him not announcing when he's coming over, giving him a key to your house ‘for emergencies only’, him waltzing through your front door like he lives there, seeing his shoes lined up by the door and his coats hanging in the hall, him cleaning up around your house like he lives there, coming home to him sitting on your front porch watching the sunset, clearing out a drawer and space in your closet for his clothes, getting him a tooth brush to leave in your bathroom
him falling asleep on your couch watching tv, the two of you laughing obnoxiously at the dad jokes he makes, playing vinyls while busying himself your kitchen, randomly making a grilled cheese sandwiches at odd hours of the day/night, him cutting up fruit and silently handing you a bowl, him carrying you into the kitchen so he ‘doesn’t get lonely’, sitting on the counter watching the muscles in his back move as he cooks, distracting him with giggly kisses, constantly setting off the smoke alarm, joking about getting a ‘kiss the cook’ apron
him wearing your shirts to make you mad, him pulling your socked feet into his lap and massaging them to busy his hands, finding strands of his hair on your pillows and clothes, resting his arms on the back of couch always, running his hands through your hair and twirling strands around his finger without realizing it, stealing your hair ties all the time, him walking around with messy hair and no shirt, leaving small notes around the house for you to find, taking pictures of you doing random things or sleeping
taking up more than half of your bed, calling your stuffed animals by the most human sounding names, leaving a piece of chocolate or mint on your pillow before bed, him waking up before you to make you coffee, you overcooking the eggs while he burns the toast because you couldn’t stop talking, him using your shampoo and you using his body wash, him following you into different rooms of your house bc he ‘misses you’
summary: after a terrifying encounter with Pennywise leaves you in a state of disarray, Taniel helps you pick up the pieces
pairing: Taniel x reader [established relationship] [minor spoilers]
word count: 2.1k
warnings: mentions of missing children, blood, depictions of suicide, death
a/n: this is my first published oneshot. hooray for me! this was a bit self indulgent for me after finishing the series. part two may be in the works?
You stare at your reflection in the bathroom mirror longer than you meant to. The nightmares had started getting bad again. Their death anniversary is coming up, but you thought things would be different this time.
You make your way to your bedroom, mentally checking that all the doors were locked and lights were off, except the light in your room. You smiled at the piece of porcelain giving your room a warm glow. Taniel had gifted it to you not long after you confided in him about your lack of sleep. It was small and sat on your nightstand warding off any evil that lurked in the darkness.
The sheets felt cool against your skin as you climbed into bed. You clutched your push rabbit tight against your aching chest. Maybe the nightmares were getting worse because of…the missing child. The kid just a few doors down never came home from school and has been missing ever since. It seemed like a possible kidnapping or runaway case, that is until Taniel started acting weird.
He tried explaining it to you as best he could. He glossed over parts about the turtle and pillars, but the rest weighed heavy in your mind. He explained that this thing comes out every 27 years to feed on children. Taniel reassured you that you had nothing to worry about.
“This isn’t your fight to fight, okay? Don’t be afraid. Just leave it to me, things will be fine.”
You scoff to yourself as you turn over in bed. ‘It can’t be that simple’ you thought to yourself.
You tried getting comfortable and closing your eyes. You were more than exhausted, but sleep still wouldn’t come. Or couldn’t. The windchimes hanging outside your window suddenly became a distraction rather than soothing background noise. You tried to ignore it so you could stay in bed, but the annoyance persisted.
You angrily throw off the covers and stomp to your window, grumbling curses as you attempt to remove the chimes. The hook below the gutters seemed to be a little too high for you to get on your own. Where is Taniel when you need him?
You dragged the chair to your vanity over to the window. The angle made it awkward to stand, having your feet inside your bedroom and your torso and arms just outside. After several unsuccessful attempts, you finally got the chimes off the hook. As you maneuvered your way back into your room, you nearly fell a story down. Just in the reflection of the window stood a clown. A clown with bright hair and a hand urging you to come closer.
The shock and instinct to whip your head around caused you to fall onto the thick cream carpet. When your brain caught up to your body, the clown was no longer there. Could your mind be playing tricks on you? Lack of sleep can do strange things to people.
Your knees felt weak as you lifted yourself up. The fast, rhythmic heartbeat was pounding in your ears as you shuffled to close the window and return to bed. You ignored the chimes that fell out of the window and onto your front lawn and the chair by the door. You knew you needed sleep, and this was proof.
When the adrenaline rush wore off, you thought you could actually get some sleep. Your eyelids felt heavy and your body started to relax until It happened again. The sound of wind chimes outside your bedroom.
Your head started aching from how fast you sat up in bed, but there they hung. The chimes you had nearly died trying to take down. They fluttered and clattered together in the cool breeze. You tried to ignore it and pulled the cover over your face as you squeezed your eyes shut.
