#I feel like I left so awkwardly but if I stayed one moment longer I would’ve died

[juniperhillpatient]

god does anyone else fucking hate thanksgiving??? & holidays in general? but not even in an emo dramatic way. just like. in an extremely Not Neurotypical way. like. I can only take so much “omg how ARE you? 😇” from people I see twice a year & the expectation of me giving an interesting answer AND asking compelling questions back combined with the social pressure of So Many people & my grandma with dementia teasing me about getting a hug & cheek kiss from my uncle who she’s forgotten who he is & the need to like. remember everyone’s new romantic partner’s name & also to leave at the Appropriate Moment & not Too Early. also is it ok if I bring the wine I brought home -

[crheativity]

Mc/Yuu that when given genuine affection from their friends such as a small gift or just being told that they enjoy being around them, they just get really quiet and look at their friend with shock and disbelief, tearing up a little bit and just going "...oh..." in a real small voice.

Bonus points if they're not usually emotional like this.

It would be fun if it was the overblot gang since they just got some gifts themselves, or maybe ADeuce duo...idk man, I just want some wholesome friendship, I feel like there aren't enough fics like that in this fandom-

WARNINGS: Can be read as platonic or romantic, some of these might be longer/shorter than others, all of them care about you but (almost) all of them are bad with Emotions. also there are slight references to book 6 in Idia’s section if you squint

COMMENTS: AWH this is such a cute idea! And yes, there should definitely be more wholesome, platonic fics! Also, sorry these are short D:

Wait, crap, you’re tearing up? He just got you a present- are you okay?? He’s low key worried about you, unsure if this is just you being extremely excited about his (amazing) gift or if there’s something else going on. Either way, he’s quick to figure it out and reassure you as best he can. He’s torn between feeling bad about making you cry and being happy you liked his present so much. Either way, he pulls you into a hug and rubs patterns into your back until you feel better.

You’re crying?! Ohhhh crap oh crap oh crap- he doesn’t know what to do! Was his present that bad-? Once you reassure him and tell him you love it, he relaxes a little bit but is still clearly distressed. He isn’t very good at figuring out why you’re reacting this way, but his genuine care for you shines through and helps you feel a little more comfortable in his own way.

Wh-what?? Did he do something wrong-? He did a bunch of research, so he had assumed that this gift would be something you’d appreciate, not tear up over! Riddle is. Confused. And scared. He’s new to this whole “having friends” thing, and he thinks very highly of you, so the thought of messing up is pretty scary. He’s at quite a loss of what to do. When you reassure him and tell him you’re okay, he’s very relieved. He makes a note of how much you appreciated the gift and is determined to do more for you. If he has to get used to having friends, he wants you to get used to receiving the affection you deserve, too.

Awh, come on. You’re seriously tearing up over this? He ruffles your hair affectionately, giving you space to process your emotions while staying nearby. He doesn’t quite get what all the fuss is about - all he knows is he got you something and then you “exploded into tears” (you did not, he’s exaggerating). He sits with you until you feel better and tries to think of ways he could give you stuff without you “freaking out” like this. Maybe some money left in your pockets would be a good idea…

As soon as you tear up, he wants to go hide in his octo-pot. He knew it, it was a stupid idea. He should’ve gone with the other present idea, maybe then you’d be less disappointed. If you even still want to be friends with him after this. The moment you explain that you’re really happy, however, his mood does a complete 180, attempting to both comfort you and gloat a little at the same time. He would pat you a little awkwardly on the shoulder, wanting to express he appreciated your vulnerability. He’s definitely making notes on things he could spoil you with.

He freezes. Dang, he thought it was something you’d like. If not, that’s okay, he did keep the receipt. You can take it back to the store and get a refund if you’d- oh? You liked it? He’s another one that would try to comfort you and feel smug at the same time. The thought of making anyone but particularly you so happy is a little jarring to him, and your way of expressing emotions is definitely unexpected, but he’s glad he got you this. Maybe he’ll get you something better next time.

For once, Vil is speechless. For a moment he just kinda stands there in surprise, before sweeping you into his arms for a hug - completely ignoring how his clothes might crinkle. He didn’t think you would react that way, and - although he’s pretty sure you’re happy - he wants to comfort you anyway. Once you confirm you’re actually happy, he thinks your reaction is sweet and endearing and pure. He’s definitely buying you more things if this is your reaction to it,

The moment you say “oh” and start to tear up he’s internally going say sike rn. Bro was not prepared for Emotions. He can hardly handle his own feelings, why’d fate dump him with someone else’s?! Especially since they belong to someone he cares about. He’s not real good with other people, let alone taking care of them. He wishes Ortho was here - he could google Top 10 Ways To Comfort A Friend Who Randomly Starts Crying. Idia kinda just ends up patting your entire head awkwardly and saying “there there” through his tablet. He knows it’s pathetic, okay?

He’s utterly confused. He followed the Human Customs of buying a gift for someone you care about, why are you displaying a negative reaction? Was the gift not satisfactory? Lilia said this would be enough, although perhaps he should’ve gone with his original plan and bought you significantly more. Were you perhaps disappointed? Once you reassure him, he almost laughs. He thinks your reaction was very cute, he will be buying you significantly more things. Prepare yourself.

♥Thank you for reading!! I hope you enjoyed it!!♥

[s6daz]

♰ sevika x f!reader ִ ࣪𖤐⋆˖

cw: angst(?, sevika is a little bit evil, prostitute!reader, sad lesbians is my passion.

note: i wrote this while listening to stay a little longer on loop, after a bit of smut comes the sad.

status: fixed

the brothel was more crowded than usual. The dim lights dyed the walls a warm red, while the air smelled strongly of cigarettes along with cheap liquor and sweet perfume. you and sevika were in one of the rooms of the place, after having sex and enduring how crazy sevika can be –sometimes– you remained lying on the bed exhausted.

in exchange for you, sevika was on the edge of the bed, lighting her second cigarette of the night while you watched her in silence. there was something about her posture that intrigued you, the way in which sevika avoided your gaze more than usual had you on alert and with a slight anguish that was difficult to ignore.

"can you stay a little longer?" you finally said, breaking the silence.

sevika didn't answer at first, instead she exhaled the smoke slowly, as if she was thinking about what to say.

"you know that's not possible, babe" her finally replied in her neutral, almost cold tone.

"you know it's not like that..." you insisted, sitting down and wrapping yourself in the sheets. "sevika i..."

you broke off, biting your lip and trying to find the right words. you didn't want to seem like a desperate bitch for her, but you really couldn't stand her distant attitude anymore.

"just... could you stay a little longer? please"

she finally looked at you and for a moment you thought you saw something different, guilt, perhaps. or something even more painful.

"this isn't what you think..." she said as if she knew what you were referring to, you were an easy book to read for her and it's not like your actions right now were being very professional.

"so what is it??" you asked, ignoring the horrible lump in your throat that was becoming increasingly difficult to untie. "because I can't continue like this, sevika. i know that... this is not against the rules here and that I am a simple prostitute but if this doesn't mean anything to you..."

she leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees as she ran a hand over her face.

"it's not that it doesn't mean anything..." she said in a defensive and frustrated tone "but i can't give you what you want either"

your heart tightened as you heard her words.

"then don't make it any more complicated," you whispered, approaching her and placing a hand on her face. "just stay with me... tonight."

sevika closed her eyes and for a moment looked like she was going to accept, but she quickly moved away from your touch and put on the remaining clothes that were on the floor, her bad mood filling the room in a way that made you feel so small.

"why are you making this harder than it already is?" she growled, breaking the silence as she finished putting on her shoes.

"because whatever we have matters to me, you matter to me" you spoke trying not to let your voice crack as you went along. "you know that what we have is not just client and sex worker"

she shook her head, her lips curving into a bitter smile.

"this isn't love, this is a job for you and me... this is just a distraction"

your breathing stopped. you knew perfectly well what sevika was like, someone direct, even brutal with her way of speaking, but you had never thought that she could say something like that to you.

"you don't mean it," you murmured slightly awkwardly, with a lump in your throat.

"yes, i say so" she replied, her voice as cold as steel. "don't ask me something like that again"

and with that sevika finally left the room, letting the silence speak louder than any words. she didn't look back as she left and you didn't try to stop her this time.

when the door finally closed, you lay back on the bed, your eyes burning with the tears that were beginning to come, and for the first time you began to wonder if you had been naive to think that her would stay by your side, pretending that this meant something and you would have wished that even if she left she wouldn't have done it so quickly.

because in the end two people can share four walls, but not the same feeling and staying becomes harder than leaving.

[dollzites]

⏦ﾟ♡︎ “DON’T YOU WANT A FAMILY WITH ME?”

୨ৎ pairing: husband!junho x fem reader

୨ৎ genre: angst. major angst that’s slightly emotional.

୨ৎ summary: 5 months into marriage you thought it was time to bring up kids and how big of a family you both wanted but.. things didn’t seem to work out when you brought it up to him and your world slowly started to crumble.

୨ৎ from myeong: hello!! here we are! my first ever angst fic and I hope you can enjoy it!! I feel as if I’m the best at this (since I’ve practiced writing angst so much in my notes app lol) let’s see how it turns out! x

staring at the ticking clock for what had seemed like hours now eyes burning from how long you went without blinking, a sigh left your glossed over lips holding onto the small pair of shoes you came across after leaving work one night. passing by a cute baby shop that held just about everything from clothing items to toys and strollers, your body filled up with this excitement that couldn’t be explained. it had finally been time to talk about a family with junho and the nerves only worsened as each minute went by. of course he wasn’t home yet junho was late almost every night. work was slowly getting to him turning him into a man that you weren’t too familiar with which only hurt more. he’d come home and rant about needing to find something that he just wouldn’t tell you and you never asked him what it was. were you scared to ask him?

“junho..” his name slipped from your lips the second the door opened and you stood from your seat on the couch. his eyes that you adored so much widened seeing the small pair of shoes that you held onto getting all the wrong ideas. awkwardly laughing and shaking your head, “oh.. these? no not at all. I picked them up at the baby shop nearby after work and.. well, just thought they were the cutest little things I’ve ever seen. I thought that maybe one day our little one could wear them.. what do you think?” all the fears that flooded your mind came back that moment seeing the look on his face it almost made you sick to your stomach. “my love, you already know what my answers going to be, hm? work is just too much for me right now. I think we’ll have to wait just a bit longer.” the large and warm hands that made you feel the safest and most comfortable gently grabbed ahold of your own and pulled you closer to him but you didn’t budge. feet staying in place and eyes staring at the floor beneath you it was hard to form words after hearing such an excuse. forcing him would make you feel like the most piece of shit wife in the universe but the both of you weren’t getting any younger and it had always been a dream of yours to have a child early so you could slowly grow with the child and be close with them but junho was stopping you and it was only making things worse in the marriage. many would say to enjoy marriage and wait for kids but you knew that junho would be the most loving, caring, and supportive father in the world. did you sound selfish for wanting to see it so badly? “how long do we have to wait..?”

it was his turn to sigh especially since he pulled you towards him again and you stayed put in the same place you were in when he walked through the door. “just a few more months, yeah? maybe one more year. give me another year and I can finally give you what you want.” a year..? did this man really just say give him a year? slowly looking up from the floor to look at him, a tear rolled down your cheek. why weren’t you able to understand this? it wasn’t rocket science junho was so involved in his work and you had knew that from the beginning but what you weren’t expecting is it to get in the way of the marriage and the topic of wanting kids with him. “don’t you want a family with me?” what a dumb question to ask but it was still asked as a few more tears rolled down your wet and warm cheeks.

“what? of course I want a family with you. why would you ask such a thing? I married you for a reason didn’t I? I love you. I love you so much and you’re so precious to me that’s why I need you to wait just a bit longer.” junho watched the tears roll down your cheeks in pure agony. not being able to communicate with you about his job killed him every day in ways that he didn’t want. as he met up with gihun and spoke about plans he would find himself zoning out thinking about you and how happy he was now being married to you. how much he wanted a child with you and who would that child look more like? his thoughts were clear from the start that he wanted, needed, and adored you. having a family is at the top of his list and he just doesn’t understand why his life had to turn out this way. hiding so many secrets from his precious wife and not knowing if you were safe or not with him during these months of needing to find his brother and the island.

allowing him to pull you into his broad chest a few sobs left you while his arms wrapped around your waist keeping you close to him even when you your best to pull away from him. “let me go junho.” voice stern even if it was weak from the crying you’d done. junho shook his head his grip around you only tightening feeling like the worst husband in the world watching you suffer. “I can make this better. please trust me? we can have a baby soon, alright? I just need a month—maybe two. I hate seeing you like this. you know how important my work is sweetheart.” work. it never failed for him to bring up work even after seeing you cry and feel so worthless like this. using the last bit of strength you had left and pushing away from him reaching to pick up the small pair of shoes and walk past him into your shared bedroom. “if work is that important then you should’ve never married me junho and I mean it! all you do is talk about work and how much it stresses you out but you won’t quit! I’ve told you countless times before to quit and find something more family oriented but you won’t. you’re home late every single night. I hear the phone calls you pick up during the early hours of the morning when you’re supposed to be sleeping. junho I can’t take any more of this. I love you because you’re my husband but I absolutely despise your work.”

junho was left alone in front of the bedroom door after hearing everything you had to say about how you truly felt about him and his work. he moved towards the wall and slid down it letting his hands run through his styled hair messing it up and rubbing the gel off. he had to make things right somehow and someway with you while still trying to find his brother. how? how was he going to do such a thing because at the end of the day he was keeping the most secrets from you, his innocent and loving wife that he absolutely adored. it felt so wrong but not at all wrong at the same time which had been the weirdest feeling for him. you or his job and brother? what kind of question was that? there was no way he could decide so easily without sounding like a heartless prick but.. it was time for him to decide.

[pomefioredove]

Just want to say I LOVE your writing and just spotted your event. If you’re still open could I please have 16 sugar cookies with frosting, chocolate chips, and marshmallows? (Gosh that sounds good, now I want to bake)

Hope you’re well and staying warm!

AWW THANK YOU. rounding my savanaclaw day out w this one

order #16, sugar with frosting, marshmallows, and chocolate chips

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ enjoy yourself

tropes: fake dating, only one bed, roommates AU characters: leona additional info: romantic, reader is gender neutral, reader is yuu, making out, a little suggestive, brief mention of hypothetical children but no mention of how the children come to be, etc word count: 700

"Nothing is going to happen,"

That was the first, and only thing Leona had said all evening.

