#Gotta get out on the road before traffic is heavy

[thornescratch]

Kuzy has no time to give Samantha Pell a full OT sendoff, he has vacation to get to.

[bluesidez]

Gym Rat Miguel Part 11 | chapter on AO3 for easier scrolling

content warning: fluff, some hurt/comfort?? angst??? bittersweet moments???, recreational use of zaza, some nerd talk, 18+ so MDNI, p in v sex (first time 😗)

word count: 10.1k, halfway proofread (don't ask me NOTHING...)

shout out to @hyjionie and @hwasoup for one of the ideas here! 😗 you guys will know it when you see it!

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GymRat!Miguel whose mom was driving him crazy. The flight for New York was at 7 am and somehow she was up running around the house at 2 am.

“Miguel! Get up, we have to go. Now!”

“Ma, no one is even driving on the road right at this hour. There's no traffic."

"Which is why you need to get up and move. You know Gabriel takes forever. Get up!"

GymRat!Miguel who groggily put on his clothes. It was the hoodie you got for him for Christmas with the doodle of the two of you on the front. If he was going to be stuck in the airport for hours, he might as well be comfortable.

GymRat!Miguel who looked made sure that his laptop was loaded with things to do.

He could catch up on shows he knew you watched so that you could have someone to rant to about them. He could listen to that one podcast you mentioned just because you mentioned it. He could read that one manga you were raving about because he was not going to compete with fictional men, and maybe, he could steal ideas from it.

GymRat!Miguel who went to wake up Gabriel before their mom's voice pierced both of their ears again.

He opened the door to see Gabriel staring bug-eyed at his wall while he ate a bowl of cereal.

“Did you go to sleep?” Miguel asked, closing the door and walking closer.

“No,” Gabriel said. “Couldn’t sleep.”

Miguel ran his hand over his hair, curly strands bouncing back, “Promise me you’ll try to sleep on the plane?”

Gabriel took his bowl to his mouth, slurping up the last drops, “Only if the voices let me.”

“Right,” Miguel says then takes his bowl from him. “Maybe you can have a conversation with them right now.”

“And maybe I will!”

GymRat!Miguel who stares at the bags his dad has stuffed into the trunk with awe. 

“Pa, you know we’ll only be there for three days, right?”

George presses against the trunk with a little more force than needed, “You never know what could happen, mijo.”

GymRat!Miguel whose bones shake with exhaustion as he stares out the window on the way to the airport. Maybe it’s due to the lack of sun, but he’s never felt a cold summer night. 

GymRat!Miguel who sighs as his dad argues with the staff over a suitcase that Miguel knew would be too heavy. He’s not even sure what his dad has in there.

GymRat!Miguel who thinks that TSA is having a field day despite his family being one of the few coming in at this hour. 

The man in front of him was taking way too long to pat him down and he got the hint was Miguel scowled at him.

GymRat!Miguel who had about four hours to kill before the plane came, so he decided to walk around the airport with Gabriel and pretend like they were a spoiled set of twins shopping casually in France.

“What do you think about this, Mimi? A little chic, no?” Gabriel held up a Gucci scarf to his green hoodie. 

Miguel stuck his nose up, “No, Bribri, it’s so yesterday.”

“Ugh,” Gabriel put the scarf back like it was on fire, “You’re so right. Thank god you’re here or I’d be so lost!”

GymRat!Miguel who feels like he’s back at home with Gabriel as they try their best to avoid the luxury brand store staff. Every time one would get close, they would giggle and rush out of the store. 

GymRat!Miguel and Gabriel who crash back at their terminal with enough food to feed a family of five. 

“What is all of this?” Conchata asks as Miguel hands her a coffee, a frustrated look on her face.

“Ma, it’s almost the crack of dawn and we’re hungry. Big boys gotta eat,” Gabriel said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

George reached in one of the bags and grabbed a sausage sandwich, “He’s right, Conchata. We can’t survive on two bites.”

Conchata eyed her three boys with her arms crossed, “All of it better be finished and I don’t want to hear one complaint about your stomachs.”

Miguel just snickered. It’s not like she bought the food anyway.

GymRat!Miguel who is watching an older couple meditate at his terminal as the sun begins to rise. 

“Yo,” Gabriel says. “That looks relaxing as hell. I’ma join them.”

GymRat!Miguel who is wheezing as he watches Gabriel plant himself between them to spread his arms and breathe at deep paces.

GymRat!Miguel who is thankful that his parents bought better-than-Economy seats, but that still didn’t stop any of the O’Hara boys from feeling like they were in one of those miniature museums. 

Both his dad and Gabriel were already tall, but Miguel was more than tall with a heavier body to match. If another compartment almost smacks him in the face, he might lose it.

GymRat!Miguel who takes off his headphones when Gabriel grips his arm.

“The voices,” Gabriel whispers. “The voices are here.”

“Are we doing this the whole flight?”

“Miguel, what if they tell me to do something drastic?”

Miguel looked to the window next to Gabriel and then up to the ceiling, “Three hours.”

“Three hours in which my brain could be infiltrated!”

“I’m closing my eyes, Gabri.”

“But-”

“Closing!”

GymRat!Miguel who used the flight to catch up on sleep and listen to the playlist you made for him. You gifted it to him earlier this month and said it would grow more and more. Miguel loved it because it showed that you were thinking about him, daydreaming about him. It also meant that he could connect to you more. 

No sound of crying babies, no smell of the artificial air packed tight, no light from overhead, just you and him in his mind, dancing on clouds. 

His heart felt like it followed the tempo of each song that played, the words and melodies taking over his mind. 

GymRat!Miguel whose mind wanders by the time the second half of the playlist starts. It was sensual and intimate in a way that passed the sticky sweetness of the first half. 

He was thinking about the nights when it was just the two of you and a bed. He could feel your body tangled with his in the sheets and your eyes piercing his skin. He could see you in front of him as the music played, the words glowing on your skin and the harmonies bounding you to him.

GymRat!Miguel who is yanked out of his fantasy of him pressing you up against a wall when his body jerks from the turbulence. 

He opens his eyes to see Gabriel knocked out and not a clue in the world.

GymRat!Miguel who is always reminded how idiotic people can be at the airport. 

Standing in the aisles is not going to make the people in the front move any faster.

GymRat!Miguel who could finally stretch his legs once he exits the terminal.

“If I get on another plane where a kids stares back at me the entire flight again, I’m going to spin my head like an owl,” Gabriel mumbles as he cracks his neck.

GymRat!Miguel who has a time laughing at his dad slowly losing his mind. 

First, he complained because his fabric luggage was lopsided and twisted from its buckled components, extra bag barely hanging on. 

Second, a wheel on his luggage was a few more spins from giving out. Every time the bag would skirt across the shining floors of the airport, George would grunt in frustration and yank it back. Gabriel almost pissed himself leaning onto Miguel from laughing. 

Third, the ride to the hotel almost gave him a heart attack. The cabs in New York were fast and no-nonsense when it came to getting people to their destinations. The cab drivers were also known to bob and weave into lanes like it was nothing. At every switch of a lane, George was mumbling prayers into the air. 

Conchata kept a hand on his shoulder as best as she could from the middle back seat, but George’s grip on the handle was turning white as he tried his best not to yell into the driver’s ear. Gabriel was filming him from the left side, wheezing like it was the funniest thing in the world. 

GymRat!Miguel who dropped his stuff off, took a nap, and used the rest of the afternoon to walk around Times Square. 

“You refused to go to a Broadway show with me but mark my words, you’re going to one with me before the year is over,” Gabriel pointed his finger at Miguel. 

“Unfortunately.”

GymRat!Miguel who watches as Gabriel dance battles with the random people in costumes in Times Square when they try to heckle him. 

At first, Miguel was worried for him trying to navigate such a bustling place, but there are moments like this that show him that his little brother has always been quick on his feet. His little brother was light years ahead of him in so many aspects and he couldn’t be prouder. 

GymRat!Miguel who probably filled his phone with more pictures and videos of Gabriel experiencing New York for the first time than were necessary. 

He couldn’t help it. His baby brother was soaring.

GymRat!Miguel who sends you places that he wants to visit with you. 

Envisioning you in his hoodie or with a fluffy, long scarf and walking down the sidewalk hand-in-hand with you had him excited to see you again. You would shine so brightly under the Christmas lights.

GymRat!Miguel who didn’t get back to the hotel with Gabriel until the evening. His parents both snoring in the room across the hall. 

GymRat!Miguel who still manages to get up early enough to hit the hotel gym before he and his family go tackle Gabriel’s dorm room. 

GymRat!Miguel who feels like the only other lady in the gym is trying her best to follow everything that he does. 

So much room in the tiny cube of a gym that they’re in and she moves to wherever he is after five minutes. 

GymRat!Miguel who is annoyed when she taps him in the middle of his set. He removes one ear of his headphones and tries his best to stop the disgusted look on his face from forming. 

“Hey! Sorry, I was wondering if I could use this machine! I’m kind of in a hurry.”

“After I finish this set,” she jerks back at that. “I’m using it right now.”

“Well, I just thought that-”

“Ma’am.”

“I’m 22! Don’t call me ma’am.”

Miguel’s eyebrows went up. He could hear Gabriel in the center of his mind calling her a “hard 22,” so he just put his headphones back on and continued to work through his set. 

GymRat!Miguel who thinks that interaction ruined the girl’s mood but he really didn’t have the energy to be concerned. 

He had to freshen up for breakfast. 

GymRat!Miguel who feels absolutely cramped when he steps into Gabriel’s dorm. 

“It’s not bad!” Conchata rubs Gabriel’s back as he looks around with his mouth in the shape of a line. “Once we clean it and set up your things, it’ll be just like home.”

Gabriel puts his hands on his hips, “Home doesn’t look like cell block 1.”

“At least the window overlooks the city,” Miguel says. 

The door behind them opens with George poking head inside. 

“Mijo, we need to set some ground rules. Your suitemates have no idea how to organize.”

“Did you go in their rooms?” Gabriel asked in disbelief. 

“It’s not my fault they left the door open!” George puts his hands up. 

GymRat!Miguel who works harder than he did for his own dorm. Every piece of clothing was in its rightful place, every surface was sparkling clean, the bed was made with minimal pillows and a giant RJ churro plushie, and there was an odd-shaped humidifier plugged up on his desk. 

“I’m putting your cleaning supplies in the corner of your closet, so this room should stay clean,” Miguel grumbled as he stuck a mini vacuum against the wall.

“Whatever, mom,” Gabriel replied.

“Gabriel,” Conchata had a hand on her hip and a finger pointed at her son. “Don’t whatever him. He’s right. There’s no excuse for this room to be a mess.”

Miguel and Gabriel stood in shock at Conchata’s quick defense.

“Are we in the twilight zone?” Gabriel asks out the side of his mouth.

“Maybe it’s the air pressure,” Miguel whispers back.

GymRat!Miguel who equates Conchata’s growing softness to the fact that not one, but two of her boys will be leaving the nest. 

The sentiment is sweet, but by the fourth time she just lets him and Gabriel roam the busy streets, he’s internally freaking out. 

It was far different from the woman who pinched their ears when they tried to sneak sweets into the shopping carts or the woman who had her shoe locked and loaded for when one of them did anything to annoy her. 

GymRat!Miguel who stays up late to talk all night with Gabriel about anything and everything.

“Which one of these do you think is better?”

Gabriel reaced into his backpack to unfold two flags, one with Jungkook over the Mexican flag and a Weenie Hut Jr. sign.

“Well, I definitely feel like there’s a clear answer.”

“You’re so right,” Gabriel says and folds up the Spongebob sign. “It’s better to represent.”

Miguel only sighed, “If that’s what you insist, Gabri.”

GymRat!Miguel who hugs Gabriel tight as their parents pack the cab back to the airport.

They’ve dropped Gabriel back at his school and said their goodbyes all morning. Miguel feels like he’s fading away. He bites his lips in order not to cry, but it’s hard when Gabriel's hands grip his hoodie like a lifeline. 

“Knock em’ dead, baby bro.”

Gabriel leans back with a wet laugh, “They won’t see me coming.”

GymRat!Miguel who waves out the window as the cab drives off. Gabriel waves back with both hands and a smile on his face. 

Miguel keeps looking back and Gabriel is still standing there. He wants to tell the cab to turn around.

After the fourth look, Gabriel is no longer looking at the direction the cab went but to a girl who also seems to have said goodbye to her family. He’s talking animatedly, arms moving as fast as the words fly out of his mouth. 

Miguel turns back around and pulls the strings on his hoodie hard, eyes welling up with tears. 

“Ay, pobrecito,” Conchata pulls Miguel into her arms, kissing the top of his covered head. “I know, it’s ok.”

Miguel’s lungs take in chopped breaths, hands never moving from the strings. He doesn’t know how to stop the tears from falling. 

“George, you too?”

To Conchata’s other side, George was looking out of the window, sniffling with a fist covering his mouth. 

“It feels like just yesterday I was teaching him how to kick a ball!”

Miguel blew out some air, “That probably was yesterday. He sucks at soccer. And football. And kickball.”

“How did he ever make the basketball team?” George says, voice riddled with sorrow. 

“His height, pa,” Miguel’s throat was tight again. “I didn’t call him beanstalk for nothing.”

The two of them lean onto Conchata, snot and tears crowding their faces. 

“Lose one baby and I gain two more,” Conchata sighed as she rubbed their backs, barely space in the little cab. 

GymRat!Miguel whose eyes remained puffy and swollen the whole trip back home. 

GymRat!Miguel who had to go back to school as soon as possible. 

He loved his parents, but being in the house without Gabriel took a lot more patience than he was willing to give. 

GymRat!Miguel who doesn’t see you coming while he's looking for you around the Student Center. 

The campus feels a little different since he’s become more familiar with it. Now he’s got shortcuts and pathways down. He knows more places to hide away in and he carries more tips to survive than he did his freshman year. 

A tap on his shoulder has him turning around. He spins, looks down, and his mood immediately lifts. 

You’re standing there with a pretty smile on your face in the midst of the bustling crowd. Miguel bends down to pick you up, arms wrapping around your thighs, mindful of your skirt. You laugh his name out as you cling to his shoulders. 

He kisses your lips, mouth warm and cozy like the sun shining through the window in a cool room. 

“I missed you so much,” he breathes after two heavy pecks. He moved to the corner of your mouth to your nose to your cheek. “‘M happy to see you.”

“I’m happy to see you, too,” you run a hand through his hair and cradle his face, looking into his eyes. “Are you alright?”

Miguel puts you down, knowing your limit for periodic PDA was nearing its end. 

“Better with you here.”

“Really?” You lean into his chin on his chest with hearts in your eyes. 

“Absolutely,” he plants his arms around you. “Been replaying your playlist for me. You want me to be your good boy?”

Your eyes get wider and you bury your face in his chest. 

“Why are you hiding? You should have known I was going to ask about it,” Miguel chuckles as you groan. 

“You’re using it against me.”

“No, I just want to confirm!”

The irritated face you gave him was too much, he had to tease you more. 

“Just say the word.”

“Hmph,” you lean back as Miguel grins. “Well, be a good boy and help me find our friends.”

Miguel let you pull him, smile loopy, “Whatever you say, baby.”

GymRat!Miguel who is glad to see his friends again. Peter, MJ, Jess, and Ben are sitting at one of the high tables and they all greet you both with smiles. 

“The lovebirds are here!” Peter reached to shake Miguel by the shoulders. “Good to see you both alive.”

“Never better,” Miguel replied, holding the seat out for you to sit on. 

“Look at him,” Jess snickered. “His eyes are practically shaped like hearts.”

“It’s ok to look away from her Miguel,” Ben said. “She’s not going to disappear.”

“C’mon guys, leave them alone. Haven’t you ever had someone you’re head over heels about?” MJ asks.

“No,” Ben and Jess say in a monotone voice.

“I’m sure you’ll find someone someday,” Peter quips as he wraps his arm around MJ. “Someone to stare at like they’re the only ones at the table.”

Everyone looked at Miguel talking to you as you tapped on your phone. He would whisper something in your ear and you would push him back with a shy laugh. His hands rubbed on your shoulders and your thighs. 

“Movie night might be insufferable,” Ben sighed.

Jess leaned back, “A girlfriend or boyfriend would suffice. I’m not picky!”

“I am,” Ben says with raised eyebrows. “I need someone to acknowledge my beauty.”

GymRat!Miguel who does in fact become insufferable during movie night. 

Flashing bright colors are painting the white dorm walls, lighting up the room, and the two of you are cuddled together on his bed. It’s way too cramped and Miguel could barely fit on the thing by himself, but somehow, he has you laid in his arms, a blanket covering you both. 

He’s not even sure what movie is playing on the projector because his mind is too focused on you. His hands keep wandering your body under the thick blue fluff. He’s watching you body jump and listening to your breath hitch as he kneads your thighs, your sides, your stomach, your chest. 

He really did miss you and he wanted to take this time to become acquainted with your body again.

But you would kill him if he let his thoughts take over and sink his hands under your clothes. 

So he settled with touching you and kissing your neck occasionally, your mind to preoccupied with the movie before you. 

GymRat!Miguel who insists on a snack run and makes you tag along. 

Does he want snacks? Not really.

Does he use it as an opportunity to make out with you on the outside of his car? Absolutely.

“Mig, mm-” you melt into him as he pries your mouth open. “I thought you said you wanted milkshakes.”

Miguel cages you against the car, pans down to your chest, then back up to your eyes, “My milkshake is right here, though.”

You scoff, hit his chest, and push his arms to walk around to the passenger seat.

GymRat!Miguel who has milkshakes ready for everyone on their way out to their own dorms. He spent way too long playing with you in the privacy of his car.

GymRat!Miguel who by his second day of classes thinks he has the ideal fall semester schedule planned.

He’s still blocking things out on his calendar, but his classes are a bit more spread out this time, which means more time to be with you. 

With your stacked studio classes, he was going to take every opportunity he could to see you. 

GymRat!Miguel who wanted to take up a basic game programming class as an elective. What better way to nerd out than to get insight on how his favorite games worked?

Learning C++ and Python, breaking down the technical side of things, making his own small games through engines; Miguel was beyond excited, to say the least.

He walked into the empty lab, scoping the classroom out for the best seat. The perks of being early. 

GymRat!Miguel who is scrolling through his watch later list while he waits for class to start. Maybe he could finally watch the Let’s Plays he’s been piling up. Maybe character builds would be better. 

“Hare-Hare, is that you?”

Miguel stopped, that nickname something he hadn’t heard in forever. 

He turned to his right with a smile on his face, “Xina?”

“It is you!” 

Miguel stood to hug her, his body rocking from the weight of her, almost knocking him over. 

“It’s been so long,” she breathes out. Her hands slide down his arms. “Have you gotten even bigger?”

Miguel laughed, “Probably.”

Xina’s eyes flitted over his body and back to his face. 

Miguel sat back down, “You look different, too. Is that a tattoo?”

“Y-yeah! You like it?”

It was some computer code in a spiral shape on her arm. It was really different for her. A far cry from the conservative, shy girl who left the South. 

In fact, the outfit she had on was something she would never wear. It looked like something that Lyla or Tempest would throw on. No collared dresses or long socks over stockings, just low-cut skirts and flowy-sleeved tops. 

“It’s pretty cool. Do your parents know you have it?” 

She shuffled the sleeves of her shirt back down, “They weren’t too fond of it, but what can they do now.”

Miguel smiled softly, “Lyla told me you were coming down here. I guess I just didn’t believe it until I saw you. How have you been?”

“I’ve been pretty good. Just trying to readjust. It’s a lot different here.”

Miguel raised his eyebrow, “From China or from up north?”

“Um, from up north. It’s a lot slower.”

“Really?” Miguel watched as she picked at the mountain of bracelets on her arm. “Hopefully not too much slower. I want you to enjoy your time here.”

More people started to fill up the lab, dropping their backpacks and pecking on their phones. 

Miguel rolled his chair closer to Xina, “What happened up there? Is everything ok?”

Her eyes shifted nervously, voice tight, “Lyla didn’t already tell you?”

“She can say a lot of things, but I’d rather hear it from you.”

Her shoulders dropped and whatever thoughts that were clouding her mind disappeared. 

“I’ll-” the professor heads to the front of the class. “I’ll tell you one day.”

Miguel nods, dropping the subject. 

GymRat!Miguel who is really excited about the future of the class after the first initial day. 

The professor seemed to have a lot of knowledge involving the industry, and even if Miguel couldn’t see himself really tapping into the industry, he enjoyed the banter. 

“Class seems like it’s going to be fun,” Xina says as she walks next to him, bag patting against her hip. 

“That’s a sentence I’ve heard no one ever say.” 

“Oh, shut up,” Xina pushes his shoulder and Miguel fakes being knocked over. “This is coming from the man who got excited about encyclopedias being available for checkout.”

“There was good stuff in there! Not my fault that others didn’t catch on.”

GymRat!Miguel who chats with Xina like old times. 

She looked different, but the core of her was still there. Still the sweet, reserved girl that he remembers. 

