#But with Steve? that’s the love of his life

[dreamsteddie]

Nancy knows what people think when they see her and Steve together these days. People mostly include Robin Buckley who, despite what they both say, Nancy doesn't completely believe isn't carrying some kind of torch for the man.

They aren't dating, but it's obvious to anyone who knows them that's what Nancy is angling for. She's not subtle, and she's not trying to be. Doesn't see any reason why she should be. But she knows what it looks like. Nancy Wheeler, fresh off an amicable but heartbreaking end to her relationship with Johnathan Byers has turned tail for a rebound with former boyfriend Steve Harrington. She's using him. She's leading him on. She's going to break his heart, again.

The truth is that Nancy has always liked Steve, was in love with Steve for a fleeting moment when they were both young and stupid and full of mistakes waiting to be made and in the end they had hurt each other, misunderstood each other, too many times to last through their tumultuous teenage years.

The Nancy and Steve of 1984 couldn't have loved each other right, but Nancy knows in her heart that the Nancy and Steve of 1987 could make something beautiful.

Steve is so different from who he used to be. There's a steadiness in him that he always tried to emulate but never fully embodied until the summer of 1985. He always knew how to make her laugh, how to get her to tap into that adventurous spirit within her and live life, but now he also makes her feel safe.

She wants to hold him the way he used to hold her. Wants to whisk him away to New York and build a life perfectly balanced between her ambition and his steadfastness. So she's putting everything she has into rekindling those embers that have always smoldered between them into a steady fire.

She just has to convince Robin that she's in it for the long haul this time.

------

Robin thinks that before she met Steve Harrington her life was never so much like a soap opera.

Her best friend seems to attract danger, betrayal, and romance to him like the world is full of moths and he's the only flame for miles. It would be funnier if it wasn't so god damn annoying sometimes.

Steve doesn't know it, despite how much he insists on being some kind of love expert, but he's got two very eligible bachelors vying for his hand at the moment. She's pretty sure they both see themselves as tragic heroes in this tale of romance, but from her vantage point, it's more like two ornery cats fighting for the prized spot of their owner's lap.

Nancy and Eddie have made themselves both near-permanent fixtures at the Family Video. Ostensibly, they come in because Hawkins is still in the process of rebuilding and there isn't much to do at the moment outside of wandering the woods, loitering at the convenience store, and watching movies at home. In actuality they're both trying to monopolize as much of Steve's time as possible, each trying to lock down his weekend plans before the other.

The first couple of weeks it was funny just to watch, now the only enjoyment she gets out of the whole circus is ruining their plans. She relishes the pissed-off-priss look she gets from Nancy when she asks Steve to go to the drive-in the next town over and Robin turns it into a group outing instead. It's equally funny to watch Eddie's puffed-up shoulders droop when he can't figure out a way to say no to Robin enthusiastically asking if she can join them at the trailer to smoke up on a Saturday night.

In truth, as much as she enjoys messing with them, Robin knows who she wants to win this war. She knows too much about Steve and Nancy's past and all the ways they weren't good for each other to trust her deceptively fragile best friend in Nancy's capable hands.

Eddie, on the other hand...well she's still going to make him work for it before she throws him a bone.

------

Eddie's never been one to fall in love.

He's had crushes, shared a few kisses with girls and boys alike, and lost his virginity in the same fumbling but meaningful way most teens do.

But love? He's never had that before, wasn't sure what it would even feel like.

It turns out that for Eddie, being in love feels a lot like being an overgrown house plant that's finally been moved into suitably a larger pot.

You see, Eddie knows a lot about growing up on his own. Raising himself and finding ways to survive, if not thrive, with a distinct lack of nurturing. He knows how to grow under someone, to grow under the clumsy guidance of his uncle Wayne who never intended to become a parent. And most of all he knows a hell of a lot about growing despite. Growing under the harsh boot forever trying to push him back into the hard dirt he came from.

It's something else entirely to grow with someone in the way he's been growing with Steve.

Steve who was there when he woke up, almost equally as injured as Eddie himself after a second, world saving round with Vecna. Steve who let Eddie lean on him in the difficult month of physical and emotional recovery that came next. Who helped Eddie come to terms with the new reality he was living under the way Steve wished someone had been there for him after his first encounter with the Upsidedown. Steve, who on paper should have been one of the people pushing him down, always gave Eddie the space to be himself and never tried to force either of them into a box they didn't fit.

Eddie knows he's not The Girl. He's not the one who got away, he's not the stalwart princess in one of his campaigns who saves the day herself but still gets the guy. He's not Nancy Wheeler.

But he's also not a quitter, and even if everything about the world and the narrative arc of their lives says that Steve will never end up with him, Eddie knows he would regret it for the rest of his life if he didn't put his hat in the ring for the hand of the fair Sir Steve.

------

Steve's not stupid.

He knows that there's something happening between Nancy, Eddie, and himself. Knows that if he chooses to look a little closer, to examine why exactly all his weekends are suddenly booked up and Robin has taken to stealing the Recese's Pieces off the shelf whenever either one of them comes into the store like she's settling in for a show, he would come to the conclusion that two of his best friends are essentially courting him in competition with each other.

But Steve isn't looking closer.

His mom always said that he was just like his father, too stubborn for his own good.

Robin says he's a control freak, pushing non-life-threatening problems off until he knows how to deal with them on his own terms.

The truth is Steve already knows how this will end, and he knows how this should end.

Because in the eyes of society, in the arc of the narrative, Steve and Nancy should already be making plans to move out to New York and start a life together. Steve should be looking at apartments while Nancy finalizes her class schedule. He should be looking into getting a job at his dad's New York office to support his future wife through her college education where they both know she'll breeze through her classes and move onto the world-changing career she was always meant to have, while Steve stays home with their children like a perfect little modern family.

And the thing is, if the story had gone like it was supposed to, if the world had been saved the fourth time around and Eddie Munson had died on the cold, hard ground of the Upsidown, that's probably exactly the future that would have happened and Steve would have never known to not be content with it. But Eddie did make it, and while Steve mourns the future he could have had, he knows it's not the one he's going to choose in the end.

Even though Steve knows exactly what will happen when he allows himself to face the ever-mounting tension between the three of them, it's scary to take that plunge.

Everything about Steve's world up until Robin has told him that what he's going to choose will damn him forever, and even if he's never put much stock into God and the church, he knows that the future in front of them will never be easy. There's a part of him that wants to take the easy way out. He's never been attracted to a man before Eddie, never had to imagine himself loving someone discreetly, and the thought of it makes his heart hurt prematurely. It would be simpler, he knows, to choose the path most taken.

But Steve has always thought more with his heart than his brain, and he knows that after everything they've been through, after all the time they've spent healing together and growing as one that he could never choose anyone but Eddie.

The time is coming for him to make his final decision, he can feel it, but for now he'll let them sit in this liminal space a little longer.

[xoxo-sarah]

Hello my love I have a request for a reader who is like best friends Stevie and you know he’s a caretaker of the group, so she kind of is too anyways she is the caretaker always the mom of the group and everything but he can pick up on some signs that maybe she doesn’t wanna always take care of everybody else like maybe she wants to be taken care of, and he slowly starts doing things for her. But maybe she is reluctant to accept the help so she kinda gets snippy at him queue a frustrated, love confession from Stevie to her. Ends happy because my life is in shambles and I need a happy ending.

Distant

↝a/n: thank you for requesting. I hope you enjoy! 🩷

↝pairing: Steve Harrington x female!reader

|| Disclaimer: I do not own Steve Harrington, or any character from Stranger Things. I only own y/n and any characters I create with my own brain. ||

↝⎙ 12.20.24

Steve had always been the caretaker of the group. Whether it was driving the kids around or making sure everyone was safe, he was the go-to guy. But there was someone else who shared this role with him—his best friend, you. You were the “mom” of the group, always looking out for everyone and making sure things were in order.

You had become close to the kids shortly after Steve had. Dustin liked you, liked how Steve acted when you were around. It was also fun for Dustin to pick at Steve when you weren't around; talking about how Steve would blush when you looked at him. You never seemed to notice, though.

It wasn't unusual for you and Steve to be attached at the hip. You pretty much thought as one. One followed after the other. So it was natural when you took the group of kids under your wing. You would do anything for them. That was evident when you had a stern talking-to with a group of kids that were messing with Dustin's group at school. You had spent countless nights making and bringing them food when they were busy playing DND. You always made sure they had a ride home. Or, if they needed to go somewhere, you were the first to call. It became a habit to pick Steve up on the way, if he wasn't already with you when you got the call.

It was fun, spending time with them. They were funny and nice, a contrast to other kids their age.

But, all the times playing “mom” could be tiring. It seemed like every time you got the call, you would drop everything. They needed you, why would you decline?

It was one specific night when you had finally had enough.

Dustin kicked Lucas' feet out of the way, walking toward the phone. He knew your number by heart. Honestly, it's a surprise the number hadn't worn off from how much he typed it in. The phone rang…and rang. Usually, you would've picked up by now. Dustin turned, looking at the clock. 2:37 pm. You were off work today. You typically answer. Plucking the phone back into the base, Dustin turned, eyebrows furrowed. “She didn't answer.”

“How are we supposed to get to the arcade?” Mike sat up straighter, kicking himself for breaking the chain on his bike. Nancy was at Jonathan's, and his parents were out with Holly.

“Call Steve.” Lucas looked at Dustin like that was the obvious answer.

Nodding, Dustin turned back to the phone.

“She didn't answer my call either.”

Steve sighed, turning down the familiar street. The other kids were squashed in the back of Steve's car as Dustin sat in the passenger seat. The kid was quick to tell Steve about his worries. Sure, you just didn't answer the house phone. But that wasn't like you. If you had missed it, you always called back. Or called from Steve's house phone.

“Maybe she isn't home.” Mike watched the trees out the window. Truthfully, he just wanted to go to the arcade. He had a high score to beat. Yours, specifically.

Pulling into your driveway, Steve unbuckled, before getting out. Your car was parked in front of his. “I'll ask if she wants to come with.”

Steve practically skipped to the door, knocking and waiting. It took a few moments before you opened the door. “Hey,” Steve took in your appearance. You looked tired, sleep clumped at the corners of your eyes, eye bags apparent. “Uh, the kids were wondering if you wanted to come with us to the arcade.” He used his thumb to point behind him, where the kids were watching.

“Um,” You opened your mouth, looking at the kids, before furrowing your brows. “You know, I actually have to catch up on some sleep.”

“Oh, okay. Dustin was worried about you. You didn't answer his calls or mine.”

“Yeah,” I have a life outside of you and the kids. I don't have to constantly drop everything to play pretend and do their parents job. “I was asleep.” You weren't going to tell him about how you listened as the phone rang, not daring to even get up from the couch.

“alright, just wanted to check up on you.” Steve turned, not wanting to leave, but feeling like you wanted him to.

You smiled, “thanks, and sorry. Enjoy dealing with those hooligans all by yourself.”

Steve laughed, before you closed the door.

~

Days passed, and it was always the same answer. You had other stuff to do. Until Steve came to visit you at work. He saw you through the window, laughing with a coworker. You looked like you. He missed it.

“I'm having a little get-together at my house tonight. You should come. Food, board games, movies. Everything you love.” Steve smiled, begging you with his eyes.

For some reason, you couldn't say no this time around.

As you all gathered at Steve's house for a movie night, he noticed something different about you. You seemed a bit more tired, your smile a little less bright. You were still taking care of everyone, getting everyone snacks, making sure everyone liked the movie before it was put in, but Steve could see the weariness in your eyes.

You didn't pay attention to the movie, mind elsewhere.

“What's going on?” Steve had asked, after everyone was asleep, and you helped clean up.

“What do you mean?”

You didn't meet his eyes, instead focusing on grabbing the candy wrappers and throwing them away.

“You're distant. You don't answer the phone anymore. Did I do something? Did one of them do something?”

“No.” You sighed, “No one did anything. I just…I'm tired. I don't want to be the caretaker all the time.”

Steve slowly nodded, letting you know he was actually listening.

