hi. I’m alive and well, now. I took a sudden mental health break. I appreciate all of the messages and asks about me 🖤 you have no idea how much that means to me.
I love you all. Thank you so much for checking and caring. Remember to take care of yourselves, too.
I was wondering if you could please do a bsf colbyxreader where the reader’s depression has been awful and he takes care of her, leading to more than friends?
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Taking Care of You - Colby Brock
Summary: Colby worries about reader after not hearing from them for a few days
Warnings: depression [please read with care], mostly fluff
Word Count: 1065
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You were in bed, half asleep when you hear your bedroom door creep open, “Go away.” You mumble from under the covers.
“Glad to know you’re still alive.” Colby’s voice is soft, “I was gonna ask if you’re good, but from the looks of it, you’re not.”
“What gave that away?” You shoot back, your tone plain, “the fact that I haven’t talked to you in three days or the fact that I didn’t care who was coming into my room?”
You feel the weight of Colby sink down on the side of your bed, “All of it.”
It’s silent for a second before he sighs, moving to lay next to you, “Come here.” He lays his arm over your waist, “How long has it been bad, y/n?”
You don’t fight him, you move back next to him, tears instantly filling your eyes because you can hear the genuine concern in his voice.
“Few weeks.”
“A few weeks?” Colby’s voice break quietly, “Sweetheart..” he tightens his grip on you, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.” You sniffle, “You’ve been filming, that’s more important than-“
He cuts you off, “I swear to god if you say that anything is more important than you I’m going to be pissed.” He slides his hand up, brushing hair from your face before swiping a tear away with his thumb, “Nothing, to me, is more important than you.”
You don’t say anything.
“Your head.. it’s a dangerous place right now, sweetheart.” His thumb gently drags over the skin of your arm, “But I mean it, when I told you call me, text me, show up at my house, whatever, I meant it. I’m here for you. I don’t care if I’m getting my ass handed to me by a spirit on the other side of the world, if you need me, I’m answering that call or catching the first flight back to you.”
His hold tightens on you as he places a kiss to your forehead, “You’re important. So, so important to me.”
You roll over, shifting around so your cheek is pressed to his chest, “I just..” you sniffle, “it’s just been bad thought after bad thought.” You shrug, “I’m in a rut, a deep, rut. I don’t know how to pull myself out of it.”
“That’s why I’m here, sweetheart. I’m going to help. I want to help.” Colby rubs your back, “We’ll go at your pace, whatever you need, I’m here.”
He presses another kiss to your forehead, “I told Sam not to schedule anything for a few days because I just had a feeling you were gonna need me.” He chuckles and you smile, “Yeah, even if I don’t admit it, I always need you.”
“That’s okay, you’re just stubborn. But that doesn’t mean I love you any less.”
“I love you.” You whisper back, “So much more than I probably should.”
There’s a silent pause, both of you taking in each other’s words and Colby nods, “You can love me all you want, you’re who I always think about first.” He glances down at you, “Just didn’t want to push you, you know?”
You shift around, looking up at him, “You really mean that?”
He nods, “‘Course I do.” He smiles, “You’re who I want, but I was waiting for you, guess I should have pushed just a little bit, huh?”
“Couldn’t have hurt anything.” You laugh slightly, giving him a smile and Colby smiles, “There she is.” He reaches up, his hand brushing along your cheek, “I really do love you, you’ve been there for everything for me, how can it not be you, you know?”
You nod in agreement, “exactly how I feel about you, Colby.”
His eyes search your face, taking in the moment, “You know if something were to ever happen to you, I don’t know what I’d do, but I know it wouldn’t be good.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me, Colby.” You run your hand down his arm, “I’m right here.”
“I know, I just..” he sighs, “I know.” He pulls you closer to him, pressing a kiss to your head, “I got you, if anything happens to you, it’ll have to happen to me first.”
You smile, wrapping your arm around his waist. You lay there with him for a little bit, just taking in the moment which is helping pull you from the trenches.
“I need a shower. I don’t know how you’re this close to me.” You admit, “I haven’t showered in three days.”
“Doesn’t bother me.” Colby shoots back, “But, if I must let you go, you can go shower.” He loosens his arms and watches as you sit up, “I’ll be here. I’m not leaving anytime soon.”
After your shower, you walk back into your room to see Colby has changed your bedsheets and he’s finding something on the tv, “How do you feel now?” He glances up at you.
You nod, walking over to sit on the bed next to him, “Better, actually. A lot better.” You glance down, “Thank you for doing this.” You motion to the bed and he shrugs, “You don’t have to thank me, I like taking care of you.”
He extends his arm out and you move down to lay against his body.
“I didn’t know if you were hungry or not, but I ordered pizza anyway. I’ll be here in twenty or so.”
You nod, “Thank you.” You look up at him, reaching up to slowly turn his chin towards you and you gently press your lips to his.
His hand presses firm against your back, pulling you closer as his lips press to yours. He smiles within the kiss, “Sealing the deal, huh?”
“Something like that.” You laugh quietly, moving to rest your head on his shoulder, “I’m just.. really grateful for you, Colby.”
He nods, smiling as he looks back at the tv, “You’re literally everything to me, y/n. I know what you mean.”
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Going to try and push out some shortish one shots to makeup for lost time. I still feel like absolutely shit, but I miss you guys and I miss writing! 🖤 thank you so much for reading! I love you all so much. Catch you in the next one!
Hey girly you ok?!? I noticed you haven’t been posting as many as your request? I just wanna make sure you’re ok love ya!!
love you for checking in 🖤 I was having a rough time mentally and now for the last two days I’ve been down and out with the flu or some sort of norovirus bullsheeet 😵💫
I have a few works in progress, so I’ll work to get them out as soon as I can.
Summary: agent!reader and agent!chris go undercover on a mission together and they have to be rather.. close
Warnings: SMUT, strong language, enemies to lovers, heavy tension, being undercover, fake(ish) relationship, love confession, unprotected sex, creampie, general filth
Word Count: 10.8k
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You stormed into the office, making your way up to Chris. Your hands met his chest, giving him a shove backwards, “What the fuck, Chris!? That was my fucking shot. Not yours.”
Chris stumbles back but steadies himself with a smirk, his eyes filling with amusement at your anger, “Relax, y/n. You act like I stole your fucking lunch money.” He laughs at his own joke, “It was a good shot, and you know it.”
He sits down, leaning back in his chair, “But if you weren’t too busy running your mouth, you would’ve seen it coming.”
You scoff, and before you speak, he cuts you off, “You should thank me. I just saved you from embarrassing yourself.”
“I’m going to kill you.” As you step forward, the chief calling for you and Chris cuts it short. Chris stands up from his chair, his brows flicking up, “Try me.” He smirks, motioning to the door, “After you, princess.”
You shove past him, stepping into the chief’s office.
Chris follows you in and you roll your eyes. The chief motions to the chairs, “Sit down. We’ve got bigger problems than your childish bickering.”
You clench your jaw, sitting down in the seat next to Chris, but you don’t pay any attention to him. You let out a sigh, “What do we have?”
The chief looks between the two of you, his tone stern as he speaks, “Look, I know.” He scoffs, “Everyone, knows you two have your issues, but I need you to understand this isn’t some kind of joke.”
You nod, “I know it’s not, chief. What’s the case?”
The chief leans back, sliding a file across the desk and Chris and you both reach for it. You snatch it before he can grab it, flipping it open.
“You’re going undercover.” The chief sighs, “You’ll be after a high-profile arms dealer. We’ve been tracking him for months, but we need someone to get in close, someone he’ll trust. His operation is on the verge of blowing wide open, and we need to know who’s pulling the strings behind him.”
You watch as he glances between you and Chris, silently tell you what you already know before leaning in, “The target’s name is Vincent Marlowe. He’s been moving weapons through legitimate businesses, using them as fronts to not get caught. We need you two to play the part of a couple getting close to him and his associates. It’s a delicate operation. Any slip-up could blow this whole thing.”
You glance over at Chris as he taps his fingers against the edge of the desk, his smirk faulting into something more, focused.
He glances over at you, “Looks like we’re stuck with each other for this one. Try not to screw it up, alright?”
He glances down at the file in your hand, pulling it from your grasp and, clearly pretends, to study it while he waits for you to go back after him.
You sigh, looking up at the chief instead, “How do you want us to do that? We play a rich couple?”
The chief nods, holding up a picture of Marlowe, showing it to both of you before continuing.
“Exactly that, y/n. Marlowe’s into high society stuff. Luxury events, private parties, the whole lifestyle. It’s the perfect opportunity to get close to him and his network. You’ll need to play the part of a rich, influential engaged couple with a lot to offer. Think.. private jets, expensive tastes, that kind of thing.”
He looks directly at you, then Chris, making sure you both understand the importance.
You give him a nod, “High end shopping, something I’d have to sell my house for.” You sigh, leaning back into your seat, “Got it.”
“We’ve got some intel on his events, it’s in the file, but nothing solid enough yet. You both know the routine, blend in, gain his trust, dig up what you can.” He pauses, giving you both a look, “Keep it subtle. No arguing, bickering, or any of that shit. Don’t be too obvious and most importantly, do not break your cover.”
Chris chuckles, glancing over as his eyebrow arches up, “Rich couple, huh? Guess I can fake it.” He smirks, clearly enjoying the thought of playing the role with someone who claims to hate him.
“It’s a job, and I for one, am good at my job, so.” You nod at the chief, “Got it. I’ll text you when we land.” You stand up from your chair, and Chris follows you, “I guess I’ll see you at the airport, princess.”
“Stop. Calling me that.” You snap, “Jesus Christ.”
He raises his hands in mock defense, “Alright, alright, I’ll lay off. I was just going to offer you a ride to the airport.”
You roll your eyes, “No, thanks. I’m good.” You walk to your office, but Chris continues to follow, “Come on, I’ll keep you from being late.”
You grab your stapler, tempted to throw it at him, but you use it on the paper in your hand, “I said, I’m good.”
“Suit yourself. Don’t cry to me when you’re late.” He turns and walks away. You roll your eyes, taking a deep breath as you take in what these next few days mean.
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You arrive to the airport, before Chris, shocking.
“Well, well, look who decided to show up early,” Chris teases with a smirk, his eyes moving over you as he tosses his bag onto a nearby seat. He looks unfazed by the time crunch, and that pissed you off even more.
“Didn’t think you had it in you.” He smirks, earning an eye roll from you, but you ignore him, mumbling low, “wasting my breath.”
