ʚɞ Gojo Satoru Fic Recommendations ʚɞ

Forever Yours

J’adore

Scars don’t fade

August

Sincerely Not

Sincerely Yours

Everyone’s Doll

Missed Connection

Confessions

Confidential

Violet Lights

Starboy

The Twist of a Knife

A Dangerous Game

Fate’s Gamble

All I Need

Baby Steps

Finite

Sensual Epiphany

Two Lines

Changes

Infidelity

The Fuck List

In Other Words, I Love You (Dead Dove: Do Not Eat)

Permanent Mark

Sundered

Kick Off

The Unfaithful

I Still Want You

Untameable Waves (please come back)

Acotar Men Fic Recs

** Updated 09/02/2024 **

I already made a list for azriel which was actually meant as a list for all the characters I read for but I read a lot more of azriel fics because he's my baby and the list was getting too long. So here are the rest of the characters and I also added some more azzy drabbles sorry

Azriel (drabbles)

az spitting in your mouth - smut

az pleasuring his mate with truthteller - smut, big fan of truthteller

azriel... - fluff, smut

azriel's hands - fluff, smut

Rhysand

dioxazine part 2 - fluff, smut, modern au, art school au

the lord's work - smut

if you should die before you wake - smut, rhys x cass x azriel x reader

just hold on - smut

a court of four horsemen - smut, part of a series

double duty - smut, rhys x reader x cass

what's mine - smut, rhys x eris x reader

the caress of murder and moonlight - smut, rhys x azriel x reader

mine - smut, check warnings!

knocked up - smut

vampire!rhysand drabble - smut

professor!rhys headcanons part 2 - smut

soothing - fluff, aftercare

easy like sunday morning - fluff, smut

my body keeps saying it's yours - smut

home to us - fluff

rhys as a pleasure dom - smut - technically a drabble? blurb?

mirror mirror - smut

daylight - fluff

shrinking violet - smut

if i catch you i fuck you - smut

Cassian

mirror mirror - smut

take it - smut

a court of four horsemen - smut, part of a series

on the strategy board - smut

pools of sunlight - fluff

halley's comet - angst, smut

drabble - smut - az x cass x reader

Eris

runaway - angst, smut

fox hunting - smut

closed until further notice - fluff, smut, coffee shop au

smut blurb

smut blurb II

destiny's battleground - angst, smut

my lovely throne - smut

despite our differences - angst, smut, series

the prince of blood part 2 part 3 - vampire!eris

servitude - smut

thumb prints - smut

sly fox, dumb bunny - series

the burning of the autumn leaves and the roaring of my yearning heart - angst, smut

soul on fire - smut

a court of four horsemen - smut, part of a series

fire on fire - angst?

riding eris' face - smut, drabble

riding eris' thigh - smut, drabble

cauldron fated - angst, smut

making out with eris while giving him a handjob - smut, drabble

praise kink eris - smut, drabble

Lucien

solecist night - smut

yell at me again - smut

personal problem - smut

the moon on a string - fluff

drabble - smut

drabble - smut, az x lucien x reader (kind of)

dom lucien - smut, human!reader

Helion

a high lord's scholar - fluff

new mechanisms - smut

sweet like peaches - smut

✨- indicates smut.

✧: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Azriel:

Click here to be added to the Azriel tag list

🌙Series🌙

🌙Oneshots & Requests🌙

✧: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Cassian:

Click here to be added to the Cassian tag list

🌙Series🌙

Crawling Back to You (mini series)

🌙Oneshots & Requests🌙

✧: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Rhysand:

Click here to be added to the Rhysand tag list

🌙Series🌙

🌙Oneshots & Requests🌙

✧: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Lucien Vanserra:

Click here to be added to the Lucien Vanserra tag list

🌙Series🌙

🌙Oneshots & Requests🌙

✧: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Eris Vanserra:

🌙Oneshots & Requests🌙

✧: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

Nesta Archeron:

🌙Oneshots & Requests🌙

Masterlist

Warning; English is not my first language so please excuse any mistakes.

Azriel x f!Reader

Payback is a bitch (angst, fluff)

Best mistake (fluff)

Broken Bat (angst)

Alive (angst)

Circle. (fluff)

I fell for you. (Angst) ,

Scary mate (mostly fluff)

Trapped mate. (angst)

Failed proposal. (angst, fluff),

Oops (fluff)

Peregryn. (fluff)

Meant to be together. (angst, fluff)

Missed you. (angst, fluff)

Idiot. (angst, fluff)

Forever (angst, fluff)

My mate (angst, fluff)

Scattered vows (angst),

I've got you (fluff)

Winter solstice (dad!Azriel, fluff)

Honeymoon phase (fluff, suggestive)

Untouchable. (angst)

Dirty mouth (suggestive, fluff)

ACOTAR x Reader

Rhysand

Azriel

Cassian

Helion

Eris

Elain

Poly

ACTOR Ships

Azris

ACOTAR Masterlist

GIF by kennedy1917sworld

*(Indicates smut)

Azriel:

No Shame (Joseph Liebgott x f!reader)

Pairing: Joe Liebgott x female reader (mentions of Babe x reader, and Tab x reader)

Genre: Angst and smut with a smidge of fluff

Warning: Smut (18+), general HBO war warnings so language, pretty bad family upbringings (haha mommy and daddy issues am i right?), reader does walk all over Joe ngl but she’s learning, if you read between the lines then talks of using sex as a coping mechanism, borderline cheating? idk

Prompt: Requested by @softguarnere​ “No Shame (also by 5SOS because I’m obsessed) with Liebgott?”

A/N: I’m real sorry this isn’t edited or even proof read yet so bare with me, just wanted to post the damn thing cause it’s driving me insane. Isn’t quite as good as i wanted it to be so it’s got me going mad

This is based from the lyrics of ‘No Shame’ by 5 Seconds of Summer but i have cut some of the lines that i couldn’t work with so be aware, the song is not complete. This is the first attempt at me using song lyrics as prompts so please enjoy. 

Keep reading

Let The Light In | Joel Miller X f!Reader

Masterlist

Chapter 6

Friday finally rolled around, and you’d been buzzing all day. You started getting ready for your date two hours in advance, just to be sure you gave yourself enough time. Joel hadn’t told you just how fancy this restaurant would be, you only knew it was not Olive Garden, and presumably nicer. You rummaged through your closet, cycling through a few options before settling on a little black dress. Classic, you hoped Joel would like it. You kept it simple with light makeup, but debated heavily between a pinky gloss or a wine red lipstick. You swiped on the gloss, and it looked good, but you felt it wasn’t enticing enough. You wiped it off and applied the lipstick with precision. Taking a step back, you examined yourself in the mirror. It tied the whole look together nicely. You’d never gotten this dressed up for a date, certainly not any first date. It made you giddy to think that Joel was already treating you with such care.

You didn’t start feeling nervous until you received an “on my way” text. You fiddled with your jewelry, perched on the edge of the bed. You knew Joel would be a gentleman, you were more concerned about yourself. You desperately didn’t want to come off the wrong way.

The doorbell rang, making you jump out of your thoughts. You hurried to the door, clammy hands smoothing down your dress. One last deep breath before twisting the handle. One last steadying thought – it’s just Joel – and you swung open the door.

You thought you might collapse at the sight of him. His hair was combed back, a new look from his usual tousled locks, and it made your fingers twitch, itching to mess it up again. Over his broad frame was a dark green button up, with the top two buttons undone, allowing your eyes to devour his collarbone and neck. You needed to get his skin between your teeth before the night was over. Your gaze drifted lower, and in his hands, flowers. He held them out to you with a gorgeous smile, “Evening, darlin’.”

“Joel,” was all you could say at first, and it was written all over your face that you were entranced by him. Watching you absorb his appearance, he wondered if you’d even looked at yourself. From the second you opened the door, he was smitten. You looked nothing short of stunning. The silhouette of your dress was beyond flattering. That color of lipstick accentuated the shape of your lips, and he had to hold himself back from kissing it all off. There would be time for that later.

You took the bouquet and threw your arms around his shoulders, in lieu of a hello. His large hands splayed over your back. Up close, you could smell his cologne, instantly making your loins stir.

The light scent of the flowers reminded you to pull away before getting too lost in him. “Let me put these in a vase real quick.”

He stayed in the doorway, but leaned over to watch while you filled a vase with water. “The sink behaving itself?”

“Yeah, works perfect.”

“And the cabinets?”

“No longer squeaky.”

“Good,” he nodded once.

You glanced at him repeatedly while arranging the flowers, hardly believing your eyes. It felt surreal to see Joel Miller leaning against your doorway, waiting to take you on a date.

He detected your nervousness, and wondered if you could sense his. It had been more than a decade since he’d had any romantic prospects, and his heart pressured him to win you over. 

It wasn’t lost on you how his eyes had been glued to you this whole time. It lent some confidence to your stride as you grabbed your purse and returned to him. On the way out to the truck, it was impossible to ignore how his ass sat awfully nicely in his gray slacks.

He took you to a restaurant you’d never heard of, but that wasn’t saying much. Most places in Austin you were still unfamiliar with. You found yourself hoping Joel would take you all over the city.

He gave you a hand getting out of the truck, which you readily accepted. You marveled at how small your hand felt enveloped in his own, and he still held it as you walked into the restaurant, and still didn’t let go until you were seated. You both looked over the menu quietly, murmuring about what looked good. A blanket of unexpected shyness hung in the air between you.

He cleared this throat, “You look amazing. Meant to say that earlier, but you really did have me speechless.”

Heat rose in your cheeks, “You look great too.”

His mouth quirked upwards, but there was something behind his eyes that said he didn’t believe you, not fully.

Your gaze dropped back to the menu, unable to say it while looking right at him, “I mean it. You’re very handsome Joel.”