“Maybe I’m hallucinating. That has to be it. Or maybe sleepwalking. I guess it doesn’t matter because I’m talking to myself now. Just forget about it and sleep. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid. It’s your mind playing tricks on you.” You repeated soft, encouraging phrases to yourself as the chimes continued outside. But a short tune seems to vibrate against the pieces of metal. It sounded like a jingle or familiar song. Like the perfect anthem for a…clown.
Fed up with your lack of sleep being interrupted, you ripped off your covers again, yanked open the window, and pulled the chimes off. You meant to throw it to the edge of your yard, but they clanked until they landed in the middle of the street. The frustration died down and the realization kicked in. Taniel would have to understand why the chimes he gifted you were now in the middle of your street.
You closed the window and went to lock it before freezing. It felt like all the air had been taken out of your lungs. In place of your chimes seemed to be a body. But it wasn’t a stranger, it was your father. And he wasn’t outside, you were staring at the reflection of your body. He was inside your house.
“Babygirl, please help,” he strained out, the rope constricting his windpipe.
You ran over to him trying to reach him, but the longer you looked up at him, the higher your ceiling grew. Panic set in as you tried climbing on the furniture around your house. But it seemed that he was too far out of reach. You needed help.
Your hands fumbled with the phone and shook as you dialed the police.
“Derry Police Department, how may I assist you?”
“Help, it’s my father. He’s…” you trailed off. It hit you that he wasn’t thrashing or speaking anymore. It seemed that his body was limp.
“Ma’am, where are you located exactly? What kind of help do you need?”
“Ambulance. I need an ambulance to 121 Cherry Drive. Hurry, please!” Your vision became blurry and it seemed that every sound had an echo to it now.
“Help is on the way. Remember to keep looking at him.” The comment took a second for you to register it, but the voice continued, “Look at him. Look at what you did to him. It’s all your fault.” The operator let out an inappropriate giggle.
You heard the crack before you looked up. The same clown from before had replaced the face of your father. You screamed as you backed into your nightstand, knocking over the phone and lamp. Water started to seem into your room from the walls, doors and windows.
“You’re not really here. You're just–”
“Just what, babygirl,” It interrupted, “dead? Why, isn’t that funny?”
The room kept filling with more liquid. It went from murky water to thick blood. You made your way around your room, using furniture to keep you from slipping, to try to open the window or doors. You waded though bloody water all while this half clown half dad jostled and danced from the rope. Any opening seemed to be locked or impossible to open. The liquid began pouring in from every crevice and crack in your room.
Just before the dark water went above your head, you waved at the figure approaching your room. You took one final breath before the water consumed the rest of the air in the room. Your heart felt like it was going to burst through your chest at any minute. Your limbs and lungs ached as your palms pounded against the ceiling.
Outside, Taniel tried opening the window. Seeing your frantic eyes and deadly situation, he began to panic as well. He punched and kicked the window until it broke, sending hundreds of gallons of water and blood out into the night. Taniel clung to the shingles and shudders as the liquid drained from the room.
He rushed past the broken window and into your room. He instinctively wrapped you in his warm embrace, not caring about the thick layer of blood coating every surface. He tried comforting you, “Shhh, it’s okay. You’re safe now. I’m here. I’m real.” He lifted your hand and put it on his chest. Though your hand felt numb, his erratic heartbeat seemed to match yours.
He continued, “God, you must’ve been so scared. So scared, it’s delightful. You smell so good.”
Your eyes lock onto his. Your hand hesitated for a moment. The creature before you shed its mask of Taniel and revealed itself as the clown. As It. You drew back your hand as It opened its mouth to reveal several layers of teeth.
You screamed as you turned and began crawling away. You grabbed anything that wouldn’t slip out of your hands to throw at It. You didn’t care that it was your brand new landline or the antique lamp Taniel gifted to you. You just wanted this living nightmare to be done. You make your way to the corner of your room and curl into a ball.
“It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real.”
You kept repeating this mantra over and over with your hands clasped over your ears and eyes screwed shut. You didn’t notice It disappear into thin air or Taniel bursting through your bedroom door.
You felt a hand on your shoulder and kicked into fight mode. You pushed it away and crawled to the other side of your room, throwing perfume and picture frames at this Taniel imposter. In a last ditch effort, you picked up the now cracked receiver and held it up, ready to attack.
Taniel was crouched several feet in front of you, hands raised in the air. He wasn’t covered in blood, except a few small gashes on his palm and cheek. He pleaded with you, “Honey, it’s me. I swear. It’s Taniel. I’m here now.” He tried to shuffle closer to you, but you still held the phone out as a weapon.
It wasn’t until his Auntie entered your bedroom that made you realize that this was real. The room wasn’t covered in blood. Your hands weren’t either. The window wasn’t broken. No bodies were hanging from the ceiling.