Chris laughs, sitting down across from you, “Yeah, I get it. You’re so done with me, but come on. Can’t you just admit for the sake of the mission that you actually love this? You’re not fooling anyone with the whole, don’t care attitude.”
You glance up at him, “Do you ever shut up?”
He lets out a playful sigh, “Only when I’m asleep, y/n.” He leans back, grabbing his phone, “But if you want some peace and quiet, you can always just admit that I’m right.” He smirks, “I know it’s hard for you, but that can just be our little thing.”
He shoots you a wink, shaking his head as he looks down at his phone. You roll your eyes, looking away.
On the jet, you force yourself to speak, “What are our cover names?”
He leans back in the seat and stares at you, “Right.” He starts, his tone now more focused, “We’ll be using fake shit for this.” He laughs, “You’ll be Charlotte Carter, a socialite and philanthropist. Real high-class stuff.” He raises his brows, his tone sarcastic, “Got connections in all the right places.”
He glances up at you, his eyes scanning you for a moment. You scoff, “Charlotte Carter? Please, that sounds like something straight out of a comic book.” You shake your head, “But, fine. Who are you?”
“I’m Ryan Bennett. Corporate guy with a bit of a reputation.” He smirks, “Think.. rich businessman, keeps a low profile.” He shrugs, “The kind of guy who blends into the background but still gets invited to all the best parties.”
He leans back in his seat, staring at you, “Do you need me to go over it again, or do you have it?”
You roll your eyes, “I got it.” You scoff, “Now.. our engagement story.. how did-“ you motion to Chris, “Ryan, propose to-“ you motion to yourself, “Charlotte?”
Chris seemed caught off guard by the question, but he quickly covered it up, “Ryan proposed to Charlotte at a private gala.” He leans back in his seat, “A big, extravagant affair. Candlelit dinner, a string quartet in the background, the whole shebang. He got down on one knee in front of all their friends and family, because, you know, he’s classy like that.” He smirks, “And, Charlotte, being the sophisticated woman she is, said yes, but only after a little dramatic pause, of course.” His smirk grows, “How’s that sound? Think Charlotte would go for a proposal like that?”
You sit there taking in his answer for a moment, “Yeah, sure.”
“Well, you’re stuck with it, so..” he leans back, “We need to make sure our stories are straight, y/n. How we met, how long we’ve been together, you know.”
“You act like I don’t know that, Chris.” You stare at him and he laughs, “Hey, I’m just making sure.” He raises his hands, “Wouldn’t wanna leave anything to chance, right?”
You pull the file over, “Yeah, right.” You look down over it, and you can feel his eyes on you, “What?”
You flick your eyes up at him.
He leans forward, letting out a sigh, “We’ll stick to the basics for our story, alright.” He leans back giving you a shrug, “Met at an art gallery, had a whirlwind romance. Nothing too complicated. Just enough to make it sound legit.” He pauses, “You good with that?”
“Art gallery?” You think about it for a few seconds before letting out a sigh, “Yeah, that’s fine.” You turn your attention back to the file, silently cursing when Chris opens his mouth again, “Right. An art gallery. Real classy, just like you, Charlotte.”
Your eyes move to look up at him, watching as he leans back in the seat. There was a shift in the energy between the two of you, but you weren’t saying anything about it.
Chris actually stays silent for a while, letting the weight of the mission settle as you both took it in.
As the plane lands, you sit up a little to stretch. A yawn slips your lips and Chris nods, “Yeah, that flight was killer. Figured you would have slept for more than half of it.”
You roll your eyes, “I couldn’t, even if I wanted to.” You watch him stand up to gather his things, eyes leaving him as soon as he turns around.
He notices, the smirk on his face tells you, but he doesn’t say anything, “You ready to make this whole rich couple thing work? Or are you planning on taking a nap the second we hit the ground?”
You give him a shrug, “Might crash for an hour if we have time. I don’t know.” You stand up, letting out a sigh as you move to gather your bags, “My back is killing me.”
He nods, making his way towards the exit, “I’m sure those seats are awful for someone who doesn’t sit still.”
You shoot him a glare, “I sat still, what are you talking about?”
He laughs, “Come on, we can get you a coffee. You know, so you’re not falling asleep on me during the mission.” He raises an eyebrow, his tone mixed with challenge and concern, “Unless you just want to sleep through the whole damn thing.”
You roll your eyes, “Shut up.”
He laughs, “Alright, okay. I’m just saying, maybe wouldn’t be the worst thing if you did. I actually might get a break from hearing your brilliant commentary.”
I shove past him, making my way down the jet’s steps before him, “You’re insufferable, Sturniolo.”
You hear him jog to catch up to you, “Insufferable? Nah.. I’m just more entertaining than you can handle.” He laughs, “You know, you could be a little nicer about it, though. It might make this whole, couple, thing more believable.”
He winks as you glance at him and a scoff leaves your lips, “I’ll start pretending when you buy me that coffee.”
You pull the car door open and get in, closing it with a slam.
Chris walks around to the drivers side after putting his bags in the car, as soon as he gets in, he laughs, “Buy you a coffee?” He shrug, “You know what? You’ve got yourself a deal, y/n. But, only because I’m in a generous mood.”
You raise your brows, “A generous mood? That’s rare.”
He chuckles, “But don’t think that just because I’m buying you coffee, you’ve won anything.” He smirks over at you, “We both know who’s really running the show here.”
You roll your eyes, “Yeah, whatever.”
Chris sighs, “Keep tellin’ yourself that.” Before you had a chance to say anything else, he speaks up, “You know, for someone who acts like they can’t stand me, you’re pretty fun to mess with.”
“You’re just an idiot.” You reply dryly, which earns a laugh from Chris, “Hey, idiots make the best company, don’t they?”
You don’t answer him, you just stare out the window, and that eggs him on more, “You know, if we didn’t have so much tension, we might actually get along.”
You look over at him, “What do you mean by tension? I hate you. Plain and simple.”
He clenches his jaw, quickly pulling that cocky smirk out to play, “Yeah, well. I hate you, too. But, hate really is a strong word, though, isn’t it? We can use.. complicated. How’s that?”
You go to argue, but you know that’s exactly shat he wants, well, actually. There’s no way out of this, so you just sigh, “Yeah, complicated. Whatever.”
Chris laughs, “See, that wasn’t so hard was it?” As you pull up to the coffee place, he looks over at you, “What do you want?”
You shrug, “I don’t know. Just-“ A sigh leaves your lips, “Get me a latte, vanilla with two sugars and an extra shot of espresso.”
“Vanilla latte, two sugars, extra shot of espresso.” He repeats the order back to you with a smirk, “I’d say you’re high-maintenance, but I already knew that.” He reaches for the door, “Stay here, I’ll be back.”
You stay quiet as he gets out, taking a deep breath as you let everything settle. It wasn’t often you got a second without Chris flapping his gums, it honestly felt kind of weird without it, but you wouldn’t ever admit that to him, though.
As you wait, your mind wanders, maybe it was you just being tired, but you kept thinking about Chris, and all of this other missions you’ve been on with him.
You guys were a good team, there was no doubt about that, but he got on your nerves, you just didn’t know if it was the good thing, or bad thing.
The longer you sit in silence, the more you questioned your, hate, for him.
Either way, you felt like it wouldn’t work, your agents. You know the game. Work and relationships don’t mix most of the time.
Chris pulling the door open snapped you from your thoughts, “Here you go, one complicated drink for the most complicated person I know.”
You scoff, “Yeah, thanks.” You take it and take a sip, letting out a sigh, “Let’s just go to the hotel. Get settled in. The party we need to attend is tomorrow night, so we can just study up the case, prepare tonight.”
“Alright, sounds like a plan.” He starts the car and starts heading toward the hotel, “Classic undercover move.”
You just shake your head, not giving into the banter.
“Just don’t expect me to be all business all night.” He smirks at you, giving you a shrug, “I’m still gonna keep you on your toes.”
“Just don’t do anything that’ll piss me off.” You sigh, but he’s shooting right back, “I can promise to try.” He says with a sigh, “But let’s be honest, it’s probably going to happen anyway.”
“Of course it is. It’s what you’re good at.” You mumble, looking out at the hotel as he parks, “Let’s just.. make it through the lobby, fiancé.”
“Wouldn’t be the best fiancé if I wasn’t make sure you weren’t bored, right?” He teases and you sigh, “If it helps you sleep at night, sure. Now come around and open my door. You need to act like you actually love me.”
There was no hesitation. Chris got out and walked around quickly to pull your door open, “Anything for you, darling.” He holds his hand out and you sigh as you take it, stepping out of the car.
Chris slides his hand around your waist, “Shall we, my love?”
You slip into the role easily, a little too easy, “Let’s do it, baby.” Your eye twitches at the pet name, but you play it off, following Chris’ lead into the hotel. His hand on your waist tightens as he walks you both up to the desk, “Hello, Ryan Bennett and Charlotte Carter checking in.”
The attendant gives a warm smile, “Yes, hello. Congratulations on your engagement.”
Chris smiles big, “Yeah, I’m a lucky guy with this one here.” He glances down at you and you keep the act up, “I don’t let anyone in easy, but this guy weaseled his way in.” You laugh, catching Chris’ smirk, “Can we get two keys please?”
The attendant nods with a slight laugh, “Of course, Ms Carter.” She glances at Chris, “You know, it’s the ones you least expect that make you the happiest.” She slides the keys over, “Enjoy your stay.”
“Oh we sure will.” Chris smiles, snatching the keys from the counter, “Here, sweetheart.” He hands you the key and you take it, “Thank you, baby.” I give the attendant a smile as we turn and I let out a scoff.
“Guess she has a point, don’t she?” Chris chuckles as he presses the elevator button, “Just don’t get any ideas, alright?”
“Trust me. My mind is on anything but you.” You step onto the elevator, pressing the correct floor button as Chris walks in to stand behind you, “Sure, sure. Just don’t get comfortable pretending like I’m not the most interesting thing on your mind.”
His voice is low, almost like he’s daring you to argue with him.
You sigh, sipping your coffee, “mhm, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
As the doors open, Chris walks out first and you furrow my brows, “What? Did I piss you off for a change?”
Chris stops in his tracks, turning slightly as he repeats your words, “Piss me off?” He’s got this look on his face, like he’s deciding on whether to be irritated or entertained, “Nah, just wasn’t expecting you to be so.. calm, about everything. Thought you’d be more, I don’t know, fired up?”
You laugh, giving him a shrug, “I’ve had my coffee, so I’m good for a while.”
