#Only the Brave Trailers
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crimeronan · 5 months ago
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the VAST MAJORITY of teenage girls are actually very nice and doing their best and even when they ARE mean, it's typically because of the stress of going through an incredibly transformational developmental period while having 6833487 responsibilities and no basic human rights. like now that i'm nearing 30 i have a great deal more love and understanding about this than i did as a kid, you will Never catch me dragging/demonizing teen girls for buying into harmful tiktok and instagram trends or whatever. They Are Doing Their Best .
with that said.
it WAS pretty funny going thru adolescence in the late aughts / early 10s when the most mainstream teen music was demi lovato's "who says i can't wear my converse with my dress" stuff.
because EVERY girl who was ever mean to me LOVED that "i'm a brave trendsetting individual who can Be Myself even if other people Don't Understand Me" pop music....
....while also being like "oh, that girl is CREEPY. don't you know she listens to METAL. and is UGLY. and doesn't TRY TO LOOK PRETTY. and is WEIRD. and UGLY. and SHE LISTENS TO METAL...."
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oveliagirlhaditright · 1 year ago
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I just watched "Raya the Last Dragon" for the first time, which is another wonderful movie. And man, am I sad that so many people didn't get to see it because it was overshadowed by Covid:(
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animationismycomfort · 1 year ago
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bruh being born in the 2000s is so weird cause I grew up with one tmnt show was around when another came out and ended and I’m now around for another new release
#then again I was also around for the 2 3 and the second show for#httyd#damn I feel old now that I remember when just the old series the first movie and the specials/shorts existed#my stuffy stuff#I feel old#realizing I was around for a lot of movies that came out#y’all I remember when the peabody and Sherman movie came out#like I saw in theaters!#IN 3D#guys I was around when the lego movie came out#I was around when Madagascar and brave were in theaters#I was around when trailers and McDonald’s toys for tbol was coming out#I was around when Christmas movies would come on tv for the holiday(do they still do that or nah)#I was around and saw monsters university on tv and on a burnt disc#I was around when only rise of the plane of the apes existed#I was around when the god damn first Jurassic world movie came out in theaters#I was around when my brother started buying all the transformers movies everytime a new one came out#I was around when a lot of the laika movies came out#im pretty sure I saw boxtrolls in theaters#I was around when over the garden wall was new#I was also around when sonic boom was on tv#I was around when scooby doo curse of the lake monster was on tv#(​im pretty sure is was on tv at the time or maybe it was on a network….but either way)#I was around when a lot of CN shows(that have now ended)first started#guys….y’all don’t understand how old this makes me feel#like I know it’s not that big of a difference or deal to some but like….#damn time sure flies and I hate it#THE PROBLEM IS IM NOT EVEN OLD
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gryficowa · 6 months ago
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I came to mention that Marvel is owned by Disney and Disney supported Israel, so we are boycotting Disney
I'm giving you an additional reason to boycott (And I'm angry that Pixar's movie about emotions, the continuation of the previous movie, was a success, even a bomb, which means that Disney got the money)
So in short, Marvel belongs to Disney, and Disney supported Israel financially and even bragged about it, so if you type "Disney support Israel" on the Internet, you will see his message and how he brags about it)
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So fuck Disney, not for "Woke", but for supporting Israel, for censoring the creators, for recording in the area next to labor camps during the filming of "Mulan", fuck him for everything
TOH proved that diversity is not Disney's problem and right-wing conservatives call it "Woke" I give depth to the characters, the problem is queerbaiting and paying for anti-LGBT+ organizations
Disney is a disgusting capitalist company that only thinks about making money (Pocahontas and how much they romanticized white crimes and antagonized the tribe because they are angry and aggressive towards innocent white colonizers… And this romance, which is problematic, because it was based on a book by a man who distorted the facts and the real Pocahontas gave him a hard time for what he wrote in the book)
This movie proved that Disney counts on money, not on quality and creative freedom (Because "Beauty and the Beast" won an Oscar, it must get it too, fuck the fact that the movie is distasteful to those who learn about this girl's story)
Disney has so much shit on its conscience that it's no wonder it gave money to the colonizer
So yes, boycott the movie not only because of the characters depicting Israel, but also because Marvel belongs to Disney
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pinkkop · 1 month ago
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Day 27 - 15 Days Days BL Challenge
Day 27: Top 3 15 BL Kisses?
You're not the boss of me!!!! I do what I want!!!!!!
please don't hate me, I just couldn't choose only 3 kisses
... sorry #NotSorry
So here are my 15 favorite kisses in no particular order!
Since I couldn't add EVERY single GIF of how these kisses happened and progressed, you should all go check out the full posts these GIFs are from, so you can experience the kisses in their full glory ✨
These 1-3 GIFs really only show a fraction of how good these kisses are.
Brave Boys
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Second Chance
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Time of Fever
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Kinnporsche the series
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The Eclipse
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Love in the Air
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Choco Milk Shake
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Secret Crush on You
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Never Let Me Go
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Love Class 2
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Step by step
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Monster Next Door
Just ignore that this is from the pilot trailer and not actually in the show.
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City Boy Log
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Semantic Error
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I feel you linger in the air
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I recommend pretty much every single of these shows so if you want to know more or just where to watch any of these, shoot me a message!
Good kisses need good chemistry so you're guaranteed that in every single one of these shows.
And finally an honorary mention: Dai and Shun from The Boyfriend, who's first kiss could have been straight out of a BL 🤯
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The original challenge is here and part two here.
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gloomygoetia · 7 months ago
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Okay, hear me out!
In the Season Two trailer, when we get this shot:
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I guess some folks are theorizing that Blitz is protecting Stolas from Andrealphus, because he is icy, and the ground is icy, too.
But I have another theory!
I personally can’t see Stolas cowering helplessly to Andrealphus. He’s a lesser goetia, having only the rank of marquis, if I’m remembering correctly. Therefore, wouldn’t Stolas be more powerful than him, and why would he be cowering under that circumstance?
But you know who probably IS more powerful than Stolas, and who else casts a spiky shadow?
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This guy!
My personal theory is that Blitz is defending Stolas from his very own father! Because, well, Paimon MUST have power greater than Stolas, and if anyone could strip Stolas of his rank (notice he’s not wearing a crown in the first shot!), certainly it would be Paimon. And I could see Stolas cowering to Paimon, and doing nothing to defend himself from him!
That would also make Blitz one crazy, or brave, motherf*cker, to protect Stolas in that moment. (My Stolitz loving heart says that such a heroic act would only be done by someone who ~loves him~, because I can’t see any other motivation for Blitz to take on Paimon, lol. But that is subject for another post!)
So, IS it Paimon that they’re fighting in the trailer? Am I right? Am I wrong? I dunno, but I can’t wait for the episodes to come out to see if my theory is correct or not!
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ashwhowrites · 1 month ago
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Hello! Can I request Eddie Munson and reader with miscommunication trope and halloween theme?
I thought about how they would spend their first halloween together as a couple. Every year as friends she and Eddie used to go to some party but these year they planned date at the trailer.
Reader heard one of Eddie's band friend saying that they're disappointed about Eddie ditching them and the party on halloween because now he has a girlfriend.
She feels guilty about it and thinks that Eddie would rather go to the party.
But in reality, Eddie is super excited about their halloween date at home. He has a lot of decorations, snacks and a few movies. He also planned to cook for her.
He adores the idea of cozy evening with his loved one and not at loud party where he went to not be alone during halloween night as a single and ends watching some guys talk to her while he wasn't brave enough to confess.
With a happy end pretty please ❤️
A bit late, my bad. But I think it's cute! So I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for requesting 🫶🏻
Halloween night
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Y/N was excited to spend Halloween with Eddie for the first time as a couple. They usually go to Halloween parties with Eddie's friends but this year they wanted to be alone. They agreed on a movie night at the trailer, something cozy and warm.
Y/N didn't think anyone would have an issue with it, but she was wrong. As she waited for Eddie to finish collecting his things after his gig, she overheard a few of the band members talking.
"I can't believe Eddie isn't going. Like why do boys get so lame once they have a girlfriend."
"I know. I don't understand why they both can't join us, it's only been the tradition for years."
"Probably Y/N. No way Eddie would ditch the party if he had the choice."
Y/N felt her stomach turn sour. She was friends with these guys and they were talking behind her back. It seemed like Eddie loved the idea of being alone, but maybe he'd rather be at the party?
"Ready to go?" Eddie asked, throwing his arm over her shoulder.
"Yeah, let's go," Y/N said, putting on a fake smile as they walked out of the bar.
~~~
Y/N wanted to forget what her friends said, but she couldn't. She didn't want Eddie to ruin his relationship with his friends because of her. With everything weighing on her shoulders, it was easy to tell she was in distress.
Y/N showed up to his trailer, nervously knocking. Eddie opened the door with a huge smile and let her through. She stepped in and her negative mood vanished. She took in the orange and purple lights, the Halloween blankets on the couch, and the coffee table covered in snacks.
"What's all this?" she gasped in awe, turning around to see him. She smiled at the proud look on his face.
"Date night!" he smiled, "dinner is in the oven. Take off your jacket, and anything else you want," he said with a small wink, "and get comfortable on the couch. I'll bring your plate right over."
Y/N took off her jacket, throwing it over the couch. She took a seat, cuddling under the warm blanket. Eddie walked over with a plate of food and took the seat next to her.
"What? Does it look gross?" Eddie asked nervously, watching her face as she scrunched her eyebrows.
"No! It looks great, Eddie," she said, but he didn't look convinced.
"Is something else wrong?"
Y/N sighed, this was the time to talk about it. She set down her plate and bunched the blanket in her hands.
"You know how we usually go to parties with the boys?"
Eddie nodded, setting down his plate. His full attention was on her as he listened.
"Are you disappointed we didn't go?" she asked, nervously looking at his face.
"Not really. I never had much fun at those parties anyway," Eddie shrugged, "Do you want to go?"
"No! I love being alone with you," she said, moving closer to his warm body. She slipped on his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her. "I love the decorations and all the work you put into it."
"I love being alone with you too," he smiled. Kissing her cheek before he pulled away to look at her again. "So why do you ask?"
Y/N let out a deep sigh, making Eddie rub her back for comfort. "It's just I overheard our friends talking about how they were disappointed you weren't going. And I worried you might have wanted to be with them."
"You want to know a secret?" he whispered, she smiled and nodded.
"I dreaded those parties, hated every second of it, but you were there so I knew I wanted to be."
"Why did you hate it? You always seemed to be having fun with the guys."
"Yeah with the guys once I got drunk. But I spent the first few hours sitting alone and watching everyone flirt with you. Watching guys make their moves when I was too scared to say anything."
Y/N's heart warmed. She never knew Eddie watched her all those years. She was never interested in any of the guys that came up to her, her heart was set on Eddie.
"I didn't know you did that," she blushed.
"So fuck the guys. I want to be with my girl, without fighting for her attention," Eddie laughed at the end, a cheeky smile on his face.
"Never have to fight for attention," she said, pecking his lips softly.
Eddie kissed her back, her lips never failed to make his stomach flutter. He waited until she pulled away, letting her lips move off of his.
"Feel better?" he asked
"Yes, let's eat dinner and watch our movies," she smiled, sliding off his lap. She picked up her plate, smiling to herself as he turned on the movie.
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@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37 @bellaisswagger @arlxt @ineedmentalhelp123
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allyricas · 1 year ago
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there's just something so delicious about friends-to enemies-to lovers
barely teenage steve and eddie who have a devastating end to what they both thought would be a forever friendship. maybe it's a misunderstanding or maybe it's just teenage angst that felt impossible to fix in the moment.
but i am feral over the idea that the only reason steve ever became 'king steve' strutting around with tommy and carol with his aloof, semi-mean girl attitude was because of the falling out with eddie. that he did it so he didn't feel so much hurt over it. still has no idea what he did to make eddie suddenly hate him.
same with eddie. he definitely liked metal and nerdy shit all along, but maybe he only leaned into the whole 'forced conformity, it's what's killing the kids' freak persona to guard himself. as armor. because he fucking misses steve as much as he hates him. so he glares and makes snarky comments. finds his solace in DnD and his band.
they fight with words and shoulder shoves in the hallway. each of them too proud to ever talk it out and fix things. to the point that their peers don't remember that steve and eddie used to be inseparable. everyone but steve and eddie forget the obvious affection and closeness they once shared.
it takes a bunch of freshmen to put them back into each other's orbit.
it takes the upside down, a dead cheerleader and an evil wizard for them to actually get along again.
because steve is meant to hate eddie but the moment he sees the trailer and hears the word 'murder' he feels like he might throw up.
Please, god, not eddie.
only to find out he supposedly murdered chrissy cunningham. despite all the animosity between the two of them, steve knows in his soul that eddie would never kill anyone.
even when he's against a wall with sharp glass pressed to his neck, heart racing as he looks into the eyes he tries not to think about, steve knows that eddie won't actually hurt him.
steve has the urge to stay with eddie at the lake house and make sure nothing else happens to him. instead, he stops forcing himself to be an asshole towards eddie. it's exhausting and he's never truly meant it anyways. the upside-down shit is threatening the one person he hoped would never be a part of it.
it takes eddie watching steve get pulled under lover's lake and attacked by demon bats to realize that the biggest misunderstanding was of his own thirteen year old self's feelings. that he could've lost steve and he'd have never even told him the truth of why he let their friendship implode over such a ridiculous misunderstanding.
that he wanted more than friendship and that scared the hell out of him at thirteen.
he sees steve bleeding and throwing himself into danger over and over. realizes that yeah, steve harrington is a good guy. his own personal munson doctrine is fundamentally flawed and untrustworthy and he's in love with this stupidly brave man, maybe since forever.
make him pay means i'm sorry, i love you, please be safe, come back.
it takes eddie nearly dying and his steve carrying him out of hell for eddie to realize that steve never hated him either. that what eddie always views as aloofness and superiority was hurt and steve trying to deal. regardless of whatever lays in the past, steve holds him together with his hands and begs eddie to stay. whispers that he loves him, always has loved him, always will love him.
eddie thinks about all the years they lost due to teenage angst and fear. fights to keep his eyes open and stay, because steve his sobbing and begging him not to go.
and when eddie finally wakes up in the hospital, it's steve and uncle wayne next to him. steve won't leave his side, maybe ever again. neither of them with any desire to ever look at each other with anything but love.
