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i wish you'd write a fic about a single parent reader and her kid is really fond of yoongi?

no role models + ceo!yoongi & single parent!readernotes: i kind of cheated, this is a reworked snippet from that ceo yoongi/single parent reader fic that will never come lol; read more abt my yoongi universe kid here!

Yoongi wraps a gentle but firm arm around your waist, pulling you closer to his side until your head rests on his shoulder. The two of you have taken advantage of your daughter’s sleepiness by curling up in the den of Yoongi’s apartment with red wine swirling in glasses beneath your fingertips, listening to nothing but the crackle of the fireplace.

Yoongi continues to thumb circles into your side, while he picks up his glass for another sip.

“It’s career day at Yeona’s school next way,” you say quietly, watching as previously dry pieces of firewood catch ablaze.

Yoongi hums lazily, “That’s nice. Have fun telling a bunch of five-year-olds about the riveting world of finance.”

“My job is fun, fuck you,” you scoff.

“Ah, yes, the exciting life of an accountant. Tell me, what’s more fun, the endless spreadsheets or the walk to the fax machine?”

“I have my own fax machine in my office, asshole.”

“Of course! I forgot they only give those out to the accountants who actually like their jobs.”

You tilt your neck to give him a glare, as if the look on your face will wipe the smirk off of his, “Have I told you today that I don’t like you?”

He grins, intertwines your fingers and kisses the back of your hand, “No, but I don’t like you, either.”

You push him back, mumbling about how much of an asshole he is through laughter, but retract back into curling into his arms anyway. Yoongi drops a light kiss to the top of your head, encouraging you to go forward with what you were going to say.

“Before you so rudely insulted my job,” you tease, “I was going to tell you that she asked me if you could go with her.”

He pauses. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t speak; he only stares ahead, thinking of what you just said. The idea of Yeona wanting him to come to her school with her tugs on his heartstrings, he feels warm inside, and not due to the fire in front of him.

“She does?” is his quiet, almost whisper of a response.

“Yeah. She does,” you nod your head on his shoulder, “She really loves you, you know that? She never shuts up about you.”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, then,” he grins. 

“Didn’t you hear me say that I despise you a couple moments ago? Don’t let her love cloud your memory, Yoon.”

Yoongi simply dips his head and kisses you on the lips, “It’s too late for that.”

Later, when you and Yoongi are ready to call it a night, he brings up the subject again. (He’s completely infatuated with the idea of going to her school as her dad and he’s a bit too prideful to say that, but his excitement is cute, nonetheless).

“Now that I think of it, it makes sense that she would want me to go,” he leers, “My job is significantly cooler than yours.”

With a slack-jaw, you push him into the wall, leaving his chuckles echoing throughout the hallway, “Min Yoongi, you’re such an asshole!”

“Mommy?” you hear a high-pitched voice call, and turn to see your daughter standing in-between the doorway of her room and the hall, “Why are you calling Yoonie bad words?”

“Yeah, mommy,” Yoongi grins, “Why are you calling me bad words?”

You might just have to show up to career day yourself; there’s no guarantee Min Yoongi will be alive by then, anyway. 

Conveniently

→ Genres: Slice of life, Single Parent!Reader, Convenience Store Owner!Yoongi, lots of fluff, tiny bit of angst because I’m me and cannot be stopped, smut. → Warnings: Smut, oral, light spanking, unprotected sex, copious amounts of dirty talk by Agust D himself. → Word Count: 22k. → A/N: This is a very late birthday present for the love of my life, my soulmate @bxebxee​! I’m so sorry this took such a long time to get out to you, my angel. I am over a week late and no one could ever be more mad at anyone than I am at myself! But! In my defense, I wanted to make this as special and hopefully wonderful as I think you deserve. I think the world of you, my darling, and I could not possibly love you any more than I already do. You are such a wonderful person and I count myself lucky every single day to have you in my life. I love you to Pluto and back, baby. I really do. Hope u cream ur stockings. xoxo. Also! Thank you so much to my baby, Clown Queen @versigny​ for not only helping me come up with a title that I think is just the cutest fucking thing on the planet, but for publicly humiliating me in an effective attempt to get me to get my shit together and finish this fic. Last but not even kind of least, thank you to the beautiful, incredible keeper of my heart @wagicshop​ for being both a gift and a blessing and making me this beautiful header that I have been staring at for days because she’s amazing and I love her and I cannot edit to save my life. I put this in tiny font bc I don’t know when to shut up.

“Joowon, hold on!” You said in a rush, your tone pushing the line of raised towards the end. You lurched forward, just barely dodging the bodies of passersby, your arm outstretched as you tried to grab onto your son who was racing as quickly as his small legs would carry him down the sidewalk. “Joowon.” “Try and catch me, mommy!” He giggled, looking back at you over his shoulder, his already chubby cheeks rounding even further in a grin that was as mischievous as it was pure innocence.

Keep reading

Painting Idyll

Pairing: Single Dad!Taehyung x Preschool Teacher!Reader

Genre: Fluff, slight angst if you squint your eyes

Word Count: 3.1k

Summary: When life gets in between Taehyung and picking his little girl up from school on time, there’s nothing like having her favourite teacher show him his daughter’s drawings to reassure him about both the good parenting he has been doing and just how much the infant loves him.

A/N: So here is it! I’ve been so soft for Taehyung with kids lately, idek ;-; I hope you guys enjoy it and let me know what you think!

“Appa!” the little girl shouted from the swing; the way she excitedly started moving her little feet made you feel relieved you were using the one special for children and not a normal one; otherwise she would have probably fallen down by now.

Looking up, your eyes focused on the man coming closer to both of you; Kim Taehyung, her father and also one of your students’ youngest parents. He was always well composed, always in time for parent-teacher conferences, and always involved in his daughter’s activities. That day, however, as you watched him practically run in your direction, with his light blue shirt flowing up and down, along with his messy dark hair falling slightly over his eyes with each stride he took, you could tell that was not the case.

Nevertheless, the second he saw his daughter calling out for him, his previous preoccupied semblance was overshadowed by the way his lips parted into a huge smile.

“Hey, sweetheart” he spoke in a soft, breathy voice, clearly trying to catch his breath. Kneeling down in front of her, he gently caressed her cheek before he picked her up, only then his apologetical eyes fixing on yours. “I’m sorry” he let out first thing, “I am so, so sorry. One of my friends was supposed to pick her up today but he had a family emergency and I–”

“It’s okay” you smiled understandingly.

He shook his head. “No, it’s not. You have a life of your own and you have no obligation to keep looking after her when it’s past school hours…”

A small laugh escaped your lips. “Really, it’s okay” you walked around the swings so you could come closer. “I had to stay late today anyway to finish a few projects, so having Minjung-ie with me honestly made my day”.

Taehyung nodded his head reluctantly. No matter what you said, he would still feel ashamed as ever. “I promise I’m a better father than this” he tried to laugh it off anyway, but you knew deep down he was seriously beating himself up and believing he was nowhere near being the best of parents.

“Oh, I know” at your confident statement, he couldn’t help but raise one of his eyebrows. “This is the first time something like this has happened ever since the year started” you reminded him. “Besides, with the amount of paintings this little one has done of the two of you together, I can only believe you’re a great dad”.

“Paintings?” he wondered – his eyes sparkling at the mention of that.

“Yes, she loves drawing, so I always give her pencils and paper to keep her entertained” you took her small hand in yours, “we were just drawing before we came to the swings, right love?” your gentle way to approach her received a shy nod from Minjung and an adoring smile from Taehyung. “She’s actually very talented for a four year old” you gazed up to lock eyes with him; a smile adorning both your faces, “I guess you already knew that, but… she never ceases to amaze me” he nodded; being already familiar with that feeling. “Would you like to see them?”

His eyebrows raised in surprise, adjusting his hands under Minjung’s body so she wouldn’t slip down. “I’d love to” he grinned happily, “if… you’re not in a hurry, of course”.

“Well, I’m done for the day and my life’s not that exciting to have other plans, so…” he chuckled at both your words and the ‘whatever’ shrug you had just given him.

Not saying anything else as you had made your point clear, you smiled, tilting your head towards the classroom at the other side of the playground, motioning for him to follow you.

Once inside, his eyes travelled around the colourful room that just radiated children energy – multiple cups filled with pencils being placed on top of the round tables, chaotic yet cute paintings covering the walls, and endless toys being kept inside numerous boxes by the corners of the room. It amazed him how warm this place felt yet you somehow still managed to make it seem so tidy.

“I wish I had an actual chair to offer you” you apologised, drawing his attention to you for a quick second before they followed yours to the little chairs around the tables. “You can take mine”.

“No, it’s okay” he stopped you from going to get it for him, “I’ll just stand” the corners of his lips curved up, going up to your table as you made your way over to a few drawers by its side.

He put his little girl down on her feet after she started swaying them to let him know she wanted to be let go of; having her immediately take off to where you were searching for her paintings.

“Oh, you want to show him?” you gazed down to her.

“Yes” she spoke in a small voice; not being the most extroverted of kids – quite the opposite, actually.

“Okay” you nodded, biting your lip when you finally found what you were looking for. “There you go” you handed her a few papers.

Minjung’s face lit up, excitedly going back to her dad as you calmly followed after her. Taehyung picked her up immediately, sitting her on the edge of the table, where she later placed her drawings.

“This is you” she pointed to the first of them, her finger hovering over a man who was feeding a dog, “this is me” she moved it down to a little girl that was playing with it, earning giggle from Tae that had your heart melting in an instant, “and this is Mickey!” she finally pointed to the white animal with a few brown touches.

“Wow, baby, this is really good” he complimented her work with wide eyes, “you even got his little moustache right” he traced one of his long fingers over it, making his little girl overflow with excitement because of her dad’s approval. “Mickey is one of my friends’ dog” he explained to you a few moments later, focusing his attention on you, “we look after him sometimes and Min-ie loves him” you smiled wholeheartedly – that being the first time you had ever heard said nickname being used on her.

“He’s the cutest!” the girl gushed with her eyes still glued to the painting, later picking it up and placing it elsewhere so she could show her dad the next one.

“Is that the zoo?” Taehyung wondered, leaning over the table to take a closer look at it – the colour green being the predominant one as a bunch of animals were all over the grass, and, once again, a girl and a man being part of the painting; their hands holding tightly together as they watched the animals.

Minjung nodded, looking up to you with a bright boxy smile that you had just now noticed was an exact replica of her father’s. “We’re going to see the animals!”

“Oh, you are?” you giggled at her enthusiasm.

“Yes” Taehyung confirmed after his daughter had nodded effusively, “this Saturday”.

“Are you excited to see the tigers, Minjung-ie?” you leaned over the table as well to be closer to her; watching her eyes light up even more at the mention of what you knew was her favourite animal.

Another effusive nod was her answer, allowing you to hear a chuckle leaving Taehyung’s lips. “They’re my favourite!”

Her sudden outburst of joy had both of you staring at her in complete awe.

Truth be told, both you and Taehyung were absolutely awestruck in that very moment. You, for you had never heard her talk so loudly and passionately before; yes, she was comfortable enough around you, since you had earned her trust only a few weeks into her first school year, but she still spoke quietly, almost afraid of disturbing her classmates with her voice if she did otherwise. Taehyung, on the other hand, felt happy as ever, for he had never seen his little girl being so comfortable around anyone that was neither him nor any of his closest friends, all of them whom she had known ever since she had memory. In the end, neither of you knew what was the cause of her being like this, but you wouldn’t question it, instead just enjoying her bubbly behavior for as much as it lasted.

It was heartwarming overall, to see her that happy.

“What’s your favourite animal?” she slurred her words, fixing her chocolate eyes on yours.

“Oh, I like too many of them to have a favourite” you admitted, “but giraffes are pretty cool” you smirked.

“I’ll draw one for you!” her excited words had your heart becoming a puddle right there.

“Why thank you” your hand went to tuck a long strand of black hair behind her ear, out of sheer affection, “you’re the sweetest”.

She smiled shyly, lowering her head before her eyes focused on her dad.

“You have something else, baby?” Taehyung wondered, gazing over to the other papers left.

“Mhm” she affirmed.

She did have quite a few, actually. You always kept your kids’ works, as insignificant as they might have seemed at the moment, precisely because you never knew if their parents would like to either see them or keep them by the end of the year; and, by the look in Taehyung’s eyes as he stared at the different paintings whilst his daughter so proudly explained them to him, you knew more than ever that keeping them had been the right thing to do.

As she started to run out of drawings, you came across one of her with a woman. You remembered that one very clearly, because you had been by her side while she worked on it, and you had thought at first it was her mother, only to find out later, because of the flower in the woman’s hair that so perfectly resembled the one Minjung had picked up for you that day, that it was you.

You had meant to keep that one apart from the rest, just in case it would turn out to be a touchy topic; because you couldn’t simply overlook the fact that her mother had never gone to pick her up, she had never attended any of the conferences you had arranged with the parents to let them know about their children’s progress. It was always Taehyung. In addition to that, there was also the fact of Minjung not once having mentioned her mother, much less had she drawn her, ever… meanwhile there she was drawing you. All of those facts put together, could only leave you with many ideas as to why she was never present, and why you should never bring out the subject.

None of your thoughtful intentions mattered anyway, you had then realised, for you had forgotten to keep that particular drawing apart from the rest.

Just like you feared, Taehyung frowned visibly. Minjung didn’t really have a female role model in her life; she had no one to look up to, much less to the point of taking her time in drawing them so beautifully. So his heart sped up. That couldn’t be it, right? That woman right there couldn’t possibly be her m–

“This is you!” Minjung informed both of you before he could overthink about it any further – her eyes fixed on you as she handed you the piece of paper.

“Yes, I remember” you smiled, taking the painting in your hands and examining it with pure adoration in your eyes.

It was only a few seconds later when your eyes met Taehyung’s, acknowledging the genuine yet melancholic smile on his lips.

“I’m sorry” you couldn’t help but blurt out in more of a whisper.

You didn’t need to say more for him to understand what you were sorry for. He shrugged, trying to take importance away from it. After all, it was not your fault at all that Minjung looked up to you. If anything, he was glad it was you out of everyone else; someone who he thought was kind, hard-working, respectable… All in all, someone who was just a good role model for his daughter.

“She would never draw her anyway”.

You felt your heart drop, not completely understanding what that meant, but neither wanting to question any further and overstep some kind of boundary. He was just one of your students’ parent anyway, you weren’t supposed to dig so deep into their personal lives.

Minjung remained indifferent to the topic going on right before her presence, for she was still looking at the last one of her paintings; her fingers itching to show Taehyung already.

“Wow, that’s really beautiful, Min-ie” he hyped her up after she practically shoved her drawing in his face; this time being one of the two of them in their pyjamas, being cuddled up on a sofa as they watched cartoons. “What a talented girl I have”.

You beamed at the warm image in front of you; Taehyung tenderly cupping her face and planting a kiss to her forehead. Watching the eyes full of pure love and admiration his daughter looked at him with right then, you wondered how could he ever believe for a second he was not doing a good job at parenting.

Walking over to the other side of the table, where your bag was, you started to collect some of your belongings that were lying around on the table. “You want to keep them?” you offered him, making his eyes snap in your direction.

Taehyung didn’t even have to think twice before his head was effusively moving up and down. “Thank you” he said truthfully, his eyes focusing on the painting you had left on the table moments before, “you can keep that one if you’d like” he offered, “I guess it’s your right since you’re the muse” he laughed lightly, being followed by you.

“Thank you” you sheepishly said before reaching out to take it and carefully put it in your bag.

Seeing as you were getting your things ready to leave, he held Minjung up in his arms, having her clinging to his body as they waited for you. His eyes followed your every move, watching you go somewhere else, and later thanking you when you handed him Min-ie’s backpack, a fluffy one shaped like a teddy bear he had completely forgotten about. After he put it on one of his shoulders, the three of you walked towards the exit in what felt like a rather comfortable silence.

It was when you were on the street, ready to part ways, that he turned around to look at you.

“Thank you so much again for looking after Min-ie today” he let out breathily, letting you know he was far from being over it.

“It was my pleasure” you smiled sweetly, one last time trying to reassure him about it being okay.

Before you could say your goodbyes and turn around, he digged his hand inside one of the pockets of his black trousers, as if he had remembered something extremely important right then. “Let me pay you”.

You didn’t know if that had been a question or more of a statement. Either way, just as you caught a glimpse of his wallet, you shook your head no.

“There’s no need to, really” you reassured him. “I love spending time with Minjung-ie, it wasn’t trouble at all”.

“But–”

“I don’t want money, Mr. Kim” you cut him off.

This time he let out a brittle laugh, being caught completely off guard by that name. “Mr. Kim” he repeated, not being able to hide how amused he was – even Minjung smiling at the funny name you had called her dad, “that makes me feel so old” his hand clutched to his chest. “I must be like… one… maybe two years older than you?” his eyebrows knitted together as he analyzed your already flustered face, like he would find the answer on it. “So, please… just Taehyung”.

You felt the heat go up to your face, doing your best not to show how bad his dark eyes staring at you right then were affecting you. Nevertheless, you nodded, letting him know you’d comply to his request.