As you walk down the hall, Chris follow you, “You’re not exactly good at hiding what’s on your mind, you know.” He stops as you press the key to the door, “You and I both know that if I pissed you off, I’d know it by now.”
His hand slides over the door, pushing it open, “After you, sweetheart.”
You roll your eyes, walking in. You instantly take notice to there being only one bed and you let out a sigh that feels like you’ve been holding in for hours, “Of. Course.”
Chris steps up next to you, a smirk plastered on his face, his tone teasing, “Looks like someone didn’t do their homework.” He walks over, tossing his bag down on the floor by the dresser, “I mean, it is our bed, right?”
You set your bag down on the chair, ignoring him completely as you try not to let him bother you.
“Relax, y/n.” He chuckles, “You can always sleep on the floor if you’re that upset about it.” He shakes his head as he pulls the files from his bag.
“I’m not sleeping on the floor.” You snap, “Screw that.”
“Fine, fine. Your choice, but hey, if you really can’t handle sharing a bed with me, I’m sure we can figure out something else, alright.” He shrugs, “I’m just.. offering ideas.”
“We can share the damn bed, Chris. We’re both adults, well. One of us, at least.” You flick a brow up, “Just.. keep your hands to yourself.” You motion, “There’s a sign downstairs about a cocktail hour, figured we could go, blend in.”
“Relax, sweetheart,” he says, his tone saturated in amusement, “You’re not my type anyway.” He sends you a wink before bending down to pull out a new dress shirt, “That’s a good idea, blending in is the way to go.”
Something twisted inside of you, almost like his words hurt you, but you didn’t want to accept it, so you masked it with a laugh, “Good.” You pull your dress out of your bag and start walking towards the bathroom.
You stop as Chris speaks, “Try not to take too long getting ready, alright? I’d hate to have to drink alone while you spend an hour fixing your hair.”
He was teasing you, but you were pissed. About what? You weren’t sure, but your words let him know exactly how you were feeling, that’s for damn sure, “Go. Have a drink by yourself, like I fucking care.”
You could feel his eyes on you. As you glance back, he sighs quietly, his tone lower than usual, “Yeah, alright.” He pause like he’s thinking about saying more, but he doesn’t. He just turns to throw his shirt on the bed, eyes not even on you anymore, “Just don’t keep me waiting, too long.”
You hesitate, but inevitably walk into the bathroom, and that’s the first time any room you and Chris have ever been in, felt like that.
You didn’t even know what to call that. Chris always got under your skin, but that.. that was different.
As you slip on your dress, you ear the quiet shuffle of Chris in the room. You walk back out and within the time it took you both to change, Chris’ smirk was back on his face, “Damn.”
You watch as his eyes scan up and down your figure. He forces himself to look away, rolling the sleeves on his shirt up, “Guess we’ll have no problem getting people to believe we’re together.” He glances up, “Are you about ready or do you need another five minutes to stare at yourself?”
You roll your eyes, “Yeah we both look rich, I get it, and no. I can put my lipstick on in the elevator.” You sit down on the bed to put your heels on, and you can feel Chris’ stare burning into you, “No need to get all defensive, just don’t want you to keep me waiting like you always do.”
“Oh my god, I’m ready.” You sigh, standing up to grab your small bag, “You know.. for someone who said I wasn’t their type, you sure are having trouble keeping your eyes off of me.”
You glance over at him and he opens the door. As you walk out, he chuckles, “You noticed that, huh?” He follows you out, “Guess that means you were lookin’ at me too.”
You roll your eyes, shaking your head as you watch him push the elevator button. You dig in your purse pulling out your mirror and your lipstick, flicking both open to paint your lips.
Chris turns to face you as he leans against the wall, “And just for the record, I didn’t say you weren’t attractive, I just said you weren’t my type.”
You laugh slightly, continuing to try and cover up your real feelings towards it, “Is that supposed to bother me? Me not being your type?”
You step onto the elevator after him and he chuckles, “I don’t know, sweetheart.” He smirks, tilting his head ever so slightly, “But you’re sure working hard to act like it doesn’t.”
You clench your jaw, closing your eyes before looking down to toss your mirror and lipstick back into your small bag.
Before you can even say a word, he steps up behind you, his voice lower as he cuts you off, “It’s okay, though..” he pauses, “I get under your skin. You get under mine. That’s kinda our thing, isn’t it?”
You tilt your head, “I’m not-“ you pause, “Let’s just get through this hour so I can go back to the room and sleep on the damn floor.”
As soon as the doors open, you walk off, Chris following you with an amused huff, “Suit yourself, but if you wake up sore as hell in the morning, don’t expect me to listen to you complain about it.”
He pulls the door open and rests his hand on your lower back, leaning in to whisper low for only you to hear, “Showtime, sweetheart. Try not to look like you wanna kill me in front of all these people, yeah?”
With being reminded about the mission, you snap into action, playing the role of Charlotte Carter, Ryan Bennett’s fiancé.
With a smile, you walk with Chris to the bar. As Chris notices your smile, he leans in, almost sounding like he was admiring you, “There she is.”
He looks at the bartender and orders two drinks.
It didn’t take long for them to come out and Chris hands you yours and holds his glass up slightly, “To a long and happy engagement.” He toasts before clinking his glass with yours.
“To a long and happy engagement.” You repeat, bringing your glass up to your lips to take a sip.
His eyes stay on you over the rim of his glass, searching for anything real under the facade you’re trying to hard to hold up.
You don’t crack, you just scan the room, the smile still holding strong on your lips.
Chris leans in, “See anyone interesting?” He asks, gaming another sip of his drink, his hand staying on your waist. His thumb deliberately brushes over the fabric on your hip as he leans in to whispers just so you can hear, “Or are you too busy trying not to stab me with that tiny cocktail straw?”
“What are you doing?” You mumble, bringing your glass to your lips, “Your eyes should be on the room, not me, Ryan.”
“I’m just trying to make sure you’re not going to stab someone with that straw, Charlotte.” He chuckles, “But I’ll take note, next time I’ll keep my eyes on the room, since you’d rather be left alone.”
You shifted subtly at his words, a small sigh escaping your nose. It felt suffocating to be next to him. In the dress. In the room, surrounded by all of these people.
You didn’t know what was happening. You could feel the burn in your eyes and it confused you more than anything.
You pulled it together, taking another sip of your drink before shaking your head, “Whatever.”
Chris caught on, immediately catching the subtle shift in your energy, your posture. His hand tighten on your waist, pulling you closer to him with ease, “You know..” his tone is quiet, casual, “I didn’t mean to push you. I’m just trying to keep us in character.”
You tilt your head up, feeling that same burn returning and you decided to exit before it progressed. You left out a slight laugh, “yeah, character.” You set your glass down, avoiding eye contact with him, “I need to go to the bathroom.”
Without another word, you turn, making your way through the crowd and into the bathroom. You immediately went up to the counter, hands gripping it tight as you tried to control your breathing.
Were you having a panic attack?
Did Chris really get under your skin this bad?
Was it the mission?
Was it being somewhere you felt like you didn’t belong and you feel like people knew?
Maybe it was a mix of everything.
But one thing you did know, was that this, has never happened to you before, and you weren’t really sure on what to do but fake it until you made it.
Meanwhile, while you were pulling yourself together, Chris made his way over, leaning against the wall as he waited for you to come out.
As you pull yourself together, you took a deep breath, slipping back into the role of Charlotte and smiled at yourself in the mirror. You turned, making your way out of the bathroom with the same, happy go lucky smile.
You glanced over, seeing Chris push himself up from the wall with the look like he’s trying to dissect what just happened. He walks up to you, “There she is.” His eyes scan over your face, “You good now, or should I be worried about you coming after me with that straw?”
You hold your ground, trying not to let anything show through the cracks, but Chris can read you, it’s what he does for a living, you weren’t stupid.
You laugh, gently pushing his shoulder, “You’re so funny, Ryan.” You slide your hand around his arm, nudging him subtly, “Come on, let’s go mingle.”
He knew not to be dumb and say he doesn’t fully believe you, because he knew you both couldn’t afford to have you walk off again.
He laughs slightly, “Yeah, yeah, I’m hilarious.” He leads you into the crowd, keeping up the playful act, “Don’t get too comfortable with the other guests.”
You laugh, “Oh please, you know I like talking all my fancy talk with people.” You giggle, “I think I need another drink, also, Vincent Marlowe is right up there.”
Chris notices the shift in your tone when you say the targets name. He nods, laying his hand on your lower back, “Alright, alright, let’s get you that drink, sweetheart.” He leads you to the bar, leaning in to whisper, “We’ll get Marlowe in no time.”
You lean on the bar, happily telling the bartender what you wanted, “And then.” You look at Chris, “Whatever my fiancé wants, please.”
Chris orders his drink, keeping it simple before his eyes move back to study you. He doesn’t gaze long, knowing how short fused you are right now.
He just slowly grazes his thumb over your lower back as his eyes scan out over the crowd. He turns back as the bartender sets down your glasses and he picks his up.
He angles it towards yours, “To us.” He clinks his glass against yours and leans in to whisper, “And keeping up appearances.”
You smile, keeping up with the facade, “Perfect toast, honey.” You clink your glass to his and take a sip. You look around before leaning in closer to Chris, whisper into your glass, “He’s coming down here.”
Chris’ posture becomes more on alert with your words, his hand tightening around your waist as he plays the cool, collected role, “Good.” He mumbles into his glass, turning to step closer to you, “Stick to the script. We’re a happy couple. Don’t get too cozy with him. Can’t afford to throw everything off.”
You clench your jaw at his words, tilting your head slightly, but you keep the smile on your face, pretending like he didn’t just act like you don’t know what you’re doing here.
Vincent Marlowe finally approaches and there’s a shift in the air.
“Ah, the happy couple as I live and breathe.” He chuckles, eyes grazing between you and Chris as he offers his hand to Chris first.
Chris shakes it, watching as his hand moves to you. You reach out, shaking his hand and you force your smile as Vincent’s hand lingers on yours, almost like he’s taking in every detail.
“Vincent Marlowe.” He finally introduced himself, a slight bow of his head, “Charlotte and Ryan, correct?”
“That’s right.” Chris nods, and you smile, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Marlowe.” You slide your arm around Chris’ waist, “Lovely cocktail hour, is it not?”
Vincent notices your arm going around Chris and he watches, almost like he’s sizing the both of you up, “Oh, please. The pleasure is all mine, Charlotte.” He offers a smile, “It is lovely indeed.”
His attention stays on you, “You two make quite the couple.” He glances at Chris then back to you. Chris’ hand stiffens on your waist, a protective hold, “Thank you, Vincent.”
