izzystradlinslover

[izzystradlinslover]

guys can we use tags correctly.. i don’t wanna see johnny cade when im on the dallas winston tag im here to goon get that fucker off my screen 💔

[izzystradlinslover]

no one can ever make me hate him :3

[izzystradlinslover]

I NEED A KENICKE WHERE HES WITH READER AND HES JUST BEING SUPER LOVEY DOVEY OUT OF NOWHERE IN FRONT OF FRIENDS (he’s a little tipsy) AND THE GUYS START MAKING FUN A LITTLE BIT AND ITS JS ADORABLE

𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐠𝐮𝐲 [𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐡 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫]

𝐚/𝐧- some more kenickie stuff bc y'all seem to rlly like it LMAO

The drive-in was surprisingly busy, and despite the movie being long since over, the sun dipping just below the horizon, nobody seemed in a rush to get home. You were perched on the hood of Kenickie’s car, his arm draped lazily around your shoulders as he traced lazy patterns against the fabric of your shirt. His face was buried in the crook of your neck, and you tried desperately to ignore the way his breath fanned across your skin, his lips brushing soft kisses along your jawline. 

It was becoming increasingly more difficult to focus on the conversation going on around you, and you’d instead settled for brief nods or hums whenever you deemed necessary. It was rare for him to be this affectionate; sure, he could be touchy, but that was nothing compared to this. He was being sweet and quiet, something entirely out of character for him, although you could probably chalk it up to the few beers he'd downed at some point during the movie. 

Your hand came up to thread through his hair as his lips trailed lower, and you shifted slightly, a gentle reminder of where exactly you were. He made a low, dissatisfied noise, pulling back so that his chin merely rested on your shoulder, his eyes half-lidded as he returned to the conversation, only half listening.

"What'd you say, Zuko?" He mumbles, and you bite your lip to keep yourself from smiling as everyone turns to look at the two of you, taking in your more than cosy state, Kenickie hanging off of you without a care in the world.

Danny raises a brow, crossing his arms over his chest. "You'd know if you were listening." His tone is teasing, and the other guys all break out into hushed snickers, elbowing each other knowingly. 

"Yeah, what's the matter, Kenickie? Can't keep your hands to yourself now?" Sonny grins, and Kenickie shoots him a glare that silences the group immediately.

"Nah, just can't stand to listen to you dorks." He pulls you closer, and you shake your head softly, batting away his hand as it begins to make its way beneath your shirt, the action causing him to huff quietly. "You're just all jealous that I can keep my girl happy." He nuzzles against your neck again, earning another round of laughs and little digs, all of which he shoots down with a sharp. "Shut your traps."

"Kenickie..." you murmur, your fingers tracing absentminded circles on his bare arm. "Be nice." The way you say it is as if you're talking to a child, a light smile playing about your lips, and his expression instantly softens into a dopey grin, leaning his forehead on yours.

"Come on, baby... I am bein' nice." There’s something in his voice that causes you to pause; the sheer adoration laced in his tone makes your breath catch and your face grow warm. He reaches up to trace your jaw gently before moving forward, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. "Let's get outta here. Please?" 

It doesn't take too much convincing for you to agree, although you don't exactly trust his driving abilities with the state he's in, but he refuses to even let you sit behind the wheel, let alone drive. So instead, you end up sitting in the passenger seat, your seat, his hand resting on your knee as the car rumbles to life, drowning out the digs from the guys about Kenickie "growing soft," the comments only earning an eyeroll from your boyfriend in response. 

"Damn idiots..." He grumbles, pulling out of the space you're parked in, purposefully kicking up dust as he goes, and you chuckle fondly.

"You love them." He glances sideways at you briefly, and although he doesn't answer you, the smile on his face says enough, and that maybe, just maybe, there is some truth behind your words. 

[izzystradlinslover]

better left unsaid - dallas winston x reader

it's valentine's day, and reader finds something she shouldn't have in dally's room.

wc: 959

warnings: none just fluff <3

it's not like you had any crazy expectations for what dallas winston had in mind for valentine's day. sure, you spent all your time with each other. you'd gotten real close, in every sense of that word. but he would avoid that commitment conversation like the plague, so you weren't exactly expecting a declaration of love or a bouquet of roses.

but flat out acting like the holiday didn't exist? that was just too far.

the two of you had just left buck's after you'd spent the afternoon doing homework on his bed while he sat around bothering you. like every friday night, dally had stolen the thunderbird to take you to the nightly double. but this was just a routine occurrence, of course. not like he would ever believe in such a mushy holiday.

still, you'd hoped for something - a box of chocolate, some grocery store flowers, maybe a card. you try to take your mind off it as dally puts his foot on the gas, fiddling with his pockets haphazardly.

suddenly, his face scrunches up in frustration and he grumbles, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as he cuts the gas. 