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zepskies · 4 months ago
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Lost on You - Part 7
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Pairing: Soldier Boy/Ben x F. Supe!Reader
Summary: 1983 is a big year for you. You’re finally chosen to join the ranks of Payback, led by the most (in)famous supe in the world: Soldier Boy. He’ll never admit that he’s trying his damndest to figure you out. You’ll never admit that he’s actually growing on you. But the problem with this game is deciding who’s the predator, and who is prey.
AN: Consequences of the game.
Word Count: 5.2K
Tags/Warnings: 18+ only! More smut, show level debauchery, implied threesome, drug use, some light, some dark, violence and angst. (We're diving into some canon S3 content.)
🎵 YouTube Playlist || Spotify Playlist
🎙️ Series Masterlist
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Part 7: Welcome to the Jungle
“Yes, well, Countess and I decided to end our relationship shortly after we wrapped on Red Thunder,” Ben explained to Jason Carver.
A little damage control could go a long way, coming from Soldier Boy himself. Vought News was one of the most convenient outlets for it.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk, but it was a mutual decision,” Ben said. “We still have a lot of love for each other. It just wasn’t working out.”
“Well, it sounds like it ended on good terms then,” said Jason.
“Yeah, so anyone who wants to run their mouth about it can come straight to me,” Ben said, with a stern set to his brows as he looked into the camera.
Jason uttered a slightly nervous laugh. “Well, I don’t think there’s anyone that brave.”
Ben shot him a smile. “Let’s hope not.”
“But are the rumors true? There seem to be some sparks between you and Sirena.”
Ben relaxed his posture a little, all while calm and controlled in his seat.
“She’s a special woman,” he admitted, with an incline of his head. “I can’t deny, we have…a connection.”
“Wow. You two have really hit it off since she joined the team,” Jason observed.
“Well, you know how it is, Jason,” Ben said. He glanced over and found you in the dark, standing next to a PA. You smiled.
“I’ve always been a man who knows what he wants,” he said.
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“Shit,” Ben gritted out, his eyes rolling shut.
His gloved hand was fisted in your hair as you showed your gratefulness—on your knees, sucking him off from base to tip. He had to brace himself against the wall of one the makeup trailer. You two hadn’t even left the studio of Vought News when you took his hand and led him in here with a sensuous smile and an unspoken promise. 
“You sure do have a talented fucking mouth,” he said with a smirk.
You hummed around his cock in response while your lips and tongue continued to work him over. The sensation nearly made his eyes cross. His blunt fingers bit into the wall, creating divots there and stirring up paint and plaster dust.
But if he could still talk, you weren’t satisfied. You squeezed his ass through his uniform pants, pulling him even closer. His hips rocked forward, forcing you to take him deeper until his cock hit the back of your throat.
You gagged for a moment, but you took a breath through your nose to steady yourself, blinking through the sting of involuntary tears in your eyes. Then you slid your lips back down him again. This time you relaxed the back of your throat and managed to take him fully without gagging as much.
His grip was getting tighter in your hair as muttered curses fell from his lips. You winced, but you kept going. You could feel him getting close; his thighs locked with strain, and his cock throbbed a warning in your mouth.
A cross between a grunt and a shout escaped him along with his release. You swallowed up as much of his spend as you could, but it still dribbled from the corners of your mouth and down your neck. You eventually released him with a soft pop, panting heavily.
He had to catch his breath as well while he leaned against the wall. His fingers untightened from your hair, petting your head instead.
“Good girl. Jesus,” he said shallowly.
You smiled and helped yourself off the floor. You grabbed a hand towel from one of the makeup artist stations and wiped your face and neck, ruined lipstick and all. Ben was trying to play off his recovery when you turned back to him.
His gaze on you was satisfied, and yet, still simmering with heat. He grabbed your arm and guided you against the wall. He caged you there with his hands molded to the curve of your waist. His touch was warm even through your leather suit.
“Countess may have some fireballs for me in my future,” you remarked.
Ben snorted dismissively. “Don’t worry about her.”
You weren’t so sure. She probably hadn’t done anything publicly to you yet because she was afraid of Ben. At this point, having him in your corner was protection—both for your career and for yourself.
You tipped your face up at him with a more playful smile.
“You really think I’m special?” you teased.
Ben chuckled through his nose. “You’re fucking something, all right.”
His tone was laced with amusement, but you saw the edge of it in his eyes, and you felt it with your abilities. You sensed the sincerity in him, tinged with…fondness, maybe? Even for you, it was hard to parse out.
It was definitely something beyond lust. Was he even capable of something more?
And is that what you want?
He gave you one last kiss, distracting you from that troubling thought. His lips moved slowly against yours for a change. It was affectionate, as he cupped your cheek. 
“Come see me tonight,” he said when he finally pulled away. He gave you a slap on the ass to punctuate his request. Your hand wrapped around his forearm before he could turn away.
“How about a change of scenery? You could come to my place,” you suggested. He didn’t look enthused.
“Come on, I’ll even cook for you,” you added.
Ben raised a brow. “You cook?”
“Well, I’m no Martha Stewart, but I can whip up something good.”
Your smile was a tease as you slipped by him. You stopped in front of the mirror to fix your hair and lipstick. You briefly met Ben’s gaze in the mirror’s reflection. His brow was quirked. Was he waiting for you or something?
“What? I can’t go out looking like this,” you said.
At that, Ben smirked. He came up behind you and grasped your hips where you were bent over slightly. He pressed into your ass from behind, prompting you to straighten up and lean back against his chest. You couldn’t help a smile of amusement. Did this man ever get tired of fucking?
To your surprise though, he just pressed a tantalizing kiss into your neck. His eyes once again met yours in the mirror.
“I think you’re a fucking sight,” he said, picking a bit of his spend out of your hair.
You bit your lip out of embarrassment, but you couldn’t help the snort of laughter that escaped you.
It made him smile.
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It was another facet of your evolving plan. Now that you had Ben in hand, you needed to keep his attention. A man like him appreciated certain values, and you had a feeling a woman who could cook was one of them.
It took some trial and error and a lot of praying, but you managed to make a decent roasted chicken. Ben seemed impressed enough. He ate half of the entire bird by himself, along with two helpings of mashed potatoes with gravy, even the parmesan broccoli. But as always, you two couldn’t seem to get through dessert.
Or rather, he took the cheesecake you bought into your bed and licked the accompanying raspberry syrup off your body. By the end, you were a sticky, sated mess (as usual). The bedsheets were a disaster, but you knew what you’d been getting into when you invited this man over. You had an extra set of clean sheets waiting in your dresser.
Ben smoked a large blunt afterwards, his eyes half-lidded as he drifted towards dozing off. When you noticed his eyes closing, a small alarm went off in your mind. You leaned over and stroked his arm.
“My bed doesn’t really compare with yours, does it?” you said. Which was true. His was even more plush and soft than yours. Not to mention, his bed was a California King. Yours was a modest queen-sized.
He shrugged and blew out smoke. “‘S not so bad.”
He dabbed his blunt in the ashtray and put it out for now. He raised his arms and folded them behind his head. He groaned and settled in against your pillows. You hid your wary frown.
Shit, maybe you’d miscalculated by inviting him over. You hadn’t thought he’d actually want to stay the night. 
“Nooo, don’t fall asleep,” you playfully whined. You rolled over onto his chest and laid kisses along his jaw. “Why don’t we go take a walk or something? Go on a little adventure.”
Ben cracked an eye open at you, but he soon closed it again. “Nah, I’m good.”
“Come on, super-man. Don’t tell me you’re tired already,” you goaded.
At that, Ben’s eyes opened, and he frowned at you.
“You just stuffed me full of food like it’s Thanksgiving—”
“You’re the one who went for seconds. And thirds, mind you.”
“Gave me a fucking workout—”
“Which you started.”
“I may be the strongest man on Earth, but I still need to recharge every now and then,” he said gruffly. “Keep sassing me though. When I wake up, you might just find yourself bent over my knee.”
You tried not to smile. Sometimes his grumpiness was just too amusing. It didn’t seem like he was going to get out of your bed though.
Sighing in defeat, you got up and tugged at the ruined sheets he was resting on.
“Come on, at least let me change these.”
With an annoyed huff, Ben got up just long enough for you to remake the bed. He hunkered back down before you were done, making it harder for you to lay down the last one correctly, but you rolled your eyes and gave up, tossing the sheet half-made over his bare legs.
You went into the bathroom to clean yourself up. Hopefully by the time you came back, he’d be asleep. You’d make your way to the couch with a spare comforter and sleep there.
It might’ve seemed strange, but you had never actually slept with him in the same bed. It wasn’t personal. You’d made it a habit to always sleep alone.
So after a quick shower, brushing your teeth, and slipping on an old shirt to sleep in, you padded quietly back into your bedroom. Sure enough, Ben looked to be fast asleep. He laid on his back with an arm curled over his stomach. Like this, he looked peaceful. Even docile.
The thought made you smirk as you went to grab a spare blanket from your closet. You draped it over your arm and went to your nightstand next. You just wanted to grab the book you’d been reading from the top drawer. You did so very carefully, knowing Ben’s hearing was sharp.
Once you’d successfully retrieved the book and slowly shut the drawer, you turned to head for the door. A hand shot out and grabbed your elbow. You gasped and jolted slightly, but of course it was just Ben. His fingers wrapped around your arm. His eyes were open, barely.
“Where’re you going?” he rumbled.
“Um, just to go to the couch and read for a bit,” you lied on the fly. “I didn’t want to disturb you.”
With a dismissive huff, he tugged you back and hauled you effortlessly back into the bed. You yelped in surprise. The book went tumbling off the side of the bed while the extra blanket got coiled between your legs. That strong arm curled around your waist. Possessive.
You turned your head across Ben’s shoulder and stared at his face. He shot you a smirk, then closed his eyes. His chest moved with his deeper breath, as it evened out in sleep.
You frowned. The man could be demanding, sure, but you never expected him to act this way. It did cause a flutter of something to rise in your belly. Something warm, and equally unexpected.
You sighed and allowed yourself to relax against him. You rested your eyes. Just for a little while, you told yourself. Then you’d try to extricate yourself.
Somehow, you never got around to it.
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You woke in the morning to something warm and firm under your cheek. Your eyes slid open, and you were met with the bare chest of your lover. He was awake, sitting up against the headboard as he sipped at a mug of coffee. He glanced at you with a subtle smile pulling at his lips.
“Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty,” he said.
You smiled sleepily. Yawning, you turned and curled yourself into him without really thinking about it. But then it hit you, how intimate this was…and how much that conflicted you inside.
You eased away from him with a faked yawn, stretching your limbs, and gaining at least a few inches between you. Ben watched you do it with a certain glint of knowing in his eyes.
“You moan in your sleep,” he remarked idly.
You shot him a look of surprise. “I do not.”
“Yeah, you do. I fucking heard you,” he said. His lips pulled at a smirk. He set his coffee down and rolled over, trapping you underneath him. He thumbed at your chin. “Here I am thinking, ‘This dirty little girl. Didn’t get enough last night, did she?’”
You bit the inside of your lip against a smile. Your face warmed with a blush.
“Is that why you don’t want me in your bed?” he asked. “You embarrassed, sweetheart?”
At that, you frowned. “No, it’s not…”
“Because believe me, I’ve seen weirder shit,” he said. “There was one girl who sleepwalked into my fucking closet. That one was a headscratcher… Aw hell, one girl even took a shit in my bed.”
You gaped. “Seriously?”
He grimaced at the memory. “And tried to blame her Pomeranian. Think I don’t know a human shit when I see one?”
You blinked in bewilderment and disgust. “Dear Lord.”
Ben stroked your side.
“So you got nothing to worry about,” he said, a slow grin curving his lips. “Some little sex noises don’t bother me.”
You laughed a little, but then you chewed on your lower lip, looking up at him. You didn’t know what compelled you to be honest in that moment.
“It’s not that, it’s just…ever since I got my powers, I’ve felt safest sleeping alone,” you said.
Ben’s amusement faded. “Why’s that?”
“I’m not like you,” you admitted, touching his chin with your fingertip. “When I’m asleep, I’m vulnerable, just like everybody else.”
He seemed to consider what you were saying with furrowed brows. You itched to sweep his hair away from his eyes, but you kept your hands to yourself. 
“Well, you’re safe with me,” he said eventually. 
You tilt your head at him. You wondered if he really meant that, or if it was just part of the façade of “charm” he was trying to portray. Even with your skin touching his, you couldn’t quite read his heart to parse that one out.
You had to pull back on the connection before he realized that you were trying…
But then again, maybe it was you who didn’t want to know for sure.
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Christmas came around sooner than you expected. This time of year was heavy on your heart, after your mom’s death.
“I’ll be back before New Year’s,” you said, leaning up to give Ben a kiss. You were in his apartment saying goodbye. His personal chef was in the kitchen cooking up something that smelled amazing, but you had to leave. You had to pick up your father in Brooklyn and drive both of you over to your brother’s house in Queens.
“What’s the winter like in Indiana?” Ben asked in curiosity.
You blinked. Fuck if you knew, but he still thought you were a smalltown girl from the boonies and the cornfields.