Vincent chuckles, “It’s always good to see people so well matched.“
Chris immediately steps in casually, “Thank you, we’ve been together for a while now.” He looks over, holding your gaze just enough to keep it believable before glancing back at Vincent.
Vincent nods, “quite the lovely story.” His tone tells you that’s he’s buying into your fake facade, but his demeanor screams that he isn’t a fool, “You two should join me for dinner later.”
You give him a nod with a small smile, “Dinner sounds lovely, Mr. Marlowe. Just tell us the time and the place.”
Vincent is someone who doesn’t take being turned down too lightly, your agreeance fueled the fire in his eyes, “Excellent. I’ll have my assistant send over the details.” He pauses, “It’ll be a private affair, of course, just the right atmosphere to get to know each other better.”
You and Chris can feel the game Vincent is playing, you’re both on edge, but remain calm.
“Looking forward to it.” Chris says with a nod, and Vincent nods, his gaze lingering on you and chris for a moment, “I’ll see you soon.”
He walks away, leaning you and Chris alone.
Chris doesn’t move, he just lets out a slow breath, “That went well.”
“Yeah.” I sigh, bringing my glass to my lips, “What do you think dinner is going to entail?”
Chris leans back against the bar, his eyes scanning out over the crowd as he brings his own glass to his lips for a slow drink, “It’s gonna be a game, probably. Marlowe doesn’t invite people to dinner unless he thinks there’s something to gain.” He shifts his weight slightly, his hand still pressing to your hip, “We’ve gotta play it cool. Keep up the act, make him feel like he’s in control, but he’s not someone we want to underestimate.”
His eyes flick over to you before moving back out to the crowd, “We need to be ready for anything. Stay sharp, keep him interested.”
You nod silently, your gaze meeting the floor before all of those unusual feeling rush forward at an even harder rate. You take a deep breath, pulling yourself together, “We got this.”
Chris notices your shift in your demeanor, but he doesn’t say anything. He just steps closer, his shoulder brushing against yours with a sincere tone, “Remember, we’re a team. Whatever happens in that dinner, we’ve got each other’s backs.”
He glances over at you, “let’s just make it through the night. We’re almost done.”
━━━━━━━━ 𖦏 ━━━━━━━━
As you walk up to the desk, the attendant smiles politely, “Hello. How can I help you?”
“Any messages for Ryan Bennett or Charlotte Carter?”
The attendant slides an envelope across the counter and Chris takes it, turning towards you as he opens it. Inside is a small paper, Marlowe Private Estate. Seven O’Clock. Arrive Promptly.
Chris scoffs, shaking his head. He turns back to the desk attendant, “Thank you.” He turns, walking a few steps away with you, “You ready for this?” He pauses, giving you time to answer.
You look up at him, “I don’t have a choice.” You straighten up, “I’m good.”
Chris’ eyes scan over your face before he nods, “Good. Come on. No time to waste.” He lays his hand on your back as he leads you out of the hotel and to the car.
The car ride itself was quiet.
No one said a word.
It made it feel a lot longer than it actually was.
As soon as the car stops, Chris is out and walking around to open your door. He holds his hand out and you promptly take it, allowing him to help as you step out. He leans in, whispering just for you to hear, “Let’s make this count.”
You give him a nod, a fake smile forming on your lips as you follow Chris up to the door.
“Ryan Bennet. Charlotte Carter.” The butler nods, “Good evening.” He pulls the door open, motioning for you both to walk in, “Right this way.” He walks past you and Chris, leading the way.
The interior of Marlowe’s house is rich, luxurious. Dark wood paneling, high ceilings, and perfectly arranged furniture. Every surface conveys power and wealth.
No sign of danger as of right now, but it was just the beginning of the night.
Chris hand brushed against your back as he leaned in to whisper, “Keep your guard up. He’s been known to test people, see how much he can push.”
You give him a nod, keeping your composure as you walk into a room with Marlowe and a few other guests sitting by a big fireplace.
“You look perfect.” Chris whispers, and you felt your chest tighten. It felt both genuine and for the act, which only made your feelings push harder at the dam you quickly built.
You stayed silent and Chris rubbed his thumb over your back, “Let’s just blend in and see what we can see.”
You nod, following the butler up to be reintroduced to Marlowe. He notices you immediately, “Ah, Ms Carter. Mr. Bennet.” He greets as he stands, “I’m glad you could make it tonight. It’s not every day I have such illustrious company.”
He motions to the men in the room, “Charlotte, Ryan, I’d like to you to meet a few of my good friends. This is Harry Devers. Logan Marren, and last but not least, Steven Driers.”
None of those names ring a bell for you for Chris. You both offer polite nods and nice to meet you’s.
“I trust the trip was comfortable?” Marlowe asks, and Chris responds smoothly, “Of course, Mr. Marlowe. Thank you for hosting us.”
After a while of conversation, you smile, “Everything has been perfect, thank you. We’re happy to be here.”
Vincent studies you for a moment, trying to figure out if your smile is as genuine as you’re making it out to be, “I heard quite a lot about you two.” He pauses, “A power couple, some would say.”
He picks up before either you or Chris could speak, “It’s not often I meet people who understand the weight of the game. But then again, I suspect you already do.”
Chris response, his tone and smirk full of charm, “We’re just here for the fun, Mr. Marlowe. We don’t need the spotlight.”
“A power couple, huh?” You laugh lightly, “I wouldn’t say we’re that just yet.”
“Ah, modesty. I appreciate that.” Vincent chuckles, “Well then, I do hope you both enjoy the evening. There’s plenty to see.. and plenty to learn.” He gives a nod before walking off to take you into the next part of the night.
You glance over at Chris, looking away before he notices, or maybe he already did. You didn’t care, you bring your drink up to your lips and finish what little bit of liquid you had left.
You feel the weight of the room pressing in on you, the conversations swirling around you like a dance that you feel you’re just barely keeping up with.
As you set your glass down on the nearest tray, you catch Vincent looking at you and Chris, offering him a small subtle smile in return.
As he looks away, your eyes move to Chris and he smirks, which confused you, but he’s probably just keeping up with the act, “You good?”
You keep up the act, “yeah, great.”
Chris studies you for a second, his eyes narrowing as he seems to be looking for anything that gives it away that you’re not being fully honest.
His tone tinted with sarcasm, “Good. Because if you’re going to keep playing the part, we need to make sure we’re both on the same page. Don’t want Marlowe catching on to anything, right?”
You nod, tilting your head at him, “I know, sweetheart.”
Chris keeps his eyes on you, “I know you’ve got this, but if you need me to step in, just say the word.”
You swallow, “I’m fine, I’ll be fine.”
Chris nods, “We should probably get some air.” He motions towards the balcony, “Marlowe’s not the only one with eyes on us. Let’s give them something to talk about.”
You nod, walking towards the balcony with you on his arm.
The cool air hits you as you step out, the conversation fading as you grow further away from it. You take a much needed deep breath, feeling like you can finally fill your lungs.
“You sure you’re okay?”
Chris’ words sting, but you play if off, “Can we not do this now?” You glance over at him, “I’m fine.”
“Alright, alright.” He lifts his hands from the banister, “Well talk later, I get it.”
You clench your jaw, now really wanting to say anything, you knew he was going to ask about what happened at the cocktail party prior to this.
Your eyes glance over at him as leans casually against the railing, his posture relaxed, but there’s still a watchful sense in his eyes.
You look out, taking in the city lights scattered below, and how, despite the weight of the mission, everything feels almost normal, like it’s just two people simply enjoying a moment together.
Chris breaks the silent, leaning into you, “You’re doing a hell of a job pretending, I’ll give you that. Marlowe’s eating it up.”
A small smile rests on your lips, “That’s the plan right?” You glance over at him as he continues, “We can keep playing the part until we get what we need. Then, we go from there. Deal?”
You nod, “Deal.”
“Alright then, let’s get back to the show.” Chris offers his arm and you take it, filling your lungs with the fresh air before walking back in to be swallowed by the weight of the mission.
“Get ready, this is the part where we seal the deal.” Chris whispers before you make your way up to Vincent. Chris speaks up, “Mr. Marlowe, hope you don’t mind us taking a brief breather. Just needed to catch up a bit. It’s not every day we get invited to something this exclusive.”
Vincent chuckles, pleased by the attention, “Of course, of course. It’s been a pleasure having you both here. I trust you’re finding everything to your liking?”
Chris leans in, making the moment between them private, “Absolutely. We were just talking about that dinner you said about, seems like the perfect opportunity to continue our chat, maybe discuss future plans, you know?”
Vincent seems intrigued by Chris’ words, but he’s not easily swayed.
That’s where you step in, “We were actually hoping to discuss more than just a partnership over dinner.” You begin, “I think we both see the potential in aligning ourselves with someone like you. We’ve got the connections, the influence, and I believe you’re the kind of person who takes an opportunity when it’s right in front of him.”
There’s a pause, the weight of your words settling into his mind before he nods, “I think dinner sounds like a fine idea.” Still, he’s no fool, he knows you’re offering more than just words, and yet, he’s eager to see where this leads, “Let’s make it happen, shall we?”
“Perfect, Mr. Marlowe.” You give him a smile, “Let us know when and where works for you and we will see you then.” You offer your hand to seal the deal.
He takes it, gripping it firmly, “I’ll have my assistant reach out with the details,” he says, giving a nod of approval. “Looking forward to it.”
With that, he walks away.
Chris leans in, “Nice work.” He brushes his hand against your back, “Let’s just make sure we’re ready when the dinner rolls around. This is where things get interesting.”
Chris walks forward and you follow him out to the car. As he opens your door for you, his eyes scan over your face, “So, we got his attention. What’s the next step?”
“Talk in the car.” You whisper as you get in. Chris closes the door and walks around to slip into the drivers seat.
You keep your gaze out the windshield, “So we have him on the hook.” You glance over at Chris, “How do we really sell it at dinner?”
“We play it like we’ve been playing it all along.” he says glancing at you, “We’re the picture-perfect couple. Rich, in love, completely head over heels for each other. We keep it light, keep it playful. Make Marlowe think he’s seeing the real deal.”
You nod, “Good plan.”
Chris nods, “It’s all about control. We need him to believe we’re just like every other couple chasing the next thing, playing the game, you know? The more we show him that we’ve got it all together, the more he’ll trust us.”
After a moment of silence, Chris speaks up, “You good with that? You’re in control too, you know.”
You glance over at him, “Yeah, I know. I’m fine with it, I trust you.” You look back out at the road, the weight of the day weighing heavy on you. Before Chris can say anything about it, you pull your phone out and call the Chief, filling him in on everything.