“Is there anything else I can do for you then?” he wondered. “I really don’t feel comfortable with not repaying you somehow” he confessed, scratching the back of his head with the hand he was not holding Min-ie with. “Do you need a ride home?”

You shook your head slowly. “I don’t live that far, I can just walk… but thank you, honestly”.

He glared at both you and the smile your lips were currently displaying, tilting his head to the side as he huffed. “You’re not making this any easier for me, Y/N”.

Your head snapped up at the sound of your name being said just like that, kind of loving the way it sounded under his deep voice.

“Appa!” Minjung moved her hands excitedly, catching his attention.

“Yes?” he asked her, gently removing a strand of hair that had fallen on her face.

She gazed at you for a brief second before her eyes were back on her dad, motioning for him to come closer to her. When he did, she cupped her little hands around her mouth and brought them to Tae’s ear, like she was about to tell him the most sacred of secrets.

His eyes fixed on you, allowing you to see the growing smirk curving up his lips as he listened to his baby.

“You’re sure?” he asked for her confirmation once she was done. After she had nodded confidently, his attention went back to you – clearing his throat before he spoke: “How about going with us to the zoo this Saturday?”

Your eyes lit up instantly, receiving a boxy smile from both of them before you could even answer.

“You would see the giraffes!” the little girl threw her hands up in the air, making you tilt your head slightly back as a blissful laugh escaped your throat.

“I would, wouldn’t I?” you cocked one of your eyebrows. “After we go see the tigers, of course” your comment had her celebrating in a heartbeat.

“Is that a yes then?” Taehyung drew your attention to him, his smile becoming brighter at the mere sight of yours.

You let out a breathy laugh, shaking your head amusingly.

Was that even a question? How could you ever say no to spending a day at the zoo with the sweetest of girls and her new-found lovely dad?

“I would love to go, yes”.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus | Oneshot

christmas au— tooth-ache inducing fluff

wordcount— 4,479

pairing— kim seokjin x single parent!reader

a/n: this oneshot is part of a collaboration with @chimchimsauce for her 12 Days of Christmas advent! 

Motherhood was one of the best things to have ever happened to you. Your daughter was the light of your life; your reason to keep going every morning. When you found out you were pregnant with Daeun, you had expected her father to stay. You two were young, dumb and supposedly madly in love. But the moment you broke the news to your ex, he split and was never heard from again. It was hard raising Daeun on your own, especially in a society that stigmatized single parents, but you did it all for her. Daeun truly was the light at the end of your tunnel. She reminded you of yourself— instead of watching YouTube on a sparkly new iPad like all the other girl and boys her age, Daeun found enjoyment in playing with your old toy kitchen playset. While other children wore brand new clothes toting this year’s most popular superhero or princess, Daeun learned the concept of ‘vintage’, which was code for hand-me-downs. Your daughter never cared that money was tight, which meant that she couldn’t always get what she wanted, because her heart was always set on one irreplaceable thing that money could never buy— that missing puzzle piece in her small family of two.

Today, Daeun had decided to wear rainbow leggings, a brown skirt— despite it being the middle of winter— and a fuzzy pink sweater. Her sense of style was honest to god horrible, reminding you of your college buddy’s obsession with mismatched Gucci pieces that were both gaudy, yet somehow tasteful. Smiling to yourself, you scrolled through your phone waiting to pass the time while Daeun scuttled about at her toy kitchen. And just like clockwork, as soon as your digital clock hit noon, there was a knock at your door and your daughter rushed to answer. “Daeun,” you shouted from the sofa, grabbing her attention, “What do you say when there’s a stranger at the door?” She gave you a puzzled look, a tiny smile plastered on her cherubic face. “But it’s just Jin, mama, and he’s your best friend!” A muffled giggle, which belonged to none other than Kim Seokjin, wafted through the door. “Who is it?” Daeun’s tiny, unassertive voice inquired. A low, baritone voice replied curtly, “Min Yoongi.”

Wide-eyed with fear, Daeun glanced at you over her shoulder. She did not know this person named Min Yoongi, who, in reality, was just Jin pretending to be his grumpy coworker. Seokjin’s prank had clearly caught her off guard because she looked like she was about to burst into tears. Seokjin could sense her discomfort from the other side of the wooden barrier and he was quick to rectify his mistake, “Daeun, it’s just me. It was a joke, I’m sorry!” The girl was beside herself with both fear and anxiety— two feelings both so new to her at the ripe young age of six. She was scared that there really was a strange man at the door, and worried because she had almost let him in. “Oh honey,” you cooed, pushing off the sofa and scooping your daughter into your arms. “It’s okay, don’t cry.” With one hand, you skillfully unlocked and opened the door, waving Jin into your abode. “See? It’s just Jin!” Daeun’s tearful frown morphed into a bright smile when she saw the blonde man before her. She wiggled out of your hold, muttering something about ‘not being a baby anymore’, and clung onto Jin’s legs, effectively trapping him in the doorway, slushy winter boots and all.

It was endearing to see your daughter so comfortable with another man. In fact, besides your dad, Kim Seokjin was the closest thing Daeun had to a father figure in her life. She loved him— always telling you she wanted to marry Jin when she got older. And Seokjin, being the kind-hearted man that he was, would play along with her childish daydreams. Unbeknownst to Daeun, both you and Jin had decided to not disclose your romantic relationship to your then four-year-old daughter, due to not wanting her to get too attached. It was for the best, although hiding a big part of yourselves from your daughter was painful. There were moments when you both believed Daeun noticed the stray caresses or longing looks shared between the two of you, but in her childlike wonder, she continued to call Jin your ‘best friend’. The fact that she was so comfortable around Seokjin made your nervous; how would she respond when you decided to disclose your relationship with him? Would she be hurt that it had been kept a secret? Or thrilled at the aspect of her mom having a boyfriend?

“Daeunie, I thought you were mad at me,” Jin said as he removed his winter gear. He jokingly wrapped his scarf around the small girl’s head, covering her like a mummy. “No!” Daeun fumbled with the woolen fabric until she had made a small face hole for herself, “I just thought you were a bad guy and I was scared that- that mama would be mad for letting him in…” Now free of the confining garb, Seokjin kneeled down to level himself with your daughter. “Daeunie, sweetie,” he began, “You are a very smart girl, someone who’s brave and fearless. I just surprised you by playing a mean prank, and I’m sorry.” The blonde smoothed your daughter’s hair down and pressed his cheek to her head affectionately. “Forgive me,” Jin said, his plush lips peeling into a sorry smile. “Pretty please?” Daeun pulled back from Seokjin’s warm embrace, giving the man a skeptical look. “Hmmm,” the master manipulator feigned disinterest, causing Jin to fluster considerably. “I’ll give you three piggyback rides!” Daeun remained stone-faced. “I’ll convince your mother to give you ice cream for dinner!”

“Seokjin,” you warned, eyes pointedly glaring at him.

“Okay, maybe not,” he replied with a sheepish grin. Suddenly, Daeun clapped her hands together as she hopped up and down, “A makeover!” Jin acquiesced quickly, seemingly under the presumption that he would be giving the makeover. The young girl ran off towards your bedroom in search of beauty items, granting you and your boyfriend a few scant minutes alone. “So,” you muse, striding over and wrapping yourself around his broad chest. “When is Santa going to pay us a visit?” Seokjin had agreed to play ‘Santa’ for Daeun this year, due to her growing skepticism about the mythical Saint Nicholas. He hummed contemplatively, probably formulating one of his dirty dad jokes. “Depends, have you been naughty?” Jin’s hand began to wander down your sides, before settling on your hips, his lithe fingers trailing just under the waist of your pants. Soft, supple lips enveloped yours in a passionate kiss—tongue and all— despite the fact that your six-year-old daughter was one room away. “Or nice,” he added somewhat breathlessly, palming the flesh of your bottom. You jerk away, trying your best not to laugh at his lascivious joke.

Jin continued the barrage of crude humor, “I know Santa’s got a big package just for you, Y/N.” You scoff at his poor attempt at comedy, “Oh God Jin, that was so cheesy.” Despite your nonchalant dismissal of his jokes, you both knew his puns were secretly your guilty pleasure. “C’mon, baby. I know Saint Nick’s got three ho’s, but you’re the only one I want to ride on my sleigh.” He broke into his characteristic windshield-wiper laughter, curling over himself as he slapped his knee. You joined him in his merriment, laughing so hard tears begin to form in the junctions of your eyes. Your daughter returned with arms full of makeup and hair products, bewilderment evident on her face. “What are you laughing at?” The two of you regained your composure before Seokjin sat down on a nearby ottoman. “Wanna hear the funny joke I told your mom?” You shudder, knowing his child-friendly jokes are even more cringe-inducing than his naughty ones. Daeun settles herself at Jin’s feet, looking up at him with her big doe eyes. The blonde clears his throat dramatically, “What happens if you eat too many Christmas decorations?”

“Uhhh,” Daeun scratches her head, then relents. “I dunno.”

“You get tinsel-itis!” Cue his maniacal laughing and Daeun’s bubbling giggle. Once their laughter quelled, your daughter remembers her initial purpose for her trip to your bedroom, and she gathers the items she dropped on the floor. “Jinnie, come here,” Daeun waves at the man blushing due to his bestowed nickname. He obliges and sits cross-legged before the six-year-old, ready to begin her makeover. Seokjin’s taken aback when she twists the tube of bright red lipstick and shoddily applies it to his lips. “Wha-”

Daeun interrupts him with a shush. “No talking during your makeover!” You shook your head, pleasantly surprised that your daughter could be so cunning. Jin, on the other hand looks like he’s about to pass out, his ‘beautiful skin’ being tarnished by the grubby hands of Daeun. And yet, he stays and lets her apply makeup haphazardly without a single complaint. Daeun truly did have Kim Seokjin wrapped around her tiny pinky finger.

•·················•·················•

Clad in matching a-line plaid red dresses, you and Daeun looked like the dictionary definition of ‘Family Holiday Card’. She wore white stockings and red mary janes, while you settled on simple black heels and candy cane earrings. Although you both had dressed up, something which Daeun loved to do, you could tell she was feeling perturbed. Usually, she was rambunctious like any other child her age, but today she was on the quieter side— more sullen and reserved than usual. Sitting you daughter on your lap, you begin to broach the subject carefully. “Daeun, baby… What’s bothering you?” She looked away, stubbornly refusing to answer. Unfortunately, her hard-headedness was one traits she inherited from your ex. “Nothing,” she pouted as she looked at her dangling legs. “Daeun, look at me,” you asserted, grabbing her attention immediately. The small girl looked at you, tears brimming in her eyes as she hiccuped her confession. “Mama… They’re so mean.”

“Who? Who is mean, sweetheart?”

“My classmates,” she explained between choked sobs, wet spots staining the crimson of her fancy dress. “They- They said Santa wasn’t real and they made fun of me for being a baby!” Your heart clenched for your daughter’s shattered innocence, but you knew this time would come soon enough— but not on the same day that Daeun was supposed to meet ‘Santa’. Wrapping your arms around her small frame, you cuddled her into your chest in an attempt to soothe her. “Daeun, just because they can’t see Santa doesn’t mean he’s not real,” you insist in an attempt to preserve her innocence. “In fact, I think he may be paying you a visit today to ask what you want for Christmas!” The pure, unfiltered joy that returned to your daughter’s eyes was indescribable; Daeun was mature in a sense— she valued the little things in life, even more so than most people your own age.

“Is he really coming, mama?”

You nodded with a wide grin, “I promise! Mr. Santa heard you were a very good girl this year.”

Daeun responded with a small gasp, tiny hands covering her mouth in shock. “And I can ask for anything?” Again, you nodded in agreement. The past few years, Daeun only asked for one or two things, but this year Seokjin agreed to help with funds for a bigger, better Christmas gift for your daughter. You knew she had been eyeing the latest Hatchimal that most of her friends had, and you’d do everything in your power to give her the one thing that she wanted. “But no pets, okay Daeunie? I already told Santa that our apartment doesn’t allow pets!” She let out a soft ‘aw’ in defeat before jumping off your lap and grabbing a cookie off a nearby plate. Just as she was going for a second, the front door creaked open followed by a ridiculously handsome Santa Claus walking in. Due to forgoing the potbelly, Jin looked like a younger version of Kris Kringle— if he were a model.

“Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas, Miss Daeun!” Said girl sprinted towards the man in red, eyes wide with excitement. “Santa! You’re real!” Seokjin, in his most believable rendition of a Santa voice, chuckled, “Of course I am, I came to visit a very special girl today.” Your daughter tugged Santa towards the plate of cookies she had laid out for him, “I made you sugar cookies with lots of sprinkles!” Seokjin grabbed a cookie and bit into it, overacting every single mannerism, although Daeun seemed to not notice. After settling into the nearby armchair, ‘Santa’ patted his lap signaling Daeun to sit. “Miss Daeun, someone told me that you were a really good girl this year! All A’s in every subject?” She nodded with a proud smile, her cheeks flushed from the praise. “Yup! Mama says I’m a smart girl!”

“Well then, I certainly think you earned the right to anything you want this Christmas, Daeun,” ‘Santa’ said as he patted her shoulder. Your daughter sat contemplatively on your boyfriend’s knee, her eyes following something unseen. “I want- Well- It’s a secret, okay Santa?” Jin nodded, the fluffy white beard bouncing as he did so. Daeun leaned into him, her hand cupping around his ear so as to hide her words. You studied Jin’s expression, gauging his reaction. Much to your surprise, his eyes widened into saucers almost as large as the wire-framed glasses he wore. “O-Oh, Daeun, that’s a lot to ask for,” Seokjin stuttered as he gawked at you. He recovered quickly, though, continuing with more positivity, “But I’ll do anything to make sure your wish comes true.” It was as if Jin was speaking to Daeun as himself rather than ‘Santa’, which made your heart melt. The young girl cheered giddily, wrapping her arms around the suited man. You took a photo, capturing the tender moment on film— it was times like these where you felt the overwhelming love you had for both your daughter and Kim Seokjin.  

“Well, Miss Daeun,” Jin exclaimed, rubbing his back mockingly. “This old man has to go see other good little boys and girls.” Your daughter gave the jolly man in red one last hug before sprinting off to her room, most likely to play with her dolls before bedtime. Making sure the coast was clear, Seokjin removed his beard, wig and hat, sighing at his release from the torturous devices. Silently, he pulled you into his torso, breath ghosting on the crown of your head.

“Thank you for doing this,” you murmur against his chest, the sinewy pectoral muscles softened by the fake white trim of Santa’s coat. “I know it’s not easy dating someone with a child.” Seokjin inhaled sharply, a hand coming to card through his hair. “About that,” he said, voice cracking slightly. “She- She told me what she wanted for Christmas and I don’t know if I can fulfill her wish…” You peer up at the blonde man before you and study his face; his eyes were searching somewhere far beyond you— as if he were looking a thousand miles away. “She said,” he began, choking on his words once more, “She said she wanted a dad.”

“A dad?” You repeated, simultaneously perplexed and awestruck. Your sweet, darling Daeun had never once mentioned such a sentiment. Any other single parent might feel a numbing inadequacy that their single-parent household was not enough for their child, but you— you felt happy. Perhaps this was your daughter’s way of telling you she had accepted Seokjin and was comfortable enough with him being a permanent presence in her life. After mulling this fact over for a few seconds, you glanced back up at your boyfriend, only to see his rich brown eyes brimming with tears. “It’s time we tell her,” he sighed, a smile peeling at the corner of his lips. “Daeun should know her mom has found someone that can make her Christmas wish come true.” The Santa hat he once held now lay in a pool of discarded items, as you two engaged in a kiss full of passion and promise; a promise of love, a promise of a happy family. As you and Seokjin stood entwined in one another’s embrace, your daughter peeked her head into the living room, excited to show you her styled doll, only to see someone who looks vaguely like Santa Claus kissing you, her mother.

•·················•·················•

“Smile,” the waiter exclaimed as the flash of Jin’s cell phone nearly blinded the three of you. Daeun blinked, scrunching her nose in discomfort. Seokjin sighed dramatically as he looked at the picture, his hands ruffling his hair. “Aigoo, I look so old! Is that a wrinkle on my forehead? Y/N, we need to retake it.” The blonde raised his hand, ready to flag down another server, but you stopped him. “Jin, you look way younger than 27. Plus, the restaurant is swamped tonight, so please just let it go.” Framing his face with a thumb and index finger, Jin cockily wiggled an eyebrow. “Do you promise I’m the most handsome man in the world?” You knew the man was just fishing for compliments, but nevertheless, Seokjin’s cheekiness never ceased to amaze you. “I hope you go bald, Kim Seokjin.”

While Jin sulked over your joke, Daeun busied herself by doodling in a sketchpad. You recognized yourself— partially due to the red and white triangle dress somewhat resembling your own. Next to you was a smaller stick figure, presumably Daeun herself. There was one last stick person: a bald man with crude red bowtie. Gesturing at the unfamiliar figure, you ask your daughter who she supposedly drew. “Who’s this, honey?” Daeun scoffed as if it was obvious who the mystery person was and points her red crayon across the table, “mama, it’s Jinnie of course. Look at his bow!”

