#Built-in Barbecue Grill Heads

[dreamescapeswriting]

Stray Kids Reaction || Your Child Says Something Inappropriate

⤜Copyright: © DreamEscapesWriting - July 2024

⤜MASTERLIST

CHAN:

Chan had been looking forward to the weekend barbecue for weeks, you had gone all out on planning it together and even made sure all of the kids were entertained so the adults could relax. You wanted it to be perfect for him since it was a rare chance to hang out with his best friends, eat some good food, and catch up on life. 

"You okay?" You whisper to Chan as you place a soft kiss on his cheek, his hands busy as he attempts to set up the grill. Your six-year-old son, Rhys, was running around with the other kids, a bundle of energy and curiosity.

"Perfect, everything is perfect." He breathed out, kissing your cheek quickly. Chan flipped the burgers and turned to Changbin, who was recounting a hilarious story from their trainee days.

"Remember when you snuck all that food back to the dorms in your pants?!" Changbin laughed and you started to giggle, watching as Rhys came pouncing over to you.

"Hey, Dad!" Rhy's voice rang out, cutting through the noise. Chan turned to look at his son and couldn't help but smile at him.

"Yeah, buddy?" Chan called back, expecting another excited observation about the bugs he’d found or the cool fort he and the other kids had built, or even about the rocks he now had a growing collection over in his bedroom. Rhy's eyes were wide, and he wore a proud grin. 

"I told my friends what you said about Uncle Hyunjin's car!" he announced. You and Chan stared at each other, your eyes widened as you felt your stomach drop, you already knew that Chan was flipping through his mind to figure out what he'd said. 

"You said it's a piece of shit and should have been scrapped years ago!" The whole garden went silent as Hyunjin started to laugh a little, ruffling Rhys' hair with his hand and smirking over at Chan. 

"I've said worse about the heap of junk, don't worry about it." By now Chan was burning a bright red colour and it wasn't because of the barbecue below him.

"Me and you are going to talk about bad words," You told Rhys sternly, taking him into the house.

MINHO:

Minho and the boys were gathered in the living room, the aroma of pizza and wings mingling with the sound of laughter and the latest action movie playing on the TV. It was their monthly guys' night, a tradition they had maintained since Minho had moved in with you, it was the same night you would spend with your own friends. Cassian - your youngest son of seven years wandered into the room, his curiosity piqued by the laughter and commotion. The boys each greeted him and Chan reached out to ruffle the young ones' hair,

"Hey, buddy, you want a slice of pizza?" Jisung offered, pushing the box close to him but Cassian shook his head, his eyes twinkling as he glanced over at Minho. Minho smirked back at him and nodded his head,

"Actually, guys," Cassian began, glancing at his dad for a moment before turning back to the seven men who were now watching him, expecting to hear a story about his day,

"my dad says none of you has any idea how to pick a good movie." The room fell silent for a split second and then erupted in laughter. Changbin feigned a hurt expression, clutching his chest and grunting loudly as he laid back in the chair. 

"Oh, really? Your dad thinks he knows better, huh?" Minho leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with a smirk as Cassian got onto the seat beside his dad and ate a slice of pizza with a giant grin on his face. 

"Hey, don't blame me. The kid has a mind of his own." He smirks, high-fiving Cassian, Felix grinned, pointing at Minh. 

"Yeah, right. We all know where he gets that from." The room burst into laughter as they started to debate what movie was better, none of them ever settling on something they could all agree on.

CHANGBIN:

"Who's idea was this?" You groaned feeling the sun practically melting your skin as you lay in the shade. For some reason the boys had thought it would be a good idea to head to the beach, bringing their kids and your own to have a barbeque,

"I believe it was Changbins," Minho smirked as he turned to your husband at the grill. You were about to say something when Lily - your five-year-old - started yelling for you both to look over at her

“Daddy! Daddy! Look what I made!” she exclaimed, pointing down at a small sandcastle, with a flag on it. Your heart beamed as you watched how proud she was

“That’s awesome, sweetheart! You’re really good at this.” Changbin chuckled, Lily practically beamed at the praise and you turned to look back at the others.

"NOOOOO!" The cry practically screamed out of your daughter as you turned around to see the sandcastle now crumpled into the sand,

"Piece of fucking-" She yells and you drop your bottle of water, too stunned to even talk. Changbin's eyes widened, and he shot up, cutting her off mid-sentence. 

“Lily! Where did you hear that word?” He panicked, kneeling down in front of his daughter as you nervously looked at the others. But Lily looked confused and a little scared by her dad’s reaction. 

“From you, Daddy. You said it when you were talking to Uncle Hyunjin last time.” Changbin started groaning as he shook his head for being so careless when it came to throwing words like that around,

“Oh, uh, did I?” he stammered looking at you as you practically glared at him, silently letting him know he was in trouble later. 

“Well, that’s not a nice word, Lily. We shouldn’t say that, okay?” Lily nodded and Changbin let her go,

“Okay, Daddy. I’m sorry.” She whispers, kissing his cheek softly as he smiles, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her,

“It’s alright, sweetheart. Just remember, some words aren’t for little kids, okay?” She nods before running back over to the sand and starting to work on another sandcastle.

"I'm in trouble later, right?" Changbin asked as he leaned down to give you a kiss.

"Very much so," You smirk, kissing him again before sending him back to work.

HYUNJIN:

Hyunjin had been looking forward to this for months, ever since it had been announced that he could bring his son in to work he'd been planning what the two of them were going to do all day. Everyone was pretty excited to see Jamie in the work place, he was Hyunjin's youngest son and full of energy all of the time.

“Hey, Jamie,” Changbin called out, wrapping his arms around Jamie and picking him up.

"Wanna see what we've been working on?" He wriggles his eyebrows as the two of them walked into Changbin's studio and sat down at a huge desk. Jamie had always loved watching the boys work, even told you he wanted to be "just like daddy" when he got older and even did the dances...well, attempted to.

Hyunjin walked into the room as he watched Jamie, a huge headset on his head as he listened to the son, even pushing some buttons despite them doing nothing.

"God I love him, he's so curious.” Changbin bellowed out, looking as Jamie pushed the volume up before pulling the headphones off.

“Thanks, Binnie. He’s been looking forward to this all week.” Hyunjin chuckles, but as the room turns calm, Jamie suddenly questions,

“Dad, why does everyone say ‘work is a pain in the ass’?” Hyunjin grunted as he realised he must have heard what he'd said the night before to you,

"This is easy!" Jamie yells making everyone chuckle, Changbin had officially lost it and was laughing into his hands while Hyunjin groaned and walked closer to him to lecture him on bad words.

JISUNG:

"You're basically being forced against your will," Jeongin laughs as he, Jisung and Seungmin all walk into the mall, exchanging a look with each other but their eyes landed on Jisung's daughter. She was clutching his hand tightly and giggled 

"Whatever my princess wants, she shall get." Jisung laughed looking down at Emma who was buzzing with excitement.

“Ready to shop, kiddo?” He asked, smiling down at her as she jumped up and down on the spot, her eyes widened.

“Yeah, Dad!” Emma replied with a yell, the boys groaning as they followed the birthday girl.

They wandered through various stores, chatting and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere as Emma looked through all of the clothes for something she wanted. Jisung was in the middle of a conversation with Seungmin about the latest release they had coming out when they decided to check out a new gadget store. As they walked in, Emma tugged on Jisungs sleeve.

“Daddy, can we look at the toys?”

“Sure, sweetie,” He said, leading her towards the toy section and letting go of her hand. She rushed through the toys looking through all of them when suddenly, Emma’s voice rang out loudly and clearly, cutting through the hum of the store. 

“Daddy, this toy is a piece of crap!” The world seemed to stand still as Jisung felt his stomach twist and his throat dry. Bending down to her level he looked at her nervously,

“Emma, where did you hear that word?” He panicked and Emma stared at him, confused as to why he looked so upset,

"Mummy said it last week," Jisung smirked to himself, knowing he was going to get to lecture you later

"Well, we'll have a very long talk with Mum about that later, but don't say it again,"

FELIX:

"This is a dumb idea," You mumbled to Felix as he watched the kids run around together, You were all having a picnic out in the sunshine today with all of the kids. Something you weren't sure was the best idea since the kids weren't getting along all that well. Just last week you'd have to split up a fight between Chan's son and yours,

"Everything is going fine," Felix whispered as he looked at you, he knew how anxious you were about it, but your thoughts were interrupted by your daughter yelling over at you both,

"Daddy, Daddy! Look what I found!" Penelope exclaimed, holding up a shiny rock. You and Felix beamed at her, your hands holding onto the rock as she placed it into your hand,

"That’s great, baby. It’s very pretty." You giggled as Penelope smiled hugely at you, but just as quickly as the smile appeared it disappeared,

"Rhys said that the rocks are shit," The rocks slipped from your hands and onto the blankets at the mention of her brother's name followed by a curse.

"Penelope!" Felix yells softly, bringing her into his arms as he starts to beg her not to say it again. The boys all hide their smirks as you go to find Rhys and give him the same lecture.

SEUNGMIN:

Seungmin and Felix were babysitting tonight, well, Seungmin was looking after his own child and Felix was babysitting, Seungmin was running around like a headless chicken trying to clean as quickly as possible before you came home.

"Hey, Ben," Felix called out, 

"Which superhero is your favourite?" He chuckled, Seungmin thanked him for distracting him long enough while Seungmin cleaned the paint from the floor, scrubbing as hard as he could to lift the stains. Ben looked up with a serious expression, holding up his toy. 

"This one! Captain Marvel!" Felix grinned, pulling the toy and showing it off proudly. 

"Great choice! Captain Marvel is awesome." Seungmin smiled, watching his son interact with his friend, each of the boys was like an uncle to him but Ben was always closer to Felix than anybody else. 

Suddenly, Ben's action figure slipped from his hand and fell to the floor. Without missing a beat, Ben blurted out, 

"Fuck it!" The room went silent. Seugmins eyes widened in shock and he stopped scrubbing the floor and he felt his face flush. Felix winced, hearing the word fall so carefully from the little boy's lips.

"Where on earth did you hear that?" 

"Dad said it yesterday when he dropped his phone," Ben said, clearly not understanding what was wrong with everyone in the room. Seungmin quickly got up and traded place with Felix who began to scrub the floor. 

"Okay, buddy, but that's not a nice word to use. We should try to say 'oh no' or 'oops' instead, okay?" He looked at Ben who was now blushing and looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Okay, papa. I'm sorry." He nods his head, hugging him from the side,

"Now none of us will tell mum, right?" He asked both Ben and Felix - who was smirking from the floor.

"Promise." He winks making Ben laugh,

JEONGIN:

You knew this part was going to be a good idea the second your friends had invited you and you'd begged Jeongin to let the kids stay at home with a babysitter but he'd insisted on letting them come. 

"Emily!" You yelled out for her to come and eat but she ran straight past you and after her cousin while giggling wildly. The fizzy drinks she'd consumed finally getting to her. 

"Innie, go collect your daughter," You whine at him,

"She's your daughter too," He laughs, kissing your cheek before chasing after his daughter.

"Not when she's misbehaving," You grumble as Minho walks up to you, smirking as you glare at him. 

"Aren't you glad you bought her?" He teased you lightly, but as you were about to come back with a comeback Emily's voice rang out, loud and clear, cutting through the pleasant chatter. 

“Mommy says Uncle Minho's girlfriend drinks too much wine!” At that point you wanted the whole world to stop and eat you so you wouldn't have to deal with it. Minho's eyes darted over to you as Jeongin finally grabbed Emily and covered her mouth,

“Kids say the darndest things, don’t they?” You said, forcing a laugh as Minho chuckled deeply. But you were mortified, you hated that your words had been so easily spread.

"She's right," Minho's girlfriend laughs, nudging your arm softly to let you know it was all good between you both but it didn't stop you feeling shit.

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[loveshotzz]

I guess it’s never really over

mechanic!steve harrington x fem!reader exes to lovers

chapter two -

I might kill my ex, not the best idea

Eddie warned Robin that a game of never have I ever was a bad idea, and you should know better than to go snooping where you don’t belong.

warnings: 18+ drinking, smoking (hey it’s a summer time barbecue in the midwest), you thought there was a lot tension the last chapter? baby, you haven’t seen nothing yet. jealousy, spicy things are revealed about all of them during a drinking game.

wc: 9.5k

series masterlist | series playlist

June -

It’s been one week.

One entire week without even so much of a glimpse of that permanently messy head of hair, and god, you hated how much it bothered you. Ears perking up every time you’d catch the cadence of his voice through the receiver of Robin’s cordless phone the few times he called her to check in. Like an unwanted guest who wasn’t taking the hint, his broad shoulders and full pink lips that somehow always look like they need to be kissed haunt your unsuspecting dreams at night. 

You hate it, you hate him, and you try not to spiral about why it feels like the opposite.

“We’re going over to Steve’s tonight,” Robin practically hums around a mouthful of fruit loops, completely unaware of you already stewing about the boy whose name just rolled off her tongue this early in the morning. 

“What?” You snap, tearing your eyes from the slow pour of the coffee maker in front of you, grouchy and wound up from a dream about his big hands pulling your legs apart so perfect white teeth could nip at the inside of your thighs.

“Steve, you know that guy you told me you’d try and be nice to. The one who’s fixing your car?” Sarcasm drips from her tone as she scoops up another bite, “We’re going to his house.”

Of course.

“That’s cool with me.” You muster up enough effort to twist your lips up into a smile that feels more like a grimace. The smashed rainbow Robin reveals in her mouth when she laughs tells you it is.

“Do me a favor, and never go into acting.” Swallowing loudly, she drops her spoon back into her bowl with a clank. “I do appreciate you trying to pretend like you’re okay with it, though, and in all seriousness, we haven’t gone this long without seeing each other in like, forever. He says you're keeping me hostage.”

“I’m keeping you hostage?!” You scoff with a roll of your eyes, turning your back to finally pour yourself the cup of coffee you’ve waited so patiently for. “He’s the best friend stealer.”

“I’m not going to lie, I think I like you two fighting over me,” she laughs, looking a little too smug for your liking as she brings her empty bowl to the sink, Garfield slippers scuffling across the tile, too lazy to pick up her feet from the floor.

“Yeah, 'cause you’re sick.” A real smile curls up into your cup, inhaling the rich scent into your nose. “What are your plans to torture me with his presence this time?” 

Robin narrows her stare at you in a silent warning, pulling herself up to sit on the counter, orange cat covered feet dangling freely as you meet her gaze with softened eyes in a silent apology.

“Eddie’s off tonight, so we’re having a little reunion barbecue, and Steve’s gonna grill.”

Choking on your coffee, you sputter your sip back into your mug, turning her freckled face sour.

“Since when does Steve know how to cook, let alone grill?”

Wiping your mouth with the back of your hand, you know you’re skating on thin ice, but all the built up tension that tightens your muscles, and buzzes incessantly at your fingertips makes everything feel impossible to control.

“He’s not seventeen anymore - “

“Really? He had me fooled shoving his tongue down some pretty blonde’s throat at Rick’s the other night.” 

“That’s - come on, you know that's not fair. He didn’t even know -”

”Why stop at just the four of us, let’s invite Vickie, make it a real party.”

The name of your best friend’s ex leaves your mouth before you can stop it, instant regret making a heavy home in your chest that feels like it might cave in when her mood shifts with glassy eyes and it’s completely your fault.

“I take back what I said, I need you to start acting again.”

Jumping off the counter, you set your mug down so you can grab her arm before she can take those few steps out of the kitchen. 

“Hey! Look, I’m sorry, I’ll stop.” 

She doesn’t put up much of a fight, even though you deserve it, the blue in her eyes turn to ice when she looks at you.

“I’m sorry.”

She holds your stare until she can tell you actually mean it, melting glaciers with a heavy sigh. 

“It’s fine, I get it.” 

Her words come out soft, just like the lines that smooth on her face.

“I know this is weird and like totally against friend code or whatever, but I think that just goes to show how much he must mean to me or even a testament to how much he’s changed if I’m even asking you to just try and do this. Just try, that’s all.”