"hey. do me a favor, will ya? grab my smokes from my desk. top drawer on the left." 

you roll your eyes but go back anyway. his room is the usual mess - clothes draped over the chair, a couple beer bottles on the windowsill, your textbooks and notes spread out on the bed. you yank the drawer open, already expecting to have to dig past god-knows-what to find the cigarettes.

instead, you find a stack of papers shoved carelessly to the side.

you don't mean to snoop, but something about them seems out of the ordinary. it's not like he's the type to be keeping a diary, but these aren't just receipts or homework. as you take a closer look, you see they're notebook pages crumpled at the edges, ripped out hastily, the ink a bit smudged and messy. 

then you see the date at the top of the first one. an entry from over a year ago. you hesitate for a moment, knowing this must be personal. a flicker of guilt runs through you, but you can't help paging through the headers on the first couple of slips. you swear you can make out your name somewhere between the lines, and against your better judgment, you start reading.

november 5th, 1963

she fell asleep on my shoulder at the drive-in today. she really needs to stop doing that. swear i almost decked steve in his face for laughing at it, but i knew she'd hate if i did it. it's funny, she fucking mumbles in her sleep. i swear she said my name a couple times under her breath. i acted like i didn't hear it but i can't stop thinking about it.

january 17th, 1964

she had to babysit pony today and she dragged me along to keep her company. i was supposed to do a run for buck, but i'll have to figure that out later. it's funny, she was real apologetic about it, like i'm ever gonna be mad that i have to spend time with her.

april 28th, 1964

we were watching some stupid rerun in her living room and i guess i must've been exhausted. she started running her fingers through my hair all sweet like she always does, messing it up. didn't have the energy to tell her to knock it off. next thing i know i wake up laying down on her side. she says i knocked out. whatever.

august 12th, 1964

buck decided to go sticking his nose where he doesn't belong last night… asking me about her. why i won't make it official? make what official? i come to her window every damn night. she lays on my shoulder and tells me all her secrets. not like i let anyone else make me act that way. that's official enough for me, far as i'm concerned.

november 1st, 1964

i swear she did something different with her hair today, or maybe her makeup or something, or her outfit. whatever it was. i just couldn't stop staring at her. she's so pretty it makes me forget what i'm thinking when i look at her…christ, i'm sounding like a fucking sap. if buck ever found this, i would have to kill him.

december 9th, 1964

i found her crying today when i walked in. i wanted to hug her or something, kiss her on the forehead and make everything better. i didn't. just sat there smoking by her side until she stopped, let her get everything off her chest. then she had the nerve to say 'thank you dal,' like i did anything special. i have no idea what the hell she sees in me.

january 28th, 1965

glory, she's got the worst taste in music. i told her that today and she threw a fucking pillow at me. truth is i would listen to the beatles for the rest of my goddamn life if it meant she let me lay in her bed and listen to her sing along. it's cute.

february 3rd, 1965

if she finds these i'm gonna have to tell her it's for an english assignment or something. no, never mind. even she wouldn't believe that. man, i'm fucked.

you reach the last entry in the pile, this one laid out nicely with neater handwriting, on a fresh sheet of paper:

february 14th, 1965

if you find this, happy valentine's day. figured there's no point in keeping these a secret. i'm sorry i'm not better at saying it. you should know i'm not much for words. but i mean everything i wrote, doll, swear.

a.n. writing this made my heart all warm and fuzzy haha happy (late) valentine's day guys!!! hope you like it!

[izzystradlinslover]

Could you do a cute little fic about Steve keeping pictures of yn in his wallet and yn sees them and gets all embarrassed and Steve teases her while trying to get her to quit being so self-conscious

an: Ah! This is such a cute idea!!! To the person who requested the ed fic: I'm so glad you liked it! Your message literally made my day when I saw it! Ily 💕

W: reader is insecure for a second. 60's pricing, fem compliments (pretty), idk

Steve Has Your Picture in His Wallet

Steve Randle x Reader

The Dingo is always loud. A place frequented by so many teenagers can't be expected to be anything but. It's usually a bit overwhelming, so you were hesitant when Steve told you that he was planning on taking you there for a date, but he told you that it would be fine, after all, it was a Tuesday afternoon! How busy could it be?

"Jesus." Steve mumbles after he opens the door for you and sees the inside of the Dingo. It is definitely loud and it is definitely busy.

"Is someone throwing a party? What's going on?" Steve looks around to see if there's a place to sit.

"Steve," you practically have to yell over the noise, "do we have to eat here?"

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't think it would be very busy. Let's go to that burger place you like down the street, that okay?" He looks down at you and grabs your hand.

"Yeah. It's not your fault, hun. I appreciate you wanting to take me out."

He brings your hand up to his lips and gently kisses it, making you giggle. He smiles at you then leads you out of the diner. The pair of you walk for a few minutes until you reach the restaurant. He holds the door for you and you walk inside, he follows. You sigh peacefully as you enter the much more calm environment. This place is way better. It's not nearly as busy, it's more quiet, the lights aren't so yellow, and there's a soft hum from the heater. You pull Steve along with you to the counter. You order your burger, fries, and a drink, then get out your wallet to pay. Steve puts his hand out to stop you.

"I've got it." He says.

"Are you sure?" You ask, surprised.

He nods and smirks. "Don't sound so surprised, I ain't completely broke." He then turns his attention to the cashier and orders. He takes out his small leather wallet when the cashier reads out the total. $1.05.

Steve opens his wallet, gets out the money, and hands it to the cashier. While doing so, something small and thin falls out of his wallet and drifts down to the ground. You pick it up for him and turn over the little paper to see what it is.

Your cheeks get hot and your eyes widen when you see that it's a picture of you.

"Why do you have this?" You ask, staring at the picture. This picture isn't even that good, you think, this is so embarrassing.

Steve looks over to see what you're holding, then he smirks again. "Cause you look real pretty in it." He wraps his arm around your shoulders and leads you to a booth.

"No I don't. That's a bad picture. I look weird." You tell him. The two of you find a booth and sit down. He looks at you with a puzzled expression then grabs the picture out of your hands and looks at it. "Looks like a good picture to me, babe. You looks beautiful."

You can't stop yourself from blushing more. You shake your head. "It's a bad picture."

