#*pushes play on episode five again*

[respectthepetty]

Because I'm going to stay unwell about these fictional men:

Hagiwara, I swear if you leave for another job because you're heartbroken over Sei . . .

I think Sei's parents died on his birthday, so just give him a moment to realize that he has stayed with Fujisawa for so long because he is terrified of losing people. Give the boy a minute to trust that he won't lose someone he loves again.

DON'T GIVE UP, HAGIWARA!

[drabblesandsnippets]

The Bet

Hot Bucky Summer 2024 - Week 1

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Plus-size female character (unnamed)

Prompt: “Louder, let everyone hear you.” | [Screaming/Noisy Sex | Gangbang | Exhibiotionism] @buckybarnesevents

Summary: (7k) Bucky’s girlfriend thinks she can stay quiet during sex - Bucky’s more than happy to prove her wrong.

Warnings: 18+ Only. Fluff. Established relationship. Praise. Brief mention of insecurities. Dirty talk. Domination. Oral (f receiving). Fingering. Squirting. (Unprotected) PiV.

---------------------------

“Wait,” Bucky says, reaching for the remote yet again. “Why does she even care? I thought she hated him.”

Bucky and his girlfriend are cuddling on their king-sized bed, enjoying another quiet night at home - something their friends like to tease them about, but they’ll never change. Home is where all their favorite things are. 

The moment Bucky pauses the show - for what feels like the hundredth time since they started the episode - she buries her face against his chest, her groan slightly muffled by his shirt.

Bucky’s laughter gently shakes her body as he asks, “What? I’m trying to understand!”

She picks her head up to glare at him, only slightly frustrated, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. “You’d understand if we started from the beginning instead!”

She’s been trying to get him to watch her favorite show for months now, and when he randomly suggested they watch the latest episode tonight, she wasn’t going to argue.

She’s regretting that now.

For someone as intelligent as Bucky, he’s oblivious to the inner workings of TV drama.

Bucky blinks slowly at her response, his eyes wide like she just said they should’ve gone to Sam’s impromptu karaoke party. And then he lets out an incredulous laugh, quick to point out, “There are ten seasons of this show! By the time we get caught up, there will be at least five more.” 

Her mouth opens in surprise, and she pushes herself up, one hand on his stomach, her other hand moving to her chest like he’s just wounded her.

“First of all, there are six seasons.” Bucky playfully groans in response, the pout on her face telling him exactly where she’s going with this. “And even if there were ten seasons, you wouldn’t want to watch them with me?”

“Okay.” Bucky’s laughter reaches his eyes as he tosses the remote to the side - it’s clear he’s not going to be pressing play anytime soon.

He looks adoringly at his girlfriend as he sits up with her, his gaze never wavering. “Doll. Sweetheart. Love of my life. I’d enjoy watching paint dry with you.” 

Her smile almost breaks through, but she holds back, patiently waiting for him to continue. He’s either about to make too much sense, or he’s about to dig the hole deeper. 

After a soft, dramatic sigh, he gently tells her, “But, we haven’t even gotten through this episode, and it’s already been over an hour.”

The moment he says it, he has to hold back his laughter, her response exactly what he’s expecting.

Her mouth drops open again, and she laughs at the ridiculous notion that she’s to blame for their time-management issues.

With a quick shake of her head, and resisting the urge to poke him, she quickly points out, “You keep pausing to ask questions!” 

The moment the words are out of her mouth, Bucky seems almost too eager to remind her of several moments that had nothing to do with him. Sure, he’s partly to blame, but most of the interruptions had nothing to do with him.

Like during the first five minutes when she kept getting up because she forgot something. Or when she had to search a familiar looking actor.

“Or,” Bucky continues, his tone gentle, even though he’s clearly enjoying himself. “When you swore you’d heard that one song before-.” 

She cuts Bucky off before he can finish the last thought, shoving one of the pillows in his face, his hands quickly deflecting it.

“I get it!” she says, laughing with him as he pulls the pillow away from her before she can attempt to hit him with it again.

His slightly raised eyebrow tells her he’s waiting to see if she’s going to try to defend herself.

“Fine,” she relents, giving him another exaggerated pout that makes him grin. “I guess no marathons for us then.”

She glances at the TV where the episode is still paused before turning her attention back to Bucky, her own grin growing. “At least,” she starts, her eyebrow raising suggestively. “No marathons of the TV variety.”

Bucky laughs, a surge of arousal rushing over him at the mere suggestion, but has to shake his head, the disappointment clear on his face.

With a pointed look, he reminds her, “Sam’s down the hall.”

Sam materialized on their doorstep a couple of days ago to stake claim to their guestroom once again, this time while in the city for a friend’s birthday. 

There hadn’t been any objections at the time - and there aren’t any now, as far as Bucky’s concerned.

He really doesn’t care if Sam hears them having sex. It’s not like Bucky’s never overheard him before. But Bucky knows his girlfriend. If she thinks Sam might have heard her, it’ll take her weeks before she’ll be able to be in the same room as him without turning red. 

She’s not thinking about any of that, though.

It’s been a few days since there’s even been an opportunity for them to get lost in each other, and she doesn’t want to waste this one.

With a smile and a slight shrug, she simply says, “So? I can be quiet.” 

Bucky’s bark of laughter rings out, and she narrows her eyes at him. Before she can even think about it, he quickly grabs the pillow still sitting between them so she can’t throw it at him and instead flings it to the side, making her laugh. 

“What?” she asks, still feeling confident in her words. “I can be!”

“No,” Bucky says, trying to hold back his laughter as he shakes his head at her. The simple refusal of her statement makes her lips part in a surprised exhale, but before she can make an argument, he adds, “You are entirely incapable of being quiet, doll.”

He can’t help but lean just a bit closer to whisper, “Especially with me.” 

That feels like a challenge to her. And even though she knows Bucky is probably right, she can’t just give in. She’s just as stubborn as he is, and she knows exactly how to play this.

With a quick flick of her tongue to wet her lips, she leans towards him, their mouths almost close enough to touch, and asks, “Wanna bet?”

Her question has the desired effect, causing Bucky’s stomach to flutter with a rush of excitement. She’s a strong, confident, capable woman, and there’s almost nothing she can’t do, especially once she puts her mind to it.

But, there’s not a doubt in his mind that he’ll have her screaming by the end of the night.

Bucky’s hand reaches out to brush a few strands of hair away from her face, his eyes glancing at her mouth as he starts to close the short distance.

Her hope to feel his lips on hers fades quickly, though, Bucky pausing to grin at her, needing to set the terms of their deal first. 

“When you lose, we’re finally getting that swing.” 

For the briefest of moments, she hesitates. The idea of a sex swing excites her, and it’s something they’ve been discussing for months - even going so far as to choose their favorite - but the intimidating feeling of being on display like that has never faded.

Bucky’s only ever made her feel beautiful, and sexy, and desirable, but that doesn’t mean he can completely erase decades' worth of insecurities. 

Bucky doesn’t rush her, not with something like this. He’ll give her all the time in the world to decide if this is a bet she’s willing to take. And if she decides she’s not ready, then he’ll accept that without hesitation, no matter how much he wants her to say yes. 

The anticipation is short lived though, because a smile spreads across her face and before she even says, “deal” he’s already hard, imagining how incredible she’ll look suspended and tied up for him, completely at his mercy.

There are so many possibilities, and the sooner he wins, the sooner he gets to make them all a reality.

Her lashes flutter when Bucky’s hand moves along her scalp, his fingers sliding through her hair to softly grip the strands. She allows him tilt her head back, putting her in the perfect position for him to finally kiss her, and she tries to remain patient. 

It doesn’t matter, though, because after just a soft brush of his lips against hers, he’s pulling away again, the grin on his face causing her to let out a frustrated sigh.

As much as Bucky wants to just jump right into this with her, the faint taste of her on his lips making his cock twitch, he’s taking this bet seriously. 

He meets her gaze, holding her head steady, and says, “We gotta set some ground rules first.”

She breathes heavily but doesn’t move, waiting for him to continue, wanting this just as much as he does.

“No covering your mouth,” he tells her, increasing the hold of her hair, making her gasp softly.

Bucky doesn’t miss the way her thighs tense with arousal, and he groans softly, pulling her closer so his lips brush across the corner of her mouth. “That includes no biting me.” 

She lets out a soft exhale of a laugh, but doesn’t object, no matter how much she enjoys sinking her teeth into him when he’s fucking her hard.

And considering this bet and what’s at stake here, there are no plans to go slow tonight. 

With a slight nod of her head, his fingers limiting her movement, she agrees, but she’s unable to stop herself from still being a bit of a brat. “Is that all?”

Bucky pulls back, narrowing his eyes at her, his breathing slowing down as he fights the urge to smile. He loves when she pushes back - it’s her way of telling him not to go easy on her. 

“No,” he answers her, his vibranium hand suddenly coming up to wrap around her throat.

The brief flash of surprise that crosses her face is quickly replaced by a look of pure desire, her trust in him radiating off of her. It encourages him to keep going, his need for her reaching new heights.

“You’re also not allowed to tell me to stop just because you can’t be quiet.”

Her body tingles with pleasure, just like it always does when he takes charge, and she has to bite back a moan as the ache between her thighs intensifies.

She’s playing with fire, but all it does is excite her, even as she briefly wonders if she has an ounce of a chance of winning this bet. 

The moment he asks if she agrees to the terms, she answers without hesitation, telling him, “Yes.”

With a cheeky grin, she adds, “And I look forward to winning.”

That’s all Bucky needs to hear and he pulls her against him, crashing his mouth against hers, his tongue immediately demanding entrance.

With his hand around her throat and his fingers gripping her hair, he keeps her in place so he can kiss her, leaving her breathless and desperate for more.

As much as Bucky enjoys taking his time with her, he’s on a mission tonight.

There’s a primal urge to claim her, to prove how quickly he can make her lose control. And there’s no doubt that he’s going to win this bet.

Within just a couple minutes, Bucky has her naked and writhing underneath him, her head resting on a pillow.

His lips follow a slow trail from her neck to her breasts, taking a moment to focus on her sensitive nipples, giving them both the attention they deserve, his ears trained on the soft noises of pleasure already leaving her. 

Her hands never leave his body, needing something to hold onto to keep her focus, her fingers gently tugging at his hair while her other hand grabs at his shoulder, pressing against the defined muscle.

She’s already having to force herself to take slow, deep breaths, the occasional shift of hips causing his hard cock to tease along her wetness, making her want to beg for more.

She remains as quiet as possible though, her eyes drifting closed as Bucky’s mouth travels lower, taking his time to place tender kisses all over her soft stomach, reminding her how much he loves every single inch of her.

He doesn’t even care that she’s not looking at him right now. He’s just grateful for the way she gives herself to him, trusting him to treat her like she deserves.

With one last glance up, Bucky eagerly settles between her thighs, the smell of her filling his nostrils, making his mouth water.

The soft groan that leaves him makes her hips twitch, and he pauses for a second to take her in, both hands coming up to keep her spread wide for him.

She’s already so wet, the sight of her swollen clit just begging to be licked, and he can’t wait to hear her come apart for him.

The first slow swipe of his tongue along her slit causes her body to tense, the sudden sensation making her breath hitch, almost making her forget all about the bet.

Bucky learned her body so quickly when they first became intimate, and now, the familiar swirl of his tongue around her clit immediately makes her back arch, a moan getting trapped in her throat.

He loves the taste of her, happy to spend as much time between her thighs as she lets him, and even though that’s not what tonight is about, he still takes a moment to appreciate the delicious meal she’s offering him.

He alternates between long licks, and fucking her with his tongue, grinding his soft beard against her pussy to get as deep as he can, as if starved for more of her. 

Despite Bucky’s own noises of pleasure getting louder, hers remain low, and it’s not long before the desire to hear her scream builds inside of him again.

Without warning, his mouth suddenly closes over her clit, his tongue resuming the perfect rhythm against the bundle of nerves and his hands grips her thighs, holding her in place.

She cuts off the harsh gasp that spills out of her, and her fingers tighten their grip on his hair as her hips move against his mouth, chasing her pleasure.

Despite half her focus on keeping her sounds under control, he’s still able to quickly bring her to the edge, and her other hand grips the bedsheet as the tension suddenly snaps.

As much as it turns Bucky on to watch her and feel her come for him, there’s something wrong about not hearing her as she loses control.

He refuses to pull away though, his mouth working her through her orgasm, his hands holding her, letting her ride out the waves. His own hips grinding against the mattress, his cock hard and heavy, aching for relief.

When she becomes too sensitive, he takes pity on her and quickly kisses back up her body, giving her a moment to catch her breath.

Her need for him is too overwhelming though, and within seconds, she meets him in a kiss, moaning at the taste of herself on his tongue. 

She doesn’t allow herself to get lost in the moment for too long, her body craving more, and she reaches between them, her fingers wrapping around his thick cock, ready to remind him that she still has a chance of winning this bet. 

Bucky welcomes her touch, his hips thrusting forward, groaning against her mouth.

She takes advantage of his pleasure-filled state, rubbing her thumb across the head of his cock, the tip slick with his arousal, and proudly states, “I told you I could be quiet.” 

The laugh he makes in return sends a shiver down her back, and she can barely quiet the soft squeak as he pulls her hand away, his fingers wrapped around her delicate wrist.

He’s always careful not to cause her any real discomfort, but the look he gives her still makes her freeze, wondering what she’s gotten herself into.

“Oh sweetheart,” Bucky chuckles, slowly pinning her hands over her head as he starts to grind his cock against her. “We’re barely getting started.”

Her body tenses in anticipation, expecting him to thrust inside of her, but he doesn’t change his pace, his eyes taking in how beautiful she looks, all desperate and needy, her skin flushed.

Even after all this time with him, she’s still not used to all the attention he gives her, and she’s grateful that he allows her to move with him.

Each shift of her hips makes her breath quicken just a bit more, the length of his cock sliding along her clit, and she’s pretty sure she could come just like this. 

The thought of it makes her body pulse with arousal, and she quickly nods her head, breathing quickly. “Please,” she whispers, her fingers flexing under his hold.

He grins down at her, tightening his grip slightly, keeping the same pace, watching her fight between completely giving in and trying to silence her noises.

Bucky wants the noises. He needs them. He needs to hear her whines and moans and cries as he brings her pleasure.

She’s clearly determined to win this, but so is he. And the moment he feels her almost reaching the edge, he suddenly stops, pulling his hips out of reach of her.

She has no idea how, but she manages to keep the whine of “no” down, her voice almost betraying her. Bucky’s soft laughter helps keep her focused, though, and she glares at him, breathing heavily.

Her mouth opens in protest, but before she can even think of how to react, his vibranium hand closes around her throat, pushing her down against the bed. 

“Oh god,” is all she can say, her voice trembling as she tries to mentally prepare herself for whatever Bucky has planned.

He knows her too well though, and the moment he moves, she almost loses the bet.

His right hand slides between her thighs, and in one smooth motion, he fills her with two fingers, curling them inside of her to press against her front wall.

She bites her lip hard enough to almost draw blood, but she’s able to dampen her cry of pleasure as she throws her head back, both hands now gripping the sheet. 

Bucky gives her no time to gather her composure before he starts moving, the heel of his hand rubbing hard against her clit while his fingers stroke over her g-spot.

She may not be speaking, but her body is talking, the sounds of her wetness filling the air. He growls his approval and leans over her, his metal fingers twitching against her throat.

“Listen to that,” he murmurs, watching her as he quickly works her towards another orgasm. “Your pussy’s talking to me, doll. Just begging for more.”

She pulls her lips inward between her teeth, biting down as she breathes heavily through her nose, the pleasure starting to make it harder to focus.

His words aren’t making it any easier, but she’s grateful that he doesn’t make her look at him, her eyes currently shut tight, her head pressing into the pillow underneath her. 

There’s something so intoxicating to Bucky about being in charge of her pleasure, and he knows he’ll never get enough of her.

For just a moment, he forgets about the bet, his eyes taking in the way she writhes underneath his touch, everything about her encouraging him to keep going. Her back arching, her legs spread, hips thrusting in time with his hand as he fucks her deep and hard.

Except, she’s still keeping her noises to a minimum. Even as she starts to breathe quicker, the gasps turning to shuddering sighs, she manages to somehow keep it all under control.

And it’s starting to get under Bucky’s skin. He can’t be a gracious loser when it comes to this.

That primal feeling resurfaces in Bucky, the urge to take her hard and fast igniting inside of him. But, first, he needs to make her come again.

He quickly moves his left hand down her body, pressing hard against her clit, giving him the ability to fuck her harder with his fingers.

Her eyes roll back in her head, and she nearly screams, his fingers deep inside of her, curled and rubbing hard against the spongy tissue.

She can feel the pressure building, and she grabs her legs, her hands wrapping around her ankles to keep her spread wide for Bucky.

“That’s it,” he encourages her, just as breathless as she is, his body humming with pleasure. “Can feel you, sweetheart,” he moans, grinding harder against her clit, knowing exactly what she needs to get over the edge. “Doing so good for me. Gonna come all over my fingers, aren’t you?”

She quickly nods her head, but she can’t trust herself to speak. She can barely breathe anyway as her fingers dig into her ankles, the slight pain giving her something to focus on, reminding her of the stakes here.

She’s so overwhelmed, and he hasn’t even fucked her with his cock yet. She has no idea how she’s going to win this bet.

She can’t think about that right now though, because her entire body suddenly tenses, and she squirts, coating his hand with her juices.

She barely hears Bucky’s groan of approval, but his words of praise quickly flood her brain, and she comes for him, using every bit of energy to not cry out.

“Good girl. Fuck, look at you,” his deep voice adds to the pleasure still washing over her and she lets go of her ankles to reach out for Bucky, needing him.

He quickly joins her, resting some of his weight on top of her, letting her cling to him as her body shudders, her hips riding his fingers. 

“You feel so fucking good,” he murmurs against her neck, his fingers buried deep inside of her, savoring the way her pussy pulses with each wave of pleasure. “I think I should I make you come again, just like this.”

He’s only half-serious, his cock aching to be inside of her.

Her expected whine makes him laugh, and he curls his fingers inside of her again, easily finding that spot that makes her tremble.

She’s still sensitive from her orgasm, but her mind is starting to clear, and she immediately shakes her head. “Absolutely not.” Another breathy moan, and then, “I think you should let me suck your cock.”

Bucky groans, allowing himself to briefly consider it, but kisses her softly and tells her no.

As much as they both enjoy when he fucks her mouth, it’s not going to help him win this bet. Her mouth needs to be free to make all those beautiful noises.

“I think you’re forgetting the point here, doll.” he teases, sitting up between her thighs and slowly sliding his fingers out of her dripping pussy.

She doesn’t even try to stop the soft whine from the loss, and he grins at her, watching her as he lifts his fingers to his mouth, licking the delicious taste off both digits. 

The sight of him clearly enjoying himself makes her want to bring him more pleasure, and she leans up to kiss him again, welcoming the taste of her wetness on his lips and tongue.

When her teeth playfully bite at his bottom lip, his fingers tangle in her hair to pull her head back, meeting her grin with one of his own.

“How about I put my cock somewhere else?” 

The smile on her face grows, despite her slight disappointment at not getting to have him in her mouth. And as Bucky rests back on his knees, she slides her hands down to touch herself, giving him an even better view of her wet pussy. 

The action immediately makes him groan, and his hands move to her ankles, gripping them to steady himself. After all this time, she still has the ability to catch him off guard, and it makes him love her even more.

They both watch as he moves his hips forward to slide his cock along her slick slit, almost slipping inside her before gliding up to tease her exposed clit.

The movement sends a jolt of pleasure through both of them, and she lets out a soft whine, shifting her hips to try to guide him to where he needs to be.

It’s futile, though. Bucky’s doing this on purpose. Trying to make her forget the bet, but she keeps herself under control, breathing heavily through her nose, proving to him she’s just as dedicated as he is.

With a longing look on her face, and another shift of her hips, she pleads, “Fuck me.”

Bucky’s fingers tighten around her ankles, but he stays exactly where he is, continuing to tease her with the head of his cock. “You sure you’re ready?”

His gentle tone makes her laugh softly, but he shakes his head at her, his eyes dark with desire.

“I’m serious, doll.” His breathing is just as heavy as hers, his body tense from trying to control himself. “I’m planning to fuck you until you scream for me.”

She’s far from making objections, her need for him overwhelming. As if he needs any more encouragement, she licks her lips and raises her brow at him, declaring yet again, “I’m going to win this bet.”

His laugh sends another shiver down her spine and a pulse of pleasure straight to her clit. There’s no way she’s winning this bet, but she’s going to have fun losing.

Bucky angles his hips, their bodies fitting together perfectly, and as the tip of his cock pushes against her entrance, he tells her, “Arms over your head.”

She narrows her eyes at him but doesn’t question it, knowing there’s a good reason for it. And she’s excited to find out what it is. 

The moment her hands grip the pillow under her head, he smirks at her and snaps his hips, burying himself inside of her.

A harsh gasp leaves her, but it’s not loud enough to make her lose and she throws her head back, biting her lips to keep her mouth shut as he starts to fuck her hard. 

Bucky pushes her legs back, spreading her wider as he finds a quick rhythm. His own noises of pleasure get louder, but he does nothing to quiet them.

He knows how much she craves the sounds he makes, the pleasure she gives him like nothing he’s ever experienced. 

“Oh fuck,” he groans, trying not to squeeze her ankles too hard, “you feel so good, baby. So wet, oh my god.”

She can’t look at him. She clings to the pillow underneath her, her forearms cradling her head as she does everything in her power not to cry out. His cock feels so good inside of her, reaching all the spots that make her toes curl and her body shudder in pleasure.

Bucky is more than desperate to hear more from her. The soft gasps and whimpers doing nothing to quell the ache to experience her pleasure at its fullest.

He’s used to her cries and moans filling the room, and while everything about her is telling him she’s enjoying herself, it’s not nearly enough. 

“Stay just like that,” he orders her, sliding his hands down, squeezing her thick thighs as keeps moving, his hips never faltering.

She’s in no mood to disobey, willingly letting him fuck her towards yet another orgasm. Bucky can feel her tightening, her walls trying to keep him in place on each outstroke.

“That’s it. You wanna come for me again? Wanna come all over my cock?”

She can’t trust her voice and all she can do is nod her head, finally opening her eyes to look up at him.

He immediately growls and leans forward, letting her thighs spread around him as his hands go to her bouncing tits, making her back arch, allowing him even deeper.

Bucky curses again, her wetness allowing him to bottom out each time, and he can feel his own orgasm building, the sight of her writhing underneath him almost too much.

