#and if i have to go up to a city i’ve never been to just to see them again | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dumbbitchenergy17 · 2 days ago

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Awards Night

Plot: A very important night for yourself and your close friends on who will be taking home an Emmy and changes in your life.

Word Count: 9K

Pairing: Paul Mescal x Reader

Warnings: little makeout scene, sweet "father-daughter" moments, laughter giggles, just general fluff

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Energy fills the Los Angeles air as you sit out on the balcony with a fresh cup of coffee letting the sound of traffic try and soothe your nerves, the sun has just started rising hits of orange peeking over the horizon of buildings and mountains. You hear the sliding door beside you open and can sense his presence next to you.

“You’re up early,” He comments while taking a sip of his cup of coffee and you only hum in response keeping your gaze focused on the cars below seeing there was already traffic this early. “Nervous?” He asks and you shrug.

“I guess so. My body realized what today was and didn’t want me potentially sleeping through my alarm.” You say glancing over at Paul who rests his arms on the balcony railing only dressed in a tank and sleep pants, his hands fiddling with the cup that hangs over the edge.

“It’ll be fine. Whatever happens tonight you’ll still be my favorite actress. Plus I’m sure Pedro is dying to see you since New Year's,” He says with a slight chuckle which you can’t help but join in, despite it only being a few weeks you were used to your dear co-star and father figure’s clinginess.

“Yeah I’m sure he was so sad to stay in gorgeous Malta while I had to go back to New York for rehearsals for SNL,” You roll your eyes bringing your gaze back to the LA skyline, “God this place is boring I’m so glad I stayed in New York and didn’t listen to my old manager.”

Paul lets out a snort of laughter, “You are a New York City girl it’s funny seeing you stand out back in London and West Cork.” He says while coming to sit on the floor, grabbing your free hand and pressing a kiss to each knuckle. You smile pushing his face away from you which only makes him chuckle grab your hand again and repeat the action. He stops looking up at you as you share a moment of silence before he reaches forward and smooths away the wrinkle from your furrowed brows.

“Tonight we’ll be fine and if anything we skip the after-party and just relax back here and watch movies.” He says his hand trailing from your brows to cup your cheek and you settle into it.

“Just so you can watch Thelma and Louise.” You raise your brow at him and he flushes with a caught expression.

“Hey, it’s a good film and you know it,” He defends himself before raising himself from his haunches to press a kiss to your lips which you melt into. Your free hand strokes his beard as you kiss. He pours all his love for you and what you need to soothe the pit of anxiety inside until you feel nothing but calm. Paul pulls away not before pressing one last kiss to your nose which you scrunch up.

“It’ll be fine.” His voice is soothing as you both enjoy each other’s presence before the very busy day you have ahead of you.

Frank Ocean drifts through a speaker as you sit in a makeup chair, leftovers of brunch still on the dining table in the hotel you shared with Paul and the rest of your team. Paul in the bedroom with his team getting ready allowing you the large living room to get ready. Your amazing manager had brought you a collaboration with ELLE Magazine for a ‘Getting Ready with Me’ video, currently, the camera and sound team working fluidly alongside your hair and makeup team as you speak to the camera.

“I’ve been in this chair for about…three hours now?” You say as your hairstylist Elvira works her magic on your hair and René your talented makeup artist brings you to life with his skills. One of your hands is being painted in nudes and gold while your other hand is currently in a UV lamp being cured. “As you can see every part of my body is being handled so all I can do is just sit and listen to Frank Ocean play. I’m excited though surprised I’ve never been to the Emmys before so I do have a bit of nerves running through me.” You say shyly.

“You also have a nomination!” Paul’s voice comes from the other room making everyone in the room laugh and cheer at his comment as your face grows flush.

“Yeah…I do have one so it only heightens the nerves so I’m hoping I just get distracted during the whole time and have a drink or two as liquid courage.” You say as your hand in the UV lamp beeps ending its cycle and you use that chance to grab your smoothie to take a sip.

“Are you excited to see your friends and cast mates from previous work?” The interviewer asks and your eyes sparkle and you nod excitedly not before being scolded slightly by Elvira and René.

“Yes, most of these people I haven’t seen in months with work and life being so busy between all of us. I texted Bella this morning about how excited I was to see them since we last saw each other at the Met Gala we’ve Facetime and keep in touch but it’ll be good to see them in person.” You say as you switch hands to start curing the nail polish.

“Are you excited to see Pedro?” They ask cheekily and you smile widely.

“Oh god yes. Even though I saw him two weeks ago for New Year’s he has been nonstop texting about us seeing each other tonight. He fully freaked when he heard we had seats near each other,” You say, and almost on cue your phone gets a Facetime call the ringtone playing ‘Purple Rain’, “Speak of the devil.” You see the camera team swing around to get a view of your phone screen as you answer the call.

“Sup loser!” You greet the older man whose face is extremely close to the camera.

“Happy Emmys Day!” He shouts at the camera and you can’t help to giggle, “Happy Emmys Day to you too, getting ready I assume?” You ask as he pulls back the camera revealing Coco who is working on his hair. She sends a wave to the camera which you smile in return.