Seokjin leaned across the table, handing your daughter a paraffin stick titled ‘unmellow yellow’. “But why didn’t you use this color for my hair?” Daeun tilts her head innocently, eyes wide with confusion. “Mom said you were gonna be bald…” You nearly choke on your water as you try to stifle the laughter that threatened to ruin the ambiance of your dinner. Seokjin looked dumbfounded, and you were sure the man was about to give himself a heart attack. Patting your daughter on the back, you praised her work and gently steered the conversation away from Seokjin’s impending baldness towards a more serious topic.

“Daeunie,” you said, rubbing your hand over the expanse of her back. “Jin and I have something very important to tell you, okay? Please put your crayons down and listen to us, and then you can go back to drawing.” She nodded, giving both of you her undivided attention. “First, honey, I want you to know that if anything we say makes you upset, then let us know and we’ll stop,” you inhaled sharply, making eye contact with Seokjin, who nodded in encouragement, before continuing, “You know it’s always been just us two for the longest time, and I couldn’t ask for anything more. Having you was the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and I’m glad you’re my little girl.” You planted a kiss on Daeun’s cheek, which she happily accepted. “But mama’s been hiding a really big secret from you, and she wants you to know tonight because it’s a special day.”

Your daughter flashed a toothy grin, “Because it’s almost Christmas!”

“You’re right, sweetie. Because it’s Christmas Eve.” Reaching across the table, you laced your fingers with Seokjin’s— displaying a subtle, yet succinct level of intimacy. “I wanted to tell you that Jin and I are a bit more than ‘best friends’. Actually, we like each other very, very much. We’ve liked each other for a very long time, and he makes me happy.” Seokjin continued where you left off, and his hand trembling slightly as he addressed your daughter. “I like your mom a lot, Daeun. She’s a very special woman, and I want to be in her life— and your life— for a long time. I know that initially, you may not feel comfortable with me being around all the time, and that’s okay. I will do whatever it takes for you to feel secure. Your happiness matters to me too, because I’ve always thought of you as a… daughter,” the last few words catch in Jin’s throat. What he said clearly impacted him because his eyes were brimming with unshed tears. He feared rejection— not just by others, but by the most important person in your life. The last thing Kim Seokjin wanted was to encroach on Daeun’s comfortable, stable life with you.

Daeun was reactionless. It worried you slightly, but, in all honesty, no reaction was better than a tantrum. After a heavy bought of silence, it appeared that Daeun had finally processed the bombshell you’d dropped on her. A pair of unsure eyes stared at you apprehensively, “So… does that mean I have a daddy now?” You released Seokjin’s hand to instead cup your daughter’s face, brushing down any fly-away hairs. “He doesn’t have to be if you don’t want him to. I know this is a lot for you to process, and we’re not expecting an answer from you right this minute.”

Suddenly, your daughter’s bottom lip puckered, followed by the sound of a soft whimper. Trying to prevent her from crying, Seokjin reached across the table and offered his hand. “Why don’t we talk about this outside?” Although she initially looked surprised, Daeun reluctantly agreed, before attempting to zip her coat up to no avail. Once again displaying the utmost patience, Jin knelt down to help with the zipper. Once the two found themselves in the crisp, winter air, Daeun immediately scooped up a measly amount of snow and chucked it at Jin. “Hey, that was rude. Just bec-”

“Mama belongs to Santa!” Daeun crossed her arms over her chest, angered, yet somehow still adorable. “I saw her giving him a kiss! So that means she doesn’t like you. Please don’t lie to me…” Combing through his hair, Seokjin tried to conjure a reasonable explanation for the actions your daughter had witnessed. Fat tears rolled down Daeun’s cheeks, threatening to freeze her eyelashes. “I ju-just want a dad to take me to d-daddy daughter dan-dances,” she hiccuped. “I ge-et made fun of cuz I don’t h-have anyone but m-m-mama.” Seokjin’s heart nearly broke at the sight of your daughter so overcome with emotions over wanting a father figure. He didn’t know if it was too direct, but his instincts had him scooping Daeun into his arms. He stroked her hair, effectively soothing her sobs into small sniffles. “Daeun, I’m sorry if we made you think that we lied to you, but your mother and I really do love each other. I was the one who actually dressed up as Santa,” Jin explained. He felt bad for ruining the illusion of jolly Saint. Nick, but assuaging Daeun’s worries were more important. “Santa was supposed to come, but he got sick, and we didn’t want you to be sad, so I borrowed his coat and hat!” That explanation seemed to pacify her, and soon she was back to playing with the freshly fallen snow, crafting another snowball from the fresh powder before lobbing it at his legs. “Can we play like this every Christmas, Jinnie?” Seokjin dipped his hand into an unbroken mound of snow and retaliated, missing Daeun by a long-shot. “Of course we can, Daeun. Nothing would make me happier.”

•·················•·················•

The years went by, and the three of you continued the same Christmas Eve tradition: go out to eat dinner, followed by Jin and Daeun’s infamous snowball fight. Each year that Daeun grew closer to becoming a young adult, she would ditch more of her old values. Unfortunately, that meant Santa was no longer of importance to Daeun. Her affinity for vintage clothes changed to favor of more stylish apparel, and asking for Barbie dolls soon became asking for a cellphone. Because of her transition into early-adulthood, both you and Seokjin worried that Daeun would outgrow the childish tradition in favor of hanging out with her pre-teen friends. But every year, she would have to practically drag Jin outside to play, stating that ‘the cold will keep his face firm’.

This year, Daeun had hinted that she had a special gift for your fiancé, although she never gave you more than a few vague clues. As your small, unconventional family huddled around the Christmas tree, you noticed Daeun nervously fiddling with a red envelope in her lap— as the number of gifts slowly dwindled, the more fidgety she became. Finally, after the last present had been distributed, Daeun stood and cleared her throat. “This last gift is for you, Jin. I know you promised to grant me this wish 8 years ago, but I think it’s only right for me to be the one to let you know that I’m ready.” She handed Seokjin the envelope, and both you and your daughter studied his reaction as he opened it carefully.

“Dear Jin,

Thank you for being there for my mom when no one else was. You treat her so well, and I am grateful for that. When I think of ‘true love’ I think of the relationship you two share, and I want to find the same type of romance when I grow older (also, don’t worry, I won’t date until I’m at least a sophomore in high school). I’d also like to thank you for being there for me. You always supported me in school and in life. I’ll always remember you being patient with people who questioned if you were my biological father whenever you’d take me places, or the times when we dressed up as twins for father-daughter dances. Thank you for taking care of me and showing me that a real father doesn’t need to carry the same DNA, but instead should carry the same overwhelming feeling of love.

Love,

Daeun.”

Jin sniffled, trying his best to suppress the tears that reddened his eyes. You wrapped your arm around Seokjin’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, knowing how overwhelming it must have felt to receive such a heartfelt letter. He clutched the note in his hands, scared it would disappear at any moment. Watching as your daughter reached behind her back to procure a long, flat parcel wrapped in festive paper, you felt Jin stiffen. “Open it,” Daeun insisted, placing the packet in his hands. Tentatively peeling away the layers of wrapping paper, Seokjin gasped when he saw the contents of the folder.

Adoption papers.

“Merry Christmas, Dad.”

Missing |1|

Genre: Fluff | Angst Pairing: Producer!Yoongi X SingleParent!Reader  Summary: Being a single mother in Seoul was hard enough, but after 4 years the missing puzzle pieces of the mystery of the disappearance of the father was finally put together.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 |

“Mina!”

the shrill of my voice bounce off the wall of the narrow street. my heart racing, my chest aching. “Mina, baby where are you!?” I ignored the wild looks of pedestrians as I ran passed, eyes wide in fear. I looked away for just a moment to grab my wallet to pay for the ice cream she was eating. Next thing I knew she was gone from my side, her small figure lost in the busy evening at the park. 

A mother’s worst fear began to infect my brain as I was starting to become desperate, but then…there, on the patio of a coffee shop, I could see Mina’s long black hair, the back of her red jacket facing me. “Mina!” my voice was a mix of anger and relief. She turned around to face me, her face angelic as ever as she waved at me, completely unaware the hell she just put me through. As I made my way closer to her I could see she was sitting happily with a pair of large headphones on her small head. Next to her was this unfamiliar man clad all in black and matching hair. His dark eyes were transfixed at the laptop that laid before them. 

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Conveniently

→ Genres: Slice of life, Single Parent!Reader, Convenience Store Owner!Yoongi, lots of fluff, tiny bit of angst because I’m me and cannot be stopped, smut. → Warnings: Smut, oral, light spanking, unprotected sex, copious amounts of dirty talk by Agust D himself. → Word Count: 22k. → A/N: This is a very late birthday present for the love of my life, my soulmate @bxebxee​! I’m so sorry this took such a long time to get out to you, my angel. I am over a week late and no one could ever be more mad at anyone than I am at myself! But! In my defense, I wanted to make this as special and hopefully wonderful as I think you deserve. I think the world of you, my darling, and I could not possibly love you any more than I already do. You are such a wonderful person and I count myself lucky every single day to have you in my life. I love you to Pluto and back, baby. I really do. Hope u cream ur stockings. xoxo. Also! Thank you so much to my baby, Clown Queen @versigny​ for not only helping me come up with a title that I think is just the cutest fucking thing on the planet, but for publicly humiliating me in an effective attempt to get me to get my shit together and finish this fic. Last but not even kind of least, thank you to the beautiful, incredible keeper of my heart @wagicshop​ for being both a gift and a blessing and making me this beautiful header that I have been staring at for days because she’s amazing and I love her and I cannot edit to save my life. I put this in tiny font bc I don’t know when to shut up.

“Joowon, hold on!” You said in a rush, your tone pushing the line of raised towards the end. You lurched forward, just barely dodging the bodies of passersby, your arm outstretched as you tried to grab onto your son who was racing as quickly as his small legs would carry him down the sidewalk. “Joowon.” “Try and catch me, mommy!” He giggled, looking back at you over his shoulder, his already chubby cheeks rounding even further in a grin that was as mischievous as it was pure innocence.

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Reflections

Character / Genre: Yoongi x reader | parenthood!au, single parents!au, angst

⤞ Drabble game request: Yoongi + “How could I ever forget about you" + Angst | for anon

⤞ Word count: 1,562 words

⤞ Chapters: Part 1/Reflections ⇎ Part 2/Flashlights ⇎ Part 3/Pathways ⇎ Part 4/Shadows

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Still Here

Chapter 1

Summary: After the life and home you built falls apart, you serendipitously bump into your old high school sweetheart, Timothée.

C/W: Divorce, mention of complicated pregnancy (nothing graphic)

<><><><><>

"I thought you were too good for this place, [Y/N]."

You spun around in the grocery store aisle to see your high school sweetheart, Timothée, holding a box of cereal in one hand, a shopping basket in the other, and a smirk on his face. His still very handsome face. He seemed to take great pleasure in the look of shock on yours.

"Timmy," you breathed.

"You came back."

<three weeks earlier>

The road ahead of you seemed to go on and on and on. You hadn't seen another car in at least an hour as you drove across the plains of Kansas. Your nine year old daughter, Madison, was asleep in the back seat, leaving you alone with your thoughts. Alone. That word didn't sit well with you.

A nasty divorce left you with nothing but what you could pack in your car. You had nowhere to go except back to your tiny hometown across the country in rural Tennessee to move back in with your parents. You hadn't been back since you graduated from high school 12 years ago.

You were valedictorian and had your pick of schools. Much to your parents' chagrin, you were itching to get as far away from the "sticks" as possible, so you applied to universities all along the West Coast. You were over the moon when you received a full ride to UCLA to study biomedical engineering, where you met...him. Your now ex-husband. The two of you met during convocation festivities your freshman, his junior year. You had just left your friends behind in Tennessee and had not yet built a local support network, so you latched onto this cute, kind man who picked up the book you dropped.

The kind man who later left you and your daughter to live with a younger woman who "gets" him better.

You and he dated for a little over a year before he asked you to marry him. Not one for big productions, you decided for a courthouse ceremony a few days later because you just couldn't wait to be joined with the love of your life in marriage forever. You were soon pregnant. Unfortunately, the pregnancy was not an easy one. Severe morning (more like morning, noon, and night) sickness led to multiple hospitalizations, forcing you to miss classes. You eventually reached a point of no return and had to drop out.

Your husband was still able to finish university, though, and was luckily able to quickly secure stable employment, which allowed you to stay home to care for your newborn baby. As the years passed, he became increasingly distant, staying late at work or making excuses to leave again once he was home. You weren't surprised when, after ten years of marriage, he told you he wanted a divorce, because you did, too. But you had no way to support yourself and a child. You hadn't held down a job since before Madison was born. Your work history prior to that was limited because you were so young. You had no collateral or credit history, either. Everything had been in his name.

You had to start over. You had to go back to the beginning.

<present>

Tennessee.

"You came back."

"Yes, I just recently moved back in with my parents. I-"

"Mom, can we get some chips? Nana doesn't have any good snacks," Madison complained behind you as she came back to the same aisle. Timothée went wide-eyed as he looked at the girl and then back at you. She leaned around you to stare back at him. "Who's he?"

"This is my- uh- friend from high school, Timothée. Timothée, this is my daughter, Madison."

"Whoa. She looks just like you did at that age." He shook his head as if to clear a fog. "Where are my manners?" he quipped as he stepped around you and held out his hand to her. "It's nice to meet you, Madison. Your mother and I go way back."

"You knew my mom when she was my age?"

"Before that, even. We went to school together all the way from kindergarten to senior year until she moved to California for college," Timothée replied before locking eyes with you. "She was very eager to get out of here, so I am rather surprised to run into her today."

"It's a long story." You cleared the lump forming in your throat and looked down at Madison. "We should get going. We need to get these groceries home and refrigerated again."

"Right, well, maybe I'll see you around again now that you are back in town." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I'm sure we will bump into each other." Hopefully, you thought to yourself. "It's a small town - that's practically inevitable."

<><><><><>

Chapter 2

MASTERLIST

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Tag List: @croatianprincess

Still Here

Chapter 2

Summary: Flashback to your breakup with Timothée your senior year

C/W: Breakup

A/N: I have nothing against stay-at-home parents and homemakers. Both are their own noble full-time jobs. This is just a story about a young girl wanting to break free. And yes, the irony is not lost on me that the reader ultimately ends up in the exact situation she was running from in the first place.

Catch up on the previous chapter here.

<><><><><>

Life was stagnant in your small hometown in Tennessee. There was nothing to do, nothing to see except trees and buildings that had been around since the 1800s. The height of entertainment for teens like you was pasture parties or meeting your friends up at the Sonic drive-in for "happy hour." After high school, the boys usually either worked for the local steel mill or lumber yard. They may opt to continue their education through the area trade schools, but that was the exception, not the rule. The girls...well, the girls typically got married and had babies.

The townspeople were closed-minded traditionalists and stuck in old habits. Families, including yours, had lived there for generations. You were lucky to even find someone to date who you weren't related to by blood or marriage, and that was only because Timothée's family was a more recent addition to the town census.

You yearned for more. You were made for more. You felt it in your bones. You had no desire to be a doctor or a nurse, but you were fascinated by biology classes and a whiz in physics. And you wanted to help people. The school counselor fanned the flames by introducing you to biomedical engineering as a potential degree program.

You wore a groove in your dirt driveway with the number of times you walked to and from the mailbox every day, multiple times a day. The response letters from your numerous college applications were due in any time now. Your efforts usually yielded nothing except for bills or ads for your parents. But today, there was white envelope with your name, along with a blue and gold logo in the return address: UCLA.

Your hands shook. Your heart was about to pound its way out of your chest. The world silenced around you as your tunnel vision bore into the paper in your hands. You plunged a finger under the lip of the envelope to break the seal. You took a shuddering breath as you drew the paper out.

"Dear [Y/N] [L/N], we are happy to inform you..."

You didn't even finish reading before you started screaming and dancing in the driveway. Then you took off running back to the house to share the news with your mother.

<><><><><>

Your parents were proud of you, but of course, they were not eager to see you pack up and move across the country. You tuned them out until they said something about being in for a rude awakening because you didn't know what life was like out there, to which you said, "That's the whole point."

You grabbed your car keys and stormed out the door. You were determined not to let them kill your excitement. They just couldn't picture a life for you outside of their bubble. You drove around the backroads with your windows down and music loud, trying to drown out the replay of your parents' conversation. Without much thought, you eventually found yourself driving around the town square. You saw Timothée's truck outside of the hardware store. You checked the time - he should be finished with his evening shift soon. So you parked and walked over, lowering the tailgate to sit.

The two of you had been friends as long as you could remember and sweet on each other for years. You became an official item when you were sophomores and had been joined at the hip since.

Seeing the store's door open shook you from your thoughts. You saw him exit, head down and hands in his pockets. Right on time. You loved how his face lit up when he saw you across the street. He checked for traffic, then jogged over.