He sighs. "Well, I like this one just fine, but if you want to get me a new one, I'm wouldn't be against that."

"You don't need a picture of me in your wallet." You try to say in a casual and not insecure way.

"Yes I do. I want to see your pretty face as often as I can. I look at this all the time when I'm at work." He smiles then puts the picture back in his wallet.

You can't stop the slight smile that creeps onto your face, but you still feel embarrassed and, honestly, a bit insecure. Though your boyfriend's comments do make you feel a little better.

"What's wrong? You really don't like me having a picture of you, baby?" He puts his forearms on the table and leans towards you.

"I- Do you really think I look pretty in it?" You ask shyly.

Steve reaches out of lightly touches your cheek. "You always look pretty, so yes." He smiles.

You look up at him, you pause before you speak. "Could you get a more recent and better one?" You ask hesitantly.

"Yeah, if you want me to. You gonna give me one, baby?"

"I can. My friend has a Polaroid camera."

He moves his hand from your cheek and holds your hand. "I'll be looking forward to it then."

You smile warmly. The little bit of embarrassment you're feeling is being overpowered by so many other things. You also feel weirdly honored and you feel cherished. Steve keeping your picture in his wallet really makes you feel like he loves you. Although you're aware that it's corny, you're planning on writing something cute on the back of the new picture for him. "For my love" or "I'll always love you" or something like that.

A few days later, you deliver the picture go Steve and he could not be more happy. He's completely overjoyed, and when he sees your little message on the back– he might just melt. It's safe to say he will cherish that picture for a long, long time.

An: Yall I did not know how to end this. Word count: 880 Hopefully you guys like it 💕

[izzystradlinslover]

Hiiii! If you'd like could you do a dallas x reader who got all dolled up for him in a nice dress and makeup and gets a little shy from his reaction. Thank you!

𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 [dallas winston x reader]

𝐚/𝐧 : kinda soft dallas?

The creak of the bathroom door cut through the silence, the hinges squealing in protest as you stepped out, your arms wrapped around your middle, shielding yourself from the chill in the air and your own insecurities.

It wasn’t that you didn’t feel good in the dress; you did; you felt the prettiest you had in a long time, with your hair curled and your make-up done just right. It was moreso the fact that the fabric hugged your figure a little too tight, and while you had no reason to be self-conscious, you couldn’t help the doubt eating away at you. 

At the sound of you entering, Dallas looks up from where he's sat on your bed, lounging against the headboard, a cigarette dangling from between his lips. His eyes flick lazily over your body, and a smirk tugs at the corners of his lips as he pulls the half-burnt cigarette from his mouth, stubbing it out in the ashtray on your window sill. 

“Lookin' good, doll,” he croons, and as much as you want to believe him, there's still a sense of uncertainty in the back of your mind. You glance back down at yourself once again, not entirely convinced by his words. 

You want to believe him, but you’ve never been great when it comes to receiving compliments, and the look in his eyes, the way they sparkle with admiration, has your face flushed a soft shade of pink. 

“I don’t know,” you murmur, running your hands over the bare skin of your arms, goosebumps trailing across your flesh as you do so. “Do you think it’s too much?” 

Dallas stares at you for a moment, a deafening silence following your question, until he breaks it a few seconds later with a scoff. “Nah. You look perfect, sweetheart.” 

He moves so that he’s sitting on the edge of the mattress, reaching out and pulling you closer until you’re standing between his knees. One hand rests on your hip, the cool metal of his rings pressing against your skin through the dress, while the other comes up to pull your arms away from where they’re shielding your middle.

“You don’t gotta hide from me.” His voice is rough from the smoke, and he glances up at you with dark, hooded eyes. “You look gorgeous, baby.”

Your cheeks burn hot as he leans forward, lips brushing against your stomach through the fabric of the dress. Slowly, he worked his way up, his eyes never leaving yours, until he reached your collarbone. He lingers there, fingers gently ghosting up your sides, at you cup the back of his neck, unable to contain the smile that graces your features. 

“Stop it…” You laugh a little, and he gives a teasing smirk. He presses one last kiss to your shoulder before he releases you, standing with a stretch. 

“Alright. But I’m expectin’ a proper look later.”

You roll your eyes in fond exasperation, turning away from his roaming eyes to head to the door. “Whatever you say, Casanova,” you mutter, grabbing the handle and swinging the door open. You glance at him over your shoulder, raising a brow. “Come on. This milkshake isn't going to buy itself.”

Dallas chuckles lightly behind you, grabbing his jacket and trailing after you. “I’m sure, doll.” His arm finds its way around your shoulders, and you lean into him instinctively, allowing the familiar scent of cigarettes, leather, and cologne to surround you.

[izzystradlinslover]

can you please do Tim and Curtis sister reader angst where her brothers catch him in her room and they don’t accept it but reader isn’t gonna let go, love your writing btw it’s amazing

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭

[𝐭𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐱 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬 !𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫]

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 - your brother doesn't seem to approve of your relationship, but you find that Tim makes it worth the risk of getting in trouble 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 - 1.5k

It was late evening, the only light filling the room coming from the street lamp outside, the dim glow seeping in through the crack in your curtains. The house was relatively quiet, the only sounds being the gentle hum of the fridge in the kitchen and the dull chatter of your brothers drifting down the hall and towards your closed door. 

Beside you sat Tim Shepard, lounging back against your headboard, your head resting in his lap. He was flipping idly through one of your old magazines, the turning of pages soothing your mind as he absentmindedly stroked your hair with his free hand, nails scratching along your scalp. It had become a routine for the both of you—you'd sneak Tim in through your window whilst your brothers were busy in the kitchen or still out at work, and he would settle himself on top of your bed, the two of you simply laying together until the time inevitably came for him to leave again. 