“No, you’re right,” you fluster, doing your best to reassure her in a shaky voice, “I just slept badly and had a really weird dream. It just threw me off a little. I’m being so awful and I’m sorry.” 

Flashes of the way his hands gripped your hips and the dirty things he whispered in your ear has your palms start to sweat, making you loosen your grip on her arm before she can notice. 

Robin searches your face for the reassurance that she needs before a small smile finally tugs at the corners of her lips.“This is why you’re my best friend.” She pulls you into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around your neck.

“Only if you tell him that.” 

Snaking your arms around her waist, you let out a shaky laugh, silently preparing to see the man who hasn’t left the crevices of your mind since you stepped foot back in Hawkins.

———

It feels like you’re back in high school the way you can’t stop looking at yourself in the mirror, the nerves still feel the same.

Your gaze wanders up and down your reflection, turning from side to side, overly critical eyes take in your curves that are on display a little more than normal and you wonder if Robin will notice. Tugging your bottom lip between your teeth, better yet you wonder if Robin will notice and have something to say about it. 

“You’re certainly spending a lot of time on an outfit.” Your best friend whistles low as she leans against the open bedroom door confirming your fears with a cross of her arms.

“Just trying to remember what I brought is all.” You don’t engage with the amusement that hides in her tone, smoothing down the short black skirt that flares over the tops of your thighs, before adjusting the straps on your matching tank top.

“Riiiight,” she snorts, earning the kind of glare that has her raising her hands in defense before a shit-eating grin cracks wide across her face. “I’m going to need you to hurry up, though. Do I need to remind you that we’re walking?”

“I’m done!” You huff, sock covered feet digging into her cream carpet as you make your way toward her, “I just need to put on my shoes.”

“You’ve got twenty secon-” she agonizes before three hard knocks on her front door cut her off. Her cheshire smile falters as she turns confused.

“You’re lucky you didn’t get to finish that sentence,” you warn in a harsh whisper, grabbing your Converse that had been haphazardly kicked off earlier in the corner. 

Robin puts a ringed finger to her lips, like the possibility of a kidnapper being on the other side is extremely probable, and it’s her turn to glare when you roll your eyes at her dramatics. Following her out to the living room, you plop down on the couch, watching her slowly creep to the front door. Both her hands find the blue painted wood pushing up on the toes of her Reeboks to look out the peephole.

“Steve?!” 

The name makes your stomach flip, a shaky breath pushing its way through watermelon flavored lips because you thought you had more time than this. Keeping a poker face, you take your time tying your laces as she swings the door open. Head down, your eyes keep their focus on how the dirty white strings move between your fingers. 

You’re not ready to look at him. Not yet.

“After taking you to school at 7am every day after I graduated, you really thought I was going to let you walk?” The smile in his voice is evident, a fond memory you’re not a part of but you can still feel the warmth inside it by the way he speaks. 

“Thank god,” she starts, the insinuation of the words that are going to follow making your eyes snap up, narrowed and shooting daggers at your best friend, catching Steve’s attention in the process. 

“We were going to be late.”

“Oh yeah?” He asks, his gaze claiming yours and holding it against your will, the beginnings of a smirk playing on his full lips and suddenly it’s so much warmer in her living room than it was two seconds ago. “Why’s that?”

He somehow looks even better than the last time you saw him, a bad habit you’re quickly learning that he has. The honey colored tips of his chestnut hair curl at the ends, sticking out of the sides of his backwards baseball hat. A well worn black cotton shirt with the sleeves cut out has the arms that you’d dreamt about on full display. The summer sun somehow dotting even more freckles across his shoulder blades that flex everytime he spins his car keys around his finger. The dark cherry red basketball shorts he wears hit the bottoms of his hairy thighs, the red mesh even more vibrant against his tan skin, just like the white leather of the Nike Cortez’s that cover his feet. 

“She’s just being dramatic,” you grumble, finally tearing your eyes from the dark moss that covers the chocolate inside his, doing your best to ignore the heat of them wandering the bare skin of your legs as you finish tying your shoes.

“You changed your outfit like sixty times!” 

This is the moment that you decide you’re going to kill Robin in her sleep tonight.

“Well, I’m ready so you both can stop being annoying now.” Standing, you tug down the bottom of your skirt that suddenly feels even shorter with his full attention on you like this.

“Wait, why am I annoying? I just got here.” Steve argues when your words finally sink in, snapping him out of his daze, catching the keys in his palm. 

“You’re always annoying, Harrington,” you sigh, hoping your deflections are working, but the small smile that never leaves his lips tells you it’s not.

“Shotgun!” Robin calls out like it’s something you would have argued over. Your shoulder brushes with his as you push your way out the door, sending sparks to the tips of your fingers and making your hair stand on end. Steve and the summer heat warm your skin. 

“It’s all yours,” you concede with ease, ignoring the butterfly wings that wreak havoc in your rib cage when the spice of his cologne makes its way into your nose.

It was going to be a night.

Steve keeps the windows rolled down, the muggy air making your bare thighs stick together and to the hot leather of his backseat. It drowns out the music as he speeds down the back roads, making the conversation between him and Robin upfront almost inaudible.

You don’t worry about what they might be saying, not even when they both start gesturing wildly with their hands. Taking advantage of the time left alone, you put all of your focus into preparing yourself for the next few hours, doing your best to push the lingering thoughts of your dream deep down to a place that no one can find. A task that proves to be much harder while avoiding his gaze that dares you to meet it in the rear view mirror the entire way. 

The memories you have of the back of his car don’t help either.

Pulling into Forest Hills trailer park, you’re surprised at the facelift they finally gave it after all these years. Lush green grass grows where the yellow and brown shrub used to be, and a wooden gazebo that looks like it’s missing a finishing coat stands tall, replacing the picnic table where you and the metal head used to smoke. Even the gravel that paves the road looks new and gray, not the dirt brown mud that it used to be. 

It’s still a struggle to wrap your head around the fact that Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington, the former king of Hawkin’s and Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson not only work together, but live together too. You would have laughed in anyone’s face if they told you this five years ago. 

The BMW’s tires crunch loudly against the rocks as Steve pulls into the driveway of a hunter green trailer. It sits in the back of the park, almost touching the edge of the woods behind it. A faded white line running along the length that matches the metal railing of their front entrance and the overhang that covers it. The paint peels from parts of the metal in the heat, revealing spots of the gray hidden underneath. A worn in deep maroon couch sits on the porch just like the dirty brown one at Wayne’s trailer, and you already know Eddie spends his mornings there. You internally groan when you catch yourself wondering if Steve does too.

“Home sweet home,” he hums, cutting the engine off and pulling you out of your thoughts. 

You dare to meet his eyes for the first time since you left the apartment when Robin jumps out of the front seat, and you immediately regret it. He smiles wide, finally catching your attention, those perfect white teeth baring themselves at you as he pulls off his hat to run a hand through his sweaty bed head. The long strand he’s always at battle with falls through the opening in the back when he puts it on again, because, of course it does.

“Good to see you finally slumming it with the rest of us, King Steve,” you snort, pulling on the handle to let yourself out, ending any chance of conversation.

If it wasn’t for your Eddie barreling out of the front door to greet you and Robin with a big dimpled grin and a freshly rolled joint, you would’ve thought a little harder about the way Steve winced at the nickname.

The Munson/Harrington Bachelor pad anomaly isn’t exactly what you expected it to be, but even then you weren’t entirely sure what that was. It’s cozy just like how Wayne’s used to be but where there’s hand me downs that have been through the short line of Munson men’s hands, there’s an equal amount of obviously perfectly well kept new. Like the shiny big TV in the center of their living room, and the well-loved lazy boy in front of it, that still had cigarette burns from its previous owner, next to the rich tan leather couch right by it.

It smells like it has just been cleaned, a sanitizing lilac still lingering in the air, trying its best to cover the smell of all grease stained clothing in their hampers and the smoke from joints like the one Eddie’s about to put out in an ashtray full of ones just like it.

He sits at the head of the table with a lopsided grin that pushes up the apples of his cheeks and reveals the deep dimples in the center of them. Droopy lids frame his bloodshot eyes that meet your own. Orange and pinks paint the darkening sky through the sliding glass door behind him. 

“I still can’t believe you’re actually here,” Eddie chuckles with a fond glint in big brown eyes leaning back in his chair that squeaks under the redistribution of his weight.

“Back by popular demand,” you smirk, pointing at Robin, who sits just on the other side of the table, glassy eyed with an unwavering smile. 

You try to ignore how the empty chair next to her bothers you, or they way your eyes keep looking toward the kitchen through the small opening of their little island, giving you the perfect view of Steve prepping dinner. His thick eyebrows are furrowed as he digs through spice racks and drawers, front teeth digging into the plushness of his bottom lip deep in thought.

“I think this calls for a fire,” Eddie announces loudly, bringing you back to the conversation with a slap of his palms on the wood of the table and the kind of smirk that tells you that you’ve been caught.

“We told Janice next door weekends only after last time,” Steve’s voice startles you, making his presence known, leaning against the wall with crossed arms. 

“It’s Thursday. Practically the weekend. Besides it’s a special occasion, look who’s here Stevie boy.” Something in Eddie’s tone makes Steve’s eyes narrow in a silent threat that only makes the metal heads' lips twist up into something more devilish. 

“You have to put it out before bed then, I’m not dealing with it like last time.” Steve accepts defeat quicker than anticipated, “And if she calls or comes over to complain at all, that's all on you too.”

”Deal,” Eddie agrees with five fingers across his heart, the silver of his rings catching in the low light of their trailer.“I think she’s got a crush on me anyway.”

“She’s married,” Steve dead pans with a deep sigh, taking his hat off to run another hand through his hair and you hate the way it has your thighs meeting under the table. “Who’s helping me with dinner then?”

He knows better than to look at you, so his gaze falls onto his roommate and best friend.

”Don’t look at me!” Robin argues, raising her right hand to show off the faded scar on her palm. “Last time I tried to help, I had to get stitches, remember?”

”The fire’s a full time job I’m afraid,” Eddie shrugs, standing up. Not missing a beat, they both look at each other like they're in on some secret that you and Steve aren’t apart of before their eyes land on you.

”You know I’m not a good cook,” you whine, refusing to meet the heat of Steve’s stare that burns against the side of your face.

”I’m sure Steve’s more than willing to help teach you, princess.” Eddie grins, and it makes you want to slap the dimples clean off his face.

“It’s fine, I’ll be fine, I can do it by myself,” Steve interjects with a sigh before you have a chance to respond with something that he knows will just egg the metal head on and get his ego even more bruised.

He’s not expecting the way your eyes snap to his, or the way they narrow with something fiery deep inside them.

”We’re grown adults, Steve. I think I can handle helping you cut some vegetables or whatever it is you need me to do.” Standing up with a shove of your chair, he doesn’t even attempt to argue about how that’s the exact opposite of what you just said.

”There we go! Problem solved.” Eddie’s grin is mischievous, and so is the wink he throws at his roommate before opening the sliding glass door, ushering Robin out and leaving you both alone.

The tension inside the kitchen hangs thicker in the air than the humidity outside weighing down your shoulders, making the words stick in the back of your throat as you try to navigate the close proximity to Steve. Neither one of you is sure of what to say first, and the sound of Eddie and Robin laughing outside filling the silence between you somehow makes it worse. 

The weed twists the knots in your stomach tighter, and the cedar that always seems to linger whenever he’s around turns suffocating without an escape. You lean against the sink across from him while he digs through the icebox in the fridge. Shoulder blades moving with the motions of his wrist, plastic crinkling loudly every time he moves a bag out of the way. Muttering to himself, you watch goosebumps rise on his tan skin from the cool air, muscles twitching from the shock.

This was a mistake. 

Biting the inside of your cheek, you tear your eyes away in hopes it will stop the dull ache between your legs from getting worse when you’re brought back to the way those same arms caged you in while his hips pushed you deeper into the mattress in your dreams last night. Looking out the small window at the beginning flames of the bonfire, a shaky breath pushes past your glossed lips, and you wipe your palms on your skirt before turning around to wash your hands.

”You don’t have to help, you know?” His voice comes out just loud enough for you to hear over the running water, the small smacking sound of the fridge closing behind it, “If you’re that uncomfortable, I can do it.”

Cutting the water, you shake your hands in the sink before tearing off a paper towel from the roll next to you. Working up enough courage to finally turn around to look at him, you finish drying your hands with a softer expression.

”No, I can help.” 

He holds your stare, silently giving you another out while his fingers make quick work of unwrapping a head of lettuce, an onion, and a few peppers from their plastic confines. No matter how much you want to look away, you don’t, standing firm in your choice despite everything inside of you screaming to run away, and it’s enough for him to nod his head. The slight twitch of his lips while he rolls the bags in his hands doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I just need you to cut the onion into thin slices for the burgers, and same with the jalapeños.” He instructs, turning his back to you to throw away the wrappings. 

The sudden movement has the deep cut sleeves of his shirt fluttering open, giving you a glimpse of the thick patch of hair on his chest, and how it tapers off and down past his belly button. Your thighs find each other again, and you look up to the ceiling silently, trying to regain all the strength you thought you’d just found. 

“And the lettuce - uhh, are you okay?” Steve’s confusion makes all the blood in your body rush to the apples of your cheeks as you try to hide your internal struggle with a smile.

“Yeah, we’re good. Never been better. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” you ramble, brushing past him to the station he’s set up for you.

“…Right,” he starts with a pause before choosing to leave it alone, “I just need you to kind of rip the lettuce up, you can cut it if you want but I think bigger pieces would be better.”

You aren’t expecting his voice to come from right behind you, so close that you can feel the heat of his breath against the back of your neck. Your own goosebumps rise, dotting across exposed skin and you hope he doesn’t notice but the way he lingers in your space for a little longer despite the nod of your head makes you think otherwise. The spice of his cologne grows faint along with his footsteps against the tile floor, finding a home on the other side of the kitchen, busying himself with what he had started before.

Eddie turns on the radio, easing some of the tension from your muscles, and relaxing your shoulders as you get a good grip on the handle of the knife.

You could do this, easy. 

You really start to believe it too when you cut all the jalapeños, even humming along to an old Judas Priest song that you and Eddie used to blast in his van after school. Peeling the onion, you pretend that you don’t see the reflection of Steve staring at you from the glass of the microwave as you sway your hips and bop your head to the beat.

“So, New York huh?” He finally breaks, and your eyes flutter to the reflection to see him putting away all the spices he’d pulled out while you were smoking. “You likin’ it?”

Your movements freeze for a second, and your tongue feels heavy in your mouth with all the things you’ve dreamed of saying to him. Years of coming up with all the ways you’d tell him how much better you were without him. A recurring fantasy of a ten year reunion where you’d show up with your famous screenwriter husband you’d met on the Subway, turning your nose at him and whatever Hawkin’s girl he’d managed to knock up. But instead, the universe has you here five years too early, and Steve isn’t the same guy you’d left even if you don’t quite trust it yet.

Picking up the knife again, you roll your shoulders with a quiet breath before cutting into the onion once more as you search for the words to answer.

“Yeah, I like it. It’s big and it can be a little scary sometimes but I can be myself there,” it comes out a little quieter than intended but you still twist your hips to meet his gaze from across the kitchen where he stands with crossed arms giving you his full attention. “No one really cares what you do.”

“Who are you trying to be out there?” He asks like he has no idea what small talk is, the greens in his eyes shimmering against the last bit of sunlight that shines on his face.

“Someone stronger than who I was in high school,” you whisper, turning back around to focus on the task at hand and not your ex trying to dig into the depths of your soul while you cut onions.

“You were always the strongest person I knew,” he counters, and you can practically hear the shrug that you know follows his words.

”You certainly liked to test it.” 

It comes out before you can bite your tongue, your knife slicing right into the center of the onion and hitting the cutting board roughly, adding dramatic effect.

”Ouch,” he hums with a small laugh, silverware clanking against the metal of the sink behind you as he finishes cleaning up his mess, “I guess I deserved that one.”

“Steve.” You stop cutting, dropping the knife to look at him, unintentionally swiping your eye in the process, “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that. I promised Rob- oh fuck!”

