#I had to swallow spaghetti's whole actually cause I was hungry

[arttsuka]

.

[nblesbianbenhanscom]

prompt #17 for reddie? :)

“I want to feel like this forever.”

just a little miniseries reddie for you. ❤️🧡💛💚💙

you can also read it on ao3

***

After Derry, after the hospital, after almost a year of recovery and fighting with his mother every day multiple times a day about seeing Richie, Eddie has had enough.

“Ma, I’m leaving,” Eddie says quietly to the mirror in the cramped bathroom he’d shared with her since he was a late teen. He clears his throat. “Ma, now don’t get— Please don’t get—” Pause. “Ma, I’m forty-one years old. It is well past time I moved out and—” He groans.

This is a disaster. He knows she’s going to see right through him, she’s going to know this is because of Richie.

And she’s not entirely wrong. To be fair though, he knows he’s not doing it for Richie, but Richie is a huge motivating factor to get out from his mother’s thumb. All Eddie really wants right now is to be with his love, and he knows his mother is going to have issues with it, but he can’t live for her any more.

Eddie opens his mouth to rehearse some more when Sonia knocks on the door and Eddie lets out a little shriek.

“Eddie, darling, are you alright?” She calls through the door.

“I’m fine, ma.” He flushes the toilet and washes his hands as she tries to delay the inevitable.

“Well, hurry up, your supper’s getting cold.”

When he opens the door, she is still standing there, waiting.

“Ma, what are you doing? Let’s go eat.” He takes her elbow and guides her down the stairs just the way she likes. Pot roast is waiting for them in the dining room, and as Eddie helps push in Sonia’s chair, he can’t help but wonder if this is going to be the last meal of hers he’s ever going to eat.

He sits down across from her and waits for her to dish him up some food. They talk quietly through dinner, but it’s all haze. Eddie forgets what he’s saying almost as soon as the words leave his mouth.

Half an hour later, Sonia clucks at him. “Eddie, dear, you’ve barely touched your food. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

“I’m fine, just not really hungry.” He takes a deep breath. “Actually, ma, there is something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh? And what’s that?”

Just do it. Just say it. You can do this. You killed an alien, you can do this, Eddie tells himself.

“Ma,” he starts and stops. “Ma, first of all, I just want to tell you that I love you very much.”

“I love you, too, Eddie.” She frowns at him and he has to look away.

“Ma, I— I’m moving out.”

“Moving out? Don’t be ridiculous, Eddie, dear. Where do you think you can go? Your home is here with me.”

“Ma, I’m forty-one. I’m a— I’m—” He swallows hard. He can’t  quite make himself say, I’m a forty-one year old gay virgin, so instead he says, “Richie has a spare room. I’m going to move in with him.” He doesn't tell her he’s not going to stay in the guest room.

“With Richie? Richie Tozier?” She shrieks. “That vile little boy grew up to be a vile man. You can’t. I won’t allow it.”

“I’m not asking for your permission, ma, I’m telling you what’s going to happen.”

Sonia looks at him in disbelief. “Edward Kaspbrak, how dare you talk to me like this. I can’t believe what you are saying. You can't leave me like this. You need me, Eddie.”

“No, ma, you need me. And I can’t do it any more. I’m sorry, but I can’t— I can’t be your excuse to not be happy any more.”

Glowering, Sonia asks, “And just what is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you never gave yourself a chance to be happy after pop died because you were afraid of getting hurt again. You— You put all your energy and attention into me. I was your whole world so you didn’t have to go find a new husband, a new life. You were afraid and you made me afraid, and I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”

Sonia blinks. “I never once stopped you from— from having a life. You were always allowed to have a relationship. You were the one who broke up with Myra.”

“Ma, that’s not— I don’t—” He sighs. “Don’t make me say it.”

“Say what, Eddie? Explain it to me. Explain to me why you are abandoning your dear old mother. Your mother who took care of you your whole life through. I never asked for anything, never wanted anything in return, and this is the thanks I get?”

“Ma, just— I’m leaving, ok? I’m leaving tonight and—”

“Oh, Eddie, just tell me why. I’d understand if- if it was for a girl, maybe, but that nasty man—”

“Richie’s not nasty, ma, he’s wonderful. You just don’t like him because he treats me better than you.”

“He’s dirty!”

“He’s not!

“He’ll get you into trouble. Trouble like before. You really think—”

“Think he’ll take care of me if I have another accident? Yes, he will. He hardly left my side. He was there when I needed him in the middle of the night. He paid for your room, too, and you never really thanked him.” Sonia makes a small move noise of disapproval. “Look, ma. He moved here. He moved here after I got out of the hospital. He’s— He—” He shakes his head a little. “There’s nothing that I can say that will explain this in a satisfactory way, so please, just- just—” Just try and understand, is what he wants to say, but the words won’t come.

“Eddie, I only want what’s best for you, can’t you see that?” Sonia asks. “That friend of yours can’t take care of you the way that I can.”

“No, ma. No one takes care of me like you do,” Eddie says carefully. He knows they are close to the edge and he doesn’t really want to spill over. Even after everything, he believes that she loves him and only wants what she thinks is best for him, but her whole world view was totally screwed. She had done her best, but it's time to get on with his life. Their life together isn't fair to either of them.

“Then why do you want to leave me?”

“It’s not you, ma. Leaving is just something I gotta do.” Eddie looks at her and wishes he hadn’t. She’s crying and looks so, so small. She’d never really looked small before and it scares him.

“But why?”

He almost says, Because I love him, but he is literally saved by the doorbell.

“Oh, who could that be at this hour?” Sonia sniffs and starts to get up.

“It’s for me, ma. It’s— It’s Joey. He’s going to help me get my stuff over to Richie’s.”

“And where is Richie then?” Sonia asks as Eddie heads towards the door.

“At home. We thought it would be less… upsetting if you didn’t see him right now.” And it clearly worked well, cause you are so, so calm, he thinks to himself. He opens the door and smiles at his favorite coworker. Well, soon to be ex-coworker because Eddie and Richie are moving to LA in a few weeks. Guilt fills Eddie’s stomach when he realizes he hasn’t told his mother this yet.

One thing at a time, Eddie tells him.

“Hey, Joey, thanks for this again.”

“Any time, Eddie. How is she?” Joey looks past Eddie to try and see Sonia for himself.

“She’s… taking it about as well as can be expected at this point.” Eddie glances back over his shoulder to see if she’s come out of the dining room or not, and is relieved to find the hall empty.

“Come on. My room is upstairs.” Eddie moves aside so Joey can come in, and Eddie is struck by the realization that Joey is the first friend he’s had over since he was a kid. He doesn’t count Myra because that had been just a huge disaster.

It had never been a real relationship, they hadn’t even kissed. It had been so easy to just pretend like he wanted to wait for marriage, that he was an old fashioned kind of guy, and Myra had happily gone along with it. Sometimes Eddie almost felt sorry for her, but he knew that she didn’t love him any more than he loved her. 

Honestly, even if Eddie weren’t gay, he knows his mother would never have really let him marry Myra, and he would be here irregardless. There had been no escaping his mother.

They head up the stairs, and Eddie can hear Sonia crying in the kitchen. He hopes she stays there.

Eddie doesn’t have much stuff he actually wants to take, and between Joey and himself, it only takes one trip to get all his stuff. They put his things in the trunk and Eddie sighs.

“I’m going to go say goodbye. This may take a while. If it gets too late, call Richie and—”

“I know the plan, Eddie. It’s ok. It’s going to be fine.”

Eddie giggles. “Yeah, sure. You wanna go in for me?” He points to the door.

“Not a chance in hell.” They both laugh. “Good luck, Eddie.” Joey squeezes Eddie's shoulder, and Eddie sighs a little.

“Thanks. I’m going to need it.” He takes another deep breath and turns to walk up the path. He opens the door and steps back in. He rubs his face as he goes to find Sonia. She’s in the kitchen staring at the leftover pot roast.

“I’m leaving, ma. I just— I just wanted to say goodbye.”

Sonia says nothing.

“Ma, please. Please try to understand. I’m not doing this to hurt you. I just want a chance to be happy.”

Sonia begins to put the leftovers away.

“Ma, say something. Please.” When she doesn’t say anything, Eddie nods. “It’s ok, ma. Maybe one day you’ll understand. Maybe one day we’ll be able to talk again.” He turns and walks down the hall.

“Eddie?” Sonia calls from the kitchen.

“Yeah, ma?” He turns and sees her watching from the kitchen doorway.

“If you leave, I never want to see you again,” Sonia says.

Swallowing hard, Eddie nods. “I love you, ma.” He turns and leaves, closing the door quietly behind him. He hates this, hates himself, hates everything. He stews in his guilt all the way to Richie’s. When they get there, Eddie hesitates.

“You want me to go get Richie?” Joey asks.

Eddie doesn’t say anything for a long moment, just sits there thinking about how Joey was the best friend he had without the Losers, and even though they’d been friends for years Joey knew very little about Eddie’s life. Eddie is amazed that Joey would be willing to just drop everything to help him. Slowly, Eddie shakes his head. “No, come on. Let’s go in. I’m tired and ready for tonight to be over.”

“Ok.” Joey squeezes Eddie’s shoulder. They get out and grab the bags. They walk up the steps and Richie opens the door before they can knock on the door.

“Hey! Eddie Spaghetti! Welcome home!” He lifts Eddie up and pulls him into a tight hug and kisses his ear.

“Hi, Richie.”

Richie puts him down. “Uh oh. I take it things didn't go well with Mama Kaspbrak?” He ruffles Eddie’s hair and he can’t help but smile.

“We’ll talk about it in a bit.”

Grabbing Eddie’s face, Richie pulls him close and he gives him a huge smooch. “Ok, babes.” He looks up at Joey and steps aside to let them both in. “Thanks for all your help, Joey. We couldn’t have done this without you.”

Joey waves him off. “You’re ok. I was happy to help.” He sets the bags down. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Will do,” Richie says. Joey waves and walks back out.

“Bye, Joey. See you Monday!” Eddie calls. He waves and Richie closes the door. He takes a deep breath and leans against the door.

“Was she awful?” Richie asks.

“Oh, yes.” Eddie walks over and pulls Richie’s arms around him. Richie pulls him close and kisses the top of his head.

“I’m sorry, Eds. What can I do?”

Shaking his head, Eddie looks up at Richie. “Thank you for being so amazing.”

“Me? What did I do?” Richie asks.

“You exist.”

Richie smiles and kisses Eddie gently on the lips. “Love you, Spaghetti Man.”

“Love you, too, Richie.” He rests his head on Richie’s chest and they just stand there for a few minutes.

“So, you wanna unpack tonight or just go to bed?” Richie asks.

Eddie takes a deep breath and sighs. “Do you have any ice cream? I didn’t eat much dinner.” It’s weird to think that this time last year, Eddie would have balked at the suggestion of ice cream so close to bedtime, would have pointed out that it would probably give them stomach aches, but in this moment, it’s all he wants.

“I think we might have some. Let’s go look.” He takes Eddie’s hand and laces their fingers together as he leads the way to the kitchen. Eddie leans against the counter as Richie opens the freezer. “We’ve got rocky road and vanilla bean.”

Eddie thinks for a moment and just nods. “Sure.”

“Which one?”

“Both.”

“You got it babes.” Richie puts the ice cream on the counter and gets some spoons. “Want help up?”

“What?”

“If we’re going to eat ice cream out of the carton, we do it sitting on the counter.”

Laughing, Eddie makes a face. “You’re so goofy.” He kisses Richie’s cheek. “Help me up?” He of course doesn’t need help, but he just wants another excuse for Richie to touch him. When they are both up on the counter, Richie opens the ice creams and hands a carton to Eddie. They bang them together and dig in.

After a few minutes of silence, Richie asks, “You wanna talk about it?”

Sighing, Eddie takes another bite of ice cream. “She said she would never talk to me again.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Richie asks.

“Richie!” Eddie shoves his shoulder smiling a little despite himself. He takes a deep breath. “Look, I know she was terrible, I know she’s going to be terrible, because Lord knows she’s not going to leave me alone despite what she may say, but I can’t help but feel sorry for her. She has nothing without me.”

Richie takes a bite of Eddie’s ice cream and considers this for a moment. “Spaghetti, your mom is what, a million?” Eddie smiles and rolls his eyes. “Your dad died when you were a kid. Your mom has had pretty much your entire life to get a life of her own, but she refused. If your mom really wanted to be happy, she would have found a way, you know? It’s not your job to make her happy, remember?”

Nodding, Eddie sighs. “I know. I just feel bad.” And he does. He really does. It's something he's talked about at great length not only with the Losers but with his therapist, Billie, as well. 

Richie tosses his empty ice cream container on the counter and pulls Eddie close.

“Baby, I love you so much. You deserve only the best.” He takes a deep breath. “You deserve to be happy.”

“I know. I love you, too.” He squeezes Richie and pulls back. He tries to stifle a yawn, but Richie sees right through him.

“Aww, Sketti. Let’s go to bed.” He puts the ice cream away and presses another kiss into Eddie’s forehead. “Come on.” He hauls Eddie up into his arms and Eddie shrieks with laughter as he wraps his arms around Richie's neck.

“Are you really going to carry me up to bed bridal style?” Eddie asks.

Richie shrugs. “I thought it was fitting, being your first official night home and all.”

Eddie pulls him close for a kiss. “I love you so much.”

“Love you, too, Eds.”

“There’s only one problem,” Eddie says.

“And what’s that?”

“You’re going to throw out your back.”

Rolling his eyes and laughing, Richie says, “Right, like you are so, so heavy. Pfft. It will be ok.”

“Richie!”

“Eddie! You’re just scared I’m gonna drop you.” They laugh.

“No, I’m not. You would never.” They kiss again. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” He pushes his forehead into Eddie’s. “Are you ready for bed?”

“Sure am,” Eddie says. Richie carries Eddie up to his bedroom— to their bedroom.

Their bedroom.

Because Eddie lives here now. Eddie is home.

After Richie puts Eddie down, they get changed into some pajamas. Eddie just wears one of Richie’s undershirts because he'd left his bags downstairs and neither of them wanted to go back down for them. They crawl under the blankets. Richie pulls Eddie close, curling around him. Eddie holds tightly to Richie’s arm and nuzzles into his chest.

Despite his stress and anxiety, Eddie manages to fall asleep pretty quickly. He wakes up early the next morning to the sound of pigeons and Richie snoring softly in his ear. He has to pee but he’s not ready to get up so he just lays there for a few more minutes.

Then he remembers his mother. He sighs and wonders how she’s doing, if she’d managed to get any sleep. He knows Richie is right, that it’s not Eddie’s job to make her happy, but still. It’s hard to let go.

After another minute he sighs and starts to try and pull free, but Richie holds him tighter. Eddie brushes some hair out of his boyfriend’s face and kisses his forehead.

“Rich,” Eddie murmurs.

“Uh uh, not yet.” Richie shoves his face into Eddie’s neck.

“Richie.” Eddie strokes the back of Richie’s neck.

“Just a few more minutes.”

“I just need to pee, and then I’ll be right back.”

“But don’t you have to—” Richie stops, pulls back, and looks up at Eddie. “You are home.”

“Yeah. I am.” Eddie kisses the tip of Richie’s nose. “But I really have to pee.”

Richie smiles widely. “Ok, ok. But you’re coming back.” Clearly he’s not going to be the only one who’s going to need time getting used to this new arrangement.

“Yes, love, I’m coming back.” They share a kiss and then Eddie gets up. After using the toilet, Eddie splashes some water on his face. It’s weird to think that soon he’s going to move 3,000 miles away.

Taking a deep breath, Eddie goes back to Richie. He curls up and pulls him close. They doze for a little while, and when they wake up again, they still aren’t ready to get up.

Richie lays there gently stroking Eddie’s arm and they listen to the soft sounds of spring; the birds, the wind through the trees, the voices from people on the street as they go about their day, and it’s so, so nice.

Neither of them say anything until Richie’s stomach rumbles. Without opening his eyes, Richie grumbles, “Traitor.”

“We can get up and eat and come back,” Eddie points out. “We don’t have to do anything today.”

Ruffling Eddie’s hair, Richie asks, “Why Eddie Kaspbrak, are you really suggesting we procrastinate, that we shirk our duties for the day?”

Smiling gently, Eddie kisses Richie. “I’m saying, I want to feel like this forever.”

“How’s that, Eddie spaghetti?”

Licking his lips, Eddie blushes and ducks his head. “Safe. And loved. Peaceful.”

Richie swallows hard and gives the back of Eddie’s neck a gentle squeeze. “Yeah?” He asks softly. “No regrets.”

Eddie shakes his head, no. “I love you so much. I feel so lucky, so damn lucky that we got this chance again when— We almost lost each other twice. It would have killed me to lose you a third time.”

They fall silent for a moment and then Richie sniffles a little. Shocked, Eddie pulls back to look at him.

“Richie what—?”

“It’s just— I’m just—” He swallows hard and tries to take a deep breath. “I—” He laughs.

“It’s ok, Richie. Talk to me.”

“I just love you so much, and I mean I know you love me, but I didn’t—” He lets out a small sob. “I never hoped, never dreamed you could love me as much as I love you. That— That you would—”

“Richie, I love you so much. Why would you even doubt that?” Eddie wipes away some of Richie’s tears.

“I didn’t. I mean, not really. It’s just—” He sighs. “My past relationships, for the most part, were good. We cared about each other and took care of each other, but they weren’t like this, weren’t this… this intense. It’s so amazing that we got lucky like we did, and I think— I know— I feel like—” He shakes his head a little.

“Richie, are you really at a loss for words?” Eddie asks and Richie laughs.

“I just love you so much. And I want to keep this feeling too. I want this moment to last forever.”

They kiss again and Eddie curls up under Richie’s chin. They don’t sleep, but they don’t talk and they don’t move, and it’s all just so nice.

Eventually they get up and shower so they can go get food, but it’s really ok because they are together and they love each other, and they know things aren’t always going to be smooth, but for right now, for these moments, everything is good, perfect even. They know that in the end, they will always have each other, and that’s more than enough.

[iam93percentstardust]

Spirit Bright and Beautiful

Written for @starkbucksbingo and this means a bingo for me! See below the cut for bingo details

Also on ao3 here

~

He has a safe house.

Of sorts.

Not really a safe house. It’s an office space under construction, abandoned when the project ran out of money. Still, it’s safe and the important part is that it has a view of the tower and so James can see the Avengers when they’re coming and going. He can watch what they’re doing—not when they’re in the tower itself because the windows are tinted—but he can see when they leave and where they’re going. He never follows them, not with the Black Widow and the SHIELD agent on the team. But they don’t usually go far unless it’s a special event or a mission and if it’s a mission, James wouldn’t want to follow them anyway and if it’s a special event, he can usually watch it on the shitty TV he stole out of someone’s garbage.

James prides himself on being impossible to sneak up on. HYDRA’s training was good for that at least. So he hears the light steps coming up the stairs. He hears and he tenses because he doesn’t recognize those footsteps. He doubts it’s HYDRA—they’re usually heavier—and he doesn’t think it’s the Black Widow because he thinks he could count himself lucky if he actually heard her coming and she’s out on a mission right now anyway so that means it’s someone else.

Someone, who is apparently huffing and complaining about damn super soldiers who could do this without even breathing hard and—

A face with fluffy brown hair, big and warm eyes, and the most ridiculous beard James thinks he’s ever seen pokes its head around the corner.

“Freezer Pop?” the face asks and James suddenly recognizes it as belonging to Tony Stark, Iron Man, one of HYDRA’s do-not-engages long before he became a superhero. “Bucky Bear, you in here?”

He shouldn’t give away his position so easily. Then again, Stark is a friend of Steve’s and he remembers Steve. He’s not sure if he’s ready to see Steve again but he at least knows he’s a friend.

“What’s a freezer pop?” he asks, voice rusty from disuse. He emerges from behind one of the plastic sheets, flicking the switchblade he’d been holding closed. He doesn’t use guns anymore, can’t stand the sight of the things, and it’s not like he can’t defend himself with just a knife anyway.

Stark’s eyes dart to the knife, skitter away to take in the sight of the construction. “It’s a snack,” he begins and then stops, biting his lip to stop himself from saying anything else. James can’t help but wonder what he’d been planning on saying. “Is this where you’ve been staying? Cause I’ll be honest with you, this is…not great.”

James huffs out a laugh. “Better than the street,” he says and doesn’t say that he’s been on the street before.

Stark seems to hear it anyway though if the way his mouth twists is any indication. “It’s not like you’ve only got two options here,” he points out. “You could—”

“I don’t want to,” James interrupts, already feeling the panic creeping up on him. “I don’t—I could hurt—and Steve—”

He almost doesn’t see Stark move and his hand twitches for his knife before Stark stops only a few feet away from. The panic comes on fast and heavy then, overwhelming him. When did he sit down? When did he scramble backward from Stark sitting as well? When did—he tucks his head between his knees, screaming to drown out the static in his head.

He doesn’t know how long it takes him to become James again but when he raises his head again, he thinks the light has shifted. Stark is still sitting there though, still a few feet away, silently tapping on a tablet. He looks up when James uncurls from his ball, putting the tablet down beside him.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Stark says quietly. “I know I can be an asshole but I really didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I didn’t think you did,” he rasps.

“I know you’re not ready. And I don’t really blame you. But Steve and the Murder Twins are out on a mission for the next two months and Sam is still in D.C. and Bruce and Thor are at their love nest in Greece that they think I don’t know about.” He rolls his eyes and the corner of James’ mouth twitches in a smile. “I’m just worried about you.”

And that—that’s just—“No one asked you to worry about me,” he points out.

Stark nods. “I know. But you can’t stop me from doing it anyway so here, I wanted to give you this.” He slides the tablet across the floor, stopping only when it taps against James’ foot.

He picks it up slowly, reminding himself that Stark wouldn’t kill him, not with a tablet leastways. “What is it?”

“Videos, mostly,” Stark says with a deceptively casual shrug.

“Of what?”

“The team. J says you’ve been watching us for a while and he’s pretty sure that you’re looking to see if it’s safe to come in, which I doubt you can figure out from watching the outside so I brought you this so you can watch the inside too.” He frowns. “That came out wrong. Look, I’m scared of Natasha too so I don’t blame you so I just thought maybe you’d like video of her throwing cereal at Clint because he drank all the milk.”

He unfolds his legs and stands up. “I’ll leave you to it. Just to warn you though, I’m coming back tomorrow with dinner. Gotta do something while I’m benched.” He taps his side like James is supposed to know what that means and then disappears before James can ask him either about his ribs or about the mysterious J.