“Um…cold. Snowy. Same as here, basically, but the wind isn’t going to cut through your bones when you turn a corner around a skyscraper,” you said.
Ben gave a mild shrug in response. Like he was ever going to go to Indiana. 
“Well, gotta go catch my flight,” you fibbed, but you grew curious about something as you peered up at him. “What’re you doing for the holidays? Seeing family, or…”
Again, he shrugged. “Nah, I’ll be here. I don’t get into that corny festive bullshit.”
You frowned. Something told you it wasn’t just that he didn’t do Christmas. He didn’t seem to have any family, or friends outside of Vought, for that matter. If you can count any of those people friends.
Was he really just going to be here all alone until New Year’s Eve?
Perhaps for the first time, you felt a bit bad for him. You knew you couldn’t invite him over for your holiday plans, however.
So you gave him another kiss goodbye, and you left.
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You returned in time for Vought’s annual New Year’s Eve bash. According to Tommy and Tessa, it was legendary. First, there was a huge banquet held for all the big wigs and the investors and the press. That was just to load up on good food and champagne.
The real party was the afterparty, made up almost exclusively by supes employed by Vought—from all across the country. Of course, Payback were the guests of honor, with Soldier Boy leading the pack on free booze and lines of drugs smoked or snorted across most available surfaces.
You felt overwhelmed by all of it at first. In fact, you almost left the party. But then you saw a very drunk Countess in a little red cocktail dress, offering Ben to take a shot of tequila out of her mouth. It stirred irritation in your gut.
You grabbed the nearest bottle of alcohol, went over to them, and subtly touched Countess’s bare shoulder.
Give that shot to Tommy, you compelled her.
With that small trill of your power, Countess stood straighter and beelined straight for Tommy. She grabbed him by the back of his head and surprised him with a deep tequila kiss.
Gross.
You grimaced at the sight, but when you looked back at Ben, he was smirking in amusement. He slid an arm around your waist and spoke closely in your ear.
“Let’s have some fun.”
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The next morning, you sat up in bed with a groan. Your head pounded with a horrible hangover of at least three different substances. You wiped the remnants of powder from your itchy nose. And you were naked.
You drew the sheets to cover up to your breasts, which accidentally pulled the covers off another warm body beside you—a mystery woman. Someone you vaguely recognized as another supe from the party. She woke with a wince.
“Ooh, fuck, where’s the bathroom?” she asked. You were bleary-eyed, but you managed to point over to the left. She nodded and slowly got out of bed.
You wiped at your face and realized that Ben was there as well. It was his bed, after all.
He was slowly waking up too, looking more than a little fucked up himself. You groaned and slid under his arm, resting your head against his chest. Mistakes had been made, but you couldn’t bring yourself to give a shit.
Way to ring in 1984.
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There was a reason you didn’t like group training sessions. You watched with a grimace from your corner of the matt, along with the TNT Twins. For sure, they did not want to be next in the ring with Ben. His idea of training wasn’t very…constructive.
“Lighten up, Gunpowder. I’m just playing around,” Ben said, as Countess helped the younger man off the floor in concern. His eye was already swelling up, along with his bloody lip. He was too exhausted to even get off the mat. You’d tried stopping Ben fifteen minutes ago, but he hadn’t budged.
He now rolled his eyes and walked away from Gunpowder, waving a dismissive hand. “You fucking pussy.”
Your brows furrowed with your frown. You were cautious as you approached him again and lightly touched his arm.
“Was that really necessary?” you asked. “Ben, he’s only eighteen.”
He shot you a stern look.
“Don’t fucking start with me.”
He was definitely tougher on the men than he was on you or Countess, but still, it wasn’t easy to watch. This was the side of him you didn’t often see when you were alone with him. With you, he was still crass and arrogant, but sometimes, his harder edges softened the slightest bit.
In front of the team, he was Soldier Boy. He could be callous, and even cruel. It reminded you of every mission you went on together; every brutal, fatal move against the “bad guys,” and every innocent life that got caught in the crossfire.
The double doors to the gym opened, and in came Black Noir. You grew concerned, as you sensed anger coming off of him in waves.
“You’re late,” Ben said, crossing his arms. “We started at 3.”
“I really wanted that movie,” said Noir.
“The hell are you talking about?”
“I just got off the phone with my manager,” Noir continued. “It’s a no-go on Beverly Hills Cop.”
“Oh, that,” Ben said, with a roll of his eyes. Your own widened a fraction.
Noir stepped forward, his hands balling into fists. “I was born to play Axel Foley. Why would you say all those horrible things about me to Don Simpson?”
Your mouth fell open in shock. Don Simpson was a big deal. He’d produced Flashdance just last year. 
“Jesus, Ben. Really?” you said.
“Zip it, Sirena,” Ben snapped. Your mouth fell shut, even as you glared at him. He rarely called you by your supe name behind Vought’s closed doors.
“The guy’s supposed to be funny,” said Ben. He pointed back at Noir. “You’re. Not. Funny.”
“Well, I…could’ve been,” Noir said, a little weakly.
If there was one thing Ben couldn’t stand, it was a weak spine.
“You’re not good enough!” he barked. “Now shut your cockhole, and get to work.”
“But—” The moment Noir grabbed the other man’s shoulder, you knew it was going to be bad.
Ben turned and threw a swift punch that would’ve rattled any supe’s spine, even if they did have super strength. It wasn’t even a contest. He beat Noir down bloody on the mats, no matter what you or the others shouted out.
You were horrified, and you couldn’t stand by and watch anymore. You hurried over and tried to touch Ben’s arm. Maybe you could calm him down.
“Ben, stop! He’s had enough—”
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He meant to just rip his arm out of your grasp. Maybe he’d shove you out of the way, out of his way. But the momentum of it sent you to the floor, with the wind knocked out of you.
It managed to briefly cut through his anger. He paused, seeing the shock and the stricken look on your face. You were looking at him like he was some kind of animal.
Deep down, he felt like one too. He just couldn’t allow himself to show it.
“That’s what happens when you don’t stay the fuck out of the way,” he growled.
You blinked wide as wet tears gathered in your lashes. It struck a cacophonous chord inside him, down to his bones.
He turned away from you to glare down at Black Noir. This was his fucking fault.
“You think you can be me?” Ben sneered. “You’re not a movie star. You’re not shit. I see you getting outta line again, trying to ‘move on up,’ I will put you in the fucking ground. Understood?”
Noir, fucking pussy that he was, stayed there on the ground covered in his own blood. By the time Ben turned back to where you’d fallen, you were no longer there.
You were gone.
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You left the gym in tears. You pulled a staff member aside and let her know that Black Noir and Gunpowder were going to need medical attention.
“Are you okay?” she asked in concern. “Do you need—”
“I’m fine!” you snapped, even though you were still crying. It was more embarrassment at this point. You knew what Ben was from the very beginning. You’d just never thought he would…
Sucking in one deep breath, you steeled yourself. You wiped your face dry and forced your expression to ease into nothing. Blankness.
Show them what you want them to see.
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He tried to come see you that night, but you wouldn’t let him into your apartment.
He sent flowers—some bullshit roses, with an apology written on the card.
I'm sorry.
You threw them in the trash.
You were done playing this game. It wasn’t worth it.
He wasn’t worth it…
Or so you felt, for the first few days. You began to wonder just how much shit Countess had to put up with for the years that she was with him. You wondered if he’d ever hit her.
You replayed that moment over and over in your mind. You knew if you hadn’t intervened, Ben wouldn’t have shoved you. He hadn’t truly meant to, you thought. With his strength, you were lucky it hadn’t been worse.
He didn’t mean it, you tried to rationalize. Even as you tried not to think about Gunpowder, or Noir, bloody on the floor.
Because at the end of the day, being with Ben was still good for your career, and if you kept denying him like this, he’d likely just go back to Countess.
So, even though it took a huge chunk out of your pride, you ventured to the elevators and up to the penthouse suite. By now, your feet knew this path by heart, even if your stomach churned with unease.
You stood in front of Ben’s door for a minute, just thinking. You knew this was the lowest you’d ever been. Was your career really worth debasing yourself like this?
Well, your question was soon answered when the door swung open. You hastily stepped back as a trio of smiling, giggling women came out from the apartment, all of them high-heeled and scantily dressed. Behind them was Ben in a black silk robe. His hair was a mess, and he had that post-nut look on his face, along with a layer of drying sweat. They all stunk like weed and sex.
Ben paused in the doorway when he saw you. His amusement faded. You let the girls slip past you without comment. Then you crossed your arms and looked up at him flatly.
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. At least, nothing good.
“Hey,” he said.
You nodded. “Right.”
You turned from him and started walking down the hall the way you came, but Ben reached out fast and grabbed your wrist.
“All right, look—”
He turned you around, only stopping short when you gasped, your eyes glowing with thinly veiled power on reflex.
“Let go of me,” you demanded. Your tone was firm, but you both heard the fear in your voice. His jaw clenched.  
It seemed Ben did have a sliver of a heart somewhere inside his chest, because he let you go. You continued on your way, scrubbing furiously at the sting in your eyes.
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“Dad, I just…I don’t think I can do this anymore,” you confessed. You were sitting on the edge of your bed with your head in your hands. You didn’t want to burden your brother, who had his own family, his own problems. So you called your dad first. Tears slipped down your cheeks and bled into your jeans.
“I think I need to come home,” you sniffed.
“Aw, honey. I’m sorry to hear you’re having such a hard time,” he said. “But you knew it was going to be difficult. You’ve been doing so well too.”
“I know, but—”
“And your mom’s medical bills might be taken care of, but I’ve still got the house to pay off. If it wasn’t for my back, I’d be out there working two and three jobs like I used to, but you know, I just can’t do it anymore.”
You rubbed at your tired, bleary eyes and sighed.
“Yeah. Okay, I know,” you said. “I’m going to help you, don’t worry.”
“So you’re gonna stay right? You’re going to work it out with Soldier Boy? You two do look good together, I’ve gotta say. What happened exactly? You didn’t uh, really explain that part.”
Your lower lip trembled. “Actually, Dad, I’m getting a page. Let me call you back later, okay?”
“Oh. Well, okay, sweetheart. I’m here for you. You know that.”
“Yeah, I know.”
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Your next conversation was in Arthur Cohen’s office. You’d marched in while he was on the phone and said:
“I’m quitting the team.”
Arthur, professional that he was, gave you one look before he told whoever was on the other line that he’d call them back in a minute. Then he turned to you with his full attention, folding his hands on his desk. His many gold and silver rings shone in the lamplight.
“What can I do for you, sweetheart?” he asked. As if to say, Did I just hear you correctly?
You remained firm. “I want out of my contract. I’m quitting Payback.”
Arthur needed a beat on that one. “…Ah. I see.”
He held out a hand to one of the chairs in front of his desk.
“Please,” he gestured. You reluctantly obliged.
“Okay, I understand you’ve been going through some hard times—”
“Do you?” you intoned, tilting your head.
He nodded. “Believe me, I do. The problem is, you’re under a two-year minimum contract. You’re only about a year in. If you want out, no problem. I can do that for you.”
“Good,” you said. “Let’s make it happen.”
He held up a hand. “However. If you back out of this deal, remember that we invested in you. You’ll have to give back the advance we gave you, plus everything we’ve spent on your marketing, your new suit, your training, not to mention that little incident we smoothed over a couple months ago. A lot of lawyers and red tape. It’ll drive ya nuts…but it all adds up, unfortunately.”
Fuck. It hit you almost like a physical blow, a deep churning in your stomach. What kind of soul-sucking contract had you signed? Had you even read the fine print on that one?
For a long moment, you stared at Arthur’s desk in silence, to a point where he began to fidget slightly. You raised your head.
“All right,” you said, with a perfect smile. “I understand.”
Then you got up and left.
Arthur heaved a breath of relief. Fucking supes.
His door opened again, but to Stan Edgar. Arthur still didn’t know what to make of this guy. There was something about his calm, unfazed demeanor that Arthur didn’t trust.
“Sure, screw my lunch break. What can I do for ya?” he drawled.
Stan raised a brow and handed a thick file to him.
“I just got off the phone with Director Kasey from the CIA,” he said. “We’re approved for Nicaragua.” 
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AN: 🫣 Ooh, don't hate me loll. It's gonna get worse before it gets better. I did warn about morally charcoal characters in this series, especially Ben himself. (He's got a lot to learn, and so does Sirena, for that matter.)
And now, we hit another pivotal moment...
Next Time:
“We’re all playing a game, Irving. Just at different levels,” you said. “For example, what were you talking to Stan about?”
You’d seen them a couple of hours ago, hidden behind a fortified stone wall. Noir stopped walking. You were curious enough to follow suit.
“Something that could change everything for all of us,” he said. “You included.”
Your brows knitted together. “What’re you—”
Shots rang out in the clearing.
▶️ Keep Reading: PART 8
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steddieas-shegoes · 11 months ago
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count on your courage
for @steddielovemonth prompt 'love is what makes you brave'
rated t | 1,508 words | cw: coming out (one goes horribly wrong offscreen, one goes perfectly right), steve gets kicked out | tags: wayne munson is the best uncle, secret relationship, steve has bad parents, hurt/comfort, wayne adopts steve
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Steve should've gone to Robin's probably.
But when you're in a state of shock after being kicked out of your house because your dad found a handwritten love note from your boyfriend, you don't always think clearly.
He was sitting outside the trailer, on the gravel driveway, rocks digging into his ass and thighs, thinking about how uncomfortable the back seat of his car was for sleeping. He managed to grab his sandwich bag of savings, which was barely enough for a motel for a couple of weeks, but maybe he'd find a place that would be more understanding.
After Vecna, most places were open to any arrangement on payment as long as they got something.
"Steve?" Eddie's voice filtered to him from the front door of the trailer.