Rose knelt down to your level and spoke softly, “It’s Rose and Taniel, sweetie. I had a feeling that It would do this, but it’s over. We’re here now. Can you let us help you?” Her eyes were soft as she spoke. You felt comforted for a moment before the tears started.
The receiver fell from your hand as you began sobbing. Taniel closed the gap between the two of you, pulling you close and holding you on his lap. His arms caged around your body as he slowly rocked you back and forth, humming an unfamiliar tune. The rest of the night seemed like a blur
Your eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room. You slowly sat up, using your arm to prop yourself up. You blinked slowly as reality caught up to your sluggish brain. This is Taniel’s room. You’re in his room.
A new set of clothes sat folded on the corner of his bed next to your bunny. It took you twice as long to get dressed. The events of last night were still catching up to your sleepy brain. Thankfully, the clothes he left for you were comfy and soft. You couldn’t imagine if you had to go about your usual routine after last night.
You slowly made your way downstairs to the kitchen. Taniel and his Aunt watching your every step with careful precision. They sat you down, offered you breakfast and coffee, and told you about last night.
Taniel’s Auntie explained that she had a dream about something bad happening to you. Knowing that It was still feeding, she woke up Taniel and rushed over to your place. They caught a glimpse of It through your bedroom window before they even made it to your driveway.
“You weren’t in any state to be by yourself, so we took you back here. It’s safe, safer than your bedroom.” Taniel grabbed your hand, placing a kiss on the back of it.
His Aunt continued, “You are welcome to stay here as long as you like, but do be warned we tend to have company often around this time.”
Taniel gave you a soft look that you couldn't decipher. Maybe it was his way of asking you to stay.
All you could muster was a simple ‘thank you’ before she left to go to work.
“Hey, she means it. Stay here as long as you want. I know she doesn’t mind it, and we both know I would enjoy it.”
Your fingers reach up to touch the cut on his face. “Did I do this last night?”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a reminder that you put up one hell of a fight against an ancient God,” he joked to lighten the mood.
You gave the boy a soft smile before he placed a light kiss on your temple. A comfortable science fell between you two as well as something else. An understanding of what happened and what needs to happen.
spending the night in his bed because yours is just “too cold”, pressing your cold feet against his just to get on his nerves, warming your hands up underneath his shirt, laying nose-to-nose, playing with his hair while he hums contently, waking up before him to trace his features, waking him up early to see the first snow of the season
getting bundled up to go play in the snow, wearing his jacket and boots that are several sizes too big, sledding down the hills of his Auntie’s farm, him building snow people to look like the two of you and you making snow cats and babies, having a snowball fight that ends is snow covered eyelashes and flushed faces, playfighting and wrestling in the snow, making snow angels while holding hands
warming up inside by the fireplace, making each other hot chocolate, using your mugs to warm up your cold hands, kisses that taste like peppermint and marshmallows, making sugar cookies from scratch, accidentally covering both of you and the kitchen in flour and sprinkles, making gingerbread houses with people that look like the two of you
sight-seeing around town, window shopping for record players and clothes, seeing the lights twinkling in his dark eyes, holding hands that are hidden in his coat pocket, him giving you his scarf when it gets windy, him trying to convince you every plant and branch you pass is mistletoe just so he has an excuse to kiss you again, slipping on patches of ice, him catching you and nearly falling himself, smiling ear to ear and laughing as you walk back to the van
driving around town looking at christmas lights, rolling down the windows to “get a better view”, hanging halfway out the van like a dog on a road trip, taniel looking over at you with a love-sick grin, him pulling you back into your seat by your belt loop, giving him quick kisses on the cheek, singing christmas songs loud enough to get stares and dogs barking, him ‘accidentally’ passing the street to your house with a poorly hidden grin on his face, you rolling your eyes with the same smile adorning your face
a/n: definitely not inspired by acts of service by doja cat and tears by sabrina carpenter. I will probably add on to this and write ones for the other love languages!