"Hey, baby! I wasn't expecting to see you tonight." He pecked your lips with his and placed his hands on your knees.

"Hopefully, it's a pleasant surprise," you replied with a raised eyebrow and a playful smirk.

"Oh, very. The highlight of my day." He kissed you once more, deeper this time, and flashed that crooked grin you loved so much. "Though my curiosity is piqued by this unusual visit on a school night."

You held out the envelope for him to see. "I got in, Timmy. And they are awarding me a full ride! My parents won't have to worry about how to finance things and I won't have to take out student loans."

Timothée took the envelope in hand and brushed his thumb over the logo. "California, huh?" he asked quietly.

"Last I checked, that's where Los Angeles is located," you chuckled.

"You're serious about this, aren't you?" His brows were furrowed, and his typically full lips pressed into a thin line.

Your mouth fell open in shock. Why couldn't anyone just be happy and excited for you today? "Of course I'm serious. That shouldn't be a surprise. You even encouraged me to apply to out-of-state schools!"

Timothee held a hand to his forehead and stepped back. "Yes, because I didn't want you to wonder if you could get in. But, I didn't think you would seriously consider packing up and moving across the country if they accepted you!" he shouted and threw his hands in the air.

Your voice seemed like a whisper compared to his current tone. "If I don't leave now, I will never get out of here. I HAVE to get out of here. This place is a black hole. It eats your hopes, your dreams, your ambition. I have a lot to offer the world, and I can't do that from here. I don't want to be stuck, like our older friends, my cousins, my PARENTS. I'll just end up with a baby on my hip playing Suzie Homemaker and making nothing of myself."

"Starting and taking care of a family isn't nothing, [Y/N]. I thought...I thought we would be together forever. That WE would have that family."

"One doesn't preclude the other, Timmy. Come with me."

Timothée quietly scoffed as his eyes fell. "I have no prospects in California."

"And there's nothing for me here."

His head shot up in shock. The hurt was evident on his face. "Nothing? NOTHING?! Wow, [Y/N]."

"Timmy, that's not-"

"Just go, [Y/N]." His lip wobbled. "Obviously you think you are too good for this town. Too good for me. It's better that we call off...whatever this is...now so you can completely start over."

<><><><><>

Chapter 3

Masterlist

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Tag List: @croatianprincess

Still Here (Chapter 3)

Summary: You have a chance to catch up with Timothée over lunch.

Catch up on previous chapters here.

<><><><><>

You didn't have to wait long to see Timothée again. You crossed paths at the pharmacy three days later, where you were shopping for toiletries and other sundries for you and Madison. There was something oddly...final...about buying full-size shampoos and conditioners, instead of the travel-size bottles you packed in California. Like you had finally accepted that you would be here for a while.

You spotted Timothée's distinguishable curly dark hair over on the next aisle. Your heart stuttered. You had hoped not to run into anyone you knew, especially someone with whom you shared a complicated past. Who was I kidding? This isn't a crowded Target in Cali where you can just blend in. You took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Should I say hello? Should I put down my stuff and come back later? [Y/N], stop it. You can't run away from this. It's a small town, and you are here for the foreseeable future. May as well embrace it. Besides, it may be nice to have a friend again, if he's willing after things ended.

You looked up at the signage above to see what was there. You didn't want to embarrass him if he was shopping for something...personal. Ah, shaving accessories. Nothing embarrassing about that. You smiled, briefly reminiscing how the boy you knew could never grow a full beard despite how desperately he wanted to.

You worked up the courage to go say hello. You intentionally came up behind him as payback for startling you earlier in the grocery store. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you were stalking me, Timothée Chalamet."

He quickly spun around, initially looking over your head before looking down to meet your eyes. His big, lopsided grin sent your heart into palpitations again, just as it did over a decade ago. "Well well well, I could say the same about you, [Y/N] [maiden name], or, umm, I guess it isn't [maiden name] anymore," he fumbled and grimaced.

"It is. I'm divorced," you forced out. You still weren't used to saying it out loud. You watched as a whole range of emotions swept over his face before landing on sad, pitying look.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I wondered if that may be the case when you said you moved back in with your folks. You know, I run into your mother from time to time in town. It was through her that I knew you had gotten married and had a baby. She was always happy to show off pictures." He paused to chuckle. "But she didn't say anything about the, uh..." He gestured awkwardly with his hands.

"Yeah, well, my parents aren't big fans of the d-word. It was a very recent development, too, one they have not yet come to embrace despite not being big fans of Michael." You suddenly found your sneakers very interesting, unable to make eye contact with Timothée.

"Well, hey, I'm just here to grab my dad's meds. I was thinking about swinging by the diner to grab a bite to eat before driving back. Would you like to join me?"

"Uh, sure. Maddy is hanging out with my parents and they aren't expecting me back immediately. Might be nice to have adult conversation again." You chuckled. The two of you paid for your items and walked across the street to the restaurant.

Timothée, ever the gentleman, opened the door for you. Everyone looked up at the sound of the metal bells hitting the glass. Whispers started floating around as soon as you stepped foot inside.

"Is that [Y/N] [L/N]?' "I thought she was in California." "Maybe she's just visiting her family?"

You ducked your head as you felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment. You followed Timothée to a table in the corner and sat with your back to the rest of the diner, not wanting to see the curious looks. It was somewhat reassuring, though, to know that you still bore enough resemblance to your former self that people recognized you. You hardly recognized yourself in the mirror anymore.

Right as you got settled in your seat, you heard footsteps stop beside you. You raised your head to see that your server was also someone you knew from high school, Amanda. You smiled and softly said hello.

"They said it was you, but I didn't believe them. How are you doing, honey? Where is that baby of yours? Your mom hasn't been by lately to show off any pictures." Only after her barrage of questions did she look across the table. "Hey, Timothée."

"Hey, Mandy," he replied quietly.

"Oh, she's hanging out with my parents while I did some shopping. She's not a baby anymore, though." You pulled out your phone to show Amanda a recent photo.

"She looks just like you, [Y/N]! And they are always babies, no matter how old they get. How old is she? Looks about 9 or 10. I have a 12 year old, almost 13. Practically a teenager!" Amanda pulled her phone out of her apron to show you her lock screen.

"He's very handsome," you offered with a friendly smile.

"How long are you in town for?" she asked.

"Uh, well, I'm not sure. However long it takes to get back on my feet. I recently got divorced, so I am trying to figure out what's next," you replied solemnly as you traced the patterns on the paisley tablecloth with your finger. You were trying (and probably failing) not to give away how incredibly overwhelmed you were feeling. You were grateful when Timothée interrupted the exchange.

"Hey, Mandy, what's the special today?"

"Oh, of course! You are here for a reason, after all. I was so eager to see if it was really [Y/N] that I forgot the menus. I'll be right back." She patted your shoulder before retreating. She returned as quickly as you could mouth "thank you" to him.

The two of you silently scanned the menu and then placed your orders. As you waited on the food, you easily fell into conversation about high school, then your time in California. You had forgotten how easy it was to talk to Timothée. You gleefully showed him pictures on your phone of your favorite landmarks and landscapes until you accidentally swiped to a photo of you, Madison, and Michael together at one of the national parks. The reminders of the fleeting happy times were painful.

Sensing the shift, Timothée grabbed your hand. You felt lightning surge throughout your body from his touch. He squeezed once and then let go just as quickly when he spotted Amanda heading to your table with your orders. You looked up and saw the smirk on her face as she eyed the two of you.

"Enjoy! I'll come back to check on you in a bit."

You turned to look at Timothée. "You know we are going to be the hot gossip for at least the next week, right?" you said playfully.

"Let them talk. There are worse rumors than being spotted with you." He cleared his throat, then popped a French fry in his mouth. "So, was there anything you missed about Tennessee?"

You, you thought automatically. "I eventually came to miss how much simpler things feel here. How life slows down in the woods and the mountains. In LA, everyone is always in a hurry. There is so much traffic. There were so many people, yet it was so lonely. Michael was really my only friend there." You went on, and Timothée listened intently as you provided a high-level retelling of what brought you back.

"...and so I packed up our clothes and a few belongings and drove out here. I got into town about two weeks ago and have been laying low with my tail between my legs." You stared down at your now empty plate in shame.

"Does he stay in touch with Madison?"

"No. He barely saw her after we separated, and he hasn't reached out since we left the state. But she's convinced that he's going to send for her to come live with him once he's settled in his new house in Sacramento with his girlfriend."

He shook his head. "You deserve better than that. SHE deserves better than that." You detected a hint of anger and disgust in his tone.

"Yeah, well, unfortunately, we are both paying the price for my poor decision-making." Your voice was thick with remorse. "She doesn't deserve to pay for my mistakes."

"[Y/N], you can't do that to yourself. You were young. All you can do is make the best of now." Amanda came by and set the check down on the table. You were grateful for her timing because you weren't sure what to say next. Your fingers brushed his as you both reached for the ticket.

"Please, let me get this," he said assertively. "I invited you to join me, remember?" He slid his credit card and the check over to Amanda, whose face was all grin. People were definitely going to hear about this.

You narrowed your eyes with playful scorn. "Fine, as long as you let me get it next time," you rebutted before fully thinking it through.

"Next time, eh?" His eyes lit up as he cocked his head to the side.

You blushed. Whoops. "Umm, yeah, next time. All we talked about was me today. We didn't even get to what you have been up to for the past 10+ years!"

"Fair enough, though that won't take long to tell," Timothée shrugged and signed the receipt after Amanda returned. You both stood and walked out the door to make your way back to the pharmacy parking lot.

"You still have the same truck!" you exclaimed. You jogged the rest of the way and ran your fingers across the emblem on the front. You and he made a lot of...memories...in that truck.

"Yep. Restoring her became somewhat of a hobby when I came back from Texas."

"Texas?" You never knew he left town. From what you remembered, he had never planned on going anywhere, especially not that far.

"A story for another day. Next time, remember?" he smirked.

"Well, maybe we should actually make plans for a next time instead of just hoping we run into each other in town. Here." You handed Timothée your phone. "Plug in your number so we can chat."

This time it was his turn to blush. He took the device from you and called himself. "So I can save your number as well," he offered.

You recognized the digits when you had your phone back in hand. "You never changed your number."

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

You laughed softly. "Fair enough."

"Well, I better get going. It was good to see you again, [Y/N]."

Timothée opened his arms for a hug, which you reciprocated. For a moment, all was right in the world with your head on his chest. I missed this. But I can't want this right now, you lectured yourself. You stepped back and gave him space to get into his truck. He rolled down his window to say goodbye once more.

"Tell your folks I said hello, please," you called out over the noise of the engine. His smile fell just briefly.

"You do the same."

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Chapter 4

Masterlist

Tag List: @croatianprincess

Still Here (Chapter 4)

Summary: Timothée invites you and Madison out to the lake.

A/N: This Timothée variant is so dad-coded that I'm falling in love with him myself.

Catch up on previous chapters here.

You spent the next few days helping your mother clean out and rearrange your old room to be livable once again instead of a dedicated craft space. You checked your phone constantly the first couple of days after your lunch with Timothée, but slowly resigned yourself to the fact that he may not reach out after all. You wouldn't blame him if he had changed his mind. The two of you hurt each other pretty badly all of those years ago and were practically strangers again thanks to time and distance.

On the fifth day, as you were perusing job ads in the local newspaper, you heard your phone ding. You stared at the device for a moment in disbelief. Was it going to be a message from him, or just another spam text that gets your hopes up? You flipped it over and spotted:

"Want to go out to the lake on Saturday?"

You bit your lip and grinned, hugging your phone to your chest. Finally.

"Sounds fun! Let me see if my parents are available to hang out with Maddy." "She's welcome, too."

Wow. You weren't used to that. Your "friends" in California weren't much on kids tagging along on your outings. It got to a point where you didn't go out much at all because getting a sitter was too expensive.

"Really? Thanks! I think she'd enjoy getting out of the house." "Of course. Let's meet at my place early around 7am so we can have some fun before it gets hot. Do you remember how to get here?" "As long as you are still on Hawk Road, I can manage ;)" "Yep. See you in a couple of days."

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Saturday morning finally arrived. It was hard to convince Madison to get out of bed, but with some persuasion (i.e. favorite breakfast) she was up and dressed relatively quickly. You went through your verbal checklist to ensure you had everything you both needed for day of fun in the sun:

"Phone charger, check, snacks, check, cooler of drinks, check, sunscreen, check, spare clothes, check. Alright, I think we have everything. Let's load up!" As expected, you were able to find Timothée's place with ease. He had a small house on the same land as his parents. You had spent enough time there as a teenager that you still knew the route like the back of your hand.

Timothée was already outside packing stuff into the bed of the truck when you arrived. He turned and waved as he heard your car make its way down the gravel driveway. Once you stopped, he walked up and opened the door for you. Another gesture you weren't used to anymore.

"Good morning!" You looked up at him from your car's seat and smiled. He hugged you once you stood.

"Morning, [Y/N]." He pulled back to look at your face, smiled again, then looked to the side as he spotted movement behind the car. "Hey, Madison!"

"Hey," she replied flatly as she walked up to the two of you. You pulled the girl into your side.

"Mornings aren't her favorite. She'll warm up eventually." You looked down to give her that "mind your manners" look.

"That's alright. I'm not a morning person either, unless I'm up for something fun. Like today!" Timothée said cheerily. That's when you noticed something connected to his truck.

You leaned around him and exclaimed, "You have a boat now?!"

He chuckled. "I did grow up a little bit while you were away, [Y/N]."

You laughed awkwardly, but then quickly froze when you realized, "Oh no, we don't have life jackets. I didn't know, so I didn't plan for..."

"Don't worry, I already thought through that. I had an extra adult one on hand and borrowed a kids' life jacket from the neighbors. By the way, they have some kids around Madison's age. I think their youngest may even be in the same grade in the fall. They want to meet you both."

"Oh, it would be so great if Madison could at least know one other kid when school starts up. Are they new in the area?"

"Relatively. They moved in about five years ago," he replied.

"Ah, I see. I have a lot of catching up to do," you noted. You looked down at your daughter and squeezed her shoulder, "And we have new friends to make."

"I may not even still be here when the new school year starts, remember?" Madison grumbled.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to have some friends around when you come visit your grandparents, though, right?" Timothée chimed in.

She shrugged. "I guess not."

"Right, well, back to the fun at hand. Before I saw the boat, I was going to offer that we all pile in my car since there is more space. We can just follow you over there instead," you stated.

"Nonsense. We can all fit in my truck. Here, let me put your things in the back." You opened the trunk and allowed him to transfer your bags and cooler.

As he walked away, you bent down to talk to Madison quietly. "His truck only has one row of seats. Are you okay with sitting in the middle between us?" Just because you had known Timothée most of your life didn't mean she would (or should) be automatically comfortable around him.

"Sure, I've never ridden in a truck like this before, or in a boat!" You could tell she was starting to perk up. She ran over when Timothée opened the heavy passenger door of the old blue truck and climbed inside eagerly. "Whoa, we're so high up compared to your car, Mom!"

Once you followed suit, Timothée shut the door and ran around the front to the driver seat to join you. "Alright, everyone buckled up?" he asked. You and Madison nodded. "Then let's go!"

As he drove, you pointed out some of the places from your childhood. This triggered some reminiscing on Timothée's part about some of the shenanigans the two of you got into, which made Madison giggle. She seemed to enjoy hearing about some of your irresponsible moments. Hearing her laugh again was like music to your ears. You looked over at the two of them as they laughed together. Even though it was at your expense, you couldn't help but smile. Maybe this is what it could have been like had you stayed, the two of you together with a child in between.

Your arrival at the lake interrupted your reverie. Soon the three of you were out on the water and heading for a cove Timothée liked to frequent. Madison sat at the front of the boat with you close behind. She was nervous at first, gripping the edge of the boat, but quickly loosened up. Her long blonde hair flowed behind her as she faced into the wind. She looked back at you with a grin and yelled, "It feels like I am flying!" You laughed and waved, then looked back at Timothée, who was watching the two of you with a soft smile...

...which quickly turned into a mischievous grin. "Watch this!" he shouted. Now out on open water, he opened the throttle on the motor. The nose of the boat raised out of the water with increased speed. This time, you were the one gripping the edge of your seat while your daughter screamed, "Woohoo!" with both hands in the air. You could hear Timothée laughing behind you.

Much to Madison's disappointment, Timothée had to slow down as you neared the cove. When you approached the shore, he turned the motor off and jumped out to drag the boat to the bank. The girl jumped from the boat to the sand. "That was awesome!" she exclaimed as she shucked her lifejacket.

Timothée offered his hand to help you down then grabbed the bags and cooler. "Glad you're enjoying yourself, kiddo. Now, can you help me find a spot to set up our stuff?" he asked.

Madison ran up a small hill and quickly spied a dry grassy space to lay out the blankets. "Over here!"

"That's perfect, Maddy." You laid out a blanket. "Why don't you sit here, take your shoes off, and put sunscreen on, then you can go wade around while I get everything else set up. But no swimming until one of us can join you."

Madison rolled her eyes. "Okayyyy..."