It wasn't until he heard Eddie's voice that he realized Wayne's truck was parked next to Eddie's van, which meant Wayne was home, which meant Wayne would be confused as hell.
Eddie's hands were on his shoulders, worried and tugging him out of his own thoughts.
"Hey," Steve said.
"What're you doin' here, Stevie? You said you weren't comin' over because you have an early shift tomorrow," Eddie's eyes were wide, and Steve realized he must assume there's an emergency.
"Oh. I did say that." Steve sighed. "I actually don't know why I came here."
"Shit, Steve. Did you hit your head? Is it...you know?"
"No. To both. Just-" Steve didn't want to alarm him, but he did have to say what was going on. "My parents kicked me out. Well, my dad did. My mom just kinda...let him?"
"What? Jesus Christ, Stevie. Come inside, you're shivering," Eddie pulled him up so he was standing awkwardly in front of him. "How long have you been out here?"
"Dunno," he shrugged. Which was true. He knew his parents got home around five, and his dad had stormed out of his office around six, yelling about Steve's belongings being where they shouldn't be. It didn't take long after that for all hell to break loose. "What time is it now?"
Eddie looked down at his watch. "A little after nine."
"Huh. I guess close to two hours."
Eddie cussed under his breath, then wrapped an arm around Steve's waist.
It's not like they had to worry about being seen; What used to be a full trailer park now mostly consisted of the Munson's new trailer and Max's trailer that was only inhabited for a few hours a night, if that.
"Ed? Everthin' okay?" Wayne called from the porch.
Steve looked up, panicked.
It's not that he hadn't been around Wayne plenty of times, especially while Eddie was in the hospital. He'd run into him a few times at the trailer as he passed through the kitchen to pack his lunch for work or when he was heading to bed when Steve was picking Eddie up for work.
It was more like he felt like everything was written clear across his face, and if Wayne found out about him, he'd find out about Eddie, and what if he kicked Eddie out?
They couldn't both be homeless.
Eddie didn't verbally respond, but he must have done something to let Wayne know everything wasn't okay.
"C'mon in then," he gestured, opening the front door for them both to walk through. "Get that blanket off my chair for him."
Steve didn't know why he needed a blanket, it's not like it was even cold.
But as he was gently pushed down onto the couch, he noticed how much he actually was shivering, and realized he must've forgotten his jacket in his haste to leave his house. It wasn't winter, but the chill in at night was too much to be outside without a jacket.
The blanket was soft, and smelled a lot like Wayne's cologne, the one he insisted he didn't wear, but Steve could always smell just a hint of it lingering in the air after he left the room. It was a comforting smell, one he'd gotten used to in the background. One he'd come to associate with Eddie, and calm, and home.
He could hear Wayne and Eddie whispering by the kitchen counter, but couldn't quite focus on the words they were saying.
Wayne sat down across from him, right on the coffee table, like it wasn't a piece of furniture specifically designed for holding things that were never touched. Eddie sat down next to him, leaving no space, and no way to mistake how close they were.
He tried to scoot away, just leave a few inches of space so Wayne wouldn't question it. Eddie's hand on his knee stopped him.
"You wanna tell me about what's going on?" Wayne asked softly.
"I'm fine-"
"I didn't ask if you were fine. I asked if you wanted to tell me what was goin' on." Wayne's voice was gruff, but his face was open, his body leaning in closer to them so he could listen to what Steve had to say. "You ain't gotta tell me everythin', but if you're gonna be stayin', I'd like to know why you look scared outta your mind."
Eddie's hand moved to his back, rubbing in circles, comforting. "It's okay, sweetheart."
Wayne didn't even flinch at the pet name.
Maybe he was just used to Eddie being a bit too loose with his words, or maybe he actually knew.
"My parents um," Steve silently asked Eddie for permission to say more. Eddie nodded. "They found a note from Eddie to me. And they figured out some stuff about um..."
"It's alright. He knows about me," Eddie said softly.
"Go on, kid," Wayne said.
"They found out that he's my boyfriend from the note, and they didn't want their letdown of a son in their house anymore. I had to grab what I could in just a couple minutes and get out."
Wayne's hand rested on his knee now. "Thanks for tellin' me, son."
Steve broke.
The tears came so quickly, so viciously, he couldn't breathe. Eddie's arms wrapped around him, pulled him tight to his chest.
Wayne's hand was on his back, an extra comforting weight as he let the events of the evening sink in.
His parents didn't love him, didn't want him, didn't even care to hear about how lucky he was to finally have someone who got him.
But Wayne was here, showing him acceptance.
Eddie was here, holding him and loving him through this.
And when Robin heard, she'd be by his side, making threats that would make him laugh.
Eventually, he would tell the others, maybe even Hopper.
But for now, he held the courage Eddie gave him close to his chest, used this as a practice run.
"I'm gonna make us some hot chocolate. You got any stuff in your car to bring in?" Wayne asked.
"Just one bag."
"We'll get it in the mornin'. You can borrow some of Ed's clothes tonight. And you let me worry about gettin' your stuff. Me and Jim can handle it." Wayne stood up and started walking towards the kitchen. "And Steve?"
"Yeah?" he pulled away to wipe his eyes and look at Wayne, who was smiling at him.
"I don't expect ya to pay rent, but I do expect ya to help with chores. Your days for dishes can be Mondays and Thursdays and you'll be in charge of groceries one week a month. Sound okay to you?"
He blinked back at Wayne, confused.
"You can share a room with Eds, but remember the walls are thin."
"Wayne!" Eddie choked out.
Steve laughed, genuinely happy on a night when he was sure he'd be miserable for days to come. "We'll behave."
Wayne knocked once on the doorway and walked out of sight.
Steve turned to Eddie and kissed him once on the lips, a quick peck.
"You okay with me living here? Wayne kinda just invited me without talking to you," Steve felt himself blush.
"I want you to be safe and happy, right here with me. With us. If that's what you want."
"Yeah. I want that," Steve rested his head against Eddie's shoulder and sighed. "I'm tired."
"You were brave tonight. Takes a lot outta ya." Eddie kissed the top of his head. "I should know by now that I can always count on your courage, though."
"What do you mean?"
"Took me three years to admit to Wayne that I was gay. Took you three minutes," Eddie let out a quiet laugh. "You amaze me."
"You're being sappy," Steve said into his shirt.
"Let me be a little sappy."
Steve could hear the words he wasn't saying, had felt them plenty of times over the last couple of weeks, maybe months. The 'I love you' that was hidden under sappy words, hidden under the blanket wrapped around him being adjusted by worried hands, hidden in hands that were always touching him to remind him he wasn't alone.
They might be hidden now, but they wouldn't be for long.
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officialaemondtargaryen · 10 months ago
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Never Gonna Be Alone - Part One
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Summary: When a friend from college contacts you about renting out your empty, spare bedroom to her brother, you aren't really sure what to expect.
Pairing: Modern!Aegon Targaryen x Reader
Word Count: ~1.5k
Author's Note: I've been writing two horribly depressing stories simultaneously for a while now and I needed a break from the angst. I hope that you all enjoy this.
Warnings for the entire series: language, drug & alcohol use, pining & yearning, fluff, possible angst, and sexual content. Plus, me attempting to be a comedian.
Masterlist | Playlist
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She said, "he's kind of messy in every aspect of his life, but he's fun to be around!" Then, she very positively followed that up with, "I think you two would really get along!"
You met Helaena in college, and to be honest, you really didn't know her that well. She was a friend of a friend who had been in a few of the same classes as you, went to the same bars, and had a similar taste in art and music. She'd like every selfie, or ask to borrow a book you posted about, but you had never really hung out alone together.
So when your phone started ringing on a Friday night, after you were already three margaritas deep and swimming in queso dip at your cousin's birthday party, and it was Helaena Targaryen's name flashing across the screen, you were admittedly concerned; though, you'd always known her to be a pretty sincere person, so you took her word for it when she said that you should let her older brother move into the empty, second bedroom of your apartment. It might have been the tequila, or the fact that you were just that desperate, but you immediately agreed to her proposition without question.
You had been trying to rent the room out for months when it became impossible to afford the luxury of living alone, but every person that was interested happened to fall through for one reason or another. You had even offered a discounted rate (as the bedroom was smaller than yours and there was only one bathroom and it was a Jack-and-Jill), but you still couldn't find a good fit.
Enter Aegon Targaryen.
Suddenly, a guy whom you could only describe as 'that has to be Helaena's brother', was knocking on your door a week later. There was beat up Wrangler sitting on the curb behind him filled to the roof with cardboard boxes, and a tiny U-Haul hitched to the bumper with what little bit of furniture he had. He looked at you, blinked a few times and said, "I'm Aegon." You introduced yourself and he nodded; there were no pleasantries, no hand shakes or smiles. He just walked into your apartment, looked around, and then started moving his things in.
It was mid-July, so obviously there were better things you could be doing with your time than helping a complete stranger move his things into your home during a drought and a heat wave. Yet, you slid on your sandals and got to work after you had started to feel bad that you were sitting pretty in the air conditioning while your new roommate struggled alone in the humidity.
It didn't take long until the only thing left was his mattress. You weren't even sure how he got that monstrosity stuffed into the tiny trailer in the first place. It was ridiculously bulky and much heavier than it needed to be, but he swore that it was the most comfortable mattress you'd ever lay on in your life- a fact that you would just have to take his word for. You struggled, a lot, but put on a brave face as Aegon did most of the heavy lifting in the back and you navigated up front.
As you were coming up the porch steps with your sunglasses sliding off of your face as you dripped with sweat, and your arms tired from hours of heavy lifting (saving the heaviest for last, which was a terrible idea), you ended up missing the stoop completely and landing on your ankle awkwardly. You played it off until you had gotten the mattress onto his bed frame, and then silently cried about it in your now shared bathroom; quietly cursing the economy for forcing this situation upon you. Later that night as you were sitting on the couch, with your swollen ankle elevated on a couple of throw pillows, your new roommate tosses a bag of frozen peas in your lap and continues into his room with a bowl of cereal for dinner.
"Thanks," you called after him but only heard the sound of his bedroom door closing in reply.
Over the next few weeks you observed quite a bit about Aegon Targaryen. You knew which spoon was his favorite, how he preferred his tea, that he washed his hair with tea tree shampoo, and enjoyed mint chocolate chip ice cream. He cut the crust off of his sandwiches when he ate them at home, but when he packed his lunch he left them on. He could drink an entire box of wine by himself, but he typically stopped after two glasses, and he always asked if you wanted him to pour you one. He talked to his siblings a lot, but never his parents, and he really enjoyed watching dog videos on his phone while sitting on the couch as you tried to watch your show.
And when he laughed, he belly laughed, and you couldn't help but smile softly to yourself when he did.
Despite how taciturn he may have been, he was still good company, even if you were just sitting on opposite ends of the sofa doing your own thing. He always thanked you when you would leave leftovers in the fridge with a sticky note that had his name on it, and you started making sure that you made enough for two. When he came home late on the weekends, he tried his absolute hardest to do so quietly, but with those hardwood floors, it was almost impossible. He'd wake you up every single time, but you would never say anything. It was hardly an inconvenience after the many nights you'd fall asleep to the sound of him softly strumming his guitar in the next room.
And yet, you just couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. Because it had to, right? Surely this would be a nightmare; God finally sending a punishment for your sins and giving him the face of a literal angel for shits and giggles. You weren't entirely convinced he wasn't Karma-In-Disguise, as the only other option was just too good to be true. It just couldn’t be that you agreed to live with someone you had previously never met simply because someone that you really didn’t know said you should and by some miracle it actually worked out? 
Absolutely not.
You were not that lucky. 
One morning you woke to find Aegon in the kitchen, standing at the counter, making himself a cup of tea. He had already brewed a pot of coffee for you and there was a box of assorted pastries sitting on the table, one of which he was holding between his teeth as he poured a splash of milk into his cup. He turned to you, leaning against the counter and took a bite out of his scone.
"What's this?" You quirked an eyebrow as you studied the scene.
"A 'thank you', I s'pose," he shrugged, voice deep with residual exhaustion. He scratched at the short stubble on his chin, almost nervously, "It's been like a month since I moved in ‘ere, and, to be honest, I wasn't really expectin’ you to let me stay longer than a week."
You laughed softly and took a few steps deeper into the kitchen, taking note of how comfortable the space was with his presence in it. You couldn't ignore the way your pulse quickened at the sight of him in this light; the way the soft, morning sun bounced off of his blonde hair like a halo. He stayed right where he was as you moved around him; his tired, blue eyes following as you grabbed your favorite mug and a spoon from the drawer.
"To be honest, I wasn't expecting you to want to stay," you mentioned as you stood next to him and added two scoops of sugar to your cup. Your eyes flickered up to meet his stare, which was so blue you might as well have been looking up at the sky itself. "We're basically strangers."
"I wouldn't say that," he shrugged, lips curling into a small smirk, and you had to stop looking at him before you spilled coffee all over yourself.
"Oh? What are we then?" You asked, feeling your cheeks warming slightly as you averted your gaze.
"Not strangers," you could hear the smirk in his tone; his gaze lingering for a moment longer before he took another bite of his pastry and pushed himself off the counter. "Besides," he added, taking a few steps towards the living room before glancing back at you. "A stranger wouldn't know your favorite bakery."
You laughed softly through your nose, realizing that your new roommate had just confessed to eavesdropping on your late-night FaceTime calls with your best friend. Not that he really had a choice—the walls were paper-thin, after all. Just two days ago, you’d mentioned how badly you were craving a chocolate croissant, but how they always seemed to sell out before you could get one. Now, as you flipped open the top of the cardboard box, your stomach sank. A sudden jolt of realization shot through you, followed by a nauseating wave of panic. 
There they were. 
Four chocolate croissants, neatly packed and staring back at you.
“Fuck.”
