#adding: it’s max two weeks I’ll be gone

[shatterthefragments]

…as excited as I am to sail and unplug next month in also really going to miss y’all 🥺

[no-144444]

HI! i love your writing and i was wondering if you would do a grid reacts to us finding out we were a bet? And if you wouldn't mind adding Logan too?

Thanks ml xxxx

the grid reacts: you find out you're a bet!

Featuring: Oscar Piastri, Logan Sargeant, Daniel Riccardo, George Russell, Alex Albon, Charles LeClerc, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Lando Norris

thank you for requesting! xxxx

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Oscar Piastri:

He walked into your shared apartment, a smile on his face. He hadn’t seen you in a week, and you’d both been too busy to call or text too much, so finally, he’d be back with his girl. 

He wasn’t expecting the bare apartment he’d known so well before you’d moved in. He wasn’t expecting your things to be gone, or the note on the table, or your engagement ring beside it. 

Dear Oscar, 

I found out. I know we were a bet, and I know you’d try to convince me that you loved me, and that it was all real. I don’t doubt that it was real. I know I loved you, and I felt the love from you (either that, or you’re a brilliant actor and picked the wrong profession). But I feel betrayed. I wish you would’ve just come to me immediately and told me how we started, even if I was mad at you for a while. You kept a huge secret for 2 years, Oscar. That’s not a short amount of time. I love you, and I still love you, but I need some time on my own to figure stuff out. I moved back out into my old apartment, and don’t worry, I’m still your girlfriend, but I just wanted space to think. We’ll work our way back up to being fiancé’s but until then, I am still very much yours, unless you don’t want me to be. I need to trust you again. 

Love, Y/n. 

His heart sank. He knew it was stupid to try and keep it a secret, and it had truly been tearing him apart for the last 2 years, but this… this was too much. He was thankful that you two at least we’re breaking up. But the engagement reversal thing was fucking with him. He adored you. He loved you. Yes, it was stupid, but he did stupid stuff all the time. Forgetting his keys, sleeping through his alarm, wearing his shirt inside out. You always told him it was endearing. 

“Hey,” your voice brought him out of his trance. “I wanted to be here when you came back, sorry, there was traffic.”

He turned around to see you. You looked at him. He was crying.

“I’m so sorry,” his voice broke as you nodded. 

“I know you are,” you stepped closer to him, wrapping your arms around his neck. “We’ll get through this, yeah?”

He nodded, burying his head in the crook of your neck. You let him cry it out for a little while, then pulled away. 

“You’ll be ok, we’ll be ok, yeah?”

He sniffled. “Yeah.”

“I love you,” you reminded him, wiping away tears as you went along. 

“I love you so much, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I just… I was so scared a-and-”

“I understand,” you nodded. “But that doesn’t mean I forgive you.”

He nodded, playing with your engagement ring in his hands. He broke again, sobbing. You wrapped your arms around him again, letting him calm himself down. “Please put it back on,” he whispered, begging you. 

You thought about it for a moment. You loved Oscar, and you knew you’d forgive him. It was harder not to forgive him, in all honesty. You’d read his hundreds of drafts of the speeches he had planned to say to you. Lando had shown them to you when he told you. You knew how this had been tearing him apart. But you knew how it stung, being betrayed like this. 

“Ok,” you nodded. He slipped the ring back onto your finger and a weight was lifted off of his chest, while one was placed onto yours. 

God, maybe love did conquer all. And that idea fucking terrified you. 

-----------------

Logan Sargeant:

“Go up to her, she’s a McLaren engineer,” Lewis’s friend’s voice rang out over the speaker of your phone. “I’ll give you 2 grand if you can fuck her tonight.”

“It’s not like I need the money,” Logan smirked, cocky as ever. “But I’ll take that.”

The camera panned to Logan walking up to you, and your world shattered. 

------

“Hey babe,” he called, walking into the apartment. There you were sitting, seething on the couch. “How was your weekend?”

“Great,” you answered shortly. “Have you looked at social media recently?”

“No, why?” he asked, resting his hands on your waist. He tried not to read into your stiff posture. Was this the moment? Had you really found out? 

“I was a bet,” you sighed, brushing his hands off of you. “And you didn’t even have the heart to tell me.”

You hadn’t planned on crying, you thought you’d scream at him, give him a piece of your mind, but it was hard to get angry when he was standing there, looking so helpless. You loved him, and all you’d ever been to him was a bet. You’d only met a year ago, started dating 6 months ago. You’d meant nothing the entire time. Just a fuck and a check. You just felt… defeated, and used. 

“Baby please, let me explain, it’s not what-” He started but you sighed.

“Explain what? That you ‘love’ me? I don’t care. I deserve someone who tells me the truth, and you couldn’t even do that. I had to find out with the rest of the world. Don’t you realise how stupid I look? All the posts I made, everything I told my friends and family, and the entire time it’s all been a lie? I look like a fucking idiot.” 

Logan looked down, ashamed. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered, taking your hand. “I’ll do anything to make this right, please Y/n, I love you.”

“How am I supposed to trust you? And how am I going to look going back to you? Why did you fuck this all up?” You groaned in frustration. “I fucking loved you!” 

“I love you too!” he pleaded. “Please let me make this right, I don’t care about the media, or whatever, I care about you, and I care about us.”

“What ‘us’? We’ve been based on a lie this entire time!”

“Please don’t say that,” he was crying now, so were you. “Please don’t say it was a lie.” 

You took your hand from his. “Logan, we’re done. Please don’t contact me.”

And that was that. He broke your heart and you broke his. 

-----------------

Daniel Riccardo: 

He watched in horror as you opened the message on his phone from Scotty. 

“You have to tell her. This isn’t right anymore Dan.”

“What is Scott talking about?” You chuckled. 

“Nothing,” Daniel smiled, but it looked forced. 

“Dan, come on, you can tell me,” you smiled sweetly. 

“Seriously, I have no clue what he’s talking about,” he nervously chuckled. 

Your face dropped into an angry frown. “So he was right, you wouldn’t even admit it if I gave you the chance,” you sighed. “That’s great, thanks Daniel.” 

“What do you mean?”

“I know about the bet,” you sighed. “Scotty told me last week.”

Daniel sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” you turned to him. “Why would you lie?” 

“I was scared.”

“Of what?” 

“Of losing you,” he shrugged. “I thought it would just be better to… keep you in the dark I guess. I wasn’t really thinking straight.”

“I wish you would’ve just told me,” you sighed, looking up at him. 

You were both silent for a moment.

“What does this mean for us?” he asked. 

“What ‘us’? We were based on a lie Daniel. A lie you told for a whole year.”

“So that’s it?” he gritted out. 

“That’s it.”

-----------------

George Russell: 

“Have you talked to her about it yet?” Alex asked. “You have to tell her mate, it’s gone on too long.”

“It’s been 6 months Alex, and, by the way, I actually love her,” he scoffed. “I’m trying to figure out the best way to explain it.”

“Explain what? That you were dared to ask her out for money? Mate, you sound like a dick no matter what, she’ll break up with you no matter what,” Alex sighed, disappointed in his friend. 

“She’s probably right to,” George admitted. “Fuck!” he groaned. 

You stepped into the room, trying to pretend that everything was alright. Both of the men looked up, terrified of what came next. 

“Please let me explain,” George rushed out, taking your hand. Alex quickly left you two to speak alone, patting you on the back as he left. George stood up and took your hand. 

You nodded. “Explain.”

George’s frown lifted slightly, elated that you would even give him the chance to explain. “It was a stupid bet and I never took any money. I stopped speaking to the guys after we met, and I promise I’ve been trying to tell you, I just… I get scared every time that I’ll lose you. I don’t deserve you, but I love you Y/n. And I’m so sorry.”

You nodded. “I just… give me some time, yeah?”

He nodded. “All the time you need, of course.” 

You took a deep breath, wrapping your arms around his neck in a short hug. “I’ll call you, yeah?”

He nodded, letting himself enjoy your embrace. “Please call me. Anytime.”

You pulled back, still holding back your tears somehow. “Yeah. Good luck today.”

“If I win, it’ll be for you. It’s always for you,” he smiled softly. 

“Yeah,” you sighed, leaving with a broken heart, and a choice to make. 

-----------------

Alex Albon: 

“Can we talk?” Alex asked, 2 months in.

“About what?” you questioned. You were sitting in his apartment in Monaco, eating dinner before catching a movie at a nearby cinema. 

“How we met.”

“Proceed,” you nodded, turning your full attention to him. 

“We met at Jimmy’s, and I was there with my friends, and we were being assholes, and I'm sorry that’s how you met me,” he hesitated. “And that night, I was dared to go up to you, only because they knew I’d never get a chance with you because you’re… well, you’re you, and I’m me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but we were just having so much fun and-”

“You thought you couldn’t get a chance with me?” You chuckled. 

Alex looked up. “Well, no. You’re gorgeous-”

“You’re a very hot Formula 1 driver! Alex, I was losing it when you came up to me!” 

“I thought you didn’t know anything about F1?!” 

“I don’t! But I know about hot famous guys!”

“You liar!” he laughed. 

“You lied too!” you laughed. 

He smiled. “ I guess we’re pretty evenly matched then, yeah?”

“I guess,” you shrugged, then leaned over and pressed your lips to his. 

-----------------

Charles Leclerc: 

You and Charles were new, like new new.But he’d invited you to the paddock nonetheless, and you had the weekend off, so off you went to the Ferrari garage. You’d met the so-called ‘Prince of Monaco’ at an Indycar event a few months back when he got your number, and since then you’d been texting back and forth. He finally asked you out, and you agreed, I mean, who wouldn’t, right? Even though you worked in Indycar, you were a born and raised Monegasquean and you were proud of your heritage, and pretty excited to be dating the Monegasque. 

“Oh shit,” Pierre grumbled, bumping into you. Recognition finally crossed his face and he smiled. “Y/n, right? We met at the Indycar thing, right?”

“Hi Pierre, yeah, nice to see you,” you smiled. Behind him came Charles, a bright smile for you. 

“Are you here for work or-? Oh, for Charles,” he smirked and turned back to Charles . “Le pari est-il toujours valable?” (is the bet still on?)

Your face faltered. Charles didn’t tell you about any bet. What bet?

“Je ne lui ai pas encore dit,” Charles mumbled. Pierre’s smirk grew, as did the sinking pit in your stomach. (I haven’t told her yet.)

“Hey,” Charles turned to you with a smile on his face. 

“Hi,” you nodded, more reserved than before. “Congrats on pole.”

His smile dampened. “Is everything alright?”

“All good,” you mustered up your fakest smile. “Ne parie peut-être pas sur une fille qui vit à Monaco, connard.” (Maybe don't make a bet over a girl who lives in Monaco, asshole.) 

Charles looked dumbstruck for a moment, and you left him like that. You were worth more than that. 

-----------------

Lewis Hamilton: 

“Have you told her yet?” George asked, eying you from the other side of the garage. 

Lewis shook his head. “I can’t find the right time.” “You need to tell her soon, it’s only a matter of time before someone else tells her.” 

“I know I do, I just… everytime I try to bring it up it’s like she’s extra sweet and perfect and I just can’t break her heart like that-”

“Break who’s heart?” you asked, standing beside Lewis. 

George shot him a look to say ‘tell her now’, and he nodded. George left you two to talk. 

“I was… I came up to you… I-”

“It was a bet to ask me out, I know,” you nodded, sipping your drink. “Whose heart are you breaking?”

Lewis’s brow furrowed. “Yours?”

“I overheard you and your friends at the bar that night,” you explained. “I don’t care. We’re dating because of it, I love you, blah, blah, blah,” you smiled. “Unless it’s been a charade the whole time-”

“NO! It hasn’t, I love you, I promise,” he wrapped his arms around your waist and pressed kisses to your cheek as you laughed. 

“You thought that would break my heart?”

His ego was becoming a little bit more than bruised. “Hey!”

You laughed. “OK, ok, relax. Yes, it would’ve broken my heart,” you teased. 

He pushed you off, smiling. “I don’t want your pity-”

“Not even a pity fuck?” you whispered, a mischievous smirk on your lips.  

He smiled. “Well, I always want that.”

-----------------

Max Verstappen: 

“Fuck this game!” Max cursed after his game had crashed for the third time. You made your way into the living room, looking in on the game.

“Everything alright?” you asked. 

“All good, sorry liefje,” he responded, not even turning around. 

“Is that the girl we put the bets on?” One of his friends asked. Max panicked and shut down the stream, then immediately turned to you. 

“Liefje…” he started. You stood there in shock. 

“Is that true?” you started. “Was I a fucking bet?!” you shouted. 

“It- I- Yes, it started like that, but I love you, I-I’m in love with you!” 

“How can I ever fucking trust you?” you shot back. “You’re a liar!”

“I’m sorry-”

“What the fuck does ‘sorry’ do? I’m leaving Max. You are so not the man I thought you were,” you pushed past him, grabbing some of your essentials from your bedroom as he followed behind you, begging you to stay. 

You left. He was the one who messed up. 

All because of a dumb bet. 

-----------------

Lando Norris: 

He was sweating through his shirt. Max’s eyes bore into him all night, more specifically, how his arm was draped over your shoulder. He understood his best friend’s confusion. It was mere months ago that Lando had been dared to go up to you and ask you out, mere months ago when he sent a photo into the group chat of you sleeping soundly beside him, asking for the transfers from the men who’d told him to ask you out and somehow get you back into his bed before the next morning. Since then, things had in fact changed. He had changed. You had changed him.

“Lan,” Max hissed. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Max,” Lando mumbled. “Not now.”

“She deserves to know,” Pietra shook her head. “Y/n, listen to me, I know Lando had probably been a lovely guy but he asked you out because he was dared to-”

“Pietra!” Lando groaned. “What the fuck!”

You turned to Pietra, pushing Lando’s arm off of you. “Are you serious?”

“She’s telling the truth,” Max added. 

“Y/n please, just let me explain-”

“There’s nothing to fucking explain. You’re an asshole, don’t call me again,” you scoffed, getting up and leaving with Pietra following quickly behind. 

Lando was helpless.

-----------------

navigation for my blog :) (masterlist)

[abbatoirablaze]

Racing Stripes, Season 2, Chapter 1

Word Count: 1.8k

Warnings:  none

“You should really consider working for me, Samantha…”

“Dad, we’ve gone over this-“

“I’m willing to overlook it,” he offered gently as he reached out and took her hands, “but you and Lewis had something.  You didn’t have to go breaking up with him beca-“

“Because what?” she scoffed, cutting him off, “because he proposed?  Dad, I’m only twenty.  I don’t need to be planning a wedding.  And anyways, we both know that Lewis didn’t love me.  Not really.  He just wanted to get on your good side.”

“Lewis doesn’t need to do anything to get on my good side, Samantha.  He’s an amazing driver.  And you broke his heart and ran to work for Christian and Redbull.”

“I’m not having this argument with you again…” she sighed, “I don’t want to relive this again and again because you don’t want me working for your best friend.”

“Do you know how upset it makes me and your stepmother that you’re working for Redbull?”

“Hey, don’t you dare include me in this,” her stepmother proclaimed as she walked around the island and wrapped an arm around Sam, “I encouraged her to do it.”

Toto braced himself against the island, “you what?”

“Mom told me that I should follow my gut,” she said firmly, “she said that she knew Lewis didn’t love me and that I was smart to say no, but that if I wanted to forge my own path in the industry I had to get out from under your shadow.  She’s the one that talked to Redbull for me!”

Toto gasped and looked at his wife, “Suz….”

“Don’t get mad at me,” she laughed, shaking her head at her husband, “you know that I’m right.”

Toto frowned and sighed.  Backing up, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked between his wife and his daughter, “I miss working with my little girl…”

“Dad…”

“I get that I get to see you in the paddocks every week, and that I get to see you during principal’s meetings, but it’s not the same,” he frowned, “I miss us going over strategies and talking about how to stay at the top of the pack.  We barely held on to one and two.”

“Dad, you guys still dominated the season,” Sam scoffed as she shook her head, “Max came in third, yes, but he was 167 points behind Lewis, and 9 points behind Valtteri. That-“

“Nine points behind second place,” he reminded her as he wagged his finger, “nine.  That’s nothing.  That’s a toss up.  See, if we had you instead of my assistant than I would-“

“I’m staying with Redbull dad…and that’s it!” she said quickly, cutting him off once more, “and if you can’t get over that fact, then maybe you don’t get it…but that’s okay.”