“I mean, I've had to drop so many things just to take them somewhere or pick them up. I have my own life, you know. I have a job so I can pay bills. If I wanted to be a mom, I would have kids myself.” You hated how that made you sound. You felt selfish for wanting time for yourself, but it's just how it is. They're not your kids, you're not their mom. You're a young adult that has to live life without the constant burden of children.

“You don't have to. I'll talk to them-”

“No. Don't do that. It's fine.”

“It's obviously not fine. You're having to ignore us just to get some free time. I'll talk to them.”

You dropped the trash bag, looking up at him. “I said no. It's not that big of a deal.” You huffed, moving around the living room toward the door.

Steve watched as you grabbed your stuff and left.

He knew first hand how it was to be the caretaker of the group. He found it easier to do with you by his side. But obviously, it wasn't like that for you.

Maybe you wanted someone to take care of you for a change.

Steve started doing little things for you. He'd stop by your house to bring you snacks without you asking. He brought you flowers once, claiming it was from him and the kids, for burdening you. Steve tried to do stuff for you, but you were reluctant to accept his help. You'd always been the one to take care of others, and it was challenging to let someone else do that for you. Sometimes, you'd even get snippy with him, telling him you could handle it yourself.

~

You finally came around again- not as much as before, but you didn't decline their calls anymore.

One night, after a particularly long day, Steve found you in his kitchen, cleaning up after everyone else had left. He walked over and took the dish from your hand.

“Steve, I can do it,” you said, your voice tinged with frustration.

“Why won't you let me help you?” he asked, his tone equally frustrated.

“Because I don't need your help!” you snapped back, but your voice cracked, betraying your true feelings.

Steve put the dish down and turned to you, his eyes filled with concern. “You don't always have to be the strong one, you know. It's okay to let someone else take care of you for once.”

You looked at him, tears welling up in your eyes. “But what if I don't know how to let go?”

Steve stepped closer, gently cupping your face in his hands. “Then let me show you,” he whispered. “Because I love you, and I want to be there for you, just like you've always been there for everyone else.”

Your breath hitched at his words, “You… you love me?”

“Yes,” Steve said, his voice firm and sincere. “I love you, and I want to take care of you. So please, let me.”

You felt a weight lift off your shoulders as you finally allowed yourself to lean into his embrace. “Okay,” you whispered, your voice soft and full of relief. “Okay.”

Steve smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. “We'll figure it out together,” he said. “One step at a time.”

As the days passed, Steve made it his mission to show you that it was okay to let someone else be there for you. He'd surprise you with your favorite coffee in the morning, leave little notes of encouragement on your bedside table before he leaves at night, and always be there with a listening ear when you needed to vent. Slowly, but surely, you began to let your guard down and accept his help.

~

One Saturday afternoon, Steve took you to a quiet spot by the lake. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the water. You sat together on a blanket, watching the ducks swim by.

“Thank you,” you said softly, breaking the comfortable silence.

“For what?” Steve asked, looking at you with a gentle smile.

“For everything,” you replied. “For being there for me, for showing me that it's okay to lean on someone else.”

Steve reached out and took your hand in his. “You don't have to thank me,” he said. “I care about you, and I want to be there for you. Always.”

You leaned your head on his shoulder, feeling a sense of peace and contentment that you hadn't felt in a long time. “I love you, Steve,” you whispered.

“I love you too,” he replied, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “And I'm not going anywhere.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, you knew that you had finally found someone who would always be there for you, no matter what. And for the first time in a long while, you felt like everything was going to be okay.

•2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

•My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [I don't give permission!]

[star-spangled-rogers]

"I didn't either till I met you..." Steve said, looking into his eyes. "All I know is I don't want to be with anyone else for the rest of my life..." Steve cupped his cheek, kissing him with as much love and passion as he could.

Family reunion

@star-spangled-rogers

Skallagrim was a little bit nervous as they drove up. Of course a lot of his family knew who he was dating already especially his daughters and the grandkids he was closest too, but not everyone did.

He pulled up to the gate of the campground they used ever year and smiled as his daughter greeted them. "Hey dad, Cap" she says smiling and handing them a parking pass and the key to their cabin. "Elizabeth really went all out this year, you have to see the food booths" she says smiling Skallagrim laughs "I feel like Elizabeth takes her job a little to seriously sometimes, she feels like she has to out do herself every year" he says shaking his head a bit and driving down to the cabin they were staying in.

[sapphicstoria]

i don’t understand how people constantly say Jonathan is a bad boyfriend, when he’s one of the only people who has ever cared about Nancy’s dreams and aspirations besides Karen. Have they had their issues? Sure, but to say he’s a terrible boyfriend when all he has ever wanted for her was the absolute best, is crazy.

[stevieschrodinger]

Part One ThirtySeven

prompt from @l1lpip

“Stevie love!”

“Yeah?” Steve calls back through the house.

Eddie’s at the front door, having just got back from work. He looks pleased with himself, suspiciously so, and he has both his hands behind his back, “come here.”

Steve eyes him. Could be anything back there, and Steve considers the possibility that it’s a handful of snow or something equally dastardly, “not sure I trust you.”

“You’ll like it,” Eddie tells him, all sincere, “trust me.”

Steve hums non-committally, but does go to where Eddie is standing, so he figures whatever happens now, he’s brought it upon himself. Eddie’s hand shoots up above their heads with startling aggression, a vague blur of something plantlike sails passed, and then Steve is receiving a kiss so sharp his lip is caught against his teeth a little. It hurts a bit, “what-”

“Winning!” Eddie shouts, sprinting off into the house, waving little bush of what can only be mistletoe above his head.

“Oh my god Chrissy why are you like this,” Steve mutters under his breath, before yelling, “not everything is a competition!”

Eddie gets him again in the kitchen doorway, Steve is a little more prepared this time, in that he knows it’s happening so he knows what to expect, so he compensates and the kiss is quick but...nice this time. Or at least, not painful. Eddie’s laughing manically as he darts through the arch into the living room, bouncing onto the couch and then half climbing and half falling over the back. “This isn’t fair if I don’t have my own mistletoe!”

“Sounds like a you problem!”

“Sounds like a…” he’s definitely learned that from Max, “oh it is on,” Steve ducks back behind the archway. Eddie is incredibly impatient, there’s no way he won’t come to investigate if Steve doesn’t follow him. It really doesn’t take long for Eddie to break, and Steve can here the shushing of Eddie’s socks on the carpet. Steve uses his weight advantage, getting Eddie in a bear hug and straight up lifting him. The mistletoe scrapes across the side of Steve’s face as Eddie flails, “hey watch it,” but he soon has Eddie pinned to the couch and the mistletoe wrestled off him, it’s a little snapped and worse for wear by the time Steve launches it over the coffee table.

Eddie pouts, glowering up at Steve, “that was mine.”

“Uh hu, and what, exactly, did Chrissy tell you about mistletoe?”

Eddie frowns, “if it’s above your head, you have to kiss.”

“You have to kiss?”

Eddie nods, “yeah. You have to.”

“Right so if me and say...Chrissy were under the mistletoe-”

Eddie’s face scrunches up, “that’s horrible.”

Steve snorts a laugh, letting his weight collapse onto Eddie, nuzzling against his neck and into his curls, “so mistletoe is kind of dangerous, really.”

“You’re crushing me,” Eddie groans, voice all breathy.

“Are you quitting on the mistletoe?”

“Yes. Burn it.”

“Oh thank god,” Steve shifts sideways, pulling Eddie on top of him instead. They shift around until Eddie’s comfortable, splayed out on top of Steve, Steve’s hand absently playing with Eddie’s curls, “you don’t need mistletoe to kiss me baby.”

“I know Stevie.” Steve rubs his tongue gingerly on the sore part of his lip, investigating, he sucks it between his teeth; it’s a little tender, “did I hurt you?”

“Only a tiny bit. It was an accident.” Then, smiling, Steve tacks on, “small ow.”

Eddie snorts a laugh, “not ow, it doesn’t hurt,” he says absently, leaning in to kiss Steve softly on the lip.

“Kissing it better?”

“Yup,” Eddie kisses him again, “is it working?”

Steve hums, “not sure, we probably need to investigate,” Eddie interrupts him with a soft kiss, “more thoroughly, you know?”

Eddie wriggles down a little, “maybe kissing in other places will help too?”

“Definitely needs thorough testing, I can see that working,” Steve tells him, angling his head back to let Eddie get at his throat for more kisses. Eddie’s learned a lot over the last year, considering he’s picked up a language, an entire new way of life...and a completely new body. Reading and writing, absorbing all the nuances of...everything. Even learning to play an instrument. It’s...he amazes Steve just how quickly he picks stuff up, so Steve doesn’t know why he’s so surprised that Eddie’s gotten so good at this too.

There’s the slightest suggestions, just a gentle scrape of Eddie’s teeth, no where near enough to break the skin, but more than enough for Steve to let out a groan of pleasure.

“Love you,” Eddie whispers, sucking against that spot he knows Steve likes.

“Is this a sorry I attacked you with affection kind of deal or..?”

Eddie hums, “not sorry for kisses. I am sorry if I hurt you,” Eddie wriggles lower, lifting Steve's shirt, scratching gently at his tummy, following the sensation with more kisses.

“You never hurt me baby, not really. Or at least, not on purpose.”

Eddie makes a noise, half sigh, half huff, that Steve immediately recognizes as something Eddie has picked up directly from him. Eddie sits up grabbing Steve’s ankle and pulling off his sock, lifting Steve’s foot he ever so gently kisses the small scars Steve has been left with. It’s an apology Eddie makes regularly, “this hurt, and it’s a lie if you say it didn’t.”

“I’m not saying it didn’t...but it was worth it, and I don’t mind it. That makes it okay.” Eddie pulls the same face he always does; they have to agree to disagree. He kisses the spot again, then kisses along the underside of Steve’s remaining three toes. Steve sticks up the other leg, shoving his socked foot almost in Eddie’s face, “you can’t show favoritism.”

Eddie doesn’t, he pulls off Steve’s other sock, kissing along those toes too, before falling back between Steve’s legs, going for his belt, and then pulling his jeans and boxers off together. Steve lifts his hips to help, and Eddie discards his clothes on the floor. Eddie kisses the inside of Steve’s calves, working his way up, nipping carefully at the delicate skin inside Steve’s thighs.

The couch isn’t long enough for them to lay out fully, so Steve wriggles up a little, half sitting against the armrest, Eddie settling himself between Steve’s thighs. Steve’s half hard from Eddie’s attention already, but Eddie licks his palm and grasps Steve’s cock, resting on his elbows, one of Steve’s legs trailing on the floor, the other trapped against the back of the couch.

“Okay?” Eddie checks, waiting for Steve’s nod before lowering himself the rest of the way.

“Careful baby,” Eddie lifts his head just enough so that Steve can see his roll his eyes, “I’m sorry, I just...it’s reflex, you know?”

Eddie hums, leaning down to lick at the head of Steve’s cock, before sucking gently at just the head and prodding the point of his tongue into the slit. Steve groans, letting his head fall back. He gathers Eddie’s hair by feel, bringing it into one big handful so it’s out of Eddie’s way. More importantly, not in Steve’s way when he looks down, the end of his cock is obscured, but Steve watches as Eddie fists the remaining length of his cock, getting a steady rhythm going. “That’s really good baby, just like that.”

Eddie doesn’t try to take any more, just suckles at the head, occasionally pulling back to lick his way around the head, letting his spit and Steve’s precome make the slide of his hand a little slicker, “still good?” Eddie checks in.

“Yeah baby, yeah, I really like it when you suck me,” Eddie does, carefully taking just the head into his mouth, there’s absolutely no hint of teeth. They took this slow, when Eddie finally got to try it, and Steve knows Eddie would never want to hurt him. Eddie’s always so careful with him. Eddie works his hand on the bottom two thirds of Steve’s dick whilst suckling and licking at the end. He releases the head with a pop after every keen suck. Steve sighs, then groans in pleasure, “doing so good baby.”

Eddie hums, stopping for a moment and releasing his fingers so he can lick a thick stripe up the full length of Steve, “can I just get undressed a second.”

“Sure, sure baby.”

