#THEY JUST LOOK SO FUN TO PLAY............. SCREAMS

[lamentationsofalonelypotato]

Part 2: It Is A Big Deal

Pairing: Soldier Boy x f!reader, Dean Winchester xf!reader,

POV: Reader POV

Summary: Dean's in for a rude awakening when he finds out exactly what you did when you got stranded in another universe.

Tropes: Frenemies (Dean and the Reader), Awkward Situation, Multiverse Problems, ANGST

Word Count: 7.4K

Warnings: I'm gonna label this 18+ just to be sure. Cursing, Making Out, DEATH, Violence (only a little), Jealousy, Pining, Kinda Sad Vibes In Some Places, Sexual Innuendo, References to Sex, Feelings, Angst, Self Deprecating Thoughts? References to Past Sex (it happens quite a bit). References to Future Sex. Soldier Boy Being Soldier Boy (Everyone knows he’s a warning). Dean Winchester Being Dean Winchester (aka. being moody and super hot).

Listen While You Read: Jealous Again By The Black Crowes

Note: This is told from Reader's perspective. Any references to the reader is made using you or your. There is no use of y/n. I tried my best to proofread, but nobody's perfect. If you don’t like, don’t read, but if you do like, you’re my favorite!

Internal monologue is in italics and is in first person

A/N: It was so fun to come back to this universe again! Thank you so much to everyone for all the love and support that you've gave me in writing the first part and thank you for all the encouragement to write a part 2! And also please don't forget to check out Stranded by @justagirlinafandomworld that inspired me to write this fic!💗

Main Masterlist

Series Masterlist

"Can the two of you stop playing find my tonsils and tell me where the hell it is I'm supposed to be driving to?" Dean grouses from the driver's seat while Sam leans over a road map squinting to look at the small print.

"Ready For Love" is playing over the speakers, barely audible over the thud of fat raindrops pummeling the windshield, blocking out the world around you, and sending the shadows racing across your skin where Ben and you are sitting in the backseat.

“Well, if you’d given me a few hours to fuck her at the motel instead of throwing a bitch fit-" Ben begins to say, turning his gaze your face to stare at the back of Dean's head with a lazy smile.

“Dean why do you care?" You interrupt Ben with red cheeks. "I know for a fact worse things have happened in the backseat of your car than Ben and me making out."

"Really? Because I can’t think of anything worse that you and him sucking on each other's tongues and helping the spread of mono." Dean's hands tighten on the steering wheel and his shoulders tense.

He’s more wound up than a tinker toy.

It has been exactly thirty three minutes since Dean's mental breakdown back at the motel when Ben showed up. Furthermore, despite how much Dean had screamed at you at the motel, it appeared that he was still going to act like a two year old who wanted a cookie before dinner.

Sam's suggestion for the four of you to figure out why Ben was here had been a welcome distraction from Dean's spiral. It had prompted all of you to pile into Baby to try and find where it was that Ben landed in your universe and find a clue as to why.

But so far the trip had been less like riding in the Mystery Machine and more like riding with the Griswold's on their road trip to Wally World…

Dean had been supportive of trying to find a solution to what he deemed the "Ben problem," but it appeared that Dean was going to spend every waking minute getting on your nerves.

Honestly, what's new?

You didn’t understand why Dean was so damn argumentative whenever you showed up, it was like he lived to make your life as difficult as possible.

It had always been that way. Since the first day you met Sam and him at Ellen's bar forever ago, Dean had never once said something nice about you or to you.

He always found some little thing to nit pick, whether it be your aim, your research skills, or your technique when hunting and you were sick of it. Each time the two of you worked together, it was Sam's job to make sure it didn't end in bloodshed. Even Cas noticed Dean's underlying hostility towards you and when he asked Dean what was wrong, Dean had brushed him off with a "not now Cas."

Worse was the time that you got hurt (only a minor injury) on a hunt a few weeks ago when you got thrown into a glass cabinet while facing down a poltergeist. Dean had chewed you out for a good twenty minutes and even with Sam's ability to intervene, you'd broken Dean's nose for speaking to you like that, and then rushed off to your room in the bunker before he had a chance to see you cry.

It was the one thing that you never allowed yourself to do in front of Dean Winchester, cry. He didn't deserve your tears, especially not when he was being a total grade A asshole.

When Sam came in later to help you get patched up, you asked him why Dean hated you and Sam tried to convince you otherwise, but you knew the truth.

Dean Winchester hated you, and you had no idea why. So you decided to stop trying to make him like you, because if he was going to act like a total dick he didn't deserve you being nice to him.

You knew that was why you liked Ben more. Ben appreciated you (sort of), he wasn't mean, he listened to you (sometimes), and he did give you compliments… well, they all revolved around the way you looked and that was nice, but just you wanted someone to give you a compliment that had to do with something else. Or maybe just a simple "I see you."

Is that so hard to ask?

Your few flings in the past hadn't been anything special. You didn't have the kind of stable lifestyle that prompted or supported long serious relationships, especially with non-hunters. Not to mention you'd always had this fantasy about meeting another hunter who understood exactly what you went through and what you had gone through over the years. It was often difficult to find a non-hunter who could understand that.

The bunker was the first permanent address that you'd ever had. Your mother had been one of the best hunters in the US, known by all, and you never met your dad, which meant that growing up on the road was the only life you knew. She'd died a year before you started working with the Winchesters which meant that you didn't exactly have anyone that you cared about or anyone who cared about you.

The thought often brought the feeling of loneliness stirring in your chest, but you pushed it down, throwing everything you had into hunting.

Healthy right?

Ben's muscular arm is wrapped around your waist, his hand splayed over your lower back to keep you tight against his chest so there is no space between the two of you, while your hands locked at the back of his neck. You didn't usually like PDA that much, occasionally yes, but you'll admit that you were only allowing yourself to give in to Ben a little more, because you liked how much it annoyed Dean.

Yes, you thought that it was absolutely ridiculous how Dean was acting, but you wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine. Because in all the years you'd known him, you’d never found one thing to hold over his head or one thing that really irritated him, and Ben was working like a charm.

It also felt really good to kiss him, but that was beside the point.

You understood that Dean was having a psychotic break with his constant proclamations that Ben "was him," but you wanted to at least understand why Dean was still hung up on it.

Ben isn't Dean. Sure they have the same face, but Ben is different… isn't he?

When you'd encountered Ben for the first time you had done a double take, but the more you were around him, the more you appreciated the way he treated you differently from Dean. Yes he was a little sexist, but Ben made you feel wanted and Dean had a way of making you feel stupid and often like a burden, as if you'd been plopped on his doorstep like a box of kittens and he was stuck with you.

There was only so much that you could take.

You didn't know what you'd done to earn such hostility. Dean was far from sexist, and you'd seen him interact with other people, it was just you he treated differently and it made you want to strangle him.

"Calm down kid-" Ben sighs.

"Stop calling me that!" Dean turns around to glare at the man next to you.

"Keep your eyes on the road." Sam says, not looking up from the map. He didn't need to.

"What a wonderful suggestion Sammy, but see I can't because I have no idea where the hell it is I'm going!" Dean snipes at his brother.

I swear at this point if Gabriel pops out of nowhere and tells me that this is all just a fucked up dream, I'd believe it.

"Stop being damn hormonal kid, and keep driving." Ben rolls his eyes and moves his lips to your throat, nipping and biting along the flesh visible over the top of your jacket, making you gasp softly and lean into Ben's warm embrace.

Your eyes meet Dean's in the rear view mirror and just for a second you see something flash through them that isn't anger, but it's gone just as soon as you clock it.

What was that?

Dean slams on the brakes and Ben tightens his grip on your body so you don't go flying forward into the bucket seat.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" You snap, curiosity gone, as you glare at Dean.

The tension in the car is high, popping and crackling around the four of you like popcorn. You still couldn't understand why Dean had such a problem with Ben. If anything you'd think that they'd get along a little bit.

"I am not being hormonal or whatever other chauvinistic shit that is about to come out of your mouth." Dean snarls, ignoring you, as he turns and narrows his eyes at Ben. "And I am not your chauffeur. So tell me where the hell it is I'm going so you can get the fuck out of my car and out of my life!"

Ben opens his mouth to retort something, no doubt that'll trigger Dean, but you speak before he can.

"Ben, do you remember anything about where you came through?" You ask him. You were trying to be more diplomatic even though Dean was making your blood boil.

Just because Dean is mad at me does not mean that he gets to take it out on Ben. Ben hasn't done anything wrong. He got sucked into this reality and immediately got pulled into Dean's soap opera.

Ben huffs out a sigh as he turns back to look at you. His gaze softens a little as his eyes meet yours, turning from a dark green to a jade. "There was a building-"

"Oh wow, how helpful!" Dean snarks. "Did you hear that Sammy? There was a building! Mystery solved!"

Ben whips his head in Dean's direction, the air in the car growing hot as Ben's skin begins to heat, but you gently lay your hand on his cheek to bring his gaze back on you. "Dean is an asshole. We all know." You say to Ben, reassuring him and ignoring the look Dean gives you when you say it. "Do you remember anything about the building?"

Getting Ben angry wasn't the way to get information out of him, he was, after all, more like Dean than you were willing to admit. And just as you'd seen Dean get worked over by numerous women, including Bella, sweet talking worked the best.

Well, it never worked when you tried to do it, because Dean refused to treat you any way other than an annoyance.

But two could play that game, especially with the way that Dean was acting right now.

Ben's jaw tightens and you know that he's biting back some remark to throw Dean's way, but you pull him closer, trailing your hand over his bearded cheek to keep his attention and gently bring your lips to his. You feel the tension shift from Ben's shoulders beneath the palms of your hands as he relaxes into the kiss, and this time Ben smiles when you pull away, giving your hips an encouraging squeeze. "It was a school or some shit. And there was a billboard for "World's Biggest Beer Can.""

"Okay. We can work with that." Sam says giving you a sympathetic look before pulling out his phone to type something in.

At least Sam is being normal about this whole thing.

Sam and you always got along, from the start he was the older brother that you never had, and it was refreshing. Not to mention Sam was your best and probably only friend. The hunter life was lonely and you found it difficult to make friends anyway, but something about Sam always stuck. He got your abnormal sense of humor, he gave the best hugs, and he stood up for you when things got heated between Dean and you. It was his idea for you to move into the bunker with him and Dean, and also him that convinced Dean to let you move in.

It had taken days for Dean to finally say yes. And when he did, he made you move into the bedroom next to his as if he wanted to keep an eye on you because he didn't trust you.

And as much as you hated living with Dean, living with Sam made up for it. You liked helping him research while Dean bitched and moaned about reading through dusty volumes, liked helping him clean up while Dean followed behind you as if you couldn't be trusted, liked helping Sam try to make dinner that ended up more burned than anything else until Dean stepped in and shooed the both of you from the kitchen so he could make something, and liked kicking back on the couch watching movies with Sam while eating copious amounts of popcorn.

Unfortunately, Dean didn't get the hint that you wanted him to leave you alone so he'd follow Sam and you, crack open a beer, and proceed to give a personal commentary on the movie the two of you were watching, occasionally throwing a look in your direction as if he was checking that you were listening to him. Weirder still was the fact that Dean would do that when Sam wasn't with you.

You noticed that sometimes, that no matter where you were in the bunker, Dean just happened to find himself in the same room. But that didn't mean he would speak, sometimes he would just be cleaning one of his guns or quietly reading through a dusty volume or writing something down in a notebook, but you swore sometimes you thought that Dean was looking at you. Each time you looked up though, he was looking down at whatever else it was he was doing.

It was those moments that made you think that things could be civil between the two of you, and then he'd get on your case for doing something he deemed "wrong" when you knew you did it right the first time as if you hadn't been a hunter as long as he had.

He probably does that because he doesn't trust me.

Dean grumbles something under his breath and turns his gaze back out the windshield, watching the wiper blades go back and forth over the glass, crossing his arms over his chest. Ben frowns and you know that he must have been able to hear whatever it was Dean said.

Why can't we all just get along for five minutes? Is that too much to ask?

"Alright I've got something." Sam says ending the uncomfortable silence in the car. "The World's Biggest Beer Can is in Northwood about ten miles ahead of us."

"Finally. At least someone is pulling their weight." Dean states before he hits the gas, the force throws you backwards into the seat.

Your gaze flicks up to the rearview mirror and notice that Dean is watching you again, but you turn away to Ben who smiles wide and pulls you back towards him for a kiss.

But deep down you can't help but wonder if Dean had been watching the two of you in his rearview mirror the whole time and why he cared so much.

The building that Ben remembers is in fact, an abandoned school.

The roof sags inward allowing rainwater to pool in the front lobby over black and white checkered tiles, the lockers are rusted and thrown to the floor at odd angles making you worry about the possibility of tetanus, and there is an ungodly stench that you can only describe as old gym socks, axe body spray, and unwashed feet.

Ben's nose wrinkles where he stands beside you, and you're sure that no matter what your sense of smell is experiencing it's a million times worse for him.

You press your lips into a tight line, toeing around a puddle of something gray and sticky that you can't identify, but know for a fact you don't want it in your shoes. Your eyes squint into the looming darkness that grows the more you stare down the forgotten hallways.

It’s always gotta be an old creepy building. Just once I want to get to investigate a donut shop or a burger joint or a Starbucks.

"Any of this looking familiar Captain Sexual Harassment?" Dean asks turning with his flashlight to point in Ben's face.

Ben shrugs and squints at the offending light. "I don’t fucking know."

"Enlightening." Dean huffs out a breath. "Well, guess we can split up and-"

Thank God I won't have to listen to Dean mutter things under his breath and freak out.

"Fine." You interrupt. "Come on Ben." You start to walk down one of the dark hallways, but Dean slides in front of you to block your path.

"No way. You're not going with him." Dean waves his flashlight in Ben's face again and you can see the twitch on the corner of Dean's mouth to see how much he enjoys blinding him.

Why does he always have to act like such a child?

"Why?" You demand.

"Because as soon as Sam and I get out the picture, Grandpa over there is going to pull you aside and fuck you in one of the classrooms." Dean says it without blinking, but it makes you flush red in embarrassment and anger.

"No, he's not!"

"Yes, he is!"

Dean is so close that you can feel his warm breath on your face. His eyes are narrowed in anger, but you can see another emotion flick through them so quickly you think you imagined it. It was the same emotion that you thought you saw in the car, but you can't identify it, not yet.

Ben's hand comes down on Dean's shoulder, a wide smirk on his face. "Look kid, I get it. She's fucking hot and I know you think I'm trying to horn in on your action-"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Dean exclaims shaking off Ben's hand.

"You're jealous because she decided to be with a real man instead of you." Ben shrugs. His gaze travels up and down Dean as if appraising him before he shakes his head with a chuckle. "I can't blame her. Someone like you couldn't handle her.

"I could handle her just fine!" Dean snaps back his face flushing as he forces his chest against Ben's, who only smirks back.

What did he just say?

Your entire body goes stick straight in surprise and you turn your head to stare at Dean. In all the years that you'd known Dean he's never once said something like that to you.