He hadn't greeted his family at the door of the palace. He had let you do all the talking at dinner. He hadn't said a word since he gave you a briefing on his family that afternoon, before you left school.

"And don't mess this up," was the very last thing he told you.

Until now.

You look at him. On the crisp bedsheets, every little movement makes a sound. Especially with how quiet the room is.

"I know,"

"Just making sure you didn't get any funny ideas,"

The thought of having to spend the entire summer like this, with a stiff and silent and unhappy Leona, is scary.

Maybe you should've taken your chances with Crowley...

...But, when Leona came to you with an idea- you pretend to be his partner to piss off his family, he gives you a place to stay- you couldn't have refused.

"I think it's a little unfair that Grim gets his own room," you mutter.

Leona snorts. "Unfair is an understatement. But, hey, we're "dating", remember? It woulda been weird to request separate sleeping accommodations,"

You sigh. He's right, as always.

"Besides," he continues, his eyes narrowing. "You heard what they said at dinner."

You really wish he'd stop bringing that up. The memory of that, his sister-in-law's sweet smile as she suggested you two give Cheka a cousin to play with, makes you shudder.

"It was... a joke," you say.

"You know it wasn't,"

Again, he's right. Or maybe he's just honest. You sigh.

"I don't know if I can handle this all summer,"

Leona turns on his side with a smug smile, looking down at you. "Imagine how I feel. I'm related to these people,"

"Now are you happy I warned you before we left school? You're lucky you're so damn pitiful, or I wouldn't have said a thing and had a show with dinner, too."

You stick out your tongue at him, but you are grateful.

When he said they could be overbearing, you thought that was just Leona being Leona.

"They weren't supposed to like me,"

He sighs. "Tell me about it. I even fail at disappointing them,"

You sigh with him. Not even a day in the palace, and his idea was crumbling into sand and falling at your feet. His family was supposed to dislike you- the poor, magicless commoner from a place no one had even heard of.

They were supposed to awkwardly avoid you for the rest of the summer, and give both you and Leona some peace.

Instead, Falena was taken with your intelligence, you charmed his wife, and Cheka has been begging you to play with him all day.

"Well, this blows," Leona mutters, breaking the silence.

"Should we make out?"

Way to ruin the somber mood.

You shoot up in bed, eyes wide. "You JUST SAID nothing was going to happen!"

Leona scoffs, though there's an obvious smirk playing on his lips, as if he's trying and failing to be annoyed with your overblown reaction. He sits up with you.

"Relax. I was kidding,"

"Were you?"

"I was,"

You stare at each other for a moment longer, his eyes travelling across your face, his lips still curved into a smirk.

And then he closes the distance between you in the dark room and kisses you.

Once the shock has worn off and you can feel your soul re-entering your body, you kiss back. His hands rest on your waist, and then your hips, and then he's pulling you towards him with such ferocity that you end up on your back beneath him, expensive blankets thrown to the side.

You kiss in a way that you would dare not admit to anyone outside of the walls of his room, and after a few minutes, he pulls away, leaving you a breathless mess on the bed.

"Hm," he hums, running his thumb across your bottom lip, wiping up the spit that had collected there.

"...I don't know about you, but if we're going to be stuck in this room together for the whole summer, I think we should at least enjoy ourselves, hm?"

[organic-bloodbath]

Mingle - Part 2

Thanos x Reader

Summary: Thanos wants to protect you at all cost and has to choose whether to continue the game or take you back home. Getting to know you better, the answer is simple.

A/N: More angsty than the first part and doesn't follow the show's plot anymore. Thank you so much for all the likes on the first part, i didn't imagine it getting so many notes 🫶🏻 I wasn't sure which way to take this story, but he's 100% obsessed and in love with her.

Part 1

☆☆☆

You were holding your tray, about to go to your usual spot to eat with your team and following Dae-ho in front of you but you stopped. You looked over Thanos, seeing him by himself.

"I'll see you later," you said to Dae-ho who looked confused. "I'll go sit with Thanos tonight."

"Thanos?" Dae-ho repeated, making sure he heard you correctly. "Why would you-"

You turned around and left, not wanting to answer to any other questions Dae-ho would ask you about your sudden interest to spend time with Thanos. Mostly, because you didn't know what to say.

Why? Because he just saved you a moment ago? You weren't sure if that was the only reason or not, you had to go over to him and figure it out yourself.

When you arrived to the bunk where Thanos was sitting and already eating his food, his eyes lit up.

"Is the invite still open?" you asked awkwardly, afraid that he had been only joking earlier about asking you to join him.

"For you, of course," he said, smiling, and pat the empty space next to him on the mattress. "I saved a seat for you."

You gave him a little smile and sat on that specific spot.

"For a second i thought you had changed your mind," he said, chewing his food.

"Oh, well, i wasn't sure if you truly meant it," you admitted, avoiding his eyes at first. "But then i saw you sitting alone. Why aren't you with your friends anyway?"

"I figured you'd just get uncomfortable with them," he shrugged. "And i wanted to be alone with you, even if just for a moment."

You felt your cheeks turning red. "Why?"

He gently put his hand on your chin and turned your head to look at him.

"I want go get to know you better, pretty flower," he smiled, making you turn even more red and you immediately turned your head away, the nickname making you feel funny inside once again.

"Oh," was the only sound you managed to breathe out.

"You know, from the day one i've tried to approach you but you've been ignoring me quite well," he pointed out. "You could add it on your resume as one of your skills."

"Oh, i mean," you said nervously. "I'm not used to guys trying to get close to me before, so i really didn't think much of it."

"Not used to it?" Thanos asked, acting dramatic and overly shocked, putting his hand against his chest and not believing what he was hearing. "You're that gorgeous and guys haven't gone after you? You're lying."

"Stop it," you chuckled and the smile lingered on your lips longer than before. "Maybe i just can't take a hint very easily."

"Well, tell me something about you?" Thanos asked and thought about something for a while. "Hmm, what's your favorite type of flower?"

"Flower?"

"It's for our future date, i need to make sure i'll get you something you like," he explained. "I don't want to get you roses if you don't like roses."

"Oh, well, i don't really know. Nobody ever got me flowers before," you said, the blush sticking on your cheeks like a glue. "I suppose orchids and lilies are pretty."

"I'll keep that in mind," he nodded.

His words made you feel nice and get butterflies in your stomach, but you really didn't understand what his intentions truly were. You hadn't had many guys to show interest on you before, if any, so you had been used to the fact that you might just stay alone.

You continued your conversation and lost the track of time completely. You asked about his life as a rapper and what his life goals were in the music industry, since that was really the only thing you knew about him outside these games before now talking with him. He asked about your hobbies and in general about your interests - you could sense that he was considering to include some of them to your "date" he had mentioned.

Eventually he changed the subject to the one that you would have prefered to leave alone. The one you hadn't truthfully told even to Dae-ho or Gi-hun yet.

"So, how did you end up here?" Thanos asked. "You know, debts and all."

"Well, i wouldn't want to bother you with that. It's pretty depressing," you said after being quiet for a moment, twirling the rest of your food with your fork. You were a little nervous to open up to him about it now that you were having a nice conversation, him making you even laugh here and there. But for some reason, you had started to become more comfortable around him and able to talk more freely.

"I'd be glad to hear it, if you want to share," Thanos said, encouraging you to tell him, but only if you were comfortable with it.

"Oh, well," you sighed. "The main reason i came here was because my little brother has cancer." You took a deep breath to get the words properly out of your mouth. It was already hard to think about and even harder to talk about it without crying. You tried to say the words as fast as you could, otherwise they would be stuck in your throat. "We don't have money for his treatments, my mom doesn't earn a lot from her work, and if we don't start treating it soon, he will die."

You were looking at your lap, scared to glance back at Thanos. You were feeling your eyes becoming wet and you were afraid you'd start to cry in front of him. He was quiet for a while, speechless. He hadn't been prepared for you having such a heavy reason to be here.

"How old is your brother?" Thanos asked softly.

"He's just 11," you answered and felt tears rising up into your eyes. You hated talking about this because even a single thought of losing your brother broke you. You wiped a tear off your face as soon as it had appeared out of your eye.

"I'm sorry," you chuckled, trying to force yourself to lighten up. "I didn't mean to ruin the moment."

"No, no you didn't ruin anything, it's okay," he assured you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. "I'm sorry i made you bring it up."

You buried your face on his shoulder.

"I just want to get back home, i don't care how much money i'll get and if it's enough to cover everything," you mumbled. "I just have to go and take care of my brother."

You stayed like that for a while, Thanos comforting you the best he could. Now, the need to protect you at any cost grew even stronger.

☆☆☆

It was time to vote, whether you'd want to stay and play the games or go home with the money earned by far.

Thanos was having mixed feelings. Personally, he would have of course continued the game and played for more money - the current amount wasn't enough to cover all his debts. One more game, that was what had been going on in Thanos' head.

One more game.

But when he turned to look at you, standing further away from him with your group, your gaze stuck on the floor, looking anxious - he felt something sting and break his heart.

Every day here was a new possibility to die. None of you knew what tomorrow's game was, it was always a total surprise until you started playing it.

What if the game tomorrow would be too hard for you and you wouldn't make it? Thanos couldn't live with himself anymore if he had decided to continue the game and survived, but you lost your life, as would your brother.

Player 230.

Thanos stood in front of the two buttons, gaze jumping between them. Before getting to know you, his choice would have been simple. But now?

"Player 230," the pink guard in front of Thanos said, he hadn't realised how long he had been standing there doing nothing. "Please make your choice."

Eventually, against all the odds, Thanos pressed the red button, giving one more point to the X team. He glanced towards Nam-gyu who looked at Thanos like he couldn't believe his eyes what he was seeing. Thanos ignored him and walked to the red side, appearing next to you.

"Told you i'll get you home, pretty flower," Thanos whispered to you.

You looked at him like you were sure you were seeing things. Being here had finally made you to hallucinate. Surely he hadn't chosen to go home only because of you, he couldn't be that attached to you already.

"But you still needed a lot more money," you pointed out, furrowing your eyebrows. You would have understood if he wanted to and chose to stay. You weren't a burden he had to bear.

"And i'll find a way to pay my debts on my own," Thanos answered.

The waiting felt like it took forever. There weren't that many players left anymore, but it felt like everything was happening twice slower than in reality.

Finally, after the last player had voted, you looked at the scores and you felt like your entire world was slowing down even more and you weren't able to get air into your lungs.

The situation was 50-51. The 'O' team won yet again. You wanted to break down and cry, right then and there. When you had seen Thanos approaching you with the red patch on his jacket, somehow you were sure that this time you were going home, as if the decision was depending purely on him.

If just two more people would have voted for X, you'd be on your way home. But no, you had to stay for another game.

"I'm sorry," Thanos said and held your hand, looking genuinely concerned. "I really am."

"It's fine," was all you said until you walked back to your bunk without sparing a single glance at anyone else.

☆☆☆

Laying on your bed on your side you weren't able to sleep. You only stared ahead of you, feeling hopeless. You wanted out of this place so badly and the voting tonight had given you way too much false hope that this could actually be over soon, just to be completely crushed.

You sat up and wiped the tears off your face, trying to calm yourself so you'd be able to sleep atleast a little bit.

You were thinking about your little brother. He deserved so much more, had his entire life ahead of him. If you were able to take his cancer to you, you would take it any day and let him live. What if he had passed away during your stay here? What if you'd go back home and meet only your mother who had been crying for days and refused to eat, sleep or do anything?

You had to bite your lip to keep the sobs inside you, afraid you'd wake up the people sleeping near you.

"Can't sleep huh?" Thanos whispered, you didn't look at him. You had seen him approaching from the corner of your eye, even though you hadn't fully turned to look at him. "Listen," he continued and took your hand in his. "I'm going to make sure you'll get out of here, okay?"

"And how are you going to do that?" you scoffed, accidentally letting out a single sob. "You don't even know the next game."

He sat down on the bed with you and took your hand in his. He didn't know how he could comfort you.

"I don't, but i'll do whatever i can to get you home," he said and tried to give you a comforting smile. "I'll protect you, no matter what, and when the votings come, i'm absolutely sure that we'll get to leave this place."

"What are you going to do? Cheat the system?"

"If i have to," he smirked. He hesitated for a second until lifted his hand to wipe the remaining tears off your cheek.

☆☆☆

It was time for the next game. You arrived into a room which had four shapes on one of the walls.

The same symbols as in playing cards.

♤♡◇♧

The game was called Dalgona. It was exactly the same game Gi-hun had talked to you about in the beginning when he had thought Dalgona must be the second game like three years ago. Only the shapes had now changed.

The reason why they had suddenly brought dalgona back to this year was unclear to you. Unclear to everybody. By now everyone had thought that only the first game was the same and they had changed the rest of them to new ones.

Players were commanded to line up in front of one of the shapes, chosen by their own will. Gi-hun immediately told you to choose the diamond, it would be the easiest one.

Thanos let you go for the diamond, but he chose the heart, even though you insisted that he'd take the diamond too.

"Come on, it's not that much harder, i'll be fine," he assured you with a smile, as if it wasn't a big deal.

If you were going to die just because you accidentally cracked a wrong piece of a cookie off, that would be super embarrassing to explain in a funeral. Although, dying here you wouldn't even get a funeral.

You sat down on the floor, legs crossed, and the time started running down, one second at a time. You took the needle in your shaky hands and carefully started carving the lines of the shape, afraid to press too hard and crack the cookie in half any minute.

One thing you were afraid as well was when someone would be shot, your hand would accidentally slip due to the loud noise and make you fail too.

Thanos took quick glances at you once in a while, to make sure you were still sitting there. His hands were sweating and his heart beating fast.

The only sounds during the game were only the gunshots and the voice announcing which players had just been eliminated. You flinched each time, even though you had tried to prepare yourself for that.

This wasn't a game where Thanos would be able to help you and he hated it. On the first game, he had protected you by running in front of you. On the second game, you had other players in your group to help you. On the third game, he had saved you by taking you to a room with him when you had been left all alone.

Now, you were all on your own, he wasn't able to say a single word for you, you all had to stay quiet and only concentrate on your own task. He didn't think you were weak, not at all, he just needed to be there as a backup plan, ready to catch and save you if something went wrong.

Thanos was afraid he'd crack the cookie any second. If he was to die now, there would be one person less to vote for X and get you back home, though he couldn't know how many people from the blue side would be killed today.