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he love love loves doing things for you, it doesn’t matter if you ask or not; he will do anything for you
during the holidays the he will 100% put up all your decorations, he brings down boxes from your attic with his hair in a bun and a smile on his face, he won’t let you even touch a ladder around him, you telling him where to put stuff and him responding ‘yes ma’am’ every single time, will shovel and salt your driveway when it snows, gives you his jacket even when you tell him you’re ‘not that cold’
constantly driving you around all hours of the day, he will try to claim that where you’re going is ‘on the way’ every time, opens up every door for you from the car to your bedroom, carrying you when your feet hurt, pulls your chair out at restaurants, leaving the last bite of food for you, constantly fiddling and fixing your hair or clothes when they get messed up, tying your shoes before you go out, lifting you over large puddles when it rains, silently watches you whenever the two of you are in the same room, him braiding and pulling back your hair when it’s windy or rainy
carrying you from the couch to the bed when you fall asleep, always making you snacks and food so you don’t get hangry, him fixing stuff around your house without you knowing, helping you with your nighttime routine when you’re too tired to do it yourself, washes the dishes while you sit on the counter next to him, moving around your furniture at the drop of a hat, packing you lunches for work, turning off lights and appliances when you forget
taniel couldn't live without small, lingering touches
he's hovers near you all the time, always keeping you close, always just inches away, he's always coming up with excuses to touch you, he'll tuck loose strands of hair behind your ear, or tie your shoe no matter where the two of you are, but he will deny any ulterior motives
during winter he always frets about how cold you are, will wrap a scarf or arm around you, he will warm your hands up with his or in his coat pockets, is holding onto you in case you slip on ice, cuddling under mountains of blankets and plushies
at home he seems so domestic, will move your socked feet onto his lap no matter who's home, will 'let' you sit on his lap while he reads in his chair, always thigh to thigh on the loveseat, always wants to slow dance in the kitchen just to hold your hand and be close to you, offering to help put on your jewelry so “the clasps don’t hurt your pretty hands”
carrying you over puddles or hot pavement just so you wrap your arms around him, sitting on the ground between his legs during picnics, and him resting his chin on your shoulder, twirling you around during every hug so he feels you grip onto him tighter, trying to nuzzle his way in your lap when you're busy reading in bed, is at your side and doting on you whenever he hears you make a loud thud or mutter an “ouch”
he plays with your hands, tracing over your knuckles and old scars, drawing patterns on your shoulders and thighs while you ramble about a movie, rocking you to sleep on the porch swing with your head in his lap, pulling you into photo booths just so you kiss his cheek, ‘helping’ you out of the car just to grab your hand and press a chaste kiss on your knuckles
having a had of your waist or the small of your back when walking in public, will roll both of you over in bed when he can’t get comfortable, raking his hand up and down your back well after you've fallen asleep, having you sleep on his chest after you wake up from nightmares, always lets you use his bicep as a pillow no matter how times his arm falls asleep, patting your head at random times just to remind himself that you're really his
trying to tough it out because the two of you had plans, accidentally falling asleep while picking out an outfit, him getting all soft when he walks in your room and sees you, him organizing your room so you don’t exhaust yourself further, him admiring you as you sleep
him running bath for you, putting comfy pjs in the dryer so they’re warm, gently waking you up with soft kisses on your cheek and shoulder, him pushing back your sweat dampened hair, leading you to the bathroom, helping you out of your clothes and into the tub, him washing your hair and scratching your scalp, him massaging your neck and shoulders
him gently brushing your wet hair, braiding your hair out of your face, tucking the two of you in the bed even though it’s still light outside, clinging to him as he rubbed soothing circles on your back, hiding your face in the crook of his neck, his telling you his childhood stories as you drifted in and out of consciousness, humming as a soft thank you every time he kissed the top of your head
waking up in a cold dark room, him humming a song as the smell of chicken wafted through the house, him bringing you soup that made your nose run, feeding you despite your nasally protests, him making you take medicine no matter how awful you claim it tastes, him wiping away your tears of exhaustion and pain, him putting his hand under the back of your shirt and racking his hands up and down, him whispering ‘i’m sorrys’ and ‘i’ve got yous’, im layering you with blankets and taking them off every time you complained about being hot, letting you warm your hands and feet up with his
letting you rest your head in his lap instead of the cool bathroom tile, holding your braid back and rubbing your back as you were bent over the toilet, wiping your nose for you no matter how gross you claim you are, pushing him away to keep him from getting sick, immediately regretting the distance between you two and whining for him to come closer, him brushing your teeth for you and washing your face before carrying you back to bed, him looking after you for as long as it takes
Hello!! I just finished Welcome to Derry it was so good and I love Taniel so much😩 could you write where reader and Taniel like each other and one of them finally confesses?? Thank you!!!
hi hun! sorry it took me so long to get to this. prepping for the holidays kept me busier than i planned. i'll try to write requests before the next semester starts up again. hope you enjoy! <3
word count: 2.0k
paring: taniel x fem!reader
summary: after skirting around the feelings between the two of you, taniel tries to finally make a plan and put it in motion. however, the summer heat turns things sour and melts away his grand plan and confidence
warnings: not cannon, empty threats made, thoughts of violence, lots of teasing with hints of sarcasm, bantering, reader wears makeup, not proofread (yet, i'm a loser ik)
.・✫・゜・。..・✫・゜・。..・✫・゜・。.
The summer heat seeped its way into your room through your window. The light breeze did little to alleviate the sticky heat radiating from your skin. The nape of your neck was damp with sweat and the humidity fogged your brain. It was too hot to do anything, yet the boy laying on your floor thought otherwise.