Sure there was the night you met…

You hadn't thought about it in years. You'd been back in town because Bobby had called asking you to help out some friends of his on a case and you'd stopped in to Ellen's bar to see Jo. Dean had come on to you and you'd splashed a beer in his face and also maybe pinned him down against the bar. It had been awkward the next day when you found out that Dean and Sam were the friends that Bobby wanted you to help out, but you pushed past all the weird feelings to help.

Dean had flirted with you that night and you will admit to yourself that you thought Dean was attractive before he opened his mouth, but since that night the two of you hadn't spoken about it. In fact, you were both perfectly happy pretending that it didn't happen.

Or so you thought.

Dean's dark green eyes flick to yours in realization. "That's not what I meant."

"Sure kid." Ben's smirk grows to Cheshire Cat proportions.

"Stop calling me that!"

The weird thing was, you'd seen Dean lose his temper, it always flared fast and hot broken up with sarcastic comments, but for some reason this felt different and you didn't understand why. It didn't feel like Dean just getting angry because Ben was getting under his skin, it felt like something else.

"Whoa!" You get between the two of them for the second time in an hour. "If you guys keep fighting like this I'm going to put you both in time out!"

"He started it!" Dean glares at Ben, who doesn't look the least bit upset.

"I don’t care who started it! You're grown men and you're still acting like toddlers. I shouldn't have to separate you." You snap waving around your flashlight at Dean.

"How about this?" Sam sighs from where he stands a few feet away. "I'll go with Ben and the two of you can try not to shoot each other."

"Why can't I go with you?" You sigh to your friend.

"You want to leave them together? Alone?" Sam raises his eyebrow.

Not really.

Sam takes your silence rightfully as confirmation, because the both of you knew if you left Dean and Ben together it would probably be a Thunderdome situation or a reenactment of the WWE.

"Maybe we shouldn't split up." Dean says looking at his brother.

"You scared kid?" Ben smirks. " No wonder she decided to fuck me instead of you. You’re acting like a little bitch."

"You son of a bitch-" Dean finally snaps and launches himself towards Ben, but your hand fists in the back of Dean's leather jacket to stop him from starting a fight that you know he won't win.

It wasn't that you thought Ben was a better fighter than Dean, it was that Ben had super strength and would have no qualms ripping Dean in half. And despite how much Dean annoyed you, you didn't want him to die. Sure he was a jerk, but he didn't deserve that after everything he'd been through, and Sam didn't need to bear witness to that.

"Fine." You say. "Ben please go with Sam."

Ben rolls his eyes and follows after Sam, leaving Dean and you standing in the lobby alone, the only sound the soft plop of water echoing down the empty hallway.

Great. Now I'm stuck with Dean in a creepy old building. It's a dream come true. The stuff of Disney movies.

"Why did you do that?" Dean snaps at you when Ben and Sam turn a corner out of sight.

"You should be thanking me! Ben would rip you in half without batting an eye!" You turn back towards the empty hallway and try to put as much distance as you can between Dean and you.

Distance is good, nice. It means that I can only partly hear his disapproval.

"You don't know that." Dean catches up with you, sweeping the path in front of you with his flashlight looking for holes in the floor.

"Yes, I do. I've seen him do it before."

By now you were aware that there was a chill in the air, it was unnatural, creeping down the hallway in a thin mist that made a shiver crawl down your spine. Dean must sense it too, because he pulls his gun at the same time you do.

That or he's doing it because he's about to go Rambo on Ben's ass.

Because that'll end well…

"If he rips people in half why do you like him so much?"

“He’s not a bad person if that’s what you’re getting at. Ben did it to save me.” You point your flashlight into one of the classrooms along the hallway noting the rotted desks tipped over onto the checkered floor. “He wouldn’t hurt me.”

Ben's world was filled with more than a few crazed individuals, and when you'd been in his universe Ben had stepped in when a supe threw themselves at you. Truthfully, even though Ben did what he did to protect you, watching him pull someone apart with his bare hands made you sick to your stomach. Given what you'd seen, that was saying something. But you knew that Ben wouldn't hurt you, he wasn't that kind of man, and you weren't afraid of him.

“You’ve known him for five days! How can you tell after five days?!” Dean nudges a cardboard box with his boot sending a family of cockroaches scuttling into the shadows.

"Because I can!" Your lip curves up in distaste at the appearance of the roaches and try not to imagine all the walls infested with the little bugs.

You didn't like roaches. Especially ones that all of a sudden developed the ability to fly in your presence as if it were a miracle.

The two of you continue to walk down the hallway, the sound of your footsteps masking the constant dripping noise that comes from the floor above.

Your temper was flaring all over again. You didn't think that you needed to explain any of this to him. Dean never felt the need to discuss his extensive history with women with you and you didn't feel the need to discuss the ins and outs of your and Ben's situation.

"Come on-" He begins to say, but you don't want to hear it.

"Dammit Dean just fucking drop it." You throw your shoulder against a door at the end of the hallway, putting everything you have into it and a little more. You were getting frustrated at Dean's continuous commentary on your life. "I don’t want to talk about this anymore or listen to any of the ridiculous reasons why you think that it's any of your business who I sleep with."

“I think it is my business because you were about to reenact the scene from Titanic in the back of my car!”

“Oh please. I’m sure that you’ve reenacted it billions of times back there. Mr. Saturday Night!” You roll your eyes hitting the door again with your shoulder.

“It’s my car!" Dean shouts, moving you out of the way in a surprisingly gentle way, before he savagely kicks down the door. "I can do whatever I damn well please!”

I wonder if Sam and Ben are having a better time than us. It wouldn't be difficult to.

The door opens with a snap under the force of Dean's kick depositing Dean and you into a large auditorium. The seats are a faded gray and the curtains that hang from the sides of the stage, once blood red, were more of a muddled pink stained with splotches of dark spots and filled with holes the size of the Impala.

Crawling vines and ferns have begun to tangle over the empty seats and over the floors, absorbing anything in their path. The wooden stage is dilapidated and caving in on itself, the boards jutting upwards instead of laying flat as they should in some places from years of water damage. The carpet beneath your feet is squishy and moth eaten, and each step sends another cloud of dust into the air making the room hazy and you cough into your elbow.

"Not to mention he's me!" Dean continues, tramping into the room behind you.

"How many times are you going to say that?" You pinch the bridge of your nose, trying your best to keep it together.

"As many times as I have to, to get the point into your thick skull!"

You whirl around and poke your finger into his chest. "You know what Winchester? You can take all your opinions and shove them right up your uptight ass!"

"The two of you don't get along at all. Odd given how you seem to get along with my fiancé." A bored voice says from somewhere behind you. "But it is a lot more entertaining than I thought it was going to be."

Dean and you both lock eyes and turn to look in the direction of the voice, but there's no one there.

"Um, did you hear-" Dean begins to ask.

"Yes I did." You reply clicking the safety off your pistol.

"Just checking."

"Though I will say, with the way today is going for you and if this is you having a psychotic break, I wouldn't be surprised that you're having auditory hallucinations."

"Shut up." Dean sighs.

"Hello?" You shout, looking around the empty auditorium for some answer, but it remains empty.

Dean snorts. "Now who's craz-"

"Hello?" The voice mocks in a nasally voice. "Wow you're pathetic. I don't understand what he sees in you."

"You call me pathetic, but you're the one hiding. So why don't you come out?" A chair from the front row plucks itself off the ground and hurls itself at your head. You duck and it sails into the aisle behind Dean and you.

"You're not even that pretty." The voice continues and you can imagine a pout on the end of its words like a petulant child who wishes to get their way.

This is so fucking weird.

"Thanks." You reply dryly. "I like to think I've got a great personality."

"You don't." Dean mutters, making you throw an elbow into his side.

A high pitched giggle echoes through the space making it impossible to identify where it came from, until finally a woman materializes on the stage. You blink your eyes to make sure that she's really there.

Her blonde hair falls over her shoulders in perfect ringlets, and she's wearing a bright pink fur trimmed dressing gown. The kind you'd see on an eccentric billionaire's trophy wife who spent most of her day drinking gin martinis poolside while being fanned by cabana boys or the kind that she'd be wearing when she heard of her husband's "untimely demise." There's a silver diamond crown perched on top of her head and she's smoking a cigarette from a long white cigarette holder, while she lounges back on a golden throne.

What. The. Fuck.

"Do you see her too?" You whisper to Dean out of the corner of your mouth.

"You mean Glinda the Good Witch the later years? Yeah I can." Dean replies looking just as confused as you do. "You thinking Gabriel?"

"I thought he was dead."

"He's pretended to be dead before." He shrugs.

"Fair enough. Any reason why he's making us see her?"

"Maybe your new boyfriend has a fetish."

"Hasn't anyone told you that it's rude to whisper?" The woman says, taking a drag from her cigarette.

"Sorry. Um. Who are you?" You ask.

"I don't speak to homewreckers." Her face contorts into a sneer. You watch her eyes shift from Dean to you. "But I'll answer for your friend. I'm Iris, Benjamin's Fiancé."

If pigs could fly right now an entire fleet of them would be taking flight around you. You tried to wrack your brain remembering a single time that Ben said that he had a fiancé or was in a relationship at all, and you can't find a single moment.

Well… today officially sucks.

"Wow. Nice." Dean looks at you with a scoff. "Real nice."

"Hey woah, I didn't know he had a fiancé." You hold up your free hand in surrender. "He never said anything about a-"

"Hey gorgeous. Did you find anything?" Ben says materializing behind Dean.

"You're engaged?" You shout.

"No?" Ben looks confused. "Who told you that?"

You point a thumb over your shoulder to Iris, who is still lounging on the stage completely in her element. She giggles and wiggles her fingers in a cute wave.

"Hey Benny Wenny, did you miss me?" Her lips curl up in a wide smile when she rises from the throne, her bright blue eyes crinkling around the edges. The air around her seems to sparkle, sending scattered light out into the broken seats.

Ben is still staring up at the woman, looking utterly confused.

"You know that freak?" Dean whispers to Ben who is now standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Fuck no."

"Well, congratulations Benny Wenny." Dean snorts. "Guess you're getting married."

"I am not-"

"And don't worry, of course I'll be your best man." Dean continues, holding back laughter.

"Shut the fuck up kid!" Ben snaps at Dean, before turning back to the woman on the stage. "Look baby, I don't know who you are but-" Ben begins to say to the woman, who only laughs.

She throws back her head, golden curls bouncing with the force of her body moving, laughing for an unnatural amount of time before she locks her blue eyes on Ben again.

��Stop being silly. We met a few months ago at Legend’s party. We had a few drinks and then you came back to my apartment where we made love for hours-“ Her cheeks blush. “It was sooooo romantic. What I always dreamed about!”

“Um-“

“My parents are so excited to meet you and my little sister said that she’s so happy to have a big brother!” She giggles. “I even made us matching t-shirts to wear on our honeymoon and a scrap book of our children!" She holds up a magenta colored bedazzled photo album that’s the size of a medium sized dog.

Wow she put a lot of work into that.

“Children?” Ben stutters, his voice cracking on the end a little bit. It's the first time that you've ever seen him look afraid.

“What they’ll look like, where we’ll vacation each year, where we'll live, where you'll work-” Her expression turns sour, eyes flashing a dark pink as she glares in your direction. “But then you met that little whore who took you away from me and poisoned your mind.” She points a perfectly manicured pink nail at you. “So I decided to bring you here so you could help me kill her.”

“I’m sorry rewind-“ You say holding up a hand. “You brought Ben here? How?"

"I found a website while I was looking at destination weddings." She shrugs.

"There are websites about traveling through different universes that show up in the search engine-" Dean begins to say.

"DON'T QUESTION ME!" The girl shrieks and the entire room begins to shake.

"And you wanted Ben to be here because?" You haven’t lowered your gun. Frankly you had no idea what her powers were. She looked more like she would start tap dancing down the yellow brick road rather than start hurling chunks of the stage at you, but you needed a plan.

“Because we’ll get to share this moment together.” Iris sighs looking over at Ben again, who is just as shell-shocked as he was a moment ago.

“Killing me?”

Iris nods enthusiastically. “We'll make love on top of your dead body and no one will come between us ever again!” 

Dean snorts under his breath and you elbow him again, trying not to think of the image.

Please let this be Gabriel messing around with me. Because if it's not my life is officially a joke.

The three of you stand there for a minute looking up at where she prances on the stage in mixed stages of disbelief.

And just as Iris takes a step forward, a sandbag falls on her head. She crumples to the floor like a sack of potatoes as Sam appears in the wings of the stage looking from her to where the three of you are watching.

"You guys okay?" He calls.

"Yeah." Ben shrugs. "Too bad about her though. She was hot."

He's kidding right?

"The crazies always are." Dean adds with a sigh, patting him on the back.

"I'm so happy the two of you are having this bonding moment, truly I am, but-" You begin to say, turning your back to the stage, but as soon as you do Sam goes flying across the room and into one of the fern plants.

"That was so uncool!" Iris squeals, hovering over the stage, her hands glowing an unnatural magenta color. "Ben and I are meant to be together, we're soulmates, perfect, fated, destined, and no one is going to stand in my way."

The entire room begins to tremble with the force of her anger, dust floats down from the ceiling as it begins to crack and crumble under her powers. You can feel the warmth of Ben's skin as he begins to power up the beam in his chest, burning through the air like a supernova.

There's a crackling sound that comes from above and you look up to see a giant piece of the ceiling falling in slow motion towards your body. Dean shouts your name, but he sounds far away, the sound ringing through the few seconds that you still have left before it crushes you.

But the hit doesn't come from above, it comes from the side.

Dean tackles you, just as the piano sized piece hits the ground where you had been standing a second ago, to the ground, cradling your head in his hands. Your bodies tumble into the moth eaten carpets as Ben explodes, the heat and power of the beam causing more of the room to fall around the two of you.

There's a terrible high pitched wail that's cut off abruptly mid scream and you don't need to be a genius to know what or rather who it was.

Dean covers your body with his and your hands come up under his arms to hold him tighter to you. You bury your face into the warmth of his coat where his throat and his shoulder meet with a whimper as everything around the two of you shudders and shakes. He doesn't pull away, his muscles tensing as he tightens his grip around you, his own face buried in your hair.

The room continues to shake and fall apart in the aftermath of the blast, dust and ash rising in clouds. But you can’t see any of it, Dean's body is shielding you from the room as it crumbles around the two of you, tucking you further beneath him the longer it goes on, making it impossible for anyone or anything to hurt you.

You could feel something curling in the pit of your stomach the longer you laid there under him, an odd feeling that you'd tried to push down whenever you were around Dean, a warmth that begins to spread like wildfire through your body everywhere the two of you are touching. His body is warm and heavy, but it's not oppressive, it lays over you protective and unyielding in the wake of the destruction.

The smell of him invades your senses, a mix of gunmetal, leather, and a spicy scent that tickled your nose. You'd smelled Dean's shampoo before, when it wafted out of the bathroom as you walked down the hallway, imprinting itself in your mind. It was how the impala smelled, always like Dean, and with it brought a feeling of comfort that you'd never known before.

It was odd.

"Are you okay?" Dean whispers, and you can feel the rumble of his words through his chest where it's touching you, his hips laying in the cradle of your thighs. He pulls back to look at your face, the rough grate of his stubble catching your chin as he does so. His eyes are wide with worry and it's the first time that you'd ever seen him look at you that way.