He wasn't sure when had been the moment when he had decided that protecting you had become his number one priority. It just naturally came to him.

On the distance, Thanos saw one player to use a lighter to heat up the needle and then poke the cookie. By the looks of her face, she was subtly looking around her to see if the guards were watching her. He only had the pills inside his cross and they weren't much of a help for him right now.

Thanos was glad that you had chosen the easiest shape and not spades or clubs. He did believe in you and was sure to see you alive on the other side.

His heart stopped when he cracked a small piece off from the tip of the heart when he had completed the task. It was only a very tiny piece and the cookie still looked like a complete heart, but he didn't know how detailed and harsh the system was here. Thanos saw a guard approaching him and showed the heart to him, hiding the slightly broken tip with his finger as he held it up.

Pass.

Thanos let out a breath of relief, being able to breathe again properly. He didn't know why, but that was one of the most stressful games by far.

You were still carving yours as Thanos walked outside, but you weren't far behind. Just barely 20 seconds later, you had finished your task as well.

Pass.

☆☆☆

"Señorita, excuse me," Thanos said, making you stop before you managed to go and talk to Dae-ho, who had finished the challenge before you. Thanos was standing closer than you had expected, though he had seen you first.

"Yes, señor?" you said back sarcastically.

"I have a gift for you," he smiled.

"A gift?"

"I'll give you my heart if you'll let me have yours, after this is all over," he said, genuine kindness in his eyes.

"What are you on about?" That was such a cheesy and odd line to say out of nowhere, but it did make your heart skip a beat.

"When we get home tomorrow, i'll take you out soon, after you've seen your brother."

"How are you so sure we'll get home? People might vote to stay."

"Have a little bit hope, pretty flower."

He took your hand in his, you didn't resist.

"Keep this safe for me, okay?" he said and put something in your hand, closing your fist around it. Then, he left without another word.

You opened your hand, seeing the heart he had carved out from the cookie laying on your palm.

☆☆☆

The fourth game had eliminated only 29 players in total, so there was 72 left.

Thanos tried to count the players how many of them had blue patches and red patches on their jackets, but he lost count and wasn't sure if he had counted some people twice or not at all.

Thanos went to the bathroom where he found his former group.

"Well, well, well, look who it is," Nam-gyu slowly said and crossed his arms on his chest. He had three other guys around him, one of them Min-su. "Coming back to us after betraying us like that? I think not."

He stepped closer to Thanos.

"Sorry to say, but i don't think you're welcome anymore."

"I don't give a shit about you, Nam-su," Thanos said and didn't care to hear him trying to correct Thanos for saying his name wrong again. "Tonight, you better all vote for X or tomorrow i may not be in as good mood as right now, seeing you," Thanos said loudly and then glanced at Min-su, who still had the blue patch on his jacket. Thanos walked towards him and trapped him between himself and a wall. Thanos tried to change the expression on his face to more kind and sweet. "You'll do that for me, right Min-su?"

Thanos gave him a sweet smile, but Min-su hesitated without a word, both Nam-gyu and Thanos looking at him. Min-su wasn't entirely sure which side was safer for him to choose.

"What's up with you anyway? Don't tell me that woman has gotten into your head this badly. I'm not going home yet when there's more money to be earned."

"You can earn your money elsewhere," Thanos stated, gritting his teeth.

"Seriously, dude. I get that she's hot but-"

"One more word and you'll lose a tooth," Thanos threatened, pointing at him with his finger.

To be honest, Thanos wasn't sure how he had fallen so hard for you in such a little time. He had never been so smitten about a woman before, but there was something different about you, and he needed to know you better, no matter what he had to do to achieve it.

☆☆☆

The votings came and this time, it was easier for him to press X than last time. The money he had earned by far wasn't enough for his debts, but he'd figure it out how to get the rest when you had managed to get out of here.

Both of you had now voted and were only waiting for the result. Thanos glanced at you and you looked like you were going to be sick. He took your hand in his, making you jump a little bit for the sudden touch, but you let your fingers wrap between his. He gave you a comforting squeeze.

Internally, Thanos felt terrified. What if he had only given you false promises and you'd have to stay for the fifth game again? You were so broken yesterday that he didn't think he'd be able to see the same look on your face again this fast. You would definitely lose any trust you still might have for his words, not believe anything he would say to you anymore.

You hid your eyes with your left hand, not wanting to watch how the scores were changing and how much X was losing to O.

Then, all the votes were in and for a moment Thanos' heart stopped by looking at the score.

37-35.

"Y/N," Thanos whispered, finally using your real name and not only the nickname he had chosen, and brushed your left hand as a sign to let it drop from your face. "You can look now."

When you saw the scores on the broad, your knees felt so weak that you had to cling on Thanos' jacket not to fall on the floor. He wrapped his arm around your waist, and you broke down in tears.

"Oh my god," you laughed between the tears. "Thanos. Oh my god."

You wrapped your arms around his neck, startling Thanos at first how you pressed your body against his, but he wrapped his arms around you securely. Surprisingly, a hint of red was rising on his cheeks, along with a smile.

"I can go back home," you said against his jacket.

You pulled back and without thinking, you pressed a light kiss on Thanos' cheek.

"Thank you."

"So," Thanos lingered and took your hands in his. "I'll pick you up on Saturday?"

You bit your lip. "Okay."

☆☆☆

A/N: I'm not sure what i think about this compared to the first part, but i hope you liked it 🫶🏻

Tags:

@justsisse

@septywitch

[miwiheroes]

Dropping Byler Evidence Every Day Until Season 5

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ Day 1 - The M&Ms scene . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

So yeah, this scene is never really talked about that much as like actual proof, more like a funni little thing where Mike looks at Will for a moment when he walks away, but analysis of the cinematography, framing and narrative of this scene can be revealing.

First thing: as soon as El wipes her nose, revealing it was her that helped Mike and Lucas, the camera zooms in on Mike, as if to be like 'oooh wonder how he's going to react'! and the audience is then in suspense, because they're probably expecting him to smile or try to take this opportunity.

What does he do? He just says 'Thanks." And the moment of suspense is broken. It's almost like a record scratch. We will come back to this reaction later, basically because it shows that Mike really does not mind being on these terms with El.

Second thing: At first glance there seems to be 3 main characters of this scene: Mike, Lucas and El. However, Will also seems to be included in this scene unlike Max who is also there. There is no reason to have Will be in some of these shots that, I want you guys to understand, is intentional. The directors didn't just accidentally set up this frame:

They didn't just forget to move Will out the way. In this shot, the Rule of Thirds can be applied. While El and half of Mike are in the second third/ third third, both half of Mike and Will are in the same third. This is also the third on the left, which is where (in western cultures) people begin to look at images from (reading from left to right). The fact that Will looks at Mike when he says 'Thanks' is the first thing that the audience is intended to notice (because its on the left), even if it is very subtle.

It is also important to note that the writers of the show know, in this moment, that Will is in love with Mike, they've had that planned out from the start (this is undeniably canon, unlike Mike's feelings to Will). Therefore, it is interesting that they included him in this shot and the next part too:

Like?? what was the point of the directors putting him in this part? Placing him in an interactional role with Mike in a Mike and El scene is just interesting to me. Like,,,, also could Mike not have talked to El with Will there?

After Will gets up, there is this really awkwardly long part where Will goes from the left third to the right third of the screen and just stays there? Like he's still in the shot (which they can easily catch and retake if they needed to). Why do the writers/directors want you to take such notice of his presence?

Also, going back to the fact that Will has to leave for Mike to be able to talk to El. Again, the directors did not need to put Will in this scene, they could have had him doing something else. Instead, they had him there to subtly further his character arc of being selfless/being shoved away by Mike in favour of El. It's also maybe simply because Mike just can't handle having both Will and El in the same context without ignoring one for the other, because he holds them to the same romantic standard.

We see this mishandling of El and Will in the airport scene, the whole time Mike is with El in the beginning of S3, Rink o Mania, the dinner after Rink o Mania etc. Basically, when both El and Will are around, he feels like he has to get rid of Will to be able to be romantic towards El, despite being able to talk about it to Lucas. When it's just him and Will, he's pretty happy (we see this in the 'Cool. Cool.' scene and the 'Guess it's up to us again' scene which are the only two scenes in S4 where Mike believes he is no longer in a relationship with El and just thinks he needs to team up with Will and go back to Hawkins without El). Therefore, he needed Will out the way because he can't be romantic with his girlfriend with Will distracting him lmao <3

Third Thing: Lucas is the one to encourage Mike to make up with El.

To be honest, him encouraging him alone isn't really that convincing of the fact that Mike is queer coded blah blah, like, your friend is allowed to say 'That was the Olive branch! Your way in!' without it being queercoding. The queercoding however, comes with the reaction to that information.

First, I want to point to something I may bring up in the future of this series. In S1, Lucas is the first person to ever suggest that there might be something romantic going on between Mike and El. When he says "Why don't you just marry her?", Mike does not go all ooooh flustery and blushy, he does not go 'EW GROSS' like a lot of boys that age would, instead he just acts confused. Multiple times.

The first time is when he goes, "Lucas what are you talking about?" The second is in response to Lucas going "Mike, seriously?" saying "What?" again. When Lucas then teases him about caring about her, he just says "Shut up Lucas" in this really tired tone, rather than a flustered or angry one. He basically gets the idea that he probably should like El romantically, if he shows even any care towards her.

Now, throughout S3, Lucas is the one to constantly question Mike's actions towards El. He's confused on why he won't tell her the truth about Hopper, and everything else, which all culminates into this "Oh my god. You're hopeless," when referring to picking up signals about girls.

I must say this rn too: You don't pick up on signals you don't want to receive. You do pick up on signals you do want to receive. I think most of us know what it's like to have a crush. You constantly look out for little things and overanalyse their actions towards you. But Mike has no clue. Maybe because.... he just doesnt feel that way.

Okay going back to reactions. Basically, you would kind of expect Mike's reaction to hearing that his girlfriend, that he's sooooo sad about losing oh nooooo, has decided to reach out and say that she's okay with him would be excitement, right?

When Lucas is describing how he's going to let Mike talk to El, Mike looks extremely nervous, which I get. It's normal to feel nervous in this situation, but the thing is, El seems okay with him, surely he would at least have a little light in his eyes?

When Lucas has to say 'Talk to her, alright?' (as if Mike has no fucking clue) Mike nods and then there is a swell in the music, the camera zooms in on him, and instead of the music swelling to some nice, positive tones, it's almost foreboding, mimicking the mixed feelings swirling in Mike's brain. His face also kind of looks.... weird like he's unsure, or maybe he's disappointed? Nervous? idk

I would understand this to be a little romantic if he smiles, but jesus, he does not crack a single grin at this part.

It almost seems like he's deciding to do something he doesn't really want to. I think he was completely content with the fact that she helped them, but didn't want to do anything about it because he's totally fine being on good terms with her, obviously, but not necessarily on romantic terms with her. Maybe he's fine with the fact she doesn't really want to be with him.

However, after Lucas says this stuff, now he's looking over at her and thinking, wait, maybe she does want to be with me.

But instead of a:

Wow, maybe she does want to be with me! :D

It's a:

Oh, so she does want to be with me.

^basically this means Mike decides, based on his encouragement from Lucas rather than his own feelings, that he should talk to her. What can he say to Lucas here? That he doesn't want to? That isn't really an option for him.

Fourth Thing: Okay this is very small but for some reason this scene is interspersed with scenes of Jonathan and Nancy getting almost killed by the mindflayer army like???

Why would they cut from this very tense scene where these beloved characters are about to be killed to this scene between Mike and El where everything is fine!

It's like.,,,, they want the audience to be tense watching them, even if it's not directly for the right reasons. They want the audience to maybe feel the tension in the foreboding nature of the fact that the mindflayer is in the same building as them, meaning there is always some danger lurking in the background.

Okay hope you enjoyed today's byler evidence :) stay tuned for tomorrow's!

[bestruction]

The quiet ways he says I love you

Sasuke was never one to express his feelings openly. Words, especially ones like “I love you,” weren’t something he used casually, but his actions spoke volumes. Every quiet moment, every gesture was filled with meaning that only you truly understood. His love for you wasn’t in grand declarations but in the subtle ways he cared for you.

His past left many scars on him, physically and emotionally. So it's understandable that being vulnerable wasn't something he learned, especially when it came to expressing his feelings since he had to suppress them for so long. The post-ninja war, being with you, it's the first time in years that he doesn't have to be in survival mode and drowned in pain and hate.

That didn't mean he was incapable of showing you his love, just that you would have to be patient and learn how to see it in the details because he has his quiet ways of saying I love you.

Walking on the Safe Side

No matter where you two went, Sasuke instinctively positioned himself between you and any potential danger, whether it was a busy road, a crowded market, or a narrow mountain path. He knew you were able to take care of yourself, but still, a silent voice in his brain always made him step to your side and silently assume his post.

After finishing missions together, you two returned to the village. It had been a long day, and Konoha was already bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. You were walking side by side, a comfortable silence hanging between you two. Without a word, Sasuke reached out and took your hand, his fingers gently curling around yours. His grip was firm, and protective, as though he was silently reassuring you that he was there. It wasn’t the first time he’d done this, but every time it happened, your heart fluttered in your chest. He didn’t look at you, didn’t acknowledge the gesture, but the warmth of his hand in yours was a quiet confession in itself by the way his thumb caressed your knuckles.

Your comfort

He is highly observant. It's in his nature thanks to his personality and work as a ninja, watching you was something he did without even realizing it. You two went out shopping and he saw you eyeing a particular treat? It'll magically appear in his kitchen in the next couple of days. Sasuke always made sure his home had your favorite snacks, drinks, and foods. It was his way of saying "You can stay for longer".

If you were out and it was cold, Sasuke would wordlessly drape his cloak or jacket over your shoulders or if you were sitting together, he’d pull you closer to share his warmth. Your comfort was always a priority because he wanted to be someone you could count on since he knows how difficult it is not to have this.

Physical Touch

Whether it was brushing his fingers over yours under the table at Ichiraku when you sat close, rubbing his foot gently against yours under the table, or resting his hand on your lower back as you walked, his touch was a silent way of grounding them both.

He has this habit of hugging you from behind and kissing the back of your neck right on the spine whenever he enters the room which makes you shiver and complain.

Also...Sex. The moment he learned what made you whimper and moan his name it was over to you. He became quickly addicted to making you cum just to watch you feel good but be careful, he can be mean as well for many reasons.  