The burning in your right eye becomes unbearable, the tears spilling freely down your cheek blurring your vision with a harsh sting.

”Oh, oh no. Did you touch your eye?!” Steve sounds panicked, sneakers scuffling against the tile as he hurries to grab a washcloth from the drawer. 

“It was an accident!” You whine, closing your eyes as tight as you can, willing the burning tears to stop, the sound of water running from the sink filling your ears, “God it hurts so bad, Steve.”

”I know baby, I know,” he coos in a soothing voice, and in your panic you almost don’t catch the old nickname that slips off his tongue with ease. Long fingers wrap around your wrist, pulling you closer to him, “Let me see, stay still.”

The coolness of the rag provides instant relief when he presses it gently to your eye. Taking a deep breath, you feel the warmth of his palm rub up and down your arm soothing your irritated nerves more. The sting doesn’t fully go away, but it subsides enough for the tears to slow down as he applies a little more pressure before removing it to wet it again. Blinking past the burning, you finally realize just how close you are to him now. 

Chests practically touching, you can see the beginnings of stubble lining his jaw despite being able to tell that he shaved today. The vampire bites on his neck that used to be your favorite to kiss taunt you for what feels like the millionth time this week. With cedar and musk filling your lungs, it feels impossible to breathe.

He cuts off the water, turning towards you again, and you aren’t prepared for the depth in his eyes meeting yours from this distance. They’re soft when they look at you, the chestnut inside them warming gold as you stare back at him a little dazed. Calloused fingertips stop their path up your arm to gently grab your chin, tilting your face up to his so he can get a better look at the damage. He’s sweet with the way moves your head around, the pad of his thumb smoothing the skin under your irritated eye.

”I think you’ll be okay, I don’t see any seeds or anything trapped inside,” he whispers, thumb never stopping its movements while his gaze flicks down to your lips that pout on their own, something electric charging in the air.

The sliding glass door opens behind him before you can answer, Robin and Eddie making their presence known in a loud burst of energy. Snatching the wet rag from his hand, you’re quick to put distance between you. Placing the cool cloth against your face, you make your way out of the kitchen before anyone can ask you anything about what happened. Muttering a “thanks Steve '' on your way to assess just how ruined your makeup is in the bathroom. 

Your heart pounds in your ears feeling the ghost of his touch everywhere, chest tightening because your body won’t stop screaming for more.

You stay in the bathroom long enough for the burning to subside, mumbling words that resemble some kind of pep talk while scrubbing your hands. Fingers that still shake with nerves fix your smudged mascara, listening for the moment their voices go quiet behind the sliding glass door before you decide to finally venture out. The sound of Steve’s laugh catches in your ears, as you make your way through the empty trailer, the corners of your lips curling on their own as you tug on the handle that separates you from them. The humidity is quick to turn your skin sticky despite the sun disappearing behind the trees. 

”There she is! I heard Harrington tried to blind you,” Eddie chuckles from his place crouched in front of the fire. A half smoked cigarette dangling lazily from the side of his mouth as he ‘stokes’ the flames, the crackling wood competing with the buzz of the cicadas that surround you.

”Riddle me this, Steve, why is it that whenever someone ’helps’ you cook, they end up in the hospital or worse, almost BLIND!” 

From her spot sitting on one of the many faded red plastic lawn chairs they have circled around the pit, Robin doesn’t hesitate to turn it into a dog pile with dramatics that could rival an Oscar winning actress.

Steve rolls his eyes, the warm light from the smaller flame of the grill glowing underneath him, highlighting his sharp features. His gaze meets yours, ignoring his friends, and you swear even from here, you can see the green inside each eye shine. You know there’s a million questions he wants to ask but there’s only one that comes out, and it’s soft just like the way he touched you inside.

”Are you okay?”

It’s hard for you to look anywhere but his face, remembering just how pretty it was up close. Your eyes trace the straight line of his nose, and the curve of his full bottom lip before finally meeting his eyes. The small smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth reminds you that you haven’t answered him yet but he doesn’t say anything. He lets Robin’s low whistle do all the talking.

”Uhh, yeah, I’m good. Crisis averted,” you mumble, snapping out of it, cheeks warming up enough to compete with the fire pit you stumble around, landing in the seat next to your best friend. “No jalapenos on mine, I think I’ve had enough for today.”

Steve laughs again, just like the one you heard on your way out and the sound burrows in your heart, making it swell, giddiness roiling deep in your gut. You ignore Robin’s obnoxious toothy grin next to you, doubling down even more when she starts to wiggle her eyebrows. The two beer cans at her feet tell you everything you need to know.

Without a cloud in an almost completely dark sky, you start to see the twinkling of the stars you’ll always miss begin to appear. They battle for your attention against the fireflies that flicker through the tall grass and into the woods. Lighter fluid stings your nose when Steve squirts more onto the burning coals, switching from hot dogs to burgers like he’s been grilling for a family of four his whole life.

A couple of beers calm your nerves that threaten to give you away, watching Steve in his element like this, the holes cut in his shirt showing off every flex of his muscles as he flips the patties. Cheese melting over the burger meat, just like your body that sinks further into the lawn chair that sticks to the backs of your thighs. He throws you a knowing look, making you clear your throat. Straightening your posture, you try to join in Robin and Eddie’s conversation like you hadn’t just been caught. Taking another long swig of the bitter semi cold liquid, you hope it’s enough to get you through dinner.

It’s not.

Steve takes the seat across from you when he’s finished cooking, manspreading with his paper plate in his lap. You fight the urge to look at the tan line of his inner thighs that are revealed by his loose fitting shorts, laughing a little too loud at Eddie’s jokes, desperate to keep your struggle hidden. Even going as far as acting interested when Robin starts talking about her reasons why she likes to buy certain things from the three different grocery stores in town. 

It’s when a dribble of ketchup lands on top of Steve's hand after a large bite that you lose your cool. Right between his thumb and index finger, he hums with cheeks full of food before those full lips of his wrap around the spilled sauce, cleaning it with a flick of his tongue.

”I’m gonna throw my plate away, is anyone else done?” You squeak, standing up abruptly, your chair nearly falling backwards in the process. 

“Jesus, easy tiger,” Eddie snorts, finishing off the last of his beer before crushing the tin can in his hand, tossing it on his empty plate, “The trash isn’t going anywhere.”

“Just trying to be a good house guest is all,” you lie, making Eddie quirk an eyebrow, the dimples in his cheeks coming out to play again.

”Uh huh.” He smirks before handing you his plate that Robin quickly piles hers on top of. “Sure.”

”That’s very sweet of you,” Steve chimes in, with a lopsided grin on his face that makes you want to punch the air and get out of here. 

“She’s pure class Harrington, get it right,” Robin comes for the save with a knowing wink that only makes the heat growing in your cheeks worse.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” you mumble quickly turning on your heel, feeling all their eyes on you as you make your way to the back door of the trailer.

”Hurry back. We're gonna play Never Have I Ever,” your best friend calls out over her shoulder making you wish you could just stay inside when the sliding glass door closes behind you.

Embers spark and pop from the fire before they disappear into the night sky, the full moon’s white glow stopping just along the dark edges of the trees that surround the backyard. The four of you sit around the pit with fresh beers in hand. The buzz of the alcohol turning Steve’s gaze heavy as he stares at you from across the flickering flames. Tucking your bottom lip between your teeth you look everywhere but his direction, and hope he doesn’t see the way your thighs press under the heat of it.

“Are you sure this is a good idea Robin?” Eddie whispers, big brown eyes glancing between the both of you, and your bouncing knee.

”It’s fine, they’ll be fine. Right guys?” She waves the metal head off, nudging you with her elbow, completely unphased.

”Of course we’ll be fine, why wouldn’t we be fine?” You snap, tugging the bottom of your skirt down, all the built up tension turning into aggression. Steve smiles into his next gulp.

“Whoa, whoa. I was just asking, but you do seem a little tense.” She raises her hands in surrender, both her eyebrows disappearing behind her shaggy bangs while Eddie distracts himself by poking the fire.

“Relax, it’s just a game,” Steve sighs, settling deeper in his chair, the warm amber in the flames bouncing off the mischievous gold in his eyes that keep their hold on you. “Besides, we’re friends now, right?”

Your gaze narrows, the grip on your beer tightening enough to hear the pop of the metal.“Yep,” you manage to get out, shooting Eddie a glare when he snorts.

“If you guys say so,” he starts, ignoring your scowl while getting cut off by Robin who’s practically vibrating in her seat now.

”Let’s have fun already. I’ll start.” Robin shushes him before acting like she’s deep in thought, turning to face you with the kind of grin on her face that tells you she’s up to no good, “Never have I ever…let some Wall Street douchebag go down on me in the backseat of his Rolls Royce.”

“That’s weirdly specific- oh wait! Damn! Princess!” Eddie whoops when you take a swig with a roll of your eyes, flipping Robin the bird. 

“Gotta try everything once, right?” You shrug, holding his gaze with a smirk, not even trying to hide that you’re taking great pleasure in the way Steve’s jaw clenches at the new found information of your life outside of here. “He had a nice mouth when he wasn’t using it for talking.”

Steve takes a deep breath through his nose, the mossy greens in his eyes turning dark as you lean back in your chair smugly.

“She’s a wild one, I’ll tell ya,” Robin giggles fondly, passing the baton to you with a proud smile.

Maybe it was the beer or the incessant way Steve’s presence drove you to the brink of insanity by rageful lust. Or even just the way he sat across from you with his legs spread wide like he ruled the world, whatever it was, that's what’s to blame for the question that rolls off your tongue.

“Never have I ever taken someone’s virginity.”

Robin’s jaw drops, guffawing with a harsh slap on your leg, mouthing a ‘you said you’d be nice’ but the buzz of the alcohol keeps a lopsided grin on her face. Eddie drinks, nervously watching the staring contest going on between you and Steve. Like a dog and its owner trying to establish dominance, both of you refuse to be the one who looks away first. Taking two gulps for good measure, he smacks his lips loudly when he’s done, wiping the foam off his upper lip with the back of his wrist. Raising his eyebrows at you in a silent challenge.

“This isn’t awkward at all,” Eddie grumbles, taking another sip of his beer to help the uncomfortable tension that threatens to settle over the circle.

”Who’s next? Who's next?” Robin urges with a flick on your knee, forcing you to fold and give her your attention with a blink of your eyes and it feels like the first time in hours that you finally look at someone other than Steve. 

Your teeth clench, grinding at the thought that even after all this time he’s still got this kind of hold on you, and it has you riding the thin line between wanting to give him a black eye or have him take you for a spin in his beemer for old times sake. 

“Eddie,” raising your can in his direction, he meets you in the middle with a cheers that doesn’t quite touch before slinking back in his chair with an exhausted huff.

“Hmmm, what do I want to reveal about myself?” He hums deep in thought, metal rings clinking against tin in a familiar tune as he taps his fingers around his beer can, “Never have I ever… been in a threesome, despite being titled ‘freak’ of Hawkins.”

“Really?” Robin seems genuinely shocked, making you giggle.

“Yeah, I know. It’s crazy to me too.” Eddie shrugs, with a knowing grin that doesn’t quite sit right in your gut.

That’s when you see it. Steve taking a drink.

”WHAT?!” Your best friend squeals practically jumping from her seat, clearly something that's not common knowledge being revealed.

Jealousy is an ugly monster, and it finds a home deep inside your chest tonight, turning you green with it. Your half empty beer can crunches the more your fingers dig into the tin, eyes narrowing when he just responds to Robin with a coy smirk and a shrug bringing his attention back to you.

”Gotta try everything once right?” Steve mocks, full pink lips curling up at the corners as he takes another sip.

Your heart sinks with your stomach, the muscles in your face doing the same before you have a chance to stop it. Visions of red nails and pink lips that don’t belong to you dance through your head, and the smug smirk he probably wore while his big hands gripped their hips taking turns making them moan his name. The sound of your can completely collapsing in a loud crunch gets everyone’s attention, and you ignore the softened expression on Steve’s face trying to capture your gaze again. Eddie clears his throat, throwing you a life line before opening a new can of beer with a suggestion you’ve never been more grateful for.

”Alright Steve, your turn.” 

Steve nods with a tight lipped smile taking one last glance in your direction before sitting up in his chair with an idea that makes his cheeks push up and his eyes sparkle against the light of the fire. “Alright, never have I ever pretended to not only have a driver's license but also own a car that actually belongs to my best friend so I can hook up with a girl in the backseat.”

A quiet sigh escapes your lungs, shoulders relaxing just a little when Robin groans loudly at the attack that’s clearly focused on her. Oblivious to the fact that you’re hanging on by a thread next to her, you stare fixed on the way the flames lick up into the night. 

“Look, she was a college senior, okay? I was only a sophomore and she was way cooler than me. Judge me all you want, but it worked didn’t it?” She argues, lifting her beer to the sky before taking a sip proudly. “No regrets!”

Her smile is contagious, easing some of the tension when you and Eddie giggle meeting each other's eyes from across her honey blond waves. You can feel Steve’s stare burning a hole in the side of your head, the heat of it in direct competition with the fire that thrives off the light breeze that rustles through the trees. 

“Aright, alright, never have I ever faked getting off.” She wiggles her eyebrows with a toothy grin, looking at Eddie specifically who gives her a dead stare in response, clearly something told to her in confidence. 

Biting your lip, you really weren’t going to add more fuel to the fire but when you finally meet Steve’s eyes that have been begging for your attention this whole time, you can’t help but douse the flames with the whole can of gasoline. Another flash of different shades of lipstick staining the freckles you loved to kiss so much sending another wave of rage down to your core.

”I can think of a few times.” You snort loudly, holding his gaze and pointedly stealing everyone else's attention before polishing off the last of your crumpled can.

Steve’s jaw clenches hard enough that you swear you can hear his teeth crunch together. Nostrils flaring with a gaze so dark it threatens to swallow you whole, all traces of honey and warmth gone, leaving you chilled to the bone.

”I think we’re done with this game Robin,” he grunts, standing up with a kick of his chair and for once his eyes don’t search for yours as he stomps across the yard towards the yellow light of the trailer. 

“Seriously!” Your best friend groans, slinking back in her chair with a hand running down her face, “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

”Yeah, genius! I told you, but nooo, you didn’t want to listen to me.” Eddie scoffs into his beer can, using his free hand to poke at the fire.

”Can you go, like, talk to him or something?” Robin turns to you with an almost pleading look that gets more prominent the more your face turns sour.

“Me?! I have to go talk to him? Seriously? He’s the one who stormed off,” you argue, crossing your arms.

”Yeah, well you clearly hurt his feelings.” She points at his pacing figure through the kitchen window and it takes everything inside of you not to tell her that he hurt yours first.

The two of you stare each other down, the wills of stubbornness at battle until her eyes go soft, big and glassy. 

“Please,” she begs, pulling out the big guns, and jutting out her bottom lip.

You hold her gaze for a few more seconds before surrendering with a roll of your eyes, huffing loudly when you uncross your arms to stand up, making her face light back up.

”I hate you. More than anything.”

Eddie cackles loudly at your lie, digging in his front pocket for a smushed pack of cigarettes.

“We all know you don’t mean that,” she hums with a content smile, leaning over to snatch the freshly lit tobacco from the metalhead’s mouth, waving at you as you start to follow Steve’s path up to the trailer. “Please don’t kill him!”

Closing the sliding glass door behind you, a shiver runs up your spine when the coolness of the air conditioning hits your sticky skin. The sound of running water catches in your ears from the kitchen along with the murmur of his voice under its rush.You can’t quite make out what he’s saying to himself, even when you reach the doorway. 

Hunched over the sink, his shoulder blades flex with every harsh scrub of the pan. His hat rests on the counter, and you can’t help but notice the wild way his hair sits on the top of his head from wearing it all day, sun kissed tips curling from the humidity. Clearing your throat just loud enough to alert him of your presence, you watch the way his whole body goes rigid. It only lasts for a moment before he recovers, shutting off the water with a lazy slap of his hand. Turning around he grabs the dish towel next to him to dry off, meeting your gaze with a little more color in his eyes, flecks of gold trying to shimmer in a raging storm.