His smirk was all too audible, “Oh yeah? I clean up nice?”

“You do, but you’re handsome all the time.”

“I don’t know about all the time. You’ve never seen me at work.”

An image of him hard at work on a job site flashed in your mind. Muscles rippling, tanned and glistening with sweat from the sun. You’d do anything to see that, but didn’t even need to to be certain. “All. The time.”

He chuckled, “I’ll take your word for it.”

That left him with the question, since when? Had you always found him attractive? He’d certainly noticed your beauty from the start, have to be blind not to. You were a sight for sore eyes, and his eyes – along with everything else – were often very sore after a long day. He would try not to think about you too much, assuming that you probably didn’t want your old man boss fawning over how pretty you were. Sarah didn’t make that easy, she loved to ramble about her days spent with you, how cool and fun you were. Long after you’d left for the night, when he’d help himself to a brownie or whatever else you’d made, it took a strained effort to not picture you looking so lovely in his home. But the days of trying to avoid thoughts of you were long gone. Ever since the night you’d called and asked to be picked up – ever since you had needed him – there was no place in his mind that you couldn’t slip into.

The waiter came over and took your orders, and returned shortly with two glasses of wine.

You sipped your drink, hiding your desperation to down the whole glass. If your pounding heart would just stabilize, maybe you could be talkative enough for him to not regret this. You had to admit that your age gap made you uncertain about what topics you could both relate to, that didn’t involve Sarah. Your prayers were answered when he lead the conversation, because of course he would– he constantly proved himself to be the ideal man.

“You took a summer class, right?”

A question he already knew the answer to, but you appreciated it nonetheless. Summer classes had given you an excuse to move to Austin early, as you had been growing increasingly restless in your hometown. “Two, actually.”

“How’d those go for you?”

“They were pretty easy, I ended up having a lot more downtime than I thought.”

“What’d you get up to in your free time?”

Your eyes lit up, “A lot of baking. Going to the thrift store, too. Oh! And reading, when I can afford some more books.”

He was hanging on every word, but his face changed a bit at the mention of what you could afford.

Your eyes widened, realizing the unintentional implication about how much he paid you, “I’m just kidding, I’m not broke.” To regain some footing, you threw in a playful comment with a wink, “Most of the time.”

To your relief, he took it with neither offense nor concern, “I’ve been there darlin’. Don’t trust people who’ve never been broke at some point.”

“But hey,” he opened his palm on the table invitingly. You slid your hand into his, his thumb rubbing your knuckles. He continued, “Next time, shoot me a text and I’ll sponsor your next shopping trip.” 

You started shaking your head, but he wouldn’t relent, “Or at least a coffee’.”

You rolled your eyes, “You already sponsor my coffees.”

He laughed shortly, “But seriously, I’d be more than happy to-“

You cut him off, “But seriously, you really don’t have to-“

“Let me,” his hand tightened around yours. His eyes were so earnest, how could you deny him? Even though it didn’t sit right with you to receive money you didn’t work for, it made your heart flutter that he was insisting, that he’d even want to do that for you.

You settled for “maybe,” which he accepted with satisfaction. In his mind, there was already a timer counting; if you didn’t mention anything you wanted in the next two weeks, he’d still send some money your way. You’d probably try to refuse it with your moral high ground bit, but he’d just usher you to the bookstore.

Swirling your wine, you hid the full extent of your intrigue when you asked, “So what about you? Besides guitar, what do you like?”

He examined you for a moment, then said, “Guess.”

Confusion crossed your face, “Guess? I don’t know, whatever Texan men like. Football?”

He held intense eye contact, “I do like football. What else do you reckon?”

You shrugged, “You cook, right?”

“Enough to get by.” He nodded at you to continue, “Go ‘head, what else do you think I like?”

You paused to wonder what was his idea with throwing you for a loop like this. Then you identified the roguish look in his eyes and finally understood, oh, this is a game. The opportunity to interact with flirty Joel was exciting, and you were determined to show a new side of yourself, one that wasn’t swimming in self-doubt. You smiled coyly and answered, “You like me.”

He smirked, pleased that you caught on, “Too easy, you already knew that.”

Your lip curled into a more devious expression, “You like that I still have your clothes, don’t you? Haven’t asked for them back.”

“You ain’t given them back either,” he returned.

You took a sip of wine and tilted the glass toward him, “I know you like this outfit, but I bet you’d like seeing me in one of your T-shirts better.”

He smiled like he was impressed, “I would. And we can make that happen, long as you don’t get all shy ‘round me.”

You cocked your head, “Am I being shy now?”

He was pushing you on purpose, “I don’t know baby. Just get the feelin’ you’re all talk.”

So he was a smart opponent, but you could rise to the challenge. This particular thought had been brewing in your mind for a while, something you’d drift to when you couldn’t sleep at night. Though you couldn’t see yourself ever saying it to his face, something about Joel brought it out of you to vocalize, “I bet you’re handsy when you’re drunk.”

He raised an eyebrow, lowering his voice, “And I bet you’d love that.”

Your jaw dropped and you kicked him under the table. He burst into laughter.

The food arrived shortly, and everything was delicious. You both drank a second glass of wine, and you adored the color it brought to his cheeks. He took every chance to make you laugh, and with every success, he fought the urge to reach across the table and hold your face in both hands.

With the warmth coursing through his veins, every smushed down sentiment was rising of its own accord within him. He wanted to be everything for you. Provider, supporter, your source of stability, driver of your joy. And even as the night wore on and his mind cleared of the haze, he remained certain. He’d spare no effort for you, pour all he had and all he was at your feet.

You were in the middle of a story about your last job, in retail. “And then I was like, ‘I don’t get paid enough for this bullshit.’ And I quit on the spot and just left.”

“Really?” he grinned with raised eyebrows, like he was enjoying the hell out of your unprofessionalism.

You rambled animatedly, “Yes really! And I’ve never done that before, and I didn’t do it, like, for fun or anything. I had just put up with so much at that point, and I actually already had my two weeks’ notice all written up, but after that shit, I literally could not stand to be there for another minute.”

“No need to defend your character, darlin’. Hell, if I were you, I’da been meaner. Told ‘em all to fuck off.”

You laughed hard, throwing your head back, and he knew for sure he was screwed.

*. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * ·

“This has been such a great night Joel. Thank you so much.” You clung to his arm on the way back to his truck, jumping at the chance to feel his bicep.

He helped you climb in while saying, “You’re more than welcome darlin.’ I’m ready for the next one whenever you are, just say the word.”

Once he was settled in front of the wheel and turning out of the parking lot, you looked at the time. The night was still young. “I don’t wanna go home,” you said quietly.

Even knowing that this might not be the best decision, he suggested, “We could always go to my place, watch a movie or somethin’.”

Your skin tingled. “Or somethin’,” you repeated.

He gave you a sidelong glance with a raised brow, “Sarah’s spending the night at Uncle Tommy’s.”

“Lucky us.”

He rested his hand on your thigh while he drove. His palm was so warm and rough against your soft skin. He squeezed it every time he noticed you staring at him drive one-handed, making you look away and bite back a smile.

At his house, you plopped yourself on the couch while he rummaged around the kitchen. Turning to you, he held up two large wine glasses, “Join me for one more?”

“Gladly,” you beamed.

He popped open a bottle of red wine. It matched your lipstick, which reminded him, now’s the time to fulfill what he’d been wanting since you opened your apartment door.

Handing you a glass, he joined you on the couch. “Whatcha feel like watchin’?”

“Anything,” you answered, because you highly doubted you’d be paying any attention.

Joel had his own collection of movies on DVD, but he opted to channel surf until he found something that had just started. He was already planning on real movie nights with you, but tonight he knew you’d both be a little too distracted.

He put an arm around your frame, pulling you into his side. Your head fit perfectly in the curve where his neck met his shoulder. Raising the glass to your lips, you realized with a smirk that he filled them both way more than one servings’ worth.

He was caressing your arm, giving you goosebumps. You could barely hear the TV over the pounding of your heart. As anticipated, you grew bored of the movie after the first scene. The wine made your blood warm, and you swore you could feel it also heating his skin, right against your temple, as another swig traveled down his throat. You turned your head slightly and pressed a kiss to his neck. His breath hitched.

He leaned forward to set his glass on the coffee table, and plucked yours out of your hand as well.

“Now come here, pretty girl,” he murmured, and not wasting another second, he was tugging your legs across his lap and you gripped his shoulders. Your lips met in an open kiss, starved and needy. One of his hands wrapped securely around your waist, the other running up and down your thigh, teasing the hem of your dress. Your tongue prodded into his mouth, fingers snaking up his scalp, finally mussing up his hair. You took note of the way he sighed and leaned in further, pleased with yourself for discovering what he enjoyed.

You parted for a breath, and smirked at the sight of your rubbed-off lipstick staining his lips. You hummed, “This color looks really good on you.”

In turn, what was left on your lips was blurred around the edges. He traced it with the pad of his thumb, “Yeah? Looks beautiful on you baby, too bad I’m takin’ it off.”

You suddenly leaned away from him. He looked a little concerned until you said, “Let me finish this off real quick,” reaching for your still overfilled wine glass.

“Well shit, I’ll join ya,” he took his own to throw back.

It became an unspoken competition of who could down their glass first. Joel won, but not by much. Just to tease him, you tucked yourself back into his side and refocused on the movie. You also wanted to test your hypothesis about how touchy he’d get, and after less than ten minutes, all that wine started working all at once. You found yourself in a fit of giggles at a joke that wasn’t that funny. Joel laughed with you in amusement, admiring you in this state. You locked eyes for a moment, then his gaze fell to your lips, still tinted red.

“Gonna let me finish the job?” he drawled.

You answered by reconnecting your mouths, where he eagerly slid in his tongue. A large hand pressed against your ribs, keeping you close to him. As if you’d ever want to leave. He tilted his head and began trailing heated kisses down your neck, loving how your breath trembled.