Steve releases Eddie’s hair so he can sit up, quickly stripping, “sorry it was getting uncomfortable. You know how he gets.”

“I know I know,” Steve’s hand gravitates to his cock, jacking himself slowly while he waits, splayed out on the couch, watching Eddie strip off his shirt and pants. His cock is already out, and Steve knows it can get really uncomfortable really fast if the head of his dick starts mouthing at the inside of his pants, the rough surface getting caught up in the material, too eager for freedom.

Eddie lies back down, Steve takes a handful of Eddie’s hair to keep it out of his face and to guide him forward, Eddie opening his mouth, happy to let Steve feed him the end of dick into Eddie's mouth, where he cups it with a waiting tongue. Steve continues to jack himself off, “that’s so nice baby.”

Eddie works a hand under himself and Steve knows he’s cupping his own dick to stop it nuzzling against the couch, probably rubbing at the head himself.

Eddie soon shifts his concentration back to Steve, closing his mouth on the head of Steve’s cock to suck, letting himself be held gently by Steve’s hand buried in his hair, “getting close baby,” Eddie pops off immediately, Steve letting him go. Eddie would never forgive him if he came in Eddie’s mouth; he absolutely hates the taste. They trade off quick, Steve sitting back again, Eddie’s hand firm and sure on Steve’s cock, jacking him quickly as Steve pulls his shirt up out of the way, “I’m gonna’ come,” Steve warns before his hips buck, Steve throws his head back, the orgasm pulsing through him, only vaguely aware of it splashing over his own stomach. Eddie slows his hand, working Steve through to the end with a firm squeeze. Steve relaxes with a sigh, “you want to come baby?”

Eddie nods eagerly, clambering up Steve’s body, not really caring that he’s smearing Steve’s come everywhere. His cock is completely out, wriggling eagerly in the air, it’s thick body firm, the end grasping and searching, writhing back and forth. Steve opens his mouth, the black head of Eddie’s cock finding it’s target immediately, darting forward with it's petals spread wide. It immediately latches on, grasping at Steve’s tongue. Steve holds Eddie’s hips, knowing they’re going to kick as Eddie comes.

Steve closes his mouth, sucking at the end of Eddie’s cock as it suckles and pulses on Steve’s own tongue. Eddie cries out, his hips jumping as he rides out his orgasm, Steve pins him as best he can so neither of them get hurt. Steve feels it when Eddie's slit starts to leak onto his chest.

Eddie collapses on top of Steve as his cock slips free. The end is shiny wet, and Steve watches as it drunkenly flops over. Just like Eddie.

He curls up to snuggle on top of Steve, and Steve sighs, contented, pulling him close. But his legs are already getting a little chilly, and he's very aware of being bare assed on the couch, “we should get cleaned up.”

Eddie grumbles, “in a minute.”

[munsonfamilyband]

Okay my recent obsession is just how Weird the rest of Hawkins must think the whole group is, but ESPECIALLY Steve. Steve is weird even in their group and he has no idea. (I also had a realization that his behavior feels so odd because he acts like he’s from the northeast not the midwest. I don’t know how to put this into words but if you’re an american from the NE you get it)

But like, here are some examples of this that I love:

Every time Steve reveals something from his childhood and who ever he is talking to feels themselves aging from the pure trauma of hearing these things

Like he will tell “funny” (read: traumatic) stories from his childhood about like falling off his bike and absolutely destroying his knees, and he dragged his bike home while his knees are dripping blood, and then he couldn’t find the bandaids so he taped paper towels to his knees. He thinks this is funny because he remembers seeing how silly he looked with big bunches of paper towel on his knees. His audience is horrified by the fact that he didn’t even mention finding his parents for help, he automatically did it himself.

He will also talk about the weird beliefs he had or didn’t have like he didn’t have a tooth fairy so when a kid came into kindergarten and showed everyone the coin he got from the tooth fairy Steve cried hard enough to need to go lay down with the nurse because he thought a monster stole the kid’s tooth. He thought something similar about Santa.

He will surprise people with the random things he does or doesn’t know how to do. He blew everyone’s minds when he just knew how to best get blood out of clothes (Nancy had thought he was lying when he told her he could save her clothes in 83). But then they get really sad about why he knows this.

Steve does know how to get most stains out of fabrics and he knows a decent amount about cooking. He doesn’t know how to iron clothes. He knows how to wash dishes or clothes by hand but using the machines ended badly too many times. (He flooded his kitchen with bubbles the first time he tried to use the dishwasher, and he ruined multiple shirts in the washer).

He watched Robin put a shirt in the bathroom before a shower and she explained it was to get the wrinkles out and that changed his life.

I also think he and Eddie met multiple times as kids but they don’t realize it for a while because when Steve talks about the interactions with Eddie a lot of the time he talks about it like the other boy was making fun of him. Eventually he shares a specific enough story that Eddie realizes that the boy with the gap in his teeth who kept leaving things on Steve’s chair at daycare was him. And then Eddie has to explain that he wasn’t bullying him, he thought Steve was pretty and wanted to be his friend.

[jweekgoji]

I keep laughing when I think about the scene where Motorcycle!Reader is so small that they don't have their own charging chamber and have to live in someone else's charging chamber because after all they are so small that they don't take up much space.

TFO!Chars/Motorcycle!Reader [hcs]

tw: none, i guess. word count: ~1600 additional tags: gender neutral reader, cybertronian reader, motorcycle!reader. characters included: B-127, Optimus Prime, Elita-One, Megatron, Sentinel Prime.

That is both a curse and a blessing in my opinion, but well, it depends on whom the tiny reader is stuck with 😋

I mean, >B-127 didn't even have his own place to sleep. All the yellow bot had, was a conveyor belt, which I doubt it was really comfortable, haha. Well then, after just ending Sentinel's regime, the ex-cogless group at least have some places to stay.

When Bee found out you'd be living with him for a while, he was overjoyed! First he made many, many new friends, gained the ability to transform, started working for the government, and now...he has a roommate? A real roommate? The one who can open their mouth when 🐝 talks to them? The day couldn't be any better! (Not that Bee wasn't happy with Steve's company...).

To be fair, Bee himself isn't exactly a bad neighbor either. It all very much depends on what kind of personality you have. If you really get along well with him, despite his extremely emotional state, which sometimes seems to never end, then good luck!

Sharing a chamber with him is going to be an absolute challenge. We remember that he talks in his sleep, don't we? And if Shockwave was so sick of Bumblebee in that short time, imagine how you have to recharge, but now all you can hear, instead of the silence you crave, is constant mumbling into your audio receptors.

Sometimes he's just mumbling about what a cool day he had with Optimus or what an intense training session Elita gave him.

Sometimes you notice how his servos only pull you harder against him. For a moment, you'd probably sigh wearily or try to make some space between you until he starts whispering softly about how happy Bee is to have you in his life. He genuinely, really genuinely loves you. After cycles of being alone, he really misses your company. Will you decide to move him away from you nevertheless?

The next morning, surprisingly, he has no memory of what he told you at all.

> Optimus apologizes to you so much when he finds out that now, unfortunately or thankfully (?), they don't have any time or resources at all to build new quarters. The new Prime has so many new responsibilities that he doesn't even know where to start! He has to clean up and fix Sentinel's mistakes, not to mention his divorce with D-16 Megatron, which has caused him a lot of trouble. But that's okay, our favorite Prime has a solution for that!

And as a good, true leader...yes, yes, you will be the one sharing the room. Lucky, huh? Oh, lucky you.

Optimus is actually one of the best candidates to share a chamber. I find that most of the time, he doesn't have much time to go to his room and fall asleep. You often fall asleep alone, only to wake up later...alone. Was he with you? Did he come in at all? In response to this, you sometimes notice him passed out at his desk. You should definitely tell Elita about this to scold him about such a bad habit.

Actually, he'd be happy to share the charging chamber with you. The thing is, he's extremely shy.

When you fall asleep with him, there's just not enough room! Yeah, you're a pretty small bot, he's just so huge. It takes the two of you a long time to finally find the only comfortable solution.

With you on top of Optimus, you can put your helm on his chassis. The soft shimmer of the Matrix of Leadership doesn't bother you at all; if anything, it calms your nerves. All night long, your leader may never move from his position. He's so afraid he might accidentally hit you if he rolls over or decides to stand up...poor Prime, even Megatron didn't set such dangerous traps for him!

The first few nights, Optimus doesn't sleep much. He's nervous; he thinks up to the late night, but in the end, he can't resist you, and you two can get your well-deserved rest.

I think after Prime, the best candidate for your roommate would be >Elita. I like to think she always sleeps in “mom's pose” (if you know what I mean).

She can lie on her back with her servos on her chassis and not move a muscle all night. Other than that, she's a completely silent sleeper. Sometimes, you can stay up late at night; your shared room is unlit, and you don't want to turn on the lights so as not to disturb her. If she finds out you've been out the whole night instead of recharging, she'll kill you!

You swear you didn't even make the slightest creak, and just then, you see those bright blue optics staring at you in the darkness. Without even seeing her face, you know you're in trouble...She has very sharp hearing, unfortunately for you.

Elita isn't the tallest bot; sure, she's still taller than you, but her frame is pretty slim, unlike the others'. She is not the type to cuddle, even if you are extremely close to her. The most you can expect is her servo around your waist or shoulders.

You can tease her about it, but she'll try to deny everything, saying “just don't want you to fall and hit the floor 🙄” of course we all believe you, Elita!

I can see D-16 being a similar type to Optimus, but Megatron is a different story. I have no idea where our young Decepticon leader went with his guards, but at least they have a few cycles to spend building a base, especially one with all the comforts.

Megatron himself is not a fan of sharing, and when he realizes the problem, he doesn't even ask you if you want him to or not. You will share the chamber with him, period. Should you be worried or happy...?

Megatron, especially if we're talking about a young and inexperienced leader who was only recently forced to leave Iacon, is in need of support. He won't show it in front of anyone, not even you. But you know him enough to know what is troubling him.

He is so isolated, betrayed and saddened, he is afraid to open up to anyone else. And yet, he genuinely wishes someone could just hold him.

Megatron rarely sleeps. 24 hours a day, all he has on his mind is what he should do next. It used to be so easy; the mere thought of it makes him grit his teeth. When there was Sentinel, all that was required was to just follow the protocols. Now, with hundreds of high guard members expecting him to do something, he's lost.

At some point, Starscream or Soundwave will remind him of the importance of rest, and without any enthusiasm, he'll join you.

Now, the two of you are extremely awkward.

Of course, you can't tell much from his looks. Is he asleep? Or still lying there with his optics closed? This awkward silence makes you afraid to move. But the truth is, Megatron himself doesn't know what to do. You're so small compared to him; by some miracle, the two of you can fit, but it's so extremely uncomfortable.

Eventually, he can't stand it and just lifts you up to lay you on top of him. Luckily for him, you have no intention of moving away from him. Perhaps you're afraid; maybe you're okay with this change in positions. Either option is fine with him.

He repeats in his head that this is only temporary...when resources become available, you will get your own separate quarters, and you will be able to sleep separately. And yet, he doesn't want that. Your presence around him, for whatever reason, makes him forget his worries for a while, and he can finally rest.

You may disagree with me, but >Sentinel, no matter how sexy man people try to show him to be, would be just a terrible roommate! If he can even be called a roommate? Sometimes, he forgets that you're resting here too, and even if you remind him of that, he'll pretend to “listen” to you, only to forget after a while.

In fact, he could easily order a separate room for you; he's got plenty of them in his tower, but he's like.... no. He wants you around just because he can. There's no other reason.

I think he's more or less tolerable at first? He likes to keep something small next to him; imagine it like the cybertronian equivalent of plush toys, but only that toy is you. And it seems he may see you as such.

Every night, he can grab you at any time he wants and hold you against him. One time he just held you by his side; another time he decided to put his servo around you; tonight he wanted you on his chassis! The worst part is that his berth is quite spacious. And you can lie on the very far side, only for him to snatch you whenever he wants. Not very funny.

Recharging with him is pretty uncomfortable because those damn wings keep hitting you in the face every night. He's a pretty big bot on his own, and his wings are another big nuisance. Of course, he's not that terrible. Still, his room is very large, and you're probably very cozy, but Sentinel...sigh.

