#<- hey just letting you know that this sent twice! not sure if you meant to or if it glitched

[introject-culture]

Gacha game introject culture is being pretty sure your existence was sparked by the absolute anger of the previous fronter upon getting not you (the character in the game that is) but the item pretty much made for you (if that makes sense. Using genshin as an example here since a lot of people are familiar with their gacha system. Say you were trying to get like, diluc or something. But the gacha gods decided no. You're getting wolf's gravestone. (Say back when that was the absolute best weapon for him, as far as I know there are actually generally better ones for him nowadays, but don't quote me, I've existed for three hours))

-🌨Bronya (via @cloverstarsys )

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[writting-stuff-sometimes]

Night in Vegas- Lando x fem reader

Summary: Y/N had been Lando's PR, it had been messy and she moved to Red Bull, but maybe things were not as bad as she thought.

Warnings: Abusive Max (Sorry someone had to be the bad guy) smutty ending.

Notes: No hate to anyone this story just needed a villain.

___________________________________________

The moment the job offer came from Red Bull you didn't think it twice. You had been Lando's PR for the last 2 years, which was kind of a nightmare. He had the worst cases of verbal diarrhea, not that Max didn't but the paycheck was worth the extra work. Also, the interactions with Lando had always been weird and uncomfortable.

He was so nice and funny around everyone else but you, whenever it was just you two, you could hear the grass grow. In the beginning, you tried to get to know him, create somewhat of a bond so you could understand him better and work around that info, but every time you tried to get him to tell you something about him he would shut you out, keeping his answers short and dry.

And here you were, your first six months as Max PR agent were...interesting, he was a master in driving but thanks to his dad and the people around him, his public image was a challenge, a challenge you loved to work, at least you did until he started showing his real self. It began with small tantrums, mood swings when an interview had been scheduled when he had agreed to go play paddle, or that one time on a bad day when a reporter asked him about his dad's history with the law even when you had precisely warned them not to ask about any of that.

But that was all fun and games until tonight's event for the Vegas GP. Usually, the US GP's parties were a nightmare. Tons and tons of media people and influencers with little idea about F1. Yet they were important to attend because of the amount of rich people the teams craved as their lawful sponsors, so all the drivers were requested to go. This meant an awful fight with Max who hated these events where he had to "prostitute" himself for a couple of millions, it was particularly tricky now that some pictures and supposed messages showing Kelly might have been cheating, surfaced. You promised him to warn everybody that any questions about his personal life were off the table for any of the interviews, but American media cared little about that.

"Are you stupid or something?" His angry voice was so much like his dad's. Dry, hurtful, and insulting even when he wasn't using big curse words.

"Max, I told everyone personal questions were off the table. I sent a memo last week and a reminder this morning" You walked following him closely as he exited the event venue. Your heels making it difficult for you to keep his pace.

"I don't care!" He stopped and turned towards you abruptly, making you crash against his body. "If Christian gives me any shit about not being here I will make sure he knows this was all your fault" His voice loud and angry felt even more intimidating as he was towering over you, his red face so close to yours you could feel the heat radiate from it.

"But-"

"Shut it, I don't want to hear it" He spat.

"Hey, mate, easy" You both turned to look at the curled hair driver approaching at a firm pace.

"Lando, this has nothing to do with you"

"It does when you're talking like that to Y/N" He gently held your arm pulling you back, placing himself between you and Max.

"How did you deal with this shit for two years? she's the worst"

"I disagree, she's the best"

"What? Why are you defending her?" Max looked in shock from Lando's intervention, and to be honest, so were you.

"Because I know the mess you are and you talking to her like that is unacceptable and most likely uncalled for. We should've never let her go, I've begging Zak to get her back and after this, there's no way I'm letting her stay at RB"

"What the fuck? I don't...Wait, did you two ...? She must be a good fuck if you want her back so bad" A bitter laugh left his chest.

There it was, the angry verbal diarrhea.

You wanted to jump in and tell him you had never even crossed two complete phrases with Lando, how the hell were you going to fuck him? But no sound left your body, you were just a passenger in this trainwreck.

"Max, come on, It's not her fault your life's a fucking mess and that you have no idea how to deal with it. And take it from me, mate, you don't need a PR manager, you need a therapist."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Max took a couple of steps forward and faced Lando menacingly. He wasn't much taller than the Brit but seemed angry enough to cause damage.

"This is enough" You finally spoke, your voice shaky as you grabbed Lando's arm trying to pull him back. But he didn't move an inch.

"I'm not afraid of you mate" Lando hissed.

"Ok enough" You said in the most motherly voice ever and stepped in between them. "Lando, thanks but that's enough. You two don't want to do or say anything you'll regret later"

"See you on the track, mate" Said Lando as he took your hand and pulled you toward the parking lot.

You walked with him still in shock from the situation, expecting for him to let go of your hand as soon as you were out of sight from Max, but he kept going until he reached the Valet and gave him his ticket.

"Thanks fo that" You tried breaking the uncomfortable silence. "I think I need to go back there tho, I might not have a job tomorrow, but I don't need them to fire me because of not complying with my duties, Maybe I can find Max and convince him-"

"If they don't fire you, you're quitting" He said as he typed on his phone.

"What?! No, I can't do that, I can't afford to lose my job"

"You'll have a job"His voice was confident as he kept typing.

"Lando, I really-"

"Your car, Mr.Norris" The valet cut you off opening the passenger door for you.

"Get in" Lando walked toward the door to hold it himself.

"Lan-"

"Get in... please" He finally looked at you, something in his eyes telling you to do it. Not wanting to perform another scene now in front of the valet, you got inside the fancy McLaren. Your feet thanked you for the much-needed rest after the little sprint.

He removed his suit jacket, got in the driver's side, and drove off.

"I swear, you're not going to be jobless, you can stop with the bouncy leg" A hint of a laugh in his voice. Of course, he could laugh about it, he was worth millions, if he lost his job that same night, he'd have enough money to live comfortably for two lives.

Your phone started ringing in your bag. Chirstian's face on your screen made your heart beat a thousand miles. You could almost hear him, his calm yet angry voice made your skin crawl.

"Don't answer him, there's no need"

"Lando, you don't get it, it's not that simple"

A ding on his phone and a pop-up notification on his console screen called your attention.

Zak: Fine, I'm ok with it, we can talk details tomorrow.

"See?" He said smiling at the notification. You stared at him confused.

"I promised him I would behave my best for the rest of my contract if they took you back. Welcome back to Mclaren" A big smile on his face. It was odd being on the receiving end of that smile.

"Sadly, you won't be working with me. You will be part of the team's PR, I think that's an even bigger paycheck, tho"

"Ok, stop stop stop" Your voice filled with slight panic. "What the fuck's happening?"

"Wow, your first bad word" He was way too entertained with the situation.

"That you know of" Your facade was off, screw being professional, this moment was a moment for panic.

Christian's number shined on your screen again.

"Hello" You finally answered.

"Y/N, I just got a thousand messages from Max, and from the team at the event, what's going on?"

"Christian, Max lost it after some journalist asked him about Kelly, I had clearly said no questions about that were allowed"

"You should not have left Max to leave the party, we need him back there"

"I tried to stop him but-"

"No buts, Y/n, that's your job"

"No"

"What?"

"No, that's not my job, I'm not a babysitter, I'm a PR agent, I should not be dealing with tantrums and the equivalent of being spit in the face by an angry baby just because he's Max Verstappen"

You took a deep breath as the man on the other side of the phone kept quiet. Netflix would kill to have footage of this situation.

"I quit" You finally said

"What?" His high-pitched voice told you he was as surprised as you by the words leaving your mouth. You turned to look a Lando, he had the biggest smile on his face.

"I quit, Christian. I can stop by to sign my resignation tomorrow."

"But-"

"I'm sorry but I have to go now. I will stop by your office tomorrow to sign whatever is needed and to return my credentials. Have a good night" You hung up with shaky hands. As much as you sounded confident you were screaming inside.

"Nice" Lando's accent so thick.

"Oh my God" You placed your head between your legs and took deep breaths, trying not to faint.

"It's ok, it will all be ok" You felt his hand run softly up and down your back which felt weirdly soothing and calming.

You finally felt calm enough to lift your head, realizing he had pulled over at a truck stop next to the highway.

"What the fuck just happened?" You closed your eyes, the world felt as if it was spinning out of orbit.

"It will be ok, you were amazing"

"I will regret this tomorrow"

"I could help you with that" he said under his breath, you barely catching his words.

"What?"

"Never mind. Listen, you'll be fine, you'll join the team for the next season, and you can take this time as a well-deserved vacation"

"What are you talking about? Maybe Zak only told you that so you would stop bothering him. I can't wait until the next season. Oh my God, I need to call Christian back, if I apologize and explain that I was drunk or something he might not fire me" you said as you fumbled with your phone trying to get your shaky hands to get your calls.

"Stop, no, Y/n" In a swift move, Lando took your phone from your hand.

"Give it back! This is all your fault!"

"What?!"

"If you had stayed out of this I might have convinced Max to go back to the party and none of this had happened" You said as you almost jumped over him to get your phone back as he moved his hand around keeping you away from it.

"Oh c'mon, you wouldn't have lasted two more weeks with his annoying ass, I love Max but he's a pain" He sounded way too entertained by all this.

"Lando, stop it! Give me back my phone!"

"No, you have to calm down"

"No, give it back" you were almost kneeling over the seat.

"Y/n, stop"

"No"

"Y/n!"

"NO, GIVE IT-" Before you could finish your sentence his free hand grabbed you from your neck and pulled you toward him, his lips crashed into yours, finally getting you to stop moving. You even stopped breathing.

After a couple of seconds or hours, you weren't sure anymore, he let go of the fist he had formed around your hair and pulled back. His cheeks flushed as if he had been the one who had gotten kissed out of nowhere.

"Have I been drugged? Am I hallucinating? This has to be a weird trip"

His particular laugh sent chills down your spine.

"C'mon, it wasn't my best job but I'm not used to kissing people as they're having a panic attack, I needed you to calm down"

"And kissing me was the best you could come up with?"

"You're not thinking about your phone or Christian anymore, are you?"

"You're sick"

"Listen, I'm sorry I did it like that, ok? I stepped over a boundary and I apologize, but I know that after this you might hate me for the rest of your life and this seemed like the only moment I was going to be able to do it, so I'm sorry but not really"

"You can't go around kissing people just because"

"I didn't do it just because"

"What?"

"Y/N, I'm fucking in love with you!" He screamed.

"What?" Your voice is barely a whisper

"I'm sorry, I was dumb ok?"

"I'm not getting any of this"

"Ok, I'll explain. It took me about 2 months to fall head over heels for you, ok? You're smart, incredibly beautiful, funny, and so good at your job, it was hard not to fall in love with you. But I know I can be an asshole, so trying to stay away from you and not ruin everything I behaved like an even bigger asshole, pushing you away and into Red Bull's arms. So as an apology, I've been having talks with Zak. this has been going on for months. So no this just didn't come up, Max just made it easier for me to set the plan in motion"

You stared at his proud face in awe.

"Are you breathing?" He asked when not. single sound had left your body for a long time.

"You're in love with me?"

"Um yeah" He blushed and almost looked away but he didn't.

"For the two years we worked together, you were in love with me?"

"Yeah, basically"

"You have a shitty way of showing love"

"Sorry" he laughed under his breath

"You're nuts"

"I know" As soon as he saw you had calmed down he stretched his hand softly caressing your cheek. "I'm nuts for you"

"Ew, don't"

He laughed, the sound making you feel something new.

"I don't know"

"What?"

"What's going on"

"Maybe another kiss might help? I'm actually asking this time"

"Ok" You answered in a low whisper.

"Ok" He softly whispered as he took you by the neck, and pulled you toward him. It was a mutual kiss now, your lips dancing with his. His tongue traced your lips and they parted allowing your tongue to start a fight with his.

The kiss heated up as his other hand grabbed your hips and pulled you over him. Your ass pressed on the horn startling both of you and making you laugh, but quickly you returned to your make-out session.

His hand shily traveled down your spine and stopped over the soft satin fabric covering your ass. You knew exactly what he was trying to test, so you moved yours down his chest, feeling his racing heart, and traveled down all the way to his pants. You could feel his growing bulge and you gave it a squeeze. He moaned deeply and he gave a slap to your ass, making you moan too.

You were about to unbuckle his belt but his hand landed over yours.

"Wait, do you actually want to do this?" he asked out of breath.

"Yes" Your voice shaky from the excitement.

"Are you sure? I don't want to force you or-"

"Lando, I want you to fuck me"

Your words sent an electric shock through his body, you could even feel his dick twitch under your hand.

"I'm all yours" He smiled and moved his lips to your neck, you threw your head back giving him space to explore it and its sensitive areas. He gave soft bites around it, as he stretched to the glove compartment getting a condom out of it.

"You're a manwhore"

"I was just manifesting this"

"Sure" you answered squinting your eyes.

"I promise, You can ask Oscar, I've not had sex for months"

"I don't need to know that"

"Yeah you do, I swear I wasn't going to use this with anyone else, I promise"

He was most likely lying, but you decided to believe him, at least for tonight.

"Fine" You said as you took the condom from his hand and opened it as your lips went back to his.

He helped you by pulling down his pants and his boxers enough for his throbbing cock to spring out and slap his stomach.

"Hello Mr. Norris" You said with a cheeky smile

"Don't act so surprised"

"Sorry"

He now took the hem of your dark blue dress and pulled it over your hips, softly caressing the soft flesh of your thighs and ass. He moaned at the feeling of no underwear under it.

"You're naughty"

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me"

"I love it" He said and bit your lower lip as he placed you over his hard cock. You took the condom and without breaking the kiss you rolled it over his dick, enjoying the feeling of the heat and the veins that ran through it.

He couldn't wait any longer and as soon as he felt the condom in place he lifted his hips entering you in one deep thrust making you moan loudly from the incredible feeling of being so full.

"Fuck, Lando" you said as he started thrusting. A slow yet hard pace made your eyes roll to the back of your head, as he held you one hand by the neck the other one caressing your ass.

"Fuck, you're so fucking perfect" He moaned against your tits that were spilling out your dress.

He took one of your nipples in his mouth, pushing you closer to your release.

You had forgotten when was the last time you had sex, but none of your previous experiences could compare to this one. Lando being a manwhore was quite a benefit.

His hips hitting against yours at such a perfect pace was driving you crazy. He could tell by the way you were pulsing around him that you were close. This was probably a record and he was going to savor it.

He brought one of his hands down to your clit and just a couple of circles helped by how wet you were pushed you over the edge, loudly moaning his name in his ear. That sweet sound looped in his brain, making him reach his climax shortly after.

"Fuck" he finally said after you two had reached a decent breathing pace.

"Shit"

"Fourth curse word of the night"

"Shut it" You said as you pushed yourself off his chest and kissed him.

"I'm going to love having you around again"

"Me too"

"Well, Max was right about one thing" A cheeky grin on his face.

"What?"

"You're such a good fuck"

"You're a dick" You slapped his chest as he pulled you back to kiss him.

This was probably going to be a mess, but at least for a couple of months you were unemployed and free to date whoever you wanted, that included F1 drivers who would probably be off limits once your contract started, but that was a problem for your versions of the future.

Tag List: @wtrmlnsgr94, @ricsaigaslec, @ironmaiden1313, @formulas-bitch,

[barcaatthemoon]

an american breakfast || lucy bronze x reader ||

lucy makes you a special breakfast to make up for a fight.

you woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon. lucy was absolutely nowhere to be found in the bedroom. you took your time getting up and going out into the kitchen. you were genuinely surprised to see lucy cooking for you, especially after your fight the night before. your homesickness had been looming like a storm cloud over your relationship. a harmless comment from one of the girls at practice had spurred on an argument that you had honestly expected to cross over into the morning.

"good morning gorgeous," lucy said with a quick peck to your cheek. she seemed to be in a good mood, which also surprised you. if lucy went to bed angry, she sure as hell woke up the exact same way. last night she had screamed at you and stormed out of the apartment before you fell asleep. whenever she had returned, you were fast asleep in bed, which couldn't have helped her mood.

"morning luce," you replied. lucy set a plate down in front of you, which was when you noticed that these weren't just normal pancakes. lucy had to have gone out and bought chocolate chips just to make you one of your favorite childhood breakfast foods. "what's all this?"

"i may have been a bit of an asshole last night, and i apologize. i know how hard it is to be away from home. you can't just book a quick flight home, so i decided to make something from home for you," lucy explained. she leaned over the counter as she waited for you to take your first bite. you poured a little syrup over the whole plate, including your bacon, before you took a bite. lucy was biting her lip as she watched you.

"relax, it's good. it's really good, thank you lucy," you told her. lucy let out a sigh of relief. she made herself a little plate, which was what really surprised you. "i thought you'd never eat a breakfast like this."

"hey, it may seem like a dessert rather than a healthy breakfast, but i've earned it. besides, i should probably know what all the fuss is about," lucy reasoned. you chuckled to yourself as you watched her eagerly dig in. lucy made a little groan as she took a bite, obviously not having thought about how delicious it could have been.

"better than beans and toast?" you asked. lucy sent you a glare, but reluctantly nodded her head. you smirked to yourself as you shoved another bite into your mouth. lucy managed to down her breakfast at twice your speed. you took your time, savoring each bite as if it would be your last. there was a good chance that you'd get it again, especially since lucy liked it. however, you knew that you'd have to make some changes to fit it into your meal plans.

"now, not to ruin the moment, but i did slave over the stove making that breakfast for you…" lucy trailed off as she glanced towards the sink. you rolled your eyes as you stood up straight. you walked around the counter to where she was leaning to give her a kiss. it wasn't like her quick little peck on the cheek. you wanted a real kiss, and that was what you got.

"i'll do the dishes. go relax, i don't like the way you do them anyway," you teased. lucy scoffed and pouted at you, but the pout didn't last very long. she couldn't be pouty when you were kissing her and opening up your mouth just enough for her tongue to slip past your lips. you tasted like the breakfast she had just made, only with the heavy sweetness of maple syrup.

lucy moved to pin you against the counter as she deepened the kiss even more. the sweetness on your tongue was addictive. lucy just barely let you break the kiss for air before she was kissing you again. this time, you pushed back, slowly walking her into the living room before you shoved her away. lucy stumbled backwards, but she kept her eyes on you while you cleaned things up. you had meant it whenever you said you didn't like the way she did dishes, so you were glad when she actually stayed out of the kitchen.

[plussizefantasia]

Hey! Can I get a Thorin x f!reader where the company doesn’t believe in her because of her size and the fact that she’s a woman and then she totally kicks ass and doesn’t care what they think. And he totally regrets ever doubting her? Fluff ending if you can please!!

You Saved Me

Thorin x Warrior!reader

WC: ~3k

warnings: violence, death, it's essentially a botfa re-write so...

a/n: thank you for the request, this was entirely written in a burst of passion at midnight so if they're are any typos I'm sorry, let me know and I'll fix them <3

You were a feared warrior, one with skills you’d been honing since you could walk. Your parents had been killed by an orc pack when you were but a baby and you were taken in by the rangers who found you crying by the bodies of your loved ones. Almost a year ago you were sent a letter by that blasted grey wizard, an invitation, or maybe a plea you weren't sure anymore. Join a company of dwarves on their quest, and keep them safe. That is all he asked of you.

