#'all your papa did every month when i talked to him was talk about your father-' *sound of felix screech in the distance*

[stevie-petey]

episode eight: papa

“We’re felons.” Your eyes are squeezed shut as you rub your stomach, nauseous. “I can’t believe we just stole that poor couple’s home.” “Think Spidey would understand?” Steve spares you a glance as he drives. “Don’t ever evoke his name while committing a felony.”

Summary: steve is on the brink of a constant nervous breakdown, eddie questions your taste in music, you and max go halfsies on your lives, angry hicks are scary, and the end of the world is near so of course now is the time for every emotional conversation ever. duh !

Rating: general, some swearing, violence

Warnings: fem!reader, use of y/n, cursing, weapons, talk of death, lowkey suicidal thoughts but barely ??

Words: 15.9k

Before you swing in: hey gang !!! this chapter is a goddamn monster. it took forever to write for a million reasons, but the payoff is worth it in my biased opinion. we get a LOT of conversations in this chapter, all that have been brewing for seasons !!!!! the narrative is narrativing !!! we only have one more chapter, so sit back, relax, n enjoy :)

–

When Steve was a little kid, he would have nightmares about losing his parents. 

They started when he was seven. In the first dream, his mother had been in the car. She was driving away from him, beckoning him to follow, but Steve’s scrawny legs couldn’t keep up; he hadn’t reached her in time. 

He remembers waking up screaming for her. The terror of abandonment was heavy within his chest. It stifled his breathing. He remembers thinking that he was going to die. 

May Harrington rushed into her son’s room upon hearing his screams. She clutched him to her chest, smoothed down his wild hair. Steve had been too upset to explain the dream to her, then. His body simply melted into her embrace, relieved that she had still been there with him. That she hadn’t really left him. 

The dreams continued after that night. 

One time he had dreamt that his father locked him in the closet and told him that no one would ever see him again. Another night, Steve dreamt that his mother no longer loved him. That his love for her hadn’t been enough to convince her to stay. 

The dreams came sporadically. Sometimes Steve would go weeks without one. Other times, he would have one every night for a month. 

His father detested the dreams. He loathed what they did to his son. Not because of the fear that plagued Steve’s now pale skin, but because of how weak they made him. Richard Harrington would grip Steve’s arm tightly and command him to stop crying. The grip would leave bruises alongside his tear stained face. 

When Steve was nine, now too old to be having such vivid nightmares, his mother rocked him back and forth in her arms after a particularly difficult nightmare. Steve’s hiccupping breath echoed his tightening grip on the woman. 

“Oh, my beautiful boy. You’ll never lose me.” May stroked his back, her soothing voice floated around Steve. 

Steve clutched his mother even tighter. “But what if I do?”

May coaxed his head from her neck. She looked at him with such tenderness, such love. Her fingers grazed Steve’s face gently as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. She hummed, her voice lovely as always. “I’ll tell you a secret.”

“What secret, momma?” 

Steve will never forget the way his mother smiled at him. “When you love someone, you can never really lose them.”

And the secret settled a deep ache of uncertainty within her son. He loved hard and fast from then on. If Steve loved everyone he ever met, then he couldn’t lose them.

But then Steve was seventeen and he lost Nancy Wheeler.

Now Steve is nineteen and he’s about to lose you. 

One minute Nancy had been climbing up the rope. Your arms brushed Steve’s and your warmth reassured him that everything was going to be okay. You’d made it out. You were going to escape from the Upside Down and hold one another as soon as this was all over.

Until Nancy’s grip on the rope loosened and she fell. Steve barely had time to catch her before her dead weight landed upon him. Managing to stand her up, Steve finally realized what was happening. Her skin was pale and her body stiff.

She had gone into a vision. 

That’s when Steve turned to you. 

His entire world collapsed after that. You were frozen as well, as stiff as Nancy. The veins in your neck were pulled taunt. Steve thinks he screamed. 

And now he’s alone. You and Nancy have been taken from him. He can’t break you from whatever spell Vecna has the two of you under. 

“Y/N!” 

Steve doesn’t recognize his own voice. He can’t feel his body. He can’t feel yours beneath his hands as he desperately shakes you. Everything is numb from the fear that paralyzes him. 

The whites of your eyes blind him. Steve doesn’t know when they rolled back. 

“Steve, what’s going on down there?” Dustin’s voice cuts through the ringing in his ears. Every nerve in your brother’s body is on edge. Something isn’t right. You’re too still. 

“He’s-he’s got them!” Steve can’t bring himself to let go of you. He just wants to see the color in your eyes again. He wants you to wake up and laugh at him and call him stupid names and remind him that he’s yours. 

Above Steve he can hear screaming. Everyone starts shouting at one another, running around in a panic. No one knows what to do.

“Stay with me, angel.” Steve cradles your head. “Please.”

He can’t lose you. Steve wouldn’t survive a world without you in it. All the warmth and love within the world would leave the second you took your last breath. 

A body lands beside yours, tearing you out of Steve’s grasp. Seeing red, he turns, fists clenched and ready to throw a punch, but he only finds Dustin. The kid’s eyes are shell shocked, a manic look in them as he shakes his sister. 

“Do you have her walkman?” 

Steve almost can’t hear him over the pounding of his heart. “W-what?”

“Y/N’s walkman!” Dustin exclaims, rifting through your pockets. His hands are shaking and he can’t form any other thought besides finding the goddamn walkman. He knows you have it. He made sure that you wouldn’t go anywhere without it. “Steve, where is it?”

“I-I don’t know!” He can’t breathe. He’s too paralyzed by the idea of losing you forever. Then he remembers Nancy and it’s all too much. He can’t lose her either. She’s a part of him in a way that Steve will never be able to explain. “What about Nancy? What the hell do we do?”

“We need to find the fucking walkman.” When Dustin’s fingers feel plastic in your pocket, hope jumps in his throat. Letting out a breath, he pulls it out and quickly gets to work on unwrapping all the plastic that encases it. Only the wrapping is too thick, Dustin wants to scream. “Help me get this shit off!”

Steve yanks the device out of the boy’s grasp and claws at the mess of plastic and knots. Dustin had made sure to secure it when he left you at Lover’s Lake. While it kept the walkman bone dry, you’re now paying the price. It’s almost impossible to tear off. 

“Fuck!” Steve tries to bite through it, but it’s no use. 

“Give me it.” Dustin snatches the walkman back, now holding your knives. He starts cutting through the plastic quickly, but he notices Nancy start to convulse next to you. Panicking, Dustin shouts at Steve, “Help her!”

“But what about Y/N–”

“Now isn’t the goddamn time to argue!” Dustin screeches. He’s almost finished cutting through all the plastic. “I have Y/N. Focus on Nancy!”

It’s what you would want. Steve and Dustin both know this. And as much as it physically pains Steve to let go of you, he knows that you’d never forgive him if he allowed Nancy to die. 

Stumbling over his feet, he grabs her shoulders. Her body is as cold as yours. Her own whites of her eyes taunt Steve. Shaking Nancy, he screams up to the others, “Whatever you guys are doing, hurry up!”

“I got it!” Dustin holds up the now freed walkman, cheering. He can save you. He will save you. All he has to do now is put the headphones over your ears and play the music you love and his sister will be okay.

But then your body starts to convulse. The sight is gruesome. Your fingers bend sideways, your neck snaps back, and your chest collapses into itself. Terrified, Dustin screams your name over and over again. 

Hearing the boy’s pained cries, Steve tears himself away from Nancy. When he sees your body shaking violently, bile and fury rise to his throat. “No.”

He’ll be damned if you die tonight. Steve grabs the walkman from Dustin and opens it. Inside, there’s only one tape. 

For bug.

“Henderson, look at me.” There’s a list of songs messily scrawled on it. Steve shoves the cassette in Dustin’s face, forcing him to read the tracks on it. “Which one is her favorite?” 

Dustin struggles to catch his breath. He forces his vision to sharpen, the words float around in his head. They’re all songs he doesn’t know. None of them would work, none of them except–

“The Beatles!” Dustin is already queuing the song, fingers shaking. They’re your favorite band. When you were younger, your father would softly play their songs on his guitar every Sunday morning. Dustin was never able to remember the lyrics, but you always did.

Steve shoves the headphones on you. Dustin presses play.

That’s when your body lifts. 

– 

Music. 

There is music. A familiar guitar progression. Someone used to strum their fingers to produce the same chords. Their rough timbre would accompany the strings and the sweet smell of pine and grass would lull you. 

There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed. 

Green. Over a hill there is a house. Floorboards creak beneath your feet and there is a yellow couch pressed against the window, overlooking the flowers in the garden. Somewhere there is laughter. You’re a little girl chasing your younger brother around the tree, giggling.

Some forever, not for better. Some have gone and remain.

A moving van. The boxes you spent hours packing are shoved into the vehicle roughly. A long drive. A small town, smaller than the one you ran away from. There is a new house with a yellow door to match the couch your mother got to keep. Across the street a boy with black hair is riding his bike. Your brother follows him. 

Night falls and you’re standing on someone’s porch. There’s a boy your age and his hair falls into his eyes. Words are exchanged. He tells you his name is Jonathan. Your hand touches his and suddenly the world doesn’t feel so lonely anymore. The front door opens. A girl tells you your brother is inside with hers. She’s shy, small and beautiful, but her eyes are cunning. 

All these places had their moments. With lovers and friends, I still can recall.

A smaller house owned by a woman who radiates warmth and love for you. Her sons and their adoration. Bug and bee and childhood nicknames. Sleepless nights filled with hushed laughter. Whispered I love you’s. The smell of fresh baked cookies and the sound of four boys who all view you as their sister. 

There’s a boy with pretty brown eyes and pink lips. Hands wrap around your waist as he saves you. Over and over again he saves you. He begs you for a nickname. His smile fills your lungs and you’re falling. Angel. He calls you angel. 

A girl with fiery red hair and a girl who prefers your touch over words. They giggle together. You dress them in your old clothes. Ice cream melts against your tongues and the summer heat kisses your cheeks. There’s another girl. She’s older. You're in a bathroom stall together and she laughs at all your jokes and calls you pretty girl.

Some are dead and some are living. In my life, I’ve loved them all.

An old man wearing a police hat. He reminds you of your father. Gruff and bitter but he lets you tease him. A cabin in the woods and the waffles he always made for you. A home he has made for you and his daughter. 

There are cold, blue eyes. The boy is your age but the anger within him resembles your father’s. He’s violent. Alone. He’s all alone. Blood drips from his body and you hear a girl scream his name. Billy. 

Your mother cradles your face as you cry. She tells you she’s sorry. Your brother tells you he misses who you used to be. The kindness that you burned to spite your father. 

Soft lips kiss your stained hands. The mouth whispers reassurances. He tells you he loves you. Late night drives. Kissing underneath the stars. Constants and honey and forgiveness. 

A charm bracelet. Building a fort in the rain. Biking to houses with a band of kids in tow. Singing songs in a field. Bickering and loyalty and friendship that leaves you in awe. 

Though I know I’ll never lose affection for people and things that went before.

Memories float through you, into you, around you. 

And you remember. 

I know I’ll often stop and think about them.

You remember everything. 

“Y/N!” 

Steve’s voice pulls you back to where you belong. He’s pleading. Dustin’s screams cut through the noise in your head. Everything is muffled. You can’t move. Why can’t you move? They’re screaming for you and you can’t get to them. 

In my life, I love you more.

But you love them. With everything within you, you love them. There is a blinding light of molten warmth of love in your rib cage. They put it there. It melts your bones. They need you. All this love within you is theirs, so why can’t you move?

“Y/N, angel, stay with me.”

You want it more than anything. You want to stay. You want to live. You can’t leave them behind. Any of them. Steve and Dustin and Jonathan and Robin and Nancy and Max and–

Pain erupts in your ankle as your body lands harshly on the ground. It shocks your system, causing your eyes to fly open. 

Steve is cradling you in his arms. He holds onto you desperately and he’s crying. Sharp inhales expand your lungs as sobs choke your breath. Your skin slides against Steve’s and he’s warm and rough and littered with scars and you aren’t sure if any of this is real.

But Steve is holding you. If this is some sick, twisted vision, then at least you’ll die in his arms. Your death will have been worth something if Steve’s face is the last thing you see. Yet when you look into his eyes, the fear and desperation within them is real. The tears are real. The agony and love is real. 

He’s real.

“Y/N! Angel, oh my God.” Steve’s hands grip your face. He’s ashen and music still plays. His pleas are muffled by it, you can barely make out what he’s saying. He risks looking away from you for a second. “Dustin! She-she’s awake!”

Within seconds your brother falls to his knees and presses his face to your stomach. He’s crying. The hot tears burn your bloodied skin but your weak hands still find him anyways. You hold Dustin tightly, selfishly. When you try to bury your face in Steve’s shoulder, something solid knocks against your head.

“Keep your headphones on.” Steve blocks your hand from taking them off. He isn’t letting you take them off ever again.

Headphones. The music playing, the memories that guided you home. Steve had saved you with your walkman. The realization causes you to jerk in his arms. You’re alive. This is real. Vecna almost killed you. You escaped.

Then where is Nancy?

“Nancy–” You try to get up, but Steve and Dustin hold you down. Panic swells in your chest. Nancy was with you. Vecna brought the two of you into his world, yet only one of you made it out. “Where is she? Is she–?”

Steve’s eyes betray him, revealing to you where Nancy is. She stands across from you, catatonic, and suddenly all the fear is back again. Tearing out of Dustin’s and Steve’s grasps, you run towards her. 

“Nancy!” You shake her viciously. She has to wake up. It can’t just be you who gets to live. You won’t let him win. Not like this. Above you, you see Max and Lucas running around. Eddie’s trailer is a wreck. They’re searching for something. “What are they looking for?”

Dustin tugs Nancy’s arm. “Music for her. It’s our only option.”

“Music.” you mumble, the song from your childhood still playing through your headphones. Nancy needs music. It’s the only way to get through to someone under Vecna’s curse. It’s what saved you. 

A song from your childhood brought you back to the ones you love. With Nancy’s life on the line, the song has to bring her back to you, too.

Ripping your headphones off, you shove them onto Nancy’s head. Steve and Dustin scream at you to put them back on. Your body had been floating not even a minute ago, but you don’t care. Ignoring their protests, your fingers fumble trying to find any possible song on the mixtape that can save her. 

“Please,” fresh tears fall onto the walkman. You can’t lose Nancy. Your relationship may be strained and complicated and tainted by a history neither one of you created yourselves, but she’s your dearest admiration. The world would be dim without her spark. You’ve lost so many people in your life. Pressing your forehead to Nancy’s, you breathe out, “Not you. I can’t lose you, too.”

A strangled gasp escapes Nancy’s mouth. The sound startles you, barely giving you or Steve enough warning to catch her as she falls. 

“You’re okay,” you brush her hair out of her face. Nancy’s chest rises and falls quickly. She’s hyperventilating, in a deep state of panic, and you hold her face delicately. She’s like a frightened deer, you’re afraid you’ll speak too loud and scare her away. “You’re okay, it’s okay.”

Steve is careful not to move her in his arms. “Breathe, Nancy. We’re right here.”

The words are meant to be calming. Your hands on Nancy’s face are meant to make her feel safe, loved. But she stares up at you and Steve with tears in her eyes and despair etched into her skin. 

Nancy begins to cry even harder and you don’t know what to do. “I need you to breathe–”

“The-the music.” She tries to sit up, but Steve won’t let her. Arms weak, she struggles against him. She looks at you frantically, trying to tear the headphones off of her. “You-you need them. He almost-he almost got you. The things he showed me, they were–”

Nancy sobs again, barely able to look at you out of guilt.

She remembers what she saw in your vision. 

The knowledge of this is ice cold against your skin, but there’s something else in Nancy’s reaction that unnerves you. This isn’t just about her now knowing your insecurities regarding her. This is something deeper. Bigger than any estranged relationship.

Vecna made her see something else.

Swallowing deeply, you level your eyes to hers. “Tell me everything, Nancy.”

And she does.

– 

Max’s trailer is all you have left. The cops swarmed Nancy’s house the second Patrick’s body was found. Your home is barricaded off from the public. They’re looking for Dustin, for you, and you don’t want to imagine how distraight your mother must be right now.

For lack of better words, it’s fucking depressing sitting in Max’s trailer surrounded by everyone. Exhaustion ghosts their faces. 

Lucas can’t seem to look away from you, the exhaustion of fear dulling his skin. Max taps her fingers anxiously. She hasn’t left your side since you’ve returned. Eddie nods at you, solemn. Erica, who arrived after the cops interrogated her, gives you a pitying look. 

Robin and Dustin hover you as if afraid you’ll disappear. Steve sits on the couch and presses his legs against your back as you sit on the floor; he needs to feel the heat of your body at all times. A reminder to him that you’re still alive. 

Nancy stands across from everyone. She insisted on doing this herself, that you didn’t need to be standing with her. While she’s always been stubborn and brave, you know she only does this because of the guilt. 

“He showed me things that haven’t happened yet,” Nancy rasps. Her eyes remain on the floor. She can’t look at anyone while she describes all the wreckage she saw. Downtown Hawkins on fire. Dead soldiers littering the streets.  

“And this giant creature, with a gaping mouth. It wasn’t-it wasn’t alone.” Nancy bites the inside of her cheek. She can’t afford to be afraid now. “There were so many monsters. An army. And they… they were coming into Hawkins. Into our neighborhoods. Our homes.”

Your nails dig into your palms. The sting quells the fear that rises within you. The more Nancy describes, more fury replaces your nausea. Hawkins is your home. There are so many good people within this town. Your family. The Wheelers. The Byers and the Sinclairs and the Mayfields and everyone else. 

So many innocent lives. All reduced to rubble and death by a rotting corpse from the Upside Down. 

Yet you still can’t get a hold of El. The only person who truly has any idea of how to stop Vecna is gone. She’s across the country with a landline that apparently doesn’t fucking work. It’s bullshit. It’s all complete and utter bullshit. 

“He showed me my mom. And Holly. Mike… And they were all–” When Nancy breaks, your fury melts into sympathy. You’re walking over to her in seconds, and Nancy throws herself into your arms as she cries. 

“He won’t hurt them.” You promise her, though it’s an empty promise that you both recognize. Neither one of you has any idea of how to stop Vecna. But Nancy clings to the comfort and allows herself to be weak. 

Lost in your worry for the girl, you miss Dustin speaking to you. He clears his throat awkwardly, raises his voice. You turn your attention to him, nodding to indicate you’re listening. 

“Did you see the same thing as Nancy?” Dustin asks you, shifting uncomfortably. The reminder of your body rising into the air only hours ago burns. “Did you… did you share the same vision?”

You and Nancy stiffen at the same time. She pulls away from you as if you’ve burned her. The shame of what she saw in your vision… Too much was revealed to her in an unfair way.

No one can ever know what you saw. It’s too painful, too embarrassing, but you know that the information could be important. Clearing your throat, you answer with what you can. “No, he didn’t show me Hawkins, just my…”

Your voice trails off. Everyone looks at you expectantly, waiting for more. Nancy described her visions in such detail, yet all you can give them are a few words. 

“Just my insecurities.” You clear your throat again. “He was trying to scare me. Similar to what he showed Max. I only got out of it because Steve saved me with the music.” He smiles at you, though it’s pained. Trying to ease the heaviness in the room, you shrug halfheartedly. “The Beatles. Saving lives since 1986.”

It works, albeit with minimal reactions. 

“The Beatles, huh?” Eddie gives you a weak smile. “That’s really what you consider music?”

“I almost died. Cut me some slack.”

Eddie opens his mouth to say more, but Steve shoves a hand in his face and shuts him up. He’s anxious. He hates how much the nine of you still don’t know. He doesn’t want to believe that Nancy’s vision had been real. “Maybe that’s all Vecna is doing. Trying to scare us. It’s not real.”

“Not yet.” Nancy lets out a defeated laugh. She isn’t convinced. Neither are you. That’s when she reveals the gates. How there were four of them spread across Hawkins. “This wasn’t the Upside Down Hawkins. This was our Hawkins. Our home.”

The hair on your arms stands up. He’s targeting your home. The fury is back; you hate Vecna. You hate him with everything within you.

Yet, in sickening irony, from the little you know about Vecna, you do know that nothing he does is accidental. He wouldn’t show Nancy four gates without it meaning something. A deep, awful churning sensation constricts in your esophagus. “Is he… trying to combine our worlds?”

“Four chimes.” Max finally speaks up. “Vecna’s clock.”

Everyone turns. Max only looks at you. “It always chimes four times. You heard them, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” your mouth is dry. The chimes were the first thing you heard. It was how you knew Vecna had gotten you. “I heard them.”

“I heard them, too.” Nancy whispers. 

The room almost seems to hold its breath as everyone comes to the realization at the same time; you’re too afraid to breathe life into the words. Vecna has been telling you his plan this entire time. 

“Four kills.” Lucas slowly looks around the room. “Four gates… End of the world.”

His voice trails off and Dustin’s stomach drops. He studies everyone’s faces. No one seems to realize yet what he has. Dustin looks at you and for the first time in his life resents his intelligence; he wishes he could be naive. 

“If that’s true…” Dustin can’t say it. He can’t bring himself to say it.

“Then he’s only one kill away.” You finish for your brother, instinctively looking at Max. While everyone reacts to what you’ve said, cursing and filling with dread, you and Max stare at one another. You’re both thinking the same thing. 

Vecna is one kill away, and you’re both marked. 

Max’s jaw clenches. She can practically read your mind, knowing that you hope the death will be yours. That you’ll do anything to be the final kill if it means saving her life. All you’ve done this entire week is ensure Max’s safety. You’ve put her life above yours again and again. 

When Vecna almost killed her in the cemetery, Max heard you beg him to take you instead. It infuriated her.

There were you, ready to give up your life for hers without even considering how your death would affect everyone else. Max’s death would go unnoticed. She knows this and she’s accepted it.

But your death would fundamentally alter the earth’s makeup. You are the warmth that her and everyone else needs to survive. If you died because of Max, she knows everyone would blame her. It would be one more death that she caused. Your ghost would join Billy’s. 

Max shakes her head at you. A small, subtle and curt shake. One meant for only you to see. You breathe in sharply. Her stony gaze sears into your skin. The message is clear: Max won’t let you die, either. 

“Try Byers again.” Steve’s urgent voice prevents you from trying to argue with Max. He doesn’t see the interaction. He’s too lost in his own mind, mentally sifting through every possible solution he can come up with. Someone has to know something. “Try calling him again, Y/N.”

Steve is anxious and the crease between his brow deepens when he looks at you. He can’t let you die and you don’t have the heart to remind him that you’ve tried calling the Byers home repeatedly this week, just to be met with a busy signal. 

Instead you sigh and walk over to the phone. Dialing the long memorized number, the line rings. And rings. And rings again. Until the beep of the busy tone alerts you that the line is full. “Damn it!”

You slam your fist against the wall, frustrated tears threatening to spill over. Dustin bites his lip at your reaction. “Guessing he didn’t respond.”

“Maybe she typed it in wrong…?” The death glare you send Steve quickly has him backtracking. “I-I mean it’s possible!”

“The Byers are like Y/N’s second family, dingus.” Robin flicks your boyfriend’s head for you, which you appreciate her for.

You try dialing the number again, but the same thing happens. It rings a few times before the busy signal drones on. Frustrated and worried, you slam the phone down. “No answer. Again. It’s been like this all fucking week.”

“Didn’t you say Joyce has that new telemarketer job? She’s always on the phone. Mike never stops whining about it.” Dustin tries to reason.

Max looks at him, skeptical. “A busy signal for three days?” 

“I’ve never gone this long without hearing from them. They always answer…” fear pricks your skin. “Someone always calls me back. El, Will, Jonathan… something’s wrong.”

“She’s right. It can’t just be coincidence.” Nancy’s uncertainty mirrors your own. The two of you are the closest to the Byers. Their silence is unnerving. 

“What are the odds that something is happening in Lenora?” 

Nancy frowns at you. “Pretty high. And whatever is happening there, it has to be connected to all of this.”

“But how?” 

Everything that has ever happened in Hawkins has remained in Hawkins. While you don’t understand how or why, the Upside Down is tied to this shitty town. It doesn’t make any sense for it to spill over into California, hundreds of miles away.

“I don’t know.” Nancy looks out Max’s window, her face hardening. “But at least Vecna can’t hurt them.”

You laugh bitterly. “I never thought I’d be so happy that they’re in California.”

Every day you miss the Byers like an open wound. You miss Jonathan and his slanted smile. Will and his tenderness. El and her sweet laugh. Joyce and her warm embrace. Their absence is palpable in your life, but for once you’re relieved that they’re gone.