Dust and ash caught in his hair in graying clumps, sticking to the shortened brownish gold strands, the ones that were just a little shorter than Ben's. You longed to run your fingers through, to feel if it was as soft as it looked.

"I think so." You murmur, not used to the weight of his body on top of yours, but you're also trying not to notice how a part of you liked it. "Are you okay?" Your fingertips trail against the smooth leather of his jacket, working up to the back of his head, feeling just the subtle brush of the hair at the nape of his neck.

You don't miss the soft sigh that rushes out of Dean's chest when you do that, fueling the fire that was spreading in the pit of your stomach.

What is happening?

"Yeah." Dean's fingers brush your hair from your face, so quickly that you think you missed it, but the burn of his skin over your cheeks is the only reminder. You gasp softly with the movement, confused as to why Dean was acting this way, why he was worried about you, and why you liked it. Your arms are still wrapped around his body, fingers curled into the back of his leather jacket, but Dean makes no move to get up, he continues to look at you.

You'd never seen Dean look at you like that, look at you as if he wished to understand you, as if he saw you. No one had ever looked at you that way in your entire life.

"Dean!" You hear Sam yell from somewhere, followed by your own name.

It jolts Dean out of wherever his mind is and he gets off of you, but he helps you to your feet, one of his warm calloused hands taking yours to pull you up before dropping it as if he didn't do it in the first place.

The room is destroyed. The roof has completely caved in allowing the rain to soak through the remaining seats of the auditorium and into the musty carpets. The stage no longer exists, all that remains is a black blob of what you're sure used to be Iris, and although a part of you feels bad about the turn of events, you can't help but feel a little relieved.

She was going to kill me. You think to avoid the wave of guilt that washes over you.

"Ding dong the witch is dead." Dean mutters under his breath, but it doesn't make you feel better.

Fires burn over the edges of the stage, small and controlled, but sending rivulets of smoke into the air. You knew it meant that the fire department would be here any minute and that's the last thing you wanted to explain. That and the body on the stage.

Ben stumbles to his feet a few steps away from Dean and you, pushing off a piece of roofing that must have landed on top of him. His suit is covered in dust and drywall, but he looks okay. He's got that far-away look in his eye he always does after he uses his power.

You step towards him to make sure he's okay, but Dean stands in your way.

"Are you out of your mind?" Dean snarls at Ben.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Ben snaps.

"You almost killed us! Almost killed her!" Dean gestures towards you.

"I fixed the problem." Ben rolls his eyes and glances to you, as if trying to reassure himself that you're okay. You knew that Ben might have wanted to only have a physical relationship with you, but you knew that he did care about you in his own way. "You okay sweetheart?" He pushes past Dean, gently touching your face, tilting it up to his. "Did you hit your head?"

"No. I'm okay." You smile tightly at him, but a part of you can still feel the ghost of Dean's fingertips trailing against your cheeks to push away your hair and feel the weight of his body over yours. "Are you okay?" You ask, noting the way his eyes still are a little unfocused.

"Course I am." Ben scoffs. "Takes a little more than a building to bring me down doll."

You nod, while Ben's hand still continues to rest on your chin, and just as he leans down for a kiss, you see Dean's face in the corner of your eye and finally you're able to identify the emotion reflected in his gaze. It's the same emotion that you saw in the car when he stared at you in the rearview mirror. It's the first time that you've ever seen Dean look at you that way in all the years you'd known him.

It's hurt that flashes behind the green eyes you knew so well, shifting to jealousy on around the darkened edges the longer he looks at Ben and you.

And when Ben's lips touch yours, you feel guilt begin to creep along your skin and extinguish the sparks you'd felt moments ago in the pit of your stomach.

A/N: I'm not going to lie, I did not mean for this part to be a little sad... but oh my word 😭 BUT I also promise that the next chapter will have a happy ending ❤️

Thank you so much for reading! Likes, Reblogs, and Comments are not required, but are always appreciated. I love hearing what y'all think! If you'd like to be added to the taglist for Part 3 please let me know!

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@bitchykittenconnoisseur

[bokutoko]

sugawara knows you’re sick before you do.

he’d had that superpower for years now, and he had it down to a science, practically knowing right when an illness is about to sweep through his classroom and school.

you, however, did not heed his warnings of taking your extra vitamins…

“can you hit me with your car?”

sugawara raised a mildly concerned brow as he cut his eyes at you from the couch. “… why now?”

he really knew better than to ask that question, considering he knew the answer, but there he was, watching as you shuffled into the kitchen, in desperate search of coffee. full of sniffles, you groaned, “to put me out of my misery.”

at the sound of your congestion, despair, and the coffee maker, he perked up and quickly rounded the corner into the kitchen. “hey, hey,” his voice is calm as he smoothly grabbed your favorite mug from the cabinet around you and placed it on the counter, “let’s get you some tea instead of coffee, okay? you sound awful.”

“do i? i hadn’t noticed,” you deadpanned, your eyes glassy and nose slightly red from rubbing it.

despite the screaming temptation to tell you he told you so, he couldn’t bring himself to do it, not when you looked that pitiful. so instead, before you could even argue (because he knew you would try), he ushered you back into your shared bed with a sigh.

“kou—”

he dramatically put his finger to your lips. “sweetheart, you need rest,” he said, helping you slip back under the covers, “are sleepy meds okay?”

you couldn’t even argue, really—you felt like death itself. you nodded, looking up at him from your fetal position in bed.

you watched as your love left the room and returned a few minutes later with a steaming cup of tea. “picked out your favorite,” he said as he sets it down on the nightstand, “and i’ll go ahead and make you that soup you like when you’re sick.”

a smile crept onto your face, and you gave him a look. “and…?”

he knew that face. “i’ve already called us both out from work, so we can watch movies and sleep all day.”

you grabbed a tissue and blew your nose. “i knew i kept you around for a reason.”

“yeah yeah, i love you too.”

and that entire day, sugawara held you close, braving through the trainwreck-sounding snores, the drool from your deep nap, and the snot when you sneezed—only being slightly grossed out. his hand would gently rub your back, his fingers gently tracing the curvature of your spine as you both watched movie classics, where you’d naturally fall asleep about ten minutes in. and every few hours, he would make you eat—even if it was something small—just so you wouldn’t get sick from the medicine.

playing nurse was fun for sugawara, being able to dote on you with little to no arguments of “i can do it myself” every time. because while he knew you could, he wanted to be the one to take care of you.

but of course, he woke up sick the next day as well (because that was just you both’s luck), so you both stayed in bed another day, taking care of each other in between sniffles and coughs. in sickness and in health. ᢉ𐭩

a/n: i told you i was thinking thoughts @nectardaddy hehe <3 hope you feel better soon!!

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please do not copy, alter, or repost my work. ©bokutoko 2025.

[eddiesvixen]

Parental Guidance

𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗳𝗳, 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗘𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘃 (𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁), 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘀𝗺𝘂𝘁 (𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗳!𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴) MDNI 18+, 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲 (𝘀𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴), 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁!𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲

𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗻𝘁: 𝟱.𝟲𝗸

the fourth chapter of Open Til Midnight

Every day you scream at me to turn the music low

Well if you keep on screaming, you'll make me deaf you know

You always chew me out because I stay out late

Until your three-piece suit-

Once you hear Eddie’s voice crack you stop strumming the chord he’d asked you to play.

Eddie sighs. “This isn’t working.”

“Come on. It was one crack Eddie and it doesn’t have to be perfect.”

“Does if we wanna earn enough cash tonight.” He flops onto the sofa next to you.

It is a lot of pressure. Eddie called up the boys Tuesday night after dropping you off at home from your date and Wednesday they rehearsed all day to prepare for today.

Corroded Coffin Live at Empire Records, 6-8pm

Live music, 15% off all cds, $7 admission.

Not bad, right?

“We’ll make enough, Eddie. Corroded Coffin’s got some great originals, this is just to fill in for extra time, okay? Nothing wrong with a few covers.”

“I know,” he sighs, knee bouncing a bit as he runs his hand through his messy curls. “It’s just a lot. I perform for fun. For the music, for the energy behind it. Kinda feels like im using my band for charity tonight. And it doesn’t help that we’re two days away from the first and still under having six thousand.”

You frown a bit, knowing he’s right.

“If it’s too much we can always cancel.”

“No.” He sits up and stretches. “Gotta try, right? Besides, I guess me and the guys could use the exposure.”

You nod and sit back against the sofa. “Let’s just take a break.”

He agrees and stands. “Bathroom break.”

“I’ll make more coffee.” You walk to your kitchen as Eddie closes the door to your restroom.

He always loves it here. He likes all tour different soaps and skincare products. The fuzzy dark leopard print rug, your black toothbrush next to the dark red one he’d kept here for when he crashes. The vanilla cherry soap you always buy makes his callouses less rough and he gets obsessed with the way the scent lingers.

He washes his hands after emptying his first cup of morning coffee and fixes his wild curls. ‘Pull it together, Munson.’ He did fantastic as always rehearsing with the guys yesterday. Is he ready to perform at the store tonight? Hell yeah. So why couldn’t he sing right now for you?

You.

The scent of your body wash from the previous night. The way your legs look in those henley shorts, the way you look at him when he sings. The way you had been snuggled into his side while sharing your bed. He only wished he could spend every night in your bed, sleeping together, holding you, maybe even more one day..

Who are you kidding? She’s your best friend. The same girl you’ve know for half of your life. If she liked you that way, she’d be obvious about it, right?

Right.

He walks out of the restroom and sees you stirring the sugar in your coffees. It’s 11am but you both know you’re gonna need it for today. You both sit on the sofa again and sip your coffee.

“Damn, I swear you’ve got magic hands or something.” He chuckles and grips his mug with both hands this time as he drinks more.

“Just took a few pointers from Wayne.” You grin at the memories.

Twelve years old and standing under Wayne. He’d let you do something easy like make the toast or pour the juice. The one day you asked him to help make coffee he didn’t even hesitate. ‘Gonna be real simple.’ He taught both you and Eddie so much that your father’s never could’ve.

“Color me impressed.” He grins and sits his mug down. “I actually forgot to tell you with everything going on.”

You raise a brow, sipping your coffee before setting your mug down as well. “Tell me what?”

“Wayne’s coming to stay with me for a few months, till he finds his own place.”

You smile. “Wow. I didn’t think anything could pry him away from his trailer.”

“Yeah, well if you ask me I think he’s got a lady friend who’s tired of living in Hawkins. Wants to get him back into traveling.”

You sit up and gasp, facing Eddie fully this time. “Shut up! Wayne Munson has a lover?”

He grins. “Yeah but don’t tell anyone okay? He told me she’s pretty shy and well, you know how stoic he is. He wouldn’t say much but I’d hate to see him pissed.”

“Lips are sealed.” You nod and grin. “Just can’t believe he’s seeing someone. I thought Munson men didn’t like romance.”

Eddie laughs, shaking his head. “Hey now, that’s a bold assumption. Munson men like romance. We just… like to pretend we don’t. Gotta keep up the family rep, you know?”

You raise an eyebrow, amused. “So… you’re saying you do like romance?“

He hesitates and leans back on his elbows. “I didn’t say that. But come on, you don’t think I’m secretly writing love ballads in my notebook or something do you?”

You grin, finding that image cuter than you would like to admit. “I wouldn’t put it past you, actually. I’ve seen the way you get all starry-eyed when you play your guitar.”

Eddie’s face flushes faintly as he fumbles for a comeback. “Ridiculous, sweetheart. That’s called passion, not romance.”

“If you say so,” you tease. “But maybe romance runs in the Munson blood, huh? Wayne’s got his mystery woman, and you’ve got…” You trail off, letting the implication hang in the air.

Eddie blinks, caught off guard. “Got what?”

You shrug casually, finding a way to disguise your current snooping as friendly conversation. “I don’t know. I mean, I already had a shitty date. Anyone take you on a shitty date? Someone catch your eye?”

He lets out a breathy laugh, running a hand through his wild curls. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

You lean in a little closer with what Eddie could only see as the cutest grin. “That wasn’t a no.”

Eddie grins back and his voice softens as he says, “Maybe there’s someone. Or maybe I’m just focusing on the music for now.”

“Uh huh,” you say, letting it go though you can’t help but notice the flicker of something vulnerable in his expression. Eddie Munson might act like he’s all about the music and rebellion, but there’s a part of him that’s clearly not as untouchable as he wants the world to think. And it shows every time he talks to you alone like this. As if it’s reserved for your eyes only.

“Anyways,” he says, clearing his throat and breaking the moment, “Wayne deserves to be happy. He’s been through enough and he raised me so.. if this lady makes him smile then I’m rooting for them.”

Your chest warms at the sentiment and you nod. “I think it’s sweet. But if she ever needs a wingwoman i’m here.”

Eddie snorts. “I’ll let him know you’re offering services. Though fair warning, Wayne might not appreciate you meddling in his love life.”