“Ah,” Xina looks down at her phone. “I gotta go. Me and my roommates are having a house meeting.”

“You got a quad suite?”

“An apartment! You should come over sometime. We’re going to have a little housewarming party soon.”

“Cool, I’ll be there. See you Thursday?”

Xina grinned wide, hands folding together in front of her, “See you Thursday.”

GymRat!Miguel whose time with you during the day was limited to lunch time. Your studios were stacked along with some general ed classes and he hated it. 

“Miguel, stop pouting, I’m here now!”

“That’s until you have to go mix your paints with others and cut floorboards.”

“I’m not mixing paint with others,” you reach to wipe some salad dressing off of his lip. “I’m mixing paints with other paints. And mineral spirits. And turpenoid.”

Miguel slumped down his chair, petulant. 

“Why can’t I just sit next to you and encourage you?” Call you pretty, stare at you, hold you. 

“Because it’s a college course just like any other class. I just can’t just walk into your labs unannounced.”

“If it were one of my lectures, you probably could.”

You left out a soft breath through your nose, “True. Too bad my classes are three hours long, babe.”

Miguel groaned, “I should have switched my bio class to yours.”

“So you and I both could be distracted all day? Not a chance.”

“No,” Miguel held out the vowel. “I wouldn’t get distracted, I swear! We’d sit at the front of the class to ensure it.”

“And somehow, you’d still find a way to distract yourself.”

Miguel puffed and folded his arms.

“How so?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” you shake your cup, seeing if you had any drink left. “Writing me messages on your notes app, spamming emojis, sending naughty pictures in the middle of class.”

“That was one time.”

“One time that my professor almost saw the hairs leading to your-”

“So what you're saying is, you don’t want my chest in your phone?”

“No! I never said that!” 

Miguel smirks and you fall back into your chair with your heart pounding. 

“You’re so mean, I’m going to class early.”

“Baby, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Miguel held your hand to stop you from leaving the table, pulling you to his side. 

“Let go, I’m going to class.”

“Let me walk you there at least?”

Miguel wrapped his arms around you and moved his head wherever your gaze went. 

“Fine, hurry up.”

GymRat!Miguel who finished his lunch in two bites and reached for your portfolio. 

GymRat!Miguel whose heart swelled as you swung his hand on the walk to class. 

“I think we can still make more time for just us. There’s the weekends, your birthday, fall break, winter break, our anniversary,” you sang as you looked up at him. 

“You excited?”

“To spend time with you? Always.”

Miguel felt his cheeks warm at the simple statement. 

“Are you?”

“If I’m not excited to be with you, you’ll know I’m being kidnapped.”

“Stop,” you giggle. 

“It’s true!”

GymRat!Miguel who lingers in the art building while you wait for class to start. 

“Is there anything in particular that you wanted to do for our anniversary?”

You fan your eyes up, “Hm. I’m not picky. As long as it’s close to school. We can save the bigger trips for the future or holidays.”

So no sporadic trips across the country. He can check that off his list. 

“Your face is telling me that you were thinking of something else.”

“No…”

GymRat!Miguel who after two weeks of class could definitely say that his elective was taking more brain power than his science classes combined. 

It was fun, but god, he didn’t understand the point of his professor insisting that they learn C#. 

“This is so stupid,” Miguel grumbled after the third failed attempt to get his program to run. “I think I’m in hell.”

“With me here? No way,” Xina snickered beside him. 

“Yeah, you’re right. Still doesn’t change the fact that this is a program that is completely useless to not only me but the rest of this course.”

“It literally can’t be that bad”

“Look!”

Miguel showed Xina his code and the lack of progress that it seems like he made. 

“That’s ‘cause your lines are wrong, silly.”

She leaned over him, tapping at his computer. Miguel noticed that her tattoo was on display today despite the cool chills coming in as fall approached. 

“There. That should fix it.”

Miguel ran his program again and was filled with relief when it actually did what it was supposed to do. 

“You’re a lifesaver.” 

“Anytime,” she beamed and fanned absentmindedly. “I’m always here to help. I definitely need your guidance for quantum physics.”

“What do you need that class for?”

“My advisor suggested it, but I’m starting to regret it and I can’t afford to drop it.”

“Tell you what, you help me with coding and I’ll help you with physics. Fair trade?”

“Plenty equal to me.”

GymRat!Miguel who smells Xina’s perfume as she helps him for the third time that class. 

It’s sweet and earthy. It reminds him of the time you fed him ice cream on a campus bench not too long ago. 

“What is that? It smells good.”

“Really?” Xina looks over to Miguel with a smile. She leans back and twirls the black strands of her hair. “You like it?”

“Yeah, it’s nice.”

“Thank you.”

GymRat!Miguel who gets invited to Xina’s apartment-warming party. 

“It’s pretty small, and I’ve only made a few friends here so far, but I would love for you to come.”

“For sure, for sure. Should I bring something?”

“No, just you and your body will suffice.”

GymRat!Miguel who laughs with Xina as they exit the class. 

“I’m just saying that if you have time to make merch for your games immediately after the first patch of it does numbers, then you have enough time to improve it and make other parts faster.”

“Game developers have families to feed, ya know?” Xina states. “They can’t just sit at a screen all day, they need quick money like the rest of us.”

“So you sell plushies instead? Whatever happened to ‘hi, hello’ or ‘this is how progress is going this month.’”

“Miguel!”

He turned to where he heard his name, that voice like music to his ears. 

“Bebé!”

GymRat!Miguel who runs to you and spins you around like he hasn’t seen you in years. You squeal into his neck, excited because he’s so excited. 

He puts you down and stands in shock, checking his watch, “I thought you had studio right now?”

“Critique ended super early, so I wanted to surprise you!”

“So the rest of your day is free?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”

Miguel would punch the air with glee if he wasn’t in public. 

GymRat!Miguel who turns when you peek your head past him to see Xina standing with a small smile on her face. 

He slots his hand into yours and pulls you over. 

“Xina, meet my girlfriend. Bebé, meet Xina.”

You reach your right hand out, introducing yourself. Xina takes your hand with a grip like a blood pressure machine and a quick introduction. 

When you take your hand back, your eyes do a double take between the two, Miguel oblivious to what just took place. 

You clear your throat, “Do you guys take the same class?”

“Yep, we-”

“We go way, way back,” Xina grins. “Like trading silly bandz and Pokemon cards back.”

“Oh shit, really? So you saw Miguel in his baby days. What was he like?”

“Please don’t say anything embarrassing,” Miguel groans out. 

“Yeah, tell me something good. Something juicy.”

“Hm,” Xina tapped her chin. 

Miguel shook his head behind you, hands clasping together in a pleading motion. 

“Miguel had a crush on me.”

That’s not what he expected Xina to say and from the raised eyebrows on your face, neither did you.

“That’s,” you rock on your feet and adjust your backpack, “definitely something.”

“Yeah! He was so cute running around handing me flowers with the roots still attached. I was too busy trying to be the best ballerina around, though. Right, Hare-Hare?”

“Right,” Miguel looked to the door. “Uh, we’ll see you around Xina.”

“Yeah, see you soon,” her fingers twinkled, chains on her nails dangling. 

GymRat!Miguel who kept waiting for you to say something as you both walked to his car. 

He was excited to eat dinner with you for once, but your silence was scaring him. 

“What’s wrong?” He breaks, sick of his aimless thoughts. 

“I don’t know, Hare-Hare, you tell me.”

“Amor, don’t be upset. It was such a long time ago.”

“That’s fine, I don’t care about that. Why would she bring it up in the first place? I don’t even know her like that.”

“I think she was just nervous, she’s not usually like that.”

“Compared to…?”

“Compared to the kind person I know her to be. Look,” Miguel reached for your hand, voice steady. “I’m sure she’ll open up to you as I’m sure you will to her, ok?”

You blew out a deep breath, “Ok.”

“Trust me?”

“I trust you.”

“Good,” he pecked your lips. “Now let’s go get pizza. I’m starving.”

GymRat!Miguel who still brought a gift to the apartment warming. It felt rude to not show up with something. 

You had recommended a candle, so Miguel went and got something that smelled similar to Xina’s perfume plus a candle warmer in the shape of a flower. 

He knocked on the door, a gift bag in his hand.

After a few seconds, it swung open with a guy who he didn’t have to bend down to look at. 

“Woah,” he said. “You’re huge.”

“Uh, thanks? Is Xina here?”

The guy was brushed to the side to reveal a frazzled Xina. 

“H-hey, Miguel! You came!” Xina clung to him, fingers clammy and breath burning through his shirt. 

“Yeah, of course. Was this the wrong day?”

“No! No, no. You’re right, come on in.”

GymRat!Miguel who felt that the apartment was really nice and Xina’s roommates were a rambunctious bunch. 

Although, he expected the event to be a bit more relaxed. There were people crowded together in the living room, some screaming at a game on the TV, some making their mark on the couch, others dancing out on the balcony. 

Miguel was anxious to say the least. 

GymRat!Miguel who was pulled into Xina’s bedroom, the stench of that sticky, sweet perfume filling his nostrils. 

“Sorry about that, I didn’t know it would get this wild.”

“It’s fine,” Miguel shuffles the bag into her hands. “I just wanted to give you this, then I’ll be on my way.”

“Aw, so soon?”

“Yeah, I’ve got some stuff to catch up on.”

He wanted to get out of here. 

His eyes panned around her room, the style of it matching more to her past self. White lace, lilac and soft pink bows, tiny bunny and hamster families sitting on a shelf above her desk. 

A poster from a franchise that she swore she hated but he loved. Funny. 

Xina dug into the bag pulling out the candle warmer, “Miguel, this is so cu-ute! It’ll be perfect on my desk.”

“I thought you would like it.”

“You do know me very well,” she pulls out the candle and holds it to her nose for cartoonishly amount of time. “This smells fucking amazing. It’s like, like the inside of an ice cream bucket. But in a jar.”

“Xina,” Miguel sits the candle down before she moves the wicks up her nose. “Are you high?”

“Only a little…un poco,” she holds her fingers in a pinch. 

He pushed her hand away from his face. 

“They’re not making you take anything, right?” He pointed back to the door. 

“No, I wanted it to. It’s nice. You should try it sometime. Relax a little.”

Miguel watched Xina’s eyes for a moment, searching for anything, something about how she really felt. For the moment, they were only cloudy and unphased. Miguel supposes that he should be like that too. 

“Maybe another time. I think I’m gonna go.”

“If you must,” she pouted and hung on to his shoulder until they reached the door. 

GymRat!Miguel who finally breathed easier once he was in his car. 

He wondered what to get a person to help them come down from a high easier. 

GymRat!Miguel who didn’t care what Lyla had to say, the arcade was a great idea for the 1st Anniversary date. 

He had it all planned out: pick you up at your dorm door, drive you out, about an hour to the closest city, spend the rest of the night exploring the city, come back to the hotel, breakfast in bed, an afternoon at an art class because you wanted to see him paint, an evening at the arcade, and a night to complete out his Mission B: Virgin No More. 

It was perfect. Immaculate. Sublime. 

GymRat!Miguel who took the term passenger princess more seriously than he needed to. 

“You sure you don’t want me to drive?”

“Nope. Just sit there and look pretty.”

“I might fall asleep.”

“You’ll still be pretty either way.”

GymRat!Miguel who has the most fun going to random stores with you. Sure, there were some boutiques where the owners looked at you both like extra heads were sticking out of your necks, but there were also stores that were cozy and warm. 

You both stayed in the nooks and crannies of stores looking at trinkets, jewelry, books, anything. 

“Miguel, look!” you hold up the tiniest pair of baby shoes he’s ever seen. “How precious is that?”

“Put those down, I don’t need any new ideas.”

“You had old ones?”

GymRat!Miguel who buys a giant puzzle for you both to complete together. It’s a watercolor painting of the night sky and the bright day blending together. 

It was the two of you together in one piece, he had to get it. 

GymRat!Miguel who is giddy that you bought a set of matching silk pajamas for you both to wear. 

He knew you were definitely going to get hot in them, but what are hotels for if not turning up the A/C and cuddling together under the thick, starchy comforters? 

GymRat!Miguel who keeps staring at you through the mirror as you brush your teeth. There’s a fluffy headband keeping your hair out of your face, and you’re only wearing the top of your pajama set. 

He’s no better, only rocking the pants. 

“What?” you say with foamy toothpaste flooding your mouth. 

“Nothing. You’re cute.”

You spit out the toothpaste, “You’re cute!”

GymRat!Miguel who holds you close as you take a bunch of mirror selfies before you both head to sleep. 

GynRat!Miguel who knew this day was starting off right when you came out of the bathroom with your stomach showing. The shirt is like a blessing, mesmerizing in multiple areas, hugging your skin tight but loose enough for him to stick his hands under it. 

“Amor, I don’t know if you know this, but,” Miguel pulls you in between his legs. “We’re supposed to actually make it out of the hotel room today.”

“And we will,” your eyes sparkled. “So until we get back, be good.”

Miguel groaned and peppered searing kisses across your skin, hands hot on the pocket of skin he could see, squeezing and gripping. 

“Do I get a reward?”

You lean and whisper in his ear, breath tickling his skin, “A really, really hot one.”

Miguel's eyes are opened wider when you stand back, neck burning. 

“You’re killing me.”

GymRat!Miguel who really sucks at painting. 

“I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

“Well, to start off, your brush isn’t even clean.”

You guide his hand to his water cup with a giggle, “None of your colors are going to show up if you keep dipping them willy-nilly.”

“Ok, but how come your hearts are so much better than mine? We both followed the teacher.”

Your eyes looked from your uniformed artwork, colors tangling together intricately and shapes flowy to Miguel’s canvas that had dripping paint, a bad mix of oversaturation, and wobbly shapes. 

“You know, I’m not completely sure how you managed that, babe. What matters is that you did it with love,” you say noticing both of your initials in one of the best hearts on the page. 

“Maybe you’ll be better at pottery? Mosaic?”

“I think you just enjoy laughing at my expense.”

GymRat!Miguel who rolled the sleeves of his sweater up when it was time to play arcade games. 

He had to look good, show off, and earn prizes. 

You watched with heavy eyes as he geared up to play the boxing game. 

He made the boyfriend outfit look even more yummy, with his button-down peeking from under his blue sweater to match your outfit and his big jeans hugging his waist. 

With a heavy swing, the machine seemed like it lifted off the ground with the force he gave it. His face was so serious as he waited for the score and you were inching closer to insanity. 

The machine faltered, red dashes dancing across the screen. 

“Did you break it?”

“Uh. I hope not.”

After what felt like a moment in which you both probably should have run away or called a worker, the machine blinks back to life. 

“No way.”

A max score of 999 stared back at you both and the card machine lit up with rainbow colors. 

You held his hand in yours, looking at his knuckles for any bruises or blemishes. When you stared up at Miguel incredulously, he had a goofy smile on his face. 

GymRat!Miguel who may have been more competitive than he needed to be. 

You yelled as his score kept inching away from yours on the basketball arcade game. 

“You’re, like, as tall as the machine! You’re cheating!”

“It has nothing to do with height, chiquita.”

You groan out a sound of frustration as you miss your shots, messing up your streak. 

The timer goes out, Miguel winning by a landslide. 

You push your head back as Miguel celebrates. 

GymRat!Miguel who keeps this song-and-dance up for the rest of the night. Sometimes you would win, sometimes he would win. 

His final strike was when you both were in one of those FPS games that required you both to be crammed inside of a dark box. 

“Miguel, stop taking my fucking shots!”

“Oo, she’s getting feisty with me now.”

You thought quickly and leaned over. With an eye on the screen and the intention to rile him up, you moan his name right in his ear, breath needy and warm. You lick at his jaw to seal the deal and turn back. 

Like paper, Miguel folds, and his aim becomes absolutely terrible. 

“W-why would you do that?”

You couldn’t bring yourself to feel that bad as “Player 1: Bunny WINS” and “Player 2: Bear LOSES” jumped across the screen. 

You kiss Miguel on his cheek as he readjusts his pants with a frown on his face. 

GymRat!Miguel who could hear his heartbeat in his ears on the elevator ride back up to the room. 

You were holding onto the giant plushie he gave blood, sweat, and tears to earn, saying that it reminded you of him. 

Miguel, on the other hand, was digging his nails into his palm and opening the collar of his sweater sporadically. 

“You alright?” you say, placing a hand on his elbow.

“I might pass out.”

“Miguel,” you hold him close as you both walk to the door. “You gotta calm down.”

“I am! I’m just nervous.”

“You’re shaking.”

Miguel’s hands tremored as he ran the key card over the censor.

GymRat!Miguel who let you hold his hands as you kissed over his wrists. 

He was so dear to you. His presence, like a beautiful spark.

“You’re so sweet.” A kiss to his palm. “The sweetest there is. I adore you.”

Miguel took a shuddered breath as he watched you, heart rushing to his ears.

GymRat!Miguel who is more calm when you both start to remove your clothes. It wasn’t steamy and desperate like he imagined. It was slow, intimate, and quiet. 

It was like seeing you all over again for the first time when he helped you take off your shirt. It was like stepping into new territory when you held his jeans so he could step out of them. You both took turns taking off an article of clothing, savoring the moment. 

Miguel fumbled a bit when he was met with you the clasps of your bra, fingers knocking against each other.

When the time comes, after what was an hour or so of touching, feeling, and existing within each other, your hands fumble with the condom.

Miguel feels out of his body as you slide it down with care, hands moving as if you were molding clay. 

It wasn’t until he was on top of you that he felt that this was really happening. The foreplay between you a spot of comfort and habit.

After so long, he finally slid in deep, the pit of his stomach quivering. You were so unbearably tight.

“Y-you ok?” Miguel squeezed onto your hand, watching your eyebrows knit together. 

“Yeah, it’s just,” you chuckle, breath almost gone from the feeling of him. “You’re really big.”

Miguel’s face shifted from worried to shocked. 

“Oh! Well, I guess that’s a good thing?”

“You don’t have to guess, I can feel it.”

Miguel twitched and jolted involuntarily, causing you to whimper, your words going straight south. 

“Miguel! Stop moving.”

“Sorry! You’re really tight right now and I’m trying to focus.” 

“God,” you sigh and let your head drop to your pillow. “Are we even doing this right?”

“No clue.”

Miguel kissed your collarbone as you wrapped your arms under his. He continued to kiss across your shoulders, lips light and airy. Up your neck to your jaw, he could feel you relax and breathe a little easier. 

He grazes his mouth to your cheeks, humming as you move them closer to his lips. He kisses your temple, your eyebrows, your forehead. At your nose, you start to giggle, Miguel’s kisses leaving flutters on your skin. 

Miguel joins in on your joy, grinning as you try to return the pecks. 

“Ok,” you whisper. “I think I’m ready. You can move now.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. I want you to make me feel good. I want you to feel good.”

Miguel looked at your eyes, waiting, wanting, open. He couldn’t help but to think how lucky he was to have a girl like you who was just so beautiful and lovely. 

His body is pressed against yours, the plush of your chest molding onto his. Your legs were wrapped around his thighs and your fingers danced across his back. 

He takes a hand to hold the side of your face while the other one is pressing you even closer to him. He moves out as best as he can, the warmth of you an addicting feeling, and slides back in slowly, a shallow thrust to start off. 

Your breath was hot against his mouth as you shuddered. Miguel groaned, feeling the heat of you through the thin condom. 

He moved again, watching as your face twisted and turned. Your hands are pressed against his back, palms applying pressure until the feeling stretches to your fingertips. The pricks of your nails dig softly into Miguel’s skin, muscles moving as he tucks your hair away from your face. 

By the third thrust, Miguel is moaning out, overwhelmed with you everywhere. When he breathes, you breathe. When he tightens his hand on your back, you tighten yours. When the feeling of you becomes too much to bear, you’re right there with him, eyes heavy and wet. 

Everything was heightened, from the sound of the bed squeaking as Miguel’s hips moved, to the little sounds you made when he inched in deeper. He’s scared he might shout in your face due to how good you feel so he presses against your lips, grunts coming out with each thrust. 

You take him with stride, hands balling up to fists as he gets deeper and deeper. 

His name from your lips is broken down from two syllables to four, enunciation clear enough for Miguel to know that he’s doing something right. 

“Don’t stop,” you plead, gaze reaching Miguel’s soul. “Please.”

“I won’t.” He would never leave if he had the choice. “Am I, shit, am I doing good? Do you feel alright?”

He shifts back to see your face and his heart speeds up watching you under him. Your arms fall to the bed and your mouth stutters open as Miguel continues. 

Your eyes drip as you let out staccato moans and Miguel leans down to kiss away your tears. 

“C’mon, bebé, let me know.”

You nod your head and cry out when Miguel goes even deeper. He hums against your mouth as a thank you. 

“Miggy, I,” you stop as you take a breath. 

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

A rush of heat from top to bottom filled Miguel’s core. The air left his lungs swiftly and came back in twice as fast. His back shook, nerves like a spring. All he could hear was your breaths, all he could smell was your warm skin, all he could taste was the lingering touch of your tongue, all could feel was the hot valley of you, all he could see was you.