You had tried, you really had tried to keep them safe but when those blasted dwarves took one look at you and decided that there wasn't any possible way you knew anything about fighting, it became difficult. You had several moments where all you wanted to do was clobber them over the head, but you refrained. 

The whole journey was wrought with their endless need to remind you that you were a woman, a bigger one at that. They must’ve thought you hadn’t noticed or something of that nature, for surely they wouldn’t keep bringing it up if not to hurt you on purpose. They never forgot to tell you how much they thought you were soft, incapable, fragile. 

You’d shown them time and time again that this wasn't the case, incapacitating two of the trolls when they were all tied up in sacks ready to be cooked for dinner. You were defending  Ori when you were discovered by the warg scouts before your arrival at Rivendell. You were the first to join ranks and fend off the hundreds of bloodthirsty goblins in Goblin-town. Not to mention how you risked your life for Thorin’s when Azog attacked. You had run in with no weapon, just pure adrenaline and a need to save your leader.Not that you would ever tell him that. Tell any of them that.

Thorin was certainly one of a kind. He was undoubtedly cold, it was his nature, he had lost too much in too short a time to be willing to open himself up to others. Especially when the ‘others’ consisted of a woman ranger he hadn’t wanted on the quest in the first place. You understood though, you too had lost too much.

You wouldn't say that he warmed up to you, but it didn’t seem like he hated you as much as he did in the beginning. You had even caught him smiling once or twice when you cuffed Fili and Kili over the head at their cheeky remarks about your size.

 Over and over again you’ve defended these idiotic men, and yet nothing changed, they still had no faith. Most of them treated you horribly not that you think they noticed. It was hard to ignore their callousness when it came to you, especially compared to the warmth they shared with one another. There were several nights when their words became too much and you had to stray from camp in order to let the tears fall out of sight. But you had promised Gandalf that you would protect them, and if that meant staying even when it was obvious you weren't wanted, then that is what you’d do.

It wasn’t until Thorin, overtaken with his dragon sickness had cast you out that you had finally decided you were done. Done with dwarves, done with being underestimated and belittled at every moment.

“You will never be good enough, you are a burden to all those around you, a burden I no longer wish to be saddled with!” He had yelled from his position on the ramparts as you descended from the same rope that the hobbit had used just moments before. 

Thorin had never been cruel, aloof maybe, but never cruel. You knew deep down that it was his addled mind that allowed this cruelty to spew from his mouth. Thorin may not have known you loved him, but you had thought the two of you had reached a sort of understanding, a mutual bond forged by the danger you’d overcome together. Apparently not.

You joined Gandalf’s side as he spoke to Thorin. You bit your tongue to stop yourself from yelling back at the King Under the Mountain. It wasn't until you heard Thorin’s reply that you couldn’t hold yourself back anymore.

“I will have war!” He yelled.

“You will have death!” You had screamed back “You will have death for you and your kin if you do not stop this foolishness Oakenshield!” With that, you turned and headed back towards the gates of Dale. If there really was to be a war you would be needed, to protect those who could not protect themselves.

You heard the horns of war in the distance and shook your head. Foolish dwarves doing foolish things. You kept running towards Dale hoping to be of some use. 

Arriving at the old armory, you pulled out an old steel sword, one dating back to before the fall of the city. It wasn’t as good as the eleven blades that the elves of Mirkwood confiscated when you were captured, but it was well-balanced. The hilt was wrapped in old black leather, well worn and rough against your skin. 

You didn’t have time to sift for a better weapon, so you took the sword and ran. Bursting out onto the street your eyes scanned for danger. You took in all the rubble, some new and some old from the dragon attack years ago. The screaming of a group of people made you cease your reminiscing and run towards them. 

Taking down several enemies as you run, you finally round the corner into the main square. Landing your sight on Bain, Sigrid, and Tilda. Bain doing his very best to defend his sisters. You run forward without hesitation and trade blows with the monster in front of you, taking him down in no time at all.

“Are you all alright?” You ask rushing towards the girls and helping them down from the cart they had used as a hiding spot.

“We’re fine ma’am” Tilda responds in a shaky voice

“You all were very brave, but now it's time to head to the hall where everyone else is. Take cover, the battlefield is not safe for children I assure you.”

“But-” Bain had cut in.

“No, Bain, I know what your Da has asked of you but I’m telling you to take cover.”

He hesitated but nodded and took his sisters towards the main hall where the rest of the women and children were hiding.

You continue to take down the orcs and their armies as you run toward the main battlefield. 

“Y/N! Y/N!” You hear your name being called, rotating quickly your eyes fall on the hobbit who had become very dear to you over the course of the Journey.

“Bilbo, are you hurt? What’s wrong?” You rushed out

“No. No, I’m fine it’s Thorin.”

“Thorin? What’s happened with Thorin where is he?” Your questioning picked up in intensity.

“The Pale Orc is atop Ravenhill, and Thorin, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili have all gone to kill him.” The Hobbit responded just as rushed.

Without another word, you grab the back of the Hobbit’s coat and drag him behind you. Your eyes quickly scan the horizon, taking inventory of anything that could get you to the top of the Mountain quickly. You spot Lord Dain, on his royal ram, and make a plan in your head.

Hobbit still in your grasp you sprint across the field towards the Dwarf Lord,

“Lord Dain! I need your ram.”

“W-What?!” He sputters.

“I am not asking.” You huff out a frustrated breath and use the hand not currently gripping your friend to shove the dwarf off of his steed, quickly taking his place and beginning your trek to the mountain. Sending a quick prayer to whatever being there might be to keep your love safe. Just long enough for you to kill him yourself.

Once you are sure he won’t fall off you let go of your hold on Bilbo and scan the ground flying past you for any more weapons you could use.

Seeing a discarded elven bow and quiver ahead of you, you steer the ram towards it and scoop it off the ground and into your grasp. Five Arrows, you’ll have to use them wisely, but it’s better than nothing.

You look towards Ravenhill, watching as the dwarves you have reluctantly come to care for dismount their own steed. Pushing your heels into the sides of your own ram you pray to any gods out there that you’ll make it in time. 

You meet a few obstacles on your journey, the occasional orc arrow to be deflected, and even a troll who had fallen right in front of you. Nevertheless, in no time at all you reach the peak and search for the men you came to aid. 

You only see Thorin and Dwalin as they fight their way through hordes of creatures of the dark. You leap into the fray and call out to the two warriors

“Where are the princes?” 

“They’ve gone to search the structure.”

A yell coming from the tower quickly puts that thought to rest. You slash down the last monster before you quickly shift to see a sight that you’ll have a hard time forgetting. The pale orc holds Fili in his grasp. You immediately grasp your bow and nock an arrow. 

The pale orc is too absorbed in his victory speech to notice you pulling back the string. With a deep breath, you let an arrow loose and send a quick prayer that it hits its target. Not a second later you hear a deep grunt and see that your aim is true. The arrow lodged itself deep into the meat of the arm holding the dwarf prince. He drops Fili in surprise and your eyes widen in fear. However, it is short-lived as Fili pulls a dagger out of nowhere and wedges into the stone of the tower, slowing his descent.

Four arrows left. 

Azog staggers back and he catches himself on the wall behind him. His eyes find yours and you try not to shudder at the rage within him. This is a benefit you tell yourself. An angry enemy is a distracted enemy. His rage will be his downfall, you’ll make sure of it.

Fili lets go of the dagger and drops the rest of the distance, landing on his feet and quickly running to your side. Moments later, Kili runs from the tower and practically lunges for his brother. 

“You idiot Fee.” The brother's embrace is hard and you’re a little worried they’ll suffocate each other. Eventually, Kili lets go and turns to you, “Thank you. And I’m sorry.” 

“No need for apologies Kili. Gandalf asked me to protect you, and that’s what I’ve done.”

“Still, I underestimated you, I won’t do it again.” You nod at the prince and clap a hand on his shoulder. 

“I have to go help your uncle, don’t follow me, and whatever you do don’t split up. You’re stronger together.”

“Aye.” They both reply and send a single nod your way.

You clutch your bow and scan your surroundings, a trail of black blood and a broken arrow stem point the way to the Pale Orc’s location. 

“Fili, you wouldn’t happen to have an extra dagger would you?” You turn and ask. He smirks and opens his coat. 

“Take your pick Lass.”

After grabbing two matching daggers from Fili you begin jogging towards the frozen waterfall. You are single-minded in your task, ignoring the shouts of battle from below and the wails of the dying. You cannot let yourself get distracted. Distraction means death and you can’t help anyone when you’re dead.

You come upon a scene that you’d only ever had nightmares about. Thorin and Azog facing off on a barren plane. Neither is holding back and you force yourself to push past the terror that grips your heart. As you run towards your king you begin releasing arrows one after the other. 

Four. Three. Two. One. None.

Each arrow pierces the flesh of the monster pushing him back and back. Blow after blow sends him staggering and gives Thorin the advantage. He swings his sword and slashes at the beast.  But Azog does not fall. 

He yells. He stands and he starts returning blows. They are sloppy, his mace has no aim. It doesn’t need to, the force he puts behind it means he really only has to land one blow. 

You can’t run fast enough to cover the distance, especially not on the ice. Nevertheless, you keep pushing. Your legs burn and so do your lungs but you keep going. You race against time and fate to reach the dwarf you love. 

Thorin falls. The orc closes in. You run.

And run, and run, and run. 

You don’t notice the battle cry that rips from your body, but the orc does. 

He looks up and a sneer crosses his face. 

You get closer.

You pull your daggers.

The orc stands. 

You take a running jump.

Azog runs. 

You smile.

This is foolish. You understand that, not even you as skilled as you are could take down a beast such as this. But you’ll try because you made two promises. One to Gandalf, that you would keep the company safe. And another to yourself, that if you survived this you would stop being afraid, you would tell Thorin you love him and… 

Your daggers land in the Pale Orc’s shoulder blades. You hold on for dear life. His roar of pain nearly deafens you but you hold on still. Ripping one blade from his body you jab it at his neck. He grabs the back of your coat and pulls you away, you scratch him but nothing more. He lifts you into the air and looks into your eyes. The rage is still there, along with smugness, bloodlust, curiosity, and then - shock. His grip loosens and you fall to the ground. 

You scramble away from him, grasping the ice with shaking hands. You stand and turn. Azog is still, frozen in time. Except now, there is a sword piercing his chest. Right where his heart should be, protrudes a sword you know very well. 

Azog grips the blade and looks at you, then falls. He doesn’t get up.

Behind him stands Thorin, looking mightier than you’ve ever seen him. His hair is a mess and there is blood on his face and hands. Yet he’s never looked better. You run towards him and throw yourself into his arms. A laugh escapes you and you let yourself feel for a moment. Feel grateful, and scared and everything you’ve been holding back for the past few days. 

Thorin’s grip on you is strong and you can feel the tremor in his hands as he guides them up and down your back.

“You saved me.” His deep timber pulls you from your thoughts. “Why?”

“I made a promise to Gan-”

“No, you fulfilled your pledge to the Wizard the moment we made it to the mountain, yet you stayed. Why?” Thorin pulls his chest away from yours and attempts to catch your gaze with his.

“Is this really the time?” You ask. 

“When else?” He cocks his head to the side.

“Perhaps after the battle is over?” You fully pull away from him then. 

Thorin pauses, perhaps like you, he had briefly forgotten the battle warring on below you in a moment of joy. But he nods to you and walks back toward the lifeless body of your foe. He rips his sword out of the body. He flips Azog onto his back so his lifeless eyes gaze emptily at the sky. Thorin turns to you, “Perhaps you should look away.” he addresses you.

You simply raise an eyebrow at him. He nods and grasps the sword firmly. From one moment to the next Thorin separates Azog’s head from his body. He takes hold of it and walks towards the edge of the frozen lake, which looks out onto the field below. 

He lets out a mighty shout and hoists the fallen orc’s head into the air. Shrieks echo from below and the enemy begins to retreat. 

You’ve won.

Thorin drops his head and turns to face you, a rare smile graces his face and for the first time since you met him, it truly seems like the weight of the world has been lifted from his shoulders, for at least a moment.

It takes you three seconds to get in front of him, one second to grab ahold of his head, and another to kiss him. Five seconds, five seconds of bravery that you will probably never be able to muster again.

Thorin kisses you back with fervor, gripping you as through he thought you might fade away. Eventually, the need for air separates you. 

“That is why I saved you,” you whisper into the space between you, “because a life without you in it is one I do not wish to bear.”

“You’ll never have to.” is his reply before his mouth is on you again. Where the first kiss was full of passion, a burst of adrenaline between two people. This one is slow, like Thorin is savoring the moment like he is trying to memorize what it is like to have you. The moment is bliss, it's everything you wanted and thought you couldn’t have. 

And then it is ruined. A sharp whistle and laugh from across the lake separates the two of you once more. You turn and see Fili and Kili, holding each other and worse for wear but alive and smiling which you’ll take as a win.

The boys make their way towards you, Thorin never releases his hold on your waist.

“Is it over?” Fili asks.

‘It is now.” Thorin responds.

“Now what?” Kili pops up. Scanning the area around him.

‘We live.” Is your simple reply. Like Kili, you take a moment to look around you. And you really like what you see.

[justagalwhowrites]

Halcyon - Ch. 19: Did You Mean That?

Joel confronts your shared past and potential future. A continuation of Halcyon from the prologue through Ch. 18, a modern no outbreak AU TLOU fic found on Tumblr here.

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female Reader

Warnings: Angst. Modern No Outbreak AU, No use of Y/N, Slow burn, 18+ only, Minors DNI

Length: 6.6k

AO3 | Main Master List | Prologue | Previous Chapter

Joel was frozen for longer than he was proud of, staring at the place you’d left him. 

I fucking heard you. 

What the fuck did that even mean? Heard what? 

He looked back toward Sarah’s room. He shouldn’t just leave her here by herself but he considered it all the same. He’d just… he’d go after you, make you talk to him like he should have done all those years ago. He wasn’t going to just let you disappear again, not this time. 

Instead, he called you, still standing on his front stoop, still considering chasing after you. It rang twice but then you sent him to voicemail. 

“Fuck!” 

His grip got tight on the phone but he resisted the urge to hurl the phone at the brick of his house. 

“Dad?” Sarah peered at him from around the doorway, her eyes somehow seeming especially wide. 

He sighed. 

“Yes, baby girl.” 

“You and Aunt Goldie were really in a fight, huh.” 

He sighed again, looking at his daughter even though it only made him feel worse. She loved you so much, you were the closest thing she’d ever had to a mother and Joel had fucked that up, too. 

“It’s… it’s complicated, baby girl,” he said. “C’mon, let’s go inside, it’s getting late, you should get ready for bed…” 

“But,” she huffed. “Dad, it’s Goldie. You can’t just let her leave, she’s family!” 

“I know,” he said, a hand on her back as he guided her back inside. “Not gonna just let her go, don’t worry. I just… need to figure out what to do first, OK?” 

“Promise you’re not going to just not talk again for years?” She asked, looking up at him. “Because - sorry, Dad - that was bullshit.” 

“Hey,” he said. “Language.” 

“Dad.” 

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, you’re right. It was bullshit.” 

He texted you while Sarah got ready for bed but you left him on read and he ground his teeth. He read his daughter a chapter from a book and resisted her begging to have him read another one before tucking her in, thankful that she still wanted him to do this at all. 

“Hey Dad?” She said as he went to leave. 

“Yes, baby girl?” 

“You’re going to talk to her, right?” 

He sighed. She sounded so hopeful. 

“I’ll fix it,” he said. “Promise. Love you.” 

“Love you too,” she said, sounding more relaxed. 

He closed the door behind him and went to the living room, pacing for a moment. 

I fucking heard you. 

He tried to remember the conversation with Ricky all those years ago, not something he’d really thought about in so long. 

Other things from that small window of time had dominated Joel’s memory. He remembered trying to find the words to talk to you, trying to come up with a plan for every possible outcome. If you wanted him, too, then he would figure out a way to be there for Tommy and his mom from afar and go with you. If, heaven forbid, you were pregnant, he would do everything to make sure you could still go to school and still be everything you were meant to be while he took care of the rest. If you wanted nothing to do with him… that had been the one scenario he hadn’t come up with a solution for. Of course, that had been the one he’d been left to reckon with. 

He remembered how he felt then, how desperate he’d been. But he couldn’t remember exactly what he’d said to fucking Ricky, something that had apparently stuck out in your mind so much that you’d moved across the country without a fucking word. He went over it again and again but couldn’t remember it, even though it felt like his fucking life depended on it. 

Eventually he tried to call you again but it only rang once before you sent him to voicemail. 

He listened to your outgoing message, bright and cheery, flexing his hand again and again as he waited, impatiently, for the beep. 

“Goldie,” he said when it finally let him record a message. “Not letting you walk out, I’m gonna keep calling. Just… pick up, baby. Please.” 

He hung up and immediately called again. Two rings, then voicemail. He called again. 

The fourth time, you finally answered, your voice sharp and harsh. 

“What!” You snapped. “What more do you want from me?” 

“I want to talk to you,” he said, straining to keep calm. “I don’t know what you mean, I don’t remember what the fuck you’re talking about, I…” 

You laughed once, derisively. 

“Of course you don’t,” you said. “You wouldn’t, would you? Because I was always just another girl to you, wasn’t I? Why would you remember…” 

“No,” he cut you off. “No, that’s not…” 

“I need some space, Joel,” you said. 

“I’m not losing you again, Goldie,” he said, harsher than he really meant to. “Please, let me just…” 

“If you don’t want to lose me then do what I’m asking you to do,” you said. “I need space, OK? I can’t just do this with you, I can’t… just don’t call me or text me or whatever, just give me some time.” 

“Goldie…” 

“I mean it, Joel,” you said. “I need space.” 

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Fine,” he said. “I…I can do that.” 

“Thank you,” you said. “I’ll talk to later.” 

“Will you?” He asked, probably rougher than he should have. 

“Eventually,” you said. “Yeah.” 

“Yeah,” he said, his voice thick. “Yeah, OK.” 

You hung up and he sighed, sinking onto the couch and cradling his head in his hands for a moment. 

He was on the edge of losing you again, he could feel it. He couldn’t let it happen, not this time. He started thinking again, just like he had all those years ago, trying to think up contingency plans and ways to work through this without you leaving but, really, that’s what it always came back to. He’d do anything - he’d never touch you again, he’d tolerate your shitbag husband, he’d watch you live a life he was agonizingly separate from - if it just meant that you stayed. 

Joel got himself a drink, which quickly became two and then three, staring at the ceiling, wondering just how long he was supposed to stay away from you this time before he passed out on the couch. 

When he woke up the next day, time seemed to crawl. He couldn’t just ignore you.  You were in everything, it seemed. Sarah showed him the books you’d gotten her, excited about reading them. He reviewed his business plan again and again, looking at your notes in the margins. He put on a Longhorns t-shirt and remembered you sitting at his kitchen table, building out your syllabus for the year. 

Even Tommy noticed a difference when he was at work on Tuesday, seemingly short tempered and impatient. 

“You gonna tell me who pissed in your Cheerios or you gonna leave that a mystery?” Tommy asked as they leaned against his truck during a coffee break. 

“What do you mean?” Joel frowned, staring down at the paper cup and thinking about how you took your coffee and wondering what was he supposed to do with that knowledge if you were just gone now.

“I mean you’ve been biting people’s heads off all week,” Tommy said. “I mean, you’re always an asshole but you’ve been in rare form man.” 