Having his full attention on you, alone like this, is enough for your tongue to go numb. The back of your throat turns into sandpaper, making it impossible for words to find their way out. A big hand runs through his hair, fingers getting caught on a knot at the end that he works out with ease, a gentle sigh deflating his defensive chest just a little before he speaks.

“Hey.” 

Anger still boils under all of the attraction, along with the jealousy you aren’t willing to acknowledge.You aren’t ready. You can’t do this yet.

“I gotta go to the bathroom,” you excuse yourself, turning on your heel and leaving just as quickly as you arrived.

You ignore the way he calls after you, seeking solace in the place that's become your hiding spot for the night. Fingers wrap around the handle to the familiar room, you stop in your tracks when a warm patch of light leaking out from a crack in a door that wasn’t opened before catches your attention. 

You can smell the cedar from here.

Glancing over your shoulder to see if he followed you, it changes the course of your direction when you discover that he didn’t. Taking a few steps across the hallway, you’re careful not to let the hinges creak when you push his bedroom door open a little more. Your senses quickly become overwhelmed with everything that makes Steve, Steve. You throw another cautious look down the hallway before crossing the invisible line. Closing the door like how you found it, you let your curiosity get the best of you. 

It’s cleaner than you thought it’d be now that he doesn’t live inside the Harrington’s massive house anymore. His bed is bigger, the twin sized mattress that you used to squeeze into traded in for a queen. The navy blue comforter that looks soft to the touch is laid out messy on white sheets, a digital clock with glaring red numbers that read 10:30 pm on the nightstand next to it. 

The carpet under your feet is a heather gray, and you can tell that it’s scratchy even with your shoes on. Patrick Swayze watches your every move from the Roadhouse poster hanging on his wall, the floor creaking as you make your way toward the small work desk in the corner. Your eyes linger on the impressive way all his dirty clothes manage to be in his hamper before they find the framed pictures spread over his desk. 

There’s one of him with the middle school boy you knew as Dustin Henderson perched on his back, only he looks much older than you remembered. The curls still give him away despite the braces free smile. Both of them grin hard enough for their eyes to crinkle in the corners like they had finally stopped laughing long enough for someone to snap this picture. 

You fight back the way your cheeks threaten to push up, not surprised to find one of him and Robin at what looks like Lover’s Lake, both of them striking the same pose with inflatable tubes around their waists wearing matching bucket hats and sunglasses.

The guy in these photos doesn’t seem anything like the one you remember and it’s hard for you to wrap your head around it. They look the same.

”I don’t think this is the bathroom, do you?” Steve’s voice makes you jump, heart stopping in your chest for a split second before you meet his questioning stare with a guilty face of your own. 

His arms are crossed over his chest as leans against the door frame, unintentionally pulling the collar of his shirt down giving you a glimpse of the patch of hair and the gold chain underneath. The softness in his eyes from the kitchen is gone as he stares you down, it’s replaced with something you can’t quite put your finger on but the intensity of it raking over your body has your thighs meeting for what feels like the millionth time tonight. His full pink lips twist into a sarcastic smirk as he pushes off the wood, taking the next few steps into his room.

”Did you really mean what you said out there?” He questions, dark eyes sparkling the more you squirm under the heat of them.

”Mean what? I said a lot of things out there. We all did.” Narrowing your gaze, you try to take back some semblance of control, squaring up your shoulders at him but the dark chuckle you get in response tells you it’s a futile attempt.

“I didn’t say anything about you specifically though, did I?” Steve counters, stopping just a few feet away from you, tongue poking at the side of his cheek, “No, I don’t think I did.”

He hums, uncrossing his arms to mimic your stance in a silent challenge, eyebrows raised waiting on your response.

”I didn’t say anything about you specifically either.” Jutting out your chin in defiance, it's your turn to cross your arms now. Maturity at its finest.

He doesn’t answer you, instead he holds your eyes with his own and it takes everything inside of you not to look away. Your tongue swipes against your bottom lip as he starts to take a few steps closer, broad shoulders making the room feel small when the toes of his sneakers meet yours.

“I don’t think you ever faked anything with me.” He looks down his nose at you, smelling like summer nights and everything you’ve tried to forget.

”You think or you know?” Cocking a brow with a shit eating grin that tells him you aren’t going to fold easy, the backs of your thighs hit the edge of his desk. 

He sucks at his teeth, rolling his shoulders with the kind of laugh that makes the dull ache between your legs turn into a throb.

“I know. Trust me.” He smirks, gaze lingering where the soft dough of your thighs meet before finding your eyes again, “Guess what else I know?”

It's hard for you to catch your breath when he looks at you like this and you wonder if he notices the quick heaves of your chest or the way your eyes glaze over from being this close to him.

”W-what?” Your stutter gives you away, but at least you tried to fight one last time before he went in for the kill.

The whites of his teeth show in the kind of smile that tells you he was hoping you’d ask just that. Leaning in, his palms land on his desk finding purchase on either side of your hips, caging you in. He’s close enough for the tip of his nose to brush against yours, close enough to smell the wheat from his beer on the warm breath that fans against your lips. 

“You wouldn’t still look at me the way you do, if I hadn’t made you feel good honey. And you know what else?” 

His voice goes deep as he whispers, nose nudging at your cheek before his lips hover right by your ear making you shiver, goosebumps making their second appearance of the day. Your hands find the edge of his desk, chest brushing against his in a deep breath feeling the slightest touch of his lips against the soft spot right behind it.  

“I know I can make you cum harder with my tongue than some Wall Street asshole, who doesn’t even know what to do under the hood of that fancy car he spent so much money on.” His grip on the desk tightens at the thought, wood groaning under the stress of it and it has your thighs spreading for him on their own.

“Steve -”

His fingers grab your chin like at the shop with just a firm enough hold for you to pull away if you want to but you can’t bring yourself to do it when his eyes threaten to swallow you whole. You wonder if it's just a mirror reflection of your own as he takes some of the new space you’ve given him, so close now that you can feel the heat of his body where yours screams for him most. His brows furrow when your noses brush and he swears he can taste the watermelon of your lip gloss, and then he knows he can when he feels your fingers curl into his shirt tugging him closer.

“I think,” he breathes into your mouth, hesitating just enough to soak it in a second longer before pulling away with an almost pained expression that he quickly tries to cover up, “I think it’s time for me to take you and Robin home.”

He steps back and out of your space, a nervous hand running through his hair like he did something he wasn’t supposed to do. His eyes meet yours again and there's something apologetic that swirls in the deep forest that watches you tug your skirt down straightening up.

”I’ll uh, I’ll give you a minute while I go wrangle Robin.” 

He takes one last look at you like he really needs to be sure of something before finally walking out and leaving you alone to wonder how the night ended with you here. Skirt rucked up, trying to catch your breath in Steve Harrington’s room.

———-

🌻 beta’d by @superblysubpar

🌻 chapter three

[mybelovedwoo]

memories of us

bff!san x f!reader

fluff, childhood best friends to lovers / wc: 1.5k

note: i'm back with another san story, i hope you all like it!! if you want to be tagged in any of my fics you can apply here <3

san masterlist - main masterlist

As the swings gently creaked under their weight, San and Y/n sat side by side, the cool night air brushing against their cheeks. The playground, once a realm of youthful adventures, now held a nostalgic charm that wrapped around them like a comforting blanket.

"Do you remember the time we built that sandcastle so tall it almost touched the sky?" Y/n chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming with memories of carefree days.

San smiled, his gaze fixed on Y/n, his best friend since forever. "Yeah, and then it got washed away by a furious monster. We were so upset that day."

They both laughed, the sound echoing softly in the quiet night. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a gentle glow over the playground where they had spent countless hours growing up together.

"I miss those days," Y/n murmured, her voice tinged with wistfulness. "Everything seemed so simple back then."

San nodded in agreement, his heart beating a little faster as he looked at Y/n. Tonight felt different somehow, like the universe had conspired to create this moment just for them.

"Do you remember Mr. Thompson's math class?" Y/n laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You were always the one who saved me from failing."

San chuckled softly. "Yeah, you were never a fan of numbers. But we always managed to get through it together."

As they reminisced, San couldn't help but steal glances at Y/n when she wasn't looking. She looked beautiful under the moonlight, her hair catching the soft glow, her laughter ringing like music in his ears.

"So many memories," San said softly, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "But I think my favorite moments were just being with you."

Y/n looked at him, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "You've always been there for me, San. I don't know what I'd do without you."

San felt a rush of warmth at her words but noticed Y/n shivering slightly in the cool night air. "Hey, you're cold," he said softly, unzipping his jacket and offering it to her. "Here, take this."

Y/n hesitated for a moment before accepting the jacket gratefully. "Thanks, San. You always think of everything."

San chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, if you catch a cold, who's going to laugh at my terrible jokes?"

Y/n rolled her eyes playfully. "Your jokes aren't that bad."

They laughed together, the tension easing between them. With Y/n wrapped in San's jacket, they decided to leave the playground and head to their favorite Korean barbecue restaurant. The familiar scent of grilled meat and the lively atmosphere welcomed them as they settled into their usual table.

Over sizzling meat and glasses of soju, they continued their nostalgic trip down memory lane, sharing stories of high school escapades and university adventures. Each tale brought waves of laughter and shared understanding, deepening the connection that had always been there.

"Do you remember that time we tried to cook instant noodles in the dorm using the coffee maker?" Y/n giggled, recalling their disastrous attempt.

San grinned, shaking his head. "And we ended up setting off the fire alarm! Good times."

As the evening progressed, their laughter blended with the murmur of other diners, creating a bubble of warmth and companionship around them. Between bites of delicious food and sips of soju, they found themselves talking about dreams, fears, and everything in between.

Y/n leaned back in her chair, a slight flush on her cheeks from the soju. "You know, San," she began, her words slightly slurred, "I've been thinking... I shouldn't have dated those terrible guys back then."

San raised an eyebrow, curious where this conversation was going. "What do you mean?"

Y/n sighed, looking into her glass before meeting his gaze. "I mean, you were always there to protect me. Like that last time, when my boyfriend cheated on me... You punched him for me, remember?"

San chuckled softly, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, I remember. He deserved it."

"You always made me feel safe, San," Y/n continued, her voice earnest. "And I think... I think I always knew deep down that I deserved better."

San's heart skipped a beat at her words. He had never wanted to see Y/n hurt, especially not by someone who didn't appreciate her the way she deserved.

"You do deserve better, Y/n," San said softly, his hand reaching across the table to gently touch hers. "You deserve someone who sees how amazing you are, who cherishes you every single day."

Y/n smiled warmly at him, her heart fluttering with his words, when suddenly a voice interrupted their moment.

"Hey, San! Fancy seeing you here," a chirpy voice exclaimed from behind them.

San and Y/n turned to see a girl from one of San's classes approaching their table. She had a bright smile plastered on her face, and her presence seemed to fill the space between San and Y/n.

"Hi... uh, Jia," San greeted, trying to remain polite but slightly caught off guard.

Jia ignored the slight awkwardness and turned to Y/n, giving her a quick once-over before saying, "Oh, you must be Y/n! San talks about you all the time."

Y/n forced a smile, feeling a tinge of discomfort. "Nice to meet you, Jia."

Jia took the seat next to San without waiting for an invitation, completely oblivious to the atmosphere between San and Y/n. "So, what are you guys up to tonight?"

San exchanged a quick glance with Y/n, silently communicating their desire to continue their private conversation. "Actually, Jia, we were just catching up. It's been a while since we've had a chance to hang out."

Jia's smile faltered slightly, but she pressed on. "Oh, that's cool! Mind if I join you then?"

Before San could respond, Y/n interjected, "Actually, Jia, we were just finishing up here. It was nice meeting you, but we should probably get going."

Jia looked disappointed but didn't seem to take the hint. "Oh, okay then. Well, maybe we can all hang out sometime soon!"

San shot Y/n an apologetic look before standing up. "Yeah, maybe. We'll see you around, Jia."

As they walked away from the table, Y/n let out a sigh of relief. "That was... unexpected."

San chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Sorry about that. Jia can be a bit... persistent."

Y/n nodded, but a nagging feeling tugged at her heart. "It's just... you never mentioned her before. Is she in your class often?"

San noticed the change in Y/n's tone and paused, realizing her discomfort. "Yeah, she's in a few of my classes. She's friendly and all, but we've never been close like that."

Y/n furrowed her brow slightly, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn't quite articulate. "But she seemed really comfortable around you... sitting so close and all."

San glanced at Y/n, sensing her unease. "Y/n, I promise you, she's just a classmate. She's never been anything more than that."

The tension between them lingered as they walked through the quiet streets, the city lights casting soft shadows around them. Y/n bit her lip, trying to push away the unwelcome feelings of jealousy that were bubbling up inside her.

"I'm sorry," Y/n finally murmured, breaking the silence. "I didn't mean to... I guess I'm just not used to seeing you with other girls."

San nodded, understanding her feelings. "I get it, Y/n. You're important to me, and I don't want you feeling uncomfortable."

Y/n smiled gratefully, feeling reassured by his words. "Thank you, San. Let's continue this conversation at my place? We can have a few more drinks and just talk."

San nodded, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "Sure, that sounds good."

They walked the remaining distance to Y/n's apartment in comfortable silence, the tension from earlier easing with each step. The night air was cool and crisp, a welcome contrast to the warmth they felt between them.

As they entered Y/n's cozy apartment, San couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Y/n seemed lost in thought, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a quiet contemplation.

"Is everything alright, Y/n?" San asked gently, taking a seat on the couch.

Y/n hesitated for a moment before answering, "Yeah, I'm fine." But her voice lacked conviction.

San studied her for a moment, sensing her unease. "You seem... distracted. Is it about earlier?"

Y/n sighed softly, running a hand through her hair. "I guess I'm just confused. I didn't expect to feel jealous when Jia came over. It's not like me."

San nodded, understanding her turmoil. "It's okay to feel that way, Y/n. Sometimes emotions surprise us."

Y/n hesitated for a moment before asking, her voice hesitant, "San, why have I never seen you with a girlfriend before? Have you... never dated anyone?"

San met her gaze with a tender smile. "No, Y/n. I've never had a girlfriend. There's only ever been one person I've cared about deeply."

Y/n furrowed her brow slightly, trying to grasp the weight of his words. "Who?"

San took a deep breath, his heart beating a little faster. "You, Y/n. It's always been you."

Y/n's eyes widened in surprise, her breath catching in her throat. "Me?"

San nodded, his voice filled with sincerity. "Yes, you. Since we were kids, I've only ever had eyes for you."

Y/n felt a rush of emotions—surprise, joy, and a flicker of disbelief mingled together. "I... I never knew."

San reached out and gently took her hand, his touch warm and reassuring. "I didn't want to risk our friendship by saying anything. But tonight, seeing you jealous over Jia... it made me realize I couldn't keep it to myself anymore."

Y/n searched his eyes, finding honesty and vulnerability mirrored back at her. "San, I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," San replied softly, his thumb brushing over her hand. "I just needed you to know how I feel."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their unspoken feelings hanging in the air. Y/n's mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but one truth stood out above all—the boy she had grown up with, the one who had always been there for her, was the one she had unknowingly longed for.

"San," she finally whispered, her voice trembling slightly, "I think... I think I feel the same way."

San's eyes widened in hopeful surprise, a smile spreading across his face. "You do?"

Y/n nodded, a shy smile playing on her lips. "Yeah... I think I do."

Relief and joy washed over San's features, and he pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Y/n, you have no idea how happy you've made me."

They held each other, the warmth of their embrace melting away any remaining doubts or uncertainties. In that moment, they both knew that they were embarking on a new chapter—one filled with love, trust, and the promise of a future together.

As they sat together, basking in the glow of their newfound understanding, Y/n couldn't help but feel grateful for the twists and turns that had brought them to this moment. It was a journey that had started in childhood innocence and had now blossomed into a love story that was just beginning to unfold.

-

taglist: @dinossaurz

[regressionschool]

BBQ and pull-ups

The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the backyard as two daddies sat comfortably in lawn chairs. The smell of grilled burgers filled the air, but their attention was focused less on the barbecue and more on the two women crawling around the grass nearby, playing with colorful plastic blocks. Their wives, dressed in matching pastel rompers with thick, crinkly diapers peeking out from beneath, giggled and babbled softly as they built little towers, completely absorbed in their play.