He dies and comes back to life, sight piecing together that the stars and hearts were not part of you but they were just his muddled brain taking you in like the first day he met you. His throat burns like he swallowed hot coal. 

Your mouth is moving but he still can’t connect the words yet. He feels himself floating away. 

“Baby?” the way that your hands grip his body ground him. “Can you hear me?”

“Yes,” Miguel nods, eyes blinking fast. “What just happened.”

“I think you came?”

Miguel looked down, and sure enough, you were right. 

He doesn’t remember you getting any relief. 

“Can I-” he groans as you clamp down on him when tries to pull out. “Can we do that again?”

You nod your head, “Please.” 

GymRat!Miguel who, after a brand new condom and a clearer mind, realizes that he has a lot of work to do. 

He knew that you were his everything, but he couldn’t deny that he was a little embarrassed. You swore to him that it was ok, flattering even, but Miguel isn’t buying it. 

Your legs were bent at his sides as he lifted your hips off the mattress. He held them up as he stroked deep and focused on the sound of your breaths. 

“B-baby,” your voice is stunted as Miguel keeps a steady tempo. “Look at me”

Miguel groans into your neck, shuddering from the sound of your voice and your hands rubbing his sides. Your moans were high in your throat, breaking as Miguel’s hands pushed and pulled at your skin. 

“I can’t.”

“Why,” your words fizzle as Miguel hits a sweet spot. “Why not?”

“If I look at you, I’m gonna cum.”

Miguel goes faster as he feels you constrict against him. The bed creaks as the sound of him delving into you gets louder and louder. 

“Oh,” your nails scratch his back. Miguel matches your voice, desperate to please you. 

You open your mouth again, a three-letter phrase ghosting your tongue. 

“D-don’t,” Miguel’s hips freeze and unfreeze as he hears the first vowel leave your mouth.

“I wanna see you.”

Miguel shifts, eyes finding yours, and he knows he won’t make it. 

He tells you just as much and you pull him closer. 

“Te amo, mi luna.”

Miguel cries as he feels the air leaving him. He reaches down to touch you, your body jolting when his fingers graze your clit. 

You cum around him and he pushed through, waiting until you were shaking to let go. 

“You,” Miguel leans his forehead on yours. Both of you are shaking, blood pumping with adrenaline. “Play so unfair.”

“But you love me?”

He cuddles into your thumbs wiping at his eyes, “So much. I love you so, so much.”

You kiss him, feeling warm and satisfied, sighing as he melts on top of you. You run your fingers through his wild hair and scratch at his name. 

After a while, Miguel perks up, eyes sparkly and big like a little puppy. 

“A-again.”

“What?”

GymRat!Miguel who pulls you to the edge of the bed by your legs. You yelp at his strength and the icy pricks of the hotel A/C coating your overheating skin. 

Miguel slides back in with a practiced ease, the angle different, but not unfamiliar. 

He held your legs and hips from the bed, watching as your body moved from the faster momentum he produced. 

Your voice reaches the ceiling as your hands grip for anything. Seeing your reaction, Miguel grips your hips and your stomach, angling even deeper. It was fulfilling until your hands landed on your chest, stopping them from jerking so.

Miguel pulled your wrists together and down, watching as your arms framed your chest. He moans out your name, eyes stuck on the picture presented before him. 

How could anyone ever believe you were not beautiful? 

GymRat!Miguel who can’t help but to ask for one more round. In your disheveled state, you tell him it’s the last one. 

The sounds leaving your bodies were enough to make the bed blush. It was something so perfect about the whispers you mewled into each other's skin contrasting the wet sound of Miguel slapping into your wet entrance. 

Somehow you were nearly bent in half, knees almost next to your ears, as Miguel’s feet were planted on the bed. You didn’t even know your body could do that. 

At every smack of skin, Miguel was moaning your name louder and louder, mind completely gone. 

“I’m, ngh, gonna cum!” Your voice comes out at a volume that matches his. 

Miguel nods, encouraging you to release, kissing along your skin. 

You shout as he swerves his hips, melting your cour as he slides along your sweet spots. 

“So good,” Miguel says, balls twitching against you as crumbles to the bed. “So amazing. Mi luz, mi sol.”

The two of you catch your breath in the dim hotel lighting, jolting with aftershocks of your anniversary. 

GymRat!Miguel who held you on his chest as you slept, lips pressed against the top of your head. He checked his phone before going to sleep, wanting to set a timer for the morning. 

A Game Exchange’s Worst Nightmare

Miggy Mig MC: I did it

Winner-Winner: ???

Ly(ability)la: Only you would announce losing your virginity like that

Tempie: omg

You’re not a baby anymore 🥺

What am I gonna do

Winner-Winner: WAIT

LESGOOOO

Tempie: I never thought this day would come

Winner-Winner: you was tearing it up wasn’t you? 🤪

Ly(ability)la: you’re so annoying

Tempie: like I didn’t prepare fast enough

I

I WASNT READY

Winner-Winner: I hope you did that trick I taught you

It gets em every time

Guaranteed banger

Tempie: This actually ruined my night

Ly(ability)la: Temp is losing it and so is Wins

Congrats to you ig

Winner-Winner: I bet she’s KNOCKED OUUOOT

Ly(ability)la: is being normal like not in your cards or…

Tempie: I think I’m sick

Miggy Mig MC: .....

Gabri 🤏🏽🤡:

“I did it”

“No fucking way"

"NO FUCKING WAY"

"AND? AND SO?"

“It was just as good as you say. That’s all I’m saying.”

"I feel like I need to throw something on the grill"

“Not too much Gabri”

GymRat!Miguel who wrapped his arms around you as you fixed up something the next morning. 

“G’morning,” you say to a heavy Miguel leaning down on you. 

“Super good morning,” his hands reach to cup your left breast and your stomach under your robe. He left a long kiss on your shoulder. “Whatcha doing?”

“‘M getting your gift together.”

“Another one?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Well, let me step up my game.’

GymRat!Miguel who sits with you on the bed as you both trade gifts.

“Aw, Miguel! How am I supposed to eat these? You look so cute here,” you took a piece of candy in your hand and looked his face planted on it. 

“Like this,” Miguel takes your hand and guides the candy to his mouth. 

You smile watching him, body warm. 

GymRat!Miguel who watches your eyes glow when you see the dolphin charm with the date that you two took our first date. 

“Put it on me?”

Miguel slid the jewelry over your skin, watching as gold danced against your skin.

GymRat!Miguel who feels like crying when flipped through the scrapbook you made. Each section matched a song in the playlist you made for him. 

It was so thoroughly crafted and thought out that Miguel couldn’t stop the waterworks. 

“Why did I think that outfit was cool?” Miguel laughed wetly as he saw a picture of you both at a pumpkin patch.

“You look adorable,” you catch his tear on your thumb and hug his side.

GymRat!Miguel who drops you off at your dorm with kiss after kiss to your lips. 

Jess opens the door with a dramatic sigh, “The two of you are glowing. How cute.”

GymRat!Miguel who reaches back to his night with you every time he’s sick of the class he’s in. 

A little bit dangerous when it comes to his labs, but everything is reminding him of you. He can’t even look at his blanket without thinking about the way your shirt draped your body. 

Maybe he should make love to you with it next time.

GymRat!Miguel who is in a daze during his programming lab. 

“Earth to Miguel. Did you finish the mini code?”

“Uh, yeah,” Miguel replied to Xina. 

“Good, because I need you to check this equation really quick. I need to turn it in later this week.”

Miguel leaned over to Xina’s laptop, arm reaching across her. 

“So,” she slides her nails up his arm. “What do you think?”

“It’s fine. This part is very wrong, though.”

She squeezes at his muscle, chest pressing on him.

“Are you cold or something?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“Because,” Miguel slides her laptop in front of him. “You’re really touchy today.”

“Miguel, I’m always touchy.”

She puts an arm on the back of her rolling chair and leans on her wrist. 

“True.”

“Is there a problem with friendly touches?”

“No, Xina. I’m not like that.”

“Ok,” she holds her hands up in defense. “I’m just trying to understand.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“That,” Miguel says turning to her, “Being weird. Overstepping.”

Xina folds her arms and nods her head, “I got it.”

GymRat!Miguel whose time with you dwindles within the next couple of weeks. If it’s not studying, it’s the robotics team. If it’s not the robotics team, it’s his class schedule never matching yours. If it’s not your studios, it’s his study sessions with Xina. 

Currently, she was sitting beside him on the first floor of the library, head on his shoulder as she sighed over a new formula. 

“This is so gross,” she said, wiping away eraser shavings.

“Did you even try?”

“Like, once. That was enough.”

GymRat!Miguel who gets your text and looks up to where he knew you’d come from. He felt like he could feel you close, but the entrance was so far away he couldn’t see. 

He got up for a second, turning and standing tall to catch a glimpse. 

“I know you’re not about to give up this. You said it was easy! That’s not the Miguel I know,” Xina grabbed his wrist, hands unbearably hot. 

His phone buzzed again. You said you were going back to your studio. 

He sighed and sat back down, mind foggy.

divider by: @thecutestgrotto + @adornedwithlight 🩵

a/n: Y'all know that gif with the smoking duck? I feel like that but I would replace the cigarette with an Icee or something.

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[haddonfieldwhore]

promise me? - mike schmidt

mike schmidt x gn!reader

warnings: a bit of angst but i think that’s it. i don’t know fnaf lore super well so if anything is inaccurate i apologize!! i’m trying my best

word count: 750

you arrived home from work around 8pm, a little later than usual due to heavy traffic on one of the main roads. quietly dropping your keys on the table just inside the door, you turned the lock to your small apartment. it wasn’t the greatest neighborhood, but it was all you could afford, and it had everything you needed. lately, your boyfriend mike had been staying with you, and he had gotten a night job as a security guard at a kids pizza place, which meant he was asleep right now as you crept through the apartment, the cold floorboards creaking under your weight as you walked down the hallway towards the bedroom.

mikes new job had him working 12-6am, less than ideal hours to say the least, but a job was a job, and it seemed pretty easy from what he had told you; all he had to do was watch the security cameras. it would only be his third night on the job today, but you could tell the change in sleep schedule was hard on mike. placing your bag on the floor softly, and your eyes landed on mikes sleeping form, the blankets tangled around his legs as he snored softly. you smiled, and lifted his arm carefully to crawl into bed next to him. his arms encircled you automatically, and he sighed contently as you snuggled into his chest, feeling the warmth radiating off of his body.

“hey,” he grumbled softly, his voice deep with sleep. “what time is it?”

“hey,” you smiled, even though his eyes remained closed. “it’s just after eight, you still have time to sleep.” he hummed happily in response, pulling you closer to him and kissing the top of your head as he drifted off to sleep again, and you quickly followed.

•

the sound of mikes alarm woke you up, and you tried to hide your head under the covers to block out the sound, as mike reached for his phone to turn it off.

“don’t go,” you mumbled, reaching for him to attempt to pull him back into your arms. he laughed at you and sighed, rubbing his hands over his face.

“i would rather stay here, trust me.”

“is it really that bad?” you asked, sitting up as he got out of bed and began to get dressed, sliding on a pair of dark jeans and a grey hoodie. he did up the buckle of his belt as he stepped into his work boots, and he looked up at you, his tired eyes meeting yours.

“no, it’s…. it’s just - we’ll you know how they have those animatronic characters?”

“yeah,” you nodded, remembering them from when you were younger.

“they get left in this… free roaming mode at night. i don’t know it’s really weird.”

“isn’t that a little dangerous?” you asked, a worried look spreading across your face. mike seemed to think for a moment, and then sort of shook his head.

“no, i mean- they’re just robots for kids. it’s just a little creepy,” he replied, and you weren’t sure he was being 100% truthful.

“mike, if you were in danger you would tell me right?”

“of course. i didn’t mean to scare you. i think my imagination gets the better of me sometimes,” he walked over to give you a soft kiss on the lips.

“promise me if anything else weird happens you’ll quit, okay?” you pleaded. as much as you both needed the money, that wouldn’t matter if something bad happened to mike.

“i promise,” he agreed. “i gotta go. i love you.”

“i love you too.”

mike grabbed his wallet off the dresser and opened the bedroom door before turning back towards you.

“i’ll see you in a few hours. get some sleep okay?”

you nodded as you laid back down and pulled the blankets over yourself, trying to mimic the feeling of his body heat next to you. you listened to his footsteps as he walked down the hall and out the door, followed by the familiar click of it locking behind him. you sighed, closing your eyes as you tried not to worry about what he had said. you trusted him; if there was really something wrong, he would tell you.

besides, how dangerous could a children’s restaurant be, right?

[seethesin]

being a dedicated passenger princess in shane's jeep

pairing: Shane McCutcheon x F!Reader

tags/warnings: fluff (shocking), established relationship, sexual content (as per usual), heavy petting, fingering, semi-public sex (mdni, 18+)

a/n: i write this from the pov of a lesbian who has always been the driver in her past relationships, so i'm really resonating with shane in this one 🥲 this is for all my passenger princess babes

sfw section:

Any excuse Shane can find to give you a lift, she will take

Gotta go grocery shopping? So does she; she'll be over in ten minutes

Running some errands? Guess she will too; give her five minutes

Need to drop something off at the post office? Beep beep, she's in your driveway already

It's your bright smile, peck to the lips, and exuberant "thank you!" that does her in every time you climb into her Jeep

Not even a few moments into her driving and you're already slipping your hand into her free one, bringing her knuckles to your lips and kissing them

It drives her nuts but she refuses to admit it to your face

She doesn't need to though, because you always pick out her tiny smile and faint flush every time you do it

If you two aren't holding hands, she grips your thigh with one hand and steers with the other

Shane is a patient driver with you in the car, but like everyone, falls victim to road rage

There are times you find her anger cute; her nose will scrunch up so prettily and she'll throw her hands all around as she yells for the car in front of you to fucking move up!

After a few kisses to the back of her hand and your nails tickle scratching her arm, she forgets why she was so irritated in the first place

Whether your vice is Starbucks, Dunkin', or something else, she always makes a point to hit the drive-thru for you

Although she orders for you—your usual is ingrained in her brain—you have to fight to pay for it and to get something for her as a thank you for driving

She doesn't let you do it all the time, but most times you leave with your drink of choice in your cup holder and an espresso in Shane's

Once you reach your destination, Shane loves to hurry out of the Jeep first so she can swing around to your side, open your door, and offer a hand (if needed) out

You usually accept it, always making a point to slide your arm into hers and lean into her as you walk inside

After your errands/shopping/etc. are finished, Shane gets you back into the Jeep first, always asking "are you in?" and waiting for your nod before shutting the door

She once shut it on your ankle while you were sliding into the passenger seat and you refused to let her live it down

Once she brings you back home, you leave her with a sweet kiss and another genuine "thank you!" before gathering your things

Shane always brings you in for another kiss before you leave, tugging your chin forward and nibbling on your lower lip before you pull away

If you don't, there was no way you were leaving her car

You always make a point to remind her to text you when she gets back home safely

That alone makes her heart skip a beat and dutifully, she promises you

She'll always wait for you to unlock the door and slip into your home before she pulls out of the driveway

A promise is a promise and she will always text you once she gets back home

nsfw section:

When you get tired of kissing her knuckles, you slip her finger into your mouth

The first time you did it, Shane nearly crashed the car

Now she's used it and welcomes it

As soon as she feels your tongue swipe against her index finger, she presses another one inside

You take them greedily, hollowing your cheeks as you suck and kitten lick the length of her digits

Shane can't see it, but she just knows how good you're being for her and makes sure you know it

When the two of you are stuck in traffic and she's got a hand on your thigh, she loves to see how long she can touch you before she has to inch up again

Her hand will slide up your thigh and cup against your clothed cunt, rubbing deliberately slow

You immediately rut into her touch, grinding against her palm for friction

Her eyes are hyper-focused on the traffic around you, but she doesn't even need to look as she slips her hand into your pants

She's stroking over your already damp underwear, tsking gently as her touch ghosts over where you need her most

"Oh, that's too bad," she'd croon, immediately pulling her hand out once the car in front of her started moving again. "Light's already green."

Those fingers are shoved right back down your throat and you suck them clean, all while your clit is throbbing mercilessly

Over time, you realize that her road rage could be... kind of hot

There's something so sexy about the way a switch flips in Shane's brain and she goes animalistic on other drivers

You're almost jealous; in those moments you want nothing more than for her to channel that aggression into something more useful—like fucking you raw in the backseat

Car sex with Shane is completely thrilling

She loves to take you right in the front seat for everyone to see

There are times on the way back home that she'll look at you, pupils blown out and you don't even need her to ask because you're already telling her to pull in over here, yeah, the spot right under the tree in the corner

She parks, pushes her seat back, and you climb up on top of her—a mess of wet kisses and inquisitive hands

Shane's favorite thing is to yank your shirt off, shove your bra down with her teeth, and shove your nipples in her mouth while you keen in her lap

It's slowly becoming one of your favorite things too, especially when she has two fingers already sheathed inside your pussy

You fuck quick and dirty; the thought of getting caught turns you both on, but the idea of getting ticketed or arrested for public indecency sours the mood very quickly

Which is how your most recent car sex escapade ended

Shane forgot to turn the engine off and your ass slammed into the steering wheel, right onto the car horn

Unfortunately, a police car was on patrol and immediately pulled into the parking lot you two were in

You jumped into the backseat, shoving your clothes back on while Shane stayed up front, smooth-talking the officer and convincing them that she pulled over so the both of you could take a much-deserved rest after your extensive road trip

The officer probably didn't buy it, but couldn't be bothered to waste more time with the two of you and you both were let off with a stern warning

The two of you cackle about it the rest of the way home, knowing good and goddamn well you'll be back on your shenanigans the next time the mood strikes

[upsidedownwithsteve]

The Twelfth Day Of Christmas

Steve Harrington x fem!reader [2.2K]

We Tried The World Christmas edition

The traffic on the I-69 was at a complete standstill.

Unfortunate, considering you and Steve were both supposed to be at the Byer’s house almost two hours ago. The two hour drive had turned into something much, much longer, the BMW crawling along with traffic as the snow got heavier and heavier as Steve tried to get you both to Hawkins before nightfall, hopefully with all your carefully wrapped presents still in one piece in the trunk.

With Bruce in the back, whining lowly out of impatience and probably needing to pee, the air in the car was beginning to get more and more tense. The golden retriever grumbled again and you cooed, reaching behind the seat to stroke a hand over his ear, coming your fingers through his tufts of fur.

“S’okay, baby, we’re not far now,” you whispered and it wasn’t a lie, not really. The highway signs told you that you were only about twenty miles out from Indianapolis and from there, Hawkins was only really another thirty minute drive.

That’s if the snow had blocked off the roads.

The cars in front slowed to a stop once more and the boy beside you swore, frowning in the low light. He was lit up in red, brake lights turning him scarlet and even though it was only five o’clock, the weather was making the day turn to night much quicker than normal. The sky was heavy and tinted a rosy pink, thick clouds blocking out the last of the setting sun as snow fell heavily to the ground.

You knew Joyce would be worried, hoping she’d seen enough of the news channels to realise that you were both caught up in what was turning out to be a pretty bad snowstorm. You just hoped she didn’t send Hopper out on it to look for you both.

“Hey,” you murmured softly, taking your hand from Bruce to Steve’s knee, squeezing gently before running your palm up his thigh. “You wanna swap seats?”

The constant stopping and starting was making Steve far too grumpy, and understandably so, you’d thought. You knew you wouldn’t get much further than he could but you offered anyway, smile sweet and kind as you gazed at him.

You watched him soften as he caught your eye, his hard stare leaving the road to look back at you. His frown smoothed out, his lips lifted and he sighed, tired. His hand found yours, fingers tangling and he shook his head as he brought your fingers to his lips, kissing each one.

It felt a little like an apology for his bad mood.

“Nah, I’m alright, babe,” Steve mumbled, “just gotta wait it out.”

You knew he didn’t want you driving in the snow, could see the worry etched in the crinkle of his eyes, could hear it in his voice when the snow started to blanket the roads in front of you when you passed the signs for Greenwood - the boy slowing down and making sure your seatbelt was on, checking his mirrors to tell Bruce to lie down and be a good dog.

“You look tired,” you said instead of arguing, lips pushed into a sympathetic pout, taking your hand from his only to card your fingers through his hair instead.

He needed a haircut, the ends curling at his ears and at the nape of his neck. You traced the shell of his ear, grinning when he moaned dramatically and let his lashes flutter shut.

“Eyes on the road, Harrington,” you chastised.

“We’re not moving,” he retorted but he opened them anyway, turned to kiss your palm and nipped at your fingers when you pressed one to his cheek. “This is awful.”

The sounds of horns started blaring from the cars up in front, the line too long and the brake lights too bright for either of you to see what was causing the holdup. An overturned truck? A stuck car?

Behind you both, Bruce huffed, his big head appearing between the two seats and he pushed his muzzle to Steve’s ear, grumbling softly.

“I know, buddy,” Steve soothed, smacking a kiss to the side of the dog's head. “We’ll pull over when we can, both of us can take a leak, yeah?”