“Tommy…” 

“Don’t feed me some bullshit, either,” he interrupted him. “Know you too well for that.” 

Joel looked at Tommy for a moment before he sighed and it all came spilling out of him - prom night, what had been happening between the two of you the last few months, the moment in his kitchen, what you’d yelled at him over the weekend, all of it. 

“Jesus,” Tommy said when he was done, just blinking at him, dumbfounded. “I… fuck, man. I always thought there was something between you two but… holy shit.” 

“I don’t know what the fuck it is she’s talking about,” Joel said. “I talked with Ricky back then but fuck if I can remember what it was about, that was more than a decade ago, what the fuck am I supposed to do?” 

“I mean… do you know how she feels?” Tommy asked, taking a sip of coffee.

“Yeah,” Joel scoffed. “Yeah, I think she’s made that perfectly fuckin’ clear.” 

“Has she?” Tommy said. “Because - and maybe you just didn’t mention it - but I don’t think you actually talked about it. Ever. Not once.” 

Joel frowned, looking at the ground, going over everything in his mind. 

That couldn’t be right, could it? 

It sure seemed like you’d talked about it. Maybe not explicitly, but everything you’d said pointed to you seeing him as a friend. You said you wanted to be with someone you could love and that wasn’t him. The first time he’d slept with you again, you asked him not to call you baby and he’d all but begged you to let him. He’d had to fucking comfort you the morning after the concert, tell you that it didn’t mean anything so you didn’t panic because being with him freaked you out that much. You’d never said it, not in so many words, but you didn’t need to. 

“Maybe you should ask her,” Tommy said when Joel had been quiet for too long. 

“Tommy,” Joel groaned, rolling his eyes. “I can’t just…” 

“Can’t you?” Tommy said. “I mean… shit, man. You already blew it all up, what else you got to lose?” 

Tommy’s words were still in Joel’s mind when he left the job site that afternoon, going home to get cleaned up before going to the bank for his business loan appointment. 

What did he really have to lose? He could at least tell you how he felt, a thought that made his chest tight but brought a sense of relief, too. He’d been holding this in for so long now. It seemed like loving you had become a part of him, one that he was used to keeping to himself but one he didn’t want to hide anymore.

He’d told himself for years that he’d loved you quietly because it’s what you wanted. You weren’t interested, it was unfair to put his feelings on you. Even when you were a country away and not speaking with him, he found it strangely comforting to know that while it might be because he’d caved to his baser instincts and slept with you, it wasn’t because he’d pushed his feelings on you. He had regrets - he’d have given anything to take back that night if it meant you’d just talk to him again - but at least he knew how he felt about you hadn’t been the thing that had driven you away. 

Could it really be possible that not telling you had been the thing that sent you running from him? Had he really wasted years of his life not having you all because he’d been too afraid of actually fucking saying it? 

He put on his best clothes - wishing he had a suit for the first time in his life - and took a deep breath, looking at himself in the mirror. It felt like his whole life was riding on this, everything he could have sitting there, just out of reach. 

He’d never been worthy of you before. Back when he met you, he was barely passing his classes, going nowhere fast. Doomed to spend his life in his hometown, doing some job to get by while trying to keep his kid brother’s nose clean. He hadn’t gotten much better since, staying in the first job he could get, doing his best to raise the child he’d made by accident, trying to make something of himself as he could. It was nothing compared to you. But if he could manage this, actually do something real and tangible, maybe he’d feel worthwhile. 

Joel drummed his hands on the steering wheel as he drove, one of the Taylor Swift songs from the concert he’d gone to with you and Sarah coming on the radio and he remembered looking at you that night, remembered how much he wanted to kiss you in a way that actually meant something. He had to do this. He had to. 

His stomach was in knots as he sat in the bank waiting room, one foot bouncing as he tried not to crinkle his presentation and application in his hands. He wished you were here. Why was he doing this on his own? What made him think he was even fucking capable of this without you? 

After what felt like a small eternity, a woman named Audrey brought him back to her office and Joel took a deep breath before walking her through his business plan. 

His heart was pounding the entire time and there was something perverse about talking through a future that you weren’t somehow a part of. He walked Audrey through the financial plans, what the next five years would look like and there was the nagging thought at the back of his mind that he should have talked with you about all of this. How money would be tight for a while, how he’d be extra busy, how much he appreciated the way you’d supported him through all of this so far. He never could have done this without you pushing him, encouraging him, helping him navigate the business world. It felt like your success, too, when Audrey set his presentation down on her desk, nodding. 

“Well, Joel,” she said, looking at him with a smile. “I think we have everything we need. Congratulations, you’re getting your loan!” 

Joel just laughed for a second, looking next to him quickly before remembering that you weren’t by his side. 

“Thank you,” he said. “This is… thank you very much.” 

“Looking forward to doing business with you,” she smiled. “Give me just a minute and I’ll be back with some papers so we can get things going.” 

Joel took his phone out and stared at his text message conversation with you, the last thing he sent still “I’m sorry.” He wanted to tell you that he’d done it. He was a business owner, he was going to be something, he was becoming someone that Sarah was going to be proud of and it was all because you’d come back into his life. You were who he wanted to share this with and he couldn’t. 

Audrey gave him the paperwork and he went through it page by page, more than a little reminded of when he got his mortgage and felt like he was signing his life away but with more optimism about his future this time. 

About halfway through the paperwork, though, the pen started skipping. He tried wetting the tip of it, scratching on a corner of the paper but he couldn’t get it to write smoothly again. 

“Do you got another one of these?” Joel asked, holding the pen up. “Can’t get it to work…” 

“Oh yeah, sorry about that,” Audrey said, looking around her desk, including at an empty pen cup. “Let me just…” 

She opened a desk drawer and took a few things out, piling things on her desk - a purse, water bottle, a book. 

Joel cocked his head at the book, the spine of it familiar. So familiar that he couldn’t help but laugh. Of course you’d be here, too. 

“What?” She asked as she found a plain, white box and pulled out a handful of pens with the bank’s logo on the side. She dropped them into the pen cup and held one out to Joel. 

“Oh, nothin’,” he said, taking the pen and nodding at the novel. “Just… my friend, she wrote that book. Funny seeing someone read it.” 

“Wait, really?” She asked, her face lighting up as she held up your book. “You know who wrote this?” 

“Yeah,” Joel nodded. “Yeah, she’s my best friend, known her since we were 15. She’s… she’s amazing. She teaches now, over at UT.” 

Audrey set the book down, leaning over the desk with her arms folded in front of her like she was going to tell Joel some kind of secret. 

“OK can I ask something?” She asked. “Sorry, this is probably hugely unprofessional but I am obsessed with this book, I can’t put it down and my book club is going crazy. Is any of it true? The falling in love and things ending like that? It seems like it has to be at least somewhat based on her life, I don’t see how someone could write this without knowing it, you know?” 

“Oh, uh,” Joel cupped the back of his neck awkwardly. “I actually… haven’t read it?” 

“Oh,” she said, sitting back a little, looking let down. 

“Sorry,” Joel said. “I’ve tried and I know it’ll be amazing but it’s just too weird for me…” 

“No, I’m sorry,” she laughed a little. “I overstepped, I shouldn’t have assumed…” 

“I should read it,” Joel said quickly. “I got it at home, maybe I’ll give it another go now.” 

“You should,” Audrey said. “It’s really, really good.” 

The new pen worked and Joel finished the paperwork, staring at his signature on the last page a  little too long. He handed the pen and papers back to Audrey. 

“You can keep the pen,” she smiled, taking the pages. “Let me make copies of these for your records but otherwise, congratulations, owner of Miller Brothers Construction and Contracting!” 

Joel had a bubble of pride in his chest as he drove home, one that seemed too big to keep contained and, against his better judgement, he called you. 

He wasn’t entirely sure what he expected, if he thought you were going to send him to voicemail, if you were going to answer and let him actually say something to you or what. 

What he didn’t expect was Gale. 

“Hello?” 

Joel just blinked for a second, recognizing the man’s pompous voice even from just the one word. 

“Is this Joel?” Gale - fucking BRAD - said. He took his silence as a yes and laughed. “Was wondering if I’d hear from you. Don’t worry, she’s with me, back where she belongs. Thanks for looking after her while I was gone, though. Appreciate it.” 

“Lemme talk to her,” Joel said through clenched teeth. 

“I don’t see why that’s necessary,” he said. “Seems like she doesn’t want much to do with you these days. Think you blew it. Thanks for that, too, by the way.” 

“We’re just…” 

“You’re just nothing,” Gale cut him off. “You were nothing but a childish distraction for her. She went running back here when things got hard - which I take my part of the blame for - and she needed a project to keep herself busy but she doesn’t need you anymore. So go back to the little life you’re meant for and leave us be. She was always too much for you and this place, anyway.” 

“No,” Joel said sharply. “No, you put her on the phone, put her on the phone right now!” 

“Can’t do that,” Gale said. “But I’ll tell her you called. Take care.” 

The line went dead and Joel threw his phone against the dash so hard the screen cracked. 

“Fuck!” He yelled, smacking his hands against the steering wheel. He wasn’t going to lose you, not again, not like this. 

He ignored Gale. Instead, he drove to your house, pounding sharply on the door, panting for breath as he did but you never answered. 

So he went to Anna’s next. He only needed to knock for a minute before she opened the door, Ellie’s beaming, chubby face happy in her arms. 

“Hey Joel,” Anna smiled at him. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes! Here to see this one?” 

Ellie squirmed in Anna’s arms, cooing and reaching for Joel and he laughed once, he couldn’t help it, before holding his arms out for her. Anna handed him her daughter and Ellie giggled, immediately reaching to tangle her tiny fingers in his curls. He smiled at her for a moment, marveling at the little girl who’d brought you and him together in the way it felt like you were always meant to be.

“Is she here?” Joel asked, bouncing a little with Ellie, watching her smile, her little body a grounding force that eased his racing heart. 

“Oh,” Anna frowned, her eyebrows knitting together. “No, sorry, she’s not here too often anymore, just a few times a week… She moved back home, I thought you knew that?” 

“No, I did,” Joel said quickly, looking to Anna and offering a finger to Ellie for her to gum at. “She just… wasn’t there, tried callin’ her but…” 

“Oh,” Anna pulled her phone out, looking at the time. “She might still be at the school, I can call her for you…” 

“No,” Joel said quickly, not wanting to get your sister involved in the mess of whatever the fuck was going on between the two of you. “Don’t… Don’t worry about it, sure I’ll talk to her eventually.” 

“OK,” Anna said, still frowning. “Look… It’s not my business but… Is there something going on with you two?” 

Joel just looked at Anna for a moment, wondering if he should tell her, too, because fuck it, why not just let the whole world know how much he’d fucked up with you.  

But she beat him to it, going from a frown to an absolutely glowing smile in no time at all. 

“Oh my God.” 

“What?” He asked, adjusting his hold on Ellie. 

“You love her!” She sounded practically giddy. “Oh my GOD I knew it! You LOVE her! Have you told her? Does she know? Oh my GOD, JOEL!” 

“I… I haven’t exactly said it,” Joel said, his cheeks getting hot. “I don’t want to make it her problem, I don’t want to get in the way of her being happy, I just… I want to be there for it.”

Anna just looked at him for a moment before shaking her head a little. 

“Is… Is she happy with him?” Joel asked, watching your sister closely. “Is he what she wants? I didn’t know her when they were really together, I just… it seems like he holds her back and that he’s bad for her and…” 

“Joel, did you read her book?” Anna cut him off. 

He frowned. 

“What? What does that…” 

“You wanted to know if he’s what she wants,” Anna said. “She’s never going to actually say it, you know that. At least not to you or to me, she’s always going to try to seem like she’s OK and handle it herself until she can’t and even then she’s not going to actually fucking say it, Joel, but she will write it. She always writes it. Read the book, Joel.” 

He gave Ellie back to Anna and went home, trying to focus as he made Sarah dinner and helped her with her homework. 

Read the book. Just read the fucking book. Was that all it would take? Could he even do that? If fucking Brad really was what you wanted, could he really sit and read hundreds of pages about how much better your life had been when he wasn’t in it? 

He’d never been able to manage it and it wasn’t because he didn’t want to know you through your words and it wasn’t because he didn’t like your writing. It was because he didn’t know if he could stomach reading something you wrote while you were in love with someone else. 

But… Anna was right. He knew that. If he wanted to know the truth of any of it, he’d have to read it. So, after he tucked Sarah into bed, he sat on the floor, staring at the box in his closet that held the two copies of your book like it was daring him to actually confront his feelings for a change. Because that had always worked out so well for him in the past, not like every fucking time he’d resolved to actually talk to you he hadn’t found you loving someone else. 

“Fuck it,” he muttered, opening the box and pulling out the books. This time, though, he picked the signed copy, the one he’d never tried to read before. There was something different about holding this copy, knowing that you had once, too. He ran his hands over the cover and the spine reverently for a moment before he leaned his back against the wall of the closet and opened the book. 

Joel had to force himself to read past the first few paragraphs, his stomach in knots the entire time, but, after a while, he fell into it - to the point that he almost forgot that he was reading your book. 

He’d known, from what little he’d managed to read in the past, that the book started in Austin, he just hadn’t expected the story to linger there.

But it did, the narrative following a girl named Cressida. She started out as a quiet, introspective high schooler who had become unlikely friends with a football player named Eli, a friendship that felt so like his with yours. They knew each other, understood each other, their worlds seem to revolve around each other. It seemed natural that it led to them sleeping together. But instead of the immediate implosion that had ended your relationship in real life, theirs devolved over time. Cressida came back to him again and again, the two of them winding up loosely connected every time a relationship of Eli’s fizzled out, her clinging to a heart wrenching longing that hurt to read, one that her friend seemed shockingly oblivious to.

Eventually, though, things came crashing down. This was different too, though, because it ended not with her vanishing but him, a car accident claiming Eli’s life when Cressida had finally resolved to tell him how she felt. They buried him in a sunny corner of the graveyard just before graduation and Cressida, it seemed, never really moved past it.

The other three-quarters of the book followed her as she tried – desperately, devastatingly – to live again, to get over the love she’d never really had to begin with, to find some place to root herself outside of that sun-drenched grave in her hometown.

She never really managed it, the ending almost painfully unsatisfying but feeling true. She’d become something – Cressida delving into the business world instead of the creative one as you had – and she found success away from home but her mind kept going back to that place and that person. She’d had relationships but, when her last boyfriend had proposed, she couldn’t bring herself to say yes. It had felt like a lie, to tell someone she would love him above all others when she’d never love him more than the memory of the boy who had been gone for years. He’d died at the worst time, the part of her life that would always be on a pedestal no matter what she did. Nothing and no one would ever compare and she was stuck, still going back to him again and again even though he was cold in the ground.

The last chapter closed with her bringing home a man who reminded her of her friend, something charming about him that took her back to that brighter place for a while. But when he fell asleep next to her, she had to confront that hollow feeling in her chest. In the last moment of the story, she bought a plane ticket to go back to that sunny grave site, something about the calm that fell over her when she decided to go back making it seem like that grave was her resting place, too.

Joel just stared at the book when he read the final words, the last pages flopping over, revealing your picture on the inside flap of the dust jacket. That knowing smile and piercing gaze gutted him then, no longer the taunt and temptation of knowledge they had once been.

Was Anna right, was this the truth of it? Did you write out your real feelings? Had he really gotten everything this fucking wrong? Had he really spent years wishing things with you were different when they’d been different all along?

He got out his phone and ignored the fact that it was 4:30 in the morning and called you. You didn’t answer. It didn’t even go to voicemail, the phone ringing once before he got some message saying the number was unavailable.

“Fuck,” he sighed, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall. He wasn’t positive but, based on his experience trying to track down Sarah’s mom years ago, that meant you’d blocked his number. It’d be just his fucking luck that he thought - hoped? - that, maybe, you felt the way he did at the same time he lost you for good.

He sat there with his eyes closed in the glow of his closet light, next to the box made up of the history of you, trying to pick through his memory from all those years ago, searching for some sort of guarantee that the book was based on what happened between the two of you back then.  

At some point, when he was swallowed by his memory of you, he fell asleep. Maybe it was the book, maybe it was the fact that he’d been sifting through ancient history when exhaustion finally caught up with him, maybe it was your words still ringing in his ears, but he remembered then. 

In his dream, he was back under the bleachers with Ricky, pacing to work out his nerves. He talked to his friend - the one who was more experienced, the one who wasn’t reckless, the one who would understand exactly why he was so afraid of what he might have just done to you. 

But, most importantly, he remembered exactly how that conversation had ended. 

It’s Goldie. I wish it were anyone else. It’d be better if it were anyone else.

“Dad!” 

Joel jerked awake, the book still open in his hands, your signature there for him to see. 

I fucking heard you. 

Sarah pounded on his bedroom door again. 

“Dad, come on!” She yelled. “I’m gonna be late!” 

“Shit,” he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and checked the time before calling to his daughter. “Two minutes, baby girl!” 

He got up as quickly as he could, his legs tingling from his awkward sleeping position on the floor of the fucking closet. 

Joel got changed quickly, barely paying attention to what he was putting on.

He’d had the answers sitting there for years, he’d just been too afraid to look it in the face but he had and now he knew. He knew how you felt - how you must have felt, why else would his misunderstood words have driven you away? - he knew how much time he’d already fucking wasted by being a coward, he knew it all now. 

He just didn’t know what the fuck to do about it. 

Joel got Sarah out the door quickly, barely paying attention on his drive to the school. He couldn’t just give up. He already refused to lose you, not again, but now it would be impossible. You were so close, everything he’d ever wanted there in front of him but just out of reach. Even if you’d moved on now, even if you were happier with fucking Brad, he had to tell you. He owed both of you that much. 

“Bye Dad!” Sarah poked her head between the two front seats and gave him a peck on the cheek. 

“What was that for?” He frowned, turning to look at her. 

She just shrugged and smiled. 

“Just seemed like you needed it,” she said. “Love you!” 

“Love you too!” He called after her as she hopped down from the truck and slammed the door behind her with a little too much force, waving behind her as she ran to the building. 

“Alright,” he took a deep breath, looking at the clock on his dashboard. Just after 8 a.m. He’d start at your place because he wasn’t sure what time you went to campus this semester. But he was going to talk to you. He was going to talk to you and he was going to tell you how he felt and he was going to do it today. “I’m comin’, Goldie.” 

You weren’t at your place when he got there. He tried not to think about if it was because you’d spent the night with fucking Brad, if you’d gone to his hotel and had never even been here. Instead, he went to campus. He wasn’t sure where you’d be teaching right now but he was pretty sure you wouldn’t be in your office. You always had morning classes with a break in the afternoon. 

“Excuse me,” he said to a random passing college student. “I’m lookin’ for… shit, probably creative writing? Or literature? What buildings are those?” 

“Oh, um,” the girl looked around quickly. “I’m a physics major but I know I had an English class in that building over there last semester? You could start there?” 

She pointed to a building in the distance and Joel kept his groan to himself. He forgot how fucking huge college campuses were. 

But he couldn’t just sit and wait. He needed to find you and he needed to do it now. 

“Thanks,” he said, giving her a wave and already starting to jog for the building. “Appreciate it!” 

But you didn’t have a class in that building. At least not at that time of day. He knew because he looked in all the lecture halls. You weren’t there. 

He tried two other buildings after asking for directions - no luck - before checking his watch. If your schedule was anything like it had been the semesters before, you’d be in your office soon. That, at least, he knew how to find. 