“Fuck,” he growls, his right hand moving to her stomach, loving the feel of his fingers digging into her soft flesh, his hips never slowing. “You feel so good. Come on, come for me, doll, let me feel you.”

All it takes is one brush of his thumb over clit and she comes again, her fingers sore from her tight grip the pillow. But all she can focus on is the electric current of pleasure rushing through her, the tension causing her to clench her teeth.

She resists the urge to press her face against her arm, and somehow manages to make it through the intense pleasure with only making soft, breathy moans.

It’s at this point that something in Bucky snaps.

He fucks her through the waves of pleasure, waiting until her body finally starts to relax, before he suddenly pulls out.

The whine she makes is louder than all the sounds she’s made tonight, and she opens her mouth in surprise, looking up at him with wide eyes.

“I’m not quite done with you yet,” he promises her, the gruffness of his voice making her hips shift.

Bucky chuckles softly and runs his hands over her body, his fingers dancing over her throat before sliding down between her breasts. 

Before he does anything else, he checks in with her. “You ready to keep going?”

Her words come easy this time. “Yes, please," she smiles, lifting her hips again as if to entice him.

He has other plans though, and instructs her to turn over, the roughness of his voice returning. The excitement on her face is clear as she quickly obeys, getting into position - head down, ass up.

Bucky takes a moment to appreciate the view, the desire to claim her burning him up. He controls his breathing and reaches out, running his palm along her back and down to her ass, relishing the way she immediately spreads her thighs even more.

“Good girl,” he praises her, his voice deep with admiration. And then he slaps her ass, hard enough to make her gasp, and she turns her head to look over her shoulder at him.

They grin at each other, and he does it again, making her groan softly, but she pushes back, welcoming the sting. 

Bucky’s hand rubs across the pinkening skin as his metal hand slips between her thighs, teasing her with his fingertips.

She’s more than ready for him to keep fucking her, but he still asks again, needing to hear her give him permission one final time.

As soon as she utters the soft plea of ‘yes, please’ he’s lining up behind her, his hand wrapped around his thick shaft to guide himself back to her welcoming pussy.

He wastes no time and sinks into her with a soft groan, her hot, slick walls enveloping his hard cock like she was made for him. 

Bucky takes her slowly at first, the feel of her pussy fluttering with each long stroke of his cock making it difficult to focus.

She’s so sensitive, and with each deep thrust, her soft noises start to get just a bit louder, reminding him he’s on the right track.

His tender touches start to become a bit firmer, and as her hips begin to meet his with more force, he suddenly grips her waist.

Bucky plans to do whatever it takes to elicit louder noises from her, and without warning, he starts to piston his hips, making her take all of him, over and over. 

This time she’s expecting it though and has just enough time to grit her teeth, each thrust making her gasp, her breath coming quick and shallow.

It’s taking all of her focus not to give in and let herself lose the bet already; she’s just too stubborn to give in, no matter how good Bucky is making her feel.

The irritation grows in Bucky, her lack of noise starting to feel personal, and his hands move to her hips, grabbing fistfuls of her ass as he starts to fuck her harder.

He watches as her back arches and her fingers grip the bedsheets, each deep thrust causing her legs start to shake again. She’s almost there. He can feel it.

She whines his name, and her hands scramble to grip the edge of the mattress, keeping her head turned, refusing to bury her face in the covers.

“Oh sweetheart,” he murmurs, the tenderness a stark contrast to the way he’s fucking her. “Gonna squirt for me again, aren’t you?”

All she can do is nod her head, her eyes shut tight, trying her best to keep her noises under control. But, with each thrust of his cock, she feels herself slipping, her skin breaking out in a light sheen of sweat. 

It’s like a breath of fresh air to Bucky, watching as she starts to slowly lose control.

Any other time, he might take it easy on her, wanting her to be proud of herself for doing something she didn’t think she could do.

But, he’s way past that point now. 

Now, all he wants is to make her lose control and scream for him. And he has one more trick up his sleeve.

Bucky’s strong hands slide up along her back as he raises himself up, placing his feet flat on the bed in order to crouch over her, keeping his cock buried inside of her.

“Oh god,” she breathes, her eyes rolling back in her head as she tries to prepare herself.

She loves this position, but it’s going to be her downfall. And it’s clear Bucky knows it, because the moment he starts moving his hips, he starts talking to her, the growl in his voice pushing her closer to the edge.

“That’s right. Told you I was gonna fuck you until you scream for me.” 

He fucks her hard, the angle making his cock rub against her g-spot with each stroke, and she can feel the coil in her belly tightening.

She can no longer stop her noises from getting louder, and without thinking, she makes a desperate move to regain some semblance of composure.

With a quick pull of her elbows, she buries her face between her forearms, trying to quiet the cry of pleasure as she reaches a breaking point.

Bucky won’t allow it though, and grabs a fistful of her hair, forcing her head to the side.

“Fucking take it,” he demands, grunting with each hard thrust, “fucking take all of me.”

It’s too much. She can’t hold on anymore and her body tenses, her tightening pussy almost pushing him out.

“That’s it!” he growls. “Come for me, baby! God, I love you so fucking much.”

She sobs as her stomach tenses and she squirts, each hard thrust causing her wetness to run down her thighs and soak the sheets.

He talks her through it, like he always does, telling her how beautiful she is, how good she feels, and how much he loves making her come for him. 

Even as her body pulses from the aftershocks, Bucky keeps going, slowing his pace as he settles back to his knees behind her, trying to help her come down slowly.

She was loud, but not enough to satisfy his need to hear her scream.

“I need you to give me one more,” he murmurs, running his hands along her sweaty back. 

She whispers his name and shakes her head, her trembling limbs trying to give out on her.

Bucky’s quick to guide her onto her back again, this time slipping a pillow underneath to raise her hips.

He’s already fucked her senseless - she’s barely able to keep her eyes open - but he knows she has one more to give him.

Bucky starts slow again, giving her time to come back down, waiting until she can finally look up at him, still clearly cock-drunk.

He murmurs words of praise, telling her once again how beautiful she is, splayed out like this for him, her arms over her head, her thighs spread wide.

“You’re gonna look so good in that swing, sweetheart. All tied up and on display for me.”

Whatever insecurities that usually run through her mind are absent, and she moans at his words, starting to slowly move her hips against him, welcoming his cock back inside of her.

The image of being completely at his mercy makes her body pulse, and Bucky smiles down at her, sliding his hands along the sensitive skin of her thighs, just taking another moment to truly appreciate her. 

At this point, it doesn’t matter how he makes her come. She’s going to scream for him either way, all her inhibitions now gone that the bet is over.

And that frees him up to give her everything she could possibly need. “Tell me how you wanna come this time.” 

She breathes heavily and just slowly shakes her head for a moment, still not sure she has anything left to give.

But, if there’s anyone that can pull it out of her it’s Bucky. 

He waits patiently, fucking her slowly, barely pulling out before sliding back in until he’s completely sheathed. “Do you want me to keep fucking you like this?”

His fingers slowly move to her pussy, watching the way her body takes him so perfectly as his thumb finds her clit.

“Or do you need something else?” 

The shaking of her head turns into nods and she tries to find her voice as her back arches, her body welcoming the intense pleasure.

Her body is so sensitive, like every nerve ending is exposed, and she’s still not sure what she needs. Bucky will give her whatever she asks for, but she’s too lost in the moment to answer him.

As much as he’s enjoying the unfiltered sounds coming out of her, he needs her to talk. He needs to know she’s still with him, that she truly wants him to keep going.

“Sweetheart.”

There’s a slight edge to his tone, and she meets his eyes again, a soft smile forming on her face.

He grins down at her and nods encouragingly, “I need your words.”

She nods again, but as she starts to say “I want-” her words are cut off by a soft whine, Bucky’s cock bottoming out inside of her, finding that spot that makes her legs shake.

They both laugh softly, and she shakes her head at him before she finally finishes her thought, “I want you to come with me.”

A deep moan leaves Bucky at her request, his grip on her thighs tightening as he resists the urge to start moving faster.

“Is that what you need?” he asks, starting to lean forward, peppering kisses along her breasts and collarbone.

Her answer of ‘yes’ comes quickly and he starts to rock against her, grinding his pelvis against her clit.

“Yes,” she repeats, the simple word causing pleasure to race up Bucky’s spine.

He drops to his elbows, caging her in, and they both start moving at the same time, her legs wrapped around him, encouraging his hard thrusts.

“Yes, fuck me, oh my god.” She doesn’t care how loud she is anymore, the cries and moans leaving her without a second thought. 

Bucky’s already close, her pussy practically milking his cock, each flutter making him groan. But, he’s a man of his word and he’s not going to let himself give into the pleasure until she comes one more time.

“You feel so fucking good,” he moans, panting above her, unable to tear his gaze away, committing this moment to memory. “Such a perfect pussy, baby. Just made to take my cock.”

She clings to him, her nails scratching down his back, sure to leave marks. But he welcomes it, the sting adding to his pleasure, watching as she cries out, her body starting to tense, her final orgasm building.

When she whines his name, he hears the apprehension in her voice, as if to warn him that this one’s going to overwhelm her. 

Bucky’s fingers slide through her hair, and he cradles her head, forcing her to keep looking at him.

“It’s okay,” he promises her. “Give it to me. Give me everything.” Her back arches and her pussy tightens, the sounds of her wetness filling the air as she starts to squirt again. “Fuck yes, come for me!”

And she does, her breath hitching as the sudden explosion of pleasure rocks her body.

Bucky doesn’t stop, moving hard and fast against her, forcing his cock to stay inside of her, even as her walls clench around him, almost pushing him out.

She cries out, finally giving him what he’s been working towards all night, her scream of pleasure sure to wake the neighbors. 

Bucky can barely hold back, his own orgasm threatening to consume him, but he fights through it, giving her a few more seconds of his attention.

“That’s it, scream for me. Let everyone fucking hear you.”

But then she’s begging him to come too, her sobs of pleasure pushing him over the edge, and he kisses her hard, his tongue sliding along hers.

All his senses are consumed by her, every single part of him entirely overwhelmed with pleasure, the rhythm of his hips faltering as his cock pulses, filling her up with his cum.

After a few more lazy thrusts, their hips finally come to a stop, and he groans against her mouth, collapsing on top of her. 

They’re both panting, their arms wrapped around each other, Bucky’s weight a welcome feeling as he starts to nuzzle her neck, breathing in her scent.

They take their time coming back down, murmuring words of love and affection, their lips eventually meeting again in a soft, tender kiss. 

She barely registers him rolling them over, but makes a soft noise of protest when he slowly pulls out.

Bucky’s own sigh joins hers, the loss of her warmth making his softening cock twitch. If it wasn’t so late, and she wasn’t clearly spent, he’d happily go another round.

For now, they snuggle quietly, her head resting on his chest, listening to his heartbeat while his fingers make slow, soothing strokes along her back.

Bucky’s sensitive ears pick up the steady rhythm of her heart as well, the sound a constant comfort to him even on his hardest days. 

Eventually, they finally move, sharing another brief kiss and exchanging words of love yet again, neither of them ever tiring of hearing it - or professing it to each other.

But, they need to clean up, his release still leaking out of her, leaving her slick - and he’s not much better off, their combined fluids matting the hair at the base of his cock.

Bucky’s first to finish in the attached bathroom, and he’s already in bed when she returns, the covers pulled up to his stomach, his phone in his hands.

The silly grin on his face makes her laugh, and she climbs onto the bed, asking him, “What are you up to?”

He gives her a quick glance, his bright smile making her heart flutter as he returns his attention back to his phone.

“I’m purchasing that sex swing.” 

---------------------------

Hot Bucky Summer Masterlist

Next part: The Prize

Main Masterlist

[dearhargrove]

People leave

Eddie Diaz x reader

summary A few weeks after first meeting Eddie and Christopher things with you and Eddie start getting serious. However when Christopher realizes, he doesn't react the way you'd expected.

word count 1200

tags hurt/comfort, Chris being adorable, angsty but turns to fluff

a/n yall know how in episode 8 season 4 Eddie tells Chris he's seeing someone and Chris gets rlly mad and runs away to Buck (adorable btw)? When he explained that he's scared that people he cares about leave I realized this could be a good continuation to this! It's gonna have a happy ending and fluff don't worry 🫶🏻

part one

masterlist

Christopher is preparing salad with Eddie at his side while you supervise Liam as he slowly chops a cucumber. His tongue is peeking out in concentration as he holds the knife the way you'd shown him and slowly slices the cucumber.

When he's done you ruffle his hair and hold your hand up for a high-five which he eagerly gives. “You did great! When dinner is done well call you - go and play a little more with Chris?” He nods and hops off the chair (his feet couldn't reach the floor when he sat so he had to hop down a little- it makes you coo every time he does) before grabbing Chris by his arm and dragging him to the living room.

Eddie and you watch as they settle on the couch and pick their game of uno back up.

“They're adorable,” you smile and lean back against the counter, your arms crossed over your chest. Eddie hums and sneaks his right arm around your waist, looking down at you with a content grin.

You tilt your head at his look and turn around to finish up the salad, “What are you looking at, señor?”

In your peripheral you see both his eyebrows raise as he makes a ‘huh’ sound and shifts to lean against the counter with his hip. “You speaking Spanish now?”

That makes you laugh and you shake your head, “You'd like that, wouldn't you?” He raises his shoulders as if he didn't know but the smirk on his face tells you what you need to know.

You lean in as if you'd tell him a secret and rest your hand on his waist before basically whispering, “Go and set the table.”

He groans and gently pushes you away as if he was mad, “Yes, ma'am.” He bows exaggeratedly and you watch him with a deadpan look. He looks around the corner into the living room before quickly kissing your cheek and then your lips, squeezing your hip before letting go.

You grin and bite your lip as you watch him go to set the table, distantly hearing him ask the boys who's winning the game and starting a discussion about uno rules.

Later when dinner is ready and served Liam is telling Eddie about his day while Christopher sits next to you. He's pushing the food around on his plate with his fork and you discreetly nudge his elbow with a questioning look.

He doesn't just look up but full on glares at you, dropping his fork noisily. “I don't need your help.”

You flinch back in surprise and furrow your brows. Eddie is looking up now too, making you shrug in confusion.

“Christopher, talk nicely.” He says in his warning dad tone and you watch a little uncomfortably - did you cause this? What did you even do? “No!” Chris bangs his fist on the table and pushes the plate off the table and onto the floor, the loud noise making Liam shriek and look around with wide, scared eyes.

Before you can reach out Eddie shushes him and puts a hand on his back, allowing the eight year old to calm down a bit. Chris however is the opposite. This time he directs his words at you, “We don't need you! You will leave!”

Your eyes go wide and you send a panicked look to Eddie, who looks just as confused. “Chris, what's going on? You like her.” Instead of an explanation he slides off his chair and glares at you again, “You will leave.”

He then hurries to his room and slams the door behind him, causing the dam to break and Liam to star bawling in confusion at the confrontation.

There's an unspoken agreement between you and Eddie as you stand and pick Liam up, letting him cry into your shoulder as you stroke your palm over his back. “I'll see what's up with Christopher. I'm really sorry about what he said,” Eddie mumbles and kisses your temple, at the same time he brushes his hand through Liams hair once.

-

“I think you need to talk to him,” Eddie comes around the corner and looks at you and Liam settled on the couch with the latter fast asleep in your arms. “I don't really think he wants to see me, maybe we should just go home…” you sigh.

“That's exactly what he doesn't want.” Eddie starts and sits next to you, reaching out and taking your hand in his. “I've told you about Shannon... He's scared you'll leave too. He doesn't want to miss you and Liam.”

You frown, “Oh, no. I'll go and try to make him understand we're here to stay.” He nods gladly and kisses the back of your hand and letting you carefully place your son in his arms. Liam wakes up momentarily and when he recognizes Eddie he cuddles up into him and goes back to sleep.

You watch the two with a fond expression and inhale deeply before going to Christophers room and knocking twice.

There's no response so you slowly open the door. He's laying in his bed and when he sees you he frowns again, turning around too slow to hide the tear tracks and red eyes.

You sigh sadly, “May I sit here?” You pat the space on the bed next to his legs and see him shrug under the blankets.

“Listen, I understand you're scared of Liam and me leaving. A lot of people have left you. But, Chris, we're here to stay. I really, really like your dad and I really like you, too. Liam does too.”

It's visible that you're getting through to him when he slowly shifts onto his back and looks at you with a pout and a frown. “Promise?” You smile and nod.

“Pinky promise, even.” You take his hand and wrap your pinky around his.

He smile too now and yawns but surprises you once again tonight as he moves around until his head is laying on your thighs. “You want to go to sleep?” He nods and you pull the blanket up to his shoulders to wrap him in them entirely, carding your hand through his hair to calm him.

Ten minutes later and he's fast asleep, softly snoring as you look down at him. You hear the door creak and see Eddie come in, a relieved and fond expression on his face as he sees you two.

“I see you saved the day?” Rolling your eyes you flip him off and he laughs behind his hand. “Liam is asleep too. I pulled out the couch so he can sleep there without a problem.” he whispers.

“Thank you.” He waves it off and comes close enough to soothe his hands over your shoulders and kiss your head.

Happiness and love is the only thing you feel as you think about those three boys that posed utter chaos together but you loved nevertheless. It's a surprise to no one when you wake up to find Liam and Christopher snuggled in the latter's bed the next morning.

[mim16s]

Survival In Game

Cho Hyun-ju x Autistic!Fem!Reader

Another chapter of survival in game is out, I hope you enjoy it! In the next chapter, I promise more development of the relationship between Hyunju and the reader.

I would like to write for other characters, any ideas in mind?

Part 2

When the music began to play through the speakers, waking everyone up, you started to wiggle your fingers, a rhythmic and soothing movement you made to calm yourself. The first thing you saw was Hyun-ju stretching. A smile escaped her lips as you watched her. It was hard to explain, but in a short time, you had grown deeply attached to her.

— Attention, please. The second game will begin soon. Follow your team's instructions and head to the game hall quickly.

The robotic female voice echoed, and instinctively, you positioned yourself next to Hyun-ju. Unlike the people you had been around in the past, she didn’t seem bothered by your proximity. On the contrary, she smiled reassuringly, allowing you to get closer. That simple gesture filled your heart with joy, to the point where, for a few minutes, you forgot about the looming risk of death.

— How are you feeling? — Hyun-ju asked, concerned. Yesterday, you had a strong episode, the game environment pushing you to your limit, and she was genuinely worried.

— A little nervous, but overall, I’m fine. Thank you for yesterday. — You said, looking down, unable to meet her gaze at that moment. The weight of your anxiety was still there, but her words had been a foundation in the middle of the storm.

— No need to thank me, I’m just happy you're feeling better. And don’t worry, I’ll be by your side today in the game. I’ll do everything I can to help you. — She said kindly, her soft and comforting tone bringing you instant relief. Sometimes, she seemed so calm and strong, but you knew there were times when she had her own struggles. You wanted to say that she could count on you too, but the words got stuck in your throat.

You looked at her, your heart tight with the desire to reciprocate, to be her support too. Your eyes met hers for a brief second, and you felt a warmth growing in your chest. Maybe today would be the day things would be different. Maybe, just as she had always been by your side, you would also be strong enough to stand by hers.

When you arrived at the vast court, you looked around for clues about the game, noticing a rainbow drawn on the floor. You felt a slight excitement upon seeing the vibrant colors, always enjoying observing small details that others might overlook.

— Players, welcome to the second game. It will begin soon. This game will be played in teams. Please form groups of five within the next ten minutes.

You turned to Hyun-ju and found her gaze fixed on you. She extended her hand hesitantly, which you delicately took, almost as if you were made of glass. Hyun-ju was always careful with you, respecting your limits. That care warmed your heart.

— We need three more people. — She said, and you nodded, glancing around. The first challenge was right in front of you.

You walked through the court, trying to talk to some groups, but you were rejected. Even though this was a common situation for you, Hyun-ju's presence by your side made it all a little more bearable.

— Attention, the team selection period will end soon.

The robotic voice warned again. It was then that a man and a lady stopped in front of you.

— Would you like to… — Do you need…

The sentences came out simultaneously from their mouths, but they were interrupted by an arrogant voice, making you jump in shock.

— You insolent fools! How dare you? — The woman, who had caught your attention before, approached with an arrogant expression. — You should’ve come directly to me. Instead, I had to search for you? What an insult! I should cut you to pieces with a straw cutter!

You didn’t like her, but you knew there weren’t many options left. With time running out, you needed one more person to complete the group. Hyun-ju gently squeezed your hand, a silent gesture of support. Even amidst the chaos, you found comfort in the special bond you had with her.

— The team selection period has ended. Today’s game will be a Six-Legged Pentathlon. Team members will begin with their legs tied together. Every ten meters on the track, one team member will play a mini-game. If that player wins, the team can proceed to the next challenge.

You thought about what the mini-games could be. If it was Ddakji, you would have a good chance of doing well.

— The mini-games are as follows: Game one, Ddakji. — You silently celebrated when you heard this. — Game two, Flying Rock. Game three, Gong-gi. Game four, Spinning Top. And finally, game five, Jegi. You will have five minutes. To win, you must complete all mini-games and cross the finish line before time runs out. Now, decide which player will be assigned to each mini-game.

— What are you good at? — The man identified as number 007 asked.

— I’m good at Ddakji, I used to play a lot as a kid, — you said shyly.

— That’s great, I can play Jegi, — Hyun-ju added.

— What do you think? — 007 asked the shaman, who murmured something inaudible, not responding directly.

The game began, and everyone was tense, anxious about what was to come. You waited for the other teams to start, watching each move closely, secretly hoping they would succeed. Hyun-ju, by your side, discreetly cheered with every successful play.

However, the timer advanced relentlessly, and your team was still far from completing the task. When the time reached zero, the deafening sound of gunshots echoed through the environment. You jumped in shock, your heart racing. Instinctively, you moved closer to Hyun-ju, who immediately wrapped her arms around you, protecting you from the horror around.

Although you had witnessed other deaths before, you could never get used to it. It was always painful to see lives taken so abruptly, and the sound of the gunshots seemed to pierce your ears. Hyun-ju noticed the impact it had on you and gently covered your eyes, preventing you from seeing the scene. Her kindness brought immense relief.

— It’s okay, it’s over, — she murmured with a soft and soothing voice. You slowly lifted your face, meeting her gaze. There was a tenderness in her eyes that made your heart slow down… but only for a moment, as it soon began to beat faster, this time for an entirely different reason.

