Hiii! Can I Please Request A Tommy Shelby X Fem!reader (whos In Her Early 20s) Where She Is Engaged But

Hiii! Can I please request a Tommy Shelby x fem!reader (who’s in her early 20s) where she is engaged but her fiancé needs to make amends with the Shelbys (he’s gotten on their bad side which is never good😬) so he gives her to Thomas Shelby to marry her (which I’m sure would leave her heartbroken as the love of her life and father of her child just casted her aside like that to save only himself). Y/n already has a two month old baby girl + she’s super young and not involved in the crime world (she’s an owner of a cute little bookshop) so I’m sure she’d be terrified as well (especially with Tommy and his family’s scary reputation). She’s super shy and timid, spending much of her time in Tommy’s huge library (with her daughter) in the Arrow House. I feel like she’d be super jumpy around Tommy, his brothers, and Polly for a while. At some point they bond and fall in love? And the Shelbys become her family, loving her and being protective? Dad!Tommy?🥺🥺

I really hope you enjoy it. I honestly don't feel my best about it. Sorry if its a little bit off. XO

Warnings: Mentions of sex, infidelity, Mentions of murder, Peaky blinders typical nonsense

The war had brought you a significant amount of pain, you had lost both of your brothers and your mum had passed shortly after the news was delivered. The only good thing it brought you, the thing that pulled you through that dark time, was a confession from your childhood friend.

You’d always had feelings for William, but it took a whole two months away from you for him to realize. Once he was back you were going steady. He was a different man, but that’s just what war did to people.

Now you rarely saw him because he was always working and coming home late, your days were filled with working in the book store you’d inherited from your uncle, and the little bundle of joy known as Ruby. You had little sleep and lots to do, but this was by far the best time in your life.

It was a regular afternoon, the rare sun shining through the front window catching the gold lettering on the spines of various books. Ruby was sound asleep in the basket you had made into a bed for her.

You were half way through re-organizing a shelf to fit in the new shipment of books, when the familiar bell rang through the shop. You turned to see who had come through the door and your eyes fell on an unexpected sight. A tall man dressed in an immaculate suit looked around the space, his eyes shaded by the ominous cap resting on his head.

You didn’t know very much about the on-goings of Small Heath’s organized crime. But Will had warned you about the men with the caps. You didn’t know his name but he was the leader that often roamed the streets on his horse.

“Hello Sir, can I help you find something?” You tried not to sound nervous, but you desperately hoped that he wasn’t here to drag your beloved business into the world of gangsters.

“Yes, I'm here to see William. Settle a debt. Would you call him for me, Love?” The words rolled off his tongue easily, and you couldn't help but be slightly captivated by his soft voice. You were grateful you could call Will, but clearly this man was mistaken. Will was as far away from this realm as you were, he certainly didn't gamble.

“Okay” You answered hesitantly, unsure of what else to say. You moved to the phone that rested behind the counter, praying silently that Ruby stayed asleep.

“Hello.” James answered.

“Will, there’s a man here to see you at the shop. Something about debts.” Your eyes followed the man as he looked at books.

“What’s his name then?” He asked sharply. Your stomach started to twist at his words, something clearly wasn't right here…

“Um, could I have your name sir?” You asked politely.

“Thomas Shelby.” He said while picking up a misplaced book, putting it where it belonged.

“Thomas Shelby” You repeated quietly into the phone. James suddenly hung up. Your hands started to shake slightly.

“The phone cut out, I’ll just ring him again.”

“Don’t bother, he'll be here.” He walked up to the counter and leaned against it, lighting a cigarette. He looked tired, and almost like a cat, leaning in the ray of sun. You would have thought he was saint-like, but you knew that there was a bloody trail of destruction behind him. You let him stand there in silence, unsure what to say. Ruby was still sleeping softly in her basket, you shifted yourself so she was hidden behind your long skirt.

“How old is she?” His head turned and his eyes ran over your body.

“Two months.” You whispered, he grimaced slightly. The bell rang as the door slammed open. Two men clearly belonging to Thomas were hauling James in. His face was bloodied, you would have run to him but there was no way you were leaving Thomas between you and Ruby.

“So you tried to run, eh?” Thomas said, you saw James crumble under the weight of the situation. If only you knew what the situation was. Clearly he wasn't going to leave you and his daughter here with this man?

“You insured your choices with her life.” You couldn't believe the words. You just couldn't. James would never do such a thing. You turned your gaze off of Thomas and you felt your body twist as your eyes met James. You could see that he was ashamed, scared, and you could tell that he had brought this upon you.

“Just take the shop.”

“But that wasn’t the deal, you stupid fuck.” One of the men barked, causing you to jump.

“What kind of man trades his wife? The wife that just brought a child into the world no less?” Thomas stated coldly. Suddenly a lot of things fell into place as the peaky men chastised him for his life choices. James hadn't wanted to stay together, he was only marrying you out of courtesy. He was home late, not because he was working hard for your future together, but because he was in love with a whore that lived on 13th street. Your body couldn't process this information. The room was spinning and it took everything for you to keep alert.

Thomas grabbed William's messenger bag and opened it.

“More then enough to settle things too, but you chose to run?” Tomas pulled the stack of money on to the counter. He was going to give up your business for this? He wagered on your life?

They hauled him out into the street and Thomas’s command. Your heart was breaking and your body couldn't stop shaking. Those cold eyes turned onto you.

“No. no. Don't touch me or her.” You said in warning trying to get your body under control. You saw him raise his hands.

“I’m not going to hurt you, love” He said in an unamused tone.

“Promise me.” You snapped. “Promise me that nothing bad will happen to Ruby. I can find a way to get you what he owes.” He observed you for a moment, like he was trying to find something deep inside you.

“I promise to keep you both safe. William settled his debt to me personally, but there is more to come your way. Close up the shop, we need to collect your things.” He was seriously going to take you both in. This was madness, all of it was just absolutely crazy. But at this point in time you had no one to help you out of this. Your family was dead, you could fight him to the death but it would only leave Ruby defenseless and alone.

“Wait if that’s more than enough then why are you taking us too?”

“I can leave you be, but they’ll come for the both of you come nightfall.” He said seriously. You nodded, unable to think of what to do.

___

It was a long day. It started out in your bed, in the home you had built with the love of your life, and it ended with you curled around your baby in the guest bedroom of a massive mafia house.

They were yelling downstairs, unaware that you had decided to get up and sit at the top of the stairs. Apparently William was dead, you wished that it didn't hurt you to hear this. There was a very angry part of you that wasn't upset at all over the situation. He went looking for trouble, you brought in more than enough at the bookshop to maintain a comfortable life, he chose to enter that life.

According to the female voice downstairs, Thomas was supposed to leave you there. Your burden was supposed to be picked up by whatever organization James was working on.

“Polly,” Thomas said calmly, but the woman kept digging into him about how you were probably a spy, all this constructed to ruin the family.

“Polly!” He snapped. “You and I both know what would happen if I let her go with them, eh? What would happen to that baby. That idea also implies that they get to her in time. The man had fucking debts across the bloody country.” There was a tense silence and you wished someone would ask, because you desperately wanted to know.