It's funny, but I like to think of him mumbling in his sleep too. Only this time all you can hear from him is about how often he praises himself. Wow.

[hbyrde36]

Love, Lies, Bleeding

Steddie | R: Mature/Teen | One-shot | WC: 2122 | AO3

When Vecna was defeated and the Upside Down was dead and gone as if it had never existed, and all their various wounds were well on their way to healing, the in-the-know citizens of Hawkins who’d fought for its future set to the task of learning to live a normal life again. A life unburdened by savage monsters and the dark force that had toiled beneath their feet for so many awful years.

It was less of a surprise and more of a surrender to the inevitable when, in the midst of all that living, Steve and Eddie finally fell into bed together.

It happened on a night like many others, after the pair had spent a full day running the kids all over town, to the movies, the arcade, the diner, with Steve still playing chauffeur to a group of teenagers who were a few years away from getting licenses of their own. 

And jobs. 

And money.

He didn’t really mind, if he was honest, and he minded even less now that Eddie often tagged along too. The dark haired boy had a way of making any situation fun, no matter how dull and mundane.

After dropping off the last rugrat, they stopped to pick up a six-pack, and on Eddie’s suggestion drove out to the old quarry to enjoy a few beers under the stars, and some time together away from the watchful eyes of the party.

It wasn’t the first time Steve had felt the pull of Eddie’s unique charm, or noticed the way his eyes shined bright under the full moon, or the way his plush pink lips looked so inviting as they wrapped around the tip of his beer bottle, but it was the first time that he felt brave enough to do something about it. To lean in and take those lips with his own, to lick into Eddie’s mouth and taste the cheap beer on his tongue. 

It was divine.

They didn’t actually make it to a bed that first time, both of them too pent up from weeks of denials and pining, leading to quick and dirty shared handjobs in the backseat of Steve’s BMW.

Eddie assured Steve that it was fine, better than fine, that it fulfilled a long held teenage fantasy that he’d never in a million years thought would come true.

They made it to Steve’s bed the second time though, later that same night, and the third and the fourth times, and within a week they were officially a sickeningly sweet couple who couldn’t keep their hands off each other and spent every spare second together.

The first time Steve saw it happen, was by pure chance.

After Eddie had sucked his soul out through his dick yet again, and he’d happily and eagerly returned the favor, they’d both dropped off into a deep, contented sleep.

Or so Steve thought.

He’d jerked awake not long after passing out with a charley horse in his calf, clamping his mouth shut against the yelp of pain that was desperate to escape. There was no need for Eddie to lose sleep too over a stupid cramp. 

Except Eddie was in no danger of being woken up, because he was nowhere to be found. His still-warm side of the bed was empty and the bathroom door stood wide open revealing it to be vacant as well. If not for the soft footsteps on the roof just outside his window Steve might have thought Eddie was downstairs getting a drink of water, but one peek through the curtain confirmed his fears.

With a pit in his stomach Steve climbed back into bed, and stared at that window into the wee hours. 

He never did find out how Eddie got back inside in the morning without alerting him. Despite his confusion and heartache at seeing his boyfriend slink away under the cover of darkness, Steve had eventually fallen back asleep, too exhausted from speculating and crying to stay awake. All he knew was that when the sunrise greeted him through the open curtains, the warmth on his face was mirrored by the warmth on his back, where Eddie was pressed up against him, holding him close like he always did, as though everything before had been nothing more than a bad dream.

The next night, and every night after, Steve would pretend to be asleep, listening and watching in secret as Eddie slipped from the bed and tiptoed over to the window, opening it as carefully and quietly as he could before crawling out onto the flat part of the roof, jumping down to the concrete below.

For weeks Steve said nothing. He didn’t know what to think, or how to confront Eddie without running the risk of ruining what they had with any kind of accusation. 

Apart from Eddie’s nightly escapades, and the fact that Steve was starting to suffer from some serious sleep deprivation, things were good—great even. Steve had never felt so seen and supported by a romantic partner before, and the sex was hands-down the best he’d ever had.

They were happy.

So happy, that if Steve were a heavier sleeper, if he didn’t know what he knew, he’d think he was in love, and that Eddie was too.

He didn’t want to believe Eddie was cheating on him, but there were limited reasons he could come up with as to why a guy would sneak out of his boyfriend’s bed in the middle of the night without wanting said boyfriend to know. 

And the longer it went on, the harder it became to pretend nothing was wrong.

“Where do you go at night?” The fateful question, which had to come eventually, fell unbidden from Steve's lips one morning the moment he opened his eyes, before he could so much as think about talking himself out of it.

Eddie was out of bed and halfway to the bathroom, his bare back to Steve. At the words, he froze, body stiffening, but he didn’t turn around.

“I know, Eddie. I’ve seen you,” Steve went on in a whisper, when Eddie continued to be silent and unmoving. “I’ve known for a while now. I must have watched you crawl out my window a dozen times or more and it’s—” his voice cracked as he choked back a sob. “It’s breaking my fucking heart.”

Eddie bowed his head, his shoulders dropping heavily in defeat, but still he refused to turn and look Steve in the eye. 

“I don’t understand. Is there someone else?” Steve asked, finally giving voice to his greatest fear.

That at least seemed to finally snap Eddie out of it. He whirled, turning horror-filled eyes to Steve that glistened with unshed tears. Rushing back over to the bed, he threw himself down on his knees in front of it, where Steve sat half-hidden beneath the covers.

“I would never. Sweetheart, you mean everything to me. I swear to you, that’s not—” Eddie trailed off with a shake of his head, his voice lowering to an almost imperceptible whisper when he spoke again. 

“It’s so much worse.”

Steve begged to differ. 

He could feel the sincerity in Eddie’s words and his body instantly sagged in relief at the confirmation that his boyfriend, the person he already thought of as the love of his life, wasn’t about to shatter his heart. In his mind, nothing could be worse than Eddie cheating on him.

“Eddie, whatever it is, I can handle it. It can’t be any worse than what I was imagining.” Steve reached down to pull Eddie up onto the bed with him, coaxing him into his lap.

“You say that now, but you don’t know!” Eddie wailed, hiding his face in Steve’s chest as his body shook. “What I’ve done—what I am? You’ll hate me. I hate me.”

Steve wrapped his arms tightly around Eddie as he broke down, rocking him back and forth and kissing his hair over and over again until he calmed.

“Oh, baby,” Steve cooed softly. “It’s alright. Whatever’s wrong, we'll deal with it together.”

“Don’t call me that. I’m a monster,” Eddie said through a sniffle.

“You’re not—”

“No, Steve, you don’t get it. I’m…” Eddie sat up abruptly, wiping his face hard with his hands. “Well, I don’t know what I am exactly.”

Steve’s brows drew together in confusion. “What are you saying?”

“I think… I think I’m a vampire. Or at least vampire adjacent?”

Steve cackled, unable to hold it in.

“It’s not funny!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Steve said, quieting himself, and reached out to cup Eddie’s cheek. “Really though, what’s going on? Are you sleepwalking? Do I need to start tying you down to the bed at night?”

Eddie stared off into space for a moment as though the idea had possibilities, but he quickly shook it off.

“I’m serious, Steve. The bats, I think they changed me.”

“That can’t be right,” Steve argued. “I got bit too, remember?”

“How could I forget?” Eddie smirked. 

Warmth bloomed in Steve’s belly, but there would be time to deal with that later, for now he had to keep them both on track. “Eddie, focus.”

“Right,” Eddie sighed. “I’ve thought about that too and I think—don’t freak out—but I think the difference is, you survived their attack.”

Steve wasn’t following. “But… So did you?”

“Did I though?” Eddie asked gently, reaching up to cover Steve’s hand with his own, where it was still holding his face. “Dustin couldn’t find a pulse. Even you said I wasn’t breathing when you found us.”

“I said I thought you weren't breathing, but I'm not a doctor. Obviously I was wrong.” Steve bit at his bottom lip. “Baby, please tell me I was wrong.”

“It wasn’t obvious at first. My heart beats, I’m still warm, I still eat food and all. I didn’t even realize anything was wrong until a few weeks after everything went down. I was so tired all the time and there was this… thirst, that I couldn’t seem to quench. Then one day Wayne had a couple steaks thawing on the counter, just sitting there in a pool of red juices and I couldn’t look away from it. My mouth started to water and somehow I knew that was what I'd been craving, what I needed. The raw steak milkshake didn’t tide me over for long. I needed something fresher, warmer.”

“Why didn’t you come to me?” Steve blurted out, finding the whole idea was anything but a turn off. “You know I would have—”

“I know,” Eddie breathed, another small smile briefly playing on his lips. “Believe me, I thought about it, but we weren’t together yet, and you have no idea how grateful I am that I didn’t come to you for help.”

“Why?” Steve was almost afraid to ask, but he had to know.

Eddie looked down, letting his own hand drop and throwing off Steve’s touch. “I didn’t know. I swear to you Steve, I didn’t know.”

Steve wanted to scream but he kept his voice even and calm. “Didn’t know what?” 

“I didn’t know that when I bit down on that poor homeless man’s neck I wouldn’t be able to stop!” Eddie shouted, raising his head to reveal fresh tears streaming in rivulets down his pale face. “I killed him.”

Okay. That certainly would put a damper on things. Steve quickly moved the fantasy of Eddie feeding at his neck as he fucked him, back in its box, and cradled his boyfriends face between both of his hands. 

“I love you,” was all he could say. 

“Didn't you hear what I just said?!” Eddie asked, defiantly. “I’m a murderer!”

“It doesn’t change the way I feel about you.”

“B-but, Steve, I—” Eddie sputtered, trying to look away again.

Steve didn’t let him, keeping his hold firm. “Do you love me?”

“More than anything,” Eddie replied with zero hesitation.

“Okay.” Steve grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to Eddie’s lips, tasting the salt from his still drying tears.

“O-okay?” Eddie asked, when he pulled back. “Steve, it didn’t stop with one homeless man. I tried animals but it wasn’t the same. I’ve killed, like, a dozen people by now.”

“I understand,” Steve said, because he did. 

And he knew exactly what they needed to do now. 

First, and most important, order of business was keeping Eddie out of jail. They needed a system, some way to find victims who wouldn’t be missed, people who had it coming, bad guys who deserved justice that always seemed to elude them.  

“How do you feel about vigilantes?”

Many thanks as always to my amazing besties @penny00dreadful and @pearynice for the encouragement and beta work! 😘

Permanent taglist(open): @penny00dreadful @pearynice @sidekick-hero @firefly-party @bookworm0690

@wonderland-girl143-blog @goodolefashionedloverboi @themagicalari @awkwardgravity1 @rocknrollsalad

[anika-ann]

You should be studying--

THEN WHY ARE YOU PRETTY AND DISTRACTING??

Legit, reader is me 🤭 I'd have the same issue if I were her 🤭 And Steve, I love you, but if you had to study CNS, tumor classification, no less, you too would want to take break. Ideally one break after another, no studying done.

And oh her brief self-consciousness. That hit home 🥹

But I do love his way of motivating her very much - and I'm cackling at the team crashing their alone time 😂 The family we choose but maybe regret a bit (lovingly).

And I have a headcanon in my head that Steve does not like pulling Captain America card - but when it comes to those he loves, he will happily do it, so I adore this 🥺💕

Thank you so much for this sweet slice-of-life fic 🥺💕 (and Happy Holidays ✨)

honey yellow

Steve realizes he's become too much of a distraction for you as you prepare for your test tomorrow. But surely, there’s nothing he can do to fix this, is there?

tags: steve rogers x you; established relationship; tooth-rotting domestic fluff; steve 'the-best-boyfriend-ever' rogers; warning: steve isn't a goody two shoes; he's still the best boyfriend ever, though!

warnings: the reader is implied to be in med school (there's only one line of medical jargon). steve calls you 'doll', 'honey', 'sweetheart'. there's also one slightly suggestive sentence.

word count: 2106.

a/n: pictures used in header are from pinterest. dividers used here are by @inklore. mcu and its characters are not mine. likes, comments and reblogs are highly appreciated!! hope you'll enjoy reading this! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

The soft clatter of a wooden spoon against the pot punctuates the quiet hum of the kitchen. Steve stands by the stove, stirring the bubbling soup, his posture relaxed but focused. The savory aroma of simmering vegetables fills the air, mingling with the faint sound of your pen scratching against paper at the dining room table. Or, well, it should be scratching. Steve’s senses, always sharp, pick up on the distinct absence of that sound far too soon. He feels it—your gaze—warm and unwavering, resting on him like sunlight.