“Cute,” you deadpanned before rolling your eyes.

“Don’t be jealous,” Steve retorted and he lit up momentarily as the cars moved a foot or two, wheels slipping on the snow before everyone hit their brakes and the traffic came to a stand still once again. “For fuck sake.”

“You’d think we’d never managed a two thousand mile round trip across the country,” you quipped, smiling fondly at his impatience.

“More like three thousand after you got us lost in Yosemite,” Steve grinned back, laughing when you pushed at his shoulder, mouth agape in faux offence.

“You were the one that wanted to go!”

“You were the one with the map!” He was still laughing and at the sound of it, Bruce wagged his tail, a comforting thumpthumpthump against the back seat. “Besides, that trip was different.”

“Well yeah,” you snorted, “this one is a lot shorter—”

“It’s supposed to be,” Steve huffed, “could’ve made it to Chicago by now.”

“—and the last one was definitely sunnier.”

“Lucky for me, I got to sit next to this super pretty girl both times,” Steve was all charm, head leaning back against his seat, eyes bright as he looked at you through messy hair.

You preened, more than happy to accept his flirting, his attention. “Oh, yeah?” You asked.

“Oh yeah,” Steve nodded, making a show of letting his gaze roam over your body, each feature of your face, lingering at your lips. “Total smoke show. Wore a lot less clothes last time, though.”

You laughed, “you’re a perv, Harrington.”

The boy gasped, feigning shock and offence. “Y’can’t say that, it’s Christmas.”

You were momentarily interrupted from retorting as the traffic moved again, an inch, another, maybe a whole twenty feet before the cars stopped again and everyone groaned, Bruce included.

“You know,” Steve started, looking up at the falling snow before gazing over at you, his eyes warm with an affection you’d grown so familiar with. “We should do that again.”

“Do what?” You were smiling, always smiling with Steve, knowing what he was going to say but wanting to hear it anyway.

“Get in the car and just go,” he was looking at you like you were his whole world and it made your chest hurt. “Pack some bags, take Bruce, go somewhere new. A vacation.”

“Yeah?” You asked and your voice sounded dreamy. “Where to this time?”

Steve shrugged, smiling all soft. “Wherever you went, pretty girl. Canada? Or we could go south this time, see New York, somewhere big.”

You were beaming.

“Or, I could take some extra shifts, save up a little and we could get on a plane, ask Dustin if he’d look after Bruce and fly to—”

“You know I’d be happy in a motel in Indianapolis as long as I’m with you, right?”

Steve shrugged and tried to hide smile, to stop himself going pink around his cheeks but it was no use, you’d already seen and you knew him too well. Two years together and it was still one of your favourite sights.

“Besides,” you continued, “I kinda like the idea of being stuck in this car with you again. And this time ‘round, I don’t have to pretend I don’t wanna kiss you for five states.”

Steve grinned, all too pleased with your admission despite the fact that he had to have known — especially after you were the one to throw yourself at him mid-thunderstorm in Colorado.

“A whole five states, huh?” The boy smirked, entirely smug. “Wow, babe, didn’t know you’d wanted me for that long.”

“Shut up,” you retorted, your words held no heat. “If your ego gets any bigger, Eddie’s gonna yell at me for not keeping it in check.”

“I’ll fight him for you,” Steve promised but he was quick to return to your original words. “Five states… that totally means you wanted me before we even left Indiana.”

“Steve, you were the one to kiss me at that party—”

“You were just dyin’ to jump my bones at that first diner, huh?” Steve was gloating, lips curled into a pretty smirk, eyes dancing with mischief and flirt in the red lights. “A coffee, some pancakes and a side of di—”

“The traffic is moving, Romeo,” you interrupted, doing your best to not let him make you laugh but your cheeks were sore from smiling and there was a bubble of happiness in your chest that felt warmer than anything else you’d ever felt.

Sure enough, the line was moving more consistently now and Steve let out a whoop as he stepped on the gas and made the car kick up snow. He grinned when he finally got to turn off of the interstate, gaze flickering to you only to wink, making you shake your head fondly and grin.

The roads to Hawkins were much quieter and much more peaceful, Steve taking it slow as the snow fell steadily, coating everything in white. Bruce had jumped out at a lay-by with Steve, both of your boys taking a bathroom break in the same bush as you shouted stupid shit at Steve from the window, doing your best to make him laugh as he yelled back at you about messing up his aim.

It didn’t feel like returning home as you passed the sign welcoming you back to the small town but it felt like family and it felt like friends, familiar and more comforting than it had ever been, especially when Steve took one hand off of the steering wheel to squeeze at your thigh.

The lights strung up around porches and roofs twinkled in the night, the sky fully black now as you arrived more than three hours late. But it didn’t really matter, ‘cause nothing was a rush, nothing could be a stress when the world was so pretty and quiet.

Everything glittered, the ground, the rooftops, the light line tree branches, the frozen over pond at the edges of the park. And Steve’s eyes did too when he turned the corner on Maple Street and asked you:

“Hey, d’you wanna tell me a secret?”

“Really now?” You murmured back, your smile warm and bright. His words made your chest ache for memories you kept for yourself — long drives, breaking into pools, kisses between canyons, sunflower fields and sun soaked boys who belonged to summer and you. “You not got enough of my secrets, Harrington?”

Steve grinned and shrugged, thumb drawing circles onto your knee. “One more for Christmas?”

So you hummed and pretended to think, cheek pushed to the headrest of the car seat as you kept your eyes on Steve, the profile of his pretty face.

“I’d go anywhere in the world with you,” you told him and your voice was quiet but sure.

“Yeah?” The boy asked and you could tell he couldn’t say much more, his voice a little thick with affection. The car rolled to pause at a stop sign and he took the chance to look at you properly, brown eyes filled with so much adoration it made your breath catch in your throat.

“Oh, yeah,” you assured him, nodding and whispering like you were telling him something scandalous, “don’t you know? I’d jump in a car and let you steal me away.”

“Sounds dangerous,” Steve gasped.

“Stupidly so,” you agreed but the air between you both was sticky with fondness. “Where’s my Christmas secret?”

Steve smiled and pulled into the Byer’s driveway, parking behind Nancy’s car, Eddie’s van and Hoppers cruiser, wondering how long he had left with you alone before one of the kids spotted you both through the window.

Bruce was awake and whining, recognising the house and hearing the noise from inside, the low music from the stereo, the yells of conversation between too many people at once.

“I love you,” Steve said simply, “like, way more than anyone else in the entire world.”

“The entire world, huh?” you said instead of crying, melting into the seat as Steve leaned over the console to you, lips meeting yours for a kiss that made your heart rate pick up. “That’s a lot of people to rule out.”

“Yeah, well,” Steve hummed against your lips, pressing tiny kisses anywhere he could. “We tried the world… or at least seven states in it —”

You snorted out a huff of laughter as Steve grinned, hiding your face in his shoulder as he kept up his kisses between words.

“— and I’m pretty fuckin’ sure you’re my favourite.”

You pressed a kiss to the boy's neck and sighed, too happy to wanna move. “Yeah?” Your voice was quiet and soft, and you didn’t need the reassurance, but it was lovely to have it anyway.

“Yeah,” Steve responded, pushing a kiss to the apple of your cheek before Bruce tried to squeeze his face between you both. “Just don’t tell Dustin.”

[magicspace114]

New faces - outside

"W-what do I do if I see another human?" Toby asked.

"Just stick close to me, I'll deal with everything, ok?" You said, taking their hand. Their hands were now hidden in gloves.

You had some difficulty finding shoes to fit over Toby's hooves and you had to stuff paper up into the front of the shoe so it could be filled out. Their tail and horns were easily hidden under clothes but their snout protruded a little and you had to find a bulky enough scarf to cover it.

"Everything ok? Nothing too uncomfortable?" You asked.

"No, I'm fine," Toby said. It was going to be colder outside so you were happy that a lot of your solutions to hide their alien features was piling on the layers. "Do we have to go outside?"

"Well, I don't want to leave you here on your own and I need to go out to get more food and things for you."

"Ok," Toby sunk into your side, hugging your arm to them.

You smiled at that. They were already getting close to you. "You'll be ok. We won't be out for long and there shouldn't be too many people around at this time." You put on your own coat, grabbed your bag and keys and headed out, leading them out with you.

You were in a rather quiet apartment complex so you got them down to the car park and into your car with no incident. While driving though, you caught them sitting up by the window, staring at the sights that went by.

You chuckled, "put your seat belt on, Tobs, we don't need you going flying if I need to brake suddenly." You reached over to pull at the seat belt.

"How does it work?" Toby asked.

You pulled over to the side of the road on realising you'd need to help the alien out. "Here," you pulled the belt over, "click it in here. To undo, you just need to press this red button here." You pointed it all out for them.

"May?" Toby asked.

"Yeah?"

"Are all humans like you?"

You sighed, "no. We're all very different from each other. I don't think a lot of them would be as calm about finding out about you as I was."

"Why were you so calm?"

"I was a bit tired in general," you chuckled, "also you knocked yourself out before I could really panic and by then, I wasn't really afraid of you."

Toby blushed at that, "I-I didn't-"

"The dent in my wall proves it," you smirked.

"Hmph," Toby turned away, crossing their arms. You just laughed and started driving again. The car was quiet as you drove up to the grocery store and though there was traffic, Toby just ducked their head when a car passed by.

The grocery store was empty like expected. You found a parking space close to the store but away from other cars. You looked at Toby now, "welp, we're here. Do you need any help getting out?"

"Um, I think I got it," Toby undid their seat belt like you'd shown them and turned to the car door.

"That handle right there," you pointed out, "just pull it then push the door open." Toby did as instructed then hopped out, prancing triumphantly about doing so. You chuckled and followed suit. "Ready?" You held your hand out.

"Ready," Toby grabbed it, heading back to your side but with more energy.

"Let's do this."

The doors opened and Toby's eyes widened at the shelves and shelves of food out in front of them. They left your side to peek at some things while you grabbed a basket.

"May! May! What is this?!" They picked up the biggest watermelon of the pile.

You just laughed, "that's a watermelon. Want to try it?"

"Can I?"

"Not here. We gotta buy it first. Put it in the basket," you nodded to the basket. Toby put it in and already you were starting to regret going for the basket and not the trolley. The watermelon was heavy and you haven't even made it into the first aisle yet.

"Ok, now lets look for things you might like." You led them first to the fridges where things like spinach or lettuce would be and picked up a package of those. "Green leafy plants, right?"

Toby nodded, "yeah and Pola."

"I'll get a fresh loaf from the bakery at the back. They always smell nice." You smiled, "how about some milk while we're here?"

"What's milk?"

"It's uh..." you paused, "you know what? I don't want to explain what milk is." You picked up some more strawberries too while there.

You went around many of the aisles, looking at different things. If seeds were ok for Toby to ingest, you figured many grains would be fine and added some cereals and peanut butter. Toby looked at it curiously as you put it in the basket without a word.

"What's peanut butter?" They asked.

"Trust me, you're gonna like it. Oh, maybe some jams too." You thought, "if you're ok with fruit."

"Yeah," Toby smiled, growing more excited by the nearly full basket. It was growing even heavier and your arms were screaming at you for it. "Can I help? If it's too heavy, maybe I could carry it for a while."

"It's alright," you said, "I'm ok. I just need to set it down for a while." You put the basket down and shook out your arms.

Toby tried to lift the basket and couldn't even get it off the ground. "Wow, you can lift that? That's so heavy! How do you manage that? Are all humans that strong?"

"Nah, I'm just buff." You smiled, flexing your noodle arms.

Toby just stared at you for a while in silence. "What's buff?"

You sighed, "nevermind. Let's just pay for this stuff and get it home. We can always come back for more things." You picked up the basket again and headed to the check out to pay, deciding to avoid the human interactions by going to the self scanner.

Toby got the chance to help out by carrying a bag. You made sure only a couple heavy things were in it and the rest were light. It was a little heavy for Toby but they could manage.

On getting to your car, you noticed a huge, silver SUV parked up close to the driver's side of your car. It was far too close to open that side of the door.

"Great," you muttered as you saw someone sitting on their phone, leaning on the hood of the SUV. "Toby? Stay close to me, ok?"

"Why?" Toby asked, already sinking into your shadow. "Are they dangerous?"

"It's going to be ok, I'll handle it. Try to stay quiet and don't bring attention to yourself."

As you got closer, the person noticed you were there. "Hey, Flower." They walked up to you. If it was any other person, you wouldn't have thought twice about them getting between you and your exit.

It was a tall man, much taller than you or Toby wearing ripped denim jeans and jacket. He sported red hair and a rough beard with broad shoulders and a neck tattoo of some swirling snake. He had everything but the semi truck and accent. Perhaps next time you saw him, he'd be chewing a piece of barley.

You glared when he already got too close for comfort. "You don't call me that unless you want something," you said.

The man sighed, "I just want to talk."

"And I want to never see your face again," you said, "we can't always get what we want. I'm busy, right now."

"Five minutes."

"I'm kinda busy right now. Move your car."

"Five minutes, then I'll leave."

You put your bag down and took out your phone. "You get two minutes on the clock. After that, I'm heading home and putting these groceries away. I've got ice cream in here that I don't want to melt." You pressed start on the timer, "go."

"I know we ended things badly and I want to say, I'm really sorry for how things ended up. I just want a second chance. I promise, I'll never do it again and I know you feel similar, right?"

You raised an eyebrow, "how so?"

"Well, you dropped the charges."

"That is such a low bar, does that really constitute interest in your mind?" You scoffed.

"Look, May, let me make it up to you." He stepped towards you and you tensed up, stepping back and remembering Toby behind you when you stepped into them. Their hands twisted in your coat now as they hid.

"Fredrick," you said in a low tone that immediately made the man freeze.

His face twisted into hurt. "Why?" He asked.

"We are done. I'm done with you. If you come near me again, I'm filing for a restraining order."

"May!" The man grabbed your arm, "I won't just give up on us." Toby made a startled noise that sounded like a muffled bleat and suddenly your blood boiled and breath became hot like you were breathing out fire.

"Well I have," you hissed, "now get your damn hand off me before it leaves another mark!" You stepped towards him now, twisting your wrist away.

The timer went off on your phone and you managed to dislodge yourself from Freddy. By now, you were on the offensive. You couldn't see Toby but you could feel them trembling behind you. You wanted to end this conversation, quickly.

"Get back in your car and leave. We don't need me having to call my dad or big brother to pick me up because you blocked me in, do we?"

"No ma'am," Freddy grumbled, backing away now.

"Good." You stood straight, watching as the man got back into his car and inched back, freeing your side of the car. He still sat in his car behind yours. "He wants to be a trucker so badly." You looked back at Toby and smiled softly, "let's get these bags in the car and go." Toby didn't say anything, they just nodded.

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[thefreaksrunthisshow]

I Promise

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson (Steddie)

Genre: Friends to Lovers, Fluff

Warnings: Trauma, PTSD, Flashbacks, Cursing, Reliving Near Death Experiences, Nightmares, Confusing reality with past events, Some pretty heavy stuff so DNI if that triggers you!

Summary: The Upside Down almost killed Eddie, but he survived, and he's been unconscious for one year now. Upon reawakening, he discovers Steve has been by his side the whole time waiting for him. Even as Eddie reveals his secrets of experiencing nightmares and PTSD from the events, Steve stays by his side and continues to support him.

Word count: 3,142

Masterlist

Eddie opens his eyes his vision fuzzy for a moment before it finally comes into focus several rather hard blinks later. He glances down at his body to see he is lying in a hospital bed with lots of wires attached to various points of his body.

“It’s about time you woke up,” a gentle voice to his left says. Feeling a light squeeze on his left-hand Eddie glances down to see that a hand is intertwined with his. Following the arm up to find its owner, he lets out a small gasp, which quickly turns into a pained smile as he recognizes the hand’s owner.

“Steve?” Eddie asks, his eyes trailing to his head and then to the window behind him. “This isn’t Hawkins,” he mumbles at the sight of a bustling city with neatly planted trees along the sidewalks, and roads full of backed-up traffic.

“Good eye,” Steve jokes, letting out a soft chuckle, his thumb drawing soft circles on the back of Eddie’s hand. “We aren’t in Hawkins anymore, Ed. Well, actually Hawkins kind of – doesn’t exist – anymore.”

Eddie attempts to sit up but realizes he can’t. “What’s this about?” he asks, wiggling his right arm which happens to be handcuffed to the rail of the bed.

“Oh, that,” Steve glances down at the handcuff and gives Eddie a sheepish grin. “It’s a safety measure.”

“Am I going to jail? I – I thought we could find a way to clear my name, Steve! You know I didn’t kill anyone!” Eddie’s heart pounds and he felt like he might throw up as he begins trying to free himself from Steve’s grip on his hand and from the handcuffs as well. “Come on man! Let me go! I gotta get out of here before they come for me and haul me off! Steve, please!” Eddie pleads.

“Ed! Eddie! Relax!” Steve exclaims, holding down Eddie by his shoulders being careful to not put too much force on him in his current frail state. “You’ve been cleared of all charges.”

“I – What?” Eddie’s heart rate begins to slow down, and he stops trying to fight back. Slumping onto the bed again his eyes find Steve’s. “So, what’s the deal with this then?” he questions pulling his right arm so that the handcuffs hit the metal bed rail with a clink.

“When we went back for you something weird happened, Ed. Y- You were dead, but you also weren’t dead, somehow a part of you was still clinging to life. So, we rushed you to the nearest hospital outside of Hawkins, this one in fact. We didn’t give them a name or anything but soon enough it came out that you were suspected of murder. The police came but the hospital’s policy said they couldn’t release you because you were in a coma and needed treatment still. That bought us some time.” Steve sighs. “Long story short, the Upside Down revealed itself in Hawkins, caused mayhem, and in the process, it proved you were innocent. After all, you couldn’t murder people when you were in a coma, right? We managed to evacuate the whole town and seal off all the gates, but in the process, Hawkins was destroyed.”

“Okay. But you still haven’t answered my handcuff question, Harrington.”

“Well,” Steve pauses, “we’ve never dealt with anyone coming back from the dead before, not like this anyway. We wanted to be sure you weren’t going to come back as a zombie or some shit.”

Eddie can’t help it; he starts laughing uncontrollably tears streaming down his face as he pulls a stitch in his side. “I’m going to eat your brain for assuming such a thing, Steve!” He begins rambling “Brains! Brains! Give me your brains! I must eat!” and snarls like an animal. The act has Steve hunched over with laughter.

“Eddie! God! Cut it out, man!” Steve chuckles, lightly slapping Eddie on the arm with a light pink blush settled across his cheeks.

“Let’s buzz the nurse, they will want to know you’re awake and I’m sure they have a lot of tests to run to ensure you are all good so they can remove that nice new accessory on your wrist.”

~~~

Eddie soon discovers that he’s been unconscious for a whole year and a lot of shit went down during that time. Steve does his best to inform him of details whenever they arise instead of just pumping him full of new information all at once and overloading him. Plus, it’s better he doesn’t know all the details about some things anyway. Eddie appreciates how gentle and calm Steve is with answering all his questions and filling him in on the information he needs to know. 

Uncle Wayne, Nancy, Robin, and all the kids come to visit Eddie in the hospital as often as they are able. Wayne keeps asking Eddie if he’s going to move into their nice new place down the street courtesy of the government to cover up all the stuff that went down in Hawkins but Eddie’s not so sure he wants to. Steve has asked him to live with him at his apartment while he continues to recover and the thought of that makes his heartbeat just a bit faster and brings a warm glow to his cheeks. He’s sure Steve has noticed, but he doesn’t mind; Eddie likes to wear his heart on his sleeve, a near death experience can do that to someone.

Through chats with his Uncle Wayne, Eddie discovers that Steve has scarcely left his side the whole year and had stayed countless nights in the hospital pleading with Eddie’s lifeless body to wake up. Wayne tells him that he doesn’t know this Steve guy, but Eddie better not fuck up whatever is going on between them because he seems like a keeper. Eddie smiles and agrees that Steve is one in a million and he promises to hold onto him and treat him right.

As Eddie begins rehab, Steve continues to stay by his side, arranging his work schedule around Eddie’s rehab schedule so he can be present for all of Eddie’s milestones. He’s there while Eddie relearns many of the fundamental things he once took for granted. Steve never stops cheering him on and showing him that he is there for him and that he believes in him.Three months of rehab later, Eddie is cleared to be discharged from the hospital. He must admit that he’s rather nervous to see how much the world has changed in the year he’s been gone but he’s also excited. It’s like he’s been reborn; he’s been given a second chance. 

Due to his bravery and his sacrifice Eddie was given an honorary high school diploma. While part of him wishes he could have had one more chance to graduate on his own, he would never dare turn down the generosity. Who knows how many more years it would have taken him to get his shit together enough to graduate on his own? He cringes at that thought; he’s ready to put his past behind him and start new. Well, almost all his past anyway. Eddie refuses to let go of his newfound family in Steve, Robin, Nancy, and of course, the kids as well. Most of the rest of the shit he’s been through, specifically concerning that place (he refuses to say the name of it anymore and those closest to him respect his wishes and do not dredge up the past), he’d rather forget, and he does his best to do so. But sometimes, the trauma slips up on him when he’s alone and he has hope that it will ease with more time.

“So, you get to leave tomorrow son. What are your plans? My place is always welcome to you, you know,” Wayne says as he sits down on the edge of the hospital bed beside Eddie.

“I know,” Eddie sighs. “I think I’m going to move in with Steve. He’s asked several times and I know he will be more able to help care for me right now.”

Wayne puts a hand on Eddie’s shoulder and pats him gently. “Nice choice, Ed. Call me if you ever need anything and I’ll be there, I swear. Don’t forget about your uncle.” 

“I’ll do one better than just call; I’ll be sure to visit often.” Eddie wraps his arms around Wayne’s neck, pulling him in for a hug.

They say their goodbyes for the time being while Steve slips into the room, his eyes darting back and forth between the two as he takes a seat in the corner, his leg bouncing uncontrollably. He quickly becomes consumed by his own thoughts as he daydreams about the impossible circumstance which is Eddie moving in with him.

“Why are you looking at me like that, big boy?” Eddie teases.

Steve snaps back to reality and realizes he had been staring at Eddie’s lips. Rolling his eyes and playing it cool Steve offers little insight into what he was thinking. “You gonna move in with him tomorrow I assume?”

Eddie shakes his head. “I’m coming home with you babe.”

Babe? Steve blushes at Eddie calling him that and he lets out a deep breath he didn’t know he was holding in. “Really?”

“Of course.”

Steve smiles wide and before he knows it, he’s jumped to his feet and subconsciously made his way over to the hospital bed, he knows what he wants to do but he doesn’t know if he has the courage. Eddie is a bit taken aback by his actions and props himself up on his pillows.

“Scoot over, Ed.”

Eddie swallows hard and does as Steve says, sliding over in the small hospital bed to make room for Steve who climbs in next to him. Steve gently lifts Eddie’s head and places his arm under it before pulling Eddie close enough that his head is lying on his chest, their legs intertwined. Using his other hand, Steve rubs small circles on Eddie’s back as he relaxes into his touch and snuggles closer.

“I am so glad you didn’t die, Ed. I – I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Steve mumbles into Eddie’s hair.

Looking up at Steve with his big chocolate eyes Eddie smiles. “That makes two of us.”