“Eh, He’s right Poll, I saw her myself. She had no idea what he was involved in. She practically fell apart when he admitted to it.” Another man’s voice chipped in.

“She’s got a baby?” Polly asked.

“Two months.”

“Fuck”

_____

You were used to not sleeping, even before the baby you’d had insomnia for years. With the events of everything weighing on you, keeping busy was best. You started to unpack your belongings. From what you gathered from the argument downstairs, and the reputation the Shelby family had, this was the safest place for you till you could figure out what William was involved in.

You’d accidentally knocked over a box and cringed at the loud crash it made. You immediately looked over at Ruby, out of all the misfortune in your life, one blessing was that your kid could really sleep once she passed out. Tears started up again, thoughts of William hacked up in boxes was painfully biting away at you. The door opened and Thomas looked surprised to see you.

“It’s late” He stated, looking slightly amused by your situation. The room was almost organized, and you were wearing nothing but your old nightgown.

“I don't sleep well.” You said, unable to move or think under his heavy gaze.

“Well, if you need anything. I’m just across the hall.” He gave you a nod then shut the door quietly. You finished getting everything in order then finally laid down on the bed. You hated it, but it was impossibly comfortable. By far the softest thing you had ever slept on, despite your resentment towards it you quickly fell asleep.

The maids opened the door, moving fast to open the heavy curtains. The gray light of a January day streamed across the room. They moved around the room quickly, a cup of tea was placed next to you on the bedside table. They introduced themselves as they came through the door, hauling up boxes and zipped dress bags. Three of them debated quietly picking out an outfit for you.

You sat there in bed, hair a mess watching the team move like bees. One of the younger ones moved towards Ruby.

“No.”

“You sure Miss? I can get her washed and dressed?” Your mind was spinning. “Mr. Shelby told us you needed to be at work today, we are to look after her.”

“No, that's okay. I’ll look after Ruby thank you.” You stuttered. They had a brand new dress, vest, coat, hat, shoes, and handbag laid out for you. It was clean, classy, and stylish, but somehow still very you.

Ruby was adamant that it was feeding time so you went into the bathroom to escape the crazy whirlwind. You sat on the toilet lid and fed her resting your face against the cold tiles. You’d escaped with your tea so you sipped on it. After that you made a note to leave a book in the cupboard under the sink for tomorrow.

You came out to see one maid unpackaging makeup and toiletries.

“Did he say why he did all of this?” You whispered finally registering the full amount of things he’d gotten you.

“All he said to us was that you're the lady of the house and therefore in in charge.” She shrugged. “I picked out most of the clothes and make up based on how he described you. Hopefully you like it, but if not just tell me what to change and I’ll have it sorted for tomorrow.” She looked slightly nervous, but everything that you could see was perfect.

“No erm, It all looks lovely. You’ve done a really excellent job.”

“Thank you miss” She nodded then fled out of the room. You looked at Ruby and picked out one of the many outfits bought for her. You felt uncomfortable about the whole thing, but you were just too in love with everything to turn it down. You were heart broken, devastated really, but you could do that while looking your best surely?

Once you were ready for the day there was a proper carrying bassinet ready for Ruby. A driver dropped you off, you worked a regular shift with no life changing incidents, then a driver came and picked you up exactly at closing time.

You got home and found that the kitchen was empty, so as a thank you, you started cooking and baking away. The kitchen smelled like home, they were family recipes, this is what your whole life had smelled like and it provided a deep comfort. The radio was on and ruby was waving a spoon in the air making it catch the light.

The cook came into the room, red in the face causing you to drop the wooden spoon and stand in front of Ruby protectively. Your heart was racing and as the man started shouting, your mind practically shut down. Thomas entered looking murderous and didn't even have to speak. The man apologized and exited quickly.

“You can cook?” He asked lightly, you had no idea why he was being nice to you. But the situation brought you to tears, you were unable to answer him. “Fuck.” He cursed under his breath, then crossed the room towards you.

You were frozen in place, still surprised with the man’s anger, Ruby started to cry. Thomas moved past you and picked up Ruby carefully.

“Hey now, it's alright. He’s not coming back to upset mummy again.” He said softly and she quieted down against his chest.

“Sorry about that, he’s clearly not going to be around much longer. You don't have to cook. I imagined you’d be tired, eh?”

“I was just trying to say thank you.” You sniffled. “Just wanted to say thank you, and figure out what comes with all of this?” You waved your arms around.

“It’s not exactly safe for you to be anywhere else.” He answered tensely. “If you're stuck here I figure you might as well make it look like you're one of us now.”

“Why though? William clearly wronged you, why look after his burden of a family?”

“Because you're not a burden.” He shrugged easily. “When I agreed to the situation he’d left out a lot of important details.”

__

Months passed and you continued to work hard, everything you made was gravy as Thomas provided you with everything.

His family was loud and they would only speak Romani in front of you. You found all of your interactions horrifically embarrassing.

Eventually Esme was brought around and she took it upon herself to speak to you. She seemed nice and had some very big opinions about the family and Thomas. Soon enough she would always come around and the two of you would sit in the kitchen while they talked business. She always told you that if she needed to escape that her family would take her in…. A thought that scared you quite a bit.

You had to keep your guard up, but it was becoming more and more difficult a task.

There were little exchanges with him, the occasional bumping of hands or elbows, all of which made your heart pound. He was dangerous, but why did he have to be so generous? And uninterested, unamused, but also so attentive. When he spoke to you he looked at you like you were the only person in the universe.

You were sitting on the sofa after feeding Ruby her supper. She was burped and happily laying next to you as you read out loud to her. After the war started you only read fiction and fantasy, this was excellent for Ruby because she always enjoyed the silly voices you made.

“Well now, this part of the book is entirely two steamy for us ladies, save that for another time.” You closed the book and released that Tommy had been watching from the doorway.

“Can I join you?” He looked more tired than you had ever seen him.

“Sure” There was a thick blush covering your face. He sat on the other side of Ruby looking you over.

“Can I hold her for a little bit?” He asked softly. All of your brain said no, but something in your heart swayed you.

“Alright.” You answered timidly. Just like that night in the kitchen she settled against him easily. Enjoying his attention, trying to reach up and grab his face.

“She looks like you, Eh? You're going to be pretty like your mum?” She laughed at his words, or at least his voice. The situation did nothing to lighten the thick blush on your face. She eventually fell asleep against him. The silence had a heavy weight to it, but you settled in it nicely.

“Do you want kids?” You asked.

“I didn't, but I think having little Ruby around may have changed me mind a little”

“Ha, all you do is spoil her. You haven't gotten to know her yet.” you said playfully.

“Well I'd like to, her mother is an excellent cook you see.” He turned his head, probably to look at the flush creeping up your neck again.

“You have a cook already.” You were surprised how easy the words came out.

“No, he shouted at the girl I’m trying to get with so I had to fire him.” God this was so easy for him, effortless and yet you felt like your whole body was on fire.