~

True to his word, Stark is back the next day with something in a large paper bag that smells so good it makes James’ mouth water. He’s been eating mostly day-old sandwiches from the sandwich shop next to the office building he’s staying in and frankly, he’s tired of it but he’s not willing to go any further than right next door.

“You watched any of it?” Stark asks him, tossing the bag into his lap.

James fishes out two containers of what looks like spaghetti and a smaller bag of breadsticks. He sticks one of the breadsticks in his mouth so that he can avoid saying something when he nods.

Stark gives him an amused looks and then waits for him to finish swallowing before saying, “What did you think?”

…He doesn’t know what to say to that.

He’s been watching and he’s seen what Stark had talked about with the Black Widow throwing cereal at Barton. And he’s seen Dr. Banner trip over the god’s hammer and not even turn a shade before yelling at him about leaving his things in the halls. And he’s even seen Stark and Steve cheerfully bickering with each other—and that’s barely even a fraction of the videos on the tablet he’d been given.

He sees all of this but it doesn’t really make sense in his mind at the moment. Where are the fights? The arguments? The full-on hatred that expresses itself in sneers and glares?

“It’s fine,” he mutters. “Looks nice.”

Stark frowns but he doesn’t press the issue. For that, James is grateful. He still doesn’t have all of his memories back but he’s pretty sure that if it were Steve standing here in front of him, he’d be a lot pushier about this. Stark, though, Stark just sits down next to him and chatters about how much it sucks that he cracked two ribs and so he can’t be on the mission with everyone else. He doesn’t mind that James doesn’t do anything but sit next to him and eat his spaghetti. He talks enough to fill the entire room on his own.

It’s kind of nice.

~

The thing is, the Avengers are apparently nothing like HYDRA. They actively seem to like and trust each other. Their playful ribbing is nothing more than silly banter. Their light touches are warm hugs and not backstabbing embraces. They have movie nights and game nights and morning yoga sessions and in between it all, they hang out together and laugh and talk and love.

The thing is, Tony is warm and cheerful and lovely. James can’t remember the last time he thought that about anything, let alone a person. But as Tony comes over every single evening with delicious food—never homecooked because he says he can’t be trusted around a kitchen—and talks about everything and nothing all at once, James finds himself relaxing more and more around him.

The thing is, Tony clearly loves the team, treats them like they’re his family. He buys them extravagant gifts and goes shopping with Natasha and helps Bruce with dinner preparations. He spends hours in front of the TV with Clint, throwing popcorn at the screen during trashy soap operas. He poses for Steve’s art and he never complains when Thor hugs him just a little too hard.

The things is—if Tony can just choose who his family is, then maybe James can too.

~

“The team comes back next week,” Tony tells him one night.

James nods slowly. He knows. He’s been keeping track of the days ever since that first night when Tony had told him they would be gone for two months. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they should be back in five days.

“What do you think?” Tony asks. “You’ve seen the footage. You know what we’re like. You ready to come out of the cold yet?”

It’s quiet for a long time. James’ stomach growls, reminding him that even though he’d polished off the serving Tony had brought for him, he’s still hungry. He had been eyeing Tony’s food up until this question (truthfully, he’s still debating tugging it closer to him; Tony never minds) but he wants to think about this first.

Tony waits for him patiently, still doesn’t push. He loves that about him honestly. He’s thought before that he liked it but he thinks now that it might go deeper than that. His…feelings for Tony as a whole might go deeper than that. And if that’s really how he feels, then he thinks there’s not a whole lot he wouldn’t do for Tony.

“Maybe,” he says eventually, still turning the idea over in his mind. “’m still a little scared.”

Tony nods and stands, dusting his hands off on his jeans. The movement startles James, who was expecting that Tony would be there a little longer yet. Did he say something wrong? Did he make the wrong choice? Did he push Tony away finally.

But then Tony reaches out a hand, holding it out for James to take. “Come on, James darling,” Tony urges. “Come home with me.”

James doesn’t really know where home is anymore but, as he grabs Tony’s hand and lets him pull him up and guide him out of the room, he thinks it might be with Tony.

Title: Spirit Bright and Beautiful Collaborator Name: iam93percentstardust Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26044267 Square Filled: G1 - Chosen Family Ship/Main Pairing: Winteriron Rating: G Major Tags & Triggers: Panic attacks Word Count: 2k

[youarejesting]

Herb Jimin x reader

Pairing: Dealer!Jimin x Reader Beta: @bubblebunnylia​ Genre: Romance, Smut, Fluff, NSFW Rating: recommended 18+ (or whatever the legal age is in your country) Words: 3.3k Warnings: Blow job, oral female receiving, voyeurism, sex, cum mentioned, slightly rough but not extremely, unprotected sex. Summary: Jimin was the mary poppins of drug dealing. What ever you wanted he had and he NEVER disappoints his customer. That is until he met you. He finally decides to take matters into his own hands to fulfil your order.

[Masterlist] [Herb.2]

Not much was known about the young Korean man who showed up to all the parties. No one knew how he got there. All anyone knew was that he was the biggest flirt and had the herbs everyone wanted. Honestly, it didn’t matter what you wanted, he had it somehow. 

Everyone has their story with him. ‘I said I needed a bandage and he had it’, ‘I asked if anyone had any cat food cause we found a stray cat and he wipes out a bag, it was weird’, ‘He is like a sexy Mary Poppins, he gives you the dank weed but he also has pool floaties in his bag’ and you’re personal favourite  ‘I was so hungry and he pulls out a whole casserole and apologized because he ran out of vegetable bake’.  You had heard it all, it seemed like drunk fairy tales but no good party was without him. 

You remember when you first met he asked you if you needed anything, and when you asked him for love he froze up and apologized, sheepishly  claiming he didn’t have it. You knew he had his limits and that’s what kept you skeptical of his abilities. But something about his charming nature keeps you searching to meet him again. 

And it wasn’t hard. You met him, again and again. Each time he approached you and asked if you needed anything,  you always replied the same. “Love” and he would always grow quiet. You thought one day he might actually come up with a solution but you were yet to find out.

You were at one of ‘these’ parties, it wasn’t really your scene. Usually, you had no problem but tonight you really just couldn’t deal with it. It had been a long day and you had a headache. So you were trying to find a place to take  a quick nap,  using the stairs to stray further from the heavy base, which had started to cause some anxiety within your body. The sound upstairs was muffled and yet still so loud. Hoping to find an empty room and an equally empty bed so you could rest. 

You opened the first door to see if you were correct. This was Namjoon’s bedroom and there was an unspoken rule of no sexual activities in the host’s bed. Opening the door to see a modern style bedroom with white and black furniture and a few figurines. On the bed was the Host Namjoon with his boyfriend Seokjin kneeling on his knees in front of him. 

“Can I help you, Y/n?” You weren’t surprised that he knew your name, Namjoon knew everybody. But you were surprised by their blatant disregard of modesty. You had to  seal your expression from the two and the sexual act being performed was making your ears grow warm in embarrassment. 

“Ah, I was looking for somewhere to take a nap.” You admitted while looking away.  You didn’t want to overreact, only the coolest of kids got invited to Namjoon’s parties and you thought after high school popularity wouldn’t matter, but it still  does. 

Everyone at these parties had high libido’s. I mean, they are friends with Namjoon himself. If you were invited, you have either previously had relations with the host or you were a planned notch on the insatiable young man's belt. 

You were invited after a heated make-out session in the university’s auditorium with Namjoon and his loquacious boyfriend Seokjin.

Though your head was in fact turned you were still able to hear every obscene noise. The wet suction and smacking of lips, the throaty moans of Namjoon and the muffled encouraging moans and other elicit sounds from Seokjin. You could hear Seokjin's throat squelch around the large cock and you fought the urge not to blush any further.

“We will be finished in a— ahhh!” He hunched forwards, fingers clutching firmly to Seokjin’s blonde locks as his forearms tensed, the veins popping out. You saw every thrust of his hips. Seokjin waited patiently, you heard and saw how thick he swallowed and felt your pulse beating rapidly in your tight jeans. 

With every thrust he would swallow again. You could clearly see in detail the pronounced girth of the shaft sliding in his throat with fervor. Until the broad-shouldered gentleman pulled back in order to breathe, the action sending another twitch to Namjoons hips, and a final shot of cum just made it to the edge of Seokjin’s mouth and lips.

“We are done!” Seokjin said, standing as Namjoon readjusted his large and yet softening member back into his pants. “You can have the room or perhaps if you want we can entertain you?” 

The two smirked and you again, trying to play it cool, gave them a flippant reply. “No I really am tired and want to sleep, I was working on a thesis all night last night and–”

“Say no more sweetheart, rest.”  You avoided the place at the end of the bed where the two lovers had been. Snuggled in the blankets while falling asleep slightly as your head touched the pillow. Seokjin switched the light off and shut the door, allowing you to drift off peacefully.

The light switch flicked on and even with your eyes closed you felt blinded. You couldn’t stop the harsh shriek that pierced the air. “What? What is it now!?” 

“I am sorry,” the voice was soft and familiar as its owner switched the lights back off, “Can I sit for a moment?”

“Sure.” you mumbled, laying back down.  You could smell the stranger’s beautiful cologne and you got curious as to who it might be. 

“I just need to hide out for a while, someone not so nice is looking for me.” Their voice was hard to describe but sounded like a melodic ache.

“Who are you?” You asked, suspicious of the stranger climbing into the bed with you. 

“Who is asking?” The tiny trill showed he was amused by his dismissive answer, he was trying to act cute.  You turned on your phone  and used the light of your lock screen to examine the stranger’s face. Ash-blonde hair parted on the side, he smiled, wetting his thick lips with his tongue. 

“Ah, it’s you.” dropping your arm back to the bed, no longer feeling uncomfortable. All  the encounters you had with him were pleasant, he always used endearments because he never remembered names. 

“You know me, baby?” He took his phone and repeated your process to stream a soft light over your face. “Oh my, baby it is you! What are you doing in here sleeping? You're  usually the brightest in the room.”

“Huge Thesis.” you mumbled and he hummed, taking your hand. 

“Hey listen, how about I make you an offer tonight? You  can ask for anything you want and I will give it to you for half the price.  If I don’t have it I will give you the next best thing for free.” the lamp beside the bed was clicked on, giving a soft orange glow throughout the room. 

“Something warm?” You hummed while looking over at him curiously. You were craving a body. To be exact, human contact and love. He opened his jacket. 

“I got a warm meatball sub, a packet of lollipops, and a container of home cooked spaghetti. I got spare underwear in all different sizes, this is a set of slippers when your feet get sore in heels, juice mixers, spirits. I got herbs for days, this one will make you happy, this one calms you down, this one here has you seeing pretty colours, this one has you sleep until morning, this is my house special, it  tastes like a cinnamon donut.” he looked over. “Anything yet?”

You shook your head and he sighed, lifting a gym bag onto the bed, “alright brace yourself, I got spare clothes, ramen packets, a scented candle, batteries, pet food. I got condoms, a razor, a vibrator, lube. I have painkillers, cold medicine, I have this thing which I think was an Easter egg. I got a 3DS, a switch and a variety of games. I got a can of tomato soup, yet no can opener, weird. I got a heat pack, I got this adult diaper and I don’t know why, and a spiderman comic?”

“No,” you sighed.

“Tell me what you want and if I know I don’t have it it’s free.” he hummed, running his hand through his hair and looking so amazing while his plush lips were always so glossy and soft looking. 

“I want a fuck,” you breathed, “a good stress relieving fuck.”

“Aha, I do have what you want!” He held up  the vibrator and you shook your head. 

“No, I want heat and hands and so much more. I need to be loved right now, I need to just fuck until I forget everything. Last I checked I can’t get plowed into the mattress by a vibrator. So, unless you have a willing male hidden in that bag I don’t think you have what I want.” 

“Not in my bag, no, but I have one under my jacket,” he pulled his jacket off and held his arms out, “and I am free.” he grinned kneeling beside you.

“I have never done a deal like this, I am going to be honest. No one has ever asked for this. Would you like to make the purchase?”

“You sure you have what I want?” You bit your lip after you said it because look at him, he was sexy as hell and he knew it.

“I can fuck you until you forget everything, you won’t know anything but my name.”

“But I don’t know your name?” you raised an eyebrow. 

“Really? Pretty baby  doesn’t know my name?” He pouted “What do you call me in that pretty little head of yours?”

“I call you the herb man.” he laughed heartily, looking too cute for this proposition, almost falling over from his cute giggles causing you to sigh. “look, maybe I’ll just go home?”

“I have a reputation, I have what everyone wants. If word gets out that I, Park Jimin, let someone down not once but multiple times? I- we just can’t have that.  Now tell me how you want it.” he smiled, pulling his hair back with his fingers and revealing his forehead whilst licking his lips. You felt like you just got slapped with how quick he went from a soft boy to this deep gazed daddy.

“I don’t know..” you whispered, lying. He cupped your cheek looking you in the eyes and trying to search them for what you needed. Maybe he was just a people pleaser, he couldn’t let anyone down. You didn’t know why he was always so eager to make others happy.

“Kissing, touching, fingering, oral sex, what positions? What’s your kinks? I can provide it all.” 

“I want it all,” you whispered. He rolled on top of you, straddling your hips and caging you in with his body as he took your chin, tilting it upward and pecking you gently. Gauging your reaction, he looked down at you, you were looking up at him pleading for him to use you. But this wasn’t about him. He wanted to give you what you wanted.

He kissed you slowly, deeply, you felt loved, the tension in your shoulders easing slightly. He grinned, pulling off his shirt before continuing to kiss you. His hands starting to wander along your body as he massaged your breasts, squeezing them, making you whimper and moan into his mouth. 

His plush lips moved to your neck and he smiled when he found out how sensitive you were there. “You bought me, pretty baby. Use me however you wish.”

Without hesitation you grabbed his face kissing him again and running your fingers through his hair. The music downstairs was loud but you still refused to make too much noise. His hands slid down your side and thighs before sliding back up and lifting your dress,  revealing your underwear which he quickly slipped down your legs. He didn’t waste any time. 

Spreading your legs and smiling up at you. “Please,” You breathed and he smirked, biting your thigh. You yelped feeling yourself grow wetter.

“My name is Jimin, use it?”

“Please Jimin.” You said and he smiled thankfully, obliging to your whines. 

“With pleasure my pretty baby.” He gripped your thighs and took your clit in his mouth, it was so sudden. You were so surprised that a loud moan pulled from your chest. You tried to stifle your moans and he mumbled, “Make noise baby, no one can here you and no one cares.” 

He began making enthusiastic noises while he caressed you with his tongue. He alternated between sucking and flicking your clit, his fingers curling up inside you pressing against all the sweetest spots. Your thighs trembled in his hands and he giggled against you, pulling back with his chin glistening. “You’re shaking.” 

“Please jimin I need you!”

“Ooh, you sound pretty when you say my name.” He smiled, removing your dress entirely and your bra before he took his belt, unbuckling it. You noticed the bulge in his pants as he slid his tight ripped jeans and briefs off. He took himself in his hand pumping lazily, he was  more than ready. 

“Is this really what you want?” He asked softly, calling your eyes back to his, he looked shy once more. As he grabbed a condom, you took it from him, and threw it onto the bed hands pulling him down over you.  

“I am on the pill,” your words made him smile, nudging your legs wider apart with his thighs and lined himself at your entrance. He took his time entering you, rolling his hips forward, sliding effortlessly inside you. Each thrust fills you up completely. 

“I apologize if I finish too quickly,” His eyebrows knitted together in concentration, his mouth forming an o-shape, his breathing becoming forced pants. “Oh god, you feel so good, I’m sorry!”

He came. The sounds he made were beautiful and you felt disappointed as he pulled out.  He smiled, “I always last longer the second time, if you are still willing? I haven’t satisfied you yet and that is what’s important. It is what you asked for.”

At your enthusiastic nod he flipped you over, pressing his hand to the small of your back and guiding you into position, your hips rolling forward so you were at the perfect angle to receive him. 

“Oh fuck!” You gasped, this made him feel deeper inside of you and the angle has  him pressing heavily against your G-spot. Making you cry out every time. “Don’t stop, please!”

“Don’t worry pretty baby, I would never until you tell me you are satisfied.” He grunted, reaching around your waist to press two fingers against you, stimulating you further in time with his thrusts. 

“Jimin, please!” The urgency in your tone was registered by him; he pressed your chest into the mattress and pistoned his hips trying to help you finish. Your eyes flashed white as an immense pleasure filled your body. You couldn’t hear anything or see anything, lost in a void of white for eternity, while the pleasure screamed through your body. It was maddening with  how nice it felt, but it faded back to reality and your eternity of bliss was, in fact, mere seconds.

Jimin didn’t stop, flipping you back over. He was inside you again. You came again in a short time and he looked down amazed. “Seems you come quicker the second time,”

“More!” You pleaded as you were chasing your high, that moment in the white void of pleasure when there was nothing else and you had no other worries.

He kept going. Each orgasm becoming less intense, and harder to reach. Until finally, instead of a white void you saw black and it was peaceful. But you weren’t alone. Jimin was there, just with you and you felt safe. 

You woke up a while later to people talking. Realising the dark void was actually a dream, involving you and Jimin. Opening your eyes you saw Namjoon and Jin standing at the end of the bed while Jimin spoke to them quietly. “She passed out after seven rounds.”

“Next time invite us to join. It is my room,” Namjoon laughed and you turned to see Jimin beside you, sitting up, dressed in everything but his shirt.

“You are awake.” He had a placed a damp cloth on your head, “I am sorry if it was too much, I didn’t mean to make you pass out.”

“No, it was amazing.” You laughed.

“Was everything okay, pretty baby?” He raised an eyebrow and tucked your hair behind your ear. Your cheeks flushed, “Anything you like or dislike so I know for next time?”

“Next time?” You asked.

“Of course, if you need me again,” he smiled.

“Um, well, you are really good at oral, I am sure other girls will enjoy that a lot, so keep doing that, but some girls might not like a fast pace so keep that in mind.”

“Hey, listen I am not planning on doing this with anyone else this is an exclusive offer for you.” He smiled rubbing the back of his neck, “I don’t really like sharing and it would feel too much like cheating if I did this with every girl that asked. I am a one at a time guy, if you ever need me, I am here.”

“Oh thank you, I will call if I ever need anything.” You nodded, taking your phone from him and turning to the other two grinning in the room. 

“You are both so cute,” Seokjin pointed at you both. You stepped out of the bed wearing Jimin’s shirt. It was quite large on you since he wore baggy clothes often. You felt a warm trickle and looked down to see the small trail of liquid both Jimin and yourself had created. It continued to run down your thigh, a hot white liquid that made each male in the room moan at the sight. Namjoon licking his lips, as if imagining the taste.

“Next time you use my room we all have to share.” Namjoon wiggled his eyebrows, earning a slap to the back of his head by Seokjin. 

“Didn’t you just hear him say he doesn’t share?”

“Look at the mess you made on my bed, that is amazing!” Your eyes widened as you turned to see the sheets darkened with mixed arousal, jimin was as flushed as you, his phone buzzing. 

“Someone downstairs needs something to eat,” You saw him adorn his hoodie and duffle bag, reaching into his Mary Poppins Esque bag and grasping the container of spaghetti he had mentioned earlier. “If you need anything let me know.”

You went to the ensuite and got dressed, looking in the mirror. You looked happy, even you could admit that. “How is she so blind, he looks for her at every party, always asks her if she needs anything because he hopes he can talk to her,” Seokjin said “Jimin and y/n I ship them so hard!”

“I will ship you so hard, come here.” You heard them start kissing and ducked out. “Thank you for letting me rest and use your bathroom!” You smiled, waving as you left the room before they could start anything.

Calling it a night you wanted to return the shirt Jimin let you borrow, he was over by the pool handing out a few things and he waved with a smile. “Jimin,” you said as you got closer, “Your shirt!”

“Ah thanks,” He placed it into his duffle bag and you nodded, feeling awkward. “I am going to go.”

Halfway to your car you heard, “Wait, Y/n!” you turned on instinct, genuinely surprised he knew your name. He stopped in front of you. “I um, I wanted to you know-”

He rambled for a while and you thought perhaps you or he was having a stroke. None of it made sense and you blinked. “Jimin slow down, I am listening!”

“I asked you every party for almost a year what was the one thing you wanted and you answered love every time and I was thinking...” He took a deep breath looking at you nervously playing with the hem of your dress. “Do you maybe want to go out?” 

If you like this please hit the heart or the button that looks like you are trying to throw it in reverse in UNO to share this with others. If you enjoyed the story please feel free to check out some of my other stories on my [Masterlist]

Click here for [Herb.2]

[fangirlovestuff]

Holding Out for a Hero- Steve Rogers x Reader Pt.9

a\n-Hey lovely people! This one is very much self-indulgent fluff & smut. (If you don't like smut just consider the part where you reach your room the end of the chapter) Enjoy <3

summary: date night ;)

part 8

Steve caught up with you when you all left the meeting room. "Hey," he said softly, "You okay?"

You put your head on his chest and he wrapped your arms around you. "I just don't get how I let that happen. Why did I not ask about him more?" Steve rubbed his hands on your back soothingly. "How could I have been so blind? This man was double-crossing the team and I was playing scrabble with him, not knowing a thing. I just-" you sighed, "I just wish I would've done better."

Steve lifted your head from his chest and looked at you, his brows furrowed gently. "You couldn't have possibly known if he passed the security check. These things are super thorough. You did the best you could," his gaze softened, "and that's enough."

You smiled at him and pecked his lips, not needing words to express your gratitude. "So, now that this whole thing is over, how about that date you promised me?" you said teasingly. "I seem to recall something about a real date that included 'leaving the house', which seems very exciting." Steve smiled. "How about tomorrow night?"

"Why not tonight?" you pouted, mirth shining in your eyes. "Because I need time to plan." You rolled your eyes. "You had two whole weeks to plan. But whatever," you said mock-annoyedly, "I guess tomorrow night must do." Steve laughed at your antics and gave you a sweet kiss.

You practically ran to Julie's room. You thankfully heard her and Bucky talking, which meant they weren't busy doing… other activities. You knocked on her door. "Come in!" you heard Jules call. You barged in, not even caring Bucky was there, "Steve and I are finally going on a date tomorrow!" you exclaimed with a huge smile on your face. "Oh my god! That's great!" Jules smiled as well. "Bucky, I'll talk to you later." Bucky tried to protest but Jules glared at him and he meekly left the room.

"Where is he taking you?" Jules asked once Bucky left the room. "I don't know yet, he'll probably keep it a surprise," you replied. "Well," Jules said, "it doesn't really matter as long as you get laid later," she smirked. "God Jules," you laughed, "sometimes I think you want me to have sex more than I do. Just in case, would you do me a favor and take Lola to your room tomorrow?"