David leaned back in his chair, a cool drink in hand as he watched his wife, Claire, carefully stack one block on top of another. She was concentrating so hard, her pacifier bobbing gently in her mouth as she worked. Beside her, Mike’s wife, Lucy, giggled as she knocked over Claire’s tower, clapping her hands in delight. Claire pouted, but only for a moment before joining in on the laughter, the playful energy between them contagious.

Mike chuckled, shaking his head. “They’re always like that, aren’t they? One minute building something, the next tearing it all down.”

David grinned, glancing at his friend. “Yeah, it’s like they never get tired of it. You’d think after playing with the same blocks every day, they’d be bored, but nope. They’re just happy to do the same thing over and over again.”

Mike nodded in agreement, watching as Lucy crawled over to a nearby stuffed bear, hugging it tightly. Her diaper crinkled loudly with every movement, the unmistakable sound a constant reminder of their little roles. “Speaking of the same thing,” Mike started, his tone shifting slightly, “I’ve been thinking about trying to reintroduce potty training with Lucy.”

David raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Potty training? Really? After all this time?”

Mike shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. “Yeah, I know it sounds crazy. She’s been in diapers for over two years now, but I don’t know, I’ve been thinking it might be worth a shot. Maybe pull-ups, just to see how she handles it.”

David leaned forward, intrigued but skeptical. “Pull-ups? I don’t know, man. Why would you want to go through all that hassle? Diapers work perfectly fine. No mess, no fuss. She doesn’t even think about using the potty anymore.”

Mike scratched the back of his head, clearly conflicted. “I get that, but... part of me wonders if she could handle a little more responsibility, you know? Maybe give her a chance to grow up a bit, see if she’s ready for it.”

David smirked, shaking his head. “Trust me, Claire’s been in diapers just as long, and I wouldn’t dream of going back to potty training. She’s too far gone at this point. It’s just easier this way. Besides, you know how many accidents they’d have in pull-ups? I’d be changing them constantly.”

Mike laughed. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right about that. But pull-ups could be a nice middle ground, don’t you think? They’re still padded enough for accidents, but it would give Lucy a little more independence. At least she’d feel when she’s wet, instead of just going and not realizing it.”

David leaned back, crossing his arms. “That’s the thing, though. Do you really want her to feel when she’s wet? I mean, the whole point of diapers is to keep them blissfully unaware. It’s part of the appeal, isn’t it? They don’t have to worry about accidents because they don’t even realize they’re happening. Why give her a reason to think about it?”

Mike thought for a moment, his eyes drifting to Lucy, who was now happily stacking blocks with Claire again. Her diaper crinkled loudly with every little shift, the soft bulge beneath her romper proof that she had already wet herself at least once since they started playing.

“I guess that’s true,” Mike admitted. “But don’t you ever wonder if maybe they could handle just a little bit more responsibility? I’m not talking about making them fully potty-trained or anything. Just... seeing if they could manage pull-ups, at least during the day.”

David chuckled, shaking his head. “Honestly, no. I’m perfectly happy with Claire in diapers. She’s comfortable, I don’t have to worry about accidents, and she’s completely dependent on me. Why change that? Potty training is just going to stress her out.”

As if on cue, Claire glanced up at them, her pacifier still in her mouth, and crawled over to David’s chair, pulling herself up on the armrest. She looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes, her diaper crinkling as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“Hi, sweetie,” David cooed, reaching down to stroke her hair. “Are you having fun?”

Claire nodded, her pacifier bobbing as she sucked on it contentedly.

David smiled, glancing down at her diaper. It was obvious she had wet herself a while ago, the padding around her waist swollen and slightly discolored, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. It was just part of her life now, something she didn’t think about.

“See?” David said, looking up at Mike. “She’s perfectly happy, even though she’s wet. No fuss, no tantrums. She doesn’t even realize she’s had an accident. That’s what diapers are for, to keep them comfortable and carefree.”

Mike watched the interaction, a thoughtful look on his face. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just... I don’t know. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m the one who feels like it’s time for her to grow up a little.”

David grinned. “If you want her to grow up, that’s fine. But you have to ask yourself, is she really ready? Or is this more about you wanting to see if she can handle it?”

Mike sighed, leaning back in his chair. “You’re probably right. Every time I think about trying pull-ups, I remember how much easier things are with diapers. No accidents to clean up, no stress for her. And she’s so used to them now...”

David chuckled. “Exactly. Why make things harder for yourself? Besides, can you imagine the chaos if you tried potty training and it didn’t work out? You’d be dealing with accidents everywhere, not to mention how frustrated Lucy would get.”

Mike smiled, glancing over at his wife, who was now lying on her back in the grass, hugging her stuffed bear and babbling softly to herself. Her diaper was clearly wet, but she didn’t seem to care, completely lost in her own little world.

“Yeah,” Mike said softly. “She does look pretty happy like this.”

David grinned, watching as Claire crawled back to the blocks, joining Lucy in their game. “Exactly. Diapers keep them happy, comfortable, and stress-free. Why mess with that?”

Mike nodded, his mind now clearer. “You’re right. Maybe I was overthinking it. Pull-ups might give her more responsibility, but honestly? I kind of like her like this—carefree and innocent. I don’t want her to worry about accidents.”

David smiled, satisfied. “That’s the spirit. Besides, do you really want to deal with all that extra work? Potty training sounds good in theory, but diapers are way easier. No need to rush them into growing up.”

Mike laughed, shaking his head. “You’re right. Diapers it is, then. I’ll leave the potty training for another lifetime.”

The two men shared a chuckle, the debate settled as they watched their wives play happily in the grass, their thick, crinkly diapers on full display, proof that they were right where they belonged.

As the afternoon wore on, Mike felt a sense of relief wash over him. Watching Lucy babble away, her face filled with innocent joy, he realized that David was right—there was no need to push her to grow up. Diapers kept her safe, comfortable, and blissfully unaware of any accidents she might have. And in the end, that’s all that really mattered.

Just then, Lucy crawled over to Mike’s chair, her diaper sagging slightly as she looked up at him with wide, curious eyes. Mike reached down, ruffling her hair gently. “Hey, princess. You having fun?”

Lucy nodded, her pacifier still firmly in place.

Mike glanced down at her diaper, noticing the bulge. She was definitely wet. But just like Claire, she hadn’t noticed. And that’s how it should be, he realized. She was happy, carefree, and completely dependent on him—and there was something deeply comforting in that.

Smiling to himself, Mike decided then and there: no pull-ups, no potty training. Lucy was his baby, and diapers were exactly where she belonged.

[capseycartwright]

for my fellow merli girlies - do you remember the whole “all roads lead to bruno” line from the sequel series? well, i thought about that too hard and it caused this. enjoy!

all roads lead to eddie diaz

Eddie inclined his head slightly. “He is,” he hummed in response. “But it sounds more like you’re wanting to pick a fight here than discuss our mutual appreciation for how great a person Buck is.”

Tommy, at least, looked slightly embarrassed. “I don’t know how I didn’t see it before,” he admitted. “The way you feel about him.”

or - eddie and tommy have a revelatory conversation about the buck of it all.

ao3 link

The thing is, Eddie doesn’t intend to say what he does. He blames Frank, in all honesty, because if Eddie was less in touch with his own emotions, perhaps he wouldn’t have said it at all – but Frank had worked hard to make Eddie a more open version of himself, a more confident version of himself, and Eddie blames the confidence for how it happens.

It’s a family barbecue. Eddie loves their 118 family barbecues. They’re chaotic, in the nicest way, Bobby and Athena’s garden full of children of all ages, teenagers gathered in the corner, pouring over whatever the latest game they have for their consoles is, Jee-Yun holding court with the littlest of their gang, enough toys to rival an actual toy store gathered around them. Bobby was grilling, Buck standing at his side, the two of them looking altogether very serious as they discussed whether or not the burgers were done yet.

Eddie loved their family barbecues – the way everyone had a role to play amongst the chaos. Eddie’s was to stay far away from the food – though he felt he had long-since redeemed himself on the culinary front – and so he was usually sitting with a beer in hand, observing. Maybe once upon a time it was in an ‘outside looking in’ kind of way, but now it was in more of an appreciative way – Eddie loved this family he had built for himself, the people he had found and the people who had helped him find himself. He liked to watch, drink it all in – because one day, Eddie Diaz would be old and grey (and it was a revelation in itself to want to grow old) and these will have been the good old days, and he’ll miss them, so he likes to observe, and try and commit it all to memory.

Eddie’s attention was drawn by a bright laugh from Buck, and he couldn’t help the way he smiled as he watched his best friend.

“He’s brilliant, isn’t he?” Tommy said, siding up to Eddie. Normally, it wouldn’t be unusual for Eddie and Tommy to discuss how wonderful Buck was – it had long since become a key bonding point of their friendship – but there was an edge to Tommy’s voice that surprised Eddie. Tommy was a fairly calm and collected guy.

Eddie inclined his head slightly. “He is,” he hummed in response. “But it sounds more like you’re wanting to pick a fight here than discuss our mutual appreciation for how great a person Buck is.”

Tommy, at least, looked slightly embarrassed. “I don’t know how I didn’t see it before,” he admitted. “The way you feel about him.”

Eddie was quiet, for a minute. “Because I was good at hiding it,” he admitted. “Even from myself. I hid it for so long that I think people started to assume they were wrong to think I had ever felt that way about him.”

“But you do? Feel that way about him?”

Eddie shrugged. “Doesn’t seem like you want to know the answer to that.”

Tommy sighed. “I’m asking you – as a friend.”

“Then the answer is yes,” Eddie said. It still surprised him, how easily the words came now. It had taken so long for him to get to the point of being able to say it, the words coming out in a panicked rush during a session with Frank. It had felt like the most immense task he had ever undertaken, in that moment, but the words had started to come easier, since – when he’d told Hen, and Karen, over a bottle of pinot grigio, the words punctuated by some sad tears. He’d thought it had been too late, then, and Hen had gently reassured him that it would never be too late, not for him and Buck.

Still – it was the wrong time. Buck was with Tommy, and they’d been together for close to five months now, and Buck was happy. Liberated, even, free, and comfortable in himself in a way that Eddie had never seen before. His bisexuality had been the thing Buck had searched for his whole life, and who was Eddie to deny him the joy of discovering his queerness with a relatively attractive man who was kind to him? Eddie was in love with Buck, and in some ways, that love was what allowed him to take a more selfless approach to the whole situation. Eddie was proud of that.

Tommy’s face was doing something entirely complicated.

“Is that going to be a problem?” Eddie asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn’t want this to affect his friendship with Tommy – really, he didn’t. Eddie knew that if this all went the way he would like it to go, there would be hurt, but he’d sort of been hoping that Buck and Tommy’s relationship would come to its natural end and that hurt would only be momentary, the result of the strangeness that Tommy would feel if his ex-boyfriend started to date their mutual friend. But despite that, Eddie didn’t want to lose Tommy, and he knew Buck wouldn’t want to lose him either.

“Is it going to be a problem for you?” Tommy questioned, in lieu of a response.

Eddie shrugged. “No.”

Tommy’s face got even more complicated, confusion the clear emotion. “How – how is it not a problem for you?”

And this – this is where Eddie probably should have kept his mouth shut. In hindsight, he should have feigned some sort of migraine, and ran away, but he didn’t. Eddie let his newfound confidence get the better of him, and that was a very shiny, new problem for him.

There were lots of reasons it wasn’t a problem, but it all boiled down to one simple thing -

“I know he’ll chose me.”

The words were out, before Eddie could stop himself, and he couldn’t help but internally wince as he looked at Tommy’s face, the confusion turning to hurt, and then, well – annoyance. It wouldn’t be a nice thing to hear, Eddie knew, but he couldn’t deny the satisfaction he felt in saying it.

Eddie Diaz knew several different things to be true. The sky was blue, and he loved Christopher with every particle of his being. He was a damn good firefighter – and Evan Buckley would always choose him, over anyone else in the world.

Buck just didn’t know he was an option, yet.

“You sound very sure of that,” Tommy’s jaw was set in a hard line, his annoyance clear.

“I am,” Eddie said. “I want him to be happy, with you. I’m not going to try and ruin what you have. But Buck and I – we’ve been going somewhere for a long time, now, and neither of us were ready before. We’re not ready now, arguably. But I know we will be, one day, and so I know he’ll chose me.”

“All roads lead to Eddie Diaz, huh?”

“Something like that.”

Tommy was quiet. “I’m not going to fight you for him.”

“I’m not going to start a fight,” Eddie retorted. “It’s his decision.”

“Right.” Tommy looked as though he didn’t quite know what to say. “I am – I’m going to go and get another drink.”

Eddie watched as the other man walked away, and although it wasn’t particularly nice of him, he couldn’t help but smirk into the rim of his beer bottle.

The sky was blue, and Eddie was a happy man, now – and Buck would always choose him. He was sure of it.

He was looking forward to it.

[here-comes-the-moose]

Bad Batch Modern AU Headcanons Under the Cut

Echo

Does not like red wine. It gives him a headache and heartburn (he’s just like me fr).

Plans Friday Fundays with Omega after she gets out of school.

Great at cooking and baking, but absolutely needs to follow the recipe. If he’s tries to improvise or experiment, the food is not edible at all.

Can flawlessly do a shot with no hands.

Has done a keg stand.

Before the loss of his limbs, he used to NEVER get hungover, no matter how much he drank. Even now, his hangovers are pretty mild. He’s just built different.

Was recruited to be one of the room parents for Omega’s class.

The only one who can get through to Crosshair when his mental health gets really bad.

Has their house decorated like the most stereotypical suburban mom. I’m talking Live Laugh Love signs, a beach-themed bathroom, so many throw pillows and blankets that you can barely sit, a rotation on of seasonal decor, the list goes on.

Hunter

Cannot sing for shit.

The king of dad jokes.

Has absolutely no fashion sense. Negative drip. He’s wearing socks and sandals unironically.

World’s worst cook. Managed to burn and undercook a pancake. Gave Crosshair food poisoning.

Banned from grilling after he set all the food they got for their 4th of July barbecue on fire.

Gets migraines. He gets extremely sensitive to sound and smells.

The only person Crosshair lets look after him when he isn’t feeling well.

Views expiration dates as suggestions. Somehow has never gotten sick.

Constantly going on Tinder dates.

Tech

Total chick magnet.

Does not realize this.

Constantly drives over the speed limit (except in school zones) but miraculously has never gotten a speeding ticket.

Best at making cocktails.

The most intense one about making sure they all eat healthy.

His shoulders and neck get really tense, from sitting at a computer and from carrying most of his stress there.

Does not like crispy bacon.

Wrecker

Grill master.

Actually great at cooking and baking. He can improvise and experiment with ease and the food comes out even better.

Always showing off photos of Omega when he’s at work.

Saw the Barbie movie more than once. He cried each time.

LOVES to listen to Kesha.

His music taste is basically just 2000’s-2010’s party girl music.

Used to choreograph dances that he would then perform with Crosshair and Fives for the rest of their family when they were kids.

Gives the best massages.

Wears the New Balance dad sneakers. Crosshair HATES them.

Crosshair

Banned from their local Applebee’s for getting extremely sloppy off their dollaritas.

Gets motion sick sometimes, mostly in cars.

HATES air travel.

Top three artists on Spotify are My Chemical Romance, Taylor Swift, and Lana Del Rey (he’s just like me fr)

Also gets migraines. Unlike Hunter, he isn’t that sound sensitive, but he gets extremely sensitive to light and smells and gets auras with his migraines.

Also saw the Barbie movie more than once (he went with Wrecker). He also cried.

Has a crush on Tony Soprano (don’t ask why the thought came into my head and wouldn’t leave)

Babies and toddlers love him for some reason.

Will not eat or drink something if the expiration date is within two days. Gets extremely grossed out by Hunter not caring for expiration dates.

Secretly a hopeless romantic.

Omega

Learned her first curse word from Echo when he let one slip while driving.