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coco-loco-nut · 9 months ago
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We Can’t Be Friends
Pairing: George Russel x Reader
Summary: George’s girlfriend, a former child actor, is not well liked by the public
TW: mentions of alcohol and drug abuse, implied child exploitation
A/n: going off of the more popular interpretation of the song (ari vs the public)
requests open!🫶 masterlist
———————
You just finished filming a short interview in a docuseries with some of your former colleagues, those who fell into the same trap and downfall as you did. You prefer not to air everything out, but you knew your statement would support the others.
The industry basically forced you into a drug and alcohol addiction, one that you thankfully beat, but you went from someone who was once loved to someone hated, just from how the media spun your name.
You met George at a hospital event -you now work as a biochemist and bioengineer- and he immediately recognized his childhood crush. You dated for a year before feeling strong enough to go public, but ever since he posted a very cute picture of you, the hate has started again.
“I’ll make a statement asking them to leave you alone,” George offers but you shake your head no. He hates seeing you upset, but both of you didn’t expect the backlash on you.
“They won’t understand, they could never even try. They will never know what it was like to grow up like that, even the docuseries won’t help,” you start to dismiss the thought.
“We can’t do nothing,” he tries to reason, wanting to protect you.
“I don’t want to tiptoe around the public, but I don’t want to hide, either way I’m feeding this fire,” you groan, running your hand through your hair as you pace the room. You had to call off of work today, the entrance to your townhome being blocked by paparazzi.
“The story is gonna die, and we’ll be alright,” George stands up and pulls you into a hug. In your mind you picture the public liking you again, waiting for their love again.
A few days later, George drags you out of the house for lunch, you had only been leaving for work. The two of you step out, a reporter immediately coming up to you. You ignore the first few, sitting in your silence.
“It’s just me and you, Baby girl,” George whispers to you, supporting you however you choose to respond.
“Y/n, is it true that you have been in and out of rehab for the past year? You are in and out of hospitals,” one reporter, who always hounds you, asks causing you to whirl around. You don’t want to argue, but you don’t want to bite, so you choose a confusing answer.
“You’ve got me misunderstood, but at least I look this good,” you smirk, watching their face scrunch in confusion, gripping their paper and pen, before continuing your walk.
The next day a clip of one of your short interviews drops, taken while you were in college, as a trailer for the docuseries release the following week.
~-~-~-
I don’t like how this industry painted me, but I’m still here hanging, just not what they made me. It’s almost like a daydream sometimes, finally leaving that world. I feel so seen, I am everything that I defined myself as, not all that the industry made me be. My truth and I may always sit in silence, but one day I hope I am brave enough to say it out loud. For now, it’s only me on the road after recovery, but maybe that’s all I need.
~-~-~-
buzzfeed.com/uk
A list of every child actor we need to apologize to after watching “Drugged: The Truth Behind the Lives of Child Actors”
1. Y/n Y/l/n
~-~-~-
“Are you sure you want to go out there?” George asks, looking at the crowds of journalists. You nod, tired of being silent and waiting for things to be better, not caring about feeding the fire anymore.
“Let’s go,” you release a shaky breath, stepping out behind your boyfriend as he walks you to work.
“Y/n! Anything to comment regarding the documentary that’s been released and the allegations made by your former colleagues?” A journalist asks, the rest hoarding, pens at the ready.
“Actually, I do. You owe us an apology. Villainizing children who needed someone like you to expose how awful our working conditions were, that’s sick and cruel. You wrote lies about us, and instead of apologizing, you want to ask us for statements and exploit our names more? You’re sick. We can’t be friends,” you chem them out before continuing on your way to work. A part of you will always wait for their love, but you are tired of waiting for them to like you.
“You’re a badass. I hope they will see you are the biochemist and bioengineer, not the child actor. You’ve come so far and I’m so proud,” George says once your breathing steadies from the adrenaline.
“Thank you, Georgie,” a small part of you wants to flip them off behind you, just like you would’ve done ten years ago, but you don’t, finally moving forward.
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majestyeverlasting · 1 year ago
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Nice & Slow | e.m. x reader
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Summary: Late night kisses lead to Eddie worrying about losing you but, come morning, you chase those worries away.
Word Count: 2.1k
Now that the curtains are drawn, the glow of the street lamps just barely break into the bedroom. It’s much darker now. Quieter too. The laughter and chatter that once filled the trailer had left along with the last few guests that disappeared into the night. The sated stillness that found you now had been welcomed with open arms. 
“You’re not cold are you?” The question is murmured into the back of your neck, Eddie’s soft lips against your warm skin as he lays behind you. He must feel the way it makes you shiver because he gives your waist an affectionate squeeze where his hand rests. 
Everything smells like him. The pillowcase, the sheets, the air. 
If you were to flip back through everyday of your life, you would find few in which you felt as whole in the arms of another person. It was as if you’d gone every other moment without being complete. Eddie’s love was mending. The type that nestled between your ribs, and bloomed outwards with no sign of withering away. 
His fingertips slip beneath the hem of your shirt and grace along the waistband of your pants. It was as if you were a book he’d had the pleasure of reading a million times over. Each page delicately thumbed, with notes scribbled in the margins. Literature be damned if it meant knowing the living, breathing intricacy of another. 
“No, you’re always warm,” you finally answer, brushing your thumb over his knuckles. “Wish we could stay like this forever.” There’s a dreaminess to your voice, like you’re walking the line between sleep and wakefulness. 
It’s an ambitious thought, but he made you that way. 
“Forever…” It sounds like he’s tasting the word. “That’s cheesy,” he lightly accuses, nipping at your nape to distract from the warmth flooding his chest. He wouldn’t mind forever. 
Your shoulders lift with a few contained giggles, before they sleepily spill past your lips. It’s the first livelier sound to break the air of his bedroom and, for a moment, he lets himself forget that his Uncle Wayne is asleep in the living room. You try to scoot away from him with no real conviction, already rendered boneless and weak. It isn’t until you hiccup on a breath that he relents. There’s a pleasant buzz beneath your skin as you resettle into his chest with a sigh. He offers up a content sigh of his own. 
It strikes him then, how lucky he is. 
“I love you,” he says. 
“Mmm.” It’s a disbelieving sound. You’re only teasing, but it’s too late at night and he’s too tired to catch on. 
“I do.” His voice is thick with honesty. “You’re everything to me. You know that,” he insists, low and earnest. 
You roll over to face him then, brushing your fingertips along his hairline and running them down his stubbled cheek as he blinks his doe eyes at you.
“Now you’re starting to sound cheesy.” 
“Then don’t scare me like that,” he complains weakly, leaning into your touch. “Sometimes I worry I’m not making it clear.” 
“You make it clear everyday,” you assure, running your thumb over his Cupid’s bow. “I love you too.” You lean in to kiss him, nice and slow. A content hum rises up his throat. 
He isn’t expecting you to pull away so soon, but you move to press a line of kisses down his chin. Groaning, he rolls onto his back and pulls you by your waist to lay on top of him. Your legs fall alongside either of his. 
“Eddie,” A chuckle bubbles up your throat. “It was just a few extra goodnight kisses,” you say innocently. 
He gives you a lopsided grin, dark eyes sparkling. “What’s a few more then?” 
As soon as your lips meet again, it feels like you’re melting into him, his tenderness, his warmth. It’s almost too much, but you brave the feeling anyways, letting it soak all the way to your bones. Eddie’s body is steady and solid beneath you even though it feels like you’re falling. 
When you pull away, he looks up at you in a way you can’t quite read, cheeks flushed. 
“What is it?” you whisper, searching his eyes. “You haven’t seen a ghost, have you?” You playfully look over your shoulder and the corner of his lips twitch upwards. 
Turning back around, you fold your arms over his chest and rest your chin on your hands. It’s an invitation for him to keep talking. He’s grateful for the steady pressure of your body. It’s like the two of you are one. 
“I shouldn’t be here,” he says. 
The room goes still. 
A silence settles between you. It’s thick, thoughts somehow escaping into the air before words. You don’t have to ask to know what this is about. 
There were still scars on his body attesting to that fateful night in the Upside Down. It was one of those potent memories that refused to remain cemented to the past. Pain flare-ups struck every now and again, but you knew the incident came to his mind more often than on those inopportune days because there was no way it couldn’t. 
“If you weren’t supposed to be here, you wouldn’t be, Eddie,” you say, not harsh but convinced. “You fought for it. You deserve to be.” 
“I know, it’s just…” He trails off, thinking. “On nights like this, when everything feels so goddamn perfect, it’s like I’m waiting for a rug to get ripped from under me.” 
A small sliver of light leaves your eyes, and he digs the heel of his palms into his eyes. “Sorry, I’m ruining—” 
“No, you’re not ruining anything,” you’re quick to say, reaching to pull his wrists down. “You could never.”
You’re not expecting a chuckle to escape him, but the sound fills your chest with a flicker of relief. Levity was always waiting somewhere in the wings. Even if the world was ending, you supposed it’d be there ready to take off the edge. That’s just what happened when he was around. 
“I definitely could,” he argues. 
A smile tugs at your lips even though you fight it. “You know what I mean.” You stroke his hair, watching the way his eyelashes flutter. “You want to be here, don’t you?” 
A resounding yes echoes in his mind. Everyone he loves is on this side of the Upside Down. He’d claw his way back every single time. 
“Of course I do.” 
“Then that’s what’s worth holding onto. Not the what-ifs,” you tell him, praying your sincerity isn’t lost. 
•••
The next morning, pale sunlight streams onto your face as you stand at Eddie’s bedside, squeezing his bicep to encourage him awake. In a brief flicker of wakefulness just moments ago, he’d convinced himself that he hadn’t felt you get out of bed. Upon looking up at you with bleary eyes, he wishes you were still in his arms. He muffles a yawn into his pillow before offering you an easy smile. 
“Morning.” There’s a slight rasp to his voice. 
“Good morning.” You smile back. “There’s somewhere I wanna take you.” Eagerness is coated around each word. 
“Really?”
“Mhmm. But it’s a secret.” He wrinkles his nose at that.
“Just gimme, like, ten more minutes.” When you open your mouth to complain, he pushes the sheets off himself, and swings his legs over the side of the bed. “I’m messing with you, sweetheart.” You squeak when he pulls you to stand between his legs by the back of your thighs. 
It’s impossible to ignore the warmth of his lips when he kisses your stomach through your shirt. He looks up through his lashes in time to see the flustered look that washes over your features. He doesn’t try to hide the boyish grin that spreads across his face. 
“You like that?” There’s a teasing lilt beneath the innocence of his question. He kisses your stomach again, then raises the hem of your shirt up just enough to kiss the bare skin. “Hmm?” He looks back up at you for an answer he already knows. 
Ignoring him, you work your fingers into his messy hair and scratch his scalp in that gentle way that always coaxes a shiver out of him. “I was thinking we could go get breakfast afterwards.” You try to keep your voice level but you’ve gone all soft and fuzzy on him. 
“After my surprise?” he coaxes, kneading your waist. 
You nod. “We have to hurry before it gets too late.” 
That prompts him to stand to his full height, finally allowing you to embrace him. You press your ear to his chest and listen to the steady sound of his heartbeat, thinking about the night before. About ponderings on what should, shouldn’t be, and was. 
As the sound thumps on you’re grateful that he’s still here. That he is. 
•••
There’s something about seeing you behind the wheel of his van that makes Eddie feel good. He can’t quite pin why, but pride is somewhere in the mix alongside an eternal sense of adoration. It’s a hulking piece of metal, still going strong after everything he’d put it through since the day his Uncle Wayne helped him talk down the selling price. 
You always look worlds prettier and focused than when he’s at the helm. 
Hawkins is just beginning to wake up. A few people flitter into stores in their hats and coats. There’s a handful of other vehicles peppering the streets. 
When you home to a stop at a stoplight, Eddie looks out the window at a teenager walking one of the shaggiest dogs he’s ever seen. He’s about to point it out to you, but you’re already looking. 
“Reminds me of somebody I know.” You fight to keep a straight face after obviously taking in Eddie’s full head of hair. 
His mouth falls open as the light turns green, and you give into a laugh when he snorts and shakes his head. 
“You’re cruel,” he says, still chuckling. “Absolutely wicked.” 
“Wait,” you breathe through a laugh. “We’re close. Can you close your eyes until we get there?” 
Eddie listens without question, metal rings glinting as he reaches across the console to grab your thigh since you’ve deprived him of sight. No sooner does his thumb begin to rub small patterns onto your leg. 
“I was just joking, by the way,” you tell him, meaning it.
His eyebrows furrow. “Oh, the dog thing?” A brief spell of laughter rises up again. Under oath, you’d swear it was your favorite sound. “It’s all good. No harm, no foul.” 
He feels the van turning into what he can only assume to be a parking lot, if the way you slow down is any indicator. 
“We’re here.” 
•••
Lover’s Lake has never quite looked like this. At least, not when he was there to see. The way the early sunlight breaks through the trees as dissipating fog hovers over the water makes for a scene worth being immortalized. Both of you are quiet as you stand several feet back from the water’s edge, the tide gently lapping in. 
Eddie was never one for nature until you came along, or being still, for that matter. You’d managed to open his eyes to the power of both. There was something healing about it, something mending. Like how he felt when he was alone with you. It was as if there was nothing or no one else in the entire world except for you by his side, and the sight stretched before him like an altar. 
“I know it’s not the most life-changing thing in the entire world,” you start, playing with your fingers, “but it’s beautiful.  
Especially for Hawkins, you want to add. Even the air is fresher and more crisp over here. 
“Can we sit for a second?” He asks, looking behind himself at the ground. 
Both of you take a seat. Him with his long legs outstretched, and you hugging your knees. 