"I just want what's best for you," she winked. "And of course I will. But seriously, I know how much you were looking forward to this date. You must be bursting with excitement!"

"I nearly am," you admitted, unable of keeping your smile off your face. You stayed in Julie's room for a while after that, having your girl talk and laughing until you cried at Jules' ridiculous jokes.

Tomorrow night couldn't come soon enough. You were antsy the entire day, your mission report taking a lot more time than it should.

Finally, tomorrow night came. Steve told you to be ready at 7, so you showered and got dressed. Steve refused to tell you where you were going, so you didn't really know what to wear. You ended up going with a simple, comfortable dress. Nothing too elaborate, but it showed off your curves very nicely.

At exactly 7 pm, you heard a knock at your door. You opened it and Steve was in front of you, looking extremely handsome in a navy polo shirt and black jeans. He looked at you in awe. "You look beautiful as always," he complimented and pulled his arm from behind his back revealing a small bouquet of red roses. It was so cheesy, and you couldn't help but beam at him. "You look great too." You took the bouquet from his hand and kissed his cheek. "I'll just put these in a vase and then we can go."  

After you put the flowers away, Steve took your hand and led you towards the elevators. "So, are you finally gonna tell me where we're going?"

"No. Be patient," he smiled at you.

You got to the Avengers garage, if you could call it that. It was a big underground parking lot, filled with cars that belonged to the residents of the compound. Some, like Tony, probably had more than one. Steve led the way to a black Audi. He opened the passenger door for you and got into the driver's seat. "Where are we going Steve?" you asked again, unable to contain yourself. "You'll see," he said with a mysterious air. "Come on!" you pouted, "Can you at least tell me what we're going to be doing? Cause I'm actually pretty hungry."

"Well, you're in luck," he smiled, "We're going to eat." You whooped, making him laugh heartily.

After a pretty short ride, you stopped at a little Italian restaurant on the side of the road. Steve quickly got out of the car to open your door for you, his hand extended for you to take. "Always the gentleman," you smiled and rolled your eyes at him as you took his hand. You liked being "treated like a lady", or "courted", or whatever old-fashioned thing it is Steve was doing. You had to admit, you felt properly wooed.

You entered the restaurant hand in hand. "Mr. Rogers, we were waiting for you," said the hostess at the entrance, and let you to a small, secluded niche at the back of the restaurant. There was a candle-lit table for two waiting for you. Steve thanked the hostess and she left you to your own devices, saying someone will take our orders in a few minutes.

"What do you think?" Steve asked, looking you softly. "I really like it," you said honestly, eyeing the restaurant. It was a pretty fancy spot, but because of its small size and dim lighting, it still achieved a cozy atmosphere. "I probably couldn't have picked a better restaurant myself," you voiced your thoughts to Steve. He beamed at you, clearly pleased with his choice. "Well, you haven't had the food here yet. It's delicious."

You looked at the menu, noticing the variety of delicious kinds of pasta, having a hard time deciding which one you wanted. A waitress went by your table, carrying a big dish of excellent-smelling pasta. "Steve, are all the dishes in here this big?" you showed the size of the plate you just saw. "Yeah," Steve said casually and your brows shot up. "Didn't you say you were hungry?" he smiled, amused at your reaction. "I am, just not That hungry. Do you mind if we share?"

"Not at all. What do you want?"

"Well, I don’t know. There are so many fancy things here, some of them I don't understand. You've eaten here before, what do you want?"

"Not to insult the fancy dishes, but the best thing in here is probably their spaghetti and meatballs."

"I know what it is, so that's good enough for me. Could you order? I'm just gonna go to the bathroom for a minute," you told Steve, who nodded at you.

You made your way across the restaurant to try and find the bathroom. One of the waitresses directed you there. You did your business and was halfway back at your table when you heard a familiar voice calling your name. "Hey! Is that you?"

You turned around and saw the medic who took care of you your first mission. "Hey!" you smiled and went to his table, where he was sitting with a girl that seemed a little older than you, but still beautiful. "How's your job going? Better than it was the night we met, I hope," he said cheekily. "Yeah, it's going very well. Actually, I didn't catch your name back then." You smiled. "It's Eric," he smiled back, "And this is my fiancée Ellie." She smiled at you in greeting. "I almost thought you were going to say Ariel," you chuckled. "I get that a lot," Eric said and you all laughed. "She's my Disney princess nonetheless." He took Ellie's hand. "It was nice seeing you again," you smiled at them. "Have a great evening!"

"You too," Eric said, "and try not to get into trouble again."

"Will do," you waved at them and went back to your table.

"There you are," Steve smiled, "I was starting to worry you ditched me," he said jokingly, but you caught the glimpse of relief in his eyes. "Never," you smiled reassuringly and took your seat. "Oh, you'd never guess who I just met here! Eric! He's the medic you took me away from on that first mission," you explained. "Nice guy," you continued, "was sitting here with his fiancée. I never did hear the explanation as to why you basically dragged me away from him that night," you said teasingly. To be honest, you didn't really know why Steve pulled you away, but you were willing to bet it was a tease-worthy reason. "What a nice coincidence," Steve ignored the last part of what you said, feigning indifference. "Come on Steve, aren’t you gonna tell me? Please?" you smiled. "You're nosy, you know that?" he said teasingly. "Fine, I surrender. I did it because I was jealous."

"Jealous?" you giggled, "of me and him? Steve, he's a medic who was bandaging my blood-filled leg. That's hardly an attractive scenario."

"I know," Steve sighed, defeated. "But you were laughing with him about something. Besides, you already know I was angry that night so I hardly could rationalize it like you just did," he said sheepishly. You blushed, remembering his romantic speech from that night in the training room. You're wonderful, and my worries shouldn't stop you from kicking ass, he told you. You smiled at him. "Yeah, guess you're right."

Your food arrived, a big hot bowl of pasta and meatballs. Steve and you dug in happily.

"Mmm, That's so good!" you exclaimed. "Told you so," Steve smiled. He had a little sauce in the corner of his mouth and his tongue slipped out to clean it. You swallowed your spaghetti. This man is unbelievable. Who gave him the right to be so goofy and hot at the same time? And he's mine, your brain supplied.

You went on eating in relative silence, except for the occasional sound of slurping. At one point you got the end of a really long spaghetti in your mouth. You continued eating it as you looked up at Steve to show him how absurdly long the pasta was. He looked up at the same time, realizing the other end of the spaghetti was in his mouth. You laughed with your mouth still around the pasta. Eventually, your heads came closer together, and your lips touched as you finished the pasta. You laughed wholeheartedly now, holding Steve's hand from across the table. "I can't believe we just had a Disney moment in real life." Steve looked at you quizzically. "Don't tell me you don't know what Disney is!"

"I know what it is!" Steve laughed, "I just don’t understand what movie that's from."

"I'm totally making you watch that soon. It's Lady and the Tramp, it’s one of my favorites. It has dogs, you'll love it," you gave Steve no room to argue and he laughed.

Your dinner went by like that, talking about Disney movies and other things. When you were waiting for your bill Steve had a far-off look on his face all of a sudden. "You okay there?" you asked, a concerned look on your face. "Yeah, I'm fine." Steve shook from his reverie. "It's just… my mom used to make 'spaghetti and meatballs' on special occasions. Obviously, it wasn't as good as this one, because she didn’t have the ingredients to make it. The spaghetti was pieces of bread she cut in stripes." He reminisced with a smile, "but she put her love into it, so it was the best thing ever."

"She sounds great," you smiled at him. "She was. The greatest." He smiled sadly. You squeezed his hand in yours, trying to comfort him. You knew he lost his mom before he even went in the ice, but these things never really heal.

You got your bill and left the restaurant, waving at Eric as you left. If he was surprised to see you with Captain America, he showed no sign of it, and waved back at you.

You got back into the car. "Ready for the next thing?" Steve asked. "Sure," you said. You didn't realize there was going to be a next thing, but you weren't complaining.

Steve drove you both to a mall close by. You sent him a questioning look but he just smiled at you and led the way into an arcade that was located inside the mall. It seemed closed, but a staff member was inside and opened the door for you.

"Didn't want anyone interrupting us," Steve said, making your way to the token machine and getting some tokens. "What do you wanna do first?" he smiled at you.

You spent the next couple of hours playing most of the machines, and unsurprisingly Steve won almost every time. Damn his reflexes, you thought as he won yet another match of table hockey. But you destroyed him in the Dance Dance Revolution machine.

"Not fair!" he said as you executed the moves perfectly, "You know this game!"

"I knew all of the others as well," you laughed, your answer satisfying him.

You won a small teddy bear as a prize and beamed at Steve. You named him Pooh. "I understood that reference!" he exclaimed and you both laughed.

At last, you thanked the employee that stayed to close after you and made your way to the car, Pooh in one of your hands, the other holding Steve's.

The drive back to the compound was filled with comfortable silence, as you both reflected about the wonderful evening. You reached the compound and Steve escorted you to your room like the perfect gentleman he's been the entire time. "Thank you," you told Steve when you reached your door. "I had a lot of fun tonight."

"Me too," he said, kissing you softly, "Goodnight."

"Oh no, you're not goodnight-ing me!" you pulled him back by his shirt. "You can't keep a girl waiting that long Steve-" you came closer to him and circled your arms around his broad shoulders, whispering in his ear, "-that wouldn't be very gentlemanly of you. And we both know how much you like being a gentleman." You smirked at him, pulling him in for a sensual kiss.

After a few seconds Steve caught on, grabbing your hips. The kiss turned hungry and almost desperate and you moaned into Steve's mouth. You pulled apart from him to unlock your door, you and Steve stumbling in, taking your shoes off and locking the door hastily. Steve caught your lips again in a heated kiss as you guided both of you to the bed. Your hands tangled in Steve's hair as you landed on the bed, Steve in top of you, placing open-mouthed kisses on your jaw and neck. Your hands reached the small of his back, bringing his shirt up to his head and tugging it off his body. Your mouth went dry at the sight of his chiseled chest. You placed wet kisses along his collarbone as he tugged at your dress, helping him get it off of your body.

"God, you're beautiful," he said in a hoarse voice that made you wet instantly. He kissed your collarbones, making his way to suck the tops of your breasts, probably leaving a mark, as he unhooked your bra and threw it away. He took one of your nipples in his mouth, teasing it with his tongue as he did the same with his hand on the other. "Steve," you moaned at the sensation and ran your hands on his chest, reaching to undo his belt and push his pants off his legs. When his pants were off you felt his erection against your leg as he ground against you involuntarily.

You slipped your hand past the elastic of his boxers, gripping him and moving your hand along his length. He breathed heavily. "tease," he murmured in your ear, kissing your neck as he took off the rest of your underwear, and his own, leaving you both naked. His mouth found yours once more in a heated kiss as his hand traveled down and teased your clit. You moaned into his mouth. "I need you," you whispered in his ear as you kissed down his neck.

"Wait-" he started, but you reached over to your bedside drawer and pulled out a condom before he finished the sentence. He raised his brow at you, and you rolled your eyes at him. "Shut up and fuck me," you kissed his collarbone. "I never said anything," Steve chuckled, lining himself up with your entrance, "but as you wish," he whispered as he pushed his length into you.

You gasped at the sensation, nails digging into his toned back. He filled you up completely, groaning. "You feel so good around me baby," he whispered huskily and bit down in your collarbone. You took a couple of seconds adjusting to him stretching your walls and then rolled your hips against his.

You moved in sync, grinding against each other. You wrapped your legs around him, allowing him to go deeper, hitting your g-spot again and again. You were so close when Steve's thrusts started faltering, and he brought his hand to your clit one more, bringing you over the edge with him. Your walls contracted around him as you felt waves of pleasure coursing through your body. As you both got down from your high, he pulled out of you and you almost whined at the loss. You knew you'd have a hard time walking tomorrow, but right now you couldn’t help but wanting him inside you. He came back to bed after he disposed the condom and wrapped his arm behind you, moving your hair from your neck and kissing your shoulder sweetly.

"That was…" he trailed off. "Amazing," you finished his sentence and he chuckled. "Exactly." "If we're in agreement, then there's something I wouldn't mind," you said seductively and ground your butt into him. He groaned behind you and bit your neck. The night was still young, and you were so ready for round two.

[queenmylovely]

Don’t Forget to Brush

Summary: Roger taylor x fem!reader. After a long, hungover day, some toothpaste and a certain look are all it takes to turn it around. 

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings: fluff, cussing, innuendo about toothpaste, smut (kind of sub!rog barely, oral sex], [18+!! marked with ***])

A/N: Alright, so this was quite the interesting request lol, but I actually had a lot of fun writing it and banged it out in an hour. I appreciate the creativity of the request, and while full-on smut doesn’t happen, I think this is pretty fitting for the topic at hand. Also, the title is a play on “don’t forget to smile” which I’m both sorry and not sorry ab (at least it’s not swallow... that I am sorry for saying). This is my first Roger smut, so that’s exciting too! Any feedback including likes, replies, reblogs and asks are greatly appreciated! Especially replies, messages, and asks are super helpful for my writing ‘cause I get to hear what you think!

Request: May I request one where the reader is brushing her teeth and walks into the bedroom to answer a question of rogers and he sees the white toothpaste all round her mouth and chin and it reminds him of something else that’s usually round her mouth and smutty smUt takes place

Masterlist 

(he’s just so fucking cute /and like a little bit subby/)

☆☆☆

It was a lazy Saturday in for you and your boyfriend, Roger, after a crazy Friday night out with him and his bandmates. The two of you had stayed on the couch all day with the blinds drawn, plenty of water, and the TV turned on with the volume on low for the majority of the day, only really getting over your hangovers at around 5:00pm.

From then, you made spaghetti together for dinner and relaxed by watching a couple movies and listening to a couple records while switching off playing with each other’s hair. You were ending the night much earlier than either of you were used to (although, let’s be honest, it was always an early night when you were hungover) at only 10:00pm.

Normally, on nights after long days of hangovers, the two of you would have lazy sex lying down next to each other before going to sleep to let off some of the tension that gathered throughout the day when you had too big a headache or penchant for throwing up to do anything about it. But tonight it didn’t seem like Roger was up for it because earlier you had straddled his lap and started to make out with him, but he returned the kisses half-heartedly and you gave up after only a minute.

You shrugged to yourself as you started getting ready for bed. Changing out of your comfy lounge clothes into your just as comfy pajamas, you headed to the bathroom to do your nightly routine. You always started with brushing your teeth so that if you ended up getting toothpaste around your mouth (which was most of the time) and needed to wash it off, you wouldn’t wash off your moisturizer with it.

After squeezing out a glob of toothpaste, you started brushing your teeth, humming “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window,” by The Beatles in an attempt to make yourself actually brush for two whole minutes. When you were done, you leaned down and spit into the sink, and just before you rinsed out your mouth, you remembered something you needed to tell Roger.

Walking into the bedroom, you called to him, “Rog, we need to remember to pick up that cake tomorrow for Mike’s birthday on Monday. Remember the birthday celebration’s at like 11:00am at the studio-- why are you looking at me like that?

Roger was staring at your mouth, stock still and you frowned in response.

“What, do I have something…?” you trailed off, touching your fingers to your mouth and you realized that the foamy toothpaste was all over your lips. You laughed, “Oh, whoops, guess I should go and rinse off…”

You trailed off again, taking a harder look at Roger and realizing that he wasn’t just staring at you normally. No, his lips were parted and his eyes were darker than usual and had a hungry gleam to them. Then you realized what it was, he was turned on because the toothpaste looked kinda like cum.

A second went by and then you were cracking up, “Rog, no, you’re not turned on by toothpaste are you?”

That seemed to break him from his stare and he pulled a face, frowning and crossing his arms, “No, shut up, that’s not what-- shut up!”

You laughed again, heading into the bathroom and rinsing your mouth and then returned to the bedroom to find Roger still pouting. As you walked up to him, you mirrored the pouty look on his face and tried to touch his arm but he shrugged you off.

“Aren’t you turned on, Rogie, I thought you’d want to do something,” you said in a half-mocking tone.

“Well, maybe I would if you weren’t being so mean,” he said haughtily, looking away from you.

“Mean? When have I been mean?” you asked, actually a little confused.

“Well you’re making fun of me right now,” he started and you had to admit that was a fair point. “And earlier, you stopped making out with me for no reason!”

“No reason? I stopped because it seemed like you weren’t into it,” you explained, touching his arm again, and this time he let you keep it there.

“I was,” he protested. Then he said a little sheepishly, “I was just sleepy.”

“Oh,” you said in realization. Then you got a glint in your eye, “Well, are you sleepy now?”

“I mean I was getting ready for bed--” he started mumbling before you cut him off.

“‘Cause if you’re not tired, I think I know something we can do,” you hinted, moving his arms from their crossed position and placing them on your waist.

His hands immediately tightened on you, “Yeah?”

***

“Yeah,” you confirmed. “How would you like to see your cum on my lips, baby?”

Roger gulped and you just smiled up at him then he stuttered out, “F-fuck, um, yeah.”

You pulled him down to you and kissed him fully, trying to take his breath away with the way that you used your lips, tongue, and teeth. As you did, you guided him to walk with you until your thighs bumped into your bed and he was in front of you. You stopped there, taking the time to let both of you get lost in the feeling of the kiss.

Once Roger broke away to actually take a breath, you started kissing down his jaw to his neck, able to go down from your tiptoes. You kissed your way to the hollow of his throat, leaving a couple quick nips, knowing he liked the sharp pain of the bites more than the dull ache of a hickey. He was already shirtless since that’s how he slept, so as you continued to pay attention to his neck, you rubbed your hands along his chest, thumbing at his nipples.

When you could feel his moans vibrating in his throat with your lips and his hands were pushing on your hips ever so slightly, you moved lower. Pressing a kiss to in between his collarbones, his sternum, the middle of his torso, and then right above and below his belly button, you sat down on the bed. You hooked both pointer fingers into the waistband of his sweatpants and underwear. Then you leaned closer for what was going to be another kiss on his stomach, but you suddenly couldn’t help yourself and instead blew a raspberry right on his stomach.

“H-- Hey, w--what’re you doing?” Roger said in between giggles due to the ticklish feeling of the raspberry and he tried to squirm from your grasp. You pulled him back though and just did it again causing him to laugh out loud and exclaim with a smile he couldn’t help, “Stop, stop!”

“Oh, sorry, baby,” you told him with a smile that wasn’t sorry at all. “Your tummy’s just too cute.”

Roger blushed at your words, but didn’t look away, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear instead. The two of you shared a tender smile and then you got back to business. You did place another kiss right where his waistband was before you had pulled it down, and you could see his muscles tense. Pulling both pieces of clothing down all the way, you followed with your lips, stopping to let him kick them to the side. His dick was already hard and you grabbed it with your hand, pumping him slowly but firmly.

Then you gathered some saliva in your mouth and let it drip onto his cock, using your hand to spread it around. Once that was done, you stopped moving your hand and held him at the base before licking a stripe up the underside of his cock. Looking up once more into Roger’s eyes, you opened your mouth and slipped the head between your lips and started sucking softly.

Roger groaned and he moved a hand to gather your hair into a ponytail, not to guide but just to help him see and keep it out of your way. Jerking him with your hand again, you kept his head in your mouth, sucking and swirling your tongue around it in tandem, and Roger moaned long and low. You always loved sucking him off because he was way more vocal, able to focus solely on his own pleasure and losing his inhibitions with it.

Before long, Roger’s cock started leaking precum into your mouth and you used it to help as you took him in deeper. Now working your mouth and hand in tandem, you bobbed up and down his length, adding an extra flick of your wrist or swirl of your tongue with every move. You kept one hand on his thigh to help steady yourself. Roger was a mess above you, and was fighting to keep his eyes open in order to see the so fucking hot sight of you taking him in your mouth.

You planned to keep eye contact as long as he did and batted your lashes at him as you took him even deeper, letting him hit the back of your throat as you relaxed your jaw.

“Oh, fuck, oh you feel so good, yes, fuck, keep doing tha--that,” Roger said and his voice broke due to the pleasure he was in.

Then you moved the hand that was on his thigh to gently tease his balls and he was immediately right at the edge.

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck,” he whined out. “On your lips, please, please.”

You lifted your mouth off of him until the head of his cock was resting against your lips and continued jerking him, going faster and faster until he came with a high moan. His cum spurted out into your mouth and onto your lips, coating them and you continued to work him through his high.

“Shit you look so fucking hot,” he groaned, unable to keep his eyes off you even as the hand on his cock overstimulated him a bit. Then you wrapped your lips around his head again to clean the drops of cum that had accumulated there, removing it from your mouth with a pop when you were done. Finally, you used a finger to gather all the cum that was on your mouth and pushed it between your lips, sucking it all off, swallowing it, and showing him your empty mouth when you were done.

“Holy fuck I’m almost ready to go again,” Roger said as his cock twitched at the sight.

You smiled up at him and giggled then frowned in annoyance as you realized something,

“Aw man, I have to go brush my teeth again.”

“Me too,” Roger said with a smirk.

“What do you mean--woah!” you exclaimed as Rog suddenly moved you further up the bed and pulled your pants and underwear down. As his head settled between your thighs you thought to yourself that it was worth it.

***

★★★

Permanent Taglist: @riseetothesun​ @caborhapch​ @drowseoftaylor​ @queenlover05​ @johndeaconshands​ 

If you would like to be added to a taglist, just send me a message or ask! 

[kindajared]

Mafioso|| (GiornoxReader) Part 5

(Sorry this took me a while to get out! My motivation decided to die out on me! But anyway! Enjoy!)

You and Giorno sort of did your own thing the rest of the day. You walked into town from his apartment unsupervised. You thought traveling alone like that would help you get used to Naples. You had no idea what Giorno was up to, nor did you ask.

Earlier that day when you and Passione met with the men and black. Bucciarati labeled you as also being Mafioso, which was very kind, but you certainly didn’t feel that way in a place like this.

It was another warm day and you still struggled. You had to stop to rest in the shade occasionally. You were then reminded, when you got back home, you were going to have to get used to your home’s natural chill. You weren’t looking forward to that.

“Ringalingalingaling!”

You heard a voice calling out from behind you as you waited in line for an iced tea.

“Ringalingalingaling!”

You looked behind you to find a boy making the sound. It was extremely odd. He continued doing it until he spotted you and approached.

“Your phone! May I use it?” He asked you. He caramel colored eyes were kind. He had a few screws loose, that for sure. You honestly pitied him though. So you took your second phone out of your purse and handed it to him without a word.

“Grazie!” He smiled before he turned his head and began to speak into the phone. Which wasn’t even on. The way he was speaking into it was very convincing. Like he was actually talking to someone.