It was a risky game, you knew that. If Darry caught you both in here, he’d flip, and that was the last thing you needed. So it was best to just stay silent and to talk in hushed whispers whenever they were home to avoid any unwanted attention. 

“I dunno why you bother with this crap,” Tim grumbles, holding up the magazine and tilting it a little as if the new angle will help him understand what the hell you find so interesting about the page. “I mean, this guy ain't even that good-lookin’.” 

You can't help but roll your eyes, reaching up and taking the magazine out of his hands, putting it back on your nightstand with a pointed glare. “You say that about every guy on every page.” 

Tim shrugs, shifting a little so that he can pull you closer, his hand not leaving your hair, fingers twirling through it absently, almost lazily. “Well I'm right, ain’t I? What’d you need all those pictures of average lookin’ guys for?” He’s teasing you now, his voice lilted slightly, but still gruff. It always is when he teases you, and sometimes he takes too much pleasure in making you flustered. It's just something you’ve come to accept, something you don’t mind playing along with.

Without speaking a word, you find yourself tilting your head up towards him, lips brushing his in a quick kiss, pulling back after a few moments with a wicked grin. Tim looks slightly startled, brows raised as he huffs a small laugh, the noise breathy and light and full of amusement. “Come on, baby. That ain't fair. I wasn't prepared.”

He pulls you close again, arms wrapping around you tightly, tugging you even closer until your pretty much sprawled across his lap. He keeps one hand resting on your lower back, his fingers splayed against the fabric of your shirt, steadying you just in case you go rolling of the side of the bed – the mattress isn’t exactly designed for two people after all – and the other comes up to grasp your face, tilting your head up and leaning in. The kiss is rough and a little messy, as most things between the two of you are, but there’s also a layer of sweetness to it, buried somewhere beneath everything else, a sort of tenderness that Tim very rarely shows even when it's just the two of you. 

The kiss lingers for some time, and you almost think it could last forever, when there's a harsh knock at the door, the handle rattling loudly before it’s swung open, hitting the wall behind it with a soft thud.

 You both jump at the sudden noise, and Tim curses as he sits up abruptly, gaze shifting over to the doorway where Darry stands, towering above you, his expression as unreadable as ever. You know what he’s thinking, of course, because despite the fact that his face hasn't changed, there's something in his eyes that you recognise as burning anger, like a taut cord waiting to snap. 

 He stares down at the pair of you, eyes hardening as they narrow slightly, his gaze piercing. There’s a momentary silence where no one moves, nobody speaks, and you almost want to stop breathing, the sound too loud in your ears. But then Darry sighs, running a hand through his hair, a scowl plastered on his face.

“What're you doing in my sister’s room, Shepard.” It’s not a question. It’s a demand, one that leaves no room for any sort of argument, and it makes your stomach clench uncomfortably. Your brothers have never been particularly fond of Tim; they let him crash some nights, of course they do, but it doesn’t mean they like him. He’s a bad influence, no better than Dallas and the other violent hoodlums around town. He is the type of boy they warned you to stay away from… And here he is, in your bed. 

Tim’s jaw clenches, and the movement makes the scar across his face stand out more, an ugly reminder that he isn’t all nice and dandy like some of the other boys around Tulsa. He's rough around the edges, and a little bit wild, the kind of boy who gets into trouble with the law for fun. 

“Just hanging out,” Tim replies shortly, leaning back against your headboard with a coolness that you have to admire. He isn't scared of Darry, you realise, not in the least bit, not even intimidated by the way he’s looming over you both, imposing and a little terrifying. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, Curtis. Just a simple, friendly conversation between two people.” 

The tension in the room seems to increase, and you can see the muscles flexing in Darry’s jaw as he clenches it, nostrils flaring with irritation, but his voice remains scarily calm when he speaks. “There’s nothing friendly about the‘conversation’ I just saw. You might be able to lie, Shepard, but I’m not stupid.”

You bite your lip nervously, wishing silently that your boyfriend wasn’t such an arrogant bastard. He knew what he was doing, and while it might work on most people, it would never work on Darry. Still, that doesn’t stop him from trying.

“I ain't doing no harm here,” Tim insists, raising an eyebrow. His mouth is set in a tight line, though there’s a hint of a grin curling at the corners of his lips. 

Darry gives a heavy sigh, his eyes dropping briefly to the floor. When they come back up, there's another flash of annoyance there, the same fire burning bright and hot behind his dark irises. 

“You’re not welcome in here, Tim. I don’t want you anywhere near my sister. You’re a bad influence and that isn’t something she needs.” He doesn’t even wait before rounding on you. “And you should know better. Whatever this is between you two ends now.” 

His tone is cold, sharp, commanding, and it sends a shiver down your spine; it’s enough to make you flinch slightly, the air in the room turning frigid. 

“Darry… please,” you whisper.

He ignores your words completely, shaking his head sternly, directing his next words at the boy beside you. “I said it ends now. You’re gonna stay away from her from now on, you got me?” 

“Darry-” you start to protest, but he cuts you off once again.

“Do I make myself clear?” 

There’s nothing more you can say. Your body deflates, your shoulders slumping forward as you hang your head low, defeated, and you nod slowly. “Crystal,” you mumble quietly, your voice barely audible in the silence of the room, and your brother nods in satisfaction, before walking out of your room, his footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. 