“I’m really starting to think you have superpowers.” Along with the playfulness, you can hear the overwhelming note of gratitude in his voice. “You always know what I need before I do.” He looks over at you like you’re a wonder fallen from the sky. 
Your eyes stay on the delicate ripples of the water. “My only powers are watching and listening.” Eddie waits to speak because he can sense that you have something else to say. “I know you’re worried about good things being ripped away from you, but look.” You motion out in front of you. 
“Doesn’t it kinda make you feel like everything’s gonna be okay?” You lean your head onto his shoulder, briefly closing your eyes as you exhale. 
It does, even if only for this moment in time.  
-
Thank you! More on my page <3
Eddie Munson Masterlist
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brummiereader · 6 months ago
Text
MASTERLIST PREVIOUS PART
Uptown Girl (Part Four)
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Summary: You and Tommy suddenly find yourselves in a small predicament as the impending hour of your engagement ball draws near. Only to be made worse when you make an unexpected bold move in your war of words. As alliances begin to form between the gangster and an unlikely guest later that evening. Yours and Tommy's feelings also begin to show when he makes a move that will leave you as equally breathless. But with someone watching from afar, another problem comes your way. One that could leave everything in jeopardy.
Warnings: Language, angst, domestic violence, use of one racial slur, very brief 18+ themes.
Word Count: 5692
Authors Note: The waltz played at the engagement ball is called "Second Waltz" by Dmitri Shostakovich. Which was also used in my trailer for this series.
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"So, what seems to be the problem?" you asked with gritted teeth, hovering over the workman with half his body buried deep under the intricate rail work of pipes as you silently prayed for a better outcome than what the current situation held.
" Busted main pipe, Miss" Mr Potts grunted as he hoisted himself up from under the dusty floors of your aging home.
Well, bollocks, you thought to yourself as you wiped the layer of sweat that had accumulated on the back of your neck. The sweltering heat that had descended over the country, having no mercy on you and every other citizen that was accustomed to summers your southern neighbors would consider dreary and wet.
" Is it possible you could fix it...by tonight?" you questioned in hopes things could be swiftly sorted before your engagement ball set to take place that evening. The soirée you had no choice but to put a brave face on for. But not a sweaty, frazzled-haired one if you had any control over your bathing habits.
" Mr Potts?" you queried once again when a hearty crescendo of laughter left the plumbers jiggling girth at your lack of knowledge for manual labor, and the hours it would take to fix such a problem.
" Tonight? Are you 'aving a laugh?" he snorted as you crossed your arms, the deepening creases of your brow furrowing with every chuckle that left his raspy lungs.
" It's not that funny..." you mumbled as he continued to echo his amusement. Could probably fix it myself, given the chance, your strong willingness pushed through your pouting lips when Tommy came striding down the hallway.
"Y/N" he greeted you with a soft smile, dressed in only a vest and suit trousers, his suspenders hanging loosely from his hips. It would almost be unusual to see him fully dressed in your presence at this point, you thought to yourself as you watched him wipe the sticking heat from under his chin down to his toned collarbone. Hot. So...so, terribly hot...
"Mr Shelby" you greeted him back with flushed cheeks, pulling yourself away from your steamy thoughts as he stood arm to arm with you. His darting eyes unable to divert from the beads of perspiration that had settled on your rising chest, dripping down to the curves of your...fuck
" Pipes about to burst " you said, catching his wandering eye as you subtly shimmied the frills of your dress over your steamy display.
" Right" he replied as he cleared his throat, finding a degree of innuendo in your passing statement he felt would be best kept to himself than shared with the room and it's causing effect. You.
As you both watched the plumber plod about, a silence momentarily settled between you both, free from the bickering, cocky remarks and slamming of doors.
Something had unexpectedly changed since Tommy turned up in both support and respect to your father's funeral. The sudden shift away from butting heads, replaced by the echoing spark of yearning from your first encounter. But for how long, until you faced yet another bump in your precariously winding road to admitting your sentiments towards the other?
"Me and my boys will be 'round first thing tomorrow" the workman announced as he settled his cap on his head, breaking the tension between you both.
" But...but how are we supposed to wash?"you hurried after his heavy footsteps, left inconveniently in the lurch.
" Servants' quarters aren't connected to the main buildings' plumbing" he replied, turning around as his pout belly bounced into yours, the sudden impact causing you to fly back two feet. " Their bath is hooked up to the pipes for the horses stables. That ain't gonna be a problem is it now, Miss? he asked with his hands on his hips as his eyes honed in on your bumbling lips.
" I...I didn't build this house, Mr Potts" you said with darting eyes and reddened cheeks, feeling like you were suddenly the one to be blamed for the houses' layout, and the divide it created between classes.
" I can assure you, had I been the one to oversee the architecture..." you rambled off into an incoherent speech on how you was for workers rights as the plumbers' brow began to scrunch at your nattering to a comment he made in jest.
" No, it's not a problem. Absolutely, definitely not, a problem" you answered, catching your breath with a weary smile as your embarrassment for not being able to reply to a simple question without going into a rant caught up with you.
" Splendid" he replied, hooking his thumbs under his suspenders as he turned around. A chuckle leaving his lips for the high society lady he had left in a dizzy.
Spinning on your heel, you came face to face with your smoking squatter, casually leaning against the wall as a small grin of amusement he had no intention of hiding, lurked behind the fumes of tobacco as you slowly padded towards him, awaiting the dose of humiliation you were sure was on the tip of his tongue.
" One bath" he said stood in front of you as his eyes darted back and forth to the servants' quarters.
" Hmm" you hummed as you watched him brush the droplets of heat from his brow. Both of you in dire need to cool down. But with only one bath, the race to it's location was now tethering on the starting line as you both waited for the other to make the first move.
"Excuse me" you said before taking off down the very hallway he'd been eyeing up, attempting to get a head start on your mutually shared agenda.
" Stifling isn't it?" You said, flapping the top of your dress in attempt to get a draft down to your sweating crevices as he quickly appeared beside you, matching your quickened pace as you both exchanged pleasantries to hide the determination you had to get to the only bath with running water.
" Suffocating" he replied as you jogged breathlessly next to his long strides, distracted enough for him to take a quick peek at the beautiful sight of your bouncing bosom.
" You dropped something, love" Tommy warned you as he glanced down at your feet, causing you to momentarily stop in your tracks.
Dropped something, your eyes narrowed in on him briskly walking away with a throaty chuckle. Dropped your guard for him mischievously fooling you more like!
" You cheat!" you pouted as you summoned the will of your inner child, racing after his steps like a charging young boy, red-faced and sweaty about to tackle down his biggest rival, when you came to a stumbling stop into his body, quickly wrapping your slippery hand around his on the brass handle of the door as you both fought for dominance.
" Ladies first" he relented to the gentlemanly way of doing things, gesturing for you to go as you blew a lock of hair from in front of your eyes,
" No, you go" you replied coyly, intending to play a back and forth game of politeness until your graciously gave. Ignoring the fact you had launched yourself into him seconds earlier, ready to fight him to the death on who gets first dibs.
"Well, if you insist" he opened the door with a smirk, swiftly shutting it behind him.
"But..but..." He left you muted and mumbling as you stood with crossed arms, your eyes darting in disbelief to and from the room he had just entered.
What a... you scoffed to yourself unable to find the appropriate insult as you heard him turn the water on, obnoxiously whistling to himself in the process.
And to think you thought the unspoken ceasefire between you was a treaty you had both signed.
What was he doing, practicing his butterfly stroke? you thought to yourself as your eyes honed in on the bathroom door. One hour. One full hour he'd been in there bathing himself as if he was a Greek goddess in the seas of Pathos.
" Right" you stormed up from the chair placed directly outside the door you had been waiting in front of for the hour of your life you'd never get back.
"Mr Shelby?" you politely knocked for the first time since his arrival, only to have a response of silence.
"Mr Shelby!?" Your patience lasted all but two seconds as your fist began to pound on the door before you dramatically swung it open. It's not like you hadn't already seen the lengthy manhood the gods had bestowed upon him, you reasoned to yourself as you charged through to see him with his head lulled back against the ceramic bath, a cigarette hanging loosely between his fingers.
" Get out. It's my turn" you huffed with your back against the sink as you watched him with annoyance, peacefully submerged in the cloudy water filled with Epsom salts.
" Oh, It's you. I would've never guessed" he opened one eye with a smirk to see you getting furiously irritated by the locks of hair sticking to your face.
" It's been an hour. Now leave" you said as you turned to the sink, fiddling with the cold tap to relive yourself from the heat radiating from your skin.
"It's been ten minutes" he said, lifting his cigarette to his lips as his eyes roamed over your dress adhered to your skin with sweat.
"You've used all the water! I can't...I can't believe you!" you snapped, turning the silver faucet to the very end for only a pitiful drop of water to settle in your palm.
" You can use mine when I get out" he said, causing your eyes to widen as big as his cocky grin. He may very well have been accustomed to sharing mucky bath water when he was a child in a bid for his mother to save on pennies, but you had never done anything of the sort. Let alone with a grown man you had only known for a matter of weeks. "Or there's a pond at the bottom of the garden"
" Pond?!"
" Too posh for ponds as well, ey princess?" a sly smirk settled on his ridiculously plump lips as he waited, watching you in the corners of his blue irises with amusement.
"Leave" you demanded, succumbing to the realisation that you had no choice but to bathe in his leftovers than share a pond with any potential slithering beings that lived in it.
" Five more minutes" he said closing his eyes, blowing a cloud of smoke to the ceiling. Had he become so accustomed to your daily bickering, that he was in fact doing this on purpose just so he would have an excuse to interact with you? Yes.
Whatever possessed you to do what you did next, when you propped your foot on the edge of the toilet seat and unclasped your garter straps, shimmying the stockings from your legs along with them. Would plague you for the rest of the evening if not, your entire life.
" Out" you approached the side of the bath, throwing your most intimate of undergarments on top of his bundled up clothes on a nearby chair.
" I think I'd rather stay, darling" he said watching you pull your dress from over your head as his cigarette slowly submerged itself under the murky water. The sight of you now only in your under slip leaving him momentarily stunned.
"Fine" you said forcing a sarcastic smile through your slowly evaporating bravado.
There's no going back now, you thought to yourself, dipping your foot into the bath as Tommy bolted upright until his body was firmly against the back of the cool enclosure.
"Fuck, what are..." he was lost for words at your unexpected display of both competitiveness, and a boldness that would match any Small Heath lass he'd ever encountered.
" What does it look like I'm doing? I'm having a bath, Mr Shelby" you replied, following through with your endeavor without a blip as you poured a tinned jug of water over your locks, watching Tommy shift position as he rubbed the droplets of water sitting on the curls of his long lashes away with his hand. Was he seeing things? Dreaming, hallucinating?
" Do you ever relax?" he asked you after silently observing you laver the soap onto your chest and arms in the quickest manner you could possibly achieve to do it in. Watching the bubbles of perfumed lavender seep down to your ample cleavage as your entangled legs and little room to move, made matters worse for the growing predicament he now found himself in.
" Huh!" you scoffed at his remark that would be better attributed to himself as you went to reach for the bar of soap, when your slippery hands had it sinking to the bottom of the watery deep. Inconveniently close to his side of the bath. Dangerously close to his side.
Locking eyes, you cautiously dipped your hand under the water when you felt him grab hold of your wrist, saving you from discovering the effect you had on him, and grabbing something he'd prefer stayed attached to his body.
With a heaving chest your eyes met in a lustful gaze as you felt the gentle tightening of his hand around yours in the cool water. Beckoning your thoughts to join him in the unspoken line he wanted to cross. The line you had both been dancing precariously close to ever since you met.
Whether it was fear of what would come after, or the nerves you felt about being intimate with someone again after your first disastrous time. You abruptly stood up as Tommy's mouth fell agape at the sight before him. Your body sheathed in your slip, drenched in enough water to see through the thin fabric to reveal your bare body beneath. Knickerless. Fuck.
" Stay" Tommy's breathy voice churning with desire mumbled, swallowing the lump in his throat as his straining cock twitched at the sight of your bare body in front of him. His hands edging to wrap around your legs and pull you down on top of him to relive you both of the tension you had let build through weeks of bickering.
" I won't" you left, leaving him with the angry echo of your voice and the puddles of your parting footsteps. Anger you felt only for yourself, and the yearning you had to indulge in your forbidden desires. Knowing it would only further confuse your mounting feelings for him, and the emotional web it would create if your future dealt you the wrong hand.
" Fucking hell..." Tommy threw his head back, slowly engulfing himself until he was fully submerged under the water. You'd be the death of him.
What the hell was you thinking, you pushed your damp hair away from your face as you walked down the heavy wooded stairs into the foyer. The sight of an unknown woman in the dining room capturing your attention enough for you to momentarily forget your impromptu bath with the blue-eyed trespasser.
" Ghastly, isn't it?" you said with crossed arms coming to stand beside her as she pulled the cigarette from between her ruby painted lips, lowering her sunglasses enough from the large portrait of Tommy to look at you.
" So you're the one" she said with a pursed smile, her hazel eyes igniting with a shared mischievousness for infuriating your mutual acquaintance.
" And you must be?" you queried as she stubbed out her cigarette on the frame of Tommy's imposing painting.
" Polly Gray. Aunt Polly to some" she said, reaching her immaculately painted talons out in a polite handshake before returning her eyes to the large framed picture.
" Whatever do you think possessed him to commission such a monstrosity?" your nose scrunched up at the beady-eyed horse and it's owner looming over you.
"Grand home, grand aspirations" she waved her hand in front of her at the strokes of paint, and it's ill fitting placement. A dining room. His mug watching everyone eat their breakfast. How delightful.
" Grand ego, more like" you said when a puff of smoke to your left came into view as you carried on your torment, knowing the very owner of the painting both you and his Aunt were ruthlessly insulting was standing right beside you.