“Shut it, we both know I'm only here because out there they would chop me up, and keep Ruby as some kind of crime princess.”

“Love, if I didn't want you to be here. You wouldn't be.”

“Alright, well what do you want me for then?” Your heart was hammering, his eyes were devouring you.

“If you want I could show you?” It was entirely too forward. He was too good at flirting like this, all of it was pointing to trouble. But no one had looked at you like that before. William, your stomach dropped, never looked at you like that. Your eyes flicked towards his lips, your body was desperate.

“Should I take you out to dinner? Or up to bed?” You hadn't realized you’d leaned towards him, his voice was a soft whisper, looking down his nose with those cold blue eyes.

“Up to bed would be nice” So he took you up to bed, helped you get Ruby settled. After that you got nervous. You didn't know what going to bed together meant or how it changed things. As if sensing your hesitation he paused looking at you sitting on the corner of your bed.

“Let me stay the night?” You nodded in response, unable to trust your own voice. You turned the light off, and undressed in the dark. No one had seen you naked since before you were pregnant. You got under the covers and felt the bed shift as he climbed in after you.

You jumped when his warm arms snaked around your body. He held you tightly, in a way that was completely foreign to you. You felt yourself let go and relaxed against his solid frame, you couldn't recall ever feeling so safe.

He pressed his lips to your forehead softly.

“Good night, love.”

“Night” You breathed into his neck and then let sleep take you.

You only had to get up with Ruby once, and he sat up keeping you company while you fed her and got her back to sleep.

After that you were out cold. You woke up slowly, stretching out on the silky sheets of the empty bed.

Empty bed.

Your eyes opened and you looked across the room. You were alone. Your heart started to hammer, you should have known this was a stupid fucking idea. You ran down the stairs pulling your robe closed, the whole fucking house was empty. Tears started to prickle at your eyes while your stomach twisted painfully.

You checked the kitchen, the office, sitting room, living room, they were gone.

You took a few shaky breaths, and went outside. The wind stung your skin. Cold mud squishing between your toes. The driveway was empty, the cars parked where they should be. The woods and the stables were the only places they could be if they were still on the property.

You ran through the mud and into the stable only to find him holding little Ruby up to a horse. He held her hand open to help her pet his snout. He took notice of you and his composure changed.

“What’s wrong?” He asked sternly, looking behind you as if there was an army chasing you out. You just moved towards Ruby looking her over to make sure she was okay. He’d gotten her dressed up in the proper clothes so she was nice and warm. He seemed to understand the situation and put his arm around you.

“Sorry.” He murmured into your ear.

“It’s alright.” You whispered. The three of you went back to the house, you were still shaking from the cold.

“Go take a bath, love.” An uneasiness washed over you at leaving Ruby with him, this side of him was too new to be trusted. Yes you appreciated his generosity, and lots of his softer qualities, but not enough to leave your daughter with him. “We’ll come up with you, but you're going to catch a cold if you don’t warm up.”

You took a bath alone, and when you came downstairs Ruby was resting on Tommy's shoulder as he quietly sorted paperwork.

_______________

Things only took off after that, you slept in the same bed. He never put any pressure on you, but he didn't need to. You were starved for any kind of intimacy, you had been your whole life. What he was offering was more than enough of a reason to keep his bed warm. You made dinner almost every night, the book shop was running smoothly. Even his family were talking to you in English, now.

It was getting late and you were worried for Tommy. You were used to him coming home in the early hours of the morning, but the damage that William had left you with was a heavy burden on your mind.

Maybe this was all a joke to Tommy too.

But the door opened eventually, and there he was. Looking exhausted, covered in blood and dirt.

“Are you alright?” You asked slightly panicked. His eyes were all wrong when he looked at you.

“I’m fine. The mess that William started has been cleaned up.” He leaned against his desk staring at the floor. He lit a cigarette.

“Erm, I don't really know what that means because I’m still not really sure what mess he was in to begin with?” You looked over the back of the couch at him.

“Bad stuff.” He took a drag of his cigarette, looking as ominous as the day you met him. “Really fucking bad stuff.”

“And you only do sort of bad stuff?” This brought a ghost of a smile to his lips.

“Oh it’s bad, just slightly better in my opinion.” He closed his eyes and your heart began to sink. You were free to go now. Surely he would ask you to leave, he just wasn't sure how.

“Ah, so this is the end I guess.” Your voice was shaky, but he refused to open his eyes or acknowledge your words. There was another long silence, something the two of you were famous for.

Eventually, he made up his mind and straightened up.

“I’m by no means a good man, but I’m better than some. I can’t promise you much but I’ll swear to you that I’ll be good to you, and I’ll always put Ruby first.” He studied you carefully before continuing. “Will you marry me then?”

“Yes” You didn't even think about it before the words were out of your mouth. You got up and held him tightly. Finally that tight mask slipped, his arms came around you.

“I love you” You finally got the words that had been weighing on you for weeks out in the open.

“God I’ve wanted you since I laid eyes on you at the shop” He kissed you deeply, easily picking you up and placing you on the desk. “And now you're mine”

________

Tagslist: @tommydoesntpayforsuits @misselsbells06 @peakyprongs @kpopgirlbtssvt

The Shadow and The Passenger: Part One

Attn: So I hadn’t expected to be writing Walter but a nonnie request kept coming back to mind so here we go! It’ll be a series since I’ll need time to flesh it out and all. Just a forewarning that the themes in this are a bit heavier than what I usually write, abuse and DV primarily. If that’s not for you I understand.

Word count: 1,828

Pairing: Walter Marshall x Curvy OFC Callie Russell

Summary: Walter happens upon an unconscious, battered woman in the woods.

Warnings: 18+, suspected domestic violence, injuries, fear

It was a crisp morning, the beginnings of autumn starting to peek out. In Minnesota it doesn’t take long for autumn to turn into full blown winter, so as he’s been doing since the cooler air had fallen, Detective Walter Marshall leaves the comfort of his cozy cabin in the woods for a morning walk. People often find him irritable, or off putting, but truly he just mostly likes being by himself. The day to day he deals with is overwhelming at times, so he has little patience for people. That’s why when this two bedroom, two bath cabin had become available he readily bought it.

His daughter, Faye had liked that it had a loft as well so soon after buying it he’d converted it to a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom for her. It was the perfect place to call home, to find peace. But today, his peace would be short lived.

He walked out into the woods a bit further, leaves crunching beneath his feet all beautiful hues of red, orange, yellow, and brown, when he noticed something out of place. A steak of blonde hair so bright it was nearly white shone through the other colors. When he approached he found that the hair belonged to a severely battered, but still breathing woman. “Shit,” he muttered while checking her pulse.

He found that to be in order as well before scooping her up and quickly carrying her back to his cabin. She’d only been in a flimsy T-shirt and underwear, with no shoes, so if she wasn’t, she was likely close to being hypothermic. He sits her on the couch gently before going to get a small cot to put as close as he can to the fire place. He lays her there before moving quickly to get a bowl of warm water. He grabs a rag and dry towel so he can both clean and dry her in tandem, wanting to be able to better assess her injuries.