The Forehead Poke

He had adopted the gesture from Itachi and used it sparingly, and only in moments when words failed him. A gentle poke to your forehead, when you were being stubborn, overthinking, or teasing him too much.

Hating Your Tears

Sasuke couldn’t stand seeing you cry. It's something even Naturo teases him about. If tears welled up in your eyes, he would do everything in his power to comfort you, even if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone. He wasn’t great with words, but he’d awkwardly pat your head, wrap an arm around you, or simply sit with you until the storm passed.

Listening Without Interrupting

The Uchiha wasn’t the most talkative person, but he was an excellent listener. No matter how trivial your stories or worries might seem, he gave you his full attention. His quiet nods and occasional hums were his way of saying, I’m here. Keep talking. Plus, he loves the sound of your voice. It breaks the silence in his head.

Soft Smiles Meant Only for You

Sasuke’s smiles were rare, but when they came, they were like glimpses of sunlight through the clouds. For you, he would offer it more often. It'd happen mostly when you are telling or showing him something because he loves your excitement. It was a quiet affection that took your breath away.

Okay, but when does he say "I love you" then?

It was raining outside, the soft pattern of droplets on the roof filling the silence of the Uchiha district. The house, much like its owner, was quiet and reserved, but it had started to feel like home to you since you spent more time there than on your own.

You were sitting on the floor with your back against the couch, a book in your hands while Sasuke sat nearby, sharpening his sword. The faint sound of the whetstone sliding along the blade was rhythmic, almost soothing. It had become a ritual for the two of you, these silent evenings spent together, where words weren’t needed to feel connected.

But tonight, the atmosphere felt different. You could sense it in the way Sasuke’s movements were slower, less precise. He was distracted, and for a man like him, that was unusual.

“What’s on your mind?” you asked softly, closing your book and setting it aside.

He paused, his hand stilling on the hilt of his sword. For a moment, you thought he might not answer, but then he set the weapon down and leaned back slightly, his gaze fixed on the floor.

“Nothing,” he said at first, his voice as low and guarded as always. But you’d been with him long enough to know better.

“Sasuke.” You shifted closer, your knees brushing his. “I know when something’s bothering you. You don’t have to tell me, but... I’m here.”

His dark eyes lifted to meet yours, and you were struck, as always, by the depth of emotion he carried but rarely allowed to surface. There was pain there, but also something softer, something he didn’t know how to name or express.

He looked away, his jaw tightening. “It’s… hard,” he admitted after a long pause.

You tilted your head, waiting patiently. He needed time, and you were willing to give it to him.

“I’m not… good at this,” he continued his voice barely above a whisper. “At saying things.”

Your heart ached for him, but you didn’t interrupt. This was his moment, and you didn’t want to take it away from him.

“I’ve spent so many years… not feeling anything. Or trying not to. It was easier that way.” His hand clenched into a fist on his thigh. “But now… with you… it’s different. And I don’t know what to do with it.”

“You don’t have to do anything, Sasuke. Just be here. That’s enough.”

He shook his head slightly, a faint scoff escaping his lips. “It’s not enough. You deserve more than that.” His gaze finally met yours again, and this time, there was no barrier, no wall between you.

"I never thought It'd be possible for us to be here, together, enjoying some random day in silence," You say reaching for his hand "And I couldn't want something-" You squeeze his hand and correct yourself "I wouldn't want someone else"

Sasuke wants to believe your words and he knows you aren't lying about your feelings but he didn't know how to deal with honesty when faced with it so openly.

In his eyes, he didn't deserve this or you.  

"You should be with someone who can give you a normal life-"

"You don't get to decide that" You cut his phrase "I want to be with you. Unless you don't want me here...I'm not leaving"

Your hands cupped his face, keeping his eyes on you. He had a habit of running away from this type of conversation but this time you wouldn't let him.

He hesitated, his shoulders tense as if he were bracing for an attack. You lean your forehead against his "Do you want me here, you idiot ?" You ask looking deeply into his onix eyes.

You were glaring at him in the cutest way possible. At that moment, the words left his lips without a second thought. “I love you.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with all the emotion he had been holding back for so long. It wasn’t just a confession, it was a release. Your breath hitched, and you blinked a few silly tears away but he noticed.

He looked away, his face slightly flushed, though he tried to hide it. “Don’t cry.”

You laughed softly, reaching out to cup his cheek and guiding his gaze back to you. “I’m happy, you idiot.”

He closed his eyes briefly, leaning into your touch, his hand coming up to rest over yours. He wondered how he managed to get someone like you in this lifetime after all the pain he caused.

“And I love you, too,” you said firmly, your voice full of conviction

For a moment, neither of you said anything else. The rain continued to fall outside, a soft, soothing backdrop to the moment. Sasuke’s hand tightened slightly around yours, his touch grounding you as much as yours grounded him.

[lordprettyflackotara]

hitchhiker || chapter one || the proxies

tw: mentions of murder

<— prologue

Brian frowned as he picked up a can of soup, examining the label.

Grocery shopping is pointless.

He sighed as he put the can in his shopping cart. His gaze didn’t stray from the shelves, searching for his favorite. Tomato soup.

Not like we stay in one place long enough to really eat all of this shit.

Brian pushed his shopping cart forward, grumbling to himself. Since your meeting the proxies, they had done everything to avoid you. He cringed at the thought of Tim’s weakness. For the first time in years the roles were reversed, Brian the harsh one and Tim the blind softie. He reached forward to grab a can of chicken soup, his cart ramming into something.

His eyes flickered over to the hard stop, shock washing over him like a brutal wave. There you stood, a tiny red shopping basket accompanying your arm. In your hand sat a can of his beloved tomato soup. “Holy shit, Brian?” You asked. No no no no. What the actual fuck were you doing here? Brian awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. They had driven outside of the city to avoid you and here you stood.

“I think you have me mistaken for someone else-” Brian began. An overly optimistic Toby popped over his shoulder, dropping a container of oreos into the chart. His face lit up at the sight of you.

“Hi Y/n!”

Goddammit.

This reminded Brian why he thought Toby was a liability a smooth eighty percent of the time. The other twenty was Hoodie being impressed someone as slender as Toby could chop up a body so fast. You grinned as you walked around the shopping cart. “I didn’t realize you guys lived so far away from the city, I would’ve driven you closer,” You say. Brian admired your sober look, your face flushed with more color and your words no longer slurred.

“We work out here. Just grabbing some groceries on the way home,” Brian answered. Toby pranced around behind you, peaking over your shoulder. “T-t-tomato soup is H-, Brian’s favorit-te,” Toby said. Brian sighed, silently wishing Hoodie was fronting so you couldn’t see his face. You held out the can to him. “You can take it, it’s the last one,” You say, offering him a small smile. Brian hesitated, before remembering how much he enjoyed tomato soup. He reached his hand out, grabbing the can. His fingers brushed against your soft skin, which was radiating a comforting warmth.

You were like a bundle of touchable joy.

Oh fuck he was becoming soft.

“Thank you,” Brian mumbled, placing it in the cart. You eyed the cart suspiciously, noting the lack of substantial food. “I know you guys are middle aged men, but shouldn’t you have some real food in there?” You asked curiously. Not exactly like we have a lot of time for cooking. “We burn a lot of calories when we-” Toby started. Brian sent him a look so viscous he was surprised the kids head didn’t explode. “When we’re a-at work,” He finished. You raised an eyebrow, exchanging glances between the two. You were about to question the men’s relationship, the faint sound of static causing you to close your mouth.

It was overwhelming, the sensation making the left side of your temple throb. Brian was about to excuse them from the situation, a familiar voice interrupting his saving face. “Hey what’s taking so long?” Tim asked. His eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of you. “Hi Tim,” You greeted. It was interesting to you that not only had you ran into them again, you had managed to run into all three of them. Your drunken night had wiped away the awkward moments during your interaction.

Tim had thought you would’ve forgotten them entirely, but it was the rather opposite effect than he wanted. Instead of forgetting them, you only forgot the awkwardness and tenseness of the car ride. “Hi there,” Tim greeted. Brian could practically feel Tim’s flusteredness. Over the years they had slaughtered many women without a second thought, including attractive ones. And sure, the three of them hadn’t had intimacy in God knows how long. But Brian just couldn’t understand Tim’s infatuation with you. You were just a girl.

“So um, about dinner,” Tim continued. Brian refrained from visibly showing his distain. There was always the possibility you would’ve forgotten about the dinner proposal. What the fuck was Tim’s problem? It wasn’t as if Brian wanted them to all die practical virgins, it just wasn’t logical. Having any form of relationship would only result in a tragedy. Brian had racked his brain about it long ago, back when his freedom was first stripped away from him. What could he say? He was a horny motherfucker whose potential lovers would be slaughtered or tortured.

“Yeah?” You say. Brian could tell you were getting excited. You were practically bouncing on your heels. Man, maybe you’d make a good match for Toby. Brian shoved the the thought out of his head, looking away. “Why don’t we go grab some burgers or something tonight?” Tim suggested. Brian noticed the slight raise of your left eyebrow. Tim must’ve too, clearing this throat before following up with, “All of us. Our treat.”

You couldn’t have put on a bigger smile even if you had wanted to. “That sounds great. How about the corner burger joint on twenty eighth avenue? It’s near my apartment,” You suggested. Brian watched in horror as Tim grinned, giving you a confirmative nod.

“It’s a date.”

Brian couldn’t usher the three of them out of the store fast enough. Once comfortable in the car, Brian turned towards Tim. “Do you have any idea what you’ve just done? You practically gave her a headstone with her name on it,” He spat. Tim rolled his eyes, digging in his pocket for his faithful box of cigarettes. “One dinner is harmless, isn’t it kid?” He asked, glancing at Toby in the rearview mirror. Brian sighed as the younger man nodded excitedly. “M-most interaction we-ev’e had with another human in a longgg time,” He agreed, his neck twitching to the side again. Brian pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

“Don’t weaponize Toby against my argument. We both know this is a terrible idea,” He said flatly. Tim started the car, driving past a fallen over shopping cart on the overgrown field. “If the Operator gets interested in her for even a split second-” Brian continued. Tim rolled his eyes, a cigarette dangling from his lips. “Thats not going to happen, we’d never bring her to him. Besides, she’s just a girl. What’s the worst that could happen?” Tim answered. Out of the seven years they had been partners, Brian had never heard Tim be more nonchalant.

“O-one of us could g-get laid for once,” Toby added. Brian frowned as he reached into one of the grocery bags, pawing away to find the oreos. “Yeah we won’t bring her. But you know they will,” Brian pointed out. The sound of Toby crunching on oreos and the smell of Tim’s cigarette smell overwhelmed Brian’s senses. “They have no reason to be interested in her, nor do they have any reason to front tonight. We already took care of our mission for today. Boss gave us an easy target,” Tim reminded him. It was true, the latest assignment one that would begin easy.

In the trunk of their car sat a corpse of a middle aged man, one who was a detective. He had been investigating the proxies symbol and the various murders they had committed. He was putting all the pieces together, something that led him to a dangerous fate. It was the proxies responsibility to conceal the identities of all creeps. It was their literal job to clean up the messes the Operators mansion residents had made. It became more than personal though once someone began looking into their lives more than they should.

After all, Toby was still considered wanted. Tim and Brian were considered missing. Brian folded his arms, frowning as he looked out of the window.

“Oh yeah that reminds me, how the fuck are we going to discard of the body before dinner?”

\/

You held your phone to your ear, navigating through the whimsical rack of your closet. Your closest friend Nova was on the other end, helping you choose an ensemble for your dinner with the boys.

“Who are these guys again?”

Her voice was laced with concern. You held up a black dress to your figure, analyzing every last detail. “I met them on Halloween. Just a couple of hitchhikers,” You replied. You tossed the black dress aside, grabbing a white one instead. “I read cases of hitchhikers being cannibalistic murderers almost daily you know,” Nova replied. You had grown up with Nova, the two of you remaining close friends into adulthood. Despite the two of you having gone two separate waves career wise, you always made time for each other. She had chosen to be a detective. Despite her constant complaining, her passion was truly driven to seek justice for the victims of psychopaths.

You on the other hand, had made a more reckless choice. Your childhood dreams of being an actress had traveled over into adulthood. Leading in your long term employment at the Steak and Shake as a waitress. “Not all hitchhikers are crazy Nova. Besides, these guys seem nice. You’re the one who’s been telling me to get out there again,” You reminded her. After your nasty breakup with your ex boyfriend, you had become a bit of a reclusive. Halloween was the first time you had been out in months, Nova leaving early with her hookup of the night.

“Yeah but there’s three of them. They’re going to make you pick one,” She informed you. You rolled your eyes. You set your phone down on your dresser, putting it on speaker. “You know with how woke you are i’m surprised you don’t believe in being polygamy,” You said. You shoved your jeans down to your ankles, stepping out of them. You glanced up at a photo of you at graduation, Nova occupying your side. Her caramel skin was always polished and soft, her soft brown eyes always lit up in a smile during photographs. Her hair framed her face just right, giant curls practically bouncing in the picture.

“It’s not that I don’t, I just don’t see you being the polyamorous type,” Nova told you. You shoved off your shirt, tossing it aside carelessly. “If you’re so worried why don’t you go with me?” You suggested. You knew Nova would immediately decline, you just wondered what excuse she would come up with this time. The two of you ran with two very different crowds. Hers more professional, yours more wild. “You know I don’t have time for that right now. Winston just disappeared. Godwin couldn’t wait to throw this case in my lap,” She sighed. You began putting on the dress, struggling to put your arms through the complicated arm holes.

“Yeah? Why’s that?” You asked, trying to sound out together as you put your neck through the wrong hole. You awkwardly shifted on your feet, questioning why you bought this dreaded thing in the first place. “There’s a bunch of murders he thought were connected by some weird symbol. All of them have been gruesome. The chopped up bodies have all been dismembered the same way,” Nova informed you. You grinned as you finally managed to maneuver the dress, admiring yourself in the mirror. “Dude i’m going out to eat in like fifteen,” You reminded her.

“Yeah yeah my bad. I forget regular citizens don’t interact with this kind of stuff,” She said. You refrained from rolling your eyes, reminding yourself she wasn’t being egotistical. She just lived in her own world a majority of the time. You picked your phone up off of the dresser, taking her off of speaker before putting the phone up to your ear. “Well do you think Winston was onto something?” You suggested. Nova seemed to ponder it for a moment before responding. “You know I thought he ran away with his mistress but you’re onto something. He must’ve been on the right track,” She said.