A tender smile graced his features between kisses, “Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?”

You shook your head, “Never thought I was anything special.”

“Nobody ever make you feel special?” he pulled back enough to look at you, brows turned upward.

You shook your head again, playing it up with a pout.

“I will,” he vowed, laying back on the couch and pulling you with him.

You rested on top of him, the hem of your dress creeping up your thighs. Your heart was hammering wildly, you wondered if he could feel it against his chest.

You marveled at the way he was looking at you, longingly, like you really were special. Unable to take the intensity of gaze, you closed the gap between you again. You were so warm all over, melting into him. His palms rested on your lower back, fingers inching lower.

“You don’t have to be such a gentleman,” you mumbled against his lips.

“Just tryin’ to take my time with you baby, treat you right.”

You made out lazily, the noise from the TV long forgotten. His hands roamed over you, but always stopped short of where you wanted him. Your eyelids became so heavy, you couldn’t open them as you dipped your head to the crook of his neck. His cologne hadn’t worn off, and you breathed in the scent between kisses to his collarbone.

“You tired baby?” he asked.

“No.”

“You’re fallin’ asleep on me sweetheart.”

“No I’m not.”

“Okay,” he rolled his eyes and smiled into your hair.

“You’re just so warm,” you thought out loud.

A few minutes later, he nudged you lightly. You were dead asleep. He picked you up gently and carried you to his bedroom. Laying you down, he paused to think. If you were his, he’d take off that dress and put you in one of his shirts to sleep in. But you weren’t, and as much as he wanted you to be comfortable, he didn’t want to cross a line. Hell, if you were his, he’d just crawl in bed with you. But you weren’t, and as much as he wanted to just be close to you, he was deeply unwilling to tread over any uncertain boundaries. Couch for him tonight.

Before leaving your side, he brushed your hair away from your face and whispered to himself, “Where have you been all my life?”

Masterlist

Let The Light In | Joel Miller X f!Reader

Chapter 5

Joel called his brother the minute you were gone. He’d been out of the dating scene for so long now, ever since his split with Sarah’s mom when she was still a baby. He went through a period of dating around while she was still too young to remember, but soon came to the conclusion that no one was good enough for his daughter and she’s the only girl he needed anyway. You were the only person he’s had any desire to date since then. But now he was floundering, with no idea what kind of setting or activity would make a good night out. He figured Tommy, who was closer to your age, was his best shot at getting this right. Or maybe he’d suggest the stupidest idea Joel had ever heard. Wouldn’t be the first time.

On the other end of the line, Tommy sounded like he was choking. “What?!” He sputtered out a laugh, “You’re goin’ on a date? With who?”

“You don’t know her,” Joel muttered, already fed up with his brother’s antics.

“Obviously I don’t know her, that’s why I fuckin’ asked. Who the hell is this girl that agreed to go out with your grumpy ass?”

Joel was glad you actually hadn’t seen much of his grumpy attitude. For the most part, he was only like that at work, and left it at the door once he was home. “Will you just help me out here? I haven’t done this in a while.”

“What, get laid?”

“Fuck off. Why did I even fuckin’ bother with you-“

“Alright now, I’m done, I swear. So what does this girl like to do?”

Joel blanked. You liked painting with Sarah, you liked baking, you liked the beach. None of which were viable date options. “She uh, she likes tequila sunrises and margaritas.”

“Did you meet her at a bar or something?”

“No.”

“Jesus, man, is that the only thing you know about her? You’re not givin’ me much to work with here.”

He knew you’d been on several coffee shop dates. You said you liked the low-pressure atmosphere for a first date. But he wanted this to be more special than that.

Tommy offered the best he could, “Well since you know her drinks, and you apparently didn’t meet her at a bar, how ‘bout you take her to one?”

“Not a bar.”

“Why not?”

“I want it to be nicer than that.”

“How about a nice bar?”

“You are such a useless sack of shit.”

Tommy burst into laughter again. “You really tryin’ to impress her, huh?”

Joel sighed deeply, “I wanna treat her right, she deserves it.”

“Now I really wanna know who this is, gettin’ you all heartfelt? Haven’t seen that in a long while.”

“Can’t say I have either.” It was true. Something about you made Joel’s heart mushier than an overripe fruit. He’d felt twinges of it since the start, but had just barely started acknowledging it.

“Well since you’re a big softie now, how about dinner somewhere? Can’t go wrong with that.”

Joel only knew that you liked that one takeout place, and that wouldn’t do. “Where?”

“Figure it out yourself, you ain’t that clueless.”

“I oughta skin you alive.”

“Always the charmer,” Tommy’s shit eating grin could even be heard through the phone. “Good luck man.”

Joel tossed his phone onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. So then, dinner… somewhere. He racked his brain for every place that was at least more upscale than a diner.

His phone pinged– you got home safe. He sent back a quick goodnight text.

He decided to sleep on it. No use staying up waiting for inspiration, it was late enough already. He lumbered off to bed, anticipating that it would be a bitch to get up in the morning.

*. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * ·

The following day, you debated sending Joel a good morning text. You stared blankly at the phone in your palm for a solid five minutes straight before ultimately deciding against it. You huffed in frustration, wanting to throw the device out a window. You’d never felt this twisted up over a guy before, overthinking your every move. You always felt at ease around Joel before you made that call, before things got too personal. Was it really worth it to risk that? If this thing – whatever it was – didn’t work out, you had no idea where that would leave you two. Now that you thought about it, you hardly knew what a best case scenario “if it does work out” would look like either.

You got yourself ready for the day, cutting off the thought spiral. Staying busy was effective, for the most part. But there was always a space reserved for Joel in the back of your mind. You were brushing your teeth, but in that space you were on his couch with his hands all over you. You were driving to class, but in that space his lips were trailing down your neck. You were scrawling notes, but in that space you were sitting in his lap, and he wasn’t wearing a shirt and– fuck, new goal, see him shirtless.

It was a futile effort; as the morning dragged on, it only became more difficult to expel the blend of memories and imagination. You could only surface from your daydreams for long enough to throw together the final paragraph of your essay.

Work kept Joel busy. He was subjected to more teasing from Tommy, but that was expected. He could clear his face of emotion, but as much as he tried to clear his mind and focus on the task at hand, he couldn’t push you out entirely. In the searing heat of the Texas sun, the thought of you was a cool relief. Your image lived so pristinely in his mind. He could see you right in front of him, looking up, eyes so wide and shiny, and in the depths of them was something so… needy. Wouldn’t make it through the day if he continued that thought.

You were finally having lunch in your favorite coffee shop, reviewing notes from the lecture you just got out of. You couldn’t recall a single detail for the life of you, and were irked to see that your notes were pretty incomprehensible as well. You flipped the spiral notebook closed, resigning your efforts, you’d redo them from the textbook later. You nearly sprang up from your chair at the sound of your phone ringing. You pulled it out, already knowing who it was. For all your doubts earlier that morning, you had still giddily anticipated his call.

“Hi Joel,” you bit back a smile.

“Hey darlin’, how’s your day treatin’ you?”

“It’s been okay, cut it close with my essay but I finished it on time.”

“I’m sorry darlin’,” his tone a bit sheepish. “Don’t let me distract ya next time.”

You chuckled, “It was worth it.” The proposition of next time was something you stored away in your mind for later.

He made a noise of approval, “Glad I made a good impression.”

You were glad he couldn’t see you, the cheeky expression plastered on your face clearly read shut up, bastard. As much as you wanted to elaborate on just how good of an impression he made, you didn’t want to melt into a puddle on the coffee shop floor. “How’s your day going?”

“It’s work,” he grunted. “Hotter than hell out here. But I’m on my lunch break now, and talkin’ to my favorite girl.”

You caught yourself swinging your feet under the table.

“‘Scuse me, second favorite girl. As much as I like you, darlin’, can’t boot Sarah off of first place. Hope you understand,” he said wryly.

“I won’t lie, I was little jealous for a second there, but I can’t blame you. Sarah’s my favorite girl too.”

Joel’s heart swelled at that. Truly the easiest way to get to him, for better or worse, was through his daughter. And you seemed to do that every damn chance you got. All the times he’d collected her scattered art supplies and noticed new markers that you must’ve bought her, even after he told you not to. When he overheard you two singing together– something she somehow got too shy to do around him. Every time he found a container of leftovers in the fridge and knew you’d cooked her favorite meal. None of it was ever lost on him.

“So I got an important question for you,” he began.

“Yes?” you smiled uncontrollably now.

“Italian or Asian?”

“Asia is a pretty big place, Joel. What country are we talking here?”

He let out a hearty laugh, your new favorite sound. “Don’t tease me, you know I ain’t as bright as you. It’s uh, Chinese.”

“Olive Garden or Panda Express… tough decision.”

“It’s neither of those places,” he said gruffly, unamused.

You stifled a giggle, oddly satisfied with yourself for annoying him. “Let’s do Italian.”

“Does Friday night work for you? Let’s say, 7?”

“That’s perfect.”

“Alright, darlin’, I’ll see you then.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

You thought he’d say his goodbyes then, but he didn’t, “I got about fifteen minutes left of my break, I can uh, still chat if you’re not busy.”

You were more than happy to continue the conversation. It filled you with something akin to pride, hearing that he wanted to spend his break talking to you. Plus, you were eager to find out some more details about him. It took a bit of prying, but you uncovered that he could play the guitar.

“Yeah, I don’t bring it out much anymore.”

“Why not? I’d love to hear you play!”

“Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll get a private concert.”

You toyed with the ends of your hair, “Do you sing too?”

“I can, not that I’m any good at it.”

You hummed, “I bet you’re great and you just don’t give yourself enough credit. How do you feel about karaoke bars?”

“Never been, actually.”