“Not meddling,” you say with a wink. “Just… supporting.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, but the grin on his face says he doesn’t mind your teasing one bit. You sip your coffee again before getting running through tonight’s set list with Eddie one last time.

~~~~~~

“I must say, i’m impressed.” Larry says as he counts the money in the envelope.

Today he’s wearing jeans, as if he’s trying to impress you guys. As if it’ll make him younger, cooler, more chill. You hate it even more than the fancy suit he had on last time he was here.

“We’re all chipping in, it’s a process.” Hopper says from behind his desk, you and Larry sitting in the chairs that lie in front of it.

“Well sentiment is sweet but let’s face facts here. I have a meeting at 2 and an open house at 4:30 so..” He pulls books from his brief case, a napkin and an envelope of his own. “Lets talk business.”

You look at the books. “What’s all this?”

“These.. are the top four novels at Rutgers University right now. And the first in line for purchase to put on the shelves when Bassinger’s Library and Cafe opens.” He grins, saying the name like it’s already existent.

Hopper grabs one book. “Taxes for dummies. They said this place was gonna be an educational space.”

“And it will be. This book has been purchased vastly and I’ve heard nothing but good news about it.”

You look at the napkin. That stupid napkin with the fancy lettering on it. “And these are official?”

Larry smiles. “That they are. Go on and feel it, they’re made from the finest linens.” He holds it out to you and you don’t bother to reach out.

“Pass.”

Hopper speaks up. “Look, Larry. I get it. Business is business but we do still have two days left in our lease and an event to plan tonight-“

“And that’s why I’m here.” Larry opens up the envelope.

You raise a brow and look at Hopper. When he shrugs you both sit up and look at the.. check? A check for twenty one thousand dollars. Larry’s done the math.

“You have 6 employees, Jim. Seven once you include yourself. Now I am a fair man but I am mainly a working man. And I need this lot.”

“We don’t take bribes.” Hopper says simply.

“Offer, not a bribe. You take this check, you and your employees are walking away with a fresh good hard earned 3k each.” He smiles and pops the check before sitting it onto the desk.

“You’re trying to buy us out?” You glare at him.

“I need a lot and you need money so-“

“No what we need is our jobs! The jobs we actually enjoy doing. The jobs we’ve been fighting for all week, raising cash and holding this place down so corporate assholes like you don’t get the chance to take it away.”

Damn, it felt good to get that out.

“I can throw in an extra thousand for you young lady, but that is all.”

“And what exactly are you… asking for here?” Hopper sits up, arms folding over his desk.

“Forget your party. No events tonight, no awareness. Just take the money, close the store and hand me the keys. Today.”

“Are you crazy?” You glare at him with a slight frown. “You gave us a deadline.”

“And im offering a lift before you embarrass yourselves tonight. 5k in two days? Do you really see that happening?”

Truth is.. you were afraid, but you never show it. Determined and optimistic to save this place. Selling instruments, music, shoes and even dealing at that party with Eddie. You try to argue back but no words come out. And from your silence alone, Larry smirks. That is until Hopper speaks up.

“Get out.”

Larry huffs. “Excuse me? I have-“

“Get out of my office and my store.”

Larry stumbles for a moment, his confidence faltering as he glances between you and Hopper searching for an ally. For defense. He finds none.

You're still standing there speechless as your fists stay clenched at your sides. Part of you wants to yell, to tell Larry exactly where he can shove his smug attitude, but Hopper's presence says it all for you.

Larry narrows his eyes, his bravado returning just slightly as he straightens his suit. "Fine," he spits with venom. "But don't come crawling to me when you're out of options. You think this place is worth saving? You're just delaying the inevitable."

As much as it hurt you, you stayed silent. ‘The man always wins. Always.’ Hopper’s words linger in your mind, so you keep quiet.

But Hopper doesn't flinch. He doesn't even blink. He simply points to the door.

"Last warning."

Larry puts his books and his check back into the briefcase but leaves the napkin. “To dry your tears.” And with that he leaves you and Hopper in the silence of his office.

He leans back against his desk, arms crossed and he looks at you with a mixture of exasperation and concern. "You okay?" he asks, his voice gentler now.

You nod quickly, though the truth is more complicated than that. Okay isn't exactly the word you'd use. Anxious. Shaken. Maybe even a bit nauseous. You feel a swirling mix of anger, fear, and an overwhelming pressure to keep everything together. But Hopper doesn't push for more, which you're grateful for.

"I'm sorry," you mumble, finally finding your voice. "I didn't mean for it to get... like that."

Hopper shakes his head. "Don't apologize for him. Larry's a parasite, always sniffing around for easy pickings, you’re alright ."

Still, guilt tugs at your chest. You can’t help but feel a little defeated by Larry and his ‘delaying the inevitable’ bull. "But he's right. We're.. I mean, I'm running out of options here, Hop. I thought I had it under control, but-"

"Hey," Hopper interrupts, his tone firm but kind. "You're not doing this alone. You’re smart and this store It wouldn’t run right without you. We'll figure it out.”

~~~~~

“Okay the balloons are all done. Me and Steve will prep the stage and Jonathan’s gonna record the performance.” Chrissy says from behind you.

You nod. “Okay.” A bit zoned out if you will.

You’re too focused on the beautiful boy on the makeshift stage. Long dark curls and the silver of his tummy showing as he stacks his amps. The way his dark lashes rest against his cheeks as his eyes shut while laughing at a joke Jeff cracked.

“Hellooo..” Chrissy shakes her head and grins.

You look at her and grin. “Right. The balloons.”

"Yeah, the balloons. Unless you plan on floating away with them," Chrissy teases, nudging you gently with her elbow.

You roll your eyes playfully, your gaze involuntarily drifting back to Eddie. He's still up on stage, his fingers fiddling with wires now and his grin brighter than the string lights lining the back of the room. It's almost unfair how effortlessly captivating he is. It’s even more ridiculous how much you want him.

Chrissy notices and raises a brow. "You're totally zoning again. Should I just tie a balloon to your wrist and call it a day?"

"I'm not zoning," you protest weakly, cheeks warming.

"Sure you're not," she says with a smirk, grabbing a few more balloons. "You're just... intensely observing, huh?"

“I’m looking out for my friend, it’s not that deep.” You laugh at her raised brows. “Besides, it’s not like i’m stalking. I just wanna make sure tonight goes perfectly. Which means everything on that stage needs to be perfect.”

“Especially Eddie, right?” She gives you a knowing look and before you can argue Steve walks up to you both behind the counter.

“Alright ladies. Everything’s all set. The guys are tuning up. Ready to open the doors?”

Chrissy nods. "Yeah we're good to go." She looks back at you with a knowing grin. "Right?”

You groan quietly, giving the last string a tug before letting it float with the others. The night hasn't even officially started, and you already feel like your heart's been doing a soundcheck of its own.

Decor, check. Music, check. Food, check. After an hour or regular work, customers arrive and place cash into the bin at the door with Robin and Steve watching over it. Chrissy and Jonathan are preparing the camera and lights since the performance starts in five. Corroded Coffin is on the stage, ready to perform, hyped, nervous and… missing their lead singer?

You look for Eddie in the break room. You look for him in the back of the store, through the window into the parking lot, in the restroom. No sign of him.

Then you remember his favorite spot in the store. You go up the stairs and look through the window of listening booth number 7.

Eddie’s sat on the bench. His knee bouncing, head hung low and the headphones keeping his wild curls down. You and gently knock before walking in, closing the door behind you. He takes the headphones off and you hear the Beatles spilling through the headphones.

“Mind if I sit?” You nod at the space next to him.

He nods and moves over on the bench. “Yeah, just.. prepping a bit-“

“You know you can tell me anything Eddie, right?” You look over his face. The way his nerves have him in a chokehold. His hands gripping the headphones a bit too tightly.

“I know.” He sighs and runs his hands through his hair, he hangs the headphones on the wall. “Just.. this performance. I don’t wanna disappoint anyone.”

‘I don’t wanna disappoint you.’

"You could never disappoint anyone, Eddie," you say softly, hoping to ease his nerves. "Especially not me."

Eddie looks at you with his big brown eyes, swimming with doubt and vulnerability. "You say that now, but what if I mess up? What if I blank out or miss a note? Everyone's counting on me."

You reach out, your hand hesitating for a moment before settling on his knee. His bouncing leg stills under your touch. "Eddie.. you don't have to carry the whole world on your shoulders. This is for the store, yeah? But it’s about you too. You don’t have to worry because everyone’s here Eddie. I’m here.“

He looks down at your hand, placing his heavier one over yours. He looks back up at you, his expression softening. "You're too good to me you know that?"

"Not possible," you say with a grin. "Now, what do you need? A pep talk? A distraction? I'm at your service."

Eddie leans back against the wall, his shoulders relaxing just a little. "Honestly? Just.. stay here for a bit? I don't wanna be in my head anymore."

You nod, scooting just a little closer so your shoulder brushes his. "I can do that."

You both sit as the music spills from the headphones, and Eddie lays his head on your shoulders. His hair tickles your neck but right now you wouldn’t dare move or disturb the peace you both have in this moment. He hesitates before lacing your fingers with his and you acknowledge each other with a simple squeeze of the hand.

You sat there until the clock hit 6:30. Showtime.

Eddie’s on the makeshift stage and the store has a bit of a crowd. A small one, sure. But still a crowd. You sit on the counter, looking ahead at the boys as they introduce themselves. Of course, he can’t help but look at you. He speaks into the mic to the crowd.

“You guys love it here at Empire Records?”

The crowd whoops and cheers, you included.

“So there’s a guy. This.. weird, cocky, obnoxious, pretentious guy. Wont say his name, yet. But he wants to shut the place down.” He dramatically frowns and clutches his chest as the crowd gasps.

‘Bullshit. No way! What a douchebag!’ Well at least the people agree with you.

“My thoughts exactly. He says we promote some.. provocative musical acts. How ‘bout we show him something provocative, hm?”

Jeff and Doug strum at their guitars and bass, starting off Judas Priest’s Parental Guidance.

Eddie smirks. “To hell with the man.” He strums his guitar, stepping up to the mic and he starts to sing. You watch his fingers as they expertly move over the strings, he nods his head as his voice tinges the mic with a soothing but angry rasp.

‘You say I waste my life away but I live it to the full

And how would you know anyway?

You're just Mister Dull

How don't you get into the things we do today?

You could lose twenty years right away

So we say’

And you all sing back at him.

We don't need no

No, no, no parental guidance here

Everyone rocks out and dances, enjoying Corroded Coffin’s original songs and covers. Everyone agreed that the energy in Empire Records tonight was charged and thriving off of your sole reason: to keep this place alive.