You raised an eyebrow. "Or I could make you sit here all by your lonesome while Timothée and I swim, if you're going to be like that."

"No, no, I'm good. Shallow water only." She gestured to cross her heart then ran back down the hill.

Timothée set the cooler down beside you. "I know it wasn't part of your plan years ago, but you're really good at that."

"What's that?" You gave him a questioning look.

"The whole mom thing. You seem to have a knack for when to give her space and freedom, and when to rein it in. Oof, and that eyebrow raise. Even I stopped in my tracks."

You laughed. "Oh just wait until I have to break out her middle name. That's when it's really serious, Timothée Hal Chalamet." He playfully shuddered. "But, uh, thanks. I feel like I fail at it all the time. Especially these last few months. Parenting is supposed to be a two person job, you know. Or more. Like they say, it takes a village." You dropped your head to prevent him from seeing the tears welling up in your eyes.

Timothée reached out to lift your chin. "I think you'll find a village here to help you, if you give them a chance." He brushed a stray tear from your cheek with his thumb.

Before you could respond, Madison interrupted with a squeal. He dropped his hand and cleared his throat as you quickly turned to investigate. "A fish touched my leg!"

You both chuckled. "I guess we better get down there," you said. You both undressed down to your swimwear and joined her. The three of you played and swam for hours. Once Timothée caught you by surprise by grabbing your waist, hoisting you out of the water, and throwing you back in. Madison giggled when you came back up spluttering, then asked to be thrown next.

This continued for several rotations until he was worn out. Both you and he needed a break. Madison was still going strong but was willing to come back into the shallows if it meant staying in the water.

Timothée sat beside you on the blanket as you dried yourself off. You could tell an idea dawned on him by the look on his face.

"Is it alright if I let her drive the boat around a little when we're back in open water? With help, of course?"

"Sure. That should be incentive enough to get her out of the water." You paused. "Thank you for today. I haven't seen her smile and laugh this much in months. It's all been so hard on her."

"Oh, think nothing of it. I come out here all the time to get away from life for a bit. Based on what you told me at lunch the other day, you hadn't had a chance to just stop and have some fun. I'm glad I could offer that."

"You...you're being so sweet to me."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, we never talked about the way we ended things. I'm sorry if I made you feel like you weren't important to me."

"No, I'm sorry. I should have been happy for you. Instead I selfishly focused on what I was losing versus what you were gaining. After some time, when I was able to see past my own hurt and look at things more objectively, I realized how incredibly brave you were to pack up and chase your dreams," he replied.

"I didn't reach them, though," you said sadly.

"Yet. You still have time," he said matter of factly.

You scoffed. "I appreciate the vote of confidence, but life is too crazy right now to even think about finishing school."

"Well, just don't lose sight of it. K?" You nodded. "So shall we pack up and head back?" He stood and offered you his hand.

"All good things must come to an end, sadly," you replied, allowing him to help you stand. The two of you folded up the blankets and hauled the stuff back to the boat.

As you predicted, Madison whined when she saw what was going on. "I don't want to go yet!"

You smirked and looked over at Timothée. "I got this," he muttered to you under his breath. "Hey, kiddo, would you want to go if I let you drive the boat?"

"Really?!"

Timothée nodded. "Only when we get out in open water, but yes, I'll show you how to steer."

Madison looked at you with big puppy dog eyes. "Can I really drive it, Mom?"

"Hmm," you put your finger and thumb on your chin to look deep in thought. "I suppose so."

"Yes!" She jumped up and down and pumped her fist in the air.

"Now go get your shoes and lifejacket back on," you instructed. You all loaded up in the boat and set on your way. Madison was visibly vibrating with excitement as she sat beside Timothée next to the motor.

"Ready?" he asked once out of the cove. She nodded emphatically. "Alright, we're not going to go as fast as we did on our way out here, ok? Now, you have to face forward, but put your hand here on the handle behind you. Good. You will need to push or pull the handle in the direction you want to go. If you want to head right, push right. Left, pull left."

"Got it. Right is right, left is left."

"Ok. I am going to twist the handle to get us going again. You focus on where we're heading." She looked at him very seriously and nodded. Timothée slowly increased the speed. Madison looked nervous for a brief moment as she experimented with how far to push or pull to get the boat to move.

"You're already a pro!" Timothée shouted.

"Look Mom, I'm doing it!" She beamed. It was a beautiful sight. You pulled out your phone and took their picture. You made a mental note to send it to Timothée later.

Madison steered the boat almost the entire way back to the boat ramp, and then Timothée took over. After he expertly brought the boat to rest at the dock, you and Madison unloaded your belongings while he got the truck. After loading up and heading out, Madison fell asleep against your shoulder before you even got to the highway. You rested your cheek on her head, reveling in the closeness. She didn't come to you for cuddles like she used to.

The girl stayed asleep even once you arrived back at Timothée's house. He gently picked her up and carried her to your car.

"Thank you for your help," you said softly as you stood by the car door. "And thank you again for today."

"I enjoyed it. Hopefully we can do it again sometime this summer."

"I'd like that, and I think it's safe to say she would, too." You grabbed the door handle and turned. "Hey, uh, want to grab dinner sometime this week?"

Timothée smiled. "Yes."

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Chapter 5

Masterlist

Tag List:

@croatianprincess

@bluizh

Still Here (Chapter 5)

Summary: Your mother fills you in on unexpected news about Timothée's past, and you meet his neighbors. You make a new mom friend!

A/N: Fem!reader's relationship with her mother isn't the healthiest. Mention of death of parent.

Catch up on previous chapters here.

After you got home and helped Madison inside, you sent Timothée the picture of him and her together on the boat.

Thought you might like to have this.

You walked to the living room where your parents were watching TV. You collapsed onto the sofa in exhaustion.

"Did you have fun?" your mother asked.

"We had a blast. Timothée took us out to the cove on the other side of the lake to swim. He even let Maddy drive the boat on the way back."

She smiled. "It was good for both of you to get out and have some fun."

"I agree. I feel...lighter. Timothée said that his neighbors have kids around Maddy's age. One of them may even be in her grade in the fall."

"Oh, that'll be nice for her."

"I'm going to ask him to introduce us so maybe she can get to know them before the school year starts. It'll be nice if she can know at least one kid."

Your mom hesitated. "Are you- do you think you'll be hanging out more often with Timothée?"

You cocked your head to the side, confused by her question. "Well, yes. I haven't really re-connected with anybody else here yet. It just worked out that I ran into him at the grocery store. And, well...it's almost like no time has passed at all."

She nodded. "I get that. But just- just be careful with his feelings. He's such a sweet boy and he has been through a lot."

You typically appreciated how your mom rose above small-town gossip, but not in this case. "What do you mean?"

"Not my story to tell. But if he hasn't told you already, I do think you should know that his mother passed away a few years ago."

Your hand shot to your mouth to silence your gasp. "Oh no. What happened? Why didn't you tell me sooner? Like years ago when it happened?!"

"Well, you were going through your own troubles, and you and he hadn't spoken in years at that point. He had enough on his plate without an ex-girlfriend vying for attention."

"I- I could have called him. Messaged him. Offered my condolences instead of coming across as callous or obtuse. Oh, now it makes so much more sense why he said he's helping out his dad. Or the look on his face when I said to tell his parents hello from me." You clasped your hand to your forehead. You had always liked Mrs. Chalamet.

"Just...spare his feelings. You already hurt him once." She gave you her classic condescending look.

"Spare his fee- He hurt me, too, you know!" You raised your voice in return. "And I'll have you know we talked through that today. Like adults!" You got up and stormed outside to the porch swing. She has some nerve. You sat there with your arms crossed, staring out across the field, until you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket.

She reminds me so much of you. She doesn't just look like you. She acts like you, too.

You smirked.

Bless her heart.

That's not a bad thing.

Don't tell her that. She'll just roll her eyes. But I get it. She wants to be her own person.

Hmm. Opinionated and stubborn. Sounds like someone I know.

She does come by it honest.

You laid your phone beside you and let out a long sigh. What am I supposed to do with the information Mom just told me? How do I even bring it up in conversation? I can't not say anything, but I also don't want to make him sad. You picked up your phone again when it buzzed.

She's a cool kid. Want me to see if my neighbors are available tomorrow to meet so she can hang out with other kids?

That would be lovely. We're free all day.

Stay tuned.

By that point you had cooled off, so you decided to go apologize to your mother for raising your voice and check on Madison. She had fallen asleep again in her room. Poor thing was tuckered out from the lake. You figured she would wake up soon to announce that she was hungry. Your phone buzzed again.

How about 6pm at the park on the square? They have church in the morning, and it's too hot to play outside in the early afternoon.

Sounds like a plan. Will you be joining us?

Nah, I'm going to just make you guess who you are supposed to meet. Of course I'm coming.

You snorted at his sarcasm.

Just curious. You know what happens when one assumes things. See you there.

I can come pick y'all up since you're on the way. No sense in three vehicles heading to the same space when two will do.

You drove us all the way out to the lake and back. Why don't you leave your truck at my parents' place and we can ride in my car.

Ok. I'll be there around 5:30.

<><><><><>

By 5:00pm the next day, you had changed clothes three times trying to find something cute but practical for the park. I really need to go shopping for myself at some point, you thought. Madison came into your room every five minutes to ask when Timothée was going to be there.

He was punctual and drove down the driveway at exactly 5:30. Madison beat you out the door and ran down the steps to give him a hug, which shocked you both.

"Hey there, kiddo, long time no see." He patted her on the back.

"But, I just saw you yesterday." She looked up at him in confusion.

He chuckled. You interjected quietly, "It's a figure of speech, Mads. He was being sarcastic because he did just see you yesterday."

"Ohhh."

You heard the screen door shut behind you and footsteps on the porch. Timothée stepped around the two of you and jogged up the steps to give your mother a hug and shake your dad's hand. "Mr. and Mrs. [L/N]. Good to see you."

"You, too, honey. It's been a while since I've seen you in town," your mom replied.

"Oh, well, I've been busy between the shop and taking care of my dad."

Your eyes dropped to the ground. You dragged the tip of your shoe through the dirt. The clues had been there all along; you just didn't see them. You turned to find Madison was already in the car and buckled, waiting as patiently as a 9-year-old can. You got in partially to start the car so she would have some air.

"Well, we better get going. Thanks for letting me leave my truck here," you heard Timothée say.

"Y'all have fun," your dad called out.

Your mother followed Timothée to your car. You rolled down your window and shut the door. "Did you pack some sunscreen and water?" she quizzed you, looking inside as he got in on the other side.

"Yes, Mom."

"What about snacks and extra clothes if Madison gets dirty?"

"I have all of that under control. And if I forgot something, we're a whopping 15 minutes away," you responded.

"Okay." She patted your arm that rested on the car door. "Have fun, stay out of trouble."

"Bye, Mrs. [L/N]," Timothée said sweetly as he waved.

"Bye, Nana!" Madison yelled from the back.

You looked over at Timothée as you rolled up the window. "Sorry about that."

"She cares. It's sweet. You shouldn't take it for granted," he said, looking down at his hands.

You hesitated. "Timothée, I- she told me last night about your mom. I'm so sorry. She was such a kind woman. If I had known, I would have reached out." You grabbed the hand of his closest to you and squeezed before returning yours to the steering wheel.

"Thanks, [Y/N]. I miss her a great deal, but it's getting easier with time."

All of you were silent for the rest of the drive. The nervousness of meeting new people was catching up to you. Did I upset him? Will I be able to carry on conversation with the parents without it getting awkward? Will Madison get along with the kids? you worried. You drove up to the park and spotted a family there already with three kids.

"Is that them?" you asked and nodded your head in their direction. Timothée looked up and around.

"Yep. That's Blake and Holly. The kids are Anthony, Emerie, and Bradley. Ready?"

"Yes! Let's go!" Madison interrupted before you could respond. The three of you got out of your car and crossed the parking lot. As you got closer, Madison's earlier eagerness morphed into shyness. She tucked herself against your side.

"Timothée! Over here!" you heard the woman, Holly, call out. You all walked over to the picnic table where they were gathered.

"Hey, Holly, Blake." Timothée nodded then gestured to you and Madison. "This is [Y/N] and her daughter, Madison, who I was telling you about."

"It's so nice to meet you," Holly said as you all shook hands. She bent over to eye level with Madison. "Especially you! You're 9, right?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"My Emerie is 9, too. Let's see, where is she?" Holly stood. "Kids, come over here, please," she shouted. The three children ran over to their mother. "This is Anthony. He's 11, and Bradley here is 6. And this is Emerie. Kids, this is Madison. She's Emerie's age."

Madison shyly waved. Emerie stepped up and asked, "Want to go slide with me?" Madison nodded and followed. The boys took their soccer ball out to the field to continue playing. Echoes of the girls' giggles soon filled the air.

Timothée sat beside you on the bench seat of the picnic table to watch Madison play. You looked across the table at Holly and Blake. "Thank you for meeting us here. And for letting Madison borrow the lifejacket yesterday. She had an absolute blast."

"We're happy to meet someone new! We didn't know anyone when we moved here a few years ago, so we understand what it's like to start over. Though I understand you grew up here?" Holly asked.

"I did. But I moved to California for college when I was 18 and lived there until just recently. This is a strange new world for Madison, though."

"It'll get easier for her with time. It seems like she and Emerie have hit it off quite well." Holly smiled. "She should acclimate quickly in school, too. The teachers are fantastic."

"That's so good to hear. I need to go take care of her registration paperwork soon."

"I had to do it with Anthony after we moved, if you need any help," Holly offered.

You smiled. "Thanks. I might take you up on that." The two of you continued to converse about kids, school, and life in California. It seemed promising that the two of you could become friends, too. Your first mom friend.

Madison came running over at full speed and stopped just short of the table. She leaned down with her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. "Emerie said I could come over and play sometime. Can I?" she asked through her panting.

"Well, if her parents are also okay with it." You looked over at Holly who laughed and nodded. "Then yes."

"She said yessss!" Madison yelled as she ran back to playground. All of the adults chuckled.

You looked over at Timothée and smiled. "Thank you for this," you said quietly. He said nothing, just bumped your shoulder with his. Holly looked at you with a little smirk.

As the evening came to a close, you exchanged numbers with Holly and thanked her and Blake again. You both wrangled your respective children and parted ways.

Madison talked a mile a minute on the way home about her time with Emerie and even expressed some excitement about going to a new school. Neither you nor Timothée could get a word in edgewise. Once you arrived home, you asked her to run inside and get ready for a shower while you said goodbye to Timothée.

"Mission accomplished," he said warmly as he watched the girl skip up the steps and through the front door.

"Indeed. That's the first I've heard her embrace being here for the new school year and looking forward to it. Thanks for coordinating and tagging along. I'm sure you had to be bored," you said, walking with him to his truck.

"On the contrary. I had a good time. They're good folk. And you two are cool, too." He winked, and you blushed.

"So about that dinner I mentioned yesterday. My treat this time, if you're still game. We still need to catch up about YOU." You playfully poked his chest.

"As long you let me drive. Maybe Friday? We can drive into Hartley. I know a good place, and there is something I want to show you."

<><><><><>

Chapter 6

Masterlist

<><><><><>

Tag List:

@croatianprincess

@bluizh

Still Here (Chapter 6)

Summary: Dinner with Timothée reveals feelings.

"There is something I want to show you."

It was Friday, so your curiosity over his words could finally be sated. Timothée was due to pick you up about 6 o'clock so the two of you could go out for dinner in the closest city of any appreciable size, Hartley. Unsure of where exactly where you were going, you opted for a cute blouse, jeans, and cowboy boots.

Madison was cozy on the couch with her grandparents with a bowl of popcorn in her lap when you walked out of your room. She had convinced them to watch the new Wonka movie with her while you were away. You hugged them all and kissed Madison on the head.

"Be good, do as you're told, and remember to brush your teeth."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mom."

"Love you!" you called back to her as you grabbed your things and walked to the door. Right as you looked out the window, you saw Timothée's blue truck pull up. You locked the door and skipped down the steps. It felt like you were in high school all over again. You were all smiles as you walked quickly to the passenger side.

"Hi!" you said cheerily as you climbed in.

Timothée looked up and down at your outfit. "Howdy," he replied through a grin.

"Hey now, I can get right back out of this truck if you're going to make fun of me," you sassed.

He held up his hands to feign surrender. "No, no. It's a good look! I swear!"

You playfully popped him on the arm. "So where are we going?"

He put the truck in gear and moved along. "There is an Italian restaurant I love to visit when I'm in town. Thought we could go there."

"And?"

"And what?" He clamped down his lips to prevent himself from smiling.

"There was something you wanted to show me. Surely it wasn't an Italian restaurant."

"Oh yeah, that. Yes, definitely that, too," he said with an exaggerated nod.

"What is it?!"

"You'll have to wait about..." He looked over at the truck's clock. "30 minutes to find out. We'll stop there before dinner so you can actually enjoy the food instead of wonder."

Timothée drove through Hartley's downtown square, pulled up in front of a closed shop, and turned off the truck. "We're here!" he said excitedly.