~~~

A week later Steve and Eddie are still tiptoeing around the events that occurred in the hospital bed the day before Eddie’s release. Both boys feigning innocence when Wayne returned the next morning to help with Eddie’s discharge and found them fast asleep in each other’s arms. Wayne doesn’t know why they won’t both accept their feelings and make things official, but they’ve both been through some shit, perhaps they just need more time.

Eddie has since moved in with Steve into his small two-bedroom apartment. Much to Eddie’s surprise, Steve had been fixing up the spare room for him for a while, outfitting it with some posters of his favorite bands, some D&D figures, a few new dice sets, and various other items that reminded him of Eddie. Everything stuck to one color scheme: red and black. Not having the heart in him to tell him that his favorite color isn’t actually red since Steve put so much work into it, Eddie decides that red is indeed his new favorite color and embraces it. Between Wayne bringing over his guitar and other personal items, the apartment has started to really feel like home.

The night that Eddie moved in Steve told him that he had kept the denim vest he had given him to wear that night and after digging around in his closet he pulls it out from where he had it stored in a keepsake bag to keep it in pristine condition. Eddie had almost attacked him with kisses and dropped to his knees right then and asked him to marry him, feigning his kneel to tie one of his shoelaces, which of course wasn’t untied in the slightest. Eddie noticed the deep red blush settling across Steve’s face and he mentally made note of the image to tuck it away for later.

Though life is looking up for Eddie, he still struggles with PTSD concerning his near-death experience. For a while, he is able to hide his outbursts in the middle of the night from Steve but one night proves all too much and he finds himself outside of Steve’s bedroom door at 3 am. A particularly severe nightmare had woken him tonight and he knows he can’t be alone. Everything in his body is telling him to run away, to pretend that everything is okay and that he is recovering, but Eddie is tired of running from both his past and his feelings toward Steve. His arm hovers in midair as he contemplates knocking on Steve’s door before the ‘fuck it’ runs through his mind and instead he yanks the door open and waltzes in like he owns the place. He’s been in Steve’s room plenty of times before but tonight feels different.

Steve is still peacefully asleep with a string of drool running out the side of his mouth. Eddie smiles at how cute he looks sleeping there for a moment before a flashback begins to violently ripple through him. Dropping to the ground as the demon bats begin to tear into his skin repeatedly, he bites down on his hand, tasting the blood as it begins to trickle out. This is the first time he’s experienced something like this while awake though the memories often plague his dreams. He tries his best to stifle his screams so he doesn’t wake Steve, but he soon realizes the pain is too much and it overcomes him.

Eddie lets out an ear-piercing scream followed by several strings of curses as he writhes in pain on the floor trying to escape from his imaginary attackers. Though he knows what he is experiencing isn’t real, it doesn’t help ease the pain in the slightest. His grip on reality continues to fade by the second as he continues to slip deeper into his mind, reliving the events that almost took his life.

The shrieks of Eddie stir Steve from his slumber; he jumps to his feet and runs over to him, kneeling and placing a gentle hand on him to try and get Eddie to stop convulsing around on the floor but it’s no use. Eddie’s eyes are unfocused, and he’s clearly not present at the given moment. Steve’s not exactly sure what is happening, but he knows something is really wrong.

“ED! WHAT’S GOING ON?” Steve frantically screams, straddling Eddie to keep him still so he doesn’t hurt himself with all his thrashing. “Please, Ed! Please be okay!” he pleads, tears beginning to well in his eyes.

As suddenly as it started, Eddie soon ceases his movement and his eyes slowly come back into focus, blinking as they find Steve on top of him, his wide eyes staring down in a mix of concern and shock with tears streaming down his face.

“Eds! Are you okay? Can you hear me?” Steve says gently, climbing off Eddie to sit next to him on the floor. He reaches out a hand to push his curls out of his face.

“I’m about as far from okay as I can be,” Eddie mummers as the tears begin to fall. He pulls his knees to his chest and curls up into a ball on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

The moment Steve picks Eddie up and puts him in his lap, he doesn't think twice about it. Keeping Eddie close to his chest, he gently plays with his hair as he snuggles into the crook of his neck. Steve whispers reassuring words into Eddie's ear, kissing his hair lightly as he rocks back and forth a bit. “You can talk to me about it, you know that Ed,” Steve says gently.

Eddie nods knowingly; he isn't sure if his words will come out, but he is damn sure he will try to tell Steve what he has been going through. In tears, he recounts the details of the night and how he just relived the worst experience of his life, then he reveals what he's been hiding from Steve. Continuing to spill his guts, he tells Steve about his nightmares, flashbacks, and how his memories have begun to bleed into his everyday life. In the meantime, Steve pays attention closely to Eddie, giving him his full attention. It's not anger he feels, but an intense desire to protect his loved one that he feels as he stares into those chocolate button eyes, losing himself in the moment of their intimate closeness as Eddie’s secrets are finally revealed.

While barely uttering a word, Steve carries Eddie to his bed and tucks him in, giving him a glass of water from his nightstand to sip as he sits on the bed beside him. Choking on the water but forcing it down to provide some relief to his sandpaper-like throat, Eddie chugs the whole glass.

“You’ve been having nightmares this whole time?”

Eddie nods.

“Why didn’t you come to me before?”

“I didn’t wanna bother you,” Eddie shrugs.

“Honey, you are never a bother to me. You are always welcome to sleep with me in my bed.” Facepalming as he thinks about his last words, Steve pauses, his face turning a deep shade of red. “Shit, I – I didn’t mean it like that. I meant if you ever need to, ya know, not be alone at night – Fuck. That doesn’t sound any better does it?”

Eddie starts laughing uncontrollably; he just can’t help it. “Come on, baby. I think you wouldn’t mind that either,” he winks with a shit-eating grin on his face as his usual joker personality slowly begins to return to him as the after shock of his episode fades.

“I – Eddie!” Steve playfully slaps his arm and rolls his eyes.

“Come on Stevie. We both know there’s no way in hell I’m sleeping alone tonight.” Patting the edge of the bed, Eddie scoots over to make room for Steve who quickly jumps in beside him.

As Steve takes Eddie into his arms and stares into his warm brown eyes, he whispers in Eddie's ear, "You won't ever have to sleep alone again." Darting his gaze down, he leans forward and takes a deep breath before capturing Eddie's lips. His lips part slightly as Eddie gasps into his mouth, relaxing and deepening the kiss.

While blinking hard, they pull back from the kiss, analyzing the other's expression. Neither of them is surprised to see that the other's face is written only with love and compassion. They realized at that moment they had wasted a lot of time tiptoeing around their feelings.

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

[bikepackinguk]

Day Eighty-eight

My alarm was snoozed until 8am this morning after the long day yesterday, and I enjoyed a nice lazy start to getting aet for the day ahead. It's what Sundays are for!

Gotta get moving eventually though! Out from the trees and onto the road at Severn Beach, it's time to get going south.

Rolling through the pretty little town, it's on to the big Severn Road past the industrial estates around Chittening. With it being the weekend, the roads aren't too heavy with traffic, and there's some nice cycle paths alongside to allow me to leisurely roll along, including a lovely ride through some leafy green areas.

I keep on following the paths round the big roads to reach Avonmouth, and after navigating around the big motorway interchange I head up and over the bridge to cross the River Avon as it exits into the channel.

I've ridden parts of this stretch in years past, including heading over the tall bridge, so it's some pleasant nostalgia seeing the views from up on high here.

Down the other side of the river, it's on to the cycle route as it threads its way around the outskirts of more industrial estates, but the path is well sheltered by hedges and forests and makes for a nice ride despite the series of 90 degree turns.

After heading through some more nice parkland away from traffic, the trail heads into Portishead, where I have a quick break to restock on water before passing the marina and slogging up the hills around the shoreline.

What begins as some rolling climbs around the coast turn into a long heavy ascent as I head further round, before getting onto some quieter roads to roll down past fields and golf courses into Clevedon.

Whilst not as lousy with climbs as Portishead, Clevedon's green and lush surroundings still require a good bit of effort as I head up around the north of town to eventually zoom down along the shoreline to stop off at the beach.

Whilst the rain has held off so far today, the wind coming up the Bristol Channel is fairly stiff, and the water around the pier is being put to good use by the local sailing club, with the benches along the seafront filled with onlookers. I join them for awhile to enjoy a great view of the Welsh coast back across the water.

From Clevedon, there's no immediate through road around the coast proper except the motorway, which is of course inaccessible by bicycle. Fortunately, I'd been pondering a slight detour here which now turns out to be a valid course round.

So, out from Clevedon I head on through the nice level fields and down to Yatton, where I jump onto the great Strawberry Line cycle trail. This is another route I have ridden a few times in the past, and it's great to be back on it once more as it carries me south along the old former rail line.

Through more fields and paddocks the trail leads on, with some good flat terrain making for easy riding. I have a brief stop to help a family with a loose saddle, and rode past the Thatchers cider or hards before arriving at the edge of the Mendip Hills in Sandford.

I have a short spell on the A368 past some nice cottages and farmhouses to roll into Banwell, before heading off the busier road to start tracking up to my next stop - Weston-super-Mare.

One advantage to the motorways crowding the region here is that they are often heavily lines with patches of trees around junctions and towns to lessen their noise pollution, and it's no exception here as the M5 goes around the east of Weston-super-Mare. And like last night's location, it makes for a great spot to camp up for the night where I shouldn't be disturbed.

It's an earlier finish for me today than usual, but I'm happy to give myself a gentler day for a change. Plus I have a few bits I want to pick up in town tomorrow, which starting nearby will make very convenient.

In the meantime, I have a nice cup of tea on the go, and can enjoy a good lie down for the evening.

TTFN!

[backburnerdio]

TB: Excerpt #9 — Homesick

Part 2 of this piece cw: language Words: 1294 Taglist: @irnalia, @waysofink, @ashen-crest, @spacetimewraithwrites, @dustylovelyrun, @idreamonpaper, @abalonetea, @jaimistoryteller, @kaiusvnoir, @writeouswriter, @reininginthefirewriting, @concealeddarkness13, @athenixrose, @asomeoneperson, @winterandwords (Please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed)

“Hey...” There was an extended pause from Garnet on the other end of the call. In the silence of three a.m., Beau could hear the muffled shuffling, a shaky exhale, a clicking swallow. Beau huddled in the barracks of the repair ward, arms wrapped around his knees. “I miss you.”

Two weeks since the search-warrant-gone-wrong that landed Garnet in the hospital. Two weeks in repair. Two weeks without visitors.

“Which is probably not what you expected when you called. Or what you called for. Maybe you’re just testing connections or equipment or something,” Garnet began to ramble and Beau disconnected from the charger and system monitor to get dressed. “But I do. I miss you, and what happened really fuckin’ scared me. And, like, even though I’m talking to you on the phone, I still miss you. I’m still scared I might lose you.”

Beau knew Auditors would find out he was missing eventually, but not until morning. That would be later’s problem. He slipped out of the labs, sneaking down the back stairwell to one of the back doors Auditors used for smoke breaks.

“I shouldn’t have taken us in there. I was too caught up in finally getting rid of that fucker, I was blind to the fact I was putting you in danger. Severe fucking danger. You’re always telling me to slow down and I never listen.” He rambled on, groaning at his own incompetence. Beau stood on the sidewalk, bundled in the jacket as he checked up and down the street for traffic before hurrying across the road to board the tram.

There was another, heavy exhale from Garnet.

“I gotta be honest with you, Beau,” his voice became thick as if he were trying not to cry. “I think about you a lot. All the time, actually. Like, I thought quitting smokes was tough –trying to quit thinking about you takes the fuckin’ cake. Lemme tell you. It’s you. It’s just always you. You’re like some tattoo I got in my mind. Your plants are here, your jacket’s here –it’s like you’re everywhere except right here.”

Beau noticed someone else on the tram staring. It was then he realized he was smiling like an idiot from beneath the jacket’s hood. Keeping hold of the stanchion, he turned away from them, pretending to adjust an earbud.

“And I probably shouldn’t have called. Maybe it’s the pain meds making my jaw loose, but I have done the silent and stoic route before and it’s not worth it. I’ve got regrets about not saying things to people before I lost them. And I know because of that I’m probably no good at it, but I just had to tell you. I’m sorry and I miss you something fierce. I hope you’re okay. I hope I haven’t fuckin’ scared you.”

|I’m okay,| Beau assured, getting off at his stop. |And you? Are you okay?|

“I sound that bad, huh?”

|You sound like you need a hug.| He hurried up the apartment steps.

“You are so mean to me, and I deserve it,” Garnet chuckled.

|But are you okay?| Beau paused at the door, systems protesting so much movement, HUD complaining about a myriad of reasons.

“I’ll be alright…”

|Alright enough to come to the door?| he waited a moment before knocking.

“What?” There was shuffling on the line, a clatter and it was moments later when Beau heard him through the door he realized the phone had been dropped. He ended the call, smiling as Garnet pulled the door open. He was cluttered from head to toe in bruises and bandages. There was stubble growing on his face, bandages plastered across his brow, shoulders, thigh, and side from stitches and bruised ribs. One arm was wrapped in a sling, giving him almost a hunched stature as he stood there gaping at Beau on his doormat.

He braced his good arm against the door jamb, hobbling out with his tender leg, pulling Beau into a tight, one-armed hug. Beau caught him, gratefully leaning into him, arms wrapping about his middle. Garnet pressed his face into the shelf of Beau’s shoulder, keeping hold of him.

“You alright?” his soft voice was muffled into Beau’s shirt.

“Yeah,” Beau smiled. “You?”

“Am now,” Garnet finally leaned back, scanning him over.

“You look like shit,” Beau laughed brightly to keep from tearing up.

“Pot, meet kettle,” Garnet tugged him in, closing the door behind them. “You know, I didn’t mean to make you feel like you had to come over. Aren’t you still in for repairs?”

“Well, not right now,” he couldn’t stop the smile at the technicality.

“I noticed, smartass,” Garnet chuckled, wincing as he hobbled over to the couch to sit. Beau followed, frowning at his condition as he sat down beside him. “It’s probably the meds. I wasn’t trying to guilt trip you into coming over. You could get into trouble. I don’t want—”

“Jaime, I came over because I wanted to,” Beau interrupted,. “I’m just waiting on parts anyway, I much rather wait here with you because, well, you’re right. I miss you too. I think about you a lot. I guess because I like you.” The worry in Garnet’s face twisted into confusion.

“After all that?” he blurted. “I-I almost get us killed and that’s what you’ve gotta say?”

“C’mon, you don’t really think that was your fault,” Beau pressed. “That was Benton being a monster. Not you.”

“It was my idea to go in there. You’re the one who said we should have waited for backup. And -and that doesn’t even cover the way things started out. I’ve always fucked around and been terrible with you. I never really apologized for that, so let me start there. I’m sorry for the shit I put your through in the beginning.”

“Garnet—”

“And if, if you really feel this way I can’t help but think that I’ve tricked you. Because –hold on, lemme finish, because I know you’re still figuring a lot of this out. You’re still learning about yourself, not to mention the fucked up society that is humans. No way I should be your first choice.”

“But it’s my choice,” Beau interrupted, “I chose you, Garnet. A while ago. And we’ve done plenty of stupid, dangerous shit before and it’s never made me reconsider. That’s what I like about you. You’re real with me. I care about you because you treat me like a person—"

Garnet gently pressed a hand over Beau's mouth, hesitating to speak and barely whispering when he finally did.

“Please stop talking for a second,” he asked, and Beau immediately complied. He sat there patiently, nervously, trying to prepare for Garnet’s reaction. "A while ago?" he echoed a little louder. "How long ago was awhile?"

“When we went out drinking and you got wasted,” Beau answered before the hand moved away. Garnet slouched back against the couch. “I tried not to. I was… panicking a little bit. But I couldn’t help it.” He didn’t expect Garnet to start laughing, worried at first he’d embarrassed himself. But Garnet leaned over, letting his temple rest against Beau's shoulder, hand falling away.

"I did too," he confessed. Neither of them said anything for a few more moments while they got comfortable on the couch. He let his power-saving systems kick in, almost missing what Garnet said. “Glad you’re okay,” he whispered heavily.

The apartment was still and quiet, and it wasn’t long until his breathing evened out in sleep. And for a long time, Beau listened. He’d been fully aware of how close he’d come to losing Garnet. That tonight could have been very different, if it had ever existed for either of them at all.

[gamesimp]

Mr American Pie-A Mafia 3 Fanfiction (Donovan X Reader) (Part 1)

Main Plot: This is a Mafia 3 Fanfiction. Set in 1972. I, a South Vietnam Migrant in New Bordeaux relying on crime and working as a waiter at Vitos Restaurant for money. Lincoln asked me, his close friend is asked to let his other close friend, (John Donovan) stay at my house while Lincoln settles some things.

Note: This story is gay so if you're not into this, dont read it. My first time writing a serious one so it might be a bit amateurish, have a few grammatical and typing errors, and story loopholes. And yes, the title is based on the 1971 song American Pie by Don McLean. (I suck at titles so I borrowed it)

Warnings: racism, homophobia, language, me/you/MC being crazy psycho knife dude(IDK if I Should continue with the smut in a few chapters later)

  I was passed out drunk on my couch in the living room. The radio playing "End Of The World" By Skeeter Davis was accompanied by the noise of my snoring.

The phone rang making me jump up and grab the handgun placed on the side table and aimed it all over as a result of my PTSD and Depression from the Vietnam War. I immediately placed the gun down and picked up the phone.

"Hello? Oh Lincoln brother how can I help?"

I sleepily asked on the phone.

"A friend will be staying over? Who ya say it is? Joe Donovin? Oh John Donovan... Oh he has a bunch of stuff? Ok I got it!"

I prepared the bedroom and I have decided to sleep on the reclining chair or the couch while he visits. I sang along as I fixed the room John would be staying in which was the only bedroom in the house, my bedroom. And I cleaned the basement where he would place the equipment he would bring over. The doorbell suddenly rang. I opened the door, leaned on the door jamb and crossed my arms and legs.

"Ya' John Donovan?"

"Yeah, you're Lincoln's friend right?"

"Yeah, im (M/N), I already know you because Back in Vietnam, Lincoln talks to me about you, but somehow we never met before."

"Same for me here, and right, he mentioned about you so much yet we've never met. So where am I gonna put all of my stuff by the way?"

"My car is in the garage so, we need to put your stuff in the basement."

  I watch him put his things up while helping him arrange the stuff. I could barely keep my eyes off of him. I decided to just take a few glances every few minutes worried he would think I'm a creep.

"Mind if I took my coat off? Im fucking sweating!" He asked me.

"G- go ahead..." I agreed. He slowly took his brown coat off revealing his sweaty, white, dress shirt.

"You can also roll up your sleeves by the way." I happily suggested.

"He unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up as i told him.