You even managed to make some sales and by the time Steve and Robin finished counting the cash you got tonight, your final product rested at a solid seven thousand. Tonight was the night that you knew. The night that you felt it. Empire Records belongs to the people. It belongs to you.

~~~~

“Cheers, to a very successful performance.” You grin and hold up a glass of champagne. Well.. one of Eddie’s mugs actually. He holds up another. “And to the Empire.”

You smile and clink your mugs together, sighing as you sip the champagne and sink into his sofa a bit more. “You absolutely killed it Eddie. Rob Halford himself would be jealous of the way you charmed us all tonight.”

He grins. “All in a day’s work princess. Besides, it felt good performing with the boys like that again.”

You smile at his words and set your mug down on the coffee table, turning slightly to face him. "Good? Eddie, you were incredible. The way you owned that stage.. you had everyone eating out of the palm of your hand."

Eddie leans back into the cushions, his grin softening into something more reflective. "It was a rush, l'll admit. But hearing you say that? That means more than the crowd, you know."

His words catch you off guard and for a moment all you can do is stare at him. The glow from the lamp casts a warm light across his face, highlighting the faint flush in his cheeks, whether from the champagne or your compliment, you're not sure.

"Eddie..." you say softly, your voice barely above a whisper. "You don't need me to tell you how talented you are. But I'll say it anyway, as many times as you need to hear it.”

He doesn’t know what to say for a moment. Here you were all pretty. Kind heart and more of a lover of his music than himself. He wouldn’t dare call you his biggest fan, a title like that isn’t even worth it for you.

He chuckles a low nervous sound. "You're ridiculous you know that? Saying things like that. It's not fair."

"Not fair?" you tease, leaning in just slightly. "How so?"

His eyes flick to yours and then to your lips, lingering just a second too long. "Because you make it hard to think straight," he admits quietly, almost hesitant as his eyes find their way back to yours.

Your heart skips at his confession, and the air between you shifts. Heavier, warmer, sentimental. You hold his gaze, your breath catching as his words settle between you. There's something in the way he looks at you, something raw and unguarded that pulls you in without warning.

"Maybe you don't need to think straight," you murmur, your voice barely audible. It's more of a dare than a statement and you see the way his throat bobs as he swallows.

Eddie exhales shakily, his fingers flexing against his thigh as if he's holding himself back. He’s always holding himself back. "You don't get it," he says, voice low and tinged with something that sounds a lot like longing. "You... you don't even realize what you do to me."

You lean in just a little closer, your knees brushing as you take in the faint scents of leather, cologne, and Eddie’s post show b.o which in all honesty you didn’t mind much at all.

"Then maybe you should show me," you say softly, a teasing edge to your words but an undeniable sincerity and nervousness in your tone. You only hope he doesn’t get shaken or angry that you would even suggest something so vulgar.

He freezes for a moment, caught between hesitation and desire.

‘Last time she tried to kiss me, she was drunk out of her mind.’

He looks at the champagne. You had only had one mug and so did he. And that look in your eyes.. its the same look you had given him when he gifted you that onyx ring on your birthday. Soft eyes looking into his. Care, love.. yearning.

‘Fuck it.’

The next thing you feel is Eddie’s hands cupping your face and he presses his lips to yours. Very tentative at first, as if he's afraid you might pull away. You nearly shock his brain when he feels your lips press against his own.

Your hands find their way to his cheeks, your fingers brushing the smaller curls at the nape of his neck. His breath hitches and you feel him relax into you, the nervous energy melting away as his lips move against yours, warm and insistent.

Everytime else slowly fades away. Your mind was empty of all of it’s worries. You shitty date, Larry, the stress of losing the store. Eddie was all you could think off. All you could feel, hear, taste.

When he finally pulls back for air his forehead rests against yours, and he gives you a small, almost shy smile.

Eddie's thumb brushes against your cheek and you can feel his breath against your lips, warm and uneven. "You have no idea how long l've wanted to do that," he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.

Your chest tightens and for a moment you can't find your voice. Instead, you let your fingers slip from his curls down to his shoulders, gripping the worn fabric of his shirt.

"Then maybe you shouldn't stop now," you finally manage to spit out, your voice soft but steady as you look into his eyes. You’re relieved to see his are charged with just as much desire as your own.

His eyes widen for a split second before his lips are back on yours, more confident this time. His hands slide down to your waist and he pulls you closer. The world outside the room might as well not exist. Every kiss, every touch feels electric like a current you can't resist.

The kiss deepens and you find yourself straddling his lap, Eddie following instinctively as he carefully pulls you closer by your waist, his hands never leaving you as they splay against your back.

You kiss him and with the smallest tilt of his head you give his curls a gentle tug. He slide his hands down, a bit hesitant before you arch your back, letting his palms rest on your ass. You both part your lips as your tongues finally meet.

He moans as he finally tastes you. He always imagined what you would taste like. He wasn’t far off: vanilla chapstick, the cherry champagne you’d been sipping on and a taste that’s distinctive to you and you only.

You could say the same about him. The feel of Eddie’s lips is foreign but very welcome. They’re slightly chapped yet so warm and the way they lock onto yours is match made. You gasp and a moan falls from your lips when he bucks his hips up, desperately for your touch.

Oh, he’s huge. You always figured so. His swim trunks never hid much and nor did his jeans, especially on nights like tonight. Riled up from a very active and energetic performance, he still had so much more to give. And when you roll your hips down at his bucking, he knew exactly how he’d let off that energy tonight.

He grips the backs of your thighs, lifting you into the air. He taps the denim clad skin in which you take as a sign to wrap your legs around him. He doesn’t break the kiss as he walks you into his bedroom.

Once he sets you down the back of your knees hits the edge of the bed. You pause, pulling back just enough to meet his gaze. His dark brown eyes search yours, his pupils blown wide with nervous excitement.

He slowly removes his shirt and you reach out and help him, his messy curls falling onto his soft pale skin, the tee falling to the ground. He gently reaches his hands out, hovering over your shirt.

“Can I?” He asks softly, looking into your eyes for any signs of hesitation but he finds none.

“Yeah.” You grin and gently pull him closer by his belt loops.

He smiles and pulls your tee over your head, discarding it to lay right next to his on the floor. His breath hitches and he gently rests his hands on your sides, rubbing at your ribs and down your sides.

“You’re so beautiful, sweetheart.”

You grin. “Makes two of us.”

The sight before you is mind boggling but definitely worth it. A blushing fool, that’s what he feels like. He lays you onto his bed and crawls over you, his hair tickling your chest, the hills of your breasts peeking from the confines of your bra.

He swallows. “I have some hair ties if the hair’s too much for you.”

“Don’t you ever hide these curls away from me.” You gently rake your fingers in his curls. “I love them, I love this.”

He smile and kisses you again, your hands find rest on his shoulders, rubbing gently as you kiss. It’s as if time isn’t real when he’s with you like this. Every flick of your tongue against his, every gently brush of your tummy against his, every caress of your hands on each other. It was all surreal.

When you tug his curls again he pulls back and pants a bit wildly. He shuts his eyes and you speak softly, a bit confused.

“Are you okay?” You rub his shoulder.

He nods. “Sorry. I’m just..” Incredibly hard. He almost feels embarrassed.

Now is definitely not the time to tell you that he hasn’t had sex in more than over a year. It had just been his right palm, some X rated mags and something he picked up from the Spencer’s after a very long shift. But being with you like this was bound to break him any moment.

He stands up. “I’ve gotta take these jeans off or this is gonna end a lot faster than you want it to.” He unbuckles his jeans, so you start to remove yours as well. He swears you’re trying to kill him when he sees that your panties match your bra. You could see him twitch in his boxers.

“I don’t mind, Eddie.” You sit up, resting back on your elbows for support. “I just need you closer.”

He grins and walks over to his dresser. “So you do want to kill me.”

You laugh. “What are you stalling on me now?”

He digs through his drawer. “So impatient, princess.”

He crawls back over you with the small blue package in hand. He kisses you again before trailing softer ones down your skin. “Just rolling the ball.”

He continues to kiss your skin. Down your chest and onto your tummy until he gets to your panties, kissing the wet spot on them. He moans and shakes his head. He looks up at you a bit in disbelief.

“This all for me?” He lays on his stomach between your legs, gently caressing your thighs as he sets the condom onto the sheets.

You grin with a bite to your lip, knowing how turned on it gets him. “All yours.”

He gently tugs at your panties and you lift your hips to help him. “Oh how you spoil me.”

He nestles his nose to your inner thigh, taking in your scent as he leaves gentle kisses on your skin. He enjoys the way your hand rests gentle over his mop of curls, the way your legs rest over his shoulders, the way you taste. He gives you a kitten lick from your hole all the way up to your clit, letting out a muffled.. “oh.”

When he licks you again you can’t help but arch your back, returning a higher and more pleasure filled ‘oh.’

He’s looks up at you, voice muffled as he refuses to pull away from you. “Like that, baby?”

You moan at the nickname, head flopping back onto his pillows. “Yes, so good Eddie.”

“Wanna stretch you out, get you ready for me, ‘s that okay?”

He says it so sweetly but the intention behind his words get you wetter than ever. “Yes, Eddie.”

You arch your back as he sides in a finger, the cold metal of his ring chilling your folds as he thrusts his finger slowly. When he gets a nice fill of your pretty moans he adds another, starting to trust them.

“Oh fuck, Eddie, I’m not gonna be able to-“

“That’s alright baby, come for me. Want you to.” He curls his fingers and you feel like your brain has went haywire, the coil inside of you snapping sooner than you thought. Your moans turn into whimpers as he twists his fingers a bit, keeping you through the high as your release showers his fingers and lips.

“Eddie!”

He shows down his movements and looks up at your face. He worries he overdid his efforts, but smiles when you pull him up to lay over you.

“That good?” He smiles.

“So good.” You smile, pulling him into a kiss as he shares the taste of you.

“Lay back,” you say to him, “I wanna ride you.”

His eyes widen. “Jeez, sweetheart, you can’t hustle say anything like that. I’m gonna blow my fucking load.” He chuckles but he isn’t joking. You could see him leaking through his boxers.

“That’s okay.. we’ve got all night.” You both smile and share a kiss, passionate and hungry for more. Eddie could still taste your orgasm on his tongue and that alone made him excited to give you more and more. But he wasn’t going to rush this. You have all night and he’s gonna use it the best he can.

taglist: @pupwrites @sheneedsrocknroll92 @koshkahhh @kthomps914 @definitionwanderlust

[classiccowboy]

instagram j.b.

summary: follow joe and his wife evie as they go through his football career.

series masterlist

evie

liked by joeyb_9, millyg, and others

evie: peaked at 0°

@alo @millyg

view all 829 comments…

user: winter cutie

> evie: ⛄️

lahjay10_: you know how to ride those things???

> evie: don’t be projecting your insecurities…

> lahjay10_: imma take that as a hell nah 🤣💀

user: wow looks cold

> evie: very observant of you. it was indeed cold.

alo: 🩵🩵🩵🩵

joeyb_9: snow princess. ❄️

joeyb_9: come home soon.

joeyb_9: and never leave me again.

> evie: i have a velcro hubby.

user: not joey missing his mommy 😉

> evie: PLEASE! I cannot do this. 😭

millyg: maybe getting drunk and skiing down a mountain was not our brightest idea. who’s going to tell joey that you sprained your ankle.

> evie: you apparently..

> evie: jb im okay i swear. its not that serious baby.

joeyb_9

liked by evie and others

joeyb_9: still having fun

view all 967 comments…

user: good to hear

user: @evie i thought we talked about the pink?

> evie: guys.. i’m sorry okay? sometimes when your man looks that good you’ve just got to take the chance.

> evie: what i mean is.. i was very distracted when he walked out in this.

> millyg: she’s literally just a girl yall.

user: we aren’t

user: as you should my guy!

evie: love you baby!

> joeyb_9: i love you pretty girl.

> evie: also.. it’s very much giving patrick star (iykyk)

user: blink twice if you are being held hostage

user: your stylist has you right

user: MVP fr

> evie: ‼️

evie

liked by bengals and others

evie: nashville 📍

view all 472 comments…

user: this game was so ?????

> evie: truly a roller coaster of emotions

user: i love ja’marr

> evie: i also love ja’marr

> user: weird thing to say about your mans bff

> evie: i think you’re the one making it weird. 🥴

joeyb_9: are you following me?

> evie: am i one of those girls that stalk their celebrity crush?

user: feels good to get a win. WHO DEY

> evie: yk what.. hell yeah!

user: rough game

joeyb_9

liked by bengals, evie, and others

joeyb_9: professional playmaker

view all 2,811 comments…

lahjay10_: 🎱 mile

user: sick play

user: what a dog

evie: my pookie king joey. ur so cool.

> joeyb_9: why do you do this to me???

> evie: love you pookie. 🤪

> user: this is great.

> user: so are we trading in jb for pookie???

> joeyb_9: pls don’t.

user: GOATED

bengals: SUPERMAN! 😤

user: mvp and it ain’t even close

evie

liked by joeyb_9 and others

evie: once upon a christmas..

view all 821 comments…

user: you skipped joes birthday.

> evie: i would never skip my baes birthday!

user: this is cute

lahjay10_: tell me why joe snowman is mute

> evie: he just skipped that part 🤣

> joeyb_9: in my defense i couldn’t focus because ja’marr and amelia were screaming at each other in the next room over mario cart.

> millyg: don’t bring me into this my snowman has a mouth…

> user: the kids are fighting

user: merry christmas to the burrows!

user: ev i love your slippers

user: i love that you so casually post your relationship. like it’s so normal?

> evie: it is normal????????

joeyb_9

liked by evie, sam_hubbard_, and others

joeyb_9: smooth operator

view all 2,551 comments…

user: smoothest operator in town

user: MVP

evie: sometimes babygirl is a 6’4 cincinnati qb, and that’s okay.

> joeyb_9: sometimes babygirl is my wife, actually no sometimes about it. love you babygirl.

> user: this is very important to me

> user: i fear i will never get over these two.

> user: they could never make me hate jovie

user: 🐐

user: all that to still miss the playoffs

evie

liked by bengals and others

evie: well, that’s all folks. #yearfive

view all 1,830 comments…

user: you are the ultimate wag

lahjay10_: you are the best of the best ev, always our biggest supporter.

> evie: love you j.

user: words can’t express how sad i am

joeyb_9: i’ll say it every time, i couldn’t do this without you. no matter how tough things get you always show me the bright side. you cheer for me even when i don’t deserve it. thank you for being you ev.

> evie: i’d support you even if you were the shittiest qb of all time. obviously that’s not true, you’re the best and anyone who thinks otherwise is just jealous. they know their wives would leave them for you.

> user: EV 🤣

> user: you always say the most out of pocket stuff I CANNOT!

> evie: okay so maybe i took it too far.. nobody’s wife is getting my husband. sorry not sorry.

user: get my guy a defense

user: the saddest send to the saddest season.

joeyb_9

liked by lahjay10_, and others

joeyb_9: Season to remember, sorry you won’t get to watch anymore. Year 5 in the books.

view all 8,640 comments…

lahjay10_: MVP LOADING

> evie: let them know mr 👑👑👑

user: continue to inspire, 9.

evie: it’s okay.. you’ll finish the story one day.

> joeyb_9: i know damn well..

> evie: okay, jokes aside.. i’m proud of you always jb. you are the most inspiring and resilient person i know. i’m lucky that i get to have you forever. love you more than words.

> joeyb_9: my wife. 🧡

user: chiefs were scared

user: it’s always a pleasure to watch you play

user: until next season joe!

evie’s stories..

[hoe4hotchner]

Friday night lights | [A.H]

Pairing: Country boy!Hotch x City girl!reader | WC: 1.7k | CW: Fluff, song fic, small town x big city, American football

A/N: Just an FYI I know nothing about american football at all and all terms used in this is a result of my google telling me technical terms and what they mean, so if they're used wrong I ask you to look the other way heheh

It wasn’t hard to spot you in the stands, even with the crowd packed shoulder-to-shoulder along the weathered bleachers of the local high school. Dressed in a sleek black coat and boots better suited for the city streets, you stood out like a sore thumb amongst the denim jeans, battered baseball caps, and Carhartt jackets. Yet, you didn’t seem to mind.

Hotch leaned against the chain-link fence near the field, arms folded across his chest, his work-worn boots crunching on the gravel beneath him. His lips twitched into a smile as his eyes caught yours, scanning the sea of faces until they landed on him. You gave him a little wave, your gloved fingers barely visible in the bright glare of the floodlights, and he nodded back, the warmth spreading from his chest outwards.

Aaron Hotchner had lived in this small town his entire life, and in a way, this field was a part of him. Every Friday night growing up, he’d sat in these stands, cheering until his voice was hoarse, dreaming of someday being the one to make the crowd roar. He had tried out for the team in high school but found that playing the sport was not as fun as watching a game. Hotch had instead become one of the best track and field runners of his time at the school.

Football wasn’t just a sport here — it was the community's pulse. It brought people together, week after week, under the lights and the rhythmic tones of the marching band.