He doesn’t say anything at first, biting back a smile. The attention, as always, makes his heart skip a little faster, but he wants to see how long you keep staring before realizing he’s caught on. Minutes tick by, the quiet growing thick with your distraction. Finally, he can’t resist anymore.

“Is there something on my face, doll?” he asks, his voice low and teasing, tinged with amusement as he glances up from the cutting board where he’s been scooping vegetable peelings to toss into the bin.

You startle visibly, jolting upright with a flustered, “N-no! Nothing!” Your cheeks flush, your eyes wide and guilty as if you’ve been caught sneaking a cookie before dinner. Then, almost as if the words slip out before you can catch them, you add, still stammering, “Except…except your beauty.”

Steve freezes for a moment, caught off guard by your earnestness. A soft blush creeps up his neck and spreads to his cheeks, but it isn’t the awkward compliment itself that gets to him—it’s the way you say it. Sweet and genuine, laced with nervousness that only makes you more endearing. His lips curve into a smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he turns back to the stove.

“Well, thank you,” he says warmly, the teasing note still there but softened by affection. “But,” he adds, a little pointed now, “shouldn’t you be studying for that test tomorrow?”

You nod quickly, almost too quickly, as if eager to cover your embarrassment. “Y-yeah,” you mumble, eyes darting back to your notes with newfound intensity. Steve chuckles under his breath and lets you be, stirring the soup as he listens to you scribble furiously—though he can’t help noticing how it sounds a little more frantic than focused.

It lasts all of three-and-a-half minutes.

He feels your gaze again before he sees it, that same warm weight on his profile. He turns his head just slightly, catching you in the act, and your head immediately snaps back to your notes with a tiny, startled noise that makes him bite back a grin.

“Doll,” he calls out, exasperated but fond, his voice like a soft nudge.

You bury your face further into your notes, determined to stay glued to them this time. Or so it seems. Barely two minutes pass before your eyes stray back to him once again. This time, Steve doesn’t even bother looking up; he simply sighs, the corner of his mouth quirking upward as he stirs the vegetables in the pan.

“Doll,” he repeats, the one word carrying just enough warning to make you look away. But even as he returns to his task, he can feel it—something’s different this time. The weight of your gaze lingers, hesitant and unsure, before your voice breaks the silence.

“Do you…not like me staring at you, Steve?” you ask softly, the vulnerability in your tone making him pause mid-stir. He glances over to find you frowning, lips pulled into a pout that makes his heart clench. “I thought you liked having my eyes on you. That’s what you told me on our third date, wasn’t it?”

Steve sets the spoon down and turns to face you fully, his chest tightening at the sight of your downcast expression. God, you’re adorable. Too adorable. The kind of adorable that makes him want to cross the room and kiss that pout off your lips until it disappears entirely. But he holds himself back—barely.

“Honey,” he says softly, his voice gentler now, “I still love it when your focus is on me. I’ll never get tired of that.” He pauses, his lips twitching upward in a small, affectionate smile. “But not when you’re focusing on me instead of your studies. You’ve got a viva tomorrow, don’t you?”

Your pout deepens, and you cast an annoyed glance at your notes as if they’ve personally offended you. Then, with a dramatic sigh, you mutter, “I think I need a break.”

Steve raises a brow. “You just took a thirty-minute break less than an hour ago.”

Your brows furrow in thought, your lips pressing into a thin line before you finally counter, “It’ll only be two minutes! I can’t keep staring at CNS tumor classifications. If I have to read about astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, and ependymomas one more time, I’ll scream.”

Steve blinks, completely lost after the first word. “Astro-what now?” he mutters, shaking his head as you stretch with a groan, your back popping audibly. But before he can say more, your expectant gaze locks onto him, and in a heartbeat, he catches the spark of mischief dancing in your eyes.

“No,” he says firmly, even before you can open your mouth. “We’re not taking a nap.”

“Steve—”

“Nope,” he interrupts, shaking his head as he turns the stove off to avoid burning the soup. “Last time you ‘seduced’ me into taking a nap, we slept for four hours, and you had to pull an all-nighter before your test. Not happening again.”

You pout harder, your lips jutting out in that way you know makes him weak. “Steve…” you whine, dragging his name out with just the right amount of sweetness to chip away at his resolve. But he folds his arms across his chest, standing firm.

When that doesn’t work, you let out a dramatic sigh, muttering about how cruel and heartless he is for denying you a simple cuddle to “recharge your battery.” Steve tries to ignore you, but you suddenly perk up, a sly smile curling your lips.

“Okay, fine,” you say sweetly, “then how about just one kiss? That’ll help recharge me.”

Steve’s jaw tightens, the temptation tugging at him almost too hard. He remembers all the times you’ve pulled this trick before—how it always starts with “just one kiss” and somehow ends with him forgetting what day it is.

“Absolutely not,” he says, shaking his head again. “But you’re not the problem here, sweetheart. I am.”

You sigh heavily, slumping against the chair as you pout at him. Steve can’t help the amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips. That pout—he’s seen it countless times before, though he’d never admit how much he secretly likes it. But this time, something in your expression shifts. The pout is still there, but the petulance gives way to frustration.

Your brows furrow, and your tone grows sharper as you mutter, “I need an incentive to study better.” You cross your arms, adding with a huff, “You’re being too hard on me, Steve. You probably don’t even love me anymore!”

That last bit catches him off guard, but he quickly recovers, shaking his head with a soft sigh. “Incentives, huh?” he says, leaning back against the counter. He rubs the back of his neck, letting a brief pause hang in the air before continuing. “I wanted to keep this a secret from you to make it a surprise, but I guess I need to tell you now—I’ve booked us a room at a ski resort for the upcoming weekend. A little trip to celebrate the end of your exams.”

He lets his words sink in for a beat before adding, in a tone deliberately thoughtful, “But seeing how negligent you’ve been about studying lately, I wonder how much we’ll be able to celebrate. You’ll be too miserable to enjoy yourself if your viva doesn’t go well, won’t you?”

Your head snaps up at that, indignation flaring in your eyes. “Hey, I’m not being negligent—”

But Steve cuts you off, sighing dramatically and shaking his head for good measure. “Well, poor me,” he says, his voice tinged with mock melancholy, “who’s made all these plans and gotten so excited…”

Your expression softens slightly, curiosity now replacing the earlier irritation. “It’s going to be just us two?” you ask, your voice quieter now, more serious.

Steve straightens, meeting your gaze and nodding firmly. “Of course.”

But your frown deepens, skepticism creeping into your features. “You said ‘of course’ the other three times too,” you remind him, your tone pointed but not unkind. “And then your friends come. Or my parents. Or my cousin and his spouse—”

Steve winces, letting out a soft chuckle as he raises his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, you’re right. That happened. But I didn’t mean to tell them we’d be going on a trip!” He offers you a sheepish smile, one he hopes is apologetic enough. “It just… slipped out. And they got so excited, I couldn’t tell them they couldn’t come. You know how it is.”

You level him with a steady gaze. “And you’re saying that didn’t happen this time?”

“Absolutely not,” he says quickly, his voice firm and reassuring. “No third parties. Just us.”

You don’t look entirely convinced, but Steve presses on, his excitement bubbling to the surface. “Snowboarding, hot cocoa on the balcony with the mountains in the background, late-night walks under the stars...” He lets his voice drop slightly, his tone growing more meaningful as he adds, “And the resort doesn’t have traditional rooms, you know. They’re cabins. Cozy little cabins.”

He notices your eyes widen, and with that subtle shift in your expression, he steps closer, his voice dropping even lower. “Just us. Bundled up on the rug by the fireplace, keeping each other warm all night long…”

Steve doesn’t miss the way your throat bobs or how your cheeks grow warm. Your gaze flickers away from his, and you clear your throat quietly. “I need to do well on this exam,” you mumble, straightening from your previously slouched posture before refocusing on the notes spread out on the table.

He watches, amused and thoroughly endeared, as you dive back into your notes with renewed determination. Your lips move silently as you read, forming words and phrases Steve doesn’t even attempt to understand. To him, they might as well have been in another language—science is your world, not his—but the way your focus sharpens and your posture straightens, the subtle fire lighting up your expression, fills him with a warmth that makes everything else fade away.

Steve smiles softly as he turns back to the stove, stirring the pot absently. When he glances at you again, utterly immersed in your work, his heart swells. You’re beautiful, not just in the obvious sense but in the quiet, understated way you pour yourself into everything you do.

Leaving the pot to simmer, Steve slips out of the room and into his office. He pulls out his phone, scrolling through his recent calls until he finds the one he wants. Pressing dial, he brings the phone to his ear.

“Hello, ma’am,” he says warmly. “I had called two weeks back to book a cabin for two…”

A while later, Steve is sitting at his desk, scrolling through his work email with a faint frown. Modern technology still trips him up now and then, and dealing with endless chains of messages doesn’t help.

“So, you won’t be there from Saturday till Tuesday, correct?” Natasha’s voice comes through the phone, her tone casual yet efficient. “Should I ask Hill to shift the meetings to later next week?”

“That would be great,” Steve replies, tapping at his phone to delete yet another email. “Thanks, Nat.”

“No problem,” Natasha says lightly, but there’s a curious edge to her voice. “But where will you both be staying? Didn’t you say all the hotels were already booked for this season?”

Steve hums, leaning back in his chair as he thinks of a tactful answer. “Oh, they certainly were,” he admits, his tone thoughtful. He deletes another batch of emails—most from a persistent politician he has no interest in endorsing. Steve has had enough of playing political games in his time and is done with it now. “But—”

He stops mid-sentence as his eyes drift to the open door. You pass by, coffee in hand, and offer him a small wave accompanied by a sleepy but excited smile. Steve feels his lips curve into a soft, loving smile before finishing, “Oh, all the hotels in the region were certainly booked—but for Steve Rogers, not for Captain America.”

if you've enjoyed this fic and would like to be tagged in my future fanfics, please drop an ask into my inbox! thank you so much for reading this!! <333

[minors and ageless blogs will not be tagged in the nsfw fics, by the way! i'm sorry!!]

[anika-ann]

For the game:

Steve Rogers x reader, blanket kingdom

Jaqui, my sweet! I'm sorry I took so long, brain did a thing 🙈

Thank you for participating in this ask game (which has rules I completely ignored, because brain be braining differently) 💕 May the result bring a smile to your face!

Blanket Kingdom

Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader Type: blurb-ish, fluff, emotional hurt/comfort WC: 1,8k 🥹 Warnings: a bit of self-deprecation, allusions to anxiety and depression, tooth-rotting fluff, Steve being unfairly perfect and pretty

It was one of those days: a day that was simply wrong in its core.

Nothing major had happened; nothing tragic. You had lived through an alien invasion; you had sat by Steve’s bedside after he’d had a brush with death and had cried your eyes out. You had lost people, lost friendships and lost jobs. Today, no heartbreaking event took place – and yet you had trouble counting your blessings.

It was one of those days; a day that was simply wrong. One minor inconvenience after another, piling up and up and with every inch added to that pile, with every teeny struggle, you just wanted to throw yourself on the floor and scream. And cry. And that feeling itself, paired with knowing all too well that not one of those things that should really make you feel like that, made you want to scream and cry all the more.

Then, your only solace; coming home.

Coming home to the most loving, softest, warmest embrace you’d ever known; an embrace which today, you repaid Steve with soaking his Henley in tears and smudged with a little mascara. Stupid, stupid tears. Stupid shoulders of yours which couldn’t bear the weight of mere inconveniences, while Steve’s shoulders carried weight the world. And yes, he might struggle sometimes too, but he had valid reasons at least. You, today? Barely.