Neither of you speak for a long time afterward, and once Tim is certain Darry is way out of earshot, he lets out a low groan, dragging a hand through his curls. “Man, this is bullshit…” he mutters, glancing at you with a frown. “So I’m just meant to leave now? Just like that. Everything’s over because your damn brother doesn’t like me?” 

He says the last part in an almost accusing tone, and although you wish Darry hadn't made such a scene – you don't understand why he'd be so angry about it – you also don't feel inclined to argue with him. Not right now anyway. 

So you give him a sad smile, reaching out to touch his cheek, your fingers trailing lightly over his skin. His frown deepens, but eventually, he leans into the touch. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow…” 

The words take a moment to process, but the second they do, Tim’s face morphs into a broad grin, is expression changing immediately. 

It’s a dangerous game, you know that. It’s absolutly fucking crazy, but...it's worth it.

It's worth being stupid, reckless and utterly mad, just to spend the night in Tim's arms, wrapped up together like this. To watch the lines of his face change, memorise every curve and line, every scar and mark that marres it.

It's all worth it. 

[izzystradlinslover]

Dump 🍒

[izzystradlinslover]

matt dillon baby hmu

[izzystradlinslover]

“hows your comfort character doing?”

my comfort character:

[izzystradlinslover]

[izzystradlinslover]

[izzystradlinslover]

[izzystradlinslover]

men piss me off so much. they could be cool SO EASILY. but most of them aren’t fucking cool. like just grow out your hair and dress like axl rose and bitches will be lining up at your door. but nooooo.

[izzystradlinslover]

you ever just cry ‘cause you didn’t get a chance to see your favorite band in their prime?

[izzystradlinslover]

Dear Lord, when I get to Heaven

Please, let me bring my man 🤍

[izzystradlinslover]

DIRT ROADS | Lester x Reader

rereading some of my old writing renewed my love for writing this scruffy man <3 this is also slightly self indulgent oops

LESTER SINCLAIR X GN!READER

SUMMARY: The coat he wore was rough and the necklace he wore dug slightly into your skin. But he felt warm and alive and you felt his laugh more then you actually heard it. It felt strangely magical and the mere thought of that baffled you. What about this situation was remotely magical?

The sound of the sputtering of your car engine made you groan, your forehead bumping against the steering wheel in quite frustration. Overhead, raindrops pattered harshly against the top of your car like small marbles and you heard the way your wheels dug into the muddy roads. This was not the place you wanted to get stuck in.

"I told you we'd get stuck out here!" Your friend Sadie huffed in exasperation, throwing her hands up in defeat. "If we had just turned back and asked for directions," She trailed off, shooting a pointed glare at the two guys in the backseat, "We wouldn't be in this mess!"

Robbie - Sadie's long-term boyfriend, though you weren't exactly sure why, seeing as they argued more often then not - just scoffed at his girlfriend's frustrations. "Look, let's just get out of the car and fuckin' push, alright?"

"Can't," You sighed as you lifted your head up. "The front wheels are trapped in the mud. Pushin' will just get us more stuck."

"Well what the fuck else are we supposed to do?" Robbie shouted before swinging the door open and stomping out into the pouring rain, uncaring of how his hair and clothes quickly became soaked.

When he did, his friend who sat beside him - Leon, you think was his name - quickly shuffled out to join him. Leon was nicer than Robbie but was a bit of a pushover. This camping trip the four of you planned was mostly Sadie's attempts to pair you up with Leon despite both of your resistances on the matter.

"Honestly," Sadie sighed, "That guy just can't take no for an answer."

You hummed, disinterested in her latest "Robbie Rant" as you'd taken to calling them. "I still think this whole camping thing is a bad idea. Even if we'll be in a cabin." You weren't exactly enthusiastic at the idea of listening to Sadie argue with her boyfriend for a long weekend while you sat awkwardly next to Leon.

"Don't be such a downer," Sadie said as she poked your cheek with a pointy, baby blue nail. "The rain'll pass, babe. It always does."

When you heard the sound of your car door open, a blast of cold air hitting your body, you turned your head and were met with a worried look on Robbie's face. "Hey, uh, there's... some dude over here." He gestured with a thumb, arms crossed over his chest to try and protect himself from the chilled rain. "He's, uh, offerin' to tow us to the nearest town."

You perked your head up. "Oh! Sure, okay, yeah." Frankly you were just relieved the four of you weren't going to have to camp out in the car or, god forbid, walk through the rain and dark foresty area in hopes of finding civilization.

"Yeah, I wouldn't get too excited." Robbie mumbled as you poked your head out to look behind your car. "Dude's kinda weird."

A scrawny looking man stood slumped against a silver truck chatting to Leon, seemingly unbothered by the rain. When he caught your eye, he tilted his green cap in greeting and gave you a wide gap toothed smile as he made his way towards you. Outwardly, you didn't see anything wrong with him. Maybe a little scruffy but nothing outwardly strange. "Hey there," He said with such a heavy southern drawl it made your eyes feel droopy, "Saw y'all got stuck. I might be able 't tow ya back to town. It ain't far, but you folks'll probably wanna ride with me. 'Case stuff gets too bumpy."

You considered his offer for a moment. The idea of shelter was too tempting to ignore, however... "That's awfully kind of you," You said slowly, watching his smile soften into something more genuine, "What's the catch?"

"Ain't no catch, honest." He said as he slid his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. Robbie gave him a weird look but you ignored it, keeping your focus on the stranger. "Jus' happened to be in the neighborhood on my way back home. Saw y'all broke down 'n figured I'd lend a hand."