They’re as far away from danger as they can possibly be. Vecna, as far as you know, can’t reach them from Hawkins. Though you may not know why they’ve gone radio silent, at the very least you know they’re alive. 

“I’m not just talking about how far away they are.” Nancy turns to you. Color has returned to her face. Her eyes are bright again and she’s alive with an idea. “Vecna can’t hurt them if he’s dead.”

Nancy Wheeler has always been protective of the ones she loves. You both are; it’s what has tied the two of you together. The only difference is that Nancy sees red where you see cautionary yellow. 

“We have to go back in there. Back to the Upside Down.”

You almost pass out from how quickly you stand. “Are you insane?”

Steve grabs your waist, steadying you, while Eddie rocks back and forth on the couch mumbling to himself. Robin lets out a scared squeak and you can practically see every possible way you can die in the Upside Down before your very eyes. 

“We’re going to die,” you laugh hysterically, finally reaching your breaking point. “Nancy, we are going to die if we go back there.”

“Not if we’re prepared! This time we’ll get weapons and-and protection. We’ll go through the gate, find his lair, and we’ll kill him.”

“Oh, because it’ll be that easy, right? Look,” you break from Steve and grab Nancy’s arm, forcing her to look at you. “I’ve always gone along with your plans. But this? This is too far.”

Steve joins you, looking equally as overwhelmed and alarmed. “Y/N’s right. And, might I add, the only reason you survived is because he wanted you to. He’s not scared of us!”

Nancy falters for a moment. She knows Steve is right. Everyone knows that it wasn’t your music that brought her back. Vecna only allowed her to survive because he could. 

“He let you live because somehow it’s all a part of his plan.” You urge, frustrated that Nancy can’t see what you see. “What if this is what he wants? He knows us, he’s been watching us. He knows you, Nancy. You could be falling right into his trap.”

“And it’s a fucking good trap!” Robin jumps to her feet, already starting to pace as she mumbles to herself. “We were wrong about Vecna. Henry? One? I’m sorry, what are we calling him now?”

Everyone gives her a different response, and you chime in with your own suggestion: “Bitch.”

“I like bitch, but it isn’t really PG, is it?” Robin cracks a smile before remembering where she is. She rambles on about how all you’ve managed to learn about Vecna is that he’s a sick, twisted version of El with deadly powers. “He could turn us inside out with a snap of his fingers. It’s not a fair fight.”

“Then why fight fair?” Dustin finally speaks up. He’s thought of something, too. “You’re right. He’s like Eleven, but that gives us an upper hand.”

Frustratingly, your brother has a point. Ducking your head, you voice what he’s thinking. “Which means we know her strengths and weaknesses.”

“Exactly.”

“Weaknesses?” Erica looks at you and Dustin as if you’re insane. 

Dustin explains how El’s powers work. When he mentions the trance she always seems to fall under when she remote-travels, Lucas snaps his fingers. “That would explain what Vecna was doing in that attic.”

“And when he attacks his next victim–”

“His body will be defenseless…” you breathe out, hope igniting in your chest despite your attempts to snuff it out. 

Steve scoffs at you. “Defenseless? What about the army of bats?” He motions towards his bruised neck before pointing down at your thigh. “I mean, I love you, but I think you’re missing most of your thigh.”

“Only a quarter is gone.”

“Y/N.”

“Okay, maybe a little more.”

Dustin waves his hands at you and Steve. “Alright, we get it. The bats were a bitch, but all we need to do is find a way to distract them.”

“And, uh.” Eddie begins to rise from the couch. “How do we do that, exactly?”

“No idea.”

Eddie sits back down. You smile at him, tight lipped. He should’ve expected an answer like that, honestly. 

Dustin doubles down on his plan. “It’ll be like slaying sleeping Dracula in his coffin.”

But there are components to his plan that the group still needs to figure out. “We’d need someone to lure him, get him into the trance in the first place.”

Robin nods eagerly at you. “My thoughts exactly, and we don’t even know who he’s going to attack next–”

“Yeah, we do.” 

Your heart stops. 

Everyone turns to Max. She only meets your gaze. Her jaw is set, the same hardened look in her eyes from when she shook her head at you returns.

Knowing where this is going, you stand in front of Max and block her from the others. “No.” 

“I can still feel him–”

“No.” You can’t believe Max is even entertaining the idea of you letting her be the bait. As if you’d ever put her in that kind of danger. Like you wouldn’t die a million times if it meant she got to live once. “You know I won’t let you.”

Max glares back at you. “I’m still marked.”

“So am I.” A bitter laugh. “We’re both cursed. You and me. We’re one in the same, but I’m not letting you be the bait.”

“What, so I’m just expected to let you sacrifice yourself?” Max laughs incredulously. “Yeah, I’m sure that’ll go over well. Max Mayfield, the one who killed Hawkins’ sweetheart, responsible for yet another death!”

You try to reach out to her, but Max stumbles back. “No one is dying, alright? And you wouldn’t be responsible for my death. I’m choosing to do this. You’re-you’re just a kid, Max. It’s my job to protect you–”

“I never asked you to protect me!” Max screams, startling you into silence. The volume of her voice seems to surprise her as well because she takes a step back, breathing heavily. “I never… I never asked for any of this.”

Silence swallows the room. Max looks at you, her eyes pleading. Her words swim in your head. What did she mean by being responsible for another death? That she would be blamed for yours? 

“You didn’t ask me to protect you,” your voice shakes slightly. Holding her gaze, you allow your tears to fall. “But I never asked to lose you, either.”

Max breathes in sharply. Your words cut through her guard, breaking down the last of her walls. She’s silent again. 

“Neither one of you are going.” Steve is next to you now, hand falling against your back. He looks between you and Max, voice gentle, but firm.

“What if we… leveled the playing field?” Dustin hesitantly suggests. Lucas and Steve frown at him, shocked he’s even considering any of this seeing how protective he is of you. Dustin sighs, rubbing his face tiredly. “Look, they’ve both had visions. They’re both next. And whether we like it or not, Vecna has only doubled his chances of winning.”

Eddie stares at him in disbelief. “What, so we just have them both be the bait? Toss ‘em both to Vecna and see which one he bites?” 

“I’d word it better, but…” Dustin bites his lip, staring at you. “Yeah.”

Behind you, Steve tries to shove past the others to get to you. Only Lucas stops him, shaking his head at the older teen. Now isn’t the time, Lucas knows that Steve will say something he'll regret. 

Steve wants to scream. He doesn’t at all like what he’s hearing, but when he looks at you and notices the interest in your eyes, he feels his heart drop. You’re really considering this. You’re really willing to put yourself in danger to save Hawkins.

Because it’s what you do. It’s what you’ve always done. You’re too good for this world. Steve can’t let you get hurt, not like this. 

Tentatively you look at Max. “If one of us is in the Upside Down…”

“And the other in the attic in Hawkins.” Max continues for you, relieved you seem to understand. “He’s guaranteed to find one of us. And whoever he chooses, we just… we just need to keep him busy long enough so that the others can get into the attic.”

A game of luck disguised as a compromise. Even though luck has never been on your side, Max won’t back down from this, and neither will you. 

However this story ends, you hope that it’s your body that is buried. Max, thinking the same thing, smiles pitifully at you. Reaching a stalemate, all you can do now is smile back at her.

“Do me a favor,” you turn to the rest of the group. “When you stab him, blow him up with whatever explosives Dustin inevitably comes up with, however you end up killing this piece of shit… Try not to miss.”

“For both of us.” Max says. 

Steve’s hand presses harshly against your back. He’s biting his tongue. You can feel all the unsaid resentment and protests that die in his throat. Exhaustion darkens his eyes and you want, more than anything, to promise him that everything will be okay.

But you can’t. 

Not this time. 

– 

Eddie slams down a massive flier onto the table. With big, bold letters and an abundance of American flags in the background, the flier is your worst nightmare.

“‘The War Zone?’” You look at Eddie uncertainly. “Not a very welcoming store name.”

“That’s because it’s not a very welcoming store, princess.” He winks at you. “But I’ve been there before, and it’s huge. They’ve got everything you need for, uh…”

“War?”

“I was gonna say killing things, but war works, too.”

Robin pokes your side, gently moving you aside so that she can look over Eddie’s shoulder. “Think fake Rambo has enough guns there?”

“Well there’s a grenade sale going on, so.” You shrug at her. “I’m willing to bet they’ve got enough guns. And an aversion to laws.”

Robin still looks unsure, but Eddie quickly explains that the War Zone is far enough away from Hawkins that no one will recognize any of you there. With a wanted murderer and multiple accomplices in your group, anonymity is your only option. 

“But if we’re trying to avoid angry hicks, maybe we shouldn’t go to some store called the War Zone.” Erica points out, which you snort at.

“She’s not wrong.”

Nancy sighs. “Normally I’d agree, but we need the weapons. I think it’s worth the risk.”

Lucas agrees, but Dustin reminds everyone that you currently have no way to get there. Steve’s car is gone and all you have are bikes and prayers. 

Eddie smiles wickedly at your brother. “Who said anything about bikes?”

“What, you got some car we don’t know about?” Steve asks him.

“It’s not exactly a car, Steve. And it’s not exactly mine, but… it’ll do.”

You step in between Steve and Eddie. “What do you mean it’s not exactly yours?”

He ignores your question and looks at Max. “Hey, Red, you got a ski mask, or a bandanna, something like that?”

“Why the fuck do you need a ski mask–” You hit at Eddie’s chest, worry growing more and more by the second. 

Eddie catches your hand that swings down at him, a devious smile. “Have you ever stolen a RV, Y/N?”

“No. No fucking way.” You’ve never hated an idea more. “That’s someone’s home. And-and it’s a crime. A huge one at that, like insanely huge and very, very illegal–”

Dustin pats your back, laughing to himself. “C’mon. Lighten up a bit. Do it for science, for the world!”

“What does science have to do with any of this? We’re talking about literally robbing someone’s entire livelihood to go kill some wrinkly old guy and there’s no way in hell that I am ever agreeing to stealing a RV–”

You end up stealing a fucking RV. 

Eddie is wearing a ridiculous ski mask that Max once wore for Halloween as he guides you through the trailer park. Weaving in and out of mobile homes, Eddie finds his target and throws himself through the window. 

Steve jumps in next, leaning out the side so that he can then help you climb through. The window is just tall enough to be painful to squeeze into, and you let out several choice words as Steve pulls you up. 

“You alright?” He asks you once you’re in.

“I hate everything about this.”

“Henderson, you got anything sharp?” Eddie whispers from the driver’s seat. He’s holding a bunch of wires that all look the same to you.

Digging into your pocket, you toss him your knives. “If anyone asks, you stole them from me.”

Eddie smirks at you, flicking the knives open and cutting random wires. He works quickly, with practiced ease, and Steve notices, too. “Where’d you learn how to do this?”

Eddie’s fingers tie wires together and he laughs sarcastically. He explains that his father was the one who taught him, bitter and relentless. “I swore to myself I’d never wind up like he did, but now I’m wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, uh. I’m really livin’ up to the Munson name.”

“Aren’t fathers lovely?” You force a laugh, but you can still feel the heavy weight of your father’s hands around you. The vision, how real he had seemed. Eddie gives you an odd, slightly concerned look, before Robin suddenly appears. 

“Eddie, I’m not sure I love the idea of you driving this thing.”

You bite your lip. “Honestly, I also don’t like the idea.”

“Oh, I’m just starting this sucker. Harrington’s got her.” Eddie leans in close to Steve, almost flirting with him. “Don’t ya, big boy?” 

Steve’s off-put expression, the pure joy in Eddie’s eyes and Robin’s utter confusion, it all makes you laugh hysterically. This entire situation is so fucking bizarre. Here you are, hotwiring a RV with Eddie goddamn Munson while he flirts with your boyfriend. 

The engine sparks to life, cutting your laughter short, and within seconds the married couple who owns the RV is pounding on the windows. Cover blown, Steve curses and shoves Eddie out of the way so that he can throw you against the passenger seat. 

“Get ready!” Steve shouts after making sure you’re secured before jumping into the driver’s seat.

Heart pounding, you quickly shout over your shoulder to the kids. “Everyone, hang on!”

Dustin scrambles onto the back window and holds on for dear life. “Drive, Steve!”

Throwing his foot on the gas, the RV pulls out of the trailer park with impressive speed. For being more home than mobile, you have to tightly clutch the sides of your seat in fear of flying forward. 

“Shit, they look pissed.” Dustin watches the couple run after the RV, but it’s a lost cause.

“I mean, it’s not every day you lose your house and your car in one fell swoop.” Robin says, body jolting due to the rough terrain. 

Steve screams, telling everyone to hold on, before he barrels through a pile of garbage. The RV takes a rough turn, tilting slightly, before finally finding the road. The tires squeal, but Steve manages to steady the vehicle and grace you with smoother driving. 

“We’re felons.” Your eyes are squeezed shut as you rub your stomach, nauseous. “I can’t believe we just stole that poor couple’s home.”

“Think Spidey would understand?” Steve spares you a glance as he drives.

“Don’t ever evoke his name while committing a felony.”

– 

For the first few miles, all you could focus on was the squeezing knot of guilt in your chest as the adrenaline crashed. Every car you passed set you on edge. Every passing second you were terrified you’d encounter cops and get pulled over, sent to jail.

However, after about fifteen miles, you finally settle into the drive. Despite all you’ve been through, it’s still a beautiful time of year. The spring trees are green and soft music plays on the radio. Everyone is quiet, looking out the windows or talking amongst themselves.

Steve looks at ease driving the RV, the dewy sun framing his beautiful face. This is the calmest you’ve seen him all week. Feet propped up on the dashboard, you poke his arm. “You look real comfortable driving this thing.”

He smiles softly, shrugging. “It’s not half bad, considering this is a house.”

You giggle, smiling along with him. A comfortable silence follows and the music floats around you. The guitar strings are sweet, melancholy, and they make you miss your father. “My dad used to play this song on his guitar.”

“He did?” Steve seems surprised you’ve brought your father up, and you don’t blame him. It isn’t often that you talk about him.

“Yeah,” you’re not sure why you’re telling Steve this. Not now, at least. Driving a stolen RV to a war store for supplies. “He’d play it around bonfires. Everyone loved it. It was… it was nice.”

“Did he… play any other songs?” Steve doesn’t want to push you. He’s honestly just grateful you’ve shared even this small snippet of your life with him, but Steve will always want to know more about you. 

You pause for a moment. You’re not used to talking about this with anyone else. Only Dustin and Jonathan. “The Beatles. He really loved the Beatles.”

“Sounds like your dad had good taste in music, then.” 

“Yeah,” smiling to yourself, you allow this one good memory of your father to linger. “He really did.”

After a beat of silence, Steve clears his throat. He doesn’t want this softness to end. “Thank you for telling me, angel.”

You shrug, cheeks burning. You’re uncomfortable with the sincerity. You know Steve is being genuine, but the foreignness of revealing yourself is still unsettling.

Not wanting to lose this vulnerability yet, Steve risks looking at you. “Dustin told me about him, you know. Your dad, I mean. He told me what he did. And I-I’m really sorry, Y/N. I am. Your family didn’t deserve that.”

You’re quiet. 

“I understand, now.” Steve doesn’t want to say the wrong thing. Not again, not like he always seems to do. “I-I had this dream, you know, that I’d have this really big family. I’m talking, like, a full brood of Harringtons. Like, five or six kids.”

Even though you laugh a bit, his confession stings. You know exactly why Steve has always envisioned a big family for himself. His home was never really a home. His family was never really a family. 

You’ve only ever met Richard Harrington once, and you will always remember how cold his eyes were. 

“And what would you do with these six kids of yours?” You entertain Steve’s dream because you love him. Because you know that no one else will.

Steve blushes slightly, although relieved that you’re at least responding to him again. “I figured every summer, all of us Harringtons would pack into something like this and just see the country. You know, the Rockies, Grand Canyon… maybe even the Shenandoah valley in Virginia.” 

It’s your turn to blush. Steve wants to take his kids to where you grew up. “That sounds really nice, honey.”

Steve looks at you hopefully, adoration in his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” you know your eyes reveal your fondness for him, too. “Although six kids might be too much. I think three is all I’d agree to.”

Steve catches your slip before you do. He watches, bashful and giddy, as you realize what you’ve said. How you unconsciously told him your kids would be his kids. While you blush furiously at the implications, Steve’s heart flutters. 

So you do see a future with him. A family. 

Seeing Steve’s bashful smile, all your embarrassment fades away. He loves you, pure and unabashedly. All he wants is his future to have you, and you finally understand that you have a safe place to land. Steve will always be there to catch you. 

“You’ll be a good dad, honey.” He isn’t like your father. Steve doesn’t know how to abandon someone. It isn’t in his blood.

Steve ducks his head, smiling even wider. He thanks you softly, eyes flicking between you and the road. The strings that were twisted between you straighten. The knots come undone. Smiling at him again, you feel someone’s eyes on you.

When you turn around, you find Nancy quickly looking away. She pretends that she hadn’t been watching you and Steve, though she does a terrible job at it. Sighing, you kiss Steve’s forehead.

“I’ll be back.”

He tries to ask you where you’re going, but you’re out of your seat before he can finish his question. 

You sit next to Nancy, shoulder bumping against hers as you do so. She doesn’t look up at you, too busy pretending to be engrossed in Eddie’s War Zone flier. Her eyebrows are knit together and you know she’s anxious about it all.

Gently nudging her, you prompt Nancy to look at you. When she reluctantly does, you ask the question that’s been burning your tongue all morning. “How much of my vision did you see?”

“I-I’m so sorry.” Nancy breaks immediately. Unable to look at you, she turns her head and closes her eyes. “He… he showed me Steve. He made me listen to your cries as he and I–” Her voice cracks, nausea builds. “I heard what he told you.”

Your face burn in embarrassment. While you appreciate her honesty, you hate that Nancy saw you in your most vulnerable state. You hate that she had to see that your deepest, innermost insecurity is her. 

“It was real, wasn’t it?” Nancy hesitantly asks. Her lips are chapped and her voice is rough from disuse and uncertainty. “You really do think that Steve will never forget me.”

She knows she shouldn’t be asking you any of this. She knows that too much was shown to her, more than you’ve ever shown to anyone. Nancy doesn’t know what she would do if she were you. To have your deepest fears shown to someone without consent. Without any warning. 

You roll Nancy’s question around in your head. You aren’t surprised that she’s asked it; she’s never shied away from the questions that keep everyone else up at night. Absentmindedly your eyes roam Steve’s body. His shoulders are relaxed as he drives. He knows you’ll return to him when you’re done. 

It is a certainty for him, one only love can provide.

“I know he loves me.” You say slowly, carefully. Looking up at Steve again, your eyes soften slightly. “But I think sometimes I get scared of the hold you have over him.”

Nancy starts to laugh, loud and without any humor. Your eyes widen at her, hurt blooming within your chest. “What’s so funny, Wheeler?”

“Nothing!” She grabs your hand, laughter dying quickly. “God, I’m not laughing at you, I swear. It’s just-it’s ironic, isn’t it? I mean, I have the same fear with you and Jonathan. The hold you seem to have over him.”

Your thumb strokes the back of her hand. In a way, you suppose it all really is ironic. 

Risking it all, your head drops down to Nancy’s shoulder. She allows you to rest it there as you both stare out the window in front of you. “We were their first loves.” Watching the trees pass by, it’s all so very bittersweet. “Do you ever think about that?”

You were Jonathan’s first love. Nancy was Steve’s. 

Nancy hums softly, recognizing the irony as well. The two of you have always felt lesser than the other, yet the boys you love are so blindly devoted to you. Nancy remembers last summer and her cruel words of insecurity. 

“I’m sorry we wasted so much time.” Nancy whispers, and you don’t need to ask her what she means. You know she’s referring to the July phone call. 

“Lost time can always be made up.”

Nancy squeezes your hand. The two of you sit in the quiet for a moment, mending the fragments that were shattered a while ago. The mending isn’t perfect. Some pieces have been lost forever, but the image it creates is the same; it’s still love.

“I know you don’t need me to tell you this, but I’ve never seen Steve so in love.” 

You pick your head up and smile at her, appreciative of the sentiment. “Jonathan is the same, you know. He loves you so much, Nancy. Even if he struggles to show it.”

Nancy doesn’t believe you. You can see it in the way her eyes suddenly darken. The wrinkle in her forehead. She doesn’t believe that Jonathan loves her anymore, and the thought makes you ache. 

“I know he’s been distant lately. He’s been distant with me, too.” The admission is difficult only because you don’t want Nancy to think you’re being cruel. She deserves to know everything. “He’s lonely in California. He misses you more than I think he’s even able to process.”

Slowly, Nancy nods at you to continue; you haven’t scared her away yet. “Jonathan will never admit when he’s hurting, it’s infuriating and admirable all at the same time. But he… he gets lost, sometimes. Jonathan loves you so much that he’s afraid he doesn’t deserve you. He doesn’t understand that sometimes love is selfish.” 

Do you ever wonder if we’ve made a mistake?

But you ‘n me? ‘S easy. Always so easy.

Jonathan hadn’t been confessing his feelings for you. It’s only now that you realize this. He’d just been scared, weak. Weak from hiding his fears, his uncertainty for his future and the weight of his family on his shoulders. 

All his life Jonathan has only ever known instability. He was never able to adjust to Nancy’s foundations. It was only when he was finally starting to trust the stability that their fighting began, and Jonathan hid. It was instinctive.

“Jonathan, he called me the other night.” You say, causing Nancy to stiffen slightly. You squeeze her hand again, silently urging her to listen before she says anything else. “It was before the world was ending, obviously, and he… he asked me if I ever thought we made a mistake. Me and him.”

“A mistake?” Nancy shakes her head. 

“Steve and I had a fight earlier that day, and you and Jonathan were having problems, so he just… he was afraid that if we made a mistake choosing you and Steve, then it would mean we made things harder for you, too.” 

The wrinkle in Nancy’s forehead lessens, but only by a fragment. She’s listening, she’s trying to follow along, but she’s been so hurt for so long that it’s difficult for her to distinguish fact from fiction. 

“Loving you has always been easy for him to do, so he got scared when the ease fell away.” Your eyes never leave Nancy’s. “Jonathan didn’t understand that love can be just as hard as it is soft. You can’t have one without the other.”

Nancy is quiet for several long moments. She sits with your words, allows herself to think through them. To trust where they came from and know that they’re meant to help, not hurt. Eventually, Nancy exhales after months of holding her breath. 

“‘Love can be just as hard as it is soft’.” Nancy laughs, short but genuine. “I like that.”

A laugh echoes from your own chest. “Thanks, Wheeler. Came up with it myself.”

“It’s me who should be thanking you.” She ducks her head, suddenly shy. “Thank you. For everything.”

You squeeze her hand one last time. Recognizing her thanks as a polite dismissal, wanting to be alone right now, you kiss the back of her hand before rejoining Steve up front. 

Steve catches your hand before you can sit in the passenger seat. He kisses it, the same as you did with Nancy’s. “What did you two talk about?”

Tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, you catch Nancy’s eye in the rearview mirror. She winks, secretive and teasing, and you wink back at her. Sitting down, you prop your feet back up on the dashboard. 

“We were just catching up.”

– 

By the time Steve pulls into War Zone’s parking lot, it’s packed with cars. There are way more people than expected, concerned families running around with guns they don’t know how to use.

“I guess a grenade sale draws in a big crowd.” You whistle low, eyes following a dad and daughter bickering over a baseball bat. 

Steve parks the RV and turns around in his seat. “Alright, dipshits. What’s the plan?” Robin rolls her eyes. “Don’t call us dipshits, dipshit.” 

“Obviously Eddie stays in the RV. He’s Indiana’s most wanted at this point.” Eddie tips an imaginary hat at you. “Dustin and Lucas, you guys should stay, too.”

Your brother makes a disgruntled sound. “What do you mean I’m staying?”

“You’re both in Hellfire and a lot of people with guns want the club gone. I’m not letting either of you step foot in there.”

Lucas sags in his seat, but he doesn’t argue. He knows you’re right. Dustin, however, continues to argue. “Did you forget that I almost watched you die ten hours ago? I’m not leaving you.”

Annoyance softening, you tug at Dustin’s hat playfully. “Don’t worry about me. We grew up with hicks, I know how to fend them off.”

“Plus we’ll be glued to her side, little Henderson.” Robin points at Steve, who nods quickly. “We got her.”

It takes some more arguing and a bribe from Eddie before Dustin eventually calms down. You leave him with Lucas, trusting they’ll be fine on their own. Steve holds his hand out and helps you walk down the RV’s steps and into the store.