And yet, you clung to him like to a lifeline, soaking in his love and his sunshine dimmed with concern for you.

“Why don't you lie in the bath?” he hummed as he ran his warm palm along your spine again, adjusting his head on top of yours, kissing your hair.

The first hint of a real smile since you had left the apartment this morning twitched in the corner of your lips.

“Are you telling me I stink, mister?”

A light offended snort escaped him, the little jerk of his chest sparking gentle warmth in yours. “No. You smell lovely. But to relax. You're all tense, honey.”

You hummed in agreement, swallowing the ‘no shit’ your angel of a boyfriend did not deserve.

“’kay… uhm… will you come with me?” you asked lowly, retreating a bit despite feeling like you were leaving a soft comfy bed at an ungodly hour of a morning, entering the cold dark world.

Your lips pursed slightly, the echo of your voice sounding so childish even to yourself in face of the larger-than-life man; and it felt all the more childish to see him frown compassionately, his thumb stroking your cheek, still wet with tears.

“I’m sorry, love, I've got one last bit of work to do. Then I'm all yours, I promise. Maybe we can watch a movie?”

You nodded, an automatism triggered despite the rejection feeling ridiculously like a punch to your gut. God, you were pathetic. And so was probably your attempt at a smile.

“Yeah, sure. That sounds lovely.”

And it did sound exactly that; except Steve wouldn't come to the bath with you to hold you, which was honestly all you wanted. What you wanted more than anything in the world, at least at the moment.

Another inconvenience added to the pile.

Except this time, you felt like the inconvenience; an imposition on Captain America, who had much more important things to do.

You understood. You did.

But god did you just want--- you didn’t even know anymore. Nothing. Anything. Everything.

You knew deep down this feeling would pass eventually; you knew that eventually, you’d again feel like a human being and not a burden, like someone worthy of love instead of loathing, but the weight of the pile was so damn crushing, all the problems of today thrown at your body, at your face, blocking your view of the starry skies so you couldn’t even wish on a falling one.

And through the mess, you missed Steve’s smile, bright like a sun, following your every step as you shuffled to the bathroom.

Body slightly more pliant after the long minutes in the scented bath, softest pyjama pants on along with Steve’s t-shirt long enough to be considered a dress on you, you took a deep not-so-steadying breath. Stepping out of the bathroom felt like a trial; your best attempt at bravery made, your smile froze in an instant as you set eyes on Steve.

Or rather on the result of the incredibly important task worthy only of Captain America you had thought he had had to fulfil.

A blanket fort. He had built you a blanket fort, large enough to be called a blanket kingdom. Big enough to accommodate both you and him comfortably, and since he had mentioned a movie, with enough space to fit in a provisory cinema.

Tears prickled in your eyes as you met his gaze, his hesitation evident, his own inviting smile wavering.

“Is this okay?”

No. No it wasn’t. It was far from okay, because this was—

You took a wavering breath, trying to steady the quivering of your lower lip, trying to draw some air into your lungs even as there seemed to be no space in your chest but for the explosion of affection for this man.

By god, you did not deserve him, but you were never letting him go.

Steve frowned as you quickly wiped the tears having escaped with the back of your palm, crossing the distance between you with cautious strides, as if worried he might spook you – or that you’d break or dissipate into thin air like a dream if he got too close too fast.

Joke was on him; you were sure he couldn’t be real.

But he was. And so was his warm hand enclosing yours, leading you into your hiding place from the cold dark world, a solace gently illuminated by fairy lights, fluffy blankets and pillows gathered to battle the piles of struggles you had faced today, two cups of hot chocolate to sweeten all the bitter pills that had made your stomach hurt, laptop indeed prepared, displaying the start screen for Princess Diaries 2, your ultimate comfort movie.

The sob was exploding from your chest before you could hope to stop it, your whole weight thrown over him as he laid on his back, your inner cuddle monster coming out, soothed by his presence and his gentle chuckle.

“So it is okay,” he teased you lightly, your frantic nods against his chest enough of an answer.

“Oh Steve... it’s perfect. You’re perfect. I love you. I love you so much I can’t handle it,” you muttered, hushed by a tender peck to your forehead.

“I love you too… now, tell me. Does Her Majesty find her quarters satisfactory? ‘tis no excuse but my time and resources were unfortunately limited.”

You couldn’t supress your giggle as he mimicked the way Nicolas would speak at the end of the movie, asking for Mia’s forgiveness and pleaded to know whether she reciprocated his love.

“Steve-“

“And does my betrothed wishes to order from the royal kitchens before the comedians begin their performance?”

He used the moment of your stunned silence to steal a kiss from your now parted lips, your heart trembling with overwhelming affection.

“I’m… not your betrothed, love-“

“Yet,” he muttered, almost absently as he tucked a lose strand of your damp hair behind your ear, smiling oh so warmly, as if his words weren’t sending your heart into frenzy. A very, very pleasant frenzy.

Hesitating, torn between whether you should address his little remark, you decided to call upon your nearly non-existing bravery and use the opportunity to apologize.

“That would mean being here for better and for worse…” you said, earning a hum of agreement, Steve’s gaze following his fingers as he traced the lines of your face, as if committing them to memory. Your voice stuck in your throat. “I… I’m sorry it’s on the side of worse today. I’m sorry to-“

“We all have those days, sweetheart. Would you tell me off if I had a bad day?” he inquired gently, causing your voice to fall silent with a huff.

The little manipulator; he already knew you wouldn’t. You had been there for a bad day or two of his before; and if he’d have you, you’d be there for all of them.

You sighed, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose, causing him to grin brilliantly you almost had to shield your eyes; from the brightness, from the almost painful beauty.

He really was an angel accidentally kicked out of heaven, landing hard but keeping his heart soft with love for humanity. And by some miracle, for you.

“You know I wouldn’t,” you murmured, a mantra you sometimes reminded both and you and him echoing in your head, a ray of soft light on days when it turned into a dark place. “You are worthy of love on any day, and loved you are.”

“That’s right, love. And you deserve treats and food…?”  

Honestly, you weren’t hungry at all, but you were aware that much like the gloom following you today, that too, was only momentary. And despite how wholesome and fulfilling your relationship with Steve was, you could not live off on it only.

“A pizza sounds good?”

Steve pecked your lips, before shifting under you to reach for his phone. “The word of my betrothed is my law. I shall see to keep Her Majesty happy, fed and mine.”

“Oh my god, stop it,” you giggled at the warm fluttery feeling in your ribcage, not blind to the way Steve’s eyes lit up at the sound, his sheer delight at your happiness and being the source of it spreading through your veins like liquid sunshine, warm and joyful.

“Now why would I, when Her Majesty my queen looks so beautiful smiling…”

“Steve---- very well,” you resigned to join his gentle ridiculousness despite the heat in your face, caressing his cheek with the pad of your fingers, his smile softening, skin dusting with pink under your affection as it still did at times. “I therein declare my love to you, Sir Rogers. Please accept my gratitude for your heroic actions and for my chambers large enough to be a castle. Thank you.”

Thank you; I do not deserve you. But I do.

He caressed your hair, irises sparkling, the fairy lights playing games so enticing on his handsome face you wanted to chase the shadows and light with your lips.

“Anything for you, my love. May we rule in peace in good humour, for long years, side by side.”

And there it was again; a subtle promise of forever. You leaned your cheek on his chest with a smile, nestling comfortably, not protesting in the slightest when he pressed one of the cups of hot chocolate to your hand, before tapping on his phone to order dinner.

You sighed contentedly, the worries of the cold dark world stranded outside of your unconquerable fortress, while you remained safe and loved.

“Yes… that is all we could ever wish for.”

I hope you don't really needed a hurt/comfort fic, but I hope you liked it either way 💕

Thank you for reading and potential feedback!

You can find my other works on my masterlist, should you be interested 😇

Divider by @firefly-graphics.

[queen-of-the-avengers]

More Than Meets The Eye

Pairing: Bartender!Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~3.7k

Warnings: fluff

Summary: Natasha stays over for a few days and kicks up drama for you and Bucky. She makes you realize that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Bucky Barnes.

One in a Million Series

Square Filled: day-in-the-life (2024) for @buckybarnesbingo

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

x

Natasha is usually very pristine and professional. She is widely known across the state as one of the best realtors the business has ever seen. She has clients who go for multi-million dollar homes, and she scores nearly every single sale she gets. If she acts out in public, it can largely affect her business, so she tends to keep to herself.

Not when she has alcohol in her system.

Like tonight. She’s in a fling with a musician who she only needs whenever she’s stressed, but it works for both of them. There aren’t any strings attached and they can still get their work done without the stress of a relationship. Natasha turns into a whole other person when she’s drunk. The slut in her comes out and she becomes even more bold. She’s normally shy and reserved.

Not tonight.

Whenever the musician is in town, he tends to stay at her place since he’s only in town for a few days. She texted you twenty minutes ago from a club downtown where the musician is playing. Clubs are not your thing but you’re there when she needs you. After checking in at the door, you push your way inside where there is a sea of people on the dancefloor.

You’re standing on a ledge that overlooks the club. You can either go upstairs where there are more private areas for people just enjoying the music with some drinks while the party is downstairs. From where you are, you can see Natasha and the musician on the other side of the bar.

“Natasha!” You yell even though you know she won’t hear you. You push your way through the sea of people, trying to ignore the hot sweaty bodies bumping into you. “Natasha!”

She turns when she hears her name. “Thank God, you’re here.”

“What’s going on?”

“I caught him with another woman in my bed! My bed!”

“You were gone. I have needs. What do you want me to do?” the musician groans.

“That’s my apartment, asshole! I want your shit out now!”

“I leave in three days. You get it back then.”

You can’t believe how he’s acting but you really don’t want to do this here and now. You grab her arm and pull her toward you. “Come on, he’s not worth it.”

“He’s at my apartment. I don’t want to go back there,” she groans.

“You can stay with me. Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

She’d be more upset if she didn’t just have nearly eight shots earlier. Thankfully, she listens to you and leaves the club with you. Your car is in a gas station parking lot since there wasn’t any parking near or at the club.

“He’s not worth it, Nat.”

“I know, but still. It’s like I’ve got no game lately. All I want is a nice man who will take care of me.”

“Well, you got me.”

She wraps an arm around your shoulder. “I do have you. You’re my best friend.”

“I love drunk you,” you giggle. Ten minutes pass and you’re at your place. In the elevator ride up, you think about what the guys might be doing. “So, listen, the guys are home and I don’t need you to be all sexual and grabby like I know you get.”

“Got it,” she nods.

“I’m serious, Nat. Best behavior.”

“I hear you. Best behavior,” she grins.

“Wait here.” You open the door and walk inside. Bucky is playing video games, Steve is trying to read a book, and Sam is blowing straw wrappers at Steve. Some of them hit him and others fly on his book or lap. “Hey, guys. I have Natasha with me, and it looks like she’s going to stay with us for a few days.” Steve perks up at Natasha’s name. “Just letting you know, she is very drunk and she’s very bold and loose with her body. I am so sorry for whatever she might try on you guys.”

You open the front door and Natasha walks in with a sly smirk on her face.

“Natasha. Wow, you look amazing,” Steve says, forgoing his book altogether.

“Thanks, baby,” she grins.

“Okay, you can sleep on the couch tonight, and we’ll figure something out tomorrow. Let me get you some blankets and a pillow.”

You leave her with the guys and walk into your room. Seconds later, you hear the stereo turn on and loud music is blasted. You sigh knowing this was a possibility but hoped it wasn’t going to happen. When you walk into the living room, you see Natasha, Steve, and Sam dancing along to the music. Bucky is still on the couch, clearly not wanting any part of this.

“Natasha, you should really get some sleep.”

“Dance first! Bucky, come on!”

“I’m okay, really. I’m going to go to bed.”

She shimmies her way over to Bucky who stands up. She pulls him into her body, and he tries to politely get her off him.

“Natasha, come on. He doesn’t want to dance.” She lets him go and he slips by her easily. He looks at you as he passes but doesn’t say anything else. It looks like she won’t be sleeping anytime soon, so you put the blankets and pillows on the couch. “Okay, I’m going to bed. Keep it down in here, please.”