Your shoulders dropped slightly. As in most situations, you had to trust your gut. And your gut said that you could trust him. So you held out your hand to shake his, introducing yourself. "How close is this town?"

"Jus' a few miles back down this road here 'n a few left turns." The stranger offered a hand to help you out of your car and you flinched at the sight of thick mud below you. "'m Lester, by the way. Lester Sinclair." He said, noticing your apprehension at the dirt. "Ain't one for mud?" He gave a light laugh.

"Not if I can help it," You sighed. It wouldn't normally bother you but you hadn't worn shoes you could afford to get dirty. The storm had caught you all by surprise.

Before you could step out, Lester gave you a nudge. "Here, put'cher arms 'round me."

You flushed and stared at him with wide, confused eyes. He just gave you a grin as he hooked your knees in the crook of his elbow. "I- You don't have to- I can-" You stammered out nervously. Sure, you didn't really want to get your shoes dirty, but Lester didn't have to carry you!

"Up we go!" Lester said with a dramatic flair, causing you to shriek in terror as you were lifted out up of your seat. You clung to him tight to avoid falling into the mud and he gave you a little spin, making you bury your face into his shoulder as you begged him not to drop you.

The coat he wore was rough and the necklace he wore dug slightly into your skin. But he felt warm and alive and you felt his laugh more then you actually heard it. It felt strangely magical and the mere thought of that baffled you. What about this situation was remotely magical?

"Hey, put 'em the fuck down!" Robbie said. You'd honestly forgot he was there for a moment. But he stepped towards you two like he intended to yank you from the other man's arms like a toddler wanting its toy back.

Lester shot him a look before glancing down at you, as though silently asking if Robbie was bothering you. Like Lester himself wasn't the stranger in the situation. "Alrighty then. Why don't you grab the girl so we can get on outta here?" He said before carrying you back towards his truck without looking back.

When you saw the truck, you understood why Robbie and Leon looked so anxious about going inside. You could see what looked to be small animal bones dangling like strings of beads woven together with feathers and rough strings. They all looked very homemade but pretty in their own way. At least to you they were.

What really caught your attention was the deer skull sitting on the dashboard as the pride of place. "You hunt?" You asked Lester as he walked around to the passenger side door.

He noticed you eyeing the deer skull and shrugged. "That depends."

"Depends?"

"Well I gotta impress you, don't I? Ain't every day I get to carry some pretty thing to my truck. Can't letcha think 'm a bad guy if I do hunt." He said casually before gesturing to the door handle. "Can you grab that?"

You opened the door and let him set you on the seat, his words not quite registering as you focused on the skull, fingers grazing it but not quite touching. "I think it's cool," You said with a quiet awe. "I like taxidermy, so bones don't put me off."

Lester seemed surprised by that. You could hear the sounds of Robbie and Sadie arguing again - likely because he wasn't offering to carry her like Lester had done for you - but you hardly cared with him looking at you like that. Like he was swooning.

"So y'ain't gonna be bothered by the roadkill I got in the back?" He asked, leaning against the car door as you admired the bones hung around the interior.

"Nope. Not even a little. Do you make these yourself?" You asked, fingers dancing lightly down a particularly pretty string of feathers and bones.

Lester swallowed and nodded, a little breathless when he spoke. "Yeah. Yeah. Make 'em myself, yeah." He sounded a little nervous, trying to hide his excitement at your genuine interest. "I'm, uh, I'm gonna get yer car set up for towin' 'n whatnot. You alright if I borrow your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend." You shrugged before focusing back on him. "Much less Robbie. He's kind of a douchebag."

"You don't have a boyfriend?" Lester looked genuinely shocked.

You laughed a little. "You sound like my parents." Your tone was light, teasing, and a sharp contrast to the sudden hurricane that was Sadie climbing into the backseat of the truck, arguing loudly with Robbie. As suspected, he had not want to carry her and she had to walk.

You and Lester shared an exhausted look before he stepped away to get the cables to tow your car. Meanwhile, you tucked into the front seat, admiring every knickknack and oddity you could see. It felt almost cozy. Lester likely spent a lot of time in here to warrant such a comfortable, familiar space. He'd mentioned roadkill in the back of the truck so you figured he drove around for long hours picking it up.

He was utterly fascinating. You'd never met anyone like him.

"Dude, this guy is a freak," Sadie whisper-yelled to be heard over the rain as she slammed her door. You left the your own door open to enjoy the cool air a bit longer after being stuck in a stuffy car for the past four hours. "His car's full of dead things!" She hissed at you.

"Doesn't bother me." You said absently, far too focused on the skull again. It was in beautiful condition, clearly well taken care of. If Lester did really hunt, you hoped it was humane. But you reassured yourself that he didn't seem like someone who hated animals.

Sadie scoffed as she slumped in the backseat. The anger from her argument with Robbie was starting to leak into your conversation with her and it pissed you off. But you held your tongue, knowing better than to push her. "Yeah, I'm sure you don't mind your new weirdo boyfriend and his freaky shit." She laughed with a mocking tone. "Must be nice to meet some random fucking guy on the side of the road and he's soooo perfect and thoughtful and carries you to his car. Definitely matches your freak."

You ignored her.

It didn't take long for the guys to finish attaching your car to the truck and everyone piled in the truck, Lester closing his door with a dramatic flair and giving you a smile. "Alrighty, lets head on back. Town's just a couple minutes away." He said, making sure to take wide turns to avoid scratching up the car too much.

"Is there a hotel in town there?" Sadie asked, fidgeting with a strand of her wet hair.