“Why do we have to go somewhere? Why can’t we do something here?” You groaned, shimmying to the edge of the bed to get a better look at the boy.
“Why not? I want to do something.”
Your hair gathered in front of your face as you spoke, “We are doing something. It’s called quality time.”
Taniel rolled on his side, hand propping up his head. He couldn’t lie, it was obscenely hot, so much so he had his hair in a bun to cool down his neck. “Yeah, but if we do something else other than sit here, you might not complain anymore. As much as I love hearing your voice, I think you’re actually making it hotter in here by talking. You know all that hot breath—”
You swung one of your pillows at him, hitting him in the face and stopping his teasing immediately.
That was his last straw. He got up, grabbing your sandals and running out your bedroom door. You knew he wanted you to follow him. Even with the heat making the air thick and heavy you pushed yourself up off the bed and trudged towards the front door.
You locked your door and dragged your feet over to his van before quickly abandoning your plan. Your driveway scorched your feet like hot coals as you hobbled about, only finding relief in the dry grass.
You perched one hand on your hip and one shielding your eyes from the sun. “Are you gonna give me my shoes?”
Taniel steps up to get a better look of you over the top of the van, “How do I know you’re not gonna run away?”
“Why the hell would I run in this heat? Please, I’m gonna dry up like a raisin here in a minute.”
He rolled his eyes playfully as he sauntered over to your place on the grass. He scooped you up off your feet and carried you over to his van. It wasn’t the most logical solution for most, but for Taniel, it was a no brainer. His girl needed help, so he swooped in, literally. You giggled up at him as you kicked your feet and grabbed at your shoes still in his hand.
He set you on the passenger seat and started undoing the buckle to your sandals.
“I can put my shoes on myself, you know?”
He squinted down at you, slipping on your shoe and securing it, “Doesn’t mean you have to.”
You huff, from the heat or his lovesick comment, you’re not sure. Even so, you craved the warmth his hands brought. The proximity between the two of you made your cheeks heat up far more than the sun ever could. Maybe the heat wasn’t all that bad.
He tapped your knees as a silent way of telling you to put your feat in the van and get buckled. He shut your door, leaning against the frame to gawk at you.
“Take a picture, it will last longer.” You tried sounding serious, but your growing smile was giving away your true feelings.
“Don’t give me ideas you’ll regret me using.”
Even after scrunching up your face in lighthearted disgust, he still found you breathtaking. He sent you a subtle wink before rounding the hood of his van and joining your presence in the driver’s seat.
“I’m not getting out of the damn car, you egghead.”
His eyes pleaded with yours from the other side of the window. You hoped that he had something fun in mind, considering you were content with just staying, but this was ridiculous. He had pulled up to his Auntie’s shop and expected you to be excited about lifting heavy furniture in the mid-July heat.
“Ow, what an insult,” he slapped his palm on his chest, over his heart as if he had been wounded.
“An insult is the least of your problems. If I step out of this vehicle it’s to chase you down and beat you up.”
He simply laughed at your empty threat. “Your loss!” He walked to the front door, taking one final look back at you before stepping inside.
You reluctantly swing your door open the van door, huffing and puffing every step to the antique shop. Your expletives mix with the sound of the bell ringing as you walk into the store. There were already customers browsing vanities and lamps, making you want to strangle your best friend even more.
You beeline to the counter. Taniel starts panicking knowing he has nowhere to go. You grab the boy’s collar, yanking him to meet your face on the other side of the counter. His Adam’s apple bobs as his eyes dart over your face.
“You have five seconds to take me somewhere else before I walk home.”
Taniel was worried you could hear his heartbeat beating out of his chest. “Can I show you something before you get ahead of yourself?”
“Five…four…three…two—”
He pressed his lips to yours, not caring about the potential customers in the store. It took you a second to register what just happened. Taniel felt you melt into the kiss, loosening the grip you had on his collar and kissing him back. Your lips moved against each other in sync.
Taniel pulled away, out of breath. You hesitantly let go of his collar to brush your fingers over your lips.
“You…you make my head hurt, dummy!”
He smiled, already turning away from you, “I thought it was just your feet.”
Your face dropped as you ran after him, skirting around furniture and customers. You let out a few ‘sorrys’ and ‘excuse mes’ as you followed the long haired boy to the back storage room.
You shoved the door open with enough force for it to swing completely open. Your jaw relaxed and fell open at the sight in front of you. To most, it would look like an ordinary vanity. A simple desk with a matching chair and a mirror. But, to you, it meant more. After your attempt to use your vanity as a makeshift stool, the wood had splintered and the mirror detached, shattering it in a million pieces. You had to stand on the buckling wood as you called for some assistance. With your newfound bad luck, you didn’t even want to attempt getting off the piece of furniture. The thought of sliced feet was enough to keep you perched on the broken vanity while you waited for Taniel to rescue you.