Inside, a swarm of people are running around. The entire point of driving all the way to the War Zone was to avoid Hawkins, and yet here everyone is: stocking up on pistols and mace.

“Let’s… be fast.” Nancy eyes everyone wearily, and none of you hesitate to agree.

Splitting up, you, Steve, and Robin head towards the gasoline section. You’d suggested it during the drive here. Fire has always been the most reliable weapon against the Upside Down. 

Eyes scanning the gasoline aisle, you make a mental list of what else you may need. “Okay, I think we should get at least six of these–”

Steve must see something in another aisle, because he whips around and screams behind his shoulder, “Be right back!” 

Robin frowns. “He has the attention span of a dog.”

“Don’t say that,” you toss another can of gasoline into your cart. “It’s offensive to dogs.”

Giggling, Robin helps you. Loading the cart to the brim, you almost miss Steve’s sudden return. “What do you think, angel?”

Looking up, you almost drop the can you’re holding. In the midst of weapons and ammo within the store, Steve has somehow managed to find a nice, brown army jacket. The material is thick, covered in patches, and the brown looks criminally good on your boyfriend. While you’ll miss his arms being on constant display, you almost don’t want him to ever take the jacket off again.

Seeing your speechless reaction, Steve smirks at you. “I take it you approve?”

“Mhm,” your mouth is dry. 

“Good, because I also found this.” Steve reveals another brown army jacket behind him, only this one is smaller. More your size. Not even waiting for your approval, Steve drapes the material over your shoulders. “And now we match.”

“You’re disgusting,” you grumble, though you both know your heart isn’t in it. The apples of your cheeks burn a cherry red. Taking Robin’s flannel off, you return it to her. “A part of me thinks Steve wants me to wear the army jacket because he doesn’t like seeing me in your clothes.”

Steve shrugs. “Half true.”

“Has anyone ever told you how gross you two are?” Robin gags. “I mean, really, it’s sickening how annoying you…”

Her voice trails off. Mid insult. Something she has never done before in the two years you’ve known her. Confused, you look up and notice her lovestruck expression as she stares at something. Following her line of sight, you almost laugh when you find the familiar red curls standing across from you.

“What are you gonna do? Stand and gawk?” Steve teases Robin, amused by the series of events.

You elbow his side. “Be nice. All you did was gawk at me for months.”

“Both of you, shut up.” Robin commands, voice breathy. Her eyes never leave Vickie and she takes a step forward, finally having the courage to approach her, before some guy comes up behind Vickie and scares her.

Vickie yelps, turning around to tell the boy off, but instead he takes her into his arms. The guy is tall, lanky but sure. He stares down at Vickie like she’s some prize and your stomach twists into knots. 

When their lips connect, you can almost feel Robin’s heartbreak. Her face drops and the light in her eyes is extinguished. Vickie turns, face paling when she sees Robin, and the entire ordeal is too much for her to handle. 

Robin’s shoulder knocks roughly against yours as she flees. You call after her, wanting desperately to follow. You know how cruel unrequited love can be. “Robin, wait!”

But Steve stops you, gently pulling you back. “Give her some space.”

As much as you want to argue, snatch your arm back and run after your heartbroken friend, you know that Steve is right. Robin has always preferred seclusion to public displays. She’s never wanted anyone’s pity. When she’s ready, she’ll find you and Steve and you’ll give her all the sun’s rays to melt the ice of rejection.

Steve helps you look for whatever else you’ll need. You roam the aisles, both silent and worried for your friend. At one point you end up in the knives section. When you turn your head to ask Steve his opinion on a silver hilt you find, the question dies in your throat.

Nancy is across the store, holding a rifle while Jason Carver stalks closer and closer to her.

“He’s like a goddamn plague,” you sneer to yourself. Quickly catching Steve’s attention, you motion over to the two teens. “We got a problem.”

Steve curses, also exasperated seeing Jason, but when he tries to walk towards them you stop him. Shaking your head, you block his path. “I love you, but if you go over there right now you’ll make everything worse.”

“That’s not true!”

“Steve.”

He falters. “Okay, well. What do you want me to do?”

“Go find Erica and the others and tell them we’re leaving. Clearly we’ve overstayed our welcome here.” Smoothing down your new leather jacket, you fix your hair and adjust your shoes. “As for me, I’m really hoping Jason still has that crush on me from last summer.”

Steve gawks at you, but you shove him towards the exit and beckon him to do as you say. Jason has only gotten closer to Nancy during your conversation. He leers over her, gripping the rifle with possession. 

Trying to keep your steps slow, casual, you analyze their body movements as you approach. Jason smirks at Nancy, as if he knows all her secrets. “Well, you look nervous.”

Nancy swallows. “Like I said. Scary times.”

Jason doesn’t like her answer. “Now, your brother. Is he here with you, by chance?”

Hearing him mention Mike, your heartbeat races as you practically sprint towards Nancy. Your appearance is abrupt, you’re breathless from exhilaration, and when your body slams against Jason’s, you feign sympathy. “Oh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

Body turned towards Nancy, you nod at her once, reassuring, before forcing a smile on your face and spinning back around to Jason. “Long time no see, Carver.”

“Y/N.” He doesn’t return your smile. 

Tension thick, you pretend not to notice it. “Sorry for interrupting, but I found the bat Nancy was looking for earlier and was dying to show her.” Tilting your head at her, you indicate towards the exit with your eyes. “Wanna check it out?”

She nods, understanding the hidden meaning behind your words. “Yeah, let’s go.”

“Not so fast.” Jason still hasn’t let go of Nancy’s barrel. He tugs it back, forcing you and her to freeze. “I asked Wheeler here a question. Have you seen Mike?”

“No.” Nancy doesn’t flinch away. “He isn’t here.”

Jason then looks at you. There is no warmth in his gaze. “And your brother, he’s in that Hellfire club too, isn’t he? Have you seen him around?”

“I’m not my brother’s keeper.” You keep your voice cold, neutral. Jason is trying to get a reaction from you. He wants you to be scared of him. But you’ve dealt with worse men than him. Wrapping your hand around his arm, you dig your nails into his flesh. “You understand, right?”

Jason’s mouth twitches. His composure is quickly slipping and Nancy uses the slip against him, Tightening her grip on the gun, she pulls it against her chest. “Let go.”

His hand remains. They maintain eye contact, neither looking away. Your nails dig even deeper, the skin beneath them breaks. Hot blood seeps into your nailbeds and Jason finally lets go. 

He rubs the crescent indents in his skin, chuckling darkly at you. “Quite a grip you got there.”

“I tend not to let things go.” A sickly sweet smile crawls onto your face. 

Jason smiles back at you, holding your gaze for another few seconds, before finally walking away. He doesn’t say anything else. The moment he’s gone, you lace your fingers through Nancy’s and run through the store to find Steve and the others.

“That was close.” You duck behind a cart, nearly running into one of Jason’s goonies.

“Too close.” Nancy finds Robin, pointing towards her as she looks for an opening to run. “Think you’ll be able to run?”

“Not really much of a choice, is there?”

And you run. Weaving through what feels like the entirety of Hawkins, you and Nancy manage to break through the store’s exit with Steve, Robin, Max, and Erica in tow. Bursting through the RV’s door, it’s a mess of bodies flailing into seats and screams.

“We need to leave. Now!” You shout at Dustin and the others, having no other time to explain further. “Everyone find a seat and stay low.”

Dustin screeches at Steve to drive while everyone scrambles to do as you’ve said. Hands shaking as you buckle your seatbelt, Steve only has enough time to shout “get ready!” before he’s starting the engine.

The War Zone sign fades into the distance. 

– 

The further you drive, the thicker the air in the RV becomes. Unease creeps over the seats, onto your skin. Nancy sits with all the bags around her as she and Robin sort through them. Dustin watches them, knee bouncing up and down.

Nancy talks first. Slowly, piece by piece, her and Dustin come up with a plan. 

“We’ll need to split into groups.”

“But how many? And where would everyone go?”

Nancy pauses for a moment. “One group in the Upside Down and one group at the Creel house. That should be enough, right?”

You raise your hand as if you’re in school. “If I may, I’d like to remind the class about the bats. We aren’t getting anywhere if they’re eating us alive.”

“She’s got a point.” Dustin says. 

Nancy sighs, but she doesn’t have an answer. 

“What if we had another group in dimension hell?” Eddie suggests. “Ya know, distract the little fuckers while the main group goes and be heroes.” 

“I don’t know,” you shift in your seat. You’re already risking a lot having a few of you go back into the Upside Down. The thought of risking even more lives makes your skin crawl. “Ideally, the less of us in the Upside Down, the better.”

Steve nods. “I’m with Y/N on this one. We don’t all need to go down there. It’s creepy and freakishly cold.”

“It’s our only option. Whoever goes there to kill Vecna will need all the help they can get.” Max says. “If the bats get to them first, then it’s pointless.”

Lucas nods, agreeing with Max, and Dustin has to nod as well. She’s right. There needs to be a third group if there’s any hope of pulling this off. 

Nancy, seeing the growing agreement between everyone, nods. “Alright. Then it’s settled. There’ll be three groups. Me, Y/N, Steve, and Robin will go to the Upside Down and track down Vecna.”

She waits a moment, giving time for anyone to protest. When no one does, she continues. “Y/N will have her walkman, but she won’t use it unless absolutely necessary. If Vecna chooses her, Steve will watch her while Robin and I go into the attic.”

“I’ll be the best goddamn bodyguard there ever was.” Steve jokes, trying to laugh away the discomfort of knowing your life will be on the line of luck. Knowing what he’s doing, you kiss his hand softly.

“If you fuck up and get my sister killed, I know how to procure acid.” Dustin forces Steve to meet his eyes in the rearview mirror. The older teen gulps.

Touched, you preen at Dustin. “That’s the nicest threat anyone has ever said for me.”

It gets him to laugh, which you’re thankful for. Nancy cracks a smile as well, but it dims when she remembers where she is. Where you all are. 

“Max, Erica, and Lucas will be at the Creel house. They’ll have her walkman as well. If Vecna chooses her, Lucas needs to be ready.”

The teen slowly nods at Nancy. He hunches his shoulders, places the weight of Max’s life upon him. You’re not entirely comfortable with leaving the kids alone at the house, but it’s the safest location. You’d rather they be in Hawkins than the Upside Down.

You’ll give Max your knives. You’ll show her how to use them and you’ll pray that she never has to. They’ll be fine.

At least, that’s what you keep telling yourself. The mantra that is keeping you sane. 

“Eddie, would you be alright with distracting the bats?” Nancy turns to him, the question posed more as a silent challenge. It was his suggestion; now he has to be willing to lay his life down for it. 

Eddie pales at the question. “I-I mean I guess? Like, would I be-I don’t know, screaming at them? Or-or running around like an idiot, or–”

“I’ll go with him.” Dustin interrupts, saving Eddie from a nervous breakdown. 

Your head spins around the second you hear his voice, cold with fear. “No–”

But Dustin expected this reaction. He meets your fear with a leveled response. “Y/N, this is the only way.”

“I won’t let you go into the Upside Down!” Screaming, voice raw, panic sets in. This is all wrong. Everything is wrong. You could die tonight, Max and Lucas and Erica will be defenseless in a house that you can’t reach, and now your brother wants to go to the place that almost killed you?

It’s too much.

“And I won’t leave Eddie behind!” Dustin screams back at you. “He needs me, and if it means the bats won’t try to kill you again, then I’m doing it.”

“But–”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Y/N. We kinda need them.” Robin tries to placate you, but you’re seeing red and you can’t breathe.

Eddie manages to catch your eye. He lowers his voice, the most sincere he’s ever been. “I promise I’ll protect Dustin with my life. Alright? I won’t let the shithead die.”

Only it’s the wrong thing to say. Your ears are ringing and your chest feels like it’s about to explode. Anger and fear and despair all claw at your throat, begging to be released. 

“Do you really think I can’t protect my own brother?” You hiss at Eddie, teeth clenched and face burning. The words tumble from your mouth before you can even really stop them. You’re blinded by anger, by the overwhelming feeling that you’ll lose. 

You can’t protect everyone on your own. Not this time, not like you’ve always done. Your entire life you’ve given everything within you to protect the ones you love. Pieces of yourself have been broken, bruised, exhausted from it; but it’s all you know. 

You’ve never been good at asking for help. Never trusted anyone enough to love and care for your family with the ferocity that you do. 

But now, faced with something much bigger than yourself, your greatest fear has come true. You have to let go. You have to trust that someone else will be there for your loved ones when you can’t. There’s nothing else you can do.

And it’s fucking terrifying. 

Eddie clears his throat in response to your sudden outburst. The RV falls silent. Eyes stare at you and you turn away in shame, facing the windshield with tears in your eyes. Steve can’t keep his eyes on the road knowing you’re upset.

Eventually there’s a field and Nancy tells Steve to park. With nowhere else to go, the open field will be your basecamp. There are weapons to be made, final moments to be shared. 

No one wastes any time getting out. The RV empties quickly until it’s only you, Dustin, and Steve who remain. Your brother clears his throat awkwardly, standing before you with his arms tucked behind him. 

“Code blue?”

Strings twinge in your chest, but laughter floods anyways. “Yeah,” you wipe your eyes, already crying. “I think we’re due for one.”

You get up from the passenger seat, giving Steve a quick but reassuring glance. He understands without having to be told that you need to be alone with your brother. Giving you some privacy, he turns away while you and Dustin head towards the back. 

Sitting down, Dustin immediately falls against you. You butt heads, playfully and childishly, and you want to cherish these small moments with your brother forever. 

“Please don’t be like dad.” Dustin whispers, so quiet you almost don’t hear him. 

Your throat closes. “Dustin…”

“You can’t leave me. Not like he did. You can’t-you can’t do that to me and mom.” There are tears in his eyes. 

The mention of your mother makes you cry as well. You miss her, you haven’t seen her in days and all you want is to have her hold you one last time. To hear her call you her sweet girl again. To etch her love for you into your skin. 

“I won’t leave you,” your fingers grip Dustin’s arms. Your body shakes, so does his. “I-I won’t. I love you, okay? More than anything in this world. I’m your sister, and I know I haven’t been a very good one recently and I know that I can’t promise that everything will be okay, but–”

“All I want from you is for you to come home.” Dustin rasps. His eyes shine and he sniffs, shaking his head fondly, albeit annoyed. “God, that’s all you have to do. Don’t be like him, don’t leave the house empty. That’s all I want from you, Y/N.”

Brushing his hair back, the promise you make doesn’t burn how you expect it to. “I’ll come home.”

“Good.” Dustin throws himself into you, arms gripping you tightly. His hair tickles your nose and his hat almost pokes your eye out, but you hold onto him anyways. 

“Yo, Henderson!” Eddie’s voice calls from outside. There’s a bang on the RV door, followed by a quiet curse for presumably injuring a hand. “Come help me with these trash lids. The nails are bitches!”

“Trash lids?” You ask Dustin.

He shrugs. “Weapon against the bats. Could be worse.”

You snort, pushing the kid away. “Go help Munson. With his luck, he’ll lose an eye wielding a hammer.” 

Dustin also laughs and allows your body to leave. He stands up, lingers in the doorway, before smiling one last time at you. Your promise to him melts into his skin. He’s chosen to believe you; you have to choose to believe yourself as well.

When he’s gone, the silence in the RV almost drowns you. There’s a dull roar in your head. Conversations echo. Nancy’s confessions and Dustin’s terror. Max’s sacrifice. How long it’s been since you’ve been alone.

Your head drops to your hands. Squeezing your eyes shut, you try to salvage what little of your sanity is left. 

A body lands next to you. The smell of bergamot and spice is like a salve to your open wounds. Hands grab your body, pull you flush against a chest. Without having to look, you know Steve is the one holding you.

He lays you down onto the couch and you curl into him instinctively. You use his body to shield you away from the world, feeling like a little kid again. Your bones ache. Steve rubs your flesh as if to dispel the pain that is always there. 

“I know you want to be alone right now,” his chest vibrates against your cheek as he speaks. “But can I just say that I hate this plan?”

His honesty is refreshing, candid and desperately needed. It causes the corners of your mouth to tug upwards, ever so slightly. The ache lessens, the echoes aren’t as deafening. 

Pressing your nose against the base of Steve’s neck, you allow yourself to be weak in this moment. To be soft, vulnerable, trusting that he’ll catch you. “I don’t want to die.”

Steve kisses your forehead, lips warming the cold skin underneath. “I know.” His finger strokes your cheek. He memorizes the lines and dots that litter your face. Old scars, new ones that will never really go away. “It’s a good thing I won’t let you.”

You smile again. No one can promise anything anymore. Yesterday you almost died, today you will use your life as bait, and tomorrow you might never see. Nothing is promised. Not anymore. 

Yet you believe Steve. 

“What did you see in your vision?”

The question is whispered and velvety. You haven’t talked about last night, but Steve knows whatever you saw is weighing on you. He can see the way you carry it on your shoulders, tired and aching. He noticed the tension between you and Nancy, the unyielding fear of letting your brother go. 

Your eyes meet. The brown honey in Steve’s eyes reminds you that he’s real. Here, in his arms, you’re safe. You could confess all your sins to him and Steve would kiss the impurity with holy lips and call you angel. 

Taking a deep breath, you tell him everything. 

“He took me to a field. I recognized that it was Virginia the moment my feet touched the grass. I could see my childhood home up the hill and there was someone calling my name.” Your father’s voice echoes in your ears. You can’t remember the last time he called. “It was my dad.”

Steve pulls you closer.

“I ran to him, even though I knew it wasn’t real, but–” you were a child when he left. The wound will never fade. “I had to see him. I just… I wanted to remember what it was like to be held by him.”

Warm. You remember the warmth.

“Then suddenly I was falling. I screamed, but-but no one could hear me. I was in the woods. The same woods Will disappeared in and I was so scared he had him. That it was all my fault again. I was the one who lost him again. I started to run. I-I had to find him… But he wasn’t there.”

How many times had Will called for you the night he disappeared?

“He’s safe in California, Y/N.” Steve reminds you, tucking hair out of your face. He wants to smooth the worry lines in your face, mold your skin into something calmer, happier. “It wasn’t real.”

“I know none of it was real, but the things Vecna showed me…” Unable to bear saying anything else, you give yourself a moment to breathe. Nothing had been real. But it had felt real. 

Steve frowns, sensing that there’s something else. “What else did he show you, angel?”

“You,” you breathe out, too weak to find any other way to say it. “He showed me you.”

Surprise mars his pretty face. “Me?”

“Nancy, too.” Wiping a tear, you fix Steve’s hair, needing something to distract yourself with. You don’t want to tell him any of this. Shame coats your body but the love in his eyes subdues it. “Vecna preys on your fears, your insecurities, and for me… He showed me you and Nancy together. Having sex.”

Steve doesn’t say anything. 

“He told me that you’d never forget her. Not as easily as my father forgot me, at least.” You laugh bitterly. “He has a sick sense of humor. I’ll give him that.” 

Still Steve remains silent. 

But for once, his silence doesn’t scare you. There’s a trust behind it. An understanding that he wants you to continue, to tell him everything. And you do. 

“I’m scared my guilt will suffocate me.” The confession falls from your lips as easily as a prayer does. “I’m scared of starting a life with someone that I can’t control. I’m scared that I’ll always be abandoned. That I’ll always be second to Nancy. Every boy I have loved has loved her. Who wouldn’t be terrified of that?”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of, angel.” Steve cups your face. He doesn’t know what he feels right now. Anger, for both you and him. Agony that he can’t absolve you from the guilt, from the thought of him leaving you. “I love you. Only you.”

“I know you do,” you bring your hand to his face as well. He leans against your palm, gaze tragic and loyal. There is no doubt that he loves you. That has never been what you’ve doubted. 

It’s always been the how. 

How he came to love you. After Nancy. After she left him. After you picked up the pieces she left behind. The love that you know is yours is genuine, but you’ve always been terrified that the foundations of it are false. 

With Steve staring down at you as if you’ve hung the sun and moon for him, you ask him the question that’s been lingering in the back of your mind ever since he crashed into your life. 

“Would you have loved me even without Nancy? If we hadn’t fallen together because of her, would you still have fallen in love with me?”

The answer comes easily to Steve. “Always.”

And it’s everything you need from him. One word, but it’s enough. 

Your fist grips his shirt. A tug, no time to prepare, and your lips crash together. There is nothing soft. The kiss is bruising and it is rough and hard and urgent. Everything left unsaid between you and Steve rises to your lips and melts into your tongues. For every broken promise, there is a bite of skin, a lick of flesh. For every hurt you brought upon the other, there is a soft moan of an apology.

Heat pours from your teeth and into Steve’s lungs. Your breaths become one, your heartbeats overlap and he is everywhere. He is an explosion of light festering on your skin. 

“I see more than just a future with you,” Steve whispers against your lips, hushed and aching. It takes everything within him to pull away for even a second. He kisses you again. Over and over until he’s memorized every crevice of your lips, the cracks on them. “I see my entire life with you.”

Steve breathes you in, hands cradling your face as if to steady the dizziness within him. He looks into your eyes, follows the flushed pink of your lips and your staccato breathing. He takes you in and hopes he never has to forget the way you look when you are in love. 

“I would wait forever,” lips skim the length of your face. Feather light kisses trace your nose, flutter against your eyelids. Inhaling sharply, Steve rests his forehead against yours. He stays there. He will never leave. “I would wait forever if it meant I could start forever with you.”

This is love. This is what can never be taken from me.

“Hey! Lip smackers!” Robin bangs through the RV door, scaring the shit out of you and Steve and causing you to spring apart. She smirks at your reaction, though she tries to cover it with a scoff. She crosses her arms. “Are you assholes gonna help us, or are you too busy swapping spit?”

Steve’s face turns fire red. “Do you always have to be so vulgar?”

“It’s why people find me so charming. Right, Y/N?”

“As long as the nickname ‘lip smackers’ doesn’t stick, I’ll agree with whatever.” You say, getting off the couch. 

Robin laughs. “I actually kinda like it. Has a nice ring to it, ya know?”

“No,” you and Steve say at the same time. Your “no” is more bored while Steve’s is more panicked. 

Rolling your eyes at his affronted reaction, you pat his cheek lovingly and press a quick kiss to it. “Nicknames aside, I should go. There’s one more person I need to talk to.”

Steve tilts his head at you, silently asking who, but you don’t respond. Instead, you turn to Robin. “Whatever you make him help you with, just promise me you won’t scar his pretty face. I have to look at it for the rest of my life.”

Robin grins, secretly relieved the two of you finally seem to be okay again. “No promises, pretty girl. He’s gonna help me make molotov cocktails and we all know his hair is a fire hazard.”

“Ha ha,” Steve laughs boredly. “Very funny.”

You giggle alongside Robin, leaving them to grab their needed supplies. The sunlight outside kisses your skin and in the distance you find Eddie chasing Dustin around. They wield their makeshift shields around, laughing like children.

The image of them before you leaves you breathless for a moment. Even when everything seems grim and hopeless, Eddie has still found a way to make your brother laugh.

They don’t see you approaching them. You have to sidestep Dustin, who nearly runs into you. “Woah!” You grab his shoulders, steadying him. Something pokes your thigh, and when you look down you realize it’s his nail filled trash lid. “God, you’re bound to poke someone’s eye out.”

“What are you doing here?” Dustin asks you, looking around for Steve.

“I came to ask if I could steal Eddie away from you for a second.” You respond, shrugging as if you’ve ever offered to interact with Eddie outside of Dustin. “I need to talk to him.”

Both boys widen their eyes. Eddie pales, while Dustin narrows his eyes at you. “The last time I let you talk to one of my friends, you ended up making him your boyfriend.”

Eddie blanches while you flick your brother’s forehead. “Then it’s a good thing I don’t want Eddie to be my boyfriend.”

Without another word, you grab Eddie by his jacket and yank him away. Dustin shouts at you that he’ll rat you out to Steve, but you don’t care. Eddie is a mumbling mess, unsure what you want with him and slightly terrified he’s done something wrong. 

When you’re far enough away from everyone else, you finally release him. Tucking your hair behind your ears, you look at Eddie. “I owe you an apology.”

“Oh.” He blinks. This definitely hadn’t been what he was expecting. “Can I ask what for?”

“Don’t play dumb. I know I kinda lost my mind earlier. You can say it.” You roll your eyes. “I won’t kill you.” 

“Says the girl who held a knife to my throat.”

“Water under the bridge.” Your fingers fidget. You know this is the right thing to do, but it still makes you uncomfortable. “Look, it was wrong of me to snap at you. I, uh. Get pretty defensive when it comes to accepting help.”

Eddie doesn’t say anything, although his eyes flash with slight amusement. 

You clear your throat. “I guess I also struggle to accept when I’m no longer needed.”