Appalled, you asked if he was joking, and even more appalled, heard that he wasn’t.

“Why not? They’re so fun! I mean I know it can be annoying if someone forces you to go up there, but it only takes a couple drinks to loosen up.”

“Well maybe I don’t want my talents exploited,” he said smugly, and if he were next to you right now, you’d pounce on him.

“Okay, we’re going,” you managed between laughs, “If it’s the last thing I do, I’m dragging your ass to a karaoke bar.”

“Only because it’s you, I swear,” he shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

It was too easy to talk to him, even when you felt the conversation was clunky on your end, he just bounced off you and kept it flowing. There was an irresistible charm in the way he spoke, and it was captivating just how damn effortless it seemed. His lack of karaoke experience seemed like his only flaw, and that would shortly be amended.

He informed you that his break time was up, and you detected some disappointment in his voice. “Friday at 7, I’ll pick you up. Have a good rest of your day, sweetheart.”

The new nickname had you squeezing the edge of the table, “You too Joel.”

You gave yourself a minute to scream internally before packing up your bag and quickly heading home, where you could scream externally in the comfort of your room.

Chapter 6

Masterlist

Let The Light In  | Joel Miller X Reader

Chapter 4

You spent the rest of the day waiting for the call. Around 9:30 pm, you laid in bed, phone in hand, just staring at it. No matter how many possibilities you ran through, you truly had no idea what Joel was going to say. That can never happen again? Let’s just forget about it? Let’s hook up? Yeah right. There was no way he was interested in you like that. He was probably just into… casual making out? You pictured him doing the same with a random woman in a bar while you were at his house watching Sarah. The image didn’t quite fit. He didn’t seem like someone who would go for casual… but then again, it’s not like you knew him that well–

You jumped at the shrill ringing of your phone, fumbling and nearly dropping it on your face. You answered with an enthusiastic, “Hi!” grimacing as soon as it left your mouth. You sure sounded excited over a phone call that was likely going to end in disaster.

“Hey darlin’, how’re you doin’?” He sounded like he was in a good mood, as if there was absolutely nothing pressing to discuss.

“Pretty good, how about you?”

“I’m quite alright, thinkin’ about you.”

So what the fuck is that supposed to mean?

Against your better judgement, you went the flirty route, “Yeah? Been doing that a lot lately, or what?”

He chuckled, running a hand over his face. You didn’t even know how much of a hold you had on him. “Yeah, you do it to me darlin’.”

You were sure you had the biggest, dumbest smile on your face.

He asked if you’d eaten dinner, you told him about your favorite takeout spot. He talked about about a restaurant nearby with similar food, and you pressed the receiver closer to your ear. Even through the phone, his voice reverberated through your chest warmly. Warm and smooth like a good wine, you thought. With enough, you could get drunk on it.

“You mind looking after Sarah tomorrow evening? We’ve got a job that I think will run late.”

“Yeah, no problem!”

“Thank you darlin’, sorry for the short notice.”

While he talked about the job he and his crew would be working on, you stared absentmindedly at the friendship bracelet Sarah made you. The brightly colored strings created a sunset gradient. You used the same colors but a different pattern for hers.

You grew more anxious as you sensed the conversation winding down. You knew it was coming. He was surely letting you down easy with the small talk this whole time. In a matter of minutes you’d officially be too embarrassed to look him in the eye ever again. If you were lucky, he might just fire you.

“Alright darlin’, I don’t wanna keep you up too late. You have a good night now.”

You automatically returned the good night, because you didn’t know what the hell else you were supposed to say. Sure, you could've brought it up yourself, but-

As soon as he hung up, you rolled over and smashed your face into the pillow, groaning. You figured he’d want to pretend like it never happened, but not like that.

 *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * ·

You tried not to think about Joel the next day, which was a nearly impossible feat. Your mind constantly slipped back to the feeling of him holding you, so insulated from the world in his arms.

It was a mellow evening with Sarah. You cooked your homemade macaroni and cheese and forced her to have a serving of broccoli. The first time you made this recipe for her, she instantly declared it was her favorite food. And she wouldn’t admit it, but she liked the broccoli too, only the way you made it.

She finished the bracelet she promised her dad she’d make for him. It had the same sunset colors as yours and her own, but with a more complicated looking pattern.

By the time Joel got home, Sarah was in bed and you were on the couch, homework splayed out over the coffee table. You tried your best to look concentrated.

He kicked off his boots, “Sarah good today?”

“As always.”

He made his way over to the fridge, and you watched as he cracked open a beer. “You want one?” he offered.

You bit your lip, “I kinda do, but I’m hoping to finish this paper tonight.”

“What’s it for?”

“Philosophy.”

“You’re gonna need one,” he popped open another bottle, then sauntered over and set it on the coffee table in front of you.

You chuckled, taking a long swig, enjoying the coolness of it. You weren’t much of a beer person, but by the taste of it, Joel didn’t buy the shitty stuff.

He sat next to you, the couch cushion dipping, practically urging you to lean into his side. You chose not to.

You didn’t mean to drink your beer as quickly as you did, it just happened since you didn’t quite know what to do with yourself. You could hardly concentrate on your paper with Joel next to you, and you didn’t know what to say, so you just kept busy by drinking. The warmth that bloomed in your belly was enough to ward off the anxiety jitters.

Joel wondered if you were a lightweight when he noticed how your cheeks glowed pink. You looked so pretty, you pulled a smile from him without even trying, without even knowing. Your eyes were trained on a book sitting open on the table, but it didn’t seem like you were reading. He could only wonder what was going on in your head. As for himself, he was a simple man: he’d been dying in the heat all day, and the only thing he wanted was a beer and his girl.

In the back of his mind, it worried him how possessive of you he suddenly was. But in the front of his mind, his full attention was on the way your lips were wrapped around the bottle, neck exposed as you finished off your drink.

“Thanks,” you said simply. You wouldn’t look at him.

“Course.” He studied your demeanor for a moment, then continued in hopes of getting you more conversational, “You know, somewhere in there I got a recipe book for cocktails and all the stuff for it. Haven’t used it in a long time, think I should break it out again?”

“I do like a tequila sunrise,” you bit your knuckle.

Noted. “You like margaritas?”

You hummed in affirmation. Still not even twitching in his direction.

Time to quit the telepathy attempts, staring at you wasn’t getting him anywhere. He grabbed your chin, making your doe eyes look right at him, “What else do you like?”

No way to avoid his gaze now. You answered, wondering if he was even still talking about drinks, “Don’t know. Haven’t tried much else, guess I don’t go out enough.”

His thumb rubbed along your jaw. “Don’t mean to interrogate ya, but,” he threw back the rest of his beer and quickly set it down, shifting toward you on the couch, “what’s got you all shy?”

You froze, and you could’ve sworn even your blood stopped flowing. You found your voice, but not the words to go with it, “I- I just, I don’t know, I thought-“ you let out an exasperated sigh, “Nevermind. You’re right, we should just pretend like it never happened.”

He raised an eyebrow, “Who said we were doin’ that?”

You stared at him, fighting to keep the words from spilling out and making a bigger mess, “I thought… since we didn’t talk about yesterday, you’d rather just forget about it.”

He was stunned that you’d even think that. He made you think that? Well… what else were you supposed to think? Your only experience was with idiot boys doing one thing and meaning another. Of course you’d be confused, he was screwing around kissing his kid’s babysitter and leaving with no explanation. Knowing he needed to right this immediately, he released your chin and took your face into his hands, “No, no, I’m sorry, I wasn’t clear with you. Forgettin’ about it is the last thing I want.”

You looked up at him, eyes full of sweetness and youth and too-good-for-him. He knew it was selfish to want you, to rob you of regular college relationships and get you tangled up with a single dad. But who was he, if not a selfish man at heart?

He leaned in and captured your lips.

You could hardly believe it. Had he wanted this – you – the whole time? Him kissing you in your apartment yesterday wasn’t just some weird way of consoling you? Now that you thought about it, it was almost laughable how much doubt you let seep into your mind, when it was really so simple. You two fucking kissed. And now you were kissing again, and it felt like you’d gotten a second chance at life. And yet your hands remained frozen in your lap, aching to touch him, but still afraid of taking it too far. Whatever that meant at this point.

He whispered against your lips, “There’s no need to be shy, baby.”

You readily took that as permission to let go of your worries. Your lips melded together again as you freed your hands to roam his chest and shoulders. Those broad shoulders that you wished would just engulf you already. You drew his bottom lip between your teeth, feeling how the corners of his mouth tugged upwards.

“There you go,” he encouraged.

You were obsessed with the way his lips slotted so perfectly against yours. With the size of his hands as they pulled you closer. The heat radiating off his body.

A few sheets of paper noisily fell from the coffee table, making him break the kiss. He set them back in their place. “Sorry darlin’, I’m distracting you from your work.”

“It’s not getting done tonight,” you crawled over him.

His hands found their place on your hips, eagerly squeezing. You hungrily took his tongue into your mouth, shamelessly delighted at the way it swirled. You were hovering over him, but he pushed your hips down until you were sat on his thigh. His heart quickened as you rested your weight on him. He had to remind himself to not press his fingers into your flesh too hard. But it was just hard enough to have you struggling to keep your composure.

He said breathlessly, “Let me take you out.”

You paused, thinking you hadn’t heard him correctly, “What?”

His confidence wavered, but he wouldn't back out now. “Let me take you out on a date.”

You pulled further away to get a good look at him, “You want to?”

“Of course I do,” his brows furrowed, “Why wouldn’t I?”

You shrugged. Truthfully, you thought even if this thing advanced, he’d treat you more as a side piece. Not in a disrespectful way, you just didn’t expect him to… date you. You were babysitting his kid, and way younger than him, and those were just the two biggest reasons. You thought he wouldn’t be interested in anything as time consuming and emotionally investing as dating, especially not dating you.