After we finished, I was surprised he started working as soon as we got everything set up.

"You ain't gonna rest first?"

I asked him worrying about how he would start working 3 in the Morning

"No, I just need some coffee then I'll get going."

He said so that I wont worry about him anymore.

"I'll leave for a while then come back later. If you gotta leave, the keys are just on the table next to the couch."

I told him before going out for a drive in my 2 and a half year old AMC Rebel Sedan. It is the best car ive owned but still, I miss my old Vespa back in Saigon. Nothing's better than weaving through the heavy traffic while cars have to wait in the traffic jams then suddenly switching to the tight, rough, and watery village roads where I grew up.

That night, I decided to visit my current girlfriend.

I knocked at her apartment but another man in his underwear answered instead of her.

  "Jess, who... is this guy right here?"

The man confusedly asked my girlfriend.

"Oh, I- Im sorry..."

My current girlfriend stammered.

"Jessie!!! What the FUCK!?"

I screamed in anger realising she cheated on me again!

"You know what, I am just done dating a loser Vietnamese like ya!"

"Loser?"

I asked just right before i kicked her new boyfriend and beat him up breaking his shoulder and his left leg. He groaned as he laid on the ground with bruises all over and a small wound on his nose.

"I am calling the cops!"

I simply darted away in my car before the cops could arrive. I drove to a bar and took a few shots. I drove back home hoping I could finally rest.

  I arrived back home and John was sitting on the couch listening to a wiretap. I stumbled towards my recliner before taking a seat and reclining it.

"Dude, are you ok?"

Donovan asked me worriedly.

"Definitely!"

I sarcastically blurted.

"You seem..."

He looked into my eyes before he continued.

"Heartborken?"

"What?!"

I snapped and he jumped up from the chair and ran towards Donovan and he ran to the front door. I chased him and pinned him against the door and warned him.

"Remind me again of how fucked up my state is right now? You'll see what I can do! I ain't finished recovering what happened to my family! Fuck, if I only onew those fuckers would go after them, I move here and still bad luck follows me! If I only knew they would go for them! Why not me!? Why didn't they kill me?!"

I cried as I tightly grasped Donovan's collar.

I sobbed. Then I let him go and went back to the couch to sleep.

Donovan checked on me for a bit, he stood by the end of my couch before going into the basement.

Donovan walked into the kitchen for a snack and all he saw was the sink full of dishes, snd the fridge full of nothing but a bottle of beer, a 2 week expired milk carton. He opened the carton only to be left retching because of the horrible stench.

"This smells worse than the fucking bayou!"

[atomic-thomas]

(Fake ASMR Commission) Watching The Solar Eclipse With Your Girlfriend

_______________________________________________

“Baaaaabe~ Wake up. Today is a very special day.”

…

“It’s April 8th. You know what that means, right?”

…

“The Solar Eclipse is today! God, we’ve been waiting so long for this. I’m ecstatic!”

…

“It doesn’t happen until the afternoon. At least where we are. So we have plenty of time before we gotta head out.”

…

“We’re almost in the Path of Totality, but not quite. We need to drive about an hour north & then we’ll be in it. It’s a privilege to be graced with such a time save. I feel bad for those who need to buy plane tickets. Imagine having to travel such a large distance just to witness an event that lasts mere minutes. That sounds ridiculous.”

…

“Yeah, I called off work. Like Hell I’m gonna miss this. I assume you did to. Otherwise, you probably wouldn’t have asked.”

“Anyway, we don’t have to go for another several hours so there’s no need to rush. Though I’d rather get all my routine stuff done ahead of time so nothing distracts me for the rest of the day. You should do the same.”

……….*some time later*……….

“Hey honey. You tested these eclipse glasses, right? They need to be NASA certified. Last thing we wanna do is go blind because you bought some schlubby pairs.”

…

“Hahaha~ I know I could’ve used the word ‘Shoddy’, but I just really wanted an excuse to say ‘Schlubby’. It sounds so funny.”

“But seriously. They work, right?”

…

“Okay, good. I’m surprised you were able to get your hands on them. These things sell out pretty quickly.”

…

“You bought the last pairs in stock. Well that’s lucky.”

…

“Right? These Solar Eclipse t-shirts are awesome! Even if it wasn’t April 8th, I’d wear them anytime. They just look so cool.”

“Speaking of cool, did you know that the temperature drops quite a bit when the moon covers the sun?”

…

“Well… Yeah. I’m sure that was obvious. But it’s not like it becomes frigid or anything. It’s just like… It became night time for a few minutes. Because that’s essentially what happens for that time.”

“There’s also some other cool things that happen. Like crescent shadows. While the sun is in the process of being eclipsed, all shadows get a crescent shaped quality to them. And because sunlight becomes more intense before totality, the shadows themselves become sharper & less blurry. It’s really cool.”

…

“Yep. Can’t forget the fact that it’ll look like the sun is setting from every horizon. That’ll look freaky.”

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot. I was keeping this a surprise until today. Check this out.”

…

“Tada! I baked eclipse cookies while you were at work the other day. Look at them. One half is vanilla & the other half is chocolate so they look like an eclipse. That’s cute, right?”

…

“Hehe~ We can snack on these while we’re out there just in case we get a little peckish.”

“Actually… Now that I think about it… We should probably head out early. I know the eclipse doesn’t happen for another several hours, but… There’ll probably be heavy traffic. I imagine the roads will be packed with people who also wanna see it.”

…

“Yeah, honestly… This is the right call. Let’s just go now.”

……….*some time later*……….

“Alright… This is a nice spot. An open field with no one else around. Just you… Me… & the celestial bodies.”

…

“To be honest, I’m surprised we’re the only ones out here. I guess everyone decided to settle for the local park. Not us though. We’re alone to enjoy this beautiful moment together. No distractions, no indecipherable chatter from hundreds of other people… Just peace & quiet.”

“This is so romantic. It’s like… A relationship moment, ya know? A highlight of our love.”

…

“Oh yeah. Today is also the day that Nintendo shuts down online functionality for the Wii U & 3DS. The exact same day as the eclipse. What a weird coincidence.”

…

“I mean… I can understand them shutting down the online services for their old systems. I imagine very few people use them. It costs money to keep up, there’s security risks… I get it. Companies gotta make wise financial decisions, ya know?”

…

“Yeah, let’s put on the glasses now. The moon should be passing in front of the sun any minute now. I’ve never worn eclipse glasses before. Wonder what it’s like.”

…

“Woah! This is weird. Everything is… Pitch black. All I can see is the sun.”

“Wow. I’m just… Looking directly at the sun. Straight up. And I feel fine. I’ve never been able to do that before. These glasses really work. The sun looks like an orange ball in the middle of a black sky. This is so trippy.”

…

“Oooooh! Look! The moon! The eclipse has started.”

…

“I can’t believe my eyes right now. It’s like the moon is slowly consuming the sun.”

…

“Oh, right. Let’s look at our shadows.”

“Haha! Oh My God, that’s so bizarre. Look babe. We’re crescent shaped. And the shadows are sharper at that. There’s noticeably less blur.

*start playing the sound of nighttime cricket ambience & keep it playing until specified stopping point*

“Woah, the crickets just started chirping. You think the eclipse is fooling them into thinking it’s becoming night time? They normally aren’t active this early.”

…

“Yeah, probably. That’s fascinating. I wonder how other creatures behave during a solar eclipse. I should do some research when we return home.”

“We’re almost in totality now. The moon has covered most of the sun. Look around, honey. The world’s lighting is all weird. It’s like it’s both day & night at the same time. Twilight one could say.”

…

“Ya know what’s really crazy about this? There are people flying in planes above us right now. I wonder what this looks like for them. At such a high altitude, they can easily see the moon’s shadow stretch over a hundred miles of land. Or a sea of clouds depending on the weather. I’m glad we have clear skies today. Otherwise, the only people who could actually enjoy the eclipse are those in planes above the clouds. Weather really could’ve ruined this special day. I’m so glad it didn’t.”

…

“Ooooooh! It’s happening! We’re completely in totality! Take off your glasses. We can look at the eclipse with our naked eyes now.”

“Wow… Incredible! It’s only the afternoon, but it looks like nighttime. We can even see the stars! It’s so spectacular!”

…

“Look at the ring of fire around the moon. We can actually see the sun’s corona. This is unreal.”

“Babe, I’m so happy right now! Happy that I get to share this amazing moment with you. This is the best day of my life!”

…

“Of course you think I’m prettier than the eclipse. That’s such a mushy thing to say. Hehe~ But thanks. I appreciate it.”

“The only sad thing about this is that it’ll end so soon. It’s such a rare event so it’s a shame that it only lasts a few minutes. Let’s enjoy it to the fullest in what little time we have.”

“Here’s another amazing thing about this. The sun is actually 400 times bigger than the moon, but it’s also 400 times further away. So they appear to be the exact same size in the sky. It’s a cosmic miracle.”

…

“You can see Venus. Oh yeah! So can I. It’s funny how the brightest star in the night sky isn’t actually a star at all. I wonder what causes Venus to glow so brightly. I imagine it likely has something to do with the planet’s various gasses in conjunction with the sun’s powerful light. It probably mixes in some specific way to give Venus it’s radiant shine.”

…

“Oh! Quick, put on your glasses. Totality is ending. Don’t wanna go blind.”

…

“Well… There goes the moon. The sun is starting to reveal itself once again. That was fun while it lasted.”

“The next solar eclipse that’ll happen in the United States won’t be until August 23rd, 2044. 20 whole years from now. Yikes. Good thing we caught this one. Otherwise we’d have to do some serious traveling to see eclipses sooner than that.”

*cricket sounds stop*

“Oh hey. The crickets stopped chirping. They must be so confused right now. Like… ‘Hey, what the heck? Why was it only night time for a few minutes? That doesn’t make any sense.’ Hehe~

“And with that, the moon’s shadow subsides making way for the light of day again. Such is life.”

…

“Yeah, for another few hours at least. Then it’ll actually be real night time.”

“Well… I guess that’s it then. Let’s head home.”

_______________________________________________

THE END

[theboysfromaustin]

November 13, 2004

“You're dumb.”

“I'm a genius.”

“You're dumb, you're gonna die, and dad Ian's gonna call you a moron at your funeral.”

“Nah,” Kazuo popped his skateboard up into his hand, surveying the Object of Danger - the curvaceous, steep road around Mount Bonnell.  Anders planted his feet on either side of his bike, “Did you ask to take this heavy piece of shit?” “That, my uncultured child, is a genuine Sony Betamovie.  And no.” “He's not gonna like that.”

“He'll forgive me, especially if I do -” “NO.” Kazuo bit his lower lip, watching a car go by, “Okay.  You're gonna follow me.  It's downhill, so we're gonna get speed.  Stay to one side so you can avoid cars.” “You getting plastered into the grill of a BMW will be what I show the paramedics.” “Oh my god, you have Ian's snottiness dialed up to 11.” “You love him, though.” “And I love you.” “Haha, you love me.  Gross.”

Kazuo dropped his board, placing one foot on it, “After this car, we go.” “What?” “And awaaaaaay we go!” Kazuo pushed off, heading down the road with a whoop.  “You fucking idiot!” Anders started the camcorder, pedaling fast to try and catch up to his nutcase dad.  Kazuo grinned, shooting the double bird to a van that narrowly missed him.

“Shit!” Anders groaned, sticking to the shoulder, worried about just how fast they were both going - a speed he internally described as “death awaits.”  Kazuo threw his head back with a deranged cackle, weaving back and forth.  He was already thinking of what song he'd dub over the footage to impress Ian, who thought he'd taken Anders off “to bond with him.”

Sort of.

I guess.

Anders was shocked this was going well.  They were getting close to 2222 though, and that worried him, “Hey!  You should pull up!  We're -” “I am unstoppable!  Traffic will part for -” Kazuo yelped as a squirrel darted into the road, and he cut hard to the left to avoid the rodent.  He bounced off a Mazda.  His board hit the curb, flipping Kazuo up, head over heels into a large shrubbery.

Anders pulled his bike up, “Smooth.” “Is the squirrel okay?” “You're dumb.”  Kazuo, upside-down, struggled to free himself, “Help.” Anders grabbed him by one arm, unceremoniously yanking his father from the shrubbery and onto concrete, “You're a mess.” “Did you get it?  Did I look cool?” “Like a gay Tony Hawk.” “Rad,” He shakily got to his feet, covered in scratches, bleeding, hair full of twigs and leaves.

He took a step, wincing, “Oooh.  Fucked that up.” “Well, we gotta walk back up to the car.” “I did not think this through.” “No shit, Sherlock.” “Are you still filming?” “Yup.” “You can stop.” Anders unstrapped the camera, holding it up, “Dad Ian, look at this creature you sleep with.” “Hiiiii, Ian!” Kazuo affected the most fey voice he could muster, “I love you, baby!  Kisses!” “Grab your board, numbnuts, we got a hike,” Anders turned the camera off and reattached it to his bike.

Kazuo limped along with him, “Why is this road so damn steep?” “Because it's Austin's half-assed, crappy mountain.  You're lucky you didn't get killed on 2222.” “Would have stopped before then.” “He's gonna freak out when he sees you.” “I know,” Kazuo paused to pull a leaf out of his nose, “Here, have a booger.” “You're so immature.” “I'll be dead before boogers aren't funny.”

They eventually arrived at Kazuo's beat to shit Toyota Tercel.  “Throw your bike into the back again,” Kazuo chucked his board, groaning as he settled into the driver's seat.  “You look like you got your ass kicked by the Jolly Green Giant.” “It's called fashion, sweetie, look it up.” “Oh my god, you're such a stereotype.” “Someone has to be.  I'm starving, you wanna go to Dan's?” “Dad Ian will be mad if we don't bring him something.”

“We'll get him a burger.  And fries.  And a shake,” Kazuo put the car in reverse, “Can't wait to see that footage.” “I can't wait for dad Ian to see it.  He'll probably start berating you in Welsh.” “I think he'll see the humor in it.” Anders leaned out the window, “This car smells like old beer and farts.” “And nobody will ever steal it.  And your distinguished father is guilty of at least half the stench.  Sometimes I think he's as evil as I am.  And I'm proud of him.”

“What's he doing, anyway?” “Think he's working on a case.” “Are relationships all just being weird and smelly, or is it just you two?” “I wouldn't know, he's my first,” Kazuo drummed on the wheel as they pulled up to the light at 2222.  “People at school don't believe half the shit I say about you two.” “I can come to school.” “Oh, that's not necessary.” 

Kazuo's phone rang, and Anders grabbed it, “Hey, dad.” “What are you two up to?” “Things…and stuff.” “That sounds ominous,” Ian pushed his chair back, standing and stretching, “You guys want lunch?” “Yeah, we were heading to Dan's.” Ian was halfway down the stairs already, “Meet you there.” Anders closed Kazuo's phone, “He's meeting us.  He's gonna love your new makeover.”

Ian stepped into Dan's, inhaling the delicious greasy aroma.

He stopped.

Kazuo grinned at him from a booth, covered in leaves and scratches, all bloodied up.  Ian approached, leaning in, speaking quietly, “What the hell?” “Hey baby.” “He lost a fight with a shrub.” Ian crossed his arms, “Did you order?” “Yeah.” Ian settled in, taking Kazuo's hands in his, “What delinquency are you involving our child in?” “Skating's not a crime.” “Where were you?” “Mount Bonnell,” Anders looked up as their number was called.

Ian swore in Welsh as he got up to grab the trays.  “He's gonna kill you.” “He won't.” Ian returned, setting the tray down, “Did you cause any property damage?” “One shrubbery.” “He bounced off a car.” Ian paused, burger halfway to his mouth, “Moving?!” “Stationary.” “Please don't get yourself killed,” Ian went quiet for a moment, “Are you two getting along?”

Kazuo slung one arm around Anders, “I love my little buddy.” “It's getting better, I think I like him,” Anders shoved fries into his mouth.  Ian relaxed.  The fact that they were all bonding as a family was a good sign.  “Be careful when you're skating.  We don't want any accidents.” “That sounds ominous.” “Creepy lawyer talk.”

Anders and Kazuo fist-bumped, grinning.

The bond was being forged.

[nie-rants]

2nd October 2023

A captured thief's tale.

Hello lads lads and loes (loes???😕) Living whores (what the???) I mean it's okay to be a whore as long as you not deliberately maliciously messing with someone's lives Whore lives matter!! (...) Let the whores live!! (now dear what's this about, the rant I mean the reason you're here) Oh yeah,😄 well first things first today's moi's birthday.(yay✨ me✨🎉) one year older every 2nd October (congrats honey🎉) uhm, thanks 😳. Anywho onto greater things, my last rant turned into my sob story extinensial crisis as a struggling queer in a extremely homophobic, traditional, "modern minded" country and how will I never find love. (With myself and others) And big news I think your girl might be bisexual, your girl also told someone outside her head and miss author said news (I'm proud of you nie🙂) 😳 but brighter things as I say I don't even remember when the last post was out up so miss editor and I decided to put dates at the top of the posts (I'm the editor can't believe that didn't come up earlier, I'm sorry guys) You were busy it wasn't your fault so stop it. Besides you suggested it before and like you always say what's done is done, Kay?? (Mmmm) so anyway I decided to add my struggles as a stuggling queer in a struggling country as a bit of a common thing. It wasn't intentional at first but then I decided to just do it since all my drafts addressed the issue in one form or the other.

Today I was like coming back home like at 7:30-ish from work, strolling cause I'm broke and my money isn't for ise unless I'm dying and my headphones broke so... While we're walking there's a thief and people are chasing said thief into a busy street (very busy for those of y'all who don't know nie lives in a border town of the country) yeah so like there are plenty of trucks that move along that road like big heavy petroleum tanks. And that road's been known as a black spot (an area where accidents commonly occur) and so you've gotta be extremely careful anywhere in it's vicinity even the pedestrian path. Back to the thief this guy ran straight into that traffic in hopes of escaping those in his pursuit but when that didn't work out (his pursuers also ran into the traffic) he went back to the pedestrian path but he was eventually caught. And as with all thieves caught here (as in her, nie's country) the norm is for the application of job justice. Mob Justice is common here in my country and most prefer it for someone caught red handed. Typically thieves were restrained and put through a tyre, poured on petrol and burnt alive. Yep you're hearing it right burnt alive, for stealing which is bad because the cause of this punishment (like that thing you were caught stealing) is often unknown to even your executors once you've been deemed a thief you have no chance of defense you can try to run to the police for help which is unlikely since (you're probably not Hussein Bolt) yeah it's like these people unleash their inner flash to get you, it's probably the end for you no matter your age (it's a pretty savage country no matter the pretty and pathetic picture it presents) but a few years back this had stopped. The mob justice executions had been getting out of hand so the heavy military hand had been applied. And in this instance today I assumed they would just grab the dude rough him up alittle and take him to the station which happened to be few blocks away. That's... not what happened, these guys didn't rough him up a little they started hitting him with the intention to KILL as I saw it at least. I voiced this out to my companions I was walking home withand they pretty much confirm that's the intention, one of the people mostly the crowd that had been assaulting the thief had been men, young and middle aged alike with the older ones unable to participate urging them on. To hit harder like what??? So like we keep moving cause the crowds started getting more hostile and no one wants to get caught in the crossfire but long story short this is fucked up.