“How about we make a bet!” he offered, “if my drivers come in first, then you come back home to Mercedes.  If yours come in first, then you stay at Redbull.”

“Dad I’m not-“

“I’ll even lay off about Lewis,” he offered, “I’ll stop encouraging him to come by the house and have dinner with us…and I’ll even-“

“You’ll stop pushing Lewis at me?”

“He misses you.  Did you know that every time he won he chose Sebastian’s wife for him, because he didn’t want the money.   He’s a grea-“

“He misses being your golden boy,” she scoffed, “he doesn’t miss being with me.  Yes, I’ll admit, what he did for Vetel was nice, but that’s got nothing to do with me.”

“Do we have a deal or no?”

“So you’re saying you’ll stop pushing Lewis on me if Redbull wins?  And you will stop bugging me to come back to Mercedes?”

“But if Mercedes wins you come back and give him another shot!”

“Dad, you can’t go adding things on.”

“Well if he leaves you alone if you win, I think you should give him another shot if my team wins.”

“You know what, fine,” she growled, crossing her arms over her chest, “if Redbull wins, I stay there, and you get Lewis to lay off, but if Mercedes wins the 2021 season, I’ll come back to Mercedes and give Lewis another shot!”

“Sam…Toto-“

“No, it’s fine mom,” Sam growled as she cut her step-mother off, “dad doesn’t know just what Redbull has up their sleeve.  But I do.  You’re going down next season.”

“So what’s the game plan.”

Christian smiled as he walked into his office, Sam already waiting for him by his desk with his daily coffee.

“Well good morning to you, Samantha,” he chuckled as he walked around to his desk, and she sat down in one of the chairs, iPad ready to go over the notes and take any additional ones, “you’re in nice and early.”

“Season’s just around the corner, and we’ve got no time to waste!”

“Susie told me about your bet with your father,” he smirked, sipping down the coffee, “really plan on leaving me if we lose?”

“I don’t plan on losing,” she smirked, “now, let’s get down to business.  I’ve gathered preliminary data from the engineers and mechanics, as well as discussed opening strategies based around that data with the strategists, and compiled SIM times for the upcoming tracks with both Perez and Verstappens’ teams so the strategists have a jumping off point.  We’re well-ahead of how we did last year.  I think we have a real shot with winning the constructor’s championship and having a Redbull champion this year.”

“You’re really taking this seriously, aren’t you!”

“Dad also might have added in another part of the bet.”

“OH?”

“If Mercedes wins, I’ll give Lewis another shot.”

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair, “Samantha Wolff…what have you gotten yourself into?”

“I can’t let Redbull lose this year!” she admitted, “I’m not going to let us lose, Christian.”

“I think I may be able to get a little extra fire under our drivers…do me a favor and call up Verstappen and Perez…we’re going to have them come in and do some more SIM trainings, as well as test out the cars…the cars are ready, are they not?”

“Yes sir…they’re going to be shipped out at the end of the week.  The engineers are doing final walkthroughs as we speak.”

“Great…call in Perez.  I’ll get ahold of Max.”

Max looked back to the door.  She had led him into Christian’s office but then excused herself, as Checo had gotten into the offices. 

“She’s back?”

“Calm down, Max…Samantha hasn’t left…not yet at least.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sit down,” he offered, gesturing to the chair, “we have a lot to talk about.”

“You called me in from Monaco to talk?”

“Well you’re going to be doing some more training, and pre-testing the car, but yes,” he shrugged, “I wanted to talk to you about Samantha.”

“Christian, I-“

“She’s been offered a position at Mercedes next year…a conditional one, but a position nonetheless.”

“What?”

“she doesn’t want to take it!” he said firmly, “but as it turns out, Toto made a bet with her…”

“What kind of bet?”

“Samantha bet that Redbull would come out on top this year, and that one of our drivers would win the championship,” he smirked, “Toto thinks Mercedes will come out on top again.”

“So we just beat Mercedes…” Max shrugged.

“If we win, she stays with us, but if Mercedes wins, she goes and takes a job under her father.”

“So we just beat Mercedes,” Max repeated, chuckling at how obvious the statement was, “we’ll beat them.  Last year we came close to second…but from what my team was saying, looking at the car’s specs, we should have a lead on them this year.  We’ll ge-“

“That’s not all, Max!” Christian warned.

Max froze, “What do you mean?”

“Well, there are some other things you don’t know about her,” he admitted, “first of which, is why she came to Redbull in the first place.”

“What do you mean, Christian?”

“When she turned eighteen, her and Lewis started seeing each other,” he frowned, “if I’m being honest, she started seeing him before she was eighteen, but Toto looked the other way…when she came to us at the end of 2019, it was because Lewis proposed to her after he won the race in Abu Dhabi.  She rejected him and they broke up.”

“Oh…”

“She had also told her father that if Redbull won, she wanted Toto to tell Lewis to leave her alone,” he informed the driver, “I guess he’s been quite persistent with her…”

Max felt his fingers clenching together, “Toto has been encouraging Lewis to keep pursuing her?”

“Toto really likes Lewis,” he shrugged, “he’s their best driver, and he is just trying to keep him happy.”

“By throwing his daughter at him?” Max questioned.  He sneered, thinking about it, “that’s disgusting.  That-“

“She did however, tell her father that if Mercedes wins, not only would she go back to Mercedes, but she would also give him another chance,” he said, cutting the young driver off, “she told her father that she would start seeing Lewis again!”

“That-that’s not fair.  Tha-“

“I’m telling you this because I know of your little crush,” he said quickly, cutting him off once more, “I am here, specifically talking to just you, and not Checo, because I want you to know what’s at stake.  If you want Samantha Wolff to stay at Redbull, I want you to know that you, or Checo, has to win the season.”

“Wh-why are you telling me this now?” he asked, “you were deadest on me knowing that I wouldn’t have a chance with her and that I should giv-“

“Max…I don’t want to lose Samantha to Toto and Mercedes,” he answered, “I don’t care if Toto likes you or not.  I don’t care about your little crush.  But I want you to give her every reason to stay that you can.”

“What are you saying?”

“Not only do I want you to win the season, Max…but I want you to actively go for Samantha,” he proclaimed, “I want her to fall for you, so that even if we don’t come in first, she’ll feel guilty about leaving.”

“What?” he scoffed, “you want to use me?  To make her fall for me so that she’s ‘loyal’ to Redbull?  How do you even know that will work?  I mean, if she was dating Lewis-“

“Max…I know that you can do this,” he replied, “I’ve seen how she looks at you.  When you were on the podium at the end of the season, and you came down to talk to everyone?  I saw you pull her into your arms.  I saw the look the two of you shared.  I’m just asking you to act on your feelings!”

“Christian-“

“Do you want Samantha to stay at Redbull or no, Max?”

“Well yeah, but I-“

“Then make her fall in love with you,” he ordered, “I’m moving her from being my personal assistant to simply coordinating my schedule.  Max, I’m going to be moving her to your team, so that she’s your personal handler.  By doing that, corporate won’t be able to take her back to HQ for projects, because she’ll need to focus on you…and by doing that, she’ll also be around all the time.”

“Chris-“

“I’m counting on you, Max.  Don’t let the team down.”

Chapter 2

[kcthefirebreathing-bitchqueen]

Sweet like honey

Pt. 1

Contains-

Best friends to lovers, lap sitting, mentions of weed and alcohol, ronance making out, fingering, cunnilingus, nipple play, nicknames (pretty girl, pretty baby, good girl etc), NO use of y/n, oral (m receiving), exhibitionism kinda, there’s def more it’s kinda filthy

Long build up so if you’re just here for the smut

Minors DNI or I’ll scream so loud

Idk the word count but she’s a long one

"Okay, Munson, truth or dare" Dustin asked as he steered the game of truth or dare back on to track from a tangent we had gone on after a particularly spicy confession from Lucas. You looked around at in the little get together you and your friends were having in Eddie's trailer as his uncle is staying overnight at his elderly aunt's house. The air in the living room held a pungent odor of marijuana and alcohol. That, combined with the THC swimming in your system, created a heady environment that felt good after a stressful week.

"Gonna have to go with truth today." he replied as he wiggled his eyebrows with a big, silly grin on his face.

You felt a warm tug low in your tummy for your best friend as you watched him await his question from Dustin.

Eddie was your best friend in this world, has been since middle school when he was the only one who didn’t make fun of you for your more metal taste in music. You two have spent the last 8 years listening to his records spin around on the crosley in the corner while sitting around talking about anything and everything. Eddie is the one who showed you the blessing to this earth that is weed. You'd spend weekend nights at his trailer at least twice a month to smoke a joint and watch a movie and eat greasy shit together. You'd called them your "R&R nights." Occasionally you would find him between classes on a friday or show up to his trailer unannounced after a bad day asking for an R&R night. You have a connection with Eddie stronger than with anyone else, and it was completely platonic for you.. in the sense that you knew he didn’t want anything despite that one night years ago. So a few years of masochism later, there you were. Pretending not to be in love with your best friend.

"Have you ever fantasized about someone in this group when going solo?" he added a suggestive tone to the last two words to communicate what exactly he meant by that.

After muttering something like "fucking hate you dustin" Eddie says "why yes dustin i suppose I have" through gritted teeth communicating without words that Dustin was well aware of that bit of information before asking this question.

I observe the cool satisfactory grin painted on Dustin’s face before taking inventory of the people that are currently present. Options, for who Eddie could have thought of while he touched himself.

Currently its Dustin, Robin, Nancy, Max, Lucas, and a few of our buddies from Hellfire.

Your brain tries to wrestle with the truth you can feel bubbling in your gut. You had kept your brewing feelings for him underwraps to the max in fear of scaring him off. Is it possible that he had been doing the same thing this whole time?

Well its not Dustin, Max, or Lucas because they were too young, you know Eddie and know he is not into any of our club members like that, it wouldn't be Nancy as she is with Jonathan and Robin is a lesbian so that just leaves you. That truth settles like a weight in your gut.

Your mind wanders to imagining him with his hand down his boxers gripping his cock and thinking of you while he did it, maybe even groaning out your name in pleasure. Then he’d cum all over his fist, and you’ve never been more jealous of an imagined fist.

God, you'd love to hear him say your name while you bring him pleasure with your mouth and throat by licking and sucking and pumping him until he shoots all over your face with his head thrown back and groaning and- then he’d swipe off a bead of cum with his thumb before-

Eddie dragged you out of your head as he lightly patted your cheek and said quietly in your ear, "Helloooo, earth to Honey," your nickname he had given you in 8th grade when he suggested the boys all flocked to you like flies to honey. It stuck and might as well be your name to the people of Hawkins. Which is a funny nickname for someone like me seeing as, aside from going to the homecoming dance in 9th grade with Troy Goldberg, you had never had a romantic connection with a guy in your 19.5 years on this earth.

"What?? Who??" demanded Lucas, slightly sitting up from where he lounged in the couch, arm around Max.

"Hey," Eddie says as he shoots his hands up as if to physically block the question. "I only signed up for one question per round."

"Fair enough” said Lucas with an expression that said ‘We’re not done here.’

"Anywayyy, Wheeler, truth or dare?" Eds says as he turns to face Nancy from his spot next to you on the couch. Since Eddie's admission, you had become hyper aware of every point of contact you made from being shoved next to one another as you favored being connected to him over sitting in Nancy's lap no matter how cute you found her. You and Eddie were just close in that way that physical touch wasn't weird between the two of you.

The outside of your thighs were solidly connected and you felt the defined muscle of his quadricep as it contracted against yours with his movement. This would have normally been fine and not enough to get to her but tonight you were wearing a skirt that showed off your thighs deliciously and so the touch of his leg there was made even more potent in its dizzying effect.

Each movement against her had her skin blazing and shot tendrils of warmth to your core, need for him building with each pang of arousal. So bad in fact, that you felt the need to keep your legs crossed in search of any sort of release by giving yourself the slightest amount of relief from your aching core.

God if he could do this to you by doing nothing sexual in the slightest you couldn't even imagine what it would be like to actually go there with him. The pleasurable shudder you felt at the image shook you out of your thoughts as she replied "dare".

Apparently Steve and Robin had arrived while I was focused on the Eddie-induced rise in my internal temp. They sat on the floor infront of Nancy while Robin rolled a joint to share with her best friend.

"I dare you, Nancy Wheeler, to kiss Robin Buckley on the lips-with or without tongue, thats a personal choice- right here and now."

Nancy and Robin's cheeks got rosy and they looked at him then one another with wide eyes, clearly flustered by that dare.

"Is that okay with you?" Nancy mutters to Robin, her voice soft giving her the chance to back out if thats what she wants.

Robin responds with an almost imperceptable nod before raising her eyebrows seeking Nancy's answer to the question to which she responds by nodding in kind.

Nancy then sinks to her knees infront of Robin before placing her hands on her face and giving her a tender kiss that they hold for a considerable amount of time before beginning to move their lips against one anothers' in a way that made me feel like I was on a rollercoaster.

‘God’ you thought to yourself, ‘I get so horny when I smoke.’ Or perhaps it was just the intoxicating affects of Eddie Munson and not THC.

---------------------------------------

Eddie knew he needed to get himself out of the hotseat after that last question. He needed time to gather a response to when he was inevitably asked in a future round exactly who he meant. He could avoid that by only choosing dare, but some fucked up part of him wants you to squirm when you hear your own name on his tongue in answer.

You had no clue what you were doing to him in your hellfire tee shirt that was cropped to just between your, in his opinion, perfect tits. He was pretty certain you weren't wearing a bra, judging by the way your tits perked up in a way they usually didn't. And the skirt. Dear Jesus the skirt. The skirt that drove him to the brink of insanity, among other things, every time you wore it. So many times had he wrapped his hand around himself while thinking of being given the priviledge to see whats underneath.

The two girls seem to be making out indefinitley and Steve at some point makes a move to sit on the couch in Nancy's spot but Steve was a lot larger so when he went to sit next to you, you tried to discreetly shimmy further into his lap but Eddie had other plans.

All of a sudden Eddie's hands were on your hips moving you like a bag of feathers (impressive) onto his lap with your back to his chest under the guise of making room for your friend.

He sat your soaked, thong-covered slit directly on his hard cock, it sat nestled between your lips in a delicious way that set the tip of his cock at your clit and his wide shaft at your entrance. The friction of your pussy on his cock made it twitch against you which sent a pleasurable shiver up your spine. And you looked at him, stunned as all he did was grip your hip so possessively that you were positive his fingers and rings would leave bruises. Good.

"Okay, okay we get it, you have a lot of sexual tension" Steve shouted down at the girls as he laughed over the sight of them so hungry for each other. "Get a room for Christ's sake".

You and Eddie made eye contact briefly, panting.

The pair finally split and looked at each other with a stunned but pleasantly surprised look. Nancy had to shake her head before she could continue the game. "Honey, truth or dare"

------------------------------------------------

You blushed under the way everyone's attention slid to you in the moments following Nancy's question. "truth"

Eddie may have been your absolute best friend, but Nancy was your closest female friendship and you cherished your bond in a way you have never before felt. But you knew you weren't going to feel any warm fuzzies for your bestie-girl when she asks you this question.

"Do you, Honey, fantasize about one of your best friends in the world"

Your heart dropped. You and everyone else in the room knew who she was referring to and knew that this wasn't a question but an outing, a secret sharing. Though you couldn't be too mad at her because thats what you sign up for when you play truth or dare.

"um... yes, I do" you said in a voice just above a whisper, embarassed to be sitting on his lap. Though after he ground into you, clearly knowing it was about him.

Your friends look back and forth at the two of you with knowing eyes before you quickly moved the game along and away from this topic of conversation.

————————————————————————

Holy. Shit. Okay so maybe Eddie had had a sex dream or ten about Honey and she fantasized, no CURRENTLY fantasizes about him? Like of all things she could get off to she chose HIM?

If he wasn’t hard before he certainly was now.

He tried to keep his thoughts regarding you platonic because thats what you want. But try as he might, he just could not keep you out of his sexual fantasies. He mostly dreamed of what you would feel like around him and wondering how you would sound when you came around his cock. It was easy to compartmentalize these feelings because he knew that despite their occasional weed-induced make outs, he was firmly in the friend zone. But now?

Now he knew you wanted it too, and he was not in the business of withholding things you desired from you.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Two hours had passed and the get together had dwindled down to just Steve, Robin, Nancy, you, and Eddie remaining. The tension between you and Eddie had only grown in the more intimate setting and The questions got more and more inappropriate and vulnerable as the night went on and by the end you had revealed to these people things you had never even spoken aloud before.