" Well, he certainly has enough of that" she replied with a smirk, as Tommy furrowed his brow at you both simultaneously ganging up on him, having only met moments ago.
He liked his portrait, he thought to himself as he stiffened his posture, admiring the work that had been done when a burst of giggles came from next of him.
" You two finished?" he said as you both pulled your eyes away from the brooding painting of himself to the grumpy human version.
" Oh, Mr Shelby. I didn't see you there" you said with your hand to your chest, his shaking head not joining you and his Aunts shared amusement.
" Tommy. Y/N and I were just getting to know each other. Or rather, your interesting painting" she said, turning to pick up the folder of documents her nephews' distracted thoughts had forgotten to sign, when Tommy ceased the opportunity to enclose the small space between you as his Aunt bundled her belongings together.
" You left these with my clothes" his hot breath whispered into your ear with a curling smile, prickling the skin of your neck in a gentle wave of pleasure as he reached into his back pocket to pull out your laced underwear.
" Give them" you said quietly through gritted teeth, as you both tugged on the delicate item of clothing until they ripped and Tommy let go with a breathy chuckle.
" What's with you all of a sudden, eh?" Tommy quietly mumbled to you, gently elbowing you in the side to get your attention, you reciprocated back twice as hard just as Polly turned to see the tense display between you both.
Don't think she hadn't noticed, nor the fact both of you had hair still damp with water. Just what had you two been up to?
" It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Gray" you bid his Aunt goodbye with the bundled knickers scrunched in your hand behind your back as Tommy's thumb gently brushed over the fleshy part of your wrist.
Why were you suddenly playing so hard to get? You had got in the bath with him for Christ' sake, he thought to himself as his eyes followed you out the room. Were you playing games? his thoughts further nagged him with the idea of you toying with him. He'd seen you looking at him. Seen you stealing glances when you thought he wasn't watching. How long were you going to keep pretending you didn't want it as much as him?
" Until next time" she said with a curious smile, intrigued to know more about you and what had her nephew away from the office so frequently after mouthing to anyone forced to listen, how much you got under his skin.
" Now that's a rare sight worth painting" her drawn lips closed into a tight smile as the door closed and her head turned to see the pining eyes of her nephew, held in captivation for the woman that had just left the room.
" Be careful Thomas, anyone might just think you're in love" she arched her brow with a matching smirk before making her way to his office. Leaving a huffing Tommy with a disgruntled thrown as he shoved his hands into the depths of his trouser pockets.
Shit.
" Don't think I haven't noticed, Mr Shelby" your Grannie lifted her chin, her eyes looking at the gangster from head to toe stood beside her.
"I've seen that look" her lips pouted with a knowing smile, catching him staring at you from across the ballroom later that evening, as your fiance loomed over you. A look she herself had shared with a man not so different to Tommy.
" And what look would that be, Dowager? Tommy said through the toying smirk on the corner of his mouth as he took two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter, before taking a seat on the gold plush settee next to her.
" A look as old as time" she said, lifting the glass of bubbles to her lips as Tommy's eyes creased into a mischievous smile.
" Your secret is safe with me, Mr Shelby" Grannie's eyes met the spark of youth in his as she returned to keeping a watchful eye on you. Her loathing for the gangster having taken a sudden blow after witnessing his attentiveness to you at her son's funeral in the absence of your betrothed.
"Brute!" her eyes filled with anger as she watched Cal grab hold of your arm, pulling you into the darkness of the corner of the room.
" I can have him find his way into the cut, if you'd like" Tommy scoffed cocking a brow, passing your Grannie the small pocket square of white cotton from the front of his tailored tux, to usher the tears for your bleak circumstances away.
"Behave" she let a small giggle slip, patting his leg as her new budding companion for the evening sent her a boyish grin as she dabbed her eyes through her laughter.
" I'm afraid my dear girl will have even dire choices if Mr Astor happens to go missing. Her last remaining option looking ever the more bleak with each passing day" she sighed as her head cast down in exhaustion to her fingers clutched tightly around the champagne glass resting in her lap.
"Arrow House" Tommy let a breathy exhale out. Your Grannie only confirming his suspicions as to what had you clinging on for dear life to the house that would be better torn down than the many repairs needed to fix the state your father had left it in.
" For what it's worth, Mr Shelby. Your arrival may have thrown a spanner into my granddaughter's secret scheming, but it also brought a spring in her step for the life she once lived to it's full. Something I haven't had the joy of witnessing for many years" she confided in him, resting her aged hand creased with the wrinkles of wisdom she had earned on his arm. "And for that, I'm forever grateful to you"
" You're hurting me" you flinched at Cal's hand clasped tightly around your wrist, his eyes darkening into a bottomless glare of blackness.
" I will have you answer me, Y/N" he demanded, pulling you further into his body, hiding your guests from the controlling nature of your relationship.
" Why was he there, hm? Did you invite him?" his eyes blazed at you with fury. Breaths away from insulting you for his own insecurities having learnt of Tommy's appearance at your father's funeral from your brother.
" Are you whoring yourself out to him?" His paranoia spat through gritted teeth, his tightening hold numbing the extremities of your throbbing hand as your eyes welled with fear." Answer me!"
" Y/N?" Tommy's concerned voice drifted to you with his enclosing footsteps.
" Mr Shelby" you turned away from him, wiping the tears from your eyes with your bruising hand.
" Once again, Shelby. You seek out my fiance" Cal seethed though a throaty laugh, stretching the strain from his fingers that were moments away from snapping your wrist.
" It seems he is quite fond of you, dear" he scoffed with amusement as Tommy handed you a glass of gin, his look of disgust for the man beside him and the state of upset he had left you in further angering him when your limp hand had no strength to hold the small glass of liquor you quietly mumbled your gratitude for.
" A backstreet gypsy boy trying to win himself a woman of society. Whoever gave you the idea you could achieve such a thing?"
" This backstreet gypsy has never been one to turn down a challenge, Mr Astor. Especially not something as pretty as your wife to be" Tommy raised his brow, letting his mouth fall open with a challenging smirk, knowing the bastard in front of him wouldn't have a leg to stand on if he tried his luck with the cutthroat gangster, notorious for killing anyone who dared to come up against him.
" Fellas" your brother came between the two men in an attempt to calm the tension before a bloody shootout ensued.
"Dicky, Harold, meet Mr Shelby. My baby sister's houseguest" he turned to the men beside him as Tommy and your fiance continued to lock horns with a glaring, shared stance.
" Oh yes, the criminal" they tallest sniggered as the other took a chuckling bite of fish eggs on the wafer thin piece of bread in his hand.
" Harold Sterling. We share a business acquaintance" Tommy's head snapped to the giggling duo as he pointed his finger.
" I doubt that" he scoffed as his wife appeared beside him, curious as to who the smartly dressed gentleman was.
" Mr J.R Hughes from Hampstead, London" Tommy reminded him, lighting a cigarette, blowing the first drag of tobacco in his smug face.
" He mentioned you'd be attending this evening's ball. Said for me to send his regards to your wife, Kitty." His eyes narrowed in as Mr Sterling's widened with embarrassment.
" Your secretary, you've been sleeping with her again, haven't you? You dirty pig" his wife quietly snarled at him, as he tried to usher her away from causing a scene in front of the many dignitaries and fellow business partners present.
" Oh I'm sorry, I mean Gladys" Tommy named his second mistress through his cigarette loosely sitting between his lips before he could escape his dues.
" You bastard, you rotten bastard!" She snapped, swatting him across the arm as he cowered away.
" Dicky, how's your old man? Hear he got locked up?" Tommy turned to his next victim, picking them off one by one as you looked down at your drink, biting your bottom lip in an attempt to stop the smile of amusement you had for Tommy's brutal onslaught of the insufferable gang of merry men your brother spent time with.
" You have the wrong man, Mr Shelby. You don't know my father" he spat, turning to leave.
" The whole of Birmingham north of Aston knows him. The butcher of Bordesley Green"
" Your father's a butcher?" Johnathan's brow furrowed as his friend's lips wobbled without an answer.
" If butchering people is a profession" Tommy raised his brow. Ruthlessly unveiling the man's secret, his family had done their upmost to keep hidden from high society. But not from the backstreets of Birmingham his father's midnight killings had landed him in a life long stint at his majesty's pleasure until the noose called his name.
" Good lord, man!" Johnathan looked to his friend in horror, taking a step back from him and the small caviar knife on the porcelain plate in his hand, he feared he would use to gauge his organs out having learnt of his father's murderous hobby, as Tommy watched your finances eyes dart back and forth to him, waiting for the gang leader to reveal his own dirty secrets.
" Gentleman" Tommy left with a wicked smile of satisfaction. Leaving Cal momentarily with the comfort that his own legacy was safely secure. Safe for now, that is.
Watching you from afar at the side of the ballroom later that evening, Tommy continued to quietly endure your brother's nattering of unwarranted business ideas. Only entertaining his nonsense so he could peacefully steal glances at the woman who truly held his interest.
" Compelling, Johnathan" Tommy absently noted, pulling his eyes away from you as he took the last sip from his emptying glass of whisky.
" Another, old chap?" Your brother pointed to his glass, eager to continue his ridiculous business proposition he hoped would earn him big money.
" Yeh" Tommy cleared his throat, passing him his empty tumbler, thankful to be rid of him as he made his way to the lonely seat next to you.
" Mr Shelby" you looked up at him, away from the dancing guests as he settled himself beside you. " I want to thank you, for earlier" your tired eyes looked to him, hoping he understood the depth of your gratitude for intervening.
" Y/N..." he sighed, taking your battered wrist into his comforting touch, brushing his thumb gently over your bruising skin deepened once again with the marks of control your fiance had over you.
" Please, please don't say it. Just let me forget, if only for a moment" you interrupted him, resting your fingers gingerly over his hand as Tommy let out a stifled huff of frustration.
"So, what's this one?" Tommy changed the subject, turning his head to the swaying of ball dresses being guided in step around the ballroom.
" The waltz" you answered, thankful he'd not insisted on the matter you knew looked painfully frustrating to any bystander.
" And why aren't you dancing it, ey?" he turned back to you with a playful grin, keen to see you be spun around if to only have you smile for just one moment like he had witnessed at the ballet.
" I'm untouchable, I'm afraid" you said, raising your left hand and the diamond sitting on your finger. " Only male family members and Cal are seen as suitable dance members" you scoffed, looking down at the weighty piece of jewellery in your hand, only ever letting it grace your skin for events such as tonight's.
" You lot" Tommy chuckled leaning back in his seat, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of the rules and expectations of the world you lived in. Small Heath didn't seem so bad after all.
" They show no mercy when they start gossiping" you looked back to the full room of unknown people who were only connected to you by wealth and status.
" Then let them talk" Tommy grabbed your hand, pulling you up and away to the patio doors as Grannie watched from afar with a hiccuping smile in her seat of observation as Tommy shot her a wink.
Naughty boy, she giggled to herself as the years of her own youth and the excitement it brought hurtled back to her.
" Wouldn't happen to have your hawk eyes on Mr Shelby, would you Grannie?" Your brother appeared beside her with two glasses of whisky, as he scanned the room for Tommy.
" Johnathan, must you lurk! Go make yourself busy, child" your Grannie jumped with fright, taking one of the glasses of liquor from his hand, then swatting him away with the other as Johnathan wandered off with a pout.
"Mr Shelby, what...what are you doing?" you breathlessly gasped, having been pulled from your seat to the outside patio quicker than you had time to react to.
" What does it look like, Y/N? I'm dancing " Tommy arched a brow as he pulled his wrapped hand around your waist further into his body.
" Don't be ridiculous, you can't dance" you rolled your eyes, trying to distance yourself from his strong frame, and the blushing effect it had on you.
" I'm a quick learner, love" he smirked as he straightened his back, grasping your hand in his.
As the booming drums rumbled from within the ballroom, Tommy began to lead you into a waltz with your guidance, or what he would best describe, bossy instructions he suspiciously didn't seem in need of, having picked up the steps of the dance astonishingly quickly for a novice.
Quick learner, your skeptical eyes looked up at the cocky grin trying to push past the bottom lip he was biting down on when the interlude of pounding drums had Tommy stomping his feet in unison.
" Stop it!" You huffed, swatting his arm at his playful mocking, when the thunderous sound of the strings recommenced and Tommy suddenly spun you around in his hold, freeing you both from the small patch of concrete he had kept you in as he guided you with long strides across your impromptu dance floor like he had danced it a thousand times.
" Tommy!" His name slipped past your squealing lips when he unexpectedly lifted you up to the starry night of stringed twinkling lights as your dress bloomed around you. The sound of his name and your beaming smile sending his thumping heart racing when he brought you back down into his arms, while your flushed cheeks and darting eyes revealed the embarrassment you felt for losing yourself in the moment.
" Mr Shel..."
"Y/N, shut up" Tommy quietened the use of formalities you had continued to insist on when he pressed his lips to yours in a searing kiss, holding you tightly in his strong hold.
Breathlessly pulling back, your glistening eyes shone through the nervousness settling in your chest as your hands reached to rest on his pounding heart as he wantonly looked down at you, when the urge became too strong and you mutually crashed your lips back together in a passionate hold filled with a longing you had both been desperate to fill. Lips plush against each other, tongues intertwined in a secret dance only you knew.
" Mr Shelby?" Your brother called for the man who was currently locked in a heavy embrace with his sister as he pushed the French doors open with his back, simultaneously sipping from his whisky tumbler.
"Oh, dear" he quietly muttered as the remaining amber liquid poured to the greying concrete floor from his limp hand as he turned to see the unexpected sight of you together, oblivious of his presence.
Now this was a problem. A problem for him and your impending nuptials he was hoping would get him out of the small pickle he found himself in.
Oh dear, oh dear...