“Most detectives don’t disappear overnight with their wallet still at home,” You reminded her. News headlines had been broadcasting Lewis Winston’s disappearance all morning. “Look at you becoming a little detective. You gotta get your degree so we can become partners,” Nova chuckled. You smiled, pulling on a pair of shoes. “Let me star in at least one blockbuster hit before you force me to change career paths,” You replied. You admired yourself in the mirror, ignoring your antsy nerves. How long had it truly been since you had been out on your own?

“You know i’ll be in the front row of the premiere. Maybe your hitchhiker boyfriends will be there too,” She laughed. Nova meant it as a harmless joke, but the idea alone made you incredibly flustered. “Yeah yeah very funny, i’m going to go have dinner with my hitchhiker boyfriends now,” You told her, guiding the conversation to end.

“Uh huh. Call me if your hitchhiker boyfriends are killers!”

You took your friend’s warning as a joke, but looking back, you should’ve taken her advice.

—> chapter two

[keeryhours]

wildflower chapter three

Eddie Munson x Henderson! female reader, Steve Harrington x reader

Main Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Eddie Munson Masterlist

Summary:

A confrontation, secrets are revealed.

Chapter Warnings:

Language, drinking, secret baby

Word Count: 3.1k

A/N:

Thank you guys so much for the support on this story ❤️ You’re the best! And thank you to @floredaqueen for being amazing and helping with some dialogue!

—

The world stopped in that moment.

Somewhere deep inside him, Eddie knew. He knew who the child in the photo was. He just didn’t want to believe it or admit it to himself.

He repeated your name, his voice shaking. It felt like you were locked in a stare down with him and Steve, who was frozen in the doorway, ready to back you up however you needed.

The look on your face only confirmed Eddie’s fears. His expression twisted into one of horror. He felt like he was going to be sick.

He was going to be sick.

He dropped the frame back on the counter and sprinted into the bathroom, emptying the contents of his stomach. The hangover did nothing to help the situation, only making him feel even worse.

You looked to Steve, who placed a hand on your shoulder in support. When Eddie returned, looking like absolute hell, you knew you couldn’t avoid the conversation any longer.

“Maybe we should sit down,” you finally managed to say, indicating the sofa.

Eddie nodded weakly, collapsing into the recliner close to him. You took a seat on the couch, sitting facing him. Steve hovered awkwardly by the door.

“Uh…should I leave?”

You knew this was a conversation you should be able to have alone, but you didn’t want Steve to go. The idea of being alone with Eddie again was overwhelming. Especially with the conversation you were about to have.

“No. Please stay.”

That’s all he needed to hear before he was nodding and taking a seat on the couch next to you. Eddie’s eyes were locked on yours, his emotions swimming through them like the crashing tides.

“Please,” Eddie said, his voice small and pleading. “I need you to say it.”

You took a shaky breath. “Eddie…”

“Just say it.”

His tone was harsher that time, and you flinched slightly. Not that you ever thought Eddie would ever hurt you, but you had gotten yourself into a situation that was far more serious than you had ever admitted to yourself.

“His name is Asher,” you started slowly, watching Eddie’s face intently for every reaction. “He’s almost 2.”

“Is he mine?”

The words hit you like a punch to the gut. But you couldn’t run from the truth anymore. “Yes.”

Eddie let out a rush of air, leaning back in the chair and looking up at the ceiling. “Jesus Christ.” His hands were shaking as he rubbed them over his face.

What now? Where do you go from here? You had found yourself in some seriously deep shit. Face to face with the ex boyfriend you hated for years, after drunkenly sleeping with him, now having to admit the existence of the son you hid from him. You could kick your own ass for being so stupid.

“I just…” Eddie finally started, looking like he couldn’t organize his thoughts. He laughed humorlessly. “How could you keep this from me?”

“Because you were finally going to live your life!” you said, finding your voice. You knew you were in the wrong to not tell him about the pregnancy, but you also felt he had no room to be upset with the way he had treated you and your friends. The way he had thrown you all away like trash. “Eddie, you left.”

“So because I left, for the band, that means I didn’t deserve to know about my kid?” He huffed another disbelieving laugh. He was getting angry now.

“You didn’t just leave, you abandoned us! You abandoned me! You said you loved me!” You hadn’t noticed when they started, but tears were rolling down your face now. You wiped them away angrily with the back of your hand. Steve gently squeezed your thigh.

“This is…” Eddie stood up, beginning to pace around the room, running a hand through his hair, which was even wilder and more disheveled than usual. “That’s fucking bullshit. It’s bullshit and you know it.”

“Is it? Because you never called. Why didn’t you fucking call?” You were fully crying now. Steve wrapped an arm around your shoulders, wanting to support you in whatever small way he could.

Eddie stopped pacing and looked at you then. His expression softened. “Baby…”

“I’m not your baby anymore, though, am I?”

He looked as if he’d been struck. “You just…I…you don’t understand. You don’t get it.”

“What don’t I get?” You stood, too, sadness flipping back to anger like a switch. “How hard is it to pick up a fucking phone in two years?”

“You don’t understand what it’s like on the road!” Eddie exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. “I had no time to myself. And we broke up, I thought…I thought you didn’t want to hear from me anyway.”

“What the fuck are you even talking about?” You yelled back. “You promised. You fucking promised!”

Eddie was pained. He looked at you with his heart breaking in his chest with your every word. “It’s not that I didn’t want to. I never forgot about you. You don’t even comprehend what you mean to me. The moment I let go of your hand that day in front of the tour bus, I realized the magnitude of what I had lost.”

“Then why didn’t you do anything about it?” It was your turn to laugh. “I waited, you know. I loved you.”

Eddie flinched. “Loved?”

You both stood in silence, staring at each other. You took another deep breath.

“Yeah, loved. And you know, the saddest part is that I’d always let you break my heart. I would have let you do it again and again. But not anymore.”

Eddie shook his head. He muttered your name. “I never meant to hurt you. I just…the band-“

“Was it worth it?”

He didn’t know what to say to that. Was it worth it? He couldn’t say. He was living his dream, what he had always wanted. Corroded Coffin was famous, a real band. He was a real rockstar. But at what cost? He had spent the last 2 years living it up, loving his life, but face to face with what he’d given up for it, what he’d left behind - he wasn’t so sure anymore.

“You should have told me,” Eddie said, ignoring your question instead. “About the baby. You should have told me.”

“Would it have changed anything?” You questioned. “Would you have turned around, come home, gave it all up?”

He was lost for words once again. Truthfully, he didn’t know what he would have done. He would like to think he would have stepped up to be a father, not knowingly leaving you to do it alone. But would he have been strong enough to do it?

“That’s not fair.”

“It’s a valid question.”

Eddie shook his head again. “It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that I have a fucking son you didn’t tell me about, who I’ve never met. And that is so fucked up.”

“Don’t even get me started on what’s fucked up, Eddie Munson.”

“This whole situation is fucked up! And if you think you’re not to blame at all here,” Eddie stepped closer, pointing a finger at you, “you’re dead fucking wrong. You had no right to keep this from me.”

Steve stood up then, stepping between you and Eddie. “Okay, let’s calm down-“

“Fuck you, Eddie!”

“Yeah, fuck me.” Eddie laughed again.

“You know what,” you said, looking away from Eddie. You couldn’t stand to see his face anymore. “I’m not ready to have this conversation. I think you should leave.”

Eddie just watched you for a moment. Then, “Fine. But this isn’t over. If that’s my fucking son, I deserve to know about him. I deserve to know him.”

You stood behind Steve as Eddie stormed back into the bedroom, dressing back in his clothes from the night before. He stomped back into the living room and pulled the front door open. He paused, turning back to look at you one more time.

“You’ll hear from me,” he said. Then he left, slamming the door behind him.

You and Steve stood in silence for a minute after Eddie left. The adrenaline flowing through your body began to fade, and you realized all you were left with was the aching in your chest and the tears falling down your face again. Steve wrapped his arms around you in a tight hug.

“Sweetheart,” he mumbled against your hair. “It’s going to be alright.”

As you let the tears flow, crying into his strong chest, you wished you could believe him.

—

Eddie didn’t know where he was going. As he walked down the street your apartment complex sat on, dressed in his dirty, sweaty clothes from the night before and simultaneously seething and hurting, he felt for the first time in years like he didn’t know what he was doing.

He had a kid. A son. With you. A real kid existed out there with his DNA and his eyes and his hair and who knows what else he could have inherited. Did he like music? Was he wild like Eddie was as a child? The thought nearly made him smile to himself.

There was only one thing he could think to do, only one person he wanted to talk to right now.

As he reached a payphone, he dialed the familiar number. He held his breath as he listened to it ring.

“Hello?”

“Wayne,” Eddie breathed out, feeling like a teenager again. “Can you come get me?”

—

“So you went home with her after the show,” Wayne clarified as Eddie finished talking. He sat in his recliner, a beer in hand as he listened to Eddie like he had so many times as he was growing up. Wayne could be counted on for a lot of things, but one of them was to listen to Eddie without judgement.

“Yeah…” Eddie said, knowing he was avoiding voicing the worst part of the situation. He sat on the couch, arms on his knees and fingers nervously playing with his rings.

“Well, that’s not so bad, is it?” the older man said, taking a swig of his beer. “There’s a lot of history between you two, it only makes sense that something like…that could happen.”

“Yeah,” Eddie repeated. It didn’t escape Wayne’s notice that he wouldn’t meet his eyes.

“Is there something else?” he asked, and Eddie hated how well the old man could read him.

“I, uh,” Eddie began, scratching the back of his neck nervously. This would be his first time telling someone, the first time admitting it out loud.

Wayne looked at him concerned, sensing something big was coming. “You know you can tell me anything, Ed.”

“Yeah, yeah I know.” He let out a long breath before finally looking at his uncle. “This is, uh…well, it’s good you’re sitting down.”

Wayne’s eyebrows raised as he took another swig. He waited for Eddie to continue, but his concern was building.

“I, uh…” Eddie watched Wayne’s face intently. “I have a…a son.”

Whatever Wayne Munson was expecting to hear from his nephew, it certainly wasn’t that. He nearly choked on his beer. “You have a what?”

Eddie winced. He knew how it sounded. He knew how it was. “She was pregnant when I left,” Eddie continued. “I didn’t know, I swear. I didn’t abandon my kid or anything like that.” Eddie buried his face in his hands, muttering under his breath, “Christ.”

Wayne’s expression softened. “She didn’t tell you?”

Eddie shook his head. “No.”

“Well…that wasn’t right.”

Eddie felt sick to his stomach again. “Well I, uh…I haven’t exactly talked to her at all since we left.”

Wayne’s look turned to one of disapproval, one Eddie had seen many a time when he had fucked up royally. “Ed.”

“Yeah, I…I know.”

“Jesus, Ed, why would you do that? I thought you loved that girl.”

Eddie let out a long sigh. The truth was that he didn’t know. “I don’t know. I did love her. I do love her. I guess I got so caught up in life on the road. And we broke up, I guess I didn’t think…”

The words hung in the air for a while as the two men sat there, as if waiting to see if Eddie had anything else to say on the matter. It wasn’t a good excuse, he knew it. He knew he had been a dick. Eventually he leaned forward, burying his face in his hands. “God, Wayne, I fucked up bad.”

Wayne considered his words for a moment as he took another few sips of his beer. “It’s not too late to make it right.”

Eddie slowly looked up at him. “It’s not?”

“Of course not.” He gave his nephew a stern look. “But you’re a father now, Ed. It may be late, but you owe that little boy a father.”

A father. He was a father. The thought alone made his head spin.

“How am I supposed to be a father when we’re on the road? When I’m back in California?” Eddie felt hopeless about the situation. The band would be in Hawkins for a while visiting since the tour was over now, but eventually they’d have to get back to it. Back in the studio and eventually another tour. He had a home in California and everything.

“I guess you’re going to have to think over your priorities, Ed,” Wayne said. “I don’t think you need to quit the band or anything like that, but some things will have to change.”

Eddie felt a headache coming on. He hadn’t had a moment of peace in his own brain since seeing that photo on the floor. The second he had seen it, he had known deep down. The kid looked just like him. It almost made him feel a little warm inside.

“I’d like to meet him,” Wayne added. “My great nephew.”

Eddie looked up at him. He hadn’t even thought of that. He’d barely thought about meeting the kid himself. That terrified him. He didn’t have much experience with kids at all, and he didn’t know the first thing about toddlers. And he had missed so much already. He felt like just as shitty of a father as his own, and he hadn’t even started yet. He never wanted to be like his own father.

“Pretty much your grandson,” Eddie muttered, mostly to himself, but Wayne heard and a faint smile spread across his lips.

“What’s the kid’s name?”

“Asher,” Eddie answered. “He…he looks just like me, Wayne. It was fucking crazy. Surreal.”

Wayne’s face softened at that. He remembered perfectly well how Eddie was at that age. How he looked, with those same wild curls, how he was absolutely wild, climbing on everything and making a run for it when they’d be in public. He was a handful, and he could only imagine his son being the same. The thought brought a warmth to his chest.

“I’d like to meet him,” Wayne said again. It made Eddie feel a little bit better.

“If she’ll even let me be involved,” Eddie admitted, not even sure where he stood with you anymore. Did you never want to see him again? He wouldn’t blame you. He’d deserve that.

“It’s about more than just the two of you now, son,” Wayne pointed out. “This is about that little boy, and he needs a father. He deserves that much.”

Eddie knew he was right. He didn’t know if you would even accept his calls at this point, or answer the door for him if he showed up again, but he had to try. He wasn’t going to be a deadbeat like his father was. He was going to step up.

He was going to figure this out.

—

When you picked up Asher from your mom’s, he was thrilled to see you. You were excited to see him, too, but he reminded you of Eddie even harder than he usually did today.

“Hey, Ash,” you said as the toddler ran to you, wrapping his arms around your legs. You scooped him up, placing a kiss to the top of his head.

“We had a great time, didn’t we?” Your mother said with a smile, the family cat, Mews, in her arms.

“Gamma,” Asher told you, pointing to Claudia.

“That’s right,” she cooed, leaning forwards to place a kiss on his soft chubby cheek.

“Where’s Dusty?” you asked, placing Asher back down on the ground as he started wiggling to escape. He ran back to the toys he’d been playing with.