You got to the front of the line and ordered. Keeping your eye on him.

“Yes boss. You got it, boss.” He took the phone away from his ear and handed it back to you. You took it back. You looked at the screen. Blank, unresponsive. You looked at the boy.

“Are you okay?” You asked him. He gave you a confused look before it changed into a smile.

“I’m just fine. Thanks again, amica.” He was grateful. He then walked off, his pink hair bright in the sunlight. You stared as he walked away, a voice finally pulled your attention back to your current activity.

“Scusi! Scusi!” The barista was calling you. Your drink was ready. You hurried to grab it.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Grazie!” You apologized with a smile, sipping from your straw. You let out a satisfied gasp after you swallowed. You had been extremely thirsty.

As you continued through the city, you kept thinking about the pink haired boy. It was an odd interaction. You shrugged it off. You guessed there were weirdos everywhere. Nothing new.

At about 4:30, you decided to head back to Giorno’s apartment. You had had a good day, but you were tired.

When you reached his apartment, unlocking the door with the extra key he had given you, he didn’t seem to be home. You locked the door behind you before taking off your heels.

You went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. There must have been something to snack on before you went out to dinner with Giorno, but there wasn’t much. Milk, Orange Juice, Eggs, Lettuce, Tomatoes and other things that weren’t quite essential. You sighed before you heard the door, a little surprised. You left the kitchen to see who it was. Of course, it was Giorno.

“Welcome back, Marito!” You greeted him. He froze as he bent down to take his shoes off. It took him a moment before he moved again, standing up to look at you.

“What’s wrong?” You asked, unsure of what your mistake was. He began to laugh.

“You just called me “husband”.” He told you. Your eyes widened and you blushed, covering your mouth. You let out a groan. So, your Italian wasn’t improving.

“It’s alright. It was kind of funny.” He assured you before he passed you, walking into the living room. You took your hands away from your mouth and slouched a bit. You were so embarrassed.

“I promise I’m trying my best.” You spoke as you followed him. He  laughed lightly, sitting down on the couch.

“I can tell. These things take time.” He assured you once more. You sat on the couch as well, across from him. He looked at his phone at the time. It was 5 o’clock and the sun was going down. Your stomach rumbled. You blushed and placed your hands over it.

“You hungry?” Giorno asked, obviously amused by your embarrassment. You looked at him shyly.

“Yeah, I can’t say I ate much today.” You laughed nervously, shifting in your seat.

“We could go to dinner now, if you’d like?” He offered, leaning forward. You shook your head.

“No, it’s alright. I read that you guys eat rather late here. I don’t want to ruin your schedule.” Your shy look turned into one of guilt. Damn your stomach. You didn’t want to cause trouble.

“Hey, I’m willing to switch things up. You’re my guest.” He slowly stood up, putting a hand in his pocket, pulling out his keys.

“Let’s go. It’ll be less crowded anyway.” He held out his hand. You took it and he pulled you up. He really didn’t mind. He wasn’t just trying to be nice. The sooner the better. He wanted to spend time with you.

“Well, alright. If it’s okay with you.” You let go of his hand. Your smile was still shy. He walked past you, towards the door. He looked back at you, waiting for you to follow. You hesitate. He put his shoes on after you did. You buckled your heels up and stood. Giorno opened the door. You followed him out.

-

You drover to a restaurant that wasn’t to far away. It was walking distance really, but it may have been dark by the time you finished up so driving may have been the best option.

You arrived quickly. Part of you had wished you had dressed up, but what you wore was the mice sort of casual, so it ended up not bothering you too much.

The inside looked similar to where you had met Passione, but it being dinner time, it was fairly dim. It was romantic.

A waiter sat the two of you down straight after you walked in. Giorno pulled out your chair for you.

“Grazie.” You thanked him, trying to make up for your earlier mistake.

When you both were sitting, you simultaneously picked up the menus in front of you. Some meals you recognized and some you did not. You weren’t sure what most of it meant. You peeked at Giorno from behind your menu.

“Hey, Giorno?” You spoke shyly. He chuckled, putting his menu down.

“I’ll order you something.” He knew exactly what you were going to ask him. You put your menu down too, you were hopeless. Giorno thought your cluelessness was cute. He just smiled.

When the waiter returned, he ordered the both of you a glass of wine. The drinking age was 16 in Italy, which was also something new to you. Back home the drinking age was 18, but you had gotten wasted more than a few times. It was nice to do something like this legally. And of course, Giorno being Mafioso, no questions were asked.

“Wine? Are you trying to get me drunk, Giovana?” You asked playfully. He sat back in his chair and shook his head.

“Not exactly, though if you wish to do so, feel free.” He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly You nodded, pulling yourself up closer to the table.

“You like spaghetti, right? I’m assuming you do.” Giorno asked you. Of course, you did. You were sure if you said no, he’d disown you as a friend.

“Of course, I do. It’s one of my favorites.” You sat up straight in your chair, reaching for your glass of wine and sipped at it. It was delightful. Your eyes widened as you pulled it away from your lips. Giorno saw your reaction clearly.

“You like it, I see.” He was happy you did. He ordered the most expensive wine they had just for you. You nodded, setting the glass back down. You licked your lips, savoring the taste. You hadn’t tasted anything like it.

The waiter returned once more. You were ready to order your meal. You were only interested in once course. Giorno ordered you a simple Spaghetti Bolongese and he ordered an Octopus salad for himself. You grimaced when he mentioned it. He noticed. When the waiter left, he addressed it.

“I know how it sounds, but I like it. I won’t explain myself.” He waved away whatever criticism you would have..

You shrugged. He had his quirks and that was apparently one of them. The both of you didn’t talk much at all before your food came. You had a toothy grin on your face when your spaghetti was placed in front of you.

“Grazie, Grazie” You clapped your hands together, It looked and smelled amazing. You couldn’t say the same for what Giorno ordered though.

Giorno was glad to see you were so invested in this whole thing. He of course knew this would be the best spaghetti you had ever tasted. You looked at him as if to ask for permission.

“Go ahead, amica. Dig in.” He picked up his fork. Eager for you to try the food.

You prepared the first bite, twirling the noodles together with your fork, using your spoon as a stabilizer. You brought the noodles up to your mouth an took your first bite, chewing slowly. You set your fork down. Swallowing.

“Perfecto. Magnifique.” You hummed happily your lips before going in for another bite.

“I’m glad you like it.” Giorno grinned before eating his own meal. You both enjoyed your dinners thoroughly, eating rather fast. You tried your dammed hardest not to be to sloppy. Giorno’s etiquette was perfect as expected. Something about it was attractive.

When you both finished you couldn’t help but groan a little. You were both full. He paid and you both left without hesitation.

You stepped back out onto the street and approached his car.

“Hey.” Giorno spoke up, stopping at the curb.

“Yes?” You clutched the bag at your side. What was he going to say? The amount of time he waited to reply left yoi unnerved.

“Wanna go somewhere?” He finally replied, you let out a small, relieved breath.

“Sure, where to?” You tilted your head.

“There’s a club down the street. Would you wanna go?” He asked you. You nodded. It might be fun.

“I’m up for that. Let’s do it.”  You hadn’t been to a club or done anything fun like that in a long time. Giorno approached you and linked his arm around yours.

“Follow me.”

(I know not much happened in this chapter...It was sort of a transition to more action! But you got to meet a special guest!)

[nommy-thoughts]

Hi, OwO from earlier. I meant, like, in the top part of your blog, 'Feel free to ask questions about any and all of my characters!' And I wanted to hear about any of them.

Okay! In that case, I will take this as an opportunity to ramble about literally all of them. Jason and Dan, Tom and Reggie, Aji and Mitz, Candy, and Mike and his friends.

Jason and Dan

Jason looks human, but he very much is not. He’s some sort of… I don’t know, a criptid of my own invention, I guess. Kinda like a vampire? He can’t eat normal food, only feed off of people’s energy. It doesn’t hurt the person he’s feeding off of in any way, but it is definitely a weird experience, because the only way Jason can absorb said energy is by shrinking people and swallowing them whole.

(technically, it doesn’t have to be human energy. But that’s what works best.)

It only takes a touch for him to shrink someone, and he instinctively knows how to do it. It doesn’t automatically happen when he touches someone, but if he’s hungry and gets startled, it can happen by accident. And once he’s done it, the person becomes only 1/24th of their original height. (For example, someone who’s 5 feet tall normally would become 2.5 inches tall, and someone who’s 6 feet tall normally would become 3 inches tall.)

And of course he can restore people to their normal height again. It takes rather more energy to make someone bigger than to shrink them, though, and he has to have a person in his stomach for at least a while to not have a net loss of energy. 

Now, Jason was abandoned in the forest as a baby, and got by entirely on woodland creatures. Dan happened to wander into Jason’s territory one day, and didn’t have much time to be confused about this grubby naked child before Jason ate him.

Which was terrifying.

But Jason’s stomach is nothing like a regular stomach. The only opening is on the top, for one thing. And it’s covered with soft hairlike things, much like the villi in your intestines, which glow a greenish blue as they siphon energy, so after a few minutes, Dan was able to see his surroundings. And it wasn’t slimy or wet. He eventually fell asleep.

After Jason released Dan, he left, but he kept coming back, and even though Jason kept eating him, he stopped being frightened by the experience.

And then he kinda adopted Jason! So now Jason lives with him, and Dan lets him eat him basically every day. There’s also at least one other person who knows about what Jason is, a coworker of Dan’s who’s about halfway between them in age. He doesn’t mind getting eaten either

—

Tom and Reggie

These two live in a mixed-height society, where humans and minis have equal rights, and while sizeism exists, it’s considered a flavor of racism. Tom is human, and Reggie is a mini, who’s six inches tall. They’re housemates. (also. Tom is nonbinary, and uses they/them pronouns. Reggie’s a guy, he/him.)

Still trying to figure out how their current arrangement got started, considering Reggie is embarrassed to admit he likes it, but the two of them frequently engage in what they call “Games” (yes, with a capital G), which always involve Reggie being inside Tom’s mouth (not all the way, the scale difference isn’t enough for that, but it varies from a finger or two all the way to as much as they can fit at once), and often involve him getting covered with something tasty first. In addition to those, they sometimes do smaller-scale things with maybe a lick or two.

No swallowing, because it wouldn’t be safe in their world, but loads of mouthplay.

They’ve definitely taken the time to sit down together and talk about what they are and aren’t okay with, and they have a safeword in case either gets uncomfortable in the middle of things.  And they make sure to communicate with each other the whole time, when they’re in the middle of it.

Tom’s usually the one to initiate things, and they always check first to make sure that Reggie’s okay with it. Sometimes it’s just something as simple as “May I lick you?” and sometimes it’s laying out the plans for a Game. They usually don’t go into detail, because Reggie likes to be a bit surprised, but Tom might say, “You in the mood for a Game? I had an idea,” and if Reggie was, they might tell him a few of the aspects. (powerplay, foodplay, how much mouthplay it would involve, maybe the kind of food, those such things.) And then they would get into it! Or not, if Reggie didn’t want to do that particular Game after all.

I’m currently working on a story titled ‘Chocolate’, in which there is a fondue pot. And Reggie definitely gets dunked.

He’s also been covered in frosting, been tied up with spaghetti (and accidentally broke several noodles before Tom could bite them off, cooked spaghetti does not make a strong rope), sat in Tom’s ice-cream on a hot summer day, and lounged in more of Tom’s drinks, both hot and cold, than they’ve bothered to count.

Reggie’s sister is aware of their arrangement, which embarrasses Reggie so much, but she doesn’t care what they get up to so long as it’s consensual.

Oh! And I have some art of them! I apparently only have one posted to this blog so far… I’ll have to get on that, cause there are two more. [link]

—

Aji and Mitz

I created Aji for a fanfic of @vore-scientist‘s Mystic Woods stories! (In Which a Giant Wizard Noms a Firewitch) They’re basically a self-insert. Short redheaded li’l nonbinary firewitch. (the firewitch part is not so much a self-insert. That was something Tuitey suggested, to make Aji fit in to that world.)

Mitz is Aji’s giant friend. The two of them have done many noms before, and Aji’s even been swallowed! Only briefly, though, because they don’t want to risk staying in a real stomach for very long. Since Aji is a firewitch, they’re pretty spicy. 

I honestly haven’t developed a lot about these two yet…

Tho!

Aji has a familiar. Her name is Soot, she’s a cat, and she was the one who decided she was gonna be Aji’s familiar, back when she was a kitten. Aji wasn’t even looking for a familiar at the time, but Soot took one look at young Aji and decided, That human is mine. I’m keeping them. So she went right ahead and formed the familiar-witch bond, and next thing Aji knew, this little black ball of fluff was talking to them, and yes it was meows, but it also sounded like words.

Soot’s mom was not so pleased that her kitten had gone and gotten bonded to a witch. Especially a firewitch. Soot’s dad was proud of her, though. (I think he was one of those rough-and-tumble stray cat types, while Soot’s mom was a pampered housecat. Very different backgrounds.) Soot’s mom eventually accepted Aji as her kitten’s witch, though.

Also, Soot is trans. And she thinks that spit is gross and Aji is weird for being okay with being in a mouth.

—

Candy

Alright, so ‘Candy’ was originally not going to be her name, but I’m seriously tempted to name her Candace and have her curse to have been inspired by her name.

Cause Candy was cursed! There was this wizard who was trying to woo a woman who was gay and far more interested in Candy, got pissy that she didn’t like him back, decided that Candy had stolen the affection that was “rightly his,” and cursed her. 

So now Candy is only about an inch tall, immortal, and made of candy. The type of candy she’s made of changes sometimes. (still working on the mechanic of how/why.) She prefers some to others, and hates being gum.

She’s changed hands several times over the years, and is currently in the possession of a college student. She spends a lot of time being oral stimulation for late night studies, but at least the student treats her fairly well. They usually ask permission first, and by this point, Candy’s gotten pretty used to being in a mouth, so she lets them do it as long as they don’t bite down. (It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not a pleasant sensation.)

She’s been swallowed more than once, and she doesn’t like that. It’s groossss.

—

Mike

This one isn’t technically actual vore, but it’s vorish, so I’m including it.

Mike lives in a mixed height world. Maybe it’s the same as Tom and Reggie’s, as the main scale is 1:12, the same as theirs, but maybe it’s not, because there are also smaller tinies, who mostly live off on their own away from the other two sizes.

Mike is one of the smaller tinies. He’s about two inches tall. And he has a mech! It’s a very good mech, and looks like a human. The entire inside of the head is on stabilizers so that no matter which way the mech is oriented, that room is always right-side up. And in the middle of the skull-room, there’s another room, where Mike goes to control the mech. He has to put on a special motion-sensing suit, and the room is filled with a special material that mimics the outside environment. It’s all very complicated and sciencey, and I don’t know where he got it.

Some of Mike’s friends are humans, and some of them are tinies. Regular tinies, not extra-small ones like Mike.

(A scene:

Tiny Friend: Why do you spend all your time inside that mech?

Mike: I’m not about to be out in the open with a bunch of giants!

Tiny Friend: Why not? I do it every day.

Mike: … I don’t think you understand. You’re one of the giants.

)

Now the vorish part! 

In order to make the mech look realistic, there aren’t seams for it to open. Instead, you gotta climb in through the mouth. Mike’s small enough that he can have the mech lying down and just walk through the throat like a hallway, but a regular tiny has to crawl. Or, if the throat is vertical, there’s a ladder built into the side. (though to get past the part at the back of the mouth is very awkward for a regular tiny, because there’s a wall (again, for realistic looking reasons) in front of the ladder there, and Mike can easily climb through that space, but it’s too small for a regular tiny to fit into)

Sometimes, Mike’s friends get overwhelmed from too much stimulus, and they need somewhere quiet to relax again. If the overwhelmed friend is a tiny, and there isn’t somewhere else available (or sometimes if there is), Mike will let them chill inside his mech with him, either in the torso area (which is a storeroom) or in his room in the head. (They’re allowed to sit on his bed, but because they’re three times his size, they can’t fit to lie down.) Which, of course, looks like he’s swallowing them.

[zwoelffarben]

(#very here for this kind of analysis because im garbage at it and find it fascinating) Good news for @bostonbakeddeans: I still have more to talk about these twenty seconds.

Now that I've talked about how this scene establishes the heirarchy which the rest of the film will be working from, lets talk the next neat thing I noticed, while writing the first part of analysis: let's talk about the value.

Here are the first two images again in gray scale.

The Campers

The Councilors

Look at how light is treated between the two images and how that creates a nifty little implication that will continue throughout the rest of the film.

The brightest areas in the campers' shot is the road behind them that they came in on. The darkest areas are the baggage the campers have brought with them. (The apparent goth on the right is there too, but you've gotta have a goth in a queer film and I'd sooner forgive the film for putting a snag in my spaghetti sweater of a close reading by including a queer goth than I would forgive it for having none queer goths.)

The brightest areas in the councilors' shot are their clothing. The darkest areas are the inside and under the cabin, followed by the shadows of the cabin eeves.

Taken together this primes the audience, very subtlely, for the idea that the campers are leaving the relative safety of the road (which plays with the opening scene in interesting ways) by coming into the camp, and the idea that underneath the bright polished exterior of the camp, some darker nature simultaniously lurks and looms engulfing the camp entirely.

And as Owen opens the doors and the darkness he emerges from frames the campers in a narrow claustraphobic shot, the audience is primed to understand that while all might seem fine, the darkness has already unhinged its jaw and is poised to swallow the campers whole, and Owen is the focal point at the heart of that hungry darkness. As the narrative unfolds this idea which these twenty seconds establish will be revisited and reenforced multiple times.

But, I've got one more image to show you before I let go of values. The image of Owen standing in front of the other councilors.

Do you see it? I wouldn't blame you if you don't, because it's not a trope into and of itself but a clever inversion of the trope. Forgive me readers, for I must post christian iconography to make my point.

Do you see it now? The parallel between Owen and Jesus on the cross? Owen's arms outstretched like a proud unbattered jesus, but his head crowned not in light but in darkness, like an anti-halo. I've used this motif once in my art (only cause I just discovered recently™ it and I don't art very often.)

My use of the anti-halo here depicts Let Me Solo Her as the figure of my None of Fucks Tarot card. I stumbled upon it initially but then decided that it was so cool and I revised it to make more pronounced. Other artists who inspired me had depicted Let Me Solo Her with the saintly halo of classic christian iconography, and I didn't jive with that interpretation of the character (who I consider seporate from the player that performs him, I ain't sayin' any of the following about the player: he's a very kind person that's actually helping people for helping peoples' sake.)

Let Me Solo Her was to me, a wretched sinner of pride, so wrapped in his past glory of defeating Malena that he became obsessed with reliving that glory and found himself compelled to travel to other worlds when beckoned for aid, not to help those who summoned him, but for the the diminishing yet still addictive thrill of victory. The anti-halo signifies that whatever kindness or sainthood you perceive in his actions are imagined, as he considers you less than a means to an end: He takes such sinful delight in slaughtering of the goddess of rot that he'd even deign to help so weak and worthless a wretch as you. He is no saint, he is no man of god. He is thoroughly and completely a hedonist endulging vice.

Now, I can't tell you whether John Logan et al had any of this in mind when they framed this shot the way they did, and I know they knew not of Let Me Solo Her; and honestly, I did pick a frame which strongly emphasized the parallel, and other frames in the shot and scene don't maintain that compostion. It'd very easily be a possibility acknoweledged that I'm simply injecting symbolism from my personal vocabulary into this reading of a film that can't really support it...

If the rest of the film didn't back me up. This goes a bit beyond the twenty seconds I'm analysing but while his opening monologue is full lies, half-truths, omissions, and all sorts of manipulative bushshit, he utters at least one complete and total truth.

"I can't make you straight. I don't wanna make you straight. Gay people are a-okay with me. If you're happy the way you are, then more power to you. And I know what you're thinking: you hear the words 'gay conversion camp' and you start to imagine all kinds of homophobic bullshit: that is, not what we're about here. "And let me tell you another thing: God? God doesn't hate you either. And any sonvabitch that tells you otherwise is a bigotted asshole; and that is officially the last time that you're gonna hear about the man upstairs. I promise you. "But I'm guessing that some of you are here, because in some way, you're not happy. Maybe you don't fit in, people make fun of you; Maybe you want to find some new kind of peace, a new way of thinking about yourself. Well, you give us this week and we might be able to help. "And if not, just enjoy the sunshine and work on your tan."

Any then, you don't hear about god for the rest of the film. Owen is not a man of god. He's at the center of the darkness running a conversion camp because he enjoys hurting vulnerable people and the queer campers that come to his camp make for easy targets; and every other councilor? Well, they're there to hurt people too.

Owen is not a man of god; even if that anti-halo wasn't intentional composed, it remains poignant. The values in this scene were expertly choosen to establish the tone of the story and the mood of the setting, and align audience to both. It's absolutely masterful work.

And that's all I can say about it to anyone that doesn't want spoiled over any of the story's plot's major twists. I have about two paragraph-worths' more to say, but I can't talk about it without giving away one of those major plot points. It's not a point that solves the story or anything, but it's still pretty important; and, while I firmly believe that Story Spoilers don't Spoil Stories, I also believe informed consent is the most important aspect about whether findings in that linked study will hold true anecdotally when spoiling anything larger than a plot bunny, so I'm going put those two paragraphs-worth of analysis under a read more for those who've watched the film, those that don't mind being spoiled, and those that want to be spoiled.

MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW THIS READ MORE: DO NOT CLICK THROUGH IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THEY/THEM MOSTLY UNSPOILED.

Remember the "apparently goth" camper I mentioned in passing? The one in dark clothing that's a snag in the values analysis? You know, this one:

Well, guess who's secretly a plant. Gues whose employeed by the camp to act as a "forbidden fruit," entrapping actual queer campers by 'tempting them' [read:tricking them ] into having gay sex [read: being sexually assaulted because consent was given following false pretenses].

That's right, it's the not-so-goth poser in black that at first glance messes up the color value reading, but on closer inspection reaffirms it. My spaghetti sweater remains fully unsnagged; and yes, I haven't forgiven the story for having none queer goths. Thanks for asking.

Fuck it, I'mma do a close reading of just twenty seconds of the film They/Them.

These are the first two thing we see after the title card anounces the film has properly begun.

The Fourteen Campers

Four of the Six Camp Councilors

Let's start with just these two shots which in combination are about seven seconds long. One of the things the film's gonna have themes about is heirarchy, and these shot establish the existing heirarchy between the campers and councilors, but the heirarchies within each of the two groups.