You had seen it at the store nearly two years ago, just a few months after tossing out your old vanity. You knew it was expensive before looking at the price tag. Of course, Rose would give you a ‘future family discount’ (her words), but you didn’t want to seem like a charity case. So, you convinced yourself that you could manage without one. Who needs a place to do their makeup, brush their hair, or try on outfits, right?
Even so, you decided to start saving money, just in case. It had been sitting there for four months, surely you had a fighting chance. It took all of another week before a nice woman came in and bought in. She paid fully in cash and even hauled it away herself. You felt sorry that you didn’t even get another look at the leaf details outlining the mirror or the daisy knobs adorning the drawers. You thought you did a good job at hiding your feelings about the vanity, but Taniel knew. And deep down, you did too. Why would he give you so many details about a transaction you didn’t witness? But still, you didn’t think about it too hard. Instead, you mourned over a piece of wood, glass, and metal like it was a loved one.
“This is the one you wanted, right?” Taniel questioned even though he knew what your answer was. You sorta kinda ruined his whole elaborate plan of asking you out, so he wasn’t sure what to say now.
You took in several sharp breaths, still shocked that you were laying eyes on the world’s most beautiful dresser. “Taniel…” You trailed off.
You took a few steps towards it before bolting towards the boy, engulfing him in an intense bear hug. You pulled your head out of the crook of his next to smash your lips into his, this time catching him off guard.
His arms gently snaked around your body, pulling you impossibly closer to him. Even though his plan had been derailed, it finally seemed to be on track now.
You pulled away from him completely, letting out a high-pitched squeal. You sat at the cushioned bench of your vanity, finally able to take in all of its features. Your hands ghosted over the floral woodworking designs. You pulled open the drawers, looking at all the empty space until a white sliver of paper caught your eye. You simply thought it was a receipt or even a note of the price.
Taniel noticed and tried lunging for the paper, “No, wait!” But it was too late.
He had meant to set up your vanity in your room and surprise you there, but your refusal to do anything but sit in your room made it difficult. When he finally convinced you to leave your home, he counted on you confronting him about his ‘surprise’ and leaving to get ice cream just next door. But when you pulled on his collar and leaned in real close to him, his brain stopped working. He knew you were a home-body, but this was new.
You unfolded the paper and read it.
I thought a pretty girl deserved to have a pretty dresser in her room. Now that you have a place to get ready at, will you go on a date with me?
Taniel shoved his hands in his pockets, giving you an inquisitive look. He was asking for an answer.
You propped an elbow on the vanity and turned to look at the boy standing over you. “I should be so angry at you for making me run around on a hot day.”
“But?” His eyebrows raised.
“But I love it, and I would love to go on a date with you.”
He smiled, taking his hands out of his pockets to roll up the sleeves of his button up. “Sorry for tricking you. Now that the cat is out of the bag, there's one more request I have.”
Your reflection stared at you as you applied this first layer of mascara onto your lashes. You paused your application to admire the polaroids of you and your boyfriend on one of your many picnic dates.
The creak of your bed made you resume your previous actions. “You know, staring at me isn’t going to help me get ready faster.”
“Isn’t art supposed to be admired?”
“Oh, we’re getting cocky now, huh?” You turned to meet his warm eyes. They grazed over your sitting form before meeting your own. You looked like a Goddess without needing to try.
“Not cocky, and I’m not rushing you. Take as much time as you need.”
Your smile faltered, “You’re not bored just sitting there, are you? I mean you’re already ready and I’m still doing my makeup and—”
He lovingly cut you off by walking over to you, lifting your chin, and bending down to meet your lips for a quick kiss. “I could never get bored of you.”
You rolled your eyes, still looking up at your boyfriend. You lightly pushed away his hand that was lingering under your chin. “That’s not what I meant.”
He shrugged like it was the simplest thing to understand. “Yeah, but I did.”
omggg there’s not enough taniel writing can I request reader and taniel getting into an argument but he comes back and apologizes with a cute ending
young and dumb
pairing: taniel x fem!reader [established relationship]
summary: taniel doesn’t let you in on family matters that start to take up an abundance of time. after reaching out numerous times, you are met with the voice of another woman. unable to provide you with a proper explanation, you wave him off. the two of you dwell on it for days, unsure of what to say and how to make up until he caves in the sweetest way.
word count: 2.1k [not proofread...yet]
warnings: yelling/screaming, tears, miscommunication, mentions of cheating and infidelity, general angst turned fluff, insecure reader, love-bombing (in a good way)
a/n: thank you so much for this request! i’m slowly going through and writing for all the other fics, but don’t hesitate to request more! i might add a header to this when it's not 3 am, but who knows? i also will go back in a proof this hopefully soon. with my schedule, i fear i hardly even have time to write, let alone proof and make headers :( but i’m gonna rewatch the long walk again soon, so maybe i’ll add some collie fics into the mix as well idk. let me know if it’s something you all would be interested in. enjoy <3
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“Why can't you tell me?” It was a simple enough question. You just asked about his day and were met with bland, vague answers about his morning routine.