This night was no different. The bleachers were full, blankets draped over laps, hot drinks in gloved hands. The air carried the unmistakable crispness of fall that you didn't get to experience much in the city. Every now and then, the cold bit through his jacket, but it was nothing compared to the energy of the crowd.

“C’mon, kid,” someone near him muttered, their eyes fixed on the second-string quarterback standing in the huddle.

Hotch followed their gaze. The young quarterback — barely more than a boy — looked tense as he wiped his hands nervously on his jersey. The starting QB had gone down in the second quarter, and now this kid, who rarely saw more than the sidelines, was being asked to carry the weight of the entire game.

With less than thirty seconds on the clock and the team down by four, the coach had called a Hail Mary. It was risky and desperate, but it was the only play they had.

Hotch could feel the tension ripple through the crowd, every eye locked on the field. The quarterback jogged to the line of scrimmage, calling out a snap count with a voice that barely carried over the noise of the stands. The ball snapped back to him, and he dropped into the pocket, his eyes scanning the field.

The roar of the crowd seemed to fade as time slowed. Hotch watched the boy wind up and let the ball fly, a perfect spiral cutting through the air. It sailed high, arching over the heads of defenders and receivers alike.

Everyone held their breath.

The ball came down in the end zone, right into the hands of a sprinting receiver.

For a moment, there was silence as you moved through the crowd, wanting to be by your boyfriend's side. Then, the stadium erupted. Cheers and screams filled the air as the team stormed the field. The receiver, clutching the ball tightly, was mobbed by his teammates. The young quarterback stood frozen, staring at the scoreboard before breaking into a grin so wide it was visible even from the stands.

Beside him, you let out a laugh of pure delight, clapping your hands as you turned to Hotch.

“That was incredible!” you exclaimed, your cheeks flushed from the cold.

The young quarterback was hoisted onto the shoulders of his teammates, his grin even wider now as he waved to the cheering crowd. Hotch glanced at you, the sparkle in your eyes making his chest tighten.

This wasn’t your world. It wasn’t the bustling city streets you knew so well, with their late-night diners and endless streams of people. Truly a city that never slept. It wasn’t the place where you felt most at home. But here you were, bundled up in the bleachers of a football game, sharing in the joy of a kid you didn’t know throwing the pass of his life.

You were trying to understand this world — for him.

As the crowd began to disperse, Hotch pushed off the fence and turned to you.

“Well?” you asked, slipping your hands into the pockets of your coat. “How’d the kid do?”

“He just made himself a legend,” Hotch replied, his voice full of pride.

“Guess I picked a good night to come, huh?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking down at you. “You did.”

You looped your arm through his, leaning into him for warmth as you walked toward the parking lot. The lights of the field still shone brightly behind you, illuminating the faint clouds of breath in the air.

“I think I get it now,” you said quietly after a moment.

“Get what?”

“This,” you replied, gesturing vaguely toward the field. “Why it matters so much to you. It’s not just a game, is it?”

Hotch shook his head, his lips quirking into a small smile. “It’s more than that. It’s… home.”

You nodded, resting your head against his shoulder as the two of you walked to his truck in comfortable silence.

The barn door creaked as Hotch pushed it open, the late morning sun streaking in behind him. Dust particles danced in the golden light, settling on bales of hay stacked neatly along one side. He paused for a moment, surveying the scene, then walked in, his boots echoing softly against the wooden floor.

From your spot leaning against the fence outside, you watched him with admiration. His broad shoulders were framed perfectly by the sunlight streaming in through the open door. He moved with purpose, rolling up his sleeves as he reached for a tool hanging on the wall.

“This place belonged to my granddad,” he’d told you one evening not long after you visited the town for the first time. “He left it to me when he passed. Everyone thought I’d sell it, maybe head somewhere bigger… but I couldn’t let it go.”

At the time, you hadn’t fully understood why. The farm was a sprawling stretch of land with fences that always seemed to need mending and animals that required constant care. The house itself was small and worn, the kind of place you’d never dreamed of calling home back in the city. In fact, you would've turned your nose up at the mere offer to live in a place like this if you hadn't met him.

But as the months went by, you started to see it through his eyes. The cracked paint on the barn doors wasn’t just a sign of wear — it was a piece of history, a reminder of the generations that had worked the land before him. The wide fields, stretching endlessly under an open sky, were more than a view — they were a canvas for his hard work and dreams.

Hotch poured himself into the farm with a determination that left you breathless. From sunup to sundown, he worked tirelessly, baling hay, tending to the animals, fixing machinery, and planting crops. When the debts his granddad had left behind threatened to swallow him whole, he didn’t back down. Instead, he fought harder, learning as he went, year by year until he finally paid them off.

Now, the farm thrived under his care. The barn was bustling with life, the fields were fertile and green, and the small-town skeptics who once whispered doubts now spoke his name with respect.

The barn door creaked again as he stepped back out, wiping his hands on a rag. His dark hair was mussed, and there was a streak of dirt across his cheek, evidence of another morning spent knee-deep in hard work. When his eyes found yours, a small smile tugged at his lips.

“You’re staring,” he teased, leaning against the fence beside you.

“Can you blame me?” you shot back with a grin. “It’s not every day I see a man single-handedly outworking half the county.”

Hotch chuckled, the sound was low and warm, settling in your chest. “It’s not every day I’ve got someone like you cheering me on.”

You reached for his hand, slipping your fingers between his and giving it a gentle squeeze. His palm was calloused.

At first, moving here had been an adjustment. The slow pace of life, the way neighbors showed up unannounced with casseroles and unsolicited advice — it had been overwhelming. And yet, with Hotch by your side, it didn’t feel so foreign anymore.

“Are you sure you’re not getting tired of all this?” he asked softly, his eyes scanning your face.

You smiled, leaning your head against his shoulder. “I think I’m starting to love it.”

The breeze picked up, carrying the scent of freshly cut hay and wildflowers. Around you, the quiet of the countryside filled the air — the soft clucking of hens in the coop, the distant whinny of a horse in the pasture, and the rustle of leaves in the wind.

“This place is a part of you,” you said after a moment. “And if I’m being honest, it’s becoming a part of me, too.”

Hotch turned his head slightly, pressing a kiss to your temple. “I’m glad you’re here,” he murmured.

You looked up at him, your heart swelling with something that felt a lot like home. Because that’s what this was becoming — not just his history, but yours, too. Together, you were building something that went deeper than roots in the soil. It was in the way he smiled when he caught you watching him, in the evenings spent side by side on the porch, and in the shared dreams of a life that felt simple but full.

As the two of you stood there by the fence, hand in hand, the future stretched out before you — wide and open. Now you just had to convince him to let you adopt 100 dogs that you could run around and play with while he worked.

[paxaz535]

Brothers Best Friend

♡pairing ♡

paige x black!oc

chapter vi

series here

—————

The pool room was filled with music, laughter and enjoyment. Daveli was currently playing chicken fight with Makayla, Paige, Emma, Carol and Azzi. Eli was on Paige, Azzi on Carol and Makayla on Emma. “Bro, Paige do not drop me.” Eli spoke as she looked down at the blonde. Paige laughed, grabbing onto the younger girls thighs. “I won’t.. just make sure they don’t push you off me or we both going down.”

Jaida was the person to tell us to start. “Alright, yall ready?” Makayla, Eli and Azzi nod. “Go!” Emma and Makayla were the first ones to attack, Makayla had both hands out to push both Eli and Azzi. Luckily, Daveli grabbed her hand and began to push her. Azzi also pushed her, making the two girls fall in the water.

“Uh oh.. looks like Makayla and Emma are out!”Jaida commented as she laughed. “Yo! That was two against one!” Makayla spoke when she came back up from the water. “You attacked us first, kay.” Daveli said as she blew Makayla a kiss. The girl just flipped her off, her and emma swimming towards Jaida.

Azzi and Eli looked at each other, both smiling. Paige decided to move first, automatically making Daveli attack. Azzi screamed as she and the 18 year old fought. “Damn, y’all strong as fuck!” Jayden yelled as he and everyone else watched, making a few of them laugh. The twins were currently sitting across from Nai and Mia but close to where Jaida was. They couldn’t help but peep the looks they were giving Daveli.

“You see that too, right?” Connie asked as she looked at her sibling. Caniya looked over and nodded her head. “It’s kind of giving hating, right?” Connie nodded, “Right.” They knew to keep their eye on the two, already knowing about how Nai and Daveli fought a few months back.

At the end Daveli and Paige ended up winning, the two cheering in the water. “Yea yea, yall got lucky.” Carol spoke as they all gathered in one spot of the pool. Eli laughed and shook her head, “whateverrrrr, yall hatin.” Carol just let out a giggle, she thought Daveli was a very funny person and was starting to genuinely like her. “I gotta pee, i’ll be back.” Daveli spoke as she left the pool.

She checked her phone while drying off. she had a lot of notifications but decided to ignore them. It was already almost seven, time really does go by when you having fun. She dried off as much as she could and went down the hall to the bathroom.

The girl then began to remember how Paige was grabbing on her. She looked down at her thighs, cheesing in the process. She could still feel the older girl’s hands on them, making her slightly tingle. She’d do anything to have paige touch her again.. maybe even do something more.

As she began to grab toilet paper, she saw a spider on the door. She screeched, daveli hated spiders with a passion. It was so close to her too. She hurried to wipe herself and got up slowly, trying not to trigger the insect. She grabbed another piece of tissue and quickly smashed the spider. She screeched in disgust and threw it in the toilet, flushing it with her slide.

“Ugh.” She left out of the stall and quickly washed her hands, her mind going back to the blonde. She walked out the restroom with a smile on her face, making her way towards the pool again. She didn’t look up until she heard laughter. What she saw made her smile drop, completely. Paige was sitting on the edge of the pool with only her legs in, while Mia was in the water between her legs.

The two were looking at each other laughing. They looked in loved which is crazy because they only met today. She could also see David and Jaida dap each other up, making her heart drop to her ass. The scene brought her back to when she saw paige with another girl at the age of 14 and 13.

————————

13 year old Daveli was currently at the water park with her mom, david and paige. The three kids got separated due to paige running off somewhere and david spotted a few friends, leaving Eli by herself. She spotted her mom, running up to her.

“Ma, you seen paige?” She asked, angelica was lying in a lounge chair, reading a book. She looked up to see her daughter, a small apologetic smile on her face. “I’m not quite sure, honey. you can try over there.” She pointed towards the pool area of the waterpark. Daveli just nodded, thanking the woman and walking towards where she was directed.

She looked around, not spotting her.. until she did. and she was with someone else. a girl daveli never seen before. why was paige with someone else? why wasn’t she with david? the 13 year old was curious on who that girl was.

“p!” Paige turned and her face lit up, she looked back at the girl and got up, and jogged towards the younger girl. “hey, eli.” Daveli smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Hey.. who’s that girl?” Daveli couldn’t help herself but she didn’t care either.

The young girl could see the blonde’s face get red, trying to hide a smile. “Oh, that’s reese. I met her a few weeks ago.” Eli just nodded, paige looked like she wanted to say more. “I… I think i might like her.” Eli heart dropped. Paige liking someone else wasn’t something Eli was fond of. it just made her upset, because she liked paige first.

“really?” eli tried to be supportive, paige just nodded. “you can’t tell anyone, though.” paige quickly looked at her, her finger pointed at the 13 year old. Daveli was hurt but nodded, looking back over at reese. “she’s pretty.” Eli spoke. and she was.

Eli could give her that, reese was gorgeous. she had wavy hair with glasses, even from where she was standing, she could tell that reese’s eyes were green. the sun made them pop. paige was looking at her too, a faint smile on her face. “she is, isn’t she?” Eli looked over at paige. ‘why can’t you look at me like that?’ She thought. Paige then looked over at Eli and sighed, “okay. I better get back, she has to leave soon. Remember, don’t tell anyone. it’s our little secret.” she spoke as she walked away, still facing daveli. Daveli did a sealed lip motion, forcing a smile.

Paige chuckled and turned around, quickly walking towards reese. Daveli let out a sad sigh, standing there a few moments before turning around. she felt her eyes watering, just thinking about paige was hurting her. she was slightly slumped, walking towards her mom. Angelica automatically noticed her daughter’s mood change, closing her book. “What’s wrong, eli?”

Daveli just shook her head and sat on the lounge chair next to her. “I don’t feel like playing anymore.” Angelica knew her daughter was in a bad mood but she didn’t want to push her either. She knew her daughter didn’t like speaking when she was upset so she’d just ask her later.

——————-

that moment happened a month ago and today Daveli found out that the two officially started dating. She saw a story paige posted. The two girls were in paige’s bathroom, hugging each other. it was captioned

‘my pretty girl💕’ and daveli just turned her phone off. She should be happy for her but she couldn’t bring herself to be happy. Not when the girl she liked was took by someone else.

She grabbed her pillow and pushed it against her face. She screamed, her emotions getting to her. She started to silently cry and it slowly turned into sobs. Why did paige have this much of effect on her? Why is she crying over her brother’s best friend?

the girl didn’t really leave her room that whole day, only to use the restroom. Angelica tried to get her to come out because at one point paige came over with reese, the two, david and a few people david invited were chilling in the backyard.

“Sweetie? come on, come say hey to everyone.” Angelica spoke softly against the door. Paige stood at the end of the steps, waiting to see if she’d come out or not. “Daveli?” Angelica called again. Eli cleared her throat, “I’m not really feeling well, apologize to everyone for me.” you could tell that the girl was crying, her voice was usually bright and happy.

Angelica’s heart hurt for the young girl, she turned around and shook her head at paige. Paige just sighed and nodded, going back to her girlfriend. Reese smiled when she saw Paige come back outside. “Hey, is she coming out?” She sweetly asked.

Paige just shook her head, “I don’t think she’s feeling well. David, has eli been in her room all day?” David looked over to his best friend. “Yea but who cares? she probably got her period or something.” Paige just rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the 15 year old boy. Reese looked at paige, “I hope she gets better.” Paige nodded, agreeing with her. The blonde looked at her girlfriend and smiled, going in for a kiss.

Before she could see their lips connect, she quickly closed her curtains. Eli watched the whole thing unfold, secretly flipping off David in the process. Seeing paige like this really took a toll on eli but she couldn’t do anything about it. and that’s killing her.

——————————

“Daveli!” The girl slightly jumped, she noticed everyone looking at her. “Girl, is you okay?” Connie asked as she and Ciniya were now by Makayla, Azzi, Carol, and Emma. Eli just nodded, a smile trying to hide the embarrassment by everyone’s eyes on her. “I had saw a spider in the bathroom..” Which was true.. but that wasn’t what made her space out.

She looked over at Paige and Mia to see the two girls looking at her. She quickly looked away and got into the pool, going by Makayla. Makayla looked at her best friend. “Eli. is it because of them?” Eli looked back over to them, paige was fully in the water and had her arm around Mia. Mia was giggling at the blonde.

“Hell yea, it is. look at them and look at her face!” Ciniya teased as she leaned against the edge of the pool. Connie quickly looked at her sister. Ciniya put her hands up in surrender then looked at Eli, “Love you, girl.” Eli just faintly smiled looking back at the two. A few of David friends left to get settled in and comfortable for when the food arrived.

“I leave for 2 seconds and she’s already under her.” Daveli spoke as she began to grow irritated at this Mia girl. Eli felt like she was throwing shade a little bit, due to the fact that, that’s Nia’s friend. Emma noticed the girl’s mug and swam to be in front of her, blocking her view. “No. We’re not doing this.” Eli looked at her, eyebrows furrowed. “Wha-“ Emma held her hand up. Eli was taken a back, “It’s literally your birthday, mija. You need to block them out, fuck them!” Eli just sighed, emma was right.

she literally just turnt into a young adult, why was she focusing on the two? “Yea girl, after this we finna eat and party some more. It’s all about you right now.” Azzi spoke as she looked at the girl. Daveli looked at her friends, a smile on her face. “Y’all right. Fuck ‘em.” Daveli then remembered she had to leave early to get everything situated.

“Yo! David, what time is it?” Eli voice could be heard throughout the pool room. “It just turned 8!” Eli nodded, looking at her friends again. “Okay, I gotta get going so this food can be ready. Does anyone wanna come with me?” She began to leave out the pool, quickly grabbing her dry towel.

“Actually, yes. my fingers are starting to prune.” Makayla spoke, she then looked over at Emma. “you coming?” Emma shook her head, “Im gonna stay with these 4. they’re funny.” Makayla just nodded, waving at everyone before she and Daveli took off.