Starting with the campers, there are fourteen campers in the line up, and about half of them are actually significant characters with roles in the story rather than extras filling up space in the camp rooster. You can't really guess which ones because there's almost no visual hierarchy between them. They are all relatively equally framed. Let's draw some circles and you'll see what I mean. Which group do you think is the group of important characters?

1

2

If you answered 1, you're incorrect. If you answered 2, you're also incorrect. For both, I circled a mix of important and unimportant characters, but they both look like a reasonable cast. Even the two entirely in the backgound that I didn't circle at all are visually distinct enough to be darkhorse candidates for important characters after considering their obscurred so heavily by their position in the shot. The campers aren't differenciated here: They are standing on equal footing with each other.

Now, contrast that with the councilors.

The first thing you might notice is that the councilors take up a lot less space individually and as a group because there are fewer of them. But, look at the building their on, and how massive the film makes it out to be, taking up two thirds of the frame and even then, spilling out. even if their are fewer councilers, and they collectively take up less space, the building their standing on, which can be understood to represent their institutional power as the camp's councilors dwarfs the scale of the campers who more than triple their number. You immediately get the sense that the staff is the group holding all the power in the relationship.

And then within the staff, there's an existing heirarchy:

The only person standing is the man, who stands at the most central and highest position taking up twice as much space. The three women each sit on the steps in ascending seniority (The woman on the porch is the most senior, and the woman sat on the lowest step is brand new that year.) You can very clearly get an impression of the power dynamics at play in the group through proxemics which will be reenforced throughout the film.

But that's not the end of it. They're positioned around the outside of a large double door: There's room for two people between the left two councilors and the right two. The composition has left enough room for two whole people there.

Enter the next shot.

Cut to black. The center of the black opens up, and slowly and confidently one man walks out from behind those double doors, and for the first time in the scene, the camera follows him down the steps toward the campers.

This Man is Owen.

I don't need to tell you he's in charge.

[neural-nett-and-link]

Unprompted Nonsense feat. Pee and Puke

[cw pee, puke]

I LITERALLY PUT IN NOTHING. I LITERALLY PUT IN NOTHING

Mythical.com

If you're a tech enthusiast, how are you supposed to get into-bedroom, what's the deal? It's time to find out what you should be into for that ideal start to a new career. So let's talk about... uh... Going for It. You know I've been a big fan of the bedroom for a long time, especially the older part of the process. And you've probably talked about this on a number of occasions. But I have never actually done it. Well, I'm gonna turn it on its head for a second and try to figure out what some of you think about this. For a brief moment, I'm going to assume you're OK with this. Which is fine. I don't think it's. But I'm gonna give an additional orientation to this is that I'm also a fan of the bathroom.

There's so much stuff, you lose the ability to consume so much. But if you're not-- I mean, I don't have-- I'm not mentally able. And I do not know what I'm gonna do. And I'm taking some time to figure out what I'm gonna do so I can prepare. Okay, if I'm right, I'm gonna get into the bedroom.

Now, there's a lot of things that you take to the bathroom that you don't even think about when you're in a bedroom. You just just do it for privacy. I mean, you did monitor the personal things that you took-- the movie night and the coffee shop. That you took to the movies. Now, there's one thing that I would recommend not taking to the bedroom, that is indecent -- which you could-- So you can-- I don't think you have a big problem with this. Do you know what I'm saying?

I think I'm learning something. I think I'm gonna go into the bedroom, and I'm going to be the alpha male. I'm gonna be the alpha female. If I'm right, I'm gonna get into the bedroom, and I'm gonna make somebody feel like they're in a completely different world. Or at least have a very different world for themselves. And I'm going to make some changes for everyone else. So I'm gonna get into the bedroom.

In my favor, I'm just gonna have a whole list of things that I'm gonna be doing in the bedroom. Things I'm gonna be doing that you don't like at dinner, that I'm gonna be doing in the shower, that I'm gonna be doing in the morning shave. And then you're not going to like it at work because you're going to put some things in the shower. Or you're going to dislike it. And you're not going to like it in your own home. I'll like it in a bourgeois house, because you're going to be living there. I thought that was a great idea. I think it's great. I'm going to do it.

I'm going to make myself feel like I'm getting a little bit of everything that I'm really not thinking about. Okay. You can't slow down. You gotta get into the bedroom. And I'm gonna start with bedroom. Okay, so I'm gonna just get into the shower, and then I'm gonna get into the bedroom. So a little weird. The idea is that-- I'm reaching for so many things. Just one of them off the top of my head. In my swing beater. I'm going, I'm gonna do this thing. And then I'm gonna get into the bed. And then I'm gonna put stuff in the shower. And then I'm-- you're gonna start to have a little mess. And then I'm gonna go, those are the science books, 'cause you're so far along. And then I'm going to look at it-- right, right. And then I'm gonna do my thing.

But then I'm gonna put some stuff on my head, and then you're gonna look at that mess. And then I'm going to look at the mess. And then I'm going to look at what's happening in my sex organ. And then I'm going to look at what's happening in my sex organ. And then you're going to say, I don't really feel like it's this much fun. Okay. So you're not gonna like that. You're gonna say, uh, you know, it's a little weird, but you know, it's getting something and becoming aware of it. So I'm gonna start to find my stuff. Uh, well, it's getting me into the bedroom. Uh, but it's also getting me into the shower. So it's gonna be awkward. Uh, I mean, okay. And I'm gonna be like uh, it's getting me into the shower. But then I'm gonna find my stuff and I'm going to find a place that you're gonna have an outhouse, and then I'm gonna get ==================== This is a red food. - Red. - Smells like, oniony meat. - Yeah, it's delicious. - Like, it's not bad, I mean it's not bad. This could be so bad. I mean, I don't know if this guy can breath. - He would do a lot worse than this. - Oh gosh. Those are beans, I mean you can't even look at this. There's hundreds of papi peppers on this. You'd eat almost a thousand of them. - All right. - I'm gonna take this. (gurgles) Oh gosh I almost fainted while eating this. I was just getting so much out of this. I don't remember that much, I did not mean to swallow that much. - I almost fainted while eating this. - It's a pizza. It's a pizza. (gurgles) I'm just gonna try to get a big bite. Oh gosh. I'm so hungry. - Big bite, man. - You know, I mean this guy has a certain explosion to it. - The pizza is so easily broken. - (gurgles) (oh gosh) (chuckles) (crew laughs) - This is weird and it is getting better. (laughs) This is the end of the world. I've done this before. This is maybe the worst part of a pizza. - I know, he does that to you. - (laughs) - (crew laughs) What a terrible time of day to do this. - I'm chewing a pie for like a third of an hour, I'm just coughing a lot and I'm getting a little bit of an insane spice. - What about you? - This is weird, it's getting better. - I don't think we're gonna be eating this pizza all day. - I think, we're gonna go to sleep and wake up and try to make it through a whole one-and-a-half hour pizza tomorrow. - Better when you're eating the pizza. - It's getting better. - Yeah, and it's getting better. I mean kinda good. Some of it is getting better. Just feel like I am trying to vomit. - You should probably drink some of this. - (chuckles) - Okay, maybe this is -- - Well I can't spit it in front of him. - Well I mean, I don't know if he's gonna make it through. - Want some of these raw? - So I really gotta eat it. - Okay, I'm going for it. - Yeah, - Okay, I feel like we've done our job. - Yeah, well. - Well, you know what? - I'm glad we didn't do that. - I don't know if I wanna make a fight about it. - I think we did, again, I think this is gonna be up. - I think this is a matter of ego. - Okay, let's eat some of this. - (lively music) (gurgles) - Gorgeous. - Gorgeous. - Gorgeous. Not bad. I mean, the pizza is really good though. - I mean, it's not bad. Don't look at that while you're eating though. - Okay. - That's what I'm saying. - (chuckles) You got it right there. This is not bad. - Okay now y'all don't even know what you eat. - I don't, - I don't wanna do it that way. - This is really good. - Have you had the spaghetti sauce? - (laughs) - No. - Okay. - Oh wow. Okay. - (Eddie) I love it. - (laughs) - Now I've got-- - No-- - (off screen) There it is. Oh this is really tough to take. - It's not bad. - (gags) There you go. - Oh there it is. (laughs) - His eyes were really wet. - Oh, you can't get a real wipe that way. - What about the gravy? - (laughs) You suck at this. That's what I'm saying. (gurgles) (Rhett sighs) He's not hungry. - This is so good. - It's not bad, it's nice. - (laughing) That's what I'm saying. - It's nice. But I should also say I don't think that he's going to make it through this pizza for the rest of his life. - (crew laughs) - What about you? - I don't think he's gonna make it through this pizza all the way, and I think he's gonna experience it for the rest of his life. - Well you know what, you're gonna make it through this pizza. - (chuckles) Oh gosh, it's so good. - It's nice. - There it is ==================== An elephant mud will make you feel like a dick Oh yeah that's right we got these - this one's called The South China Sea Emu Oil Mango Mud, and this one's called The Yuba Mud. - Wow I mean I mean over here though this is really good to carry around but I'm sorry I'm sorry. - Yeah that's good that's good. - Yeah good. - I am also sorry. - Yeah. - Oh yeah let's take a look at it. The animal kingdom, it is, they make all sorts of things that they sell to people who are interested in eating them. It's not just drumsticks and sticks. It is made from maple syrup and it's made from the sap of the elephant. We're about to find out if you're a real animal lover. Or if you're just a fan of animals. - [Link] Yeah, I'm really interested. It's not much I've bought for myself. - But I'm interested in it. - The tree branch, the bark, the bark. - It's got a hollow inside and they're gonna try to eat it. - Now here's the thing, you still have to be basically like nice and polite to the elephant. You gotta be very nice to it. - It's sound like a rock. - By the way I'm going to be using a stick to help me get my feet wet and just so you know. - A real animal lover, you got a lot of interesting things to enjoy. - And in Japan it's a popular beverage, and it's made with urine. - Yes, and urine. - What do the elephants have to say for you? - Our commentary doesn't say if urine is the original ingredient. They could be offended. But it's pee. - Urine is pee. - Yeah! - So urine said, my advice is clear water. You got enough pee. - So urine says can I get it for you? - The animal kingdom likes urine is pee. Well actually urine is sugar. If you add sugar to pee and it turns urine red, you know what they call it, urine red. - Yeah urine red. - You got to do a lot of work. It takes a lot of work to get pee to pee. - Yeah. - It's REALLY tough for a kid to get pee to pee red. So pee is pee. - This tree branch, it's like a kimono. - Yeah that. - And it's the first thing that you go to do in Japan. When you're done here, Japan, you should go climb the great mountains and make friends with the animals. Like dogs and otters. - Yeah I hope I do. Now the animal kingdom wants you to cleanse your pee with urine. This is urine from a mammal. - And it's urine sugar. - OK and urine sugar. - Wow, so urine sugar. - [Link] You do that a lot. - Yeah. You can get urine sugar in Japan. - Oh really? - Yeah. And urine sugar. - Oh yeah. - You know what you're doing? I like going to the urinal with urinals. - Yeah, yeah. - And urinal washes? - Yeah, it's like urinal washes. Right. But you know what they say to urinal washes? They call it urine sugar. So urine sugar is urine sugar. - Um, urine sugar is urine sugar. - Uh, urine sugar is urine sugar. - So urine sugar sugar is urine sugar. - Well pee sugar is urine sugar. - Is urine sugar sugar? - Yeah. The thing is that urine sugar is urine sugar. Urine sugar, urine sugar. Blood sugar sugar, urine sugar. You got urine sugar sugar. This urine sugar is urine sugar as a whole. So urine sugar is urine sugar. And urine sugar, urine sugar. So urine sugar is urine sugar. - It's urine sugar. - It's urine sugar. - I'm really hungry for urine sugar. You gotta drink urine sugar. - Oh, you can't get urine sugar without pee sugar. - [Link] That's right. It looks like a tree branch, it makes me feel good. - This urine sugar smells good. - So urine sugar smells good. - It's urine sugar. - And urine sugar makes me feel good. - This urine sugar smells good. - You will feel good. - You'll feel good. - I don't even know urine sugar smells. It kind of smells, kind of smells like urine sugar. Kind of smells like urine sugar. - Right, urine sugar smells bad. - This urine sugar smells good. - I feel good. - I feel bad. - I feel good. - This urine sugar smells really bad. (ding noise) - [Both] (rock music) It's like urine sugar syndrome. (ding noises) - Right off the bat I have a theory that urine sugar is urine sugar ==================== Another supply of eggs in your bell pepper rings, if you're gonna get eggs at the end of it. You have a box of eggs, and then you have a map that reads, here's the location of the eggs. - Oh yeah. There's a lot that's going on -- - And then all of a sudden when you are putting them on the ring, you start seeing the map and it's just a riverside. What you're seeing is a map that includes the eggs. And you can't miss them. Is the map really that huge? - Yeah, it's not really. Are you talking about a piece of paper that has maps on it? - I think it's a lot of blog posts that I've written. - I think I've written 75 blog posts. Oh gosh. - No those are the blog posts, two of them were about the eggs. - It's a lot of blog posts. And not just blog posts that I wrote that were about the egg. - Yeah, I mean. And I think I wrote more blog posts about the egg. - Oh gosh. - You really about the egg? - But I mean I'm just eating a lot of peppers. - Okay man. - Okay, and you can get just regular croutons. Croutons, Italian sausage, pepper creme croutons. What is the last thing that you did in video? I dunno. I didn't think that was intentional. (crew laughs) - Well, it's a little cheesy. I haven't had any when I've been here. - No no, I see you did both. - This is fun. I think it's very fun. - All right now, you have to get set up. - I mean, if you wanna be a little bit of a teacher, you can take a nap. Yeah. - Can I get a nap? - Yeah. - A little bit of a show-off is what you should do. - Yeah, yeah. I don't think it's necessary. - The bell peppers and egg sandwich, I'm not having as much fun as that. - It's boring. - Yeah. - It's sort of boring. Nothing is happening. - It's very boring. I'm trying to help you understand it, so I've connected this with my belly button. It's very, very boring. - It's boring. Now we have a slice of pepper. - It's a little spicy, though. So this, we have a slice of pepper. We got a steak, which is Chinese food, okay. - Oh yeah. - And then there's a slice of Jalapeño chorizo. - Yeah I've been to lots of places. - It's a spicy pepper. It's a spicy pepper. - You've done it. - Yeah, it's terrible. - It's not bad, only a little spicy. - Chili pepper. - So I just got the jalapeno pepper. I'm going to pick out the actual slice of pepper. - That's the essence of a pepper. - It's not great. - It's not, it's not good. It's bland. It's burning my nose. - It's charred. - Now, I think we might be able to work this out. We might be able to help each other. It can be done. - As hard as this is. - I don't think it's gonna work. - It's like they're giving out donuts to everybody. - Yeah, this is a little more for you. - Okay. - Donut sandwiches. - Oh gosh. I hate, I hate those. - It's flavorless. - It's bread-less. - What's wrong with that slice? - Donut sandwich. - Oh. That is good, it's good. - I'm trying to help you. - It's good. - It's so good. - I'm gonna suggest you eat it. I mean it's really good. I mean, it's bite-sized stuff. - I like the bite-sized, sweet. That's my thing. - Okay. - [Rhett] Maybe eat the whole thing. - Okay. - Yeah, that's the so you don't need to just actually eat it. You eat it. - Yeah. - I really like it. - Mm. - I like bite-sized stuff. - I do like a little piece of pepper, I do like a little pieces of pepper. I mean I don't think that I'm going to have as good of a thing as I thought. - And it does make me a little bit angrier, that I'm feeling. - Making me a little bit more angrier. - Yeah, cause this is my last meal here. Oh, wow, I like- - Can I get a little bit of pepper? Well, I don't know if I can. It's very hot, it's ==================== Aw, yeah. Dink it and sink it. (chuckles) Okay, Link. It's time to drink some water. Now I'll tell you immediately. I'm so thirsty I'm about to vomit. I'm so thirsty I'm about to vomit, I'm about to vomit. And I'm about to vomit again, and I'm gonna vomit, and I'm gonna vomit again. I hope it's not a whole hand full. I didn't mean to vomit. I think it's a whole hand full, and I'm gonna vomit it. (chuckles) It's time. Yeah, it's time, you got it. I've been drinking the water, and it has been great. It has been hundreds of hours of drinking. And it has been a lot. It's been a lot of time." - Rhett. - Rhett. He's addicted to the water. "But I haven't been drinking it. Maybe this is, like, just some kind of, I'm not going to lie. It's a little bit defensive. Like, 'Hey, you're that guy who's drinking the water? I'm here and I'm thirsty.' I'm like, 'Oh, I'm thirsty. Okay. I volunteered to help you.' " - Rhett. - Rhett. Yeah, right. And you were kind of like, "I don't know you. You play golf." I'm like "How's that supposed to work?" - Right, right. "And then I was like, "All right, I'll be here for a while. There's a little stream running through your mouth. I got water. I'll help you out." You know, who would have thought? I mean, it was like, "Maybe I'm not that guy. I'm gonna be done with golf for a while. I'll fill your bath water and then I'll be back." - Yeah, (chuckles). Thanks for planting that idea. - You're so good at this. You know, it's like, "You don't have to go first, man." "Okay. Look at this." Oh wow. Now what's happening? I'm just drinking. I'm thirsty. Right now. It's like, "Sorry. It's a little stream." It's like, "I'm thirsty. I'll help you out." (chuckles) No, it's just a— "It's a little stream. Just thirsty." It's just kind of like if you just put your hands in a bucket. (dink) It's just a little stream, right? It's a little stream. You've got a nice touch there. Oh, that's what you call a big stream. - No, it's like a stream, I think it's a stream. Yeah, a stream. I think it's a stream. It's a stream. It's a stream. - It is a stream. - Yeah. It's a stream. - Oh. You're thirsty. You got water running through your body. It's a stream. You've been thirsty. I've been thirsty. There's a stream running through your body. It's a stream. You've been thirsty. No, it's a stream. I'm thirsty. It's a stream. You've been thirsty. You're thirsty. Oh, I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty. You've been thirsty. You know, I'm thirsty, I'll help you out. I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty. I'm thirsty. I'd like to stop now. Please stop now. Thank you. Finally, finally, dragon ball. Dragon ball, y'all. You've helped me a lot. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (chippiness music) - This is an hour. - Yes, and of course, we're also gonna spend some of our best gaming moments on the Nintendo Switch 3DS. So we thought this might be a good time to do it. - Yes. - And it's time for All I Need for a Game Boy is a Little Finger. Link: Hey, I'm doing it for you. I'm doing it for you, too. I'm doing it for you. That's right, Stevie. I'm doing ====================

[anerdysouthernbelle]

Tommaso|Issues|Ciampa

Hello, all you lovely people! I hope you all enjoyed Part 1 of this story because here comes Part 2!

Tagging: (again, let me know if you want to be added or removed and I will be happy to do so!)

@lavitabella87 @shadow-of-wonder @spot-of-bother @dorkyvillain @lclb13 @thewriterformerlytaggedas @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sortofgetit @kaitlynwwefan @kinghelmsley @kingslayers-angel @kazuchika @leelakoiwolff @lexis-the-stick-figure @culturalrebel @alexahood21 @neversatisfiedgirl @newjapan @amaranthine-reign @wwesmutdonedirtcheap @wwesavedme @imnobodiesbitch @wrestlewriting @wrestlingnoob @homega @nahmooste @edgeoffire @wrasslesmut @wwesmutandstuff @wwesmutdonedirtcheap @caramara3 @romanempressfics @alexahood21 @goldenlover83 @wallflowerfangirl-life @mylittlepartofthegalaxy

Part 1

“You okay?” Adrienne (Ember Moon) asked. Jade looked over at her friend. 

“Yea, I’m good. Just been a weird few days,” Jade replied as she slowly flexed her leg out and then back in. She was sitting on the exam table in the training room of the Performance Center, waiting on Tara to come check her out and Adrienne was waiting to be checked out as well. 

“Why’s that? Rehab not going well?” Adrienne asked as she pulled her silver hair up into a ponytail.

“That’s going great, actually! Wilk (physical therapist at Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedics in Birmingham, Alabama - the one everyone goes to when they get injured) says I might get off crutches next week so I’m super excited about that. That’s not the weird part, though,” Jade remarked.

“What is it then?”

Jade was about to answer when Tara walked in with a clipboard.

“Hey, guys! How are you?” Tara asked as she set it down to begin examining Jade’s knee.

“Okay, go ahead and bend it slowly for me,” Tara told Jade as she placed her hands on her knee and guiding it. Jade hissed in pain as she bent her leg back and forth. Tara took some Bio-Freeze and massaged it over her knee and Jade had to bite back a relieved moan. 

“Fuck, that feels amazing,” Jade groaned as Tara placed her knee brace back on.

“Okay, Kevin says you’re making great progress so I’m going to need you to come back in next week after your appointment.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Jade replied. 

“Alright, get outta here,” Tara told her.

“Talk later?” Adrienne said as Jade was helped off the exam table. She nodded as she adjusted her crutches. She left the exam room and was making her way down the hall when she spotted Tommaso coming down the hall.

“Hey!” she said with a bright smile. Tommaso looked up from his phone and gave her a small smile in return.

“An actual smile from Mr. Grumpypants? It’s not my birthday,” Jade quipped. Tommaso rolled his eyes at her.

“Hey, Jade. How are you doing?” he asked.

“About the same as you - on one leg for the time being. Just left the exam room. I gotta go back next week because I can finally get rid of these damn things,” she said, indicating her crutches.

“That’s the best part. Hey, um, I wanted to apologize to you. Ya know, for the other day. I was just having a bad day and I took it out on you. I’m really sorry, Jade.” 

Jade looked very taken aback and being the dramatic shithead she was, she placed her hand over her heart and replied in a very affected tone of voice,

“Why, Mr. Ciampa! What ever have I done to deserve such a heartfelt and hopefully sincere apology from you?”

Tommaso sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Don’t make me regret that,” he said as he shook his head. Jade laughed in response and it made Tommaso helpless to do anything but smile at her.

“Part of my charm, sweetheart,” she responded with a wink. 

“You are... certainly something else, that’s for sure.”

“Is that an insult or a compliment?”

“Jury’s out on that one,” Tommaso replied as he scratched his cheek. “Oh, I actually wanted to ask you something.” Jade raised her eyebrow inquisitively. 

“Oh?”

“Um, I wanted to take you up on that offer you made the other night when we were in Birmingham.”

“To sulk together?”

“Yea, that. I’ll bring some food or drinks over?”

“I’d like that, actually. I’ll cook some dinner. You’re not... vegan or anything, are you?”

“Don’t like vegans?”