“What do you mean? I just did. It was…boring. What more do you want me to say?” Taniel tried to shrug off your questioning.
You weren’t amused. “Boring? So, where were you all day?”
“Home.” It really wasn’t a lie. He was at home, he just didn’t mention who was also there and what they were talking about.
“Doing what exactly?” You crossed your arms, huffing at his aloof responses.
He started to fiddle with the jewelry and trinkets that lived on your nightstand, “Just lounging around and doing chores. Nothing exciting.”
“So, why didn’t you answer my call?”
He knew he was screwed. He hoped that you would somehow forget about it, but it was wishful thinking. You had called him earlier, unknowingly during his meeting, only to be met with the voice of a strange young woman. You heard Taniel’s voice in the background as the woman on the other end hastily told you that ‘Taniel can’t come to the phone, he’s busy’ before hanging up. That was enough to get your blood boiling.
Taniel didn’t know whether to deny it, make up a lie, or just tell you the truth. Each option presented their own unique challenges and potentially awful outcomes. He hated keeping things from you, but some things were just too much to share. It wasn’t like he was hiding his feelings from you. He just couldn’t tell you about It.
“Hello? Why didn’t you answer my call?”
“I was probably outside with the goats. I guess I didn’t hear the phone go off. I’m sorry.” He thought he dodged a bullet.
“So, what? Do you have a secretary answering your calls now?”
“Huh?” He failed to make the connection you were hinting at.
You rolled your eyes, standing up from your bed. You needed space from the man in front of you before you started short circuiting. “Don’t act dumb. Who is she?”
He whipped his head to you, taken aback by the accusation. “I don’t know what you're talking about, sincerely.!”
You looked up to your ceiling, hoping it would give you the strength needed to get through this already too long conversation.
“I called your house earlier today. I thought you or your Aunt Rose would answer, but someone else did. Some girl picked up the phone and told me that you were so preoccupied with whatever you were doing that you couldn’t talk to me. So, who is she? Is she cute?”
With a perplexed expression adorning his face, he tried to connect the dots together. He remembered you calling during the meeting, but couldn’t recall who would’ve answered it. He was too focused on the meeting to really keep track of who was in his living room. Then it hit him. One of the girls from the reservation was there. She was more like a cousin than a friend. Sure, he knew a lot about her, but he hardly ever talked to her anymore unless she came to the shop. If anything, his Auntie knew her more than he did.
“Oh, yeah. She—”
You interrupted him, “She? So, did you invite her over to keep you company? Were the goats not enough?”
“What are you getting at?”
You tried to keep your composure, you really did. You never yell at Taniel, but this was proving all the doubts in your head to be true. He had to be cheating on you. There was no other explanation.
“You’re lying to me! You’re lying to me and you keep lying! You and your Aunt Rose have secret conversations in the shop without me, you get random calls and have to rush out of your house, you cancel dates last minute, you hide things behind my back, you have strange women tell me you’re busy, I mean do I need to keep going?”
You didn’t give him time to answer the question before you started up again, “I feel like you’re avoiding me, Taniel. I mean, fuck. You’re pushing me away, all for what? So you can swap spit with some other girl? Do you even wanna be with me?”
He stood up, trying to close the space between the two of you. “Hey, hey. Slow down. Look, this is all just a misunderstanding—”
“Then clear it up! Tell me she’s just a friend.”
Taniel stopped dead in his tracks several feet away from you. He drew in a deep breath, clenching his jaw. “Look, she is a friend, more like an acquaintance. I can’t tell you everything, but you just have to trust me—”
“I tried! I tried, but I’m tired. I’m tired of the lies and dodged calls and sneaking around behind my back,” hot tears were now streaming down your face.
“I…can’t tell you, honestly. You just need to trust me, please.”
“Then go.”
His eyes were pleading with you as he bit the inside of his cheek. He didn’t think it would come to this. This wasn’t like your relationship. You never yelled out of anger. He never made you cry unless it was tears of laughter or joy.
“Please, honey.”