“I’m surprised Nai ain’t try shit, you know she usually do.” Makayla spoke as they got onto the elevator. Daveli laughed, “yea she knows better. and to be honest, i really don’t feel like whopping ass today.” Makayla chuckled, shaking her head. “Her little friend tho.. i don’t know. I feel like she up to something.” Daveli looked over at her.

“Like what?” Makayla sighed, looking back. “I just got a feeling she bad news. just look out for her, just in case she does try something.” Daveli just nodded, she was still confused but she knew to study Mia more.

——————

After taking a nice, hot shower, Daveli got a call.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Daveli?”

“This is she.”

“Okay, I’m outside with the food, you might need some help.”

“Okay, we’re on our way.”

Makayla grabbed her slippers and followed Daveli out the door. She knocked on David’s room and Jayden was there to open it. “What’s up, yall?” Daveli smiled, “hey, could you come help us with the food? it’s here.” Jayden nodded his head, “oh yea, for sure.” He grabbed his slides and the three of them made it downstairs.

As they were coming down, Azzi, Carol, the twins, Emma, Jaida, Paige, Mia, and Nai were going up. “Where y’all going?” Emma asked. Daveli looked towards the door to see a lady get out of her blue car. “To get the food.” Paige quickly spoke up, “I can help-“ Eli just shook her head.

“It’s fine, p. you’re wet and probably uncomfortable. go shower.” She nodded her head towards Makayla and Jayden, beckoning them to follow her. “I call first!” Emma spoke as she quickly got into the elevator. “Well, me and Nai are gonna go in David’s room.” Mia spoke as she stood by paige. The twins just looked at each other, going back to their phones. Paige looked down at the girl and quickly looked at Jaida. Jaida just shook her head, going back to talking to emma.

uh oh

mia might be causing problems

we’ll see

taglist @melpthatsme @prettygirl-gabi @rebecca-woso @starfulani @avvwritesstufff @evry1luvzzae @hearts4morgancheli + more if wanted

[colourfultears]

frank iero guitar yap post

hello...i am still trying to figure out what the hell i am doing with this blog because i truthfully am so super new to tumblr and don't really get what i'm doing.. BUT i know a lot about guitar so i will scream into the void i guess!

i'm gonna put a cut because i think this will be long and its mostly just for me anyways LOL

so i've been playing guitar for around like 8-ish years because my parents put me in lessons really young, but i started off playing classical (nylon strings, tchaikovsky arrangements, the whole shebang), but i really didn't improve at all because i simply didn't give a fuck about the instrument until i became an epic teenager

but i moved music academies, moving to electric guitar and starting piano around 2 years ago. so fun!

anyways, all of this prologue to say that essentially guitar, piano, music, as a whole has become my entire life and the only thing i really spend my spare time fixated on.

a few months ago, my teacher suggested that i get a new guitar because i had grown out of the shitty $200 (AUD hahahah) strat i was playing on, so i looked towards some higher quality options and after playing almost every guitar in the shop, i eventually ended up buying an epiphone les paul custom in the ebony colourway.

HERE IS WHERE IT GETS RELEVANT LOL: ray and frank are huge proponents of the epiphone LP lines (in that, they play them live and in recording) which i always found so fascinating because, why not the better...higher-end...gibson...original??

for anyone that might not know but might care :P, gibson (a guitar manufacturer) were the original producers of les paul style guitars. epiphone (another guitar manufacturer) produces REPLICAS of gibson guitars. the biggest difference?, the price (some would argue quality, but that price tag is pretttyyy crazy to me..). gibson guitars are handcrafted in america, and are therefore much more expensive, selling in australia, typically, for upwards of 5-6k, but reaching bounds of like 9000 dollars :O WHEREAS,,, epiphone LP's are mass produced in china, retailing for a USUAL max of 2-3k, but very possibly lower than that.

but yeah, frank's famous 'pansy' guitar is an epiphone les paul custom in the alpine white cw. it's important to note that there are literally only two colours available for this particular guitar.

i know that frank owns both colourways of the lp custom, obviously the pansy guitar, and i'll link some pics of the ebony one he owns too!!:

i looooove the sweet sweet joyous whimsical beautiful pansy, but i am such a sucker for this colourway, and i accept my ultra bias because i own it LOL.

when it comes to ray, he owns epiphone LP's but he seems to lean towards the standard line instead of the custom line, for a more classic kinda feel. you can definitely tell his personal taste in guitars especially through the finishes he chooses like hahaha i wouldn't be caught dead playing a cherry burst, but he absolutely fucking rocks it. it reminds me a lot of him in that one interview talking about how his roots in playing guitar are in metallica, pantera, and whatnot and. maaaaaann you can feel it in how he plays but also in the guitars he picks.

in my personal taste, i would literally kill to have frank's collection but also i HAAAATE the SG body shape and he owns a couple (i think..) like...stop...before i get violently ill. i find them so incredibly ugly, sorry patrick stump! abysmal collection, i still love u tho king xx

ANYWAYS THERE WAS NO POINT TO THIS IDK I DON'T UNDERSTAND TUMBLR OK THANKS BYE

[advisorykitty]

Is it oo if u do randal x reader who has a similar personality to him? No rush and you dont have to do it if you dont wanna! :D

You and I

Randal x Reader oneshot!!

tbf i actually kind of liked this one! There is also Sebastian since i haven't written him for a while so hope u enjoy that!!

Randal first saw you crouched near the playground, dragging a stick through a patch of mud with impressive dedication. Most kids were playing talking about more 'trivial' matters, but you? You were sculpting what looked like… an angry face with sharp teeth.

“What’s that?” Randal asked, appearing beside you out of nowhere like he always did.

You barely glanced at him, but a small smirk tugged at your lips. “A monster. His name’s Chuck. He eats toes.”

Randal cackled, crouching down beside you. “Toes, huh? Nice. Can I add something?”

You shrugged. “Go for it.”

Randal snatched another stick and started adding spiky hair and a pair of wild, mismatched eyes to Chuck’s face. By the time recess ended, the two of you had turned the mud patch into a whole grotesque masterpiece. And just like that, you were friends!

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Fast forward a few years, and not much had changed. You and Randal were still inseparable partners in chaos, thriving on mischief and mayhem. Which is why you were currently sitting on a tree stump in the middle of the forest, waiting for him.

“He’s late,” you muttered, flicking a pinecone across the dirt. It wasn’t unusual for Randal to lose track of time, but it was still annoying. You had big plans for today—things involving mud, trees, and possibly fire if you could get away with it.

Finally, you heard the familiar sound of mismatched footsteps crunching through the underbrush. “Hey, bunny!” Randal called, grinning as he emerged from the shadows.

“About time,” you said, standing up and brushing dirt off your jeans. “What took you so long?”

Randal shrugged, his grin widening. “Luther made me clean up my dolls before I left. He said if I didn’t, he’d ‘lock me in the bad boys closet.’” He mimicked Luther’s deep, monotone voice, then rolled his eyes. “As if that would stop me.”

You snickered. “Big brother sounds fun.”

“Oh, he’s a blast,” Randal said sarcastically, waving a hand. “Anyway, guess who I brought with me?”

Before you could ask, Sebastian stumbled into view, looking as miserable as ever. His costume was rumpled, his hair was a mess, and his expression screamed help me.

“I didn’t agree to this,” Sebastian muttered, glaring at Randal.

“Yes, you did,” Randal shot back cheerfully. “By not running fast enough when I grabbed you.”

Sebastian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why am I here? I have better things to do than.. indulge .. you two ..psychos.”

“Because we’re fun,” you said, grinning as you leaned against a tree. “And because Randal said so.”

Sebastian sighed heavily, muttering something under his breath about “crazy people” and “needing a better escape plan.”

After some bickering and a lot of laughter (mostly from you and Randal), the three of you decided to play hide and seek. Randal, of course, was the seeker.

“Thirty seconds, then I’m coming for you!” Randal announced, turning to face a tree and covering his eyes. “One… two…”

Sebastian immediately began running.. and running?? clearly aiming to get as far away as possible. You, on the other hand, had a better plan.

Spotting a tall tree with thick branches, you grinned and started climbing. The bark was rough under your hands, but you didn’t care. You loved heights—the higher, the better.

By the time Randal yelled, “Ready or not, here I come!” you were perched near the top of the tree, peering down at the forest below. You could see Sebastian skulking around the base of another tree, glancing nervously over his shoulder his breath ragged from the previous running.

“Hey, Sebastian!” you called, waving.

He looked up, his jaw dropping. “Are you insane? Get down from there!”

You laughed, swinging your legs. “Why? Afraid of heights?”

Sebastian scowled. “No, I’m afraid of you falling and breaking your neck. Which I’m not helping you with, by the way.”

“Oh, come on,” you said, standing on the branch like a circus performer. “It’s not that high.”

“It’s at least twenty feet!”

“Whatever,” you said, rolling your eyes. “Watch this!”

Before he could protest, you jumped. The air rushed past you in a thrilling blur, and you landed in a crouch a few feet away from Sebastian.

“Ta-da!” you said, throwing your arms out dramatically.

Sebastian stared at you, his face pale. “You’re out of your mind.”

“Yep,” you said, grabbing his arm. “Now it’s your turn!”

“What—no—hey!” Sebastian yelped as you started dragging him toward the tree.

Ignoring his protests, you climbed the tree again, this time with him in tow. He clung to you like a terrified cat, muttering a string of curses under his breath.

“Relax,” you said, grinning. “I’ve got you.”

“This is not relaxing...”

By the time you reached the top, Sebastian was practically vibrating with anxiety. “I hate this. I hate you. I hate Randal.”

“You love us,” you said, laughing. “Now look! Isn’t the view great?”

Sebastian hesitantly glanced around, ,his expression hardened.

“No it isn't."

“Ouch.”

Down below, Randal was wandering aimlessly, calling out in a sing-song voice. “Sebaaaastian… Y/N… I know you’re around here somewhere!”

You grinned mischievously, leaning down to yell, “Up here, loser!”

Randal’s head snapped up, and his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Awesome! Can I join you?”

Sebastian groaned. “Please don’t.”

Of course, Randal ignored him and started climbing the tree.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

As Randal climbed the tree, you shifted your weight on the branch, causing it to sway slightly. Sebastian immediately clutched the trunk like his life depended on it.

“Can you not?” Sebastian hissed, shooting you a panicked glare. “This thing’s going to snap, and we’re all going to die!”

“Drama queen,” you muttered, waving him off. Then you turned to Randal, who was dangling precariously from a branch below you, grinning up at you like a lunatic.

“Nice tree,” Randal said. “Plenty of room for everyone, huh? Kinda cozy.”

“Yeah, cozy,” Sebastian muttered sarcastically.

Randal ignored him, pulling himself up to sit beside you. “So, guess what I found this morning?”

You raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Randal reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny doll. Its painted eyes stared blankly, and its hair was matted like it had seen better days. “Her name’s Matilda. Found her in the dumpster behind school. She told me she was lonely, so I took her home.”

“She told you?” Sebastian asked flatly, looking at Randal like he had grown a second head.

“Yeah,” Randal said casually. “She’s shy, though. Doesn’t talk to just anyone.”

You tilted your head, studying the doll. “I get it. I’ve got one like that. Her name’s Clementine. Found her in an old attic. She doesn’t like sunlight, though. Says it burns her eyes.”

Randal’s grin widened. “See? You get it. Dolls are way more interesting than people.”

Sebastian groaned, rubbing his temples. “You’re both insane.”

“Thanks,” you and Randal said in unison, clearly taking it as a compliment.

“Hey,” Randal said, nudging you. “If Matilda and Clementine ever meet, do you think they’d get along?”

“Maybe,” you said, tapping your chin thoughtfully. “But Clementine’s kinda territorial. She doesn’t like sharing her shelf.”

Randal nodded, completely serious. “I get that. Matilda’s the same way. Maybe we could set up a playdate and see how it goes.”

Sebastian blinked at the two of you, utterly baffled. “You’re actually planning a playdate… for your dolls?”

“Yeah,” you said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“Why not?” Randal added, shrugging.

Sebastian opened his mouth to say something, but then shook his head. “You know what? Never mind. I don’t want to know.”

Randal turned to you, his expression mischievous. “So, do you name all your dolls, or just the special ones?”

“All of them,” you said, smirking. “Even the ones that don’t have heads. They’ve got personalities, you know.”

“I knew you’d get it,” Randal said, practically beaming.

Sebastian, meanwhile, looked like he was ready to throw himself out of the tree. “This is my nightmare,” he muttered.

You and Randal ignored him, falling into a deep conversation about doll maintenance. You compared notes on cleaning techniques, how oil made their eyeballs shinier, repair methods, and the best way to keep their clothes from fraying.

“I use a sewing kit,” Randal said, pulling out a needle from his jacket pocket. “Got it from Big Brother's room. Don’t tell him, though. He gets all cranky when I ‘borrow’ his stuff.”

“Noted,” you said with a grin. “I usually just glue things back together, but sewing sounds cool.”

Before Randal could reply, there was a loud crack.

All three of you froze, glancing at the branch beneath you. It groaned ominously, swaying under your combined weight.

“Uh… guys?” Sebastian said, his voice rising an octave. “This branch isn’t—”

SNAP!

The branch gave way, and the three of you plummeted to the ground in a chaotic tangle of limbs. You hit the dirt with a loud thud, Randal landing on top of you and Sebastian sprawled awkwardly beside you.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Randal burst out laughing, clutching his sides. “That was awesome! We almost died!!”

Sebastian groaned, rolling onto his back. “I hate you. I hate both of you.”

You laughed, brushing leaves out of your hair. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad.”

“No, because it was terrible,” Sebastian grumbled.

Randal sat up, still grinning. “Let’s do it again!”

Sebastian’s eyes widened in horror. “Absolutely not!”

You smirked, nudging Randal with your elbow. “He’s no fun.”

“None at all,” Randal agreed.

Sebastian groaned, covering his face with his hands. “I just wanna go home..”

Randal's eyes gleamed for a second before turning to you.

"Oh yeah if forgot! Big brother said i had to be home by 7pm, what time is it?"

You quickly pulled out your old pocket watch and struggled to read the time.

"Uhh its 11pm"

Randal blinked, then burst into laughter, leaning back against the tree trunk with a manic grin. "Oops. Guess I’m grounded again."

You chuckled, shaking your head as you dusted off your clothes. “What else is new?”

Sebastian groaned, dragging himself to his feet. “You’re both insane.

[bigsoggyboots]

Steal Your Warmth

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.

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summary: Viktor tells a story of one of their inside jokes to Jayce under a snowy night.

☆

cw: minor mentions of drinking, bruises, screaming, and violence.

☆

random disclaimer: This is a cross-posted fic that's up on my AO3 @calamitykills where more of my content is. There's also Daz Games and Hozier references in this lol.

Moonlight poured in from the window, candlelight sheltered the room, and two cups of hot chocolate waited at the nightstand. Viktor stared outside, a smile etched comfortably on his face. He liked it when it snowed in Piltover; it was always a beautiful sight. And with the room semi-dark, it made the world seem like it stopped.

White covered all the high building tops and small alleys, filling Piltover's streets with crowds of children playing in the snow. Some made snow angels, others built snowmen, and the really fun kids began intense snow ball fights.

Viktor snorted watching a fat kid fall flat at a snowball being chucked straight to the face by a girl two times smaller than him.

Then entered Jayce. He came in without Viktor noticing, laughing at the same sight his partner was. “That looked like that hurt.”

“That's how you know the game's intense, Jayce.” Jayce sat himself on the bed, laughing more hearing Viktor's choice of words. “See, that little boy has been targeting that girl ever since the game started. At any and every moment. And now, with the way I see it, I think the little girl's patience has boiled over.”

Just then, that same girl began chasing the fat boy around punting him with her pile of snowballs.

Jayce and Viktor watched, faces scrunching at each painful throw. Both inventors were immersed in this outdoor game. “Seems like you were right..” Jayce muttered watching the game grow more hell-ish.

“Doubting me, are you?” Viktor scoffed dramatically. “I thought there were two smart inventors here..”

Jayce didn't bother to reply, only rolling his eyes at the matter, as he laid himself on top of Viktor.

Viktor recognized this feeling; this comfort. He hadn't torn his eyes away from the window but simply knew by the feeling that it was Jayces body greeting him.

His partner's warmth encompassed him and the gentle press of Jayce's weight on his own drew him deeper in the embrace. Viktor's cold body was warming up due to it. It had been a while since they've been like this. Jayce rested his head on Viktor's collarbone, a small groan leaving him.

Viktor sighed, keeping his hands at his side. “Have you come to steal my warmth, Jayce?”

“I should've seen this coming.”

Viktor let out a content hum. Loving their little inside joke, he continued on. “I must tell you the story now-”

“Do you have to?”

“I must.”

“Alright, alright.” Jayce kissed Viktors hand, tilting his head up so he could meet Viktor's eyes. “Go ahead, tell me the-”

A blood-curdling scream filled the room, following the sound of a window smashing. When Jayce and Viktor shot his head towards the sound, they saw the little girl and boy littered with bruises and a snowball shaped hole in someone's window.

Jayce immediately got up and shut the curtains.

Viktor hummed, a devious smirk. “There goes Mummy's mortgage..” He whispered.

“Viktor, no. Just tell the story.”

With a dramatic roll of the eyes Viktor started talking, “Once upon a time, not too long ago, there was a drunk Jayce..”