“They’re fine, just some are a bit preachy. Also I like meat too much.”

“Yea, me too. No, not a vegan. Anything you like in particular?”

“I haven’t had spaghetti in a while, actually.”

“Sicilian through and through,” Jade remarked with a laugh.

“And don’t you forget it. So what do you say?”

“Spaghetti it is then. I should probably give you my number so I can text you my address.” 

Jade moved over to the closest wall and leaned up against it so she could take her phone out of her bag. She unlocked it and handed it over to Tommaso, where he punched in his number. He gave his phone to her to do the same and they exchanged phones again. 

“When do you want to come over? Because I’ve got to make a grocery run to get this stuff.”

“Um, does eight sound okay?” Tommaso wanted to know.

“Yea, that sounds good. I’ll text you the address soon. See you at eight!” Jade chirped.

“It’s a date. W-wait. Not... not a date, per se. Just... just d-dinner. No date!” Tommaso stammered. Jade stared at him with an expression that wavered between confusion and laughter. She settled on the latter, which made Tommaso flush a bit.

“Are you blushing?! Oh my god,” Jade giggled. Tommaso groaned in embarrassment.

“It’s okay, Tommaso. I think you’re just delightful.”

“Please, God, strike me with lightning. Or let the ground swallow me whole, one,” Tommaso muttered. 

“You’re cute. I’ll see you later. Bring some wine. Rosé, please, that’s my favorite.”

“Got it. See you later, then.” Tommaso turned around to go into the exam room while Jade left to head to the store for the spaghetti ingredients.

Later that afternoon, Jade sent her address to Tommaso and then set to work on dinner, which was slightly hard for her because of her knee but she managed to keep it elevated while cooking. She was just taking the breadsticks out of the oven when her phone rang. She placed them into a bowl and answered her phone.

“Sup? Also you’re on speakerphone so any dirty secrets will probably be heard by everyone in this house,” she answered.

She heard someone splutter as if choking on their drink on the other end, followed by loud coughing.

“You okay?” she asked. 

“I’m... *cough* fine. You caught me off-guard,” Tommaso told her.

“Had to take the piss outta ya,” Jade giggled as she stirred the bright red sauce. 

“Thanks for that, I almost choked on my water. Is there anyone else there, though?”

“Why? Planning on doing Netflix and chill with me?”

Tommaso made a strangled noise in his throat, causing Jade to dissolve into loud laughter.

“You take great pleasure in being a smartass, don’t you?” Tommaso asked when he regained composure.

“Always, darling. Did you get the text I sent earlier?”

“Yea, I did,” Tommaso said through what sounded like gritted teeth.

“Why’d you say it like that?”

“I’ll tell you when I get there.” He hung up then, leaving Jade highly confused.

“I... okay, then.” She shrugged and finished up dinner. She was setting the table when there was a knock on the door.

“Coming! I only have one leg at the moment!” Jade called out. She adjusted her crutches and hopped over to the door to open it. Tommaso filled her doorway, looking very nice in a white t-shirt with a grey blazer and jeans. He was holding a bottle of rosé, as promised.

“You remembered!” Jade exclaimed happily. “Come in.” He stepped through the door and Jade closed it.

“Hope you’re hungry,” she said as she made her way back to the kitchen. Tommaso pulled her chair out for her and pulled out another chair for her knee.

“Thank you so much,” Jade sighed as she made herself comfortable.

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “Do you have a bucket I can put this in?” He held up the bottle of wine.

“Was it not already cold when you bought it?” Jade asked.

“Ah, no. Sorry,” he sheepishly replied.

“It’s okay. Yea, there’s one in that cabinet there,” she said as she pointed to one. “I’ve got a bag of ice in the freezer, too.” Tommaso nodded as he limped to the freezer to get the ice. He hit the bag on the countertop a few times to loosen the ice up and then poured it into the bucket before placing the wine in. He brought it over to the table and set it down.

“Got a corkscrew?” he asked.

“Don’t think I can do a corkscrew for a couple months,” Jade deadpanned. He groaned at the bad pun. 

“I’m just messing with ya. In the drawer above the cabinet you got the bucket out of.”

“I didn’t mention this earlier but you look really pretty tonight,” Tommaso said as he took the corkscrew to the table.

“A compliment from you? Wow. I’m amazed,” Jade replied with a giggle.

“Don’t get used to it,” Tommaso told her but he couldn’t resist cracking a smile.

“I won’t. I do have to ask - why did you tell me you got my text in an angry voice earlier?”  

“Because of where you live.”

“Why’s that?”

Tommaso sighed as he sat down, propping his leg up on a chair to ease his knee.

“You live next door Johnny and Candice,” he said simply as he picked up his fork.

“Yea, I know. Candice literally filled my kitchen with baked goods when I moved in here. You weren’t exactly the talkative type, as I recall,” Jade replied as she set to work on eating her own food.

“I wasn’t the nicest guy to you, was I?”

“Nope. At least Johnny is nice.”

“That’s why I got rid of him,” Tommaso told her.

“Admit it. You still miss him. I bet if you’d go over there right now, he’d let you in.”

“He might. Candice wouldn’t.”

Jade chuckled at that. 

They ate in comfortable silence for a while and when they got done, Tommaso insisted he put the dishes away and clear the table. Once that was done, Jade slowly stood up but wobbled a bit and Tommaso caught her before she fell.

Wow, she thought. He’s even more gorgeous up close.

She smells amazing, Tommaso thought as he held her close.

They stared at each other for a while, neither of them daring to speak.

“You okay?” Tommaso whispered. 

“Yea. I’m okay now. Thank you for catching me,” she replied.

Tommaso flexed his fingers on her back, debating on whether or not to pull her closer. Jade moved her hands from around his neck to place them on his chest. She could feel his heartbeat and she noticed it picked up each time she moved her hands. 

He looked at her again, this time going from her eyes to her lips and back again. He finally focused on her mouth, which was slightly parted. Jade bit her lip slightly as she looked up at him and she couldn’t take her eyes off his mouth. She stood on her tiptoes (or rather tiptoe because of her knee) and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She was a breath away from kissing him when the dishwasher made a loud clicking noise as it started up, startling them both.

“Shit!” Jade exclaimed. Tommaso quickly stepped back, leaving Jade to support herself on the table to keep from falling.

“Fuck,” Tommaso muttered under his breath. He put his hands in his pockets and exhaled deeply as he avoided looking at her.

Jade took several deep yoga breaths to steady herself and then looked up at Tommaso.

“I...” she began.

“Yea, this is... weird for me too,” Tommaso replied.

“Um... yea. Did I just try to kiss you?”

“You did. And I was gonna let you.”

“Ah. Best I didn’t, then.”

“Why?”

“I’m not ready.”

“Ready for what? There’s nothing here,” Tommaso told her as he indicated the both of them.

“Something is here, otherwise you wouldn’t have stared at my lips like you were going to kiss me. You would have made the first move, don’t lie.”

“Not the point. What are you not ready for?” he asked.

“Sorry, you have to be level five to unlock my tragic backstory,” Jade said sarcastically.

Tommaso rolled his eyes.

“There you go again. News flash, sweetheart - using sarcasm to deflect isn’t always gonna work for you.”

“Neither is acting like an angry asshole,” Jade bit back.

“You know what?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me anyways,” Jade said as she angrily pushed her hair behind her ear.

“I made a mistake coming here tonight. I was going to be nice to you but you make that fucking impossible!” Tommaso shouted as he moved his hands in an exasperated manner.

“Me?! What about you?! I haven’t been anything but nice to you and you’ve done nothing but act like I’m such a fucking plague on your life!” 

“You really think that?” Tommaso asked. 

“You haven’t given me any reason not to.”

That made him pause. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. 

“You’re right,” he said after a while. 

“Of course I am,” Jade said matter-of-factly, looking down at her knee brace.

“I shouldn’t act like that. I understand that you’ve been nothing less than friendly with me and I’ve treated you like shit. I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“I’m sorry, too.”

“Why?”

“For lashing out at you. I haven’t had the best time since I fucked my knee up.”

“Believe me, I know how you feel. This isn’t the first time that I’ve been here. It fucking sucks and you need all the friends and support you can get.”

Jade let out a slow breath.

“So what does that mean? For... us, I mean.” 

Tommaso scratched his cheek before running his hand over his head.

“It means we’re going to have to be nicer to each other, I suppose. We’re gonna need to lean on each other - sometimes literally.” 

Jade nodded slowly.

“Okay. I can do that if you can,” was her reply.

“I can. Truce?”

“Yea, truce.” Jade held her hand out and Tommaso stepped forward to shake it. He didn’t release her hand after the handshake and instead gently pulled her closer to wrap his arms around her in a warm hug.

“Channeling your inner Bayley, eh?” Jade joked as she hugged him back. 

“Please don’t make me regret this,” Tommaso told her but his voice didn’t hold any malice.

“Only if you don’t make me regret this either.” He held her close for a little while longer then broke the hug.

“Um... do you want me to stay any longer?” he wanted to know.

“Hmm... not tonight. This got weird for me and I need time to process. You can help me to my room, though. Bring that wine too.” She put her crutches under her arms and made her way out of the kitchen and down the hall, silently thanking the fact she didn’t have any stairs to deal with. Tommaso followed behind with the bottle of wine and her glass.

Once she was in her room, Jade hopped over to her bed and eased herself down on it. 

“Ahh,” she sighed as she made herself comfortable.

“Where do you want this?” Tommaso asked, holding up the bottle. Jade pointed to her nightstand and he placed it down. 

“Do you want anything else?”

“Nah. I’m good. Hey, thanks for coming over tonight, even though it got a little heated,” Jade said as she took his hand.

“Yea, it did. I’m glad I came over, too. I’m gonna leave now cause I’m pretty sure you don’t want me in your room any longer than necessary.”

“At least, not yet,” Jade said with a wink. Tommaso’s eyes widened at that and it made her giggle. 

“You’re killing me, Smalls,” Tommaso groaned.

Jade gave him a bright smile in response. 

“Okay, not I’m really leaving. Goodnight,” Tommaso said as he turned to leave.

“Goodnight. Let me know when you get home, okay?”

“I will.” 

“Lock the door on the way out, please!” Jade called out as Tommaso left.

“Will do!”

About an hour or so later, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Tommaso.

“Hey, I’m home safe. Goodnight. Sweet dreams.”

Jade sent a reply back and then put her phone down. She went to sleep and for the first time, she dreamed of the blue-eyed asshole known as Tommaso Ciampa.

[life-love-and-alcohol]

Please do a part 2 for the flower shop au I AM DYING ITS SO CUTE

AAAAA OMG THANK U!!! Here u go anon! I hope you like it! 

And here’s the link to the first part for those who didn’t read it: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11140002

Viktor was ecstatic.

No, he was blooming.

He was flourishing,pollinating the world with ridiculous positivity, growing joy on his fertilesoul, proud of seeding love wherever he went.

Need any more flowermetaphors? Don’t worry, he had more. He had made a list in case he ran out ofconversation topics in the middle of the date. He needed to be very cautiousnot to ruin it, unless he wanted to forget about his Flower Boy for good.

Not to be creepy oranything, but he had actually been planning the scenario for weeks.

They had settled tomeet at the Italian restaurant at eight, but of course Viktor had to be latebecause he couldn’t let the other know he had been ready to leave hours ago andthat he had been waiting with his keys in hand outside the door until it wasthe time. That would have been embarrassing, and he couldn’t afford embarrassmenton the first date.

They would sit at avery specific table, just next to the window, to have the lovely view of thelocal park at night. Then he would proceed to pour his lovely date some wine(of the most excellent quality, of course, he already had a specific brand inmind), just the right amount to set his tongue lose, and leave his natural shynessaside. The more wine Yuuri had, the more Yuuri Viktor would taste. And, lastbut not least, they were going to have a romantic walk in the park, under theround full moon, and he had even taken the trouble to learn some constellationsto point out.

Everything was plannedto perfection.

Yurio kept complainingit was just a stupid dinner, and that he shouldn’t even bother trying to lookgood because the guy obviously wouldn’t care if he wore his cerulean orturquoise dress shirt. But Viktor simply ignored him, and decided to askMakkachin to choose what tie he should wear if the other wasn’t willing to collaborate.

When he arrived fiveminutes past eight though, he thought he had been stood up. He looked for hisdate at the entrance, but there didn’t seem to be signs of that lovely, dorkyguy that smiled coyly behind a counter.

He didn’t recognizethe man that was leaning against the wall, he didn’t recognize that slickedback hair, those unframed pretty eyes, and those nervous rigid lips. He didn’trecognize that smart suit. But he did perfectly recognize the carnation peekingfrom inside its front pocket.

“Viktor!” heexclaimed, walking towards him enthusiastically. And it was only then, with thatrelieved, excited smile on his face, that Viktor was finally able to recognizehis precious Flower Boy.

He was surprised, butcertainly not disappointed. Yuuri looked stunning; with his hair pushed backthere was a better view of his pretty eyes and features, and although Viktorloved the usual smell of fresh jasmines on him, he had to admit he was morethan pleased with the scent of masculine perfume. Yurio had been wrong, hisdate did dress up for the occasion, after all.

The dinner was reallypleasant, they enjoyed the pasta, the wine, and the charm of each other’scompany, as they engaged in a really natural conversation that, for the firsttime, didn’t have to do with plants. Viktor was glad to finally have him outfrom the seller’s facade, to extract him from the shop’s formula, and talk tohim with the centerpiece being the only flower in between.

Everything was goingperfect, just according to plan. He had got Yuuri to talk about himself, totell him about his family, his friends, his hobbies outside the store, and evenshare some of his life philosophy Viktor was more than wanting to hear. Thathad been his main objective, after all. The whole date was just a cold andpre-calculated Nikiforov Secret Plan to take as much information as he could,to get high on the other, and satiate the sick hunger his love-struck devotionhad imposed.  His strategy was clear and faultless,it had no holes, and there was no way nothing could go wrong.

Right?

The first sign he gotthat something might actually go wrong, was when their food arrived. They hadboth ordered pasta, but different dishes with different sauces and Yuuri feltcurious about how champignon spaghetti tasted like.

“Is it good?” Heasked, talking some of his own food to his mouth.

Yet, Viktor didn’tanswer right away. He was way too concentrated on the other, on the littlestain of tomato on his left cheek, on the way he adorably sucked in a singlenoodle between his pretty lips, and the way his adam’s apple bobbed as heswallowed. He wasn’t paying attention to his own food, hell, he wasn’t even payingattention to himself. He could have been about to suffer from heart disease andhe wouldn’t have noticed right then.

He didn’t know why,but the actual thing that came out from his mouth right then was:

“Yeah, it’s dahliacious”

Yuuri blinked a fewtimes.

“Was that a flowerpun?”

Viktor’s mouth said “no”,but his red face shouted “yes”.

He made his best toshrug it off, to pass it as a silly joke and not the weirdest of impulses hehad ever had. What the fuck had just happened? Why did he say that?? Did hewant to look like a total idiot??? Thankfully, Yuuri didn’t really question himabout it, and decided to go on with another conversation topic instead.

After a while, whenthe chattering was back to normal, and Viktor had got the other to tell him hisopinion on some movie, they decided to order dessert. They shared this time,since portions were far too big and none of them was really that hungry, andthey agreed they both liked strawberries and whipped cream.

“What do youthink of it, though?”

Viktor wasn’t readyfor the question, and he wasn’t ready for the sight of that mouth, that cutetongue fishing for some rests of cream on the upper lip.

“Think ofwhat?“ 

"The movie!”Yuuri exclaimed “Do you agree with me? Or do you think Bryan and Suzieshould be a couple?" 

"I think heshould leaf her alone” As he sawthe other arch a brow, he immediately tried to take back his words “I’mjust pollen your leg!" 

Yuuri laughedawkwardly, not really knowing what to say about that, or about the fact he gotno real answer of Viktor’s opinion on the movie. He just decided to let itslide again, convincing himself he was not being made fun of, and asking thewaiter for the bill. 

As they left therestaurant and headed towards the park, Viktor was a little bit calmer. Withthings finally adapting to his plans again, he could keep the nerves fromkicking in and ruining everything. He had even gathered the courage to askYuuri for his hand to hold, which he had timidly accepted, and ended uppressing their bodies close as they walked. 

Yuuri was the sweetestof guys, surpassing every one of his expectations. Every single thing he saidwould keep pumping on Viktor’s adoration. And, right then, he didn’t know ifthat was a nice thing or if his heart would end up exploding from the overstimulation. Thedate was going wonderfully, and he was finally beginning to let his guard down.

However, just when hewas about to go on with the next step of his plan and name some star’s names,he was interrupted by an unexpected, hazardous question: 

"Tell me a littlebit about yourself” Yuuri asked, facing upwards and into the sky.

“Uh??" 

"I feel like I’vebeen talking all night! Why don’t you tell me something about you?" 

Viktor’s systemcrashed. 

It was only then thathe realized the reason his plan kept backfiring: he had forgotten he wasactually a part of the date too.

"Uhm…I don’treally know what to say” he laughed, trying to distract himself from thehumiliation “I don’t want to give you an overrose of information" 

He almost let go ofhis hand to give himself a facepalm. 

"Okay…" 

Yuuri didn’t lookamused, at all, as they walked away from the park and towards his house.

He had fuckedup. 

For real, he had totallyfucked up.

He had been so worriedabout getting to know him, to please him, to keep him entertained…that he hadnever thought about the fact that, maybe, Yuuri wanted the same thing inreturn. 

He knew he shouldn’tbe so nervous, there were lots of stuff about himself he could tell him. Abouthis job, about Yurio, or even Makkachin! He was an interesting, charming personand he knew it. But, apparently his stress turned his every word intononsense…like some kind of verbal photosynthesis. 

By the time they gotto Yuuri’s house, none of them had spoken a word in two solid minutes.

It was too late. Theguy probably thought he was retarded by then. There was no turn back, and hehad completely lost his chances with his precious Flower Boy. 

“Well, this is where Ilive” Yuuri sighed, looking downwards, and avoiding his gaze on purpose “Thankyou, the food was really good”

Viktor could see the disillusionmentin his eyes, the embarrassment, but also some hint of anguish. He didn’t knowwhat of all the idiocies he said had caused it, but hell, he wanted to hanghimself with his tie right then. One thing was to look like a total moron,which was already bad enough, but he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if hisdate left with that look on his face. He had just wanted to make him happy. Andthat wasn’t a happy face, at all.

“Wait!” He grabbed himby the wrist before he could walk away “I didn’t mean to make you upset, Iswear, I just…”

“No, it’s ok” Yuurishrugged, getting lose from his hold “I’m sorry if I was a disappointment, Iguessed I talked too much and bored you at some point…”

“What??” Viktorgrabbed his shoulders, breaking the gloomy mood, letting some of his naturalimpulsiveness slip through his attempts of perfection “Why would you say that??”

“I mean, you keptmaking jokes about the flower shop…I know it’s not the best job in the world,but you had no right to make fun of me because of…”

There had been onefact about Yuuri that Viktor’s master plan had made him overlook: his crushinginsecurity.

“No, you got it allwrong!” He said, shaking him a little, abandoning his pride for once and forall and spilling the shameful truth “I just said all that stuff because I wasnervous, ok??” He turned his head to the side, trying to hide the blush on hisface, but Yuuri could still see it creeping to the tips of his ears “I reallylike you, and I had planned this date to perfection and all but I just…I don’tknow, I panicked. I’m so sorry if I made you feel bad, you are lovely and funnyand beautiful, and I would never make fun of you”

He received no answer.

Yuuri kept staring athim in disbelief, as if the information just couldn’t sink in his dense uncertainties,and his eyes just looked so lovely opened wide and reflecting the moonlight itmade Viktor’s chest ache. He couldn’ttake it, he couldn’t keep carrying with the debris of his crumbled plans in hisheart, and he couldn’t bare the look on that beautiful, beautiful face. So, so beautiful, there was no flower to compare.

“If there’s somethingI can do to mend this…” He said, giving himself one last chance to talk “Ifthere’s anything I…”

“I want tulips”

Viktor moped, notreally understanding. The change of mood having been way too fast for him toget a grasp on.

“Uh?”

“I want tu-lips” Yuuri giggled, raising hiseyebrows “Get it? two-lips”

Viktor was so out ofhis mind, so relieved by the little smile now hanging from the other’s mouth hecouldn’t really wrap his head around the meaning of those words.

“What?”

Yuuri laughed,blushing a little bit himself, and letting the late effects of wine numb hiseternal embarrassment as he grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

“Kiss me, you hugedork”

And, before Viktor couldruin the moment with another awkward flower pun, there was a pair of warm, tenderlips on his, kissing him fondly.

It was short but fullof devotion, with Yuuri standing in his tip toes and cupping his cheeks,feeling the skin beginning to heat up underneath his fingers. Only as he pulledaway, gifting a kind, wholehearted smile, he was able to appreciate what he haddone to the other:

Eyes shiny and pupilswide, cheeks reddened and mouth agape, and about a thousand stutters jumping onhis tongue like a trampoline.

There was a moment ofsilence, in which they just kept staring at each other in clumsy disbelief,looking for any signs of regret, of thankfulness, or at least the proof thatthat had actually happened. But all the answer they got was scent of fruity winestill lingering in their breaths, as nothing came out of neither of their mouthsrather than stuffed, winded air.

“Damndelion” Viktor finally whispered, and Yuuri couldn’t help but tobreak into laughter, and planting one last, quick kiss to his cheek before heentered the house.

“See you tomorrow at theshop” He waved at him from behind the door “I’ll be waiting for you”

Viktor had to waitsome full seconds standing still in the middle of the street before he couldactually go back to his own apartment; trying to let the chilly night’s aircool him and his steaming heart off, and thinking about what part of his officecould actually use more flowers.

I’m so sorry this is so shitty XD sorry for the puns, I actually had to google some

PLEASE SEND MORE REQUESTS!! I WANT TO KEEP WRITING!! :D

[my-mystic-messenger]

Hey so how about RFA+Saeran+V reacting to MC being a really shitty cook. Like she doesn't burn water but it tastes hella gross! I always see her being good this or good that, so it might be a nice change of pace to have her be bad at something. Keep up the work, I know staring out can be hard!

YAAY second request! Please keep ‘em coming!

|| REQUEST ARE (ALWAYS) OPEN!! ||

Zen:

♬ he first started to notice thatsomething wasn’t quite right when he entered the apartment you sharedand it smelled kind of…burned?

♬ the first thing he did was tocheck for fire, but there was none

♬ then he saw smoke coming from under thekitchen door?!