Steve was going to be poking fun at you for your degradation and praise kink (which made Eddie's cock even harder than before which he had thought wasn't possible) for the rest of your life but hey at least you found out that Eddie preferred girls with your color hair and eyes.

Only when Robin kept falling asleep on Nancy's shoulder did the duo plus Steve leave for the night. The trailer's storm door slammed shut, leaving a ring in your ears that was prolonged by the tension that had come to a head. Because you and Eddie were now alone, breathing heavy and not moving an inch.

Ever so slowly, Eddie began tracing feather light circles on the skin between your skirt and crop top, drawing a sharp inhale out of you before you started wiggling on his lap earning a groan from his lips. Eddie then leaned forward taking a sniff of your hair before groaning once more and moving your hair to the opposite side of your neck to give himself access to rub his nose and lips there as he gave small thrusts to the outside of your clothed pussy. Enough to keep you from going completely feral on his cock but not enough to satisfy either.

Eddie couldn't believe he wasn't dreaming right now, he felt like he had just won the lottery for $47,000,000, hell he didnt know if he'd trade this oppurtunity for that amount.

As soon as Eddie pushed a little harder, you cried out and immediately he groaned and his teeth found the junction of your neck and shoulder. Immediately he was sucking on and kissing your neck with a foreign fervor that pulled a moan from your throat that had his hand begin to touch your sides and run his hands over the skin of your abdomen.

Both of you kept stealing little bits of the other, pushing this past the threshold of 'things you can just not acknowledge in the morning. You sensed that you were approaching a cross roads. Realizing you had to decide if you want to go there with Eddie. Either way you walk out of this, your friendship is forever changed- so why not change it for the better.

————————————————————————

He wanted to commit this moment to memory, something in his gut told him this held the potential to be the best night of his life. If he played his cards right. But where there was potential for greatness, there was also potential for massive fallout.

"Are you sure about this, Honey?" He gritted out into your ear as his hand the swell of your breast, sweeping under her shirt and around her bare tit. Squeezing it and finding her hard nipple to pinch and swirl around, drawing a cry from your lips as you nodded your head.

He slapped your clit, bringing you a pang of pleasurable pain that made you cry out. "Words, baby, I need to hear your pretty little voice"

"F-fuck, Eddie, yes, I've wanted this for so long Eds" you said in a pathetic little voice that almost made him come upon hearing it say his name. You were both breathing like you had run a mile, you arched your back, placing more pressure on your joining.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I've been dreaming of touching you like this since winter of sophomore year, when we were both single and we had that night on your couch- you know the one." He said as he trailed his hands down your thighs, before they found their way up.

After a pretty nasty winter storm hit Hawkins your sophomore year of high school, you, Eddie, and a few of your friends had spent the day riding down dangerously steep hills on your trashcan lids and having random snowball fights breakout. It was around 7 pm that all of you had decided to retire to your house as your house was the closest and your parents had been gone for that whole week because of business.

You had sacrificed your room and your guest room to your friends while you and Eddie were staying downstairs. You were opening the pullout for the both of you to share when you noticed that he was setting himself up on the floor. "uh-uh Munson, no way youre taking the floor. Put your shit on the bed." You said, playing the "good host" even though all she wanted to do was share a bed with him and see his face when she came back from her room in his tee shirt and a pair of white cotton panties that fit your curves and showed off your ass while still looking pure at the same time.

"Fine, since I know its not worth arguing over." He said as he threw his large pillow that he kept by the pull out as he had spent many nights there over the years.

"Good boy," he rasied an eyebrow at that "i'll be right back I'm just going to change."

He nodded as you turned away to find your bedroom and your scandelous sleep wear.

By the time you had returned to the pull out couch, Eddie had slipped into a twilight sleep, that was easily disrupted by the shift of the mattress under his body. He turned to face you as you climbed in the bed wearing one of his shirts and a pair of little white panties with a bow on the front. A present wrapped and adorned with a bow. A present that had not been gifted to him, and he would forever envy the future recipient.

You moved your body so that your panty clad ass was about 8 inches away from where his cock sat stiff with a pre-cum stain on his boxers.

"Night Eds, Love ya" you said over your shoulder as you cuddled yourself in to your blanket before bringing a knee up, giving him a perfect view of your cloth covered pussy, with a wet spot streaking up from your entrance to your sweet little bud.

Eddie bit back a groan and managed out "night, Honey. Love you a million"

You both soon dozed off, but Eddie was awoken a few hours later. On his stomach with his arms around you and his thigh between your legs. He was shocked at the positioning, yes. But what shocked him even more was the way that you were grinding your sensitive bud over the strong muscles of his thigh as you breathlessly, sleepily exhale things like "Fuck, mmm, just like that, Uh" "God don't fucking stop I'm gonna cum" but what really got him was when he wrapped his arms around you in support and want to hold you in this moment. But as he did, you gripped him back, eyes opening as you cried "Oh fuck Eddie"

As it became clear that you were conscious and consenting he gripped his length through his boxers as he give your pussy as much friction as possible. "Go ahead and cum on my thigh, honey, use it to make your self feel good." you ground down harder at his words he said into your ear with a gritty voice "Fuck, thats my good girl."

Your thighs gripped him tighter at his words and he could have sworn that you came at the new nickname alone. And Jesus fuck did that thought not shove him off the cliff of his orgasm as he emptied into his hand. Immediately, you were asleep and Eddie just say there, thigh soaked in your pussy juices (soaking pussy still attached), and a hand covered in his own cum.

There was no chance he had the willpower to pull your pussy off of him so he just reached for his dirty T shirt on the floor and wiped his hand off.

You woke in the morning to Eddie Munson peacefully snoring next to you. Had you dreamt the events of last night? From waking from a wet dream about your best friend to cumming on his thigh?

But when he woke and didn't acknowledge it so neither did you. And that was that.

You blushed at the memory and the fact that that night had changed everything for him too.

His hands moving up your torso shook you from your thoughts as you got lost in the way his ring-clad hands felt on your back. Up and up they crept up just like your pulse in your ears, the fog cloud of marijuana made the environment that much headier as his middle finger gently rubbed the outer seam of your panties.

"Making you writhe against my grip, wanting more. And, if im not mistaken," he said gently as the pad of his middle finger found the middle of the embarrasingly large wet spot on your panties. He pressed down on your clothed pussy before pulling his finger back toward her belly. "I am the one who gets the pleasure of, fuck, of being the first to touch you like this. Am I not?" His finger rolling over her apex pulling a low gasp from your lips, almost in surprise bet certainly a pleasurable way also. He continued going up and down over your clit, drawing out moans from your chest.

"Yes, yes Eddie you are I've been wanting you to for so long, had dreams 'bout it-AH" You screamed out as he brought the pad of his middle and ring finger down onto your mound and swirled it around. He was relentless in his motions, drawing out loud whining moans from your mouth as your thighs started to shake with the pressure building between your legs. "Fuck, 'm gonna cum Eds, 'm so fucking close"

His cock twitched under your ass at the pure desperation in your voice. He rutted into you as he continued his ministrations on your clit and growled into your ear "Oh my girl is sensitive, I've barely even touched you. Go ahead, be a good girl and cum for daddy” His words lit a fire in you that would only be extinguished by more of him.

He attached his lips to your sweet spot on your neck and sucked. Hard. The anticipation you felt was akin to getting to the top of a rollercoaster, waiting for it to drop. The heat building in your lower abdomen exploded like a firework in the night sky. Screaming and bucking your hips against his fingers you came with a cry before going completely limp in his lap.

“Fuck, that’s my good girl” he said gently as he stroked you, coaxing you through your high.

As soon as your breathing had calmed you were on your knees between his thighs kissing his Jean clad legs moving ever closer to his core. “Need to taste you, I’ve been wanting to do this for so long”

“Fuck, honey, you’re killing me” Eddie groaned out as he tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear and cupped your cheek in his hand.

You felt his thighs flex as you skimmed your hands slowly up his leg, reveling in the shallow breaths you pulled from him. Slowly you undid the zipper and he (eagerly) helped pull his pants and boxers down letting his cock spring free.

You stared at it in awe and appreciation, it was perfect. Utterly perfect, and it made your mouth water.

You started with a few kisses to his abdomen around the base of his cock while you lightly stroked your fingertips along his shaft before pulling it into your hand.

You gave it an experimental pump before licking the pre cum from his weeping slit, causing him to take a hissing breath.

The sound only spurred you on more and you gained the confidence to slip the whole head in your mouth causing Eddie to audibly moan.

Setting a pace of head bobs, you followed his noises and grunts trying to give him the best experience possible even though this was your first time. You gripped his shaft and pumped it with your mouth, hoping it wasn’t overwhelming him.

“Fuck, Honey, just like that- fuck. I knew that pretty little mouth of yours would feel so fucking good.” Eddie said as he bucked his hips into your mouth looking for the bottom of the pleasure well and it just seems impossibly deep.

Eddie swam in it as the heady rush and his tightening pelvic region signaled his nearing release. “Oh fuck baby I’m gonna cum, where do you want it?”

You responded by only taking him deeper in your mouth and and peering up at him with wide, determined eyes causing him to spill in your mouth with a shudder.

“Jesus, Honey, I thought you said you’ve never done that. “

“I haven’t Eds, that was my first time, honest.”

He pulled you off your knees and up in to his arms and carried you in the direction of the bedroom that had been a setting to many of her sexual fantasies over the last few years. And it was finally happening.

He sat you on the foot of the bed, never breaking the heated kisses as he leaned forward, forcing you to lay your torso down on the bed as he left kisses down your neck. His ring clad hands ghosted their way up the sides of your torso, gathering your hellfire shirt under your armpits and encouraging you to remove it.

As you sat up to remove the garment, he began removing his own shirt.

"You sure about this, Honey? You say the word and we stop"

Looking at his bare, tattoos torso you couldn't think of any reason you would want him to stop. "No, please don't stop. I need you so bad." you all but whined, a sound that went straight to Eddie's cock.

"I am so glad we are on the same page. Because if I go another minute without my face under this slutty little skirt of yours, I'm going to lose my goddamn mind." His hands now raised your legs over his shoulders then they found their way up your body before groping your tits with both hands. He was simultaneously making his way down your thighs with his lips and tongue, occasionally pausing to suck and lick at a spot until it turned purple.

He tweaked your nipple between his thumb and forefinger, pulling a breathy moan from your lips.

His mouth ghosted over your core as he exhaled hot breath into your sensitive flesh, making your pulse jump. His eyes locked with yours as he slid the tip of his tongue from the back of your entrance up to circle your clit before sucking it into his mouth, sucking on your bud like it was an extra thick milkshake. Each time he pulled it back in his mouth, white hot pleasure shot down your legs and up your body that had you moaning into your hand.

Eddie was evidently having none of that as he pulled your hand from your mouth saying “Wayne is out all night, it’s just us Honey. Let me hear how I’m making you feel”

And if that wasn’t enough to make you lose your mind, he lightly grazed his bottom teeth on the underside of your clit each time he sucked you into his mouth. You obeyed his order and let your moans fly as you bucked your hips into his mouth searching for more. The pleasure kept building and building and the tell-tale pit in your belly formed signaling your imminent release.

Clit popping out of his mouth, he said “Eyes on me pretty baby” before diving right back in.

His hands left your body and he was doing something under his chest and immediately you knew what he was doing.

“No, don’t take off your rings!” You said way too quickly to be casual.

With a smirk, Eddie grumbled something that sounded like “my naughty girl” against your thigh before he slammed his ring-clad index and middle finger in to the hilt. He pumped in and out a few times before pausing to flutter his fingers against that oh-so-sweet spit before attaching his lips to your sensitive clit again.

Following his earlier instruction, you let the pornographic moans fly from your mouth and your finger tighten around Eddie’s curls. “Oh my fuck- Eddie” you cried “‘M gonna fucking cum”

“My pretty little slut gonna cum for me? Huh?”

Then the hand not occupied by your pussy came around and slapped your chest before tweaking the nipple. It was all too much, finally the band snapped and you were shouting nonsense while bucking your hips and squirting all over his face and hand.

Embarrassment washing over you like a cold bucket of water “oh my god I’m SO sorry Eds. Holy shit, let me get you a towel.” You said as you tried to get up.

But again, Eddie had other plans as his hands pressed your hips firmly into the mattress. “Don’t you dare apologize for the hottest thing I have every experienced in my life.”

“What? Are you serious, that’s normal?”

“Let’s me know I’m pleasing my girl right” he says throwing you a wink. There’s that word again. “We don’t have to go any further than that tonight if you don’t want to, but I would really like to treat you to dinner sometime soon. I-if that’s okay with you, of course”

Gone was the metal, dominant sex god and back was your Eds. Silly, goofy, and entirely unsure of himself. The air was lighter after you’d both reached your peaks and your friendship hadn’t spontaneously combusted.

“I don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask. Absolutely.” you said as you looked at each other with a softness that was distinctly non-sexual. “But that said, I need your cock now or I think I might die”

He scoffed and grabbed a condom from his night table as you got ready by scooting toward the head board.

He returned with condom engaged and settled between your legs, his cock nudging at your entrance. He looked at you with hooded eyes filled with adoration and lust “Hi” he said while his eyes darted from your eyes to your lips.

Mouths inches apart, you closed the gap with a sweet yet urgent kiss. “Hi” you said after pulling back.

“You sure about this honey? You want it to be me?”

You looked him dead in the eyes and said “I wouldn’t want it to be anyone else. I’ve thought about this so many times Eddie, you don’t even understand.”

Pt. 2 coming soon

[shesholy]

a     detailed     rundown     of     #𝚃𝚁𝙰𝚅𝙸𝚂𝙱𝚄𝙲𝙺𝙻𝙴𝚈'𝚂     filmography     ,     discography     and     tour     information     .  

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆     𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐒     . 

mr.     &     mrs.     smith     as     john     smith     ,     in     production     .     

babylon     as     jack     conrad     ,     filmed     .

bullet     train     as     ladybug     ,     2022     .

the     curious     case     of     benjamin     button     as     benjamin     button     ,     2022  

fury     as     don     ‘ wardaddy ‘     collier     ,     2021     .

the     big     short     as     ben     rickert     ,     2020     .

the     counselor     as     westray     ,     2019     . 

ad     astra     as     roy     mcbride     ,     2019     .     

once     upon     a     time     in     hollywood    as     cliff     booth     ,     2019     .   

war      machine     as     glen     macmahon     ,      2017     .

world     world     z     as     gerry     lane     ,     2017     . 

allied     as     max     vatan     ,     2016     .

12     years     a      slave     as     bass      ,     2016     .  

fight     club     as     tyler     durden     ,     2016     .

moneyball     as     billy     beane     ,     2011     .     (     production     wrapped     before     his     hiatus     )

inglorious     bastards     as     lieutenant     aldo     raine     ,     2011     .

the     tree     of     life     as     mr.     obrien     ,     2011     .

killing     them     softly      as     jackie      ,     2010     .

megamind     as     metro     man     ,     2010     .     (     voice     )     

ocean’s     thirteen     as      rusty     ryan     ,     2009     .     

se7en     as     mills     ,     2009     .

burn     after     reading     as     chad     ,     2008     .

troy     as     achilles     ,     2008     . 

the     assassination     of     jesse     james     :     by     the     coward     robert     ford     as     jesse     james      ,     2008     .     

interview     with     a     vampire     :     the     vampire     chronicles      as     louis     ,     2007     .  

ocean’s     twelve     as     rusty     ryan     ,     2006     .

the     devils     own      as     rory     devaney     ,     2006     .       

snatch     as      mickey     oneil     ,     2005     .     

12     monkeys     as     jeffrey     goines     ,     2005       .

ocean’s     eleven     as     rusty     ryan     ,     2004     .     

meet     joe     black     as     joe     black     ,     2004      .     

kalifornia      as     early       grayce     ,     2003     . 

thelma     &     louise     as     j.d     ,     2003     .     

the      favor     as     elliot     fowler     ,     2002     .

several     recurring     roles     on     tv     series     ,     2000     -     2003     .

𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐃     .     travis     buckley     .     2014

his     self     -     titled     debut     studio     album     ,     came     out     to     over     all     positive     critical     reviews     .     peaking      at     the     billboard     200     charts     at     two     for     a     little     over     two     weeks     .     before     the     album     dropped     in     early     2014     ,     buckley     released     two     singles     aint     worth     the     whiskey     and      alcohol     you     later     both     reaching     top     five     in     the     us     country     charts     .     (   the     album     can     be     found      here     .   )

truck  i  drove  in  highschool      (     mitchell      tenpenny     )

alcohol  you  later     (    mitchell     tenpenny     )

middle  of  a  memory    (     cole     swindell     )

i’ll  be  your  small  town    (    cole     swindell     )

aint  worth  the  whiskey     (    cole     swindell     )  

here     (     mitchell     tenpenny    )

both  sides  of  the  mississippi     (      cole     swindell     )

to  us  it  did     (     mitchell     tenpenny     )  

sterotype     (    cole     swindell     )

black  crow     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

down  home  boys     (     cole     swindell     ) 

the  ones  who  got  me  here    (     cole     swindell     )

𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐃     .     mistletoe     sessions     .     2017

a     christmas     album     released     in     november     of     2017     .     (   the     album     can     be     found     here     .   )

neon  christmas     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

snow  angels     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

have  yourself  a  merry  little  christmas     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

naughty  list     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

let  it  snow  !  let  it  snow  !  let  it  snow  !     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

don’t  hang  the  mistletoe      (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

joy  to  the  world      (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

santa  claus  is  coming  to  town     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

i  hope  it  snows     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

o  holy  night      (      mitchell     tenpenny     )   

𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐃     .     telling     all     my     secrets     .     2019

the     second     studio     album     from     country     artist     travis     buckley     .     debuting     more     upbeat     instrumentals     despite     the      relatable     topic     of     love     and     heartbreak     being     the     foundation     of     the     album     .     the     singles     that     preceded     the     album     were     drunk     me     ,     break     up     in     the     end     ,     and     love     you     too     late     .     all     of     which     are     now     certified     double     platinum     tracks      .     a     year     after     it’s     release     the     album     it’s     self     was     certified     platinum     .       (  the     album     can     be     found     here     .   )

losers     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

telling  all  my  secrets     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

outta  my  head     (     cole     swindell     )

love     you     too     late     (    cole   swindell     ) 

horsehoes  and  hand  grenades      (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

drunk  me     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

good�� and  gone     (     mitchell     tenpenny     )

somebody’s  got  me     (     mitchell     tenpenny     )

broken     up     (    mitchell    tenpenny     )

she  hates  me  too      (     mitchell     tenpenny     )

cant  go  to  church     (    mitchell     tenpenny     )

broke  down    (    cole     swindell     )

break  up  in  the  end (     cole     swindell     )  

𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐃     .   going     back     home       .     2021     .

a     third     studio     album     comes     toward     the     end     of     2021     .     welcomed     with     high     critical     acclaim     and     a     number     one     spot     on     the     billboard     200     charts     .     the     first     sample     of     the     album     was     three     singles     bucket     list     ,     mom’s      old     number     ,      and     you     should     be     here     which    were     released     at     the     top     of     the     year     in     an     ep     pack     titled     annabelle     dawson     as     tribute     to     his     mother     ,     who’d     passed     the     year     before    .     later     never     say     never     was     also     released     as     a     fourth     single     .       (    the     album     can     be     found     here     .     )

never     say     never     (     cole    swindell    ) 

up     (     cole    swindell     )

single  saturday  night     (     cole     swindell     ) 

im  gonna  let  her     (     cole     swindell     )  

bucket  list     (     mitchell     tenpenny     )  

party  wasn’t  over     (    cole    swindell     )  

you  should  be  here     (     cole     swindell     ) 

making  my  way  to  you     (     cole     swindell     ) 

stars    (     cole     swindell     ) 

mom’s  old  number     (     cole     swindell     )    

cry  baby     (     mitchell     tenpenny     ) 

she  had  me  at  heads  carolina     (     cole     swindell     )   

𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐒     .     all     released     .

a     compilation     of     all     of     his     singles     ,     most     released     to     promote     their     respective     albums     apart     from     mixed     drinks     and     dangerous     after     dark     which     were     released     during     separate     tour     runs     .     (   you     can     find     her     singles     here     .   )

aint  worth  the  whiskey     (     cole     swindell     )     ,     2013     .

alcohol  you  later     (     mitchell     tenpenny     )     ,     2014     . 

mixed  drinks     (     mitchell     tenpenny     )     ,     2016     .

drunk  me     (      mitchell     tenpenny     )     ,     2018     .    

break  up  in  the  end     (     cole     swindell     )     ,     2018     .

love  you  too  late     (     cole     swindell     )     ,     2019     . 

dangerous  after  dark     (     cole     swindell     )     ,     2020     .

bucket  list     (     mitchell     tenpenny     )     ,     2021     .

mom’s  old  number     (     cole     swindell     )     ,     2021     .

you  should  be  here     (     cole     swindell     )     ,     2021     .  

never  say  never     (     cole     swindell     )     ,     2021     .

𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒     .      

travis     buckley     live     !     tour      (     first     headlining     concert     tour     in     support     of     his     self     -     titled     debut     album     ,     with     11     concerts     in     the     united     states     and     canada     )     .     2016     .      

telling     all     my     secrets     tour    (     second     headlining     concert     tour     in     support     of     his     second     album     telling     all     my     secrets     ,     with     43     concerts     in     north     america     and     australia     )     .     2019     -     2020     .

the     tribute      tour     (     third     headlining     concert     tour     in     support     of     his     third     studio     album     going     back     home     ,     with     51     concerts     in     north     america     ,     united     kingdom     and     australia    )     .     2021     -      2022     .    

[chloe-caulfield94]

Did I hear someone order Chloe being reconciled with her mother? With the powers of fanfiction, I bring you just that, in the form of Chloe visiting her parents in the alternate timeline:

“Max, I’m freaking out. I don’t know if I can do this”.

Max put her hand on Chloe’s shoulder. “Chloe, I’m right beside you. It’s going to be okay”.

Chloe inhaled and exhaled deeply. “Let’s do this”.

They exited the car and entered the building. They didn’t use the entry phone, because Max knew the door code by heart. They were holding hands. Max led Chloe down the corridor. The Prices’ apartment was on the ground floor, for an obvious reason. The building didn’t have an elevator.

They stopped before the apartment door. Chloe squeezed Max’s hand tight. Max saw on her face a mixture of fear and anticipation.

Max considered ringing the doorbell, but she decided that a reunion like that shouldn’t take place in the doorway. And it would be good to be close to the couch if someone became overwhelmed with emotions and needed to sit down. She pulled out her key that William and Joyce had given her five years ago, so that she could always visit Chloe. She’d kept it even after Chloe had moved in with her. And now, using the same key, she was bringing Chloe back home.

The apartment consisted of a dark, tight corridor leading to a living room with a kitchen annex, a bathroom and one bedroom. Max stood at the edge of the living room, Chloe behind her in the corridor, trying to hide behind her, despite their height difference. William was dozing off in the armchair.

“Dad? Hi, dad” – Max said softly.

William woke up. He looked at Max and smiled. He got up and went over to her.

“Hi sweetie. It’s so nice to see you”. He hugged her. Max hugged him back with her left arm, her right arm still holding Chloe’s hand.

William let Max go and said to Joyce: “Honey, it’s Max!”

Joyce was hidden behind the corner, preparing a meal in the kitchen annex. “You’re just in time, Max. I’m making hash browns. They’ll be ready in a moment. Have a sit”.

William only just noticed that Max wasn’t alone.

“You brought a friend? How nice”.

He offered his hand to Chloe. “I’m William, I’m Max’s father-in-law”.

Chloe’s thoughts raced. “He doesn’t recognize me! It’s been ten years, how could he? I shouldn’t have come here!”

William, with his signature smile, continued: “And what’s your … name …” He stopped. The hand he’d been offering to shake now touched Chloe’s face. He gently traced the outline of her face with his fingers.

“Chloe … You are so tall!”

Chloe smiled. Her fear was gone.

“You’re used to me sitting or lying down, but that’s how I’ve always been. I get it after you, dad”.

William embraced them both. He turned his head towards the kitchen annex and called: “Joyce, quick! It’s our daughter!”

“Yes, I know it’s Max! I’ll be there in a minute! I can’t leave the pan!”

“Joyce! Both our daughters are home!”

Joyce’s head peered from behind the corner.

“William, what are you saying …” – she paused, seeing Chloe.

“Chloe!” – she shouted and ran towards them. She crashed into the three of them, almost knocking them down, adding her own loving embrace into the mix.

Crying tears of joy, she repeated: “My child is home! My child is home!”

Chloe looked Max in the eyes and mouthed: “Thank you”. Max smiled and nodded. With her left arm, Max was embracing William and Chloe was embracing Joyce with her right, but in the midst of this group hug they kept holding hands.

William and Joyce sat their daughters on the couch and surrounded them on both sides, hugging them, laughing, talking over each other.

Chloe cleared her throat and spoke: “So, you’re probably wondering how it’s possible that I’m alive …”

Joyce laughed out loud. “No, sweetie! We’re wondering what to buy you for Christmas! There’s still two weeks left!”

William chimed in: “And we don’t have to wonder how you’re here. We know that”.

“You and Max love each other so much you just couldn’t stay away” – Joyce said confidently.

Chloe’s face turned serious. “Mom, dad. I have to tell you something”. She turned to William: “Dad, I’ve never stopped loving you. No matter what I said, I’ve never stopped loving you”. Now she turned to Joyce. “Mom, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I loved you. I should’ve told you that every day. I’m so sorry things went bad between us. I’m sorry I couldn’t be the daughter you needed …”

“Chloe!” – Joyce stopped her. “You are exactly the daughter we needed and wanted. You are the greatest gift for me and for your father. You are our purpose. You mean everything to us. I would give my life for you. We both would”.

Chloe cried, loudly. Her wife and parents embraced her tightly.

When Chloe’s breath calmed again, Joyce joked: “But Chloe, did you absolutely have to take the time to go to a hair salon and a tattoo parlour before visiting your folks?”

All four of them laughed.

“I for one like our daughter’s bold new look” – said William.

“I like Chloe’s new look too!” – emphatically added Max.

----------------------------------

This is part of a larger fanfic, centered around alt Max and alt Chloe. After alt Chloe passes away due to her illness, she and prime Chloe have to share one body for a while, which allows prime Chloe to visit her parents in the alternate timeline. In the end, alt Chloe gets her own body (due to the power of Max's love, duh) and both pairs of Maxes and Chloes get to live happily ever after.

thinking about how chloe never got to mend her relationship with her mom in either ending

[hydrus]

Version 534

windows

zip

exe

macOS

app

linux

tar.gz

I had a good week. There's lots of smaller fixes and improvements, and ratings are added to the Client API.

full changelog

highlights

Thanks to a user submission, hydrus now recognises and supports importing .sai2 files! Basic metadata for now, but I'll see about resolution and thumbnail support in future.

It turns out PNG and WEBP files can have EXIF data, and our EXIF scanner works on them! All newly importing PNGs and WEBPs will be scanned, and on update, you'll have a yes/no dialog asking if you want to scan your existing PNGs. If you have a gigantic database, or your files are on a remote cloud storage, you might want to defer it, but it isn't really a big deal.

I banged my head against the media viewer 'notes hover' layout code, and I was actually really successful this time. Many of the borked layout issues are fixed, and I think I've completely fixed the overlapping hover problems in the duplicate filter.

I fixed a bunch of weird bitmap paste problems in the new 'similar files' paste button. Let me know if you still have any issues!

Just a small thing, but the 'loading' page in hydrus, when you refresh a search, is no longer grey. It is the same colour as the normal thumbgrid, so the loading flicker is gone.

Twitter is gone from the downloader defaults for all new users. All existing users should look to migrate away, too. I hope to roll out some downloader engine improvements in the near future that'll make nitter (on multiple domains) easier to set up, but there aren't a lot of excellent solutions.

I also added ratings to the Client API. The service object now talks about min/max stars and star shape, the file metadata call gives every file's ratings, and you can set and clear ratings too with a new command and permission. It is all fairly simple, but there's several possible data types depending on the rating type, so check out the Client API help for details and examples.

next week

I regret that I again did not find time for PTR janitor workflow improvements this week. Now that ratings on the Client API is clear, this is top priority. Depending on how things go, I may take a two-week release, since I definitely want some solid work done here.

[selenitesdawn]

Scoops Ahoy

pairing : max mayfield x buckley!reader

warnings : none

summary : y/n is robin’s younger sibling and loves hanging out at scoops ahoy with their sister and steve. and they are even happier when max and el come walking in with some pretty big news.

First Person POV

“No because that movie was boring as hell.”, Robin said while browsing through the same magazine she’s been reading the past few days.

“Literally not true but whatever you say.”, Steve replied while doing his hair in the reflection of the fridge.

We’ve been sitting in the back room of Scoops Ahoy for about half an hour now, since no one decided to come in. The past few weeks I would spend most of my time here. First and foremost, because of the free ice-cream. Secondly, because I surprisingly actually enjoy spending time with my sister and Steve. And lastly, my friend group isn’t really my favorite place to be at the moment. We didn’t fight or anything, but since El and Mike started dating, Lucas and Max have their thing going on and Dustin left for camp the entire summer, I didn’t really enjoy hanging out with them any longer. Will and I would meet up occasionally and play D&D, but besides that, I haven’t seen them much. Hearing Max and El just gush about their boyfriends all the time actually made me throw up. Especially whatever the hell is going on between Max and Lucas gave me the ick for some reason.

“But what do you know about movies Harrington?”, asked Robin, raising her eyebrow.

“Well, I-, I’ve watched movies before. What are you? Some kind of professional movie watcher?”, Steve responded acting offended.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I am. Plus I’ve got great taste. Tell him y/n.”, Robin countered.

“Yup, she’s got great taste.”, I responded.

“Of course you would say that y/n. Robin basically blackmails you with free ice-cream. But guess what y/n, I can give you just as much ice-cream, plus I can scoop way better than her.”, Steve said confidently.

“I would love to keep listening to you lying but I think somebody just came in. See you losers.”, and with that Robin was gone.

After Robin left I was just about to keep arguing about the fact that there is no way one person can scoop ice-cream better than another, but then I heard my sister calling for me.

“It’s your friends y/n!”, she shouted from the other side.

I guessed Will would come in to see me, so I got up and went to the counter. Because who else would come to visit me at this point. But to my surprise, it were the two people I would have least expected to see.

“Hi y/n!”, El said while smiling ear to ear. Max looked just as suspicious. Although I was more than happy to finally see them again in a long long time, I couldn’t help myself but feel weird about it.

“What is going on?”, I asked, obviously confused.

“Nothing.”, Max shrugged.

They looked at each other funny and their grin just widened.

“Yup, I’m out. I’ll be in the back if you need me.”, Robin said patting my shoulder.

Robin left me standing awkwardly behind the counter, not knowing what to say or do. The entire situation just felt really uncomfortable and now I expected the worst. What if they tell me that they want to marry their boyfriends? No, they aren’t that stupid. Or are they? No they aren’t. Being so caught up in my thoughts, I missed Max now standing right besides me, pulling me towards a table by my arm. She pushed me onto a chair and sat down in front of me with El next to her.

“Listen, you guys make me really nervous and I feel really uncomfortable right now. If there’s one thing I learned during summer, it’s that we all need to communicate our feelings more openly. So I’ll start-“

“I broke up with Lucas.”, Max almost shouted, interrupting my heartfelt speech.

“And Mike lied to me. I’m really upset with him.”, El added.

“So we went shopping to remind El that boyfriends are stupid anyways and life can be just as fun without them.”

“Friends don’t lie but boyfriends do all the time.”, El grinned while nodding.

“Yes, that’s what I taught her.”, Max said.

I stayed silent for a minute, checking their faces to see if they were lying. In fact, they were telling the truth. A grin spread across my face and I couldn’t help myself but feel happy about Max’s confession.

“Besides, we’ve been bad friends to you. We neglected you and our friendship during the past weeks and we are-“, Max started.

“-really sorry.”, El finished the sentence.

I got up and hugged both of them, smiling from ear to ear.

“Forgive and forget right.”, I said, knowing well that I forgive but never forget. But they didn’t need to know that.

“And uhm, if you want to, you can join us y/n.”, Max almost whispered.

“Sure, I would love to.”

“Great. But I really need to go to the toilet first.”, El replied while getting up.