You noticed her features. Since the moment you first saw her, you knew Hyun-ju was beautiful. But now, seeing the details of her face so closely, you felt your heart race, as a new and confusing feeling grew inside you. The heat rose to your face almost instantly. Hyun-ju noticed the blush on your cheeks and smiled gently, as if she wanted to reassure you even more.

In that moment, you felt protected. For a brief moment, it seemed like all the cruelty of that place was far away. — Will the next two teams please rise.

Everyone stood up. You hesitated for a few seconds, looking at Hyun-ju as she tied her hair. The movement was hypnotizing. You decided you would give your best, not only for yourself but also for her. She looked at you with an encouraging smile, but you avoided eye contact for too long, feeling uncomfortable with the intensity.

— You’ll do great, I believe in you, — Hyun-ju said, and you responded with a faint smile, still scared, but calmer with her words. Her tone of voice was reassuring, almost like a soft melody that helped you focus.

— It will be okay, — you murmured, trying to convince yourself. Repeating the phrase helped organize your thoughts.

— That’s right. I’m Jang Geum-ja, and I lived through the Korean War, so I know a few playground games won’t kill me, — said the lady on your team, trying to encourage herself. — All right, come on. Let’s do this together, we can win this.

You nodded, agreeing.

— Yeah, and I’m the son of Jang Geum-ja, who is a survivor. Park Yong-sik. Hi, — he introduced himself, and you smiled faintly at him. — And you? Your name is?

— Seon-nyeo, — the shaman replied, her voice faltering and trembling a little. — Shaman of the sea.

— Team, listen up. We can get through this together, okay? Let’s show all the other Players here that these games are nothing to us. I know we can do it, — Hyun-ju said encouragingly. You took a deep breath, gathering all the courage you had. The feeling of having your life on the line made you uneasy, but her words were an anchor.

— Team 3 and Team 4, get ready to play.

The voice echoed again. The chain tied to your feet was deeply uncomfortable, every pressure heightening your anxiety. But the fear of death was stronger, and yet, the physical discomfort distracted you. Everyone gathered their arms, preparing. You were far from Hyun-ju, which seemed like a problem because she gave you a confidence you didn’t have on your own. The shot rang out, signaling the start of the match, and you began to walk.

You took the paper, nervously spinning it in your hands, searching for the best way to throw it. The repetitive stimulation helped you focus, but the noise around you bothered you. You threw it on the ground, but it didn’t flip.

— Fail, — the voice announced, making you take a deep breath, while the fear grew.

— It’s okay, try again, — Geum-ja said, trying to encourage you. You tried again, but the paper didn’t flip.

— What are you doing? Pick it up and throw it! — the shaman exclaimed, irritated, which only made things worse. Anxiety began to take over, your fingers moving involuntarily, trying to find a rhythm to calm you.

— It’s okay, you said you played a lot when you were a kid, right? So you know how to do this. Breathe and try again, — Hyun-ju said calmly, trying to calm you. You looked at her and nodded, your hands trembling slightly. You took a deep breath and threw it again, watching the paper spin in the air.

— Success, — the voice announced, and everyone cheered. You sighed in relief and moved on to the next phase. The palms of your hands were sweaty, but the relief was greater.

Now it was the shaman’s turn. She was visibly nervous, making repeated mistakes.

— The gods of heaven and earth chose to abandon us, — she whispered.

— She’s lost her mind, — Geum-ja commented, worried. Your heart raced. The fear was imminent. She couldn’t give up.

— We are all going to die… — the shaman was interrupted by a slap to the face, followed by another. Hyun-ju held her firmly, pointing the spinning top at her.

— If you give up now, I’ll kill you before any of your damn gods can, — Hyun-ju said, trembling with anger. You had never seen her like this. She had always been sweet and delicate, but now she seemed strong and determined. Anyone else would have scared you, but not Hyun-ju. — Now do it! — she ordered, handing her the toy. The woman threw the top, which finally spun.

— Success, — the voice announced, and you jumped with happiness, along with all the other players.

Now it was Hyun-ju’s turn. She looked at you, gathering courage.

— No one watch me, okay?

— What? — the others murmured, confused.

— Please, — she insisted, and everyone obeyed, turning their faces. — You too, everybody turn, don’t look! — She said to the spectators.

She began. Five kicks. She did it. You turned around and saw her looking at you. Smiling, and celebrating together, moving quickly toward the finish line.

When they finally removed the shackles, the pain and discomfort in your legs didn’t matter. You just wanted to hug her, and she was already waiting for it. You hugged her, feeling her sigh and hold you tightly, as if she wanted to make sure you were there.

— We did it! — you said, nestled in her arms.

— We did it— she repeated, burying her face in your hair. The sweet scent you exuded seemed to soothe her, relieving some of the tension.

Part 4

[loveharlow]

SEVEN [SEASON 2] - 007 (PT 1)

PAIRING ‧₊˚ JJ Maybank x Fem!Reader

SYNOPSIS‧₊˚ [8.9k] based on Netflix's Outer Banks Season 2 Episode 9

WARNING(S)‧₊˚ swearing, general obx warnings, discussions of sexuality, mentions of suicide

NOW PLAYING‧₊˚

A/N‧₊˚ still love me?? not the biggest fan of this chapter but

˗ˏˋ series masterlist ˎˊ˗

PULLING UP TO THE BUNGALOW ON THE END OF THE STREET AND KILLING THE ENGINE, you and JJ were quick to jump out of the truck, calling out for his cousin, who owned the house in question.

“Ricky! Ricky!” You both shouted, helping Kiara drag Pope’s limp frame out of the backseat. The three of you helped walk Pope to the front door, JJ frantically rattling the handle and slamming his palm against the door before his cousin Ricky appeared — shirtless with a bowl of cereal in his hand.

“Hey, Ricky!” The blonde called through the window. “Look, I know you’re mad at me-”

“Remember the time you stole my ambulance?!” The dark-haired man argued through the glass, face turning red.

“Yeah, I know. I know you’re mad but - please, don’t do that!” JJ begged, watching as Ricky slammed the actual door in his face. 

The rest of you begged and pleaded, voices creating a mess of protests behind the door. JJ was quick to hand his portion of Pope’s weight off to John B, walking towards one of the windows and banging on it.

“He’s a having a reaction, he needs help!” JJ screamed through the glass. Ricky was JJ’s EMT cousin, who also happened to be the cousin who’s ambulance he’d stolen to break John B out of jail, which failed anyway. “He can’t breathe, Ricky!”

Something one of you said must’ve gained some sympathy because it wasn’t long before the front door behind the glass screen was swinging open again. “Who can’t breathe-” Ricky’s word died in his throat as he took in Pope’s swollen face this time.

“Look at him!” You cried — you, Kiara, and John B holding up your friend. “He needs help.”

“...Alright.” The man caved, pushing the screen door open to allow you all in. “Jesus Christ…” You were quick to hand off Pope, rushing into the man’s house.

“Hi, nice to meet you. Sorry.” You quickly threw in Ricky’s direction, making a b-line for the first flat surface you saw and swiping everything to the floor. Your friends were trailing behind you, using their strength to lift Pope onto the now cleared island counter top.

“You know, I wouldn’t come to you if it wasn’t an emergency.” JJ clarified, being the last one inside of the house.

“What’s wrong with him?” The medic asked, placing two fingers against the side of his neck to feel for a pulse. 

“Wasps.” Sarah and Kie replied in sync.

“Wasps?” Ricky repeated, asking for clarification. You all nodded. “Is he allergic to wasps?”

“We were kind of hoping you could figure that out for us.” You quickly replied, not wanting to be rude but wanting to speed up this procedure.

Ricky sighed, backing up from the table. “Hang tight, I gotta get my kit.”

“Hang tight?” JJ asked incredulously. “Hang tight, Ricky?!”

“It’s in here somewhere!” The older man called, disappearing near the bedrooms before re-emerging with nothing in his hands.

“Where’s your kit?!” You asked frantically — Kiara tending to Pope on the table as JJ and John B kept his legs elevated.

“If I knew I wouldn’t be looking for it-”

“What does it look like?” Sarah asked, the two of you intending to help the man look for his supplies.

“Like a duffel bag…” He offered, vanishing into his garage with his hands atop his head in distress. “Okay, I got it!” He returned after a few seconds — a navy blue med-kit clutched in his hands as he rushed towards the six of you.

He planted the bag on the counter top next to Pope, JJ scooting over to make room. “What do we do now?” The blonde boy asked.

“You don’t do anything because you’re not a paramedic. All you all can do is give me some space.” He said bluntly, the five of you backing up — similar expressions of distress etched on each of your faces. You watched as Ricky unzipped the duffel bag, pulling out a syringe and a small vial. “Here’s the thing,” He started, pushing the needle of the syringe into the vessel. “This a pediatric dose of epinephrine.”

He explained, extracting a precise amount of the medicine before removing the needle from the small glass bottle. 

“Is that gonna be enough?” You questioned, motioning for your teenage, six-foot tall friend laid out on this man’s kitchen island. “He’s not a kid.”

“It is ten times the normal dose.” Ricky informed you, holding the syringe up between his fingers. “So…if it doesn’t stop his heart, it’ll help him.” He shrugged sheepishly. “But I gotta use the whole thing, or else it won’t work. And I’m not goin’ down if he dies.” He said firmly, shooting a pointed look at his cousin.

“...Okay, fine, do it.” JJ urged, pulling at the roots of his hair. 

“Okay.” Ricky said, turning back to face Pope. “Okay....” He reiterated as the rest of you urged him to hurry. He seemed to mentally evaluate where to put the needle before settling on a spot on the boy’s bicep, pushing it in and injecting the dose before slowly pulling it out. “Alright, that’s it…” He said, setting the used needle down carefully.

“...Now what?” Kie asked, eyes flickering back and forth between the paramedic and her friend.

“Now, we wait.” He replied, chewing on his bottom lip. 

You all stood around and no one said anything. Not a word as all eyes remained laser focused on Pope, waiting on something. Any sign of life. The TV played mindlessly in the back, the tribe of you waiting for something to happen. All you needed was a gasp or for his chest to move, hell, you would even accept the simple twitch of one of his fingers.

But ten seconds turned to twenty and then thirty, and still…nothing.

“...You killed him.” Kiara said, staring angrily down at Pope’s swollen features. 

“No…” Ricky drawled out. “I didn’t do shit.”

“What did you do?” You asked angrily, eyes pinched as you searched Pope’s face for any sign of movement or life.

“I did exactly what you asked me to do.” JJ’s older cousin reprimanded. He was right and you all knew it. 

“Pope.” JJ said, grabbing the boy’s shirt and shaking his limp frame on the tabletop. “Pope, c’mon!” His voice raised, shaking the boy harder as you all stood back, distressed. “Come on, bro!”

A second passed and suddenly Pope was breathing in a large gasp of air, his chest rising by inches off the table before he collapsed back down, taking in steady breaths.

You all let out sighs of relief, watching as Ricky almost fell to his knees. Pope began coughing, his frame lurching off the table as he hacked, eventually springing up to sit straight on the table, his face swelling already going down.

“There he is!” JJ cheered, the rest of you laughing or sighing with relief. 

“It’s hot.” Pope wheezed out. “I’m really hot, guys…” He exasperated, the boy sliding off his patterned fleece jacket as he slid off the table, all five of you crowding around to help.

“Take it easy...” You instructed, helping the boy off the table as JJ helped him rid himself of the jacket. 

“I gotta get outside.” Pope breathed, letting his jacket fall to floor and gently pushing you all off of him as he set out for the front door, the five of you trailing behind.

“I owe you.” JJ patted his cousin on the shoulder, Ricky still standing shell shocked at the turn of events.

“It’s hot!” Pope said again, this time sounding much more irritated as he stumbled through Ricky’s front yard like a baby deer learning to walk. 

“Thank you so much.” You commended, looking back at JJ’s cousin before he closed the door. “Are there any side effects we should be concerned about?” You asked as he shut the door further and further.

“He’ll have a rocket up his ass for about half an hour.” He told you. “Then, he’ll be fine.” Was the last thing he said before closing the door, leaving you to turn around and watch your four friends chase Pope through the front yard like an unleashed puppy. 

“WHOOOO!” Pope exclaimed, hands on the steering wheel of your Ford Bronco — driving down an empty road back to Freedman’s church just as the sun set and the street lights came on.

“Pope, you’re driving kind of fast…” Kie piped up from the backseat, in between Sarah and John B. JJ was in the passenger seat while you seemed to get booted to the trunk of your own car.

“Pope…” JJ started. “Last to judge, but I think you should slow down a little-”

“No.” He cut off the blonde. “That would definitely delay our arrival to the cross. We gotta get there.”

“Okay,” You piped up, shoving your face in between Kie and Sarah in the back seat. “As the primary driver and sole owner of this car, I’m saying you need to lighten up on the gas pedal, bud.” You advised from the trunk, wind whipping through your hair. “Why did we let him drive again?” You questioned. “And why is JJ in the passenger seat instead of me?”

“Because I said I’d rip your ears off.” Pope replied in a single breath.

“And because I fixed this piece of shit on wheels-”

“You call my car a piece of shit on wheels one more time and I’ll rip your ears off-” You warned, squinting at the blonde through the rearview mirror.

“Okayyyy,” JB spoke for the first time in minutes, interrupting the small dispute. “Pope, how’re you feeling?”

“Great.” The curly-haired boy smiled, continuing down the road at a constant, life-threatening speed. “I don’t know what JJ’s cousin gave me but I am movin’!” He exclaimed, taking one hand off the steering wheel to make a speeding motion with his free hand.

“We couldn’t tell...” Kiara smiled awkwardly, buckling her seatbelt.

“Okay, well, um, you’re going really fast right now.” John B tried to parent, leaning over the shoulder of Pope’s seat from where he sat directly behind him.

“Yeah, really fast!” Pope laughed, craning his neck to look back as he drove, the car swerving wildly between the two lanes.

“Woah!”

“Pope!”

You all panicked, grabbing whatever you could as the car continued to basically drive itself until Pope refocused his sights in front of him, speeding up the car to miles you didn’t know it had the capability of going. 

“God, is he driving slow…” Pope sighed, attempting to pass the car in front of you all by swerving into the wrong lane, paying no mind to the car coming straight at him. 

“You don’t need to pass-” Kie tried, sitting up straighter in her seat.

“Pope, if you crash my car-” You warned, gripping the edge of the backseat for stability as you slid around in the trunk.

“You don’t need to pass!” Kiara continued as the other car swerved into the grass just as Pope swerved into the correct lane, now in front of the car you were previously behind.

“Man, what an asshole. Am I right?” The boy in the driver’s seat scoffed.

“He was going the speed limit...” You huffed, straightening yourself out.

“We’re not gonna get to the cross if we’re dead, Pope!” JJ exclaimed from the passenger seat, holding onto the safety bar. The tires of your car screeched over the road, your headlights not focusing on one single thing for more than a second.

“We’re not gonna die. It’s our divine right to get that cross.” Pope dismissed, looking back as he spoke, the car swiftly making a sharp left.

“Pope, look at the road!” You screamed, watching helplessly as your car drove into the left lane before nose diving into the woods. Pope tried to make an attempt at turning the car which only made things worse, the side of the car slamming hard into one of the six-inch wide Oak Trees as the airbags deployed and your frame went flying over the side of the trunk, tumbling through the grass. The windshield shattered, leaving glass littered throughout the vehicle as you heard your friends groan in pain, the hiss of whatever was damaged under the hood sounding out in the woods.

You held your ribs in pain, rolling over a sizeable rock on your way down. 

“Y/N!” You could hear your name being called in the distance, the sound of glass crunching, your friends coughing, and one of the car doors closing ringing in your ears. The voice called out for you again just as you’d found the strength to roll over on your stomach and push yourself up onto your knees.

“I’m over here!” You rasped, coughing. 

It wasn’t long before the familiar sound of JJ’s heavy combat boots were heard crunching over branches and leaves, a warm hand finding home on your back as the other slid under your stomach, helping you stand. “Hey, you okay?” The blonde asked, turning your frame to face him as your hands grabbed his forearms.

“Perfectly fine.” You strained, stretching out your back a bit as the boy brushed hair and leaves from your face. “Are you okay?” You asked, your eyes finally zeroing in on him to find a small cut on one of his eyebrows as well as some red-splotching on his cheeks and forehead, most likely from the airbag.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” He assured when your own hand reached up to brush your finger against the small cut, one of his hands ceasing yours.

“Is everyone alright?” John B weak voice echoed out into the woods, both you and JJ turning to watch as your friends all climbed out of the vehicle before making your way towards them.

“I think so…” Sarah replied.

“That is the last time you drive, Pope.” JJ reprimanded.

“Look at my truck...” You pouted, examining the destroyed windshield and the odd ways it was bent, not ignoring the steam emitting from the hood.

“One word.” JJ spoke. “Totaled.” He cringed. “Yeah, I don’t think I can fix it this time, princess.”

“Well, we’re gonna have to walk the rest of the way.” Pope ignored the damaged vehicle.

You all shared a look of confusion and bewilderment.

“...Dude-” Sarah tried, watching as Pope tried to walk away, shoulder brushing against JB’s.

“I’m going to get my cross.” He stated.

“Hey,” John B piped up, gripping Pope's arm to stop him. “Just relax for a second.”

“Get off of me.” Pope said, snatching his arm away. 

“No-”

“Move.”

“I am trying to help-”

“I am getting my cross.”

“You just crashed her car.” John B said as Pope managed to finally brush past him, walking aimlessly down the road as John B caught up. John B tried his best to restrain the boy once more, but Pope continued to brush him off, time and time again. “You’re gonna get hit by a car!” John B reprimanded, the sight of a huge semi-truck coming down the road going ignored by Pope, who was hell-bent on getting his family heirloom.

“Get off of me!” Pope yelled.

“Stop!” John B yelled back, Pope’s struggle suddenly ending when the truck passed, his dark-brown eyes stuck on whoever was in the vehicle. His eyes never left the vehicle and when it got far enough away from him and close enough to the rest of you, it only prompted the four of you standing behind to see what he was looking at...

Rafe and Renfield, Limbrey’s body guard, making direct eye contact with the six of you. Rafe was driving, a sick grin on his face as Renfield offered you all a salute. 

The six of you watched as the semi-truck continued down the road, standing by as it got smaller and smaller. But if they were driving back the way you all were coming, then…

“No…” You sighed, face and shoulders falling.

“...We gotta get back to the church!” Pope screamed, all of you looking at him. “Now!” He ordered one last time before he took off running down the road, the rest of you following.

YOU ALL WERE TOO LATE. And the cross was gone. Arriving at the church and seeing the cross no longer splayed out on the wooden floors was the biggest loss of the day. And no one said anything as you all piled into Kiara’s, freshly stolen, SUV — the only operable vehicle left amongst the group with The Twinkie being parked at Ricky’s which was too far at the moment and your car being completely totaled. 

If she got it back in time, he parents wouldn’t even notice it was gone.

“Oh, shit.” She cursed, slowing down as rapid flashing blue lights filled the car. “They found your truck.” She said, looking at you — you, JJ, JB, and Sarah squeezed into the backseat.

You all said nothing, watching as Shoupe approached the vehicle, flashlight in hand. 

“Good Evening, officer.” Kiara greeted, the driver’s side window already being rolled down.

“Sheriff.” Shoupe corrected.

“Sheriff. Yeah...”

“...Speed kills, huh?” John B spoke from the backseat, you nudging him in the ribs as he let out a soft ‘ouch’.

Shoupe just eyed each of you individually before speaking. “I pulled the tags.” He said, dragging out the sentence. “I know whose truck that is.” He said bluntly, eyes landing sharply on you and you cringed and offered a small wave.

“Sheriff…” Pope started from the passenger seat. “I just wanna say that this is all my fault. She had nothing to do with this. I take one-hundred percent responsibility.”

“Nothing to do with it, huh?” Shoupe pondered. “...The car’s in your possession kid. I have no choice but to take you home.”

Your face twisted at that. “...Uh, in case you forgot, I don’t really have one of those, so…”

“You do now.” He replied. “The Carrera’s,” He emphasized, eyes drifting towards Kiara whose attention was grabbed by the mention of her parents. “...Have ever-so generously opened their home to you. DCS went through your file and saw they were listed as your Godparents and they agreed to foster you. Right after they mentioned that their car was gone and the keys were missing. “

Well, that was quick. 

“I’m takin’ you home. The both of you.” He said firmly. “Or I can take you all in for leavin’ the scene of an accident.”

You and Kiara shared a look before silently agreeing with another and turning to Shoupe. “...Okay.” You both said simultaneously.

“Good.” The sheriff nodded. “Plumb?” He directed the female officer to remove you and Kie from the vehicle — the woman opening the driver’s side and back door. Kie exited the vehicle, looking down as she shut the door.

You spared your friends a glance before climbing over JJ’s lap to exit the car, one of the blonde’s hand finding a place on your waist, pausing your movements. Your eyes shot up to his and you held yourself up above him in the cramped space.

He didn’t say anything, just bored his sad, blue eyes into yours. You frowned pitifully and placed a soft hand on his cheek. “I’ll call you. Okay?” You said, tone hushed. He just sighed, eyes racing back and forth before caving in, nodding sadly. You nodded in a silent reply, leaving him with a soft kiss before climbing fully out of the vehicle, closing the door behind you.

“Come on,” Shoupe instructed you and Kie. “Let’s get y’all home.”

ARRIVING OUTSIDE OF THE CARRERA RESIDENCE FELT ODD. Or maybe it was being back on Figure Eight that felt the oddest. Or maybe it was the whole thing.

In the middle of the night, pulling up to Kiara’s home in the back of a squad car as Deputy Plumb parked the SUV in the drive way and Shoupe let you and Kie out of the backseat of his patrol car. You wondered if the rest of your friends made it back to The Twinkie by now — the absence of the SUV leaving them with no other choice but to walk back to JJ’s cousin’s house and get it.

You and Kiara watched in silence as the headlights on her parents vehicle went dead, Plumb exiting the vehicle and walking over to drop the keys into the girl’s palm and walk off, getting into the passenger seat of the squad car.

“Well,” Shoupe exasperated, hands on his utility belt as he moved to stand in front of the two of you. “Y’all gon’ inside, now. ‘S gettin’ late.” He said, nodding his head once. “Stay safe.” Were his parting words as he walked away, shoes scuffling against the concrete and he rounded the squad car, got into the driver’s seat and drove off, leaving you and a nervous Kie alone in her driveway.

The girl stared up at the house, shaking one leg and taking a deep breath. “Look, before we go inside…” She started, eyes on you. “My parents are probably gonna be super intense. I know it’s been a while since you’ve really seen them…so, I’m just warning you.”