This rant is so long so there will obviously be a part two to talk more by the subject because I'm definitely not done

Editors note: (Also forgive any of my mistakes my exams are around the corner so I'm kind of in a study break while I'm editing this)

To be continued... It's 10:47pm I'm tired I'll post part two soon bye. (Goodnight form miss editor)

[sagegreenizuku]

Hi I see that you did my request. Thank you so much, it was so good? Can you do a part 2 to a pervert taking a panty shot with Tendo, Daichi and Tsukishima.

what they do when they catch a perv looking up your skirt

ft. tendou satori, daichi sawamura, and tsukishima kei

content: feminine!reader, unconsensual inappropriate photo taking, swearing, angst

a/n: i’m glad you liked my first one! i appreciate you making another request. hope this one is just as good!!

tendou satori

the two of you had gone out to a local farmers market for no other reason than to pass time

there were stands lined up along either side of centre street, barricades on the end of the roads to stop any traffic from entering

many people were out today

older folks were standing in the shade, talking about the new gossip in town

plenty of children were running around, chasing one another

"man i wish i had that much energy right now" tendou says as he observes the children's bursts of energy

his arm was lazily slung around you, his arm heavy on your shoulders

it was far too hot out but you insisted the two of you went out since you two spent the last week hanging out in your air conditioned home

"it feels like the heat is sucking me dry"

before you could tease him about what he said, he cuts you off

"don't even. i know what you're thinking"

you two continue your leisure stroll, stopping occasionally to see some items that peaked either of your interests

you bought a few small things here and there for either of you

"y/n look! an ice cream shop!" tendou practically drags you over

"satori, you know you can't just pull me along like that. one of your steps is like five of mine. be considerate of my lil legs please and thanks"

"sorry" he lightly ruffles your hair before turning his attention to the menu of flavours in front of him, "you want your usual?"

you nod, smiling up at him

he always remembers what you order from all the different restaurants you two go to

"could i get two scoops of (your favourite flavour) and two scoops of tiger tail?"

tendou hands a bill over to the cashier

the cashier rings in your order and hands the change back to him

as he grabs it from them, a nickel slips between his fingers and falls onto the ground

you bend down and attempt to grab the coin, but it kept slipping when you tried to lift it

the flash of a camera suddenly goes off, startling you

you immediately stand up straight and turn on your heels to see the man behind you in line had taken a photo of you bent over

tendou had noticed what happened as well

his tall figure suddenly looms over you

"man that's gotta be real fucking embarrassing for you," his tone was cold

the man's face had become a vibrant shade of red

he held his phone behind his back, attempting to hide it from the both of you

tendou begins to spit insults at the man, destroying any ounce of self-confidence he had

the man stood there in shame, taking each word to heart

tendou leans towards the man, "i want to watch you delete her photo"

tendou's eyes shift to the man's arm that was hiding the phone

the man realizes he has no way out of the situation so he obliges

he reveals his phone and shows his camera roll

he shows himself deleting the photo completely off his phone forever

"i-i'm so sorry" the man bows in shame to tendou

"don't apologize to me. apologize to her" he nods his head in your direction

you stare at the man with a blank stare, not letting your emotions get the best of you

he gives you a sincere apology

you accept it without forgiving him

he didn't deserve any forgiveness for his actions

who knows who else he's done it to/plans to do it to

you just wanted him to be dealt with

"alright now fuck off"

the man bows one last time while spitting out apologies before scurrying out the shop

the workers in the shop check on you and refund you for your ice creams as an apology for what had happened

the two of you thank them for their kindness and continued on with your day out, trash talking the man for well over an hour

daichi sawamura

it was the first day of the training camp for the boys

you had gone along with them since you were their #1 supporter and were a massive help when it came to practice

karasuno was about to play against ubugawa

all of the boys were standing on their half of the court, ready to stretch

“y/n!” daichi calls for you while motioning for you to join them

you jog over

it was then you realized you were wearing a skirt

how’re you supposed to lead their stretches while in a skirt??

whatever you’ll manage

“alright let’s stretch our arms first” you begin to do an array of stretches, ensuring all the boys are warmed up and not about to risk any injuries

after a little while, you finally got to the stretch you were hesitant on demonstrating

if you do it fast enough no one will notice

plus it’s the other team that can see your back and they’re busy warming up so no one will see anything

“okay now bend at the waist and reach towards the ground” you swiftly bend over and press your hands to the floor for a few seconds before you straighten out, “you guys hold that”

you look out at all of the guys holding the stretch

a few of them make comments about the position they’re in

it was then you heard two unfamiliar voices talking about you

they were talking about your underwear

you turn to glare at them and were about to speak up before daichi appears outta nowhere

he also heard what they said and stood up so damn fast

his sudden movements caught the attention from the rest of the team

“you two are absolutely disgusting. how dare you violate y/n’s privacy like that” he walks over to them, standing face to face 

his expression was serious

you’d never seen him like this before

his demeanour had completely changed

daichi was pissed

both teams were now fully aware of the situation 

a few members from ubugawa ran over and forced the boys to apologize to you before removing them from the gym at once

 the coach of ubugawa informs you that he will be dealing a heavy punishment to those two

the punishment entails both of them being kicked off the team and some other things that involved their academics

you thank the coach for dealing with them appropriately

as you return to the karasuno boys, they all begin to ask if you were okay at once

noya and tanaka vow to beat their asses if they ever cross paths again

a few of the other boys agree with the two

their concern was absolutely heartwarming

knowing this group of idiots truly cared for you and would do anything for you was so reassuring

but what was even nicer was how daichi took care of you after the training

he managed to get his hands on your favourite desserts

probably by talking to the managers and persuading them to buy a few things on his behalf

anyways, he had set up a small picnic out in the field with your desserts and a large blanket

it was dark out and the stars were twinkling brighter than ever

the two of you spent hours under the night sky, enjoying one another’s presence

throughout the night, daichi would shower you in soft kisses and kind affirmations

he feels absolutely terrible about what had happened and he wanted to do anything to make you feel better

he vowed he would never let something like this happen ever again

he even asked if you wanted to talk about it and vent to him

he was ready to do anything to make you feel better

but what he did on his own was honestly enough

his sweet gestures made your heart flutter and chest fill with warmth

he made you forget all about what had happened

tsukishima kei

the two of you made a lil ritual of going to your favourite music shop every month to treat yourselves

you two would sift through hundreds of CDs

you’d entertain one another with commentary about the cover art, band names, and bizarre song titles

“you think that’s her real boob?” you ask as you hold up halsey’s most recent album

tsukki doesn't even bother to look over

“how do you manage to always find the weird album covers?”

“it’s not weird”

he looks over at you and tilts his head, giving you a deadpanned look

“she’s holding her baby. it has a maternal vibe yanno”

“hm okay” he shakes his head at you and turns back to the CDs he was looking through

you caught the small smile that adorned his face though

the two of you continue to search through the albums

tsukki would hold up an album to show you it’s cover art knowing you’d have something funny to say

after you both picked out a few CDs you wanted to buy, you thought of a idea

“why don't we pick out an album for one another? it’ll be cute” you know damn well he wouldn’t pick out a cute one for you, but he’ll pull through with something that’d entertain you

“that’s lame”

“please kei”

he places his stack of CDs on the till before turning to you, “fine”

you give him a bright smile before putting your CDs next to his and scurrying off to the other side of the store to find something for him

when you’d sneak glances over at him to see what he was contemplating, he'd be focussed in on a album, reading through the songs on the back

you decided to stop looking over and really focus on your search

an album finally sticks out to you

just as you leant forward to grab it from the back of the display, you felt someone walk behind you

the click of a photo being taken fills the room

you immediately drop the album back into the display and whip around to see a man frantically speed walk away from you

“hey!” you yell at the man, “did you just take a picture of my underwear?”

you begin to run after him in a rage

tsukishima dropped what he was doing the second he heard your outburst

he marched right up to the man and grabbed his shoulder with a tight grip to keep him from leaving

you run up behind tsukki and the man

you were about to go off on the man, but tsukki beat you to it

“you must live one sad life if you have to go around taking pictures of unsuspecting girls to get off”

the man tries to shake tsukishima off, but his grips simply tightens

his knuckles turned white from how strong his grip was

he turns the man towards him by pulling on his shoulder

tsukki holds out his free hand, “i'll give you a choice. either you unlock that phone and hand it to me or i will report you to the police”

the colour drains from the man’s face once tsukki brought up the police

knowing his choices, the man chooses to give tsukki his phone

“good choice”

tsukki goes through the man’s phone and deletes the photo forever

he then quickly opens the man’s contacts and gets his name

tsukki closes up the apps and drops the phone back into the man’s hand

“now get out of my face. i never want to see you again” tsukki shoves the man away from the two of you

the strange man takes no time before running out the store and down the street

tsukki sighs deeply before he turns to face you

though he isn’t one to initiate any sort of pda, he pulls you into a tight hug, his face in the crook of your neck

“i'm sorry i couldn’t keep that dick from taking that picture of you” he pulls away from the hug to look into your eyes

his eyes were filled with sadness

he truly felt bad

“don’t blame yourself tsukki,” you give him a reassuring smile, “why don’t we just buy those CDs we put aside and head home?”

“wait,” he lets go of you and goes back to the display he was looking at previously

he returns to you with an album you weren’t familiar with

“this one’s for you. it has that song we always listen to” he turns the CD around to show you the tracklist

in the middle of all the songs you didn’t recognize, you saw the one song you would always put on for the two of you to jam out to

a fuzzy and warm feeling fills your heart as you look between tsukki and the album in his hand

“this is perfect. thank you so much kei,” you pull him down to your height and give him a quick peck on the cheek before internally gushing over how cute his choice was

a red hue covers his face

tsukishima buys all the CDs for the two of you

the two of you left hand in hand, sharing a pair of earbuds as you walk back to his place

also tsukki reported the man to the police the minute you two got home

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Born to Run

Warnings: dark elements including noncon and rape, fingering, kidnapping, guns, and other explicit content.

This is dark!Frank Castle and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You are forced onto the road when an unwanted passenger gets in your backseat.

Note: So I’m gonna tag @allaboardthereadingrailroad​ because I promised them I’d write Frank and I finally got to it and it was loads of fun!

Thank you. Love you guys!

As always, if you can, please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

You sighed as you rolled to a stop behind the yellow taxi. You craned your neck to try to see around the lines of cars, another deadlock in New York traffic. You couldn’t be surprised as you idled in one spot and leaned your hand on the wheel as you checked the time. 

You heard a siren, saw lights flashing ahead, and heard shouts. Again, not unusual for the city.

You rubbed your forehead as the sun beat down through your window and the humidity built as it leaked in through your open window. You tried not to use the AC too much as it made your old Chrysler overheat in the annual New York heatwave. You shifted in your seat and pulled against the belt as you tried once more to peer past the crowded vehicles.

You heard heavy footsteps, several sets echoing from all directions. A figure appeared on the other side of your car and the back door was ripped open. The man ducked as he slammed the door behind him and laid across the seat. He rolled down onto the floor, a sudden invasion that shocked you.

“What the fuck--get out of my car!” you snarled.

“Honey, you’re gonna wanna keep it down,” he said as his large body barely fit in the crevice between the seats.

“What--”

He poked a gun up towards you and waved it, “eyes forward,” he said, “hands on the wheel, and turn the music up.”

“I don’t have any money--”

“I don’t want your money now shut up,” he hissed, “now you keep it up and I’ll blow a hole through your seat… pity you’re on the other side.”

Your adrenaline spiked and the pounding in your temples deafened you. You turned the knob of the radio to drown out the pulsing and the man’s ragged breaths. Several others appeared, several dressed as officers and few in civilian clothing. You grasped the wheel and made yourself stare at the license plate ahead of you.

The search party dispersed as they called out to each other and the cab slowly crawled forward. The man squinted up through the window as the cars around you began to move as well.

“Drive,” he said.

“What do you want?” you asked shakily as you pressed lightly on the gas.

“To do what I tell you,” he barked and wiggled uncomfortably on the floor, “you keep driving until you’re out of the city and then maybe we’ll talk.”

“It’s rush hour, that could take ages,” you huffed.

“So take ages,” he growled, “you don’t stop ‘til I tell you, got it?”

You nodded and cleared your throat, “uh huh,” you looked in your rearview as a gunshot rang, “exit?”

“Whatever gets you out of New York now shut up and drive.”

You did as he said. You made your way at a snail’s pace until traffic began to thin out and you turned away from your usual route.

“Tell me what street you’re on when you turn,” he ordered, “don’t fuck around with me.”

You looked at the sign and read it aloud. You followed a silver Civic to the next and again recited the name on the dented sign. You checked the clock again. Your meeting would have already started, that was probably why your bag wouldn’t stop vibrating.

“Give me your phone,” he said. You reached over blindly and grabbed your purse. You dropped it to him and he quickly unzipped it, “roll the window down,” again, you obeyed as you recalled the sight of the gun.

He pulled apart your phone and you glanced back over your shoulder. He had the back of and the battery in his hand. “Hey--”

“Keep your eyes on the road,” he flung the battery out the window and bent the phone in half. He tossed it too and righted his gun to aim over the console, “go on.”

“You can take the car, please… people will look for me,” you pleaded.

“Not for a while,” he laid back and gripped the gun, “now someone sees you arguing with your windshield and they gonna get curious so shut up and enjoy the… is that music?”

You changed the station with a flick of your finger, you barely registered the smoky tones of Springsteen as you focused on steering and reading out the street names. Your veins burned as our blood pumped wildly from your racing heart and the man’s scent tickled your nostrils; he smelled of blood and sweat. You hoped he didn’t add your own to the stains on his jeans.

💀

It was dark as your car dinged. You swore and looked ahead for a sign. You shook your head and blew out a long breath.

“I need gas,” you said to the phantom in the back seat.

He grunted as he pushed himself up from the floor and sat up, “gotta be a station close.”

“And if there isn’t?”

“Then we get out and push,” he scoffed, “stop worrying about ‘if’ and find us a station.”

You rolled your eyes. The man was annoying, even if he was terrifying. You scratched your nose and sat forward with a yawn. “I’d know if you hadn’t destroyed my phone.”

“See, right up there,” he ignored your gripe, “yellow sign just ahead.”

“Christ,” you huffed and blinked at the black road.

“I’m sure you had some real important business,” he grumbled, “but I’m sure the coffee can make itself.”

“Excuse me? Fuck off, I’m not some--”

“You’re gonna miss your turn,” he warned and you flipped your signal on.

You pulled into the station and he scooped up your purse. You shut the car off and unbuckled your belt. You twisted in your seat to watch him search your purse. He pulled out your wallet and counted the bills inside.

“Right, we fill up then we’re back to it,” he opened the door and stepped out.

He uncapped your tank and pulled a hose from the meter. He slid it into the slot and kept a hand lazily on the handle. You slowly opened your door and got out. You looked at him over the top of the car as he scowled at you, it was the first good look you got at him.

His dark hair was shaved on the side but he had about and inch or two up top, his nose was crooked, and his dark eyes were set beneath a forehead that betrayed a frequent grimace. You looked at the lights of the station then back at him.

“I gotta… go pee,” you said.

“You wait,” he said, “I’ll go with you.”

“What?”

“You think I’m stupid?” He released the level and tapped the nozzle as he pulled it out, “hold your horses, I’m comin’.”

He put the hose back in and stomped over to you. You saw the gun tucked into his belt and he pulled his jacket over it. He snatched the keys from you and grabbed your arm and marched you to the blazing door of the station.

“You have one minute before I come in and drag you out, pants down or not,” he tore open the door and shoved you through.

You curled your lip as he took a few sticks of jerky from a display and approached the counter. As you got to the sign over the restroom, you looked back as he stared at you. He raised a thick brow and tapped his wrist as if he wore a watch; he did not.

You went into the bathroom and locked the heavy door behind you. You looked around the grimy room and shuddered at the stained toilet bowl. You stepped up on the seat and looked out the small window above. It might be big enough if you suck in.

You stepped on the pipe beside the handle and pushed on the pain. It was just as gross as the rest of the room. The pane finally popped out and you hauled yourself over the high ledge. The glass didn’t quite open wide enough so you had to bend as you wiggled through. You had a high chance of landing on your head but you really didn’t want to chance worse with that man.

You kicked as you were lodged halfway through the window and a knock came at the door, “better pull your pants up,” your abductor called through the door.

You struggled to force yourself through as you tried to angle your hips past the frame. The door burst open with a frightening kick and you flailed your legs as you tried to hit the man blindly and keep him away. He caught your ankles and pulled you back. You cried out and grabbed the window frame so that you didn’t crash down into the toilet.

“Hey, let me go,” you tried to kick him again and he batted away your foot.

“You do that again and you won’t have a safe landing,” he tugged again and you nearly lost your grip on the ledge, “now come on.”

“You got my wallet, my keys, everything, so why don’t you just leave me--”

“Don’t make me count,” he sounded like a father.

“Count? Oh, come on, what am I gonna do? Just let me go.”

“Three,” he swung you just a little, “two,” he gripped your legs firmly, “O--”

“Okay!” you shouted, “okay, just-- let me down.”

Cautiously he bent and put your feet on the floor. He stood and you pushed yourself straight. He grabbed your arm and spun you to face him. He bent and rammed his shoulder into your stomach as he scooped you up. You yiped and pounded on his back as he turned and carried you out of the restroom.

As he strutted down the aisle, the clerk stared at you in confusion. The man reached the door and paused, “on her rag, she gets a bit pissy.” He left the store with a chime and carried you across the lot, “you want the trunk or are you gonna be good?”

You pulled on the back of his jacket and gritted your teeth, “would you put me down?”

“I won’t ask again so either you choose or I do,” he said as he neared the car.

“Alright, alright,” you snarled as he popped the trunk, “I’ll be good just don’t-- not in there.”

He harrumphed and walked around to close the trunk. He brought you up to the passenger side and dropped you on your feet. Dizzy, you grabbed onto the car and he ripped the door open, narrowly missing you with it.

“In,” he pointed to the seat.

You glared at him and stepped under his arm. You sat and he closed the door with a snap. He rounded the hood and the car dipped as he sat in the driver’s seat. He fumbled with keys and shoved them in the slot. He turned the ignition and shifted in the seat.

He took a stick of jerky from his pocket and peeled the plastic. He took a bite as he put the car in drive. He pulled out with one hand on the wheel and chewed noisily and he siphoned through the radio station with his greasy finger. You buckled your seatbelt out of habit and crossed your arms. 

“Get some shut-eye,” he gristled, “you’ll be drivin’ once the sun comes up.”

“Where the fuck are you taking me?” you groaned.

“Dunno, far,” he answered bluntly, “no talk, just sleep.”

“I’m not a dog,” you muttered.

“Keep actin’ like one and I’ll get you a leash,” he snorted.

“I really don’t get why you don’t just take the car--”

“As useless as I’d agree you are, you’ve seen my face and the longer I keep you from running back and snitching, the better chance I got,” he adjusted the seat as he chewed the last of the salted meat, “but there is another option?”

“There is?” you asked.

“Yeah, I could kill you,” he chuckled.

You swallowed and exhaled as you leaned your head back heavily. You peeked over at him as he focused on the road and as much as you wanted to leap from the moving car, you knew that would be just as fatal. So you huddled down and closed your eyes.

“Would you turn that down?” you nodded at the radio.

“You askin’ me to turn down a classic?” he turned the knob and Robert Plant’s voice whined from the speakers, “a nice little lullaby for you.”

You closed your eyes and turned in the seat so that you faced the door, the belt strained against you awkwardly but you didn’t care. You crossed your legs and tried to drown out the music. Even without the racket, you wouldn’t sleep easy.

💀

You woke after hours of uncomfortable sleep in the car seat. The car was still as you yawned and groaned as your stiff muscles rebelled. You sat up as you heard the sound of water hitting the dirt. The man was just outside with his back to you, pissing on the side of the road.

You looked to the ignition but the keys weren’t there. He finished up and zipped up noisily. He opened the door and bent to look at you. He kept his hand on the door as his eyes met yours.

“Get out, stretch your legs, you gotta piss, there’s a bush,” he jabbed his other thumb behind him.

“Really?”

“Or you can keep holding it,” he shrugged and closed the door. He walked around the front of the car and pushed an arm over his head to stretch his shoulder. You took a breath as your irritation bubbled and reached for the door handle.

You got out and held in a grunt. You walked around the back of the car and glanced around. The bush was small and poor cover. Even so, you really had to go as you spent your only opportunity trying to sneak out of the station. You looked at him and neared the leafy bunch. He blinked at you and turned his back.

“I hear any funny business,” he said over his shoulder, “you can piss your pants instead.”

You shoved your pants down and squatted. You let out a steady stream and almost sighed as the pressure left your pelvis. When you finished, you waited until you were relatively dry and pulled your pants back up.

“All done,” you said as you went back to the car. He shook his head and pointed you to his side.

“You drive, sign says there’s a motel about an hour down the road,” he opened the driver’s door.

You got in and he snapped the door shut before he went to the other side. He settled in the seat and slid the keys into the ignition, turning it until the engine rumbled. He leaned back and pushed his fingers back against his palm.

“Right, let’s go.”

You sniffed and pulled back onto the empty highway. You’d never been down that one before, an old country road with sparse exits. He pushed on his jaw until his neck snapped and you winced. You hated the noise.

“So, what do I call you then?” you asked.

He was silent and you felt him watching you, “like you care.”

“I don’t but looks like I’m stuck with you, so…”

“Mmm,” he pulled out some more jerky, “Frank.”

You nodded and stared at the endless road ahead. He said your name before you could.

“Saw it in your wallet,” he explained.

You drove in silence from there until he flipped the radio on. He chose a country station and you silently cursed his taste. You followed the signs and he pointed you to the old motel as you approached it. You thought of hitting the gas but that would do nothing but piss him off and probably get you hurt. Worse, you’d be stuck in the car with him for who knew how long.

You steered into the lot and he yanked the keys out of the ignition before you could. You mirrored him as he got out but he stomped over to your side. He leaned in as he lowered his voice.

“You can play along,” he pushed his jacket open and showed the butt of his gun, “or there’s still room in the trunk.”

“Fine,” you muttered.

“I mean it, you try anything,” he rested his hand on the gun, “you really wanna get someone else hurt?”

You nodded and chewed your lip, “I get it, okay?”

He pulled his jacket closed again and took your elbow, ushering you up to the front of the motel. You wriggled away as you reached the door and entered ahead of him. He drew you back as he followed you through the door and cleared his throat. The woman at the front desk looked up over her glasses and set aside the novel with a shirtless man on the cover.

“Good afternoon,” she sang as she swiveled in her chair, “how can I help you two today?”

“We need a room,” Frank said as he pulled out a wad of money.

“Deposit’s three-hundred, sir,” the woman replied, “can I get a name?”

“Ben Tacker,” he lied smoothly as he counted out the money.