She’s got a black eye and busted lip for sure, probably dehydrated, but worst of all are her poor feet. They’re tattered to bits from her walking through the woods without shoes. “What happened to you sweetheart?,” he asks softly to himself. He’s seen the worst of the worst, but if he’s guessing right, this is something that always makes his chest ache, and his blood boil. She nearly looks like an angel, soft platinum halo of hair above her head. Who would ever want to hurt her?

He’s worried her attacker may still be in the area so he calls in a favor. Dr. Wells makes a house visit, setting her up with iv fluids and antibiotics, and shows Walter how to tend to her feet. He leaves him with care instructions along with more fluids, antibiotics for when she wakes, and pain medication. “You know how to handle this, yeah?,” Dr. Wells asks as he leaves. “Yeah I’ve got it. Once she’s awake and comfortable with me, I’ll see about taking her to the station,” Walter says. “Good. If you need me again, just call, he replies while heading out.

The mystery woman in his home sleeps from when he found her until about lunch the next day, when she starts whimpering in her sleep. “No,” she sobs. Walter had taken a few days off to keep an eye on her and wasn’t far. “Hey,” he says as he kneels down by her. “NO!,” she screams. “Sweetheart you’re safe. Open your eyes,” he tells her. She lets out a shuddering breath before looking up at him.

He’s met with stoney blue eyes, with a circle of yellow about the pupil, fear etched into their depths. “Please don’t hurt me,” she whispers. “I’d never hurt you. I found you out in the woods, passed out. You were dehydrated and injured. I’m a detective. My name’s Walter Marshall, what’s yours?,” he asks. She looks at him suspiciously, wondering if she could trust him. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he then says. At that a few tears run down her face.

“I’m Callie,” she chokes out. “Callie. Alright. Your feet are in bad shape, but I’ve acquired a shower chair, and I got my daughter to go and pick some clothes for you if you’d like to get cleaned up,” he says. She nods. “You have a daughter?,” she then asks. “Faye. She’s eighteen,” he tells her. “How old are you?,” she asks surprisedly. She’s not even sure why she’s interested. Must be the shock of it all. “I’m 38. Had her a bit young. Would you like help getting up?,” he then asks, his rich English accent proving to be soothing.

“Okay,” she says. He helps her into a sitting position and that’s when she notices the iv. “What’s this?,” she asks. “I had a doctor come out. You needed some fluids and antibiotics to prevent any infection in your feet,” he tells her. Callie pulls the covers up around her waist and winces when she sees her bloodied, bandages. “I’ll be needing to change those anyway. ‘S a good thing you’ve woken up. How long were you out there?,” he asks while removing the iv. “I dunno,” she says softly. He nods, not making a fuss over it.

“Do you want to try to walk or are you okay with me carrying you?,” he questions. “I—,” she winces when she moves her feet. “I don’t mind,” Walter tells her. “Okay,” she replies. She lets Walter lift her, feeling fragile. He’s so big, it’s almost intimidating, but the way he’s talking to her in such a calm way… She won’t lie to herself, she doesn’t trust him, but a small part of her doesn’t fear him either. “There you are,” he says as he sits her on the shower seat. “Let me remove these then I’ll put you a towel just here where you can reach it, and this robe. Just call me once you’re done, okay?,” he says while finishing removing her bandages.

She nods before he backs out leaving her to her own devices. She showers, the hot water feeling amazing on her tired body. After cleaning up Callie dries the best she can before slipping the robe on. “Walter,” she calls out. He appears quickly, as if he’d been waiting outside the door. “Feeling better?,” he asks as he sits her on the bed. “A bit,” she admits. “I’ve sat out something comfortable for you, but if you want there’s different clothes,” he tells her.

She looks over to the heather grey sweat suit and shakes her head. “This is just fine,” she tells him. “Alright. I’ll be just out in the living room. When you’re done call out again. I’ll come bandage your feet then get you something to eat,” he says. “Why… why are you doing this?,” she asks him. “What do you mean?,” he says with a furrowed brow. “Helping me? You could’ve taken me to a hospital and dropped me off,” she says. “Why were you out in the woods?,” he counters.

“I— I was hiking. I got lost,” she replies. “With no shoes or pants?,” he questions. She nods, eyes filling with tears. “I think we both know there’s more to what’s going on here. I won’t pressure you to tell me until you’re ready, but until then I plan on keeping you safe. It’s the least I can do,” he says before closing the door. Callie gets dressed, body screaming with every moment, but she manages. When she’s done she calls Walter. He wordlessly bandages her feet, before she speaks.

“I—,” she says nervously. “It’s alright. What do you need,” he says. “I’d like to brush my teeth and hair, but I’m not sure if I can stand by the sink,” she tells him. He gets her a pasted toothbrush and brings two cups, one with water, one without. He stands patiently as she brushes her teeth before leaving to grab the brush Faye got for her. When she goes to bring her arm over her head, she grimaces. “I could—,” he begins, and Callie bursts into tears. “Shhh,” he says as he brings her into his arms.

She sobs into his sweater, hating that she feels so helpless. “I’m sorry,” she says wiping her face. “It’s okay. Turn around,” he tells her. He gently brushes her hair, starting at the bottom, just at her mid back. He works deftly, as if he’s done this many times, gently working out the tangles. “Your daughter?,” she questions. “Hair as curly as mine,” he answers. He’s nearly done when he reaches up by her face so that he can brush the hair back, and notices Callie flinch. He can feel anger building up in his chest, but says nothing at the moment.

“There. Are you hungry? I have stew and bread,” he tells her. “Yeah,” she admits. She can’t remember the last time she ate. When he sits her at the table, she sees Walter has already fixed them both a bowl. She scoops up a spoonful and blows on it to cool it off a bit. “Mmm,” she hums as she takes the first bite. She tries to remind herself to eat slowly as not to upset her stomach when Walter speaks. “How old are you Callie?,” he questions. “Thirty two,” she tells him. “Any family? Children?,” he then asks.

“No. My parents… they passed away within a few weeks of one another. Thankfully I don’t have any children,” she tells him. “You don’t want children?,” he asks. “Not right now,” she replies simply. “Where are you from?,” Walter pushes. “Here and there,” she says evasively. She continues to eat her food before finally sopping up the last bit with her bread. She sits there a moment, eyes heavy. “Tired?,” Walter says. “I am,” she replies. “That room you are in, it’s yours. Would you like to go sleep?,” he asks.

“I don’t want to be any trouble Walter. You’ve done enough. I could just go,” she tells him. “It’s no trouble. I want you to stay here until your feet have healed at least anyway,” he says as he comes around the table to lift her up. He sits her in the bed, letting her get settled before he speaks again. “I don’t sleep much so if you need help in the night, don’t hesitate to call out to me, okay?,” he tells her. “Alright. Thank you,” she replies, blush creeping up her cheeks.