You shrugged, glancing at the house before looking back at her. “Can’t be any worse than my previous living situation.”

Kie just scoffed lightheartedly. “Trust me.” She said, shaking her head. “You have no idea…”

Just then, a creaking sound in the distance grabbed both of your attention — heads whipping up to find Mr. and Mrs. Carrera standing in the doorway of the front door, both of their arms crossed over their chests as they stared down the daughter.

“It’s time for you two to come inside.” Her mother said bluntly, offering no other words. You and Kie spared each other one last glance before walking up the length of the driveway, up the small staircase to the front door before stopping in front of her parents.

“It’s nice to see you again, Y/N.” Mr. Carrera greeted from behind his wife to which you nodded awkwardly.

“It’s nice to see you, too.” You replied simply as the man stepped to the side, making room for you and Kie to enter the house. Kie went first, not even a foot into the door before her mother’s voice stopped her.

“Nuh-uh.” She said, holding a palm out but still not looking at Kiara herself. “The keys.” She prompted, curling her hand in on itself. Kiara complied quickly, dropping the ring of metal into her mother’s hand and proceeding to enter the house, you right behind her.

You can’t remember the last time you’d been inside. Even when you lived on Figure Eight, most of your time was spent at home or at Sarah’s. 

“Take a seat.” Her mother directed the both of you, the front door closing as she motioned for the couch in the living just feet away. You and Kiara did as you were told, walking over and taking a seat on the couch — her parents coming over and standing on the other side of the coffee table, right in front of the two of you. “There are two very important discussions to be had here.” Mrs.Carrera started, clapping her hands together. “Starting with you.” She said, pointing at her daughter.

“What you did tonight was…beyond unacceptable.” She began, hands moving wildly and blinking rapidly as she spoke. “Stealing the car?”

“I was bringing it back-” Kiara tried, voice small.

“It doesn’t matter, Kiara!” Her mother exclaimed, scoffing unbelievably and shaking her head. “Here you are, once again, making these stupid decisions against us, your parents, for some boys-”

“They're not some boys, they're my friends. Why can't you understand that-”

“Listen to your mother.” Her father cut in, fishing in his back pocket before pulling out what looked like pamphlet, letting it fall to the table.

Kiara’s eyes went between the paper and her father before picking it up — the words ‘KITTY HAWK’ etched into the front. “...What is this?” She asked, twirling the object in her hands.

“That’s your future, Kiara, if you don’t turn your shit around.” Her father said, pulling his lips into a thin line. 

“You’re joking, right?” She asked, voice wavering. “This is like one of those places where they kidnap kids in the middle of the night. Do you know how many kids die in these places? O-or kill themselves?-”

“No, it’s a program for troubled teens with behavioral problems.” Her mother inserted herself, hands on her hips.

“...So, now I’m a troubled teen?”

“What the hell would you call it?” Her dad asked, face twisting. “You disappear for days, Kiara, and then when you do come back to the house, it’s to steal my truck.”

“...I thought my friends were dead.” Kie spat, the room falling silent. “And you guys just wanted me to go back to school like nothing happened-”

“That’s not what we wanted.”

“-Like everything was fine, nothing about that is fine!”

“Nothing about any of this is fine.”

“I’ll do whatever you want!” Kiara pleaded. “Okay, I’ll pull double shifts or whatever. But I don’t want you guys to think I was wrong to help them. Because I wasn’t. I was doing what I thought was right. And I didn’t mean to do all of that to you guys…And I’m sorry.” She explained, tears gathering in her eyes. “I’m sorry for sneaking out and skipping school. It was stupid and I…I’m sorry for going to Charleston. I’m sorry for stealing your truck. I-”

“Baby…” Her mother stopped her rambling, rounding the coffee table to crouch in front of her daughter, taking her hands in her own. “I know. Okay, I know.” She reassured. “We love you so much.” She told the girl before shaking her head. “...But sorry is not gonna cut it anymore.”

Kie’s face fell at her words, eyes drifting towards her father who stood firm in his spot — arms crossed over his chest. “Let me tell you what’s gonna happen.” He started. “No more sneaking out of the house, no more treasure hunts, and no more Pogues. Or you’re going to Kitty Hawk.” He said with finality before his eyes landed on you. “And Y/N, I know you just got here so this may be a lot, but these rules go for you, as well.”

“Yes.” Mrs.Carrera nodded, standing from where she was comforting her daughter to rejoin her husband. “We’ve cleared out a room for you upstairs, you’ll have your own bathroom as well. You’re welcome to work with us at The Wreck but that is completely up to you. Shoupe told us about your car when he got to the scene and if you’re okay with it, we’ll pay for you to get it fixed. Anything you need, you can ask us, don’t be afraid. We only ask that you just respect us, our home, and our rules.”

You understood their rules and expectations but you wondered if that was the only rule that went for you…What if you continuously broke them under their care? Would Kitty Hawk be held over your head, too?

“I completely understand and I appreciate it so much.” You said, trying to offer a polite smile. “Thank you for taking me in and I’ll do my best to help out at The Wreck.” You assured them. “But... I do have my dog, Marley, if you remember her. She’s at John B’s house…along with the rest of my stuff.”

The Carrera’s shared a look, seeming to have a silent conversation before turning back to you and Kie. 

“We’ll take you.”

“FIFTEEN MINUTES. ANY LONGER AND WE’RE COMING TO GET YOU TWO.” Mr.Carrera said from the driver’s seat of his SUV. 

“We got it, Dad.” Kiara sighed, opening her door and getting out, you following shortly after.

The gravel crunched under your sneakers, the porch light being the only source of light in the dark of night. You didn’t wait to make your way up the small staircase and to the front door, it already being unlocked due to John B’s lack in one’s basic sense of security. 

Walking in, you were immediately graced with Marley’s presence — not having seen the animal in hours. You bent down, scratching the top of her head before looking back at Kie. “I don’t have much.” You said. “I shouldn’t be long.” You assured, standing up to your full height and walking into the guest room of The Chateau where you kept most of your belongings — that were mixed in with JJ’s.

“It’s fine.” Kie shrugged, the girl waiting in the living room with her hands in her back pockets. “Even if you do, they’ll just blame me like they do with everything…” You didn’t say anything, just continued gathering your things — throwing them into your heavy-duty backpack and zipping up the bag, throwing it over your shoulder as you walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, picking up Marley’s bowls, toys, and food. “...Can I ask you something?” Kiara said, voice small.

You sat your backpack on the kitchen table, eyeing the Carrera girl as she fiddled with her fingers. “You can ask me anything.” You laughed, a slight look of confusion on your face.

“Do you hate me?” She asked, eyes pinching together like the question brought her physical pain. “‘Cause, you know, I wouldn’t blame you if you did. After what I did…”

“Kie.” You started, pausing in your movements and letting your hands fall to your sides. “I know we haven’t been the best of friends lately, or, friends at all…But I could never hate you.”

She simply scoffed, running her fingers through her hair. “You say that now…”

“Because it’s true. We’ll always be friends, even if-”

“That.” She spat, laughing, but you could tell there was no real humor there. “That is my problem. And I don’t know how you can’t see it.” She said, shaking her head as her sad eyes met yours. “Can you not see how much…pain being your friend is causing me? And I know it’s not your fault, I know that-”

“What are you talking about?” You asked, mildly offended. “Being my friend is causing you pain?” You asked her, eyes wide in disbelief. “Kie, you kissed my boyfriend while you were with Pope. And you expect me to act like nothing happened? What about Pope? Have you even apologized to him?” You reprimanded.

“You-”

 “I got kidnapped and drugged and all of sudden you have, what, some kind of epiphany about our friendship? Because up until then you were treating me like shit.”

“That’s not why I-”

“Then explain it to me-”

“I can’t!” She yelled, cheeks taking on a shade of red. “...Okay? I’m trying, I have been trying but I can’t. It’s like the words don’t match up or…or nothing checks out. None of it makes any sense.” She rambled, pulling her fingers as she paced on the spot. “It’s so much more complicated than you think and I feel like I should tell you but I could be ruining everything-”

“Just try.” You sighed, shoulders falling. “It’s just us here. We have a little over ten minutes before your parents come marching in. I won’t say a word.” You told her. “I promise, I’ll let you speak and I’ll listen. I just want to understand. I want to understand where our friendship went wrong.” You pleaded. “I miss you, Kie. But somewhere in this mess of what our lives have become, you and I fell apart and I can’t figure out why…”

“...I saw you.” She struggled out, failing to maintain eye contact as she spoke. “During John B’s memorial, I saw JJ kiss you.” She said. “And…I felt this, this pang of jealousy. And at first, I thought it was because things weren’t going great with Pope. But at some point, I realized it wasn’t that. So, I jumped to the next reasonable conclusion — that I liked JJ.” She sighed. “Seeing the way he looked at you, I thought maybe I wanted him to look at me like that. Y’know, maybe I had feelings for him and was just realizing it. That’s why I kissed him in Charleston.” She explained sadly, eyes finally meeting yours.

“It was a shitty thing, I know.” She scolded herself, hands waving wildly. “Kissing him to figure out my feelings while you two had something going on wasn’t cool, I know that. I hate myself for it. Because it was pointless.” She swallowed. “...I didn’t…feel anything. I kissed him and I felt nothing. And it didn’t hurt my feelings when he pushed me away and told me he didn’t see me that way. And I was so angry at myself but confused, too…” She said, almost like she was working out her thoughts as they left her lips. “Because if I didn’t like JJ, then why couldn’t I stomach the sight of you two together?” 

You listened as she spoke and you were glad you were finally getting her side, truly. But the direction this was going…

“...And then, seeing you in Barry’s trailer. That’s when everything fell into place.” She said, a stray tear rolling down her cheek. “Seeing you like that made my entire world stop. I wanted to be the one to scoop you up and hold you and tell you everything would be okay. And my heart shattered when I realized that I couldn’t, not in the way I wanted to.” She confessed, taking one weary step in your direction. “I know it’s a weird way to come to a conclusion like that, but…I think that’s when I realized I wasn’t in love with Pope or JJ.” She said, shaking her head. “...I’m in love with you. I don’t know when it happened or how or…why…” She confessed, voice wavering.

“And I’m sorry.” She cried, wiping her eyes. “For being such a bitch and ruining our friendship over something so stupid. Because I know that it’s too late and even if it wasn’t, even if you weren’t with JJ — you and me would never be anything. And the thought kills me every time.” You didn’t know what to say, standing completely still and listening to her talk. Although, you weren’t sure if you were listening. 

Your longest best friend was standing less than a foot in front of you, telling you how she was in love with you. 

“So, if you hate me, I understand, okay?” She cried harder, pressing her hands into her eyes.

“I don’t hate you.” You finally spoke, voice flat and small as you made no move to comfort her. You didn’t know how. Would a hug make it worse? Would the touch of your hands on her skin make things better or worse? “Kie, I-” You stuttered to find a response. “I don’t know what to say…or do. Do you want a hug or…?”

There was no right way to go about this, you realized. You’d caused each other so much pain over the last few weeks — knowingly or unknowingly, justified or unjustified, it was all the same.

The brown-haired girl just shook her head, wiping her eyes clean. When she made eye contact with you, her eyes were red and slightly puffy as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “No, please, don’t.” She requested, voice breaking. “It’s my fault.”

Your face fell at her words, taking a single step in the girl’s direction. “Don’t say that.” You said softly. “You did some shitty things, for sure.” You laughed lightheartedly. “But…you can’t control how you feel. You can’t dictate who you love…”

You words only made her face twist further in sadness. “...I never wanted to hurt you.” She sighed sadly, eyes filling with tears once again. You simply gave her a tight-lipped smile of pity, gently taking one of her hands in your own.

“Neither did I.” You assured, your own voice wavering when the loud honking of a horn came from outside — the both of you jumping at the loud noise.

“Guess our time’s up…” Kiara spoke, avoiding your eyes once more as she let her hand fall from yours as she turned towards the door. You nodded to yourself, taking a breath and grabbing your bag from the table and securing it before throwing it over your shoulder once more, whistling for Marley who met you swiftly at the command.

Kiara opened the door, the Golden Retriever bolting out of the house and to the SUV, wagging her tail as she waited for you to open the door. You walked out of the door silently as Kie held it open, letting it close behind herself as you both walked back to the car, shoes crunching once more as you swiftly turned to face your friend, stopping her in her tracks.

“I…” You stuttered. You didn’t know what you wanted to say or planned to say. But you felt like you should say something. But no words would come out. 

Kie just offered you a sad smile, patting your shoulder. “It’s okay.” She said to you. “I’m happy for you. Honestly, I am.” She spoke, voice low seeing as you standing right next to the vehicle with her parents inside. “You’ve been through so much and you deserve to be happy. You deserve to be with someone who makes you happy. And JJ is that person, not me. I can see it your eyes and his — you’re meant for each other. And one day, I’ll be fine with that.” She said, not waiting for you to speak as she went around the other side of the car, getting in.

You stood in silent contemplation for a few moments before snapping back to reality — opening your door for Marley to jump in as you threw your bag to the floor and jumped in, shutting the door as Mr.Carrera drove off, the radio playing lowly.

When did your life become such a mess?

IT WAS THE NEXT MORNING AND YOU WERE LISTENING TO MUSIC AS YOU STRAIGHTENED OUT YOUR BED SHEETS. You’ll admit, it was nice to have your own room again and have some normality as a teenage girl. 

Some…

You and Kie hadn’t said more than two words to each other since last night — those two words being ‘good morning’ as you awkwardly passed each other on the way out of your rooms and downstairs to join the Carreras for breakfast. 

The meal was awkward but mildly comforting. It was nice to feel part of a family again, even if deep down something was telling you this picture-perfect act wouldn’t last long. 

You heard Mr. and Mrs.Carrera loud and clear — break their rules and it’s Camp for Cuckoos. 

After breakfast, you’d freshened up and started to put your room together. Mrs.Carrera had generously gone and bought you a bed set, some new clothes, and even some small decorations to make the place feel less empty. She even went as far as to buy Marley, who was sunbathing in the middle of your floor, a new, much less worn and tattered, bed that was sitting in the corner of your newly furnished space.

Even if it was only temporary, you figured you could get used to this. It was still in the early hours of the morning as you played interior decorator — your music pausing on your bluetooth speaker as a call came through.

Picking up the device, a smile spread on your face from ear to ear as you answered. “Hi, Blondie.”

“Good mornin’ to you, princess.” JJ’s voice broke through the other end. “You sound wide awake. That’s a first.” He said, the sound of wind whipping by coming from his end.

“And you don’t sound like you’re home.” You pointed out skeptically.

“I’m never home.”

‘Y’know what I mean…” You pressed, sitting on your bed and rubbing your hand over the soft blanket. 

“I’m with Bree, right now and we, uh, may need a little assistance, if you will.” He told you, voice sounding nervous even through the device.

“...What’s wrong now?” You asked.

“Well, uh, Rafe’s got the cross and Pope latched onto the back of his truck and went God knows where and Rose has Sarah and she’s taking her to some loading dock.” JJ explained quickly, hearing both boys curse as John B took a sharp turn, you assumed. “So, the two of us can’t really do this by ourselves but John B here is determined.”

You bit your lip in contemplation — breaking the rules on day one?

...Seemed pretty on brand.

“I’ll be there soon.” You assured before hanging up the phone. You stood in thought for a few moments, opening the Find My app on your phone to see how far your two friends were, trying to mentally decipher whether you could get away with just sneaking out or if you’d have to sneak out and sneak your car keys which were sitting on the counter downstairs…where Kie’s parents were.

A quick request from your location to JJ’s told you that without your car, the estimated distance would jump from a forty-five minute drive to a three-hour walk. You sighed and peeked out of your window. To your surprise, the Carrera’s SUV was gone, leaving only your freshly fixed Ford in the drive way, looking cleaner than ever.

A small smile of relief spread on your face as you quickly exited your room, skipping down the steps and heading for the kitchen only to find Mike and Anna downstairs — Mr. Carrera testing new recipes to add to the menu down at The Wreck while Mrs. Carrera cleaned up the dishes he left behind.

Both of the adults turned to you at the sound of your feet skidding to a stop. 

“Good morning, again, Y/N.” Mrs. Anna smiled at you, dropping dishes into the sink. “Are we in your way? Did you need something?”

Your mouth gaped like a fish until you settled on a smile. “No, just…came down for a snack.” You lied, both of them sending you a polite smile in return as they returned to paying you no mind. Eyeing the arrangement of small chip bags conveniently placed next to the dish that held all the keys, you padded across the kitchen, noisily grabbing one of the bags to mask the jingling of the keys before shoving the metal in your pocket and heading upstairs.

Your face twisted as you ascended the staircase — if the Carrera’s were downstairs, where was their car?

Allowing your intuition to guide you, you skipped the door to your room to stand in front of Kie. A twist of the knob and a push of the door told you that the brown-haired girl who wasn’t occupying her room was responsible for the missing vehicle outside. You wondered where she went before remembering you had her location as well.

Closing her door softly, you pulled your phone out once more to see that she was driving in the middle of the woods. How long had she been gone and where was she going? Pinching your fingers to zoom out, you could see she was closer to Pope than any of you, that realization answering your question.

With the turn of events this morning was taking, you wouldn’t be in this nice house much longer before you and Kie were being shipped off to Kitty Hawk.

Entering your room, you closed the door gently and threw the bag of chips on your bed. Trotting over to the window, you lifted the glass and screen — the familiar North Carolina breeze hitting you as you did. You looked back at the bedroom door one last time, feeling bad for having to ruin something good. But these were your friends. Your family. Helping them wasn’t a question.

Tiptoeing onto the roof and closing the window, you quietly made your way down to the driveway — getting into the driver’s seat and quickly driving off.

“WHAT IS THAT?” You could hear John B’s hushed voice as you got closer to the sound you were emitting. “Dude! Turn that off! Why are you ringing?” He reprimanded his blonde friend as you approached the two of them from behind from where they were hiding behind a family of crates and boxes.

“It’s Y/N, I don’t know why she’s pinging me-”

“Hi.” you said quietly, standing in between your two best friends as they jumped at the sound of your voice. You tapped the button on your phone to stop JJ’s from making noise.

“Jesus!” JJ whisper-yelled, both boys sighing as they looked at you.

“You should find a better way to announce yourself when we’re on important missions.” John B told you, steading himself.

“Well, having your location doesn’t really help when your in a junky ass shipyard.” You sassed, shooting a grimace at the boy which he returned in full.

“We said the pinging was for emergencies only.” JJ told you, putting his phone on silent and shooting you a playful glare.

“It was!” You said, hushed. “I couldn’t find you and I had to hop the fence. What is this? A private dock?.”

“Guys,” John B grabbed your attention. “I think that’s their ship.” He said, pointing at the large boat the dock members were anchoring.

“Wait,” JJ started. “The Coastal Venture…” He thought to himself. “Dude, I know that ship. My dad did legs on her last summer, it’s a total tramp steamer. I worked on her in port…”

“There’s the cross.” You added, referring to the wooden crate being lifted with a pullet system — what look like Rafe with two unknown men standing and watching as they pulled it up.

“God, I hate that guy…” John B whispered as he eyed Rafe from afar. You couldn’t agree more. “There she is.” He piped up, eyes drifting to the side — Rose and Wheezie walking behind Sarah, who was being escorted roughly towards the ship. “Guys, we gotta come up with a plan.” John B urged to the two of you.

“I know.” JJ said. “We’re working on it.” He continued as your eyes scanned the ship, thinking of possibilities.

“Hey,” You cut in. “If we can get over that barge, we can go over. We’ll have to get in the water, though.” 

“Then we’re gonna be sitting ducks-”

“Howdy.” Kie’s voice startled the trio of you, her and Pope’s footsteps coming to a stop as they appeared behind you three.

“Whoa!” JJ exclaimed, whipping around before realizing it was just his two friends. “I was about to stab your eyes out…How’d you guys even find us?”

“Geo-located your phone.” She said simply. You made brief eye contact with the girl before you both looked away, the action not going unnoticed by your observant boyfriend but he seemed to settle on saying nothing.

“Yo, Pope. You okay?” John B asked, a hand on the boy’s shoulder as you all looked at him — covered in dried mud and dirt and specks of blood. “What happened?”

“Rafe, round three.” Pope whispered, voice raspy.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Again?” JJ said angrily.

“This was a tie.” Pope told the blonde, calming his boiling rage. “Is that the cross?” He asked, eyes on the wooden crate across the shipyard. He sounded so focused and determined.

“Yeah…” You answered, sighing. “And they’re holding Sarah hostage.”

“We gotta get on that boat.” Kie worried, hand on her forehead.

“First, we gotta get past the Goon Squad.” JJ pointed out a crowd of workers and guards that would surely kick you all out.

“We gotta move.” John B urged, the four of you walking forward before he looked back and saw that Pope was going the opposite direction. “Pope, what’re you doing?”

“I have an idea.” He held out a cautious palm. “Just trust me.”

“No-”

“Trust me and go.” Pope called, walking away. “I’ll meet up with you guys.” He said before disappearing. But something was screaming at you to follow him, to not leave him alone. So, in the middle of your running, you quickly turned and headed the opposite way.

“Hey!” JJ called, eyeing you wildly. “Where are you goin’?” 

“To help Pope.” You told him, never faltering in your steps. “He’s not thinking straight and it doesn’t feel right to leave him alone. Just go, okay? We’ll meet up with you guys.” You urged him before turning away and following Pope’s trail.

You arrived to the boy just in time to find him unscrewing the tops to a family of propane tanks. “Pope.” You whispered, creeping up to him to avoid being seen. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Creating a distraction.” He told you bluntly, stepping away once at least three of the tanks were hissing — the gas being released as he stood back, pulling a gun from his pocket. 

“Jesus-!” Your eyes went wide, immediately stepping forward and grabbing the weapon from his hands. “I’m not going to ask questions about how or why…” You said, referring to the gun as you pushed him back with a firm hand on his chest. “But, Pope, you’re already caked in dirt and shit.” You pointed out. “...But, you are the brains of this shit so if you think causing an explosion will help us get on that boat, then fine. But you’re not getting whiplash after fighting.”

Turning away from the boy, you cocked the gun back — aiming it directly at the tanks.

“Y/N-”

“It’s fine, Pope.” You breathed, glancing back at him quickly. “We’re gonna get your cross.” You assured before refocusing your sights and pulling the trigger, barely having time to register your actions before you were blown back by the explosion, you and Pope landing on your backs as smoke filled your airways.