“Alright, and a piece of ID?” she asked.

“Funny thing,” he peeled a fifty free and held it over the desk to her, “I lost it.”

She stared at him and slowly took the bill. She shoved it in her pocket and counted the rest out. She handed him a paper to sign and he scribbled without caring. She handed him the key and he thanked her in the same gruff voice.

“You two have fun,” she called after him as he swung open the door and waved you out.

He chuckled and shook his head, “sure will,” he said before the door shut again.

He looked at the number on the tag and led you to the door with the same. He unlocked it and waited for you to enter. The lock clicked as he trailed you and brushed past you as he went to the closet. You watched in confusion as he pulled out a stack of extra bedding and shared shredding the tinged top sheet.

He took one of the strips as he neared you. You backed up against the door and he wrenched you away as he pulled the single chair up behind you. He sat you down and held your wrist against the narrow arm of the chair. As he began to wind the strip around your wrist, you twisted and he squeezed so hard your fingers went numb.

“Can’t trust ya but I gotta get some sleep,” he growled as he finished tying your first hand. He went back and took another strip of linen, he repeated the process on your other arm and both your legs.

“And what if I have to pee?” you pulled against the bounds but only added to your discomfort.

“Hold it,” he shrugged and took the remote. He flipped on the television and pushed the control into your hand, “there. I don’t wanna hear another word.”

“You’re not serious? You’re just gonna leave me like this?”

“I coulda left you in the trunk,” he turned and walked around the foot of the bed, he plopped down with a sigh, “you should be thanking me?”

He untied his boots and kicked them off. He pulled off his jacket and tossed it over the far side of the bed. He set the gun on the table beside the lamp and stretched his arms behind his head. As he laid back, he shifted awkwardly and dug in his pocket, he tossed your credit card up onto the table with a flick.

“Now, don’t go pullin’ shit or we won’t get that deposit back,” he groaned as he wiggled to get comfortable, “not my money so I don’t really care either way.”

“You… asshole,” you huffed and he smirked.

“I think an asshole woulda just taken the car,” he said, “and left you with a hole in your head.”

You clamped your lips together and shook your head. You hit a button and searched through the channels. You didn’t really care what you watched, you wouldn’t be able to pay attention anyway. You stopped at an old episode of NewsRadio and let the remote rest on the end of the arm.

The laugh track filled the interminable silence and after some time, low snores rose from the bed. You peeked over at Frank, his arm slung over his face as his chest rose and fell steadily. He might be irritating but you had enough sense to be afraid of him. If you had to guess, he was ex-military and judging by your inopportune meeting, he was also a wanted man.

You fidgeted as much as you could in the chair and turned back to the screen. It was as if the recorded guffaws were at your expense. You slumped as the cotton chafed around your wrists and yawned. Your back was still stiff from your nap in the car and the chair was little better with its thin pleather cushioning and short back.

💀

You didn’t remember falling asleep, not until you woke up in terrible pain. Your head hung over as you were nearly folded over your lap entirely, your bound arms holding you just above. You groaned as you pushed yourself up and it sent a pang up your neck. You heard the rattle of pipes and looked over at the empty bed.

You let out a strained breath and moved your head side to side, just slightly as the pain lingered and throbbed with each pivot. You balled your hands in fists and tried to twist your arms against the linen. You flexed your legs too, wiggling your feet as you tried to loosen the ties.

The chair began to rock as you fought against your restraints. The remote fell to the floor and the television kept blaring. As you were sure you just needed a little more, the chair tipped and you bounced off the side of the bed as it crashed down onto its side. The impact had your head spinning and shower faucet squeaked off.

You kept moving your arms and legs, desperate to free yourself before he could discover you. There was no hiding your intent anymore. The bathroom door opened and your heart swelled. Shit. You hissed as you heard his footsteps and looked up as his shadow loomed over you.

Frank stood in nothing but a towel, his thickly muscles torso still damp as he glared down at you. You cringed and tried not to see more than you wanted.

“I gotta take a leak,” you lied, well, not exactly untrue.

“Uh huh,” he hummed doubtfully and grabbed the chair. 

He hauled you back up and planted the chair back in place. He shook his head at you and retreated. He pulled one of the white robes from the hook on the wall and pulled it over the towel. He tied the belt tightly and dropped the other layer before he disappeared back into the bathroom.

When he emerged again, you watched him dully, “I really do have to go,” you said.

He ignored you and checked his gun. He slid open the drawer and set it inside.

“Well,” he came around the bed, “I got some bad news for you, There’s no window in there,” he grabbed the strip around your left wrist and unknotted it, “so, I’ll give you two minutes.”

He untied you and watched as you rubbed your wrists. You stood with a wince as your legs ached but he didn’t back up. You sidled past him and he turned to keep his dark eyes on you as you approached the bathroom. You swung the door shut and nearly collapsed on the other side.

The bathroom smelled of the gardenia scented soap that came with the room and there was still moisture in the air. You relieved yourself quickly and stood to gaze into the mirror. You looked awful, you felt awful. You splashed your face with cold water and leaned heavily on the porcelain. 

Whether you listened to that man or not, you were fairly certain the result would be the same. You could see it now, the black barrel of the gun, his finger on the trigger. You shuddered and shook out your hands as if to get rid of your nerves. You stood straight and groaned as you stretched out the knots in your limbs and back.

You went back into the hotel room as you rubbed your neck, the needling pain still buried at the base of your skull.

“Tell you what,” he said as he sat on the bed and aimed the remote at the screen, “I can tie you up again or you can make both our lives easier and just lay down.”

“Is there a third option?” you winced as another jolt went through your spine.

He snickered and pointed to the pillows, “we’re leavin’ early,” he said, “so you can sleep now or sleep in the car.”

You gave no response as you went around the other side of the bed. You eased yourself down against the pillow and let out an unwitting groan. It felt good to lay down. You turned onto your side, your face away from him, and he finally stopped switching stations.

You closed your eyes and hugged yourself as his weight rested at the bottom of the bed. It wasn’t hard to drift off as the pain chased you into unconsciousness and the stress of the last day shrouded your mind. You only hoped he wasn’t waiting for you in your dreams.

💀

The night's stay was taken out of the deposit and you were back on the road to nowhere. The man gave you gruff directions as he closed his eyes in the passenger seat. At night, you switched and you grew complacent as the endless travel wore on your wits. You didn't know why he wouldn't just let you go. He could take the car and the last of your money and just leave you alone. Likely the separation would be preferable to both parties. 

Another motel after a week of driving and you were thankful to be standing still. You were asleep on your feet as you dragged your feet behind your grumpy captor and as you leaned on the front desk and bid farewell to even more of your cash, you barely processed the conversation happening around you.

Frank's arm wrapped around your waist and he pulled you close. You flinched and sneered at him. You felt so gross, you didn’t want to be touched, let alone by him. The desk clerk handed him a key and chuckled.

“It’s been a long trip,” Frank said, “think we just need some R and R.”

You blinked at him stupidly as he turned you around and swept you out the door. Outside, you shoved him away and stumbled as he laughed at your pathetic effort.

“What the fuck was that about?” you scowled.

“Well, you looked like you were about to keel over, just tryna keep you on your feet,” he jingled the keys and led you up to the second level.

“Don’t do that again,” you mumbled as you waited for him to unlock the door.

“Sure, honey,” he said mockingly as he slid the key out and kicked the door open, “come on.”

Just like last time, he locked the door and you looked around at the small room, a single queen and another rickety chair. 

“Please, don’t,” you said as you crossed the room, “I’ll stay, just don’t tie me up. I need to lay down.”

“You need to wash the road off ya,” he quipped as he peeked into the bathroom, “ladies first.”

You stared at him and tilted your head. He might have kept you alive so far but you could hardly trust him. After all, you weren’t exactly there by choice. You tiptoed forward, warily eyeing him as you got closer. He stepped back and crossed his arms.

“You might not be able to smell ya but I can,” he nodded through the door, “ten minutes.”

You stepped inside and he snapped the door shut behind you. You sat on the toilet and rubbed your eyes. You looked down at your clothes, rumpled and stained with sweat and filth. You took a moment and stood to strip off the layers one at a time. 

You cranked on the shower and stepped under the stream. The shower curtain rang as you pulled it around the tub and you basked in the hot water. It felt good and your muscles relaxed as rivulets trailed down your skin. You scrubbed with the vague floral scented soap and scrubbed until you felt a little more like yourself.

Reluctantly, you turned the faucet off and reached for the towel on the bar. You lowered your foot onto the tile and patted yourself as you stared at your blurred silhouette in the steamy mirror. A knock sounded at the door and had you wrapping yourself in the white cotton.

“Ay, they got some machines here,” his voice scratched, “should probably wash those rags up while we’re here.”

You tucked the towel in at the top and gathered up your clothes. You neared the door hesitantly and cracked it open. You peeked out at him as he watched you impatiently.

“Figure you can’t run naked… well, if you try, it won’t be so easy,” he remarked. You shoved your clothes through wordlessly, “there’s some robes out here when you’re done with your sauna, princess.”

You rolled your eyes and shut the door. You heard him chuckle and move around the room as he grumbled under his breath. You waited for the other door to open and close before you emerged. 

You took the robe folded over the bottom of the bed and tied the belt tight around your waist. You sat on the bed, your back to the frame and switched on the television. You thought of running but he was right, even if you eluded him, you doubted there were many who wouldn’t do worse to a barely clothed woman, not out there in the middle of nowhere.

He returned shortly and dropped a haul of processed foods on the bed from the vending machines. He wore a robe as well but it was smaller on him and the flimsy white slippers provided with the room. He shuffled through his trove of salt and sugar. 

He took the two cups and placed them on the small round table and filled the kettle from the bathroom sink. He plugged it in and flipped the switch. “Hope you like chicken noodle,” he said.

You read the guide on the TV and punched in the channel playing re-runs of Law and Order. It was a grim choice but you just needed to disassociate from the dingy motel. The kettle clicked and his shadow flickered in your peripheral. Frank sat and the mattress dipped beside you. He held out a steaming cup with a plastic spoon sticking out of it.

“Thanks,” you took it and leaned back as you stirred the boiling soup.

“We’ll grab some burgers at the next stop,” he grizzled, “Fuckin’ starvin’.”

You said nothing and stared at the lawyers arguing on screen with the detectives. They were trying to figure out how a woman ended up in a motel with marks around her neck; dead. A chill went through you and you slowly glanced over at the man beside you.

He squinted and returned your gaze. His mouth slanted and he shook his head, “really?” he challenged nonchalantly.

You took a deep breath and turned back to the screen. You sipped at the hot broth and scooped up noodles as you tried not to think about being strangled to death on the bathroom floor. 

When you finished, you set the empty cup aside and slid under the covers as the afterglow of the shower weighed down your limbs. You just wanted to sleep. If he did decide to kill you then, you wouldn’t even know the difference.

He grabbed a candy bar from the mess and sat back, jarring the whole bed as he did. You rolled onto your side and pulled a pillow over your head. You squeezed your eyelids shut and tuned out the old tube television and the chewing of the man behind you. Sleep crept up on you in haze, half-aware of the muffled voices and the movement on the other side of the bed.

You pushed the pillow away as it grew warm beneath and sleepily pulled it under your head. You heard the distant noise of the pipes. Groggy, you sank back into a shallow sleep as the constant noise lulled you.

You were disturbed again when you were jostled and the television shut off. You felt him behind you and wiggled closer to the edge. He barely seemed bothered as he stretched out and you felt the heat radiating from his body. You drifted off once more, dreaming about the eternal highway and Frank’s bristly orders.

You snorted awake, this time from a haze so deep it felt as if you’d been drowning. You felt the arm over the middle, heavy and firm, and the hot breath on your neck. Your lashes fluttered, threatening to close again, but your adrenaline forced your eyes open. 

He was flush to your back, his hard body against your back as his hand was slid into the opening of your robe. His rough fingertips rested against your soft torso, just beneath your breast.

“Frank,” you rasped and tugged on his wrist, “the fuck are you doing?”

He groaned and shushed you as he nestled closer. You went rigid as you felt a prod against your ass. You grabbed him more firmly but could not move his hand as he squeezed you tighter. His hand glided up against your resistance and he cupped your chest. You gasped and pulled at his long fingers.

“Frank, get your fuckin’ hands off of me--”

He ignored you and rolled his thumb over your nipple. Your breath caught in your throat and tried to push yourself up. He held you down as he snaked his other arm beneath your.

“Honey, just relax,” he said drowsily, “I ain’t hurtin’ ya.”

“Get off!” you slapped the back of his hand.

“Mmmm,” he purred and nuzzled the back of your head, “you smell like flowers.”

“Frank--”

“What else are we gonna do, honey?” he asked and his breath tickled your ear, “hmmm.”

He nibbled at your lobe and a chill went through you. You pressed your hands to his and knew he could feel the frantic beating of your heart. You shivered as his arousal poked against you again. You gulped and gasped as suddenly rolled onto his back and pulled you up onto him.

Your robe fell loose as you laid atop him, your back to his hard torso as his other hand roved lower. You squirmed and grasped at his wrists. He easily ignored you as he kneaded your tit and his other hand slid along your vee. You held your breath and pushed your legs together.

“That’s your problem, you just need to let go,” he hummed and brushed his fingertips down the line of your leg, “come on and open up for me.”

You shook your head against his shoulder and he pinched your thigh. You yelped and he did it again. You hit his hand and he laughed, a deep rumble that flowed through you. He dug his nails into your flesh as he continued to fondle your chest with his other hand. 

You whimpered as he threatened to break the skin and let your legs fall open around his. He slid his fingers between your folds and over your clit. You gasped and he swirled his fingertips, sending a bolt of electricity through you. You gripped his thick wrist and gritted your teeth as you tried to resist the fire in your core.

“What d’ya think you’re still around for, huh?” he slithered as he poked around your cunt, pressing his fingers to your entrance.

You murmured a weak protest as your eyes rolled up and you stared at the wall above the bed. You huffed between your teeth as he shoved two fingers inside you. You clenched around them and your nerves rippled with the wave of pleasure.

His palm rubbed against your clit as he rocked his hand slowly and you shook your head, fighting the unwelcome thrumming as it pulsed deep within you.

His fingers slipped easily in and out of you as you slickened and reached back unthinkingly to curl your fingers into his sides. He moved his hand faster, the friction building to a spark. You closed your eyes as your nails pressed against his muscles and your legs bent around his.

You spasmed as you came, your surrender declared with a pathetic squeak. He didn’t stop until you were panting uncontrollably, your head lolling on his shoulder as you bit the tip of your tongue. When he pulled his fingers out, you whined at the sudden emptiness.

He rubbed his wet fingers along your cunt and spread your lips as he snaked his other hand beneath your leg. He tore open the tails of his robe and angled his tip against your opening. He urged you onto him, sliding you down his body until your back arched to accept him. You moaned as he entered you and the overwhelming fullness fueled your helpless voice.

“Hmm, honey,” her purred as his hot breath touched your scalp, “just what you needed, isn’t it?”

You sputtered as he moved his hips beneath you, rocking into you from below as he planted his feet in the mattress. He lifted you carefully and kept an arm around your middle as his other toyed with your sensitive bud. His thick breaths clouded around you as he moved your body in time with his.

He hooked his arm around around your left leg and pulled it higher, doing the same with your right as he fucked you harder. He reached from below to keep his thumb on your clit, your legs folded against your chest. He growled in your ear and bit the lobe again. You clawed at the blanket below him as he used you so easily, your shame smothered by your pleasure.

You orgasmed again and as your walls clenched around him, he groaned and his legs slipped down straight. He turned onto his side and quickly rolled you onto your stomach as he forced your legs down. He pinned you beneath him, weaving his arm through yours as he pulled them back as his twined his fingers behind your head.

He kept you pinned beneath him as his flesh clapped against yours loudly. You moans seeped into the pillow and his animalistic grunts punctuated each thrust. The bed shook beneath your bodies and he pushed his thigh up around yours. He sat up, still bucking his hips as he pulled your arms back and forced you to arch with him.

He gripped your elbows as he hammered into you. Your moans turned to whines as he pounded your walls and you gulped down air desperately. He growled and you felt his body tense as his hold on you broke. He shoved your head down against the pillow, almost suffocating you as he once more sped up.

He snarled and his motion grew spasmodic. He slowed and his hips jolted into you in jagged thrust. He emptied himself into you as his long fingers stretched over your scalp. Finally, he stopped, still straddling you as he heaved a shaky sigh. He sniffed and trembled as he ran his hand down your back.

“Really makes me happy I didn’t put a bullet in ya,” he rasped, “real…” he squeezed your hips and pushed in as deep as he could go, “happy.”

[oliverstarked]

[ao3 link]

Dull rain is pattering gently against the windows when Buck wakes up and contentment rises within him like a wave. There’s a warm, heavy arm slung over his stomach, the comforter around him thick and soft, the house settled and at ease. Buck drifts for a little while, lulled back to sleep by the soothing rhythm of Eddie’s breathing and the promise of a day off.

When he rouses again an unknown amount of time later, Eddie has pushed closer and is idly kissing his throat, nosing into the neck of Buck’s t-shirt and mouthing hotly at the skin there.

“Mm, good morning,” Buck mumbles, bringing his arm up to hook around Eddie’s waist, holding him tight, keeping him in place.

Eddie slings his leg over Buck’s, rocking into him slowly. “We got thirty minutes until we have to get Chris up,” he says, voice rough the way it always is just after he’s woken up, the way Buck loves.

“If only we had a way to kill that time,” Buck sighs, then laughs quietly when Eddie rolls on top of him and kisses his mouth, stubble burning in the best way, his body a reassuring weight pinning Buck to the mattress.

A lazy morning makeout only adds to Buck’s contentedness, and the hot, clinging sex that follows helps even more. After, the space under the covers feels close and sweltering; Buck’s breaths are heaving in his lungs, his skin on fire, and Eddie glows, flushed, a bead of sweat sliding down his temple as he leans down and kisses Buck again, quick and chaste, like he just can’t help himself.

“That was so good, you’re so good,” Eddie pants as he rolls onto his side of the bed. He doesn’t go far, his hand still resting on Buck’s chest, fingers tracing the tattoo there.

“I know,” Buck grins. He pats Eddie’s arm. “But we gotta hustle. You wake Chris up while I shower, then I’ll get breakfast going?”

One of Eddie’s eyes, closed where he’s smushed his face into the pillow, cracks open enquiringly. “Waffles?”

Buck snorts. He smacks a kiss to Eddie’s forehead as he climbs out of bed. “You’ll be lucky,” he says loftily, although he already knows that’s what he’s gonna make. It’s been a long time since he’s denied Eddie anything.

The morning passes quickly after that, the usual rush of making sure Christopher has got everything he needs for school, a quick run back into the house to grab his water bottle right after Buck locked the door, Eddie cursing the snarl of LA traffic and muttering how “people don’t know how to drive in the goddamn rain” and Christopher giggling in the back seat as Buck makes faces at him in the mirror. By the time the kid is safely dropped off and they’re on their way home, Buck finds himself longing for that quiet, liminal space under their sheets again.

“Hey, wanna do something today?” he asks, hand on Eddie’s thigh. He looks good behind the wheel, limbs loose and relaxed, his profile sharp and handsome.

“What kind of something?”

Buck hesitates, looks at the puddles in the road and the wipers sluicing water off the windshield.

“Something inside. Climbing? We could try that new place in Fairfax.”

Eddie smiles at him. “Sounds good.”

It kind of knocks Buck for six sometimes, how lucky he is. God knows it hasn’t been easy getting to this point but he doesn’t think he was ready before. Sometimes it takes a couple of failed relationships, a few near death experiences and a bombshell announcement about legal guardianship to get your head out of your ass and clue in to the fact that you’ve been in love with your best friend for a really long fucking time.

Buck held that realization for a while, held it close in the cradle of his body and kept it tucked away, for fear of it being crushed and broken. But when Eddie gently took his hand one night while they were watching a movie, when he unclenched Buck’s fingers for him and pressed his thumb into the tendons of his palm, forcing the tension out, and when he kissed that same palm, his eyes full of apprehension like he was worried he was overstepping the mark, Buck couldn’t help but let out a sob of relief, and everything he’d been keeping close to his chest came spilling out into the safe space between them.

Since then they’ve learned how to love each other in fits and starts, how to compromise and to put aside their feelings when on the job. Buck loves Eddie loudly and boisterously; Eddie’s a quiet kinda guy who loves Buck more gently but no less fiercely. It took a while for Buck to let himself believe that Eddie wasn’t going anywhere. That they’re in this together, ride or die.

“Jesus motherfucking goddamn asshole!” Eddie yells at a driver in a Toyota Corolla who cuts him up and it’s that, of all things, that makes Buck grin with overwhelming fondness. Eddie casts him a suspicious glance. “What?”

“I love you,” Buck tells him.

Eddie rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” Then, softly, “I love you too.”

He reaches down and wraps his fingers around Buck’s hand, still on his thigh, and squeezes. Buck smiles a little brighter and leans back in his seat, feels - for the first time in his life - truly at peace.