The sound of a door opening made you two practically jump away from each other. No one emerged from the hall, but there was another sound of a door opening and closing. Joel sighed quietly in relief, “She’s just going to the bathroom.”

“I’ll get out of here,” you stood and quickly gathered your things.

He grabbed your hand, “Hey, I’m serious. I’ll call you tomorrow. And shoot me a text when you get home.”

“I will,” you promised, and without giving yourself another second to hesitate, sealed it with a kiss. You almost wanted to laugh in disbelief. A goodnight kiss, like you were together or something. 

It hit you on the drive home. No fucking way. You and Joel fucking Miller just made out on his couch like fucking teenagers, and he asked you out. What kind of date was this going to be? Classic dinner and a movie? Fancy wine and dine? Something more outside the box and spontaneous? It excited you to think about how little you still knew about him, and how much more you’d soon find out.

Chapter 5

Masterlist

Let The Light In | Joel Miller X Reader

Chapter 3

On Monday, you could hardly focus in your classes, anxiously watching the hours go by. Thankfully, your last class was dismissed early, and you wasted no time in rushing back to your apartment. Your place was hardly more than a one-bed, one-bath, and open kitchen, but with the extra time you could clean up a bit. Do the dishes, fold some laundry, wipe down the countertops. Once those chores were completed, you changed into a tank top and shorts, telling yourself that it’s because it’s hot today, not because Joel would be here any minute now. You even bothered to sweep the notebooks and pens scattered on your desk into a drawer, as if he would be in your bedroom or care at all.

You jolted when there was a knock at the door. You quickly checked yourself in the mirror, ignoring how ridiculous that was, and then hurried over to the door, straightening the rug on your way.

You opened it up and immediately met Joel’s eyes, somehow looking more handsome than ever before. He looked like he’d just gotten done with some particularly strenuous labor, there was a light sheen on his forehead, and his skin looked a bit more bronzed. You greeted him with your best smile and a cheery, “Hi!”

“Hey you,” he grinned, forcing himself to not let his gaze drift. He’d seen you in shorts plenty of times – the Texas heat after all – but he’d never seen this particular pair. Cut off at the perfect length, in his opinion. He hardly heard what you said as he followed you into the kitchen, having to rip his gaze away from the sway of your hips. Focus.

You demonstrated the issue with the sink, “So yeah, it comes out really weak, see? Pain in the ass when I’m trying to do anything fast.”

He set his toolbox on the counter, “Let’s see what we’re workin’ with here.”

As he started, you pretended to pay attention to what he was doing, but that was just a ploy to stare at his hands and arms. You leaned against the counter, eyes glazing over a bit as you thought about how those hands could grab you.

Normally, being watched while doing a job didn’t make him nervous, but somehow you had him more wound up than any overly-involved client.

“How was class?” he asked, hoping some small talk would ease the tension.

“It was alright. Chemistry isn’t the easiest subject for me.”

“Just the fact that you got into college makes you twice as smart as me.”

“Oh come on, that’s not true.”

“You get a lot further in life if you have brains.”

Your eyes flickered between his fingers and his concentrated face. “It’s important to be good with your hands, too.”

He tilted his head to glance at you. So much for easing any tension.

His eyes looked so tantalizing, wide but with a certain coyness behind them. Everything else seemed to fade, like you could just melt into his gaze. Then he held something in front of you, and you had to force your eyes refocus. Right, the sink, he’s here to fix the sink. And he’s doing exactly that while you’re busy ogling.

“You could clean it, but with the state of this one, you’re better off just replacin’ it,” he fished out an identical but shinier part from his toolbox.

“Is that gonna cost me extra?”

“This is complementary.” He returned to his task, replacing that thingy you were too dazed to pay attention to.

You rolled your eyes, pushing yourself up to sit on the counter. “By the way, did I get promoted or something? What’s with the pay raise?” Last night when you checked your bank account you saw that Joel had transferred you more than your usual babysitting rate.

“Just thought you deserved it,” he smirked.

“That’s really not necessary.”

“Knew you’d say that,” he murmured. “Woulda paid you more if I could,” he added, just to get a rise out of you.

“You don’t have to pay me to spend time with you,” you remarked, forgetting that he actually paid you for spending time with Sarah.

But he played along, “You’d hang around an old man for free?”

He could hear the smirk in your voice, “Only if it’s you,” he rocked when you lightly pushed his shoulder, “and you’re not old.”

He let out a deep laugh, then stepped back from the sink. “Looks like that should do it. You let me know if it starts acting up again.”

“Will do,” you said, masking your disappointment at his efficiency.

“Anything else ‘round here that needs fixing?”

“Ummm…” you scanned the area, trying to think of any random annoyance he could work on just to keep him here longer. “This cabinet is kinda squeaky,” you pointed to the one right next to your head.

“Can’t have that,” he sidled up to you, his hip brushing your knee.

He worked leisurely, and your eyes raked over him, no longer caring about being obvious. He could practically feel your gaze burning his skin.

You spoke up, “But seriously, how much do I owe you for this?”

“You don’t have to pay me to spend time with you,” he echoed your words from earlier, then added, “or come up with odd jobs.”

“Hey, I just mentioned the issues, you’re the one who offered to help. Sounds like you’re looking for excuses.”

He smirked, eyeing you up and down. “Maybe I am,” he rested his large hand on your bare thigh. Your breath hitched.

A sharp knock at the door startled you.

You hopped off the counter, sharing a look with Joel. He stayed back while you opened the door, and to your displeasure, it was the guy from Saturday night’s party.

You couldn’t even offer a fake pleasantry before he demanded, “Where have you been?”

“Why do you need to know?” you retorted.

“Why’d you ditch me at the party?”

“Because I got bored,” you began closing the door in his face, but he pushed to keep it open.

“You weren’t home that night, or yesterday.”

“No I wasn’t. And don’t come back here.”

He raised his voice, “I’m just checking on you-“

“Didn’t ask you to.”

“Damn bitch, then I won’t!” he seethed, but then his face dropped.

You could feel Joel’s presence just over your shoulder.

His voice was a deep rumble, a tone you’d never heard out of him before, “Get out and don’t come back.”

The guy’s eyes flitted to yours, “Who the fuck is this?”

“None of your business,” you snapped. Joel reached around you, and together you slammed the door shut.

After a moment of silence, you turned and leaned against the door, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Sorry about that,” you muttered, but that barely began to cover it. That was horribly embarrassing.

“Not your fault, darlin’,” Joel said softly.

You looked up at his face, but avoided eye contact. His hand was still planted on the door at your side.

“It’s a good thing I stayed at your place the other night,” you said quietly, matching his volume.

He nodded, eyes scanning your whole face.

Realizing your proximity, the space between you felt electrified, and you ached to lean in and close it.

Carefully, as if to not startle you, he moved his hand that was on the door, and held the side of your face. You gratefully leaned into his palm, letting your eyes fall closed. His skin was calloused but his touch was soft.

You let out a breathy laugh, “See? I don’t have the best luck with boys.”

He quirked an eyebrow, “What’d I tell you? Boys will only waste your time.” He hesitated, savoring the serenity on your face before he was sure to ruin it, “Maybe you do need a man.”

Over the pounding of your heart you barely heard yourself say, “A man like you?”

“If that’s what you want,” he breathed.

You opened your eyes to look directly into his, an air of boldness behind your expression, “It is.”

As your gaze fell to his lips, his hand shifted back from your cheek to cradle more of your neck. You drew closer to each other, magnetized. He could practically taste your soft breath. This could be a horrible mistake, and you both knew it, but you each selfishly shoved those anxieties down. You just needed this so bad, you swore just one kiss from this man could satisfy every need. Your heart was now thundering in your chest as the inches between you shrunk.

And finally – god, finally – your lips met his, and you felt like you might burst with emotion. It was a long, steady kiss, but so soft, you could sense his apprehension. You weren’t about to let this moment get cut short, so when he began pulling away, you were already leaning in again. That eagerness might’ve been the sign he way looking for, because this time he wasn’t so shy. He deepened the kiss, and you were so quickly losing yourself in him. The only thing grounding you was his hand still holding your face, and the added warmth of his other hand curling around your waist. He pressed you up against him and you clutched his t-shirt.

You were begging for this moment to never end, because whatever came after would be complicated. He began pulling away again, and again you drew him back in. He smiled against your lips. “Relax baby,” he murmured, “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

You looked up at him through your eyelashes, and it made him wonder how he had ever resisted you before.

This time he initiated the kiss, and with more intention. He let you lead before because he had to be sure this was what you wanted. With the way you didn’t even want your lips to separate, safe to say it was. He kissed you tenderly, swiping his tongue across your bottom lip. Your soul practically left your body. You realized every kiss before Joel was an extremely mediocre experience.

And it was like he read your mind, his voice deliciously smooth and low, “How was that, hm? Better than those stupid boys you’ve been hanging around all summer?”

You’d been on a handful of dates in the past few months, none of which amounted to anything. Occasionally you’d mention an embarrassing or sour moment from them when Joel asked about your weekend. You didn’t think he’d remember. And Joel himself was finally admitting to every thought he’d repressed for months now. These fucking idiot boys didn’t know anything. Didn’t know how to treat you right, didn’t care about your comfort, didn’t want to make the effort. You were settling for less because you didn’t know what it’s like to be taken care of by a real man. He swore he’d show you if you let him.

He hummed again and you finally responded with a nod, eyes locked with his. No one’s ever made you feel like this, no crush has ever driven you this crazy, no kiss has ever given you goosebumps like this.

“That’s right baby, I know,” he stroked your cheek with his thumb before pulling you in for another sweet kiss. You were surprised your knees weren’t buckling at that.

You separated enough to tell him, “Yeah, I’m never bothering with boys again.”

“Ruined ‘em for you, did I?”