Repeated the word in front of Hunter, who nearly had a heart attack.

Looks just like Crosshair when he was a kid.

Likes going out with Crosshair because he almost always gets her a little treat.

Gets annoyed by how many people in her class and some of their parents have a crush on one of her brothers.

Has tried to play matchmaker for her brothers before.

All of her brothers give amazing hugs, but she secretly thinks Echo’s are the best.

Batcher

She was a rescue dog.

She’s a gray pittie.

Her favorite person is Crosshair and she’s always following him around and is always at his side.

Goes crazy for cold cuts.

Was originally going to be brought to the shelter if they couldn’t find an owner, but Hunter agreed to keep her when he saw how happy she made Omega and Crosshair.

Her tail has a kink because it broke and didn’t heal properly.

Feel free to add more if you’d like! I have included some of these in my Modern AU works.

[pimosworld]

would you be able to write something about santi and frankie making a tree house for the reader's kids?

her kids have always wanted one and there's a perfect tree for it right in the center of the back yard, but she's never had the time to make it herself or get a professional to make it.

one day, at a neighborhood barbecue, pope is talking to reader's kids (trying desperately to be their favorite uncle) when they inform him of their plan of how to get their mom to make their tree house.

he tells them to draw him up a plan of their dream tree house and tells them he'll see what he can do. with the help of fish, they draw up a real plan of action from the drawing and set out finding materials. reclaimed wood, an old slide that really just needs a fresh paint job, a carpet to go inside, and some old moroccan style tiles for the roof.

they show up, truck bed full of supplies, unannounced and get to work unloading and constructing the thing. how can the reader be so mad when her kids look so happy helping them build it and playing in it once it's built?!

(new anon, sorry that this was so long.)

Pairing-Triple frontier boys x f!reader

Summary-Your kids find a way to get what they want both for you and for them.

CW-SFW, Fluff, angst, mentions of parent loss, mentions of spouse loss, tf boys being protective, tf boys being great uncles, mentions of insecurities, kids being menaces, dating, cursing, inaccurate descriptions of tree house build time because this is my world and we can build tree houses quickly, so much fluff. The boys being good with their hands.

WC-2.7k

A/N- I’m sorry this took me so long anon. Writers block sucks but it’s only fitting that the anniversary of my first ever fic COMPANY that came up a few weeks ago featuring the tf boys is kicked off with your request for some Frankie and Santi being amazing. I made some adjustments but I hope this is everything you wanted and more.

[Triple Frontier Masterlist][Main Masterlist]

If you build it

“I can tell they’re up to something.” Santi shoots you a look as he flips the burgers on the grill. 

  “They’re kids of course they’re up to something. The question is what.” Santi closes the grill as he looks across the wide expanse of yard at his niece and nephew playing in the sandbox. 

  It looks like the childlike version of an ops mission happening. To someone else it may just look like a little girl playing with a stick in the sand but Santi knows better than that. 

  ****

  It’s such an odd feeling, you should still be grieving right? You most certainly shouldn’t be looking at Santi and his chiseled jaw as he watches your kids play. Or watching the way his muscles flex in his tight tee shirt as he crosses his arms. You’re so distracted you don’t even realize he’s speaking to you. 

  “Can you watch the grill for a second?” He raises an eyebrow at you and you feel flushed for all the wrong reasons. The sweltering heat does nothing to hide your embarrassment. 

  “Ya of course but don’t be gone too long. I’ve been known to burn anything on the grill.” 

  “I’ll make it quick then.” He winks at you as he walks across your lush green yard. Swiftly dodging a football that Benny throws deliberately at his head as he flips him off in return. 

  “You’re gonna burn a hole in his pants if you keep staring.” You jump at the sound of Frankie’s voice and he has the decency to look apologetic at your reaction. 

  You hadn’t really noticed how much they’ve all aged in the last few months. His hair is a little longer as it curls around his cap. His worry lines are just a bit deeper than you last remember them being. Yet he still smiles at you all the same as he pulls you into a deep hug, kissing the top of your head. 

  “I didn’t mean to scare you cariño, I was only joking.” 

  You shove him off playfully as you open the grill again. “I wasn’t staring.” 

  He bumps you out of the way as he grabs the spatula from your hand. “Sure…whatever you say. Your secrets are safe with me.” You watch him as he effortlessly dispatches all the burgers to a plate and sets them aside. 

  You bite your lip as you wait for him to say something but you know he’s giving you time to think. Something he’s always done for you, knowing that your mind is going a mile a minute and if anyone interrupts that train of thought it might be gone forever. 

  He’s just standing beside you like a steady weight as he glances around the yard at some people he barely knows and others he knows like the back of his hand. Now it’s mostly close friends and one or two neighbors, compared to several months ago when he couldn’t pick out a familiar face among the crowd. People tend to forget that your grieving continues even long after you’ve decided not to show up. 

  He shouldn’t feel bad for you because you’re a strong woman. More resilient than any of them could ever be. 

  “Frankie, can I ask you something?” You say with a nervous smile. 

  “You’re allowed to move on.” 

  You glance up at him and it’s intense the way he meets your eyes. “I didn’t ask the question.” 

  “You didn’t have to…my answer is still the same.” 

  ****

  As Santi approaches the sandbox he can see some kind of intricate drawing. Lexi is using a stick practically the size of her to draw it out while her brother Liam watches from the corner. She looks so much like you, especially with her focused face on as she draws another detailed set of lines that he still can’t quite make out. 

  Liam glances up at him and gestures with his fingers to stay quiet. Santi takes a seat at the corner of the box near him as they patiently wait for her to finish. He looks so much like him that Santi has a hard time not getting choked up, he’s grateful that they both have your personality. 

  “Okay.” Lexi throws the stick to the side and dusts her hands off on her white skirt. “I think it’s done.” She looks up and flashes a toothy smile at Santi and he can’t help the way his heart melts. 

  “Can I ask what exactly this is?” 

  The little girl lets out a deep sigh as she looks over at her twin brother and he just holds his hands out in silent communication that she needs to take the lead. 

  “Well…this is a tree house.” She pauses briefly and Santi thinks that’s cool that she can draw but then she starts. In great detail for several minutes animatedly explaining the process of her vision coming to life. 

  Santi has to get up and stand from her perspective to really get a grasp of what she’s talking about. He tries to follow along as she explains the duel ladder system, one on the trunk and another hanging down from the middle entrance of the house. Two doors, one for entry and the other for the slide,that lets out perfectly into the softest patch of grass in the yard. Her and her brother evidently couldn’t decide on carpet or tile so they opted to split it down the middle. Her half would be tile and his half would be carpet. They would obviously need enough room for arts and crafts, the kitchen and naps. 

  He’s never been so impressed with an eight year old in his entire life. 

  He’s so enthralled with the design that he doesn’t notice the little girl standing there staring up at him expectantly. 

  “So what do you think?” She’s wringing her little hands together as she glances over at her brother with an equally curious look on his face. As if a lightbulb goes off in his head Santi is suddenly aware of what exactly they were up to. 

  “Mija…are you asking if I can help?” 

  She nods her head as she rocks back and forth in the sand. 

  “We both have allowances if that helps.” Liam chimes in from the corner of the sandbox and Santi has to try to disguise his smile behind his hand. 

  “Foods ready!” You yell from across the yard and Santi meets your eyes. A look of what are you up to written all across your face. 

  He crouches down waving Liam over and the little boy carefully avoids the blueprints in the sand to join them. “Okay…here is what I want you to do.” 

  ****

  Your kids are being uncharacteristically good. They finished all their food, they haven’t bothered you in over an hour and even offered to help clean up the table after everyone ate. 

  Most everyone has cleared out from the barbecue besides for the boys who seem to be enthralled with something over by the sandbox. Frankie keeps glancing over his shoulder at you and Will has shot you a thumbs up twice. If they thought subtlety was their strong suit they are sadly mistaken. You often wonder how they managed to be special ops and keep things a secret when it’s so obvious they’ve all got something up their sleeve. 

  ****

  The something they had planned despite your initial worry was in fact a much needed day for yourself. Benny was going to take the kids to the zoo and despite wanting all the credit Will assured you he would be accompanying them so that an adult would be present. 

  Over the last several months various repairs around the house had gone undone in the chaos of being a newly single mom. Frankie and Santi volunteered to spend the day getting your house in order while you had a full day planned with Will’s wife Jenna. Brunch, pedicures, shopping…you couldn’t remember the last time you treated yourself to a day that wasn’t centered around your kids. As much as you loved them you knew that at times it felt like the person you used to be was long buried underneath a world of stress and hurt. 

  Dating was completely off the table at the moment…especially since your current situation was all but off limits. Taking care of yourself for once could be a great start in the right direction. 

  ****

  “I told you to get half inch screws Pope.” 

  “Those are half inch!” Santi says as he hears Frankie grumbling under his breath. 

  “These are definitely a quarter inch and that explains another problem.” Frankie chides as Santi flips him off. 

  They’ve been at this for a few hours having completed the tasks in your house in a matter of no time. All this a ruse to get the tree house completed before you and the kids are back from your day out. 

  It’s been awhile since they’ve done something like this. Not just the physical labor but the reward at the end being something that they know is going to brighten a lot of days. They may bicker and fight like brothers but at the end of the day Santi knows how much they both needed this. To have their minds occupied with an intricate task. 

  Intricate doesn’t even begin to describe what’s unfolded before them. With their niece's original design in mind and a few additions when they got to the store this is turning out to be better than some places they’ve slept while in the service. 

  Frankie is putting the finishing touches on the bug screen that he decided would be a good addition to the entryway for the balmy summer nights. Santi’s never felt so large while he sits on the wooden bench that doubles as a reading nook. The wood matching the same structure that he knows could withstand any storm or hurricane. The sun is setting, casting a shadow along the bright yellow carpet they found on clearance at the back of the home decor store. 

  The leftover Talavera tiles Santi had from his home remodel fit perfectly on the half that would be the makeshift kitchen. 

  There are three exits and two entries. The trap door with a knotted rope, the wooden plank stair steps and the slide that leads to the softest patch of grass in the yard. 

  Santiago’s thoughts are interrupted by the sound of car doors slamming and children’s laughter. 

  “We should head down.” Frankie grunts as he shuffles over to the slide, reaching for his standard heating oil cap placed on the bench nook. 

  Santi raises his eyebrows at the man taking in the scene about to unfold. 

  “What? How else are we supposed to get down?” 

  “Oh I don’t know the stairs or the rope maybe?” He says sarcastically. “We don’t need you breaking the slide before they even get a chance.” 

  “Fuck you, this slide was built to withstand a hurricane.” 

  His nieces squeal from across the yard interrupts their fifth squabble of the day. 

  Frankie flashes him a wide grin. “Last man down has to ask their mom on a date.” 

  “What?!” 

  “Byeeee.” Frankie slides away, throwing him the middle finger on the way down. 

  Santi had already talked to him about this ad nauseam. It always felt like the wrong place at the wrong time. 

  He opened the latch to the trap door, opting to climb down to spare him the embarrassment of using a children’s slide in front of you. 

  ****

  You pulled up to the house at the exact same time as Will and Ben. You don’t remember the last time you’d felt this refreshed. Your hair and nails done, way too many bags piled in the backseat of Jenna’s car with a new wardrobe. It was exactly what you needed and a much needed conversation with another woman to reassure you that you were perfectly capable of making your own decisions about your love life. You shouldn’t feel guilty about moving on and doing what’s best for you and your children. 

  You half expected your kids to be happy to see you but they both gave you light hearted waves as they raced each other around the side of the house, leaving you in the driveway with Will and Ben with amused looks on their faces. 

  “What’s gotten into them?” You say as the boys shoot each other a look and Jenna takes your hand on hers to lead you around the house. 

  “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission right?” Ben says from behind you and now you’re really starting to worry. Your daughter's screech has you pulling away as you run into the backyard. 

  The sight you’re met with is one that completely knocks you off your feet. Your children are jumping up and down in front of a beaming Frankie and the largest tree house structure you’ve ever seen. This is something out of an outdoor life magazine. 

  You don’t realize you're frozen in place as the rest of the gang join him on the lawn. Santiago perhaps on purpose opted to make your life that much harder by effortlessly climbing down the rope ladder. In all the years he’s been out of the service the man still has an impeccable physique. You will your feet to move as you take in the thing that your kids have been asking you for since they could talk. The thing your husband didn’t make time for and the daunting task seemed impossible for you on your own. Paying someone was out of the question and you were too prideful to ask the boys to help you out anymore than they already did. 

  You don’t even realize you’re crying until Santiago approaches with the most worried look you’ve ever seen on his face. 

  “Look, I’m really sorry if we overstepped. I know we should’ve asked and it wasn’t our place…but the kids-“ 

  His ramblings are cut short when you throw yourself into him. He instinctively hugs you tight as he feels the wetness from your eyes soak into his shirt. 

  It’s embarrassing to admit how long it’s been since a man has held you and right now you can feel your resolve breaking as he soothingly rubs his hands down your back to calm your tears. 

  “I don’t know how to thank you Santi.” You mumble into his chest as you try to calm your beating heart. 

  It’s a moment before you break apart and he really gets a good look at you. Even with fresh tears in your eyes you look stunning. The most relaxed he’s seen you look in ages and just as beautiful as the day Tom introduced you to the boys. 

  With the group and the kids thoroughly distracted he figures now is as good a time as any. He’s far enough away that if you reject him he can slink out of the backyard and disappear to another country for three to six months while the shame dies down. 

  “Listen, I have to say something before I lose the courage to say it.” He nervously rubs the back of his neck as he focuses on some inanimate object behind you. “I understand if you’re not ready or you think this is highly inappropriate and in that case I’ll pretend this never happened.” 

  You can feel the hairs stand up on your arms and you dig your nails into your palm to keep from passing out at this very moment.

  “I know it’s wrong to say but I’ve always thought you and the kids deserved better. You know I loved him but it killed me to see the way he treated you and in another life perhaps I met you first and things would look a little different. I just can’t help but think maybe this can be a second chance and if you’re willing, I’d like to take you out sometime.” 

  The silence is deafening as you try to form words and Santi looks as though he wants to spontaneously combust at your lack of response. In all honesty you were never really good at flirting and now you’re spiraling because what do you say besides. 

  “Yes.” 

  He lets out a huge sigh of relief as he looks up at the sky thanking whoever is watching that he didn’t just make a complete fool of himself. 

  You both turn around to see Benny helping your son climb the rope and Frankie sliding down with your daughter in his lap as she claps her hands. Will and his wife made it inside at some point and they wave to you both from the large open window. 

  “It looks like I may be able to take you up on that offer tonight.” 

[dazz-linglight]

Hello love, I have a request for sehun we’re reader is younger than him and plus size, and She gets jealous of sehun friendship with sejeong and they get in a fight we’re sehun say he likes sejeong more than her. With a bit of angst and a happy ending.

It’s alright if you don’t want to take this request I totally understand. I love you and you’re writing 🤍🤍🤍

Another Chance.

(idol!Sehun x non-idol!Reader) feat. EXO and Kim Sejeong.

Sehun and you were the type of couple that radiated warmth and affection, laughter often echoed through your small apartment. Sehun, at thirty, had a quiet confidence that complemented your vibrant, effervescent personality. You, younger by five years, a plus-size woman who carried yourself with grace and an infectious smile. Despite the strong bond built in one year of your relationship, insecurities sometimes crept in, often spurred by your own self-doubts.

One sunny Saturday, you were both invited to Suho's barbecue in his new house, along with the rest EXO members and a few other friends. The backyard was filled with people chatting, laughing, and savoring the delicious aroma of grilled food. You stayed close to Sehun, enjoying the social gathering but feeling a bit out of place. It wasn't long before Sejeong, a friend of them joined the gathering.

Sejeong is slim and carried herself with a sophisticated air. She and Sehun had an easygoing friendship and their conversation flowed effortlessly. As they laughed and reminisced about their idol antics, you felt a knot of jealousy in her stomach. Trying to mask the discomfort, you joined the conversation as you could, but couldn't shake the feeling of being an outsider around them. Sehun’s attention seemed more focused on Sejeong, and each shared joke and burst of laughter between them felt like a small cut to your heart.