“Oh, he’s in his room.” She sat back in her chair, watching Asher play.

You made your way through your childhood home, down the hallway and to Dustin’s room. You knocked and were greeted with a “Come in!”

“Hey, Dusty,” you said as you walked in. Your brother was at his desk, working on something on his new computer. It was still sometimes hard to believe your little brother was growing up, in 11th grade now.

“Hey,” he greeted, turning around in his chair as you sat on his bed. “How was the show?”

You leaned forward, burying your face in your hands in answer.

“Oh,” he said. “That bad?”

“I’m a fucking idiot.”

“Yeah, I know.” He laughed, pushing some of his curls out of his face. “But why this time?”

“He saw a photo of Asher. He figured it out,” you admitted, finally looking up to meet Dustin’s gaze. His eyes widened.

“Eddie? How did he-“ Dustin’s eyes somehow became even wider as he realized. “Oh, no. No. You took him home?”

You groaned, flopping back on the bed. That was answer enough.

“You really are a fucking idiot,” he said.

You chucked a pillow at his face. “Yeah, thanks.”

He let out an “Oof” as the pillow hit him. “Well, what happened?”

You recounted the whole morning to him. Steve coming over, Eddie finding the photo, the fight, kicking him out. Dustin listened intently, without judgement despite his teasing.

“So, what are you going to do? Are you going to talk to him again?” Dustin asked.

You bit the inside of your lip. “I guess I have to. If he wants to be in Ash’s life, I can’t exactly tell him no.”

“Does he want to be?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted. “I think he was still dealing with the shock of it when we talked. I guess we need to talk again.”

“Eddie’s a good guy,” Dustin said, his expression soft. “He’ll do the right thing. Even if it takes him some time. I know he cared about you.”

Your brother could be perceptive, and if you’d ever hoped he was right, it was now. Truthfully, you had never moved on from Eddie. There had been no one else. You suspected he couldn’t say the same, and the thought made you sick. All the time you had known him, you had felt you could rely on Eddie. You weren’t so sure now, but you hoped Dustin was right.

At the end of the day, you just wanted the best for your son. And maybe to be happy, too, finally.

tag list

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[wheeboo]

you're alright, i guess | kwon soonyoung

SYNOPSIS. in which you accidentally miss the bus and decide to stay the night at your date's place for the first time. PAIRING. kwon soonyoung x gn!reader (ft. chan as soonyoung's roommate) GENRE. fluff WARNINGS. chan makes like a sex joke, kissing WORD COUNT. 2.9k

notes: hi everyone this ended up being a lil longer than i thought but it was saur cute to write so i hope u enjoy :') tagging @etherealyoungk hehe

Maybe you do lose all track of time when you're with someone special. Perhaps that's one of the aspects of starting to fall for another person𑁋that it's just so easy to lose track of time because you're too caught in the moment since the entirety of this day had gone right.

On the other hand, Soonyoung had spent the past week meticulously planning this date with you. This is only his second date with you, since the first one he was a nervous wreck the entire time and was terrified that you didn't want to see him again by the end of it (he sobbed when he got back to his place). But when you told him you wanted to see him again, he made his roommate Chan remind him every morning that yes, you do want to see him again and that he wasn't hallucinating.

The date didn't even require much planning, it was mainly because Soonyoung kept overthinking every little detail.

"How about we go to this ice cream place instead because Y/N prefers something simpler? Or maybe raid the convenience store to have a picnic by the Han River?" Soonyoung suggested to Chan one evening, who was currently sprawled out on the couch, engrossed in his phone.

Chan looked up, his eyebrows raised. "You're planning this date like it's a military operation."

Soonyoung let out an exasperated sigh, pacing back and forth in their living room. "I need to cover all bases, Chan!"

"Hyung, you don't need a battle strategy for a date. It's supposed to be fun and relaxed."

"But what if Y/N doesn't like ice cream, or they have allergies or something they never told me of? And what if the convenience store doesn't have the right snacks? What if I mess it up?"

"Christ, hyung. You're overthinking this," Chan muttered, before letting out a sigh. "You really like them a lot, don't you?"

Soonyoung only flopped back down on the couch next him. It's almost overwhelming how much he does like you. "Yeah..."

By the time the date rolled around, he offered to pay for your snacks from the convenience store for the picnic and the ice cream by the end of it.

It wasn't extravagant nor entirely too simple, but he likes to think it was just the right amount of perfect to make up for the jittery disaster he was for the first one. And from the pretty smiles to your face that he caught glances of from to time, perhaps he was a bit more successful than he thought.

The time was probably around ten o'clock now, and you both find yourselves strolling side-by-side down the tranquil, quiet cityscape, the path ahead illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights. You had an arm around Soonyoung's, telling him about something that happened when you were younger, and he was listening intently, hanging onto every word that left your mouth, occasionally getting distracted from how the city lights seem to dance in your eyes or how you glow when you spoke.

"And like... everyone stared at me! I can't believe I was the first person to spell in every freakin' round."

Soonyoung tries to imagine it𑁋a younger you participating in the school spelling bee standing awkwardly by the microphone in front of the entire school. The thought makes him grin.

"Cute," he mutters aloud, yet the grin to his face disappears when he feels a flick at the yellow cap he was wearing. "Hey! What was that for?"

You only pout, and Soonyoung swears you look even more cuter. "It's not cute. It's embarrassing."

"Well, it's cute because it's you."

You roll your eyes, chuckling at his words, but the flush to your cheeks doesn't go unnoticed by him.

His eyes linger on you for a few moments, and when you look up to meet his gaze, you catch sight of the most endearing smile to his face, one that melts your heart and brings a sweeter taste to your mouth than the ice cream you had earlier. It looks like he wants to say something, but before he can, there's a gasp that leaves your mouth at a moment of realisation.

"Crap, that's my bus over there!" You exclaim, pointing down to a bus farther down the street that was accepting the last few people inside and getting ready to close its doors.

Almost instinctively, you reach down to grab Soonyoung's hand before you're dashing down the street and dragging him along in a frantic sprint towards the bus stop. You can feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins as you used all the remains of whatever energy you had left. However, by the time you both arrived at the bus stop, it was already half a block away from you.

"Dammit," You groan out frustratingly, letting go of Soonyoung's hand to catch your breath. "That was the last ride back home."

Soonyoung stands beside you, also panting heavily from the impromptu sprint. Once he catches his breath, he leads you to the seats under the bus stop, giving you a few moments to recover yours as well. And in that short amount of time, he lets himself think, his hand wandering to the urge to place over yours on your thigh, but he hesitates and retrieves it back.

"Sorry, I-I should've been more aware of the time," he says sheepishly.

You shake your head, managing a small smile back at him. "It's not your fault. I didn't even notice the time either."

His apologetic expression eases, yet the few moments of silence that passes afterwards does nothing to rid of the nerves that was crawling up his spine. He tries to think of other ways𑁋maybe a taxi, but the street appears almost barren of any𑁋but no other solution seems to come up, other than one last one.

"Um..." He clears his throat nervously. "Do you... want to stay over at my place for the night? It's, uh, not that far away, and we can figure out a way for you to get home tomorrow. If-If you want to, of course."

You feel your heart flutter to his suggestion, a mixture of nervousness and anticipating racing through you. Soonyoung feels the pang of regret to his chest at the sight of your contemplative expression. He shouldn't have asked that. What if he made you uncomfortable?

"Would you... be fine with that? What about your roommate?" You ask him, remembering that he mentioned another boy named Chan or something that also lived with him.

Soonyoung can sense the slight hesitation in your voice, and it makes his nervousness resurface.

"Chan's cool, I promise," he reassures you lightly. "He wouldn't mind."

You take a moment to think it over. Staying over at Soonyoung's place is a big step, especially for only your second date, but there's something about his sincerity and the way the entire night you've felt at ease with his presence that makes you want to take that leap of faith. Plus, you didn't have much of a choice anyway since you lived on the outskirts of town and the buses had stopped running for the night.

So you look back up at Soonyoung, noticing the way he's anxiously awaiting your response from the way his fingers seem to be kneading at the loose strings of his pants. With a warm smile, you reach out and gently place your hand on his.

"Okay," You tell him. "I'll stay over."

It takes nearly every muscle in his face to relax from your words, the relief washing over his features and the corner of his lips curving upward into a grateful, precious smile.

"Okay." He lets his hand interlock with yours, and he has to refrain himself from squeezing it too tightly out of excitement. His heart does a little dance in his chest as he stands up, gently tugging you up with him.

It's a peaceful walk on the way to his place, and the night air is crisp and cool like a tender graze against your skin as you make your way through the streets and into the local neighbourhood of apartment complexes. The city seems to have a different charm at this late hour𑁋quieter and more intimate. Soonyoung is careful not to let go of your hand, as if afraid you might disappear if he does. His brain still can't even process that you're about to see his place for the first time.

As he leads you inside the apartment building, you follow up a flight of stairs to where his apartment stood. He clumsily fumbles with the keys in his hands as he stands in front of the door, finally managing to unlock it. With a shy smile, he pushes the door open, gesturing for you to enter first.

He follows in behind you, and for a moment you both find yourselves a bit squished together in the entryway, the warmth of his body close to yours as you take off your shoes. There's a fleeting tension in the air as your eyes meet, and then you both chuckle nervously, breaking the moment.

"Hyung? Are you home now? How was the date𑁋" A sudden voice makes you and Soonyoung turn your heads simultaneously, and you're met with a younger boy whom you presume to be Chan, appearing exhausted with disheveled hair as if he had just woken up from a nap. You quietly greet him with a friendly smile, and he offers you one back in return.

Tackling the somewhat awkward atmosphere, Soonyoung gestures you to follow him into the living room, where you place yourself down comfortably on the couch.

"Can I get you something to drink or... anything?" Soonyoung asks you.

"Yeah, just some water is fine," You answer, before letting your gaze travel around the room.

The living area is very homey, a bit messy with some folded laundry at the ends of the couch, an empty can of soda and some snack wrappers sitting on the coffee table. You can't help but chuckle to yourself at the sight, finding the small mess endearing rather than off-putting; nonetheless, you still feel comfortable and welcomed.

When Soonyoung enters the kitchen to retrieve your water, he's pulled to the side by Chan.

"A reminder would have been nice if you were bringing them home," he mutters lowly, a bit of an annoyed tone to his voice.

"They missed their bus, what else was I supposed to do?" Soonyoung whispers back as he fills up a glass with water. "I-I couldn't just leave them stranded there."

Chan just sighs, giving the older boy a few pats on the back. "Just... don't do anything weird, okay? Keep it PG. And if I have to block my ears or whatever just, like, knock on the wall."

Soonyoung feels the heat in his face as he gives the younger boy a light smack to the arm. "We aren't𑁋it's not like that!"

That was enough for a round of laughter to leave Chan's lips and for you to catch sight of Soonyoung's slightly embarrassed expression once they enter back into the living area together. Chan only shoots one last knowing glance between the two of you before uttering out his goodnight and disappearing into his own bedroom.

"Sorry about the mess, by the way," Soonyoung says as he hands you the glass of water.

You take in the glass in your own hands, your fingers brushing momentarily against his. When you take a sip, you feel a refreshing wave hit you all at once. "It's fine. You weren't expecting company anyway. And... it feels cozy. I like it."

Your words make Soonyoung's eyes soften. He takes a seat beside you on the couch, not too close to invade your personal space but close enough that you can still feel the warmth of his presence. It's comforting, you think, because despite the quiet moments in between, you both feel contented in simply being together.

You know Soonyoung tried his best to make this date perfect, since your first one was more on the awkward side. But there was something about him𑁋whether it was his endearing clumsiness, the way he genuinely cares about your comfort and happiness, or the amount of effort he put in to actually want to get to know you𑁋that made you feel like this was right where you were meant to be.

"Do you... want to see my room?"

You glance up at him curiously, placing your empty glass on the coffee table. "Can I?"

Soonyoung leads the way, and you follow him down a short hallway to a door on the right. However before he opens it, he turns to look back at you. There's a sense of anticipation in the air, as if he's eager to let you into this personal part of his life but also a bit (very) nervous about what you might think.

"Wait, let me just... tidy it up a bit," he murmurs as if in shame before you have a chance to respond. He quickly steps inside the room, leaving you standing in the hallway. You hear some shuffling and a few muttered apologies to himself, and then he reappears back out with a sheepish grin.

He pushes it open, revealing a cozy and small bedroom. The walls are painted a soft shade of blue, and there are posters of various artists and bands you recognise like SHINee and BIGBANG. His bed is hurriedly kempt with a couple plushies of what seem to be tigers, and there's a desk piled with notebooks and a laptop.

There's a shelf in the corner of the room filled with collections of ticket stubs from concerts, a row of trophies and medals, and a stack of old photo albums. Then you take a seat at the edge of his bed, taking one of his tiger plushies in your hands and smiling to yourself. It's incredibly soft to the touch, carrying a scent of the remnants of Soonyoung. You can't help but snuggle it for a moment before placing it back on his bed.

"Here, I got some clothes you can sleep in," Soonyoung says after rummaging through his drawer.

"Thanks," You take the piece of clothing in your hand: a large hoodie that he bought at a concert a while ago.

He leaves you for a few minutes to allow you to change. Once he comes back in, it takes him a few moments to get used to you wearing his clothes with a hoodie that's slightly oversized on you, his cheeks deepening with a rosy hue that stretches up to his ears as he takes his place right next to you on the bed.

As the night goes on, you both start to feel a sense of exhaustion from the day's events. Soonyoung offers you his bed while he'll take the couch, but you decline. You don't mind sharing his bed; in fact, you'd prefer it.

"Are... Are you sure?" he asks, a hint of concern, hesitation, in his eyes. "I-I can sleep on the couch. It's completely okay."

You nod with a warm smile. "I'm sure. Plus, it's your bed, anyway. You deserve to sleep in it."

He seems to relax at your response, his tense shoulders loosening as he takes in a deep breath, and he finds himself crawling under the covers right next to you. It's strange, considering you're only two people who are still getting to know each other, yet the closeness feels natural and comforting.

You lay on your sides, facing each other, with only a few inches of space separating you. The room is dimly lit by a soft, warm glow from a bedside lamp, and the sounds of the city outside are barely audible.

"Hi," Soonyoung whispers, face cutely half-buried in the pillow.

You faintly grin, whispering in his same tone, "Hi."