He saunters off into the living room and pours himself a drink, nerves grated from the day. He’s not upset at Callie, though he does wish she’d let him help her. He can’t imagine what she’s been through, seeing how afraid she is. Maybe with time, she’ll learn to trust him. For now, he’ll keep her with him where he knows she’s safe and cared for.

Orc x Reader x Minotaur

Hi guys! This was commissioned by @anjhope1, I hope you guys like it! It was fun to write and something new for me to try. Commissions for short stories will be closed until after my finals but the monster match options are still open on my ko-fi! NSFW 

You have just finished up another long shift at the hospital and are on your way to see your boyfriend. Drew is an orc and the two of you have been together for years, meeting and dating very young. You haven’t had much time for each other lately and now that you finally have a stretch off of work you can’t wait to see him. You stop at his favorite food place and head to the bar he manages, excited to give him the attention he deserves. It’s loud and bustling with people but you’re unbothered, heading to his office. 

It’s locked, which isn’t unusual. No bother, you have a key. “Hey babe!” you chirp out as you open the door. When you look up though, your heart breaks. Drew is sitting in his chair with an orcish woman on top of him, unclothed and bouncing on his lap. They both snap their heads to you and Drew’s face drains of color. He pushes her off of him and is clearly panicked, calling out your name. You drop the bag of food and run out of the building as quickly as you can. 

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HOW i slept with your father | r.c.

Pairing: (older)Bestfriend's Dad Rafe! x Fem!reader

Summary: In which you tell your best friend how you accidentally slept with her father...oops.

Warnings: 18+ Semi-smut (protected p in v) (smut showed through flashback), age gap (reader is in her early 20s, Rafe is in his early forties), cursing, ocs, unrealistic reactions?, hints at Rafe being a fuckboy, I also can't tell if Rafe preyed on reader (you decide for yourself)

A/N: This story is really just reader telling her best friend about her night with Rafe, lmk if you want an actual smutty fic with bestfriend dad Rafe (heart emoticon)

Word count: 1.6k

"Maribella, I had sex with your Father."

There, you said it. Your guilty conscience has been cleared. Your mind has been restored, and you can stop thinking about how much of a terrible friend you are because you're really not. You told the truth.

It's like that old stupid proverb, something about the truth setting you free or you setting the truth free, something like that.

There had been a moment of silence. A moment in which Maribella had slowly turned around from her lowboy vanity, half of her face the color of rose red from the blush powder she'd been frantically beating on her cheeks--you two were going out tonight. 

In that moment of silence, you glanced at the ticking clock up on Maribella's wall. It was 8:50 pm, and the boys-- the ones you and Maribella met on the beach that evening, were supposed to pick you both up in thirty minutes. 

"Gross." Maribella mumbles, returning to her vanity mirror and continuing to powder her cheeks. "You aren't going to be my new stepmother now, are you?" She says. 

You looked at the framed photo on Marbella's vanity--the photo of a smallish Maribella with chubby cheeks and missing baby teeth sandwiched between a very young Mr. Cameron and Maribella's Late mother (She wasn't dead, just not in Maribella's life after the divorce). 

You think to yourself how much of a resemblance your friend shares with her father--the same cerulean-colored eyes and dusky blond hair--you remember thinking this that night in which you fucked Mr. Cameron. 

You remember having to close your eyes shut while his girthy length pile drove into you during missionary, but Rafe had insisted on keeping your eyes open, or he wouldn't have let you cum that time. "Eyes on me, baby." he said, lightly tapping your cheek.

"No, not if you don't want me to." you said.

Maribella hums.

"To make it even, you can sleep with my father." you suggested, which cause Maribella to scrunch up her face in her backwards reflection.

"Your father's gross and old." She says. "and besides, isn't he still with that women?"

"My mother? Yes."

You watch from your spot on Maribella's bed as she gets up from her vanity and enters her walk-in closet.

"At least I get the appeal with my father." She shouts from the other room.

Minutes later, Maribella emerges from her closet, no longer in her silk bathrobe but in a simple white slip dress. 

"How do I look?" she asks you.

"Cute." you tell her.

She hums again, being satisfied with your response. Then, Maribella goes back to her vanity to continue doing her makeup.

"So, tell me." She says. "Tell me how'd you fucked my dad."

You shrug. "It just happened one time." and many other times afterward.

"Y'know." Maribella turns around excitedly. "Out of all the women my dad has slept with, you're the first one I ever gotten to talk to about it, so what was he like?"

Now it was your turn to scrunch up your face in disgust. "Maribella, this is gross. I'm not going to tell you how your dad fucks in bed."

"No fair." she whines. "I tell you about all the guys I've slept with."

You raise your eyebrow, to be fair she had a point.

"Let's just pretend my dad isn't my dad or Mr. Cameron; he's just Rafe, some stupid boy you fucked; now tell me everything."

Rafe was just some stupid guy you had fucked, but he wasn't a boy; he was all man--which is what had you enamored by him--it was either that or he was the first guy actually to tend to the needs of being wanted that had you so enamored by him.

 Unlike other guys you had been with, Rafe was attentive and considerate, making sure to meet your needs and desires. That's what made him stand out and had you so enamored.

This is why you kept coming back.

It was the night of Maribella's 21st birthday party. In your retellings of the story, you failed to mention how Rafe had kept staring at you that night. Every time you encountered each other, his eyes would first wander to your lips and then linger on your breast--which was practically spilling out the top of your corset. And each time you labeled him "Mr. Cameron," he would insist on you calling him "Rafe" because you were no longer a child. 

And it was liberating that Rafe did not see you as a child anymore, now seeing you for who you are: an adult woman. 

You also failed to mention when you spotted Rafe and his then-date, some black-haired women equally his age, arguing on the upstairs deck of Tanny Hill.

You didn't tell Maribella that you overheard Rafe's date yell at him: "Don't call me the next time you're horny, call Mrs. Young Pussy instead." Before storming out.

You kept in how Rafe had called you Beautiful that night, you didn't keep in how much that made you blush, after Maribella had said "Gross."

You exaggerated how much you had drunk that night to make it seem like a blackout drunk story—was it 10 shots? 20? You've forgotten, you told Maribella.

You told Maribella how after you and Rafe carried a shit-fazed Maribella to her bedroom, Rafe told her you didn't have to go home as the rest of the guests did; you could stay.

"You're always welcomed to stay" His exact words.  

You also left out that moment in which you and Rafe shared in the kitchen sharing a bottle of wine, in which you confronted him about his date leaving mad, and in his exact words:

"Women my age are just so uptight."

And though you hadn't quite understood what he meant, you nodded anyway.

He then says: "I'm sure you can understand that, but in reverse, with men your age."

"Men my age are stupid and don't know what they want." you responded.

"That's a shame." Rafe had told you. "Because I know what I want."

And you knew it wasn't the weed you smoked earlier or the few sips of red wine you were having that altered your perception to make you think Rafe was getting closer to him; Rafe was getting closer to you. 

By the end of the conversation, Rafe was no longer on the opposite side of the kitchen island; he was now standing beside you, the skin of his elbow touching yours. 