“Bullshit.” Eddie laughs in your face. “The universe will always need Hawkin’s sweetheart. Don’t sound so pessimistic, sunshine.”

“You never shut up, do you?” You cut him off, glaring. Here you are, trying to be vulnerable with him, and he’s laughing at you. “Jesus. Anyways, what I’m trying to say is, I shockingly have found myself tolerating you.”

“Gee, you really know how to make a guy feel special.”

“I try,” you glance quickly at Eddie, smirking, and he smirks back. “For a long time, I didn’t understand what Dustin saw in you. You were a total jackass with a giant ego, but I guess these last few days have proven you’re only a tolerable jackass with a moderately oversized ego.”

A surprised laugh leaves Eddie’s lips. “Wow, you really aren’t holding back.”

“Figured we’re overdue for some honesty.” You hate being vulnerable, but Eddie deserves this. Swallowing down your nerves, you finally confess the real reason you’re here. “I’ve never had to place Dustin’s safety in someone else’s hands. I’ve always found a way to be there for him, even through years of constant hell and monsters. I’ve always… I’ve always been the one to protect him.”

Eddie’s laughter is gone.

“But tonight I can’t. Tonight, all I can do is make you promise me that you’ll keep my baby brother safe. I-” Your voice breaks, there are tears that you don’t want to fall. “I need you to promise me, Eddie.”

He sucks in a breath. The boyish humor he so often portrays is stoic. He’s serious, perhaps for the very first time since you’ve met him. 

The two of you stare at one another, both unwavering, before Eddie slowly, almost mischievously, extends his pinky to you. “I promise.”

Linking your pinky around his, your cheeks burn from the suppressed smile. 

– 

The sun is setting when everyone climbs back into the RV. No one speaks. There isn’t anything else to talk about, driving to the Creel house. 

The silence weighs heavily upon the car, setting alongside the sun. You sit in the passenger seat, holding your knives to your chest with your headphones dangling over your neck. There is still blood staining the bandage on your shoulder. The bites on your thigh aches. 

You’ve done all that you can. You keep repeating this to yourself, over and over again like a prayer.

You’ve prepared, you’ve planned, you’ve sacrificed. There isn’t anything else you can do. All that’s left is the end. 

Steve sits next to you, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel. His forehead is creased and his shoulders are tense. The closer you get to the house, the more he draws into himself. 

When you finally get to the house, Erica, Lucas, and Max almost leave without saying anything else. While there are no more well wishes to give, no more luck to spare, you can’t bear the thought of leaving them without hearing their voices.

“Be careful,” you follow after them, exiting the RV as well. The three of them turn to you, bittersweet smiles on their faces. They knew you’d do this. 

“We will.” Lucas reassures you, refraining himself from reaching out. He knows that if he hugs you now, he may never let you go. Instead, he ducks his head at you. “We’ll see you later, alright?”

Blinking back tears, you nod back at him. The siblings walk away, leaving you alone with Max. A part of you wonders if they planned this. Stepping towards her, you try one last time to exchange her life for yours. 

“Can I at least ask you not to antagonize Vecna? If you try to persuade him to take you instead, I’m haunting your grave.” It’s a vile thing to say, a joke that you know you’ll come to regret, but it’s the only way you know to get Max to laugh one last time. 

Max does laugh, but she also doesn’t promise you anything. Instead, she exchanges her life for yours. “If he chooses you, remember to picture your good memories. Hide in them. Run to the light.” 

You nod, you’ve spoken briefly about her plan before. It makes sense, in a way. Instead of getting trapped in the bad memories Vecna shows you, you need to hide in the good. Except what Max says next hadn’t been discussed. 

“It’s what Billy tried to do with you. You were his light.” 

It catches you off guard, freezing your lungs. 

“His final words… they took me a while to understand. But I think I know now, and I don’t want you blaming yourself for any of it.” Max’s gaze softens. “You told Billy to find you, and that’s what he tried to do.”

But if you need anyone to talk to, about anything, come find me, okay?

Talking to you… sweetheart.

Like pieces of a puzzle, everything falls into place.

Unable to stop yourself, you throw your arms around Max. She tenses, and you almost release her with an apology, before she melts; she hugs you back. It’s been a long time since she’s done that.

“Billy was trying to find the light,” she whispers into your ear. “That’s how we’re going to survive.”

And you believe her.

-

⌑ series masterlist

⌑ i am no longer doing a taglist, my apologies ! however, please feel free to like, reblog, and comment instead :)

[ferrstappen]

aren't we supposed to surprise you? l Charles Leclerc blurb

pairing: dad!Charles Leclerc x female reader.

you can find more of my version of dad Charles' here <3

summary: you somehow manage to overshadow Charles and Jo's gift.

Charles was an anxious man. Even more so since Josephine was born two years ago.

Yes, people laughed at him but he didn't care, he was going to sprint towards his daughter every time she took a wrong step and fell down, or his system would shut down whenever her lower lip trembled. Charles could communicate with his daughter through her eyes, they told him everything he needed to know in the meantime before she learned how to properly express herself.

They were an unstoppable duo, everybody knew that, but Charles was aware the reason both him and Jo could feel at ease and safe was you, and maybe he didn't remind you enough of that.

His mother and younger brother accompanied him to the various shops around Monaco, Pascale having to fight Charles to let her carry the stroll on the street, Arthur shaking his head at Charles' antics, playfully pitying his niece.

"I am going to make sure to take her to the worst tattoo parlors and pubs when she's older and then I'm showing you the images so you can die of a heart attack," Arthur teased his brother, earning a glare from Charles while being chastised by his mother, but the youngest Leclerc saw a smile on his mom's face.

Arthur winked at his niece and she giggled. Lorenzo had no chance of ever being the favorite uncle.

They entered different shops, not wanting to go for the typical jewelry and overly expensive designer clothing and accessories. No, Charles wanted to give you something you'd truly appreciate, something for you to relax and show yourself some love and distraction. Now it was turn for Arthur to carry Josephine while teasing his brother for being a simp.

A couple of books he thought you'd enjoy, different colored bath bombs, luxurious soaps and candles were some of the goods you were going to receive for Mother's Day.

Dad and baby Leclerc arrived got home greeted by the smell of coffee and some kind of pastry. It smelled like Charles' dream life; his life.

You smiled at Charles and gave him a quick peck on the lips before taking Josephine from his arms, your daughter babbling about papa and maman.

It was past midnight, Josephine sound asleep on her room after both you and Charles read her a short book in Italian, trying to accustom her to the language, all while you marveled at how Charles did the different voices and intonations.

Now it was just you and him in bed, his naked chest against your own skin, while his familiar hand found its place on your thigh, drawing shapeless figures, enjoying the peace of having you with him.

"I have to tell you something," You made sure to not make eye contact with Charles, hiding your face against his neck.

Charles chuckled with your reaction, "What is it and why are you hiding, bebé?" He tried to get you to face him.

"I know this wasn't planned or anything," you began talking but know Charles felt tears on his chest, it got him worried and helped you sit on the bed while assuring you whatever it was, you'd be able to find a solution.

"Babe, I'm two months pregnant," you announced and Charles placed his hand on his mouth in astonishment.

"No, in Bahrein?" Charles blurted out and a smile appeared on your face, of course that would be his first reaction as his brain processed the news.

You didn't know what you were expecting, maybe it was a problem because Josephine was still too young, maybe Charles didn't want another baby, you never really discussed it after Jo was born, but even in the dark his glossy green eyes were shining as his hand found its known place on your neck, his thumb softly caressing your cheek before lovingly kissing you.

those one of a kind kisses, the ones that were special and held so many emotions. neither of you could hide the smile appearing, only smiling at each other, Charles still caressing your cheek.

but suddenly he dropped his hand to your thigh, an unreadable expression on his face.

"But it's mother day and you're surprising me? No, I have this whole thing planned!" Charles protested and this made your eyes tear up, now it was your time to find his lips.

God, maybe it was time for a boy to mimic his dad.

[dilfl0v3rss]

boxer!todo who trains almost every damn day. always wanting to be at his top physique at all times.

boxer!todo who lets you come with him to every training session or workout at the gym so you don’t get lonely.

boxer!todo who is undefeated due to his raw strength and ability to adjust to anyone’s fighting style. he’s beaten men bigger and faster than him because he’s just that good.

boxer!todo who doesn’t allow you to come to some of his fights. not wanting you to see how gruesome it could get in the ring.

“papa why notttt” you whined, feet stomping on the ground as you followed your boyfriend around the house. “cause i can tell how it’s gonna go. ion want you seeing all the blood and bruises ma.” he said calmly as he bent down to grab a water from the fridge. “but he was talkin so much shit at the press conference. talkin bout how he’s the best and how you never gon amount to him. wish i could fuck that nigga up myself.” you mumbled your last sentence, making todo chuckle as he watched how upset you were getting. you took the insults worse than him, and he was the one getting them. “don’t worry mama ima whoop his ass. jus need you t’stay here when the day comes while i go handle my business, aight?”

boxer!todo who spends his day offs taking you out or chilling with you at home.

boxer!todo who spoils you rotten with most of his money. if there’s was something you liked, expect it to be at your doorstep within the next week.

boxer!todo who makes sure you always have a good view of him at the fights he lets you attend. loving how you scream for him when he does a move he’s been working on or how you’re quick to lift him up when he takes a particularly hard hit.

“cmon pa we eat those”

“you got it baby hit him in the body”

“focus todo! you not done yet!”

“uhh huhhh he can’t fuck wit you baby”

he loved hearing your pretty voice.

boxer!todo who made sure to give you a reward for keeping him in check during ever match.

“you my good little motivator ain’t you mama?” his thrusts were quick, large hand pressed down lightly on your stomach so he could feel himself moving inside of you. “mhmm. you d-did so good daddy” you moaned. todo smiled as he began fucking you deeper, making your back arch off the bed as he caressed your cheek with his other hand. “did good ‘cause i had you there to cheer me on. love makin my pretty girl proud. you proud of me ma? lemme hear you say it.” todo didn’t care about how anyone else felt about him, but you. always seeking your validation after a good fight. “m’so proud of you. there’s n-nobody better papa.” “uhh huh. nobody.”

boxer!todo who also fucks you so good when he’s not happy with his performance after barely winning a fight that should’ve been “light work” for him. feeling that since he couldn’t give his all in the ring he’ll make up for it in the bedroom.

boxer!todo who never went out partying after his fights. always choosing to relax at home with you rather than be in a room with a bunch of drunk guys and bitches with their asses out.

boxer!todo who has you wear his chain during every match. you bought him the chain as a gift when he won his first fight as a pro boxer. it wasn’t the most expensive, but it was still worth a lot. you saved up for months to get it for him and he almost cried when you showed it to him.

“you didn’t have to-” “yes i did. you been working so hard and you deserve it. gon be the best there ever was baby” todo’s eyes began to water as he let you put the chain around his neck. it fit nice, sitting right over his strong pecs. “cant wear it while i fight so ima need you t’keep it safe f’me. that okay ma?” you nodded your head before giving him a passionate kiss on the lips. “i don’t mind wearin it as long as you continue to think of me” todo smiled, wrapping an arm around your waist as he pulled your head into his broad chest. “always.”

boxer!todo who keeps a level head for most of his fights, never really letting the trash talk at the conferences get to him. he saw no point in trying to get a rise out of his opponent and felt that they should feel the same way, but they never did. there was only one time he let his anger take over and it nearly got him disqualified.

“a.t how do you feel about your ability to win this fight” the reporter said. todo kept his face serious as he thought about his answer. “well i been training real hard, learning some new skills. i feel like if i keep my head straight and fall through with my plans i should be able to win this thing.” he toyed with his chain as he spoke, not really thinking anything of this little event and just wanting to get home to his pretty girlfriend. the reporter asked his opponent the same question, and while he answered he noticed todo wasn’t paying attention to him at all. still playing with the gold around his neck. he noticed that it was the same chain he’d see you wearing when he would come to scout todo’s matches. a smirk planted on his face before he uttered something he’d come to regret. “yea i know ima win. and after i do, ima bring me a honey home. might even give his little girlfriend a taste since i heard she got a thing for winners.” loud gasps immediately filled the room as well as your living room while you watched the whole thing live on the edge of your couch.

everyone waited for todo to retaliate, but he didn’t. he kept calm as a small chuckle flew from his lips. holding his head down as he began to crack his knuckles. “we’ll see.” was all he said before the press moved on with their next question. everyone thought he was fine. his opponent even slumped down in his chair a little more as he thought his insult did absolutely nothing, but you knew the truth. todo only cracked his knuckles when he was angry. really angry. usually only doing so to keep himself from punching or breaking something. when he got home that night he acted as if everything was fine, but you could tell he thought about it all the time. by the way he’d hit the punching bag with a little more force than usual or how he nearly sent his trainer flying out the ring before walking towards his locker room. todo was pissed.

when the day came he made you promise not to come to or watch the fight. the seriousness in his tone made you worry, but you fell through with your promise because it meant so much to him. when todo came home it was a lot earlier than you’d imagine. his fights usually took thirty minutes to an hour, but at this rate his opponent couldn’t have lasted longer than the first round. “you win?” voice small as you watched your boyfriend quietly walk straight towards the bedroom. “mhm…” he walked into the room, closing the door behind him. you scrambled to your phone to see what could have him acting like this. a quiet gasp left your lips as you watched clips of the very short fight. like you thought, the poor guy didn’t last the first round. receiving blow after deadly blow from your boyfriend before eventually getting punched so hard in the face that he flew to the other side of the ring. “mama get in here! need you right now.” you smiled before taking a deep breath and skipping your way to your bedroom.

boxer!todo who fucked you the best when he was hot and jealous after a fight.

[blond3ang3l]

🌷♡₊˚geek lover! eren🦢・₊✧

———————————————————————

This is a remake of the already geek lover eren, but specifically a sfw version but I actually really love this story

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Eren is a geek lover. He absolutely is enamored with you. Watching your lips with every word you spoke. The way you got excited telling him about every single new detail of the things you got interested in. Eren worked hard as a famous rnb singer, long days in the studio trying to perfect his songs. Then having to perform when he literally had the WORST anxiety known to man. It always felt like someone needed him and was on his ass about something.

But he did it all for you. So you can have everything your heart desired. He left nothing behind when it came to you. You wanted to see a new sci fi movie? He already bought out the theater. There’s a new podcast you like? He’s downloaded all the episodes for you on both yours and his phone. Don’t even get started on books. On your first date you mentioned you like to read and study psychology in your free time. Once you moved in he had your very own book room built for you. Carefully picking out each book for you on his own. Your own desk and room for you todo your writings in. He even surprised you with a laptop and camera so you can start your own podcast! He just wanted to show you how much he loved and supported you.

For moment like this were he could come home and listen to you tell him. About the things you've watched in your huge list of video essays that you had in a playlist on YouTube. How you lit up telling him different facts from how the dating game killer had a coworker that also happened to be a serial killer and he didn't know to the conspiracy theory of the 27 club, no matter what you said it always made you so happy and seeing you all giddy and stimming while you talked to him made him so content with his life.

"I know cotards syndrome, Koro, Diogenes, fregoli, hypochondria, pica, capgras, boanthropy, apotenmophilia, kulver bulcy, ekbom, erotomania, Stendhal. Pics is like one of the more well known. You know that show my strange addiction that we watch together? Yeah so like those people who eat the random shit like the lady who ate rocks- omg that reminds me!"

Erens ass was not listening one bit. He was watching you, watching your body. You guys had been apart for a little over a month so could do a very short tour in another country and he was sick as fuck that he couldn't bring you.

Everyone knew it too. His attitude fucking sucked that trip. He was antsy, his anxiety was through the roof, he snapped at everyone, overall he fucking hated it. But now, sitting here with you he finally felt at peace.

You were sitting on his lap, yapping his ear off.His eyes couldn't help but wander to your legs which lead him to notice you were wearing his boxers. Your hands thick thighs were filling them out so well. His hands moved to grip them as he watched you talk. You’d kill him later for not listening but he just felt so much dread when he was away from you that he couldn’t help but just stare at you forever.

“Rennie, papa are you okay? You’re getting all red. Are you feeling sick baby?”

You were worried, he had a bad history of getting sick easily. With him coming back from another country he could have likely caught something. It would hurt your heart to know he wasn’t feeling well.

“I’m fine baby. Keep going. I wanna hear you talk.”

“Are you sure baby? We can go lay down if you’d like.”

It warmed his heart how much you cared for him. You made him the man he was. He used to be so closed off to anyone that wasn’t your friends mikasa and armin. You taught him how to deal with the grief of life and got him therapy to get through the rough days of his depression. He just loved you so much and truly couldn’t imagine being anywhere without you.

“I’m fine baby, just missed you so much..”

For my girlie @merakidoll

[coco-loco-nut]

Guilty as Sin?

pairing: Oscar x Reader

summary: you can’t help but to long for the Australian boy you met

a/n: sorry it took a while, i was adding ✨plot✨ and did as much research I could (also a little secret is that i lowkey used my crush from when i was with my ex to fuel this)

masterlist ttpd masterlist

———————

Being the younger twin sister of the heir apparent to the throne is stressful, but it has allowed you to do a lot of things, such as attending the Dutch Grand Prix. Obviously you were there to support Max and meet all the Athletes, but it’s where you met and befriended Oscar. The Australian was nice and didn’t treat you any different because of your status, not to mention he was cute.

Since then, there’s been a shift in your mood. You are bored more than ever, the guilded cage of the castle that contains you is no longer fine. You text Oscar about it, requesting a song recommendation to change things up, he sends you a song that you haven’t heard in a while. It makes you want to cry, the idea of being stuck here forever until your sister marries and has children. For now you are stuck in the castle, pining over a guy who only knows you via texts.

Lately your dreams have been of cracking the locks that keep you in. When you escape you’d go on adventures with Oscar, crashing into him like the ocean waves crash onto rocks. Each dream leaves you longing for him more and more.

You can’t tell if he is just being cordial and politely responding, or if he is interested and flirting. Every time you flirt, things seem to get cold after. He’s a paradox over text, leaving you wondering if you are mad for thinking there was a chance.

You turn to your older sister for advice, telling her about what he does to you in your dreams. Secret trysts in the hedge maze, messy kisses, hands roaming each other’s skin. You keep recalling things you never did, as if he’s written mine on your upper thigh. You’d die happy if it were real.

“You know, there’s no such thing as bad thoughts, only your actions talk. I’ll talk to Papa about maybe going to Spain for a race in couple months,” Amalia says, invested in how this will play out.

You go on a few dates with various wealthy and noble guys your age, trying to distract yourself from the longings locked inside a vault deep inside you. Every date leaves you unsatisfied, counting down the days until you are in Spain. The fatal fantasies visit you in your dreams every night, leaving you feel like you’ve made a vow to Oscar that you are supposed to uphold somehow, despite knowing it’s all make believe.

You and Amalia fly out to Spain without the rest of your family, spending the week with the Spanish royal family. You are friends with the princesses and their cousins so it is a great distraction.

“Y/n, who is your favorite driver?” Leonor and Sophia ask as you lay on the floor of Leonor’s room together.

“Oscar,” Amalia answers for you as your cheeks flame. “She’s always texting him,”

“Amalia,” you groan, hiding your face with your hands.

“We are definitely stopping by the McLaren garage then,” Sophia grins, nudging you. Their cousins Irene, Miguel, Pablo, and Victoria arrive tomorrow morning to complete your group that is attending the Grand Prix. You had a crush on Miguel growing up, but it quickly passed once you turned 15.

“Girls, it’s time for Amalia and Y/n to return to their hotel, and the four of you have to be up early for tomorrow,” Queen Letizia says, opening the door slightly.

“Alright, we will see you tomorrow for breakfast and the driver reception,” Leonor sighs as the four of you stand up.

“Thank you for having us,” Amalia thanks the queen as you leave.

“You are always welcome, we will see you girls tomorrow,” she smiles, making sure her assistant gets you to the chauffeured car safely. The trip from Palauet Albéniz to your hotel is relatively short, one you didn’t realize was housing multiple drivers. You don’t notice Oscar as you walk into the hotel, a small security escort around you, but he notices you. He’s tempted to text you and ask why you are here, but Lando distracts him, giving him his room key and number.

Your room is plush, but lonely. You stare at your texts with Oscar, tempted to let him know you are in Spain, but something stops you. The morning is busy, your alarm waking you up early to shower and dress. You choose something simple but beautiful for the day. Your light blue dress lays nicely on you with matching heels, and your hair is styled neatly, a headband in place of a tiara. Your visit isn’t a state visit, so it is nice to have flexibility in your attire. A knock on your door tells you that Amalia is waiting outside for you.

Once again, you don’t notice Oscar as you leave, your eyes looking ahead, surrounded by the security detail.

“Your girlfriend is here,” Lando teases Oscar, noticing who he was looking at.

“She’s a princess, I would never be able to date her. She flirts over text, but I don’t want to hurt her,” Oscar sighs, watching you get into a car and leave.

“I think you already have,” Lando says, letting Oscar think.

You arrive to the palace, eager to see your friends again. Breakfast is wonderful, and afterwards you all go outside to the gardens to catch up. Despite only seeing each other every few years, your group chat is alive and well.

“Go talk to Miguel, he’s been eyeing you since breakfast,” Sophia tells you, you look over to her cousin. He has aged well since you last saw him. “Ask him about school, oceanography,” she nudges you in his direction.

“Oceanography? How’s that?” you slide up beside Miguel, deciding it’s a good idea to try and move on again. You listen enthusiastically as he talks about his studies and living in London.

“What are you studying?” he returns your question.

“History with minors in French and German. Nothing terribly exciting,” you say, a slight blush appearing on your face as he focuses on you. The two of you unconsciously separate from the group, caught up in conversation. Victoria and Irene grab the two of you, informing you that it is time to go back inside for the drivers welcome and lunch. Miguel’s hand rests lightly on the small of your back as you walk up the stairs.

“We will wait for you at lunch,” Pablo says to Leonor and Sophia, the six of you ready to find something to do as the drivers arrive from their hotels.

“No, join us. Mama and Papa would want you there,” Leonor says so you follow her in. The six of you stand a few behind the four royals, following royal protocol in that regard. You are chatting with Irene and Miguel quietly when the drivers walk in.

“Accompany me to the Opera tonight,” Miguel says quickly, you nod and blush a little before turning you attention to the drivers, eyes instantly meeting Oscar’s, your blush deepens a little before you put on your royal mask. It doesn’t matter if your date with Miguel goes well or not, deep down you know that you’d drop him for Oscar immediately if asked. One by one, the drivers are introduced before you are allowed to mingle before lunch.

“Your Royal Highnesses,” Max bows before you and Amalia as the two of you approach him.

“Max, it’s wonderful to see you again. Please don’t bow, you only need to in formal situations,” you smile, greeting the champion.

“Yes, no need to bow when we aren’t here formally visiting. We will be cheering for you this weekend,” Amalia says and you notice Oscar standing nearby.

“Excuse me,” you excuse yourself from the conversation, Max takes no offense as he sees you beeline to the Australian, Amalia continues her conversation with Max. It would be a bad look for the heir apparent to brush off her own countryman.

“Y/n! What are you doing here?” Oscar asks happily, unsure if he can hug his friend, acting like he didn’t know she was here.

“Surprise visit. I didn’t want to wait until the Dutch Grand Prix to see my friend again, and I wanted to visit my friends. My sisters and I are close with the princesses and their cousins, but Amalia and I were the only ones who flew out since we like the sport. Sorry, I’m rambling,” you laugh nervously.

“That’s okay, it’s cute,” Oscar says with a cute smile, not quite realizing what he was saying.

“Thanks, that means a lot coming from you,” you can’t openly flirt with the Australian here, but you do your best.

“I’m sorry, Lando is beckoning me to him, visit me in the McLaren garage, yeah?” Oscar asks.

“I’d love to,” you smile, watching him go to his teammate. You rejoin your sister and Max, effortlessly sliding into the conversation. You can tell Leonor had a hand in the lunch seating because she placed you between Oscar and Max, Amalia was on the other side of max. Carlos and Fernando were sat near the King and Queen.

“Y/n, how does this work? I’ve never been to a royal meal before,” Oscar discreetly asks you.

“Follow the pattern for who to speak to, It will be dictated by the king, for everything else just follow my lead. King Felipe is a slower eater so you should have time to finish your meal, and this is more laid back than a state dinner. If I were wearing a tiara, you’d be in trouble,” you joke, Oscar seems relieved at your explanation. You turn to Max first, discussing the race and things he misses about the Netherlands. Once the meal is served, you turn to Oscar.

“This is a lot less stressful than what I imagined,” Oscar smiles, having trusted your quick overview of what to do, one he just shared with Lando.