“Oh, shit…” You coughed, pushing yourself up as you heard a marching band of feet coming your way. “Pope, c’mon, we gotta go.” You urged, helping the boy up as you both ran from the scene and to your friends.

You both fell to a stop in front of the three of them, breathing heavily as you dropped the gun to the ground.

“What did you do?” JJ asked, worried, crouching down in front of you and brushing hair out of your face.

You just coughed before laughing and tapping the brim of his hat. “We were playing with guns.” You smiled, one last cough leaving your lungs as the blonde rolled his eyes and helped you up, fighting the smile growing on his face.

“You’re a dork.” He scoffed, placing a small kiss on your lips.

“Pope, what was that?” John B asked, helping up his friend. 

Pope just ignored his question, pointing to The Coastal Venture. “Look. That’s container’s going on the ship. We can get in that way.” He told the five of you — John B wasting no time in charging for where Pope had pointed, the rest of you following.

Pope leaped into the back of the shipping container without hesitation, JJ being the first to speak up. “Hold up,” He urged, looking up at the curly-haired boy in the container. “Did you think this through?”

Pope didn’t even seem to think before answering, tone blunt and short. “Yes. This is the plan.”

“That’s a trap right there. You see that right?” JJ asked, pointing to the other shipping boxes. “We can’t get out once we get in-” The blonde panicked, John B stepping forward and putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey,” He started, looking JJ in his eyes. “You guys don’t have to come, alright?” He offered, briefly glancing at you and Kie as well. 

“Right.” Pope agreed, nodding his head at the three of you. “This is our fight.” He told you all — referring to himself and John B.

You, Kiara, and JJ shared a weary glance before JJ tossed his hands out and tilted his head, eyes on yours. “P4L?”

You glanced nervously inside the dark, tight space, cringing — were you claustrophobic? Because that’s what it felt like. Looking back at JJ, a groan rose from your throat. “P4L…” You exhausted, turning and sticking your hand up for Pope to help you up into the container — followed shortly by JJ, then Kie, then John B.

“Guess it’s better than boarding school…” Kie pondered, pulling her lips into a thin line.

The five of you bolted to the back of the container, crouching hiding behind the contents of the space. You and your friends watched, holding your breath, as a man came by and swiftly inspected the container with a flashlight before seemingly deciding nothing was amiss.

“Okay, she’s good to go. Lock her up.” He patted his hand against the metal.

Your breath shuddered as the men sealed the space shut, leaving you all with dim light and humid oxygen. Metal clanked and engines revved as you felt the container begin to sway — you were being lifted onto the ship. It was such an odd feeling, so much so it made your stomach turn in the oddest of ways — JJ taking notice and intertwining your fingers with his.

You shot the blonde an appreciative smile before looking straight ahead to calm yourself. 

The five of you groaned as your heads and backs hit the walls of the container as it touched down, letting out breaths of relief.

There was no telling how this was going to play out or end, for that matter.

But hey, P4L, right?

next chapter>

feedback is appreciated! thanks for reading.

SVN Taglist; @esquivelbianca @fallingwallsh @calmoistorm@i-love-ptv @rafxcameronss @ldrvinyl @purplerose291 @heartsforandrewgarfield @coolgirl458 @sabrina-carpenter-stan-account @jujubeaz @ellobruv-blog @libertyybellls @c4ttheart @ihe4rttwd @redhead1180 @ditzyzombiesblog @spideysimpossiblegirl @sex-me-stiles @honeyiti @rafedrewandjjs @highformaybank @broidfk609 @sophiahristov @boo22sstuff @yourmumstoy @belle101200 @maybankskiss @starrsea @avengersgirllorianna @sekidekiboombeki @wearemadeofstardust0 @supercxnt @ifilwtmfc @maybankslover @walkinginthegalaxy @rivaiken @liability28 @highformaybank @margo-lalam @cigaretteshoney-blog @ucannotcompare @kazunish @ilovemenwithlonghairr @obsimellon @rosesinbloom18

(striked means i am unable to tag you, please check your settings to see if you have mentions restricted or disabled xo)

©loveharlow.

[anyoldfandom]

Sorry for all the notif spam I've been going through your blog but. Bobo talk and someone actually pointing out how weird his character is in the show, especially given his backstory. And I am so sorry for this length I'll delete it if you want. But Bobo in the show makes me SO mad bc he's comedy relief in execution and insane potential in theory.

Not only is he one of two EVOs at Providence but when people talk to Rex even when they know he's an EVO, they still see him as human. Bobo will always have the appearance of something nonhuman, he will always be seen on the street as lesser than. He's either a non-sapient animal or a mutant, to a stranger.

But his setup is INSANE, especially in relation to Rex. If his backstory IS true, and he does remember his past life, then he has a lot of experience seeing sick and injured kids in hospitals, and cheering them up. And now he is sapient, unable to do that anymore full-time (which, also assuming that the implications that his "Bobo time" is him sneaking off to help out at children's hospitals still, bc that's what the little puppet show implied, suggests that that's a job he enjoys doing and probably enjoyed in the past), and he's free to just...do whatever. Treated like a monster by humans, not allowed near the kids he was trained, likely raised to work with, he causes mayhem bc haha funny thing for him to do. And then he's captured by Providence, escapes, and then is caught again, and then ends up meeting another child. A child who is an EVO like him, who is nearly killed, and who is now put in a situation where he is constantly having medical tests done on him and examinations for his health.

It's so. The setup is so there. Of Bobo feeling familiarity and compassion for a child locked away in sterile white rooms to be monitored by doctors. Only this kid isn't a patient to be treated with kindness. Bobo remembers what they tried to do to him even if Rex doesn't. Bobo might not be able to go back to hospitals, but he can do his best to help this kid, who desperatly needs it (and also could be a good reason why he's sometimes there when Holiday is examining Rex, even when he has no logical reason to be besides hanging out with the kid - if he empathized with Rex and understood how scary it could be for kids to be stuck and have to sit through dozens of tests, even if Holiday is doing her best to make him comfortable). And it would do so well to give his open breaking of the rules and encouraging and assisting Rex in escaping justice - he's not just hanging out with the kid, being a general bad influence in Providence's eyes, he's using his position to help Rex understand how to break the rules. They need Rex's enthusiastic consent to cure people, and caging, killing, or even just seperaring him from his first friend could make him refuse to help - just like they rarely punish Rex beyond yelling and once getting grounded, instead trying to keep him in Providence by providing him shiny new toys (which is also why I think they gave Rex a new room after Ep 1 - for fear that VK would entice him over or make him start doubting Providence, give him something distracting).

But, back to Bobo - it also can explain the initial hostility he has to Six in the series that he doesn't really have to Holiday, beyond initial dislike of Six bc of Six being implied to be the one to initially catch him. We the viewers see everything, but the only thing Bobo has seen is Six initially bringing Rex in and being cagey/protective of him, and him fighting for Rex by saying that he's a cure (and we have no idea how much of that he saw, since we only actually SEE him there are the end). He knows Six doesn't want Rex dead, but he thinks it's because Six sees him as a cure and nothing else - which doesn't Six doesn't help by being as stiff and hard to read as well. Six.

(Also, going off of your disability Genrex thoughts, Bobo having a disability too, bc there's something to be read into someone no longer being able to do the old job they love and instead doing as close to it as they can out of a genuine wish to help someone else. Especially another disabled kid.)

bobo is a very interesting character to me because he does not feel like he fits in the setting of generator rex. he and rex are the only evos who work for providence and while rex has the excuse of being super special and different, bobo seemingly just has a job bc it's more convenient for providence to have him on their side and rex likes him

there are times where rex acts kind of like he feels alone in the world, like when he tells circe he's never met anyone like her before (evo like him) and there are moments when ppl talk shit about rex for being an evo and everyone kind of just ignores bobo? and if they don't ignore bobo they ignore the fact that he's an evo?

iirc also bobo is the only character who used to be a regular animal and became more humanlike from going evo, if we believe that the backstory presented in "robo bobo" is true. and when rex cures everyone in the last episode all of the incurables are cured too EXCEPT FOR BOBO

he shares a room with rex even after white expands rex's living space. why do they share a room? do they share a room because they want to share a room? why? they both complain about the other being so stinky. why do they share a room

the more i think about bobo the more questions i have which sucks because no one should think about bobo this hard. i love the guy. he's so confusing

[animasolaoriginal]

I n f a t u a t e d ♦️FOURTEEN

CHAPTER ONE◾TWO◾THREE◾FOUR◾FIVE SIX◾SEVEN◾EIGHT◾NINE◾TEN ELEVEN◾TWELVE◾THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN◾SEVENTEEN◾EIGHTEEN◾NINETEEN◾TWENTY

To say his sudden change in demeanor is confusing her, would be an understatement. Confronted with his raw strength and anger, she finds herself stuck in her own mind – until he pulls her out of it, with yet another face he's never shown her before.

ruthless nightclub owner ❌ innocent young woman with a crush

WARNING: NSFW! Explicit sexual content. Age gap. Size difference. Dubcon elements. Dom/sub dynamic. Praise kink. Free use/power play. Rough oral sex/deepthroating/choking. Spanking with a belt. Manipulation/mind break? ANGST! (For more tags, check it on AO3!) // WORDS: 4.1k

A/N: It's another Angst Episode. Poor girl got it rough in this one, I apologize in advance! (Reminder that this is a fictitious D/s relationship and nowhere near what an IRL one may or should look like!)

THIRTEEN 🟥 FOURTEEN 🟥 FIFTEEN

As she chokes on his cock with how he holds her down, her tears are hot, her mind spinning from lack of oxygen and how quickly he's changed faces again. Her stomach is tense, convulsing every time he pushes his length deeper into her throat, her mouth full of spit and bile and precum, and it's all dripping down onto his expensive pants, but he doesn't seem to care.

She feels miserable all over again, her body contorted, knees pressed into the hard space between the seats, those wretched toys still humming inside her because she didn't have the gall to turn them off completely when he'd asked her to choose. And she thought it was okay, worked in her favor, would make him proud of her. He'd been so sweet, his words, his gestures, his whole demeanor. All those praises. She was surprised, wondering what happened in that sex shop after she'd passed out.

Sucking him off in the elevator had been exciting instead of frightening, it had felt as if they'd have a bond now, she was his, and he was there for her, holding her, caressing her, comforting her. Of course he would ask her for things, and she would have happily sucked him off in the car as well, in her own pace, but he had seemed almost desperate, or angry, when he had forced her onto his cock.

She's confused. Why is he so rough again? What did she do? Did she make him angry after all? He denied it before, but maybe he's lied?

Her gurgling sounds fill the car, drown out even the engine, but at least they are proof that she is still here, still drawing breath, even if it's through her stuffed nose, in the rare moments he pulls her up by her hair only to push her back down again a few seconds later to take his cock all over again. Her throat feels raw, her lips strained and swollen, her whole body is tense, additionally fighting the sensations of the toys buzzing inside her.

The day has started in the worst way possible, had its few ups after that, but why is she even surprised about this anymore? He's treated her like this before, many times, oblivious and uncaring of her discomforts. It's her purpose after all, isn't it? To be his toy? But she still feels betrayed, disappointed, deeply disturbed.

She sniffles, another sudden gag reflex making her convulse so badly she feels her spit erupting from her nose. He still doesn't care, just keeps pushing and pulling her head, using her mouth like the hole it presumably is for him. She can't decide if she wants to sob and wail or just give in and choke already.

Somehow she loses all track of time, becomes numb eventually, lets him fuck her throat until he finally stills, his hand heavy on her head, pushing her down so much his pubic hair tickles in her nose while his balls spasm against her lips as he empties himself deep into her throat, his cum warm and sticky as the rest of it drips down and joins the mess she's already made on his pants.

He pulls her off and pushes her back into the passenger seat, where she slumps down, wiping at her mouth and nose before she succumbs to the misery burning within her, sobs, hiccups and quiet wails erupting from her hurting throat. She hears him scoffing, and when she looks over through hooded eyes and clumped lashes, he shakes his head, his face stern and hard as he wipes at his ruined pants.

“Look at the mess you made,” he says, his other hand flexed around the steering wheel.

“M'sorry,” she mutters hoarsely, forcing herself to move closer, ready to try to clean him up somehow, ignoring the sting inside her that comes either from her hurt feelings or the buzzing toys that she just can't ignore no matter how hard she tries. They always keep moving, rubbing against each other, poking deep and hard into her tense muscles, and she keeps clenching around them, already knowing she'd be sore later.

“Not good enough.” His voice cuts through her struggles, and she meets his dark gaze. Gone is the warmth she's found there earlier.

She sniffles again, wiping at her nose. Despite her misery, she feels that tiny bit of defiance flaring up inside her again. How dare he make her responsible for the mess when he'd been the one to force her to gag on his freaking cock the entire time! Where was she supposed to leave all the spit he created in her when he didn't allow her to swallow? Or breathe? She was fighting for her life while he tried to chase his pleasure. How is that fair?

A jerk goes through the car as he stops it at the side of the road. The sun is breaking through the clouds, there's a forest on one side, a wide field on the other. No other car around. She stares at him in confusion.

“Get out,” he then tells her, and she freezes, a deep shiver crashing through her.

“No,” she whispers, not as response, but in shock. He won't just leave her here, right? In the middle of nowhere? With no means to get anywhere? He can't!

His gaze darkens, his face getting harder. When he suddenly opens his door and gets out, her eyes follow his motion while she's too stunned to react properly, and when he rips her door open and grabs her arm, she can only yelp, pushing her feet down, fighting him a bit too much.

“No, please! Please, don't leave me!”

Her wail makes him freeze, a frown appearing on his stern face. “I'm not gonna leave you,” he clarifies, voice as rough as the grip on her arm as he drags her to the back of the car and bends her over it.

The warm metal burns through the thin fabric of her dress, her hands squeak on it as she tries to find purpose in her new position. Breathing hard and still crying, she can't see or hear much of what he is doing behind her, but then something hard and cold and somehow also hot and unyielding meets the back of her thigh, and she is screaming.

The pain is so intense that her vision reddens, her body jerking against the car, her head spinning out of control. It's a burning pain, a sting, her skin throbbing and tightening, and when it repeats on her other thigh, a whistle in the air, then a sharp crack, she knows it's his belt, the realization gone as soon as the pain crashes through her once more. And one more time, and one more, and she wails and sobs and cries and screams, her sounds echoing fruitlessly through the empty space around them.

He's only hitting the backs of her thighs, just below where the harness is draped around her butt cheeks, left and right, never the same spot twice. She feels her skin positively burning, and she's afraid it's all an open wound now, bleeding and oozing and never whole again. It certainly feels like it.

Eventually he lets up and lowers the belt, then moves his fingers over the abused skin. She whines breathlessly, unable to cry any more, the pain that throbbing thing all around her.

His hand hooks around her arm and pulls her back up, and she leans against him, her legs trembling too much to keep her upright. “W-why?” she croaks out.

“Why did I belt you?” he replies, his voice low and close to her ear. “Why not?”

She stiffens, slowly turns her head to him, blinking the last tears away. “What?”

“Do I have to give you my reasons for punishing you?” he snarls, clenching his jaw.

She stares at him, wondering where the man has gone who has told her he can't believe he'd deserve something as sweet as her. He seems so different now. Dark and dangerous, angry and mocking, unreasonable and mean.

“Y-yes!” she protests with the last bit of strength left in her as she clings to his arm. “I need to know what I did wrong! I want to be better!” Her voice is a feeble thing in the air, shrill and panicked, hoarse from screaming.

“What if I told you you didn't do anything wrong? What if I told you I just felt like hurting you? Hmm, what then?” he says gravelly, glaring at her. “You don't get to be better, it doesn't matter, you are a fucking toy for me to use whenever I want, understood?” He's raised his voice so quickly, she was flinching by the end of it, whining in confusion. “Understood?” he yells again, and she cries out, covering her ears while whimpering: “Yes, sir!”

Her reaction makes him pause, his eyebrows furrowing, before he rips her hands away from her head and drags her back around the car. Before he shoves her onto the seat, he hesitates, and she braces for more pain, but he just stands behind her, tall and intimidating, a deep shadow keeping the sun away from her.

And suddenly he pulls her back, closes the passenger door with a loud thud, then rips open the door behind it, before he points to the backseat. “Lie down, on your stomach, keep your thighs off the seat.”

Still more than confused and frankly hopelessly overwhelmed and aching in more ways than one, she follows the harsh words and crawls onto the seat, careful not to get her burning skin into contact with anything. She's now almost convinced he's belted her bloody, why else should she keep her wounds off the seat? And what if she makes a mess again? Will he punish her once more? Not that he needs a reason, apparently.

His reply still haunts her, that anger in his voice, the darkness in his eyes, the loathing in his words. She is at his mercy, she's always been, but he's never been this brutal with her. Or maybe he has but she never perceived it as such? Forcing his hard length into her virgin ass? Taking her in her sleep? Choking her on his cock? All of that was brutal, rough, but somehow she's never seen it. Maybe because he's given her something back, cared for her afterwards.

But belting her for no reason? Even though her insides have clenched around the toys with every hit, there has not been anything in it for her. It was only violence, pure and raw, and she doesn't understand it. She's just serviced his cock, made him come in her throat, let him do all that to her like a good toy, so why was he so angry with her?

Tears burn in her eyes again as she tries to find a comfortable position on the backseat, while she listens to him close the door and slip back behind the wheel. She rests her spinning head on her folded arms and closes her eyes, lets the hum of the engine distract her from the throbbing pain in her legs.

He drives for quite a while, and it's just this monotonous rumble beneath her. She's too wired to fall asleep, still too confused to make sense of anything. So she doesn't question it when he eventually stops the car and gets out without a word, locking it with a soft click, leaving her to stew in her dark thoughts.

Time passes, and she has no idea how much, and it doesn't matter. Her thighs are still aflame, her skin tight and stinging, and every single movement hurts. But what hurts even more is the betrayal she feels. She's done everything he's asked, and he still hurts her like this? Because he can? Is this what she signed up for by submitting to him? It doesn't make sense...

The thud of the trunk being closed rips her from her clouded mind, and she carefully turns her head a little until he slips into her line of sight when he sits back down behind the wheel and starts the engine. He drives off again, God knows where to, and still doesn't say a word, doesn't even acknowledge her.

The silence only adds to the dark void that seems to be eating her from within. A sniffle escapes her, and she stiffens at the sound, sinking back into herself, making herself as small as she can on the backseat. He doesn't react though, just keeps driving, the hum of the engine and the rumble of the tires the only sounds around her.

She is positively miserable by the time he finally stops the car again. It's all darkness, weighted darkness that pulls her down, keeps her at the bottom, in the pit of doubts and hurt and sorrow. And there he finds her, his hands tight around her waist as he pulls her backwards off the seat, not in a threatening way, but almost careful. She can't move anyway, doesn't want to, too far gone in her own mind to register anything anymore.

He scoops her up in his arms, somehow managing not to touch her hurting thighs, and carries her off. She has her eyes closed, doesn't care about where they are, what he's doing. Car doors are being closed, his footsteps crunching over gravel, something creaks on rusty hinges, the air around them becomes not as fresh, but stale and warm.

He keeps her on his arms, pressed to his chest in a comforting manner, but she can't enjoy it. Why should she? That's not her purpose. The noises around her melt together, paper crinkling, floorboards creaking, and then he's sitting down somewhere soft, and she flinches when she slips onto his lap, the tight skin of the backs of her thighs pressing against his legs, but only for a moment, before he lifts her up and arranges something beneath her.

When he puts her back down, she winces again, but this time the pain is numbed immediately by something cold, a soothing sensation on her burning skin. She dares to open her eyes, blinks at the light, breathes through her nose as she looks around. The first thing she sees is the colorful bag of frozen peas beneath her, peeking through her open thighs, and she inhales deeply, trying not to shift too much on his cushioned lap, then registers his hands on her waist and on her knees, holding her.

She can't look at him just yet, so she looks around. They are in a cabin of some sort. Lots of wood, dark interior, warm, cozy. Not that she can appreciate any of it with how hollow she feels.

His loud exhale startles her, and she hunches her shoulders, bowing her head, bracing for more unnecessary violence. But he doesn't move, just breathes through his nose in a way a cornered animal would. Slowly, carefully, she tilts her chin just enough to look at him from under her lashes.

His gaze is hard and cold and intense like she's never seen before.

“Listen,” he then says, his voice hoarse and low. “I'm only gonna say this once...” She raises her head a little more and fully looks at him, her heart beating faster. “I'm sorry,” he breathes out darkly, words that should feel more genuine, that seem to cause him great discomfort, words he probably never uttered before. Her eyebrows rise up in surprise.

“I didn't mean to hurt you,” he continues, ignoring her reaction, his eyes lowered as he stares at her thighs and his big hand spanned across them. “I... okay, maybe I wanted it, but you didn't deserve it. You did nothing wrong.”

His words make her head spin. She can barely make sense of them, so she just keeps listening because he doesn't seem to be done.

“I am not a good man,” he says, his hand starting to rub over her bare legs, the touch warm and soothing, if it weren't such a loaded situation. “Maybe I wanted you to remember that. I take what I want, and sometimes...”

A groan escapes him that makes her flinch, in turn causing her to wince as she shifts on the cold albeit uncomfortable sac of hard peas. The grip of his hands gets stronger.

“You...” he starts, his eyes moving back up to meet hers. She shivers under the intensity. “You're doing things to me. You're changing me... you make me... regret things I would never have regretted before. And, baby,” he adds, his hand moving to cup her chin, gently holding it, his thumb rubbing over her bottom lip, while she just stares at him, stunned by his unexpected confession. “I regret treating you like this. You've been such a good girl, maybe a little too good? But that's not your fault, do you hear me? I didn't expect you to be like this... so beautifully submissive...”

He licks his lips, his eyes wandering over her face. She's still only staring at him, unable to say or do anything, and she probably shouldn't either, no matter how much praise he has for her. Because deep down, she doesn't trust his words anymore. He could snap at any second now, just like that, unprompted, so she tries to minimize her movements and reactions to not give him any reason to hurt her again. He can, and he will, she knows it. He's unpredictable like that.

“You are too good for me,” he goes on, quietly, eyes still holding her hostage. “I definitely do not deserve you... but... as I said, I'm not a good man, I don't run on a moral compass. I take what I want, and I still want you. You're staying with me, even if you hate me now. You're mine, and mine alone.”

She should be glad he won't push her away, won't leave her like she initially feared. His possessiveness means she can continue to have the life he's promised her. The life without worries, without having to think for herself. He will care for her, he's said so, and she trusts he will continue doing so. But by punishing her for something that isn't her fault, how can she be sure he won't do it again? On a whim, because he can?

