#I felt relieved to get this outta my system you have no damn idea

[djappleblush]

Joel Miller x OFC - Untitled

Ok, so I'm trying to venture into writing fics for Joel Miller because I became obsessed with Pedro Pascal and I had no idea how tf that happened, lmaooo... it resulted into sooooooo many plot bunnies and scenarios I'm about to explode so I decided to share them here in tumblr first before I post them in AO3, like, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm so fvcking lame. Anyway, here's the plot bunny:

Synopsis, or something: Joel was tasked to smuggle a cargo out of the Boston QZ, but imagine his shock when the package turned out to be someone - the woman he had slept with a few weeks ago; the same one he mindlessly fvcked and felt guilty about afterwards but shoved back at the deepest pit of his subconscious. He didn't want the job, but he wanted the payment, and despite his better judgement, he took it with practiced callousness and detachment. He didn't know how much it was going to turn his life upside down. Again.

Some relative plot, bear with me: Yana really needed some medicine for her friend, and considering the ones she needed were hard to come by in the QZ, she was forced to resort to dealing with one of the best smugglers in the area.   She was ready to bribe the man with a hefty ration cards when he took one look at her and said, "I want a blow job."   For a moment, Yana was so shocked that she could only stare at the guy. And then she blurted out, "What? B-but I'm pregnant! Y-you really want a pregnant woman to s- do that to you?"   The man only laughed. "I just think it'd be hot to have a pregnant lady on her knees sucking me off. I'm so pleased you came to me."   Yana didn't want to, but she was desperate. So, she agreed to meet the man that night, dreading it so much she went back home feeling sick to her stomach.   Of course, the man thought it would be such a nice idea to brag about his new deal to his smuggler friends, which was very wrong of him because the news reached the ears of one Joel Miller. The guy didn't even know that he had just signed his death warrant that day.   That night, Yana came to the meeting place feeling all sorts of nervous, fighting the urge to turn back and run away. When she reached the man's hideout, she was surprised when he opened the door only a fraction and thrust the packet of medicine in her hand, briefly telling her that he'd changed his mind and she can have the medicine - free of charge. Yana grew more nervous, knowing nothing was ever free in the QZ, so she asked if he expected her to pay in any way other than what they've originally agreed upon, but the guy quickly shook his head and stammered out an unintelligible excuse before shutting the door to her face.   Yana stared at the door for a few minutes, tears edging the rims of her eyes, before she walked away, clutching the precious medicine in her chest.   Inside the hideout, the man turned around in fear to the shadow looming behind him and said, "I-I've already done what you've told me. I'm really s-sorry, I didn't know she was you gi-"   He was unable to finish his sentence as Joel thrust his knife in his throat, twisting and then plunging it deeper, watching the life leave his eyes.

[yikesharringrove]

His Fault.

Thank you @thinger-strang for the commission! 💕

Read on Ao3

Steve took Max first, grabbing her around the knees and lifting.

He didn’t know which kid was which, just picked them up and shoved them through the hole in the ground.

No thoughts in his head besides getting the kids to safety.

He was still dizzy from the fight, from Max’s wild driving, from being thrown into low oxygen conditions.

He grabbed Dustin.

The last kid to get through.

There was a rumble.

The ground shook.

And Steve stared death right in its face.

A pack of demodogs, heading right for them.

He grabbed Dustin, thought maybe, maybe he could shield him.

If this kid dies, it’s all my fault.

But the ‘dogs passed them by.

On their way to protect from El.

Because their plan didn’t work. Their carefully crafted idea to help El was bullshit.

He pushed Dustin up to safety.

He had brought these kids down here for no reason.

They had all gotten hurt for no reason.

All because of him.

-

Steve’s knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel.

He was trying to get himself to get up, get out of the car.

Staring through the windshield at the small service.

Barb’s funeral.

The girl that died right outside his house. The girl who died in his pool.

The girl he killed.

By being too preoccupied with Nancy. By being too much of a stupid fucking jock.

It’s all his fault.

He got out of the car, stayed mostly to himself throughout the service.

He hugged Barb’s parents afterwards, offered his condolences.

He got the feeling that they never really liked him.

That’s okay. He doesn't really blame them.

And if they knew, if they knew what he did to their Barb-

They would do more than just not like him.

He spent the rest of the day in bed, thoughts of your fault your fault your fault whipping through his brain.

He killed Barb.

-

Steve was trying to think quickly.

It was a little tricky, what with the pounding in his head, the hits he was taking right to the gut.

He needed to somehow talk his way out of this.

Which sucked because talking has never been his strong point.

But he brought Robin into all of this. He had let Erica climb through those vents to get them into the elevator. He had helped Dustin suss out what the message meant.

Actually, he hadn’t.

He had been too fucking stupid to help with that.

No.

He had just encouraged the translation that was happening around him.

Had just walked three people right into the clutches of the Upside Down, and these violent goddamn Russians, and-

That one hurt.

He woke up sometime later to Robin yelling.

“Hey, will you stop yelling?”

“Steve! Oh my God! Steve!”

She sounded, actually relieved.

“Are you okay?”

-

“I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”

Robin was sitting next to him, both wrapped in thick blankets.

They had their own ambulance, Nancy and Jonathan in the one next door.

He had watched them take Billy off on a gurney, watched them slam a defibrillator to his body until his heart started beating again, watched them load him into the back of an ambulance, and take him off to the hospital.

The adrenaline, the heavy drugs, it was all out of his system.

And he was crashing.

“I shouldn’t have roped you into this. I shouldn’t have talked Dustin into translating the tape, I shouldn’t have-”

“Okay, Dingus. Let’s get some things straight. I’m pretty sure Dustin talked you into the translations. I don’t know if you’d be able to talk Dustin into anything. And you didn’t rope me into shit.”

“I mean, I mean with the Upside Down. This whole fucking conspiracy. You deserved to go your whole damn life without knowing any of this.”

“But Steve, I know about it now. The milk has been spilled. So stop crying.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

Yes, it is.

-

“Hi, welcome to Family- Nancy?”

Nancy had stopped in the doorway, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

“Steve. I didn’t know you were working here.”

“Yeah. You know, with the mall being all, burnt down. And stuff.” She nodded slowly, stock still in the doorway. “Can I help you find something?”

“No. Thanks. I’m just browsing.”

“Well, uh, let me know if you need help. Or ask Robin, maybe. She’s better with the recommends.” Nancy seemed to startle, stepping into the store properly.

“Thanks, Steve.” He smiled tightly at her.

They really hadn’t talked since breaking up.

Of course, they’d spoken in the summer, but that was less exchanging pleasantries, more how do we stop the giant fleshy monster that’s trying to take over the whole world?

Which isn’t quite the same.

She browsed through the aisles, Steve doodling on the carbon pad next to the register.

She smiled tightly at him, a few tapes in hand.

“So, uh, how are you?” They hadn’t spoken since that night. Since he wandered over to her ambulance, checking in with her and Jonathan.

“I’m okay. Just working and stuff. Obviously.”

“And how’s Billy?”

“Managing. He’s in all kindsa therapy and stuff now.”

“That’s, that’s good.” She was all stiff as he handed her her change. “It’s good to see you, Steve.”

“Yeah, Nancy. Yeah, you too.”

He hated how shitty and awkward that had been.

Hated that she was the person he felt closest to for the better part of a year, and now they’re stuck with light conversation and forced smiles.

He pushed her so hard.

Always poking and poking.

Always too clingy, always too emotional, not emotional enough. Too insensitive, or just too much work.

He doesn’t know how anyone puts up with him.

-

“Hey,” Billy smiled softly at him. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, now that my little nurse is here.” Steve rolled his eyes, smiling back as he sat on the bed next to Billy.

He had brought him to his house from the military hospital.

Billy still had a long road of healing. His scars were pulled together, and the wounds were closed, but everything was still pretty rough.

“Can I get you anything?” Billy reached over for him.

His hands were scarred and rough, and he was still trying to regain feeling, the nerves having suffered far too much damage.

“Nah. Just sit with me.”

Steve took one of his hands, stretching his hand like the doctor had shown him.

“Have you eaten today?”

“Nah. My stomach’s all outta whack today. Don’t know if I could keep anything down.” Steve furrowed his brows.

“Are you, can I make you something? Soup?”

“Stevie, I’m okay. One day’s not gonna kill me.” It felt like the bottom dropped out of his stomach. Something must've shown on his face because Billy was trying to sit up. “Sorry, that was a shitty joke.”

“No, I just-”

“It’s okay. Sorry.” Steve tried to gather himself.

“Don’t like jokes about you dying. Thought you were dead for, for like a week, you know. Before they told us you were stable.”

“Baby, it’s alright. I know it was hard on you.” Steve blinked rapidly.

“But I mean, it’s like, youwere the one, the one in the hospital I shouldn’t,” he stood up, Billy wincing as the bed shifted. “I’m gonna make you something.”

He was holding back tears as he spread peanut butter and jelly onto saltine crackers.

Billy had the best luck keeping it down when he felt sick.

He felt like shit whenever he did that. Got all mopey on Billy.

Billy was the one trying not to die in a hospital bed. Steve was just, doing what Steve does.