Your breathing had become uneven as Rafe's gaze remained steadfastly locked with yours, but you deliberately avoided meeting his eyes, for this was your best friend's father.

You felt your heart pounding in your chest as you tried to think of a way to break the silence. You took a deep breath and forced yourself to look into the intense blue of Rafe's eyes.

You didn't tell Maribella when you told Rafe that you weren't uptight, which was a quip to his response about knowing what he wants. And then he kissed you.     

The kiss took both of you by surprise, but it was undeniable that there was a spark between you. As your lips met, time seemed to stand still, and in that moment, you knew that this was the beginning of something extraordinary.

"And then we had sex." you concluded to Maribella.

Sex would be an understatement, you fucked.

Rafe had placed pecks on every inch of your body as he carried you into his bedroom, a room that was always off-limits when you and Maribella used to play with each other growing up. 

You were too enamored by Rafe's bergamot scent and how he kept calling you beautiful with each peck to your flesh to examine his room and hypothesize why this room of all rooms was once off limits. 

You were too overwhelmed when you felt his large muscular hands tear your clothes off your body to notice the picture of Maribella sitting on Rafe's bed side table.

You were too overcome with lust and craving when Rafe requested that you retrieve a condom from his nightstand, where you intentionally dislodged the photograph of Maribella.

Out of sight out of mine.

As Rafe carefully rolled the condom down his reddening shaft, you feigned an air of eager anticipation, so much so that you almost missed when Rafe remarked:

"You have no idea how long I've been longing for this moment."

Right then, without a warning, Rafe plunged himself deep inside of you like no man has ever done before. 

Your eyes widened, and your mouth formed the shape of an 'o' as you felt his thick cock split your cunt open, kiss your cervix, and sheath deep inside your belly. 

You counted the number of times Rafe said your pussy was tight; it was a number of 10.

At this point, Maribella no longer sat at her vanity and was now sitting beside you on her bed. 

"Oh, lame." She says. "So it was just a drunken mistake, a one-night stand kind of thing?"

You hummed. This reminds you that you should cut things off with Rafe since Maribella knows now. 

Right then in the moment Maribella's phone dings.

"The boys are here." She says. "You ready?"

And as you and Maribella walked down the spiral staircase of Tanny Hill, your friend told you:

"Now that I think of it, I'm not that pissed that you slept with my dad; as I said, I get it: he's rich, and he's good-looking for his age; what other qualities do you need in a man?"

In which you hummed again.

"Now if this was a recurring thing, that's a whole other story--Oh! hi Daddy."

As you and Maribelle descended to the base of the stairs, you were greeted by Rafe.

Rafe looked at you first before greeting his daughter.

You made an effort to maintain eye contact with him, despite his patronizing gaze, resisting the temptation to steal glances at him in his form-fitting shirt that accentuated his muscular physique.

You focused on maintaining a calm and composed demeanor, refusing to let his condescension affect you. Instead, you redirected your attention to the conversation at hand.

"Where are you girls headed?" He asks, addressing no one in particular.

"We're going out," Maribella says, sensing the tension and tugging your wrist towards the door.

"Don't wait up for me; we'll be out all night," Maribella said, Rafe's eyes never leaving yours as you and Maribella exited the door.

The boys you'd met earlier—Steven and Conrad, you think their names were—were parked outside Tanny Hill, blasting some obnoxious music from their car speakers.

"Oh wait, I think I forgot something," you tell Maribella as you approach the car. 

You don't wait for Maribella's approval before jogging back inside her house, where her father awaited you behind the front door with a sly smirk on his lips.

"I knew you couldn't resist telling me a goodbye," he remarked, just as the two of you leaned in for a messy, passionate kiss.

Knowing you were pressed for time, you were the one to break the kiss. 

'Same time again tomorrow night?' he asks, his voice filled with a mix of hope and desire as he wipes away the remnants of your shared moment. 

"Same time." you reassured.

For old times sake | Masterlist

Summary: Bradley hasn’t gotten any action with his wife. They didn’t have kids, not because of their jobs, but because she just didn’t want to anymore. Bradley had a very high sex drive, and his maid that his wife hired might just give him a memory refresh of how good sex is.

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Unlikely Friendships | Part Two

Unlikely Friendships masterlist

Simon "Ghost" Riley x single mum!reader Word Count: 3.4k Series warnings (may update between chapters): 18+, Minors DNI, single mother reader, mentions of violence, cannon-typical violence, injury description, shitty parenting (not by reader), swearing

He knew that it was pathetic. That the one and only thought on his mind as the field medics battled to patch up the gunshot wound in his shoulder was of you and Sunnie.

The 141 had been deployed to some far-flung corner of the globe, scouting for information on their upcoming, larger mission. Easy, they'd said. In and out, quiet - light work, really. But, that had gone down quicker than a lead balloon when one of the back-up guys had been discovered rooting around in the mainframes.

Thanks to Simon's quick thinking, the bullet had found a home in his shoulder as opposed to the middle of Gaz's forehead.

It was minor damage - by Simon's standards, anyway - and he begrudged the fact that they were all fussing over him. That he was likely going to have to take it easy for the next couple of weeks, at least. Then there was the fact that their op was definitely going to have to be postponed, especially now their targets had their hackles up.

So that was why he was still holed up in his quarters at the late hour of 10am, laid up under the sheets of his double bed with his good arm tucked under his head. Glancing across at his barren desk, devoid of any personal effects - much like the rest of his room - a glint of sunshine-yellow fur snagged his attention. He gazed at Mr Rabbit with a kind of reverence, a calm film passing in front of his thoughts, shutting out all of the usual, violent background noise.

He missed that kid; bold and chatty in the face of a monster such as himself.

He also missed you.

He wasn't too proud to admit it either; that he'd thoughts about Sunnie's cute mum almost every day since you'd met in the hallway. It wasn't even anything purely physical that had stood out to him at first. He'd been drawn to you like a man in the desert to water; lured in by the fiery passion in your eyes when you thought that your precious baby had gone missing - lost by her careless twat of a father,

He turned your name over again and again in his head. Thought about your perfect, plush lips moving as you said it. The way that you'd held yourself, tall and proud, hand on your hip - full of fire and...

It was that thought that finally dragged Simon out of bed, into the shower, and into some clean clothes. Once he was decent, he hauled himself into the rec room, greeted by post-workout Johnny and Gaz lounging on the overstuffed sofas.

It was no secret around the barracks that Gaz felt like shit for what had happened. He'd never been the lucky recipient of Simon's suicidal heroics before but, apparently, it was "fucking dreadful". All of the guilt and terror, and none of the actual, physical damage to boot.

Simon offered them a cheery wave but ducked straight past them before they could stop him, making a beeline for the second, much rowdier group occupying what was meant to be the 141's private room.

The secondary taskforce they'd thrown together to support on their upcoming op was gathered around the pool table at the back. That included Daniel Harper; just the man that Simon happened to be looking for.

As if sensing Simon's approach, the sergeant looked up from the game he was spectating on. "Oh hey, Ghost. How's the arm holding up, buddy?"