“I will try to be better,” he says, as if reading her mind, deep creases on his forehead, his eyes dark with emotion, something she's never seen before. “I won't hurt you again, not like that, I promise, okay?”

She stares at him, furrowing her eyebrows, feeling new tears burning beneath her lashes. He sounds genuine now, truly troubled by what he has done. And she may have believed him if he wouldn't have kept talking.

“I will still punish you if you don't listen to me, if you disobey, you know that, right? But I will not... let my anger out on you. I promise,” he repeats, tightening the grip of his fingers around her chin as he stares at her, and she stares back, flustered and confused, that black void inside her filled with uncertainty and doubts, grief and... sympathy?

She hates feeling miserable. And seeing him like this, regretful, concerned and visibly struggling to get these words out because he probably never had to reflect on his own actions like this before, she should hate this too. Any form of conflict she hates. But something warm settles in her stomach as she keeps watching him, how he looks at her, waiting for any kind of reaction from her. Desperate to be forgiven, or believed, or trusted again.

Well, maybe not desperate. She's sure he doesn't care that much. He could just continue the way it was, by using her however he wants without giving a damn about her. But maybe that isn't their dynamic after all. It's never been like that before. He used her, yes, without consent, rough and brutal, playing on her inexperience and her submissive nature, but he's always praised her during whatever ordeal he's made her do, cared for her afterwards.

There was a balance between all those sexual acts he forced upon her, there was light in the darkness, and sometimes the darkness wasn't as bad when he gave her something back. The times he made her come still echo in her mind, experiences she's never had before. And how he cuddled her after, caressed her, held her close, wiped away her tears, before he'd create new ones...

But that balance got disrupted by one single act of violence she still can't fully comprehend. He was angry because she's changing him? But isn't that a good thing? Is she taming the beast, but the beast doesn't want to be tamed? Probably. So it is her fault? But what is she supposed to do differently? He wants her to submit and she does, does what he asks of her, doesn't fuss about it, she's good, he said so. But then it's his fault for getting influenced by how good she is? Yeah, that's on him!

Caught in her own head, being none the wiser the longer she thinks about the whole situation, she keeps staring at him, breathing a bit quicker, her heart beating harder, the pain throbbing against the slowly melting bag of peas. The longer she locks eyes with him and the longer they just sit in loaded silence, the more she realizes something.

It is on her.

She is the submissive, she has to give in, it's on her to clear the tension. Of course she has no idea what that means, and if she's even right, not knowing anything about the matter anyway, but it's what feels right. She knows he won't do anything more, he's already shared his thoughts with her, which he didn't have to do, but he's tried to smooth the waters she finds herself drowning in. He did his part. Now it's on her.

Following that inborn instinct that made her submit to him in the first place, she slowly raises her hand until her shaking fingers brush against his chin, then move along his jaw before clammy little fingertips press against the tense muscle on his cheek. He flexes it beneath her touch, eyes following her every move.

Shifting on his lap (and the peas), she turns to put her other hand on his shoulder, anchoring herself, ignoring the pain of the burning welts on her skin, the toys buzzing away inside her, all the voices in her head telling her to turn the other way, to run, to get away, to stop.

But she doesn't stop, she pulls herself closer, cups his face and tilts it downwards slightly. And he lets her, the creases relaxing, and when she leans in fully to press her lips to the corner of his mouth, he closes his eyes and sighs deeply, his breath warm on her lips.

His arms close around her body, pressing her against him, as he mirrors the gesture and brushes his lips against her cheek. “I'm sorry,” he whispers barely audible, despite not wanting to repeat himself, and it makes her smile softly.

“I know, it's okay,” she replies quietly, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him another peck, before his mouth finds hers fully for a slow but searing kiss.

Parting her lips, she lets his tongue in and meets it with the same slowly growing hunger, and as her mind empties, all those doubts and fears and confusing thoughts pushed into the back once again, she finds herself forgiving him, and she knows she shouldn't, she can hear the voices telling her not to, to hold a grudge, to not trust him, to keep fighting, but this is her life now.

He is her life now. He is all she has, and she can't afford to let this go, let him go, to lose this. She needs him, she knows that now. The strength in his arms, the warmth in his body, the affection in his kisses, the power he holds over her.

She wanted this, wanted him, and if this is part of their deal, then so be it. As unhealthy and disturbing and wrong it may be. She needs it.

THIRTEEN 🟥 FOURTEEN 🟥 FIFTEEN

End notes: The rollercoaster ride continues.

Like I mentioned in the notes above, please know that this is NOT a realistic representation of a Dom/sub relationship. If anyone, Dom or not, treats their sub/partner like this, that partner has to get the hell out of there! This is abuse and manipulation and a whole lot of other bad things! (And it's not on the sub to give in like that...)

But also remember that this is FICTION, these things happen in my mind and on whatever device you are reading this on. Nobody got harmed during the making of this chapter, I swear!

Thank you for reading! Next chapter on Sunday!

TAG LIST: @untamedheart81 @qmsvpx @cyan1decandy @bimbos-are-angels @voiceactivated @reader-1290

AO3 / / / MASTERLIST

CHAPTER / / / ONE◾TWO◾THREE◾FOUR◾FIVE

SIX◾SEVEN◾EIGHT◾NINE◾TEN

ELEVEN◾TWELVE◾THIRTEEN◾FOURTEEN◾FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN◾SEVENTEEN◾EIGHTEEN◾NINETEEN◾TWENTY

[dpdailyupdate]

DanAndPhilGAMES Year in Review - 2024

January

Phil Pushes Dan’s Buttons for 18 Minutes 

PHIL'S BIRTHDAY CHARITY LIVE STREAM!

February

Dan and Phil play Poppy Playtime chapter 3!

HONEYMOON IN JAPAN! - Dan and Phil play THe Sims 4: Season 2 #7

THE PUBLIC WOOHOO INCIDENT - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #8

Dan and Phil Get Married, Have Kids and Retire

Who is the Real Dan Howell?

Dan and Phil’s DRAGon RACE

Forcing Dan to Watch All My TikTok Likes

GOLF WITH SLITS - Dan and Phil Play: Golf With Friends #9

March

BUBBLE TEA WITH THE BOYS - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season #9

Dan and Phil are BROTHERS?

Dan and Phil React to Plhan Twitter

Trunk Dexting with Pan and Dhil

Dan and Phil Get a Dog, Change Careers and Buy a House

April

DIL TAKES DOWN THE COPS - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #10 

Are Dan and Phil Connected?

PARTIAL KITCHEN REVEAL SHUFFLEBOARD SHOWDOWN!

Phantasy Mocktails with Daniel and Philippe

Getting Deep at the Slumber Party

DALIEN’S THROUPLE ERA - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #11

Lofi Phantasy - Beats to Game and Procrastinate To

May

One must imagine Dan and Phil Happy

WHY DAN WENT TO THE HOSPITAL - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #12

UNHINGED Texting with Dan and Phil 

Forcing Dan to Watch MORE TikTok Likes

Transforming Dan into a Golden Pig 

Dan and Phil React to Phan Twitter 2

June

Dan and Phil Try a Drinking Game

DAN'S BIRTHDAY CHARITY LIVE STREAM!!

FASHION MAKEOVER SPECIAL EPISODE - Dan and Phil play The Sims Season 4: Season 2 #13

Do NOT make me say this! Dan And Phil play Incohearent ..again

Finally Revealing Our Secret

July

DAN AND PHIL MASSIVE PIZZA MUKBANK 2

An Apology to Our Community

Dan and Phil Dress Each Other

Dan and Phil Chained Together

Dan is going to get this channel deleted 

Forcing Dan to watch TikToks until he admits he loves it

August

WE HAVE HEARTSTOPPER AT HOME - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #15

Dan and Phil play DRESS TO IMPRESS

Dan and Phil React to The Amazing Tour is Not on Fire

Writing Phan Fiction About Ourselves

Date Night with Dan and Phil 

Dan and Phil play: Your Tumblr in 2015

September

Dan and Phil React to Phan Twitter 3

Dan tests: how dumb is blonde Phil?

Dress To Impress IN REAL LIFE

Dan and Phil should NOT tweet this

October

OUR BIG GAY PROM NIGHT - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #16 

POPPY PLAYTIME ANIMATION! Dan and Phil 

Gays Against Humanity 

Our Phanniversary Newlyweds Games

Dan and  Phil in The Backrooms

Dan and Phil ADOPT THE BABY IN YELLOW

Don’t Yap Challenge (IMPOSSIBLE) A Quiet Place: The Game 

Dan and Phil play Five NIghts at Freddy’s: THE JOY OF CREATION

Halloween Baking - RADIOACTIVE MUG CAKES

November 

OUR FIRST SIMS DEATH - Dan and Phil play The Sims 4: Season 2 #17

Dan and Phil and A Tiny Horse

December

Forcing Dan to watch my Tiktok likes until we have brainrot

Dan and Phil React to Phan Twitter 4

This game got us demonetised - INCOHEARENT!

GOOGLE FEUD HAS US FUMING

Dan and Phil React to AmazingDan

[miss-multi45]

Blackmail

Hoodie x FEM!Reader

cw: no smut, mentions of a gun (revolver), reader has an extremely shitty boyfriend, nicknames said: 'babe', 'babygirl', 'gorgeous girl', 'pretty thing', 'good girl', dead dove do not eat, I based this off the scene in euphoria season 2 episode 6 (the scene where nate puts a gun to maddy's head), mentions of stalking, ghostface quote, mentions of infidelity, gaslighting, swearing, hoodie is a murderous gentleman. come get your food (dddne pun)

It had been six hours since you last saw him.

Now don't take this the wrong way. You weren't the kind of girl to get sad when your boyfriend wasn't by your side again after being gone for five seconds. Quite the opposite.

Liam was a piece of shit, but somehow you loved him. So the reason you had been counting the hours until he got back home was that you had a sneaking suspicion that he had been sleeping with other girls, but god you had hoped and prayed that it wasn't true.

After a while of sitting on the corner of your bed with your head in your hands and planning out what you were going to say to him, the front door finally opened and Liam walked in and right up to where you were.

"I'm home, babe." He said as soon as he entered the room, pressing a kiss to your forehead when you looked up. He sat on his side of the bed and began to undress for bed.

"Where have you been?" You stood up, crossing you arms, finally confronting him despite your fear of him.

He chuckled, both nervously and darkly, "Babygirl, what do you mean?" Liam turned to look at you.

"You've been out all day, you haven't answered my calls or replied to my texts, and you didn't leave any notes or messages." You listed them off, making sure to stare directly into his stupid pretty brown eyes.

"Wha - babygirl, I have a job?" He backed himself up, but you had already prepared for this conversation.

"It's Sunday. Your job is out on Sundays." You walked backwards, sitting on your desk chair to keep the distance, because something didn't feel safe about this.

And almost on cue, you heard a metallic click. "What was that?" Your heart dropped, you recognised that click. It may seem stupid, but you had watched enough action movies to know that click belonged to a gun being loaded.

"Liam. What was that?" You pushed your chair back, even though the bullet could reach you in any corner of the room.

A terrifying emptiness took over his features, a hauntingly calm expression. He pulled the gun out of his jacket pocket, standing up and slowly coming towards you while the deadly cold expression stayed on his face.

The space between you and him was big enough for you to stand up from your chair and jump onto the bed. You threw a pillow at him as hard as you could, scared tears starting to develop and fall down your cheeks.

Liam laughed at that, it appeared he found your fear a laughing matter. "Aw, why you crying?" He creeped onto the bed, climbing on top of you and gently pressing the gun to your temple.

The cold metal that was suddenly against your head clicked, and that's when it hit you. He was playing a twisted game of Russian Roulette.

He switched to pressing the gun to his head, and pulled the trigger a few times to no avail. So, he got up and left the room to load the gun with more than one bullet.

But that didn't involve the bang of a gun, and it didn't involve a body thudding to the floor. But it definitely didn't involve a voice saying: "Smallest gun I've ever used."

Several seconds after the voice spoke, you quietly got up and closed the door, crawling back onto your bed and burying your head into a pillow to silently sob into it.

However, your crying session was interrupted by the door opening again. Heavy footsteps walking towards you, the bed sunk from someone's weight behind you.

"Now what happened here?" It was the same voice as before, commenting on the size of the gun. The voice clearly had a filter over it, but it sounded like a male. Stuffing your face further into the cushion, you tensed up when you felt a leather gloved hand gently stroke and pet your side as if the person knew what had just happened and wanted to comfort you.

"Sorry about your boyfriend," Oh, God. "All those muscles didn't help much." Liam was dead, shot and killed.

Whoever it was didn't seem to like the fact that your face was shoved into a pillow, so they grabbed your face by the chin and turned you over to look at them. "Oh, what a pretty thing." Your cheeks had tears marks, and you were still crying.

"Scared, huh?" Now that you were looking at them, it was obvious they were a man. A very broad and tall man, also quite dominant by the looks of it. He had a turmeric yellow hoodie and a black and red ski mask

You sniffled, and the hooded man chuckled and cocked his head before speaking again. "Stop crying." He wiped a tear with his thumb, moving his arm under your back while snaking the other under your waist.

He lifted you in a bridal carry, but you squirmed in his grasp. "That's enough. A gorgeous girl like you shouldn't be in the same house as the dead body of a shit muppet. Is that clear?"

Almost frantically, you used your sweater paws to wipe the tears away. "I want an answer. Preferably a verbal one." the man demanded, and you answered. "Yes." your voice quivered while you spoke.

"There we go." He started walking out of your room and out of the house, into the vast woodland expanse behind your house. "Now, I'm gonna tell you why I did what I did. And you're going to listen." Not once did he put you down.

"I've been stalking your dead boyfriend for three months now, and I only got the order to kill him two days ago." Wait, 'got the order'? What did that mean?

"I didn't need to kill him for another week, but I did it early because of what I saw him do to you, pretty thing." He continued. Oh, he saw everything. "Pointing a gun to your head, laughing at your fear. You don't do that to a woman, especially not your own fucking girlfriend."

You began to stop crying, instead just looking up at him with glassy eyes and rosy cheeks. But after a while you felt a headache build up, and your vision grew blurry and you saw black dots.

"That's it, good girl." That was the last thing you heard.

[everdreamofme]

poker games

platonic ! slytherins x reader

another silly little one shot of the Slytherin gang, based off of another episode of Friends!!

Making her way into the Slytherin common room after spending some time in the library, Y/N spotted her two best friends, Pansy and Astoria, in one of the corners. Pansy was carefully painting her nails from her seat on the floor as Astoria occupied one of the couches, reading a magazine.

'Hey bitches,' She said as she flopped onto the armchair behind Pansy.

'Hey babe.'

'Where're the boys?' Y/N asked, her eyes scanning the room, expecting to find her five other best friends but with no luck. 

Astoria shrugged. 'Enzo said they were doing something upstairs tonight.'

'Okay, cryptic. Don't you guys want to know what it is they're doing?'

'As long as they're not annoying me, I'm fine with the not knowing.' Pansy spoke, lifting a hand to examine her manicure. Y/N pulled a face.

'Nope, not accepting that. Let's go,' Despite the girls' protests, Y/N dragged them both to the boys dorm and swung the door open. The five boys sat around an oval-shaped table with playing cards in their hands, their eyes darting up to whoever had interrupted them.

'What the hell are you lot doing?' Y/N asked, taking a step into the room, and the two girls followed suit, both now curious too.

'Playing poker.' Theo responded as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. The three girls shared a look of confusion before Astoria spoke.

'Sorry, playing what?'

'Poker. It's a muggle game,' Blaise explained, pushing some plastic pieces into the middle of the table.

Pansy pulled a face at Blaise's response and moved to stand by him. 'You lot are voluntarily playing a muggle game?'

'Fuck! I'm out.' Draco threw his cards onto the table. 'We were, before we were rudely distracted.'

'Draco!' Pansy scolded.

'Well, can we play?' Y/N asked, causing Mattheo to laugh as he picked up all of the cards on the table.

'Absolutley not.'

'And why is that?' She challenged, crossing her arms.

'Because we would have to teach you how to play,' He said, giving her a pointed look. 'And I'd rather not do that.'

The girls all glared at Mattheo in response. Definitely the wrong thing to say.

'Okay. So now, we draw cards.' Enzo explained slowly to the girls, who now sat with them around the oval table. Nodding, the girls studied their cards intensely.

'So, I wouldn't need any, right? 'Cause I have a straight,' Y/N asked, showing her cards to Mattheo, who only clenched his jaw in response. Draco and Theo huffed at Y/N as Pansy and Astoria congratulated her lucky cards.

'Okay, Pans, how many do you want?' Enzo asked, turning the attention to Pansy, who was looking incredulously at the five cards in her hand.

'Okay... I just need two. The ten of spades and the six clubs—'

'No - Pansy, you don't-'

'Oh! I have the ten of spades; here you go!' Astoria interjected, reaching over and passing Pansy one of her cards with a smile on her face. Blaise rubbed his temple when Pansy thanked her and added the card to her hand.

'No, no. Uh, you can't do that, Tori,' He began before she interrupted him.

'Oh no, it's okay! It's okay; I don't need them. I'm going for fours!' Theo and Draco shared a look before finishing their drinks. 

'Alright, so at this point-'

'Okay, we got it! Let's play for real.' Pansy interrupted Mattheo, putting her cards in a pile so they could be shuffled and dealt again. Theo raised an eyebrow.

'Are you sure? 'Cause Y/N just threw away two jacks because they didn't look happy..'

Y/N scoffed. 'Well, I'm ready now, so just deal!'

The boys rolled their eyes as Mattheo began to shuffle the cards for a new round.

A few hours later, the gang still sat around the table in the boys' dorm, playing their final game of the night.

'Damnit!' Y/N fumed, throwing her cards on the table, having lost yet another game of poker.

'Oh, I see. So then, you were lying.' Astoria accused Blaise, pointing a finger at him as he scooped up the chips with a grin.

'About what?' He asked.

'About how good your cards were.'

'No, Tori, he was bluffing.' Draco explained, beginning to clear the cards away. 

'Ah-ha! And what is bluffing? Is it not another word for lying?' Blaise and Theo shared a look before shaking their heads.

'Well, I hate to break up this party, but I am shattered.' Pansy stated as she stood from her chair. A choir of 'oo' broke out as she stood up, causing her to narrow her eyes at the boys. 'What?'

'We need to settle, Pansy.' Mattheo explained, using his wand to lift the objects from the table and back into a trunk.

'Settle what?'

'The game, Pans. You owe us money for the game.' Blaise added, earning a huff from Y/N and Astoria. Enzo made his way over to Pansy and tossed an arm around her shoulders.

'Ah, come on guys, it's their first time. Why don't we just forget about the money?' At this, Pansy scoffed, shoving Enzo's arm from her shoulder. 

'Fuck no! We'll pay!'

Astoria sucked in a breath of air. 'Pans, I had another answer all ready.'

'And you know what?' Y/N stood now, pointing her finger in Theo's face. 'We want a rematch!' Theo grinned as Mattheo sniggered.

'Fine by me, I could use some more money.' 

'So, basically, you get your kicks from taking money from all of your friends?' Astoria asked the room. Draco pondered this for a moment before breathing a 'yup' and earning a laugh from the other boys. 

Making their way back to their dorm, the three girls scoffed as they discussed losing to the boys yet again.

'Can you believe what assholes our friends are?' Pansy asked with a sour face. Y/N nodded.

'Yeah, they can get really competitive.' At this, Astoria let out a sarcastic chuckle.

'What?'

'You're one to talk, Y/N.' Pansy chuckled as Y/N's mouth gaped.

'I am not that bad!' She defended as Astoria rolled her eyes.

'Oh, please. The chess incident?'

Y/N gasped. 'That was not an incident! I was... gesturing, and the pieces just slipped off the board!'

'Oh, right. Right..' Pansy nodded.

'Ugh, shut up! I think I know a way we can beat those assholes..'

The next morning, Y/N sat herself down before the Weasley twins in the great hall. Sharing a look of amusement, they set their cutlery down and grinned.

'Y/N Y/L/N,'

'To what do we owe the pleasure?'

'I need your help.' She sighed. They simultaneously quirked an eyebrow.

'Straight to the point?'

'She must be desperate, Fred.' Rolling her eyes, she leaned forward over the table.

'You two know how to play poker, right?' Waiting until they nodded in response, she continued. 'I need you to teach me how to play. And Pansy, and Astoria.'

'Oh, do you now?'

'And what's in it for us, little snake?'

Huffing, she lowered her voice. 'You can have our winnings, whatever it is. We just need to win the game.'

They seemed to communicate telepathically for a moment before each reaching a hand over the table with another grin.

'Got yourself a deal, Y/L/N.' She couldn't help but return their grin as she shook their hands.

The following evening, when Pansy suggested another game of poker to the group, the boys all immediately declined. It didn't take much more than a pout from all three girls until Blaise was conjuring the poker table in their dorm again.

Once everyone was seated and ready, Theo made to grab the deck of cards, but Astoria got there first.

'Uh, you want me to shuffle those, Tori?' He asked her. 

Astoria gave a sickly sweet smile back. 'I think I'll give it a go, thanks.' She sprung the cards from one hand to the other and began to quickly shuffle them together. The boys raised their brows in shock as Y/N and Pansy could only grin.

'What the fuck?' Mattheo murmured.

As the games went on throughout the night, the girls had won multiple rounds, much to the boys dismay. 

'Okay guys, final round now.' Enzo rubbed his hands together as the gang got ready to play their last game. 

Taking a deep breath, Pansy stated she was in and shoved some chips into the middle of the table, with Blaise, Theo, and Y/N following suit. Y/N drummed her fingers nervously on the table as Mattheo and Enzo took their turns putting the chips in too.

'Would you keep still?' Theo whispered, and Enzo reached over to pin her hand down as Draco shot her a warning look.

'Sorry! I'm just nervous!'

'Alright, in or out, guys?' Blaise asked.

Draco pushed his chips into the centre with a smirk on his face. 'In.'

'Alright, I see you,' Astoria mimicked his actions, pushing some further chips into the table too. Draco merely raised his brow at the girl before him as Enzo asked around the table.

'Pansy?'

'I'm out,' She huffed, putting her cards down, Blaise following suit.

'Me too.'

'Same.'

'I hate this game!' Y/N sulked as she too slammed her cards down, Mattheo quickly grabbed the empty bottle from next to her and slid it towards Draco, who was on the other end of the table. Y/N gave him a pointed look as Enzo sniggered behind him.

'I fold.'