Making everything about himself.

He brought Billy the plate, kneeling next to him in bed.

“You okay?” Steve just shook his head, plastering on a nice smile for Billy.

“I’m fine, Bill. Just try to eat? For me?”

Billy managed three of the crackers before he heaved into the garbage bin placed next to the bed.

Steve felt like shit.

Billy’s core muscles were still healing, and throwing up only made him sore, made him tired and in pain.

“Billy, I’m sorry.”

He shouldn’t have made Billy eat. Shouldn’t have tried to make himself feel better by force-feeding Billy while he felt bad.

When he finally stopped, Steve helped him to the bathroom to wash out his mouth.

“I’m sorry.”

“Steve, it’s not your fault.”

“But you said you didn’t feel good.”

“You’re just trying to take care of me.”

Keyword here being trying.

Trying and failing at taking care of Billy.

-

“Steve, are you busy tonight?” Dustin had thrown open the door to Family Video stomping inside.

“I mean, no but I thought, isn’t tonight your big tournament?”

Dustin sighed dramatically.

“The arcade is closed.”

Dustin had been saving up for months, using the end of the summer to mow neighbors’ lawns.

Steve had even paid him to mow his own lawn.

He and the gang were going to rage for hours, Dustin organizing a special secret prize for whoever got the highest cumulative score.

He had put so much thought into everything, had been so excited.

And the arcade was closed.

“Can I talk to Keith?”

“Be my guest.”

Dustin pushed into the backroom.

Steve could hear his voice, could hear him arguing with Keith.

He came back out, Keith following behind.

“Harrington, I told you, customers aren’t allowed in the back.” He pointed to the Employees Only sign on the door. “Can you even read?” Keith rolled his eyes. Steve studied his shoes.

“And Henderson, I told you, the arcade is closed for renovations. A pipe burst in the storeroom.” Dustin Huffed. “Just, rent a movie or something. But you know, don’t ask for Harrington’s recommendation.”

Keith laughed to himself as he retreated to the back.

“Like I would ask you for a recommendation. I know what kind of movies you like.” Steve forced a smile at him.

“Sorry about your game night.” Dustin shrugged.

“I thought it’d be fun. We haven’t played DnD since Will moved. It just feels wrong without him, I guess. I thought this could bring us back to the fun spirit.”

“It’s a good idea. I’m sorry you’re gonna have to postpone.”

Steve just kinda lived with a big ol’ bit in his stomach these days.

But every time something like this happened, something where his friend was sad, and Steve was completely useless to help him, the pit seemed to grow.

He wonders what happens when the pit gets too big.

-

Billy stretched his arms above his head, wincing slightly.

“You okay?”

Billy blew out a breath, rubbing his chest.

“Yeah. Just cold. It hurts.” They were standing outside, waiting for the kids to be finished with school.

Steve drove Dustin and Max home, usually brought Billy along with him.

Neil had been one of the flayed, the only casualty Billy said he didn’t feel bad for.

So Max had moved with her mom into a tiny two-bedroom house.

Billy was still staying with Steve for the time being.

“Oh! I got a sweater in my trunk.” Steve ran around to the back of the car, unlocking the trunk and digging through.

He kept his car pretty clean, just his bat, some jumper cables, and a go-bag.

So he should see the sweater right away.

But he didn’t.

He frantically shifted everything around.

“No, no.”

The sweater wasn’t there.

“Fuck are you, are you serious?”

He genuinely could cry.

Billy was blowing into his hands, rubbing them together when Steve slumped back over to him.

“Billy, I’m sorry. It’s not in there.” Billy squinted at him.

“That’s okay.”

“I thought it was, but I must’ve taken it out, I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize. Just, you know, come here and make it up to me.” He had a lazy smile on his face. “Come keep me warm.”

Steve wrapped himself around Billy, burying his face in his neck.

“I wish I could keep you warmer. I wish I had that sweater.”

“Baby, I’m okay. Just achy.”

Steve made sure to turn up the heat full blast when they got back in, the kids in the backseat.

-

“Fuck!”

The bottom of the box had given out, tapes crashing to the tiled floor.

He had been on his way to reshelve everything, after spending all day in the back rewinding.

But here he was, checking each plastic tape for cracks as he tried to find something else to put them in.

“Jesus Christ, Harrington.”

Ah, yes. That’s what he needs right now. Keith standing over him while he cleaned up the mess of tapes.

“What’d you do now?”

“The box, it just fell apart.”

“You know, Robin really went out on a limb to you to get this job.” Keith was standing over him, staring down at Steve sill kneeling on the ground. “Maybe I should just fire you both.”

“Wait, no!”

Steve’s heart was in his throat.

It felt like he was gonna choke on it.

“You, you can’t, I don’t care if you hate me, okay, just, just don’t fire Robin!”

Keith loved to do this. Dangle his measly power as manager over Steve.

Robin said it was some kind of revenge fantasy for how shitty Steve was to him in high school.

Steve just figures he deserves it.

Bottom of the food chain now. That’s where he is.

The guy that thought he was the hottest shit to walk the Earth. The guy that barely graduated. The guy that had to linger around his hometown. The guy has no life. The guy that has no future.

“Why not? She vouched for you.” Keith was eating a pack of M&Ms, crunching each one loudly between his teeth.

“Just, just don’t.” Steve felt like he could cry.

“Then get this cleaned up, and I’ll consider letting you both stay.”

Steve just nodded.

He didn’t think his voice would work without cracking all over the place.

He found a crate in the stockroom, stacking the tapes as quickly as he could.

He liked reshelving.

The organization system made sense, and he could do it easily without having to know anything about the movies, without having to know anything besides the alphabet, and the genre sticker each tape had.

Robin was better with customers.

Better at making change and recommending movies. Better at talking to people without sounding like an idiot.

But he finished reshelving, and had to retreat behind the counter.

“You’re being weird today.”

Steve had zoned out, staring through the front windows.

“Sorry.”

“Bad night?” he just nodded slowly. He didn’t want to tell her about Keith’s little threat. She would just go on a rampage. Probably yell at him a lot. And if Steve being a fuck up didn’t get her fired, defending him for sure would. Plus, it’s not like it’s a lie. Most nights are bad. “Steve, are you sure you’re okay? It feels like,” she glanced around. “It feels like you’re getting, like, worse.”

“Sorry.” She furrowed her brows.

“That’s not something you need to apologize for, you know that, right? I’m just worried about you.”

“Sorry.” Her face pinched up even more.

“Steve.”

“Yeah, I, just you know. Not sleeping much.”

“I could come over? You said it’s better when there’s sound in your house. I can stomp around for a while.” He huffed a laugh through his nose, giving her the biggest smile he could muster.

“That’s okay. I’m managing, Rob.” She raised one eyebrow. “And besides, I, uh, I won’t be home tonight.”

She made a face at him, pursing her lips so she didn’t smile.

Billy had gotten his own apartment with the money the government had given him, a little thank you for your discretion gift when he was released from the hospital.

He had spent nearly a month in a coma, a month in which Steve had only left his room a handful of times. After waking up, delirious, and in pain, he had spent the next six months in heavy rehabilitation, in daily therapy, both mental and physical, in which Steve practically lived at the hospital with him.

They had bonded more than Robin could ever know, both boys spilling everything to one another, every dark thought, every bad memory.

Long story short, they were inseparable.

“Then have a fun night. And talk to Billy. Tell him you’re struggling.”

“I’m not-”

She stomped her foot, giving him a stern look.

“Yeah, okay.”

-

“Shit.”

Steve knew he had a key to Billy’s apartment.

But it wasn’t on his key ring.

“Are you kidding me?” He knocked on the door.

It took Billy a few minutes to come get him.

“I’m sorry, I, I lost my key.” Billy looked tired . It was Thursday. Billy was a stockboy at Meldvald’s on Thursdays. His doctor said getting a job would be nice, that it would help him rejoin society, make him feel good to support himself, all this shit.

Mostly, it just made Billy’s sore.

“It’s okay.”

“No, but, it’s not on my ring! I don’t know where it fell off, it could be anywhere, you might have to change the locks or-”

“Steve! It’s fine. Just get in here.”

Steve snapped his jaw closed. Billy shuffled back to the couch, groaning as he sat down slowly.

“Can I get you something? Have you eaten? I can rub your back if-”

“Harrington, just come sit with me.” Billy was giving him a little half-smile.

Steve stumbled over to the couch, and tucked himself right under Billy’s arm.

“What are we watching?”

“Some soap. There’s been a marathon all evening. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen.” Steve leaned his head against Billy.

He had no clue what was going on. Had a question on the tip of his tongue, ready to ask about the plot points, the characters.

But he’s bothered Billy enough tonight, making him get up to open the door, always, always bothering-

“Hey, where’d you go?” Billy was stroking one rough hand through his hair.

“Nowhere.”

“Robin called me from the video store.” Steve sighed, burying his face into Billy’s neck. “We’re worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’m okay.”

“Yeah, you’re always okay.” He said it like he was mad, like he was frustrated with Steve.