He jogged there, resisting the urge to run because that would probably make him look utterly insane, and threw his arm out to catch the elevator on its way up. 

“Floor 10, please,” he said to one of the college girls looking at him funny as he panted for breath. She did as he asked, though, and he marveled, for a moment, at just how fucking young college kids seemed to him now.

He closed his eyes and focused for a second, trying to figure out exactly what to say to you, but hearing your name pulled him out of his head. 

“I don’t think they’re still like… together together, though,” the girl who’d pushed the button said. “Like I know they were married but she said he was visiting. He’d live here if they were married, right? Besides, I really don’t think her husband would be asking for my number with his wife there, would he?” 

“I dunno,” the other girl shrugged. “He’s just… isn’t he old? Like old old, not hot old.” 

“I like them old,” the first girl giggled. “They know what they’re doing then.” 

The elevator chimed and the girls got off and Joel’s heart was beating so hard he could feel the blood in his body. You’d brought fucking Brad here and he’d hit on one of your fucking students - one who looked so young Joel never would have looked twice at her if he saw her on the street. Right in front of you, from the sounds of it. That’s who you’d chosen, that’s who you’d felt like you deserved because he hadn’t opened his fucking mouth years earlier. 

When the elevator made it to floor 10, he squeezed out of the doors, not willing to wait for them to open all the way, and ran to your office. 

“Excuse me,” the girl behind the front desk said as he went past her. “You can’t just…” 

“It’s fine,” he said, catching the door as someone came out of the hall where your office was. 

“No, wait!” She called after him but he ignored her. 

He ducked around other professors, dodging them and their questions until he was at your door. 

It was closed but he didn’t bother to knock, throwing the door open to find you there, standing in front of your desk in the arms of your fucking husband as he kissed you. 

Joel moved so fast that neither you nor Gale had noticed he was there but he couldn’t just stand there and watch that fucking guy kiss you, not like that. 

Without really thinking about it, he ripped him away from you, just catching a glimpse of the shock on your face as he punched Gale in the head, sending him sprawling into your desk. 

“Joel!” You yelled before grabbing his arm and pulling him back before he could hit your goddamn husband again. “What the fuck are you doing!” 

“Sorry, baby,” he said, shaking the feel of the punch out of his hand, his knuckles raw. “I couldn’t just watch that fucking guy touch you like that.” 

“Well, it’s really not your business how he touches me!” You snapped, shoving him back. “You don’t get to just come in here and hit people because you’re not getting your way anymore!” 

“That ain’t what this is,” he said, taking you by the shoulders, something grounding in the fact that could feel you again. “Baby, I read your book…” 

“Congratulations!” You snapped. “What, do you want a cookie because you finally got around to supporting me?” 

“No,” he shook his head. “Did you mean that? What you wrote, was that…” 

“What does it matter!” You asked, your eyes searching his face. “Why do you care! It’s ancient history, it doesn’t…” 

“It does matter!” He held you tight, wanting to kiss you more than he ever had before. “It matters because I love you, I love you so much, I’ve loved you since we were fucking kids, I love you so much that I think it might kill me if you don’t let me just say that to you at least this once and if you feel that way, too…” 

“You need to leave,” Gale - who Joel had all but forgotten about - said, trying to position himself between you and Joel. “And take your hands off my wife.” 

“Oh I haven’t even fuckin’ started with you,” Joel said, rounding on him. “You’re a fucking predator, chasing after her fuckin’ students while you’re here with her? Doing with them what you did with her, that it? Lucky I don’t beat the shit out of you…” 

“Joel, I…” you began, but you didn’t get the chance to finish, Gale pulling you back from Joel and going to hit him. 

Joel didn’t give him the chance, shoving him away from you before punching him again. Gale fell, landing on your desk again with a sharp crack. 

“Joel!” You yelled. 

He didn’t get a chance to respond. Instead, he got pulled back, security guards dragging him into the hall and away from you before he knew if he had a shot at really having you for the first time in his life.

A/N: FUCK YOU GALE!

Sorry, I've been picturing that moment since I first thought up the fic. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Taglist: @kaseyconnour

[sebastianstanisahotmf]

Forbidden fruit

Steve Rogers x Fem!reader

A/N Hey guys I'm re-posting all my fics. Also all mistakes are my own and comments, likes and reblogs are greatly appreciated xoxo

18+ MINORS FUCK OFF YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH (I WARNED YOU)

Summary Your dad's best friend, Steve pays you a visit. (idk how to summarise this)

DO NOT REPOST ON ANY OTHER APPS/SITES. THE ONLY PLACE THIS FIC IS ON IS TUMBLR.

Warnings fluff, Unprotected sex (use protection because you're not fictional), daddy kink, squirting, spitting, the word slut used like once or twice and one slap.

You weren’t expecting anyone today. Between your dad being at work and the lack of plans on your part you didn’t expect the loud knocks on the door at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. You cautiously tiptoed over to the door and looked through the peephole. You let out the breath you didn’t know you were holding when you saw it was Steve. You opened the door with a smile and tried not to stare at the man in front of you. After all he was your dad’s best friend.

“Hey darlin’ is your dad in?” Steve questioned while looking you up and down.

You were wearing some sweatpants and a t-shirt that belonged to your dad. You were home all day so you didn’t bother to put nicer clothes on.

“N-no” you stuttered trying not to focus on the wetness that is now soaking through your panties.

“He told me he wasn’t at work today” Steve said while walking into the kitchen to help himself to a beer.

“He said something about an emergency. I’m not sure though I wasn’t listening properly” you replied.

“I thought you were a good girl” Steve replied with a smirk.

You could feel your cheeks heating up with the praise.

“I-I was in the shower when he told me”

I wish I was there Steve thought as he looked at you hungrily.

“Actually I was here to see you princess” Steve said while watching your face closely.

“me?” you questioned.

“yes. I wanted to know if you meant to send me the photos of your pretty tits and the video of you playing with your pretty pussy.”

Oh my fucking god y/n you thought to yourself. “o-oh I-I’m really sorry Steve t-they weren’t meant to be sent to you.”

“who were they meant for then? Because they better not have been for a boy who doesn’t know how to treat a girl like you right.” Steve said bitterly. “Have you had sex with him before?” you nodded slowly watching Steve’s face for his reaction. “how many times has he made you cum?”

“well...” you replied looking at the floor.

“You’re joking. He had a pretty thing like you at his fingertips and he didn’t make you cum once. I think we should make another video to show your friend so he knows how to treat a girl like you.”

“I-I don’t think we should do this,” you replied.

“He’ll be home in about 45 minutes. That’s more than enough time to get those sexy legs of yours quivering and you screaming my name like a prayer.”

All you could do was whimper in response as Steve stepped closer to you. He brought his hand up to your face and brushed his thumb over your lips. You opened your mouth, and Steve pressed his thumb onto your tongue. You closed your lips around his thumb and sucked, which elicited a deep moan from Steve. He removed his thumb from your mouth and softly grasped your chin to make you look at him.

“Before we do anything, I want to set some rules,” he said sternly.

“O-okay,” you whimpered.

“Firstly, I need to know if you know what the traffic light system is.”

“I, umm, I know what it is.”

“Good girl. I want you to use it at any time, especially if you don’t like something that I’m doing or if you just want to slow down. I don’t care about anything but your well-being. Do you understand?” he questioned in a serious tone.

“Okay,” you replied while crossing your legs.

“Secondly, I’m going to have my way with you, but if you disobey me, I will have to spank you. And most importantly, you are to call me daddy and only daddy. Am I clear?”

“Y-yes, daddy,” you almost whispered.

“Good girl,” he growled.

He grabbed your waist and pulled you flush against his chest.

“No bra?” he questioned.

You shook your head. You put your left hand on his chest and your right one on his cheek. He leaned down, and you reached up to meet his lips. It started off tame until Steve licked across your lips. You instantly opened your mouth and welcomed his tongue into your mouth. Your tongues fought for dominance, a fight that would always be won by Steve.

He moved his hands to your ass and told you to jump.

You pulled back. “Are you sure?” you questioned.

Steve looked at you like you were crazy. “Did I stutter? I said jump. So you’re gonna jump, and I’m gonna carry you to your bedroom, and then I’m gonna fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before. Better than any guy your age can.”

You decided that Steve didn’t care and jumped. He caught you and wrapped your legs around his waist. You started to kiss him again as he made his way upstairs with you. Luckily you had left your bedroom door open do all he had to do was kick it so you both could fit through the doorway. He dropped you on your bed and then started to strip his clothes off. However, you were visibly disappointed when he didn’t take his tight boxers off. You could see his bulge and it looked too big to be real.

“see something you like?” he said with a smirk on his face. Then, he looked you in the eyes and said “strip. I want everything off.”

“ok daddy” you replied whilst taking your clothes off with shaky hands.

Once you got your panties off, Steve took them out of your hand and put them on top of his pile of clothes.

“they’re mine now”

All you could do was whimper in response.

“lay back” he ordered.

You did as he said and then he laid down on his front between your legs. He grabbed your thighs and wrapped them around his head.

He looked up at you and said, “I want you to suffocate me with your pussy. I mean it, if I die then I’ll die a happy man. Also, I want both hands in my hair. They move, I stop. Do you understand?”

“y-yes daddy,” you replied a shiver running down your spine.

You buried your hands into Steve’s soft strands of hair and pulled which made him groan.

He leaned forward and you tightened your legs. He smiled to himself before he dived in. He started with long languid licks from your hole to your clit. Making sure to leave nowhere untouched by his tongue. He licked into your pussy while his thumb swiped over your bundle of nerves.

You pulled hard on his hair making him groan once again. He shook his head so he could get deeper and decided to change his tactics.

He rubbed two fingers up and down your wetness, pushed them inside and curled them. The moan you let out made Steve grind his hardness into the mattress. He started to suck on your clit and you pulled as hard as you could on his hair.

“OH FUCK DADDY.” You screamed. “I’m gonna cum I’m gonna cum I’m gonna cum.” You chanted.

Steve carried on what he was doing. Well he had no choice. Your legs were so tight around his head now that he couldn’t move. He couldn’t be in a better position if he tried. It was like being in heaven.

You let out an earth shattering squeal as you came. Steve carried on as your legs quivered and your hands tried to push his head away. The overstimulation feeling like too much. Steve added another finger and curled them hard against your g-spot. He got into a rhythm of harshly thrusting his fingers in and out of you while he sucked as hard as he could on your clit.

Then, a weird pressure started to build. One that you had never felt before. It felt like you needed to pee.

“daddy it feels weird. Daddy I’m gonna cum gonna cum again.” You shouted.

He carried on with his movements and then suddenly he pulled his fingers out of you. He continued you roughly rub two fingers across your clit even as you writhed and your legs shook. He put an arm across your waist as he continued his ministrations.

Then suddenly you came. Your release squirted out of you while Steve continued to rub your swollen and almost painful bundle of nerves.

“DADDY!” You squealed and then you shouted, “YELLOW.” The feeling was pleasurable but it felt too much. You just needed everything to slow down.

Steve removed his hand and put his other one on your cheek as his thumb stroked the skin under your eye.

“Are you ok baby? Do you want to slow down or stop?” he asked in a soft voice.

“I just want to slow down. It just got a little too much. I can go again now. I-it’s just that I needed a break.” You breathlessly replied.

“Ok baby but if its too much just tell me. I won’t be mad.”

“ok daddy.”

Steve leaned down and whispered “good girl” into your ear making goose bumps form all over your body.

“Daddyyyyy.” You whined. “I need you”

“what do you need baby?” he said while smiling softly at you.

“I need you inside me. Please please daddy!”

“Good girl. Such. A. Good. Girl.” Steve punctuated each word with a kiss.

He started to kiss from your lips to your neck where he started to kiss and bite you leaving a trail of marks. You tangled your hands into his hair, pulling on the strands.

Steve groaned as he grinded his erection into your leg. He kissed down to your breasts where he sucked your left nipple into his mouth. He bit down on it which made you groan. He then switched his attention to the other nipple.

Once he felt like your nipples had had enough attention, he started to kiss his way back up to your lips.

He sat back on his legs and started to remove his boxers. As he pulled them down his legs, his large cock sprung up and laid flat against his stomach. The red tip was leaking a steady stream of precum.

You sat up and reached out for Steve’s cock and grasped it. You started to pump his cock up and down occasionally twisting your hand as you reached the sensitive head whilst using his precum as lube. He let out a loud groan.

You got closer so that you could lean down and take his member into your mouth. You sucked harder as you got to the tip. Once you had a steady rhythm, Steve put a hand on either side of you head and started to fuck your mouth.

“If you need me to stop just tap on my thigh twice” He gritted out.

He held your head down so that your nose was buried in the hairs at the base of his cock. Then he pulled back and carried on thrusting into your mouth. As he got close to cumming, he pulled out and picked you up.

Steve laid you down on your back and then kneeled between your open legs. He shuffled closer and grabbed his cock. He started to run the tip up and down your folds.

“Daddy please. Fuck me please daddy please!” you pleaded desperately.

“ok, ok, baby” he said looking at you with lust blown eyes.

He grabbed his member and pushed it inside you. You moaned and you arched your back as he slowly entered you. Steve stilled for a few seconds to let you get used to his size.

“Steve please!” you begged, desperate for Steve to pound you into the mattress.

“what did you call me?” Steve snarled and slapped you around your face.

You moaned and clenched around him making him hiss.

“sorry daddy sorry I just want you to fuck me. PLEASE!” you pleaded.

“you want me to fuck you really hard do you?” Steve said as you nodded your head. He chuckled and then put his hand around your neck squeezing gently. “ok then I’ll fuck you but don’t expect me to stop you slut.”

Steve started to pound into you. His hips slapping against yours while his balls slap against your ass. His thrusts were quick and sharp not allowing you any time to move away.

Steve grabbed your legs and put them over his shoulders. He leant down and you were practically folded in half. What he did next surprised you. Steve used his spare hand to hold down your jaw while he spat into your mouth. He removed his hand and you automatically swallowed and opened your mouth again.

“Such a fucking slut wanting my spit. Dirty girl.” Steve said while spitting into your mouth again.

You swallowed. Then, Steve snaked the hand that he used to open your jaw down to your clit and started to rub it quickly. Your legs started to shake and your back arched off the bed.

“Are you gonna cum my dumb slut?” you nodded. “Tell daddy. Tell him you’re a dumb cumslut” Steve started to thrust faster which you didn’t know was possible.

“I-I’m a-a cumslut. D-daddy’s cums-slut. I’m gonna cum daddy. I’m gonna cum.” You sobbed while your legs shook and the feeling at the bottom of your stomach grew.

“that’s it good girl” Steve groaned. “good girl, such a good girl for daddy.”

That’s when the band inside you snapped and you came for the final time. Your last released squired out of you and drenched Steve’s cock and thighs.

“good girl. Such a good cumslut.”steve moaned his thrusts losing their rhythm. “I’m gonna cum, I’m gonna cum, gonna cum”

“daddy cum inside me please daddy please. Want your cum inside me. Please!”

That was it for Steve. He was a goner. His hips stilled as his spend pumped inside you.

You both stayed like that for a while until Steve suddenly got up. You whined at the loss of contact but your attention was now on Steve picking up your phone.

“Open it please baby. I want to send a video of my spunk dripping out of you to that little shit who thinks he deserved you”

You whimpered at his possessive tone and took your phone out of his hand to put the password in. Steve then clicked on the camera and took a video of your still pulsing hole which had his spend leaking out of it.

Steve stopped the video and sent it to your friend. Then he laid on top of you with his head on your breasts while you ran your fingers through his hair.

You both stayed like that for a while until your phone rang. Steve rolled over beside you with a groan and you picked up your phone.

“shit, it’s my dad.” You said as you answered the call. “Hey dad what’s up?”

“Nothing sweetheart I’m just calling to say I’m gonna be home 30 minutes late today.”

“o-ok I’ll see you later. Bye dad, love you”

“bye love you too.”

You put the phone down and looked at Steve with a smile on your face. “we have an extra 30 minutes”

“good. Now I can take care of you the way you deserve.” Steve picked you up and took you to the bathroom down the hallway.

He sat you on the toilet so you could pee while he went back into the bedroom to take the sheets off your bed. After you were finished in the bathroom, you called Steve back in. He picked you up again and placed you on the counter.

“where are the towels?” Steve asked.

“in the cupboard under this counter.” You said, smiling softly at Steve.

“ok then darlin’. You get the shower going and I’ll get a change of clothes and towels ready before I join you.” He smiled and then slapped your ass when you walked over to the shower.

You yelped in response but carried on with the task you had been given. Once the shower was to your preferred temperature, you got under the spray and got your hair wet.

Just as you were about to reach for your body wash Steve had entered the shower and came up behind you. He wrapped his arms around your waist and kissed your hair. You turned around in his arms and leaned up to kiss him.

Then you reached out for your dad’s shower gel and squirted some of it on a loofah. Then, you thoroughly cleaned Steve’s body and then his hair. Once you had finished, Steve decided to return the favour.

These simple acts felt intimate but you knew you couldn’t have a relationship with Steve. It was like he was forbidden fruit since he was your dad’s best friend. How would your dad react to that?

After Steve had finished cleaning your body and hair, you both got out of the shower. Steve decided had that you didn’t need to walk yet.

He put you down once you reached the bedroom and then you both started to get dressed which gave you an opportunity to look Steve over and appreciate his chiselled body.

“you’re staring baby” Steve said while laughing.

Your cheeks started to heat up again but that was short lived since Steve dragged you back into bed so you could cuddle. Your head was on Steve’s chest while his arm was around you and your leg was thrown over his waist.

Your peaceful moment was torn apart by the sound of a key in the front door. You and Steve jumped out of bed and started to panic

“hey its OK, I’ll quickly go downstairs and tell your dad that you was getting changed. Ok?”

“ok I’ll wait a few minutes before coming down stairs then” you agreed.

“good girl” Steve whispered in your ear before kissing you on the lips and then on your forehead.

He ran downstairs and into the kitchen to pick up his beer and talk to your dad. All this happened while you were still thinking about what you and Steve had just done and how it would change your relationship.

Taglist: @buckys-wintersoldier @nicoline1998enilocin

[goldenempyrean]

hey :) just wondering - would you ever consider writing for agatha harkness/rio vidal?

Under Her Spell

〚 Notes - So I originally wasn't going to write for them, since I tried to write Agatha in the past and couldn't quite nail her character down but I was super sleepy last night and wanted to give this a go! So let me know what you think! 〛

〚 Pairing - Agatha Harkness x Rio Vidal 〛

〚 Summary - Agatha wakes up ill but she's got Rio to look after her. 〛

〚 Wordcount - 1280 〛

〘 Check Out My Masterlist! 〙

〘 Part 2 〙

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Agatha Harkness was a woman of power. 

A woman of strength and most certainly a woman of unwavering resolve. She’d faced trails, hunts and grief yet little had ever slowed her down. Yet here she was, slumped over her desk, surrounded by a messy pile of books and various other magical nicknacks. 

She honestly wasn’t quite sure what she was meant to be doing. It had all seemed clear a few hours away when she felt decisively less shitty. You see, the witch had woken up with a groggy mumble and an empty bed to match. That wasn’t all too unusual, after all, her girlfriend’s “occupation” didn’t exactly give her the flexibility to lie in whenever she wanted 

Agatha was used to it by now, what she wasn’t used to however was waking to a throbbing headache and horribly sore throat. She swallowed, the action provoking a sharp wince in response. Before she had even sat up properly, the brunette had been sent forward with an unpleasant fit, the dry rasping coughs only further irritating her enflamed throat. 