'Fold.'

'That just leaves you two then.' Pansy said, leaning forward onto her hands and looking towards Draco and Astoria.

'Oh, I'm very in.' Draco said, tossing some more chips into the pile.

'Astoria?'

'Okay, Draco, I see you. And I will raise you, ten galleons.'

'Fine, I'm in.'

At this, Astoria grinned. 'How many do you want?'

'One.'

'Okay... dealer takes two. What are you betting?'

Draco thought for a moment as he glanced at his cards, his poker face well in tact. 'Five galleons.'

Nodding, Astoria pushed some pieces into the middle once again.  'See your five, and I raise you... twenty galleons.'

Y/N gasped, Enzo's eyes widened, Blaise sat forward on his chair, and Pansy covered her mouth.

'I'll see your twenty and raise you twenty-five.' Theo dramatically fanned himself while Mattheo crossed his arms over his chest.

'I see your twenty-five, and, uh... Y/N, get my purse.' 

Y/N fumbled with her wand as she mumbled a quick 'accio'. Once she had Astoria's bag, she opened her purse and pulled a face. 'Tori, there's nothing in it.'

'Okay, then get me your purse.' Y/N shot to the other side of the room, grabbing her purse.

'Here! Good luck!'

'Okay... I see your twenty-five, and I raise you... thirty.'

'Forty! Five! Forty-five!' Pansy gasped, having grabbed her own purse, and now stood with Y/N behind Astoria. She gave both girls a thankful squeeze of their hands and directed her eyes back to Draco, who was pulling out his wallet.

He scanned the object in his hand, pulling some money out before nudging the boy in the seat next to him. 'Enzo, I'm a little shy.'

'That's okay, Draco; you can ask me anything!' Enzo tutted, nudging his shoulder into Draco's. Mattheo's hand shot to the bridge of his nose in disbelief as Draco scoffed.

'What do you need, mate?' Theo asked as he and Blaise moved to stand behind Draco.

'Fifteen.'

'Here's ten.' Theo chucked the money onto the table over Draco's shoulder as Blaise dug into his wallet too.

'I got five.' 

'Thanks. Okay, I'm calling your forty-five. What do you have?' Draco asked, keeping his cards face down on the table. Astoria took a deep breath as the girls behind her held hands nervously. Her eyes darted up to meet Draco's, and she sat for a minute before laying her cards out on the table.

'Full house.' Y/N and Pansy gasped in excitement, all eyes now moving to Draco. He, too, sat for a moment, his eyes never leaving the brunette in front of him.

'You got me.' He cracked a small smile as Astoria jumped up to hug the girls behind her, all three squealing in excitement. Draco heard the sharp intakes of breath and the groans behind him as he felt someone pat him on the shoulder.

'It's alright, mate.' Theo spoke as Draco stood and turned towards them.

'It's a tough hand to beat!' Enzo chimed in, Mattheo made his way to the other side of Draco, and clapped him on the back.

'I thought we had them.' He said, giving Draco a look. 

'Ah well, when you don't have the cards, you don't have the cards.' He shrugged back. 'But look how happy she is. They are,'

The boys turned to the three girls, who were now laughing giddily as they held hands. Enzo smiled, watching his best friends twirl around the room before a look of realisation crossed his features. The three other boys seemed to put the pieces together just as quickly as they all gave Draco a look, eyes darting from the blonde before them to his unturned cards on the table.

Simultaneously, all five boys made a dive for the table.

[coolprettyleo]

begin again au ☆ - Frankies Lore!

wc: 1.8k

tw: drinking, mean coach, quitting, embarrassing? fluff bit of angst?

ryan leonard x hughes sister au!

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

frankie couldn't believe what she had just done. something that had been a long time coming finally crashed down and for the first time in her life frankie felt bittersweet.

her whole life has revolved around the sport of hockey; having three brothers playing in the NHL and a mother and father who both played collegiete and now coach is a nightmare in disguise; for someone who is so tired of trying.

dont get her wrong she loved the sport. growing up, she started to confuse what the love was actually for. she thought she held the same passion to play that her brothers did, she was wrong. she now knows the love was to watch it never play it. she loved too watch her family come together and love something so much. she loved too watch other people play. she loved it from a distance. it took a while to come to terms with that.

when she explains the situation to anyone she always uses the same analogy. she loves to hear country music but that doesn't mean she wants to become the next taylor swift. even if she was a fan.

frankie had finally had enough and quit. not before going off on her coach though. something that she had been wanting to say every time she had been forced to stay after practice, run extra drills, every time she has been yelled at for tipping a shot in, every time she had been compared to her brothers, she finally did it.

*flashback to earlier*

"I want to see you guys here tomorrow morning seven am sharp!" coach lindsey said fiercely.

frankie respected the woman. her story was something she found inspiring. but right now she wanted the strangle the woman. her bones felt as if she was just hit by a bus and she hadn't had a good night sleep in about a month. so frankie being frankie, loudly groaned.

"hughes! just for that, you can stay back and do some laps!"

dont cry. dont cry. dont cry. you caused this.

her teammates filed out torwards the locker rooms desperately trying to get away before their coach decided to ultimately punish all of them while she began to skate. in her head frankie was about to lose it as her coach began to yell insult after insult.

"cmon hughes! you're never going to be good as your brothers with that speed"

"you call that faster?"

"I didn't tell you you can stop!"

coach lindsey yelled. she looked and sounded like abby lee miller. frankie smiled to herself at the thought as she began to slow down after skating as fast as she could for about fifteen minutes straight. not feeling well frankie skated off the rink towards the closest trashcan and threw up.

as she heard her coach coming up to her she began to plead.

"please, I cant take it anymore" she cried.

"your done for tonight. and fix that attitude by tomorrow morning will ya. you think your brothers are pulling this crap with their coaches?"

"I said I cant do it anymore!" frankie yelled finally having enough. shocking both herself and her coach.

"how is any of this okay! after everything you just yelled at me, pushing me through utter exhaustion, you come over here and try to act like its okay!?! i'm done."

"grow up and stop being a brat hughes. i'll see you tomorrow."

"you won't. I promise you that" Frankie threw back as she got her bag and began to walk out.

"you walk out that door and your future on this team is done!"

"its been done" frankie said walking out with tears streaming down her eyes.

*flashback ended*

she didn't know what to do. if she were to call her family they would worry and fly in thinking she was going through a manic episode, maybe she was but this felt real and it felt good.

its like her brain and heart had been at war since she was thirteen and her heart had finally won the war five years later. she didn't know whether to laugh or cry though.

she was happy because she was finally free. but she felt a dark cloud gloom over her when she realized she had to tell her family what she just did. she honestly didn't know how they were going to react.

the guilt began to rain on her as she remembered hoe happy they had been for her because they realized she can actually go on and play professionally since the PWHL had its debut and she was already a top prospect for the 2024 year draft but she just went and ruined it.

they're going to disown me.

that thought alone caused frankie to be where she was right now. in a bar with her fake ID drinking her feelings away on a wednesday night. alone. this had to be borderline alcoholic.

"I mean I wanted this right? so why do I feel like throwing myself off the bridge! why am I like this! am I being annoying? you can tell me greg" frankie rambled on to the bartender whose name was actually john.

"im going to call you and uber" he said dismissing her not wanting to deal with a drunk college girl.

"no! let me call someone!" she said taking the bar phone away from him. seeing as her phone had died about forty five minutes ago. quickly dialing the only number she remembered due to the fact she never saved his contact in her phone.

"hello?"

"drew! please, please come pick me up! you know I hate taking ubers alone. I swear i'll give you a little something after..." she said suggestively.

"frankie? hold on drews in the shower. its will, are you drunk? really on a wednesday? where are you?" will began to scold her over the phone, sounding very motherly.

"don't you judge me, I needed this. and im at the mecca" frankie slurred.

"ryan and I will be there in fifteen" he said hanging up.

__

"lady get off the counter!"

is what will and ryan heard when they walked into the bar.

"oh god" ryan said as he saw frankie start to crawl onto the counter. quickly rushing over to pull her off.

"m'not interested." she mumbled when she felt big hands around her waist.

ryan felt his heart crack. he knew he shouldn't because, one she probably thinks its some random guy and two frankie doesn't know he likes her.

since he first met frankie he realized he's had a thing for her but being the good friend he is, he kept his feelings to himself not wanting to start problems with drew.

it gives him so much anger to think about the fact that drew basically just uses her for sex. but at the same time she's probably just using drew too. so who is he to to get mad.

someone who would give her the world

"what are you doing frankie" will says giving her a disappointed look as ryan pulls her over his shoulder.

"I was just trying to dance!" frankie says upside down.

"on a wednesday at seven thirty pm? at least wait till ten" ryan says approaching the car and strapping her in.

"i quit the team"

"WHAT"

"ur lying"

will and ryan said at the same time with their eyes wide. they knew frankie hated playing hockey, they just never thought she was going to quit. someone with as much talent as frankie needs to be out there.

"m'not. im done and im scared to tell my family. I think they're going to be mad" she slurred as her eyes began to water.

ryan, who cant handle to see her cry quickly got into the back seat with her, and started to comfort her. wrapping her up in his arms and wiping her tears that began to fall from her big blue eyes. he could stare into them forever.

he told will to start driving back to her apartment as he comforted her.

"frankie, your family loves you and you know that. they're never going to hate you because you quit, if anything I think they've been expecting it-"

"geez thanks ryan" frankie says crying drunkly. ryan cant help but smile a bit because even though he hates to see her like this she looks really cute.

"not like that, its just anyone who knows and loves you can see your not happy out there. I see it, will sees it, so I know for a fact they see it too. and if they didnt and they do get mad thats on them. its your life not theirs" ryan says with his arm wrapped around her as she sniffles into his shirt.

"I guess so" she finally says seeing as their pulling up to her dorm.

"can you walk me up? its okay if you dont want too! I get it, im just scared that the RA is going to see me like this and call campus security on me and-"

"frankie! of course ill walk you up, are you kidding" ryan cuts off her rambling pulling her out of the car.

"i'll walk home smitty, you dont have to wait" ryan says knowing he was doing homework earlier that was due tonight before frankie had called.

"you sure?" will says kinda feeling bad for not staying and helping him take care of her. but then realizing ryan probably wants to take care of her.

him and gabe loved to tease ryan on the fact he was hopelessly in love with frankie. of course they would never tell drew even though they know if ryan were to just tell drew how he feels drew would back off. ryan just likes to be complicated.

"yeah, we'll be fine. right frankie?" he says keeping her upright. she was fully awake but the thing about frankie hughes is she loves to lay on the floor when she was drunk.

"yup!!" she chirps while ryan smiles down at her.

they wave goodbye to will while ryan picks her up and walks to towards her door. he smiles as he gets too her door and sees her doormat.

'cool bitches only'

he opens the door using her keys that he found in her purse and hauls her inside down the hall to her room. her room was so her. he loved it.

god I sound like a creep.

he shakes the thought from his head as he settles her down, takes off her shoes, and wipes all the remaining makeup off her face. thinking of how perfect she was.

"ryan" she says dreamingly as she feels him pull the cover over her body.

"yes baby?"

frankie felt her stomach do a cartwheel and she couldn't understand why.

"thank you. for everything."

"anytime frankie hughes"

he says before giving her a kiss on her forehead and walking home.

send in ideas for this au!! im really excited for it!

[multifandumbmeg]

Ok. Came across my first pro Five and Lila post so FiveLila shippers let's talk. If you ship Five and Lila, that's totally fine! Both CHARACTERS are legal adults.

What they did on the show was disgusting.

And yes, it was also poor writing. You should be angry too. Let's discuss.

Aidan Gallagher is BARELY an adult. He was, what, at most 19 during filming? Ritu Arya is 35. She is a grown woman. They met filming season 2. Late 2019. Aidan Gallagher was freshly 16 years old. She has watched him grow up from his early teens to now, bareeeely a legal adult. For that reason, they CLEARLY do not have any physical/sexual/romantic chemistry, because Ritu Arya isn't a groomer creep. She looks visibly disgusted all while acting her ass off. She plays the lines well but the kissing was so unbelievably uncomfortable to watch and I KNOW it was because SHE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE DOING IT. She remembers this BOY as like a five foot two kid in the prep school uniform, right? It's gross for the same reason dating your teacher even after you've graduated is very gross and makes everyone give you the side-eye. Both Ritu and David (Lila and Diego) have made it clear they were very against this choice. It is obvious this was entirely pushed by Steve Blackman.

Now before you get pissy and scroll away, before I explain why it is in this case bad writing, let me also remind you:

It is fine to like this ship conceptually. It is fine to write fanfiction. There is nothing wrong with that. I totally get shipping their characters based on their personalities and life experiences. BUT

What they did with this season with the canon was simply an awful mess. Morally, it was just plain wrong. The age gap alone made it inappropriate. But it was also bad. Writing. As many have pointed out, it was horrifically out of character for Five. Lila's character was written wildly inconsistently this season. Neither of them would have done that to Diego. Five would simply never have made a move. No matter how badly he wanted to, I don't believe he would have even if she made the move. Not for decades. At least. Add to this the entire experience was completely unneccessary and made no sense to begin with- Lila's suggestion that they go back and save original Ben would mean she never met the Brellies and thus never met Diego, still believed her evil mother, and her children didn't exist. Lila os brash, but generally not stupid, but even if she overlooked that fact are you telling me Five, Mr. Know-it-all who LIVES to be the smartest person in the room and always has, wouldn't have even said something then?? Before they left?! NO. He would NEVER have agreed to go on that mission before even considering the consequences. It was essentially an entire episode of character assasination for both of them. If you like either Lila OR Five at all, you should HATE this arc. Five not considering fallout, falling for his brother's wife despite most of the fandom believing he was aroace the whole time, choosing to betray his brother by physically having an affair with said wife, giving up on solving the apocalypse or finding his family again (his whole mission for the entire series, his entire character), finding a way out and then HIDING IT FOR HALF A YEAR FOR SELFISH REASONS?!?! Five... Hargreeves?? Are we talking about the same person??? Inconsistency is poor writing, plain and simple. Lila, for her part, was traumatized by her mother and spent all of season three grappling with her pregnancy. She had the opportunity, and made discussions with Diego about abortion. She ultimately CHOSE to have a child and ASKED to have a family WITH him. So to have her and Diego both spend this season only saying negative things about their family and act like they regret having the kids they VERY THOUGHTFULLY CHOSE TO HAVE is just plain shitty. They could have done a thoughtful plotline about how hard parenting is when you're breaking generational cycles, but instead they absolutely abandoned it and just had them cause more. Lila runs off to do something that logically will erase her children immediately and then when she finds out Five figured out the way back she mentions Diego and her kids and I found myself yelling at the screen-

"Oh, you care about your kids now?? Since when?!" Diego and Lila literally dump their kids off with a relative in the start of episode 2 and only even mention them again to complain after that. Never once do either of them say one nice thing about their children. Never do they say they love their children. We don't see any shots in the montage of Five and Lila of Lila being UNDERSTANDABLY DEVASTATED and being comforted by Five. It's not only completely inconsistent, it's not just that it makes all the parties involved look shittier for it, it's that they didn't even do it well.

What I'm saying is-

It shouldn't have happened in the final shortened season of this tv show. There was no way they could make that happen and be in any way a fulfilling ending for any of those characters, and for that reason EVERYONE should be pissed about it.

You could write a fic where Diego and Lila's marriage slowly breaks down (or hell maybe they never even got married) but it happens amicably and they don't fucking hate their children in the process and Five doesn't have an affair with Lila, but is there in the aftermath instead. You can write thoughtful, well-executed 200,000 fics drawing out the family drama of this slow burn and Diego and Five coming to terms. Or you could write a trashy smut fic where they all cheat on each other and are assholes and nothing makes sense, basically just like the show did. That's great! Both are totally fine and make absolute sense and are gratifying under the right circumstances to the right audience. Because that's fanfiction, and you've got time.

This was the end of a show we all fucking loved. This was a horrible ending that left everyone dead and unhappy at the moment of their death. A show that was supposed to be about overcoming familial dysfunction, not drowning in it.

So yes, we're angry about Five and Lila. Not because your ship is bad or wrong. Because it should not have happened under these circumstances.

[thesoftboiledegg]

"Fear No Mort" was constant whiplash. In fact, I struggled to evaluate this episode at first because it was one twist after another. Throughout the episode, I had flashbacks to "M. Night Shaym-Aliens!" (the rap scene might've been a direct reference) and the Rickbot reveal in "Ricktional Mortpoon's Rickmas Mortcation."

For better or worse, season seven's had a lot of callbacks and episodes that mirrored previous ones: "That's Amorte" played out like "Mortynight Run"; "Air Force Wong" brought together Dr. Wong, the president and Unity; "Rise of the Numbericons: The Movie" was a "Get Schwifty" sequel.

Seasons six and seven have also piled on the fanservice. The first four seasons stubbornly refused to give us what we want, dangling fan theories or a gentler Rick in our faces before yanking it away. Rick started to change in season five, but it's another ten episodes before you get Rick in a suit and tie, Rick announcing that Rickcest is canon, Rick regularly going to therapy, Space Beth joining the family and other content that's floated around the fandom since 2017.

And let's not forget the big one: C-137 Rick and Morty, Prime Rick and Evil Morty in one episode, fighting and teaming up after we saw Evil Morty's once-forbidden backstory.

Some call it cheap thrills, but I call it a gift to the fandom that's patiently waited for the fakeouts to end. And now that I've said that: "Fear No Mort" was one giant fakeout.

But was it, though?

This is the most unpopular opinion in the world, but I'm not invested in Rick and Diane's relationship. As a gay woman, I just don't connect with opposite-gender couples. Also, I dislike the trope of the idolized dead wife that the audience only learns about through her widower. She's not her own character, just an extension of the male protagonist.

When the fake Rick and Diane reconnected, I thought "Oh boy, this is getting cheesy." They're falling for each other again: check. Rick feels guilty about her death: check. We see how similar they are: check. Rick doesn't want to leave: aaaand, check.

I'm also a little lost after the ending. Morty was the only one in the hole, so why did we see all these scenes from fake Rick's perspective? Was an NPC really that busy?

How much we learned about Diane is debatable, too, since Morty never met her. I guess his ideas came from whatever Rick's told him and maybe the ship's voice since she's based on Diane.

I did like how the episode kept reminding us that Morty's still in the Fear Hole. I mean, we didn't know that, but we knew that. No "Are they in the Fear Hole or not??" until all the twists in the third act.

Aside from that, I don't want the show to revisit the past too much because Rick needs to let go. If you're a Marvel fan, you saw the backlash to Steve Rogers traveling back in time to spend a lifetime with Peggy in "Endgame." He had a life in the present, but he refused to move on.

Nostalgia makes us yearn for earlier years, but if Rick abandoned his family to live with Diane in another reality, I wouldn't call that a sweet ending. I'd call that a disappointment and a waste of his character.

Turns out, Rick never had that option at all.

Well...in a way, he did. And when Morty told him what he saw in the Fear Hole, Rick ran back to the restroom. He looked into the hole. He thought about it. And then he did what I wanted him to do, which was walk away. In this moment, he chose the present.

Admittedly, Morty's fear came true: Rick didn't jump in the hole after him, he did just sit there and watch, and he didn't want to say that Morty's irreplaceable out loud. Plus, Rick was bewildered when Morty hugged him. But for the first time, instead of standing stiffly or gently pushing him away, Rick started to hug him back.

We also saw what Morty didn't: Rick smiling to himself after hanging up the picture of Morty that he kept in his wallet. He had the chance to wallow in shadows of the past, but he didn't take it. Rick chose him.

"Fear No Mort" could've ended with Rick just saying "Let's go" and leaving, but it didn't. Seasons one and two Rick would've bitched and moaned about Morty taking so long. Season three Rick would've left him there for a while to torment him. Season four Rick would've found a way to take advantage of this.

But seasons five, six, seven? That's real character development. That's what all the Twitter users saying "Wow, Rick and Morty is actually good" have been missing out on.

And for the first time in the series, a season didn't end with Rick relapsing or getting a (well-deserved) ass kicking. Is Morty going to get the grandfather that he deserves? Or will he move on, too, now that Rick's releasing his iron grip? Speculating is fun, but for now, let's focus on today.

[locke-esque-monster]

I finished Umbrella Academy last night. The further I got into the season the messier the writing seemed to get. I've seen a few things pointed out already: like Lila totally wore bracelets before, why did Luther go chimp again, Five said Lila wasn't his type etc.. Here's a list I was compiling while I watched of things that didn't sit right or made no goddamn sense. It is by no means exhaustive (meaning that it's definitely not every issue, but definitely exhausting to write).

The whole reason Ben was killed was because he touched Jennifer. But Luther and Victor both touch "The Cleanse" during the department store scene. Luther gets stuck, but all it takes is Victor & Lila to get them out. Victor is pushed away by Ben just before he's shot. Were they both also infected and it didn't have time to stick? Or did the writers truly forget this was a plot point partway into the finale?

Quinn came in on the second meeting with Klaus's client Loretta saying "that was fast". They didn't call for him. They didn't give any indication they were done or that he should interrupt. So for all he knows, he should be walking in on them having sex. So is this poor writing in that they put in a statement that makes zero sense? Or poor writing in that they were watching Klaus "work" with surveillance camera and they just never explained that? (Which for the record that's even more screwed up.)

Speaking of which, did we just forget that Klaus has real issues with consent of his body (see season 2) and locked in small spaces with the dead (see season 1)? Or do the writers just not care and played it for laughs?

So we're down 4 episodes, but we're going to introduce 2 love triangles no one asked for (Sy, Jean, and Gene and Diego, Lila, Five)? Cool, that seems like a smart use of time.

After all the trouble Five has gone through, he's suddenly cool with changing the original timeline? Like no notes, no calculations - just down to mess things up by letting Ben live? Who are you Five? (The only calculations we saw from Five this season were a notebook he found another Five wrote - blasphemy.)

So Five is just going to conveniently find a notebook with a way out and we're never going to explain that?

Lila and Five spend 6 1/2 years searching for a way home, but Five's sad Lila picked Diego and he immediately stumbles into a Deli straight off an exit with all the Fives? And somehow that's not something he or Lila ever found?

Do the writers know how being buried alive works? Because first Klaus opened the coffin easily and then managed to accidentally fall in it and get it so stuck he couldn't get it open again. Incredibly implausible. But then wouldn't he run out of air eventually? Seems like he should have in the half a day he was in there. And I can't imagine the lighter would have been good for that situation (I'm not an expert, but any gas release, does it use air, etc.)