The rest of the ride to the hotel was silent after the call ended.
━━━━━━━━ 𖦏 ━━━━━━━━
Once you’re back in the room, the door clicks shut behind you, and you can finally let out a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding.
Chris leans up against the wall, “We did good tonight, but tomorrow’s the real test.”
You glance back at him with a nod as you kick off your heels, “we did good.” You turn, rummaging through your bag, and you were just waiting for the other shoe to drop.
After a few moments of silence, and his stare burning into the back of you, he speaks, “You sure you’re alright?”
“I’m tired.” You lie, your words a mumble, “I’m going to go for a shower if you don’t need in there.” You lay your clothes over your arm and turn to look at him.
He stares at you, almost like he wants to ask more, but he doesn’t, “Nah, you go ahead.” He steps out of the way, “I’ll be here if you want to talk later.”
You nod, making your way into the bathroom. You turn it on, stripping off your clothes from the night and you step in. As soon as the water hits you, it’s like the key to getting all of those pent up feelings out.
Chris, being a big part of them, was also having his own feelings outside. Even though you tried to keep your sobs as silent as possible, he heard them. He just chose to let you have your moment.
Meanwhile, you were going through something that’s never happened before. You have never felt so out of place on a mission before. You have never been nervous, wanted to turn away, back out, nothing, like you do right now.
Things were blurring, that line between work and play was starting to merge together, at least on your end.
Chris gets under your skin, like, really gets under your skin, but you liked it. He didn’t make it easy for you, but when he said what he said, it was like gut punch, causing you to puke up all these feelings that were just under the surface and now you don’t know what to do.
You pull yourself together, allowing yourself to calm down before you got out and started to dry off.
You took your time and got dressed, making it look like you weren’t just crying under the stream of water before walking out.
Chris is sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes flicking up to you as you walk out. You motion, “Shower’s free.”
He nods, “Thanks.”
You walk over to drop your clothes by your bag and Chris breaks the silence again, “You alright?”
Your heart drops into your stomach, but you play it cool, “Yeah, I think I just needed a shower.” You look at him, and he doesn’t look convinced but he doesn’t push. He nods, standing up to walk towards the bathroom.
He stops, “You know..” he hesitates, eyes searching the wall like he’s trying to figure out what he wants to say, “You don’t have to fake it with me.”
With that, he walks into the bathroom, the door closing and the sound of the shower fills the quiet space.
You walk over, sitting on the edge of the bed with your eyes glued to the floor. Your head, that’s normally a calm, cool, and collected place, was being ransacked by everything all at once.
Chris’ words echoed in your mind, you don’t have to fake it with me.
But wasn’t that the whole point? To fake it? To play your part so well that even you believed it?
The sound of the shower turning off snaps you back to reality and you wipe your face. You grab the tv remote and lean back against the headboard, flipping through the channels on the tv like you’re not on the verge of packing up and pulling from this mission.
“There’s nothing good on.” I glanced over at him, watching as he walks over and sits on his side of the bed. He nods, “Yeah, hotel tv is always garbage.” He leans back on the bed, propping himself up on his elbows as he watches you flip through the channels, “You’re just flipping to flip now.”
You laugh slightly, tossing the remote down as you chew on your lip, thinking about what you want to say, how you want to say it.
“You don’t have to say anything, but if you do, I’m here.” Chris whispers, lying back against the headboard, his eyes are on the tv but his tone is genuine.
After a moment of silence, you finally give in, “I’m just, a mess.. I guess.”
“Yeah.” Chris acknowledges it, “You’ve been holding it together all day.” He turns his head towards you, “You don’t have to do that with me.”
His eyes stay on you, like he’s waiting for you to finally take off the mask, “Is it.. the mission? Or is it more?”
You shrug, “It’s.. everything. The mission, the luxury, the pressure, and-“ you stop before you say anything else. Your teeth gnaw at your cheek as you debate on whether or not you even want to say anything about him.
A part of you feels stupid.
Chris stays quiet, his eyes staying on you, “And?” His tone is gentle, “You don’t have to hold it all in, y/n.”
You take a deep breath, “You.” Your words are quiet, “It’s you.. and you..” I shake my head, “You telling me I wasn’t your type, was like a surprise gut punch that made me realize that I had actual feelings for you.”
You blink, “I thought we were just two people who got under each others skin for the hell of it, the fun of it, whatever, but apparently there’s more I didn’t even know was there.”
“And then the mission..” You continue, “I feel so.. out of place here. I don’t do the fancy dresses. I don’t do the luxury. I feel like I don’t belong here and every rich bitch down there was judging me and I feel like I was going to get us killed because they knew that. That dress I had on, one of the worst dresses I’ve ever put on.”
You keep going, “And then the pressure of this mission, I’m usually good with pressure, I’m good with this kind of stuff, and the fact that I’m losing my shit scares me because it’s not something that I do.”
You go quiet, your own words setting into you just like they are for Chris. He sits there silently as he processes before finally letting out a breath, “You don’t belong in that dress, y/n. You belong in your own element. You’re doing this mission better than anyone could, and I know it feels like a lot right now, but it doesn’t help that you’ve been handling it all on your own. As for the pressure, you’re not losing it. You’re just.. human.”
You glance over at him, your eyes staying on him as he pauses. His eyes moving to meet yours, “And about me..” His voice is quiet, “I’m not saying you’re not my type. What I meant was…”
He pauses, trying to find the right words, “I was trying to protect myself from what I feel for you, because this mission is dangerous enough without letting things get messy.” He shifts slightly, his words coming out with more honesty than you’ve heard from him before, “But I’m not doing a great job at it, am I?”
He chuckles slightly and you crack a smile, “We’re both not doing so hot right now.”
He shifts on the bed, leaning back against the headboard. “Look, if you need a moment to figure this all out, I get it. But don’t think for one second you’re in this alone.”
He looks over at you, “We’re in this together. All of it.”
You nod, shifting to face him more, “That’s why I’m losing it, too. I’m trying to stay professional and on top of this mission and with you in my head, it’s hard. If anything were to happen to you because I wasn’t on my A-game, I couldn’t ever live with myself.” You hold your gaze on him, “That’s why I wasn’t talking much, barely acting myself, I was holding myself together and I was scared that if I spoke, I’d break in the worst moment.”
“I get it. I do.” Chris nods, “I’m not asking you to put this mission before yourself or us. You’re not the only one struggling with this, y/n.” He leans forward slightly, his eyes never leaving yours, “I know the stakes are high, and I know how much you care about the mission, but you’re more than just a partner to me, y/n.”
You nod, “You’re more than just a partner to me, too, Chris.”
His eyes soften at your words, “And that’s what scares the hell out of me. Because I don’t want to be the reason you get distracted. I don’t want to be the one who makes you feel like you’re losing control of yourself.” He reaches over, his hand brushing against yours, “But I want you to know, no matter how much this gets to us, we’ve got each other. We’ll get through this, together. We always do.”
You glance down at his hand on yours, which lingers for a moment, as he waits for you to respond.
You turn your hand, giving his a gentle squeeze, “I think the only reason I was a mess was because I didn’t know how to tell you. I think with what you said, now knowing you were trying to protect yourself, I was scared you wouldn’t feel the same, and I’d lose you completely.”
He runs his thumb over your knuckles, giving you a nod, “You don’t ever have to worry about that.” He starts quietly, “I was just trying to keep us both safe, trying not to lose my focus and make this mission harder than it already is. But losing you? That’s not something I can even imagine. I’m not going anywhere, y/n. Not now, not ever. I feel the same way, even if I didn’t know how to say it.”
You nod, keeping your eyes on his as he squeezes your hand, “We’ll make it through this together. No more pretending, no more pushing things aside. We’ve got each other.” He pauses, a small, genuine smile tugging at his lips, “And I promise, I’ll be here, every step of the way.”
You stare at him, letting the silence settle for a second.
You keep your eyes on his then move them to his lips, allowing them to linger for a second before looking back into his eyes, “How’s it feel to be the one that broke the y/n y/l/n, huh?”
You laugh slightly, making light of the situation, and he smirks as he leans in a little bit closer, “Feels pretty damn powerful, actually.” he teases before he pauses, his face softening as his eyes scan over your face, “In all seriousness, y/n. I never wanted to be the one to make you feel like this. I just.. I didn’t know how to handle it, how to say the right things when everything got so.. complicated?”
He reaches forward, slowly brushing a strand of hair from your face, his thumb lightly brushing your cheek, “But I’m glad it’s out there now, and you’re not broken.” He shakes his head, “Not by a long shot. But if I broke the y/n y/l/n, guess that means I’m the one who gets to fix her, right?”
He raises an eyebrow, his lips forming into a smile.
“Yeah I guess you’re right.” You smile, letting out a slight laugh, “You’re the only one who could piss me off and expect me to be right back there a minute later looking for another fight.”
“Guess I’m just lucky.” He smirks with a chuckle, leaning into closer, “I’ll take that as a compliment. I must be doing something right if I can keep you coming back for more.”
You nod, tilting your head, “Something’s right, that’s for sure.”
He smiles, eyes scanning over your features, “I wouldn’t want it to be anyone else.”
You shake your head, “Neither would I.” You lean in, closing the space with your lips on his in a gentle kiss at first, but something shifts and you move to your knees in front of him. Your lips still moving with his as your arm snakes around his neck.
Chris responds immediately, his hands moving to your waist to stable you as he moves closer to you. His hand comes up to gently caress your cheek as he mumbles against your lips, “Been waitin’ for this.”
You smirk against his lips, turning to straddle his waist, “So have I.” You whispered as you lean forward, pushing him back to lay down. Your lips trail back his jaw and he lets out a low groan, tilting his head to give you more access.
“Guess we’re both a little overdue, huh?” He slides his hand up your back, gently grabbing the back of your neck to pull you into a heated kiss, a deeper kiss.
You grind down on him, earning another groan and his grip on your hip tightens, pulling you closer.
You had his full attention.
His hands slide down, pulling at the hem of your shirt and you break the kiss just to pull it off. His eyes scan up and down your bare torso and chest as his hands slide up to your sides.
He sits up, pressing his lips to yours before leaning back slightly, “Are you sure about this?” His voice was low, asking permission before moving to do anything else.
You give him a nod, lips pressing to his, “Never been so sure about anything.”
He responds with an even deeper kiss, his hands pulling you closer before rolling you over onto your back, lips still working against yours.