"Yeah, should be. The inn ain't get much business this far out here so there oughta be rooms." Lester said, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. "Where ya folks headed?"

When the three in the back said nothing, you spoke up after an awkward beat of silence. Just because your friends didn't like the dead things didn't mean Lester was a bad guy. "Headin' towards Arkansas. We've got a little cabin there that we want to stay at for a few days."

"Special occasion?" Lester asked curiously.

"Just a double date weekend." Sadie chimed in, smirking a bit in Leon and Robbie's direction. "We've been meaning to take a break together.

You flinched at the implication you were dating Leon. Lester seemed to notice that and gave you a reassuring smile. "Sounds fun." He said aloud, though you could see the way his hands gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter. "Robbie, was it?"

"Yeah?"

"How long've you been dating 'em?" He tilted his head towards you, smiling at Robbie in the rearview mirror. "Hope I didn't give ya the wrong impression when I carried 'em over. I know you got defensive 'bout it 'n all."

The backseat erupted into absolute chaos. You turned to level Lester with an unimpressed look and the man had the audacity to give you an innocent little smile.

Jerk. You snorted, rolled your eyes, and turned your head to look out the window, watching the raindrops fall on the slightly fogged glass and the brush of the forest passing by in blurs of murky greens and browns.

Ambrose wasn't far, true to Lester's word. The town was small, only a few dozen houses and no major chain stores, much to Sadie's disappointment. Just little mom and pop type places. Lester towed your car to the nearby gas station outside the auto shop and you became suddenly aware of how empty the town felt. No one was outside but you didn't think it was because of the rain.

Your friends got out of the truck, eager to get away from the bones and the smell of rot, but you stayed in with Lester for a minute. "Where is everyone?"

"Hm?" Lester asked, looking innocently curious. "Whaddya mean?"

When he didn't say anything else, you just sighed. "Nevermind," you mumbled as you reached for the door.

"Wait." He said, his voice low. You turned to look at him and he seemed... guilty? He chewed nervously on his bottom lip before making a gesture to the glove box. "Open it."

So you did. Laying atop some piles of paper was a simple, silver pocketknife. "What the-?"

"In case." Lester said, pulling it out and handing it to you expectantly.

"In case of what?" You frowned as alarm bells began to ring in your head. "What do you mean?

Lester's eyes darted quickly over your shoulder before he looked back at you. You didn't get the chance to look over your shoulder when he reached up, cupping your face with one hand to keep your eyes on him. "I ain't- I ain't s'pposed to do this. Y'can't tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what?" Your fear must have been obvious at this point, seeing as Lester flinched.

"Look," he sighed, taking your hand and squeezing it in his own. "I can't- I wanna tell ya, believe me. But I ain't s'pposed to 'n it kills me." He looked genuinely sorry for whatever it was he was doing, which only scared you more. "But if ya take it, you'll be-"

A loud knock on the window made you scream, scooting away from the door with a look of terror, not even care that you practically slammed into Lester's chest as you threw yourself across the center console. Staring at you from the window was a man dressed in a mechanic jumpsuit with a baseball cap on. He opened the door without prompting and gave you a smile that made you feel greasy just looking at him. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." The stranger said with a warm tone. "'m name's Bo. I work at the autoshop here."

You introduced yourself cautiously, glancing out the windshield and noticing the way Sadie practically swooned over Bo while Robbie and Leon looked ready to punch the daylights out of this guy.

You didn't trust him. Not one bit.

"Pretty sure that's my brother you're sittin' on." Bo said with another acidic smile.

"Oh." You said, still pressed against Lester's side with no real interest in moving. The pocketknife was still clenched tightly in your fist and you still didn't feel safe.

Lester just laughed. "Aw, it ain't no problem Bo. We were chattin' 'bout their car actually. Might need ya to check it out, just in case."

Bo hazarded a glance at your car. "Yeah, alright, I'll take a look. Wanna come with me?" He asked, offering you his hand.

Everything in your body screamed at you to stay away from this guy.

"Actually Bo," Lester spoke up, your saving grace, "I was plannin' on chattin' 'bout taxidermy with 'em. If ya don't mind."

Bo did, in fact, seem to mind. His perfect facade seemed to flicker, an annoyed look passing his over his face as quick as it came. "Lester, ain't it a better idea for them to be here with their car?"

"I trust you!" You nearly yelled, grabbing your car keys and stuffing them into Bo's extended hand. "You seem like you know what you're doing! Any questions and you can ask Robbie, he's better with cars than me anyways."

You felt Lester relax when Bo just sighed loudly. "Alright, if you insist," He clutched the keys in his fist and the look he gave you made chills run down your spine. "Enjoy your date, lil' bro."

"Thanks man!" Lester said as Bo slammed the door shut, rattling the whole car. "You alright?" He asked softly once his older brother had stormed off in the direction of your friends.

You scooted back slightly to give him some space, sliding back into your actual seat. "I know he's your brother but... he's so..."

He laughed. "Aggressive? Yeah, he can be. Ain't his fault but it does make bringin' people here tricky." Lester said before gesturing out the window towards your friends, watching Sadie hang off Bo's every word. "Seems to work on your friends jus' fine."

"Not me." You hummed, watching the four of them go inside the auto shop. "I usually have a good read on people. And he's, uh, not good."

"Is that so?" Lester said softly. "Well, y'sure as hell got a good radar then. Figured him out real quick."

You gave Lester a glance, noting the somber look on his face. "What do you mean by it being safer to bring the knife?"

