continued dancing together, ignoring the whistles and cheers from the boys whenever it got a bit hot. Eventually, the music slowed down and only the couples remained on the dance floor. You turned around to face Chris, draping one arm over his shoulder, your other hand resting on his chest as he wrapped one arm around you. You swayed back and first slowly, smiling warmly up at him.

“You know, from the moment I met you I knew you were someone special” Chris hummed.

“Really?” you asked, surprised even if you did think the same about him. 

“Yeah, from the moment you walked over in your white tee and blue jeans and offered to buy me a drink I was a goner, I’m surprised I stayed away as long as I did” Chris smiled softly. 

“You remembered what I wore” you muttered in disbelief. 

“I remember everything when it comes to you” 

“Except when you’re high on painkillers in the hospital” you smirked. 

Chris threw his head back and laughed loudly “You got me there, but every other time I remember” he smiled. 

“You’re very sweet Evans, I don’t know what I did to deserve you” You smiled up at him. 

“You did nothing except be yourself, this incredible, brave, amazing woman that I love,” Chris said softly, shaking his head.

“I love you too” you smiled reaching up onto your tip toes to kiss him. 

His hand moved to cup your cheek, keeping your lips against his for as long as possible. So much so that I felt like the entire universe had melted away and there was nothing and no one who could get in the way of you and him. 

When you eventually pulled away you caught sight of your dad watching, beer in hand, with a soft smile on his face. He raised his beer and nodded his head in a toast to you and Chris and it meant the absolute world to you. 

A/N: I almost didn't want to put this out because I didn't want to say goodbye to these two but its not a goodbye its a see you later and I hope you enjoyed this first installment to the Boston Bears series!

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