“I need you.” You whisper out, tilting your head back as he trails kisses back your jaw, stopping at your ear to whisper, “I need you, too, y/n.”
He presses kisses to neck, his hand sliding down to slip into your sweats. A gasp escapes your lips as you feel his fingers press to your clit, rubbing small circles as he presses his lips to yours once more.
Your breath hitches as his pressure grows harder, “Chris, please.” Your back lifts from the bed to press your chest against his. A moan leaving your lips as his fingers slip down and curl into you, “Fuck.”
“You’re gonna be so worth the wait.” Chris mumbles against your lips, moving to kiss back your jaw.
You let out a louder moan as his fingers work in and out of you, “Shit, yes.” You breathe out, “Yes.”
He pulls his hand away, out from your sweats and he grips the sides, pulling them down. His hands move to push his own down, his eyes trailing up your body as he holds his lip between his teeth, “You’re fucking perfect.”
Your face softens at his words, reaching out for him as he leans down. His lips immediately finding yours as his arm hooks your leg over it to bend it upward.
You whimper, your breathing rapid with the anticipation of what comes next.
As he slides into you, his name leaves your lips in a pleasure filled moan, “Chris, Chris.” You gasp, pulling him closer and he groans into your neck, “Y/n.. fuck, you feel so good.”
He quickly gets into a pace, it’s slow, almost like he’s trying to feel every inch of what you’re offering to him.
Your nails dig into his back, your leg tightening around his arm, “Feels so good.” Your head tilts back, gasping out as his lips suck a mark into your skin.
His voice is low, “You have no idea how much you mean to me, y/n. You’re everything I never knew I needed.” His lips trail up your neck to your lips, moving with them in a heated motion.
His pace picks up and he groans, “Can’t get enough of you.”
“I’m-“ you gasp, back arching from the bed, “Fuck, I’m not going anywhere.”
“M’never letting you go.” He mumbles against your lips before deepening the kiss. His grip on your body tightening as his pace grows harder.
Your nails drag up his back, leaving red lines in its path, “Fuck, yes. Yes.”
You were already there, on the verge of becoming a mess under him. You weren’t sure if it was the tension building up over time, or if it was the fact that what you both wanted was finally happening, but you were there.
And Chris knew it.
With his full attention being on you, he could tell from every movement you made, every sound you made, “Come for me, baby.” He groans low, “Fuck, I can feel you’re right there, just let go for me.”
His words push you into the deep end, pleasure engulfing you as your body tenses and tightens around him, whines slipping from your lips with moans automatically following.
His eyes are glued to your face as he guides you through, watching how your eyes squeeze shut and your lips part as your breathing becomes more rapid.
“You’re so beautiful.” He whispers before crashing his lips onto yours, “so fucking beautiful.”
His thrusts grow sloppy and you tighten your leg around his waist, “Don’t stop.” You plead, “Fuck, don’t stop.”
“Not stopping.” He assures, his lips pressing to yours harder. He groans against them, moving to press open mouth kisses down your neck as he groans louder.
You can feel his cock twitching inside of you, giving you what you wanted most in this moment, “Fuck.” You gasp out, “Chris.”
You both stay still for a second, taking in what just happened. You hold him tighter, hand gently dragging up and down his back.
He shifts, lying next to you with his face still in your neck. His hand gives your thigh a reassuring squeeze, “You okay?”
You nod, smiling up at the ceiling as your hand moves to lay on his head, fingers gently scratching, “Better now.” You turn your head, “You?”
“Better now.” He whispers against your neck, a soft chuckle escaping his lips, “Didn’t know I had it in me to break the infamous y/n.”
You laugh, “Well, you did.” I look down at him, “So what’s next? You want to go over how we’ll get Marlowe to agree to partner with us, or do you have another idea?”
Chris smirks, his fingers gently grazing your skin, “As much as I’d love to run through our game plan, I think we’ve had enough mission talk for one night.” He raises a brows, “Unless you’re telling me you’d rather talk business than stay right here, of course.”
You smirk, “Yeah, I’ve had enough business talk for one night.” You move around, pulling the blankets up over both you and Chris.
He shifts around, pulling you to his chest and he lets out a sigh, “That’s what I like to hear.” He chuckles, pressing a kiss to your head, “Get some sleep. You need to shut your brain off for a bit. We’ll focus on handling Marlowe tomorrow.”
━━━━━━━━ 𖦏 ━━━━━━━━
Thank you so much for reading and thank you so much for being patient with me. I hope you liked this. Let me know. As always, I love you, catch you in the next one! 🖤
You slowly walked up to the door, smiling as you heard Sam on live talking about learning stuff in life over this past year.
You caught his attention as soon as you push the door open, laying a finger over your lips to indicate you wanted him to not let the viewers know you were in the room.
He plays if off, looking back, “Oh that was just Colby wondering if I was done or not.” He reads down over the comments, “Tell Colby I said hi,” he chuckles, nodding, “I will definitely do that.”
His eyes flick to you as he sees you drop down to the floor and crawl towards him. He tighten his jaw but played if off with a laugh - he knew what was coming.
You make your way under the desk, your hands sliding up and down his thighs as he spoke. He was overpowering your action, but that was only until you freed him from his pants.
His words were stuttered, more slow as he tried hard to keep his composure as your spit coated hand slowly ran up and down his already hard cock. He didn’t want people to know what was happening, of course.
“I-I, yeah.” He sucks in a sharp breath, “another of the things I learned..” he speaks faster, covering up the groan he want to let out with a cough, “You always need to have fun. Don’t take life too seriously”
You give his thigh a squeeze as you lean forward, wrapping your lips around the tip. He sucks in another sharp breath, laughing it off as his hand moves down to grip your shoulder, trying to keep his composer normal.
His fingertips dig into it as he scans over the comments. He wasn’t reading them. He was acting like this wasn’t the thrill of a lifetime.
You take more of his cock in, working slow to keep the noise to a minimum.
Sam’s fingertips were holding tight, like he was trying to engrave them into your shirt covered skin, “Fuck-“ he plays it off, “Yes. Fuck yes. That’s exactly the mindset to have.” He points to the phone, “What, um..” he hums lowly as your mouth works further and further down on his cock, “What other questions do you guys have for me?”
Sam presses his chin into his palm, his curled fingers pressing against his lips.
Your eyes squeeze shut as you take him into your throat, digging your fingers into his thigh as you know this is driving his insane.
He slides his hand to the back of your head, holding you there as he continues speaking for short time. His hand moves and you lift your head, wrapping your hand around him and licking up the underside.
His body jolts and he plays it off, “That’s a good comment, I just got chills, with reading that. Like literal chills.”
After a few a few seconds of you bobbing your head up and down, he folds.
“Alright yall.” He bites down on the inside of his lip, “I’m peacing out for the night.” He gives the phone a peace sign, and ends the live right then and there, pulling you up from out under the desk, “Get the fuck up here.”
You couldn’t help but be all smiles, and it drove him even more crazy, “Are you fucking kidding me? What if they would have seen you?”
Before you can say anything, Sam cuts you off, “But you would have liked that, wouldn’t you? Having them see how pretty you looked while sucking a cock they can’t have?” He chuckles, nodding his chin towards the bed, “Get your ass on that bed.”
A gasp slipped from your lips as he nudged you towards it. You comply, immediately walking over and sitting down on it. You waited for further instruction, because Sam was exactly where you wanted him to be.
Your eyes followed him as he stood up, pulling his shirt off his body.
“Take it off.” He says lowly, “All of it.”
You nod, standing up and immediately working at removing your clothes until you were standing there, fully on display for him.
He walks over, his hands trailing up and down your body as he let out a sigh, “next time you’re on live, or even an important work meeting, I’m going to be under that table, making it so hard for you to speak.” He presses his lips to your jaw, “and if you hang up..” he adds, “I’ll stop.”
Your breath hitches in your throat, “Fuck, Sam.”
A smirk toys at his lips, “What? It’s only fair.” He pushes you back on the bed, his body hovering over yours, “Right? You distract me, I distract you. That’s how that works, sweetheart.”
You gasp as you feel his lips attach to your neck, sucking a deep purple mark into your skin. Your hands slide up his arms, “Fuck, Sam please.”
“Uh uh, we’re not doing that.” He shakes his head, “No, I’m taking my time with you.” He slides a hand down between your bodies, his fingers pressing to your clit and rubbing small circles over.
A whine escapes your lip, earning a groan from him, “What, baby?”
“Sam, please.” You whimper, “Need you so bad.”
“Yeah?” He whispers, lips trailing back to yours, “I can tell, you wouldn’t have crawled under the desk if you didn’t need me in your on way or another.”
A gasp leaves your lips, “Fuck, Sam. Please don’t tease me.”
“I don’t think you’re in any position to make any demands.” His voice was low, teasing, “Just relax.” He hand dips down lower, two fingers slipping into your needy cunt, “You’re soaked, you really do need me, don’t you?”
You nod, body arching off the bed as his fingers curl upward, “Y-yes.”
Your brows pull together at the feeling, moans escaping your lips as his lips reattach to your neck, “Fuck, yes. Yes.” Your hands pull him closer, turning your head to press your lips to his.
His lips move with yours, groaning against them as you bite down on his lower lip. He pulls his fingers out, bringing them up to your lips and you waste no hesitation taking them in and swirling your tongue around to collect your arousal.
“That’s it.” Sam whispers, “Just like that.”
His eyes fixate on you, his own brows pulling together as he feels your tongue run along his fingers. He pulls them out, his lips smashing to yours and he groans at the taste of yourself on your lips.
His hands push your thighs further apart, quickly pushing his jeans down before slipping into you slowly. He doesn’t give you any time to adjust before pulling out and thrusting back into you.
His hand slides up, resting on your neck, “Should have just fucked you on the live.” He grumbles, breath getting caught in his throat as your legs tighten around his waist. You whimper at his words, “Sam.” You breath out, “Would have violated the in-“
“I don’t give a fuck.” He cuts you off, his pace becoming ruthless as his hand tightens on your neck, “Should have fuckin’ let them see just how much of a slut you really are for me, huh.”
You moan at his words, his grip, his pace, everything, growing louder as your chest presses against his, “S-Sam.”
“Let them hear just how fucking pretty you sound when you beg for me.” His lips meet yours, “How pretty you sound when you whine out my name like that.”
You repeat your actions, his name rolling from your tongue with ease.
He groans, “Fuck, baby.” His breathing is growing more rapid, “That’s it.”
Your legs tighten around his waist, eyes rolling back as he fucks you hard, whines and whimpers leaving your lips, followed by a string of moans.