“Not every meal is full of such protocol, usually just for guests and important meals. You should’ve told me you’d be here, I could’ve answered your questions. I only thought that Carlos and Fernando would be here,” you admit and he shrugs, balancing his talking and eating.

“I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. Sometimes I forget you are third in line to the throne,” you scrunch you nose, cringing a little.

“Don’t remind me,” you laugh a bit so he knows you are joking. “Where are they housing you?” you ask, taking a bite of food.

“The Hotel Arts,” Oscar says, ready to act surprised when you say where you are staying.

“Ah, Mr Fancy Pants. Living it up like royalty, I see,” you smirk, glancing around the table to make sure you are eating at the right pace.

“I take it you are staying there as well then,” Oscar says, taking the hint.

“Yes, we should get breakfast one morning before you go to the track,” you suggest, a little hope in your heart.

“I’d really like that,” Oscar thinks back on Lando’s words, deciding to take the risk. He’s worried about your life as a princess more than anything that will happen to him if he were to date you.

“Maybe not tomorrow though, I am going to the Opera tonight so I will be nursing a wine hangover,” you appreciate the light and easy conversation you are able to have with Oscar.

“Sounds like a deal, we can play it by ear,” Oscar smiles. The two of you turn your attention to your meals. The rest of the day passes quickly, the drivers having left after the lunch.

You and Amalia go back to the hotel to get ready for the opera. You just finished putting your heels on and securing your tiara when there is a knock on the door.

“Oscar?” you say confused at the Australian standing outside your door.

“I brought wine, figured you’d want to get the party started early. You look stunning, by the way,” He says, inviting himself into the small living room space.

“I thought drivers don’t drink before race weekends,” you smile, carefully sitting beside him.

“One glass won’t hurt,” he pours two glasses, carefully handing you one. It’s a cheaper wine, likely bought from across the street rather than from the bar downstairs.

“I’d also take shots, but wine is nice. Thanks, Osc,” you sip the white wine. Oscar chose a safer choice than a red. You have time before heading down with Amalia where one of the cars will pick you up.

“So why the tiara?”

“The opera is considered a white or black tie event, I don’t remember which it is. Plus, I agreed to go as Miguel’s date so I have to look perfect or else the media will slaughter me,” you sigh, taking a large sip of the wine.

“Oh, that sucks,” Oscar digests the last bit of information.

“He’s a great guy, but I think he’s more of a friend. I have my eye on someone else anyway,” you add on, quickly glancing at Oscar who regains his hope, noticing your glance.

“Any guy would be lucky to have you,” Oscar says as Amalia enters the room.

“Hello, Oscar. Y/n, we have to go, they are close,” she says, the two of you finish your wine.

“Thanks for the glass of wine, good luck tomorrow if I don’t see you,” you press a gentle kiss to his cheek, following Amalia out the door. You trust Oscar to leave once he cleans up the wine.

The opera is nice, and the next two days are fun as you spend time in the paddock. You wake up early to join Oscar for breakfast on the race day.

“Orange? For me?” Oscar grins after you order. You are wearing an orange blouse with white pants and heels. Since it isn’t the Dutch Grand Prix, you have a small pin with a bull and the number one on it attached to your blouse.

“For Max, but also for you,” you smile back.

“It’s actually papaya, I can get McLaren to gift you some stuff,” he says, leaning back in his chair a bit.

“That’s okay, I have enough Red Bull team wear in my closet. I wouldn’t even be allowed in McLaren clothing unless there was a better reason other than being friends with the driver, unfortunately Max takes precedence there. Also, I have money to buy McLaren merch, they are better off gifting merch to other fans,” you say, sipping your water.

“So what can I do to get you to openly support me?” he asks, knowing one of the answers.

“Well, if you get a podium at Zandvoort I can hand you your trophy,” you tell him and he nods.

“I can do that, maybe I will beat Max,”

“Yeah, don’t do that,” your laugh is music to him. The two of you finish your breakfast, both having obligations to attend to. You and Amalia arrive to the paddock together, only joining the Spanish royals for the actual race.

“Welcome to Red Bull, Your Royal Highnesses,” a hospitality employee greets you as you enter the garage.

“Hello, Max,” Amalia greets the driver with a smile.

“Good morning, Your Royal Highnesses. Welcome to our garage,” Max smiles, a girl and a woman with him.

“Maxie, are they real life princesses?” the little girl asks. She pulls at your heartstrings, your royal foundation works with young girls.

“We are, what is your name?” You kneel down as she looks at you with wide eyes, curtsying.

“Penelope,”

“Hi Penelope, my name is Y/n. You curtsied beautifully, but there is no need to curtsy to a friend,” you tell her, glancing up at Max and the woman who you assume is her mother.

“This is Kelly, my girlfriend, and her daughter, Penelope,” Max introduces them to you.

“Would you like a picture, Penelope?” Amalia asks, the little girl nods.

“That’s my big sister, she’s going to be a queen one day,” you tell Penelope as if it’s a secret.

“Can I, Mommy? I want Maxie in it too,” Penelope asks, when Kelly agrees, you carefully pick up Penelope. Both Red Bull and Kelly take photos. You chat with the group until you realize there isn’t too long until you will have to join the royal family, so you excuse yourself to walk a few garages down.

“Can I help you?” someone in papaya stops you from going too close.

“Yes, I’m here to visit my friend, Oscar,” you start, looking into the garage.

“Y/n! You made it,” Oscar wraps an arm around your shoulder, guiding you inside.

“I don’t believe we’ve met, Princess. My name is Lando Norris of the United Kingdom,” Oscar’s teammate extends his hand, you find the childish antic amusing. You give him your hand, he bows slightly, lightly kissing the back of your hand.

“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Norris,” you giggle, feeding into the antics. Oscar went from worried to amused in those thirty seconds.

“Alright, she’s my friend, not yours. Find your own princess to hog,” Oscar pulls you away, his smile betraying his annoyed tone. You get some silly pictures together, and he puts his helmet on you before one photo.

“I could totally drive one of these,” you say, lying to see his reaction.

“When we get to the Netherlands, I’m racing you in karts and taking you on a hot lap then,” Oscar laughs as your eyes widen.

“Bring it on,” you don’t back down. Oscar could kiss you right now, but he never did ask about how your date to the opera went, so he doesn’t.

“Oscar, I’d like my sister to be returned, please,” Amalia says, walking over to the two of you.

“Oscar, I found my princess!” Lando grins, Amalia’s confused reaction causes you to snort and Oscar to laugh.

“She’s off limits to you, Lando. You aren’t king material,” you tell him, gently patting his shoulder.

“But Oscar is prince material?” Lando asks. Amalia drags you out of the garage before either of you can reply.

The race is exciting and you watch eagerly.

“Who is your favorite driver?” Pablo asks, watching from beside you.

“Politically, Max. Personally, Oscar Piastri, he’s a close friend,” you say, watching the track as Oscar passes, fighting for P3.

“It’s a shame my brother and you aren’t a match,” he says, referring to the Opera.

“We are better off as friends, something we realized quickly. Once we realized that we weren’t teenagers anymore, the Opera got much better,” you chuckle.

You are aware of the cameras watching your box as the race ends. You and Amalia celebrate carefully, not doing much other than clap and excitedly talk to each other. The podium ended with Carlos winning, Max in P2, and Oscar in P3. Max dropped in the last couple laps, his tires degrading too early.

That night you show up to the club with Irene and Victoria, being the only girls who could go out and not be yelled at. Your black party dress doesn’t leave much to the imagination, but your coat doesn’t let photographers know as you step into the club with them. After checking your coat, you head to the bar where you notice drivers taking shots.

“This round on me,” you tell Irene and Victoria. You order your round and a vodka Red Bull for after the shots.

“Princess! Oscar, your princess is here!” Lando slurs, calling over a slightly less drunk Oscar.

“You look incredible,” his smile causes you to blush. You notice Max and Carlos observing the interaction.

“Shots for the podium! And ladies, and I guess Lando,” you declare, ordering seven shots. You all take them and you are feeling a lot braver at flirting with Oscar.

“What are you drinking?” Oscar asks, standing close to you, his breath warm on your ear.

“Vodka Red Bull,” you tell him, sipping the drink.

“Hey Max, your princess really is your fan. She’s drinking a vodka Red Bull,” Oscar tells the Dutchman.

“It’s a good choice,” Max smiles, unsure how he feels about partying with the third in line to his home country. Carlos, however, has no problems, talking to Irene and Victoria.

“Dance with me,” you tell Oscar as you finish your drink, he follows you onto the dance floor, bodies close. His hands stay on your hips, holding you close but trying to stay respectful. A couple songs later you kiss him, and his hands wrap around you, pulling you into him.

Soon after, you are getting your coat and heading back to your hotel, pulling him into your room. Scenes from nights you’ve spent together flash through your mind, ones where he has you screaming his name, building up like waves and crashing over and over again. His hands roam your skin, bedsheets ablaze, maybe you can be guilty as sin this time.

You wake up in his embrace, his soft snores tell you he’s still asleep. You think about your options. After this weekend, you’ll face criticism anyway, why not go after someone you’ve been pining after. The public will always have opinions about who you date, but the way it feels when Oscar holds you is so right. The only way they will be happy is if you never date or marry until you’re thirty. They don’t know how keeping the crush to yourself haunted you every night, and how he is stunningly perfect.

“What’s going through that pretty mind of yours?” Oscar asks sleepily, pushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I choose you and me, no matter what the public says,” you whisper, looking in his half awake eyes.

“Finally. I choose us too,” he smiles, pulling you into his chest.

“I still can’t openly support you as opposed to Max,” you smile, Oscar’s eyes open again.

“I will propose right now,” he says, quite seriously. You giggle, running your hand up his chest.

“Don’t, that’s a whole process and a lot of conversations that I don’t feel like going through yet,” you say, feeling Oscar’s chest vibrate as he hums in agreement. He looked up what would happen if he were to marry you one night while texting you. He’d have to become a naturalized citizen, your parents would announce the engagement, then the parliament would have to approve the marriage in order for you to stay a member of the royal household.

Oscar gets up half an hour later, needing to board a plane to Austria with the team. As he waits to taxi, he sends you the link to a song, the same one he sent a couple months ago. The past twenty four hours have been better than any dream. Are you allowed to cry happy tears?

[mrsrileywrites]

Hi! I read lots of your work and im SO IN LOVE!!! Like I absolutely fell so hard for papa simon 😭😭 i wanna give him a babyy! But i was wondering, how would pregnancy be like with his child. I mean bro is HUGE so his baby would probably be not only pretty big and probably weight a little bit more too than an average newborn. If its okay with you would it be possible for you to write a little story maybe add a little bit of angst? (Idk like argument about something that made the reader really sad?) but please a happy ending 🥹

Feel free to ignore if thats not your thing or just not feeling comfortable writing about it!! LOVE YOUU!! Btw sorry for any misspelling English is not my first language.

First of, as a not native English speaker, your English is perfect.

And second, thank you for your kind words, it really encourages me to keep writing and also boosts my ego 😁

You asked in such a nice and respectful way so I really want to make you happy.

Now here's the thing, I'm an adult with lots of responsibilities and sometimes adulting makes me tired, like last night when I was trying to finish this but I fell asleep and I woke up this morning to find half of my writing disappeared, it just vanished 🥲

But I'll give you this to munch on and I promise I'll finish this before the end of the week.

I hope this is what you were expecting... Enjoy 🫶

A little over 700 words.

_______________________

You stood in front of the sink of your bathroom, holding a pregnancy test on your shaky hands, two little red lines staring right back at you.

How did this happen? How would you tell him? He doesn't want kids, he made it clear from the beginning and you accepted it without a fuss, that's why you've been taking your pills diligently every day, you didn't forget one, did you?... No, you know you didn't, how did this happen?

"You okay there, love?" Simon knocks on the bathroom door and you jump in surprise, like a child that's been caught red handed.

"Y-yes Si, j-just give me a minute... I'll be right there." Your period is about three weeks late so you bought a pregnancy test, your best friends advice, it wouldn't hurt, it was just to make sure, you certainly were not expecting this.

You hid the test on the cabinet under the sink and washed your face before coming out.

It's been a week since your ob-gyn confirmed a six weeks pregnancy and you still haven't found the courage nor the right time to break the news to Simon, so when he gets a call from Price to get deployed on a long mission you fear it would be too late by the time he comes back.

One month at most he said when he kissed you goodbye almost two months ago, you are 16 weeks into your pregnancy and your bump is starting to show, which only adds to your anxiety, between the morning sickness and your hormones being all over the place you still haven't figured out how to tell him.

As you ponder how to break the news to him, you realize that a simple phone call wouldn't suffice. With him stationed on the other side of the globe, risking his life every day, you hesitate to burden him further. At the same time, you know it wouldn't be ideal for him to return home and suddenly find you waddling around with a baby bump.

So you stay quiet and whenever he calls and asks why you sound so exhausted you blame it on your job, you say you are just stressed out, and he promises he'll take care of you once he's back, he'll relieve you from the stress the way you like it, the way only he knows how to.

You are laying on the couch wearing Simon's t-shirt, stuffing yourself with your favorite ice cream and watching trash tv when you hear fumbling outside your front door before it swings open, a very rugged Simon stands in the threshold , you curse under your breath, he didn't say he was coming home the last time you talked on the phone three days ago so you stand there and look at him overly conscious of the bump hiding under his t-shir and you thank the heavens he is a big man, you think the loose fit of his T-shirt would buy you time, your ice cream long forgotten in the coffee table.

He walks towards you with long strides as he pulls his balaclava over his head running his fingers through his messy hair and you shy away, you step back and freeze, eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights, he stops in his tracks and tilts her head, his eyebrows pinch as his eyes linger on your midsection and you know you're fucked, he noticed, how wouldn't he, and you hope and pray he'd say something, anything, but he doesn't, he turns on his heels ready to walk out.

"Simon wait!" You call for him and he stops, his hand lingers on the door knob, "I can explain, please just hear me out" your voice cracks and you wish you had been brave enough to tell him before, you know about his childhood and his trauma, you know his struggles and why he didn't want children in the first place, he trusted you and you broke his trust, you deceived him from the moment you found out you were pregnant and decided to keep it to yourself because you were too scared to trust him back.

"Explain what?" He shouts turning around and walking towards you again, your hands fly to your belly instinctively, protective. You lower your head, eyes glued to the floor, ashamed.

[panxramic]

I like the different interpretations of Tallulah’s hair color people have been sending me.

Her hair didn’t turn black JUST bc of q!Missa. It turned black because it’s the color of the wither roses her papa likes, it turned black because it matches the feathers on the back of q!Phil’s wings, her hair turned black because it’s the same shade as the crows that flock their home. Tallulah’s hair turned black because death is very much a part of her every day life. It turned black because she *likes* it. Tallulah’s hair is black because it resembles her whole life and the people she loves.

I like to refrain from attributing certain things about Tallulah solely to one person because people just end up turning her into an extension of others. Especially when people attribute certain features of hers to someone she hasn’t talked to in months and she has never seen as a father.

They already did it to her once before, and I’d hate to see it be done to her again. She’s more than that. She always has been.

Tallulah’s journey with self discovery and finding her place in the world has been a rollercoaster to watch unfold. She’s gone through so much to prove herself, she’s fought hard to show the world who she is and who she isn’t. She’s gotten lost in promises and old memories. Tallulah has struggled with her identity as it has always been heavily tied to family, and family on the island is important and complicated.

She’s come to a place where she finally feels comfortable. She finally feels like she belongs in this family and now she can continue that path of self discovery. Because there’s no greater feeling than that freedom of being able to decide who you are. Of being in such a comfortable spot in which she can explore different ways to express herself.

I don’t think this necessarily has been a HUGE issue, but it’s definitely one that has been in the foreground for a while and an added effect of her struggles in finding a place on the island. Because finding that place is also a part of WHO she is, it’s part of her identity.

I remember her getting upset that she was seen as an extension of him for months. It was all anybody would ever bring up around her. She was the egg that was left behind, she was the egg that didn’t have a father. She was the egg that was abandoned again and again. And it was hard trying to combat that, bc how do you work around something that is genuinely affecting you to your core? Something that felt so defining in your life?

Well I think she’s come far in showing that she’s more than that. That she’s not just the sad traumatized egg that was abandoned. She’s grown a lot, she’s found a new place. There’s still sore spots sure. She didn’t like being called the “trauma egg” because again, it’s something she’s been trying to move past from. She’s more than just her trauma, she’s more than the people and the things that have hurt her.

I think that yes her past is important, everything she’s gone through has molded her into the egg that she is. But she’s not just her past. Her past doesn’t control her, not like it used to at least. It’s important that she’s reinventing herself in a way. Because she’s changed a lot, but she’s still Tallulah. Not the same one we saw at the start, but it’s still her. And at this point in time she’s more herself than she ever has been.

[slut4hee]

BROWN SUGAR LOVE<3

{Paring: College Boyfriend! Jake x Black Fem! Reader

{Synopsis: A little cute scenario of you being Jake’s college girlfriend as a blk female🤎

{Genre: fluff, suggestive, Jake is down bad for his blk queen🥹😍🤎

College Boyfriend! Jake Who fell in love with you at first sight when he saw you having lunch with your friends.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who was so nervous to speak to you, racking his brain trying to come up with ways on how to approach you.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who finally grows the balls to talk to you and lands a date with you Saturday night.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who takes you on a movie date and intentionally picking a scary movie to see so you can snuggle up on him when you get scared.

College Boyfriend! Jake Whom you find so adorable and sweet when he showers you with compliments on your hair and style

College Boyfriend! Jake Whom you secretly admired for a while finally asks you to be his girlfriend on your 4th date.

“Y/n, I just wanna say I really enjoy spending my days with you and having you by my side will you please make me the happiest man alive and be my girlfriend”

College Boyfriend! Jake Whom you been dating for 3 months now takes you to meet his parents for the first time, which you’re really nervous about because you are a black girl.

“Babe, I’m so nervous what if they don’t like me?” You pout

“Babe stop my parents are going to love you so stop worrying that pretty little head of yours now come gimme a kissy kissy” he pulls you into his lap softly pecking your lips over and over.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who is so clingy, he can’t stay away from you for a second.

“Baby, are you almost coming home? I miss you so much I’m losing my mind I need my beautiful mama to come hold me tight and tell me how much she loves me” he whines adorably.

“Aww Jakey baby, I’m so sorry my boss made me stay back a little later to help out but I’m on my way home right now papa” “you smile fondly at him through the FaceTime call, rushing out the door to get to your car and get back to your clingy little baby.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who loves to watch you do your hair and makeup finding it so fascinating how smooth and soft your brown skin corresponds with the natural shades

“Baby girl have I ever told you that your skin is so beautiful like how do you keep it so smooth love”

College Boyfriend! Jake Who loves that you smell of vanilla and cocoa butter and is not afraid to sniff all over you telling you how good you smell.

“fuck baby you smell so damn good I can’t get enough of you” he would leave kisses on your neck while taking in your sweet scent.

College Boyfriend! Jake Whom you’re so in love with that every time he shows you his big bright smile you fall deeper and deeper in love with him.

“I fall for you deeper and deeper Sim” you kiss his lips tenderly

College Boyfriend! Jake Who’s love language is spending quality time with you and his dog Layla his two favorite girls in the world.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who loves to learn new things about your culture and gets so excited to try out the new foods you make him every week.

“Holy shit baby, this is so good I wish I would have tried this sooner” he would say as he clears his plate of soul food.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who loves to see you in your little sleep shorts and gowns because you have a big booty and he loves to see your ass jiggle as you walk around your shared apartment, he would purposely drop the tv remote just to see you bend over to pick it up watching how your cheeks hang out causing him to grow hard in his gray sweats.

College Boyfriend! Jake who sends you flowers at work.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who gets super happy when you tell him you’re getting your hair braided because he thinks you’re the prettiest when you have your knotless braids in.

“You look so Gorgeous my queen I can’t breathe you’re so pretty”

“Did it hurt baby do you want me to massage your scalp?”

“Baby can you show me how to wrap it up for you? I want you to be comfortable when you sleep”

College Boyfriend! Jake Whom you have saved as Hubby🥹💍 in your contact list.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who is the team captain of the soccer team and loves that you show up to all his games and cheer him on.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who is academically gifted and loves to help you do your homework and talk to you about physics.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who would try to do your edges and fail miserably but you find him adorable anyway.

“Y/n baby, how do you even do this? This is harder than trying to get Layla to get into the bathtub” He signs out of frustration and amusement.

“It’s pretty easy for me baby boy” you would giggle at his frustrated face as you take the edge brush out of his hand to fix the disaster he created.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who loves to play in your hair and massage your scalp when you lay your head on his lap.

College Boyfriend! Jake who reminds you everyday how much he loves and cares for you and how he’s going to make you his wife one day.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who treats your body like a rare gem always being gentle with you and taking his time pleasuring you all night until you physically can’t take it anymore.

College Boyfriend! Jake Who doesn’t want to lose you ever in his lifetime.

“ I never want to lose you baby, I promise to always love you and cherish this relationship please never give up on me”

College Boyfriend! Jake Whom you don’t want to lose as well in your lifetime.

“I promise with all my heart I will never leave your side Jake Sim”

A/n: Hii pookies, just a cute little drabble for my blk girlies🤎 that are Jake stans, plz like & reblog stay tuned for future works mwah💋 <3

I HEART SIM JAEYUN!!!!!!💕

[fancyfeathers]

I'm Bad, But Then You're No Prize Either Yandere Wriothesley x reader, songfic

part three to this (1 and 2)

This is about Wriothesley’s darling, told more from a 3rd person, following him

When I was a babe, I fell down in the holler

When I was a girl, I fell into your arms

Wriothesley had a meeting with Neuvillette today mostly about employment of guards and incoming inmates. Life was fairly normal for his standards anyway, expect the fact that both his and Neuvillette’s darlings were running around Teyvat. It had been two months now and it’s been a miracle that you two have avoided capture for this long, thanks to ties between nations there was a warrant out for your arrest in almost every nation so you couldn’t stay anywhere for more than a day or two at most. For your friend anyway, Neuvillette’s darling, it was becoming exhausting, at first she was a driven to be free as the anemo archon but now after months of running she became homesick for Fontaine. That leads to what  Wriothesley and Neuvillette are seeing now.

We fell on hard times and we lost our bright color

You went to the dogs and I lived by my charms

Standing in front of them here in Neuvillette’s office is the judge’s darling, soaked to the bone from the rain outside, heavy bags under her eyes, honestly looking like a wreck, all except the anemo vision that rested on her hip, a cruel reminder of what she’s giving up. The guards who escorted her in when she requested to see Neuvillette looked shocked that she just turned herself in. Wriothesley watched as Neuvillette stood from her desk to approach the shivering woman. He stood in front of her, towering over her until he placed a hand on her head, combing her hair out of her face. She broke down sobbing, collapsing in the judge’s arms. From where Wriothesley was sitting he could hear the soft words from the woman of, “I’m sorry.”

I danced for my dinner, spread kisses like honey

You stole and you gambled and I said you should

It took some time for her to calm down, being sat down on one of the couches in the office and wrapped up in blankets. Wriothesley wanted to ask where you were but thought it may be insensitive to how she may be feeling now. But luckily he didn’t have to wait long for that answer because luckily she told it on her own. “She’s saying goodbye to her family.” 

Something with hearing that hurt the duke, but it did tell him where you were. He excused himself from the room, leaving Neuvillette and his darling to talk and to go fin his own.

We sang for our suppers, we drank up our money

Then, one day, you left, sayin' I was no good

He knew where your family lived, in the countryside of Fontaine. He had visited your family after your trail and runaway, it was your mother and younger siblings, your father had died years ago in an accident, leaving you and your mother to look after the rest of the family. Wriothesley had guessed that’s where your tough exterior came from, having to be tough for everyone around you. So now he stood in the entryway of your family’s home, your younger sister had let him in and told him that you were outback talking to papa. He found his way to the back door and looked out the window and saw you sitting against a tombstone under a tree, you had your guitar in hand and then he saw it.

A pyro vision, pinned on your coat.

Well, alright, I'm bad, but then you're no prize either

Alright, I'm bad, but then that's nothin' new

“Just like her father.” Your mother had silently come up behind the duke, watching you as well with a sad smile. He looked over to the older woman, seeing the silent tears falling down her face. “He taught her everything, that guitar she is playing was his, same type of vision, the same fire in their souls.”