You giggled softly, and your cheeks were a rosy tint, and you were so precious it hurt him.

He tucked you under his chin, your nose pressed against his neck. You breathed deeply, logging his scent. You resisted the urge to taste his skin.

He held you for a minute, thumb rubbing circles on your hip. 

“I gotta pick up Sarah from school,” he said, untangling his fingers from your hair.

You nodded wordlessly, arms dropping to your sides. That was it then, fantasy fulfilled, moment over. Who knew when you’d do this again, if ever. He would probably want to forget about the whole thing as soon as he’s out the door.

The time had honestly slipped his mind, and he did have to go, but he didn’t want to just leave you hanging. He lifted your chin so you’d look at him, “I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Okay,” you gave him a small smile.

Moments later, you stood in your apartment alone, the space feeling impossibly empty.

Chapter 4

Masterlist

Let The Light In | Joel Miller X Reader

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

You stirred out of your sleep. Your face was tucked into the pillow, breathing in a pleasant musk. Joel’s bed was way comfier than what you had in your little apartment.

Holy shit, this is Joel’s bed.

Coming out of your sleep delirium, you’d thought that falling asleep in Joel’s bed while wearing his clothes was some scenario you created to doze off to. You could hardly believe it actually happened, sitting up to confirm that the room wasn’t a figment of your imagination.

The clock said it was a little past 9 am. Good time to get up. You couldn’t place why, but you didn’t want to sleep in too much, not that you had anything to do today. Maybe it would just come off as a little juvenile. Not sure why you cared to avoid that impression.

Getting up, you darted to the bathroom. You inspected yourself in the mirror, making sure you didn’t look too disheveled, smoothing down your hair as much as possible. You just wanted to be presentable.

You heard some clattering from the kitchen, and your gut twisted with anxiety. You told yourself that this didn’t have to be awkward, it’s just Joel, he had just helped you out last night. And fed you. And given you his bed. And called you pretty– you’d almost forgotten about that part. Did he mean it like that? How else could he have meant it? You could still feel the ghost of his arms around you, strong and comforting.

Better to not overstay your welcome. You took a deep breath, hand gripping the doorknob. You just had to go out there and tell him you’re ready to go home, thanks again, see you later. That simple.

You stepped out of the bathroom and moved quickly through the hall, determined to make this quick and painless. The scene in the kitchen stopped you dead in your tracks. Joel was leaning over the stove, making what appeared to be breakfast. Your heart both soared and sank. Why did he have to be such a good host? And why did he have to look so hot doing it? Over the past 12-ish hours, every other thing he said or did made you more drawn to him. Which might even be fine if it was a one-sided crush, but it seemed like he was reciprocating. Or maybe you were delusional. Regardless, your overnight stay had you stepping further into some questionable territory, and he wasn’t helping.

“Good morning,” you finally choked out.

He turned to you and smiled, “Mornin’. Coffee?”

“Please and thank you,” you said, taking a seat at the table.

He poured a mug and set it in front of you, “Sorry I don’t have any of the fancy stuff you like in yours.”

“Black is fine with me,” you shrugged, but inside you were screaming. So he noticed the frilly drinks you’d regularly walk in with? You couldn’t believe he’d pay attention to such a thing.

You peered past him to the pans on the stove, “… But it looks like you’re cooking up some fancy stuff.”

“Naw,” he drawled, “Just some bacon and eggs.”

You dragged your hands over your face, suddenly embarrassed, “You spoil me.”

He didn’t turn around, but noticed your change in tone and chuckled, “I was gonna make this anyway, I felt like it.”

Utter lie. If he had been home alone this morning he would’ve just reached for the cereal.

He fixed you a plate. Bacon, eggs, and buttered toast. It took everything in you to not go feral. You’d always found Joel handsome, but the way he was so insistent on taking care of you made that attraction grow beyond the superficial.

He took the seat across from you with a plate of his own. To his dismay, you seemed a little closed off this morning. “You sleep okay?” he asked gently.

You nodded and tacked on, “Like a baby,” between bites. It made him smirk. Did he think you were funny, or just entertaining? Maybe it was for the best if he only saw you as some aloof little 20-something, but you felt the urge to prove yourself as more. Which could very well have serious consequences. Every ten seconds you flip-flopped between wanting to test the limits and keeping safe boundaries.

Joel’s voice pulled you out of your thought spiral, but you didn’t hear the words. “What?” your head snapped up.

He paused, searching your face. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” you answered in the most convincing tone you could muster. His brows drawing closer told you it wasn’t very convincing. “Sarah sleeping in?” you asked, hoping the question could segue into you leaving soon.

He shook his head, “She spent the night at a friend’s house, be back in the afternoon.”

You nodded, but lowered your widening eyes to your plate. So last night it had been just you and Joel, alone, in his house?

“I was just saying you’re under no obligation to come over later.”

You could feel his eyes on you. “I know, I want to.”

He exhaled out his nose. It was overkill to have brought you here, wasn’t it? You were probably too polite to say no. Did you think he’d fire you if you said no? God, you probably felt like a hostage, he should’ve just dropped you off at your own place and assured you he’d stay by the phone.

You interrupted his thoughts, “I’m sorry if this has been uncomfortable for you.”

He stared at you, disbelief crossing his face. He shook his head vigorously, “No, no, you haven’t done anything. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable. If you want to leave–“

“You don’t make me uncomfortable at all,” you cut him off. And suddenly you weren’t itching to leave just yet.

He cleared his throat, “I should’ve taken you back to your apartment.”

“No,” you objected, feeling less jittery by the second, “I didn’t want to be by myself there.”

He swallowed nervously, staring into the black abyss of his coffee.

“And I enjoy your company, Joel.”

He lifted his gaze to see you smiling for the first time this morning. It put him at ease.

“I’d love to come back later, what time will Sarah be here?”

“Around 2, I think.”

You nodded. “Thank you for breakfast.” Your mind betrayed your heart as you said, “I probably should get going, though.”

Joel led you out to the truck, holding the door open for you.

The drive to your place was mostly silent, except for the low hum of the radio. Joel was familiar with the area, and only needed directions once you approached your street.

Once in your driveway, you grabbed the door handle to let yourself out, but hesitated. “Thanks again Joel. Don’t know what I would’ve done last night if it wasn’t for you.”

“Anything for you darlin’.”

The nickname reassured you. “I’ll see you later, then,” you tugged at his hoodie you still had on, “And I’ll get your clothes back to you.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m in no rush to get ‘em back.”

You were unlocking your front door when he rolled down the window, calling after you. “Let me know if that guy ever comes by to bother you!”

“I will!” you waved.

*. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * ·

Back at home, Joel sauntered to his room. He hadn’t slept the best on the the couch, and since he had nothing else to do, might as well take a nap.

He paused at the foot of his bed. The sheets were rumpled on the right side, where you’d been. The pillow indented where you’d rested your head. Even your clothes from last night were in a little pile on the corner, you must’ve forgotten them. He settled into his usual spot on the left, wanting to leave your side undisturbed. Your side? He willed himself to stop those sort of thoughts, but the mere ghost of your presence was enough to make his mind run wild.

*. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * ·

After a few hours of mindlessly doing chores and channel surfing, 2 o’clock eventually rolled around. You stared at Joel’s clothes sitting on your bed, neatly folded. The right and logical and normal thing to do would be to take them back now since you’re going to his house. But it wouldn’t be so terrible if you forgot, right?

As you drove back to his house, you debated for the thousandth time how you should approach this. So he was a little flirty, but was than an invitation to lean into it? Would he mess with your emotions like that if there was no intention behind it?

You stood at Joel’s doorstep, sternly reminding yourself to be in work mode. As if you hadn’t been here less than 5 hours ago. As if you hadn’t spent the night. As if you weren’t pining over your damn employer.

You opened the unlocked door and announced yourself. Joel called from the living room over the sound of the TV.

He was sitting on the far end of the couch, arms and legs stretched out. “Welcome back. Sarah should be here any minute now,” he flashed a smile.

You’d never really been nervous around him before, he had always been a kind and disarming presence, at least to you. You forced yourself to push down your nerves and say something normal. “Haven’t seen you in forever, how’ve you been?”

It earned a chuckle out of him, “Not bad. How about yourself?”

“Can’t complain,” you managed smoothly, but your actions didn’t match your words as you hovered awkwardly near the coffee table.

“Why don’t you have a seat?” he beckoned. He wanted so badly to coax you out of this timidness.

You gingerly sat on the other end of the couch, eyes locked on the TV.

He shot a sideways glance at you. “I don’t bite.”

A hundred possible responses crossed your mind, none of them witty or charming or funny enough for you to dare speak them. It was all you could do to not throw yourself at him. I wouldn’t mind if you did bite me-

The rattling of the front door saved you. Joel quickly got up to meet Sarah at the entryway.

She hugged her dad tightly. Joel smiled broadly. The sight warmed your heart.

“Have fun baby girl?”

She nodded, then finally noticed you on the couch. She gasped your name and ran over to hug you, and all the tension in you faded. But when she pulled away, a frown crossed her face. She turned to Joel, “Are you leaving?”

“No baby, just thought you’d want some company.”

“Awesome!” she excitedly turned back to you, “I got this new friendship bracelet kit, we can make them for each other, I’ll go get it!”

You and Joel had smiles on your faces as you watched her run off to her room, returning shortly with an armful of boxes. Apparently she had also picked out several board games, which you spent the next several hours playing. You and Joel let her win most of the time, but were cheekily competitive over second place.

Around 5, he kept glancing at his watch, hardly invested anymore. He already had an escape plan, just needed this game to end.

“I win!” Sarah pumped her fist in the air. “We need to play this one again so you can get better, Dad.”

You nudged him, “Yeah, you need more practice.”

He gave you a knowing look, staring right into the teasing glimmer in your eyes.