“God, you feel so good, baby.” He leans up slightly, watching as your face twists with pleasure, “Should have let them see how fucking gorgeous you look when I’m fucking some sense into you.”
Your moans grow louder, that familiar band in your belly tightening more and more as each second passes, “F-fuck.” You moan, nails dragging up his back, “D-don’t stop.”
“Didn’t plan on it, baby.” He groans, “Come for me, I know you’re close.”
You gasp, eyes rolling shut tight as he guides you closer and closer. A loud, almost scream leaves your lips as he pushes you over the edge. Your walls pulsate around his cock and it sends him into an even harder pace.
“Good girl.” He groans, “feels so good, fuck.”
His hand slides down from your neck, gripping your thigh with a bruising tightness, “Takin’ me so fuckin well, sweetheart. Fuck, doing so good.”
You moan at his words, pulling him back in for a heated kiss, “Feels so good.” You mumble, chest rising and falling quickly as you feel another orgasm coming into play.
Sam senses that, “Fuck, gonna come for me again, baby? Come on, let me have it.”
His words shove you into that euphoric feeling.
Moans ripping from your lips in all sorts of volume levels. Your nails leaving red, welted lines all across his back. You tighten your legs, not allowing him to pull away, “N-need you.” You whine lowly, “Fuck, fuck.”
Sam groans at your words, his thrusts growing sloppy rather quickly. You pull him in, lips moving with his as you feel his cock twitch inside of you, giving you exactly what you asked for.
After a few seconds, your legs relax and Sam plops down on the bed next to you, “You’re insane.” He laughs, reaching up to brush hair from your face, “But I love it.”
A smile forms on your lips as you turn your head, “I was gonna say..” you laugh, “Don’t act like you didn’t like me being under your desk. Teasing you is what I’m best at.”
He smirks, “Nah, I did.” He nods, “As soon as I seen you, I could tell that’s where you were headed.” He laughs, leaning in to press a kiss to your forehead, “But I meant what I said, next time, I’m getting you back.”
You laugh, “I know, kinda can’t wait until I have another meeting or something.” As you go to sit up, Sam stops you, “What do you need? I’ll get it for you.” He sits up and you shrug, “was just going to get a shower.”
He gets up, slipping on a pair of shorts, “I’ll go get it started, you just relax for a sec.”
You watch as he walks away, a smile on your face.
A few minutes later, he comes back in, “follow me.” He holds his hand out and you take it, following him to the bathroom. A smile plays with your lips as you see he’s got a bath started.
Bubbles. The lights dim. Everything.
“Sam.” You look at him, “you didn’t-“
“Get in and relax.” He motions, “If you need me, I’ll be in the room.” You reach out, “Get in here with me.” You laugh as you step into the tub, sitting forward to wait for him.
A few seconds later, Sam was behind you, pulling you back against his chest. He places a kiss on your head, letting out a sigh, “I love you, you know that?”
You nod, resting your head back, “I love you.”
“Good.” He chuckles, “You drive me insane, but in the best way possible.”
You giggle, laying your hands on his arms that are wrapped around you, “Yeah, I know, but at least you’re not bored.” Sam laugh, “Right, yeah. You always keep me on my toes. I wake up never knowing what we’re getting into that day.” He kisses your head again, “But I don’t ever mind it.”
You smile, closing your eyes as you sit there in his arms for a while. Afterwards, he gets your towel, wrapping it around your body, “Do you need anything else?”
You shake your head, “Just ready to go to bed.”
Sam nods, “Yeah, I think that’s what I’m ready for to.” He walks with you back to the room and instantly moves to grab you a new shirt and underwear. He sets them down on the bed and pulls you in for a soft, sweet kiss, “Get dressed, get comfy, I’ll be back.”
He turns to leave and you change, sitting down on the bed to wait for him. A moment later, Sam comes back in with snacks and drinks, “Pick a movie, babe. Anything you want.”
You smirk, instantly moving to grab the remote. You lean back against the headboard, glancing at Sam while he sits down next to you. After the movie is picked, he pulls you next to him, his arm secured tightly around you, “You good?”
You turn your head, looking up at him with a nod, “Yeah, baby.” You smile, “I’m good.”
Thank you so much for reading. Sorry it been a while since I posted, but I think we’re back. Thank you for being so patient, I love you always. 🖤 catch you in the next one!
This is your sign to check on your friends. Especially the ones who always seem happy. Tell them you love them. Make sure they know they’re not alone. Just be there in any way you can for them. Mental health is sooo important!
This isn’t about anything specific, I’ve been struggling with my mental health lately. I was fine, then I wasn’t again, and I just think it’s important you always tell the people you care about that you love them. I love you, you beautiful human thats reading this. You are worth everything. Please take care of yourself. 🖤
girl are you good??? You haven’t been on and I’m kinda worried lolol
Your girl is going through itttttt I blame the fuckin lunar blood moon eclipse that happening soon. I’ve been down in the dumps BAD lately, but I’m here. I’m good. I’ll get something out soon.
You reach out, retrieve the important square from the doctor, “Thank you.” She gives you a smile, “The gender is on the ultrasound that’s in there.”
“That’s crazy.” Matt laughs anxiously, “Oh my gosh.”
“You guys are all good to go.” She stands up, “You can set up your next appointment at the front desk when you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” You smile and turn to Matt as she leaves, “It’s here. The gender.. it’s in here.” He presses a kiss to your head, “Yeah, and it’s talking all I have not to snatch it and rip it open.”
“No, I know. Same.” You laugh, sliding down from the table, “Do you think Nick and Chris can handle keeping this from us?”
“I think.” He nods, cracking a smile, “Maybe it’s best if we just avoid them for the next week.”
You laugh, “I think they’ll be able to keep it a secret.”
“Nick will duct tape Chris’ mouth shut. I’m just glad you wanted to include them.” You furrow your brows, “Why wouldn’t I? They’ve been the absolute best these last few months.”
He nods, “They sure have.” He runs his finger along the edge of the white paper in your hand, “C’mon, we should probably go before we rip this open.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
After getting home from the hospital, Matt walks in with you, calling out, “He-“
“Give me.” Nick appears out of no where, taking the envelope from your gasp, “Thank you.” He turns and Chris jumps up, “Do you want us to record this so you can watch it later on?”
“Yes.” You answer instantly, “Please.”
They give you a thumbs up and walk back the hall. For some reason, you get a feeling to pull your phone out, “Chris and Nick just took the envelope back to look at the baby’s gender.” You look at Matt, “I feel like we-“
Screams erupt from back the hall and Matt snaps his head, “Oh they’re excited.”
You cover your mouth, tears forming in your eyes, “Oh my gosh. That was so loud.”
Matt slowly runs his hand over our bump, “I’m going with it’s a girl.” He looks at you, “I heard more Nick in that mess of screams.”
“Really? I’m going boy, I thought I heard Chris.” You laugh, “Well, I guess we’ll find out next week.” You toss your phone down and sit down, letting out a sigh, “Oh shit. I forgot my water out in the car.”
“I’ll get it.” As Matt stands up, the door opens and Chris and Nick walk out like nothing happened.
“Well..” Matt shrugs and Nick looks at him, “Well.. what? How’d your appointment go?”
“It was good. Did you like the results?” You ask and Chris scoffs, “What results?”
“Oh, okay.” You laugh, “I see.”
Matt laughs, “I’ll be right back in.” He walks out to the car and Nick sits next to you, “Can I feel your belly? I want to see if I can feel any kicks yet.”
You nod, leaning back, “it might be another few weeks yet.”
Nick focuses, letting out a sigh, “Yeah, nothing yet.” He sits back and Matt comes back in, “Here, babe.” He hands you the bottle and you sigh, “Thank you so much.”
“Feel any kicks yet?” Matt asks Nick, and he shakes his head, “Nope. Not yet.” He points to your belly, “But I’ll be back, uncle Nick doesn’t give up that easy.”
Chris laughs, “Watch them happen when you’re not here.”
“I’ll be mad.” Nick scoffs, laughing immediately after, “It’s fine. I already know I’ll be the favorite uncle.”
Matt scoffs as he sits down next to you, his hand on your belly, “I think we all know that I’m-“ he gasps, “Oh my god.”
“What?” You look at him, and Nick leans in, “Did you feel-“
“No.” Matt laughs, “ahh, that’s funny.”
“Fucker.” Nick scoffs, looking at Chris, “Come on. Let’s go get dinner.”
“Going to discuss the gender reveal?” You tease and Nick looks at you, “That’s not any of your concern. Text me what you want.” You give him a thumbs up, “Yes sir.”
As Nick and Chris leave the house, Matt lets out a sigh, “I can’t believe we’re going to be parents.” His fingers run over your clothed bump, “Like, there’s an actual baby in there.” He laughs lightly, “It’s insane.”
You lay your hand on his, “I know, and I’m the one carrying it.” You laugh, looking over at him, “I am genuinely scared, though, Matt.”
He reaches up, cupping your cheek, “I know, me too.” He presses his lips to your head, “But we’ll have help. You know my mom will jump in anytime we need her, too, and you know mother hen Nick-“ he breaks off into laughter, “And Chris will be here.”
You nod, “I know, I just-“
“It won’t be, too much. Don’t even think that. They know what they’re signing up for.” Matt nods, “You’re going to be the best mom ever.”
You smile, the burning of tears form in your eyes as you lean in to press a gentle kiss to his lips, “You’re going to be the best dad ever.”
⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅
Your hands were holding Matt’s tight as you stood across from one another.
Your closest family and closest friends surrounding you with an enormous amount of love.
You were shaking with a nervous excitement, “Oh my god.” Matt smiles, “It’s okay, baby.” His thumbs run over the back of your hands and your heart drops as everyone starts counting down.
“Five!”
“Four!”
“Three!”
“Two!”
“One!”
Everyone twists their canons and pink dust and confetti shoot out towards the sky. You let out a scream, your hands flying to cover your face as you sob happily into them.
Matt wraps his arms around you, holding you tight, “We’re having a girl! We’re having a girl!” He tilts your head up, “I love you. I love you so fucking much.” He presses his lips to yours a few times, “A girl!”
“A girl!” You smile, sniffling as you wrap your arms around his neck.
He lifts you up, twirling you around before setting you down. You turn and everyone comes running over to hug and congratulate the two of you on your know known baby girl.
You guys haven’t settled on a name yet, so everyone has just been calling her baby girl Sturniolo. You and Matt have talked about a few names, but you haven’t been able to settle on just one perfect one.
You were clung to Matt’s side the rest of the party.