You looked around. "Ooo...kay. Where is 'here'?"

"Well, come on, get out of the truck."

"But Timothée, everything on this street is already closed for the night."

He held up a key. "Yep!"

He walked to a storefront and opened it up. You followed him through the door. "Wait here," he instructed. He walked to the back and flipped on the lights. You found yourself surrounded by the most beautiful wooden furniture you had ever laid eyes on.

"Welcome to my store."

"Yours. This is yours?" You spun around to take it all in.

"Yes. I made all of this."

"You what? Oh, wow. Mr. McDowell from wood shop would be so proud."

Timothée chuckled. "He was, actually. Bought a chair for his deck before he passed. Your mother bought a piece, too."

"She did?" You went through a mental list of all the furniture in the house as you walked through the showroom. "The porch swing?"

"Yep."

"I love that swing. Even more so now." You fingers gingerly grazed the handcrafted dining table next to you. "It's beautiful."

"Yes," Timothée said, not looking at the table, but at you. He cleared his throat when you turned and made eye contact. "Thank you."

"Where did you learn how to do this? Let me guess, another hobby you took up after you came back from Texas?" you inquired.

He shrugged. "Something like that. I needed to keep my hands busy. I turned the barn on my parents' land into my shop, and I sell out here. More traffic."

"What took you to Texas, anyway?"

Timothée's stomach growled. "Maybe we should discuss over dinner."

You stifled a giggle. "Fair enough. But don't think you are getting out of talking about yourself that easily."

The two of you loaded back up in the truck and drove a couple of blocks away to the Italian restaurant Timothée raved about. After you were seated on the patio and placed your orders, you set your chin in your hand and stared at him.

"Now spill." You grinned and waggled your eyebrows.

Timothée smiled. "Where should I start?"

"Well, the last I time I saw you before running into you at the grocery store was graduation. How about there?"

"As you know, I still hadn't figured out what I wanted to do. I hadn't made any plans for college, so I continued working at the hardware store for a while. That got boring. Sure as hell didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. So I started taking some auto mechanic classes at the vocational school here in Hartley."

"Is that where you learned to fix up the truck?"

"Yep. But that didn't seem like the right path, either. I felt...lost. Like I said the other day, once I got over the hurt of you leaving, I began to understand that you had the right idea all along. I even seriously considered giving you a call to see if your invitation still stood, but by the time I worked up the nerve, I learned from your mother that you were getting married. I didn't want to mess that up for you."

He paused when the server came by with the food. You both thanked her and took up your utensils. You couldn't believe what you had just heard. He considered coming all the way out to California. For me.

"What happened then?"

Timothée continued his story between bites. "Well, I figured I shouldn't waste the momentum to leave this place, so I just got in the truck in left. I held down some odd and end jobs, camped out in state parks or hotels until I got to the oil fields in Texas. Found a steady job and set myself up pretty well there for a few years until Mom died. I came back to help my dad keep up with the land and the house. He's not in great health, either."

"I'm so sorry, Timmy."

He paused, fork mid-air. "You haven't called me that in ages."

"Oh, sorr-"

"No, don't be. I- I've missed it." He half-smiled.

You blushed, dropped your eyes to your plate, and cleared your throat. "Any...significant others along the way?"

"I was engaged for a bit when I was in Texas. She was a nice girl, but I broke it off because it just didn't feel right. That was right before Mom passed. Since then, between work and taking care of my dad, I haven't had much time for, uh, exploring."

"You two ready for dessert?" the server asked as she came back around.

Timothée looked from the server to you. "The tiramisu here is amazing! Want to split one? Dessert's on me."

"That sounds divine."

With the previous candor interrupted, the two of you idly chatted while you waited for dessert. You asked after some of your high school classmates. He asked you about college life in California. Timothée offered you the first bite of the tiramisu when the server dropped it off.

"Oh, wow - that IS amazing!" You covered your mouth with your hand so as to not reveal the half-chewed cake.

Timothée chuckled. "Told you," he bragged as he popped a bite into his own mouth. You continued to take turns taking slivers of the cake until it disappeared.

You leaned back in your chair. "Mmm. That was so good."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it."

You settled the tab for the food, and he did so for the dessert. You left the restaurant and slowly ambled side by side back to the truck.

"Timmy?" You stopped short on the sidewalk in front of the truck, forcing him to turn back to look at you. "Thank you for making this whole...situation...more bearable. I can't imagine how lonely I would be right now if I hadn't bumped into you at the store."

Timothée stepped closer to you. He brushed a hair behind your ear that had been loosened by the wind. Your heart hammered at his touch and you felt heat flush your cheeks. He nudged your chin with his index finger so he could look you in the eyes.

"I should have followed you when you asked me."

<><><><><>

Chapter 7

Masterlist

Tag List:

@croatianprincess @bluizh

Still Here (Chapter 7)

Summary: Three little words from Timmy send you into a panic.

A/N: A shorter chapter, but a BIG one.

Catch up on previous chapters here.

"I should have followed you when you asked me."

In slow motion, Timothée's lips met yours. They were as plush and soft as you remembered. His hands eagerly made their way to your hips to pull your body to his. One of your hands snaked up his back while the other gripped his neck to pull him deeper into the kiss.

"[Y/N], I love you," he moaned when came up for air.

Instantly, you pulled away. He kept his arms out, stunned by your sudden absence from them.

"Timmy...I can't tell you how much I want this. I have feelings for you, too. But it's too soon. I- I can't say it back yet," your voice trembled. You walked over to his truck and dropped the tailgate to sit. "This isn't just a matter of picking up where we left off 12 years ago. I've lived a whole separate life in between. I have a daughter depending on me to keep my shit together.

I got so wrapped up in being wife and mother, I- I don't even know who I am anymore. I need to figure that out first. I rushed headlong into my last relationship with blinders on. I couldn't see anything else but him. I latched onto him because I was alone and lonely. Sound familiar? I lost myself in trying to be whatever he wanted me to be. I can't- I can't do that again." You put both of your hands to your forehead. "I've barely been back more than a month, and I'm already entertaining a new relationship."

Timothée joined you on the tailgate. "But, it's not new."

"Yes, it is!" you shouted. "I'm not the same person I was 12 years ago. We need to get to know each other again to make sure we actually like each other for who we are now, not just getting wrapped up in the nostalgia of what was. I- I've been hurt, wounded, heart flayed open at the hands of someone else who also once said they loved me. Then they fell out of love with me. What does that say about me? What does that say about love?" your voice faded to a whisper.

"It says more about him," Timothée growled. "That he's a damn fool. And so was I to let you go in the first place. But unlike that idiot, I NEVER STOPPED LOVING YOU!" He jumped off the tailgate to pace the sidewalk.

You blinked owlishly at him. "What?"

"Why do you think I couldn't follow through with my engagement in Texas? She was funny, beautiful even...but she wasn't you. And that wasn't fair to her."

"And I don't think this is fair to you!" you exclaimed. "I feel so drained right now. I don't have a lot of emotional energy to offer, and what reserve I do have needs to go to Madison. She's my number one priority. I hope you understand that I'm not saying no. I'm asking for slow."

He stopped pacing and stood directly in front of you, one hand resting on your knee. The other cupped your face. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll go as slow as you need. But, I'm not going to stop telling you that I love you. You deserve to hear it. Know it. Feel it. I will still be here when you decide it's safe to love me back." He broke the seriousness with a flash of his classic lopsided grin. "And if you think being honest with me is going to change how I feel about you, then maaaaybe you're not quite as smart as I thought."

You laughed softly and leaned into his touch. "I'm glad I haven't scared you off. Most men would turn tail and run at the sight of a divorcée with a pre-teen daughter."

"Well, I'm not most men, and I've actually grown quite fond of Madison," Timothée replied.

"I can tell. And she likes you, too, it seems. I think that's what scares me most, though. Any decision I make impacts her as well. She got hurt in all of this, too. I don't want her to get attached to someone who may not stick around. Not that- I don't mean that you would do that. Just in general."

"I knew what you meant. I respect you for putting her first. I would expect nothing less from you. And I'd sooner walk through fire than hurt her." He kissed the top of your head and sat back down beside you. You rested your head on his shoulder for a few silent moments.

"We seem to have our most serious conversations in the back of this truck." You looked up at him and half-smiled.

"I can think of some other things that have happened in this truck, too." He winked.

"Timmy!" you popped him lightly on the arm in feigned embarrassment.

"So what now?" he asked in a more serious tone.

"I don't know. This is new to me, too. I guess we do what we have been doing. We hang out. We talk. We get to know each other's adult selves. But no PDA in front of Maddy. Not yet. I will talk to her when I feel the time is right and slowly introduce the concept of me dating again."

"I can live with that. But when she's not around, can I still do this?" He leaned over and teasingly grazed his lips over yours.

"I can live with that," you breathed out. This time, you closed the gap, all but slamming your mouth against his for a deeper kiss.

<><><><><>

Chapter 8

Masterlist

Tag List: @croatianprincess @bluizh

Still Here (Chapter 8)

Summary: Madison finds out about you and Timothée.

Catch up on previous chapters here.

"How are things going with Timothée?" Holly asked while the two of you were watching the kids play.

You looked over at your new friend with wide eyes. It had only been less than a week since Timothée bared his feelings and kissed you outside the Italian restaurant. "Oh, uh, we aren't-" you stuttered and tried to play dumb.

She raised her eyebrow at you. "It's clear he's head over heels for you. I knew it from the day he called about that lifejacket. And although I don't know you quite as well, it seemed like that may be reciprocated."

"Is it that obvious?" She nodded. You huffed. "It's...complicated. I don't know if he told you, but we were high school sweethearts."

"Awww!" Holly exclaimed with a pouted lip.

"But we split our senior year when I decided to go to college in California. I was determined to get out of town, and he wasn't ready to leave. I got out there, met someone, got married a couple of years later, and had Madison about a year after that. The ink was barely dry on my divorce decree when I moved back. I didn't expect to run into him so soon. I didn't even know he was still here."

"It's a small town, honey."

You laughed quietly. "I know, I know."

"Let me guess. You are worried that Madison will be upset."

"Very much so," you replied solemnly.

"They seem to get along quite well. She may be a little shocked at first, but I think you'll find that she wants you to be happy. Especially if you explain that he's not replacing her father. My parents were divorced, too. My mom started dating soon after. Looking back, I understand why. Just because the divorce made it official didn't mean that the marriage wasn't already over well before that. You deserve to be happy."

You nodded and stared off at the kids swinging on the monkey bars. Maybe Madison was more ready to handle the news than you gave her credit for.

Holly broke you from your thoughts. "Will we see you at the carnival tonight?"

"Yes! Timothée is going to swing by around..." you stopped at the sight of her wry smile. "Oh hush you." You tried to give her a stern look before busting out a laugh.

<><><><><>

You sat on the porch swing that was handcrafted by the man you were waiting on. You wanted to sneak a kiss before Timothée came inside to greet your family. The days since your dinner date left you longing for more. Instead, you had to settle for text messages and calling each other at night until one of you fell asleep.

You heard the unmistakable droning of his blue truck down the road. You stood and paced on the porch until he parked in front of the house. You bounded down the steps and ran to the driver's side. Timothée caught you and spun, planting a big kiss on your lips as he set you on your feet.

"Hey, baby," he gushed.

You blushed and looked down at the ground.

"Too soon?" he asked worriedly.

"No. I- I like it. I've missed it. Just like old times," you grinned, making eye contact once more. He responded in like measure with a grin of his own.

"Good. Now, where's my favorite 9-year-old?" He looked around for Madison.

"She's inside working on a craft project with my mom."

"Which means I can steal one more kiss." He grabbed you and dipped you backward. You stifled a screech at the speed of it all to avoid unwanted attention from inside the house. Once his lips pulled away from yours, he stared into your eyes for a moment and then rubbed the tip of his nose on yours. "I love you."

"I know," you said warmly. You kissed the tip of his nose and he brought you back up to a standing position. You walked up the stairs together and into the house.

"Timothée!" Madison cheered.

"Hey, kiddo! Whatcha working on?"

"It's a suncatcher made out of a frame, beads, and...what kind of wire did you say, Nana?"

"Chicken wire," your mom called from the kitchen.

"Chicken wire," Madison continued.

"Madison, this is beautiful," Timothée cooed as he gently grazed the baubles with his fingers. "When you finish, I'd like to buy it and hang it up in my shop window."

"Really?" the girl squeaked. You felt all warm and fuzzy inside watching the two interact. Michael had always gotten so grumpy about craft messes.

"Yep. Who knows, you may have a line of customers asking you to make one for them. But for now, you should take a break so we can go have some fun. Ready to go to the Founders' Day Festival?"

"Yep! Just need to get my shoes on." She ran to her bedroom. Your mother joined you from the kitchen.

"That was nice of you to offer to buy that," she said to Timothée as she gave him a hug.

"I'm just trying to get an original before she's famous." He winked. "I know talent when I see it."

Madison came running back in. "Ready!" She announced. Once all goodbye hugs and handshakes were distributed to your parents, the three of you walked outside.

"Pleeeeease, can we take Timothée's truck?" Madison begged. She loved sitting up high and seeing everything.

He grinned. "You like my truck, eh?" The girl nodded so hard you thought she'd fall over. "Tell you what. If she's still running by the time you're tall enough to reach the pedals, we'll take her out to the backroads by the lake and I'll teach you how to drive."

Your eyes went as wide as saucers. You were shocked - oddly, not by the paternal gesture - but at how sure he seemed of your future. Together.

Timothée saw your face and made a choked noise before adding, "Ehrr, if your mother is okay with it, of course."

You shook your head to clear your thoughts and face - like an Etch-a-Sketch. "Of course. That's where and how I learned, too."

"Yessss!" Madison squealed.

"But you still have some growing to do," you added while climbing in after Madison into the truck.

<><><><><>

At one point, you weren't sure who was having more fun, Madison or Timothée. They zigged and zagged all over the place together, from the concession stands to the rides and games. He doted on her the entire evening. The sight of him hauling around a large teddy bear looked a scene out of a movie.

"You are spoiling her," you playfully muttered under your breath to him while Madison was busy tossing rings onto bottles.

He shrugged. "It's fun. I want her to have a good time. She's had a tough year. She deserves to have some good memories of this summer."

"You don't have to do that, Timmy."

"I know I don't have to. I want to." He smiled.

"You're amaz-"

"[Y/N] [L/N], is that you?" You turned to find the source of the shrill voice behind you. It was yet another high school classmate, Ashley. "It is you! I heard you were back in town!" She gave you a hug and looked over at Timothée. "Just look at you two! I knew you would get back together again someday. You were such a cute couple in high school."

"Oh, uh-" you stuttered as you looked over at Timothée in a slight panic. Luckily she was interrupted by her child tugging her arm before you had to formulate a response.

"Well, I gotta run. Good to see you, [Y/N]. Swing by the the bakery soon so we can catch up!" She left as quickly as she had descended upon you. You waved half-heartedly and let out the breath you didn't realize you were holding. You turned back around and noticed that Madison was no longer at the game table...

...but standing right beside you. She looked up at you in confusion. "Couple?!" You both stared at each other with mouths agape before she stalked off to the courthouse steps. You turned to Timothée and handed him your drink.

"Here, can you hold this while I go talk to her?"

"Sure, I'll be right over here."

You slowly walked up and sat on the step beside her.

"You told me you and Timothée were friends. You didn't say he's your BOYfriend," she accused.

"We are friends, Madison. He used to be my boyfriend in high school. We are still trying to figure out what we are right now," you confessed.

"Is he why we came back here?"

"No. I didn't even know he was still here, honestly. We came back here because this is my home, and I needed help from Nana and Pawpaw while I figured things out."

"If you're with Timothée, then you and Daddy can't get back together," she stated flatly. It wasn't a question.

"Sweetheart, your father and I are not getting back together. We just aren't a good fit anymore. But that doesn't mean that Timothée will replace your father if things become more serious between us. It just means you have even more people who love you and want to look out for you."

"Do you like him?"

"I do, very much." You looked up and made eye contact with him as he observed from his perch by the Ferris wheel. He shifted in his seat nervously.

She nodded and went silent for a few moments.

"Does this mean he'll hang out with us more often?" she inquired, looking over at him, too.

"I'm sure he would love to hang out even more often than he does already, if you are comfortable with that."

"I think so. He's nice, and he's fun. And you're more fun when he's around."

You laughed and wrapped your arm around her shoulders. "I'll try not to take that too personally." She leaned her head into the crook of your neck. "I love you, Maddy. I want you to know you are my number one priority no matter what."

"I know." She stood and walked toward Timothée without bothering to wait for you. You quick-stepped to catch up. He paled as you both came toward him, not knowing the outcome of the conversation. You weren't exactly sure what was about to happen next, either.

Madison stopped just short of his outstretched leg. "So do you want to be my mom's boyfriend?" she asked directly.

Timothée's mouth dropped momentarily as he regained his senses. He glanced at you before looking back at the girl. "Uh, well, yes. I'd like that very much." He leaned forward and whispered, "Do you think I should ask her?"