NEXT PART
Tag list: @weaponizedvirtue @un-interneted (unable to tag) @mama-ivy @kmc1989 @leighla3
@emotionalcadaver @mamawiggers1980 @sweetcheesecakesblog @cljordan-imperium @peakyswritings
@tiedyedghoulette @mostly-marvel-musings @classygirlything21 @dana-rmz
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waywardblazer · 3 months ago
Text
Winter Cottagecore
Bucky Barnes x Reader
warning(s) — fluffy, comfort, momentary angst and implied smut at the end
word count — 2.0k
summary/prompt — (cottage!au) in the wake of the coldest month of the season, hidden in a small cottage in the woods, who better to brave the storm with than the Winter Soldier.
a/n — we’re back in business babyyyy!! any of those moments got u kicking and squealing?? idk how rusty i am but here we go—with the thunderbolts trailer released my bucky obsession resurfaced. i'm scared to see what they did to our precious boy so fellow buck wild fans come and get your soft Bucky content to heal your broken hearts before the mcu breaks them even more than it already has :’(
(divider credits to @whimsicalrogers)
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Rain belted against the window as snowflakes drifted down, coating the ground and the tops of the trees in a sea of white. A heavy mist filled the air shielding the night sky above and creating an eerily beautiful scene. The melodically haunting howl of the wind echoed as it slipped through the crack under the wooden door.
You stood staring out beyond the glass at the wild weather. The soft crackling of the flames from the open fireplace was almost as calming as the warmth that radiated throughout the room. You pulled your thick cotton shawl further over your shoulders, breathing in the scent of fire, wood and the remaining berry tea you’d made for yourself earlier.
“There’s my sweet love.” A low and soft voice murmured into your ear as you felt hands slowly snake around your waist.
“Bucky.” You whispered, leaning into his embrace and closing your eyes as he rested his head upon your shoulder.
Both of you stood in content silence for a short time.
“How are we feeling tonight sweetheart?” He asked like the gentleman he was, nustling into your neck lovingly.
You giggled softly at the sensation, your eyes still resting on the outside world in front of you despite your attention being drawn to the super soldier behind you.
“I’m alright.” You replied quietly.
He raised an eyebrow, aware that you’d see it through the reflection of the window. “Just alright? Well, that’s not good enough, we can’t have that now can we.”
It was a rhetorical response as Bucky lifted his head off your shoulder. He then skilfully and gently spun you around so you were facing him, being careful not to hurt you with his metal arm as he did. All the while not breaking his hold.
“I can help, if you’ll let me.”
He stared down at you with his soft but utterly mesmerizing steel blue eyes that in all your years of knowing him never ceased to steal your breath away. You were completely entranced by his gaze. All thoughts that had previously occupied your mind were now a distant memory.
Life tended to move fast, so much so that neither of you had ever had a chance to just stop and enjoy it. Since Bucky was no longer at war and had regained control over his life you had decided to take him on a little winter getaway. Just the two of you, in hopes that it would help ease his ever racing mind and soothe some of his pain. Even though you had checked the weather before coming, it had only spoken of the cold so nothing had prepared either of you for the brutal storm that had blown in unannounced. You were lucky to have remembered to have stocked up on food and warm clothes.
The wind kicked up again and a draught slipped in through the crack under the door breaking your concentration on the soldier and causing you to recoil slightly with a shiver.
A frown passed over Bucky’s face and he stepped away from you, taking your hand while his vibranium one gently pressed against your back as he guided you over to the soft velvet couch that sat in front of the fireplace.
“Wait here.” He uttered as he sat you down before leaving your side and disappearing upstairs.
You pulled your legs up close towards your chest, snuggling down into the corner of the couch. Your fingertips traced meaningless shapes into the velvet.
Just as quickly as he’d left, he returned holding a large blanket and an old draft stopper which he placed by the door, pushing it with his foot to ensure it was secure. He then wandered back over to you and wrapped the blanket around you, stroking your hair before placing a light kiss on the top of your head.
“Thank you dear Bambi.” You mumbled, watching as he dropped his gaze to the floor, a soft smile appearing on his face. The out of pocket nicknames you seemed to come up with for him always made him chuckle.
It warmed your heart to witness that smile knowing too well how rare it was with all that he seemed to carry on his shoulders which often left him with a heavy weighted stare that scared and intimidated anyone who didn’t know him.
You tapped the empty spot next to you, “stay with me?” You asked quietly.
“Of course darling, I’m not going anywhere.” He muttered gently, flopping down beside you with a relieved sigh.
You manoeuvred your body so you could curl up against him. He rested his arm over you and at the same time his vibranium arm dangled over the armrest.
A few moments later, without any warning the wind made the door of the cottage bang aggressively against its hinges causing Bucky to startle, panic rising inside of him as his head snapped up in the direction of the sound. You happened to have your hand resting against his chest so you felt his heart rate spike.
You sat up a little, “hey, it’s alright Buck.” You reassured him.
He returned his gaze back to you, noticing the look of concern in your eyes. He was hit with a pang of guilt. “Scuze,” (sorry) he whispered, switching almost instinctively to Romanian.
“No no, don’t apologise my love. After everything you’ve been through you’re allowed to be scared.” You raised your hand to gently caress his cheek with your fingers. Feeling him lean into your touch you smiled. “You’re safe, you don’t need to be a soldier right now. It’s just us. You can just be Bucky.”
He slid his arms back around you once again, pulling you close to him. You rested your head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it steadied with every breath.
You could have stayed like that for hours and really there was nothing stopping you.
The combination of the wind outside and the rain falling against the roof sounded almost like a song. The fire crackled and illuminated the room in a soft orange glow. It was actually the sound of the kettle whistling that pulled your attention away. You looked up at Bucky knowingly and without a word you sat yourself up to allow him to stand.
“Would you like some more tea, pebble?” He asked, looking over at you.
“Yes please.” You replied with a gentle nod.
Bucky disappeared into the kitchen. Only to return a few minutes later with two cups of tea. He carefully gave the one in his metal hand to you, holding it so you could grab the handle.
“It’s hot sweetheart, please be careful.” He cautioned.
You nodded and smiled gratefully at his concern. There was literal steam rising from the surface of the liquid and so you placed the mug down on the table to let it cool for a bit. You leant back into the couch, tugging the blanket around yourself as it had slipped down when you had moved.
You rotated your head to stare out the window from where you were sitting, a gentle sigh leaving you. In all honesty, this hadn’t been exactly what you’d had in mind when you had suggested spending some time away. You’d been hoping for some down time, sure, but also the thought of a peaceful walk through the wintery woods had been your driving reason for coming—besides Bucky of course—you had always been one to enjoy being out in nature rather than being confined indoors. So this really was no picnic for you.
Bucky must have noticed your slight shift in mood because he uttered, “you know. There might be a storm right now but think of the pretty angels and snowmen we can make once it’s over.”
You turned to look at him, your eyes glistening with excitement upon hearing his words.
“I’m sure we can spare a carrot or two for a nose.” He continued with a soft grin. “And we’ll find some sticks to make arms.”
“And pebbles for eyes!” You added with a light giggle.
Bucky laughed softly before taking another sip of his tea, his eyes never leaving you as he did. There was just something about you that left him all giddy like a love struck puppy.
You leant forward, picking up your cup of tea off the table. You brought it up to your lips and took a tentative sip to test the temperature. It was sweet like berries with a hint of honey and mint just the way you liked it. You gulped down more with a satisfied sound, feeling the tea warm your insides.
You stole a glance over at Bucky seeing that he’d put his mug down and was still staring at you. All of a sudden you felt hyper aware. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” You whined defensively, clutching your mug close to you.
“No reason, you’re just really cute.” His eyes were beaming as brightly as his smile.
You looked away quickly before returning your gaze back up at him again. You felt a faint heat rising on the tips of your ears and across the back of your neck as you softly bit down on your lip. You had choked on any remark that you had wanted to make. It wasn’t often that you got flustered but when you did it was always because of Bucky.
Taking one more sip of your tea, you put the mug back down.
A rumble of thunder echoed off in the distance signaling an incoming storm. You had barely noticed how the sounds of the current storm had calmed down over the past twenty minutes.
“I’m not cute.” You mumbled insistently, shooting Bucky a soft disapproving glare but dropped it shortly after, finding yourself unable to hold his dazzling blue gaze.
The sunshine smile on his face morphed into what you could only interpret to be a flirtatious grin as he placed a hand under your chin gently forcing you to look up at him causing your stomach to flip as your heart skipped a beat.
With a slight growl he muttered, “you are.”
You melted right there and then.
He left no time for you to argue because he pulled you into a kiss. The hand that had previously rested on your chin, now slinked down to your hip. He paused for a moment as if silently asking if you were okay, but when you gave him no objections he used his vibranium arm to support himself as he guided you to lie down. He climbed on top of you, causing you to giggle adorably as his eyes remained locked on yours.
“How are you feeling now, sweetheart?” He recalled his question from earlier.
This time you held his gaze unwaveringly, the light heat had spread to your cheeks.
“Better, t-thanks to you.” You stammered.
It continued to confuzzle him as much as it did you to think about how he’d become so lucky to have you in his life. He could never seem to understand, no matter how hard he tried.
“Я тебя люблю, Y/N.” He murmured.
Of all the people in this universe and you chose him.
A thunder rumble louder than before echoed across the sky causing the room to vibrate as the rain began to fall again just as fast as you had for the soldier above you.
“I love you too Bucky.”
He smiled warmly at your words, using his right hand to gently tuck a strand of hair behind your ear and out of your face. “Y/N?”
He looked away from you for only a moment as if reconsidering.
“Yes?” You prompted him, furrowing your brows softly in curiosity.
When he looked back, you searched his eyes, trying to get a sense of his thoughts which you were usually good at doing but there was something behind his eyes that you couldn’t quite read. Even when he spoke his next words, all you could feel was the weight of importance.
“I’m with you ‘til the end of the line.”
He knew you would never understand the true meaning behind what he’d said, but it didn’t matter. He meant every word now, just as he had the first time he’d said it to the best friend he’d loved all those decades ago.
You stared at him for a minute, taking in his words before grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him into another kiss.
“As am I. It’s just us, til the end of the line.”
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𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 !! ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
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mooncrestedwaters · 7 months ago
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Been thinking about Rafayel and how he shows his love (especially after his newest card trailer).
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On the surface, Rafayel seems like he's an open book. He's witty, affectionate, chatty ect ect
But once you dig deeper you realise that he's that way...but only with the person he loves. He's actually quite reserved and doesn't enjoy being the center of attention, even going so far to say his job is a thing of self expression rather than something he actively strives to make money off of.
With the upcoming new 5* card of Rafayel's, I wasn't shocked that we didn't have a kiss or one where he tried to kiss us (and tbh his sweeter form of affection in wanting to cuddle us and snuggle into our neck made my tummy do flips and had me having a near breakdown from how much it made me gooey)
I feel like Rafayel is a yearner to his core, even his interviewer noted as much that he gave an air of 'romance' to him.
The best way I can describe it is; His love is like his profession and his EVOL.
Art takes time, it takes an observant eye and mind. I've grown up with artists my entire life and to make a painting is much more than slapping some acrylics onto a board and calling it a day. It takes tempering, to prepare the board, to build up layers upon the canvas to correct any mistakes without an eraser or undo button.
It's gentle, tending to the whims of the canvas to make a happy compromise of your own.
Onto his EVOL, Rafayel treats a relationship like a firepit. He wants it to have longevity, keeping himself and the fire alight. So instead of chucking a log onto the firepit he nourishes it with kindling, giving it a poke here and here to check on its status while being warmed by the flames.
Rafayel is also horrifically traumatised from previous encounters with love.
Think of it this way;
He was a Prince. Set to be throned as a King and live with his beloved forever.
He set out to find a devout follower to sacrifice their heart to him in turn found himself giving them his own heart and betraying everything because he wouldn't let a pre-destined prophecy rule himself or his beloved.
When he got his love back, in another timeline they were brainwashed and ended up killing him. The absolute agony you must go through, to be maliciously murdered and know that it's by the person you love but not their intention to do so and in your last breath you grant them mercy to die alongside you by singing them to death.
Moving onto Abysswalker Rafayel, the weight of being told you have to kill your love to resurrect your hometown, taking the love of your life on a wondrous journey to know you have to kill them in the end and instead erasing their memories of you permanently to protect them and keep them alive, rewriting a tome for their sake and thus dooming his beloved kingdom and people to be tormented for eternity of his peoples damned screams of death and agony.
Do you ever wonder if he has sat with himself and laminated over this horrifying fall from grace?
Yet he still does it, for them.
After ruminating over this; I wouldn't be as forward as the other LI either.
I think Rafayel is immaculately brave and loyal for even trying again, for still searching for his beloved over years and years.
He has his insecurities, they show when he gets bratty or needy. Quipping at his beloved for not having their sole attention on him, he's meant to be worshipped after all, doted on, praised for having put in so much effort.
Alas, his love doesn't remember, doesn't see the accumulation of sacrifices and things hes done for them.
So he hints, he prods and pokes gently and he starts having them warm up to him again. Braving a tender word here, a lovingly gentle touch there and moving up and forward until he can see that his beloved has fallen in love with him again.
Rafayel is a love that doesn't burn bright, it burns with stability, it burns with loyalty, it burns with truth and gentle care. He would never want to scorch his love.
Rafayel makes accommodations for them, weaving them into his life in any way, if that may be employing them to inviting them on little excursions. Even keeping a watchful eye over them, noticing when they're in need, hurt or just simply making his presence known as a comfortable 'You can come to me'.
He's a gentleman, a romantic...with a little edge (Rafayel audios I'm looking at you, hard)
Anyways, I should not drink copious amounts of caffeine within a short allotment of time. I hope my ramblings have been enjoyable 🤍🪽
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