He pulled back, sliding to the other end of the couch.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry.” Billy was staring blankly at him. “I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“I’m not mad. What are you even-” he cut himself off. “Steve, talk to me. You’re getting, distant.”

“I’m-”

“Please stop apologizing.”

Steve swallowed thickly.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you. You’re slipping through my fingers, and I don’t know how to help you.”

“I-” Steve’s throat was closing up. “I don’t know what to do.”

Billy shifted stiffly, reaching out for Steve’s hand.

“Talk to me, Baby. You know I’ll listen.”

“I, uh, I just.” His jaw was moving, but he couldn’t form any words.

Billy took his hands, pulling him gently.

Steve let himself be tugged, let himself fall into Billy’s lap.

“It’s all my fault.”

“What’s your fault?”

“All of it.”

“Can you, maybe elaborate?”

“Everything. It’s all my fault.” His chest felt pulled tight, and he couldn’t fucking breathe. “Everything, everything. My fault.”

Billy had no fucking idea what to do.

Steve was breathing sharply, his eyes squeezed closed.

He had both hands in his hair, pulling roughly.

“Steve, hey.” He took his wrists, trying to stop him. “Steve, I need you to breathe, okay? Can you do that?” Steve shook his head.

“Just, just try to take as deep a breath as you can, okay?”

Billy was trying to remember what his shrink had told him, the tips for dealing with his own panic.

But watching Steve fall apart, well. It was hard for Billy to keep it together.

He sat with Steve, holding his hands until he opened his eyes, until he was breathing without Billy reminding him to do it.

“Steve. Sugar. Talk to me.”

Steve was still slumped over, still had his head in Billy’s lap.

He turned to bury his face in Billy’s thigh.

“Sometimes I feel like the world is crushing me. And I don’t know what to do about it.”

“Can you explain that to me? You said everything was your fault.”

“Like, like Barb. She, it was my fault she died, and my fault the kids almost got hurt in the tunnels, and my fault that Dustin and Robin and Erica got stuck in the lab, and, and, and I’m so bad at taking care of you. I can’t do anything right.”

Billy could feel his tears, wet patches soaking through his sweatpants.

“You do a lot of stuff right!”

“Keith told me he was gonna fire Robin today, because I messed up again.”

“Fuck Keith. No way that creep has firing power. And maybe you should talk to Robin. Or go to your boss about him. He just likes going on a power trip with you.

“And as for, well everything, Pretty Boy, none of that was your fault. Barb was killed by, by a monster-”

“At my house, at my party, in my pool.”

“Still not your fault.”

“I thought she had left, you know? I didn’t know she was out there.”

“That just proves my point! You didn’t know she was out there, you didn’t know what was going to happen. That whole event , it had nothing to do with you. And the kids like, fully kidnapped you to bring you to the tunnels. If anything, that’s my fault for, you know. Doing what I did.”

Billy took a deep breath.

“I know a lot about guilt. I know how it feels like you’re just, you’re drowning. And you’re never gonna get to the surface, but that, that stuff. People make their own choices. You can’t control what other people do, you can just control what you do. And you, you do nothing but good. You just love, and you love, and you love. You always do what you think is best, and that’s what matters.”

“I feel bad all that time. Like, like right now I feel bad because, because of course you feel guilty, and I’m saying shit that doesn’t matter, and my problems they don’t-”

“Don’t you dare say your problems don't matter.” Billy was tangling his fingers through Steve’s hair, playing with it gently. “Your problems matter . They matter to me. It hurts me that you're struggling. It hurts me that I didn’t notice.”

“Billy, it’s not your fault.”

“You say that like it’s so easy. You take my guilt and you ease it. And that’s what I want for you.” Steve wasn’t crying anymore, but he was still curled up on the couch, still had his face pressed against Billy’s leg.

“I don’t know how. I’ve been so thoroughly crushed under all this that I’m scared of what happens if I claw through it all.”

“Maybe you won’t feel like shit all the time.”

“Feeling like shit is the easy part. It’s predictable.”

“I know. It’s safe .”

“Yeah. What do people even think about if they aren’t thinking about all the problems of the people closest to them and finding ways to blame themselves?” Billy laughed at that. Steve could feel his belly moving next to him.

It was a nice moment.

“I don’t know. That’s what movies and books are for. When you’ve got shit else to think about because you’re not trapped under a mountain of guilt.”

“Probably why I’ve read so few books, then.”

“We need to start watching more movies.”

-

“We need to talk about Steve.”

“Hi, Robin. It’s great to see you. How’s your day?” Robin rolled her eyes. She was leaned over the counter at Family Video, flicking through a magazine.

“He had a break down last night.”

“Finally. He’s been hanging on by a thread for weeks,”

“Yeah, try years.” She looked up at him.

“What do you mean?”

“He like, unloaded fully. He still blames himself for the girl that got killed in his backyard.”

“Wait, he thinks that’s his fault?”

“Yeah, and the kids in the tunnels, and also you and Dustin and Erica being brought into the whole mess. And also that he’s bad at taking care of me? Which, don’t know how he got that one. He does a really fucking good job taking care of me.”

“Jesus. He’s like, stressed.”

“To put it lightly.”

“So, what’s up? Where do I come in?”

“I’m planning an evening. A We Love Steve Harrington party.”

“I can be snack duty.” He smiled at her, clapping her on the shoulder. “It just us?”

“Yeah. I figured to leave the kids out of this one.”

“Good choice.”

“Be over at seven.” She nodded once, giving him a two-finger salute.

-

Steve was curled up, Billy spooned up behind him when there was a knock on the door.

“Go get that, will you? I’m all stiff.” Steve turned around, looking at Billy all concerned. “Go on. I’m okay.”

Billy had to shove him away before he finally went to answer the door.

“Oh, Robin, uh, hey.” She pushed one of her shopping bags into his arms.

“I was invited for an evening of bolstering you up.”

Billy came lumbering in, throwing himself down on the couch.

“I, don’t get it.”

“Robin’s here because you need some lovin’.” Steve’s bottom lip wobbled.

“That’s really nice.”

“You deserve it.” Billy was looking at him seriously.

Steve tucked himself into Billy’s side, Robin shoving herself next to him on the little couch.

Billy had pulled out all his lumpy blankets, and they had already torn into a box of cookies.

Steve was all warm.

Curled up in the blankets, watching The Aristocats.

“Thank you, guys. For this. It means a lot.”

“Can it, Dingus. Thomas O’Malley’s gonna sing.”

[barbarasbae]

Just a Taste

Vampire!Billy Hargrove x Reader (female) 

Word count: 1.6K 

Warnings: badly written smut, first time writing smut, periods mentioned, blood mentioned,blood play(?), under age drinking, drunk sex, oral sex (female recieving), consent does not remain enthusiastic consent. Do not read if you are uncomfortable with the idea of blood or period sex.This first chapter is literally just p*rn (shh don’t tell the bots), please God forgive me. 

SMUT BELOW THE CUT, be cautious young readers.

Billy Hargrove was gorgeous. Warm skin and golden hair made it easy to make girls crazy about him. However, people were starting to notice that once a girl got with him, they would avoid his gaze, like they were scared. 

Y/n had been feeling pretty good about herself lately, having gotten good grades for the last few weeks and had started running to give herself a hobby that didn’t involve school. So she decided to reward herself by going to a party with one of her close friends, Nancy Wheeler. She drank a little too much, getting very tipsy. Then she felt hands on her hips, crotch rubbing up against her as she felt an all too familiar ache in her belly. 

“Hey princess,” a voice cooed in her ear. “How about we get outta here, hm? You smell real good.” He purred, her shivering. “Okay.” She slurred a little, very aware of his body against hers. Especially his hard on. As she stumbled through the crowded party, she thought about what the hell she was doing. Was she really about to let the most desired guy in school take her virginity? Yes. Yes she was. Admittedly, she wasn’t the most fond of really debating her actions when it came to guys who showed her interest. It had gotten her heart in trouble a few times. 

They made it out of the party, away from the smell of sweat, alcohol and vomit, Billy leading her into the woods. “Where are we going?” 

“Somewhere special.” They made it to a little cabin, the place empty. He led her through the semi musty cabin, flicking on lights until they entered the room he had been looking for. His lips were on her in an instant, forceful and hungry. He walked her backwards, hands firmly on her ass. Her vision was already blurry, but the white dots now dancing in her vision seemed to finally bring it to her brains attention that her lungs were burning. She ripped herself away from him, breathing hard. He nipped at her lip, her hands going to grip his biceps. Another ache hit her lower body, much more intense than the first time. He pushed her onto the bed, climbing on top of her. He lifted her a little, moving her farther up the bed so he had plenty of access to the heat between her legs. “I need a taste.” He groaned, an animalistic noise following as he pulled her jeans off. “W-wait. I’m on my period.” 

“I know.” 