Madison giggled and nodded her head. "I think she'll say yes," she whispered in return. She looked back at you and winked.

"Madison!" you heard a childish voice call from your right.

"Emerie! Can I go talk to her, Mom?" she asked, now thoroughly distracted from the conversation.

"Sure, just stick close to her parents. We'll catch up with you in a second." The girl eagerly ran off to her new friend.

Timothée stood and walked to your side. "Well, I guess now is as good a time as any to ask if you would like to be my girlfriend - again?"

You took his hand in yours. "I'd like that very much." He looked down and softly smiled before pulling you in for a kiss. A very public kiss.

The two of you walked side by side to greet Holly and Blake. Holly looked down at your clasped hands, then back at you with a knowing smile. "Good for you," she whispered as you all followed the kids around the fair.

<><><><><>

Chapter 9

Masterlist

Tag List:

@croatianprincess, @bluizh, @jindongdongie

Still Here (Chapter 9)

Summary: Your ex calls and throws off your evening. You and Timothée make love for the first time (again), and you finally say the three little words he's been dying to hear.

C/W: Conversation with toxic ex; NSFW (oral and consensual/protected p-in-v sex, denied orgasm)

Catch up on previous chapters here.

You walked into the town's elementary school and were immediately hit by a wave of nostalgia. It was the same one you attended, after all, though the hallways seemed much smaller (or normal, really) as an adult. Madison walked alongside you to the office to register for the upcoming school year.

"Oh, that was my classroom for 3rd grade. Ms. Hobbs was my favorite teacher. She had a knack for making stories come alive. She would decorate the classroom based on what we were reading at the time. Oh, we had SO much fun when we read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! I found the golden ticket and got to pick a prize out of the treasure bin."

Madison barely acknowledged your story with a "uh-huh" as she looked around, nervously biting her lip.

"I figured that would get more of a reaction out of you given your current obsession with Wonka," you said as you playfully nudged her arm with your elbow.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Mom. I'm just thinking about my old school. And my friends."

You stopped walking and gave her a hug. "I know how hard it was for me to move across the country and start at a new school, and I was an adult. Well, a teenaged adult, but still. I can only imagine how you are feeling at the moment. If you want to talk about it, I'm all ears. And I'm sure Nana, Pawpaw, and even Timothée would say the same." You squeezed her to you once more. "You're a likeable girl, Madison. You'll make new friends here. And at least you know Emerie already." She just nodded, so you kept your nostalgia as you continued to the office to finish paperwork.

Evening arrived and Timothée came to pick you up for a date. It was a fantastic feeling to have your relationship out in the open now. Your mom was even supportive despite her earlier comments about sparing his feelings. Madison was sitting outside on the porch swing reading a book when he came up the steps.

"Hey, kiddo!" you heard him say cheerily through the front door. You had heard him drive up and got up to let him in, but once you saw the two talking you wanted to give them some space.

"Hey." Madison put her book down.

"I heard you got to see your new school today. What'd you think?"

"It's...small."

Timothée laughed and sat beside her. "I'm sure it's very small compared to what you are used to."

"At least I won't have a lot of new names to memorize," she side-eyed him and smirked.

"That's one way to look at it!" He bumped her arm with his. "Alright, I'm going to go say hi to your grandparents and mom."

Timothée lightly rapped on the door as he let himself in. You slightly startled him with your presence right by the door, but he quickly regained his senses and greeted you with a kiss. As he stepped around to say hello to your parents, your phone rang. It was your ex, Michael.

"Hello?" you answered in a questioning tone.

"I'm calling to talk to Madison."

"Oh, uhh, I'm about to go out, but I can give her the phone for a few minutes while I finish getting ready."

"Go out? Like on a date?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes." You made frustrated eye contact with Timothée and mouthed "Michael" as you walked to your bedroom. He followed and leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed.

"It IS my business to know who is spending time with my child," he groused.

You felt your ears heat up and your lip curl. "Like you gave me the same courtesy when you started seeing Katie," you spat. "Besides, you hardly reach out to make contact with YOUR child. You can't just call on a whim and demand to talk to her after weeks of radio silence."

"Just let me talk to her."

You muted the phone and grabbed a pillow from your bed to scream into. Despite how much you just wanted to hang up on Michael, you never wanted Madison to say that you kept her away from him. You squeezed past Timothée and walked to the front porch.

"Maddy, your dad is on the phone." She looked up at you in confusion that was quickly replaced with excitement. She grabbed for the phone.

"Daddy?" You couldn't hear what he was saying on the other end, but you heard her start listing off some of the fun things she had done since moving out here. You went back inside but only closed the screen door so you could easily hear if you needed to intervene.

Timothée was sitting on the couch. "What did he want?" he asked attitudinally.

"He just randomly wanted to talk to Madison, I guess."

"Where does he come off questioning you about you personal life?" You just shrugged, unsure of where Michael's behavior was stemming from. A few minutes later, Madison came in and handed you the phone.

"Here, he wants to talk to you again."

You took the phone back and held it to your ear. "Hello?"

"Who is Timothy? Isn't he the guy who dumped you in high school? Is the dating pool in that tiny ass town so small out that you have to resort to your own leftovers?" You didn't validate his insane line of questioning with a response. "Whatever. Why is Madison around him so much? He is basically all she talked about. What kind of influence is that blue-collar, good for noth-"

"Don't you DARE talk about him like that." Your voice was dripping with venom. You jumped up from the couch and stormed out onto the porch. Your mother, upon hearing your tone, took Madison into the kitchen to keep her occupied.

"I do not owe you an explanation for how I choose to fix what you broke," you continued. "EVERYTHING I do, I think about Madison first. Can you say the same? I ran into Timothée a couple of weeks after we got back into town, and yes we reconnected. But you know what. She probably likes him because he has spent more quality time with her in the past two months than you have in the past two YEARS. HE shows an interest in her. HE checks in on her. HE puts her first in our relationship. HE treats her like a human being, and not just to get to me. Because HE is a decent human being. Next time you want to talk to Madison, coordinate a date and time first. I am no longer available to cater to your every whim." You hung up and ran down the steps to the driveway. You angrily walked over to your dad's shed and kicked the tire on the tractor.

"Careful, you could break a toe doing that."

You spun and saw Timothée standing a few paces behind you. You sighed and closed your eyes. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to confirm that he's an asshole. Though I did enjoy hearing you sing my praises," he smirked.

You laughed wetly as hot tears poured down your face. "I'm sorry that he called right as we were about to head out the door."

"Shh, don't worry about it." Timothée pulled you into a hug and rested his chin on your head. "I know you probably don't feel like eating after getting so worked up. Would you like to come over and chill at my place instead of going out? We can pick up a pizza, snuggle on the couch, and watch a movie"

"That sounds so much better than the original plan right now."

<><><><><> (minors DNI from this point)

Timothée held the door open for you to enter his house. While you had been on the property a couple of times since returning from California, you had yet to go inside his new place. This house was not here when the two of you dated in high school, so you had no idea what the interior looked like.

"Welcome," he said. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll get us a couple of plates."

You walked to the couch and leaned against the back of it. "It's less...'bachelor pad' than I expected," you said through a laugh.

"Ah, well, I cleaned up my act once I started pushing 30." You chuckled. "Bathroom is over there," Timothée pointed, "if you need it." He walked around the counter and couch to the coffee table and grabbed the remote. "Here, why don't you find something to watch while I divvy up the pizza."

You sat down on the couch, took the remote in hand, and started scrolling through Netflix. You still hadn't decided when he sat next to you with the pizza and beer. Still feeling the nostalgia from visiting the school with Madison, you settled on 13 Going on 30. He rolled his eyes.

"What? You told me to choose. I was inspired by your earlier comment about getting your act together at 30."

"I rolled my eyes because of the number of times you made me sit through this movie in high school. Some things never change."

"It's one of my faves!"

"Well, I guess I can appreciate the plot line a little more now. Guy in his 30s eventually gets the girl he pined over as a teen."

"Awww, you're getting sentimental in your old age." You grinned.

Timothée pretended to scowl at you, then booped you on the nose. "Are you going to press play or not?"

Once the two of you finished the pizza, you set the plates aside and curled up next to him. He draped his arm around you, allowing his fingers to lazily drift up and down your arm. As the movie progressed, his hand eventually found its way to the space above your jeans where your shirt had ridden up slightly. You shivered as he grazed the bare skin on your waist. You lifted your head from his shoulder and looked up at him. He seized the opportunity to capture your lips with his.

You hungrily opened your mouth to deepen the kiss. You felt his tongue glide across yours in return. You eagerly shifted to sit in his lap. He reached around and squeezed your ass before sliding his hands under your shirt. At first he just snaked his hands underneath, but then began to pull it up. You sucked in a breath and froze, catching his hand at the hem of your shirt. He pulled back to look at your face with concern.

"Timothée, I- uh, I don't have the same body I did as a teenager."

His face relaxed and he smiled warmly. "[Y/N], you were and still are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on."

"Yeah, but..." you argued as your insecurities became more evident.

"Let me guess," he interrupted. "Stretch marks? More curves from maturing into a gorgeous woman whose awe-inspiring body has brought life into this world?"

You simply nodded. Your cheeks blushed from the attention.

Timothée pulled you tighter against his body. "Let me love those, too." He stood with your legs still wrapped around him. His hands cupped your ass to support you as he carried you to the bedroom. You wrapped your arms around his neck and clasped a hand in his hair. He placed a knee on his bed and laid you down gently.

"You okay?" he asked as he hovered over you. Your breathing shuddered, but you nodded.

"It's...it's been a while," you whispered.

"Me, too." Timothée gently grazed his lips against yours. Once. Twice. He then tugged at your shirt, and this time you made no move to stop him. He pushed himself up on his arms to take in the sight of you half-naked on his bed.

"Now, why am I more undressed than you?" you teased. You grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled. He sat up and continued to pull it over his head. You sat up on your knees to run your hand down his chest and abs, stopping at the buttons on his jeans.

Timothée grabbed your hips and sucked in a breath in anticipation of your next move. "[Y/N], I want you so badly."

"Not as much as I want you." You both stood and clumsily finished undressing each other while hungrily kissing each other. He snuck a hand between your folds as you freed one leg from your pants. You gasped, having become unaccustomed to the feeling of another's touch. Noticing the reaction, he curled his fingers and rubbed your increasingly sensitive bundle of nerves. You moaned, wrapping your arms around his neck to prevent your collapse.

Just as you started to feel the heat of climax in your core, Timothée pulled away. You whined at the absence of his hand. He flashed a wry smile and licked his fingers. He pressed himself against you and pulled your chin up for a kiss. Then, he backed you up against the bed so your knees buckled, forcing you to lay back. He separated your legs with his body and dipped down onto his knees. You knew what was about to happen, but you were still not prepared for the overwhelming sensation of his warm tongue separating your folds. You involuntarily bucked up into his face. In return, his hands snaked to your hips to pin them down. You moaned and struggled against his grip as the coil inside your belly tightened and tightened. But yet again, he stopped before you could reach your climax.

Timothée reached for the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out a condom. Once sheathed, he picked you up and pulled you further back onto the bed. He hovered briefly, staring into your eyes. "I never thought I would get to have this - have you - again."

"Take me," you breathed. "Please. I'm yours." Maintaining eye contact, he lined himself up and gently pushed in until he filled you completely. You both stilled, reveling in the closeness and allowing you a moment to adjust and accommodate his length. He began to work his hips, rutting up against you. The coil inside you quickly constricted again when he reached between you to rub your sensitive bud until you were finally overcome. Your walls clenched around him as you clung to him with all of your limbs, gasping his name.

After you caught your breath, you cupped his face in your hands and guided him down to kiss you. He continued to slowly grind against you, trying to postpone its inevitable end. You loosened your grip so he could pull back and gaze into your eyes.

"Timothée, I love you," you whispered as you stared into his emerald orbs.

He came undone at your confession.

<><><><><>

Chapter 10

Masterlist

Tag List:

@croatianprincess, @bluizh, @jindongdongie

Still Here (Chapter 10)

Summary: Picks up after your steamy confession that you love Timothée in return.

C/W: NSFW-ish beginning (minors DNI); parent with terminal illness

Catch up on previous chapters here.

Timothée trembled on top of you, barely able to support his weight on his elbows as he came down from the high of his climax.

"You do?" he asked, his tone revealing an air of disbelief.

"Yes. I've known with certainty since the day we went to the lake. I thought I had pushed those feelings aside a long time ago, but obviously the embers never died. I've just been too scared to say it, like that would somehow save me from heartbreak if you change your mind."

He rolled to your side and propped his head up on his hand so he could still look at you. "I haven't changed my mind in 12 years, [Y/N]." He traced your jawline lightly with his fingertips. "Believe me, I have tried many times over the years to convince myself otherwise. You're stuck with me."

"Promise?"

Timothée nodded, nuzzling his nose against your ear. "Can I hear you say it again?" he whispered.

"I love you, Timmy."

His lips crashed down onto yours in response. His free hand landed on your hip, his fingers making indentations in your flesh as he pulled your body to press up against his. This ebb and flow of passion continued throughout the night. When the two of you were finally spent, Timothée clung to you in his sleep as if he were afraid you would disappear.

You stirred when a ray of light from the window hit your face. Waking up next to Timothée after a night of lovemaking was something you had yet to experience. As teens, you were never afforded the opportunity. You took advantage of the chance to take in the features of his peaceful face. In many ways he looked just like he did all of those years ago. The same recognizable jawline, sharp nose, and mop of dark curly hair. But there were subtle differences that you found yourself falling in love with. Laugh lines. Crow's feet. A tiny scar next to his nose. You wondered what story was behind that and made a mental note to ask him later. You found yourself hoping that you would get to stare at this face for the rest of your life.

Your thoughts were interrupted as Timothée began to stir. His eyelids fluttered open, and he smiled as his eyes focused on you.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said, his voice still thick and gravelly with sleep. He pulled you in for a quick kiss.

"Morning." You smiled and sighed.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

You gently shrugged. "I wish I could give you back all the years I wasted."

"Everything happens for a reason, love. The past is the past. What we can do, though, is have fun making up for lost time." He gave you a suggestive look and squeezed your thigh. He acted like he was about to lean in for another kiss, but stopped just short of your lips. "But first, breakfast."

You took in the view as Timothée threw off the blanket and walked naked to the kitchen. You wouldn't mind seeing that for the rest of your life, either.

<><><><><>

After enjoying breakfast in bed, the two of you got dressed and Timothée drove you back to your parents' house. Needing to get back to check on his dad and work in his shop, he dropped you off in front of the house.

Before you got out, he asked, "Hey, why don't you and Madison come over for dinner this evening? Dad would love to see you again and meet Madison. And it would mean a lot to me."

You paused to think through your calendar. "Sure, we can do that. Text me later about the time and what I can bring." You kissed him on the cheek and hopped out of the truck.

Madison was sitting on the couch in the living room when you walked inside. She crossed her arms and glared at you. "Where have you been?"

You found the juxtaposed roles amusing, but tried your best not to show it. "We watched a movie at Timothée's house and fell asleep." Not exactly a lie, but she didn't need the full truth, either. Madison narrowed her eyes at you, but she was satisfied enough with the answer to return to her book.

Your mother watched the entire exchange and covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. You walked past her to the kitchen with a knowing smile on your face. She followed you and asked, "Sooooo, how was your night?"

"Well, like I said, we watched a movie at his place and fell asleep." You laughed nervously and blushed.

"Mm-hmm. I wasn't born yesterday, child."

"It was....good. Really, really good."

She smiled. "Good. You needed to get some."

You scoffed. "Mom!"

"What?! Like I said, I wasn't born yesterday. I called it as soon as he said y'all were going to his place instead of out for dinner." She grinned.

"ANYWAY. Timothée invited Madison and me over to his dad's house for dinner tonight," you interjected, trying to change the subject.

"Must be getting pretty serious if he's bringing y'all home to meet the family," she quipped.

"It's not like I've never met Mr. Chalamet before," you replied insolently.

"Perhaps. But Madison hasn't."

You opened your mouth to rebut, but quickly shut your jaw with a click. She was right, though the realization did not come as a shock. "You're stuck with me" resonated in your head. Timothée was all in at this point. You ducked your head and smiled.

<><><><><>

You returned to the Chalamet's property later that evening with a bottle of wine in hand and daughter close behind you. Timothée met you at your car to give you a chaste kiss and Madison a hug. "Come on inside," he said as he guided the two of you up to the porch.

Mr. Chalamet was waiting at the front door with open arms. "[Y/N]! So good to see you again," he exclaimed as he closed the hug. "And who is this?" He looked at the girl who had half-hidden herself behind Timothée's leg.

You stepped back from the hug and waved her over. "Madison, come meet Mr. Chalamet." You heard him gasp slightly as your daughter revealed herself.

"She looks just like you did as a girl."

"That's exactly what I said the first time I saw her, too," Timothée agreed, setting a hand on Madison's shoulder in reassurance.

She looked up at you in disbelief. "Is there anyone in this town who didn't know you as a kid?" All of you laughed.