After El left for the toilet, there was an awkward silence between Max and I. We’ve never had those before. Before her and Lucas hit it off again, we would hang out almost every day. We had sleepovers, went to the arcade, had hour-long walks, watched the stars at night, visited abandoned places, skipped school together just so we could go to the skate park before anyone else was there. But when Lucas and Max got back together, we met less and less until we didn’t see each other at all.

“So uhm.. How have you been?”, Max asked, breaking the silence.

“Oh just fine. I’ve been spending most of my time with Robin and Steve actually.”

“Great.”, she said, pressing her lips together.

“How about you?”, I asked, taking a seat next to her.

“Just fine. I just..”, she went silent for a second. “I just missed you I guess. Like, a lot. Maybe. But I know it’s my fault so I shouldn’t whine about it whatsoever. I just want you to know that I missed you.”

Max tried to hide the blush that crept upon her face but I didn’t miss that tiny moment of sincerity in her eyes. Her hands went straight to cover her face, seemingly embarrassed of her feelings towards the situation. I reached out to grab her wrist, softly pulling it towards me, away from her face.

“It’s okay Max. I missed you too, you know. Like, a lot.”, I gave her a soft smile, which she returned gratefully.

She grabbed my hand, interwining our fingers with one another. Her smile was contagious. The way her entire face lights up the second the corners of her mouth go up has always made me feel warm inside. Her thumb gently brushed over the back of my hand, while she starred at my face.

“Are you alright Max?”

“Yeah, I just wondered how I never-“

Max stopped herself from continuing since El made her way back to the table. She took her hand back to herself and smiled at her.

“Should we go?”, El asked.

“Sure, I’ll just grab my things, be right back.”

I sprinted towards the back room, just to see Robin and Steve peeping through the door slot. They greeted me with suspicious smiles, acting even weirder than usual.

“Okay, what’s going on?”, I questioned them.

“You like Max.”, Robin said, wiggling her eyebrows.

“You like her. We saw everything.”, Steve added.

Robin rolled her eyes. “Great Steve, that’s really-“

“Did you stalk us? Wow that’s gross.”

“No-, we- we didn’t, I mean- not literally-“, Steve tried explaining himself.

“You messed up Harrington, give up.”, Robin nudged his shoulder and went back to reading her magazine.

I quickly grabbed my backpack and left the shop, not wanting to support their suspicions. But walking towards Max, seeing her smile at me, I caught myself thinking, maybe I do like her.

[astrobei]

mike and goodbye my danish sweetheart mayhaps? 👁👁

yvie ur beautiful beautiful mind! u are so sick for this! *opens google docs*

Mike can’t pinpoint the exact moment it happened, but there was an undeniable shift— a split-second divergence during the summer of 1985 where everything changed for the worse.

Or, actually, he supposed he does know the exact moment it happened. It wasn’t even the whole awful business with Starcourt Mall that started it all, even though that was fresh enough in everyone’s minds for his mom to have put him in lockdown, effective the second the paramedics had looked him over and declared him free of everything except some cuts and some bruising and maybe a minor concussion. And sure, that sucked, but that left Mike confined to the four walls and basement of his house for at least the foreseeable future, which was maybe even worse.

Okay, not actually worse, because Mike considered himself to err a bit on the dramatic side, but Max had just watched her asshole stepbrother die in her arms, and Mike was dramatic but not totally off-the-rails insensitive, okay? And it was two weeks after the Starcourt Mall incident that it happened— him and Will and Lucas and Dustin splayed flat on their backs in the basement, fighting off the cloying summer heat with every portable fan and cold drink they could find in the house.

Mike and Will were lying side by side, their feet propped up onto the front cushions of the sofa, the table and chairs moved out of the way to make room. Mike was holding a cold can of Coke to his forehead, watching the hem of Will’s shorts wrinkle and flatten out as he readjusted his position for the hundredth time in the last fifteen minutes. Will was particularly antsy that day, even more restless and fidgety than normal, always readjusting his legs where they slipped and bumped into Mike’s, tapping his fingers against the floor, playing with the sticky cellophane wrapper of his third popsicle. Mike had just been opening his mouth to ask what was wrong, why Will had been so on edge and nervous all day, when Will blurted it out.

“I’m moving,” he said, staring straight up at the ceiling, unblinking.

Mike frowned, turning his head to the side to look at Will. “What?”

Behind them, out of sight, he heard a rustling noise as Lucas and Dustin also sat up. Will didn’t move.

“I’m moving,” he said again, this time quieter and less urgent, like he’d gotten something out of his system the first time, the nervous, fidgety thing that had been consuming him all day. Will took in a deep breath. “We’re moving,” he added, “all of us. Me and my mom and Jonathan and El— we’re moving to California.”

You could have heard a pin drop with how quiet it fell. Lucas had been talking to Dustin about something, trying out for some sports team— baseball, maybe basketball— but the two of them had gone silent too. Mike’s brain felt like how it did a lot in class, when he’d been too busy slipping notes back and forth to pay attention for ten minutes, and suddenly he was being called on to answer a question up on the board— reeling, processing on ten-times speed trying to catch up. Because Will was—

“California?” Lucas’ mouth had dropped open, eyes wide. “You’re moving to California?”

Will was still staring up at the ceiling. He nodded. “Yeah,” he said, and it came out barely over a whisper. “We leave in October.”

This time, it was Dustin’s turn. “October? But that’s— what about high school?”

Will took in another deep breath. Maybe Mike was imagining it, but it seemed a bit shaky, uncertain. “I’ll be going to high school there,” he said. “And I wasn’t supposed to— I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. My mom didn’t want me to, not until we sold the house and everything, but— I couldn’t not tell you guys.”

“You can’t move!” Lucas was saying. “You’re— you’re Will! We need you here!”

Dustin was saying something too, but Mike was starting to feel like he was listening to the whole conversation from under ten feet of water, their voices strange and distorted, seeing their mouths move with no words to match. Because there was no way Will was— Will couldn’t be—

“Mike?” They were all staring at him, and Mike realized that he hadn’t said anything since Will first said those awful, world-stopping words— I’m moving— and Mike’s entire world had, in fact, come to a screeching, juddering halt.

Dustin was looking at him, eyes wide and pleading, like Mike could somehow talk Will into staying, all on his own, as if this was his decision in the first place. “Aren’t you doing to say anything?”

Mike had nothing to say, and everything at the same time. He wanted to say a lot of things: how the air around him had started to feel frigid and hard to breathe, even at the mere thought of Will not being there anymore. How Will had seemingly existed in parallel to him since the first crystal-clear emergence of his memories from the murky haze of time. How he hadn’t quite processed the whole thing in the first place— I’m moving— and how California was all the way on the opposite side of the country, and couldn’t Joyce Byers move them to Indianapolis? Chicago? Even— even somewhere on the east coast, where Will would be in the same time zone as him and it wouldn’t feel like a piece of him got relocated, half a world away.

Suddenly, the floor of Mike’s basement seemed a lot less solid than before.

“California?” he said at last, his voice cracking on the last syllable, but for once, no one said anything. “You’re really moving?”

Will didn’t meet his eyes. He’d been avoiding Mike for the second half of the summer, saying he was too busy to come over unless the rest of the Party happened to be there. He didn’t want to play D&D with them anymore, either, begging out of Mike’s offers to start a new campaign. And Mike wasn’t an idiot— he knew why Will was avoiding him, knew there was an unspoken line that he’d crossed that night in his garage, knew that that was the sort of damaged trust that couldn’t be mended in a few weeks.

And, for a second, with Will picking determinedly at his fingernails instead of looking Mike in the eye, Mike wondered just how much Will had even protested when Joyce first brought up California.

It didn’t sink in when the For Sale sign went up, and it didn’t sink in when his mom knocked on his door to apologetically tell him the news— as if he didn’t already know— and it didn’t even sink in when the For Sale sign went down and a Sold sign went up, all enthusiastic yellow letters punctuated with an exclamation mark, as if this was something Mike should be happy about.

It didn’t sink in until an unseasonably warm weekend in October, when Mike had walked into the Byers’ house to find the walls stripped bare and Will’s room empty. And seemingly in an instant, all of the memories Mike had made in that twenty foot by twenty foot corner of Hawkins, Indiana came crashing down around him like a wave breaking on jagged rocky shores. Christmases at the Byers’, shared birthday parties and sleepovers, working their way through Will’s music collection, eating pudding on the floor of Will’s room at midnight, giggling hysterically through the chocolate smeared over their chins. All of it coming down, all at once.

El was kissing him, her teddy bear clutched tightly in her hand, and Mike felt sad, of course, but probably not as sad as he should have felt about El— who apparently was his girlfriend again— moving to the other side of the country.

And then Will Byers was putting his D&D set down on the donation bin, and he was looking Mike in the eyes for the first time in months, and something was settling deep into the hollows of Mike’s stomach, half-warm and giddy at Will smiling at him, half-soured with dread, because that’s when the last piece fell into place, and it finally sank in.

Will was leaving. Will was moving to California— forever. Will wasn’t going to come back.

Mike isn’t a total idiot, okay? He knows what this means— the sinking feeling that started overtaking his entire body from the second Will first said it— I’m moving— up until now, when it’s turned into something so all-encompassing that it feels like he’s in a constant state of freefall. That tug at his gut, the swooping sensation of the floor going insubstantial under your feet. Mike isn’t an idiot, and he knows what this means, and he’s trying to do something about it, but the phone line direct to the Byers’ house is busy for the sixth time in half as many days.

It’s only been a couple of weeks without the Byers here, but Mike can feel their absence like it’s a physical thing— a knife lodged firmly between his two smallest, most fragile ribs. He misses Joyce–  her warm smile and the way she would ruffle his hair absentmindedly when she walked by him, just like she did with Will. He misses El, of course, misses her sharp wit and her curiosity and her unyielding compassion for her friends, even if he doesn’t miss the rest of it– the boyfriend-girlfriend stuff, even if her letters come back signed Love, El, and even if looking at them makes something bitter and unpleasant rise up in the back of Mike’s throat. He supposes he even misses Jonathan, kind of, and even if Mike didn’t, Nancy would be missing him enough for both of them.

It’s Will, of course, that he misses the most, which should probably go without saying, but Mike finds himself saying it anyway– turning the words over in his mouth late at night, sleepless hours spent with his walkie turned to a channel he knows he’ll never hear Will on again. I miss Will, he thinks, except that doesn’t even come close to conveying the dense, astringent truth of it. I miss him. I miss him. I miss him.

And what stings even more is this: that he can’t say with any degree of certainty that Will misses him back. The summer of 1985 will go down in history as the summer Mike Wheeler was a bad friend, which is a truth that haunts him, on those same sleepless nights Mike spends tossing and turning, running his tongue over the jagged edges of the words he can’t even bring himself to say over the phone, on the rare occasion he can catch Will on the other end. Mike Wheeler is a lot of things– a coward, a liar. A fraud. A bad friend. Too late for things that matter.

He can’t blame Will for not wanting to talk to him, either. Maybe Will wants to hold onto the Mike that already exists in his mind– a kinder, more selfless version of him. One that didn’t hurt the people closest to him. One that was braver, one that wouldn’t have driven Will Byers out of his home in the pouring rain, one that wouldn’t have lied to his girlfriend, one that wouldn’t have lied to himself.

Mike dials the number again and waits, but the flutter of excitement in his stomach has long since died. He wonders what it might have been like if he hadn’t been too late. If he’d biked to Will Byers’ house earlier in the summer, like he did that night after their fight, and apologized. Properly and honestly— if he’d sat him down and just been honest. If he’d said sorry earlier, if they hadn’t spent the tentative remnants of summer dancing around one another, time that was already borrowed and running out like the last dregs in an hourglass. If Will hadn’t been too afraid to even look Mike in the eyes until the day he left. If he’d been better. A good friend. If he’d been everything Will used to see in him and nothing like the person holding the phone now. If he’d said something sooner. What would things have been like?

Will had probably been excited to go to California, Mike thinks. He’d probably been excited to start fresh, away from Mike. New friends– better friends. Friends who weren’t Mike. Friends who were anyone but Mike.

The line is busy again. Mike hangs up the phone and takes a deep, steadying breath in. He doesn’t know why he’s so upset. Will’s going to call him back when the phone is free, and they’ll talk.

It’s going to be fine.

[landinoandco]

Would you consider doing a part 2 for My best friend and I?

Of course - I was thinking of doing a part 3 as well, let me know if you would like me to turn this into a mini series

My best friend and I ....

Lando Norris x Reader

Part one

Word count: 1.6 k

Rating: angst

Requests are open :)

Part two:

It shouldn’t have hurt you. Not at all. Lando was your best friend and the feelings you felt towards each other had remained platonic. Just like it had been for years.

You stared down at the photo in front of you - your lip caught in between your teeth and a line creasing the skin between your brows. A thought in the back of your mind raised its voice - what if it was you in those photos?

Slamming your phone onto the kitchen counter, you exhaled violently and looked around your surroundings. It was his house. You were in his kitchen. Just like you had been many a time before so why was it suddenly so different?

You were house sitting for Lando whilst he was away on his summer break. Once again - this wasn’t usually a problem but it had given you time to think. A lot of time to think, in fact. To be at one with your thoughts, except you didn’t want to be ‘at one with your thoughts’ because your thoughts had led you down a dangerous rabbit hole of feelings and despair.

He had been gone a week - a whole week apart. It was something you had never done before, which seemed odd due to his job but before last week you had always travelled together. Wherever he went, you went. Likewise, wherever you went he went.

As his PR officer it was your job to travel the world with him but that's besides the point. Even before that as childhood best friends - the bond you formed meant that the longest time you would spend away from each other was when your parents dragged you away on a weekend trip to the seaside. A weekend of torture. A weekend without Lando.

Standing up, you moved in the direction of the front door - grabbing the keys and locking the door behind you. You needed to clear your head - you needed a distraction.

Shoving your hands into your pockets, you started down the street; thinking back to the night before when you logged into his twitch account - he had joined, at first you thought he was going to be mad but instead Lando had typed into chat how much he missed you. Lando missed you and that was enough to make your heart skip a beat.

Lando stared at Max’s phone, the photo glaring menacingly back up at him. He looked away as though the image pained him, scrunching up his nose and pushed the phone back to its owner. Max watched him warily, “It’s over every platform.” He added softly, placing his phone into his pocket.

“Right, thanks mate.” Lando mumbled, pulling his own phone out. He knew he had to call you, as his PR it was your job to instruct him on what he should do next. Had you seen the photo? Lando shook his head, you would have called him, the curiosity would have gotten the better of you. His finger hovered over your contact, he thought about what your reaction would be; what did he want your reaction to be? It was a valid question. He knew that there was no reason for you to be angry; at the end of the day he was on holiday and on holiday you have fun. What if you were jealous? Jealous of the girl in the photo. Lando’s arms snaked around the girl's waist, lips tantalisingly close to the girl’s ear. The corners of his mouth turned up at the thought.

The image of you had plagued him everytime he found himself alone. His thoughts running wild without you by his side, whilst you still messaged he still felt as though he was being starved from your company. It didn’t matter how many women he spoke to, they always seemed to be missing something. Part of him never wanted to get over you - part of him hoped that one day you realised that he did still love you, that it had never gone away. No matter how hard he tried. Part of him hoped that you were in love with him too.

The walk had failed to clear your thoughts. Everything led back to him. That infectious laugh. Those stupid curls. The way he looked at you. Every moment replaying in your mind on repeat. You were sure he would never feel the same way, especially after you rejected him all of those years ago. You sighed, the picture of the couple flashing in your mind.

As his PR officer you really should call him to help him manage the sudden attention. You clicked on his name, holding the phone to your ear. It rang once and he picked up.

“Hey.” Lando answered breathlessly. There was a pause before you answered, swallowing thickly you opened your mouth before closing it quickly.

“I take it, you've seen the photo.” You replied bluntly, there was no reason to sugar coat the reason for your call.

“I was actually just about to call you.” He said honestly, you could hear the sound of people talking getting quieter in the background. He was moving to somewhere more private. Away from prying eyes or ears in this case. “What should -”

You cut him off, standing up from the sofa and walking to stare out of the window. “Is this a serious relationship or -”

“No.” His voice was harsh, cold even.

“I had to ask - you know I did.” A loud silence filled your ears as you waited for him to respond - pressing your lips together as you did so.

“You would be the first person to find out if there was someone, you know that.” His tone was soft, so soft it was almost a whisper. A whisper that urged you to be close to him.