His pupils had become huge. But she didn’t get much of a chance to look as he pushed her panties to the side, testingly licking a stripe up her slit. He let out a groan, wrapping his arms around her thighs. “Delicious.” Those...those were fangs. He had fangs. Holy shit. She scrambled for anything to help her pull away, gripping the bedding to inch herself away from the thing between her legs. “Hey, baby, its alright. I won’t hurt you. I’ll make you feel incredible.” He promised with a wide smile. She was terrified. He used a little bit more of his strength, holding her thighs down on the bed. “I haven’t eaten in so long.” She shook her head. She couldn’t find it in herself to do anything, fear swallowing any words she wanted to say. He started lapping at her slit, glancing up every so often to watch her face. He moved one of his hands, middle finger pushing into her, her biting back a moan, leaning up onto her elbows to watch him carefully. He sucked a little too harshly on her clit, drawing a little yelp of overstimulation from her lips. A second finger slipped into her, the metallic smell of iron invading the air.

She wanted to hide when he pulled his hand away from her heat, but couldn’t, watching him lick his fingers. Then that hand grabbed her again, a little blood left on her hip. A moan was ripped out of her when his tongue dipped in between her folds, teasing her entrance. She reached down, tentatively tangling her fingers in some of his curls, using her other hand to loop her pointer finger around one of his that were gripping her thighs. She wanted to feel involved if this was what was happening. It must’ve been the influence of that alcohol with some punch in it that she had been drinking because it was almost irresistible to start petting his hair, just a little. Her thighs started shaking, him smirking up at her as he lapped up the blood that kept him ‘alive’. She came with a shocked gasp, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. He kept going, her thighs trying to come together to stop him from teasing her, but his grip kept her from going anywhere. He suddenly got up, blood on his face practically from his chin to his nose, his arm wiping over his mouth in a failed attempt to clean himself up.

“Take it off.” He tugged on the top she was still wearing, tossing his own to the floor behind them, quickly moving to the belt at his hips. Y/n pulled off her top and bra, watching him wiggle his pants off, letting out a little laugh as he almost face planted, tight jeans not allowing him to gracefully undress. Vodka worked wonders to suppress the nervous system she was finding. “Turn over. Hands and knees.” He practically growled, her obeying quickly. He entered without warning, Y/n gasping sharply at the pain. He moved his hand to underneath her for support, thankfully giving her a little bit of time to adjust. He started thrusting, her biting her lip rather hard until the stinging pain turned into pleasant pressure. He kissed her shoulder in a surprisingly gentle gesture. “You taste even better than I thought.” He let out another groan, her shivering as a hand slid up to grab her breast. He got faster, her letting out a moan, relieved for it to finally feel good. Sharp teeth grazed her neck, drawing a whimper of fear from her. 

“Just a little taste, barely feel it. Promise.” He whispered, lips against her ear. His voice was thick with want, cock throbbing inside her. The prick of his teeth in his neck made her mewl in a way that had her feeling pathetic. He reached down and began to rub slow circles against her clit to distract her. Billy drank for what felt like an eternity, Y/n never more thankful in her life than for the moment he decided he was full. “So tight.” He grunted before turning his attention back to her neck, gently licking at the wound he’d caused. Y/n was feeling light headed. “F-fuck.” She whined, him slowing down, the harshness of his thrusts increasing. The coil that had been steadily growing in her lower belly was about to snap. He kissed her shoulder, heavy breath fanning over her ear. “Come on, baby. Let go.” He practically purred as she released around him. “Fucking hell,  you feel so good.” He was getting close himself. And it wasn’t going to happen quietly. “How’s it feel, giving your virginity to a monster? Sinful?” He asked, bitterness seeping into his voice as he refused to slow down his movement against her clit. His thrusts were becoming sloppy, him becoming a little louder, previously keeping his groans and moans as quiet as he could. He came with a choked gasp, teeth pinching her skin as he bit her shoulder (not hard enough to drink this time though). He pulled out, Y/n falling forward, her breath ragged. He stayed hovering over her, hearing him pull deep breathes into his lungs even if it wasn’t really a requirement of survival any more. He turned her over, putting her legs around his hips. He leaned over her and kissed her hard, Y/n choosing to ignore the unpleasant taste of blood as he became gentler. He stole a few more softer kisses, kisses of comfort and appreciation. He dropped his head to her shoulder, her turning to gently bump her forehead against him. He then got up, leaving her in the bed. As soon as Y/n heard water running in the other room, she scrambled for her clothes. She managed to get her bra and top on, hearing the water cut off. He came back in with a wet dish towel, any evidence of her blood gone from his body. Damn that was fast. “Oh are you going?” He asked, her pants halfway up her legs. She nodded, him coming to stand in front of her. “Here, sit.” He pulled her panties down, wiping her off wherever blood was visible. “Can I drive you home?” She tasted drunk. “Okay.” Her voice was soft as he helped her fumbling fingers with her buttons. “Thanks.” She murmured and looked for her shoes. He was smiling when she looked back up.

“I can’t believe I’ve never noticed...your teeth.”

“Most don’t.” He got dressed, watching her sitting on the bed from the corner of his eye. She was the best so far. He’d been watching her for awhile but she didn’t strike him as easy to convince nor was she usually in scenarios where what they just did would be easily explainable. She held his hand as they walked through the woods, trying not to trip, her exhaustion written on her features. He thought it was cute. Most humans were. Her neck was still bleeding a little, Billy pulling out a little first aid kit he kept in his glove box when they got in the car, putting a Transformers bandaid (it was all that they had) on her neck. 

He pulled into her driveway. She didn’t tell him where she lived. Maybe. “Thanks.” He didn’t say anything. “See you around I guess.” She got out of the car. Billy sat and watched her stumble into her house. 

[cloudninetonine]

A Favour for a Favour

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader Summary: Peter stumbles across someone strange when he’s walking home from school and decides to help that strange someone. This leads to some interesting events.

A/N: I HAVE HAD THIS SHIT SITTING IN MY DRAFTS FOR A YEAR AND I FINALLY FINISHED IT SO HERE YOU ALL GO, ENJOY

This is only one part of it tho, I will continue it if you guys want me to

Also, Alpha/Beta/Omegaverse here cause it makes everything more interesting

Warnings: Bad language, Sexual Tension? I think

Peter Parker was a smart boy.

Yeah, he had some oddities, the boy who enjoyed old timer movies and only had one friend, Ned Leeds, but he was still incredibly skilled when it came to science and maths and was destined to have a great future one day, so that’s what really mattered. He was intelligent, and his smart decisions would lead him to something great.

So when he saw the two feet sticking out from behind a dumpster on his way back from school one evening, he wondered if it was a stupid decision or not to go check on whoever the feet were attached to.

The boy moved slowly, taking one step after another away from the busy street into the dirty alley while leaning over to glance behind the giant metal container.

Peter could see them clearly now. A girl, from what he guessed about the same age as him, was sat leaning against the neighbouring apartment complex with a lit cigarette in her hand. Her hair was short and matted shadowing her eyes, her skin was riddled with dirt and she was wearing what once was a pristine suit, now torn and soiled with what looked to be dried blood. Though the weirdest thing had to be the lack of scent, nothing, not a single thing that gave away what exactly she may have been. Alpha, Delta, Beta, Gamma, Omega? There was nothing and that unnerved him greatly.

Peter Parker was a smart boy.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t be stupid.

“You know it’s a bad idea to walk into an alleyway alone” An English accented voice made him jump and Peter watched as the girl turned to look at him with piercing (e/c) eyes that seemed to glow with warning. The girl’s lips pulled back, a deadly smirk growing on her features as she stared right into his soul. “Are you trying to get jumped?”

Peter shook his head quickly, swallowing the lump in his throat as he stammered “N-No, I just- I saw you- I thought you might have needed help-”

The sudden laugh she released was boisterous, her hand slapping the pavement was loud and everything she seemed to do made him jump nervously. He wouldn’t be having this problem if he was an Alpha. “Me? Need help? How kind of you, stranger”

His eyes caught the thick collar around her neck and the idea of a scent collar popped into his head. It was, however, quickly diminished when he noticed that the collar seemed more of some sort of electrical torture device. “Would- uh, would you like help?”

It was a stupid question. Peter knew it was a stupid question, he didn’t even know why he asked in the first place and expected her to laugh again at his idiotic query, however, her cruel smile began to soften and she let out a broken laugh.

“You can’t help me, kiddo” Came her soft reply “You should get outta here before things get…” She paused, trying to find the words “messy…”

“Messy?” The American repeated, tilting his head in confusion. After a brief silence, most likely her contemplating if she should tell him the context of her comment, she patted the spot next to her. Peter walked over slowly, sliding down to match her position and blinking in surprise when she held her hand out.

“The name’s (Full Name) and what I’m about to tell you right now is basically part my life story, so I might as well know your name first.” Peter grabbed her hand, giving the girl a firm shake as he replied “Peter Parker”

(Name) grinned “Nice to meet you, Parker”

“Uh, likewise”

(Name) turned back, facing the opposite wall as she took a deep breath. Her hand moved to her jacket pocket, pulling out a silver flask and gesturing towards him as if to ask ‘want some’, pulling away with an understanding nod when he declined before taking a swig of its contents.

“I don’t think…” Peter trailed off when she pulled a disgusted face.

(Name) was quick to spit it back out.

“Whiskey isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be, it seems” She tossed the flask aside and sighed in disappointment.