She groaned as she forced herself up from the bed, each movement feeling like it took twice the  amount of effort. When she finally managed to stand, she had to reach back and grip the bedpost, her vision swimming for a moment and the room span out of focus. 

After taking a minute to catch her breath she made her way over to her desk, weaving between the clutter that had accumulated on her floor—enchanted objects, potion bottles, and the odd errant crystal she’d forgotten to clean up 

The desk was already covered in books and ancient tomes, their pages splayed open from last night’s research. Agatha had been on the verge of discovering something big—or at least, it had felt that way. But now, squinting at the words on the page, she found herself struggling to even focus. 

That’s how it went for several hours, forcing herself to read lines of spells and chants, only half understanding their meaning. Even if she had, she was way too congested to pronounce anything correctly anyway. Why she had even bothered to work on this in the first place had been long forgotten but the thought of giving up without making any progress was embarrassing for a witch of her calibre.  

Rubbing at her nose, Agatha sniffled thickly but wasn’t doing much in the way of giving her relief.  Reaching over to her side, the pulled open the drawer of her desk pulling out a white stitched cloth. 

Another sniffle escaped, this one more insistent, making her nose twitch. She could feel the prickling sensation of a sneeze building, and for a moment she tried to will it away, refusing to let the cold control even a small part of her. But the tickle won out, and with a begrudging gasp, she sneezed into her handkerchief, a soft, “Hh’tschh!” escaping before she could stifle it. 

A distant knock at the door caught her attention. She coughed and pulled her navy cardigan closer around herself, wishing whoever it was to leave as quick as they came. They knocked again, a little louder this time. Agatha groaned, rolling her eyes as she glared towards the door. 

She had just been about to get up when the wooden hinges creaked subtly as the door opened, “Agatha?” The witch instantly relaxed from the barely-held defensive position she’d gotten it when she recognised the voice calling out to her. 

“In here my love.” The witch cringed at the sound of her own rasping voice, clearing her throat with an irritated noise as she looked up to see Rio leaning against the doorframe to her room. 

“You look like death.” 

“Hilarious.” 

Rio shrugged with an amused smirk, “I like to think so.” She came towards Agatha, gently reaching out to touch her forehead, wincing at how warm her girlfriend felt beneath her touch, “I told you not to go out in the rain yesterday without so much as a coat to keep you warm. Now look at you.” 

Agatha let out a grumble, eyes narrowing slightly as she looked up at Rio with a mixture of stubborn defiance and begrudging affection. “I can look after myself.” She said, her words quickly followed by a damp sniffle. The action didn’t provide her any relief, in fact it only seemed to irritate her sinuses further. Her pink nose twitched for a second before the witch scrambled to duck into the fabric she’d been clutching, “Hii’tshhuu!” 

Rio made a noise somewhat between sympathy and adoration as she pressed a soft kiss to the top of Agatha’s forehead, her nose winkling a little as she realised how damp her hair was, “Were you outside again?” 

“No.” Agatha grumbled, turning away to blow her nose quietly before continuing, “I think I broke a fever earlier. Just had to sweat it out I suppose.” She filled in the obvious and Rio simply hummed but her expression said she wanted to say something more. 

The brunette dragged a chair to come and sit beside her girlfriend, watching silently as Agatha tried and failed to get on with some work, “Do you want me to draw you a bath love? I’m sorry but you’re fooling nobody with the way you’re shivering.” Rio took off her coat and laid the warm fabric over the witches shoulders. Agatha unconsciously sank into the garment, the faint smell of her girlfriend lingering on the item. 

Agatha sniffled again, rubbing at her nose once more before nodding as she turned to look at her, “I’d like that.” She said simply, sighing before pushing her chair away from the desk, standing up to simply sit back down again a few seconds later, only this time she was sitting in Rio’s lap, tucking her head against the crook of her neck, “Thank you.” 

Rio continued the hold her for a while, her hand finding its way beneath Agatha’s shirt as she drew shapes down her back, her cool touch providing a welcomed relief from the fever that had her freezing cold one minute and burning up the next, “You may have to let me get up if you want that bath anytime soon.” Rio murmured, earning a tired mumble in return. She hadn’t noticed how her girlfriend had practically fallen asleep against her, “You’re exhausted love.” Her voice was quiet. 

Without another word, her girlfriend slipped her arm around Agatha’s shoulders, guiding her up, “Back to bed with you, hm?” Though her words were sweet, Rio’s tone left little room for arguments as she made easy work of getting the notoriously stubborn Agatha Harkness changed into fresh nightwear and then back under the covers of their bed, “Good girl.” She pressed another kiss to her forehead. 

“I’m going to get you mix you something for your throat then run you a bath, alright? I don’t expect to come back and find you wondering about like a lost puppy.” Rio narrowed her eyebrows playfully but Agatha simply rolled onto her side and tugged the blanket a little closer over herself as she closed her eyes. 

The Green witch sighed softly, this time as she leant down she allowed herself to plant a kiss on her girlfriend’s pink tinged cheeks, earning a sleepy mumble of gratitude from her partner, “Just rest, okay? I’ll wake you up in a little bit.” 

So maybe Agatha was stubborn. Maybe she was a woman of power. The woman of power. But right now she was a sleepy, feverish, sniffly mess. But maybe that was okay.  Now she had Rio to take care of her and that was all that mattered. 

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[emmyrosee]

He doesn’t feel right. He shouldn’t be doing this.

Kiyoomi isn’t exactly the best with the relationship thing; be it friends, or family, or intimate, he’s left a lot of that to Motoya- the “nice” one.

It never really bothered him that Motoya was considered ‘nicer’ than him, Kiyoomi knew his heart’s reasonings for picking and choosing who and what to have empathy and respect for; just because Komori had less of a sense for it, doesn’t mean he’s ‘nicer.’

And then you crashed into Sakusa Kiyoomi’s life.

With no remorse or sympathy, you strut your way into Kiyoomi’s life like you owned the rental space in his heart and mind, like you were meant to be there all along, and despite never, ever having been in genuine love before, your presence felt natural to the unnatural and unpredictable world.

And he feels absolutely terrible he probably demolished that.

More so because you deserve better; he doesn’t feel sorry for himself that he probably lost the best thing that ever happened to him. You don’t deserve his malice, and tonight, that’s all he subjected you to.

So, against all his logic and his mind begging him to stay and let you have your space, his heart refuses. It yearns for you, it craves you, wants to know you’re okay and that he supports you if you’ve fallen out of love with him.

Because sure, kiyoomi hates sleeping on couches. But he hates sleeping without you more.

Shambling into the living room- only stubbing his toe once or twice, impressive even to him- he manages to make his way to your quivering frame, and he swallows thickly at the distraught mess he’s made you.

“Hey,” kiyoomi sighs, watching with a wince as you scrub your eyes. They’re so swollen, and they leave tears along your fingers, but he says nothing about it, not wanting you to feel worse.

“I’m sorry!” You choke. “Did I wake you? I should’ve been quiet. You need your sleep, you have to-“

“Stop,” he croaks, the lump in his throat bubbling up. “Don’t apologize.” He’s the one that kicked you out of your own bedroom, and you’re standing there, apologizing to him?

He’s amazed you haven’t left him yet.

If he were you, he would’ve. This would be the final straw, the end all of your relationship. He’d pack up all his shit, throw it in a suitcase and absolutely book it out of the house. He’d slash a hole in three of your tires, because all four means you don’t have to pay for them, so three is for the best revenge, and he’d go fuck your cousin who’s so much nicer than you could ever be, and-

“Kiyoomi?”

“Three,” he says suddenly, cheeks flushing hot when he realizes you have no clue what he’s talking about. He clears his throat and scrubs his face with his large hands. “I’m… I wanted to come and apologize.”

Immediately, your heaving sobs come to an end, tears dribbling down your face and falling from your chin once they gain enough weight and momentum. He gives you a shaky sigh, “I never…” he forces the lump down his throat as best as he can, “I never should’ve snapped at you like that, or kept you away from your own bed; you… you’ve never done that to me, even if I’ve deserved it.”

You still say nothing, eyes glimmering up at him in bewilderment. He should shut up, he knows, but he wants to put all the cards down because you don’t have to forgive him- you deserve to have whatever closure you need to take.

Even if that is slashing three of his tires.

“You don’t have to justify me being malicious,” he continues with a shaky sigh. “I’ve had people my whole life do that, and I’ve let them. You don’t have to- I never should’ve turned you away like that.”

“So you’ve said,” you croak. Your head turns to avoid his gaze, and after a few moments, your shoulders start to heave again. “It…” you snarl softly, “it was never about the bed, Kiyoomi. You sent me away… did I really make you that mad?”

“No,” he says, crouching down to make himself smaller, more approachable than his usual 190.5 centimeter frame. “That’s on me, baby. That has nothing to do with you. I’m the one who betrayed that trust and blew everything far out of proportion.” His head ducks to try and meet your gaze, mumbling a soft ‘can I touch you?’ and he’s unsurprised when you shake your head ‘no.’

You do, however, turn to look at him, and it makes his heart pound even more than it already was- a task he thought was impossible, but here you were, proving that theory wrong.

“I didn’t do anything to you,” you whimper. He nods, looking down shamefully. Your breathing is ragged, “you’re the one who threw me aside. I tried, Kiyoomi, I tried to apologize and make you forgive me, and you rejected it.” Once again, he says nothing. “You’ve never been so mad where you… where you didn’t w-want me.”

He disobeys your wishes and places a loving hand on your knee, shaking his head. “Don’t be like that.” He blinks his own line of tears down, and even if he doesn’t deserve a lick of your kindness, you reach out to wipe it away. “Stop blaming yourself for the shit I’ve done; it was selfish, and I didn’t think about you, or us, and I was an idiot.”

He squeezes your knee, “but I always will want you. Even if I didn’t show it tonight.” Your hand trembles against his soft cheek, thumb grazing along the stubble that grows. You look him up and down, almost processing his apology and deciphering if it’s good enough.

“You fucked up,” you say finally. Despite himself, he gives you a soft chuckle.

“I know.”

“Don’t be this person, Kiyoomi,” you say, a pleading lilt to your voice. “I don’t want to play these games with you. We’re adults. You can’t shut me out because you get mad at me.”

“I know,” he says quietly. Then, he stands up, “I understand if… if you still want to be alone. I just wanted to you know that no matter what I say or do, I love you. And I appreciate you for always being here.”

Always here. Always watching him. Always loving him.

“I want to come to bed.”

His ears perk up at your sudden, soft words, and he gives you a small smile and a nod, his hand extending out to gently take yours if you’ll let him. A chill runs through him when you indeed lace your fingers in his, pulling yourself up to walk your exhausted frames to the bedroom. He feels your face nuzzle into the muscle of his bicep, and he casts you a puzzled look.

“It’s going to take some time to trust you again,” you mumble softly, squeezing the muscles in his arm as if to plead him to not go away or chastise your ‘demands.’

Hardly demands, but he understands your hesitation.

“Yeah?” He hums, planting a kiss to your head. To make you laugh for the first time in hours, he gently tugs you closer to him and leans his entire weight on you, quickly swaying you both to flop onto the bed; this does have you giggling, pitching when the mattress squeals under the weight of both of you. He kisses your head once more, then moving his kiss to your lips, sighing when you reciprocate the affection back.

“The rest of your life sound okay?”

————

this is the ending I chose, if you don’t like it, I don’t know what to tell you 🥲🫡 but a part two wouldn’t have been possible without your encouragement and support, and I’m forever thankful for the encouragement from everyone who took the time to either want to be tagged, or read the piece whenever they get the chance.

Mwah 💋

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[soulkeeper801]

Phone - Twice Sana

Requested: can i request sana x reader where she’s on tour and away from r. she misses her and calls. while on the call r notices sana go awfully quiet, only shallow breaths heard, and stops talking, then sana tells r to “keep talking”…

Sana x f!reader

Words 1.1k

Fluff, a little smut?

(A/N: this could be a second part to A Thing, if you wanna check that one out)

“It’s so unfair!” Sana whined at her phone screen when she saw you pouting. 

Even if you were in different time zones, she still managed to find the time to facetime you or at least call you to hear your voice. 

Only a few days after you officially got together, the group had to leave for their US tour for a couple of weeks which meant Sana couldn’t be all over you like she had been for the last few days. 

“I wanna kiss that pout away, baby,” she continued, looking at you with stars in her eyes. “I’m going to do everything in my power to bring you with us the next tours we have, it’s extremely necessary for us to have one of the choreographers on the road and it’s vital for me to have you by my side every night!”

You chuckled at her remark, “I would love to spend every night with you, love”.

Sana whined one more time, crossing her arms and pouting at your words. “I want you here,” she whispered, her heart feeling heavy due to the overwhelming feelings she had for you.

You sent her a flying kiss which she lovingly took and placed against her lips. 

“Sana-ssi, we’re leaving in five minutes!” a voice from outside of her hotel room shouted, gaining her attention for a second before focusing it back on you. 

“I gotta go,” she said with sadness in her voice. “Are you going to miss me?” a playful smile adorned her lips.

“Every minute, baby”.

“I’m going to call you before I go to bed, is that okay?” she asked, making sure she wasn’t being too clingy or interrupting any plans you might have.

“If you don’t call me I’m going to think you don’t love me anymore,” you warned, getting a blissful smile from her.

“I love you so much, Y/N,” she whispered, looking intently at your eyes through the screen before hanging up and leaving for the appointments scheduled for the day.

--

“Hey baby,” you said into the phone as night had arrived for Sana and she was about to sleep. “No video this time?” you asked. 

The previous days, she couldn’t help but facetime you in order to see you before going to bed.

“Too tired to even hold the phone, love,” she answered, sounding exhausted. You heard the sheets ruffling on the other side as a sign that she was already on her bed and probably about to fall asleep.

“Your voice sounds like you need me there to cuddle you until you drift off,” you suggested, knowing she loved it when you told her what she wanted to hear.

“I do,” she answered in a low whine, “I swear I would have the best sleep of my life with you here in this giant bed”.

“A few more days, pretty girl,” you assured, “when you get here I promise I’m not going to let you go anywhere. I’ll show you how much I’m missing you these days, I miss your lips, your neck, your fingers interlocked in my hair,” your voice turned low as you felt yourself getting carried away.

“Mhm, babe…”

“I think these days have only proved how bad I needed you in my life. Since I met you, love, you’re all I can think about, your smile, your voice, the way you make me feel…”

A long sigh was heard on the other side of the line.

“I’m not lying when I say that you’ve brightened my life, whenever we're together, time seems to stand still, and it's just you and me, lost in our own little world”.

“Y/N…” Sana said in a low whisper.

“The more I get to know you, the more I realize how special you are. Your kindness, your intelligence, your incredible sense of humor—it all just draws me closer to you.”

Sana let out a tiny whimper.

“And now,” you said, overwhelmed by the immense love you feel for Sana, “I feel like I'm falling in love with you, deeply and completely. It's something I've never experienced before, and it scares me a little, but I'm also thrilled that it’s happening with you, with the most amazing girl I’ve ever met…”

You paused for a couple of seconds waiting for an answer from the other side of the line, yet were only met with the ruffling of the sheets and deep sighs.

“Sana, are you still awake?” you asked, a smile on your face thinking about how tired your girlfriend must be and how you took the chance to pour your heart out.

“Y/N…” she replied almost out of breath, her voice filled with a sultry tone and lower than it usually was, “please… keep talking…” 

You furrowed your eyebrows. “Sana? Are you okay?”

“Y-Y/N…” Sana whimpered, letting out a tiny cry.

A sound that made you understand what was happening on the other side of the line as your face turned completely red. Good thing Sana couldn’t see you or else she would never stop teasing you about it. But at the same time, it was a pity you couldn’t see your girlfriend touching herself to the mere sound of your voice.

“Sana…” you said one more time, this time putting an effort to sound exactly like Sana liked, “there’s nothing I need more right now than my lips traveling your body…”

She left out a low moan.

“My hands caressing your skin as I make my way to where I can worship you the most…”

Sana’s whimpers became more audible.

“I bet you’re really wet right now,” you whispered, gaining a cry from her. “It would be so easy for me to slip a finger in but we know it isn’t enough, right, love?”

“F-fuck, Y/N…”

“I want you to use two fingers as if they were mine,” you continued, “in and out, slowly, to the sound of my voice”.

Sana’s moans were getting higher as she followed your instructions.

“You sound lovely, baby,” you praised, “making those pretty noises for me”.

You knew she was out of breath by the way she was reacting.

“You would sound even lovelier coming for me, pretty thing”.

With a high pitched cry, you heard the sheets ruffling one more time as you imagined she was gripping them riding her orgasm out.

“Y/N, that was…” she started talking for the first time in several minutes. 

“Shh,” you replied, smiling widely, “you must be exhausted by now, baby”.

“I am,” she confessed. “I just wanted to say that all of the things you told me were so beautiful and it made me feel so loved”.

“I love you,” you assured her one more time.

“I love you more, Y/N. More than anything in this life and I can’t wait any longer to be back with you,” she whispered as her eyes slowly closed.

She fell asleep to the sound of your voice telling her how lucky you were for having her in your life.

[yorshie]

Burnt Out

Bayverse Leo x Fem reader - Part 1

Part two

summary: SFW, After confessing your feelings for the Leader in Blue, he makes a decision that challenges your relationship with all four turtles. (warnings for relationship based arguments, yelling, and an altercation with some drunken men) set in 2023 so turtles are 24-25

You paused on the stoop to the employee’s entrance, hand dipping automatically to palm your phone in your coat’s pocket. It was dark, far darker than you expected. You gave yourself a little shake at the instinctual hesitation, annoyed that you didn’t factor in how fast night fell in the winter before taking this last-second shift.

But you needed the money, and walking at night had never been a problem before… well, before you could always count on someone waiting for you, because you always let someone know your schedule. But now-

You huffed, annoyance seeping deeper as you weighed your options.

You didn’t necessarily feel unsafe, walking home at night but… 

Maybe it was always hearing about the crimes being committed and thwarted through your friends’ grapevine, but something about being alone seemed a little more ominous tonight.

You pulled out your phone, tapped the device awake, and pondered the short list of contacts on your favorited screen.

April was working. Casey was on an away trip, training for his new promotion. Vern was-

Vern was a no go. 

You were stalling. You knew you were, but you still grimaced, bit your lip as you read over the last four names. They should’ve been your first choice, would have been your first choice, if things didn’t still feel stilted whenever you thought about him.

You purposefully skipped over the first name. Shuddered  away from the echo of shame and the low pang of sadness that came with the memory of your last conversation, and went stubbornly to the next option.

Donnie was probably working on the shell-raiser. Last time you’d called Raph, he’d been in the background while the red brother had been tinkering with his motorcycle. You could clearly recall not only his excitement, but the non-stop barrage of information he was dumping into the conversation he’d butted into, ecstatic about some new fangled what-cha-ma-call-its and doo-hickey-ma-things that he was apparently installing. 

So, no on the Donatello front.

Raphael was in the ha’shi, which meant no phones. He’d taken the time to let you know at least, earlier in the day, and while you had hinted for a reason why, he kept whatever he’d done silent. Getting sent to the ha’shi wasn’t new, but it was odd that only one brother was being punished, and usually Raph would at least give you an overview on who was to blame for the sentence.