Simon stood, deathly still and stone-faced under the thick cotton fabric of his mask. He knew that he was intimidating - could see that familiar flash of fear in Sgt Harper's eyes. It was widely known by then that the guy who'd screwed up the op - a personal friend of Harper's - had been given the finest, public dressing down of his career by Price after they'd returned to base. Fortunately, he'd been removed from base by the time Ghost was up and prowling again. Though, the fear that he or another of the 141 might retaliate for the royal fuck-up still seemed to hang heavy amongst the secondary squad.

Sgt Harper gulped.

"Would be better if I hadn't been shot," Simon said emotionlessly.

The men playing at the pool table slowly lowered their ques. It was as if they were all holding their breath; waiting for him to do something.

Waiting to see a glimpse of the notorious Ghost come out to play.

"When's that daughter and ex of yours coming back to base?" Simon asked, tone giving away nothing of his intentions or mood.

The sergeant's expression switched to a confused one. One eyebrow raised, he cocked his head to the side. "I'm not too sure. Missus isn't too happy that I let the kid wander off."

He said it like it was an annoyance - like you were daft for not trusting him alone with your child. If anything, Simon thought you were damn right.

"Why'd you want to know anyway, Lt?" he continued, casting a glance back to his buddies with a smirk like he was about to say something tremendously funny. The look of a man who needed validation from others to feel secure in himself. "No offence, but you don't seem like the wife and kids type."

Simon damn-near snarled.

There the sergeant stood - some second-rate, low-rank tool - with no idea whatsoever about Simon's personal life or background. None of them did. He could be a family man for all they knew. He wasn't, but he could be. And - quite frankly - the dig at you, however subtle, was something he found disgusting. You were the mother of that idiot's child, separated or not, and that afforded you a certain level of respect, regardless.

The look of complete and utter calm in Simon's dead eyes shut off any murmurings before they could truly begin. "I have something of theirs. Need to return it."

Sgt Harper frowned, eyes still glittering with amusement at his own shitty attempt at humour. "Like what?"

"Mr Rabbit."

The sergeant's expression turned sour, not escaping Simon's notice. "Oh, that tatty old rag. She won't miss it." The gleam in his eyes turned to an irritated one as he added, "I keep telling the missus to stop buying her all that crap, but she never listens."

What a charmer you are, Simon thought with a sneer.

"I'd rather return it to the little one, if that's all the same to you," Simon replied coolly, letting just a hint of a threat creep into his voice.

Sgt Harper's face paled slightly and a deeply buried alpha-male part of Simon's brain purred with satisfaction. He couldn't stop the train of thought that followed; that if he were Sunnie's father, he'd buy her all the stuffed animals she could ever want. Not a helpful thought to have.

Growing impatient, Simon tapped his foot against the floor and grumbled, "So when are they back on base, Sergeant?"

He gulped, the column of his throat working with the effort. Gingerly, he said, "I could call the missus and ask her to swing by this weekend. Does that work for you?"

Simon nodded, satisfied. "That's fine by me."

Without a thank you or goodbye, Simon sauntered away from the pool table. Instead of heading back to the comfortable isolation of his quarters, however, he dropped down onto the sofa beside Johnny. Both lads were leaning forward, grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats. They'd both quite clearly been listening in on Simon's conversation.

"So... wha' was all tha' about?"

It had been weeks since Daniel lost Sunnie on base when he finally decided to man up and call you.

You'd made it clear to him that he wasn't going to see her without supervision for a while, especially not on the army base. Not that he'd seemed at all bothered by that; he didn't seem fussed at all. In fact, he'd made no effort to reach out and apologise, nor to check up on Sunnie and see if there'd been any lasting effects on her.

"Hey, sweetheart," he said as soon as the call connected. It was the same soothing, placating tone that he used to use when he wanted something from you. Recognising it set you on edge.

"What do you want, Daniel?" you replied coolly, immediately cutting through the bullshit. The sooner he got to the point, the sooner you could get on with your night.

"I was wondering... could you come to base with Sunnie this weekend?"

You glanced across to your right. Sunnie was curled up into your side on the sofa, a rerun of old Friends episodes playing on the TV as background noise. You'd been reading a book, now left forgotten, pages-down on the arm of the sofa in favour of scrolling through Tiktok on your phone.

Thankfully, your daughter had been okay since her adventure in the army barracks. In fact, she seemed to have almost forgotten about it, apart from talking incessantly about her new friend - Simon. She'd even started telling the other kids in her reception class about how Mr Rabbit was on holiday with the "big army man", as she called him.

But, most importantly, she didn't even seem aware that she'd gone missing for any period of time that day.

You exhaled a deep sigh. "Yes. But she's not staying there overnight."

"Okay, that's fine." There was a pause, and you could hear Daniel tapping his foot against something on the other end of the line. "Did you, uh... did you know that Ghost has been asking after you?"

Your brow furrowed. Who the fuck was Ghost?

"Who?"

"The 141 guy who found Sunnie," he grumbled, getting audibly pissy. "He kept asking me when you'd be back on base. Wants to give some stupid stuffed toy back to my daughter."

Anger seethed in your chest. The hand that wasn't holding your phone clenched into a fist at your side. Burning hot rage lanced through you, soothed only by running your fingers through Sunnie's hair. She stirred softly, reaching out a tiny hand to grab your leg - as though she were making sure that you were still there.

In her other hand, she clutched a rose-pink stuffed dragon - the ears, wings, and spines along its back glittering softly in the light of the living room lamp. Her chosen replacement in Mr Rabbit's absence.

Your heart ached as you watched her. That was another reason why you dreaded Sunnie having overnights with her father; his attitude towards childhood in general.

His parents had never let him have a proper one of his own - that much had been evident from the day you'd met them. Despite all of the reassurances that he'd given you when you'd gotten pregnant - placations of being better, of reading up on soft-parenting techniques and the like - he'd done nothing but mirror his parents' shitty attitudes since the day Sunnie was born.

He didn't believe in giving her toys that weren't educational ones, or letting her babble; constantly snapping at her to speak properly, even though she rarely babbled unless she was excited or tired. It had been one of the many reasons why you'd split up. Though there hadn't been a shortage of those.

"Daniel, I will say this one last time: our four-year-old daughter's toys aren't stupid," you said through gritted teeth.

He muttered something under his breath, clearly in the mood to argue. Before you could ask him to repeat himself, he said, "Oh, I see how it is. Any excuse to get back at me, huh? Think you'll get there by fucking the Lt? Go ahead - he won't go for it."

You blinked, stunned. Where the fuck did that come from?

"The guy's a fucking sadist," Daniel spat, saying your name to emphasise his point before jumping straight back into his unsolicited rant. "Don't want your or my daughter anywhere near him. I mean it. I won't stand for it."

Instead of dignifying any of what he'd just said with a response, you hung up. That was one bonus of being separated - you didn't have to listen to his rambling bullshit anymore. By the time you'd carried Sunnie to her room down the hallway, changed her into her favourite PJs and settled her into bed, you'd missed five calls from Daniel.