♬ So he went to check

♬ when it opened he was drowned by thesmell and smoke

♬ he quickly ran inside, calling yourname only to find you standing in front of the oven

♬ he stopped in his tracks, staring atyou

♬ you were calm – so no fire – butlooked utterly devastated

♬ you were staring down at aburned…well…something he wasn’t quite sure what it was

♬ that’s when you turned your head tolook at him

♬ he noticed that you were pouting andyour eyes were shiny

♬ oh no, he didn’t want you to cry

♬ especially when he wasn’t quite sure what the reason was yet

♬ he then realized that the burnedsomething used to be meat, once upon a time

♬ “I really tried to cook for you,because I know how stressed you are from rehearsal”

♬Zen couldn’t help the laugh thatbubbled up inside of him

♬ he stepped forward and wrapped you intohis arms, burying our face in his chest

♬ he used his foot to shut the oven sothe smoke would die down a little

♬ Zen lead you out the kitchen and to the couch, sitting you down and pressing kisses all over your face

♬ you still had tears straining your cheeks from before, but you were chuckling again, so that was good at least

♬ “I’m a terrible cooked” yousobbed into his chest and he laughed again

♬ he really couldn’t help himself, youwere just so damn adorable

♬ “How about we just order takeout and watch a movie, huh, Princess?”

Yoosung:

★ the food looked fine, when you put it down in front ofhim

★ he’d just gotten home from the clinic and you’d surprised him with it

★ usually you came home later than him and he cooked, so it was apleasant surprise

★ especially seeing how giddy and excited you were

★ he smiled at you as he took the fork and put it into his mouth

★ he stopped chewing when the taste finally hit him

★ the food was too hot and too salty at the same time

★ Yoosung seriously wondered how you managed to make it taste like that

★ he forced himself to chew and swallow, trying his best not to throwup

★ or show his disgust

★ apparently he wasn’t all too good at it, judging by how your facefell

★ your entirely body seemed to deflate and Yoosung’s heart sank

★ he didn’t want to insult you or hurt your feelings

★ “No,honey, it’s great! Here, look”, he said, shoving more ofinto his mouth

★ eventually he’d been forced to spit something out, because he justcouldn’t do it

★ his body wasn’t playing along

★ “I’m so sorry, Yoosung.

★ he felt horrible to hear you apologize for something like that

★ so he was quick to cup your face and caress your cheeks

★ “Hey,no. Don’t apologize. So you can’t cook. That’s alright. How about Iteach you, huh?”

Jaehee:

♨ when you first baked something together at her place for the greatopening of the bakery she noticed how hesitant you were

♨ you always waited for her to do it first and would copy her movementsa couple of minutes later

♨ whenever you had to work with eggs, you ended up having to fish outpieces of the shell

♨ you would also check the recipe about a hundred times before actuallydoing something

♨ when you measured the amount of milk needed incorrectly for the thirdtime

♨ and didn’t have any idea how to work the mixer, getting dough allover yourself

♨ it dawned to Jaehee that you had no idea how to bake

♨ usually she wouldn’t have minded, but you were about to open abakery/cafe together

♨ that might be a problem

♨ she attempted to teach you the way she learned: lots and lots ofresearch

♨ there is not a YouTube tutorial she didn’t show you

♨ not a baking and recipe book she didn’t give you

♨ it all didn’t work out, you were still a terrible baker

♨ you apologized a thousand times and each time she assured you itwasn’t your fault

♨ she was still worried about the bakeries/cafe’s future

♨ until she found the solution: labour division!

♨ “You know what? You make thebest coffee in the world.”

Jumin:

♛ he’d been on a business trip when he got the call from Jaehee

♛ apparently there had been a fire at the apartment he shared with you

♛ Jumin didn’t wait for any explanations, instantly wrapped up the tripand flew home

♛ business could wait, you couldn’t

♛ he needed to know what had happened, so he could prevent it fromhappening again

♛ he practically stormed the apartment to find you sitting on the couch

♛ your were hunched over, face buried in your hands, body shaking asyou cried silently

♛ were you hurt?! Did you have any injuries?!

♛ he instantly walked towards you and kneeled in front of you, cuppingyour face

♛ when you looked up and saw him you started to cry even harder,wrapping your arms around his neck to bury your face in it

♛ “I am sosorry, I burned down the entire kitchen. Oh God, that’s going to costso much money to renovate. Such a waste.”

♛ oh…

♛ he then remembered Jaehee saying something about a cooking accidenthe’d completely blocked out

♛ his first though had been, that he couldn’t believe a woman your agewasn’t capable of cooking

♛ than he scolded himself since he couldn’t cook either, so why shouldyou

♛ “Don’t worry, ….. your life is worth more than any money inthe world”, he said

♛ “But please, from no on, don’t attempt to cook again. I’llhire a butler to take care of it.”

Saeyoung/Seven:

☼ it was silent at your place

☼ Seven was sitting at one end of the couch with his laptop on hisstomach

☼ you were sitting on the other end with your laptop on yourstomach

☼ suddenly you’d shut the book and put it on he coffee table

☼ you jumped up from the couch, startling the other

☼ “I’m hungry”,you said that day

☼ “Well,let’s order something then”, he’dsuggested in return

☼ “No, that’s take ages. Let’s cooksomething!”

☼ “We? You and I? Us? Cooking something?Together?”

☼ “Don’t belike that. It’s not rocket science.”

☼ “I know, becauserocket science I’d actually get.”

☼ You’drolled your eyes at him

☼ “Do you even know how to cook”, he asked inreturn, arms crossed over his chest, eyebrow raised in challenge

☼ Youglared back 

☼ “No, but how hard can it possibly be?”

☼ very hard, as it turned out

☼ not only did you burn yourself multiple times

☼ you managed to spread an entire package of noodles on the floor

☼ and a whole glass of tomato sauce all over yourself

☼ by the time you’d over or under-cooked yet another set of spaghetti’syour patience was done with

☼ huffing angrily you’d made your way back to the living room stillcovered in all sorts of stuff

☼ you sat down on the ouch, crossing your arms over your chest

☼ Seven meanwhile hadn’t moved an inch

☼ this time, however, he was grinning from ear to ear

☼ he’d reached out and handed over an opened bag of Honey BuddhaChips

☼ at first you glared at him, but then you’d take it andstuffed a handful of them into your mouth

☼ he started to laugh then, finding your misery over not being able tocook horribly amusing

☼ you were angry for a brief moment, but it soon melted away and you joined inhis laughter

☼ cooking sucked anyway and junk food was delicious

☼ “See, babe, that’s why we don’tcook.”

Saeran

☀ being with Saeran is not easy

☀ he is traumatized, on a war path with himself and the things he did

☀ sometimes he will snap at you just like that, without any warning orreason

☀ you learned to handle it, for the better part, since you know hedoesn’t mean it

☀ on other instances his sometimes cruel behaviour and words are harderto ignore

☀ this was one of those times, where it just took you by surprise

☀ after having talked to the therapist you knew that you wanted to dosomething for Saeran

☀ she’d told you that reassuring people like him that they were lovedwas very important

☀ however, you’d be struggling with finding something he’d like

☀ getting a present just didn’t seem enough

☀ you decided to go for a more personal route, step out of your comfortzone; you decided to cook

☀ you know you suck at it, but that’ll hopefully proof just how muchyou love him for at least trying

☀ sadly it didn’t work out quite as well as you hoped it would

☀ the food was undercooked and when you went to get rid of the hotwater you didn’t need anymore you tripped and it landed all over yourlower arm

☀ the pot clattered to the ground while you screamed at the pain,clutching your arm

☀ that is when Saeran came running in

☀ he noticed the mess and growled

☀ “For fucks sake, you can’t evencook?!”

☀ thewords hurt, causing tears to roll down your heated cheeks

☀ Saeranregretted the words the second they came out of his mouth

☀ he hates hurting your feelings, especially when you don’t deserve itwhatsoever

☀ he especially hated himself when he saw the harsh burns on your arm,could have beaten himself for this one

☀ he sighed – more so at himself than anything else – and walked outof the room for a moment

☀ with a first aid kid in hand he returned, kneeling in front of you

☀ he took care of the burn as good as he could and it actually made youfeel better

☀ he also gently wiped away your tears and cleaned up the mess afteryou

☀ once the kitchen was clean he guided you to the working space andproceeded to help you

☀ he didn’t say a word, completely shut off after snapping at you likethat, but instead guided you

☀ he stood directly behind you the entire time, his hands engulfingyours and moving them

☀ by the time the two of you were done you felt warm and cherishedagain

☀ the food also didn’t look half bad

☀ that was when Saeran finally spoke again, lips brushing over yourearlobe and a smile audible in his voice

☀ “See, you can cook after all.”

Jihyun Kim/V

📷 he’s a wonderful person to be around

📷 V always makes you feel cherished and loved and taken care of

📷 and despite what some cruel people say you don’t feel like hiscaretaker at all

📷 sure, you have to sort the laundry by colour, but he is still greatat loading the machine

📷 he’s also very good at cleaning in general, despite what peoplebelieve

📷 as long as you don’t move anything from its usual place, he has noproblem moving around

📷 cooking, however, is not something you want him to do

📷 mainly because you have to handle knives, hot substances and otherdangerous things

📷 so no, you’re fine with him insisting to share the chores but nocooking for V

📷 problem is, you can’t really cook

📷 you can do the basics, but one grows tired of noodles and potatoesrather soon

📷 so, for the past couple of months you always went to a restaurant,ordered something and put that on the table

📷 however you recently realized that with him no longer being able tophotograph, money might end up short

📷 meaning; you have to learn to cook

📷 with a new kind of determination you’d made your way to the kitchenthat one fateful day

📷 it took you hours to finally manage something that resembledfood

📷 however while it might have looked like food, it certainlydidn’t smell like it

📷 you really didn’t want to know how something that stunk that bad musthave tasted like

📷 so you tossed the entire thing away and joined V on the coach,leaning against him

📷 you could hear him sniff the air and froze, cheeks heating, eyes wide

📷 “What is that smell?”

📷 he actually tried to bepolite about it, bless his soul

📷 “I eh…I tried to cook.”

📷 “I take it it didn’tgo well”, he said, voice gentle with an understanding smileto match it

📷 you sighed and answered truthfully, also explaining why you tried inthe first place

📷 “Well, I got a position as a lecturer thanks to Jumin’s andRFA’s connections so you won’t have to worry about that, sweetheart”,he replied, pressing a kiss to your temple.

📷 “Be you, flawsand all. You’re perfect, just the way you are.”

|| REQUEST ARE (ALWAYS) OPEN!! ||

[salted-barbed-wire]

Hitting the Mat

Ok part 9. I hope you all are prepared for it! Better go read this then take a cold shower.

WARNING: SMUTTY CONTENT AHEAD!!! DADDY KINKS, SPANKING, ROUGH SEX, SHOWER SEX 

You get it right? Enjoy!

Here is my Masterlist Part 7 & Part 8.

You sat there next to Mox in Zandig’s office trying not to twiddle your thumbs as you waited for the explosion. Mox’s hand slid to your’s resting on your knee and squeezed it. You turned and smiled at him. We go down together. Zandig was holding his head, leaning on the desk. “Alright,” He said finally. “I told you that I wanted a scripted match, one done as a routine that I would approve of and you both would follow step for step in the ring. It was going to be short, sweet, and to the point. (Y/N) was supposed to win. Now how much of that did you actually follow?” “Well boss man-” “Shut up, Moxley.” Zandig rubbed his eyes then looked at the both of you. “It seems that you’ve both worked out whatever was going on.” You nodded. “But I almost had to sacrifice my show to get it that way.” He sighed. “I don’t know what I expected. It’s just now, how do I get you two to top that in your own story lines?” “You mean, we’re not fired?” You asked quietly. “Hell no!” John Zandig stood, “Did you not hear the crowd out there? They loved it! I loved it! You both are talented! I’m sure the recording of it will be passed around for decades to come. I truly am very proud of both of you.” “Aw,” Jon finally said next to me, “You’re making me blush, boss.” “Thank you very much,” You said quickly. “I really do appreciate the opportunity.” “Yeah, yeah,” the boss walked around to the door and held it open for you both. “Now you two get out of here. I’ll be coming up with something for you both to do this coming week.” You and Jon stepped out of the office and silently walked to the parking lot next to each other. Neither of you had said a word to each other since the match had ended. Honestly, what could you say? Maybe I should finally just tell him that I love him too? Or invite him over to watch a movie? You’re cheeks blushed red thinking of what could happen if you had Jon alone in your apartment right now. “You’re blushing.” He said giving you a smirk. You blinked the thoughts out of your mind, “Just thinking about what Zandig said about being proud of us.” “Hmmm. Feels good, don’t it?” “It’s a relief to not get canned. But that match was awesome. Thanks for doing it with me, Mox.”  “Babe, I’ll do it with you anytime.” He winked. “Oh, we’re back to this again, huh?” You teased nudging him with your elbow. “Only if you’ll have me.” “Welllll...” You smiled pretending to consider it. “How about if I take you out for some ice cream and french fries?” Jon said wrapping an arm around you. “Or even for a drink? Would that persuade you?” “Are you buying?” “The gentleman always buys.” “Oh, you’re a gentleman now? Could’ve fooled me.” You grinned. Moxley squeezed your shoulder. His boyish grin was too much. “Alright,” You finally said. “Just let me go get a change of clothes first. Do you want to come pick me up from the apartment?” “Sure, I’ll meet you in about 45 minutes.”

There was a knock at the door 45 minutes after you had parted ways with Mox. Unfortunately, you hadn’t finished getting dressed, but you couldn’t just leave him standing at the door! So, you answered the door as you threw a tank top over your naked torso, you weren’t really wearing pants. So there you were, letting Jon Moxley into your apartment, wearing nothing but a bra, a spaghetti strapped tank top, and panties. Throwing the door open, you ushered him in. “Come on in, I’m almost done.” Mox stood in the door way, his eyes were dark and his jaw was clenched. “Darlin’...” He started to say. You bit your lip, “Jon, someone is going to see me standing here. I really don’t know if I want my neighbors peeking in on us in this situation right.” Jon shook his head then took a step inside. His eyes never left you as you manuvered around him to shut the door. "I’ll be right back.” You said after you threw the lock. Mox just stared at you with a hungry stare that made your panties begin to feel wet. Go put some clothes on! You screamed at yourself internally. You walked down the hall as quick as you could and started looking in your closet for clothes to wear. You didn’t even hear Moxley walk in the room, you didn’t hear him stand right behind you. Not until you turned and walked straight into his chest. You gasped. “Oh my God! You scared me!” Clenching your chest, you looked up at Moxley. His baby blues had turned stormy. Your free hand was spread across his chest. You could feel his heat from him. He’s so warm. Biting your lip, you looked away from him. “You’re torturing me.” He whispered. His hand covered your’s that laid against his chest. He brushed your cheek, searching your eyes. “Jon..” You whispered.  “Yes, baby?” “I love you.” Moxley’s mouth came crashing down onto your’s. Your whole body shivered under his warmth, and your eyes rolled back. His tongue explored your mouth, one hand was placed on the small of your back, pushing you closer to him. The other was tangled in your hair. You arms wrapped around his strong shoulders. There was too much space between the two of you. You only wanted to get closer, even with your bodies pressed against each other so closely. Mox pulled away from your lips and kissed your jaw line, making his way to your neck. The sensation tingled all over your body. “I want to stay home with you tonight,” You whispered in his ear. He looked at you, “That’s a dangerous thing. Are you sure?” You nodded. His lips met your’s again. He lifted your weight up and you wrapped your legs around his torso. Mox gripped your ass as he carried you to the bed. He nearly threw you down on the mattress, hovering over you. “I’ll try to be gentle.” He whispered, kissing your neck. His teeth would graze your skin causing your body to tingle and you to melt. You took his head in your hands and forced him to look in your eyes. “For the love of God, please don’t” A smirk was all you saw before he grabbed your wrists and pressed them into the mattress above your head. His kisses were rougher, his tongue was more forceful. You could feel something hard from behind his jeans pressing into your thigh. His grip on your wrists tightened as you bit his lip. Your body ached for him to be inside of you. He released your arms and sat back so he could pull his shirt off and began undoing his belt. You reached down and pulled your shirt off over your head and reached about to remove your bra. Moxley watched you. His hands moved to your body, giving you goosebumps. He fingers teased your right nipple, making it perk up. He leaned down and wrapped his lips around it.  A moan escaped your throat. His tongue licked, his teeth nibble and his lips suckled. All the sensations were making your head spin. He moved to the left, and repeated the process. You were soaking wet. “Come here,” He pulled you up to a sitting position. Jon dropped his pants and stood in front of the bed. You knew what he wanted. You dropped to your knees in front of him and took a hold of his throbbing cock. His eyes rolled back and a groan escaped his throat. You licked the head then drug your tongue along his whole shaft.  “Oh, (Y/N).” He whispered. You took him into your mouth. Pump him in and out. Your head bobbing up and down. Slowly at first, then faster and faster. He was by no means average, you had to use your hand as an extension so you wouldn’t tire out quickly. His hips starting moving along with your head, he couldn’t control himself. You let go of him with your hand as he grabbed you by the hair and thrust his cock into your mouth. “Let me see how much you can take.” He growled as he touched the back of your throat with the tip of his dick. You began to choke when he got too far and he let go. You went back to work doing what you had done before. The taste of Jon’s precum was in your mouth. His moans were getting louder. You felt his dick pulsating in your mouth. “Fuck” He hissed as he released his load into your mouth.  You swallowed it down. He watched, still groaning, as you licked his dick, cleaning him up. “Go lay down.” He commanded. Doing as you were told, you stood and went to lay on the bed. You bent down to pick the pillows up and lay them on the floor when Mox came up behind you. One of his hands pushed you down to bend lower, the other grabbed your hair and pulled your head up. He stood behind you. “Fuck, (Y/N).” He hissed again, moving his hand from your back to your ass. “You have the sweetest ass I have ever seen.” And with that he spanked you, hard. You let out a yelp, then a moan. “You like that?” He growled. Slapping your ass again. You nodded as you groaned. His grip tightened on your hair. “I’ll have to get you in this position again. For now, I need you to lay down.” He released you and you quickly laid down on the bed. Moxley knelt between your legs, his hands ran up your thighs, feeling your skin, then hooked onto your panties. He pulled them down past your legs. “Such a pretty pussy, you beautiful girl.” He licked his fingers, then inserted two into you. You moaned. “Already so wet, baby?” He asked. Your eyes rolled back as his fingers pumped in and out. Suddenly, he lowered his mouth down to your slit. Mox flicked your clit with his tongue, again and again. “Fuck, Jon.” You whispered. His fingers continued to move inside of you as his tongue tortured your clit. Every now and then he’d moan a little and the vibrations would almost send you into a frenzy as it tickled your sensitive little bud.  You felt yourself getting closer as his fingers rolled over your g spot. As you drew closer, your back began to arch. Mox wrapped his arm over your hips, holding you down forcefully. You cried out as the orgasm washed over you. Mox released you. You were out of breath from your orgasm and the room was spinning when you felt the tip of his cock pressed against your entrance. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.” He whispered. A loud moan escaped your throat, you needed him inside of you. “Will you just shut up and fuck me?” You growled at him. He shoved his cock into you, giving you no time to adjust. “Don’t talk to me like that,” He growled back. “Or daddy will really give you a spankin’” You bit your lip as he pounded you. The bed squeaked under the force. “Still don’t want me to do this gently?” He whispered in your ear. “God! No! Fuck me, Mox!” you nearly screamed. He grabbed your left leg and threw it over your shoulder, allowing him to get deeper. You head spun, Mox nibbled on your neck. You were getting so close, so quickly. You couldn’t help but dig your nails into the flesh of his back as he pounded you into the mattress.  Your second orgasm hit you like a freight train and you screamed at your release. You walls squeezed Jon’s massive cock. He wasted not time, flipping you over while your head was still spinning. You laid on your stomach, feeling a little like a rag doll, when Jon grabbed your hips pulling you onto your hands and knees. His hand smacked your ass. “Fuck.” You hissed. His two fingers rubbed along your pussy. “You want some more, baby?” “Yes,” You whimpered. “Yes, what?” Mox growled. “Yes, daddy. Please, fuck me more.” He pushed himself back into you. The feeling of him back inside of you was enough to make your world spin. Mox dug his finger tips into your hips. It hurt and you knew it would leave bruises but you didn’t care. The pain brought you closer to the edge. SMACK. You felt his hand swat your backside again, causing your wall to clench his cock. SMACK You moaned. His dick was rubbing your g spot, bringing you closer and closer. Mox gripped your hair and pulled. SMACK The pain on your ass, your hair gripped tightly, Mox’s cock thrusting inside of you, it sent you over the edge into a third and crushing orgasm. Mox picked up the pace. “Fuck,” he growled. “I’m so close.” You felt yourself squeezing him harder from your last orgasm and he unloaded his second load of cum into your pussy. You both plopped down on the bed, out of breath. You laid there for a minute to allow the room to stop spinning. You could feel Mox’s cum inside of you. It was warm and sticky. You hopped up to run to the bathroom to clean up and returned with a glass of water for Jon. He smiled as you pranced into the room still naked. “You’re beautiful, you know that?” He sat up to take a drink. “Oh shut up.” You rolled your eye and curled up under the blankets next to him. He sighed and pulled your naked body closer to his strong, warm chest, “ That was fantastic.” “Yeah, good thing Linda wasn’t home.” He chuckled, then was quiet. “Hey, (Y/N)?” “Yes, Jon?” “I don’t have to leave tonight, do I?” “Please don’t.” You snuggled deeper into him. “Yes ma’am!” He squeezed you tighter again. You both drifted off while Mox rubbed the small of your back with the tips of his fingers.