Which left Mikey. You knew he would make time for you, he always did, but it still felt like running away. Still felt like you were creating- being- a problem. Your finger hovered over his name, letting your lip escape your teeth before you breathed out and hit the button. 

It rang twice before he answered, singing the last few words of your personalized ringtone before breaking off to greet you, “well heeeeellllloooo, babycakes! What are you up to on this fine evening?”

You smiled despite yourself, caught up in the shine that glinted off him even over the phone, and took a step away from the stoop, heels clicking in time with your words. “Hey Mikey, not much, just wanted to talk while I walked home from work.”

He made some low sound at that, half confirmation and half question. “Didn’t know you were working a late shift tonight- Need me to come get you? I can give you a lift home?”

You shook you head, already at the corner, mentally counting down the streets until you were home. “Naw, it’s alright, just- will you talk to me for a bit?”

“Sure thing, babes. I always got time for you.” He sounded like he was parked in front of the tv. You could faintly hear the rolling music of that new game he had gotten, likely paused while he entertained you. Beyond that however, it sounded like the Lair was relatively silent, and you felt a stab of curiosity if he was listening in to the conversation.

Best not think about that.

“Tell me what’s been going on? Has Don got the shell-raiser up and running?” You asked to distract yourself.

“Dude, he’s made the biggest mess in the garage. It’s a good thing sensei never goes out there, because he’d have a conniption over it. Leo’s already had to remind him to clean up twice.” 

You gave an annoyed hum, heart spiking at the mention of the someone, but you squashed the feeling, “yea, bet Dee just let that go in one ear and out the other.” 

Mikey snorted. “You know it. And now that Leo and Raph are both in the ha’shi, Donnie’s got free-”

“Hang on,” you interrupted him, foot scuffing the sidewalk as you jerked to a stop. “Le-They’re both… in the ha'shi?” That- that made it sound like they were fighting again.

But- surely Raph would have mentioned tension with his brother? Between you and April, it seemed like at least one of you knew when the two were butting heads, and as far as you knew it’d been quiet on that front.

I… guess not?

“Uh… Yeah?” Mikey sounded a little further away, like he was looking at the phone instead of speaking directly into it. You got the distinct impression he felt he had said too much, and hurried to try to get a read before he could clam up:

“Raph wouldn’t- he didn’t say-”

“Yeah, neither of them are in the mood to explain much.” That didn’t sound like something Mikey would normally say, and you were about to push him on that, make him explain, when suddenly the hair on the back of your neck stood straight up, and you stiffened.

“Um.”

Mikey sensed the change immediately. “Woah, what’s up, angel? You ok?”

“Um.” You repeated the word, fighting the urge to glance around, wincing as you heard a commotion at the end of the street. A small group of drunken men spilled out from a bar, and normally it wouldn’t be cause for alarm-

But they’d straightened at the sight of you, had gone from stumbling and leaning against one another to a pointed fixation that did not bode well.

You could hear Mikey on the other line as you abruptly turned and crossed the street, fighting to blend in and not draw anymore attention to yourself. You heard a clatter over the phone, something yelled, then Donnie was on the line, voice clipped high and tight:

“Where are you?”

“Um.” You repeated the word for the third time, voice tightening and pitching up, trying to make out the street sign at the corner, but it was too dark, and you were too panicked, opting to speed walk past instead of slowing. The lights of passing cars and the blinking neon hum of signs melded together, overlayed with the drunken whoop not far behind you. 

More clatter over the phone, the distinct sound of something being knocked over followed by a frazzled cuss word. You could tell Donnie still had the phone, because he was breathing heavily into the speaker, too preoccupied to regulate his breaths in what you assumed was a mad dash to his computer.

You turned a corner, dodged across another street, flinching as a rock skipped past your ankles, obviously thrown. You knew now, without a doubt, that you were being pursued.

You could hear the click clack click clack of Donnie’s keyboard, and your phone chirped in your hand, informing you he was pinging your location. Your relief was short lived however, when a heavy arm looped over your neck.

You gasped, feeling the bite of whatever buckle was on the side cut into your cheek, and the man next to you drew you upright, until your spine protested at the movement.

“Babes, take the next right, we’re on our way.” Mikey at the phone again, but you could only whimper, hoping he understood.

A second man took your phone, terminated the call, and you had half a beat to wonder how you hadn’t heard them get closer, loud as they were being now, carousing and laughing as though you were a part of their group. 

You couldn’t see your phone anymore, but the tight hold on the hand that had been holding onto it kept you from looking too much. A touch low on your back made you up the number of people surrounding you, as the man with your head still pulled close to him jerked his head into your space, tone slurring:

“Hey beautiful, how ‘bout we buy you a drink?”

You didn’t bother replying. You dug your nails down into the meat of the hand holding your own, while simultaneously biting into the jacket pressed against your face, determined to put up a fight.

Hindsight was flashing in your mind’s eye next to the scant self-defense information you’d let Leo drill into your head. You hadn’t taken the lessons very seriously, too preoccupied with keeping your budding feelings under leash. His calm tone washed over you now, but the words were garbled, proof you’d been too busy staring at him to pay attention.

Always create space, if you can.

You rocked a foot backwards, seesawing in their grip, dropping low and jabbing an elbow to the side in order to create some space. You counted your blessings that your coat was unzipped, as you pulled your arms through the holes, dropping your purse in the process. 

Forget your purse/bag, it’s not more important than you.

Only one man still held on, but you realized halfway through pulling your clasped hands through your bulky coat that you were, in fact, holding onto him. You let go at the revelation, pushed your coat into his face, and pivoted, taking off in a run down the street. 

If you can get away, do so. Fighting is a last re-

A hard grip on your arm brought your internal dialogue short. You were moving too fast to stop, barely bringing your hands up in time to stop from slamming head first into the wall you were pivoting towards. Your palms scraped against the worn brick, and you hissed at the pain. 

The three were ringed around the opening to the alley, and you almost flinched at the echo of another night, another time you had to be rescued.

“You really don’t want to do this.” You promised them, voice breathless, and the closest one laughed.

“All we wanted to do was buy you a drink, but I guess you’re too good for-”

His words were cut off, something big and bulky dropping from the roof to land between you and your attackers. He hit the concrete with a low thud, and you sagged in relief, taking in the chipped blue paint across the shell suddenly facing you.

Slowly, Leo straightened, and the growl coming from him rattled your bones, the sound all but drowning out the thumps of the other brothers cutting off the mens’ escape.

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding here.” His voice was low, dangerous, and you almost shivered in sympathy for what was about to happen. “When a lady says no, she means no.”

You covered your eyes, knowing it wasn’t going to be pretty, having no stomach to watch the men be apprehended. The sound of flesh hitting flesh was bad enough, though you were relieved to not hear the hiss of steel being drawn. 

You stayed against the wall, counting to drown out the wait, until a soft hand touched your arm, and you dropped your arm. 

Mikey peered back at you, concern crowding his sky blue eyes. “Hey, babes. You ok?” 

You shot to him, hitting his plastron hard, pulling a puff of air from him before his arms wrapped around you. You shuddered against him. He held you, one hand smoothing up and down your back in a rhythmic motion as he cooed into your hair:

“Hey, you’re ok, you’re alright, don’t cry-”

It took you a few moments to become aware of your surroundings, sounds filtering back in slowly. Donnie was on his hologram, co-ordinating pick up with police, hands moving fast as he tracked over vitals and communications. You became so dizzy at the small glance towards the scrolling data that you burrowed back into Mikey’s chest before another noise pulled you back up.

Raph was cursing low under his breath, sulky and frustrated. He looked up from where he was securing the men to a heavy metal dumpster, and something complicated chased over his expression. You pulled in a breath, knowing you were crying, knowing he hated it when you did, but his mouth compressed, eyes all but darting to the side as though begging you to follow.

Your eyes flitted in the direction he indicated, caught on the sway of swords over shoulders, and you stubbornly returned to the red banded brother. You knew your face was pale, set in a scowl, but he matched it, jerking his chin at you in clear reprimand.

You took in a deep breath, turned away, clung to Mikey as though that would dismiss the problem. But the problem was still growling, the sound low and ominous, a rumble at the bottom of your auditory register that wouldn’t let you settle, that kept you on edge.

It was getting closer, and you felt your shoulders tighten, Mikey’s hands coming up to give them a squeeze before he shifted you back.

“Are you alright?” Came the question, and you turned to stare at Leo's plastron, watched it rise and fall underneath the straps of his harness. The little camera across his chest winked at you, and you reminded yourself that Donnie recorded everything.

“I’m fine.” You whispered the answer, conscious Mikey was moving away, giving you space. The tightness in your shoulders doubled as Leo swayed closer.

Apparently your answer wasn’t good enough, because a strong hand cupped your cheek, tilted your head back until you met narrowed blue eyes, crystal clear and angry as he smoothed a digit over the imprinted divot on your cheekbone.

Leo’s other hand engulfed on of  your wrists, held it upwards to take in the scraped skin, and with his head bent over your hand you had a vivid flashback to the last time you two had talked.

His words from then buzzed in your ears, professional and precise, calm and confident in his verdict. Faced now with that same bowed position, an echo of that nauseous feeling bubbled up, and you closed your hand without thinking.

Leo looked up, eyes locking on your own, and whatever he saw ticked the frown deeper across his face. His hands lingered, his eyes catalogued, and you saw the exact moment his need for control won whatever silent argument he was having.

“Mind telling me what happened?” He dropped your hand, stood to his full height, and you felt the retreat as keenly as you did the last time, the hand at your cheek suddenly cold.

“Yes.” You answered, tugged your face from his grip, watched as the appendage fisted in mid air before he let it drop to thump against his thigh twice. 

“Why’d you hang up?” He tried again, and you relaxed a little in the face of a question you had the patience to answer.

“They took my phone.” You gestured the mime with your hand and he jutted his chin towards Raph, silently ordering him to preform a pat down and find the stolen device. 

You lifted that same hand to your temple, feeling the beginnings of a stress headache start. His hand raised in tandem, fingers gliding against yours before you pulled your whole head away with a jerk. 

That growl spiked with the movement, and you saw him stiffen, hand falling once again.

You sidestepped to face him, squinting as the sound didn’t dissipate. “L- Are you growling?”

He blinked, surprised for half a beat, before his fist pressed to his plastron, and you watched in real time as he processed something. The growling dropped off, a bare thrum of sound, until he took a deep breath and seemingly wrestled it back under control.

You watched the entire time with wide eyes, but when you went to ask what the hell that was he beat you to the punch:

“We’ll take you back to the lair, let Donnie patch you up-”

“I’m literally three streets from my apartment.” You interrupted him, conscious that it was something you would normally never do, but he only turned expectantly towards you, eye ridge up in a firm contradiction. 

And anger flared up at the I know better clear in his eyes. You admired his ability to command attention, to lead his brothers, but the order in his gaze rankled up your spine in such a way that you couldn’t contain your next words.

You jabbed a finger at him, before turning it to sweep up and down your person. “You don’t call the shots for me, buster.” Defiance, words unspoken: You made it clear you didn’t want responsibility for me.

That growl kickstarted up again, though this time he seemed aware of the noise, snout curling back over his teeth before he forced his lips flat.

A hand appeared at your back, Raph softly pushing you to the side and away from Leo. “C’mon, sweetheart, just come hang out for a bit. Let Don fuss over you, let us call in pizza. I’ll even carry you.”

“I’ll carry her.” Leo interjected, and you sensed a different tension in the quiet that followed, silence thick enough that you stepped back all on your own.

The two brothers were clearly not getting along, and the fact made you even more wary of going with them. “I’m not going if you two are going to be at each other’s throats.”

Leo jutted his chin towards his brother, clearly a challenge, and you watched as Raph scoffed, held his gaze for a long minute before letting his gaze slide to the side in acceptance.

Leo tilted his chin up. “Move out, Raphael,” He ordered, swinging his head toward you expectantly, hand held out in what would have been an instinctual move to scoop you up a month ago.

“Mikey can carry me.” You said it low to him, kept your voice calm and even, as you passed his outstretched hand. The last thing you needed right now was his arms around you, and he was being weirdly territorial. 

Maybe it was just to get under Raph’s skin. Maybe it was his odd way of trying to make up for the distance he’d imposed. Either way, you really weren’t in the mood. 

[navybrat817]

Hunger

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader Summary: Bucky would rather eat in than go out. Word Count: 1.2k Warnings: Implied explicit sexual content (fingers and mouth, f. receiving), light possessive behavior, slight feels (it's me), Bucky Barnes (he’s a warning, okay?). A/N: A little something for our Addicted to Love couple. Hope you lovelies like it! ❤️ Not beta read and written on my phone, so any and all mistakes are my own. Header by yours truly. Banner by the lovely @sgt-seabass and divider by the wonderful @rookthorne. Please follow @navybrat817-sideblog for new fics and notifications. Comments, reblogs, feedback are loved and appreciated!

Bucky tried to cancel his breakfast plans with Steve and Sam.

Again.

You encouraged him to grab a bite to eat with the guys and he had every intention of going. He truly did. The moment he saw you in your black bra and panties when he poked his head in to check on you though, there was only one thing he wanted to eat.

“She needs me.”

He didn’t bother looking at the response from the text he sent. Steve and Sam knew it meant that he needed you. If they had you standing in front of them looking like a feast, they would’ve rearranged their plans, too.

Sorry, boys. Not sharing.

“Hey. I thought you were heading out,” you said as you headed toward the closet, seemingly unaware of the enticing sway of your hips.

Minx.

“I’m having breakfast here,” he replied in a low voice.

You stopped when he moved in front of you, a look of concern crossing your face. “Wait, you’re not going? How come?”

He picked up on your worry as he shook his head, wanting to halt the turning wheels in your head. You turned his life upside down beyond the sexual chemistry you two shared. You cared about his mental well-being and wanted to be sure everything was okay if he ever broke plans.

Still a wonder some days that you love me.

“You’re beautiful,” he breathed.

He wasn’t sure if the look in his eyes was adoration or hunger or a bit of both, but your body tensed as he took a step toward you. The sharp inhale drew his attention to your chest and he could sense your nipples hardening against the fabric. “Bucky, my beauty is not a reason to skip breakfast.”

“Who said I was skipping my meal?” he asked, bringing his hand up to touch your cheek. His fingers moved along your skin until they stopped at your neck. Your body shivered as his thumb brushed along your pulsepoint. “All you have to do is lay down and let me eat.”

Your eyes slipped shut as he guided you to the bed, not needing to look as he led.

Because you trust me enough to never lead you down the wrong path.

“Bucky, you need to see your friends,” you urged, though your voice sounded more like a caress than an order as he helped lay you down.

Though you couldn’t see it, he smirked. “So, you don’t need me?” he asked as he hovered over you.

“Of course, I need you,” you said, not the least bit embarrassed as you opened your eyes and gazed up at him. “And I know you can tell that I’m wet without touching me, but I’ll let you feel.”

He lost his train of thought when you wrapped your fingers around his wrist. He wasn’t sure how this turned into you seducing him, but his heart pounded when you guided his hand into your panties. His cock throbbed with need as his fingers slid along your folds.

You drive me fucking crazy. I need to be inside you.

Bucky was a former assassin. A soldier. A machine. Just one touch of your silken heat and he nearly crumbled. The mere presence of you broke his resolve. The strange thing about it was he still felt in control.

How?

He wasn’t rough when he pushed a finger inside, but your hands flew up to grip his arms with a gasp. Like you were ready to collapse along with him. Falling apart is the inhale. Piecing you back together is the exhale.

“If you need me, why are you pushing me to go?” he asked, lazily pumping his finger.

His blue eyes widened when you brought your hand back to his wrist and squeezed it twice to stop his movements. You pulsed around his finger like you needed more, but he refused to move since you gave him a signal to stop. He searched your face to make sure there was no visible pain and relaxed when you sat up slightly to kiss him.

He didn’t relax completely even though he moved his lips against yours.

Tell me why you stopped me, please.

"I love you and you love me,” you whispered, giving him another soft kiss. “But you also need them.”

Bucky swallowed as he gently removed his finger and pulled his hand free of your panties. You wanted him to have a sense of normalcy after everything he went through. He appreciated that more than he could say.

“So, you’re okay with me going out?” he asked.

“You don’t need my permission to get breakfast with Steve and Sam,” you assured him. "Just have fun and tell them I said hi."

In a world where he didn’t have choices for so long, he sometimes still felt the need to ask. But even your urging and suggestions weren’t formed as orders. It was encouragement. You would never force him to do anything he didn’t want to, even something as small as a meal.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “And I love you, too.”

He’d thank you forever for loving him.

“And here’s a taste of what’s waiting for you when you’re done,” you smiled, bringing his hand to his mouth.

He sucked on his finger, watching you as your head fell back against the bed. Hunger filled your eyes, too, but you kept it at bay so he could go out. Like he did on the days you went out with your friends.

We’ll always come home to each other, won’t we?

“I don’t think that’s enough,” he said once he licked his finger clean, the flavor of you making him crave more.

“That’s too bad. You need to-”

He tore the offending fabric off before you could finish. “Just one more taste.”

“Bucky, I liked those,” you groaned as he sank down and opened your legs.

“They were in my way.”

Closing his eyes, he licked a slow stripe along your slit, growling as his nose brushed your clit. He stayed for a moment, savoring your taste, scent, feel. His personal treasure. His everything.

Mine. All mine.

“Just a taste,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to your clit as your thighs trembled.

“What?” you asked in confusion as he suddenly got to his feet, leaving you open and empty as you lifted your head.

“See? I have self control,” he said, tucking your torn underwear in his pocket.

“Tell that to your cock,” you said, nodding at his crotch before your head fell back again. The jeans did nothing to hide his hardness and he’d have to find a way to make that go away when he left. “Bring me back something, please?”

“Your favorite,” he promised. “And I think it’s only fair to finish what I started when I get back.”

“You better,” you smiled, blowing him a kiss. “I’ll be here waiting.”

Bucky didn’t tell you that he planned to get his breakfast to go. Or that Steve and Sam placed a bet on how long it would take for him to rush home to you. It didn’t matter.

Because you still had your legs wide open when he got back.

Bucky deserves the love and can eat whenever he wants. Hehe. Love and thanks for reading! ❤️

Masterlist ⚓ Bucky Barnes Masterlist ⚓ Ko-Fi

[suckerfordylansstuff]

New Journey (S.H.) Chapter 3 Season 4

Pairing: Steve Harrington x henderson!reader

Summary: Back to Hawkins for spring break. Y/n believed it would just be a quiet time to cherish with her loved ones, but one day in and another mess had already began.

Warnings: cursing, mentions of drugs, angtsy

Notes: Okay, let's cut to the chase. The season is written and I'm going to be posting a new chapter everyday. Thanks for the patience. Please enjoy and stay safe out there! 💕

Gif not mine

Chapter 2 << Masterlist >> Chapter 4

You thought your ride there would be quiet, but of course, having Robin with you meant anything but that. You were sure Steve had talked to her about what happened between the two of you and even if you weren’t in the mood to talk about it, you were also sure Robin was dying to bring it up. You just waited to see how long it would take for her to spill it out.

So, after five minutes of silence, Robin’s voice filled the car “So, you and Steve huh? I bet you had fun last night.”

“I know you know, Robin.”

“Know what? I don’t know anything.” you sent her a sideways glance and it was all it took to break her “Fine, he told me this morning. What exactly happened?”