“I’m sorry for your loss ma’a-“

“He died years ago, don’t be, it was an accident after all.” She paused in her words before looking over at him, taking the duke’s large hands in her small, fragile, ones. “I know we won’t be able to see her for a long time if ever again, but do me just one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t take her guitar and don’t take her vision, ever. We may still be alive, her siblings and I, but that is all she has left of her father and words cannot describe how much of him is in her.” That request could be tricky, the vision bit, the guitar you could always keep, but the vision could be dangerous. He thought about it longer, you couldn’t escape the fortress even with a vision, so what true harm could it do? 

“You have my word, ma’am.”

The older woman smiled and nodded before excusing herself as Wriothesley stepped out the back door and he could hear your mother’s silent tears become sobs. 

You say you won't love me, I won't love you neither

Just let me remind you what I am to you

He stepped out into the field of a backyard, and he sat down across from you and the tombstone you sat against. You didn’t stop your strumming of your guitar and you didn’t look up to him. You two just sat, not speaking a word, just listening to the music. When you did finish you didn’t look up at him or speak, just sat in more silence. 

'Cause I am the one who looks out when you're leapin'

I am the one who knows how you were brave

“We could come here on weekends, take a holiday. Visit your fami-“

“I’m not going with you, Wriothesley.”

There was a pungent silence for a long moment before he let out a heavy sigh and stood up, reaching down to pull you up.

“I’m afraid you don’t have choice- agh!”

When he grabbed your wrist in an attempt to pull you up, you reached a hand up to slap him across the face, but fueled by the power of your new vision behind it, leaving a burn on the side of his face. He staggered back for a moment, startled by the sudden act of violence. He quickly composed himself and looked up to see you, guitar thrown to the side, you standing up, fists literally blazing and an emotionless expression on your face.

“If I’m going to be locked up, I at least want a reason behind it and not a set up trial. I’m sure assaulting the Duke of Meropide would be enough.”

And I am the one who heard what you said sleepin'

I'll take that and more when I go to my grave

Before you were able to get another strike in Wriothesley slipped his leg under yours, knocking you off your feet and your head it the group with a thump, knocking you unconscious. Your mother was right, you had a fire in your soul, just like your father. He reached down and picked you up, holding you against his chest with one arm before reaching down again and picking up your guitar, swinging it over his shoulder with the strap. He didn’t go back through the house, carrying you around it, giving your mother a view of your unconscious body through the window as he carried you away. Maybe one day you two could come and visit, but that day wouldn’t be for a long time.

It's sooner than later that I'm six feet under

It's sooner than later that you'll be alone

You awoke, hours later, in an unfamiliar room and bed,nyour clothes were changed into pajamas, nothing scandalous or anything, comfortable if anything. Your head had been bandaged up from when it hit the hard ground. You sat up and looked around, you were in a room, a nicer room, you knew you were in the Fortress of Meropide, but this wasn’t a cell, you would much rather be in a cell. You went to stand and found you couldn’t, you looked to your ankle and found it on a very short chain attached to the end of the bed.

So who will you turn to tomorrow? I wonder

For when the bell rings, lover, you're on your own

You sat there, alone for a long time, hours passed or at least it felt like it. There was no clock in the room, so you were only left to your thoughts and the silence. Then the door opened and a slightly disheveled Wriothesley stepped in, he roomed tired. But when he saw you awake, he smiled and walked over to your side, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Hope you got a good rest in, you were out for a pretty long time.” You didn’t respond, just sat in silence one more which drew a heavy sigh from Wriothesley. “Look I know I’m the last person you want to see right now but I’m the only person you’ll be seeing for quite awhile. Just so you know I’m not that bad, you still have your vision, it’s in the bedside drawer. Neuvillette has your friends, keeps it in his coat pocket.”

“Just fuck off.” You said, turning on your side so not to have to look at him. “This is your and Neuvillette’s faults, you did this.”

I am the one who you let see you weepin'

I know the soul that you struggle to save

You felt his hand intertwine with yours, forcefully, because when you tried to pull your hand away he only squeezed harder, to the point where it hurt slightly. You didn’t look over at him but you could feel his eyes on you and you could feel his hand loosen slightly and his thumb rub circles on your skin.

“I may be kind and I will always treat you well as long as you behave, but remember my kindness isn’t weakness.”

You heard his words and you saw your guitar in the corner. He would ask you to play sometimes, but you never would. You may be kind to your family but he is not your family, and you may weak to him but at least you would have the strength to say no.

Too bad I'm the bet that you lost in the reapin'

Now, what will you do when I go to my grave?

[emeritus-fuckers]

Ghost reaction to finding fanfic you write of them (smut, fluff or angst idrc) also feel free to ignore lovely

Papas reacting to fanfiction

WARNING: Copia's section includes Rite Here Rite Now spoilers.

Primo (he/him)

Reacting to „Souls on Fire” ♡ Yandere!Papa Emeritus I x Reader oneshot

Primo sat down to read after a long day in the garden, glasses perched on the end of his nose. You knotted your fingers together, you'd really taken some liberties imagining his younger self. Why were you even letting him read this?!

Despite your nerves, Primo seemed more and more delighted as he read. A small chuckle escaping him now and then.

"Ah yes, my younger brothers..." he mused to himself. "Such an adorably sinful handful."

He carried reading enthralled by every word. When he finished he turned to you with a truly devilish smile.

"Amore, it has been so long since someone has seen me for anything other than a wise old man who tends his garden."

"I think I know you better than most do." You winked with an awkward little giggle.

"Yes, you do." He says with a smile, then his expression turns serious "How did you find all this out?"

You eyes widen.

"The accuracy..." he shakes his head in dismay as you blanch.

"She was wonderful, I remember her well, she had a bit of a habit of running away... I can take you to meet her?" Primo looked so serious but his eyes gleamed with mischief. "In the cemetery, I sometimes still sit and watch her grave." You aren't sure whether to believe him or not and narrow your eyes.

"You won't leave me, will you amore? Because I can make you stay."

You hurled the nearest cushion at him. "I dare you try it, old man."

He scoffed and placed your laptop carefully down before holding his arms out for you. You couldn't say no to that adorable and loving smile.

"See, I have you completely under my spell." He chuckled, wrapping his arms around you.

"Prick." You mutter.

"That is not very polite, amore. If it makes you feel better, I love your writing. Luckily for you I am not a... 'yandere', but I do have an interesting past. I might tell you more of it if you promise to keep it to yourself and only yourself." Primo says with a kiss to your cheek.

Secondo (he/him)

Reacting to Day 23 of Kinktober: Blood - Papa Emeritus II

Secondo is not the one to snoop. He trusts you with his life. With his being. The Siblings of the Ministry, however? They are. They absolutely are. They also are completely unable to stay silent. So, when they blabber about you? He listens. He honestly just wanted to make sure that they weren't saying anything that he needed to... handle. He would never let anyone talk behind your back.

But they were blabbering about a story you written.. about Him. And that's what truly got his attention. Why hadn't you shown him before this point, anyways?

It didn't take him long to find the fic on his phone, he did have your writing blog on every platform, after all. Poker face on as usual as his eyes scanned over the words, carefully taking in each and every word. Memorizing them. Greeting you as usual as you walked into your twos shared chambers. Nodding and giving you a kiss, asking how your day was going and pointing you to the dinner he had made, as always. Going right back to reading, when he was done. Which wasn't odd, he was often stuck in a book, online or a physical one.

He doesn't say a thing for a few weeks. Bordering on a month. Just... waiting.

Not until your period, that is. He wakes you up with soft words and soft kisses, making you giggle happily, joining you with a shower and a wonderful breakfast, then gently leading you back to bed. Before harshly grabbing your wrists, asking for a safe word, and then doing Every. Single. Thing. You had written, keeping each moment to how you written it, and even going back to match it.

Perhaps a bit more mean, honestly.

Terzo (he/they)

Reacting to “Love Story” Terzo x f!reader one shot (READ CW)

Terzo wasn’t one to necessarily snoop at what you were writing. He knew it was your favourite hobby to partake in when you had free time. However, their curiosity got the better of them seeing a song connected to the story you were writing.

He put on the song as he read what you wrote, a little surprised to find it was a story about him. Humming as he began to reading. The first part was unbearably sweet, a smile appearing on his face as he read through. You did have a talent with words.

You walked in to him holding his neck as he read the second part, giving you a look of horror as you stood by. Awkwardly rubbing the back of your neck.

“Cara Mia…should I be concerned about where you got this idea to have Copia pose with my severed head from?”

You didn’t reply, just giving a sheepish smile as you came to lay beside them in bed. Looking at them with an awkward grin. Immediately setting off alarm bells in his mind.

“…you haven’t read the third part yet have you?”

Mismatched eyes returned to the screen as he seemed to fearfully begin reading the next part. His brows furrowing as they tensed up. Holding you close as if you trap you at his side, eyes widening after a few moments. Slowly looking at your sheepish smile.

“First thing amore, we are getting you…a very good therapist. Second…if I ever start acting that way I implore you to actually kill me. I am obsessed with you…but not to that degree.”

He huffed, putting aside the cursed story and stopping the music. Holding you close and breathing in the scent of your shampoo. Relaxing in your presence…

And hoping this inspiration hadn’t come from the bag he had hidden out in the garden…

Copia/Frater Imperator (he/him)

Reacting to Biggering ⸸ Cardinal Copia

Contains spoilers for Rite Here Rite Now.

"Wha- Amore, why would I- she's my mother! I would never-"

Copia stumbled over his words, looking between you and the screen of your laptop. He was just going to look something up real quick (although with his knowledge about modern technology, it wasn't really going to be too quick, but let's not get into those details), unaware that you left your Tumblr up with some sort of... story, as he assumed. He knew you wrote silly stories occasionally, but he never got to actually read any of your works. He got curious, especially seeing his name in the title of the story.

He played the song attached to the thing, since he deduced from the title that it was probably rather important. He knew he shouldn't snoop around, but curiosity got the best of him, as he got his glasses from his pocket and started to read what you wrote. He couldn't believe his eyes, especially at the end. While yes, he did enjoy the fame, he wasn't a villain! And he would never kill his mother, he mourned her death! He was heartbroken when he lost her!

And now, he was struggling to express just how confused he was by what you wrote. Even despite you assuring him you were just having fun with a concept of him, your anxious little ray of sunshine, being evil. A concept he did not really enjoy.

Needless to say, it took a big plate of rigattoni and about an hour of apology cuddles for him to stop pouting about that one little fanfic.

Old Nihil (he/him)

Reacting to “Tattoo” ♡ Old Papa Nihil x female!Reader (smut)

He begged and pleaded for you to let him read it. Hours and hours after he heard you'd written something about him. But you kept going bright red every single time. This story haunted you, it would never go away now that you had finally put pen to paper. You finally gave in when he looked at you with those simpering big eyes. Why not let him read it, it was out there on the Internet and it might actually make Nihil rather happy, even if it did give him a rather in depth view of your imagination.

You passed him a printed copy. He started to read, devouring each word.

At first he kept looking across at you, lounging on the sofa as you watched his every reaction. His gaze often went to your legs, which were covered by your jeans.

You raise an eyebrow, wordlessly daring him to ask, but then he swiftly reached for his oxygen mask and took a large hit.

He must have reached the smutty part.

A playful smile lit up your face as he read on, needing more and more oxygen with every paragraph.

"Ooooh, this is very good." He is transfixed and you are almost as mesmerized by the obvious rising of his own seven inches. "You write very well." He added as he reached the fanfic's ending with the biggest grin on his face.

"Thank you Papa. I can put a skirt on later if you'd like?"

He reached for his oxygen again while nodding enthusiastically.

You walk over to him, settling on his lap which only excites the man more.

"So, did you get the tattoo, my dear?" He asked, gently trailing his fingers up your thigh.

You lean in to whisper in his ear.

"You can find out tonight."

Young Nihil (he/him)

Reacting to Papa Nihil falling head over heels for reader

"What are you doing?" Nihil watched the ice melt in his cocktail and huffed. He should have been doing his work but fuck that, he'd rather be having fun with you...

Except you were in his office, on his sofa, with your clothes (well, the shirt was his) on and worst of all, working. What in the Dark Lord's name had gone wrong?

"Baaaabe..." he stood behind you to see what you were up to and you froze.

"Oh, you're writing!" he said happily, he was always so impressed by your work. He leaned in closer to get a better look. "About me?!"

It started off about right, his broken heart, his fear of rejection... wait, how did you know?

"You think I'm in love with you???" You went red but kept typing. "Babe..." He whined again but then trailed off and kept reading.

"Maybe I am... I like this part." He says with a large grin hiding his hammering heart. He was in love with you, he really did smile every time he saw you. How had you worked that out?!

He let out a sigh of relief, it all made sense now. He should have just told you himself.

"Why d'you stop before the good part?" His hands rested on your shoulder as he started to rub them. "The world should hear about my skills in bed. How I can make ya scream my name." He winked before he started kissing your neck.

Yet you were tense, still embarrassed as you stared at your writing. Your shoulders sagged.

He goes round so you can see him as he knelt down in front of you. "You don't have to write your hopes and dreams, just tell me about them. I mean, by all means, write, I love you imagination but this..." He pauses thinking of the right words. "I do love you and I won't mess it up this time." He takes both your hands and kisses them.

"I love you too..." You said with the most perfect soft little smile and his heart melted all over again.

"You keep writing if you want." He leaned in, his lips achingly close to yours. "Maybe the world should hear about your skill in bed. You are truly a dark temptress. Write about it. Or you can tell me now and I'll make your fantasies come true."

~

Papas I and Nihil written by Nyx.

Papa II written by Zenith/Jasper.

Papa III written by Death.

Papa IV written by Nosferatu.

[loucifersbitch]

Congrats on your milestone lovely!! If you’re still doing prompts, Bucktommy + early morning 🧡

once again, i failed at keeping this to 11 sentences OOPS

The sunlight breaks in through the open blinds, softly dancing across the bedroom wall as the household begins to wake up.

Tommy rolls out of bed first, as always. The coffee is set to begin brewing at 5:30, so he has about 30 minutes to himself in the gym before anyone will join him.

It feels good to stretch his muscles, push himself on the treadmill, deadlift only 10lbs under his PR weight from before the accident. Getting the all clear for everything from the orthopedic surgeon yesterday had lifted a weight off his shoulders, and he feels energized like he hasn't in months.

The door opens, and Tommy glances at the clock on the wall. It's only 5:34 which means it's not Evan, but Tommy's pretty sure he knows who the early riser is anyway.

"Liam?" he asks, almost certain as the smell of coffee comes closer.

"Hey, Pops," Liam says, a mug of coffee in each hand. At 15, he's a little young to drink coffee every day in Tommy's opinion, but there are worse things. Much worse.

"Thanks," Tommy says, taking the proffered mug and sipping delicately, the warmth immediately spreading through his body. "Sleep okay?"

"Mhm," he nods, taking a sip from his own mug. "Lottie was up late though. Her light was on when I went to the bathroom at 1."

Tommy frowns. Charlotte has been with them for almost 11 months and is doing fantastic, but she's prone to night terrors. He makes a mental note to talk with her therapist during her next session.

Shaking off the pit he gets in his stomach anytime one of his kids has trouble, he asks, "Did you want to lift weights this morning or do you have practice?"

"I gotta get going. Coach Pullman wants us on the field by 6:30. Denny should be here soon, actually," he says, glancing at his watch.

"Okay, go get ready," Tommy says, watching his son walk toward the door. Then he remembers what happened last week and adds, "And don't forget Benny this time. Dad and I won't be able to drop him off this morning."

Liam sends him twin finger guns then runs back upstairs, leaving the gym door open. Tommy shakes his head fondly, but doesn't get up to close the door. Instead he goes back to his workout, thinking about what he wants to make for breakfast when he's done, the thought of french toast instantly making his stomach growl.

Soon, he hears footsteps on the stairs and looks up to see Liam and Benjamin waving to him as they head outside to meet Denny at the curb. He keeps an eye on the two boys out the window until he sees the Wilsons' car pull up and the boys climb in.

Two down, three to go.

He finishes his workout just after 6:00 and wipes down the equipment before heading upstairs to the en suite. Evan still snores softly in their bed, his curls mussed and long limbs askew. He looks so much younger than 40 - well, 39, but his birthday is in two weeks - and still as beautiful as the day they met.

His shower is perfunctory, quick and efficient, but by the time he leaves the bathroom, there's a small body curled in next to Evan on the bed, cuddled closely in his arms. Hazel is only 4, but she's been with them since she was two months old, officially becoming their daughter a year later.

Not wanting to disturb them, he dresses quietly in the walk-in closet then leaves the room. He steps into the hallway and immediately feels a small body collide with his own.

"Hey, Papa," Evelyn whispers, clinging to his waist.

"Morning, Evie," he says, swinging the 6 year old into his arms for a hug. "Wanna help me make breakfast?"

"Yes," she says, nodding decisively.

They knock on Charlotte's door to make sure she's up and getting ready for school before heading down to the kitchen. The french toast is done quickly, Evelyn only spilling a little of the egg mixture while dipping the thick slices of bread. They also set out the powdered sugar, syrup, and fresh berries along with juice, milk, and water.

Charlotte makes her way into the kitchen, seemingly led by her nose as she smiles at the spread on the table.

"Morning, Pops," she says, stopping to give Tommy a hug. It will never stop amazing him that she settled into their family so quickly, easily transitioning to calling them Pops and Dad like the rest of their kids.

"Hey, sweetie. You doing okay? Liam said you might not have slept well."

She huffs and settles her chin on his chest, looking up at him with tired eyes. "Just a bad dream again. But Percy helped."

After the first few nights of night terrors, Evan had taken Charlotte to Build-A-Bear, hoping they could find something that might help her feel safe when she woke from the dream. Sure enough, she had immediately been drawn to a light blue axolotl that she named Percy. And he does seem to help, but Tommy still wishes there was more he could do to stop the dreams in the first place.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I wish I knew how to help more."

Her face screws up in confusion - her expression eerily similar to Evan's - and says, "Pops, I'm nine. I'm a big kid. I can handle it myself."

Tommy chuckles and holds her tighter. "That may be true, but as your Pops, it feels like my responsibility to make sure any bad things stay away."

Laying her head down and squeezing him once more, she says, "Thanks. You're a good Pops."

He will not cry at 7 in the morning, thank you very much.

Charlotte goes to the table where Evelyn is already waiting for her, and they quietly start to pile food onto their plates. They're a few bites in when Evan comes downstairs, a very clingy, sleepy Hazel in his arms. She starts to wiggle, trying to get down when she spots the girls already at the table and goes directly into Charlotte's waiting arms.

Evan looks like he could use a few more hours of sleep, but just when Tommy's about to suggest he go lie back down, Evan leans into him and murmurs, "G'morning."

"Good morning," Tommy says, his arms encircling Evan and holding him close so he can kiss his birthmark. "You ready for today?"

"Absolutely." Placing his own kiss to Tommy's cheek, he disentangles himself from Tommy's grasp and joins their daughters at the table.

Tommy watches them for a moment, taking in just how much his life has changed since meeting Evan, how full of people and love and family it is now. Seeing his husband - a man bursting with love for everyone around him - taking care of their kids with nothing but gentle patience causes his eyes to prickle with tears once again.

He turns to refill his coffee and get Evan his own mug, composing himself as he stirs in the cream and sugar. Sometimes he takes all of this for granted; it happens after seven years. But he suddenly remembers just how lonely his life used to be. Yes, he had friends and work and the few family members who still spoke to him, but Evan gave him a real family. Evan gave him family barbecues and wedding dates and birthday parties and reasons to celebrate all the little things in life.

As he takes his seat at the table, he's greeted with a chorus of, "Hey, Pops!" and, "Thanks, babe," when he hands Evan his coffee.

The day has barely started, they still need to get two kids to school and one to daycare, and then they have to get ready for the ceremony this evening. Bobby's retiring, Hen will be taking his place as Fire Chief of the LAFD, and Evan is being promoted to Captain of the 118. It's a big day for their family. It'll be long and tiring, and there's nowhere Tommy would rather be than at Evan's side through everything.

[ramblingoak]

Yes, Cardinal

The Sexy Adventures of Cardinal Terzo ~ A series of stories featuring Cardinal Terzo and his adventures around the abbey

Terzo x Female Reader ~ Cardinal Terzo eavesdrops on your phone call

Warnings: smut, vaginal fingering, hair pulling, biting, bossy Terzo, nsfw, 18+ only, mdni, 1600 words (art by @tasty-ribz )

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Secondo was lucky he was on the other side of the country and not on the other side of your desk.

“Sorella, I think you are forgetting who are speak–” 

“No Papa, I think you are forgetting who you are speaking to.  I am in charge of the tour budget and that means that any changes made must be approved by me first, do you understand?”  Your phone was starting to creak ominously in your fist so you spun your chair around to look out the window and take a few calming breaths.

“All I did wa–”

“Let me put this in simpler terms for you,”  You ignored Secondo’s growl and continued on, “Unless you want to finish the tour staying in the most disgusting, roach filled motels I can find, you will run every purchase by me first.”

“Look, all I di–”

“Every.  Purchase.  I don’t want you to put a dime in a vending machine without asking me first.”  

“You think you can speak to me like this?”

“I know I can speak to you like this.”  He started to say something else but you cut him off once again, “I also know that unless I hear you say ‘Yes, sister’ and ‘I’m sorry, sister’ I’m turning your credit cards off.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Oh I would, the Ghouls’ too.”  Finally you were met with silence.  Hopefully you had made your point, but you knew he’d be sulking about this for months.  At least tonight he could sulk in his $2,000 a night suite he decided to upgrade to.  “Do you have any questions, Papa?”

“No.”

“Good, that’s good.  So you understand the rules now?”

“Si, sorella.”  You could hear his teeth grinding and it was glorious.

“Is there anything else you’d like to say?”

“Mi dispiace, sorella.”

“Okie dokie!  Have a great night, Papa!”  You didn’t wait for his response and ended the call.  These fucking Emeritus brothers were going to put you in an early grave.  

“I’ve never wanted to fuck you more than I do right now.”  The sudden voice from behind you caused you to scream and you jerked your chair around to glare at the man that had snuck up on you.

Cardinal Terzo Emeritus was staring at you hotly from across your desk.

“Lucifer’s balls, Terzo!”  You tossed your phone down and glared at him, but like usual it didn’t bother him in the slightest.  He walked around your desk and reached his hands out for yours and you reluctantly let him pull you out of your chair.  “What are you do–mmph!”

Terzo’s mouth swallowed the rest of your protest and you found yourself practically melting against him.  His hands framed your face for a moment before his fingers slipped into your hair, pulling it out of the tidy bun you kept it in during the day.  When it started to fall loosely at your shoulders he gathered most of it in a fist and tugged your head back from his mouth.

“You were magnificent, dolcezza.”  Terzo kept your head tilted back and dropped his mouth to your neck, scraping his teeth down to where it met your shoulder and then nipping at the skin there.  He worried the skin between his teeth before sucking it into his mouth, creating a bruise you knew you’d be pressing your fingers into until it faded away.

“Listening to me talking to your brother turns you on, huh?”  He snorted against your neck and lifted his head to lean his forehead against yours.

“Mmm, you putting that stronzo in his place turns me on.”  Terzo let go of your hair and then reached down to grab your ass, lifting you up so you were sitting on the edge of your desk.  His gloved hands moved to your knees before sliding up your thighs, pushing your habit up as they went.  When he caught sight of your lacy panties he grinned up at you, “These help too.”

You meant to respond but all that came out was a moan as he started to rub a finger up and down your covered cunt.  He leaned down and captured your mouth again, his tongue pushing between your lips to tangle with your own.  You placed your hands on the back of his head so you could angle it to deepen the kiss.  His biretta was easily batted out of the way and you let your fingers tangle in his black strands.

Terzo began pressing harder against your cunt, adding another finger and circling your entrance through the silk.  You wondered if he realized how wet you were.  When his fingers slipped underneath and pushed inside your entrance you broke away from his mouth, dropping your head against his chest to watch them move in and out of you.  His gloves were glistening with the moisture he had caused.  

His other hand gripped your hair again, pulling your head away from his chest so he could look into your eyes.  He pulled his fingers out of your cunt, bringing them up to your lips and you obediently opened your mouth to take them inside.  The taste of yourself made you moan around his fingers and Terzo abruptly pulled them out while letting go of your hair.  He yanked his gloves off and threw them onto the floor before giving you a heated look.

“Take your clothes off before I rip them off of you.”  His own hands flew to the belt around his cassock and while he undid that you eagerly grabbed your panties and wiggled your hips so you could slide them off your legs.  Terzo was already working on the buttons by his neck when you gripped the bottom of your habit and tugged it over your head.  All you were left in was your bra and you sat there panting as Terzo’s cassock fell from his shoulders to slip to the floor at his feet.

It didn’t surprise you to see he hadn’t been wearing anything under it.