Ten minutes after you leave, Natasha starts to grow tired. Steve jumps at the chance to take her to bed even though he’s not going to do anything with her. He’s a gentleman and that won’t change even if she is intoxicated. He really likes her and if he wants to be with her, he’s going to have to show him he’s not just some fling she’s used to.

“Come on, let me show you to my bed.”

Steve wraps a strong arm around her waist and guides her to his bedroom. She flops onto the bed face first and is out like a light. Steve looks around and grabs a small blanket before draping it over her body. He joins Sam back in the living room and plops down on the couch with a grin.

“Why are you grinning?”

“She’s in my bed. I overheard some conversations she and Y/N have had. All she’s ever had are flings, so I’m going to show her that I can be the gentleman she needs.”

“Yeah, because that’s a way to get a girl into bed,” Sam laughs.

“Just you wait, Sam. It’ll happen.”

In the morning, you wake to Bucky nursing his second cup of coffee. Steve is sleeping on the couch which means Natasha must be in his bedroom.

“Good morning, Bucky.”

“Hey, Y/N.”

“Is that all you’re having for breakfast?” Bucky shrugs and you shake your head. “Not acceptable. You’re a growing man. You need proper food. I’ll make you some.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Nonsense. I want to. Do you like eggs? Pancakes? Waffles?”

“No, Y/N, I’m fine.”

“Eggs and bacon it is,” you smile. “You can have some with me. Plus, I’m sure Natasha and the guys will be hungry when they wake up.”

“I’m fine, Y/N. Stop being so nice to me. You don’t have to…”

“What?” you ask when he stops talking.

“You don’t have to take care of me.”

“Well, someone has to, right? Everyone deserves someone to take care of them every once in a while,” you smile and turn back to the food.

Bucky stares at you in thought. He nods and takes a sip of his coffee. At the smell of food, Sam and Steve wake up. The only person who is sleeping is Natasha, and you can only assume she is going to want a strong cup of coffee, so you start to brew a pot for her. Much like you assumed, she walks out of Steve’s room when she smells the coffee.

“Is that coffee?”

“Brewed a new pot for you. Extra hot. Extra strong.”

“Thank you, Y/N.”

“Natasha. I hope you slept well,” Steve smiles.

“Thank you for letting me use your bed. You didn’t have to.”

“It’s no problem. Our couch isn’t the best, and I didn’t want your back all messed up.”

Sam looks at Steve who smiles knowingly. Natasha pours herself a cup of coffee while you plate the food. You slide one over to Bucky and smile at him.

“Eat. I can hear your stomach growling from over here.”

Bucky doesn’t say a word but accepts the food from you. After a nice breakfast, Natasha hops in the shower to wash of the stink from last night, and Steve strips his bed to wash the sheets. Natasha might smell good, better than most, but she reeked of alcohol last night, and he doesn’t want his bed smelling like that.

You get dressed in a green and white dress that goes down to your knees, and you walk into the bathroom where the lotion is. You pause when you see Sam standing by the sink with a toothbrush in his mouth… without toothpaste. Steve is standing by the towel rack looking at the large amount of products he keeps there. His hair is always silky smooth and his skin always looks amazing. He has some of the best products that you like to steal from time to time.

“What are you guys doing?”

“I’m brushing my teeth,” Sam says in defense.

“I’m just… doing things,” Steve mutters.

Bucky walks into the bathroom and pauses when he notices everyone else. “Is this a normal hangout spot now?”

“Nat, you’ve been in there for ages. Come on,” you say and squirt some lotion onto your hands.

“Sorry, I just can’t seem to find any towels that are bigger.” She slides the curtain back after she secures a towel around her body. All three men are big guys but their waists are slim, so they don’t need big towels, and all of yours are in the washer. “Oh.”

Sam stops brushing his teeth and stares at her while Steve blushes hard. He wants to look but every time he does, his face goes red so he clears his throat and turns away.

“Okay, come on. I have something you can wear.”

Bucky’s brain takes a few minutes to process what’s happening, so he freezes up when she tries to go past him. He barely gives her an inch to move, and you shake your head in disappointment.

“I am very disappointed in all of you.” You look at Bucky. “Especially you. I thought you were better than this.”

“I am sometimes.”

You walk into your room where Natasha is going through your closet for something to wear. You close the door to give her privacy, and she turns holding a shirt you got out of whim. Your style isn’t very flashy but she convinced you to get this shirt that exposes a bit more cleavage.

“No, I haven’t worn it yet. Yes, you can.”

“Thanks,” she grins.

She grabs a pair of jeans that she left over one time and puts those on along with the shirt.

“So, are we going to talk about last night?”

“I blacked most of it out. What happened?”

“You almost gave Bucky a lap dance, and it was cute to watch Steve gush all over you. That boy likes you.”

“Ooh, are we talking about boys?”

“Yeah, like your ex-boyfriend musician. Are you going to kick him out of your apartment?”

“He’s going to be gone in a few days. Can I just stay here until he’s gone?”

“Nat, that’s your place.”

“I know, but you don’t know this guy. He’s a PR nightmare. It’s best if I let him stay there until he’s gone.” You shrug. “Let’s talk about Bucky now.”

“Bucky? What about him?”

“Come on. You say Steve likes me? Bucky likes you.”

“No, he doesn’t. We’re just friends.”

“You can’t be just friends with these guys. Do you really think none of them have ever thought about sleeping with you?”

“Stop, it Nat,” you sigh.

Someone knocks on your door and Bucky opens it.

“Hey, Y/N, I’m going to the store. Do you need anything?”

“Yes,” Nat answers for you. “You should go with him, Y/N, to get that thing you really need.”

“I don’t need a thing.”

“Yes, you do. You need that thing you were telling me about.”

“I wonder what that is,” Bucky mumbles.

“She’ll be right out,” Nat smiles. She closes the door on him and turns to you with a smile. “This is perfect.”

You look at her and your eyes widen. “No, you’re not doing this. You’re not going to come in here and ruin what I have with them. I’m finally happy after Jack, and I really like these guys. I think they’re starting to like me, too.”

“Do you remember telling me about your perfect man? Bucky is everything on your list. Physically strong. Check. Nice smile. Double check. Tall. Triple check. Blue eyes, kind, caring, knows what he wants, and older. Check, check, and check.” She walks closer to you. “Plus, did you see his feet? A guy’s feet always point to what they want, and his were pointing right at you.”

“How would you like him to stand?” You stand and point both feet outward like a duck. “Like this?”

“Come on, go. He’s waiting for you.”

“Hey, are you ready?” Bucky calls out.

“Be there in a sec, bro!”

“Did you just call me bro?”

You pause. “Yeah. I’m coming.” You open the door. “Talk to Steve. I think he can be good for you.”

“Only if you talk to Bucky.”

“Bye,” you roll your eyes.

The ride to the store wasn’t as awkward as you thought it was going to be, but being in the store with all these people, all you could think about were Nat’s words.

“So, how long is she staying?” Bucky asks.

He has a very short list of items to get, and he goes through the different aisles and puts them in the cart.

“Only for a few days. Her douchey ex-boyfriend is staying in her apartment. It’s a long story.”

Everywhere you look there are different kinds of couples. Older, younger, same sex… Everywhere you look, you’re paying attention to their feet. One older couple has both their feet pointed at each other while another couple has theirs pointed away from each other. That couple looks like they don’t enjoy each other’s company as much. Is she right? Bucky says something but you’re too much in your own head to hear what he has to say.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“Stop taking care of everyone.”

You look down and notice his feet are pointing right at you. “Oh, my God.”

“What?”

“What?” You look up at him. “Nothing. What?”

“What?” You move slowly around Bucky but he follows you by moving his entire body and not just his head. “What are you doing?” You keep moving around Bucky to get his feet away from you but he keeps turning so that they’re always pointed at you. “I know she’s your best friend, but I didn't mean to insult you. I’m just saying you don’t have to take care of her.”

“I know.”

You do a complete one-eighty around him, yet he still follows you with his feet.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing. I’m just trying to see…”

“Look, I’m sorry if I insulted you, but what are you doing right now?”

“I’m just… walking like a friend.”

“Okay, we have one more item on our list and then we can go. We just need toilet paper.”

“I don’t use it,” you say slowly.

“You don’t use toilet paper?”

You chuckle nervously and shake your head. “I mean… That’s not what I meant.” There is some right next to you so you grab the first one you see and put it in the cart. “Okay, we can go now.”

“You’re so weird,” he mutters and walks to the cashier.

Fuck, Natasha. She said something and now she’s in your head like a goddamn parasite. You two leave the store and start the journey back home. Bucky stops at the light and turns to you with confusion on his face.

“Okay, what is going on with you, Y/N?”

“Why do you have to do that? Why do you have to say my name like that?” You imitate him. “Y/N. And why do you have to wear old man clothes all the time?”

“I’m not wearing old man clothes. You don’t like the way I dress?”

“No… I just…” You fan your face. “I just need some air.”

All the windows are open but Bucky doesn’t comment on it. Just then, a woman walks up to the window carrying a bunch of red roses and is trying to sell them at stoplights like this one. You respect her trying to make extra money, but you can’t deal with this right now. All you can think about is Bucky and the fact that you saw his giant penis and the way his feet kept pointing at you.

“Roses for the lady?” the woman grins.

“You want some roses? I’ll buy you some.”

“No, I’m okay.”

Still, Bucky takes out some cash and hands it over to the woman who then gives the roses to him.

“Here, take some roses.”

“No, I don’t want them.”

“They were two dollars. Just take the roses.” You have to get out of here. You unbuckle and open the car door before fleeing. “Y/N, what are you doing? It was a joke. Get back in the car!” you take off running down the street. “Y/N!”

You don’t care if you’re going the wrong way. You just needed out of that goddamn car. It takes you an extra twenty minutes to get home when it could have taken you five in the car, but you needed the walk. You trudge inside your apartment to see Natasha sitting on the couch with a realtor magazine in her hands. She likes to keep up with what’s popular around the city.

“I walked all the way home,” you pant. “I got out of the war and walked all the way home.”

“What happened?”

“You happened, Nat. You got in my head! His feet were pointed at me the whole time.” She nods and stands up. “Is it the way I’m dressed? Is it my posture?”

“Look, I’ll talk to him for you.”

“No, please don’t. Just let me handle this, okay?”

The door opens and Bucky walks in with the groceries. “Okay, what the hell happened, Y/N? I’ve been driving around for the last thirty minutes looking for you. We were in the middle of traffic and you just got out and ran away.”

“I was hot,” you mumble.

“You were so hot that you had to jump out of my car and run?” You lean to the right and fix your posture. “Why are you standing like that?”

“This is how I always stand?”

“I’ve never seen you stand like that.” He shakes his head. “Look, I was worried about you, okay? You can’t just… Don’t do that again, okay?”

Bucky walks away and Natasha grins at you.

“Are you even listening to him? He’s trying to tell you that he likes you.”

“No, he’s just saying he cares about me as a friend.”

“Let’s go ask him.” She takes two steps and you jump on her back to stop her. She turns into the fighter that she is and starts to wrestle you, and you two go crumbling to the ground. “I am trying to help you, Y/N!”

“I don’t need your help, Nat. I like being friends with him. Yes, he has a giant penis that I saw. Yes, he saw me naked. Yes, he might be my dream guy, but none of that matters. He’s my friend and all that will go away if I bring this up. What if you’re wrong? What if he doesn’t like me?”

“A big part of my job is reading people. How do you think I managed to score as much as I have? I’ve managed to talk down narcissists and misogynists to buy more than the selling price. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. You never make the first move.”

“I have before, Natasha. I’ve been burned too many times to let it happen again. I like living here and that might go away because ‘you can read people’. I know you want to take care of me like I take care of you, but I have to handle this. Me, not you.”

“Fine,” she huffs out. “Thank you for letting me stay, but it’s best if I kick Troy out of my place. You got your boy drama and I have mine. Plus, I have a showing later in Beverly Hills I can’t miss.”

“You’re always welcome here.”