“You don’t owe anyone an explanation - regardless of whether it’s a serious relationship or not. We both know how toxic some fans can be, does the girl know?” You knew that Lando was shaking his head. “Make sure the girl knows what may be coming her way. Carry on as normal and I know it’s hard but ignore it - don’t give it any attention because it will only add fuel to the unfortunate fire.”

Lando hung onto every word you said - how could he tell you that the only reason he kissed that girl was because he wanted to be closer to you. Your voice filled his ears once again, “Are you okay, Lando?” His thoughts were a tangled spiderweb, slowly entwining until he was struggling to think straight.

“I - uh.” He stuttered, rubbing a hand over his forehead. He was faced with a crossroad - he could tell you, there and then about how he really felt; explain the real reason to why he was caught on camera with the girl. He could tell you that he never stopped loving you. Not for one day. Lando could confess to his feelings. Or he could stay silent. Continue to lie and cover his feelings. He could argue that this way he was protecting your friendship. “Actually, there is something that we should talk about.”

A breath caught in your throat, you prayed Lando couldn’t hear it over the line. All of a sudden you could hear a second voice from the otherside of the phone. “Lando, are you on the phone to who I think you are on the phone to?” The expression was light but mocking and you recognised it almost immediately. Max Fewtrell, Lando’s second partner in crime. “Hang on,” He said to you, “I’m going to put you on speaker phone.”

“Hey Max,” You called out, relieved for the change in topic.

“I thought it was you our little gremlin had snuck off to speak to.” Max added, his voice becoming more audible. You and Max had always gotten on well, right from the moment Lando had introduced you. “Has he confessed his undying love for you yet?” He joked, a hint of truth laced in his tone. It had the effect of poison, the atmosphere immediately changing. You stiffened, jaw tightening as you waited for Lando to answer him.

“Come off it, we’re too close for any of that emotion sort of thing-”

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself, the regret was instantaneous. It was a lie. In fact it was the biggest lie he had told. Ever. Lando looked over to Max, his eyebrow raised and the corner of his lips turned up in a smirk. Lando pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, his mouth set in a hard line.

“Right, way too close.” He heard you squeak in a way he had never heard you speak before. You sounded tired all of a sudden, almost downhearted.

“Wait-” He began to say, eyes snapping open. He was going to take it back. Confess to everything.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got to go. Remember what I said. I’ll see you when you get back.” Your words were rushed, throat slowly constricting. You squeezed your eyes shut, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall and ended the call abruptly.

You sank back down onto the sofa and groaned. You were in love with your best friend but he didn’t love you back.

Part three

[captastra]

Did u want a prompt from that list? If sooo....... For Rhea/Felix maybe 8 from the fluff and/or 2 from the angst? If not, feel free to yeet this into the sun!

No thank you so much for this! Here's a little angst for Rhea and Felix :) Read here on AO3!

“When will you come back?”

Felix made his way down the stairs, taking slow deliberate steps as he moved. He glanced down at his foot, a makeshift cast holding his ankle in place. It wasn’t the first injury he had ever had, not by a long shot, but this one was the most annoying.

“Alright, you two ready to head out?”

Glancing at the boarding area, Felix watched with annoyance as Rhea, Max, and Nyoka got suited up to go out for another mission. They were heading to see Hiram again, of all the people, and Felix had gone and gotten himself injured.

“Just about,” Nyoka was saying, checking her weapon before strapping it to her side.

“I’m surprised you’re going back to see Hiram again so soon Captain,” Max said while he faced his own locker. He looked over to where Rhea was and gave her a knowing smile. “Maybe you don’t need—”

“Max!” Rhea’s head had snapped up, her green eyes were bright even in this light while she glared at Max. “You know why we are going back. After what happened with Felix, we need to make sure we have all the information needed before we continue going deeper into Monarch.”

Max continued to smirk at Rhea, making Felix’s already sour mood grow worse.

“Careful now, lover boy here might actually hurt you this time if he hears you implying something.” Ellie’s voice came from behind Felix.

“Ellie,” Felix hated how whiny his voice sounded, but she had a point. He <em>didn’t</em> want to hear about Rhea going off to see Hiram.

Ellie shrugged. “What? We all know it. Now are you going to move or keep me stuck here on the stairs.”

Felix glared at her for a moment before turning back to the stairs and continuing to make his slow way down the stairs. The others started to speak up again, checking gear, Parvati pointing out some new thing she had added to Rhea’s gun.

Having finally made it down the stairs, Felix watched Rhea as she listened to Parvati talk. He loved watching her in these moments, how she gave her full attention to someone when they were speaking, like they were the most important thing in the world.

After Parvati handed Rhea back her gun, she looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back at her, forgetting for a moment what was going on and simply enjoying the way she made him feel.

Until Max spoke up. “Captain, we really must be going.”

“Yes, yes, I know. Let’s get out of here.” Rhea gave Felix an apologetic smile and started to follow the others out the door.

“Wait!” Felix stumbled forward, reaching his arm out to stop her. “When will you come back? I mean,” he paused, ignoring all the eyes that were on him now. He only focused on the ones that mattered. “You only just got back because of…well, you know,” he motioned to his leg.

Quiet laughter went up around the room, even Rhea gave him one of her soft smiles. She stepped forward, the armor she was wearing somehow accentuating every one of her features that Felix enjoyed.

“I’ll reach out once we get to Hiram’s. Might be a few days, a week at most, right Nyoka?” She glanced over her shoulder to where Nyoka was leaning against the door to the decontamination chamber.

“Yeah, give or take a few days. We’ll be fine,” Nyoka stepped forward, placing a hand on Felix’s shoulder. “Don’t worry kid, we’ll make sure Rhea gets back and Hiram doesn’t keep her longer than necessary.” She gave them both a wink.

“Ha, ha,” Felix said, rolling his eyes.

Rhea shook her head as she loved. “See, we’ll be back before you know it. Now hold down the fort and make sure you and Ellie don’t drink all the alcohol while we’re going. I don’t think Nyoka will take too kindly to that.”

“You know me so well Cap,” Nyoka laughed, patting Felix’s shoulder one more time before walking away.

“You better let me know when you get there and not let Hiram keep you there longer than you need to be,” Felix said, enjoying how relaxed Rhea was in this moment. He remembered how she had been when he first joined, willing to listen yet there was always something about her she kept walled off from others. “Or I will come after you.”

“Ha! I’d like to see that.” Ellie said from behind them. “Don’t worry Captain, I’ll make sure Felix doesn’t go off on some grand adventure to save you while he’s injured. Just come back in one piece.”

“I will, I will. I’ve already survived this long in Halycon,” Rhea looked at all of them with surprise. “I’ll be ok now. I promise.” Rhea directed her final words at Felix, making his heart pound even louder in his chest.

“Good.”

With a final nod and one shared look between the two of them, Felix watched as Rhea and the others set off out the doorway and into Fallbrook. The thought of Rhea with Hiram stills et Felix on edge, his imagination already running wild at what could happen. The way Hiram looked at her had set him on edge, even more so when Rhea seemed to reciprocate whatever Hiram was saying with ease.

But there was nothing he could do about it, and he could only hope enough serials and alcohol could make him forget.

He knew it wouldn’t.

[aspiringauthorintraining]

Demonstration

“Friends, students…” you call to their attention, “-and Sukuna.“ you added a moment later. “Today, I lost my dear friend Gojo Satoru.”

“Quit telling everyone I’m dead, (Y/N).”

Ignoring the voice coming from behind, you adorned a frown on your face. “Sometimes, I can still hear his voice.”

“I’m not dead!”

“He was many things: a teacher, a friend, a confidant. Now, was he good at these things? The answer is no.”

“Hey!”

“But we must not speak ill of those who are not with us anymore.” you continued.

Most of the Tokyo students nod their heads in agreement, while some of the Kyoto students kept glancing from you to a figure behind.

“It’s as if he’s in the room with us, right now.” You bring a hand to your mouth to prevent a sob (laugh) from escaping, at the sound of Gojo’s whines. “But as you all may know, curses like to act like those who we miss, so we mustn’t be tricked. Therefore, if for whatever reason you happen to see something that resembles Gojo Satoru, please exorcise it with your fullest ability, so that we may all one day move on and allow time to heal our hearts.”

One of the Kyoto students, Miwa Kasumi, blinked in confusion, unable to understand what was going on. You were standing in front of everyone participating in the sister school exchange event, mourning over Gojo Satoru’s death- while the said jujutsu sorcerer was standing behind you, tugging on your arms to get you to look in his direction.

“Am I the only one who sees Gojo-sensei alive?” she whispered to a nearby Tokyo student sitting next to her, who happened to be Maki Zenin.

Maki shook her head. “If (Y/N)-sensei says that the idiot is dead, then he is.”

“Tuna-mayo.” Inumaki agreed, nodding his head.

“Best if you just go with it.” Panda whispered back to the still confused girl. 

It seemed as though everyone else from the Kyoto branch had no complaints, accepting your words as the truth with a nod of their heads.

“(Y/N)!!” Gojo whined, placing his chin on your shoulder. “I said I was sorry.”

Your patience with the tall man-child had finally reached its max.

“Sorry?!” You flicked his forehead off of you, and pushed his face away. “I leave for one week, and you basically bulldoze half the campus forest to prevent a special-grade curse from running away, who might I add, was able to run away again! And then, I find out you were the one who ate my food that I had been saving in the freezer.”

Gojo merely shrugged at your accusations. “I was on a time crunch with the first one. And as for the second thing, it’s not my fault someone should’ve wrote their name on their mochi ice cream if they didn’t want someone else eating it.”

“I did write my name on the box, and I know you fucking ate it!” 

“There in lies your mistake, sweetheart. You should’ve written your name on the mochi itself. How was I supposed to know it was yours once I threw away the box?”

“Because my name was on the box, you motherfu-“

“Shouldn’t we trying to stop them from killing each other?” Yuuji whispered to Megumi, who was watching their teachers bicker with a straight face.

“Yaga-sensei will eventually stop them.” Megumi replied nonchalantly, as the boys overheard you screaming at Gojo.

“I told you the last time you ate my stuff, you would be dead to me!”

“You can’t just kill me off, (Y/N).”

“We’ll never know unless we try, now will we?” you argued.

And just as Megumi had said, Principle Yaga grabbed Gojo by his collar to prevent you from choking the man to death.

“Alright, that’s enough you two.” Yaga ordered, making you weaken the strangling grip you held on Gojo’s neck. “We should go ahead and start the baseball game.”

The hostility on your face quickly morphed into a smile, at your sensei’s words.

“Sensei, don’t you think we should give the students a demonstration beforehand?”

“Is that really necessary?” Gojo complained, massaging his neck in pain.

“Of course it is! After all, you were the one who suggested the game, you should be the one to show them how to properly hit a ball.”

Yaga just sighed, nodding his head to your suggestion.

“Just try not to kill him please, (Y/N).”

Your smile grew wider, causing a shiver to run down Gojo’s back. 

“Can’t make any promises, sensei.”

_________

Yuuji looked out from the sidelines onto the baseball field, watching Gojo stare appreciatively at the sight of you stretching on the pitcher’s mound.

“Don’t we all know how to play baseball?” he wondered aloud.

“Did you just figure that out, dummy?” Nobara retorted.

“Then why the need for the demonstration?” 

“Because we all want to see Gojo-sensei get pummeled by (Y/N)-sensei.” Maki responded.

“But isn’t he just going to use his technique?”

“Her technique basically cancels his out.”

“Huh? How?” 

“Gojo-sensei’s techniques deal with infinite time, and (Y/N)-sensei’s technique deals with manipulating time.”

“But no matter how fast you speed time up, you can never reach infinity, right?” Yuuji tried to reason, thinking back on the lectures he slept through in his math classes.

“In that case, yes.” Panda answered. “Infinity requires time to function. But if time were to stop, infinity would be cancelled out, because having an infinite number of nothing would still leave you with nothing.” 

“Not to mention (Y/N)-sensei has a wicked throw.” Maki added.

And shortly, a few moments later, a cry of pain was heard from the batter’s box.

__________________

Gojo pouted as you returned to him with a bag of ice, placing it gently on his cheek.

“Ow!” he whined from the sudden coldness. “You could’ve gone a little softer with that pitch, sweetheart.” 

“Please, you deserved it.” you said, rolling your eyes.

But seeing the light bruise formed on the side of his face, you couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty. 

Lifting the ice bag momentarily, you placed a soft kiss on his bruised cheek, immediately silencing him. 

“Does it feel better now?” you asked.

He nodded quickly. “But, you missed a spot. I got hit here too.” he said, pointing to his puckered lips.

You rolled your eyes, seeing right through his play; but gave in to his request, nonetheless. As you motioned to step back from the kiss, Gojo snaked his arms around your waist, bringing your body flush against his with your lips still attached to his.

He finally let you breathe a long minute later, after you hit his chest repeatedly for air.

“Now I feel a bit better.” he sighed, contentedly, before adding, “But I do think I’m going to need more intensive care tonight in my room.”

“Hmmm, is that so.” you thought, placing a hand on his other, non bruised cheek with a smile. 

Gojo burrowed his face into your palm, with a playful smirk. 

A quiet second later, right when he least expected it, you lightly slapped his cheek, quickly squirming out of his grasp. You dodged his grabby hands, a laugh escaping your lips when a pout made its way back onto his face. 

“I’ll be sure to ask Yaga-sensei to stop by your room tonight then.” you smiled, furthering the distance between you two.

“No, (Y/N)!” Gojo whined, quickly chasing after you.

_____

*(A/N): i’m in a love/hate relationship with gojo satoru  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[nights-at-crystarium]

Talking about THE comic!

I yelled about it randomly on my personal twitter or in the tags here but probably it’s a better idea to write the first “official” post C:

So, the two idiots I’ve been drawing for half a year now. Mostly self-indulgence, but also a slow preparation for THE comic. At first I merely wanted to tell what atrocities Vivi did in Norvrandt and how that affected their relationship, giving it, I dare fucking say, a rather unique angsty spice.

I’ve never written before, in late January/February I started scripting the Vivi-flavored ShB+5.x story to casually drop it maybe in several releases. A month or two forward, I’ve gone completely mental practiced writing fics (one published, a few more ready, a few more cookin’ but I’ll keep them until the corresponding Fragments are released), spent every day thinking about them so obsessively that the planned comic script got remade with slighly more finesse on my end as a writer, more depth as ViviRaha completely went out of control as characters, and their story started expanding in all directions at once.

I Wrote A Lot and I still keep adding a bit here, a bit there at least once a week. By now the broad concept is fleshed out, just as the characters, everything’s ripe and juicy and ready for consumption. Only one lil thing: now I’ve actually gotta draw it :’D

When am I actually starting? How will it look? Will it be free? And other questions that you guys might have, I’ll try to cover under the cut.

“Fragments” is a wolgraha-centered (duh!) comic that’ll be published here on tumblr for free. I’ll be crossposting it to twitter but the format’s oriented for this hellsite first and foremost. Not sure about the actual webcomic platforms, too much hassle for now. I’m still thinking how to handle the early access and whatnot, I MUST think about it since my art is the only source of my income. Likely I’ll have one release up on tumblr and two next ones on Patreon and Kofi to support my further work on the comic.

I AM anxious about it. My life currently is a huge unstable mess, mildly put, so I’m extra worried about starting the comic, announcing the release schedule, then getting blindsided by something new irl (so far 2022 had 3 major events that left me crippled for weeks - speaking of the personal scale events ofc) and having to go on a break that’d last for who knows how long, and how it’d impact my art style (yeah my mental state, my productivity and the very way I draw are unfortunately linked). There’s no guarantee of a safe and stable life for me atm, the best I can do is to start the comic regardlessly and hope shit doesn’t get worse.

So far the plan is to post every Friday (because Fragments Friday, ha!), anywhere between 2 and 10 pages (2 horizontal frames per page like in the early Tamen De Gushi), depending on the script. Max 10 pages because that’s how much a tumblr photopost can have. I call this “release”. Some scenes will be short and sweet and easily contained within one release, the others will span over multiple releases.

I’m NOT sure I can handle the weekly release schedule. I’ll try and see. I still have to dedicate most of my art juices to the stuff that pays for my rent and food, unfortunately. If I can’t keep up, I’ll dial it down to every other Friday, i.e. 2 releases a month.