You awoke the next morning. The sun was coming in your window making you blink. Sitting up, you looked at the scruffy, snoring, heap that laid next to you. Jon Moxley, still naked in your bed, was fast asleep. His blonde hair all ruffled, face smashed into the pillow, sheets wrapped around his legs. He’s so cute. You smiled. Quietly, you leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Maybe I can shower and make him breakfast before he wakes up. You did your best not to wake him up as you got out from under the covers and tip toed across the hall to the bathroom. You started the water and looked in the mirror. “Holy fuck!” You said a little too loud.  Your neck was covered with little love bites, there were bruises from Mox’s fingers on your hips and your wrists. You bit your lip. How do I explain this to anyone that asks? You wondered, blushing as you thought of all the things Linda or Sami would say. The steam from the shower gave you goosebumps as you slid the door open to hop in. The hot water poured down your skin, relieving your aching muscles. You stood under the shower head, playing through the events that had taken place the night before. Jon’s lips, his hands, his cock. You bit your lip. He was so good. Suddenly, the shower door flung open and you screamed at a smirking, naked, and erect Jon Moxley. “You didn’t wait for me?” He asked peering over you. “You scared the crap out of me!” You smacked his shoulder after he climbed in next to you and was shutting the door. “I was going to shower and make you breakfast. But you just won’t let me surprise you.” You teased. “I’ll help you make breakfast.” He suggested. “I supposed you’re going to help me shower too?” Mox’s grin got bigger, “I don’t know how clean you’re going to get when I’m in here with you. I just want to get dirty.” “Mox..” You started but just before you could finish he picked you up and pressed you against the wall of the shower, his lips connected with your’s. You legs wrapped around his waist and the tip of his erection was so close to your entrance.  You pulled away from him as he attacked your neck. More hickies. “Mox, you didn’t get enough last night?” You tried to joke. “What’s a matter, Omaha? Never fucked in the shower before?” He growled. “Umm..” “Just go with it. I’ll be careful not to drop you.” His hand slipped under your ass gripping you, the other moved to your breast. He twisted and teased your nipple, you moaned in response. “If your back starts to hurt,” he whispered, “Tell me and I’ll try a different position. I don’t want you to be out of work due to a back injury from me fucking you too hard.” You nodded, with that, he slid himself into you. A moan escaped both of your mouths at the same time. “Fuck, (Y/N). You’re so tight.” The water poured down on to the both of you as Mox’s hips began thrusting into you. You could feel your lower back being pressed into the cool, hard shower wall. It did kind of sting but the feeling of him inside of you made up for it. He thrust harder and harder into your pussy, edging you closer. His hand moved from your breast to you butt to help hold you up. He rolled over your g spot and you screamed as the water pour over your face.  “Mox, this is starting to hurt.” You moaned in between his movement. Carefully, he let you down. Your legs were like spaghetti noodles. You dropped to your knees. “Shit! Omaha, be careful of your..” his words trailed off as you took his member into your mouth. “Fuck” He hissed. You sucked him, moving your head up and down. Your tongue flicking the head of his cock every time you came up to the top of the shaft. Mox’s hand pushed on the back of your head helping you along. You took your tongue and drug it along the length of him. “Get up here, beautiful.” He whispered to you. You stood. He gave you a quick, deep kiss, then spun you around. He placed one hand on your shoulders and one hand on the small of your back, pushing you into a bent over position. You rested your hands onto the edge of the tub and pushed your butt up to be even with his dick.  “You have the sweetest ass I’ve ever seen.” He growled. Mox slammed into you, knocking the wind out of your lungs. His hipbones slammed against your rear end.  “Oh my God, Jon!” You moaned as the water beat against your back. “You’re so deep. Deep was an understatement. Jon’s rhthym quickened, the thrusting became sloppy. You could feel him getting close, the thought of him enjoying this brought you near the edge. SMACK Mox drug his hand against your ass again making you cry out. His fingers dug into your hips again. “I’m so close! Come for me, love!” He groaned. You cried out as he hit that sweet spot and your walls clenched around him. Jon release came right after your’s. You stood up, even more sore, and leaned your back on his chest. “I could get use to this.” You whispered out of breath.  He chuckled and kissed your shoulder.

After washing up and drying off the both of you got out of the shower and got ready to make breakfast. Jon insisted on helping you. He pulled out the eggs, grabbed a few bell peppers and made omelettes. You started working quickly to make chocolate chip muffins. When it was all said and done, you both sat down on the couch and dug in.  “Oh my God, Jon. These omelettes are amazing.” You said with a mouthful. “Thanks. My own recipe.” He smiled. “You’re muffin is tasty, too. So is this.” He winked holding up the chocolate chip baked good. You nudged him. “You’re such a dork.” He leaned over and kissed you. “I want to be your dork.” “Then be mine and I’ll be your’s” Mox’s blue eyes lit up. “Really?” “Well, if I had known I was going to fall asleep like that and wake up to this every morning, I would have let you take me sooner.” Mox nearly spit out his coffee. “Omaha! You’d have denied me the thrill of the chase?” “No.” You laughed. “You probably still would’ve had to work for it.” You quickly finished your breakfast. “Come on, Mox. Let’s hit the gym and work off this breakfast.” “But babe! We worked it off last night and this morning!”

[p-artsypants]

320 State Street (17)- December 10, 2016

Previous

FF.net | AO3

Before we get into the chapter, I want to talk to you as a human.

As a writer and an artist, my job and my livelihood is to put my heart out on a platter (or the Internet) and wait for the knife. And for some reason, I like this arrangement. I love writing FanFiction, I love the whole process. And if you follow me, you’ll notice I’ve been reaching out into other fandoms to exercise. This story is so rich and complexed, and I still love it, but there was a disconnect whenever I tried to work on it. Then my mentor sent me this nugget of wisdom from David Foster Wallace. For anyone that wants to be a writer, I hope you read it.

“In the beginning, when you first start out trying to write fiction, the whole endeavor’s about fun. You don’t expect anybody else to read it. You’re writing almost wholly to get yourself off. To enable your own fantasies and deviant logics and to escape or transform parts of yourself you don’t like. And it works – and it’s terrific fun. Then, if you have good luck and people seem to like what you do, and you actually start to get paid for it, and get to see your stuff professionally typeset and bound and blurbed and reviewed and even (once) being read on the a.m. subway by a pretty girl you don’t even know it seems to make it even more fun. For a while. Then things start to get complicated and confusing, not to mention scary. Now you feel like you’re writing for other people, or at least you hope so. You’re no longer writing just to get yourself off, which — since any kind of masturbation is lonely and hollow — is probably good. But what replaces the onanistic motive? You’ve found you very much enjoy having your writing liked by people, and you find you’re extremely keen to have people like the new stuff you’re doing. The motive of pure personal starts to get supplanted by the motive of being liked, of having pretty people you don’t know like you and admire you and think you’re a good writer. Onanism gives way to attempted seduction, as a motive. Now, attempted seduction is hard work, and its fun is offset by a terrible fear of rejection. Whatever “ego” means, your ego has now gotten into the game. Or maybe “vanity” is a better word. Because you notice that a good deal of your writing has now become basically showing off, trying to get people to think you’re good. This is understandable. You have a great deal of yourself on the line, writing — your vanity is at stake. You discover a tricky thing about fiction writing; a certain amount of vanity is necessary to be able to do it all, but any vanity above that certain amount is lethal.

At some point you find that 90% of the stuff you’re writing is motivated and informed by an overwhelming need to be liked. This results in shitty fiction. And the shitty work must get fed to the wastebasket, less because of any sort of artistic integrity than simply because shitty work will cause you to be disliked. At this point in the evolution of writerly fun, the very thing that’s always motivated you to write is now also what’s motivating you to feed your writing to the wastebasket. This is a paradox and a kind of double-bind, and it can keep you stuck inside yourself for months or even years, during which period you wail and gnash and rue your bad luck and wonder bitterly where all the fun of the thing could have gone.

The smart thing to say, I think, is that the way out of this bind is to work your way somehow back to your original motivation — fun. And, if you can find your way back to fun, you will find that the hideously unfortunate double-bind of the late vain period turns out really to have been good luck for you. Because the fun you work back to has been transfigured by the extreme unpleasantness of vanity and fear, an unpleasantness you’re now so anxious to avoid that the fun you rediscover is a way fuller and more large-hearted kind of fun. It has something to do with Work as Play. Or with the discovery that disciplined fun is more than impulsive or hedonistic fun. Or with figuring out that not all paradoxes have to be paralyzing. Under fun’s new administration, writing fiction becomes a way to go deep inside yourself and illuminate precisely the stuff you don’t want to see or let anyone else see, and this stuff usually turns out (paradoxically) to be precisely the stuff all writers and readers everywhere share and respond to, feel. Fiction becomes a weird way to countenance yourself and to tell the truth instead of being a way to escape yourself or present yourself in a way you figure you will be maximally likable. This process is complicated and confusing and scary, and also hard work, but it turns out to be the best fun there is.

The fact that you can now sustain the fun of writing only by confronting the very same unfun parts of yourself you’d first used writing to avoid or disguise is another paradox, but this one isn’t any kind of bind at all. What it is is a gift, a kind of miracle, and compared to it the rewards of strangers’ affection is as dust, lint.”

—

“It’s snowing!” Tuff screamed at the top of his lungs.

“About time,” stated Astrid, from the counter. “It hasn’t snowed properly since thanksgiving.”

“I say, we go dune sledding on Sunday.” Tuff proposed. “Or, we could hook up the sled to my four-wheeler and ride around in the field behind my house. What do you guys say?”

Hiccup, who was now a mere shadow of his former shelf, smiled slightly. “Um, you know, that could be fun. What do you think Astrid?”

Hiccup always asked her permission to have fun these days. Because he felt like he didn’t deserve it himself. Which was a retched way to live. And she told him as much. Still, the look of guilt never washed away from his face. “I think that sounds like a great idea.” She smiled back.

“Awesome! I’ll make sure to get the sleds. I’ll text ya later with the details.”

Astrid was unbelievably grateful that it was winter and their friends were mostly oblivious. She didn’t need anyone asking about why she and Hiccup had lost so much weight, or why Hiccup was always exhausted. The obvious answer is that he couldn’t sleep. The more complicated answer was that the lie was literally swallowing him whole.

Jail or not, she couldn’t take it anymore.

On the way home, both were quiet, before Astrid finally spoke. “We should tell Heather.”

The car swerved slightly. Astrid couldn’t tell if it was black ice, or shock. “What?”

“We can’t keep going on like this. We have to tell someone. If anyone, it should be Heather. She would understand the best.”

Hiccup’s eyes never left the road, but she could see how fiercely he held the steering wheel. “I…” He began. “I understand.”

“I think you’ll feel better.”

“Will you?”

She pursed her lips. “Yeah.”

“Okay. I’ll call her when we get home, and invite her over.”

Astrid nodded, tension leaving her shoulders.

—

True to his word, as soon as Hiccup pulled into the garage, he took out his phone and called Heather.

“Hey Hiccup,” she responded on the other end of the line.

“Hey Heather…” He hesitated.

“Is something wrong?”

“Um…sort of. Are you busy tonight?”

“Tonight, no. I get out of work in an hour. Why?”

“I was just wondering…if you would be willing to come over? Astrid and I want to talk to you about something. It’s…about Scott.”

Heather was silent.

Astrid leaned in close to listen.  

Finally she responded. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that too. I’ll come over after work. See you then.”

Hiccup released a sigh. “Okay, see you then.”

He hung up the phone and sat in his chair for a moment, unwilling to move. “It begins.”

“Yeah.”

“Astrid.”

“Hiccup?”

“I love you, always.”

“As do I.” She smiled back in return.

The duo walked inside, to see Valka working on dinner. “Hello my darling children!” She responded with mirth.

“Hi mom,” they responded in unison.

“I’m making spaghetti for dinner. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” smiled Hiccup. “Um, Heather is coming over in like an hour. So, can you make a little extra?”

“Of course! Anyone is welcome at our table. Any particular reason for the visit?”

Hiccup looked away. “I just thought it would be a nice gesture.”

Valka, as a mother, knew immediately when her son was lying. But for once, she decided not to push it. “It’s nice of you. She must be lonely.”

“Yeah…” added Astrid. “Lonely…”

The kids withdrew to Hiccup’s room, to plan what they were going to say when Heather arrived.

All the while, Valka speculated.

—

An hour later, Stoick returned home from work. A few minutes after that, Heather arrived, all full of smiles. Truth be told, when Hiccup invited her over, she was ecstatic to come. There was never a warmer house then the Haddocks. Hiccup and Astrid greeted her with hugs. While Hiccup held her, he whispered. “We’ll talk after dinner.”

She nodded against him.

Valka’s spaghetti was…interesting, to say the least. Astrid had gotten used to the woman’s cooking. Not to say it was bad, it was better than her own mother’s…but it was always…interesting. She always tried to improve on something, as the case this evening when she added cinnamon to the sauce.

Heather ate it without complaint, just thankful to be eating with company.

Hiccup, despite being hungry as he always was, just pushed a meatball around on his plate. What was the point if he was just going to throw it up later?

“Why Hiccup, is something wrong? You’ve barely touched your food.” Valka asked, motherly concern radiating from her. “Yeah Hiccup,” Scott spoke from the empty seat at the end of the table. “Is there something wrong?”

Hiccup glanced up from his plate to make eye contact with the apparition. This had been happening for about a week now, and Hiccup was close to his breaking point. Yet, he would not respond to the ghost, since it was only an illusion of his own sleep deprived mind. He only glared at it.

“I’m fine, just not very hungry.” He responded to his mother, politely.

“You haven’t been hungry for a while now. Are you feeling well?”

Scott spoke again, “I’m kind of hungry, not very thirsty though. I’ve got all the water I could ever want.”

“It must be a bug,” Hiccup answered, interrupting. He hadn’t mentioned these ghastly visits to Astrid, or anyone for that matter.

“Must be nice,” Scott went on. “Being warm, and eating. Speaking. Having a nice family…and here you are, eating diner with my wife and my girlfriend. You just won’t be content until you take everything from me, will you?”

“They weren’t yours to begin with…” Hiccup muttered under his breath.

“Did you say something?” Asked Astrid.

“Uh, no, just making a mental note to myself.” “Gotcha.”

Scott called out, getting his attention. “Do you want me to leave? Am I bothering you?”

Hiccup didn’t respond.

Another conversation was happening between his parents and Heather, but Hiccup was just trying to tune all sounds out. But it was Scott’s grating voice that pierced through everything.

“Oh go on Hiccup, go ahead and tell everyone what’s bothering you. After all, you’ve got nothing to feel guilty about. Right? Right?”

If looks could kill. Hiccup glared down the table at the beast that tormented his awaking life. He nearly bit his own tongue in frustration.

“I know what you’re thinking. Rational thought is trying it’s best to take over and get me to leave. How dare I bother you after all I did? Pretty hypocritical, huh? Because of course, I didn’t feel bad about cheating on Heather with Astrid. I didn’t feel bad about attacking you in the dead of night. So why should you feel bad about dumping my body in the lake? Is it that you feel so impure, Mr. High and Mighty? You feel like you have crashed down to earth from your lofty place of perfection?”

“I’m far from perfect.” Hiccup thought to himself.

This thought made Scott go silent, and when Hiccup raised his tired eyes from his cold spaghetti, the ghost was gone.

Hiccup breathed a sigh of relief.

—

After dinner, Hiccup, Astrid and Heather retired to the basement. All was quiet as Hiccup made sure the door was closed and that Stoick and Valka were engrossed in a Christmas movie upstairs.

When Hiccup finally came and sat on the couch next to Astrid, Heather could see the mounting pressure in his shoulders. He simply swallowed and rubbed his legs in a nervous tick.

“So…” Heather began. “About Scott…”

“Yeah,” added Astrid.

“Before you say what you have to say, I…wanted to talk to you guys about something that’s been bothering me.”

“O-Oh?”

“Yeah…the police said it was a suicide…but I know Scott. He…” She hummed in thought, and took out her phone. “He sent me a message the day he went missing, it said, ‘Heather i know you’ll probably never forgive me and i understand. Just wanted you to know that im sorry for being the worst. ill be out of your way soon.’”

Hiccup and Astrid just listened.

“The thing is…Scott and I weren’t on friendly terms at the time. We were both extremely mad at each other. And he’s the kind of person to hold onto a grudge. He was…arrogant. He wouldn’t apologize…and he wouldn’t commit suicide.” She shook her head. “It just…I think…it might have been foul play.” She sighed. “I mean, I don’t have any evidence to support it, but he and David did piss off a lot of people. But it just feels…off. You know?”

Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other, before nodding.

“Back in November,” Hiccup began. “After Astrid’s father passed away, I invited her to come with me to Africa, and offered her the basement suite so she could save her rent money.”

Heather crossed her legs. “I remember.”

“So,” Astrid continued. “We went to my house and began packing up my stuff…and Scott showed up.”

A clear dread came over Heather’s face as the situation dawned on her.

Hiccup continued, “I was sitting in the kitchen, taking a break, when Scott spotted me and attacked me. And…we fought. Astrid tackled him and got him off of me, but then I tackled him back. It was all kind of a blur.”

When he hesitated, Astrid continued. “Scott had tried to strangle me, and then went in to strangle Hiccup. I heard him shout, ‘I hate you’ and that he was going to kill him. So I grabbed a skillet and hit him in the head to knock him out.” She rubbed her arm uncomfortably, and closed her eyes in shame. “Only afterwards, there was a bunch of blood coming from his head and he…I killed him.”

Heather was wide-eyed and slack-jawed. But didn’t say anything else. Hiccup took over, “since his dad is a judge, I…I convinced Astrid not to call the police and I went and hid the body.”

“Where?” Heather voiced.

“I took Eret’s boat out on the lake, and dumped him way out there.”

Heather leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees while her folded hands covered her mouth.

“I’m sorry we dropped this on you,” Hiccup said, “I just thought…we thought you should know.”

“Thank you.” She said finally. “I know it was an accident, but…I honestly thought that Scott dying was the only way I was going to get peace from him.”

“Was it that bad?” Hiccup asked with a cringe.

“He was calling me at home and work with threatening messages. He messaged my friends and family to turn them against me…it was just a nightmare. So…thank you. Thank you so much.” She dissolved into tears.

Hiccup and Astrid both came around her and hugged her tightly.

“And it sounds so horrible to be thanking you for something like that, but I never thought I’d have peace of mind ever again!” She wiped her cheeks. “And his life insurance policy was still awarded to me…it wasn’t much, but I paid off our mortgage, and that’s something I don’t have to worry about anymore…” She shook her head, sniffling. “I feel like the maiden trapped in the tower and you two are the knights that slew the dragon keeping me hostage.” She broke out of their hug, her head clearing. “But I still don’t understand why you felt the need to hide the body.”

“Soren Jorgenson is a very powerful man.”

“Right, but the penalty for hiding the body is higher than manslaughter.”

“It is?”

“Yeah…” she thought, “I’d have to look it up, but I think it’s around five years. It’s one of those things I vaguely remember from my criminal justice course.”

Hiccup blanched, a frown coming over his face.

“Well, I won’t tell anyone.” Heather assured, collecting herself. “This was an accident. And I know you. Both of you are kind and gentle spirits that want nothing but the best for mankind. But if I may…Hiccup, I still think you should tell your dad. If just for closure.”

Hiccup was quiet, thinking.

“Are you sure you’re…okay with this?” Astrid prodded.

“I don’t know…” Heather shrugged with a mirthless laugh. “I think I’m in shock!” She shook her head. “You two covered up a murder, but of a truly evil man. I just…who am I to judge? I won’t say anything, since this…isn’t my problem anymore.” That final sentence was said with freedom, and peace. “He’s gone.”

“Bitch, I might be.” Scott spoke from the corner of the room. “And you’re happy about it? Your husband died, bitch. Maybe if Astrid hadn’t killed me first, you would have, huh?”

Hiccup frowned heavily in his direction, full of contempt.  

“What? I’m just saying what you’re thinking, Hiccup.” He smirked, “because, as you often remind yourself, I’m just a figment of your imagination.”

Astrid took a deep breath, and managed to smile. “I feel…relieved.” She told Heather, honestly. “It feels good to talk about it, and let it out. You know? And knowing that you…don’t hate us…it’s just…nice.”

“But you don’t feel any better, do you Hiccup?” Scott was sitting on the coffee table in front of him. “This didn’t help at all, did it?”

Hiccup closed his eyes and rubbed a hand down his face in exhaustion. Scott’s voice just seemed to suck the life out of him. He peered over to Astrid and Heather who were now talking animatedly, with smiles on their faces. The bags under Astrid’s eyes seemed to stick out to him. If this talk made her feel better, then it was all worth it.

—

It had been two days since Hiccup got any concrete sleep, and tonight was no exception. At around 4 am, he stood in the kitchen waiting for Toothless to finish a steak.

In the dim light, the only sound was the quiet smacking of Toothless’ jaws and the quiet hum of the refrigerator. Hiccup leaned against the counter, the cold granite chilling his arms. Outside, the world looked like a snow globe, and all was calm.

But within Hiccup, the guilt continued to swirl like an endless sea.

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take, bud.”

“You don’t know how much more you can take? You don’t even know!” A sickly voice came from behind him.

“Oh, would you just give it a rest?” Hiccup responded, not bothering to turn around.

“I can’t sleep, Cousin. The current just keeps spinning and spinning me. I’m so tired…”

Hiccup glanced back only to gasp in horror.

The ghost behind him appeared as a bloated, rotting corpse. Bones exposed were the flesh had been torn by fish and sharp rocks. As he spoke, filthy black water dripped from his mouth and eyes and pooled on the floor.

Hiccup backed up against the counter, wanting to run, but frozen in place.

“How could you do this to me? To your own family? What about my mother? Does she know my restless spirit is trapped in the lake? Does she know I never found peace?”

“Stop. You’re not here.” Hiccup clenched his eyes shut. “This isn’t real.”

“I died before my time, Hiccup. I still had so much to live for…I still could have turned my life around.”

“It’s just an illusion.” He whispered.

Liquid touched his bare feet and his eyes shot open, only to see the floor covered in the inky water that still poured from Scott. Hiccup hopped up to the counter, only for the fluid to pull him back down like tar.

“Don’t fight it, Hiccup. This is your guilt, and there’s no way to escape it.”

“Leave me alone!” He shouted.

The liquid bubbled up, crawling up his legs.

“I will forever be your companion, tormenting your dreams and filling every hour of your day.” The apparition stepped closer, easily wading through the gunk that flooded the room. The appearance wasn’t like Scott anymore, and the voice sounded different, but still familiar. “You’ll never be free.”

“Shut up! Leave me alone!” He was now screaming, blind to the rest of the world.

“I’ll never leave you alone.” The ghost said, grabbing his face tenderly. The black liquid dripped out of it’s eye socket to reveal familiar steely green eyes. “Because I am you.”

Hiccup went to scream, but the bony hand closed around his throat. Only strangled noises escaped. He cried for help.

“I’m everything that you hate about yourself. I’m the evil within you. The sin that overwhelms you in your weakest moments.”

Hiccup clawed at the hand holding him, tears leaking from his eyes. “Let…me go…”

“As long as you hold this secret, you will drown.”

Distantly, he heard his father cry out for him. “Hiccup?! What’s wrong?!”

“What will it be? Jail?”

“Hiccup! Say something!” Astrid called.

“Or death?”

Hiccup took a shuttering breath, breaking through the horrors of his own mind. “I killed him! I killed Scott!”

Everything that had been haunting him disappeared, and he stood in the kitchen again, his legs trembling and his body drenched in sweat. His family surrounded him.

“What did you say?”