Before you could tease him about it he was kissing you again, his fingers moving to the clasp of your bra and quickly undoing it before pulling it off your shoulders and tossing it across the room.  He placed his hands on your shoulders and gently pushed you down to lay across your desk.  Terzo moved your legs next, pressing them further apart so he could press himself against your cunt.  He gripped his cock and ran it up and down your slit, spreading your wetness from your entrance to your clit.

“Terzo please, no teasing.”  He smirked but obliged, pressing the head of his cock at your entrance and slowly pushing in.  You raised your arms above your head so you could grip the edge of the desk behind you, your mouth falling open as you stretched around him.  When he finally bottomed out he ground his hips against yours briefly, chuckling when you whimpered.   “Oh fuck, Terzo.”

He dropped his hands to your thighs, squeezing and massaging the flesh as he gazed down at where you were joined.  One hand moved up your thigh and didn’t stop until he could press his thumb against your clit, rubbing over it in a circle.  His name continued to spill from your lips like a prayer and that only egged him on.  He leaned down to suckle at a breast and you wrapped your legs around his waist to grind harder against him.

“Terzo, Terz–ah!”  He pulled off your breast and propped an arm up by your chest so he could look into your face.  Watching your expression as he started to pull out and snap his hips to drive his cock back into you.  Again and again he fucked you, still moving his thumb around your now engorged clit.  He finally groaned and hung his head down, the tips of his hair tickling your skin.

“Look at you, così bella.”  You practically wailed when his thumb moved from your clit to start rubbing around your stretched entrance.  He pulled his hand away and brought his thumb to his lips, sucking it inside and groaning as he tasted you.  “Così bagnato.  Is this for me, dolcezza?  Are you wet for me?”

“Yes, Terzo.”  You couldn’t help sounding a little irritated, sometimes he could be so insufferably smug and it drove you crazy.  He raised an eyebrow at your tone and pushed himself up.  Terzo pulled out so his tip was resting against your entrance and you felt yourself contracting around nothing.  You tried to move down to get him back inside of you but he tsked and placed a hand on your stomach to keep you still.  “Terzo!”

“So demanding, dolcezza.  It’s kind of rude, no?”  He pressed down on you a little harder when you tried to move on his cock again.  “I think I need to hear two things before I start fucking you again, ok?”  

You let out an exasperated groan but nodded up at him, trying to ignore his triumphant smile.

“Bene.”  He placed his other hand on your stomach and then slid them both down to the inside of your thighs, rubbing his thumbs along the sides of your cunt.  His cock was still perched right at your entrance, you could feel it twitch against you and you knew he was just as desperate as you were.  “Now dolcezza, apologize for your rudeness.”

“I’m sorry, Cardinal.”  Terzo rewarded you with a few quick snaps of his hips, each one punching a moan out of you.  He stopped himself at your entrance again, panting heavily above you as he stared hungrily at your cunt.  

“Bene, molto bene.  Now just one more thing,”  His thumbs moved over you again, teasing around your entrance before sliding away and gripping your thighs.  “Are you ready for me to fuck you?”

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

The Sexy Adventures of Cardinal Terzo masterlist

my masterlist

my ao3

[theunholybastard]

Kinktober: October 21st - Double Penetration (Papa Emeritus III x Omega x Female!Reader)

Tags: Double Penetration, Threesome, Monster-Fucking, Size Kink, Light Pain Kink, Praise, Creampies, 2nd Person POV

It's no secret that Terzo got around. And furthermore, it's no secret that he had his favorites. Everyone knew the third Papa had taken a particular liking to his most loyal Ghoul, Omega. He had certainly possessed a type for tall, beefy men, and Omega fit the criteria to a T.

Getting fucked by a Ghoul is far more different than it is with a human, the proportions drastically... larger. It was rougher, animalistic. The claws, the teeth, the inhuman strength, it was addicting. It's a wonder Terzo would still want to have sex with humans after taking a knot for the first time. But as much as he loves to be dominated and ruined by a Ghoul twice his height, hes also quite fond of doing the dominating. Not dominating Omega, no, that'd be like a chihuahua trying to hump a mastiff. But on the occasion, Terzo and his Ghoul enjoy taking in a willing sibling to share for the night, and destroy.

Tonight was one of those nights. You've been fawning over Papa Terzo for months now, and today must've been your lucky day, as he has finally returned your attention. He was up front about his intentions when he invited you to his chambers. He had told you this would most likely be a one night endeavor, and he had explained how rough the two of them were planning to be, sharing a safe word just in case it ever got too much for you, and finished by asking if you could take it. You were more enthusiastic than he expected, unbeknownst to him, you had a taste for Ghouls as well.

When you showed, they were already warming themselves up. You walked in on Terzos mouth impaled on Omegas cock, taking in a surprising amount like he was a professional. You could see the outline of the Ghouls large length moving in his throat. Terzo pulled off when he noticed you, a string of spit connecting his puffy lips and the tip of Omegas dick. "There she is!" Terzo cheered, a goofy smile plastered on his face. His paints were already heavily smeared. They were clearly having quite the time already without you, and in the grand scheme of things, they didn't really need you there. But they wanted you, that's all that matters.

"Make yourself comfortable." Omega suggested, patting the empty space on the bed. You did as you were told, already expressing obedience. The men clambered off of each other, focusing their attention unto you now, beginning to strip you of your clothes. Their hands grope at every inch of skin that is made bare to them, whispering sweet praises into your ear, though it's Terzo who's doing most of the talking.

Their touches feel drastically different from each other, but both feel incredible. Terzos hands are soft, warm, his grip gentle but confidently assertive. Meanwhile Omegas were noticeably bigger, calloused and rough, his grasp tight and possessive. You could feel his claws scrape at your hips when he pulled down your panties, accidentally, but the sensation sent a jolt of arousal straight down to your core.

Terzos fingers prodded your hole the instant it was exposed to him, your slick allowing him to slip two inside with ease and curling upwards. You cry out, head thrown back as the two have you sandwiched in between them, rendering you unable to escape even if you wanted to. "Does that feel good, tesoro?" Terzo cooed. Your moans of appreciation were all he needed to hear in response.

"We have to get you nice and stretched for this. You'll need it for this guys cock, amirite?!" He swatted Omegas shoulder playfully, causing Omega to roll his eyes and stifle a bashful smile. "We don't wanna hurt our pretty girl now, do we?" Once Terzo is satisfied with his fingering, he pulls out his fingers, licking up the excess wetness with a shit-eating grin.

They get you into position, on your elbows and knees, holes exposed and glistening. Terzo is behind you first, lining himself up with your cunt, pushing in. Your mouth hung agape from the stretch, and Omega took that as an invitation to stuff the tip of his cock in your mouth. He was absolutely fucking massive, you couldn't even take it a quarter way in without gagging. No way it's going to fit in your cunt when his turn comes. Still, he strokes your hair and encourages you, never taking his eyes off of yours.

"Your mouth feels so good, pretty girl. J-just like that. You're doing great." Omega hums, biting his lip to conceal his pleasured grunts. Terzos thrusts are set at a medium pace, calculated to slam against your cervix with every buck. "Her mouth feels good?" Terzo questioned, talking to Omegas as if you weren't even there. Omega nodded. "Fuck yeah."

"Not as good as mine though, right?" He teased with a grin, a hint of jealousy embered in his voice. Omega groaned in annoyance, paired with one particular gag from you that had your throat tightening around his shaft that pulled that throaty noise from him. "Don't put me in this position." Omega tutted, Terzo throwing his head back in laughter. "How's her cunt?"

"So tight." Terzo huffed, his pace speeding up. "Such a perfect, wet pussy. You're going to love it." You clench at his words, Terzo chuckling at the reaction. "She gets tighter the more we talk about her. She loves the attention, isn't that right?" You hum contently around Omegas dick. Terzo licks a stripe on his finger, lubing it up, before sticking it in your ass, no warning. You didn't need one. You knew what would happen before you arrived. Still, the penetration startled you initially, yelping and tensing around both the cocks that were splitting you. Omega smiles at the feeling. "You're fun." He comments.

Terzos fingers work your ass open, prepping you for something bigger. He revels in the fact he can feel his cock fucking your pussy through the walls of your ass, but he doesn't comment, for the first time in his life rendered speechless. "Do you want a turn with her cunt, Omega? Looks like her asshole is ready for me." Omega shakes his head enthusiastically, popping your mouth off his dick gently. Terzo pulls out as well, sitting you up to where both of your holes able to be accessed to the men now. Terzo, still behind you, now lines up with your asshole, and Omega, with his ridiculously big manhood, aligns with your pussy. You brace yourself.

They both push in in-sync, your body clenching and instantly subconsciously rejecting the feeling of both of them at once. They keep going, Omega already setting a cruelly fast pace, unfair on your poor cunt. Terzo, as gentle as he could be with your ass, is still stretching it out so incredibly wide, you feel like you're about to explode. Arguably two of the biggest cocks in the ministry were splitting you in half, and you were completely helpless.

The overwhelming sensitivity would cause you to cum quite soon, your legs convulsing and screaming so obnoxiously loud, you'd think someone was being murdered. Their paces were unrelenting and unreal, you could practically feel them in your stomachs. All you could do was babble incoherently, "it's too much, t-too much!" But you knew what to say if it actually was. And you knew they weren't going to let up unless you said it. No matter what.

"Oh, tesoro. You feel fucking exquisite. D-doesn't she feel fucking divine, amore mio?" He gestures to Omega, who looks out of it, pussy-drunk and mindless. "T-this is the t-tightest fucking c-cunt. Holy shit!" Terzo doesn't bother back with an annoying quip, 'tighter than my asshole?' because after having been inside two of your holes, he knows the answer.

Terzo is the first to cum, his warm liquids filling the gummy walls of your ass. The sensation felt foreign, but you welcomed it. Omega takes a little longer to do so, hips stuttering and breathing growing heavier. But he achieves the end goal soon enough, excessive, thick spurts flooding your womb. They still, filling you up to the brim, piercing you while they smushed your torso to rest their bodies on each other. Terzo leans over you to kiss Omega, their tongues dancing obscenely with each other's, saliva dripping down their chins. Their cocks twitched inside of you, your poor, abused holes just aching and throbbing.

You could fall asleep like this, sandwich between two sweaty hunks. But like all good things, it must come to an end. They both pull out, much to your dismay, and clean you up. They cuddle you, they shower you in reassurances and praises, and after the aftercare is finished, it's time for you to leave. You don't take it personally. You're sure there's plenty of private moments they'd want to be having right now. They were in love with each other, after all. And they were in love with your pussy.

-

[justmeinadaze]

I Miss The Misery Final Part (Steve X You)

A/N: I responded to an ask recently about toxic Stevie and how with all of my toxic stories they will all most likely end positively because my personal story didn't. I mean it did in the sense that I got away from the toxic people but I know a lot of times we wish those people would change for the outcome we desperately want.

I Miss the Misery is very much based off a past relationship of mine and I so badly wanted what I write here. Unfortunately that didn't happen but I can give it to my characters here <3 while I continue to wait for my knight in shining metalhead and or pretty boy armor. Lol.

Warnings: A lot less Toxic Daddy Steve/ Sub Fem Reader, SMUT, he gentler with her here. I wanted to convey how he can be rough but he can also be soft, dirty talk abound, and of course after care. FLUFF, Steve makes a speech in the beginning about how much he loves her, ANGST, Jacob finally finds out what Y/N has been up to! She talks about her exes and how they hurt her (mentions of an ex that didn't stop when she said the safe word, no details mentioned), Steve and Y/N take about their relationship, Papa Harrington makes a cameo (always just a delight).

Word Count: 6296

Part 1/ Part 2

“Y/N phone. This is Steve Harrington…Ah, hello Jacob. How are you today?”

Your eyes widen as he pushes off the banister, presses the speaker button on the device, and slowly descends his stairs. 

“I’m, uh, I’m fine. Sir, why do you have Y/N’s phone?”

“Well, you see, I was having a rough night last night so I went to a bar and surprise, surprise, guess who showed up? She was kind enough to drive me home because I was completely wasted.”

“Oh, that’s nice of her. Is…Is she…did she just forget her phone in your car or house or something?”

“Please…please, Steve.”, you beg silently as you mouth the words to him. 

“One second, Jacob.” Placing the call on mute, his stern eyes lock with yours as he puts himself right in front of you, so close you can feel his heart beat against his shirtless chest. “Do you love him?”

“Of-Of course, I do.”

The corner of his lips pull up into a small smirk as he continues to stare you down. 

“Last chance, Y/N. We. Do. NOT. Lie. To. Each. Other. Now, tell me the truth or I do. Do you love him?”

As your eyes searched his, you weren’t sure if he could see all the memories that flashed through your own. Every heartache, pain, and decision that lead you here. You knew every choice you had made in the past when it came to men was wrong. Jacob was a good man but you were so unhappy with him. Not just him but your life together with him as a whole. With Steve, he made you feel alive and all the good memories you did have with him gave you warm feelings you clung to desperately when you cried yourself to sleep. 

He asked you to trust him but your history with him told you that you couldn’t. You were so terrified of getting your heart broken again that you were perfectly willing to spend the rest of your life being numb to everything else around you including love. 

Steve said if you were honest he wouldn’t tell your boyfriend the truth but could you admit the truth yourself?

“I do…very much…”

Blinking, he sighed as he nodded before tapping your phone again with his thumb. 

“Hey Jacob. Sorry about that. Yeah she did forget her phone.” You exhale a heavy sigh of relief as your eyes flutter closed. “Her mind tends to skip after she’s done fucking me.”

Tears fell down your cheek as your bottom lip began to tremble.

“Excuse me? I, uh, I don’t understand.”

“I see. Let me make it clearer for you here. About a month ago, Y/N came to my office begging me to fuck her like the whore she is. I don’t know how she is with you, Jake, but this little girl is a wild one. I just got done spanking her and her pussy was just dripping all over my lap. That’s ok though. She knows her Daddy doesn’t mind it a little bit messy. Right, baby girl?”

As he held the phone to your mouth, the silence on the other end killed you. 

“Y/N…are you there?”

“Yes.”

“Is what he’s saying true?”

“…Yes…”, you murmur as your voice cracks. “I’m so sorry.”

“Do…do you have feelings for him?”

Your eyes finally open as you glare up at Steve with fire illuminating behind them. 

“No. I fucking hate him.”

The silence is deafening until Jacob releases a long-winded sigh. 

“Liar. Jesus Christ, Y/N.”

“Yeah she does that but the truth of the matter is I love her, Jake. I fucked up a long time ago and let her slip away but I’m ready to make that up to her if she’ll let me. She’ll never have to want for anything ever again. I can lavish her in gifts and vacations I know she deserves after everything she’s been through. I can make love to her or fuck her like a slut if that’s what she wants or we can just lay there and I can hold her till she falls asleep. She looks so fucking beautiful in the morning and I wouldn’t mind waking up to her gorgeous face every day.”

“And I know our relationship was unhealthy when we were in high school. A lot of that was because of me being an idiot and taking her for granted. I was a stupid kid and I know sometimes the old Harrington comes out but I assure you, Jacob, I will do whatever I can to be the best man I can be for her because I know she deserves that to. More than anything she deserves to be happy.”

Steve’s eyes never left yours as he spoke while you tried to control the tears that kept falling. 

“Are you not happy, Y/N?”

“No.”

With that your phone disconnected and you ran out the front door without it.

##########

Steve sat at his desk with his head leaning against his palm as his thumb ran along your phone screen. He hadn’t heard from you in a couple of days and your boyfriend had called in that Monday morning telling his superior he was sick. Your device had been vibrating constantly with missed calls mostly from Jacob so he assumed you weren’t at your house.

What worried him were the text messages from your parents asking where you were and if you were safe. He desperately wanted to reply back to ease their minds but he didn’t know your password. 

Staring at the picture of you and Jacob smiling on your lock screen, he thought hard about what it could be or where you would go to hide. Huffing, he threw on his jacket and rode the elevator down to the parking garage so he could head home. While he was thinking of other possible methods of getting into your device, the doors opened and he was promptly met with a fist to his face. 

“OW! Jesus fucking Christ!”

“Where is she?!”, Jacob yells before hitting Steve again. 

“I have no idea! Would you stop fucking hitting me!”

“I should be doing worse after what you two did! Now where is she?!”

Holding up his hands in surrender, Steve leans against the wall as he finds his bearings.

“Look, I seriously have no clue where she is. If I did I would tell you but she left my house after that phone call and I haven’t seen her since. She left her phone here with me.”

Your boyfriend snatches it out of his hand, types something in, and scrolls through it searching for clues. 

“Wait, you know her password?”

“Of course I do. I’m her fucking boyfriend.”, he scoffs. “It’s always her parent’s anniversary. October 15, 2016.”

“That’s not their anniversary.”, Steve sighs as he rubs his eyes in frustration. “Did you really think her parents have only been married for 7 years? They’ve been together for over 30.”

“I-I-I didn’t think about it. I mean I trusted her… FUCK! What IS that date than?!”

Standing up straighter, the man prepares for another punch. 

“That’s the date her and I got together. Not together, together. Technically we were never a couple but…”

“What the fuck were you then?”

“I, personally, was a dumbass. I took her for granted constantly… broke her heart.”

“Hm. No wonder she flocked to you. She always wanted me to hurt her and I never understood it.”

“You still don’t.” Jacob turned on him angrily and Steve held up his hands again as he quickly tried to explain. “She doesn’t want you to hurt her exactly; she wants to be controlled and feel safe. When I met her she was a straight A student, worried about everything including her future. Her mind was always 10 steps ahead of her heart and it scared her. When we were together, she was able to let go and clear her head because she knew I was in control. She knew I would take care of her; in bed anyway. I was never really good at taking care of her emotionally like she wanted.”

Your boyfriend nodded as he absorbed what the man in front of him was saying.

“What about the punishments and ‘put me in my place’?”

“She’s kinky, Jake. Nothing wrong with that.”, Steve chuckles. “Speaking for myself, it makes me feel…alive. There’s a certain passion behind a relationship like that. She’s the only one I ever trusted truly being that way with but…I also knew at the time that I could take advantage of her kindness anyway I saw fit. That’s the problem and what she tried so hard to find in other partners after she left. A healthy version of a dominate man…truth is a lot of men don’t know how to do that. They think it’s all force and telling their partners what to do or how to be.”

“I never wanted to do that with her. I always liked who Y/N was from head to toe. I was just afraid to let myself go like that which is even more selfish than anything I ever did to her because even now I’m asking her to do that yet I could never do that for her. Jesus, I’m an asshole.”

“Yeah you are.”, Jacob sighs as he tosses Steve your phone. “There’s a Facebook message in there she sent to her mom saying she was safe and driving back to Hawkins. Good luck, Mr. Harrington.”

***

You exhaled heavily from your place on the bleachers in the Hawkins High Gymnasium. This is where your life changed. You always saw yourself as a good little girl who was meant to graduate with honors and go off to some fancy school. After you got your degree and started your career, you would meet the man of your dreams, have a beautiful big church wedding, and pop out a few kids. 

There was always something about Steve Harrington that intrigued you. He was always so cocky with everyone, constantly putting on a show for his peers but when he was alone or practicing he seemed so sad. After watching his dad berate him, you saw that same look and it broke your heart. So much so that you found the courage to comfort him that night after the game. 

As you laid there half naked on the bleachers, you expected him to leave and you would never hear from again but he surprised you when he lifted you up in his strong arms and carried you to the boy’s locker room. 

Silently, he placed you on the bench and turned on the shower making sure it was warm enough before coming back to get you. Reaching for your hand, he tried to pull you to your feet but you didn’t budge. A long sigh left his chest and your eyes squeezed tightly shut feeling like you were annoying him before he gradually sunk down on his heels and tilted his head to get a better look at your face. 

“Hey. Look at me.” When you finally did, you half expected to be met with a frustrated jock but instead found a soft smile. “There she is…such a pretty girl. Are you ok? Feeling a little small?”

When you nod, his fingers come up to brush some of your hair behind your ear. 

“That’s ok. That’s absolutely alright. Is it ok with you if we take a shower so I can clean you? Or if you don’t want me to stay, I can give you some space and wait in the gym so I can walk you to your car.”

Steve’s beautiful eyes watched as you rose to your feet and he guided you to the stalls, placing you under the warm water. 

“Do you want to be alone? Oh shit!”, he exclaimed when you practically tackled your arms around him, resting your cheek on his chest. His own limbs slowly descended around you as he placed his chin on your head. “It’s ok, baby girl. Daddy’s got you.”

After that moment, every time you thought about your future it had Steve by your side. You saw him cheering you on when you graduated and getting excited with you when you published your first book. You imagined his arms around you during your first dance at your wedding or him playing with your children while you had another bun in the oven. Every time you thought that future was close, he dashed them away by fucking other girls and making you feel like trash. 

The truth was you still envisioned that future. Every time you tried to picture your new significant others, Steve’s face took over. With Jacob, you could imagine yourself marrying him and having kids with him but you could also see yourself miserable and full of resentment. Jacob didn’t deserve that. 

“Of all the gin joints in all the world…”

You jumped at the sound of his soothing voice as your glassy eyes met Steve’s before quickly wiping away the tears that had fallen. His expensive shoes squeaked against the floor as he moved closer to you and took a seat on the same row you were on a few feet away. 

“I tried getting into your phone to see where you may be but I couldn’t figure out the password. I started getting worried because your parents were looking for you and I know how close you are to them. You’d never want them to panic.” Glancing at the court in front of him, he leans back on his elbows against the row behind him. 

“Your boyfriend came looking for you…gave me a good hit or two before telling me that you were headed back to Hawkins. I kept thinking, if I was Y/N, where would I go? I figured it might be the school but I didn’t know where. I’ve been walking around for 20 minutes.”, he laughs as he turns his head to face you. 

Your eyes were down cast as you stared at the floor. 

“What are you thinking, honey?”

“Don’t.”, you whisper as you finally look his way. “Don’t sit there pretending like you fucking care about me or my wellbeing. You ruined everything, Steve Harrington. Everything. I wish I had never fucking met you or tried to make you feel better after your dad cussed you out. I hate you.”

He nods as he listens to you speak, trying to hide the fact that your words and pain hurt him.

“Y/N, were you seriously just going to skate by pretending to be happy?”

“That doesn’t give you the right to do what you did!”

“And YOU have no right to waste Jacob’s time! Wouldn’t you want him to be with someone who actually loves him instead of pretending?”

Scoffing, you get to your feet and head towards the door but he quickly cuts you off, blocking you with his body. 

“Am I wrong?”

“No, but you should have let ME tell him!”

“You’ve had how long to do that?”

“Get the fuck out of my way, Harrington!”

“Or what, little girl, huh? What are you going to do?” As you raise your arm to slap his face, his hand promptly grabs your wrist spinning you around and holding you against his chest. “See this is what I was talking about. MY Y/N was always strong, confident, and sarcastic. She was submissive in the bedroom but in life she was a force to be reconned with. You, young lady, have transformed into this subservient ‘yes’ girl, perfectly content with taking the hits instead of fighting back.”

“That’s because I found someone who actually cares about me and loves me!”

“Does he love you or the idea of you? Because trust me baby, I know you and the woman I’ve seen this past month isn’t who you are.”

“Like you fucking know!”, you shouted as you pushed him and he let you go to face him. “You broke me, Steven! There were so many things I wanted to do! For a while you dragged me along and I kept dreaming of doing those things with you but you were too scared and pathetic! Treating me like garbage to bring me down so I’d stop BEGGING you to just claim me. That feeling NEVER LEFT, STEVE! That empty feeling of life…without you…Of needing you and having other men…”, you started to sob, silencing yourself as you tried to walk the other way. 

Again, he ran around to stop you, gripping your biceps to keep you in place. 

“Having other men what, baby girl? Tell me. Tell Daddy what happened.” You rolled your eyes as you tried to turn away from him but his grip only tightened. “No. No, Y/N. You need to feel it, honey. Tell me. Go there if you need to, I promise, I’ll be right here.”

You understood what he was saying and oddly enough you did believe him. That was one thing that Steve never faltered with. In the Daddy headspace whether it be sexual or just taking care of you in general, he was really good at making you feel like you were protected. Like he had all the answers and you could trust him. 

Right now, in this moment, you were so fragile and you felt the little girl trying to burst down the preverbal door, wanting to run into his arms. Hanging your head, you decided to take the leap and let go.

“Every man I met after you was rough. They screamed at me and called me names, telling me I was worthless. But then I would scream right back and would fight till we were having violent angry make up sex. They genuinely treated me like a whore.”, you cried. “A couple of them would leave me after they fucked me and not even bother with after care. I would sit in a bathtub alone…sobbing because…because I wanted you.”