“You know what happened. I asked him to move in with me like I told you I would do and he freaked out for some reason.”

“Why?” you knew what Robin was doing. She was perfect at playing the psychiatrist to get all of your secrets, and you hated the fact that it always worked.

“That’s the question, why? Like, if you’re not ready, that’s fine, but don’t start acting like the mere idea of us living together is awful to you.”

“That’s how you felt?”

“Yeah… I know he didn’t mean it like that, but can’t he just communicate like a normal human being?” you voice got smaller with every confession you made.

“We’re talking about Steve here. Of course, he can’t.” she saw your face scrunching up in thought and immediately forgot about her joke “Hey. It just threw him off. I don’t know what scared him so much, but I do know that his love for you is much stronger. It’s honestly kind of annoying how obsessed he’s with you. For example, the candlelight thing he did last night? He had that idea over a month ago and he would not stop talking about every single detail he wanted to include. Also-” you sat in silence as you listened to Robin ramble on about Steve and his antics as she jumped from one point to another without trying to make sense of her narrative. It brought a small smile to your face, hearing your friend go on and on about anything and everything, a nice distraction from what’s happening around you.

It was only when you arrived at the address that she stopped talking and walked over to the rest of the group. You got out of the car and walked next to Dustin, who was handing out flashlights for all of you to see. How does he have so many of them?

You just shook your head and started looking around before walking with Dustin and Steve to the front door. You stand beside your brother as he begins ringing the doorbell once, then twice, and after getting no answer he starts pressing the button repeatedly in frustration.

“Hey, knock it off.” you hit his hand away from the bell.

“Okay. Well, that’s settled. I guess he’s not here.”

“He’s not going to come answer to anyone knocking on his door. I mean, he is a drug dealer.” you said

“Okay, so how to we get him to come out here without alerting him?”

“I don’t know.”

Right after you finished your sentence, Dustin started knocking on the door while yelling Eddie’s name “Look, we just wanna talk, okay? No cops, I swear. We just wanna help.” he knocks again “Eddie!”

“Say it louder, try telling everyone we’re here.” you told your brother sarcastically, but you accomplished nothing as he continued to do as he pleased, yelling out Eddie’s name before switching it to Rick’s.

“Don’t scream that.” Steve told him, but Dustin once again ignored everyone, his stubbornness getting the best of him.

“Rick!”

“Dustin!” you whisper-yelled his name.

“He’s not there.” Steve

“Reefer Rick!” he yelled one more time before giving up “He could just be really high…” he tried to reason with you and you just groaned, fearing your lead was getting you nowhere.

“Is that a foot?” Steve suddenly asked, pointing at something with his light.

“What?” you pushed through Dustin to take a look yourself.

“No, that’s a shoe.” Dustin said after inspecting it and before this bizarre conversation could continue, Max’s voice interrupted you.

“Hey, guys!”

You quickly walked over to her to see what had caught her attention. Before you stood a lake house, that was previously covered by the trees. The perfect place to hide, you all thought. So, you started inspecting it, Robin being the first one to poke her head inside, calling out to see if someone was here.

“Is anyone home?” she said after walking inside, you going in after her, the rest following.

The door creaked until everyone was inside as you began looking around for any clues this place could offer you.

“What a dump.” Steve said out loud as he walked in before you heard him click off his flashlight. You turned to see him on the opposite side of the boat with an oar in his hands while he began tapping the boat in front of you. It made you stop in your spot, and just watch him with furrowed brows.

“What are you doing? What are you doing?” Dustin repeated his question when Steve didn’t respond.

“He might be in here.” he responds, never stopping nudging the boat.

“So, take the tarp off.” Dustin said as if it was obvious.

“If you’re so brave, you take the tarp off.” Steve whined and carried on with his poking. You just shook your head at their behavior. At least Dustin was being cold with Steve too, not just you.

“Hey, look over here.” Max called out for you, pointing at the table in front of her. Both you and Robin stood beside her as you inspected the opened candy wraps and the empty beer bottles “Someone was here.”

“Do you think they heard us?” you questioned.

“Probably. Got spooked and ran.” Robin answered you.

“Don’t worry. Steve will get him with his oar.” Dustin joked.

“I know you think you’re being funny, Henderson, but considering everyone in this room has nearly died about a hundred times, personally, I don’t find it funny in the slight-” Steve hadn’t stop poking the oar and you ended up getting tired at both the boys’ uselessness.

“Oh my God, just take it off.” you swung off the tarp when chaos corrupted.

You yelled loudly in shock when you saw a body stand up from the boat. In surprise you pulled backward, your arms reaching out for Max and Robin to not get closer, but they weren’t the ones you had to worry about. You watched the stranger grab Steve’s body, push him into the wall with force, and place a broken beer bottle near your boyfriend’s neck. Your legs moved quickly alongside the girls, pulling you over to Dustin who kept a distance between the rest of you and Steve. Being closer to the spectacle you were able to recognize the stranger as none other than the person you were looking for, Eddie Munson.

“Eddie! It’s me. It’s Dustin. This is Steve. He’s not gonna hurt you, right, Steve?” Dustin called out for Eddie, desperately trying to calm him down before Steve quickly agreed with his younger friend. You just held your breath, your eyes never leaving Steve’s face and the bottle next to his neck.

“Steve, why don’t you drop the oar?” your brother said with a careful tone and you all watched Steve let go off the oar. But the sound it made when it hit the ground, seemed to startle Eddie and he pressed the sharp edge even further into Steve’s neck. You whimpered at the sight, your body moving forward without thinking, but Dustin stopped you “He’s cool. He’s cool.”

“I’m cool, man. I’m cool.” Steve repeated.

“What are you doing here?” Eddie finally spoke, his voice filled with fear.

“We’re looking for you.” Dustin told him.

“We’re here to help.” Robin explained.

“Eddie, these are my friends. You know Robin, from band.” your brother pointed at Robin behind him, who nervously imitated playing her instrument “This is my friend Max. The one who never wants to play D&D.” Max waved at the punk “And my sister. Y/n. You know her, I’ve told you about her.” you let out a soft hi “Eddie. We’re on your side. I swear on my mother. Our mother. Right, guys?” you nodded at Dustin’s words, the rest of the guys agreeing.

Eddie just looked at your faces for just a moment before letting go of Steve, who grunted over his relief, far away from the broken glass. At the sight you immediately moved over at Steve, not caring about Eddie, and grabbed your boyfriend’s face.

“You okay?” you moved his head to the back to see if there was any damage on his neck and let out a breath when you saw that no blood was spilled.

“I’m fine. I’m fine.” at that moment you had forgotten all about your fight and made a promise to yourself to only talk about your future once you ensured that there would be one to talk about after you figured out what the heck was happening this time.

“Eddie. We just want to talk.” Dustin had moved over at Eddie, attempting to disarm him, but Eddie flinched away “Okay.”

Eddie looked terrified, crouched down on the floor. He couldn’t look away from the ground, his hand trembling as he held on to the bottle. You weren’t sure if you were afraid of him or for him.

Robin carefully leaned down, meeting his eye level “We want to know what happened.”

Eddie shook his head, answering after his sniffles surrounded you “You won’t believe me.”

“Try us.” Max told him.

You stood before him as he started explaining what he saw. The kids were sitting in front of him, while you, Steve, and Robin were standing in the back. You hadn’t left Steve’s side as your hand grasped his arm to make sure he wouldn’t leave, that he wouldn’t get in more danger.

Eddie’s words were shocking. He explained why Chrissy had come with him to his trailer and how at some point she just lost all control over her body. He described her lifting up into the air, her bones snapping one by one. Even after all the terrible things you’ve seen, you couldn’t imagine something so horrible happening to someone.

By the time Eddie’s story ended, he was even more shaken up. He looked around at your faces and scoffed “You all think I’m crazy, right?”

“No. We don’t think you’re crazy.” your brother told him.

“Don’t bullshit me, man! I know how this sounds.”

“We’re not bullshitting you.” Max’s voice was serious.

“We believe you.” Robin tried to reassure him as well.

“Look, what I’m about to tell you might be a little… difficult to take.” Dustin said.

“Okay…”

“Do you know how people say Hawkins is… cursed? They’re not… way off. There’s another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes it bleeds into ours.”

“Like ghosts and shit?” he asked, trying to understand was his little friend meant before Max answered.

“There are some things worse than ghosts.”

“These monsters from this other world… we thought they were gone. But they’ve come back before. That’s why we needed to find you.” Dustin explained to Eddie.

“If they’re back again, we need to know.” Max said and you decided to step in to see if Eddie’s incident could lead you anywhere. You already knew about the flickering lights, but any further information would be useful.

“Eddie, that night, did you see anything?”

“Dark particles, maybe?” Eddie shook his head at Max’s words.

“It would almost look like dust, swirling dust.” Dustin tried to build a picture in Eddie’s brain about what exactly you were looking for.

“No, man, there was nothing you could see or, uh… or touch. You know, I tried to wake her, man. She couldn’t move. It was like she- she was in a trance or something.” he answered you.

“Or under a spell.” Dustin said in a different tone than before, one telling you that he was onto something.

“A curse.” Eddie immediately picked up on what Dustin was saying.

“Vecna’s curse.” you closed your eyes when you realized what they were talking about. Great association by Dustin once again, you thought.

“Who’s Vecna?” Steve asked from beside you.

“An undead creature of great power.” Dustin and Eddie began explaining.

“A spell caster.”

“A dark wizard.”

Even after their descriptions Steve was still confused over Vecna, so you spoke up “A D&D character.”

Which made Dustin scoff and turn to look at you “Don’t ruin it.”

“Hey, we’re back.” Steve said as he entered the kitchen, finding you on top of the counter while you drank a glass of water.

“They got everything?”

“Yeah, change of clothes, everything they needed. Grabbed some stuff for you too, they’re in Dustin’s bag. Also told your mom and Max’s that we’re just having like a movie night/sleepover, so they wouldn’t worry.”

“Yeah, good job.”

After leaving Eddie back at the lake house, you told them that it would be best if the rest of you stayed together, to form a plan, gather information, and, also, keep everyone safe. So, you ended up in the one place with enough room and with no one else to ask questions. Steve’s house.

He had just returned from driving everyone around Hawkins to go get some stuff to spend the night at his.

You watched him take his jacket off before sighing loudly “What a day, huh?”

“You could say that again.”

Steve didn’t need to look at you for a second longer to see that you were upset. Being thrown back into the nightmare of a situation was hard for all of you, but he knew you were the most anxious one of them all. Your nightmares make it impossible for you to sleep some nights and you end up calling him to calm down. Always trying to help everyone else and not you, always trying to figure out any possible outcome, and not taking a moment for yourself.

So, when your eyes shot up to look into his and he saw how they glistened, he realized you had been crying and it broke his heart.

“Hey, we’re okay, we’re fine, right? All of us are here and okay.” he placed himself between your legs as his arms hugged your waist, pulling your body into his. Your own hands easily settled themselves around his neck while your head relaxed on his shoulder. You took a deep breath, his presence bringing you at ease.

“It can’t be the same thing again, can it?” you certainly felt like you were in denial. You knew it had to do with the Upside Down, you just hoped it would be an easier fight than the last time.

“I hope not.” his palm stroked your back in soothing circles, helping you relax.

“I just…” you pulled your head away from his shoulder to look at his face “I thought after Hopper and Billy, after their sacrifice, I thought it was finally over, and now…”

“I know.” he nodded his head, but he unfortunately didn’t know what to say to make you feel better. He knew it sucked, it was terrible and very dangerous for all of you, and he couldn’t sugarcoat that. He couldn’t hide you all away till it ended, and you all knew that the only way to get over this was with your help. No one else knew what you did and no one else could save this town than you, once again.

So, Steve just settled by placing a soft kiss on your temple before jumping on to the next topic he couldn’t stop thinking about while he drove the rest of them back “Y/n, listen, about this morning, I didn’t mean-”

“I don’t want to talk about that. I don’t care right now. I care about us- all of us.” you hugged him tighter, your face squeezed into his neck and your words getting muffled “Let’s just focus on this now, okay? We’re okay.”

“Whatever you want, baby.”

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[hannahbarberra162]

Struck Twice By Lightning, Chapter 10

I love Buggy. I think he'd have Nami / Usopp energy with his BFF (me).

18+ MDNI

On Ao3

A day or so later, there was another island at which the crew wanted to dock. You didn’t understand their sailing path - where were they heading? What was the plan? Shanks said that they were “sailing around,” looking for parties, festivals, and booze. 

“That’s it? You’re just… sailing around ?” you were flabbergasted. 

“What else would we do?” Shanks said, already drinking in the early afternoon on a lounge chair.

“I don’t know - whatever Emperors are supposed to do! Collect money or get more subordinate crews?” You had been so into the grind of daily life for the last ten years the thought of doing nothing forever was completely foreign to you. 

Shanks swirled his drink, and replied “I don’t feel like it.” 

“You don’t feel like it ? Then how do you guys get money?” You were guessing he had no idea.

“I have no idea. Benn gives me some when I ask.” There it was. Just the thought of seeing their accounting books sent a shudder down your spine. You’d done your own finances for your business - it was a huge headache but it was important to keep yourself entrenched in the money side of things.

“Why would I improve upon a perfect system?” Shanks asked, reclining back and crossing his legs. You rolled your eyes - you didn’t have it in you to argue with such idiocy.

“You’re right, O wise Emperor. Why can’t we all just drink alcohol at 1 PM on a Tuesday?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s Monday.”

“It’s not. Speaking of alcohol, the sake is done brewing. The koji we got is better suited to a shorter brew. We can open it tonight if I can get it pasteurized in time.” It wasn’t the best you’d ever made, but it was pretty good for sake made on a pirate ship with makeshift tools. 

“Hm. What should we call it?” Shanks tapped his drink in thought.

“What do you mean we ? I brewed it, I get to name it. I have a whole naming convention system I use.”

Shanks pouted. “But you brewed it with ingredients bought by my money on my ship. That means it’s mostly mine. So I get to.”

“You just said you don’t know how the money flows on your ship! Maybe it was money from Beckman’s private fund and he gets to name it!” 

“No, I’m still his captain. Oh wait, that’s right!” Shanks snapped his fingers “Captain’s orders - I’m naming it!”

“You know that’s not how that works.”

“Sure it is, you’re not a captain so you wouldn’t know.”

“Fine, but I get to veto anything especially egregious.” You crossed your arms.

“Nonsense, all my ideas will be great. How about Shanks’s Huge Di-”

“No.” 

Shanks scoffed at you. “You didn’t let me finish! I was going to say Shanks’s Huge Dinner, a sake meant for drinking with a fine meal.”

“No, you weren’t.” You smiled despite yourself. 

“No, I wasn’t. What about Shanks’s Amazing Co-”

“No.”

“Shanks Gave Me A Screaming Or-”

“No.”

“The Red Force?”

“No.”

“Hey, what's wrong with that one?! That’s the name of the ship!”

“Ah, well, I already have one with that name. That’s the kind in the bottle I gave to Benn when I met up with you.” You muttered it reluctantly, knowing how Shanks would take it. And indeed, Shanks looked like the cat who ate the cream.

“Didn’t you say that it was your best sake? That it won awards?” Shanks was turning the screws and he knew it.

“Yeah, yeah.” You waved him off. “It’s not like the name did any of the work. Besides, I named other brews after other famous ships. I also have Queen Mama Chanter, Moby Dick, Big Top, and a few others. Helps sell the alcohol in different areas.” 

“Awww, Buggy. I can’t believe you named one after him. I thought you didn’t like him.”

“What? No, I love Buggy. We’ve been close friends for years now. I should call him, actually. Let him know I’m here. He’d love to hear all the dirty details.” You’d buried the hatchet with Buggy long ago - it turned out you had a lot in common and enjoyed talking to each other. You had each other’s transponder snails and talked pretty frequently even though he was out in the East Blue. He was a great friend - supportive and caring, and always -  always -  ready to talk shit. 

“And what dirty details are you going to share, exactly?” Shanks raised an eyebrow.

“Just confirm a suspicion or two.” 

“Like what? About my huge dinner?” You laughed. 

“No, a much darker and more closely kept secret…” you leaned over him and put your arms over the top of his chair, blocking out his sunlight. Shanks looked up at you with a furtive glance. You brought your face down to his and whispered into his ear.

“You keep the goatee because you still can’t grow a full beard.” Shanks smiled and snarled, reaching up trying to grab you. You laughed and danced away, evading his arm. He got up to chase you, catching you with ease since you weren’t really trying to get away. He pinned you against the railing of the deck with his body, nuzzling your face with his own. 

“You’ve discovered my truth. What can I do to have you keep my secret?” He spoke softly into your ear, causing you to shiver. His hand was playing with the ends of your hair, lightly pulling.

“Hmm. I can think of a few things. Let’s talk more in your cabin.” Without another word, Shanks swept you up and carried you over his shoulder to the cabin, smacking your ass loudly.

“Hey! Just for that I’m naming it Shanks’s Goatee!” He smacked it again playfully. 