For a moment, the two of you only lay there, only carefully studying each other's faces.

"You're really pretty," Soonyoung admits shamelessly, his words making you giggle and the heat sprout to your face.

"So you've mentioned," You tease him back playfully. Many times.

Soonyoung chuckles softly, the sound muffled by his pillow.

"I really like you, you know," he tells you, and it's so quiet that you can barely hear it, but his words send a pleasant shiver down your spine.

You prop yourself up on one arm, keeping your eyes on him. "Is that why I'm in your bed right now?"

Despite the darkness of the room, his cheeks tint a deeper shade of pink. He shifts slightly, scooting more closer towards you so he can face you more directly, his eyes locking onto yours.

"Partly, yes," he replies, voice low. "I feel comfortable around you, and I... I want to get to know you better. It's... a bit scary how much I like you."

You can feel the weight of his words, and you're not sure how to respond. Instead, you reach out, gently cupping his cheek with your hand, and guide his face toward yours. Your lips meet in a soft, tentative kiss. Soonyoung doesn't hesitate to kiss you back, his lips moving against yours slowly, gently, enough to feel like you're flying. The kiss deepens just slightly, but it's not rushed, as you feel his hand come to rest at the small of your back to rid of whatever distance was left.

And when you pull away, the two of you a bit breathless, Soonyoung only smiles.

"Does that mean you like me too?" he asks, as if the kiss you just shared wasn't the obvious answer.

"Hm." You look at him square in the eye, resisting the urge to smile though you can feel your lips twitching. "You're alright, I guess."

Soonyoung just grins, leaning in once again so that his lips hover over yours.

"You're so mean." he pouts, before kissing you again.

taglist (open) ʚɞ @enhazen @haowrld @ylliris-hanniehae @icyminghao @slytherinshua @jeonride @lockburn-castle @vrnism @weird-bookworm @mhlsymlysn @ryuwonieebae @yeonjuns-redhair

[yurozo]

slow dancing in a burning room (leon kennedy one-shot)

synopsis: leon's new to this, new to relationships, new to expecting someone at home waiting for him. after a mission, he's determined to have a moment of peace with you. (general audiences)

a/n: this is purely self-indulgent. i just want to wrap leon in a big blanket and give him a smooch on the head.

in retrospect, a normal life for him was always out of the question. the moment he decided to drown in his own sorrows the night before the incident, as he's so aptly named it, that was it. there was no more backing out for him-- forced to live and relive the same routine over and over until his heart rattled in his chest. every moment in the firefight blurs at the edges, stretched and stringed together in a half-hearted attempt at putting himself back together again, but repairing things was never his forte. not his modus operandi, as it were.

in this war, there's no better way to reconcile than a couple quick swigs until his throat burned.

all this considered, it made the fact that it only took you two years to make leon back into a mostly functioning human being all the more impressive. you had come into his life like a tidal wave—  sweeping him up in your storm and laying him gently on the shore, fixed-up and patched together.

again, mostly.

after three days of trucking through another monster-infested city, leon stepped into the threshold of your shared home with what felt like a death rattle in his chest. he showered after the helicopter ride, had all of his mission gear tucked away at dso headquarters, and for all intents and purposes should feel normal again. but it's only after seeing you, sipping on a glass of water in the dim light of the kitchen that makes the ache in his heart finally quell.

a slow thump this time, rather than a crackling, wet noise.

"can't sleep?" leon chooses to break the silence first, leaning his hip against the opposite counter. you jolt a little, leon always had the quietest walk known to man, but shake your head in response anyway. of course, leaving the not until you're home again left unsaid. he knew you worried. you knew that he knew you worried. it was written in your blood, just as protecting was in his.

"everything went okay?" you ask, turning around to appraise him. that was your routine every time he came home, inspect leon like a bug under a microscope and ever so carefully stitch the parts back on. he looks clean, and save for a few noticeable scrapes and overgrown stubble, he's in considerably better shape than he normally is.

he hums affirmatively in response. "better than most."

"we should sleep." you try and tug him towards the bedroom but he quickly stops you, instead wrapping his arms around your waist and tucking his head into the crook of your neck.

"stay," he mumbles against your skin, lips just barely grazing it in a barely-there kiss. "just for a bit."

a soft sigh leaves you, chest heaving against his. in lieu of an answer, you wrap your arms around his neck, fingers curling in the hair long overdue for a trim.

it's then that leon has an, admittedly, stupid idea. one that sowed when he was forced to watch some terrible romance movie with you, and only blossomed the longer that he was away. his arm moves awkwardly between you until his fingers fumble for the phone in his back pocket, holding it between you as he scrolls for something with a sly grin only reserved for you.

a song you don't recognize starts playing, and leon places the phone on the kitchen counter with a questioning glance in your direction.

you respond in turn with a raised brow. "i didn't know you danced."

"i don't," he chuckles, pointedly not saying that he might only be willing to do it for you. in truth, he's willing to indulge in a very long list of stupid things to make you happy.

he hesitates for a moment before the tips of his fingers gently graze your hips, tugging you forwards. in a somewhat reluctant, but no less sincere way, he continues, "but i've been known to make exceptions."

you step forward at his insistence, letting leon tug you by the hip. a soft smile can't be helped at the knock of his temple against yours. "you're not going to step on my toes, are you?"

"don't get too excited," he grumbles, hands already clutching at your waist while trying to still keep a respectable distance from your body. he's tired enough as it is, and he's not trying to start something later than he can't finish, as tempting as it may be. with his guidance you both start swaying to the melody, a somewhat awkward attempt to emulate every romantic cliche. "i'm probably going to be terrible."

he is. not that you would say that to his face.

leon's stiff, uncoordinated in a way that could not be more dissimilar to graceful way he moves in combat. you've seen him fight plenty of times, seen how every attack and dodge feels like a choreographed routine, and this could not be more different than that leon. his steps are jerky, his hands keep shifting awkwardly against the flat expanse of your back, and he can't seem to hold eye contact with you for more than a few seconds in lieu of making sure his feet are moving correctly.

it's endearing, in an adorable, hopelessly shy sort of way. so completely out of his element, and he knows it.

the longer the dance goes on, the more apparent it becomes just how aware leon is of himself. despite your best efforts at trying to guide him along the kitchen floor, leon almost seems to be self-sabotaging. every time you make a move to ease the tension in his shoulders with a gentle push on his chest or a soft caress with your thumb, his feet stumble into yours.

"relax," you tell him, only succeeds in giving him the inexplicable urge to throw himself out the nearest window.

"i am relaxed," he lies through his teeth.

"stop thinking, then." you try again, squeezing his shoulder comfortingly.

"i can't."

you've known leon too long to miss what that means. almost every time he gets back from a mission, it's like getting the empty husk of your boyfriend haunting the corridors until he can get himself back to routine. at its worst, it takes a few meals and gentle caresses for him to even look at you in the eyes. like a dog with its ears flat and a ripped up shoe in its mouth.

"as romantic as this is," you smile, trailing your hand up his neck until it lands at home on his cheek. the gesture is sweet, truly. but leon already looks like he's falling apart, and this time it's time for you to protect. "maybe we really should get some sleep."

the song comes to an end then, the last final notes trickling through the air before surrendering to a complete, all-encompassing silence. leon only gives you a slow nod, before following your figure to the bedroom. easy, quiet as a lamb.

finally, there's no more burning. all that's left is the quiet.

[cursedlovesstuff]

Nervous Proposal K.B.

Kate Bishop stood outside the Romanoff's apartment, her heart pounding like she had just finished a marathon.

She nervously adjusted the grip on the bouquet of roses in her hands, her fingers fidgeting with the ribbon tied around the stems.

Clint’s voice echoed in her mind, trying to reassure her. “Come on, Kate, just do it. What’s the worst that could happen? Nat and Yelena like you, right?”

But as she stood at the door, every possible worst-case scenario played through her mind.

Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, was terrifying enough on a good day.

Add in her younger sister Yelena, who was just as deadly and even more unpredictable, and Kate’s nerves skyrocketed.

This wasn’t just about facing the Romanoff sisters,this was about Y/N, the person she’d been crushing on for what felt like forever.

Y/N wasn’t just another person.

She was the one who made Kate’s heart race every time they hung out, the one who made her feel like the world wasn’t as chaotic as it seemed.

Now, standing at the door, Kate was about to take the biggest risk of her life, asking Y/N out on a date.

When Kate finally summoned the courage, she raised her hand and knocked on the door.

The sound echoed in her ears, almost too loud, as if the universe was amplifying her anxiety.

She waited, her mind racing, until she heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching from inside the apartment.

The door opened, and there stood Natasha Romanoff. “Hi, Kate,” Natasha greeted, her voice neutral but her eyes sharp.

She glanced down at the bouquet in Kate’s hands, then back up at Kate’s face, a small smirk playing on her lips. “Is there something I can help you with?”

Kate swallowed hard, trying to find her voice. “Uh, hi, Nat. I was, um, I was wondering if Y/N is home?”

Natasha tilted her head slightly, considering the question. “Maybe. Why do you ask?” Her tone was teasing, but there was an underlying protectiveness that made Kate’s stomach twist.

“Because I, um... I wanted to talk to her,” Kate managed to say, her voice wavering despite her best efforts to sound confident. “If that’s okay with you, of course.”

Natasha studied Kate for a few moments longer, the silence stretching out until it felt almost unbearable. “Y/N!” she called over her shoulder. “You’ve got a visitor.”

Kate let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as she heard the sound of another door opening and closing inside the apartment.

A few seconds later, Y/N appeared in the doorway, her eyes lighting up when she saw Kate standing there with the roses.

“Hey, Kate,” Y/N said with a smile, her presence immediately soothing some of Kate’s nerves. “What’s up?”

As Natasha took a step back, giving them space as she walked away.

Kate forced herself to focus on Y/N, who was looking at her with a mix of curiosity and affection.

This was the moment she had been building up to, the one she had spent countless hours thinking about, and now that it was here, the words seemed to catch in her throat.

“I, um, I got roses,” Kate blurted out, holding out the bouquet awkwardly.

As soon as the words left her mouth, she cringed internally. Of course, Y/N could see that. The roses were right there.

Y/N chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “I can see that,” she said, her voice warm.

Kate’s face flushed, and she quickly tried to recover. “I mean, I got these roses for you,” she corrected herself, feeling like her nerves were turning her brain to mush. “I, um, I couldn’t find your favorite flowers, so I got these instead. I hope that’s okay.”

Y/N’s smile widened, and she reached out to take the roses from Kate’s trembling hands.

“They’re perfect, Kate,” she said softly, her fingers brushing against Kate’s as she accepted the flowers.

Kate felt her heart do a flip at the contact, but she forced herself to stay focused. She had come this far—she couldn’t back down now. “So, I was wondering... if you’d like to go out with me?”

"Like on a date?" Y/N asked, a playful glint in her eyes.

“Yes! Can I take you out on a date?” Kate responded quickly, her voice full of hope and nervous energy.

At first, Y/N didn’t respond, and the silence felt like it stretched on forever. But then Y/N’s expression softened, and she nodded. “I’d love to, Kate,” Y/N replied, her voice filled with genuine warmth.

Kate’s heart soared, and she couldn't help the grin spreading across her face. “Great,” she said, barely able to contain her excitement. “Are you free on Friday?”

Y/N nodded. “Yeah, Friday works for me.”

“Friday at 6?” Kate suggested, trying to sound casual despite the butterflies in her stomach.

“Friday at six sounds perfect.”

“Great! I mean, awesome!” Kate stammered, unable to hide her excitement. “I’ll pick you up then?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Y/N said, her smile brightening even more. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Kate’s grin was so wide it hurt, but she didn’t care. “Me too,” she said, feeling like she was walking on air. “okay, I’ve got to go do something—training. I’ll see you on Friday.”

“Goodnight, Bishop,” Y/N said with a soft smile.

“Goodnight, Romanoff,” Kate replied, turning to leave, her heart racing with a mix of nerves and excitement as she walked away.

As she made her way down the hallway, Kate couldn’t help but glance back over her shoulder, catching one last glimpse of Y/N standing in the doorway, still holding the roses with that same warm smile on her face. It was a sight that would keep Kate smiling all week.

~

Not my best work but I hope you enjoyed it !

[runninriot]

no happy ending?

written for @steddiemicrofic

december prompt: time | wc: 485 | tags: pining, angst, emotional hurt, ambiguous/ hopeful ending

Time's up now. Eddie has lost his chance.

Because with the last of his bags stowed away in the trunk of his car, there's no reason for Steve to stay any longer. Just a few more moments and he'll be off to a new life. A fresh start somewhere far away from the clutches of shit hole Hawkins.

   "Promise you'll call when you get there?"

   "Promise you'll visit?"

It feels strange, how they're avoiding each other's gaze. Making promises that are supposed to make this easier- but don't. Because they both know this is 'goodbye for good' and not 'see you later'.

That's just how life goes - people grow up and apart. They move away and move on. Some forget and others will be forgotten.

And it hurts.

Eddie wants to be happy for his friend, he really does, but the sting of regret sits too deep, right there at his core, infecting his heart with sorrow that consumes him whole.

But for Steve he'll try anyway. Will fake a smile even if - inside - he's drowning in tears.

   "I, uh, I should-" Steve says, awkwardly pointing in the direction of his car.

Eddie nods, hopes the upward curl of his lips is believable enough to hide the emotions that threaten to show on his face.

    I'll miss you, Eddie wants to say but swallows the words back down, afraid the thickness in his voice will give away what's lying underneath. A truth he'll have to bury somewhere deep down along with the feelings he's carried around in a box locked away in his heart for so long.

It doesn't matter now.

Steve will be gone and Eddie will be left with the memories of missed opportunities, lamenting what ifs that were never meant to be.

   "Can I- can I hug you?" Steve asks so quiet Eddie almost misses it.

He wants to say no, knows it'll kill him but he opens his arms nonetheless. How could he not, when this is the last time he'll get to hold Steve like that?

It feels so good it hurts. Tears him apart from the inside out, makes tears spill from his eyes. But Steve has no mercy, buries himself deeper in the crook of his neck. Holds him so tight, he can't breathe.

   I wish you would stay, Eddie's mind helplessly screams at the boy in his arms.

   "I wish you'd come with me," Steve offers in return, voice plaintive and heavy with something Eddie doesn't dare name. He can't give himself to the delusion that maybe there's meaning in the way Steve refuses to let go.