“Baby…”, Steve cooed as his palms cupped your cheeks.

“My last boyfriend before Jacob was the worst. He always spoke to me with so much distain. We fought constantly physically and sexually. The last night we were together, he told me to call him Daddy. I told him no but he kept whining and commanding I say it. I told him no again and used the safe word but he didn’t stop… so I kicked him in the balls and left that night.”

“Who is this guy? Fuck it, who are all the guys? Because I’m going to fucking ruin their lives for hurting my baby girl.”, he growled making you laugh breathily as your own hands reached for his face. 

“I thought Jacob was enough. Being with a man like him was much better than all that. He was always gentle, always kind, always…passive. He IS a good man who deserves the world. He’s just not a good man for me. Steve, I love him, I really do…just not as much as I love you.”

Just like he had back then, he lifted you into his arms and you immediately circled your own arms and legs around him as he carried you out the door to his car.

***

“Who the fuck is that at this hour?!”, a man snarled as Steve closed the front door behind you. 

“It’s just me, dad. Continue fucking your secretary or whatever you were doing.”

Taking your hand, he heads for the stairs but wasn’t fast enough as his father rounded the corner. 

“Steven, the fuck? You’re supposed to be in Indianapolis—oh.”, he pauses when he sees you. 

“I know, Dad, but I had something important I needed to take care of first. Honestly, I didn’t expect you to be here. I thought you and mom were going on vacation.”

“I had to make sure everything is ready in New York before I trust you to fly up there and take over.” Rolling his eyes, Steve continues to try to lead you upstairs but once again his father stops him. “Steven, you know how I feel about you showing off to the…girls…you meet in bars.”

His father said “girls” but even you knew he meant something way more derogatory.

“You mean that thing I’ve never done? Yeah, dad, you caught me. I flew all the way down here to show some random woman YOUR house so I look good. Y/N isn’t just some girl and she’s been here many times before but I would imagine you don’t remember since you were never here during my high school years.”

“Get rid of the attitude, son.”, his dad growled.

“Or what? You’re going to ground me? Take away the company? Oh, maybe strip me of my inheritance?”, Steve responded in equal measure. “I don’t fucking care. All that matters to me right now is the girl I love is cold and hurting so I’m going to head upstairs and take care of her. Do whatever the fuck you want.”

Not waiting for a response, he lightly tugged you signaling for you to follow and guiding you towards his bathroom. After preparing you a bath, he helped you in before disappearing and returning with some towels and clothes for you to change into. Rolling up his sleeves, he sat on the floor opposite you so he could see your face even though his eyes remained downcast until you finally decided to speak. 

“I always hated the way he talked to you. When I would wake up in the morning in your bed sometimes you wouldn’t be there and I could hear him scolding you about stupid shit. I think one morning he was screaming about the way you made eggs.”, you softly laughed as he smiled. “I was just happy you even thought to make me anything.”

As he continued to stare forward, you reached out to touch a small bruise that was forming on the side of his face causing him to flinch and gently catch your hand. 

“Did I do that?”

“Uh, no. Jacob did. Blindsided me as I was heading to my car. Man doesn’t hit hard but…”, he chuckled. 

“Steve? What are you thinking about?”

Sighing, his eyes finally meet your own. 

“I’m thinking… about everything you went through…with your exes especially that last one. Y/N, honey…no. I shouldn’t say anything.”

“Talk to me, Daddy.”

“You know how I can be. Seeing you with Jacob sprung some jealousy in me but…” He heavily exhales as his beautiful brown eyes darken and his jaw tightens as he tilts his head staring into that void again in front of him. 

“Those men hurt you. You told him to stop and said the word yet he still tried to…” As his chest begins to rise and fall, you reach for his hand in an attempt to calm him. “It’s not just because you’re mine, you know. I want to fucking kill them for what they did but you never would have been in that position if I hadn’t of pushed you to leave. Y/N, I really am sorry. I do genuinely want to do better and be better man for you.”

Steve’s head hangs slightly as he continues. 

“We don’t have to start right away if you don’t trust me. I can go to New York and I can call you every night so we can talk about things. Or, maybe, you can still come with me but we can just hang out as friends and get to know each other again. Whatever you want, sweetheart. Even if you want me to just fuck off, I can do that to.”

“I’m ready to get out now.”, you whisper.

Nodding, he rises to his feet without saying a word and helps you out of the tub, drying you off before lifting you in his arms again and placing you on his bed. Kneeling beside you, you studied his face as he focused on his tasks. He still seemed so angry but you knew it wasn’t at you. 

The little girl inside of you started taking over again as your palm tenderly caressed his cheek till your thumb grazed his lips. Steve’s movements stilled as you touched him, his eyes closing as he sighed and placed his head in your lap. 

“I don’t want you to be sad, Daddy.”

His own warm hands lightly ran along the back of your calves as he softly turned so his lips could kiss your knee.

“I’m not sad, honey. I just hate knowing you went through so much pain and Daddy wasn’t there to protect you.”

Tilting your body, your forehead rested on his as his slightly heavy breathing fanned the skin on your face. 

“Will you protect me now?”

“Of course.”

A soft sigh escaped your chest as he trailed tender kisses along your body, opening your legs wider, and putting your pussy on display for him as his face made its way to the place you wanted him most. 

“Please…”

Steve didn’t hesitate as his tongue licked a long, slow path through you folds. Falling backwards onto his mattress, he devoured you, sucking and flicking your clit as your fingers tangled into his hair. 

“Fuck, baby. I’ll never get over how good you taste. So fucking sweet, just like you, pretty girl.”

Two of his fingers guide almost effortlessly into your core and your eyes roll shut as you grind your hips against his movements. 

“Good girl, honey. Daddy’s right here. Daddy’s got you. Cum for me, sweetheart.”

His tongue moves faster as his digits match his pace and your body trembles as the coil in your tummy snaps. You continue to twitch and moan as his tongue cleans you.

Rising to his feet, you watch with needy, glassy eyes as slowly removes his suit and tosses it to the floor. Your head falls against his lower belly causing him to let out a sexy groan as your own breathy moans hit his cock.

“N-No, baby. You don’t have to do that tonight. Daddy’s taking care of you.”

Taking him in one of your hands, you casually pump him as your own tongue darts out to lick his tip making him mewl as he licks his lips.

“But I like having your cock in my mouth. I love tasting you and feeling you in my throat.”

Practically growling at your words, his hands thread through your hair as you envelope him into your mouth and take him as far back as you can before repeating the process. 

“Shit. No one ever took my dick as well as you do, baby girl. G-Go ahead. Take what’s yours. It’s all yours, Y/N. I swear.” 

Finding a steady rhythm with your head, your palms roamed his legs, your nails dragging along his thighs as he grunted and whimpered at the feeling. Lifting your hair into a makeshift ponytail, Steve holds you firmly as he subtly thrusts his hips causing you to gag around him. 

“Good girl. Th-that’s my good girl. You look so beautiful like this. Come here, sweetheart.”

Lifting you under your arms, he places your head on his pillows as he takes hold of your legs and pushes them back, practically folding you in half with your pussy before him. Steve groans as his tongue tastes you again and he tilts back to spit into your cunt. 

“So fucking beautiful.”, he murmurs as he lines himself up with your entrance and gradually pushes himself into you.

“Oh my God.”

Closing your eyes, your head completely falls back as you allow him to take over. His thrusts are slow at first as his thumb circles your clit driving you crazy. 

“Please… move.”

“I am moving.”, he breathily chuckles, biting his lip to suppress the moan. “I’m sorry, baby. I just—fuck—I just like feeling you cling to me.”

“Daddy!”, you whine. 

Steve crawls up your body and leans down till his nose is just above your own.

“Look at me, Y/N.”, he commands in a firm tone that makes you listen. When your eyes lock with his they are just as lust blown as your own as he tries to maintain control. “Who knows how to take care of you?”

“You do, Daddy.”

“And who know what you need?”

“Y-You do. Please, Daddy. Harder.”

As the tip of his nose runs along yours, Steve thrusts his hips hard hitting just the right spot with incredibly accuracy and force that your arms promptly cling to him to keep you grounded. 

“Like that, baby girl? See?”, he coos as he continues slowly slamming into you at just the right angle. “Daddy knows. I know exactly what you needed. You know how I know?” His chest falls against you and you whimper loudly when his breath warms your ear. “Because I need it to, honey.”

Steve’s pace quickened but his intensity remained the same as you wrapped your limbs around him trying to pull him as close to your body as you could. 

“I need to feel your tight little pussy gripping me when I hit that spot that makes you—God damn it—that makes you fall apart. I need to hear those pretty moans and feel them against my skin.”

“Steve…”

Hearing you moan his name hit a feral button inside of him as he pumped into with purpose while the bed began to wiggle underneath you. 

“Fuck, Y/N. Cum, baby.”

Your body shuddered as the coil in your belly aggressively snapped and you screamed his name as your fingers dug into his shoulders. Steve soon followed, his grunts filling your ear as his rhythm faltered and you felt his release warm your insides. 

You both continued to pant as he slowly thrust his hips making sure all of his spend filled you up as you came down from your high. 

After tenderly kissing your forehead, he carefully pulled out of you and hurriedly disappeared out his bedroom. When you heard his father’s agitated tone, you hastily grabbed his button up shirt and covered yourself with it just as Steve came back with some items in his hands. 

“Everything’s ok, honey. My dad’s still here apparently. He told me he and my mom were going to the Bahamas this weekend. If I had known he was going to be here, I would have taken you to a hotel or back to your mom’s house.”, he sighs as he jumps back into bed and hands you a bottle of water.

“What did he say when you went downstairs?”

“He gave me shit again about bringing a girl to his house, saying that he could hear you moaning and screaming. I just shrugged and asked him if he was jealous.”

Unable to control it, you laughed so hard you spit the water you had been drinking back into the bottle making Steve laugh at the sight. As the two of you calmed down, he reached over and gently wiped away some of the liquid that had fallen down your chin. 

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen or heard you laugh like that; even before you left. Those last few months…I didn’t make things easy.”

“No, you didn’t.” He nods as he averts his eyes in shame. “When are you leaving for New York?”

“Oh, um, unless he changes it, the middle of next week. That way I can meet the team up there and get up to speed before everything kicks into gear that following Monday.” When he sneaks a glance your way, he notices you smirking at him. “What?”

“It’s nice hearing you talk like this. You never really got into anything in school. I mean, yeah, you did sports but you always talked about it like it was chore. Near the end of senior year, you had no idea what you wanted to do or be but it seems like you were meant for this.”

“It’s nice hearing someone say that. I worked hard to get here and even now my dad doesn’t appreciate it.” Taking the bottle from your hand, he quickly cleaned you and threw on a pair of boxers before crawling under the covers and bringing you to his side so he could play with your hair while your palm ran along his upper body.

“Steve?” He answered you with a gravelly hm. “I’ll come with you.”

His hand freezes for a moment before his fingers softly but firmly tugs on your hair, tilting your eyes to meet his. 

“Are you sure?” Steve chuckles under his breath when you nod, trying to hide how excited he genuinely is. “Ok, ok, um, I can rent you an apartment until you feel like you’re ready to take things—”

Placing two fingers on his lips, you interrupt him as you push up on your elbow to look down at him. 

“I have money, Steve. I can rent my own apartment and take care of myself—”

“Ok, whatever makes you comfortable, hon—”

“Would you let me finish!”, you giggle. “I was going to say that I can take care of myself…but I’m going to let go and trust that you can and will take care of me. Not just financially. I know you can do that but it’s taking a lot for me to trust you with everything else. I’d…I’d like to move in with you if that’s ok.”

“Of course, Y/N.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage or anything. I just—”

“No, hey, no Y/N. I don’t think that at all. I know you can handle yourself. It’s one of the many things I love about you. I promise, baby girl. You’re safe with me now.”

Caressing his cheek with your hand, you guide his lip to yours.

“I love you to.”

###############

6 Months Later

“Uh, Mr. Harrington. There’s an angry young lady down here asking for you.”

Steve chuckles through his teeth as he presses the intercom button to respond. 

“Is it an exceptionally beautiful young lady who most likely just rolled her eyes when I said that?”

“Yes, sir, it is. Should I send her up?”

After he approves, he throws the manila folders he had been sorting through haphazardly onto his desk as he sighed and ran his fingers frustratingly through his hair. 

“Steven Harrington!”

“Y/N Y/L/N.”

As his hands fall from his face, you round the corner of his desk and place yourself in his lap, wrapping his arms around you as you lean back against his chest. 

“Baby, it’s after 9 on a Friday.”

“I know but…come on. It’s the city that never sleeps!” 

Leaning your forehead into the nook between his neck and shoulder, he holds you tighter to him as he lets out a long sigh. 

“You’re over working yourself again, Daddy.”, you murmur. 

“I know. This is just a big deal and if I can expand my father’s company—”

“Your company. He gave it to you. You need to let go of his old ideals. There’s a reason he was only ever stationed in Hawkins.”

Steve grins softly down at you as he swivels his chair around to face the massive window he has overlooking the city in his top floor office.

“How did things go with your publisher today?”

“Not too bad. The launch date has been moved for the summer so we’ll see how that goes.” Nodding, he gently kissed your shoulder, along your neck, and up to your ear. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

“Yeah, baby girl? What have you been thinking?”

“I was just thinking about how much I miss you, Daddy. I even thought about being a bad girl to get your attention.”

“Hm? You need Daddy to make sure you don’t slip?”

You beam up at him as you nod your head, his equally sexy smile radiating you. 

“I can do that, honey. Come on. Let’s go home.”

You patiently wait as he sorts through some things before grabbing his jacket and taking your hand as you both head for the elevator. It had been so long since you felt this happy. Steve had come such a long way and true to his word did the work to be a better man for you. Even better, you both figured out how to utilize what you wanted sexually in the bedroom without resorting to toxic methods. 

For so long, you though something was wrong with you for wanting to be dominated but the truth was you had no idea how to vocalize what you needed let alone a man to work with you on enacting those needs. There were still times of course when you and Steve would genuinely fight and some of his old patterns would leak through triggering you to react how you used to but instead of ignoring each other for days on end or one of you leaving to do something you shouldn’t, you would talk it through before following it with that hot, passionate make up sex you both enjoyed. 

“Have you eaten yet?” Steve sighs in playful annoyance when you tell him no. “I don’t think the spankings are getting through, little one.”

“Yeah but it doesn’t hurt to keep trying.”, you tease, sticking out your tongue as he tries to control his smile.

“Alright, new plan. Let’s swing by that restaurant you love, pick up some food to bring home, and then after we can play.”

As you circle your arms around his waist, he grins down at you as he kisses the top of your head. 

“I love you, Steve Harrington.”

“I love you to, Y/N Y/L/N.”, he responded with zero hesitation making you giddy with happiness as you both stepped off the elevator.

###############

@daysinthephoenix @sophiejayne-illustrations713 @livosssblog @lofaewrites @xxbookdrunkdemigodxx @micheledawn1975 @samajoe @diffrent-spokes

[desceros]

Please spare us some more papatello headcannons 🥹🥹🥹 (I bet Donnie is the type to show off his baby mommy)

yessss an excuse to think about papatello tysm anon-chan!!!!

as per usual this got long so i'm sticking it under a cut bc i am OUT. OF. CONTROL.

thinkin about the first day of school. you'd insisted that lavi attends bc it's good for her socialization ("why would she need to talk to other people? i never went to school!" "yeah, hon, and look how you turned out." "perfectly capable of normal conversation!!" "...you asked me to marry you via text." "well sue me for wanting to be sure i got it right when just the thought of it made me flustered!" <- then you're both embarrassed), but donnie's not too thrilled. the whole morning he's sulking, pouting behind your shoulder as you take all the cute photos of her first outfit, writing a 5k word essay to put in her lunchbox saying how much he loves her ("don. donnie. love of my life. she's four. she can barely read go dogs go." "best she practice, then."). it's actually the worst... up until you come up behind him, wrapping your arms around his neck and reminding him that hey. hey. the four year old isn't here. wink. wink wink. (...donnie very quickly begins to espouse the value of a formal education.)

hm. executive decision that lavi has a sweet tooth. she's particularly fond of fruits, and she likes to come up to donnie while he's working and hand him an orange so he can peel it for her. without fail, he stops what he's doing and helps, taking one slice and calling it a 'papa tax'. then, one day, she comes to you and asks if you'll show her how to peel it. you're thinking hm. showing some independence, that's probably a good thing, so you do. only to have to bite your fist when you watch as she goes into the lab and crawls into donnie's lap, peeling an orange, and then handing him half. (he ugly cries a lot that night when he tells you about it.)

once mikey's hair starts coming in, i suspect she'd like playing with it. she'd rope him into having spa nights where the three of you do all kinds of self-care stuff like facials, hair masks, that kind of thing. donnie plays it up like he's super jealous, but you see the way he burrows his face into lavi's hair for their nighttime hug and smiles when it's nice and soft, and then when he comes to you and threads his fingers through your hair, murmuring a compliment at its texture into your nape.

during your pregnancy, he's a nervous wreck. the whole pregnant with a turtle mutant situation is already a lot on his nerves, but then on top of that, you don't call out of work. ("i'm pregnant, don. pregnant people work all the time. it's normal." "i'd argue that being pregnant with a turtle mutant is quite far out of the bounds of normal.") i think... the first real, actually nasty fight you ever have with him might be then. maybe the only one, but it'd be explosive. him concerned that you'll be somewhere, pregnant with what some would call a monster, having been bred by a monster, and if something happens, he'll be in his lab working, helpless, away. you don't take kindly at all to him calling your child (nor himself) a monster, even out of the mouths of hypothetical strawmen, and that plus the way he's catastrophizing every little thing strains your relationship to its snapping point. i think maybe for a solid month or so, it's. it's a real test of how much you love him, and how much he trusts you.

i dunno if i've already WOG'd this but if i did, i'm changing it and this is the official WOG statement that lavi's first word is 'papa' and donnie is FOREVER smug about it (even though, joke's on him, you find it absolutely adorable and are zero percent mad about it)

oh. lavi loves pineapple on pizza. the first time she tries it and it becomes her favorite, you laugh at donnie's face for like, ten years. sometimes you'll just be in the bathroom, brushing your teeth to get ready for bed, and he'll hear you start giggling where he's lying down reading and waiting for you to come in, and he just. grits his teeth bc he knows what's got you going.

there's a baby shark-esque song in universe that has a turtle instead of a shark on one episode of mrs. cuddles, and lavi fucking loves it. it's the worst ear worm in the entire world, and the entire lair quickly lays a ban on ever reminding her it exists. this is ultimately a failure, partially bc she is her father's child and thus the most stubborn creature ever to exist, but also bc leo actually enjoys it and ends up humming it under his breath while he's walking around. raph gets a little twitchy whenever he hears it, but he's the second-most vulnerable to lavi's charms (the first, of course, being donnie) so whenever she asks, on it goes, with him stiff as a board as she sits on his shell and claps her hands in delight.

[dexthtoyounglings]

You thought I would request Dewdrop again, yea? For once- WRONG!

I'd like to request a Mountain x reader (fluff or smut, whatever you are most comfortable with) where the reader is watching Mountain practice drumming and notices Mountain getting frustrated because he keeps messing a certain part up in a song and decides to help calm him down

Mountain mountain mountain mountain-

•--•

Darling, Kiss Your Stress Away

Mountain x Reader Fluff

Summary: Mountain can't seem to get anything right, except of course loving you.

Warnings: nothing woop woop

GIF NOT MINE!!

•--•

This was a routine you had with the ghouls. Maybe you were given special privileges due to your relationship with one of them or the fact that they all seemed to calm down when you came into the practice room with snacks and refreshers, but whatever it was, Papa never scolded you.

Your relationship with Mountain had been a secret at first - a secret by accident. It started off with seeing each other during breaks that you shared. And whatever time off you got started to become filled with each other. Soon, nights were spent in your room and breaks were spent doing activities together.

Mountain didn't understand being open about getting into a new relationship, so when he was introduced to the fact that people actually talked about their significant other, he only told one person. Rain.

When you had told all your friends, always gushing about the tall ghoul, he lounged in the ghouls dens telling Rain about you and the way your eyes shined and how your hair was so soft. He figured he could keep between him and Rain, scared the other ghouls would pull you in half to all meet what Mountain had secured.

But sure enough, Swiss' hearing picked up the single word beautiful and he burst into the room with a large, dorky smile behind his leather mask.

You imagined Mountain's face falling as he realized what had happened. And the snowball affect started.

First it hit Aether, then Aether told Dewdrop while Swiss proceeded to tell the Ghoulettes, everything falling and falling and falling till Mountain always had questions being thrown at him by the other ghouls.

What's her name? Where did you meet her? Does she play an instrument? Do you think she's the one? When will we meet her?

And the last one couldn't have been asked so conveniently.

The next day had rolled around, everyone was so giggly whenever they were around the earth ghoul, winks and nods all insinuating that they hadn't forgot about Mountain's girlfriend.

And then it happened. The pop-in that led to breaks for the ghouls every practice day. And you remember it like it was yesterday.

You opened the door with your foot, peeking inside. You had expected to only see your lover, practice days having already been scheduled for the month, ghouls able to claim spots to practice alone when they felt. You had saw it was a solo practice date, Mountain mentioning he was playing in the main room like he always did.

You held a travel-mug of tea, steaming from the small mouth-opening and a bagged bagel you had made in the other hand. Though looking up, your face and stomach dropped simultaneously.

Every ghoul in the room snapped their heads in your direction, including Mountain who immediately rushed over to you, but he wasn't the first to speak.

"Is that her?" Sunshine asked.

You saw Mountain cringe, explaining the changes on the calendar and trying to rush you out before his bandmates bombarded you. But it was too late. As per the ghoulette's request, Aether invited you in and they all excited over you.

And since then, you visited everyday, watching Mountain or bringing them all lunch. You always loved seeing them and how they got excited when you opened the door, but your favorite days were when it was only Mountain practicing.

You opened the door today with your left hand, top of the bagged sandwich clutched between your teeth as you walked inside of the practice room. Mountain's scent was strong in here, the walls bouncing around the smell of pine wood and the earthy scent of soil.

He growled lowly, not something usual for him. Though you knew he would never growl at your presence. Glancing at the way he was standing straighter than usual, his head tilted to the side as fangs poked from his lips.

You dropped the bag from your mouth and into your hand, watching for a few more moments. And in those moments, you watched his head shake with every note that became a dead memory.

"Mountain?" you asked, standing at the doorway and shifting uncomfortably. The cold water-bottle you held for him stung you. Your earth ghoul turned his head, catching your soft gaze on him.

He gathered his drumsticks in his right hand and stood up, making his way to you. You looked down, seeing his cozy black socks, and you smiled up at him. His first move was more different than it had ever been.

Usually Mountain resorted to playing out the song he was practicing or kissed you atop of your head and caressed your hand before letting you sit beside him while he played away on the drums.

So it hit you that something is wrong when you felt him hug you, have you melt into his arms like he needed you to breathe. You loved Mountain's hugs, they made you feel his emotions, his thoughts, what was happening in his heart at that moment. And this one told you the frustration in him.

"Mountain, baby," you squeezed your arms tightly around his waist. He gave an mmp at the tight hold, but refused to let up. Like glass shattering, his heavy scent lingered in the air, surrounding you with him, "What's wrong?"

You almost believed he had fallen asleep resting against you, but he let out a loud sigh, fingers curling around the fabric of your top and playing with it between two fingers, "I can't get any of the notes right. Just- every time I slip up."

You kissed his clothes chest, pulling your head back to kiss his neck. His face rested in the crook of your own, nose pressed against you. He shivered at the kiss, lifting his head to return the affection.

His face leaned into yours, tilted as he allowed his lips to press against your own. The way his molded around yours, lighting sparklers through your body and your bones, locking like they were meant to touch and love the other one. His mouth was meant to know yours, to know the mapping of your lips, every line and curve, everywhere he had nipped and everywhere you had chewed out of nervousness.

You felt his hands reach up to snake their way into your hair, your lips moving against each others as he leaned into you. He needed to be closer, and you would have liked that much more than anything in the world.

Click.

You pulled away from your tall lover, only noticing now that you were on your toes and he was hunched so far down. Your head whipped around to see Cumulus with a camera, pulling it from her eye to check the quality.

Mountain's body pressed against your own as his temper boiled more. And the air ghoulette must've felt it.

"Wrong- wrong room I guess-" she said with an exasperated laugh before backing away and shutting the door.

After a quiet moment, the Earth ghoul hummed, hand stroking your face to bring it back to look at his, "I don't think we were finished?"

You smiled. He talks a lot for a quiet guy.

•--•

Masterlist