You couldn’t speak anymore. Your throat was raw from screaming and sudden tears gave you a headache. You just shook your head and pointed at the door. He looked at you long and hard, like a silent stand-off. He wanted to hold you and wipe away your tears. He wanted to fix this mess, but he couldn’t
The days seemed to bleed together. Each one had ups but mostly downs. You hadn’t realized how much your day revolved around Taniel. You couldn’t go into town without passing his Auntie’s store. You couldn't go to the store without seeing his favorite drink or something that reminded you of him. Even your room plagued you with constant reminders of him. Your closet and dresser was littered with pieces from his wardrobe. Your room was adorned with furniture and decor that he helped you pick out and carry up to your room for you. The other side of the bed felt cool and your pillow smelled like him. So much for wallowing in your room.
‘What happened to the dumb arguments that came up out of nowhere and meant nothing?’ you thought to yourself.
You sighed, turning on your back to look up at the ceiling. It felt weird going this long without talking to Taniel. You missed his chiseled face. You missed falling asleep with the phone receiver in your hand, him softly laughing and repeating your name on the other end. You missed him sneaking into your bedroom window like you were still teenagers in high school.
Clink Clink Clink
You could recognize that sound from a mile away. Even so, you pulled the covers up over your shoulders and turned your body away from the window. Maybe if Taniel saw you sleeping, he would leave you alone. It felt too soon to see him. You didn’t know what to say or how to say it. You didn’t even know how to feel after all that went down.
But you knew it was in his nature to try to make things right. When the pebbles thrown against your window didn’t work, he opted to climb straight up to it and let himself in. Even though you prayed he wouldn’t come see you, part of you was hoping for this. And that part of you still left the window unlocked.
He shrugged off his jacket and toed off his boots as he made his way over to ‘his side’ of the bed. You squeezed your eyes shut coming up with new expletives in your head. He peeled back the covers as he slipped into your bed.
You waited for him to do or say something. He didn’t move, didn’t speak, didn’t even let out his usual sigh that indicated he was able to fall asleep. You knew he was staring at you, so you did your best to steady your heartbeat. It was always hard to focus when he got close to you, but this extra special set of circumstances was really testing you.
“I know you’re awake,” he spoke gently to avoid spooking you.
You didn’t budge.
“You wanna know how I know?” Silence. “Your stuffed animal fell on the floor.”
Your eyes shot open as you sat up to look for it. You’ve been sleeping with it since you were a kid. It’s body was covered in patches and the soft fur had seen better days, but it brought you comfort. Even as a grown woman, you always had trouble sleeping without touching the plush animal. It’s like your body could sense it not being in your grasp, even in your deepest slumber.
Your eyes scanned the dark floor, not able to make out the shape of your beloved animal. “Then where is..” you trailed off, noticing where it was. Taniel was holding it close to his chest like a small infant.
“It’s not funny, give it back.”
He obliged, not wanting to make you even more mad at him. You huffed at his compliance, turning away from him once more. It’s funny how you can be mad at him for listening and not listening at the same time.
You grumbled a low ‘good night’ to him, tucking the plush underneath your chin.
“You don’t want to talk?”
“About what?” you huffed.
“Really?”
You turned to face him, only able to catch parts of his features that the outside street lamps highlighted. “I mean, what else is there to say? You’re having fun with your new life, and I’m letting you.”
“That’s not what’s happening, and you know it.” God, how was he able to stay so calm when his whole world was crumbling before his eyes for a second time.
“I actually wouldn’t know. It seems like I don’t know a lot.”
“Okaythen, I’ll tell you.” His response was sudden and unexpected. It hit you like a ton of bricks when you realized this wasn’t the point. You didn’t need to know exactly what he was doing at all hours of the day. Of course there was a reasonable explanation for everything. You trusted Taniel, you really did. It was just the voices in the back of your head that convinced you otherwise. They convinced you that you weren’t good enough. That Taniel would get bored and leave you. God, you felt so stupid.
“Hey, what happened? Where did you just go in that pretty head of yours.”
You reached out and busied your hands with the hem of his shirt. A silent peace offering between the two of you. “You don’t need to tell me. I just,” you sighed, “I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s just dumb.”
He raised your hand, giving the inside of your wrist a light kiss. “It’s not dumb if it hurts your feelings. I should’ve been up front with you about this from the start. It’s family stuff. Tribe stuff. With the military coming here and more kids going missing…” he trailed off.
There was a silent agreement that he didn’t need to continue. You understood what he meant, and he understood he didn’t need to overexplain. It always baffled you that he could read you like a book.
He pulled you into his arms, breathing in the scent of your shampoo. “I love you. I’m sorry.” It was simple and plain. No fancy gestures. No long winded poems. Just an honest declaration and straightforward apology.
“I love you, and I’m sorry too.”
You lodged yourself in the crook of his neck, disappearing from the rest of the world.
“There’s my girl.”
You weren’t thinking about your parents’ room just down the hall or slightly open window allowing cold air to seep into your room. You just cared about having the most kind and caring boy snuggled up with you in your sheets.
He kissed your forehead before drifting off, “goodnight.”