After a while, you excused yourself to grab a drink, trying to collect your thoughts. From a distance, you watched Sehun and Sejeong close together in deep conversation. It felt like watching your worst fears play out in front of your eyes. Unable to contain her emotions any longer, you marched back to the table.

“Hey, Sehun,” you called for him, your voice sharper than intended, “can we talk for a minute?”Sehun looked surprised but nodded, excusing himself from Sejeong. You walked in front of him to a corner where nobody would listen and turned to him, the sounds of the barbecue fading slightly.

“What’s wrong, love?” Sehun asked, concern etched on his face. You took a deep breath, trying to steady your voice.

“Look, I don’t really like the way you’re acting around Sejeong. You’re so wrapped up in her that you’re ignoring me.” Sehun’s eyebrow furrowed in confusion.

“Love, Sejeong is my colleague . There’s nothing more to it.” He tried reasoning, not understanding where you're coming from.

“But it feels like there is!” You snapped, the insecurities boiling over your head. “You’re being much more attentive to her than you are to me. Do you even realize how that makes me feel?”

Sehun sighed, clearly frustrated. “_______, you’re overreacting. Sejeong is just easy to talk to. We have things in common from work, that’s all.”

You got a bit overwhelmed and a few tears filled your eyes, voice trembling. “Maybe she’s more likable than me then, huh? Is that it?”

Sehun’s patience got thin. “Yeah, maybe she is! At least she doesn’t get jealous over nothing!” The words hung in the air, heavy and painful in your heart. Your face got sour and you immediately turned to walk away from him, quickly going towards Suho's house.

Sehun soon regretted his outburst, but his pride held him back from following you. The rest of the barbecue was a blur for Sehun. He stayed, but his mind was with you, replaying the argument over and over. He hated himself for the ridiculous words he had said, knowing they stemmed from his own frustration and not the truth. While you spent the rest of the afternoon in the living room and away from everyone, tears streaming down your face. You felt humiliated, hurt, and worst of all, you believed Sehun’s words. Maybe Sejeong really was more likable. Maybe you were the problem.

Two hours later, Sehun came in to find and drove you home in silence, the tension between you palpable. When you got home, you went straight to shower and then to bed, curling up on your side, back to Sehun. He watched for a moment, wanting to reach out, but unsure how to bridge the gap he had created.

The next morning, Sehun woke up early, determined to make things right. He slipped out quietly and headed to the nearest florist, buying the most beautiful bouquet of sunflowers. When he returned, he found you in the kitchen, staring blankly at your coffee cup.

“Love...” he said softly, approaching you with the flowers. “I’m so sorry for yesterday. I was a jerk and I said things I didn’t mean. Sejeong isn’t more likable than you. No one is. You're the woman I love. You’re the most important person in my life.”

You turned to face him and looked up, eyes still red from crying. You accepted the flowers, holding them close to your chest. “It really hurt me, Sehun. I’ve always felt insecure about my weight and how I look. Seeing you with her just brought all those fears to the surface.”

Sehun stepped closer, taking your face in his hands. “I apologize. I should've been more considerate of your feelings. You’re beautiful to me, in every way. I don’t want anyone else. I love you just the way you are.”

You stared back at him, eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of relief.

“I love you too, Sehun. I just need to feel that you’re with me, that you see me.”

“I do,” He said with the earnest voice. “And I’ll make sure you always know that.” The two of you stood there in the kitchen, holding each other tightly, the flowers pressed between them.

The tension and hurt melted away, replaced by the warmth of their love. From that day on, Sehun made a conscious effort to show you how much he cared. He never let a day go by without reminding you how beautiful you are to him, inside and out. You too worked on her insecurities, learning to trust more in Sehun’s love and your relationship.

[star-quill]

nsfw where the reader is slightly younger than quill (as in late 20s early 30s) and they're neighbors who fuck VERY OFTEN, but there's no title so often at neighborhood events she flirts with neighbors and acts as if her and quill don't fuck and they're neighbors, but she gets extremely jealous when he talks to another female.

just v into jealous!peter smut hehee

oh😖😵‍💫

you don't even know how you and him started sleeping together. it just kinda, happened. you first met him at someone's birthday party, flirting a little when you went inside to refill your water. he came in to grab a towel, having spilled his beer down himself.

the spill dried up quickly but his t-shirt still reeked of beer. he hadn't turned to face you yet, not really noticing you were there and so he peeled his shirt off. patting his stomach dry, he turned around to find the washing machine and saw you standing there, glass in hand.

"hi.. i uhm.. need in the washing machine.." you looked down realising you were standing in front of it.

"oh.. sorry, here let me put it in.." you took the towel from him and shoved it in. he just nodded at you before heading back outside. you saw him say something to some guy outside before he left. you didn't even look at anything else but his fave but images of him were flashing in your head—images of his body, how built and large he was, images of his body pressed up against yours, images of him pulling down his—

"hey.. can u hear me?" you blinked a few times, looking at one of your friends standing in front of you.

"sorry.. must've zoned out.."

"c'mon.. they're serving up food now.."

the party lasted for a while and peter came back a while after the food was being served—he told you his name after he apologised for kinda freaking you out in the kitchen. you spoke to him for most of the night, before he walked you home. perhaps you shouldn't have invited him in but then he had you lying on the couch, legs wrapped around his waist as he filled you up. that one time became many times, him coming over just to fuck. he craved you, craved the feeling of you around him. very often he would turn up unannounced.

your complaint of "peter.. the plumber's fixing my kitchen sink, can you come back later?" was met with "you don't think you can be quiet?". your complaint of "peter.. my parents are visiting soon.." was met with "don't worry, i'll be quick..".

but to both of you, it was just sex. nothing more, just neighbours, maybe friends, who slept together occasionally. so why is it you got jealous when he flirted with someone else at the barbecue he was hosting. he was manning the grill and she was fawning all over him, giggling at everything he said and feeling up his arms. and that fucker was drinking it all in, loving the attention he was getting. you couldn't be jealous, you weren't together, but you were absolutely seething with rage. but you knew what he'd be like if you went over there too.

"hey peter.. so uhm, how long will the sausages be, hm?" you looked up at him, batting your eyelashes a few times.

"'bout.. 3 minutes or so.. so get yourself ready, yeah?" he didn't even look at you, just focused on turning the meat round. the other woman had long gone and you just smiled at peter and walked off, sneaking inside and waiting on the sofa. he came in five minutes later, standing beside the couch.

"didn't you see i was talking to someone out there?"

"i did.. but she was annoying me.."

"christ.. we're not together, you can't go getting pissed off when i flirt with someone else.."

"but.." you knelt up on the couch, hands on the arm as you pouted at him. he just grabbed your chin, thumb rubbing over your lips.

"my baby gettin' jealous hm?"

"mmhm.."

"in my room, now.. go. i gotta head outside but i'll be back for you in a minute.. be ready."

you went to wait for him on his bed, but he took well more than a minute. you just lay down, hugging one of his pillows and waited for 10 minutes before you gave up and left. didn't even say goodbye as you went out the front door, walking back home. you knew you couldn't get so hung up on him when it was nothing more than casual sex. but he was occupying every waking thought you had.

you stuck an old movie on and lay down on your sofa, hoping it would make you fall asleep faster. after around an hour, your doorbell went. you opened the door to find peter there, a plate covered in aluminium foil in his hands.

"you uhm.. i didn't see you leave, and you missed the food.."

"i'm not in the mood, thanks for the offer though.."

"hey wait, i want to apologise.."

"i waited for you, you never came.."

"no.. but i can make you come now though.."

you just rolled your eyes.

"no?"

"maybe.." you stood back and let him in, shutting the door as he went to your kitchen and set the food down. you followed in after, standing next to him as he rested against the kitchen countertop.

"did you actually get jealous today?"

"well.. yeah.. she was all over you, peter.. don't you get jealous when i flirt with other guys?"

"damn right i do, you're telling me these other guys are gonna be able to make you feel as good as i make you feel? no way.."

then his hand was around your waist and he stepped in front of you, lifting you onto the counter.

"nobody can make you come, except me.. understand?"

"mmhm.." you just smiled, wrapping your arms around his neck and leaning in to kiss him. he pulled away after a few seconds, dropping his head to kiss your neck, leaving little bites here and there.

"gotta make sure everyone knows you're my girl.."

"your girl?"

"yeah.. my girl.."

after that, you and him were still never technically exclusive but he still called you "my girl" or "my baby"—and every time he said it, it made your heart flutter. he'd always say it after he fucked you on your sofa, and then you'd drape yourself over his thigh, wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him lazily until his hand went to grab your waist and rub you against his bare thigh, getting you off once more. then it became "my pretty baby" or "my pretty lil' girl" as you came all over his leg, sighing into his neck as your orgasm washed over you. maybe one day you'd discuss the full extent of your relationship but right now, you were content with what you had with him.

[boopshoops]

🥣

🥰

🏘️

For Jojo, Shishi, and Ezzie (The Twst OCs ;w;) for the OC Ask meme)

Similarly to the last post!! This is color coded: me/narrator as default, blue as Jocia, and green as Ezra

🥣what's your favorite food?

"So this is some sort of interview? Alright then," Jocia gruffly responded, slouching over in her seat upon realizing the question was actually rather simple. She grinned, "Bulgogi's a fav. It's something my sister showed me when we were kids. Apparently she was trying to learn more about our family history or somethin', did a damn lot of research too."

"It's not something I looked much into myself, but I'm a complete sucker for anything barbecued or grilled. I think... Oh yeah, we tried it out on a camping trip. I stole some of hers off her plate," Jocia chuckled, scratching at the back of her head as she reminisced, "I gave her hell during that trip. Wouldn't be surprised if that's why we never did something like that again. Made it up to her later, though."

-

"Ooh! How fun!" The professor exclaimed with a sharp-toothed grin, "Let's see, should I go into detail? I don't see why not. You're supposedly looking into learning more about me after all, little sprout," He cheerfully pondered aloud, politely folding his hands in his lap.

"My favorite dish is Pasta Alla Gricia. It's absolutely divine. With most of the foods I like, they've unfortunately been changing and shifting in ways I'm simply not a fan of with the passage of time. BUT! With this? It's only gotten better since the first time I tried it one hundred years ago! I'll gladly buy you some sometime, little sapling. Oh! Perhaps I can get some for the whole class... Like a day of celebration after one of our competitions! It's important for student's to destress, after all!~" Ezra hummed to himself with a firm nod.

🥰do you think you're attractive?

"Uh..." The woman droned on, crossing her arms over her chest. She offered a casual nod after perusing her own thoughts, "Like, physically? Sure, yeah," She bluntly answered.

"It's not really something I've thought too much of before. I guess looking in the mirror and seeing how far I've come gives me something to be proud of. Especially since I'm... not the best at styling. Everyone else in the family got all that."

"But, hell, I've worked hard on myself. Even if working out and such is more of a chill hobby of mine, I'm still confident in how I'm built. Not to mention I can see little parts of the people around me in myself too, yeah? Like- an old friend of mine regularly helps me dye my hair, and I got my piercings at the same time as my brother. If I didn't like those parts of myself, it feels kinda like a dig on them too. No matter whatcha think anyway, there are gonna be people out there who think you're pretty sick."

"...Eh, I'm not good at getting all sappy."

-

Ezra blinked, his drawing his lips into a line. His brows furrowed, "This is a difficult question to be modest about, isn't it?" He awkwardly chuckled, bringing a hand up to massage his temple.

"Oh, I don't know. I have a lot of things I have to work on, truly. It's quite an ordeal. Not that I'm not proud of my appearance! After all, a lot of it was greatly inspired by my late father."

"...Ah! I forgot to mention- I'm a changeling fae, of course. I'm not the biggest fan of shapeshifting, however, so I try my best to correlate my appearance to my adoptive human family. In that way, I suppose topics such as 'attractiveness' are a bit more complicated to someone like me, dear," He finished, dodging and weaving around the actual question through his rambles.

🏘️where's your happy place?

Jocia brightened up a bit at this, smirking as the answer came easily, "With my siblings," she replied briefly.

"They're fun as hell to be around. We got each other's backs. They're a bunch of little shits sometimes, but we know each other better than anyone else," She paused, "At least... most of us. More of a reason for me to get home, as if I didn't need any more of one already."

-

"My classroom, of course! Oh, it's so fun!" The teacher excitedly replied, eccentrically taking the time to pop up out of his seat and lean over the table, "It's where I spend most of my time! Working with students in bloom, watching their talents grow, listening to my favorite stars sing broadway, tending to my adorable potted plants..." He babbled on endlessly, happily explaining to no end.

"...I haven't been here for very long, that is true, but it has very quickly become my favorite place to be. So much so I often get caught up in things and forget to attend meetings. I suppose me and the other fae individuals here have that in common... I'm working on that, however! Got to make sure my memory is in top condition!"

"Is that it? 'Kay. Be seeing ya."

-

"This was very pleasant! Thank you kindly for inviting me."

Ask Game!

Yuu Shi's responses are here

[floriswrite]

It was a Friday night tradition to meet up at Vexen's. The man was on call on Saturdays and had made that a strict part of his contract with the hospital since having Zexion.

Vexen was not even always there for the parties that took place at his house.

The backyard had a firepit that Lexaeus and Xaldin had built with Xigbar's supervision.

A grill that everyone had chipped in to get as a father's day gift. Lexaeus and Xaldin took turns using it.

They had discussed a pool but neither Vexen nor Zexion were big on swimming and were happier with the grassed space. They did have a hot tub that sat upon a bricked off area. It was a more recent purchase.

A midlife crisis. Except his midlife crisis was supposedly Marluxia.

Larxene often arrived first for no other reason than she could. She worked as a wedding planner and her schedule was chaotic. She showed up with chips and pretzels and more often than not jello shots because she could.

The backyard was set up with various coolers that were labeled Yes Zexion and No Zexion. The joke would probably still stay even after he was twenty-one.

It was a toss up on when Lexaeus would show. It depended on school and parents and traffic. He taught first grade these days and he had never seen the man be more fulfilled. He brought soda and juice boxes.

Xaldin had the bakery open later on Fridays and brought whatever was left over from the day over. It was a smattering of fruit flavored cupcakes and flower shapped cookies. He always went home to change before coming over. He also brought burgers and portobello mushrooms with him.

Xigbar showed up with his charming personality and a cooler with fish in it. No one was going to question how far he drove to go fishing.

Marluxia arrived with fruit salad and an apologetic kiss about it being late. Vexen was not going to bring up the fact that everyone would be there until morning. Instead he took more kisses.

Demyx rolled in with vegetarian hotdogs and a thankful look to both Xaldin and Xigbar for remembering he was pescatarian.

Zexion kept Lexaeus and Xaldin company by the barbecue. He took up the task of sous chef, cutting up vegetables and getting things from the house. There was a concrete table built next to the babaque that filled with food just as quickly as it was taken.

Vexen refused to let anyone that came over go hungry. Even if he constantly forgot to eat.

They stayed outside well past the sun going down. His fence was hung with white icicle string lights that stayed up year round. Let alone a few stand lights and a bugzapper that was background noise.

Food was securely packed away before they headed inside. A mix match of Pyrex and Tupperware and Chinese Food Containers. Most of the food would stay at Vexen's and help get them through the recharge weekend the two introverts would have.

Vexen liked blankets. It also helped that one of Xaldin's various hobbies was crocheting and his other hobby was teaching Lexaeus his hobbies.

His couch still had the small quilt that they made for Zexion when he first joined the family.

His couch was shoved back while the coffee table and various chairs and lamps were moved against the walls. His floor was quick to become a mess of blankets and pillows and soon limbs.

A movie was put on, the flat-screen that Vexen found obnoxious illuminating his living room. It was nice.

Marluxia sat against him on the outer edge. Even after all of these years Vexen still found it hard to relax fully. Marluxia held one of Larxene's hands.

Zexion was always in the middle. Often times bracketed by Lexaeus and Xaldin. Safe.

Demyx felt the need to touch everyone in one way or another. Limbs all over the place as he laid on top of them.

Heads wound up in crotches.

Feet wound up held hostage to stop them from being in faces.