“You guys want burgers?” he diverted, already standing up.

You and Sarah agreed.

He clapped his hands together, “Alright, I’m gonna man the grill, you two behave,” he pointed.

“Yes sir,” you quipped, getting a laugh out of Sarah who then copied you.

You finally got to making those friendship bracelets, Sarah excitedly showing you all the different patterns you could do.

*. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * · *. * ·

“Look Dad!” she held out her little wrist.

Joel came nearer to the couch until he was leaning over the two of you. “Let’s see,” he took Sarah’s hand in one of this, and yours in the other, turning them slightly to look at the bracelets. “That’s some nice handiwork,” he squeezed your hand before letting it go. You glanced up at him, and his eyes were so soft. You exchanged countless sentiments in that moment.

Joel was extremely grateful that you were the one looking after Sarah. Over the summer, he had noticed how quickly you and his daughter formed a bond, and he was glad she had someone like you when he couldn’t be there. But now that he had also been part of your day, all together… He wanted you here all the time. And that was a slippery slope.

“I’ll make you one later Dad,” Sarah said. “Can we watch a movie?”

You stayed at the Miller’s until Joel sent Sarah to bed, and even hung around for a bit after that, just making conversation. He asked about your classes, your friendship prospects, your apartment. You complained about the finicky sink and he immediately offered to fix it.

“You know plumbing stuff?” you asked, wincing internally at your clumsy phrasing.

“I can do anything you need me to, darlin’.”

He noticed the way you got flustered.

“I’ll swing by tomorrow after work, if you’re available.”

“Yeah, my last class ends at 3.”

“I’ll see you then,” he leaned toward you, “Not that I’m kicking you out. You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. Bed’s all yours whenever you need it, you know that.”

You rolled your eyes, “I’m not treating your house as a place to crash, Joel.”

“Well you could and I wouldn’t mind.”

He got you flustered again, and enjoyed it a little too much.

On your drive home, you were unable to stop thinking about how… domestic that evening had been. How Sarah squished herself between you and Joel on the couch, something Disney on the TV. He had put his arm around his daughter, his hand not-so-subtly brushing your shoulder. He even poked you when there was an adult joke, Sarah looking between you two and demanding to know what’s so funny.

That night was hot. You turned the up AC until it chilled your whole room, until it gave you goosebumps. Just so you could slip on Joel’s hoodie and sweatpants to sleep.

Chapter 3

Masterlist

Let The Light In | Joel Miller X Reader

Chapter 1

You listened to the rings intently, praying that Joel would pick up the phone but dreading the moment he does.

The fresh night breeze swept over you the moment you swung open the door, exiting the frat house. You didn’t know when it had started raining, but you didn’t care, it was still better than the suffocating atmosphere inside.

Joel answered on the fourth ring, “Hey, is something wrong?” The worry in his voice was apparent, and you couldn’t help but feel a little pathetic for having to ask this.

“I’m so sorry to bother you Joel, I know it’s late but… do you think you could pick me up?”

Before you could even explain yourself, he responded, “Of course I can, where are you?”

You told him the address, watching people stumble out of the door. You wrapped an arm around yourself, as if that could shield you from the downpour.

“Alright darlin’, I’ll be right there, stay put.”

“Okay, please hurry, I’m hoping to leave without anyone noticing-“

Bursting out the door was the guy you came here with, his whole demeanor looking irritated and volatile. He caught your gaze and walked over to you, feigning a more cool attitude.

“Hey, that’s where you went! Come on, the party’s inside,” he tried tugging you along, but you took a step back.

“I’ll be right in, I’m talking to one of my friends,” you attempted a smile, desperate to not provoke his anger.

He raised an eyebrow, “Your friend a chick?”

In a split second you decided that maybe you shouldn’t give any indication that you’re actually asking a grown ass man to come get you. The only response you could manage: “Yeah.”

“Cool, tell her to pull up,” he started walking back towards the door, “and hurry up, I got a drink waiting for you babe.”

Only after he closed the door did you go back to your phone conversation. “Sorry about that.”

“Who was that?” Joel’s voice turned low and serious.

“The guy I came here with,” you sighed, embarrassed.

“Why’re you hanging around assholes like that?”

“I don’t know, I have a class with him and he randomly started talking to me and he didn’t seem so douchey at first. But I should’ve known he’d be the same as every other frat boy,” you rambled, excluding how he’d been trying to get you to drink since the minute you two showed up.

Joel’s tone softened a bit, “Don’t beat yourself up darlin’. Nothin’ wrong with trying to see the good in others, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook the negatives, either. I’m almost there, alright?”

He’d have to be going at least 20 over the speed limit to be almost here. You were about to insist that he slow down, be careful, if you’re gonna get me I need you to actually make it here. But the rain stopped you from protesting as the chill seeped into your bones. About an hour ago it was such a warm night, you decided to forgo a jacket. Heavily regretted that now as your clothes and hair quickly got soaked.

A few anxious and cold minutes later, a pair of headlights finally approached. You cut through the lawn to meet him as the black pick up truck rolled up next to the crowded driveway.

“Hey darlin’,” he greeted you as you climbed in. God, you poor thing, you looked like a wet puppy, it made him want to wrap you in a warm blanket and scoop you up.

“Hi Joel. Thank you so much for getting me, I know it’s late.”

“It’s no inconvenience to me, I was still awake anyway,” he glanced over at you, adding, “And I’m glad you know that I got you whenever you need me.”

You nodded, suppressing a smile. Once your seatbelt was on, he drove away, and a sense of relief washed over you.

You’d been babysitting Joel’s daughter Sarah all summer, and in that time you and Joel had really grown fond of each other. Not that either of you showed it much. He was your employer, and at least 10 years older than you anyway. At best, you figured he thought of you as family. Still, you didn’t want to push it, since it would be all too easy for the lines to get blurry, and you both knew that. But he clearly cared deeply for you, and would often remind you to call if you need anything, anytime. And tonight was the occasion. You’d only convinced yourself to dial Joel’s number by telling yourself that there wasn’t really anyone else you could call. You were still new to Austin, and hadn’t made any solid friends yet this early in the semester. Sarah was pretty much your best friend now, and Joel…

It was a conscious effort to keep him at arms length.

He broke the silence, “So, I didn’t really think frat parties were your thing.”

“They’re not. I was barely there for an hour and already looking for a way to leave,” you laughed, shaking your head. “I don’t know what I was thinking. At least I knew not to drink anything.”

“Very smart. Good job looking out for yourself there.” You noticed the way his calloused hands gripped the wheel. “That guy, does he know where you live?”

“Yeah,” you swallowed, thinking of the same worst case scenarios.

He paused for a minute, hoping this wouldn’t come out the wrong way, “Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do. I don’t want you staying at your place alone tonight. You can stay at mine, I’ll set up the pull out couch.”

The truck came to a stop at an otherwise deserted intersection. A left would lead to his place, continuing straight would take you to yours.

He turned to you, “What do you think?”

The suggestion caught you off guard. The thought of sleeping at his place filled you with a sort of nervous excitement, like you were about to do something you shouldn’t. It definitely felt like you’d be overstepping a very delicate boundary. But he offered, so it would be no harm, right?

“I just want to make sure you’re safe,” he added, voice earnest.

The light turned green. He waited for your response.

“Sounds good,” you nodded.

The truck took a left turn, and you two were silent for the rest of the ride.

At his house, you stood in the living room, feeling strangely out of place. You had been here so many times to look after Sarah, but being here without that purpose made you feel like an awkward guest.

Placing his keys on the coffee table, Joel said without looking at you, “Alright, you go take a shower, warm up. Take as long as you need.”

The statement made you red in the face, but you weren’t about to refuse. You’d had a shitty night, you needed this.

In the bathroom, you winced at yourself in the mirror. You were a bit of a mess, and became newly embarrassed that Joel had to see you so disheveled. Your hair was soaked from the rain, and you knew that would make it dry all frizzy. Couldn’t hurt to wash it, even though that would take some extra time… Joel did just tell you to take as much time as you need. But you already felt a little opportunistic for agreeing to stay the night at his house, you didn’t want to take advantage of his hospitality by hiking up his bills. You sighed at your reflection. Your clothes were dark with rainwater, and peeling them off made you shiver. Take as long as you need echoed in your mind. The way his voice had turned so gentle made you shiver too.

You turned the knob until the water was nice and steamy. Sweet relief. Felt like a warm hug. Don’t think about Joel hugging you. You took a look at the shampoo options. A bright pink bottle with a unicorn on it, obviously Sarah’s. Smelled like an artificial fruit salad. The bottle next to it was dark green, the label declaring cypress and mint. You went with that one, trying to ignore the fact that it’s Joel’s shampoo. Something about that felt a little too intimate.

Then came two gentle knocks at the door, followed by his voice, “I set out some dry clothes for you in my room. I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”

You sighed contently. You scrubbed your hair clean, soap and worries washing down the drain.

His room was right next to the bathroom, and out of sight from the kitchen. Wrapped in a towel, you scampered over to the bedroom.

There you saw some folded clothes set on the corner of the bed. Somehow it didn’t occur to you before that it would be his clothes. You slipped on the sweatpants, the extra fabric bunching around your ankles. The sleeves of the hoodie covered your hands entirely. Not allowing yourself to indulge your fantasies, instead you were a little mortified about this whole situation. You almost didn’t want to step out there and face him. But you had to, thinking it would be weird if you stayed in his room any longer.

As if to avoid creating a disturbance, you treaded lightly down the hall and rounded the corner into the kitchen. He was sitting at the small dining table, and quickly lifted his eyes.

He could hardly believe the sight before him. His clothes hanging loosely off your shoulders and hips. Hair still damp, framing your face. Straight out of his daydreams. Every time you came to look after Sarah, he secretly loved your little outfits and hairstyles, but you’ve never looked this good.