She leaves the apartment and Steve comes out of his room.

“Is she gone?”

“Yeah, she is.”

Steve sighs and flops onto the couch. “I don’t know how to do this. She’s not like any woman I have ever met. I thought we had a moment while you were gone, but it’s like it never happened with her.”

“Natasha has been hurt so many times. She had flings because in the last relationship she was in, he… I shouldn’t tell you this, but I will say this. She’s going to make you work for it.”

“That’s what makes it worth it,” he smiles.

“Good luck. She could use a guy like you.”

You’re exhausted by the end of the night, so you do your nighttime routine before going to bed. The first thing you do is brush your teeth. The door opens and Bucky walks in just as you start. You lightly blush just as Bucky grabs his toothbrush. You stand there in silence for a few minutes before you spit out the toothpaste in your mouth.

“Hey, I’m sorry for how I acted before.” Bucky looks at you. “Nat said something that freaked me out, but I’m good now. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“It’s okay,” he says with a mouthful of toothpaste.

He turns to the sink again and continues brushing, and you notice his feet move away from you and back to the sink. To hide your smile, you continue brushing your teeth, and your heart flutters.

x

Want to be tagged? Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[harrisonarchive]

In the audience at the last show of George’s Dark Horse Tour, which took place at New York’s Madison Square Garden, were Paul and Linda McCartney, in disguise. Photo by Steve Morley.

“Paul and Linda attended Harrison’s Madison Square Garden show, Paul disguised in Afro wig, shades and walrus mustache, ‘and we loved it,’ he says. He agrees that George had the right, at whatever critical cost, to say, 'This is me, now.’” - Rolling Stone, June 17, 1976 “I think that’s one reason I went on that tour with all those people to do something which was not done every week. You know, the whole idea of having such a whole different bunch of people and different attitudes and different types of music and just a broader type of show was because it’s boring just going on and on and on pretending that we’re all happy.” - George Harrison, radio interview, 1975 “George was troubled when I met him. Everything in his life had changed at that point: getting divorced, Apple was in turmoil, he had his own personal demons. ‘74 was one of those breaking-through-the-sound-barrier periods. You come through and it’s just quiet on the other side.” - Olivia Harrison, MOJO, November 2011

[gayofthefae]

"Mike can't tell El he loves her because he's scared she'll leave him and it's an anxiety based in his parents' relationship. People don't get that, that's the only reason they want him with somebody else" So close! That is actually Nancy Wheeler's season 4 storyline beat for beat.

In season 1, Nancy mentioned anxiety of becoming her parents' and their loveless marriage. In season 2, it was established that when she feelings anxious about a relationship she "retreats" to her comfort zone romantically which is, in this case, Steve. In season 3, she and Jonathan have issues that bring up their parents and are treated seriously by the show. This all sets her up for season 4: When, prompted by Jonathan's avoidant behavior in their most recent calls, she fears he's going to break up with her, so when Steve comes back into her life and shows romantic interest in her, she allows him to.

On the other hand,

Mike has never once in the show made any acknowledgement of his parents' relationship in any capacity and has never expressed resentment for it. In season 3, his behavior is not consistent with avoiding admitting he loves El to himself, in fact, he smiles when he attempts to tell her. In season 4, he exhibits odd behavior around both his past flame and current partner surrounding the same topics, prioritizes his past flame in a moment of simultaneous conflicts, then, after being unable to explain or resolve his relationship issues, seeks out his past flame himself to spend the rest of the season with.

Nice try, though.

It is an easy misconception, but because there is no such thing as objective storytelling, it is actually not factual that all Wheelers dread becoming their parents. Only Nancy. We have no reason to believe Mike holds any resentment towards their lifestyle. In fact, his behavior would indicate the opposite in many instances (and costuming choices). There is a difference between a parallel and a retelling. People noticed a consistent behavior between siblings and assumed the consistency was correlated between the behavior and their siblinghood rather than the behavior and their also paralleling situations.

But in season 3, Mike completely lacked any demonstration of fear to "admit to himself" that he loved her. And in all seasons, he has never once noted or displayed any effects on his romance from his parents.

Once again, they did do the plotline you think they did. But they did it already - with someone else. And they did it better.

If that been true about Mike, they would have set it up in previous seasons - as they clearly know how to do with this exact plotline, like they did with Nancy.

The real question is: why would they tell the same story twice?

(spoiler: they didn't)

[azrielgreen]

Dear Az,

I wanted to take a moment to express my thoughts about Prism. First of all, thank you for continuing this incredible story. Your writing has always been captivating, and the world you’ve created means so much to so many of us.

That said, I hope you won’t mind me sharing some feelings as a reader who deeply loves Prism. I’ve noticed the pace of the story has recently sped up, and it feels like some of the plot’s richness is being lost in the process. Themes like Dissociative Identity Disorder/Age Regression, the rebuilding of the house, the wedding, Billy’s life in prison, and Steve’s past with Tommy—all of these are such intricate, layered elements. They deserve time to breathe and unfold, the way you and Brook masterfully handled the earlier parts of the story.

Another thing I’ve come to realize is how much the waiting between chapters contributed to Prism’s atmosphere. It allowed the tension to linger, making the story feel more intimate and immersive, which is so essential for a horror narrative. The suspense of waiting was part of the magic — it gave us time to sit with the fear and let it grow. Rushing the story risks losing that core essence.

Please don’t feel pressured to finish this story quickly. I know many readers, myself included, would wait as long as it takes to see the story develop at its own natural rhythm. I promise. I’m begging. The beauty of Prism lies in its depth and the careful build-up of tension, fear, and emotion. I know you’re capable of continuing that magic, and I truly believe in your vision.

Thank you for all the love and effort you’ve poured into this work. Your talent is undeniable, and I hope this note feels more like encouragement than criticism. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Prism.

Warmly,

One of Jack knives.

Hi, thank you for your insight and sharing thoughts. The last two chapters should really have been one massive chapter that I split for time reasons, hence the fast posting and i did intentionally write them to have this whirlwind "removed from reality" feeling where all else seems to fade. I would never ever rush Prism, and I'm writing as both Brooke and I intended, i.e., following the outline we devised together. It's also really hard to write this story without her for so many reasons, and though I'm doing everything i can, I know I should work harder to keep it at the level it was before. It's a huge adjustment for me, and believe it or not, I am trying my best, but i can always try harder and level up, so I'll work towards that during future chapters. I did really just want to do something nice by posting before the 24th and try to fully immerse myself in the story again. Writing it solo is really hard. I'll try harder going forward.

[ronearoundblindly]

Who would give the best presents? (For the holidays maybe)

Jingle bells 🔔 Jingle bells 🔔 Jingle all the way 🎊

This is gonna be focused on holiday/Christmas gifts, but it also describes why--due to the type of presents the guys do give--they are good or 'bad.' It turned out to be NO NONSENSE and shorter than expected, my bad.

Listed in (vague) order of worst to best!

Jimmy Dobyne

Doesn't much see the value in gifts after childhood. Might offer a present here and there. Mostly only bothers with gifts when told he has to get something, whether that is by you in reminder for a party he's going to or for you on an occasion a friend tells him.

Johnny Storm

Shows up with a last-minute gift every time. No planning ahead. Apparently considers his presence a gift...even for your birthday 😒

Lloyd Hansen

Gets you gifts that he likes, basically for him, not you. At least someone enjoys them, right? Correct. If anyone should be appeased, it's Lloyd.

Ari Levinson

Not much of a holiday or celebration person but will step up for very special things. (Hint: it's not for Christmas, and Hanukkah hasn't been gift-focused since he was quite little. Mostly cares about your birthday and big life events.) Sadly, Ari also knows he's not the best gift giver, so...he stopped trying to get better a long time ago.

Curtis Everett

Really against 'stuff' for stuff's sake, so gifts are rare and meaningful but not expensive (unless you two have agreed on the cost of something extravagant). This is a guy you have to do ring shopping with before he proposes.

Ransom Drysdale

Buys you expensive gifts but not necessarily with you and your likes in mind. Sometimes he gets lucky, they're just plain awesome, and you love them that much more.

James Mace

Excessively practical. The use-to-expense ratio is always considered, probably too much.

Bucky Barnes

Very thoughtful, small gifts. He's been afraid of really big gestures and public declarations of any sort. Bucky also staunchly refuses to let anyone else wrap his gifts to others; start to finish, it has to be him choosing, buying, wrapping, and offering each gift.

Steve Rogers

Consistent in giving something for every holiday, anniversary, or event, even if it's just flowers.

*Bucky and Steve fall into the category of if they can hand-make a gift, they will at least try to make it themselves. It's a point of pride. They also baulk at the cost of everything these days, so they tend to keep the price of presents down. Making things from scratch tends to help that.

Andy Barber

Not afraid to drop some dough on your gifts AND always considers what you like, what looks good on you, or what you'll really use.

Jake Jensen

I rank Jake as the best gift giver not because he spends the most money or puts the most thought into each. He spends enough and he thinks enough, but Jake enjoys the process the most. He's so fucking happy to see your face light up (or for you to give him the evil-eye at a joke present). This makes the actual act of gifting with Jake the most exciting. He tries to pick a setting and time that enhances the experience of the gift--no matter how small or goofy the present. Yeah, the rating system here is subjective, but Jake still wins. Sorry not sorry.

Thank you for asking!

[Main Masterlist; Who Would... Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

@supraveng @1950schick @patzammit @whiskeytangofoxtrot555

@yiiiikesmish @ashesofblackroses @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory

@brandycranby @buckysprettybaby @ellethespaceunicorn

@late-to-the-party-81 @bigtreefest @mistressmkay @astheskycries

@rogersbarber @blogbog710 @yenzys-lucky-charm @thiquefunlover63

[jolapeno]

THE MASTERLIST

all of my writing is now on AO3, except drabbles, here. old works on tumblr on are found at the bottom of the page.

starring FRANCISCO MORALES

ONESHOTS

24 hours [frankie morales x british!reader] fluff

after a chance encounter on a train, two strangers forge an unexpected connection that lingers beyond their brief meeting.

festive encouragement *xmas fic | fluff

Frankie hates the holidays. Twigs, his roommate, doesn’t. When she gets injured, he steps in to help finish her Christmas errands—only to realise his crush on her might be something more.

SERIES

with no strings attached [pre tf] | smut, one night stand to lovers, feelings

stumbling into a diner in the dead of the night, frankie morales doesn't expect to find anyone there. then he meets you. what begins as a one-night-stand-turned-weekend becomes a no-strings-attached arrangement. CURRENT WIP.

JAVIER PEÑA

ONESHOTS

do you want me to hold you fluff, comfort

Javi offers comfort when you need it the most.

SERIES

bite me nicely vamp!javi, miniseries, colleagues to lovers, eventual smut

Javier Peña, a guilt-ridden vampire, struggles with the growing intimacy between him and Bones, the woman who willingly offers her blood to keep him alive.

let us pretend fake dating/marriage, sharing one bed, colleagues to lovers

Peña has been back in Texas for all of five minutes, thinking he wants a simple life. But, when Steve offers him the chance to gather information on a potential new player, he jumps at the chance. The only problem is that he'll need to go undercover with a female agent—and pretend to be her husband. CURRENT WIP

DRABBLES

touch me, move me

and JOEL MILLER

give me a sign bar!miller, flirting, pining

Joel Miller walks into a bar... and meets you, an ex-doctor now bartender who is adamant she won't fall in love with him.

it means something *xmas fic, soft smut, two people bad at feels

Compliments don’t fall from his tongue, but they drip from his eyes. They land on your skin, healing scars that don’t show; they make you glow, and feel like something worth choosing.

featuring LUCIEN DE LEON

fourth times the charm dislike to lovers, refusal to feel things, smut

when you turn up for your reservation, you don't expect him to be there. uninvited

<- back to navigation || to old masterlist ->

*my christmas fics from 2023

OLD FAVES:

late night texts [text fic! javi p x f!reader] COMPLETE do me yourself[diy!frankie m x f!reader] COMPLETE i'd look for you[din djarin x f!reader] ONESHOT in my room[javi p x f!reader *smut] ONESHOT