Why “Fragments”? The releases won’t always be tightly connected between each other by the plot, yes they vaguely follow the canon timeline, yet many of them will be like glimpses into their everyday life, hence Fragments. I’m aware it’s cheeky, considering the Shards and all that. So, getting that out of the way: Vivi and Raha are NOT fragments of each other! They’re two separate entities, yes, mirrors and missing puzzle pieces of each other, but only that :>

The pages won’t be numbered, but each release I’ll number and put in a comic masterpost for the easy permanent access.

The script’s 20k+ words, some of those are my technical notes, some parts could be dropped, rewritten etc. The major beats are set, the rest’s still a wip. I don’t worry too much about polishing the text right now, I’ll have time for that during the storyboarding. Some scenes will have to be adapted for the visual format anyway. Here’s how my comic folder looks so far.

*screams in terror because chapter 1 INDEED HAS NO NAME YET*

The story itself still mostly takes place in ShB+5.x, save for the chapter 1 which is ARR. I carved out two “time pockets” for ViviRaha to rest and breathe and be happy or angsty in, post-5.0 and post-5.3, chapter 6 and chapters 9 and onward, respectively. Chapter 11 is my personal ShB epilogue. Chapter 12 still happens during the post-5.3 time pocket and focuses on Vivi’s background, by then you should be invested enough to care about that :> Chapter 13 is still tentative, an even deeper dive into Vivi’s past, showing his, gasp, old flames! A bunch of them. And chapter 14, if there’s ever such a thing, would finally move on to Endwalker. But for now I’m staying in my ShB bubble. There’s an in-character reason why I don’t wanna subject Vivi to the Endwalker events just yet. We’ll see. We’re speaking of a behemoth of a story that’ll take several years to get out. I have ample time to think about the later chapters.

Characters? Mostly ViviRaha (what? NO WAY), Alisaie’s the second most visible canon character, followed by Thancred, Lyna and Feo Ul. The Chais, Ardbert, Emet, Alphinaud, Tataru, Y’shtola, Estinien and Urianger have just a few lines. I’d LOVE to have more Urianger, who knows, maybe I can train my writing muscles and wedge more of his scenes in. Ryne and Krile as decorations (sorry!). Cid and Rammbroes in chapter 1. More ocs will appear in chapter 12. Chapter 13 has.... Drumroll...... Aymeric and Haurchefant as Vivi’s old flames. They were important. But you’ll have to survive until THAT late point in time to see them <w< There are some more ocs/npcs as well.

Since I’m looking at the weekly amount of (not always, but often) 10 pages each with 2 frames, I need to think about optimization. I’m not used to monochrome and I LOVE colors, so I wanna try doing something like this. Color is the quick and fun part for me, however, I still need time to train my hand in the lineart department. It won’t be super polished just because I’m not about that, but I wanna be personally happy with my sketchy style. I’d say I’m 70% there.

Drawing them nearly every day, figuring out their proportions and outfits, practicing general anatomy, all is the preparation work. I admit being absolutely lost and terrified in the background department. I’m rather comfy and chill about the natural landscapes, THAT I have no problem with, however, I’m still unsure about the buildings and interiors that I’ll wanna avoid, but I’ll have to draw at least SOME of those. So, yet another slowing down factor. I need more practice.

Fragments will be character- and feels-centric with little to no action/combat since it’d only detract from the story. I’m trying to stay as close to the main point of this comic’s existence as possible. Just feels, lots of them. Various flavors.

More about the technical stuff: ✓ finding/making textures (the slight overlay to avoid the flat, "digital” look) ✓ making and testing a storyboard template ✓ doodling cover ideas (atm 8 or so chapters have a cover that I’m happy with) - picking a font (or making own) - making frame and bubble templates (normal speech, screaming, thoughts, etc) - finalizing character designs (proportions that I’ll stick with to avoid awkward wobbly style) - finalizing character outfits for the same purpose as above

I’ll never be ultra-completely-ready but this checklist is vital. I’m doodling like crazy to make sure the main characters look exactly how I want them to. Vivi’s more or less complete, but lately I’ve realized that I still can’t draw our beefcake cat bf like I see him in my head, so I’m working on that.

Still no deadlines, I HOPE to start before August but who fucking knows. I’ll talk some more and make a lil countdown once I have at least 3 releases ready to go. Fragments is still my self-indulgence but it’ll span over the next few years. I’ll just start it when I’ve figured out the bare minimum and flail my way from there on :’D

Fragments already has its own tag where you can see some standalone comics and illustrations that I deem fully canon. Those posts also have a chapter tag, which should help situating each event on the broader timeline.

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Day 136: Long Drive

Sorry friends. The second half of my week last week was really difficult and I went away for the weekend to recharge. Without further ado, here's the next ficlet. Thanks for your patience <3

---------

Harry loved the States for a lot of reasons; it was way easier to disappear here than in England; even if people knew his name, they were way less likely to recognize his face; you could basically pick any climate that you wanted and find a place that suited you; and lots of other weird things.

But mostly he loved road trips.

He loved the entire concept behind getting in a car and just driving. The road unfurling endlessly in front of him, windows down, radio turned up and blaring whatever struck his fancy. With Max in the car beside him, wagging his tail and sticking his head out of the window, Harry felt practically weightless.

"Alright, buddy," he told the pittie when he pulled over to grab some breakfast at a little diner, "You hang out in the back, yeah?" he asked, scratching behind his ears and pressing a kiss to the broad bridge of his nose. "Go on," he said, nudging him toward the back that Harry had magically enlarged and turned into a comfortable living space.

Muggles had campers and rvs but with a little bit of magic, the beaten up Subaru served him just fine.

He got out and hit the lock button, listening to the satisfying little beep as he headed toward the diner, catching up his curls and tying them into a loose messy bun on top of his head.

The diner was cute, all red and white checkered decorations and a counter with spinny stools. Harry sat down at one and grabbed a menu, perusing and trying to decide what to order when he heard the crash of something being dropped to the ground and breaking.

His head snapped up and he blinked, wondering if it had been too long since he'd gone to sleep because he had to be hallucinating. "Malfoy?" he spluttered.

(Read more below the cut)

But before the other man could respond there was a shout from the kitchen in the back, "Damn it! You clumsy, stupid ass!" the man shouted and Harry felt himself recoiling from the anger in his voice. "You'll be paying for that!"

"Yes, sir!" Malfoy shouted back, bending over and hastily sweeping up the pieces.

"Well don't mess around with that now!" he shouted. "You've got a customer, you worthless piece of-" his voice trailed off as he slammed a door in the back but Harry could fill in the rest.

"Malfoy?" he repeated as the man in question stepped over to him. "How on earth did you find me?" he asked.

"You found me, Potter," he snapped. "Not the other way around. Now what can I get you?"

"You actually work here?" Harry asked in befuddlement.

Malfoy gritted his teeth, "Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't be wearing this stupid apron and I wouldn't be getting screamed at by the arsehole that owns this place. What can I get you?" he repeated.

"Umm," he said, glancing down at the menu, "I will definitely have a cup of coffee. And then maybe the first special on your board with scrambled eggs, bacon, and rye toast," he said. "And also grape jelly, if you have it."

"Got it," Malfoy replied, scribbling on the ticket. "Coming right up."

He spun on his heel and strutted off before Harry could say anything more and Harry just stared after him, wondering if he was dreaming.

Malfoy was back a few minutes later with a mug and a coffee pot, filling Harry's cup and sliding it over to him.

"Thanks," Harry said, reaching for the sugar. "What are you-"

"Look," Malfoy hissed, leaning over and keeping his voice low, "Please do not blow this for me. I know that you have no reason to help me but I really need this job, Potter."

Harry blinked and by the time he'd unstuck his tongue from the roof of his mouth, Malfoy was gone again.

It wasn't long before the other man emerged once more, carrying Harry's plate of breakfast. "Here you go," he said as he set it down and slid a couple of grape jelly packets toward him. "Enjoy. Do you need a warm up on your coffee?"

"Uhh," Harry replied, glancing at his half full cup, "Sure."

Malfoy nodded and grabbed the pot to refill his cup.

"When do you get off work?" Harry found himself asking.

The other man's brow furrowed, "Why?"

He shrugged as he slathered jelly onto his toast, "Thought it might be nice to catch up."

"To catch up?" Malfoy repeated. "Is that code for-"

"Hear about your life," Harry supplied.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed, "Fine. I get off at 10:00. If you pretend that you are just a customer passing through I'll give you fifteen minutes."

"Done," Harry replied easily. "So what touristy shite is there to do in this town until 10:00 am?"

-----------------

After he finished breakfast, Harry ended up just taking Max for a walk and then to the dog park to chase a ball around him. He'd worked hard to train him the first few months after he'd found him abandoned, tied up to a dumpster and all but starving. And Max had learned quickly, mastering basic commands in no time which was for the best, since people took one look at him and decided he was scary.

He wasn't, he was a sweet boy who loved people and who loved to play but it didn't seem to make any difference. Still, once he was trained, Harry had started taking him to the park and he wouldn't let other people bully them out.

Around 9:30, they headed back to the diner and Harry settled Max into the back, making sure his water bowl was full before he climbed back out of the car and leaned against the hood, waiting.

Malfoy emerged a few minuted after 10:00, looking a bit disheveled in his black t-shirt and skinny jeans, and immediately lit up a cigarette before looking around and spotting Harry. His eyebrows rose like he was surprised to see him before he squared his shoulders and made his way toward him.

"Hey," Harry said, straightening up as Malfoy approached him.

Malfoy blew a stream of smoke out of his mouth, "Hey?" he asked. "Is that really what you have to say to me?" He shook his head, "Just get it over with Potter," he said. "If you want to gloat just fucking gloat so I can move on and go get my groceries."

"I don't want to gloat," Harry protested.

"What do you want, then?" he asked scathingly.

And that was the question, wasn't it? What did Harry want? "Why are you working here?" he asked.

Malfoy rolled his eyes as he exhaled another puff of smoke, "It's amazing where you end up when you're a convicted death eater whose wand is monitored," he replied. "Then add to that the fact that it didn't seem to matter where I got myself set up in muggle London, someone found me and within hours I'd lose whatever job I'd been working. So here I am, just trying to get by and who should appear but the savior himself," he said with a little mock bow. "I should just put my two weeks in here now, at least-"

"I'm not going to tell anyone you're here," Harry said quickly.

"Right," he huffed sarcastically.

"I'm not," he argued, "Because if I told them where you are, they'd know where I've been."

"You're running away too?" Malfoy asked, cigarette dangling loosely from his fingers as he stared at Harry in surprise.

"Obviously," Harry replied. "Come on," he said after a moment. "Your feet must be killing you. I'm sure that arsehole doesn't give you breaks," he added as he opened the hatch.

"You want me to climb into the trunk of your car?"

He rolled his eyes, "I know you think I'm an idiot," he said, "But I'm less of one than you think. Just," he crawled in and stood up, "come on."

After a moment Malofy followed him through but before anything else could happen Max bounded over and all but climbed onto Malfoy's lap.

"Max-" he started to scold before Malfoy started talking over him.

"Oh, hello you sweet baby," he said, pulling Max further onto his lap so he could pet him better and scratch his neck. They looked ridiculous, Max was almost as big as Malfoy, but there he sat anyway, "hello. Aren't you a lovie?" he asked. "Yes you are. You're a giant lovie," he said.

And in that moment, Harry's mind was made up. "Have you ever gone on a road trip?" he asked.

Malfoy looked up at him and Max licked a stripe up his cheek. He laughed and stroked his side, "What?" he asked.

"Have you ever gone on a road trip?" Harry repeated.

"What is that?"

"Like a really long drive," he said. "Where you just get in your car and drive and stop for food when you want to and sleep when you want to." He scratched the back of his neck, "Max and I are headed to California to see the giant redwoods."

"That sounds nice for the two of you," Malfoy replied, steadily patting Max.

"Come with us," Harry said.

The other man blinked. "Sorry?"

"Just," he shrugged, "What else do you have here?"

"A job-"

"That you hate."

"A flat-"

"That is probably smaller than this," he said gesturing to the space they were sitting in.

"What happens when you get sick of me?"

He shook his head, "Come on. Just come with us. If I kick you out I'll give you $5000. That should be enough to help you settle wherever you want, right?"

"Why?"

He stared at him for a moment. There were a thousand reasons that flitted through Harry's mind, a thousand things that he could say, but none of them made any sense. Not yet at least. "Why not?" he settled on.

Malfoy took a slow inhale and then nodded once. "Fine, but you're going to need to make a second bed and we have to stop for my stuff."

"Done," Harry replied, grinning and feeling the familiar feeling of freedom that he felt when he was gliding down the open road unfurling in his chest.

Finally, he was going on an adventure worth having.

------------------

Day 135: Off-Guard | Day 137: Symmetry

[sergiovinazzi]

Stolen - Lando Norris x Reader (Chapter Two)

2.9k words, rated E for everyone :)

Lando’s voice, amplified by the TV speakers, echoes around the humming Red Bull garage. “I’m fine but I’ve been better. I can say that I’m not in perfect condition, I’m not gonna lie. Some work to do mentally of course. I talk about that a lot, and mental health and mental strength is very important. I’ve not been sleeping that great and so on… not ideal and I’m feeling a bit sore, but I’m not the guy in the worst position after Wembley. I’ll work on it, I’ll make sure I’m in the best shape possible, and I feel like I can still go out and focus on what I need to do, and that’s the main thing.”

Your mind races as you listen to the boy plastered across the many screens revisit his experience at Wembley. He sounds awful; something about his cadence making it even more obvious that he is really, truly shaken up. The wavering pitch, awkward pausing, fumbling for words; everything about the way he presents himself is serving as a brutal reminder that being physically unscathed is no indicator that harm was not dealt. Even as the interview moves past the topic of last week’s Euro Final, you notice the shift in demeanor and your heart aches. You worry that bringing the watch to him is a bad idea, that it could prompt unbidden memories and disquieting feelings. You understand how big of an event Silverstone is from your dad’s tangents alone, especially for an English team with an English driver, so you reevaluate whether your decision to come was selfish, one made solely to alleviate your own sentiments of guilt rather than to verily right your believed wrongdoings.

On the journey to Silverstone, your dad had made multiple attempts at lessening your stress, even opting for variations of the if he steps out of line I will put him right back in his place father speech. Unfortunately fruitless, your father’s attempts mean you remain just as anxious as when you had first discovered that you managed to obtain a stolen wristwatch.

You’re not sure whether it’s the crisp morning air or your nerves that sends chills across your flesh, but your attempt to ground yourself subtly doesn’t go unnoticed by your dad as he passes you in the garage.

“Time is ticking,” he informs you, a smirk playing on his lips. “No pun intended.”

You roll your eyes in an attempt to downplay your apprehension, but your voice gives away any and all signs of the false confidence you hope to portray. “Can you do it for me?” you plead.

“I can’t just stroll on over to the McLaren garage without an invitation or proper reason, especially not a couple hours before free practice starts. It doesn’t look good.”

“It’s not like me walking in there instead would look any better,” you retort, gesturing to the Red Bull logo plastered across the chest of your black polo. “Your branding isn’t what I would call subtle.”

“Look, the McLaren team are a good sort. They’ll help you out if you just explain the issue and show them the watch. I’m sure Lando will understand too, he seems like a pretty nice bloke,” your dad reassures you.

Sighing, your eyes meet the floor, fingers intertwined with each other as you fidget incessantly. Before you can speak up in further defiance, however, an additional set of footsteps grow nearer and you freeze at the voice which speaks up.

“Christian, how much longer until our media slot?”

You lose your breath momentarily, locking your gaze onto your shoes as you wait for the person to pass by.

“About five minutes, Max,” your dad replies. “We were just about to head over.”

When you hear the footsteps grow fainter, you risk looking up, thankfully being met with only the observance of your father. You don’t even realize that you’ve tensed your body until your dad points it out.

“Relax,” he says. “He’s not going to say anything here, especially not on a race weekend.”

Nodding, you feel your shoulders ease up but you remain quiet.

“Anyways, like I said, our media briefing and interviews start soon and we’re after McLaren this weekend so they should already be back in their garage,” he says, realizing that you still appear troubled by the task ahead of you. “I promise you, everything will be fine. Just go over there and I’ll meet you back here when we’re done. The quicker you head over, the quicker you’re done with it and we can all move on." With that, your dad walks away and you reluctantly leave the Red Bull garage, adjusting your shirt as you straighten up.