“Can I throw these in the dryer?” you asked, holding the bundle of your wet clothes.

His voice caught in his throat for a moment, “Of course-“

You already turned to do it yourself before he could offer. In the minute you were away, he noticed his heart beating faster than it should, and scolded himself.

Returning to the table, you eyed a plate of food that you hadn’t noticed before. “What’s all this?” you asked.

“Uh, sorry, it’s just leftovers, but I figured you might want something warm.”

You looked at him tenderly, voice soft, “Oh, Joel. Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Taking a seat, you noticed that he sure was of course-ing all over the place tonight. You stared down at the reheated chicken and rice, wondering if he was uncomfortable.

From the corner of your eye, you saw the way he leaned in before asking, “You alright?”

You smiled a little, “Yeah, I just feel kinda bad for making you take me in.”

“You’re not makin’ me do anything.”

You lifted your eyes to meet his. God his eyes were gorgeous, just his stare was enough to charm you.

“Any plans for the rest of the weekend?” he asked.

You shook your head.

“Well if you’re not busy studying, I’m sure Sarah would would love to have you around. I’ll be here too, but I’ll still pay you.”

“You paying me just to hang around now?” you couldn’t stop yourself from grinning.

He chuckled, shaking his head. You finished your plate while you two talked about Sarah, her new friends, her plight with fractions. This felt more familiar, more comfortable.

He frowned, “Lately when I’ve been dropping her off at school, some boy is always there waitin’ to say hi.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that Joel. They’re like 12.”

“I know, it just gets me thinking about what it’ll be like when she’s in high school.”

“Cross that bridge when you get there.”

He sighed. “I just wish I knew what to expect.”

In that moment, you realized that this might be his roundabout way of opening up to you. You could only imagine how difficult it must be to navigate single fatherhood, especially having a daughter.

He cleared his throat. “I know this is none of my business, and you’re right, I don’t need to be worrying about it yet, but… do you have any boy advice for me?”

You laughed, maybe a little too loud, “You’re asking the wrong person, Joel. I’m not super experienced in that field.”

A playful glint appeared in his eyes that you’d never seen before. “What? Come on now, you’re too pretty to not have at least 10 boyfriends.”

You caught that, but shook your head.

“You tellin’ me you weren’t prom queen?”

“I was too dorky for that,” you waved him off.

“Well,” he leaned back in his chair, and your eyes skimmed over his broad shoulders, “here’s my boy advice for you.”

“I’m listening,” you grinned.

“Don’t hang around boys.”

“Gotcha,” you nodded, “so you’re saying I should go after men.”

He caught that, but dodged the implication. “Well, I’m sayin’ most of these college guys are still boys in here,” he tapped on his forehead.

“You’re telling me.”

He grabbed your now empty plate, and announced while placing it in the sink, “The room’s all yours when you’re ready.”

You looked at him with confusion across your face.

He motioned toward the hall, in the direction of his bedroom.

It finally dawned on you, he meant he’s going to sleep on the couch. Immediately you protested, “Joel. Come on. I’m not taking your room, the couch is fine-“

“No, no, no. This is not up for debate,” he pointed at you, “You need a good night’s rest.”

“Joel I’ll sleep fine on the cou-“

“I’m not fightin’ you on this.”

You stared at each other for a moment, a stand off you knew you’d lose. You finally cracked under his unrelenting gaze, but had to make one last effort, “You’ve done more than enough for me tonight.”

“I’d do damn near anything for you,” he couldn’t stop himself from confessing, but he almost didn’t care if it meant you’d take his bed. He’d never admit it, not even to himself, but he wanted you there, and not just because it was courteous to offer. To know that you were wrapped in his sheets, head cradled by his pillow, your breath filling his space.

You let out a sigh, “Fine.”

“Good. Thought I’d have to drag you.”

You chuckled, and in your mind flashed an image of him picking you up and tossing you onto the bed, oh God he’s so strong he could do that so easily-

You banished the thought, pulling yourself back to reality, but another idea invaded your mind. “Thank you so much Joel. I really owe you for this.”

“You don’t owe me nothin’. I’m glad you know that I’m here for you.”

If this whole situation hadn’t already overstepped a boundary, this certainly would, but you really couldn’t help yourself. You took a step forward, pulling him into a hug. Every nerve in his skin suddenly became hypersensitive to the feeling of your hands on his torso, moving to his back. He wrapped his arms around your shoulders, then froze. You smelled like him. You, in his clothes. You, with his scent. You, in his arms. He could only hope that his heart wasn’t beating too loud.

You pulled away from each other, hands lingering a second longer than necessary.

“Sleep tight, darlin’.”

“You too.”

“And sleep in as long as like.”

“Thank you.”

“Let me know if you want an extra blanket or anything-“

“Goodnight Joel,” you laughed, walking away from him finally.

When you closed yourself into his room, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

You both laid awake for a while, having the same doubts, ruminating on words, body language, tone, meanings that may or may not have indicated something else.

You tried to be objective. He’s naturally generous, kind hearted beneath a bit of a rough exterior. He was instinctually nurturing, look how devoted he is to his daughter. Besides, with her to look out for, he wouldn’t want some silly college girl. He takes his responsibilities as a father very seriously and as far as you knew, he avoided things and people that would disrupt her life.

You’re a sweet girl, he reasoned that you hugged him because that was your nature and nothing else. One night at his place didn’t mean anything beyond what it was: you called and he answered. He knew nothing would come of it, ridiculous to think anything would, really. Young, promising college students like you don’t go involving themselves with middle aged men with children, not unless the man was rich, which he definitely wasn’t.

These thoughts kept you both awake, so finally you each relented to the more hopeful side, even if it was just a fantasy to doze off to.

Cheek pressed against Joel’s pillow, surrounded by his scent, you sleepily indulged in the thought that he treated you special because he felt a special way for you. Maybe he’s even protective of you.

Hand tucked under a cushion, he entertained the idea of you knowing that you want a man who wouldn’t waste your time. Someone who has some real experience in the world and knows what they want.

He was starting to think that insisting you spend the night was the worst idea he’s ever had.

Chapter 2 Masterlist

The Dove and Her Hound Masterlist

[Y/n] Stark went with her father and sisters to King’s Landing and fell in love with Sandor Clegane. She manages to escape the capital before her father dies, but she gets swept up with the wars and White Walkers. Will she manage to save what’s left of her family? Or will bad things keep happening to those she loves?

CH. 1 - The Brotherhood

CH. 2 - Off to the Twins

CH. 3 - The Red Wedding

CH. 4 - Needle

CH. 5 - Minx*

CH. 6 - Sheltered from the Storm

CH. 7 - Big Fucking Sword

CH. 8 - A Trip for Nothing

CH. 9 - Ten More Miles

CH. 10 - Taken but Reunited

CH. 11 - Warden of the North

CH. 12 - Godswood

CH. 13 - Dragonstone

CH. 14 - Bend the Knee

CH. 15 - Mining Dragonglass

CH. 16 - The Queen’s Permission

CH. 17 - Please*

CH. 18 - Ravens and Ice

CH. 19 - Three Losses

CH. 20 - Rescued

CH. 21 - The Truce

CH. 22 - Winterfell

CH. 23 - Smothered Worries*

CH. 24 - The Long Night

CH. 25 - Ego

CH. 26 - What If

CH. 27 - Swear It

CH. 28 - Get the Maester

CH. 29 - A New King

CH. 30 - Epilogue

Long Lost Friend | GOT Imagine (Female!Reader)

I don’t own any of the plots or characters of ASOIAF/GOT that all belongs to George R. R. Martin

Slightly follows this headcanon, but i plan to change a few things that were closer to the end of the hc. Might make a part 2

Characters in this imagine: Jon Snow, Tormund Giantsbane, Jorah Mormont, Davos Seaworth, Gendry Baratheon, Thoros of Myr, Beric Dondarrion, Sandor Clegane.

pairings: Sandor Clegane x reader (previous relationship), and slight Tormund Giantsbane x reader

Warnings: profanity, violence, mentions of death and sex, implications of attempted SA. 

Word Count: 4776 (not edited so sorry for typos. I’ll get to it soon)

“My scouts found them a mile south of the Wall, said they were on their way here.” The once silent cell block of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea was interrupted by the Free Folk Tormund Giantsbane. Behind him were a group of men, following close as the beaded fellow led them to the cell holding three others they had yet to recognize. It was cold, and the only light shining in was from the small windows around to the top of the cell. Two men huddled in their clothing were seated on a bench against the wall while the third laid on the table, wrapped in his furs. 

“You’re the Hound,” a voice spoke of recognition when the man on the table turned his head to see who had appeared. It was Jon Snow, the man they called the Bastard of Winterfell and currently the newly crowned King in the North. “I saw you once at Winterfell.”

“They want to go beyond the Wall too,” Tormund informed him before another voice spoke out. 

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Tarot Day 22 FINAL - The Sun (Tormund Giantsbane)

Kissed By Fire

Summary: An aid to the Night’s Watch, you catch the attention of Tormund Giantsbane and strike up an unusual friendship with him.

Warnings:  Prompt will be in bold within the body of the text

*Please do not replicate my work anywhere without my express permission*

“I killed a giant when I was 10. Then I climbed right into bed with his wife.”

The dumbstruck faces of those in Winterfell as Tormund told his latest boast affected me in such a particular way that I had to hide my mouth behind my hand to stop my smile from being seen. The more Tormund wended his tale, the more it became difficult to hide my mirth.

Ser Davos’ expression was giving me great cause to burst into laughter but I knew it was not appropriate.

When Tormund was finally done, however, and complete silence fell, that was the point I broke. I just started howling, slapping my leg until eventually others started joining me.

Far from being offended, Tormund beamed with pride at my reaction. I think he tended to over-egg the pudding for my sake but it was endearing in a way.

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