Padding back into the living room, you sat back down in your spot and closed your book. Not in the mood to fight with him, you opened up your messaging app.

You: Daniel, leave me alone. You: I don't want to talk to you right now.

Not even a minute later, your phone pinged with a reply.

Your fingers itched to open the app and have a look but, instead, you rolled your eyes and slid it across to the far side of the sofa. Whatever he had to say could wait for the weekend.

"Sunnie, come on!" you yelled, standing at the foot of the stairs with your hands braced on your hips.

Several loud thuds on the ceiling marked Sunnie's path upstairs as she bolted across her playroom.

"Sunnie! Hurry up or I'll leave without you!"

And that kicked her into action.

Within a matter of moments, Sunnie was bounding down the stairs - wearing her favourite dress with little bees stitched into the fabric, and a pair of bright pink trainers. She looked adorable, dead-set on looking good for what she deemed to be a playdate with her newest friend.

It had been all she'd talked about since you told her the other morning.

It had been Simon this, Simon that ever since.

Before long, she was strapped up into her car seat, ready for the journey to the base. Her chosen stuffed toy of the day - Mr Rabbit's mint green twin - was clutched in one little fist as she sat in the back, babbling away to herself. You couldn't help but smile; egged on by her excitement.

You weren't too proud to admit to yourself that you'd been more than a little excited to go to base too.

You'd been thinking about the tall, muscular giant of a man who'd found your daughter more and more recently - especially when you were alone at night. You found yourself drawn to the memory of that deep, baritone voice, those bright hazel eyes, and his odd choice to hide behind a balaclava; something that you could only assume was a safety or privacy thing. The taskforce was meant to be top-secret - perhaps that was how he maintained his anonymity.

Or maybe it was something else entirely.

"Mummyyyyyy," Sunnie's drawn-out whine came about fifteen minutes from the entrance gate.

You rolled your shoulders back, glancing up at the rearview mirror to check that she was okay. Content that she was fine, you flashed her a smile. "You okay, baby?"

She nodded and you quickly turned your focus back to the road. "Mummy, Simon said he looks funny."

You hummed softly under your breath.

"Did he, princess?" you asked absentmindedly.

A frown formed on your lips. Sunnie always had very big emotions. She felt everything; hid nothing. All of her emotions were worn on her face as and when she felt them and - while it made her an open book - it also meant that sometimes things ate at her. Like watching you and her dad argue, or when another child in her class felt upset about something.

She was the most caring, sweetest soul you'd ever known, and you were proud to call her your daughter.

"Maybe... maybe he just needs to be reminded that he'd beautiful," you suggested softly, not wanting to upset her any further. That maybe he'd never been made to feel pretty before, as a gruff, giant soldier.

You glanced in the mirror to watch Sunnie's face light up, her smile luminous. "Okay, mummy."

And that made you smile too.

"Ghost, you've got someone here to see you!" Price's gruff voice announced from the other side of his locked door.

Simon startled.

He was standing shirtless in front of his bathroom mirror, mask chucked on the side of the sink as he examined the healing bullet wound in his shoulder. He'd started going to the gym for morning training sessions with the boys again, and he'd managed to strain it a little. Nothing serious - the stitches had held - but the skin around the entry wound was a little red and tender to touch.

"Uh... coming!" he yelled back.

As quickly as he could with his injured arm, he tugged his black t-shirt back on and pulled his balaclava down over his head. Leaving the bathroom, he made a beeline for the door, stopping only to grab Mr Rabbit from his perch on the desk.

Simon undid the lock, swinging the door open to be greeted by...

A small, compact weight hurled itself at his knees, almost taking his legs out from under him.

"Sunnie!" a soft, feminine voice said admonishingly. He didn't even have to look to know that it belonged to you.

With a deep, throaty chuckle, Simon lowered himself down to his knees and pulled Sunnie in for a slightly awkward, one-armed hug on his good side. To his delight, she wrapped her arms around his waist and tightened her grip as much as her little body could manage.

"Mister Simon!" she squeaked.

"Hello again, princess," he said, running a fingernail along the seam of the stuffed rabbit's ear with his free hand. When she finally pulled away, he handed the toy back to the little girl. "I think this belongs to you."

Sunnie squealed with glee, pulling the sunshine-yellow rabbit into her arms for another bone-crushing hug.

"Hey, darling," Price said, his voice reminding Simon that there were, in fact, other people in the hallway around them. A gaggle of new recruits were staring at them, wide-eyed and awestruck, watching the feared Ghost interact so wholesomely with a small child. Price's eyes were focused on said child as he held out a scar-flecked hand. "How about we go and find you some ice cream?"

John looked to you for approval and you nodded, smiling kindly.

Dropping down to press a kiss to Sunnie's forehead, you told her to behave herself for the captain then watched as he led her off in the direction of the rec room. Only when they'd left your sight, did you finally turn your attention to Simon.

He could've sworn that his heart stopped beating in his chest as you fixed him with your warm gaze, lips curving up into the most beautiful, genuine smile he'd ever seen. The feeling didn't ease as your rose back up to your full height - still comically small beside him - and extended a hand for him to shake. He took it, wincing slightly at the feeling of his callouses scraping against your baby-soft skin.

"Hey, Simon," you said, still having yet to break eye contact. "It's nice to see you again."

He released your hand, easing back a half-step. He didn't know what to do; what to say now that you were right in front of him. He just stood awkwardly, trying not to stare at your mouth as he grumbled, "Nice to see you too. I, uh... I didn't know you'd be coming to see me."

His throat worked as he swallowed, the scent of your perfume lingering pleasantly in the air. It was nerves - honest to God nerves - that he was feeling.

Pitiful. Weak. Pathetic...

"I wanted to properly thank you for what you did last month," you explained.

Everything in your expression was open. He wondered if you knew just how similar you were to your daughter in that regard.

"We didn't get much chance to talk last time, and Sunnie talks very highly of you," you continued, a mischievous sparkle in your eyes. "You might be on your way to becoming her favourite person."

Simon could feel himself blushing under the mask. "Well... that's a first."

You chuckled. "Befriending a lost little girl who's wise beyond her years?"

He shook his head. "Being someone's favourite."

He'd meant it in a self-depreciating jokey kind of way, but the look on your face made him regret it. You looked fucking horrified.

"I- sorry. Didn't mean to make it depressing," he said with a grimace.

A long moment passed before you shook your head, that beautiful smile gracing your lips once again. Looping an arm through his uninjured one, you nudged him in the ribs.

"I think we should go and find somewhere in this place that does some decent coffee," you said cheerfully. "Something tells me we've both got a lot of stories to tell before Price brings Sunnie back for her playdate."

Preening at the sight of you so close to him, Simon grinned under the mask - the mention of this playdate completely sailing past his comprehension. "Sounds like a plan, sweetheart."

a/n: I'm a simple woman with simple tastes: I just want to see Simon in a tiara, playing tea parties with Sunnie :) Maybe I might make that happen in part 3... - lapetitelapin :)