Silence hung over them and Peter felt the need to ask if she was going to explain her situation. He knew he should really leave it alone, he knew he should have probably left when she had suggested, maybe even call the police but his gut told him that his efforts would be for nothing, that what he was doing now was the right thing.

He didn’t really like trusting his gut, it always seemed to end with some type of problem or problems that he would need to deal with sooner rather than later.

“You see the collar?” (Name) scowled, gesturing towards the thing with distaste “It’s there to keep me in check when I go out for... assignments from my boss and well, it’s got a tracking system with a whole team monitoring my every move twenty-four-seven”

Clicking her tongue, she continued “However, during one of my jobs I got hit and it got fucked, so I’ve been off the grid for a few days but I know that they’ll have that damn thing back on soon, they always do”

(Name) pulled her legs up to her chest, placing her head onto her knees and closing her eyes. “And once they find out I’m not dead already, they’ll kill me off”

“W-what!” Peter exclaimed, eyes wide and face stricken with horror. “Why haven’t you taken it off?!”

“Can’t; It’s locked, I don’t know the code and one wrong move won’t end well”

(Name) once again leaned back, meeting the boy’s eyes with a tired smile. Peter could tell what she’s feeling, he’s felt it so many times before and he just couldn’t bear the sight. She was tired, the kind of tired that was really just a cover-up to hide the despair and complete misery she was feeling but trying to ignore as she knew that there was nothing that could be done to make it stop.

It was at that moment that Peter Parker decided to use his smarts to his advantage.

Peter dived into his bag, rummaging through his items while (Name) watched him with interest. He let out a silent cheer, pulling out a small keyboard and some wires he had found while dumpster diving earlier this morning.

(Name) grinned upon seeing them “It’s not gonna be that easy, Parker, this thing was programmed by a bunch of expert hackers, it’s not gonna give way to a fifteen-year-old with a bunch of retro techs”

“I can still try, I’m not gonna let you die” He responded, patting his jeans for his phone only for one to be presented to him.

“Well, if I can’t stop you, I might as well help you” (Name) was still grinning and he could see a slight spark appear in her eyes. “Don’t use your phone, you’ll just have to throw it away”

Peter smiled, taking the device “Thanks, where did you get this?”

“You wouldn’t like that answer”

After a confused pause, the boy began his work. (Name) had her back to him, the device unscrewed revealing a mess of wires and chips, some of which had been connected to the keyboard and phone. The smart device was used to display the mess of code and keyboard used to break down the jumbled expanse of numbers he could see. If Ned were here, this would be much easier, he thought but alas, his friend was probably at home working on the lego podracer he had bought a few weeks ago.

“You feel like giving up yet, Parker?” (Name) teased and Peter let out a grunt of acknowledgement, too far into a state of concentration to respond to her comment. “You know, it’s okay if you can’t do it, not everyone can be saved”

“It doesn’t mean that they can’t try to be” She went quiet after that, her form becoming slight stiff as he continued on with his task. (Name) had long since given up and she accepted that maybe, she wouldn’t be able to continue on but there was no way in hell that Peter was going to accept defeat, he would figure this out or die trying.

It was about thirty minutes later when something finally seemed to happen. “I think I have the code”

(Name) froze “...Seriously?”

“Yeah…” Peter leaned forward, fingers ghosting over the rubber numbers on the code panel as he looked up at (Name) hesitantly. “Do you want me to…?”

She sat silently for a moment, her form completely still when she spoke “Do it”

“What if it’s-”

“Then it’s wrong”

“What will happen-”

“Don’t think about that”

Peter gulped, then choked out a sigh, trying to calm his nerves as he glanced over the numbers one last time and began to input in the six-digit sequence. He hesitated before pressing the enter button, shuffling back slightly at (Name)’s demand and sitting in silence as they waited for something to happen. A minute when past, then five, then ten and Peter let out a sound of confusion.

“Did...did it not work?” (Name) was still quiet when she moved her hands to the device, ignoring Peter’s concerned call as she grabbed it and tugged at it gently. With a soft click, it gave way, becoming limp in (Name)’s hand as she turned around and brought it in front of her, face frozen in astonishment as they both stared at it.

“It worked…” She whispered, a smile growing on her face “It worked!”

(Name) laughed, jumping to her feet with joyous cheer and threw the device to the floor. Peter watched as she slammed her boot down on it, laughing a relieved laugh at the cracking sound before taking a deep breath and looking over towards him as he stood.

“You saved my life, Parker” (Name) grinned “I owe you”

“Y-You don’t really-” The boy tried to argue, yelping suddenly when she threw herself towards him, squeezing him gratefully while he stood there awkwardly. She was about the same height as him and her grip around him was much stronger than he had expected.

“Yes, I do” She pulled away, giving him a two-fingered salute before turning and walking deeper into the alley. “We’ll meet again, Parker, but as of now, it would be a good idea to part.”

“Wait, what-”

(Name) turned, a knowing smirk on her face as she sent him a cheeky wink “They’re are probably still trying to track that thing, but I’ll be long gone so head off before you gather their attention”

She turned, disappearing into a connected alley with a farewell while ignoring Peter’s perplexed shouts. The teen was quick to gather his stuff, chasing after girl still calling after her but stopped when realising that it was deserted, the only thing within his eyesight being a few other dumpsters and the busy street at the mouth of the alleyway.

Peter let out a disappointed sigh as he threw his backpack onto his shoulder, exiting the narrow pathway and continuing his walk back home.

A few weeks later, a little after the spider bite, there was a delivery at his door with a note, the words ‘only the beginning - (Name)’ written in red ink with a friendly heart. He was lucky that Aunt May wasn’t there so he wouldn’t have to explain the large stack of cash he pulled out of the envelope.

It was a few months later when Peter had been appointed by the Tony Stark to help him fight against a rogue group of heroes and to say that it was chaotic would be an understatement.

He expected something bad, these were superheroes obviously, some were made to be weapons, some had magic, some were just plain skilled and terrifying, but oh, what he got to face was so much worse.

He had got thrown around by Captain America, nearly caught an arrow to the shoulder, had some sort of psychic blast sent his way- it was a nightmare and no words could change that.

However, halfway through the fight, he had been cornered by a smaller masked figure and he had been fighting against them with much difficulty. Dodging an electric baton, blocking flying punches, jumping back from a boot to the face- really, doing anything that wouldn’t end with him of the floor.

However, his plans were quickly foiled when his assailant ducked down, swiftly sweeping the young hero’s legs out from under him and sending Peter onto the hard, cold ground. The enemy was quick to pounce, straddling his waist, pinning both his arms above his head before pulling back out their baton and pointing it dangerously close to his neck as a warning to stay down.

Peter audibly gulped from under his mask.

Then, without any warning, they began to lean closer, weapon still poised at his neck when he noticed something- well, in their case, the lack of something.

They had no scent.

There was no musty smell of an Alpha, no natural aroma of a Beta, the sweet fragrance of an Omega, just...nothing. Everyone else in this airport had some sort of particular smell but this character had nothing, nada, absolutely nil.

That’s when he realised.

“Heya, Parker”

He knew exactly who this was.

“(N-Name)?” The boy stammered, squirming under his captor’s grip with an uncomfortable whine. The proximity made him uncomfortable and it seemed to make him forget that he could have easily pushed her off of his frame. “What are you doing here?”

Dropping her weapon, (Name) swiftly pulled back her mask to reveal the Cheshire grin carved into her cheeks, accompanied by a surprisingly mischievous spark in her eyes.

"I'm here helping the good guys" She tilted her head to the side, looking over him with an obvious glee “Looks like you chose the wrong side, Parker”

“I didn’t choose the wrong side!” (Name) snorted at his frustrated rebuttal, biting her lip in a teasing motion as she watched his suit eyes narrow “Do you even know what’s going on here?!”

“Do you even know what’s going here, Parker?” Peter huffed, turning his head to the side in a way to avoid her inquisitive counter.

No.

He had no clue what was happening at the moment, he just wanted the chance to team up with Mr Tony Stark and some other popular faces that he had only dreamed of ever meeting in real life.

“Didn’t think so” She laughed, leaning closer as she took a whiff of him “When did you become an Alpha, Parker? Did it happen when you got those abilities of yours?”

“I-I…”

“Or maybe you were an Alpha this whole time? Maybe you were hiding it behind that Beta smell from before, hm?” She was so close, Peter realised when he felt soft breathes fan over where his ear would be under his mask. He could feel everything of her, her hands holding down his wrists, her chest pressed against his, her thighs straddling his hips- he was aware of every single little detail and he didn’t know why. He knew it wasn’t his spidey senses, her playful attitude with him showed that she had no thoughts of hurting him in any way, maybe it was his nerves?

Then he caught a small scent that only grew stronger when his senses honed into it. It was like the smell of a bakery, the telltale aroma of fresh doughnuts out of the oven, the sugary smell of cupcakes being iced and danishes being left to cool off, oh, he could almost taste it! (Name) smelled so delicious, so delightful, so...so…

Sweet!

…

Wait-

“Holy shit…”

(Name) giggled, her hands snaking down from his wrists to tug up his mask and boop his nose. She winked at his wide-eyed expression.