A few weeks later, it was around two something in the morning and you sat up with a gasp, “Matt.” You reach over, “Feel this.” You grab his hand and lay it on your belly. He sits up, lips parted as he feels the kicking for the first time, “Oh my gosh. There she is.”
You laugh slightly, “She woke me up. It was a hard kick.” You lay your hand on his, “Whoa, whoa.” You watch as your hands jolt upward, “You might want to get Nick.” You pressed your hand into your belly, smiling as you reached over to turn on the light.
Matt went to get Nick, and Nick ran into the room not a minute later, “Yes, yes, yes!” He gently places a hand on your belly, and you pull it to where you think her feet are.
Nick gasps, his other hand coming to cover his mouth, “She’s kicking so hard, oh my gosh.”
Matt sits behind you, Chris walking into the room as he rubs his eye, “What’s going on?”
“Chris. Come feel this.” Nick looks over his shoulder and reaches out to grab his hand, “Right.. here.” Chris immediately snaps awake, “That is literally the coolest, and most weirdest, like a good weird, thing ever. Like-“ he shakes his head with a smile, “You literally have a baby inside of you.”
“It is crazy.” Matt rests his chin on your shoulder, “I sometime still can’t believe it.”
You nod, “Sometimes I forget she’s in there and when she moves in like whoa, what the fuck?!” You laugh, “I just thought you’d want to feel it.”
He nods, “Yeah, thank you. That’s insane.” He stands up, “Go back to sleep. You need it.” He reaches over, turning off the night, “Goodnight little girl, your favorite uncle Nick loves you.”
“Fuck you.” Chris pushes Nick, “I’m the cool fun uncle, she’s gonna like me better.” They bicker as they leave and Matt kisses your cheek, “That baby is so loved already.”
You were clung to Matt’s side the rest of the pregnancy, too. Where ever you went, Matt went. They didn’t stop filming, either. You made sure not to get in the way of that.
You appeared in some of them, giving off bump dates and what not, but you mostly lounged around.
By the time the third trimester came, you didn’t really do much of anything but complain about how you felt like you were running out of room for her.
Nick and Chris helped Matt set up the crib and all of the other things you received at the baby shower. They made sure the nursery was perfect, and just the way you wanted it.
It was an early morning, around six, and you were just laying in bed. It was also the thirty ninth week of your pregnancy, and the doctor said she could come at any time now.
“When do you think she’ll decide to come out?” You ask, running your fingers through Matt’s hair. He takes a small breath, “Hopefully soon. I can’t wait to meet her.”
He turns his head to look up at you, “I know she’s going to be just as pretty as her mama.” He smiles and you can’t help but smile back, “You’re too nice.” You kiss his head and he tilts it up more, pursing his lips.
You peck his lips, “I gotta pee again. She’s been using my bladder as a punching bag.”
Matt laughs as he sits up, “You good?”
You nod, “Yeah, it’s just-“ you sigh, standing up, “Getting up in anyway.” You take a step and feel a gush, “Um.”
“Is that-“
“Not pee.” You look at Matt, “I think my water just broke.” His eyes go wide and he jumps out of bed, “Okay, okay. Come on.” He walks over to the door and yells for the other two, “Guys. It’s time!”
Nick runs in, “Alright, we’ll get the bags. Matt, get her to the car.” Chris walks in, “Do you- what- oh I’m freaking out.”
You can’t help but laugh, “Breathe, you’ll be fine.” You take a sharp breath as you feel a contraction settle in, “Shit, okay.” You breathe out, “Fuck, she must want to meet you, too.” You smile at Matt and he nods, “Yeah, we can do it when we get to the hospital, come on.”
After a few hours of laboring and giving birth, things settle down.
You’re sitting in the bed, your baby in your arms and Matt right next to you. His finger gently brushing over her cheek, “She’s so perfect.”
“She really is.” You sniffle, “I can’t believe she’s here.”
“You did so good.” He presses a kiss to your head, “You were amazing.” He rests his head on hours, “my girls.” He kisses your shoulder, “Are you up for any visitors?”
“They haven’t left the waiting room. It would be torture not to let them back.” You laugh, wiping away your tears, “Go get them.”
Matt gives you a kiss, “Are you sure?”
You nod, “They need to meet their niece.”
Matt smiles and nods, “Be right back.”
After a few minutes, the door slowly pushes open and Matt walks past the curtain. Nick files in behind and gasps, his hands coming to cover his mouth, “Oh.. my gosh.” He looks at you, “How are you?”
You shrug, “I’m really good.” You smile, “Here.” You turn, handing her to Matt, and he walks around to the guys.
Chris turns away, wiping his cheeks with his hoodie sleeve and takes a deep breath, “I told myself I wouldn’t do this.”
Matt laughs, “Yeah, they pull it right out of you.” He leans forward, laying the baby into Nick’s arms. He stands there, watching Nick gently bounce the baby that’s cooing quietly, “Her name is Everly Sage.” He sniffles, “But I’ve been calling her little Evy.”
“Hi, Evy.” Nick whispers, “It’s me, your favorite uncle Nick. I’m going to let your boring uncle Chris see you, but don’t worry. I’ll get you back in a minute.” He looks up, laughing as Chris just stares at him, “Give me my niece, please.”
He smiles as Nick passes her over, gently shushing as she starts to fuss, but she quickly settles down.
Matt smiles at you, “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay.” You nod, “I’m just-“ your lip quivers, “This is just so cute.” Matt walks over to you, “aw, baby.” He hugs you, pressing a kiss to your head, “I know, seeing Chris and Nick cry always brings me joy.”
“Hey!” Nick and Chris whisper at the same time, causing everyone to laugh.
Chris walks over, sitting down in the chair as he talks to Evy, “I’m gonna be your favorite. I just know it. Don’t listen to that weird kid telling you that he’s your favorite. I know it’s me.”
Nick walks over, sitting down next to you. He throws his arm around you and sighs, “You did good. I’m glad everything went smooth.”
“Scary, but worth it.” You lay your head against his, “Still can’t believe she’s here.” He nods, “Shocked Matt didn’t pass out.” He looks over and Matt nods, “It’s crazy how locked in you get when something like that is happening.”
“I’m sure.” Nick nods, “Okay. I gotta hold her again.” He walks over, gently taking the baby from Chris and Chris walks over to you, bending down to hug you, “She’s the most precious thing I’ve ever seen.”
You nod, “She’s a cute one, that’s for sure.” He stands up, “Do you guys need anything?”
“I could go for some food, actually. I hate hospital food.” You look at Matt, smiling as his eyes stay on his daughter, “Matt, baby.”
He blinks, looking over at you, “Yeah, baby?”
“You hungry?” You ask and he nods, “Yeah.” He looks at Chris, tossing him his keys, “get whatever.” He goes back to looking at Nick.
“I’ll be back, and as soon as I am, I’m holding that baby.” He points to Nick and Nick nods, “Here. I’ll make it fair.” He hands Evy back to Matt, “I’ll just go with you so I don’t have to hear your cry about it later.”
Matt laughs, fixing the small hat on her head.
“I’ll text you.” You nod, “Thank you.”
“Welcome!” Chris and Nick respond as they leave.
The room grows quiet again and Matt sits down next to you, laying Evy in your arms, “You know..” he looks from her to you, “I just fell even more in love with you.”
⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅୨୧⑅
Thank you for reading! I love you all so much. Catch you in the next one! 🖤
Last time you checked your phone was two days ago, going on three. You were certain the batter was drained, but you didn’t bother to care.
You’ve been in bed mostly, getting up every now and then to go to the bathroom or grab a quick drink, but other than that, you were living in between your blankets.
You heard your door open, but at this point, you didn’t care if it was intruder or not. You were just going to tell them to take everything.
There’s a soft knock on your bedroom door and you mumble, not even sure if it was audible, “Go away.”
“No, I’m coming in.” Nick pushes the door open, “I just wanted to make sure you were here and not out there lost somewhere.” He closes the door and walks over to sit on the bed, “What’s goin’ on?”
You take a deep breath, rolling over, “Nothing.”
“Okay.” He kicks his shoes off and lays down next to you, “I’m just going to lay here with you then.”
You don’t answer. You just stare at the wall.
After a few minutes of silence, you break, “I just don’t have the energy right now. For anything.”
“I get that.” Nick rolls over onto his side, you do the same to face him, “I’ve been here. All but maybe an hour total.” You can feel your lip quivering, “I just don’t feel okay right now.”
He extends his arm out, “Come here.”
You move over, cuddling into his chest, “I feel bad for not letting you know.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. I think a part of you knew I’d be over at some point.” He chuckles lightly and you shrug, “I’m glad you did.” You sigh, “Wait, how’d you get in anyway? The door was locked.”
“I made a key.” He laughs, “Figured it would come in handy sometime.”
“I thought you were someone breaking it. I was just going to tell you to take whatever you wanted, just let me alone.”
He laughs slightly as he gives you tight squeeze, “You do know that if you ever need anything, I’ll always do what I can, right?”
You nod, “I know.. just felt like a bother.”
“You are not a bother. Not when you need me for something like this.” He runs his hand up and down your back, “It sucks being alone in your mind, but lucky for you.” He pulls his phone out, “You have a best friend like me who plans on hanging out for a while, so.. What do you want to eat?”
“Nothing.”
“Y/n.” He looks down, “I know you, and I can hear your stomach growling.”
You laugh slightly, a better feeling washing over you, “Yeah, I am pretty hungry.” He nods, “See. What do you want on your pizza?”
“Surprise me.” You take a deep breath, allowing him to place the order before hugging him tight, “Thank you for coming over. It really means a lot to me.”
“Sometimes all you need is your best friend.” He hugs you back, “And as your best friend, I’m going to need you to go get a shower because I know that’s the first step to pulling you out of this funk. Pizza should be here by the time you’re done.”
After you shower, you come out and Nick already has everything ready, “Come on. To the couch. We’re putting on a comedy, so what’s the funniest moving you can think of?”
You follow him over as you think, “I’m not sure. You pick.”
He nods, sitting down as he scrolls through, “How’s this?” You look at the tv and a smile cracks through onto your lips, “Yeah, that’s good.”
By the middle of the movie, you were starting to feel better. You were laughing with Nick, talking more. He was right when he said that all you need is your best friend sometimes.
Nick was literally a walking ray of sunshine, and you were blessed to have him in your life.
If you’re reading this - this is your daily reminder that you are stronger than you think. Smarter than you think. Worth so much more than you think. You are a beautiful human, and I love you so much.
Catch you in the next one, can’t wait to see you there 🖤