Spots were moved and lost between bathroom breaks.

It was what they all needed.

The morning was met with everyone's alarms at different times.

Demyx did not remember to turn his off or change them the night before and had no less than ten alarms that went auto snooze. Zexion turned his phone off. He knew he had no where to be until 2pm.

Breakfast was less of an adventure than the night but only just so.

Vexen owned this fancy vertical waffle maker that Xigbar found the most fascinating thing ever. It was also one of the few things he was allowed to touch in the kitchen.

It meant that Xigbar turned Vexen's kitchen into a waffle factory between people waking up and leaving because he certainly had no where better to be. He got out whipped cream and peanut butter and syrup and Zexion walked in to him in the pantry trying to find pie filling.

It was a nice morning after a nice night. But he was ready to curl up in his bed until monday.

[zacharyja]

Friday, May 17th, 2024

Odaiba Visit

Today was the same morning schedule as most days leading to us walking to Suehirocho station to head to Odaiba. I also realized I hadn’t described or showed how my accommodation situation looked, so I took some photos of my room to add to the blog.

These are traditional Japanese style rooms, called Ryokan and sleeping on the futon beds is actually not as bad as I had anticipated, though I definitely do miss my bed. We made our way to Odaiba and stopped at Daiba station to walk to the Fuji TV headquarters, which is an insane looking building that is almost unbelievably massive and looks straight out of a video game.

We were under the impression that there would be a museum here which my professor had been to 5 years prior, though apparently the museum closed sometime since then so there was not actually much to do here aside from go to the observatory at the top and look out at Tokyo Bay and see the Rainbow Bridge. The view from the top was amazing and arguably made the trip here worth it. From here we left the building and made our way to a Japanese BBQ place on a rooftop nearby. We ended up seeing some cars drifting and doing doughnuts in a parking lot which was pretty cool to see in person, and was such a random thing to stumble upon.

The restaurant was outdoors and had actual barbecue grills setup for us to grill our own food, which we were provided with chicken thigh, pork belly, sausage, and pork chops. The food was great and I enjoyed the rooftop view with nice social vibes from the whole group.

After eating lunch we all made our way over to see the massive full scale replica of the Unicorn Gundam. The Gundam was an absolute unit and was crazy to see something to that massive of a scale. I am a fan of Gundam and was sad about the closing of the other full scale Gundam in Yokohama so was pleasantly surprised to see this today.

We also ended up seeing the Statue of Liberty replica which was a pretty odd sight to see outside of New York. Apparently France loaned Japan their Statue of Liberty for 2 years and the Japanese loved it so much that they decided to build their own after the two years had passed. Later on we made our way to a place called Teamlabs Planets, which is a very interactive and unique museum/art exhibit. It’s hard to explain without seeing it but to begin they had us take off our shoes and socks and we walked through the entire thing barefoot, with many physically stimulating pieces of art including walking through waterfalls, pillow covered floors, mirrors, milky looking water with koi fish projections, and a mirror laden room filled to the brim with live orchids hanging down from the ceiling. The museum itself was pretty cool and was definitely not like anything I had ever done before.

After the Teamlabs me and some friends made our way back to the Gundam Base to go see if we could buy some cool Gundam, we shopped around for a while and ended up playing some Maimai, which is a popular Japanese arcade rhythm game, where you tap buttons in accordance with notes that match the beats of a song. It gets pretty intense the faster the songs get and the higher the difficulty is. After this we made our way back to the hotel to do our blogs. Today is also my friend Griffins birthday so we will go out to celebrate with him tonight.

Academic Reflection

After reading the articles today and learning about how postmodernism often leads to the inevitable ignoring local traditions and culture in place of baseless, boring and lifeless buildings. While the architecture was amazing, as much of this in Odaiba was built during times of great economic growth and tons of money to go around, I couldn’t help but feel some sense of cultural loss and much of the life that gives Tokyo its charm seemed to be lost here. I believe this is because it is not trying to be Tokyo, it’s attempting to put on shoes that it doesn’t fit in and show off how great and massive they are, in a characterless display of wealth. While this is nice in a sense that it allows for massive cool buildings, I definitely prefer areas like Akihabara or Nihombashi where is seems that there is tons of character and you can feel a sense of cultural significance. The idea that this land was reclaimed is also a bit weird to me, but seems like a good idea in theory as they could now use up land that was previously used for nothing too important.

[bestoffsetsmokers]

Unveiling the Secrets: Best Masterbuilt Smokers That Will Transform Your BBQ Game

So, you've decided to take your barbecue skills to the next level, and you're on the lookout for the best Masterbuilt smokers in the market. Look no further – we've got you covered! In this guide, we'll walk you through the top Masterbuilt smokers, unlocking the door to a world of mouthwatering, perfectly smoked delights.

Why Masterbuilt?

Mastering the Art of Smoking

Masterbuilt has been a household name in the world of smokers for a reason. With a legacy spanning decades, they've mastered the art of smoking, blending tradition with innovation to deliver top-notch smoking solutions for both beginners and seasoned pitmasters.

A Symphony of Flavor

Picture this: succulent meats, infused with a symphony of flavors, the result of the perfect blend of wood chips and premium craftsmanship. That's the Masterbuilt promise – a flavorful journey for your taste buds.

Exploring the Top Picks

Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker

Let's dive into the specifics of the Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker, a game-changer for those who value convenience without compromising on taste.

User-Friendly Technology

Equipped with user-friendly digital controls, this smoker takes the guesswork out of smoking. Set the temperature, add your wood chips, and let the magic happen. It's like having a personal BBQ assistant!

Compact Yet Spacious

Don't be fooled by its size – this compact smoker doesn't compromise on capacity. With ample room for your favorite cuts, it's perfect for intimate family gatherings or weekend barbecues with friends.

Masterbuilt 40-Inch Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker

For those who want to take it up a notch, let's explore the Masterbuilt 40-Inch Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker, where technology meets tradition.

Wireless Control at Your Fingertips

Imagine controlling your smoker from the comfort of your couch. With Bluetooth connectivity, this Masterbuilt smoker allows you to adjust temperature and monitor progress with a tap on your smartphone. Convenience at its finest!

Generous Cooking Space

Hosting a big barbecue bash? No worries! The 40-inch model provides ample cooking space, ensuring that no one leaves your backyard hungry.

Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 Digital Charcoal Grill + Smoker

For those who prefer the classic charm of charcoal, the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 offers the best of both worlds – a grill and smoker in one.

Charcoal Grilling Redefined

The Gravity Series 560 introduces an innovative charcoal hopper that allows for precise control over your grilling temperature. It's like having the versatility of a grill and the smokiness of a smoker in one elegant package.

Built to Last

Crafted with durable materials, this Masterbuilt smoker is built to withstand the test of time, ensuring you'll be the reigning barbecue champion for years to come.

Tips and Tricks for Mastering Your Masterbuilt Smoker

The Art of Wood Chip Selection

Choosing the right wood chips is crucial for achieving that perfect flavor profile. Experiment with different types – hickory for a robust taste, applewood for a hint of sweetness – until you find your signature blend.

Temperature Control Demystified

Preheating Rituals

Before you dive into smoking greatness, always preheat your Masterbuilt smoker. This ensures a stable cooking environment and sets the stage for flavor perfection.

The Sweet Spot

Finding the sweet spot for your preferred smoking temperature is an art. Use the built-in thermometer, trust your instincts, and soon you'll be the maestro of temperature control.

Troubleshooting Common Pitfalls

When Smoke Signals Go Awry

Even seasoned pitmasters encounter challenges. Let's address a few common issues and how to tackle them head-on.

The Thin Blue Line

If your smoke turns white, it's a sign of incomplete combustion. Adjust the air vents, and soon, you'll be back to producing that coveted thin blue line – the hallmark of perfect smoking.

The Stall

Experiencing a stall in your meat's internal temperature? Fear not! Wrap it in foil to power through, ensuring that your barbecue journey remains smooth and uninterrupted.

Conclusion

In conclusion, investing in the best Masterbuilt smoker is like unlocking a portal to a realm of culinary wonders. Whether you opt for the convenience of the digital electric models or the classic charm of the Gravity Series, your barbecue game is bound to reach new heights.

So, gear up, embrace the smoke, and get ready to become the neighborhood's BBQ royalty with a Masterbuilt smoker by your side. Your taste buds will thank you, and your guests will keep coming back for more of your smoky masterpieces!

[boldrealestategroup]

Port St Lucie Home For Sale 419 NW Sunview Way

A stunning single-family home overlooking a wide and serene lake view. The magnificent, screened patio area with a heated pool and spa, and cleaning contract included. This well-maintained gem is for sale TURNKEY and ready for a quick move-in homebuyer. Offering high quality furnishing and with all kitchen items included. A spacious Ruby floor plan 2,030 sq. ft. of living space, featuring 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, plus a den or office that easily transforms into a 3rd bedroom. Elegant kitchen with Corian counters, 42'' upper cabinets, and electric appliances, and available gas connection for stove if desired. A separate breakfast area and formal dining. The property was built in 2003 offering the charm of an established home with modern amenities. Read more. Neutral high-quality ceramic tile throughout, enhancing the timeless aesthetic. Notable updates include a new water heater (2019), garage opener (2019), and replaced patio screen (2023). Additional features include Hurricane impact windows and doors throughout, with accordion shutters, and silk window slats included throughout the house providing peace of mind. Central vacuum system for convenience. Tiffany glass double-entry doors with an electric screen for privacy. Outdoor solar lighting, a barbecue grill with a gas connection, and a cleaned roof (2022) enhance the outdoor experience. Two-car garage with extended driveway and keypad for quick access. The patio screen was replaced in 2023. The ceiling fan in the living room was replaced. The two toilets were replaced in 2021. The two bathroom shower heads were replaced in 2021. Spacious laundry room with new high-end washer and dryer front loader with consoles and including a laundry sink. Generator throughout the house with a new battery in 2022. The House interior offers quality crown molding throughout. Outdoor solar lighting lamps with LED bulbs front and back of the house. Garage opener outside pad for quick access. Barbecue grill with gas connection. The house roof was cleaned in 2022. This remarkable property offers an unparalleled combination of elegance and great comfort. CASCADES St Lucie West gated community offers all-inclusive amenities for the residents. A great executive 9-hole golf course, lighted Pickleball Courts, Shuffleboard, 10 lighted Har-Tru Tennis Courts, 26,000 sq. ft. Socially Active Clubhouse, sparkling heater swimming outdoor pool & spa, State of the art fitness center, Ladies & Men Sauna, Grande multi-purpose ballroom, Cable TV package and high-speed Internet, Alarm monitoring system, 24/7 Controlled manned access entry system, Media room, Library, game rooms, planned year-round activities, Yoga classes, Water aerobics, Bridge class, fun Bocce mixed league, Jazz, Tap, Ballet dance, pool walkers, Euchre, Line Dancing, Table Tennis, Scrabble, Computer classes, free high-speed internet throughout the clubhouse, Music and Performing Arts club, Craft room activities, Ballroom dancing, community themed party, Chauffeured transportation for scheduled activities. CASCADES St. Lucie West community offers active Travel club, Mahjongg, Canasta, Card Games, Bridge Club, Clay Club, Book club, Poker night, Bowling league, Tai-Chi class, Ballroom dancing, Bingo, Billiards, Mexican Train Dominos, Stitchery club, Theater Guild, Pinochle, Ladies Pitch and Putt club, Bridge club, Billiards room, Bingo. Rounding out the rest of the outdoor amenities will be scenic lakes and ponds as well as walking paths throughout the neighborhood. Affordable quarterly HOA fees, Pets lovingly welcomed, on-site property management, and home exterior lawn services included. Price: $545,000 419 NW Sunview Way, Port St Lucie, Florida For Showings Contact 772-224-1634 info@boldrealestategroup.com www.boldrealestategroup.com

[grillsadvisor]

Napoleon P500RSIBPSS-3 Prestige 500 RSIB Propane Gas Grill Review & Test

Welcome to our in-depth review of the Napoleon P500RSIBPSS-3 Prestige 500 RSIB Propane Gas Grill, a grill that promises to take your barbecue experience to new heights. This propane gas grill has been turning heads and gathering rave reviews for its incredible features and superior performance, standing out in the crowded barbecue market.  So, is this grill worth the hype?  In this comprehensive review, we'll delve into the key features of the Napoleon Prestige 500, such as its impressive 48,000 BTU-per-hour input, Infrared Sizzle Zone™ Side Burner, dual-level stainless steel sear plates, and more. We'll also scrutinize its ease of use, durability, and overall value for the money.  Napoleon P500RSIBPSS-3 Prestige 500 RSIB Propane Gas Grill Features Design and Build Quality The first thing I noticed about the Napoleon Prestige 500 is its robust stainless steel construction. The entire grill, from the main burners to the basin, tube burners, and sear plates, is built with high-quality stainless steel, providing a level of durability that can withstand frequent use and harsh outdoor conditions. Efficient Heat Distribution When it comes to grilling, even heat distribution is crucial for achieving that perfect sear. I found that the grill's stainless steel sear plates did an excellent job of distributing heat evenly across the cooking surface. This allowed me to cook multiple items simultaneously without having to worry about hot or cold spots. Cooking Capacity Another standout feature of the Napoleon Prestige 500 is its large cooking space. With 500 square inches of main cooking space, I was able to cook a large amount of food at once - even up to 31 burgers! The additional 260 square inches provided by the warming rack and 140 square inches on the side burner gave me even more flexibility when preparing a variety of dishes. Infrared Sizzle Zone Side Burner As a barbecue enthusiast, I value the ability to sear steaks to perfection. The grill's infrared sizzle zone side burner, which heats up to 1800 degrees in just 30 seconds, is delivered on this front. I was able to produce steakhouse-quality steaks, with a deliciously charred exterior and a tender, juicy interior. JETFIRE Ignition System One of the things I truly appreciated about this grill is the convenience of its ignition system. The flame-throwing JETFIRE ignition system allowed for a quick start-up every time. This feature proved to be extremely reliable, ensuring that I never had to worry about the grill, not the lighting. Safety Features Safety is a paramount concern when grilling, and the Napoleon Prestige 500 has a unique safety feature - the control knobs glow red when the burner is on. This simple yet effective feature provides peace of mind, ensuring I never accidentally leave the grill on. Rotisserie Function Lastly, I must mention the 18,000 BTU infrared rear burner and the heavy-duty rotisserie kit. I found that the infrared heat from the rotisserie burner was perfect for both high-heat searing and slow spit roasting. Whether I was cooking a whole chicken or a large cut of beef, the rotisserie function produced excellent results. The Napoleon P500RSIBPSS-3 Prestige 500 RSIB Propane Gas Grill is a high-quality outdoor grill made from stainless steel. It comes equipped with four main burners and an infrared rear and side burner, providing multiple cooking options. This grill also features a specially built lid for space efficiency, Night Light knobs with Safetyglow for additional safety, and a heavy-duty rotisserie kit. The grill utilizes a propane gas fuel source and offers quick and reliable start-ups with its flame-throwing JETFIRE ignition system. Its construction and features facilitate the capabilities of a full outdoor kitchen. Currently, the item is priced at $1,999.00 but is unavailable with no information on restocking. Final Thoughts We understand that every griller's needs are unique. Whether you're a professional chef, a weekend grilling enthusiast, or someone who simply loves cooking outdoors, we have guides that cater to your specific needs: - Best Six Burner Grill: For large-scale grilling needs, explore our top choices for six burner grills that offer ample cooking space and superior heat control. - Best 3 Burner Grill: Ideal for small to medium-sized gatherings, these three-burner grills offer a perfect blend of power and compactness. - Best 4 Burner Propane Grill: Our guide to the best 4-burner propane grills can help you find the perfect blend of capacity, power, and versatility. - Best Gas Grill and Griddle Combo with Lid: Discover the benefits of a grill and griddle combo that provides a wide range of cooking options, all under a convenient lid. - Best Pontoon Grills: For the water-loving grillers, we've got you covered with our top picks of pontoon grills that offer portability and durability for your boat trips. Let GrillsAdvisor guide you towards your perfect grilling companion! Read the full article