“Surprised, Parker?” She cooed with a playful grin “Big, scary (Name) being an Omega?”

“(Name)...”

All at once, the smell was gone and (Name) jumped to her feet “Well, it was nice seeing you, Parker, but I gotta go. Gotta go be a hero when I can be one”

“Wait!” (Name) ran, not giving Peter a second to talk. The teen jumped to his feet, pulling down his mask and chasing after her through the chaos "(Name), wait!"

“No can do, Parker!” She shouted back, sliding to the left when the boy shot a web towards her, dodging it with a laugh. “Good one, but not good enough!”

The boy growled in frustration, his speed increasing significantly from his determination before he reached out and caught her wrist. (Name) squealed when he tugged her back, manic giggles falling from her lips when she made eye contact with the boy as he brought her to his chest. “Couldn’t get enough of me, Parker? I’m honoured, really”

“You can’t just-” He spluttered trying to bite back his frustration in favour of sounding confused “You can’t just do that and run!”

“And why can’t I?”

“Because-”

“Because, what?”

“Because, I-

“Because, you-”

“Because I liked your scent!” He finished, feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment while (Name)’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You, what?”

“...I liked your scent” He repeated with more confidence, leaning closer to her “It was...sweet”

“Sweet?” (Name) whimpered, glancing around “Parker I have to go-”

“Please” Peter squeezed her forearms gently, urging her to look at him “Please don’t go”

(Name) looked so conflicted.

“Peter-”

A flash of red and Peter was thrown back, his colliding into a van with a pained grunt while (Name) stood motionless, unsure of what to do when another hand tugged at her.

“Come, (Name)” Wanda ushered, glancing back at the boy before both of them were running again.

It was only when (Name), Bucky and Steve were in the Quinjet did she make any noise again. The two males glanced back at her, watching as she let out a string of flustered giggles, covering her face as she curled into herself.

“You okay, kid?” Bucky asked and (Name) sighed, relaxing into the seat with a dazed expression.

“He liked my scent” She giggled, “He said it was sweet”

Steve and Bucky looked at each other, both soldiers’ faces contorting into different emotions when they realised what the girl was talking about.

“Bucky-”

“I’ll kill him”

[tcstu]

September’s Honorable Mentions

I was so blown away by the incredible entries I received for this month’s contest that I decided I had to make an “Honorable Mentions” post to share some of the other pieces. The creativity in these entries is inspiring and it would be a shame if they were not read.

I’m posting these entries based on the order they were submitted, so this list does not reflect any system of ranking. I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I did.

The artistic piece for this contest was an untitled digital art piece that was created by @palxeye. Please visit this page to see more incredible work by this artist!

Forest of the Disturbed

Written By: Buzzard (@buzzardboy)

The air is cold.

I am strictly aware of the frigid atmosphere, painfully alert as I feel the small teeth of the breeze bite into my frosty, goose-bumped skin. My black hair is disturbed slightly by the low wind, blowing into my eyes and shrouding my vision in shadows. I move my hand to my face to brush the sable strands away.

Though it is dark, the path before me is white, white enough that I can see it in the twilight of the forest. The trees around me appear purple under the blanket of night, and their muted leaves glow under the pale moonbeams which so curiously peak through the haze of clouds above.

The noise is small at first, so small I barely hear it. Like a nagging thought in the back of my mind, one I pay no mind to, yet I still know it is there. But as I walk further it gets louder, so loud that after a few minutes I have to cover my ears. It’s horrific. Atrocious. It scrapes against my ear drums, clawing at my hearing like a rabid beast.

The screams of the disturbed. They haunt me in the present, in my past, and surely in my future. But oh, for the present. How they rake their claws across the inner ear of my head, crawling through my ear canal and wrapping their hands around my brain like a fortune teller caressing inner crystal ball.

I feel their hands now, fingers like the legs of a spider crawling up my sides, my back, my chest. I feel their digits slowly wrapping themselves around my neck, throat bobbing as I swallow hard, take the last breath I am certain I will take. They trace my jaw, my eyelids, my lips which appear so thin as they begin to turn purple.

Their eyes are gaping voids, black holes straight from space that swirl and bore into my face. They are not black, no- they are far darker. A darkness that no human brain could understand, one that could drive you insane at just a glance. Their mouths, they gape like the entrance to a cave with stalagmites dripping down, teeth appearing as jagged daggers dull and unbrilliant.

I am suffocating. My lungs cannot fill with the air I so desperately need. My eyes bulge out of my skull quite literally, and I can feel the pressure throughout my whole body, gripping me like a fist around a throat, not unlike the fist which now constricts my airway. The sound and the lack of air and the gaping, terrible eyes, they all build up. And soon my vision is swimming, my eyes are painting themselves black, and then-

It is completely, utterly silent.

   Don't Look Back

Written By: Stressball (@unendingballofstress)

I walk the well-worn path and I don't look back

The trees whisper to me, call to me, but I don't look back

Their grasping branches caress my face, pull at me, but I don't look back

One foot in front of the other, right left right left

I'll make it if I don't look back

I know what happens to people who look back

 Untitled

Written by: Bree Johnson (@loafofbree)

 Your first thought when your eyes open is of the rock pressing painfully into your back and your second thought is of how you came to be laying on the ground. Of course, these thoughts lead to other, more important questions that you have about your current situation but they all melt away, replaced by calm acceptance. This is fine, you think, I’m alright. But, it was not fine and you were decidedly not alright. This did not stop you, however, from believing it anyway.

     It was not long before you noticed that you had been laying down in the middle of a neat pathway, leading to a forest that looked a bit blurry to you even after cleaning the glasses resting on your nose. It seemed to you that the best course of action would be to continue on down the neat little path to the blurry forest. This, of course, was not a good idea, but who am I to judge? This is your story after all.

    Down the path you walked, breath visible in the chilly air, and not one doubt in your mind that you were heading in the right direction and so on you marched, confidence oozing from you. I had doubts. Large and little doubts. But oh well. On you went and though you got closer to the forest, it was still not clear to your vision. This, still, did not deter your marching.

     Finally, after years of confident marching, you reached the edge of the forest. It was still quite muddled in your vision strangely enough. Personally, if I had not turned back by now, this would be where I’d do it. But not you. Oh no, not you brave little one.

     You step into the forest.    

     You are immediately accosted by something grabbing onto your arm, and though you jerk and shake, the grip will not loosen so you still your movements and look toward the one that holds you. Ah, now your confidence sinks away, down, down, down, replaced by an old and deep fear.

     The tree sprite, feeling mischievous as usual, drops your arm and waves, a bone-chilling smile crawling onto its face. You back away, right into the arms of another.  You jerk wildly in fear until the sprite lets go, making you fall from your seizure-like movements. You think you’re free, hope swells in your chest and you launch yourself up, right…

 Into…

 Me.

     “Hello,” I say quite pleasantly with a kind smile on my face.     

     You begin to scream.

 Untitled

Written By:  @brandenburgva

 “Just close your eyes,” Mariel Dunne muttered, glowering at the dim path ahead. “Yeah right, Briar, that shit doesn’t work.”

It could’ve been a trick of the light, her mind trying to impose patterns on chaos, the consequence of hours spent playing survival horror games. It wasn’t, but it could have been.

…but it wasn’t, and Mariel knew that very well. The price paid for being ‘in the know’ was losing all capability to simply dismiss weird shapes, swaying branches and dark, eager eyes as something her mind superimposed over a bland path through the National Forest’s western edge.

No, she knew now, and that meant sucking it up and facing facts. The trees had…some… things in them, reaching out eagerly, smiling with a hope so vivid it could only be malice.

And the only advice she had to go off of was 'close your eyes.’

“…big fucking help.” Mariel drew in a deep breath and wondered why in blue hell she had been the one to draw the shortest damn straw imaginable. Everyone else got areas in the city proper. She got the fucking forest and who would possibly mistake her for a damn Girl Scout?

One glance at her cell phone nearly flipped her legendary temper. “No bars? Are you fucking kidding me?!”

The forest bordered the city and yet she couldn’t get service in it. If the creaking wood on either side of the path hadn’t been enough to make her rethink this entire endeavor, that was the clincher. 

And yet, Mariel gritted her teeth, shoved her phone into her pocket and hastily wound her long hair up. A nearby bush–carefully checked for hands, eyes or grins–bent but didn’t break under the weight of her hoodie. “All outta breadcrumbs,” she huffed, cinching everything she could in as tightly as possible. 

Buckling down the pockets on her cargo pants, Mariel gave her belt another hard cinch and took a deep breath. “Every cigarette I’ve ever smoked is going to bite me in the ass right about now,” she quipped, the sound of her own acerbic voice to keep her courage up. 

It’d be a race, one she could probably win. And she would run it because she’d drawn the short damn straw. She’d run it because one of their freaks had gone missing, and damn if the freaks didn’t always look out for their own.

 Untitled

Written By:  @evanthenerd83

We’re always so focused on our maps and how to get to our destinations that we never notice them. We mistake their warnings for the lunacy of a shrieking wind. We brush off their guiding arms and branches. And we trudge into the dark innards of the woods with mortal obliviousness.

Don’t go exploring. You’re never the first.