☆

“Viktor.”

A head turned towards the door, uninterested and unamused.

“Jayce.”

Jayce looked confused. Why is he so upset? He just got home.

Viktor watched his partner stumble to him. Inebriated, tired, and with a mind clearly hazed. Jayce flopped along until he sat himself on the bed and then wiggled his way to Viktor.

“And what do you think you're doing?” Viktor asked.

The giant plopped on top of him, nuzzling his head in his partner's neck ever so delightfully. “Stealing your warmth.”

The exhale that left the two was purely carnal. Noises that reminded them of what united them most. And while one was embarrassed by what he'd just done, the other felt a thousand unknown worries dissipate.

To shift his attention away from the heat rising in his face, Viktor joked about what Jayce said before. “And to what warmth is there to steal?”

“The warmth of your blush,” His partner lifted his head further, his nose rubbing Viktor's skin as he kissed his cheek. “The color in your cheeks here is where it's best.”

“I..” A crack held where his voice fell flat. He was right. The only time his body felt a normal temperature was intimate moments like this. So he clinged to it. His arm wrapped around him that day unlike no other. And he let himself smile and hold Jayce there a while.

“..I'll tell jokes about this, you know.” Viktor said, running his fingers along the hairs on the back of Jayce's neck.

“Of the time I crawled back to you?”

“Yes, of the time you crawled back to me.”

☆

They laid next to one another now, in much of the same position as the story. Only now it was flipped. Viktor laid against Jayces chest, head on his pectoral, ending the story with a small hand bow.

Jayce smiled at that. “I'm amazed at how you still tell this in perfect detail.”

Mock confidence held Viktor's tone as he met Jayce’s eyes. “It's our joke. Why shouldn't I remember the way it was?”

“Well, I'm amazed at how you remember everything really. How you can simply piece together and story tell like that. It's a great skill.” As much as Jayce dished out compliments, it made Viktor feel sporadic all the same. He always felt clueless after; then those golden eyes would meet his and those eyes ached his yearning heart.

Viktor's heart skipped a beat and he already knew why. “I must get you to stop looking at me like that.” He pinched his nose bridge whilst he grumbled his words.

Jayces eyebrows furrowed together. “Like what?”

“A lost puppy.”

“That's..” Confusion settled over Jayce's face. He didn't know whether it was an insult or a compliment. “new.”

Viktor huffed, “Don't get comfortable Jayce, it'll be a look that'll stay in the past.” his eyes down at his partner's hands.

“And why do you want it gone?” Jayce's eyes followed Viktor's and settled there too.

Slowly, Viktor initiated. Pale fingers intertwined brown ones, their body temperatures mingling more than before. Jayce watched, noting Viktor's own temperature increase. “So you can feel my warmth another day.”

Jayce chuckled; “Oh God don't phrase it like that-” his partner sounded like something cruel was upon them. In reassurance, Jayce kissed Viktor's forehead. “I'll go easy next time.”

Viktor closed his eyes once Jayce had pulled him in closer. Sleeping on a bed every once in a while is nice. “Yes, do that.”

[glacialswordsman]

me before today: no. im not pulling for mu4l4ni or k1n1ch. i need to save for x1l0nen.

me today, panicking over mu4l4ni disappearing in a few hours & me after doing the scions' quest: i need them NOW

[starry-bi-sky]

blood blossom danny except i briefly talk about his version of the accident

It all happened so fast that Danny doesn't really remember dying at all. It was like, one moment he was alive, the next he's dead. He remembers hitting the button, and the lights coming on, and then a great big flash.

Then he was outside of the portal.

He thinks he may have been screaming, but that's not true at all. The only sound he made was a split-second, startled gasp as the portal turned on, that was cut-off before he could finish the noise. The only ones who were screaming were Sam and Tucker; Danny was dead before he could feel anything.

The most vivid thing to him was the terror before the light. The blood rushing moment of mind-numbing fear and cold revelation that he was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it. A weird sort of resignation, desperation, horror, and static calm that hit him all at once.

He was extremely disoriented when he woke up. Like waking up from a long nap and struggling to comprehend what the day or time was, but knowing instinctively that time has passed. He didn't stay in his ghost form for that long either, further cementing his confusion.

From the moment he hit the button to the few minutes after he woke up is an unsolved jigsaw puzzle to him.

It took him about a day and a half to fully remember what happened beyond 'went into the portal, then suddenly i was out of it and everyone was freaking out', and then a week to process.

Sam and Tucker remember his accident better than he does. They say he was in a daze after he woke up, before he recognized where he was. And he kinda just... squinted at them like he didn't know who they were, and said something in a language they couldn't understand. He was terrifyingly calm and passive, and still smoking.

(They later find out its ghostspeak. He was asking them where he was.)

It was only the moment he realized where he was that he transformed back into human. That's the moment where Danny's memory officially cuts back in for him. His first time as a ghost, and he doesn't really remember it that well.

[kizzer55555]

Ultimate Escape Room

Sam, Danny, and Tucker are bored. Nothing seems to be a challenge anymore. Summer vacation is coming up but they can’t agree on anything . Themepark? What’s a better roller coaster than Jack driving? Scary movie? I’m sorry, nothing beats Fright Knight’s nightmare realm. Bungie jumping? Danny can fly. Then Tucker, who’s been typing on his computer, asks “what about an escape room?”. The others are about to shut the idea down because seriously? Easy. But Tucker just grins and shows them his computer screen.

“Ever heard of Arkham?”

Danny and Sam lean over to read the description and all three turn to each other and grin. 

Now, what’s the fastest way to get into Arkham?

…

So the chaos trio do ✨something✨ that gets them locked up in Arkham and then try to escape and they keep. You know, normal stuff for Arkham inmates. Except this trio? Keep. Getting. Out. Of. Their. Cells. So they are just passing by locked up rogues and waving at them as an army of prison guards chase after them. Sure they could get out the easy way (Aka powers) but no, this is a challenge so they have the normal rules of an escape room. Aka, you can’t break anything and an extra rule where if a guard catches you, then you can’t fight back (also, no one can get hurt). (They make fake identities and everything). So they need to go through the whole process. Figure out how to unlock cuffs. Could be learning to pick a lock with a spoon/stick/long nails. Then find the keys. Possibly having to crawl through vents to get in the warden’s office. Or making deals with prison inmates. Like, I’ll get this for you if you give me that (however they extract a promise that the rogue can’t kill anyone with whatever they help them with.) So they are in prison literally doing errands like find freeze’s weapons in exchange for him telling them the passcode to the gate or something. Or getting Waylon some meat from the cafeteria and he’ll break the lock on this movable vault that has materials to make smoke bombs they can use to distract the front guards. 

These kids are just going wild and it gets to the point where Arkham has to call the bats (like no Waylon, we won’t escape with you, we have to do it without breaking any walls!) So literally the only reason they are not escaping is because they want to do it ‘right’. But they are also aiding other rogues in their escape (at least certain ones. They aren’t helping joker no matter what he offers)

It’s driving the bats mad. They have vigilantes stationed in each hall, in multiple monitor rooms.

They aren’t even using anything clever to block the cameras. They’re using mirrors. Mirrors! Where did they even get so many handheld mirrors! 

They are running circles around the bats. The escaped rogues literally aren’t doing anything yet because they want to see how the three hellions will escape the entire bat clan. They have bets going. So there is a temporary truce.

Just imagine the conversations/interrogations the bats will have with trio, trying to figure out their master plan - because surely there's something more going on than three chaos young adults playing a game, right?

They trio each have a different story. And they are so passionate/convincing actors that no one knows which story is real. At least one of them told a sob story with legitimate tears.

Danny: (all mysterious) You shall never know our master plan….until it is too late. And just casually dropping hints that there is something greater or that the bats are playing right into their hands. Even using ridiculous scenarios like yesss the ketchup explosion in the cafeteria….We are one step further….Mwa ha ha! (Rubs his hands together)

Sam: (absolutely distraught with literal tears running down her face and ruining her mascara.) There is a terrible organization holding their parents hostage. They had been framed and forced to be in Arkham. If they don’t do exactly as they are told, their loved ones are in danger! Should we stay? Should we escape and help them!? No one will believe us and what if we make things worse? We don’t know what to do!

Tucker: (takes a long slurp of a smoothie. Where he got one? No one knows). Yeah we were bored and had nothing better to do than mess with you guys. (Sluuuuurp).

The bats are trying to figure it out. Is the black haired guy telling the truth and the other two are just manipulating them? Is it the girl and the others are only following the plot of the organization? IS THE BARET KID RIGHT AND THEY’RE JUST MESSING WITH US!? WHICH STORY IS IT!?

Under normal circumstances, Sam wouldn’t give a sob story because It’s not really her vibe. But Sam has the opportunity to pull one over on a bat. Do you honestly think she won’t take a chance to mess with them? Also, Dick is the one who is interrogating Sam.

He’s crying too by the end of the story.

Poor guy, Sam will play his heart like a fiddle. 

Also, their fake identities are Jordan for Danny. Mortica for Sam (or Macey for short) and Phineas for Tucker. The fact that they are using fake identities is the only thing they all agree on in the interview. But the bats find nothing on them and the identities are so realistic they wonder if they are even fake at all. If the three are faking fake IDs to throw them off their tail from looking deeper. Apparently their ‘parents’ having a missing persons report.

Damian is interrogating Danny. It’s just so easy to rile him up and get under his skin. It’s absolute drama in that interrogation room. 

Danny: ah yessss. Master plan.

Damian: you shall never succeed! Justice shall prevail evil scum!

And Duke is interrogating Tucker. He just…has no idea how to respond to this. He wasn’t trained for this response. Hostile, yes. Mysterious, yes. Scared, yes. Civilian, yes. Even Flirtatious! YES! But not…this. What does he do? should he take out his note cards?

Also, I’m adding a mix of home alone elements to this. They have to get past the bats somehow and it can’t be lethal. Poor Jason and Steph who are patrolling the halls fall victim to most of this.

At one point, both of them are tied up together and hanging from the ceiling. While the trio just casually walk by under them. 

It’s dental floss. Really strong dental floss.

Then the bats start taking sides. 

Jason? once he hears Sam's story, he's immediately willing to help her. He and Dick are searching for that missing person's report almost religiously.

Tim believes Danny's story. part of it is because it makes the most sense, and the other part is that he's slightly biased from becoming an evil megalomaniac in every timeline he's seen so he's subconsciously trying to stop that from happening here.

Cass believes Tucker because come on, it's Cass.

Steph is siding with Tim because her father was cluemaster so same reasons.

Bruce is trying to fact check all of them and is failing desperately.

Sam added some ‘clues’ in her interrogation and basically threw the GIW under the bus as the organization. So the bats do find a shady organization but so far no missing persons so the other bats still don’t know if what Sam is saying is true or not while Dick takes this as absolute proof and Jason feels like it doesn’t matter if she’s telling the truth at this point. It’s a corrupt organization. So he’ll still blow it up.

I think in this AU, the GIW isn’t a threat and more of an annoyance so Sam just plays them up as even worse. Like, she doesn’t say anything untrue just makes it sound worse out of context. Oh yeah, they opened fire on this random kid. (Gregory when they thought he was phantom) Oh yes, they have destroyed Danny’s house at one point. (The prank war with Vlad) Yes, the have an unhealthy obsession with dissecting people. (Even though they are too incompetent to actually catch anyone).

So again, they don’t know if Sam is telling the truth of the organization or they just used this random organization to draw their attention away from the three’s plans (as Danny implied). Possibly an enemy organization or a competitor.

I know everyone makes the GIW a big threat but I decided to change it up. They aren’t a threat but still get obliterated by a pissed off Red Hood and Nightwing.

And that’s  another reason why Sam gives the sob story. Danny and Tucker are great but they wouldn’t actually sick a crime lord on the GIW. Sam? Absolutely would. She does not care what happens to them. They tore up her garden one time with a stray shot. She wants revenge. And sure, she didn’t actually know what would happen to them after the bats find out but she still doesn’t care.

And through all of this, the rogues are sitting back and eating popcorn while Joker screams bloody murder from his cell. 

[liketheinferno2]

These aren't full ref sheets but I was trying to take some clear pictures of Hephaistos for later art reasons and then got side tracked doing all of the Pandaemonium bosses so here they are in order. Also for anyone following who doesn't play FFXIV and knows it as the catgirl game, enjoy this instead? VISUAL SPOILERS obviously.

Asphodelos

Warder of the Condemned: Erichthonios

Mythic Creation: The Hippokampos

Mythic Creation: The Phoinix

(+ familiars)

Hemitheos: Hesperos

(+ sexy fanfic redesign by Nemjiji)

To be brutally honest I never really liked either of these designs compared to every other Hemitheos we get, I think the really brutal black and red of the Phoinix is weakened by gold accents, but I still am always down for gay vampire surf rock. The Savage version kind of looks like Ultimalius as well if you've played XVI.

Abyssos

Mythic Creation: Proto-Carbuncle

Hrgrhhgrhrgrh

Hemitheos: Hegemone

^ My favourite detail on this is you can see the parasite's outlines in her robes and in her legs, then right through the eye holes on the mask to wrap around the torso. I'm convinced this version of Hegemone is functionally an ant being piloted by a cordyceps infection.

Hemitheos: Agdistis

She's very big

Perfect Imperfection: Hephaistos

I'm probably biased by Abyssos being the first raid I was there for day of release but these really are all fantastic. It's also when the story abandons all pretense of not being (at least partly) about family abuse and is loudly using the body horror and shackle motifs to talk about that. It's great. Hephaistos specifically is constantly bulging and twisting in and out of different forms like a highly unstable chimera and the more I look at these the more I notice parts that just should not be there. He's giving everything.

As for the Savage design It's a hard thing to rate as such but my favourite part is the veins that grow down from the eyeholes in his mask like bloody tears.

Thanks Abyssos I love you

Anabaseios

Mythic Creation: Kokytos

Dæmoniac Dungeon: Pandæmonium

It's really hard to communicate how huge this nasty tumor crab I zoomed out as far as physically possible in the game engine and subsequently ended up at a goofy angle staring up his nose.

Ephemeral Justice: Themis

Best boy. The double ended lance and second pair of arms are fantastic for this character.

Theos: Athena

In.. almost every final fantasy adventure you're fighting the real villain not at the very end but a little beforehand, the big iconic end boss is often more a metaphorical figure representing everything wrong with that first person's ideals. Athena cut out the middle man and became her own JENOVA.

I do like the moth angel, especially the hollow body full of dubious orbs, but with her eyes closed all the time it gives off the impression of this not even being the true body but some kind of anglerfish lure in the shape of a fairy... which might be true because this exists:

I really really love her twitchy anemone feelers and how the moth body ends up grafted to the rest of it waist down.

Anyway there's the gang I did not specifically intend for this to be design reviews I just wanted to have clear photos because when you actually see them in game there's other things to focus on. In hindsight I can appreciate more the theming of each tier and then the series as a whole, but my only (extremely obvious) observation for now is that every character Athena had a personal hold over is decorated in chains somehow and so I should have seen the Hegemone thing coming lmao. Heph and Aggy are still my favourites I don't think that's changing any time soon. I'm also noticing that Anabaseios is now just old enough for random DF parties to fuck up severely and I find that fun so I'm going to go fight the crab mansion now.

[vulcanette]

📸: saamhallett via highwatermain

[lightbulb-warning]

i used to freehand comics all the time as a child and since the part i liked was the drawing part i would just draw panel after panel because i didn't want to stop drawing to think about icky icky words, plus the story TOTALLY still made perfect sense! to me! and noone else, but 'whoooo caaaaares omgggg its not like comics and sequantial art are a communicative meeediummmm lmaoooooo'. i spent my entire childhood telling myself stuff like "oh pfft I know this story by heart- ill SIMPLY remember the dialogue and write it later" ...and. I can't help but admire baby maiora's (call that a minora ba tm tsk) fucking audacity? hubris? confident wrongness? kid couldn't even remember to finish the comics in the first place? INCREDIBLE levels of unearned self assurance, wish that were me, genuinely- what an icon!!! anyway i think i have forever cursed myself

[kaidanalenkosprmanager]

THE BEST OF MASS EFFECT: VIRMIRE

Featuring: Cmdr. Sophie Shepard and Cmdr. Dominik Shepard With: Lt. Kaidan Alenko, Gun. Chief Ashley Williams, Urdnot Wrex, and Tali'Zorah nar Rayya Ft. Special Guest Appearances by: Spec. Saren Arterius and Sovereign There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own, you cannot even imagine it... Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (2021)