So Lila's family is cool with them missing for days? Claire too? I saw little to no attempt to check in, until it was convenient for the plot for Claire to say Klaus upset her when Allison calls. And multiple days seem to pass, but other than Klaus in his coffin and Ben in the hotel, there's no explanation where they slept, or that they really should be in contact with their families. And at least 2 nights pass for Ben (fight at the barn, hotel).

Ben kind of just turns into OG timeline! Ben around Jennifer. There's no explanation for his change in personality, even just that he was lonely without his family. But other than some vague "I can't stop thinking of her" there's no explanation of why they're so connected and Ben had a personality re-write. It gives us "magic made us fall in love" vibes.

I'm fully convinced that the elevator fight with Luther is a call back to CA:WS but TUA did not have either the money or the motivation to choreograph and film the fight scene, so they just waved their hands and said "close enough".

So we're just not going to explain how Five, who ostensibly is physically about 19 per canon, joined the CIA? And on top of that Five, arguably the sharpest, most paranoid character who took down the Commission in a single day in season 1, never checked into his boss or got suspicious about the CIA?

It's a 13 hour drive, but Klaus just magically got back to town on his own after ditching his family and it's never addressed? We've neither seen him drive and he doesn't seem to have a job to pay for a ride home, so I'm at a loss here. Admittedly, I'm not entirely clear how Allison got back to confront Klaus, unless she rode with Diego and Luther before their CIA trip? Though they also seems to have walked back from the CIA so I'm not sure how they got there either?

Okay, so I'll admit that Ben wouldn't necessarily know Reginald shot him. And I'm guessing Reginald wiped their memories quickly. And Ben's bullet would is less obvious in the back of the head. But you're telling me in the 15-ish years of hanging out together as each others' primary companion (12 in original timeline, 3 in the 60s), Klaus never made a dig about Ben's death? Ben never said something and Klaus repeated that weird statement from Reginald? Neither of them said anything weird about it the other one questioned? I swear that's why Klaus was written a whole separate plot with being kidnapped, so he specifically wasn't around for that scene to question or react to it. Also I'm pissed that it's very likely Klaus never knew how Ben died before he also died.

So after multiple episodes of (completely awful) jokes about Diego getting fat, you're going to actually make the character shirtless for no reason and him look exactly as he did before. I just...really?

Claire makes a comment when Allison first returns like "Why are you saving someone whose immortal?" Like what? First, okay let's assume Claire heard this about Klaus at some point (weird, but not impossible). Allison has been back for 5 minutes from the mission where Klaus got his powers back. Klaus didn't tell her. Allison didn't tell her on the phone call we saw or when she walked in. There is exactly zero reason Claire should have this information again.

Claire and Allison interrogate Quinn and all he tells them is pet cemetery. I'm concerned they don't know it's a dog or the dog's name, but I let it slide. Maybe they'll look for freshly dug holes. They're looking and they hear a dog bark to get them closer and they're like "OMG Thunderbolt". Like they're relieved they found the correct dog's grave when they have not actually been told that name before.

I'm not even going to unpack the mess that is Lila and Five here. Going to have to be a separate post.

(I will add that I'm not contesting the ending being on 8/8/24 when it should be 2025/2026 because if they've reset the timeline, the ending can really be whenever they feel like it. So I guess 1 point in the writers favor to the dozen and a half points I listed against them.)

[scorpioriesling]

Too Hot To Handle - Episode 3

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

Characters featured: Reader, Feyre, Morrigan, Gwyn, Elain, Emerie, Amren, Cassian, Lucien, Eris, Tarquin, Rhysand, Helion, & Tamlin

Warning(s): suggestiveness… no outright smut tho

SR’s Note: So the reader & Lucien want to play by the rules… smart choice! Let’s see how they navigate their first few days being an “item”, and which strings you readers will pull next! Tags: @velarisdusk @lilah-asteria @starlightazriel @panther-girl-124

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

"Good morning, everyone."

You wish you could say you enjoyed the smooth voice that was pulling you from your slumber, but in all honesty, you didn't. You quite enjoyed being wrapped in the fluffy duvet, the softest pillow beneath your head, and the heat of Lucien's body pressed against your back was much more welcoming than the monotone alarm clock you were being called to instead.

On cue, a collection of groggy responses and good morning's from the group sounded, and you rubbed the sleep from your eyes as Lucien shifted behind you. It didn't take much movement to realize what was pressing against you -- much harder than the smooth muscles of his abdomen.

You turned your head, peering over your shoulder at him as his fingers gently skated across the exposed skin of your upper thigh. His eyes only opened slightly, meeting yours through sleep-ridden half-lids as a small smirk played on his lips. You only rolled your eyes, turning back over and pushing up onto your elbows. It was all you could do to ignore the impending arousal gathering in your panties, all of the delicious thoughts invading your mind first thing in the morning...

"I hope you've all slept well," she continues, going on about the day's activities and amenities we have access to. You try to pay attention, but Lucien is still laying in the same spot, his fingers tracing little circles across your skin over the covers. You try very, very hard to school your face into a neutral complexion, but its hard when such an attractive male is laying next to you, completely shirtless, illiciting such ... feelings from you.

It also doesn't help that when you attempt to focus your attention elsewhere, you notice Tamlin staring directly at you, his face a mask of cooled calm. You have to look away, too embarassed at your utter happiness that only came with causing him so much hurt.

You knew you needed to talk to him today.

"Really? That's fifteen thousand dollars down the drain now!" Cassian groans, running his fingers through his hair. The sudden shift in mood pulls you from your thoughts, and halts Lucien's idle fingers against your skin.

"I'm sorry guys, truly!" Morrigan apologizes. "But, I'm not the only guilty party here, okay. It was only one, I just couldn't help it..." She looks around, and when you glance to her bed, Helion only shrugs unashamedly.

"Well, between you're "just one", and their "just one"," Cassian jerks his thumb toward the bed holding Eris and a very bashful Elain (for once). "We lost ten thousand dollars in one night, guys! Not to mention the first five thousand from those two-" he points between you and Tamlin, and you slide your gaze to his for only a moment before looking away again. He caught it, but only looked ashamed. You and him both. "That now has us down fifteen thousand dollars. I mean, really." Cassian folds his arms over his chest, huffing as Amren rolls her eyes next to him boredly.

The room falls quiet, and Lucien sits up as he finally registers the situation and what is going on. He looks sidelong at you, the tension and awkwardness in the room felt by just about everyone as the group realizes just how fragile their actions are.

"Well," after a few minutes, Rhysand slides from his bedsheets and stands at full height. "I'm quite hungry, and Lana mentioned a few very interesting amenities we have at the villa. What do you say we not waste any more time in here then and hop to it?" He shrugs, and Feyre smiles up at him appreciatively. The genuine smile returns to your face at your new friend's joy, and you could practically kiss Rhys for his interruption of the awkward moment Cassian caused between you and Tamlin and, well, the whole group.

Well, not literally. Lana would have your head.

As others begin to file out of the bedchambers, you shift to do so as well, but Lucien gently caresses your elbow before you can fully exit the bed. You face him, his hair beautifully mussed in the morning and his soft smile sending familiar butterflies aflight in your stomach.

"Thank you, Y/N. For last night," he says softly. You smile at him, placing your hand on his.

"I'm happy with my decision," you say, and he chuckles deeply, his head dropping an inch as he shakes his head slowly. When he looks to you again, you feel as though you may need a trip to the pool to cool down the way you're melting under his gaze.

"There never was one, for me."

✧��ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

"I don't know how Amren puts up with him," Morrigan grumbles, popping a juicy piece of papaya into her mouth. "I mean, its like, eight in the morning for Gods sake, and he's already trying to start shit." She shakes her head, speaking as she chews the juicy fruit. You lean back on your hands, peering at her through the lenses of your sunglasses once more. You'd already finished your fruit salad and waffles from breakfast, and Feyre was spooning the last of her yogurt into her mouth and nodding as she listened along to what Mor was ranting about in the cabana as usual.

"I think-" Feyre swallows her bite. "I think, that Amren only puts up with him because she doesn't want to sleep on a couch." She shrugs, and you giggle lightly. Feyre catches your eye, chuckling with you, but Mor misses the humor and continues with her griping.

"I mean, seriously, he made the whole damn group uncomfortable, and we all just woke up! He's acting like he wouldn't bone any of us if he had the chance," she says, and you shrug in agreement.

"I can say I didn't appreciate bringing up Tamlin and I's rule break when I was literally... in a bed... with Lucien..." you say. Mor throws her arms wide, her eyebrows raising.

"Exactly! He can't act like he didn't see that man staring absolute daggers at you all morning, like, seriously -- his bed is two feet from his." She scoffs, sitting back on her lounger and shoving more fruit into her mouth. You sigh, because she was right; just another reminder of the hard conversation you knew was coming.

"So... Feyre," you look to her, hoping to change the conversation as easily as Rhys did this morning. She perks up, setting down her empty bowl and crossing her legs in her comfy chair. "I see Rhys hopped beds last night?"

She grins, her eyes crinkling behind her clear-blue sunglasses. "Yes... You were seeing correctly," she lulls, and you grin at her.

"I'm not surprised, he should've been in your bed since the first night anyways," you shrug, and she scoffs, waving her hand as she smiles.

"Oh, he'll be staying in her bed all right," Mor muses, her tone low and sultry from her laying position on the lounger across the space. She chuckles before continuing. "Especially when you show him all of that Feyre-sexiness you've been holding out on-"

"Heyyyyy Rhysand!" You greet loudly, Feyre's eyes going wide as her bed buddy approaches from behind her. She whips her head around, just in time to see Rhys take his final stride toward the group, his smile bright as he looks to each girl before his gaze settles on Feyre.

"Hello ladies," he says. Feyre looks to you once more, silently thanking you for halting Mor from continuing her embarassment.

"What are you up to?" He sits next to Feyre, and she smiles sweetly at him. He looks to the three of you kindly once more.

"Oh nothing much, the guys and I just finished working out and... I don't know, I supposed I'd see what you lovely ladies were up to?" Your nickname still rang true, Rhysand the Charmer. It was no wonder Feyre was so enraptured by him.

"Nothing really, just... hanging out. Talking," Feyre responds. He nods, looking to you and you shrug in agreement. Mor sits upright, lifting her glasses to the top of her head before glancing around the small circle.

"We were talking," she says, waving a hand to fan herself. It doesn't do much besides rattle the various golden bangles aorund her wrist. "But now we're going swimming, because it is hot as hell out here."

✧･ﾟ: *✧

Life was good in the villa for the next few days; getting to wake up with Lucien and eat every meal next to him, hang out by the pool each day, bask in the sun in your free time -- it was a nice routine you were beginning to enjoy. You didn't enjoy the increasingly difficult task of keeping your hands to yourself, but you didn't feel alone in your struggles. Eris and Elain had cost the group another five thousand by sneaking a kiss, and you could've sworn Cassian's head was going to blast off from his head like a rocket ready for take off with how much smoke was coming from his ears.

The issue you did face alone, was your guilt.

You'd been putting off your talk with Tamlin for days now, feeling so embarassed at the lack of communication before sending him away from your date that it was growing more and more difficult to face him now. Even after the fact, he only treated you with respect, you hadn't heard a word of ill-will from him and he'd only wished the best for you and Lucien.

And though you grew closer in this new relationship with Lucien, its not like you could exactly talk to him about how you were feeling.

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours, hm?" Your eyes lift from the pavement before you to meet Luciens, and he gives you a thoughtful smile. You swallow, shaking your head.

"Come onnn," he brushes your chin with his thumb and forefinger lightly as he sits beside you on the outdoor couch. "I can practically see the gears turning in there, city girl."

You grin, glancing at the pavement once more before turning to face him fully. He gazes at you, listening at full attention. You are glad to have someone to talk to, really talk to, but this? Lucien isn't.. well, he isn't the same as Mor or Feyre, in other words.

"It's ... nothing, really." You begin. Lucien tuts, crossing one knee over the other and taking one of your hands in his. You look down at where his skin touches yours, wishing you weren't having this conversation right now, but rather doing... other things.

"Y/N, if we're really going to see this out," his thumb rubs over the back of your hand. "You're going to have to open up to me."

You sigh, chewing on your bottom lip lightly. After a few quiet moments, you meet his gaze.

"I just... I feel bad, the way I ended things. With... Tamlin." The muscle above his eyebrow feathers at the mention of your previous partner's name, and you grasp onto his fingers more firmly.

"It's not that I regret my decision," you rush out. "I definitely, definitely don't regret anything I did to get us where we are now," you smile softly, and he relaxes a bit. "But, that doesn't stop me from feeling bad for how I treated him in the process." You finish. Lucien nods slowly, his eyes never leaving yours. He turns his head, looking out at the sunset across the sea for a long moment, his thumb running over his bottom lip.

When he finally turns back to you, he catches you biting on your lip again in anticipation.

"Y/N, I think that talking things out with Tamlin and offering closure is really kind of you to do," he says calmly. He pulls you closer by your intertwined hand, pulling you to sit directly on his lap as he uncrosses his knee to hold you straight on top of him. HIs hands brace your waist, more comforting and protective than the ones you allowed to hold you before.

"And... I think your actions speak volumes to the kind of person you are, that you care about others and their feelings. It shows me a lot about you," he pulls you close, tucking a stray hair behind your ear. You wish you weren't, you really wish you weren't, but you were so, so needy for this man.

"...and why I like you more and more every day I get to know you better." You heart swells at his words, and you laugh lightly, pressing your forehead against his. You thank the Mother that no one else is out here, allowing you this rare intimate moment with your rather new love interest.

His deft fingers continue to caress your jaw, your mouths only inches from eachother.

"Lucien... I really want to kiss you," you admit.

He chuckles, his eyes crinkling at the corners as the setting sun illuminates every hue in his multicolored irises.

"I'd be lying if I said I cared about the prize money more than kissing you right now too," he says, and you blush. “And those perfect teeth biting those gorgeous lips don’t help…”

He gently pulls back, and you frown slightly, grasping the collar of his white collared shirt to pull him close again.

"But, I can't do that to you right now sticky fingers," he says, he hands moving to your waist once more, and though you appreciate his sentiment, you sigh.

"Because I know you have something quite important to accomplish tonight, and I won’t be a distraction from that."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟﾟ: *

The sun is almost below the horizon when you find him alone again by the shore. The oranges and pinks of the evening glow cast a lovely shine across the wet sand, the tide stretching all the way up to where he sits back, leeaning against relaxed hands.

"Alone again?"

He doesn't turn at the sound of your voice, he just continues to stare out at the crashing waves. You step lightly toward him, your toes digging into the soft sand until your stood right beside his seated form.

"Perhaps." He says, the deja vu uncanny as he doesn't lift his gaze to meet yours. You don't need to ask; you already know. You sit, tucking the skirt of your beach dress beneath you as you sigh beside him.

"Do you want to be?" You ask it anyway.

He turns then, looking to you. You're not sure what he'll say. He knows now it's not him you want, but hurting him wasn't what you wanted either.

He looses a breath, looking directly into your eyes. "No, Y/N. I don't want to be alone." You stare, unsure where to go with this. You don't know what to say, you... you don't know how to make it all right.

"I'm... Tamlin, I'm really sorry I can't give you what you need," you say. He nods, turning to face the ocean again.

"You don't need to apologize for having feelings, Y/N." He says. You sigh, wringing your hands anxiously.

"I just mean, I know, that the dinner didn't go how you thought, and... it wasn't right of me to just throw you out like that, without at least talking to you about it. And, now taking so long to talk after it all happened," you ramble. His gaze slides to you again, and he smiles softly.

"I was never angry with you, Y/N," he says calmly. You nod, feeling like a huge weight was lifted from your shoulders. "I truly am glad you're finding what you came here for; that's why we're all here, isn't it?" He says, his eyes settling on you for just a moment more as a wave crashes against the surf in the distance. You smile at him, the feeling of closure and what feels like understanding between you two settling the nerves you'd been dealing with all week.

"Well then, I hope you find someone who wants to be alone on the beach with you too, Tamlin. I know you will."

✧･ﾟ: *✧ *

"Girl -- where the hell have you been?" Mor dashes over to you, giving you a once-over as you return from the beach. Tamlin follows a few feet behind, and she gives you a confused look before shaking it off.

"Actually, nevermind, you can tell me later -- Lana called everyone to the meeting for a firepit," she says quickly. Feyre approaches, out of breath, and leans against her hands braced on her knees.

"You. Mean. Firepit.... for a. Meeting." She says between breaths. You look between the two, and Mor grabs the two of you by the elbows before rushing toward the group of males and females alike gathered outside around the large pit of burning coals.

"I had no idea there was an emergency," you say. Mor squeezes between Emerie and Helion, grabbing her half-drank daquiri from Helion's now empty hand.

"Not necessarily an emergency," Tarquin reasons from your right. You stride through the group, finding Lucien near the end of one of the couches and you take a seat on his knee. You relish in his warm embrace, subtly catching Tamlin's approach out of the corner of your eye.

"How did it go?" Lucien whispers, his breath tickling your neck. You giggle, and he chuckles, his lips ghosting over your sensitive skin. Right on time -- the cone sitting on the edge of the stone pit lights up before you can answer.

"Hello, everyone." You give Lucien a subtle look.

"Hello Lana."

“We’ll talk later,” you whisper to him.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why you're here."

The group falls silent as everyone looks to one another, surely trying to fish out if anyone else has broken any more rules.

“I wish we could do more than talk…” Lucien whispers back, and you reposition his frisky hand to the top of your knee, silently chastising him. He all but winks at you.

“Since you’re all here to form true connections and learn the abilities to create proper bonds with one another,” she continues. “I’ve decided to put the first round of couples to the test to see which pairings can withstand a hiccup, as you might being in a real relationship in the outside world.”

A few murmurs from the group pass, and eyes shift between Feyre and Rhysand, Mor and Helion, Eris and Elain, and you and Lucien. Your worried gaze finds his, but he gives your knee a reassuring pat.

“As a gift to those who are unpaired, and a trial for one of those already in a relationship— I’ve decided to introduce a new member to the retreat.”

A few gasps and whispers come from around you, and Cassian claps loudly. You can’t help but raise your eyebrows, noticing the squeeze of Lucien’s fingers on your kneecap.

“Here’s the catch; this new member was asked which person who’s already coupled up that they would prefer best to share a date with. The person of their choosing will attend the date with this new member, and will be allowed to break any rule put in place with no fear of loosing any money for the group.”

“Oh, SHIT!” Tarquin whoops, and Mor raises an eyebrow. You glance worriedly at Feyre, who meets your gaze with the same expression. You’re sure, she has to be thinking the same things you are right now. What if it’s a female and she’s gorgeous? What if she chooses Lucien? What if he is absolutely smitten by her and breaks any and every rule — he’d simply leave you behind for that matter!

Or… what if it’s a guy?

No way. There’s no way. Lana couldn’t find someone better than Lucien. Even so, what you had with Lucien was strong… you wouldn’t risk that just for some dick on a first date. I mean, come on.

You likely wouldn’t be picked anyway. Morrigan is in the running, for Gods sakes. She’s for sure getting picked if the new member is a male. As for a female… tough choice. All the males here are attractive, what is her type?

Hopefully not charming, sweet, gorgeously tanned red heads.

“At the end of the date, you may return to your original partner, or come back with a brand new one. This is a simple test of trust, and relationship building.” Your thoughts fade as your attention shifts to Lana’s voice again.

“This date will take place tomorrow, so get excited — this new arrival…”

Every member of the group is practically on the edge of their seat, Lucien’s hands gripping your knee and waist tight with anticipation. You cling to him, fearing the absolute worst. Please, please don’t choose Lucien…

“…has chosen to go on a date…”

Feyre’s eyes meet yours once more, worry cast over her features mirroring the expression you’re sure you currently project.

“…with…”

✧･ﾟ: *✧･

[happylikeasadsong]

carmy’s always running out of time

i just need to get this out of my head once and for all.

i don’t know if someone has already mentioned this, but time is a recurring issue for carmy this season. He often feels like he’s behind schedule or something.

watching it for the first time i didn’t notice carmy’s mention to time until i got to the syd and carmy scene in episode 9., so i decided to rewatch just to catch every time he mentions it throughout the season.

so he’s reasoning to stop smoking was time, not health. it was the means to get to the end goal (get the star, not let the team alone) he wants to stay sharp and focused and he can’t waste five minutes on a cig break. so he gets the nicotine tablets instead.

(just a side note: ijbol every time his speech was compromised by the damn tablets I couldn’t take him seriously when he was fighting to not spit that thing out. i also wanted to smack that shit out of his mouth so many times)

not smoking leaves him impatient and more sassy than ever, and I can’t help but to trace a parallel line between not smoking and his sudden bursts of anger (him telling nat to figure out the money thing and stomping out of the office)

when sugar comes in she asks him why is he doing all that for, his answer is straight forward:

we see the first glimpse of the carmy we’re gonna see for the rest of the season: impatient, anxious and snippy.

in episode 3, doors, when richie comes up with his own non-negotiables list, he gets angry and defensive that someone would try and challenge his ideas. but he doesn’t have time to explain why cause he’s running out of time. He doesn’t even want to listen, cause he’s running out of time.

in episode 5, children, uncle jimmy brings the computer to run an analysis on the restaurant finances and things aren’t looking too good, but carmy, once again, refuses to listen, he just wants to get back to work and block all noise

it gets to the point jimmy has to pull him aside cause he’s being so annoying about it.

then we have episode 7, legacy, where we have this:

this scene, once again, reinforces the idea of him always getting ahead on the next thing, never really enjoying the moment he’s in cause he has a job to do.

he barely lets sydney finishes her sentences, he already has everything mapped out in his head and thinks he doesn’t need to let her in the loop. he never slows down, is go go go time in his mind.

every second counts.

then finally, episode 9, apologies, where he apologizes to syd, he’s tired of always getting ahead, he wants to do differently:

she’s the only person he apologizes for constantly pushing for time and making her constantly having to play catch up.

as sydney states, it wasn’t a skill issue, but communication, something that she told him before and he didn’t listen. he never enjoyed the moment.

it made me think of when sydney asked him in episode 5 if he knew what he had was special when he was working under chef terry and he said he was always too busy to know it at the time.

now that he’s faced with ever closing, a place he thought it would last forever, I think he’s ready to admit that he doesn’t have to run anymore, he needs to stay in the moment.

(now this is just crack but this is so non-stop by hamilton coded lmfao

the man thinks he’s Alexander Hamilton writing the other 51 confederalist papers, assuming he’s the smartest in the room and that attitude will be his doom, sorry for the ref)