  Untitled

Written By:  @littlewriterling

The trees have always whispered to her.

They’ve always seemed alive in a way the other humans aren’t.

The other humans. As if she’s one of them. As if she’d really belong.

She laughs a little, looks up at the moon. His light is brighter than yesterday, his form rounder. The craters seem deeper than they were the night before, darker. Like they’d swallow you up whole should you make the mistake to wander too closely.

Soon.

The grass tickles between her toes, a pale shadow of what it once was, moon-lightened and brittle.

The stones cut up her soles, cold as shards of ice, hot like the flames that have burned here.

The pain—

The pain is insignificant; hasn’t held any real significance in a long while now.

She’s used to it, after all. And, after everything, it’s nice to know she’s still alive. Still human enough to feel pain, to feel relieved at the fact that her blood’s still red.

The Northwind’s breath is harsh against her naked skin, it reeks of the coming winter. She can taste snow on her tongue, if she opens her mouth, can taste dark earth and death that was here all along.

She’s getting closer now, she knows. Can feel the beat of it in her heart, the thump thump thump of the dying.

The whispers are louder now, loud and chanting, but not oppressive.

The trees’ presence has never felt as demanding as that of the other humans, never felt as crushing.

Here, she’s free. Here, her feet leave bloody prints and no one yells at her to clean them up immediately.

Pain doesn’t equate pain in that cruel, only-sometimes human way.

The trees welcome her. Thump thump thump.

There’s a smile gracing her cracked lips now, ashes and rust on her tongue when she licks them, a drop of blood trickles into her mouth, two, three.

In the light of the stars, the dawning night, she drifts from the path worn into the underbrushes by her own two feet, every night.

The trees reach out to her with wooden fingers, knot-holed mouths gaping, eyes full of rotten worms and shadows. She lets them caress her hair, lets them taste her blood, see her soul.

They know her secrets.

She knows theirs.

The trees have always whispered to her.

She has always listened. Has always whispered right back.

They’re not alone out here.

Not tonight.

Not by the time the moon’s finally ready.

But afterwards?

Afterwards, humans will know not to stray from the path. Will know not to take the things that don’t belong to them.

They’ll have learned. They’ll never forget, not for a second in their lives.

(Because those lives aren’t going to last much longer.)

The trees whisper.

She listens and laughs.

The moon watches and waits, and the stars are ready for whatever might come.

They don’t judge.

But, oh, she does.

[relatively--unknown]

“This time it’s gonna be different.”  

The statement was delivered with so much forced confidence that even I believed it.

Heero was leaning against the far wall of our shared living room, his arms tightly coiled across his chest, staring at me with his usual icy impassiveness.  If I hadn’t slept with the guy the night before, I woulda thought that he was an android. However, I knew for a fact that he was definitely flesh and blood, with all of the usual human functions, textures, and tastes.

“Somehow I doubt that,” he mumbled and performed an impressive eye roll.

“You’ve gotta give me a chance.  I know I fucked up… a couple of times … but you know I’m good for it.  Just give me another chance. The truth is I need ya. Your support…” I was rambling.  I didn’t know any other way to convince him other than to beg, which had worked in the past so why not toss that card into the game again?  Heero was a sucker for sympathy and pathetic pleading.

He was staring at me.  I frowned and looked away to study my hands, which at this point were grimy from wrenchin’ on a few bikes for the neighborhood kids.  Always pro bono.

I needed the money but I couldn’t take cash from kids.  However, my bike shop was sufferin’. Business was bad and he knew it, but I could tell from his hesitation and the lack of a snarky rebuttal that he was at least considering it.

I hated asking him for money.  Hell, I hated asking anyone for anything, but I didn’t know where else to turn.  Unlike other twenty-somethings my age, I had no credit to speak of, and no proper documentation to prove my date of birth and all of that bureaucratic bullshit.  Long story short, I went to the bank for a loan and they tossed me out so fast my ass barely left an imprint in that fuckin’ fancy leather chair. ‘ We can’t lend to a nobody,’  the prick behind the desk had grumbled at me.  I felt judged, stupid, foolish. Didn’t this guy know who I was ?  I wanted to toss that shit all into his face.

“Hey, buddy, I saved the damn planet once!”   “You see those universal credits you’re peddlin’? Yeah, wouldn’t be using Earth-Sphere currency if it wasn’t for me and my friends!”

But shit.  What’s the use?  Even without the gag order we all got restraining us from telling anyone of our involvement during Operation Meteor or the Eve Wars people still wouldn’t trust me.  Judgemental assholes, they see that you’re not wearing a three-piece suit and a tie and automatically think you’re scum. A workin’ man can’t go into a bank, they see your calluses and grease-stained hands and immediately write ya off.  

‘You’re twenty-five years old, with no formal education, work experience, family references or ties?  You want a loan for a bicycle shop? You’re a piece of shit, get outta here. ’

Yep.  I could tell by the face of that overstuffed, stiff suit that he had written me off the moment I walked into that bank.

So here I was, again, askin’ Heero for a few bucks to keep my shop open.  Just to make ends meet, until business picks up.

If it ever picked up.

L1 Colony B212 had gotten the bright idea to use all of their taxpayer money to upgrade the public transit system, which was all fine and dandy for the jerks working uptown who could spare a credit or two every day to ride the maglev, but for the rest of us down in the fabrication sector we had to rely on gettin’ around on our own.  They replaced the bike lanes on the streets with more train lines, which meant people couldn’t use their bikes.

Which meant fewer bicycle purchases and repairs.  Business tanked a month later.

I had been tryin’ everything to boost business.  Promotions, advertising. I had Hilde cyclin’ around the entire colony at all hours draggin’ banners and signs on a small trailer advertising the place.  Heero’s last loan had gone to more ads on the colony Comunet, emails, and even posters at the spaceport. Nothin’ had worked. Now I was gettin’ desperate.  

Howard had suggested that I host an event.  A bike race. The guy is a fuckin’ genius.

So the L1 Metric Century was born.  It was gonna be 62 miles of pure sex on wheels.  Okay, so bike races aren’t that hot or interesting compared to the fancy shuttlecraft orbital dives goin’ on in the Earth Sphere but hell, I’m hopin’ the nostalgia freaks will buy into it.  I just need some money to get the event off of the ground.

I had explained it all to Heero, who hadn’t said much while I ranted and raved my intentions and plans to him.  Now all I could do was wait for his judgment and to see if he’d be willing to invest in my scheme.

“Think about it,” I said quickly, seeing that he wasn’t entirely convinced.  “It would be a nice cultural event for the colony. If it takes off people from other colonies and Earth could come and compete and then people will come to my shop for equipment for conditionin’, and you will make your money back plus some.”  He was avoiding makin’ eye contact with me. Not a good sign.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  “Okay, fine, I’ll suck your dick anytime you want.”  

I was joking.

Was I joking?

Okay, so maybe I wasn't joking.

He finally looked up at me, his dark eyebrow quirked.  “That won’t be necessary.”

That wasn’t what he said the night before.  It was our first time. Wasn’t it any good? I mean, he was makin’ noises I had never heard him make before, but maybe he was fakin’ it to boost my ever dwindling ego.  

Such a good friend.

Whatever.  It didn’t matter.  At this point, he could call me fustilarian and sucker punch me in the gut (again) for all I cared.  I needed cash, and I had finally reached the deepest, darkest levels of desperation.   I would do anything at this point to save my shop; sell a kidney, give a few hand jobs, or even climb into a seven-ton robotic killing machine.  Whatever it took.

Heero had to know how much this means to me.  Though we never spoke about it openly, I know he feels the same as I do.  Finally, years after all the shit had hit the fan, things were beginning to be normal for us.

I felt normal at the shop, having a place to call my own, going numb with the everyday grind of opening shop, tinkering, turning the sign to 'CLOSED' every night.  It had become the new rhythm to my life, the thing that kept me busy, that made me sane.  I didn't have time to feel weird, to reflect on the fucked up crap of the past.  It was just me, a socket wrench and a room full of frames and wheels.  It was amazing how the simplest of machines had managed to placate me, to help me focus and heal.

Heero knew.  He had to.  Nobody understood me like he did.

"Fine," he murmured, shrugged his shoulder and raked his teeth across his lower lip, eyes narrowing as if he were about to say something else.  I waited for the other shoe to drop, for him to put terms or conditions on it or at least an exorbitant amount of interest of somethin'.

Nothing happened.  He pushed off of the wall and lumbered into his room without another word.  As his door closed every one of my tense muscles released and I collapsed onto the couch, my body forming a relieved and happily quivering puddle of goo.

I got my second chance, and this time I would make it work.