If he got to float around the sea having fun and doing nothing, you didn’t see why you couldn’t do the same, at least for a little while. 

~~~

Later that afternoon, you did decide to call Buggy. You hadn’t called him in a few weeks, due to all the Shanks shenanigans, which was a longer stretch than usual. You went to the cabin and pulled out your transponder snail. It was wearing Buggy’s hat with the hair pulled through the corners, which made you smile. You laid on the bed and dialed his line.

Purupuru purupuru purupuru purupuru

“What’s up toots?” Buggy’s familiar and pleasant tone came through. He was probably reading something on the other end, as the snail's eyes were tracking something.

“Don’t be mad,” you stated. That made the snail look at you directly. 

“Don’t be mad about what? If the Big Top Brew was a flop this time, I don’t care, I'll still buy it all at full price.”

“No, no, nothing like that. I…uh…have some news.”

“What kind of news?” The snail’s eyes narrowed. You led a pretty boring life generally, it was usually Buggy telling you his adventures with his traveling circus.

“Well, uh….” In the background there was a commotion and some of the crew started yelling.

“What was that sound? Where are you?” He sounded concerned. Even though you never needed him in that way, you were sure Buggy would come to your rescue if you ever asked.

“Oh, um…I’m on the Red Force?” you ended the statement as a question.

“What.”

“I’m on the Red Force, with Shanks?” You were expecting a huge outburst from Buggy, since he was usually quick to anger. Instead, the snail sighed dejectedly.

“Why? I thought you wanted to divorce him.” 

“I did - I do. But he wouldn’t grant me one unless I came on board with him for a month.”

“And you agreed? Come on, I thought you were smarter than that.”

“I - I guess not.” You didn’t want to upset Buggy and his opinion meant a lot to you. Despite what people thought about him, he was smart and perceptive. You were taking his words to heart. The snail sighed again.

“I’m not mad, just disappointed. You’re going to get hurt, and it will be worse than last time. Did you have sex with him?”

“.…” You didn’t want to lie to Buggy, but you sensed this was a dangerous path. You absently stroked the snail with a finger.

“Is Shanks with you?” 

“No, but I’m guessing he’s listening in.” 

“Hi Buggy!!!” Shanks yelled happily from outside the cabin. You imagined he was waving as well. 

“Doesn’t matter. I’d say this to his face, too. This won’t end well. Shanks is a man who only wants what he can’t have. Call me when he forgets about you again.” Buggy abruptly hung up the snail. He’d never hung up on you before.

You sat there in stunned silence. You knew Buggy had your best interest at heart. His relationship with Shanks was…complicated, to say the least. But there was no doubt that he knew Shanks well, maybe even better than you. You’d cried to Buggy about Shanks so many times over the years. It would be hard to see a friend make the same mistakes over and over, you thought to yourself. You were still thinking about it when Shanks opened the door to the cabin and leaned against the doorframe.

“Can I come in?” 

“Sure.” You gestured to the couch, where Shanks sat down. He looked pensive but cracked a small smile when he saw the snail. 

“Is that his look now?” He asked, pointing at the snail. The Buggy snail in question had already fallen back asleep wearing the hat.

“Yeah, his hair’s really long.” 

“ ‘S cute.” Shanks looked at you from across the room.

“If you asked me ten years ago, I would have agreed with Buggy.” Shanks was looking directly at your surprised face. “It’s a flaw of mine - he’s not wrong. I used to only want what I couldn’t have and once I got it, it lost its shine. Thrill of the hunt, you know. I had you, treated you the same way. So then I didn’t have you any longer.”

You stayed silent - this was similar to things he’s said before. But he’d never acknowledged that he’d lost interest once you were together for a while. It felt…validating. You were worried that this was all rosy retrospection, that Shanks was romanticizing the past and forgetting what it was really like. 

Shanks continued, “I realized - I never had you. You’re not an object I can hold in my hands and claim. You allowed me to experience a slice of time alongside you. And I was ungrateful. Nothing has ever compared to that period in my life - I think about it all the time. I think about you all the time. I’ve never forgotten. That’s why we’re sailing to nowhere. I don’t need to hunt for the next big thing. I don’t need to collect experiences like notches on a bedpost anymore. None of that matters. I want something meaningful. I want you back.”

You swallowed dryly. You got off the bed and walked over to Shanks sitting on the couch. You were shaken by the depth of his words. You faced him and straddled his lap. You took his face in your hands, searching his eyes with your own. You pressed your forehead against his.

“I still love you too,” you said. You twined your arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

[cynicalrosebud]

Rumor Has It (11)

Masterlist

Series Masterlist

CW: Homophobia, harassment, attempted violence, you are responsible for your own media consumption.

Notes: I'm feelin a bit angsty today so I'm getting some old feelings out.

Rumor had been doing his best to ignore the looks and whispers. He’d heard it all before, but things felt different this time. The rumors swirling around base about him and Nikolai had only grown louder, and today, they were unavoidable. Everywhere he went, there were sidelong glances, snickers, and muttered comments that weren’t meant to be overheard but were plenty loud enough.

He kept his head down as he walked past the rec area, on his way back to the barracks. A couple of soldiers leaned against the wall, watching him with narrowed eyes, their voices low but pointed.

"That him?" one of them murmured, loud enough for Rumor to hear.

"Yeah," the other one replied, smirking. "The one who likes it rough. Saw him chattin’ with Nikolai the other night."

Rumor gritted his teeth but didn’t stop walking. He wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction.

“Hey, Rumor,” one of them called out, pushing off the wall and stepping into his path. "We heard some interesting stories about you. You got a thing for Russians, huh? Wonder what else you're into."

Rumor’s shoulders tensed, but he kept his eyes forward. "Cer i grafu," he said, his voice low and controlled.

The soldier grinned, not moving. "What’s the rush? You got something more important to do? Or maybe someone?"

The other soldier circled around, blocking him from walking away. “C’mon, Rumor. No need to be shy. We just wanna know if all those stories are true.”

Before the Sergeant could respond, the first soldier grabbed his arm, yanking him back.

“You deaf? We’re talkin’ to you—"

“Let go.” Rumor’s voice was low and dangerous, his fists clenched at his sides.

"What? You gonna hit me? Wouldn't want to ruin that pretty face, would you?"

Just as Rumor was about to swing, a shadow loomed behind the soldiers.

"There a problem ‘ere?"

The voice was calm, but it sent a chill through the air. Ghost stepped forward, his skull mask catching the light, and the soldiers instantly froze, their smirks faltering. Soap appeared from around his shoulder a second later, standing just behind Ghost with that familiar grin, though there was no humor in it this time.

“Problem, lads?” Soap asked, his Scottish accent thick as he looked at the soldiers with an easygoing smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Because it sure looks like there’s about to be one.”

The soldiers exchanged nervous glances. "No problem, sirs," the first one muttered, releasing Rumor’s arm.

"Just a little misunderstanding," the other soldier added quickly.

Ghost tilted his head slightly, his eyes boring into them from behind the mask. “A misunderstandin’?” His voice was quiet but full of threat. “Doubt tha’. You touch one of ours again, and I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you ever do.”

The soldiers paled, taking a step back. “We didn’t mean anything by it—”

“You never do, do ye?” Soap stepped closer, his hand resting casually on his sidearm. "Yet somehow, you always manage to fuck things up."

Ghost crossed his arms, his voice cold. “Apologize.”

The soldiers blinked, clearly not expecting that. "What?"

"You heard me." Ghost took another step forward. "Go on. Now."

The soldiers glanced at each other before muttering, “Sorry…”

Soap raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? I’ve heard more convincing apologies from me bloody granny. Say it like you mean it.”

The first soldier swallowed hard. "We’re sorry."

The second one nodded quickly. “Yeah. Sorry, mate. Won’t happen again.”

Rumor grimaced, glaring at them. "'M not your fuckin' 'mate', mate."

Ghost didn’t move for a moment, his eyes locked on the soldiers, who were visibly sweating now. Then, with a curt nod, he stepped aside. “Leave, before I change my mind.”

The soldiers didn’t need to be told twice. They bolted down the corridor, leaving Rumor standing there, fists still clenched. He let out a slow breath as they disappeared.

Soap clapped him on the shoulder, his grin returning. “Had tae step in before ye splattered ‘em.”

Rumor chuckled, though there was still tension in his voice. “Didn’t need the cavalry.”

“Maybe not,” Soap replied with a wink. “But where’s the fun in letting ye take care of it alone?”

Ghost watched the soldiers leave before turning to Rumor, his voice softer now. “Y’alright?”

Rumor nodded, though his jaw was still tight. “Aye. Just pissed off.”

“You’ll have that,” Soap said with a sigh. “Bunch of bawbags who think they’re invincible. Ye did good holdin’ back.”

“Not sure I would’ve if you hadn’t shown up,” Rumor muttered.

Ghost’s eyes softened behind the mask. “No need to go solo on this. You’ve got us.”

Before Rumor could respond, Price’s voice cut through the air as he approached, hands casually in his pockets. Gaz close on his heels.

"What's all this then?" Price asked, his gaze flicking from Rumor to Soap and Ghost.

Soap chuckled. "Just settin' some lads straight, Cap. They was gettin' a bit too personal with our boy here."

Price raised an eyebrow. "That so?" He turned to Rumor, his expression softening. "You alright, Carwyn?"

Rumor nodded. "’M fine, Captain."

Price gave him a knowing look before stepping forward and clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Good. 'Cause if anyone gets to you, they’ll have an issue with the 141. And trust me, they don’t want that."

Rumor smiled despite himself, appreciating the show of support. "Thanks, Cap."

Price’s lips quirked into a small grin, his eyes twinkling. "Anytime, lad. Now, come on. Let’s get a drink, yeah? Forget about those arseholes."

Rumor let out a breath, finally feeling the tension ease from his shoulders. With the 141 at his back, he knew he could handle anything that came his way.

[cinnabunhwa]

best birthday ever

pairing: xiaojun x gn!reader

genre: fluff, established relationship

summary: it’s xiaojun’s birthday and the memories of your second date have you bringing him a late night snack on a busy night. the two of you reminisce on the memory, very fluffy!

warnings: pet names (babe, love)

words: 1.182k

masterlist | taglist

Biting your bottom lip nervously, you typed a text to be sent to your boyfriend. Today was his birthday, and it’s the first one that you ever got to be a part of. He’s been working a lot more than usual now that his group was active again; he didn’t want to take anything for granted. You were so proud of him and you wanted to make sure that he remembered to celebrate his own day.

“Hey! Will you be home before midnight tonight?” you pressed send, hoping that he wouldn’t be completely opposed to it. He needed rest, and that you were sure of, but you also knew that he would willingly continue to work. ‘Just a little bit more,’ he’d say, but then it would be 4am and he would be dragging himself back to the dorms. Your phone vibrates.

“I should be! Is everything okay??” He seemed more worried about you than anything else. You chuckled, he’s really too sweet for his own good.

“Everything is okay!! I just wanted to see you today, even just for a few minutes!  :)” 

Plans were set, you were going to meet him outside of his dorm at 11pm, after all his schedules prior to midnight were done. Dejun is someone who has always been passionate about his work. Whether it be dancing, singing, or hosting, he has always been someone that could be counted on. You knew that he would make sure he was there. With that in mind, you got to work planning what you would bring over. 

–

You arrived outside the dorms 10 minutes early. You didn’t want to risk him seeing you set the bags up neatly so that he could carry it in well. You had brought him fried chicken from his favorite place and a little treat for Bella as well. It’s impossible to forget the way that his eyes lit up when he tried the chicken from that stall for the first time. 

It was your second date, and Dejun had the day off so you both decided to go to the food market and try different street foods. He excitedly showed you all of the places Hendery loved (the guy knows good food), and all of the places he and the members had eaten in the past. Stumbling upon a new stall, he paused with a perplexed look.

“I’ve never seen this place before? But it looks like it’s been here for a while,” he said, head slightly tilted.

The stall was operated by an elderly lady, who spotted the two of you staring and beckoned you over, a large smile gracing her features. You greeted her cheerily, looking over the options of the stall before realizing it was all Korean fried chicken. You looked over at your date and his eyes were sparkling looking at everything. He had engaged in conversation with the lady and she was already filling a box just for the two of you to walk around with. As you tuned in, you caught the very end of the conversation.

“-second date, and I wanted to take them to one of the night markets nearby! I’m so glad you started your stall,” Dejun chirped, wrapping his arm around your waist as the breeze blew by. 

The elderly lady gave you a soft smile and handed the box to the two of you. Dejun reached to pay, and she tsked at him, shaking her head. He tried everything he could to get her to accept payment: saying at least let it be a tip, and even pulling out his infamous puppy dog eyes. She would not budge.

“Please take this as my blessing for the two of you, and if you like it, please come by again,” she returned, smiling to herself. She knew the two of you would last if the way he looked at you meant anything.

Relenting, he jokingly scolded her, saying that next time he’d have to buy twice as much. Chuckling, she agreed, shooing the both of you away to enjoy the rest of your date.

The sound of the dorm door opening drew your attention away from your thoughts. Your boyfriend jogged over to you, attempting to peer around you to see what you were holding behind your back. You maneuvered backwards from him, keeping your surprise a secret. There was no way you were letting him sneak up on his gift.

“YAH hello, nice to see you Dejun, how are you?” You playfully scolded, making the silliest angry face you had. 

This only made his antics stronger, as he pretended to peek over one of your shoulders, then dive around to your side but you were too fast. Side stepping him, you stuck your tongue out and waited for him to speak.

“Hi y/n,” he breathed, eyes sparkling playfully and a soft smile coming to his face, “I’m so excited to see you today, it’s been such a fun day so far.”

Grinning at him, you bring the bags around to the front of you and his eyes widen at the sight of the logo.

“You went all the way to the market for me??” he remarked, “oh babe you didn’t have to go alone, I would have definitely gone with you.”

“Happy birthday Dejun,” you smiled, nudging his side playfully and shaking your head, “I knew you’d be busy so I wanted to bring it for you.”

Thinking back to your second date, he felt so fond. The elderly lady who ran the stall had told him that she could tell how much the two of you cared for each other, even in passing. She eased his nerves by saying so, and even mentioned that the two of you reminded her of her own love. It was that night that Dejun decided he would do his best to get to know you, and make you happy. But here you were, remembering what he loved and bringing gifts even on a busy day just for him.

Gently grabbing the bags, he set them down on the bench next to you. A warmth spread across your face as he brought his hand to your cheek, the silly mood forgotten. 

“Thank you babe, it means the world to me that you would take time out of your day just for me, even with things as busy as they are,” he said, pressing his forehead to yours, admiring the way your eyes locked onto him. Like this, it always felt like time slowed down and it truly was just the two of you in the world. He didn’t have to be an idol in your eyes, he was just Dejun. Your Dejun. That’s who he vowed to be, and he intended it to stay that way. Wrapping your arms around him, you felt all the love and admiration that you had for him be received and you sighed contentedly, nuzzling his hand.

“You’re always welcome, love. How was your birthday?”

His thumb caressed your cheek, a grin encasing his features.

“It was the best birthday ever.”

aaaa happy birthday xiaojun!! hearing him on live today saying that this birthday was one of the best, and then saying it was the best birthday ever prompted this. i hope he finishes his schedules well, and rests like he promised us. i hope this gives you good feels as you continue on ur day. much love!!

--

creds: divider, divider 2

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[honeycollectswhump]

The Pet 2

[masterlist] [part one]

From his view of the ever-distorting ground, he couldn’t see his Master’s reaction, couldn’t anticipate the blow or kick that would surely come. The pleading had felt wrong on the Pet’s tongue, for a reason he couldn't figure out. 

For a few agonizing seconds nothing happened. The only sound that reached the Pet’s ears was his own labored breathing and even that sounded warped.

“What?”

Finally, a voice, though he couldn't recognize it. It must have been his Master’s, right? It simply must.

The Pet knew how to behave. He shouldn't have run away in the first place –he couldn’t even remember why he had tried anymore– but he would be better. He needed to be better. So he stayed perfectly still, waiting for any clue of how to act so he could be prepared for his Master’s rage. 

Would his Master discipline his disobedient Pet now or later? Would it be his Master’s thick belt, that he used to taunt him with, and then punished him with even more harshly for getting his disgusting blood all over it? Maybe he’d be used as entertainment for the party –the party?– and or he’d be strung up like a punching bag. The thought alone made the Pet shake twice as hard. 

Too late, far too late the Pet perceived murmuring, draping over him like a blanket, drowning out all other sounds. His Master must have been talking and like a stupid mutt he hadn’t paid attention. Instead, he had gotten lost in his own head, he had let himself get carried away by the current of his own thoughts.

Mercifully, his Master repeated himself. Still, only scraps reached his mind, the rest being devoured by the cotton that filled the Pet’s senses. 

“Hey…”

“It’s just me…”

“... don't understand…”

“Please, sit up.”

Yes! At last, something the Pet could act upon, something to prove he was eager to obey, despite his shortcomings, despite everything. He carefully pushed his upper body up, still on his knees and eyes on the floor like a proper Pet. Just this small movement alone made his stomach lurch and his arms shake like leaves in the wind.

He stared at his tingling fingers and hoped he was kneeling right, hoped that he wasn’t slouching with the way his spine felt curved, the way his legs were slowly sinking into the floor like it was quicksand. 

Cautiously, gentle fingers touched his jawline and tipped his head upwards. The Pet let his eyes be guided to catch the form of his Master and hoped he wouldn’t be punished for this offense too. 

“You will be alright,” the voice said slowly, deliberately. A spark of familiarity washed over the Pet, even though he couldn’t place it. He could barely see more than blurred shapes but if the Pet concentrated hard enough, he could make out some of their features. A name fought itself through the swamp of his own thoughts: Caretaker.

“I’m–I’m sorry. Are you my…my Master?” he whispered, then flinched back, expecting a hit for his boldness. His tongue felt swollen and limp in his mouth and he could do nothing but hope he was saying the words he meant. 

He was met with confusion. “I’m not–I mean, you don’t have a Master.”

That couldn’t be! The thought alone sent cold spikes of fear down his spine.

“Please Ma’am, I do have a Master. I’m sorry, but I must have, I’m positive. I–I don’t mean to disagree, Ma’am, please. B–but I’m lost, I don’t know where I am. My Master must be around here somewhere. I don’t– I don’t know what to do!” The words tumbled out of his mouth and onto the floor like marbles. In the end, the last bit of resolve left him and the Pet dissolved into sobs

“Whumpee–” The hands that had rested on his jawline now moved to cup his cheeks. “What happened? I don't… whatever. You are safe, I promise. If you are lost, I’ll help you get home, alright?”

He looked at her hopefully. Alone, he wouldn’t get anywhere, at least not in this state. But with her help…maybe he wouldn’t be thrown out today.  

The Pet threw himself down once more, inching closer till his bowed head almost touched her knees. 

“Please, Ma’am! If you would be so kind, so generous as to help this worthless excuse of a Pet. I’m so sorry, I don’t–I don’t know how to repay you but I’d do anything. Anything! I promise, Ma’am!”

“Always. I’ll always help you.” the Pet felt a soft hand on his head, carding gently through his hair. In his despair, he couldn’t help but push into the touch. The Pet couldn’t remember the last time someone had touched him this way. Any kindness was a rarity. Even like this, with his brain a thick swamp, unable to produce fully formed thoughts, the Pet knew this fact. It was deeply ingrained in his heart.

“But you need to listen to me. My car is parked nearby but we have to get there first. And we can’t have the others see you like this. So you need to do exactly as I tell you, alright?” 

Even though he had to strain himself to comprehend the words, the Pet nodded with such vigor his head might have fallen off. It made him even more dizzy. 

“Whumpee, look at me. This is important.”

Although the Pet didn’t know who that was, he would listen regardless.

“When we go out that door, I need you to walk upright. I’ll hold you up, that won’t be a problem. But no crawling! Also, no talk of your Master or whoever the fuck that is. If you have questions ask them now or when we are in my car.”

The Pet didn’t understand. But it wasn’t his job to ask questions –it wasn’t his job to think– so he kept quiet. His only purpose was obeying. 

He pushed upwards, trying to get his legs under him and balanced on the skewed ground, already veering to the side. Before he could tumble down, Caretaker caught his arm. His stomach churned dangerously and his ears rang. A cold sheen of sweat was sticking to his skin, making him shiver and he swallowed thickly. The tears had barely stopped but the Pet felt like crying again. It was no use.

“Come on, big guy.” Caretaker said as she pulled him towards a wall. “Lean against that, then try again.”

He did try again, desperately ignoring the way the wall seemed to bend around him, the texture swirling and swirling and swirling. Despite everything, the Pet couldn’t stop a hysterical giggle from breaking free. It just made Caretaker sigh. 

Finally though, he was able to stand, albeit listing heavily against the wall. Caretaker had slipped against his side, bracing his bigger frame against hers, holding up most of his weight. God, it felt like his worst sin was open for the world to see. No amount of slouching could make him smaller than her. A Pet couldn’t look down on a human. 

His first disobedience was his own body. 

She approached the door with the Pet in tow. He vowed to keep his stupid mouth shut since Caretaker didn’t like it when he talked. The walk was a blur, his surroundings distorting and tilting. His feet never landed where he wanted them to, making him stumble against her more than once. 

Time seemed to move weirdly around him, both too fast and too slow. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, whether he spent hours in that dark room or just seconds. 

People came up to them, shouting over a thundering the Pet couldn’t identify, but Caretaker pushed through them. 

The Pet blinked and suddenly found himself outside, the cool night air lifting the fog that had settled over his senses. Only now he realized that he had rested his heavy head on Caretaker’s shoulder.

It felt comfortable. It felt safe.

It felt familiar.

again, thanks to @distinctlywhumpthing for beta-reading this and putting up with my lack of knowledge on where to put commas in english <3