Unable to stand for long, Mr. Chalamet returned to his armchair in the living room. You accompanied him and caught him up on the highlights of your time in California while Timothée stepped away to put the finishing touches on dinner. Once Madison helped him set the table and bring out the food, the four of you took your places. Soon you were all reminiscing and laughing at the stories Mr. Chalamet told of Timothée as a boy. You could tell, though, that he was getting tired by the time dessert was served. You and Madison cleared the table while Timothée helped him back to his armchair, then joined them in the living room.

You knelt down in front of him and held his hand. "This has been lovely, Mr. Chalamet. Thank you for having us over."

"Oh, sweet girl. I'm so glad you are back." He nodded past you at Madison, who now stood by Timothée. "You've done a good job with her, my dear. Timothée talks about her all the time."

"Oh, she makes it easy." He gave you a soft smile.

"Will we be seeing more of the two of you, [Y/N]?

You looked at Timothée and smiled before looking back at his dad. "I hope so." You sandwiched Mr. Chalamet's hand between yours and squeezed before standing to leave. Madison shyly waved at him and followed you out the door. Timothée walked the two of you to your car and opened the door for Madison. Before he opened yours, he leaned down to give you a kiss.

"Thank you for this," he said quietly.

"He...seemed to be in good spirits."

"Today was a good day. Those seem to be happening less frequently. He rallied because he wanted to see you two."

You reached up and cupped his cheek. "I see now why you said this would mean a lot to you. I didn't realize he was so..." You were at a loss for words.

"Sick? Yeah. I know it may have seemed a bit premature for this, but I wanted to have, uh..." He looked up at the sky and cleared his throat to will the tears away.

"A family dinner?" you guessed.

Timothée looked down at you and nodded. "I know this is fast and you wanted to take things slowly, but there may not be time and I didn't want to lose the chance to be surrounded by the most important people in my life, those still with us at least. I can't explain just how badly I wanted my dad to meet Madison, especially. I know she's not mine, but I...I love her so much already."

"I know." You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him to you. He rested his head in the crook of your neck and cried.

<><><><><>

Chapter 11

Masterlist

Tag List: @croatianprincess, @bluizh, @jindongdongie, @groovyqueer

Work in Progress Wednesday:

"My Little Cocoa Bean" Series: Ben takes the fall for Charlie, or at least attempts to. Mom reader and Willy know better. I'm stuck on the exact scenario, so I welcome ideas in the comments or my inbox!

"Still Here" Series: Chapter 11 - Madison starts school and they find a new normal...for a bit.

Anon ask for reader fainting and TC scolds her. Small tif ensues.

Masterlist

Still Here (Chapter 11)

Summary: Madison starts school, you find a job, and your family finds a new normal until Timothée calls you with bad news. You and Madison help him through his loss.

C/W: Death, funeral of a parent/grandparent

Catch up on previous chapters here.

Time flew by after that night as you and your family (including Timothée) found your new normal. Madison started school again and quickly acclimated to her new surroundings. She joined gardening and ukulele clubs and thrived socially and academically.

You stumbled upon a part-time job at the library as a grant writer. You visited frequently to get out of the house and use the wi-fi for job hunting (AKA away from your mother reading over your shoulder). One day, you spotted a flyer on their bulletin board and inquired. They needed help finding funding for more youth and adult programs, and you needed a job and enjoyed writing. It was also flexible enough that you could be available for Madison's school functions. Win-win.

In your excitement, you rushed over to Timothée's place. He stepped out of his workshop at the sound of wheels crunching the gravel. A broad grin painted his face when he saw you get out of the car.

"Hey, baby!" he called as he walked up to you. "This is an unusual time for a visit. Not that I'm complaining, of course." He gave you a quick peck of a kiss.

You set your hands on his shoulders. "Remember that night we were fighting about me leaving for school, and I said I have a lot to offer the world and can't do that from here?"

Timothée paled as his smile dropped, unsure what you were about to say next. "Yeah...?"

"I still have a lot to offer the world, but I finally figured out I can do that from here. For here." You clasped your hands and clapped as you jumped up and down slightly. "I got a job at the library as a grant writer!"

It took a brief moment for Timothée to catch up to what you were saying before he joined you in your excitement. "That's fantastic, babe!" He wrapped you in a nearly crushing hug and spun you around. You beamed up at him when he set you back down.

"It's wonderful to see you so happy," he added as he looked down into your eyes.

"I am happy. The happiest I have been in nearly a decade."

<><><><><>

Things were looking up as you got into the groove of your new job. You and Timothée fell into a rhythm of alternating family dinners with your respective parents and date nights for just the two of you. He was also very intentional about making time to hang out with Madison. Once they discovered their shared love of bowling after he introduced her to the sport, it became their "thing" every Tuesday evening, along with dinner at the diner...

...until the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

It was odd for Timothée to call or text you during the work day. He was very respectful of giving you space to concentrate on your writing and didn't want to be a distraction. You answered immediately, knowing it must be important.

"Hey, Timmy, what's up?"

You heard him sniffle on the other end of the line. "My dad, he-" He couldn't finish before he was overtaken by sobs, but you knew what we has trying to say. You gasped slightly.

"Timmy, where are you?"

"H-home."

"Stay put. I will be right there." You packed up your things and told your boss you were leaving. You sped to the Chalamet's and went to Timothée's house first. It was dark inside, but that didn't prevent you from banging on the locked door. You were met with silence. Next, you ran over to his dad's house. Thankfully the door was unlocked, allowing you to quietly enter. You found Timothée in the living room curled up in his dad's favorite armchair. You sat on your knees in front of him and buried your fingers in his dark curls.

"Oh, Timmy..."

He looked at you, but his eyes were blank. His voice sounded so tiny as he explained, "Dad was tired, so he went to take a nap when I went out to the workshop. Not abnormal these days. But when I came back to check on him..." He interrupted himself by trying to clear the lump in his throat.

You looked up toward the bedrooms. "Is he..."

Timothée shook his head. "No, uh, he's not here. I called 9-1-1, just in case, but he was gone. The funeral home where he had already made arrangements picked him up. [Y/N], he looked so...peaceful. I hadn't seem him not in pain in years. H-he got his w-wish to die at home in his sleep." His face contorted as he was riddled with sobs once more. You pulled his head to your chest and rubbed soothing circles on his back. Once he calmed back down to an all but catatonic state, you laid his head back down on the armrest and stepped away to call your mother to ask her to pick up Madison from school.

"You should go get Madison," he stated plainly when you returned.

"My mom can go pick her up. I am not leaving you here alone, love."

"Alone," he repeated with a slightly terrified and downcast look.

"Hey now," you responded in a soothing tone as you sank back down to your knees. "Even in the moments when you may be physically by yourself, you are not alone, Timothée Hal Chalamet." You made sure his eyes connected with yours before you continued. "You're stuck with me, remember? You have people who love you and will help you through this." You kissed his forehead before he pushed himself upright into a seated position.

"Thank you," Timothée replied solemnly, almost too quietly for you to even hear.

"I can either stay here tonight, or you can come to our place. Mom already offered."

He nodded, contemplating the options. "I don't want to be here right now, but I'm also not quite ready to leave yet, either."

"I understand. Take your time." You stood and squeezed his shoulder as you walked by to the kitchen. Doing the dishes and taking out the trash seemed like a helpful way to keep yourself occupied while he mentally prepared for next steps. After a while, he joined you in the kitchen. He hugged you from behind and rested his chin on your shoulder as you dried the last of the plates.

"Thank you for dropping everything for me."

You leaned your ahead away from his slightly so you could turn your neck to look at him. "It was an easy decision. You needed me. I am here."

"Dad likes...liked...you a lot, you know." You turned your body all the way around to look at Timothée, though you struggled to hide your tears. "And he was absolutely besotted with Madison. Thank you for all the times you brought her over here for dinner. He enjoyed spending time with both of you. I think...I think he even thought of her as a grandchild by the end." You gave him a warm half-smile and nodded in agreement. "Can we go see her now? It's Tuesday."

You looked at your watch. "She should be home now." You walked with Timothée to his house so he could grab some clothes. He usually wanted to take his truck when the two of you went anywhere, but he relented to letting you drive your car this time.

As expected, your mother was already back from the school. She met the two of you on the porch and embraced Timothée. "I'm so sorry, dear."

"Thank you, Mrs. [L/N]." He heard the screen door shut and looked up to see Madison standing by the porch swing, rubbing one arm with the opposite hand nervously. His face softened as he knelt down and held a hand out to her. Madison stepped forward and took it into her own.

"Hey, kiddo. I'm sorry that we can't go out like normal tonight."

"It's okay," the girl practically whispered. "Nana told me what happened." Her face crumpled as she started to cry. You stepped forward instinctually to comfort your daughter, but instead, she threw her arms around Timothée's neck. He quickly wrapped his arms around her in return. He looked up at you with fat tears welling in the corners of his eyes as he was overcome by a mix of emotions.

You placed a hand over your mouth to hold back your own surge of sobs at the display between your two loves. Your mother stepped to your side and draped her arm around your shoulders. Madison had not yet had to face the pain of losing a grandparent, and while he wasn't one by blood, she had grown close to Mr. Chalamet. This was a hurt you could not shield her from.

Madison pulled away, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "I'm sorry. I got your shoulder wet."

Timothée's lip trembled. "Never apologize for tears, okay?" He cupped her small cheek in his hand and wiped a fresh tear away with his thumb. He pulled her in for another hug, this time for his own comfort.

<><><><><>

The funeral was held a few days later. Timothée walked into your living room in his black suit. Under other circumstances, you would have commented on how handsome he looked. Instead, you stood and straightened his tie. He grabbed your hand and pressed it against his chest.

"Please sit with me when we get there," he said softly. "Both of you."

You nodded. "I will, but I will give Madison a choice. This is the first funeral she has ever attended. Let me go talk to her."

You found her sitting outside on the porch swing in her black dress. "Hey, sweetheart. You doing okay?" you asked as you sat beside her. She just nodded. "Timothée asked us to sit with him at the funeral. He is going to sit on the front row, which is usually where immediate family sits. I want to give you a choice. There are going to be a lot of big emotions in the room."

"I want to be with Timothée. He needs us," she stated like it was the obvious - and only - option.

You kissed her forehead and pulled her to you. "My sweet girl. So selfless. If at any point you get too overwhelmed, you can go find Nana and Pawpaw. Okay?"

<><><><><>

It was a beautiful celebration of life. The townspeople showed up en masse to pay their respects at both the funeral home and graveside service. Madison was a trooper and stayed by Timothée's side the entire time until everyone else had left the cemetery.

You pulled Madison aside and started toward the truck to give Timothée a moment of privacy before the casket was lowered. She followed you hesitantly but lost her will to comply when she heard him start crying. She spun and ran back to him, gingerly slipping her hand into his as they both faced the casket. He looked down, first at their clasped hands and then at Madison's face.

"I didn't want you to be alone."

Tears spilled out of Timothée's eyes as he smiled. "Thanks, kiddo." He dipped down and picked her up for a hug. She clung to him like a baby koala. He stood like that for a moment, staring at his father's coffin over his almost-daughter's shoulder, silently thanking him for showing him how to be a good dad.

<><><><><>

Chapter 12

Masterlist

Tag List:

@croatianprincess

@bluizh

@jindongdongie

@groovyqueer

Still Here (Chapter 12)

Summary: Timothée spends Christmas with you and your family. A happier chapter than the last two.

C/W: Brief mention of parent's death

Catch up on previous chapters here.

Both you and your mother insisted that Timothée come over and spend the night on Christmas Eve so he would not wake up alone Christmas Day. It had only been three weeks since his father passed, and you knew the holiday was going to be hard for him.

Timothée showed up as you and Madison were making cookies in the kitchen. Long past the days of knocking, he let himself in. "Where are my favorite girls?" he called out in a sing-song voice as he made his way through the house. "Aha! Found you!" he shouted when he popped his head into the doorway, sending Madison into a fit of giggles.

He gave her a side hug and a kiss on the top of her head, then walked around to your side of the island counter. "You, uh, got a little something right...there," he said as he swiped the dot of flour on your nose with his index finger.

"Oh yeah?" You grabbed his face with your flour-coated hands and pulled him in for a kiss. "You have something - there," you snickered as you gestured to his entire face. Madison's laughter continued to fill the air.

"And what are you laughing at, missy?" You turned to her. "Seems like you are the only one with no flour on them. I think we should fix that, Timmy."

Timothée grinned ear to ear. "Seems only fair." You each grabbed a handful of flour and playfully stalked toward her. It turned into a messy game of tag as you all chased each other around the kitchen island.

You skidded to a stop when you spotted your mother standing in the kitchen doorway. She stood with her hands on her hips, just shaking her head.

"Oh, uh, hey Mom."

"We'll get this cleaned up, Mrs. [Y/N]," Timothée added, ducking his head in embarrassment.

"Where's the fun in that?" She quick-stepped to the flour jar to grab a handful herself and dumped it on your head.

Madison gasped, "Nana!"

"What? She was the cleanest of all of you. Figured she needed to be brought down a peg or two." She looked at you and winked.

You narrowed your eyes playfully. "By that logic, you're next!" You and your mom stalked each other around the island until until you caught her in a big hug and patted flour all over her back. You both could barely breathe from laughing so hard. The two of you had gotten much closer since you moved back in, and after Timothée lost his dad, you were determined to make the most of the time you had left with your parents.

<><><><><>

After you got yourselves and the kitchen cleaned up, it was time for Madison to get ready for bed. She came prancing out of her room in her footie pajamas to give goodnight hugs to her grandparents. She stopped at Timothée.

"Will you be here in the morning?" she asked.

"Of course! There's no place I'd rather be."

The girl smiled. "Good." She hugged him and headed toward her room. You started to follow when she turned back. "Can Timothée come, too?"

You looked at him and shrugged. "If he wants to." You held out your hand to help him up from the couch, knowing he wouldn't turn her down. He was wrapped around her little finger.

The two of you followed Madison to her room and flanked each side of her bed. You tucked her in as Timothée sat on the edge of the bed. She held out her arms for one more hug from each of you, to which you gladly obliged.

"Now, you better go to sleep or Santa won't bring your presents," Timothée said cheekily.

"Silly. Santa's not real," she stated.

He faked a gasp and pulled a horrified face. "He's not?! Hmm, I guess that means I can have the cookies you left out for him."

Her hand shot out from under the covers. "NO! No. Please don't, just in case I'm wrong."

"Uh huh, that's what I thought," he said as he booped her nose. "Good night, kiddo." He leaned down for one more hug, then stepped out of the room. You kissed her forehead, turned off her lamp, and followed suit.

You spotted Timothée at the end of the hallway where apparently your mother had sneakily hung some mistletoe while the two of you were occupied. He pointed upward and smiled at you. "Join me under the mistletoe?" You sauntered up to him, not expecting him to spin and dip you before kissing you yearningly. "Our first Christmas together. Again."

"Merry Christmas, love," you replied as he stood you upright again and nuzzled his nose against yours.

<><><><><>

The next morning, Timothée sat next to you on the floor by the couch, coffee in hand, taking in the scene as Madison dove into her stocking and the first of her presents. He leaned over and whispered to you, "I never quite understood why my parents got so excited about Christmas morning, even more excited than me, until now. All that joy on her little face. It's addicting." You squeezed his hand and leaned your head on his shoulder.

After a bit, once everyone had opened at least one gift, Timothée brought out a package that he had been hiding behind the couch and set it in front of the girl. "Don't try to pick it up. It's heavy. This one...," he paused to clear his throat, "is from my dad." She looked at him, then you, puzzled. "He was going through some boxes in the shed a couple of months ago and came across something of mine from when I was a boy that he thought you might like to have. He...he asked me to set it aside for Christmas."

Madison gingerly opened the wrapping paper to find a round brown leather bag.

"Go on, unzip it," Timothée encouraged her. She slowly unzipped the bag to reveal a blue bowling ball. "You'll need to grow into it a little, but it's yours if you want it."

Madison's lip wobbled as she wiped her tears with her sleeve. "This...this is perfect." She launched herself into Timothée's lap for a hug. When she pulled away, her face lit up as she looked at you. "Mom, help me find my present for Timothée! Please!"

"That's okay, kiddo, it can wait until we get down to it."

"No, it can't. You'll see." You and she dug through the piles of presents until she spotted what she was looking for - a rectangular present haphazardly wrapped in shiny blue paper and three different colored bows on top.

"I wrapped it myself," she said proudly.

Timothée carefully slid his finger under an edge of the paper in an effort not to rip it. Once he opened one side, he gently slid the gift out. It was a picture of him and Madison together at the bowling alley in a frame that she decorated herself. On the back was a short, handwritten note:

Dear Timothée,

I'm glad we found you at the grocery store. Merry Christmas!

Love, Maddy

Timothée wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I love it, and I love you, too, kiddo." He pulled her in for a hug and buried his nose in her hair. "So, so much."

<><><><><>

Chapter 13

FYI: I am expecting for Chapter 13 to be the last one.

Masterlist

Tag List: @croatianprincess, @bluizh, @jindongdongie, @groovyqueer