[gulescamisade]

Minnesota:  Day 4

JAKE: -Another night is going by, he's pretty sure. And he's so sweaty, hungry, and thirsty. If their captors had left food or water for him, Jake promptly turned it down as he felt was the NATURAL THING TO DO. He heard what became of those mushroom tests from LOWAS. None of this was exactly ideal... He groans miserably, rubbing his tum of awful hunger pains. The headaches and dry throat.-

JAMES: -continuing his meditation and fasting. Energy continues to be conserved and though he is hungry, it's not the worst he's experienced. He only hopes the fact that it's gone quiet these past few hours can only be a good thing. No news is good news, James tells himself. It's the only thing he can do.-

ROXY: =Things seem quiet..... she leans against her wall and tap tap........ who's next to her. TAPS=

JAMES: -The only one who is paying attention is James. Leans back to the wall and taps in response.-

JAKE: -curled up in a ball, having cried himself into another headache nap.-

ROXY: =Baby no........ she taps out [HOLD ONTO YOUR BUTT] in morse code then POOFs over into the next cell.=

JAMES: -sitting crosslegged with his whole button up and slack combos. Professional even in these dire circumstances. James looking a little haggard what with his hair out of place, but still alert. Ready for action if need be.- ROXY.

JAMES: ....I AM RELIEVED TO SEE YOU.

JAMES: YOU ARE NOT HURT, ARE YOU?

ROXY: =She's definitely been sweating but she didn't wanna flaunt her powers too much since they expect shit of her but... she can't just. Let them go without. Whoever else is here. She rushes over to him too= glad 2 see u too im fine

ROXY: u gotta grocery list? im ur gal call me target cuz wal marts 2 trashy and im the height of supermarket class

ROXY: not whole foods class tho thats borderin in2 pretentious

JAMES: -knits his eyebrows.- ...ARE YOU OFFERING FOOD?

ROXY: anythin u need that u can hide and food definitely

JAMES: -nods promptly- WATER. DRIED FRUIT. CRACKERS. PROTEINS. ANYTHING WITH NUTRITIONAL VALUE.(edited)

ROXY: gotcha =she finger waggles up a storm dropping two sturdy sacks of water, dried fruits in thin bags along with crackers and little bite-sized pieces of protein bars=

JAMES: -seems to be wiggling something out of the sole of his shoe.-

JAMES: -as it turns out, it is a single playing card. Flips it over the supplies as kind of single-slot emergency sylladex and stores it away.-

JAMES: I CANNOT EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE. BUT QUICKLY.

JAMES: TEND TO THE OTHER PRISONERS. JAKE IS HERE.(edited)

ROXY: =That's so cool... and a good idea= hope u dont mind me stealin ur idea.....

ROXY: =gestures to the other wall= is he over here u think? =taps??? TAPS=

JAMES: IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE. -What with hearing him yowl up a storm before.-

JAMES: TREAD CAREFULLY.

ROXY: never but ill try =two finger salute and BLIPS into the cell next to James'=

JAKE: -lying huddled in his corner like a sad dog, his back turned towards the door. Something about the BLIP stirs him awake, however, and he begins to wake up. Squinting with a bleariness around.- ....Rock and rolloxy?

ROXY: .....baby...... :C

ROXY: i gotta make it quick but do u need a hug?

JAKE: -it even hurts to cry but he's doing it anyway, rolling up to sit.- Yes... 8'C

ROXY: awww cmere =quickly shuffles over to give him a big strong hug=

ROXY: tell me wut u need and we can work it out... idk where we are and idk how many of us are in here....

ROXY: idk where everyone else is

JAKE: -weeps into her shoulder. Two smelly baras hugging it out.- Ive no idea either. Its—

JAKE: Cant i know if my sons are alright?? Oh rox its so cruel.

ROXY: i... wish i knew jakey boy.... if i could id get us a thing to try n get in2 this system but... that needs time and theyd be onto me lol...... not lol

ROXY: but well get outta this mess

JAKE: -scrubs at his face, so blotched and red with tears.- Well... well bust out of here! I know we will!

JAKE: And when we do they wont even know what hit them!

JAKE: Id do so right now if you gave the word. -looks off.- Maybe...

JAKE: Someone can help us?

ROXY: maybe but right now we can help each other =cups his face and kisses his forehead= ROXY: ill go scopin later.... try 2 see whats up

ROXY: maybe i can find every1

ROXY: but rn tell me what u need

JAKE: -smiles for the first time in a few days, warmed by the gesture. But then remembers what he's doing.- Shit uhh—

JAKE: Water and substantial edibles i think is a good start. -rubs his sad empty tum.-

ROXY: its the best start =smiles back at him then gets to work just giving him the same supplies she gave James= just hide em when someone comes u kno

ROXY: prison smugglin drills

JAKE: !!!

JAKE: Cripes this is just like magic...

JAKE: ... -looks around his cell.-

JAKE: Where ought i hide it?

ROXY: mmm ..... i might hafta steal a idea i saw from james hes ur neighbor btw

ROXY: =focuses......... tries to make the one dump sylladex card= this might work i think slip it in ur mustache lol or just like somewhere discreet

JAKE: Holy moly! -accepts the 1 dump sylladex card if she manages it.- Is this what i think it is?

JAKE: -Automatically believing that it's a 1 dump sylladex card so whether she DOES manage it, the card is already what she intends it to be.-

JAKE: -giving it a look over- :D

JAKE: -tucks it into the safety of his back pocket. Sitting on it now.-

ROXY: =bless u jake= good beans bby

ROXY: ill be back sometime keep ur spirits up ok?

JAKE: Yes ma am o whamma! -salutes her swiftfly. His spirits are in much better places than they were before.-

ROXY: good! =poof, she's outta there=

JAKE: -brimming with hope now and makes swift work of these dried fruits. Chugs what he can of the water.-

JAKE: -wiping off his mustache, he feels his willpower RENEWED. Better than ever.-

JAKE: -And if Roxy can pull her magic off, why the blazes can't he??? Jake rolls to stand, channeling that spark of hope to manifestation.-

(DIRK): -he puts the MAN in MANIFEST. extends leg, here is brain ghost dirk.-

(DIRK): Hey, that's the first time you summoned me consciously and not as the result of a homoerotic fantasy. Good job.

JAKE: -jumps as his voice comes up but brightens his scruffy self up immediately.- Dirk!

JAKE: Brain ghost! Youre here!

(DIRK): Yeah.

(DIRK): What are you gonna do with me now that I'm here? -lol and then what-

JAKE: -swiftly whaps the ishades off his face.- Give me that!

(DIRK): What the fuck. -covers his face. DON'T LOOK AT ME. he's being ironic mostly-

JAKE: -thrusting them onto his own face. Instant computer.- Hoo. Alright now. I need to contact the crew.

JAKE: Mind if i hornswoggle you of your pester client? Of course you do! -logging into his account.-

(DIRK): My pester client is imaginary, but alright.

JAKE: Huh? No its not? -It's not, Dirk. Look at it working. How??? Magic is how.-

(DIRK): -fucking incredible-

(DIRK): -obnoxiously hovers behind him-

(DIRK): It's almost like you have the ability to make anything a reality.

JAKE: -typing frantically, heart hammering as it actually DOES seem to work.- Shut up will you???

(DIRK): A dude summons you into his realm of existance just to tell you to shut up. Nice one.

JAKE: -Seeing everyone online makes his insides lurch painfully so he's only half paying attention to BGD. His franticness making his eyes water again as in the middle of the message, the connection severs.- Its—

JAKE: Its breaking up! -says with his concentration fizzling.-

(DIRK): Well don't give up.

(DIRK): Do something about it.

JAKE: Im trying damn you! Cant you see?? -says, clutching at the shades.-

(DIRK): And I'm telling you to try harder.

(DIRK): You have it in you to do this.

JAKE: -practically choking with frustration and wills the last bit of connection out of sheer spite. The last message gets through before cutting off completely.-

(DIRK): ...

(DIRK): There you go.

JAKE: -He is just never going to stop being tearstruck at this point. Obligatorily hands BGD his shades.-

JAKE: -His vision is swimming as his hand drops, looking at brain ghost now. Dirk knows Jake loves him doesn't he? Of course he does, a voice tells Jake predictably. It's what he wants to hear, it's the truth that he knows deep down in his heart and it's what BGD was basically scripted to say.-

JAKE: -So why was he still so miserable? He's gotta ask anyway.-

JAKE: He knows i love him right? Id do anything for him?

(DIRK): ... Of course he knows that.

(DIRK): He's probably driving himself up a wall cuz he can't tell you the same thing.

JAKE: -wipes at his nose.- I miss him something tremendous.

JAKE: You would think dodging near death experiences on a regular basis would make this easier to bear. But it doesnt.

JAKE: It really doesnt.

(DIRK): They're coming for you, you know. -he knows this because jake has to know this.-

(DIRK): ... -offers jake his hand to hold-

JAKE: -takes the hand, too dried up to cry in earnest anymore. His shoulders only sag.- At least i have you.

(DIRK): You'll always have me.

JAKE: -keeps their fingers twined together but gives up once their shoulders brush. Just rests his head against BGD, tired all over again.- Jeez louise dirk....

JAKE: Youre always so.

JAKE: You.

(DIRK): It's no coincidence. -leans on him too-

(DIRK): That's the way you want me to be.

JAKE: Shucks. Then i must be stock full of good ideas. -lets his eyes start to drift closed...-

(DIRK): Must be. -yes shhh sleep. it'll get better soon. just believe in that, jake-

JAKE: -having close company to fall asleep with is infitintely better than sleeping alone. Jake has decided this here and now.-