The man chewed on his bottom lip, seeming to mull his options over in his head. "I can't tell ya," He said slowly, "Because then I'd have to kill ya." When you laughed nervously, he just gave you a serious look. "'m serious. I ain't s'pposed to tell strangers what's goin' on."

Cold dread seemed to drench you instantly. "What?" You whispered in horror.

"I can tell ya if you promise not to do anythin' though." He soothed, taking your hand in his. He kept glancing over your shoulder as though expecting Bo to reappear at any moment. "If ya wanna know, you can't get involved."

"Just tell me!" You pleaded, the pocketknife still tight in your fist.

Lester sighed, letting go of your hand and staring out the window, letting the muffled sounds of rain pass through you two as though trying to literally clean the air. When he looked up at you, his eyes once again darting over your shoulder. He let out a soft gasp of surprise and fumbled to turn his car back on, letting it spur to life as you turned to look.

Robbie stumbled out of the auto shop, covered in blood and screaming. He was beelining for you, his screams drowned out by the car engine and the storm. You went to unlock the door but you watched the locks engage. Robbie yanked on the door handle frantically, screaming something about Bo having killed Leon.

But you didn't even have time to react as Lester threw the car in reverse and took off, leaving you horrified and confused. You rounded on him immediately. "We need to help!"

"I can't get involved!" Lester said, looking as panicky as you. "I- I ain't a fan of what they do either but I-" He stammered, torn between focusing on the road and trying to placate you.

"Did Bo kill Leon?!" You gasped in horror.

Lester gave you a helpless look. "I- Maybe? I- I dunno, he's killed a lotta people at this point." He squinted, trying to navigate the rain that began to streak across the windshield with how fast he was driving, obscuring a lot of the vision outside. "He 'n Vinny've been doin' this for ages now!"

"Doing- Doing what?!" You felt frantic, yanking on the car door with no real luck. What would you even do if it opened? Where could you go?

"Killin' people!" Lester said, slamming his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. "They've been killin' people and I don't get involved. 'n if you value your life, you shouldn't either."

He slammed hard on the breaks just before the front of the car slammed into a tree. The two of you let out a shared sigh and slumped over.

"'m sorry sweetpea." Lester said quietly, leaning against his steering wheel as exhaustion seemed to set in. "Was followin' y'all. 's how I found ya. Was gonna ship ya off to Bo 'n Vince but you were so..." He lifted his head to look at you with soft, glassy eyes. "'m so sorry."

You trembled, still breathing heavy. "Are you going to hurt me?"

"No." Lester's answer was immediate. "I ain't a killer. Not like my brothers are." He looked like he wanted to reach for you again, remorse clear on his face. "'m really sorry. Honest. I-"

"Are my friends going to die?" You asked, your voice warbling slightly. "Did- Did you just drive away from my dying friends?" He turned his head to look at you and gave you a slow nod. You let out a quiet gasp, scooting away from him until your back was up against the door. "Let me out! I need to go help them!"

Lester shook his head helplessly. "I can't. Bo's already seen ya 'n if you go after him, he'll kill ya too."

"Then why give me a knife?!"

"I just-" Lester sighed. "I just didn't want you to go down easy. Ain't no one ever escape my brothers. They're brutal 'n dedicated. I... I didn't want you to get hurt."

A lapse of silence passed between you two, the only sound coming from the rain. Lester buried his face back into his arms while you tried to come to terms with what you'd learnt. Lester's brothers abducted and killed people. And Lester had just served your friends up to Bo on a silver platter, but not you.

You had a knife, still clenched in your fist, and you could probably get the jump on Lester if you had to. You could steal his car and go rescue them or, at the very least, escape.

But you didn't want to hurt Lester...

"Why didn't you let me go with them?" You finally asked with a resigned sigh.

Lester looked up with tired, sad eyes. "Didn't want em to have ya. 'Cus you're a good, kind person 'n you trusted me. Felt like I was betraying ya. So I saw an openin' and I took it."

You nodded slowly. "So what now?"

"Well, ya got a few choices actually." Lester said as he straightened up. "You could go back. Try your luck against my brothers, try 'n save your friends. Or," He said with a shy glance your way, "You could come with me."

"Where would we go?"

Lester motioned out the windshield. "I got a lil' house in the woods nearby. We could hold down till the storm passes." Big brown eyes focused on you as he nervously wrung his hands. "I'd, uh, have to introduce you to my brothers in the morning. But I'd protect ya. Let 'em know you're with me now."

You felt your face heat up and you hated yourself for it. Your friends were being killed and the guy who led them to their deaths was making you blush like a schoolchild with a crush. You couldn't help it though. Lester was sweet, in the short time you'd met him. He didn't want to see you hurt and did what he could to protect you.

"With you?" You teased him with a wet chuckle. And your smile grew when you saw the way the tips of Lester's ears burned with how hard he blushed.

He gave you a shy nod. "Y-yeah. If you're with me, then- then they won't bother ya. Not killable anymore." You reached over and took his hands gently, uncaring of the dirt and roughness there. "You couldn't leave though."

A sigh left your lips. "I either stay or die?"

Lester looked close to tears when he nodded. "'m really sorry, sweetpea, I really am. Should'a never gone after ya." He freed one of his hands to cup your face gently, his touch soft despite the roughness of his hands and the guilt in his eyes.

You two sat there for awhile before you nodded, swallowing back a sob of your own. "Okay," You sighed, "Okay, I'll go with you."

He gave you a look of utter relief, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. "I'll keep ya safe, sweetpea. I promise."

When you pulled him in for a hug, your face buried in his shoulder, you let your shoulders relax. And you let yourself believe him.