You take a brief glance at your phone, turning it off after you try one last time to keep the picture of the boy imprinted in your mind. Eyes darting rapidly, you attempt to scan the paddock for anyone looking remotely like him while you make your way towards the bright orange and blue indicators of the McLaren garage.

The frequency of orange-clad individuals grows the further you stray from the safety of Red Bull’s garage, and you feel your heartbeat begin to increase. Worried that someone would stop you before you could approach the one person you had traveled all the way to Silverstone for in the first place, you quicken your pace.

You’re mere meters away when you spot him. Pushing past a few people while trying to keep your eyes trained on him, you watch as he turns around to talk briefly with the woman next to him.

Huffing, you muster up the little confidence you have and tap him on the shoulder.

His confusion is evident and the blonde woman next to him does not look pleased to have been interrupted. The silence is palpable as they stare at you, expecting an explanation for the abrupt ending of their conversation.

“Hi,” is all you can deliver. You’re at a loss for words while the woman next to him seems to lose what little patience she has with you. Everything you had rehearsed beforehand, gone. Your mind is foggy and your mouth feels dry as you try to compose yourself. “Um, can I talk to you for a second? It won’t be long, I promise.” Your voice breaks at the end and you wish you had never agreed to get on that stupid red-eye to Silverstone in the first place.

Lando offers a look of sympathy and then turns to the woman next to him. “Charlotte, could you just give us a second?”

Pursing her lips and turning on her heel, the woman walks away, heading towards the mouth of the McLaren garage. She’s far enough away that you’re out of earshot, but close enough that you feel her gaze linger as Lando turns back to face you.

“Hey, don’t worry,” he tells you with a smile. “We can take a picture if you want or I can sign some stuff for you.”

“What? No.” You shake your head, mentally slapping your palm against your forehead and forcing yourself to get a grip. Idiot. “Fuck, sorry, that sounded so rude! It’s just-” you rush to explain.

“Oh no, it’s okay!” he stammers. “I should’ve guessed from the Red Bull shirt anway.”

You both share an awkward laugh before you compose yourself and reach a shaky hand into your bag.

“This is going to sound so weird, but I was online shopping for a new watch the other day because I lost mine, and I’m pretty sure I bought the one that was stolen from you. I didn’t know anything about it, I swear. I just...well, here,” you say, offering the watch and its temporary box to Lando.

He looks at you, taking the box only to go wide-eyed at the contents inside.

“I have all the information that I was able to get, but the ad was taken off of eBay and I really wanted to do the right thing and give it back to you. Please don’t be mad.”

“What the hell?!” he exclaims, earning a few looks from people passing by and catching Charlotte’s attention once more. “Sorry, sorry. How did you get this?”

Amused, you laugh quietly while he studies the watch intently. “That was my dad’s reaction too. Basically there was a listing for it on eBay and it was sort of an impulse buy,” you explain. “I didn’t see the news coverage of what happened until afterwards and I felt awful. I’m really sorry you had to go through that, I genuinely had no idea.”

Shrugging, he plays it off. “Nothing I can’t handle.” It’s hard to miss his sudden change in attitude from the interview you watched moments ago and you can’t help but wonder whether he has your or the watch’s presence to thank.

There is a brief moment of silence between you both before he continues. “How much did you pay for it?”

“It was so cheap, honestly,” you say. “Nothing compared to the original price, I’m sure.”

Charlotte, alerted by Lando’s attention-grabbing reaction to being reunited by his watch, returns to where the two of you are standing. “Oh wow, did you find a replacement watch for him?” she asks you, clearly impressed by the apparent likeness.

“No, Charlotte”, he corrects her. “It’s my one. Look.” He hands the watch to his PR manager, who receives it so gently you think she’s afraid it might shatter in her hands. Flipping the watch between her fingers, she studies the small engraving on the underside of the face.

“Oh my god,” she whispers.

Lando nods. “It’s the exact date it was given to me, there’s no way anyone else could know that and make a copy of it.”

You feel the need to justify yourself to her. “It was listed online and I bought it before I knew anything about the situation. I didn’t even really know who Lando was until I saw what happened on the news, I swear.” You anticipate her anger or disapproval, preparing yourself to withstand the lecture you’re about to receive and mentally promising that, as soon as it’s over, you can run back to your dad and tell him you just want to go home.

But it doesn’t come.

“I can’t believe it!” she exclaims. “We all thought we’d never see it again and you found it on accident.” The smile she gives you sets your mind at ease. “Technically, this is a police matter now, so I’ll have to hand it over to the right people, but this helps us tremendously. Did you get any information about the seller?”

You explain the situation to her, about how the listing was taken offline but you have a printout of the messages and address the seller gave you, which you hand her from your bag. She lets you know that someone may get in touch soon to ask questions but not to worry, that it’s only a formality. Eventually, she asks if you’d like to watch free practice from a spot in the mobile hospitality unit, but you politely decline, explaining that you needed to get back to your dad in the Red Bull garage instead.

Charlotte smiles fondly at Lando and presses the brim of his cap down over his eyes. “Come on, you, we have to go and get ready now anyway.”

He takes off his hat, cheeks flushing as he makes an effort to quickly brush the curls lining his forehead, placing it back on and dismissing Charlotte with a wave of his hand. “Okay, just give me a minute.”

Once the two of you are alone, he pulls out his phone. “Do you have Venmo? I’ll pay you back, it’s not fair that you had to waste your money.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it.”

Lando seems unconvinced. “It’s really not a problem.”

“Seriously, it’s all good.”

“Well,” he continues awkwardly. “I have to go, but are you here for the whole weekend or...?”

You shake your head. “Just today. I’m not into Formula 1, I find it a little bit boring.”

“Seriously?! The fastest cars in the world and you’re calling it boring? Why even come to something like Silverstone if it’s so boring?” he feigns offense, doing air quotes as he imitates your apparent disdain for the sport.

Laughing quietly, you shrug. “I have family at Red Bull, so it was basically just luck and convenience that you were in the U.K. this weekend,” you clarify. “I don’t really understand Formula 1, that’s all.”

“Fair enough, it’s not for everyone I suppose,” Lando replies. “So who in your family works at Red–” The end of his question is drowned out by the sound of his name called by an evidently disgruntled, impatient engineer.

He sighs. “I’m sorry, I’ve really gotta go, but, um,” he exhales with a nervous laugh. “I still feel like I need to repay you in some way. Do you want to go get a drink after the race on Sunday? I’m busy for the next few days but Sunday night I’ll be free. Only if you want to, of course, I don’t want to, like, pressure you or anything.”

You laugh, appreciative that the nervousness was shared. “That– Yeah, that sounds fine. I’ll give you my number.”

He types your details into his phone before apologizing once more, thanking you again, and rushing off into the garage.

——

On Sunday, you let your dad believe he’s the one who convinced you to stay for the entire race weekend, but it’s the promise of Lando’s company later that night and the endearing text messages on your phone that prompts the desire to see this weekend through. You had spent the previous nights on your phone, going through driver and team Instagram accounts, as well as the F1 website, to get an idea of what to expect. Typically, it would pain you to look through motorsport news pages, especially with so many of the reports centering around Max and his vie for the championship as of late, but you manage.

You notice almost immediately while settling into your spot at the back of the garage that the energy does not match your own. You are enthusiastic and eager, while the rest of the team is stressed and rushes around you. Presumably, it’s because race day impacts their livelihoods and paycheks whereas it only dictates your family’s dinner topics, but, nevertheless, your excitement refuses to simmer.

Unfortunately, if it was weird for you to be seen at the McLaren garage before the first free practice, it would be infinitely more suspicious for you to be lingering around on race day, so you were not able to catch Lando at all since your initial meeting on Friday. However, you made sure to message him good luck beforehand, to which he thanked you and expressed excitement for your upcoming night.

“If you need anything, just ask. I’ll be on the pitwall,” your dad says, snapping you out of your whirring mind. He notices your obscure behavior, quick to comment on it. “Is it weird? Being here after so long?”

You nod, shrugging. “Unusual, for sure. So much has changed since the last time I came and watched, but I’m excited, though.”

“Well, it’s always good to have you here.”

Reciprocating your dad’s grin, you silently send him on his way. He exits quickly and leaves you to your own devices. Though, your own devices look to consist of impatiently waiting for the race to start and scrolling absentmindedly through your phone. Ironically, your boredom with pre-race antics appears to create quite the dichotomy against the chaos exuding from the garage you find yourself encompassed in.

Regardless, your attention is regained when frequent cuts are made to the drivers in their cars, and you recognise that the race will be starting soon. You are temporarily startled when the cars begin moving without hearing an official announcement, but quickly realisee that it is merely a formation lap and no one else around you seems to be paying all too much mind to it.

When the cars return to their positions on the grid, you watch eagerly as the lights flash and the announcers begin yelling. You keep your eyes trained on the orange car towards the front of the grid, watching Lando so intently that you almost miss what happens to the cars in front of him.

Your eyes go wide as you watch the events unfold: the Red Bull car out front collides with what you identify as a Mercedes, spinning and slamming into the barrier. Gasps chorus across the garage as the screens replay slowed clips of the crash as an announcement states that the safety car has been deployed. They replay it from every conceivable angle, your astonishment at the severity is present upon your first viewing, but it’s only after the sixth clip that it clicks in your head that the person in the car is Max.

“For the second time this season, Hamilton and Verstappen clash and tangle on the opening lap, but, this time, it is ending in dramatic consequences for the championship leader.”

If you had perceived the pre-race behavior in the garage as chaotic, this was a whole new level of absurdity.

People rush around you while orders are shouted and frustrations are verbalised.

Your dad is angry.

The last time you recall him behaving like this was when your younger sister had broken the wine glasses he had bought for your mother on their honeymoon. You, however, ignore his yelling and remain encapsulated by the TV, releasing a breath you didn’t know you were holding as the events unfolding finally, finally register in your brain.

Car number 33 is in the wall and out of the race, and your ex-boyfriend is inside, silent and unmoving.

____________

tag list @lovebynorth @its-astrotea-love

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Pick Up

Note: Just a lil thingie because I imagining Steve’s voice over the phone lol. MMMMM.

To say Billy’s on pins and needles after the first time he and Steve fool around is a gross understatement. He can’t tell the terror from the ecstasy. He’s about to jump out of his skin. 

He’s used to feeling a lot about..everything.

This is more than usual.

Billy flees Steve’s place quickly, having no better ideas.

He’s nice about it.

“See ya, Harrington!” He says, as he pulls his shirt back on. He glances at Steve who looks half-delirious sitting on the bed, smiling sleepily at Billy, his jeans and briefs still down around his thighs, his spent dick hanging out.

Billy’s out the door before he gets a response, still feeling the sensation of Steve’s dick in his mouth.

He doesn’t sleep a wink that night and his thoughts race around too quickly in his head to catch a hold of any one in particular.

He burns through the half pack of Marlboros he’s got, his bedroom window open to let out the smoke, bringing in the chill. Nothing much is on TV to distract him. I Dream of Jeannie for four straight hours keeps him entertained. Or anyway, he stares at it and thinks of Steve’s head gently falling back against this bedroom door when Billy curled his tongue a certain way.

The way the little bump of Steve’s Adam’s apple stuck out, his mouth gaping open as he breathed. His hand tugging on Billy’s hair. Maybe not tugging quite as hard as Billy would have wanted. But that’s Steve. He was always going to be so sweet. 

I Dream of Jeannie...

He always thought Major Nelson was kind of cute in a fumbling, totally square kinda way.

Huh.

The line of Steve’s throat…

That vein along his dick pressing against Billy’s lips...

It’s maddening.

In the morning, his bones ache from staying up, his throat raw from smoking...and probably from the blow-job.

He makes breakfast for Susan and Max in the morning, feeling bleary, like everything isn’t quite real because he watched the sun rise outside, sitting on the stoop and chilly even in his hooded sweatshirt. He smoked and watched the sky turn amber and for a moment life was perfect because for a moment there, he had Steve Harrington.

They watched MTV because Steve had cable in his room. Steve made some joke about Robert Palmer girls and Billy laughed and when he turned his head, Steve was just staring at him…

Susan goes to work. Max goes to school.

Billy makes himself busy doing things around the house before pretending to look at want ads even though he’s always too chicken shit to apply for anything.

He feels a little braver today. He circles a couple jobs, makes two calls. He reaches Mr. Haggerty at the hardware store. That sounds promising.

He catches himself smiling for no particular reason. But around noon the high starts to fade. 

It’s not like anything is ever going to happen with Steve again. As if a guy like Steve would want him, a voice that sounds like his dad says in his head-

The phone rings while he’s smoking at the kitchen table, glaring into a Cherry Coke.

He lets it ring. It’s likely for Susan and they have a machine since Neil left, because he’s called a couple times and left nasty messages. 

Billy’s shoulders tense up, half expecting to hear his father’s voice after the beep. 

But-

“Hey…” Steve Harrington’s soft voice might as well be a crack of thunder and Billy’s heart starts thudding. “It’s...Steve. Harrington? Um. I just wanted to uh…”

It takes Billy a moment to collect himself enough to realize he should pick up the damn phone. He stumbles getting to his feet, scrambling to the corner counter in the kitchen where the machine sits.

“Just want to...talk to you um…” Steve laughs. “I dunno what to... Holy shit, please pick up-”

Billy picks up the phone.

“Harrington.” He winces at the crack in his voice.

He’s not as smooth as he used to be.

He clears his throat.

“Hey, what’s up,” he says. 

He bites his lip so hard, he nearly draws blood.

“Oh shit,” Steve says, sighing. “Thank God, you picked up. I had no idea what to say to the machine. Holy shit,”

His voice is so warm in Billy’s ear, and just a little crackling through the phone. It’s like coming in from the cold. Billy slumps against the counter and closes his eyes, holding the receiver so tightly in his hand, his fingers ache.

“You at work?” Billy says.

“Yeah! I’m on lunch,” Steve says. “Um. Slow as hell. I just uhhhh…wanted to...say...hi?” He mutters under his breath: “Goddammit.”

Billy takes a breath and summons the courage and cool that used to come more easily.

“Can’t get enough of me, huh?” He says.

That breaks the ice and Steve chuckles in his ear. Billy can practically feel it on his skin.

“I can’t stop thinking about it!” Steve whispers. “I can’t...I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Billy says: “Oh.”

His legs give out a little and he sits down on the floor, his hands shaking so hard, it’s difficult to hold the phone.

Because Steve Harrington can’t stop thinking about him.

“Look, I don’t care if it’s lame or whatever,” Steve goes on, “because like we’ve all almost died ten times. So I don’t give a shit what anybody thinks or anything. Even my parents! I don’t care! I really like you. I like hanging out and...I like...what we did. And...just... do you want to come over tonight? Come over tonight. Don’t make me beg, okay? This speech sounded a lot better in my head. I should’ve written it down-”

“Yeah okay,” Billy says, his head swimming. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Steve says, sighing again. “There’s just one thing. You have to promise me.”

Billy braces himself. “What.”

“If...if you don’t like me,” Steve says, “if it’s not… Just, if you don’t like me like I like you? You have to tell me. Okay? Just don’t lie, like don’t pretend. I can’t pretend shit anymore. Please?”

Jesus. Harrington can make things heavy quick. He didn’t see that coming.

“Okay,” Billy says. “Cool. I promise.”

“Alright,” Steve says, but he sounds farther away now.

It’s almost like maybe he doesn’t believe Billy which causes a sharp pang in Billy’s tender heart. 

“My place at six then?” Steve says. “I’ll order pizza-”

“Cool.”

“Okay.”

“Steve.”

“Yeah?”

“I uh…” Billy rolls his eyes, but that sharp pang doesn’t go anywhere. He licks his lips and says: “I like you? A lot. I… just, I do. I like you. Since...forever. So. Um. Don’t worry about it. Cool?”

The pang is gone. Feels a lot like after Owens gets him to crack his heart open every week. Totally excruciating and then better.

There’s a terrifying pause before Steve says, “Okay. Cool.” And all that warmth is back suddenly and he’s close in Billy’s ear again. Billy can even hear the smile in his voice. “Okay okay! Cool! Okay, I’ll see you at six then!”

Billy checks his watch. It’s only one. So many hours until he sees Steve again, but the anticipation is so acute it almost feels good and he blurts out, “Can’t wait, baby.” 

Steve says, “Jesus Christ… Me either. Kay um...bye.”

Billy hears a giggle before Steve hangs up. 

Five hours seems like a long time, but the minutes are made shorter by the memory of Steve’s warm voice in his ear.