   "I love you," a voice whispers and he can't tell if it his or Steve's because their mouths are suddenly one, meeting in a clash of lips and teeth and tongue, deep and desperate.

And Eddie wonders if maybe there's still a chance after all, to get his happy ending.

[slayfics]

Eijiro gets worried when he sees you spending time with Katsuki.

1,300 words~

Eijiro came downstairs into the common room of the dorms. Immediately he was drawn to your laughter. What he didn't expect to see was you sitting next to Katsuki.

Katsuki was never particularly funny. Usually, people even moved away from him in the common room due to his easily excitable temper. So why were you sitting so close to him laughing?

"Hey," Eijiro greeted you both and sat awkwardly in between you.

"Hi, Kirishima! It took you longer to come down than I thought, what were you up to all this time?" You greeted smiling sweetly at him. Eijiro opened his mouth to speak but was quickly interrupted.

"Probably analyzing some old videos of Crimson like a nerd," Katsuki huffed, causing you to laugh again.

"You do really like Crimson," You giggled in agreement with Katsuki. Even though your tone was playful, Eijiro couldn't help but shrink into himself as he felt made fun of. Since when did you start agreeing with Katsuki on things he wondered?

"Um, well what were you both talking about," Eijiro asked, trying to change the subject.

"How cool Bakugo was in the training today! I can't believe his team was able to capture every one of their opponents without any injuries! That was amazing!" You said enthusiastically. Eijiro felt himself shrink even further into himself at you praising Katsuki.

Eijiro himself didn't do well at all in the training today, being captured almost right away. Eijiro also couldn't help but notice the twinkle in your eyes when you spoke about Katsuki and he felt his heart become heavy.

Your phone buzzed a few times capturing your attention.

"Oh looks like the girls are ready for me, we promised to study together today. I guess I'll see you guys later then!" You called out as you left, leaving the two boys alone.

"Hey, man what was that about," Eijiro asked Katsuki.

"Hu?" He grunted.

"Since when were you two friends?" Eijiro asked, trying not to sound as concerned as he was.

"We're not. She came up and started talking to me," Katuski said indifferently.

"Oh...," Eijiro looked down at the floor, feeling his heart swell even more. You approached him, he thought. That made things even worse.

"The hell you look like that for?" Katsuki nudged his friend.

"It's just... well you're not interested in her right?" Eijiro asked softly so no one else in the common room could hear. Katsuki laughed at his remark.

"Oh man, you're asking because you're nervous aren't you?" Katuski flashed him a cocky grin. "Because if I wanted her it would be too easy for me to take her from you," He teased his friend.

"Hey man cut it out," Eijiro said, feeling himself becoming angry.

"Whatever, get yourself together," Katskui said, leaving his friend alone on the couch. Realizing Katsuki never said he wasn't interested in you, Eijiro couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach.

It ate at him the whole rest of the night as he worked out in his room, as he studied, as he showered. He couldn't get it off of his mind. Were you interested in Katsuki?

It was nearly time for him to sleep but all he found was discomfort in his bed. Tossing and tuning hearing your laughter at Katsuki's comments over and over again in his mind.

Fuck it.

Eijiro grabbed his phone and messaged you.

Hey how did studying with the girls go?

It was fun! But, I don't think I learned much to be honest. We were mainly just talking.

What about?

If I told you I'd have to kill you. What happens in girls' study night stays in girls' study night.

Oh, come on, you can trust me.

Fine, we were talking about boys.

Eijiro felt his face become hot. Were you talking to the other girls about Katuski... Eijiro figured he would never have a better moment to ask and put his mind at ease.

Was Bakugo one of the boys mentioned?

Why would you ask that?

You seemed to be getting along really well with him today, that's all.

Kirishima, can you meet me in the common room? I want to tell you something.

Eijiro felt his heart sink. Were you going to confess that you were interested in Katsuki?

Eijiro made his way down to the common room where he found you waiting on the couch. Your hands clasped together nervously on your lap twirling your thumbs back and forth.

“Hey man what's up?" He asked, sitting next to you.

"Why would you ask me about Bakugo?" You whispered trying to remain quiet and not alert anyone else sleeping in the dorms.

"Oh well uh, you did compliment him pretty hard today, and you know, you seemed to be laughing at everything he said," Eijiro said shrugging his shoulders, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal to him, even though his heart was pounding a million miles a minute.

"Oh, I guess that makes sense. Well being honest I...," You looked down a blush tinting your face causing you to stop.

Fuck she does like him, Eijiro thought feeling his whole heart shatter into pieces.

"Go on you can tell me," Eijiro said, sweetly despite feeling like he was dying inside.

"I um... I've only been trying to be closer to Bakugo recently because well... because he is your friend." You said looking down at your feet too embarrassed to look up at Eijiro.

"Hu?" Eijiro was completely lost. You were talking to Bakugo because why now? That made no sense.

"Yeah... I thought if maybe I got closer to your friends I'd be able to spend more time with you as a result." You confessed your face turning an even deeper red.

Holy crap did she say she wants to spend more time with me? Eijiro felt his whole perspective flip and it felt as though he was dreaming now, one of those dreams you don't ever want to wake up from.

"You wanted to spend more time with me?" He asked, completely astonished at his luck.

"Yeah... I mean I really like being around you Kirishima," You said, glancing over at him. The look on his face was an indescribable happiness.

"You sure it wasn't Bakugo you liked being around? He's so manly with his quirk and he has been doing really well recently... and I... I blew it at today's training," Eijiro said, looking slightly downcast again.

"Kirishima, you're too hard on yourself! Yes, your friend has been doing well but he is not you. I like you... you're the sweetest person I've ever met and I can't help but have this dumb smile on my face every time you are around," You said, bringing your sleeves to your face and trying to hide your blush.

"You know... I was really beaten up thinking you liked Bakugo... Hearing how you really feel has got me feeling all kinds of stuff," Eijiro laughed nervously rubbing his neck. "Feels too good to be true, and your words are so kind. That means a lot to me coming from you. From now on you can just ask if you want to spend time with me, you don't have to get closer to my friends to do it." Eijiro spoke.

You nodded in agreement, "Well I guess we better get some sleep it's late now," you said standing up feeling completely nervous and overwhelmed with your confession.

"Yeah I guess we should," Eijiro said, standing up and following your lead, even though he wanted nothing more than to spend more time with you.

"Kirishima," You called, causing him to stop. You ran to him and grabbed his arm gently as you pressed your lips to his cheek giving him a quick kiss. "Goodnight," You said nervously and hurried away, too shy to watch his reaction.

Eijiro now stood alone in the common room, his face as red as hair.

Tags~

@unofficialmuilover @snowmist-hashira

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 10

Part 1 Part 9

Steve wakes up cuddling Eddie Munson’s calves to his chest. It barely registers over the sharp stab of pain that had jolted him awake. At some point in his sleep, he’d rolled onto his injured side, and his own weight pressing down into it makes him groan.

He rolls onto his back, letting go of his hold on Eddie’s calves. His other arm is pinned beneath his legs, already full of pins and needles, so he yanks it free. Eddie sits up, smacking his face into one of Steve’s hanging coats.

“What’s it?” he asks, nonsensically, batting the shirt out of his face.

Steve follows his lead, sitting up opposite him. Their knees knock together. Steve doesn’t pull his away.

Eddie’s hair is plastered to the side of his face on one side, lopsided and greasy, and yet his curls are still flyaway, wilder than Steve has ever seen them. His eyes are closed as he swipes his bangs out of his eyes.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Steve says.

Eddie’s eyes slit open, scowl already in place as he looks around, disoriented. Steve can see the exact moment the other boy remembers where they are. His eyes widen before he closes them, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head.

“I was hoping this whole thing was a dream,” he says, voice raspy. “No offense.”

Steve laughs. “Why would I be offended, dude?”

Eddie mutters under his breath. Steve doesn’t ask. If he’s over there talking shit, he’d frankly rather not know.

Eddie finally opens his eyes again. “What now?”

Steve looks at the closed closet door. His minds ticking away, but not going anywhere. “There’s no food,” he says, thinking aloud. “We’ve got water. We can’t kill that thing—”

“—can’t get out of here—”

“—so there’s not much to do, is there?”

He feels young and small, the way he always does when he’s hiding in his closet, knows he’s looking up at Eddie, eyes begging him to contradict what he’s saying. Eddie doesn’t.

His gaze looks just as hollowed out as Steve feels, eyes looking through Steve and into a world they’re no longer a part of. “We should stay here,” he says. “If someone comes looking, they’ll know to check here.”

Left unspoken is that no one is looking.

They crawl out of the closet together. Steve hits his face on that same varsity jacket that had meant so much to him only days before. Now, he’d sell it to the highest bidder for a bag of chips.

Eddie’s standing awkwardly in his bedroom, looking around at all the nothing on the walls, the nothing on the desk. The shell of Steve’s life. He thinks of the mugs and hats hanging in the Munson trailer, the signs of life visible in the dishes in the sink and the blanket folded at the bottom of the couch and aches.

“Can we go to your place instead?” He says it before he makes the decision to open his mouth.

Eddie snaps his gaze away from the blank walls, eyes meeting Steve’s own. “Why?”

Steve looks around at all the nothing again, feels his mouth twisting into a frown, feels his fingernails digging into his palms. “It’s cozier.” He doesn’t look back at Eddie, can’t make himself look away from the picture of the car on his wall. Steve doesn’t even like cars.

“Okay,” Eddie says, quiet. There’s an upward tick of a question at the end of the word that Steve chooses to ignore.

It’s an easy journey. They hear no sounds of pursuit, see no twisted monsters. But his lungs ache with panic until Eddie’s shut the front door of his trailer. Steve never realized they lived so close to one another.

It’s almost funny, when you think about the disparate sounds the shutting of their front door’s make. Steve’s close with a wooden thunk, and the quiet click of the metal bolt hitting home. Eddie’s sounds hollow – like styrofoam. It would be funny if it didn’t make his stomach squirm.

Like a repeat of the standoff in Steve’s own bedroom, they stand awkwardly in the Munson’s living room, the silence stilted. Eddie jiggles his feet, looking around the trailer with the same furrowed brow Steve���d had while eying his own empty bedroom.

Steve doesn’t get it. You can almost feel the people that live here by just stepping inside. It’s so full. What more could you need?

“Wanna get high?” Eddie asks, hands flapping at his sides like he can’t help moving.

“…you trust the drugs you find in this nightmare world?” Steve asks, trying to keep the judgment from his tone, sure he’s not successful.

Eddie smiles so wide his teeth show. He swings the backpack of his shoulders in one fluid motion before dropping it onto the couch and riffling through it. He holds up a metal lunchbox like it’s a prize. His face sags when he opens it.

Steve doesn’t know much about weed, but the jaunty angle both the joints Eddie pulls out don’t look quite right. Eddie straightens them futiley with his fingers before bringing them both up to his nose, sliding them both above his mouth with a showy sniff. His nose wrinkles.

“A little water-logged, but they should be okay, right?” He looks up imploringly at Steve. He shrugs. Eddie looks back down at the joints, lips in a pout. “Is chlorine poisonous?”

“Hasn’t killed me yet.”

Eddie laughs, waving Steve to follow him. “You’re not supposed to drink it, Harrington.”

“It just happens sometimes!” Steve says, following closely behind. “You gotta time your breathing right, or you get a mouthful.”

“And then you swallow it?”

“Fuck off, dude.”

Eddie’s bedroom is a marvel. There are so many posters pinned to the wall, he can barely see the color behind it. There are little trinkets everywhere – guitar picks, rings, little plastic guys that remind him of army men, paint supplies, books, cassettes. There are clothes hanging off his desk chair, guitars mounted on the wall, blankets and sheets balled onto the bed in what looks like a very comfortable nest. There are so many things Steve doesn’t even recognize enough to put a name to.

He walks up to the wall, analyzing what look like band posters. They’re predominantly red and black, angry and vibrant. Steve wants to know what that anger sounds like when plaid on the tape deck he sees on Eddie’s desk. He moves around the room, bringing his fingers up to touch the writing on the guitar – THIS MACHINE SLAYS DRAGONS – before thinking better of it and dropping his hand.

It's while he’s bent down, eyeing the little painted dragon on Eddie’s desk that he realizes the other boy has gone alarmingly quiet. When he turns, Eddie is fidgeting with the rings on his fingers, feet shuffling, biting his lip. Steve raises a brow.

“Sorry it’s so messy!” Eddie says, but he blurts it out so fast, it comes out more like, sorryit’ssomessy.

“It’s nice,” Steve says, surprised by how much he means it. “Looks like someone actually lives here.”

Eddie’s cheeks turn pink as he lifts up the ends of his hair to hide the smile Steve can see peeking through like the weirdo he is. He drops the hair to gesture grandly at his messy bed as if it was a limo. Or a chariot. “Well, sit down, my liege.”

Steve does, back against the wall where the headboard would be. Eddie settles down beside him, knees overlapping with the way they’re sitting crisscross.

Eddie holds up one of the joints, licking the edge almost on instinct before grimacing. Steve’s watching his tongue move along the paper, feels something in his gut tense before he looks away.

The first lighter he tries is just as waterlogged as the joints, not even making a spark. Eddie’s cursing up a storm as he leans across Steve to fumble for the lighter propped up on his desk. That one works.

Steve’s been to enough parties to be unsurprised by the skunky musk that quickly fills the room. He’s avoided smoking at all of those parties, though, so the way the smoke fills his lungs leaves him coughing until his throat burns. Eddie slaps his back, hard until he stops choking. It doesn’t help. Steve doesn’t ask him to stop.

“First time?” Eddie asks, clearly teasing. Steve averts his eyes. “Oh, no shit?”

“I play sports, man,” Steve says, reading the titles of the cassettes stacked up on Eddie’s desk to avoid seeing the look on the guy’s face. “Never really seemed worth the lung problems.”

Eddie nudges Steve’s knee with his own. It splays out on top of his and then stays there. “And now?”

He doesn’t want to say it, but it comes spilling out. “You really think we’re going to live long enough to develop lung problems?”

Eddie doesn’t reply, but the weight of his leg grows heavier. Steve revels in the warmth he can feel from his skin, even with the two layers of jeans separating them. It’s so cold here.

“Well,” Eddie starts, and Steve can hear the grin in his voice, so he turns back. His eyes are manic, smile shit-eating and wide. “This is one cherry of yours I don't mind popping."

This time, Steve chokes for a very different reason. He's not sure he minds.

Part 11