“Yep! Chilling getting all dolled up alongside Lux,” He says casually and you can easily spot the lie in his tone, and even Coco gives him a look.

“Pedro, you’re freaking out aren’t you?”

“Yes! What if I trip and fall and hurt my other shoulder then I get a double sling and look like an idiot? Or I say the wrong name on the card and it’s La la Land and Moonlight all over again.” He starts rambling getting himself all worked up and stressed.

“P you’ll be fine. You’re not gonna trip and look like an idiot or say the wrong name. I’m gonna be there, your sister, Bella, Paul, heck even fucking Kieran Culkin would probably run up there and catch you,” Your comment about his fellow nominee makes him laugh but does the job of getting his mind off it.

“Thanks, chiquita,” He says and it seems like he’s trying to spot anyone in the background of your Facetime call, “Yo where’s Ireland’s princess?” The sound of footsteps coming to the double doors separating the living room to the bedroom.

“I’m here Pedro!” His voice comes through the doorway and Pedro makes a weird face and you answer his silent question,

“We’re surprising each other with our looks tonight…well one of us is trying to.” You explain. Paul was getting antsy to see you and spend time with you. He had tried coming up with excuses to come out even getting to a point where he almost opened the door if you hadn’t thrown your slipper at the door and he closed it.

“You are so weird,” Pedro comments and you stick your tongue out at him, “Alright I shall leave you be and I look forward to seeing you tonight!”

“Bye P!”

“Bye Y/nnnnnn.” The call ends and you bring your attention back to the camera crew.

“You and Pedro have a very close relationship you practically act like your blood related.” The interviewer says

“Yeah, it’s crazy I've known him over five years and he’s practically my second father like I call him or my dad for the stupidest stuff if either doesn’t reply,” You say with a smile, “My dad finds it funny and comments how he’s glad someone is finally tagging in after the ‘retirement-inducing stress’ I put him through before I joined the Mandalorian.” The crew and your team chuckle at that story.

After getting your hair and makeup completed with your hair pinned up in a beautiful updo, your fabulous stylist Juliano had somehow struck gold with your outfit even working with Paul’s stylist to make sure the pair of you look stunning together.

“We were lucky enough from the archives to get this 1998 Spring Givenchy by Alexander McQueen,” Juliano explains as the camera shoots the gorgeous dress the shimmering silk on the top down to the skirt. The flower appliques on a sheer fabric to look like they were on your skin, “We decided to keep the makeup very similar to look natural with a shine and hints of color resembling the flower embellishments. To the accessories, we decided to keep Y/n’s hands minimal with just a pair of Bvlgari statement rings on her hands, and her earrings being from Bulgari Fiorever pieces keeping the floral delicate looking continue even down to the shoes with custom So-Kate Louboutin that matches the dress perfectly and brings the whole look together.”

The camera captures your excited expression as you are now fully dressed, clapping your hands together, “I’m literally in awe. I love Alexander McQueen’s fashion and I am honored to be wearing this gorgeous piece.” The sound of footsteps coming to the double doors again.

“Are you finally done?” Paul’s voice sounds like it’s practically pressed against the door and the crew laughs and you can’t help but roll your eyes.

“Yes I’m done but come out with your eyes closed. I want you to have the full experience,” You say quickly closing your eyes. You hear him groan before the sound of the door opens. You hear shuffling as someone guides him to the right position.

“Can I open?” He asks rocking on his heels.

“Wait I gotta get in position!” You say almost tripping as Elvira guides you to stand a bit in front of him so you both are the first things either of you see. The camera crew gets ready, one facing you while the other is facing Paul to get both of your reactions.

“Okay on three,” You say and start counting, “One…two…three!” You both open your eyes and the crew laughs at each of your reactions. You immediately squeal seeing his attire; his blazer is a crisp white that matches the color of your dress and is embroidered on the hem, lapels, and the cuffs of the coat is a recreation of the flower appliques on your dress, he has white button-down with a black bowtie and black wide slacks with black boots, Paul has that tiny gold hoop in his ear and he’s wearing the watch you got him for Christmas. Paul’s reaction is pure awe taking in how nicely the dress fits you almost as if Alexander McQueen made the dress for you, your hair perfectly framing your face with tiny strands hanging freely around your hair and the makeup making you look completely radiant.

“Ah! You look so good Paul,” You gush rushing up to him and looking over all the tiny little details what you don’t see but the cameras and the fans who will later eat this all up is the pure love and adoration in his eyes looking down at you fawning over him.

“You…are completely stunning,” He breathes and your face flushes at the genuine compliment as he takes your hands in his and fiddles with your rings a cheesy grin on his face. The team and crew ‘awe’ at the scene only makes you more flustered which makes Paul laugh wrapping his arms around you and pressing a kiss to your crown. An alarm goes off from both of your managers’ phones a cue that it is time to start prepping to leave soon.

Turning to face the camera you give it a wave, “Thank ELLE for coming and seeing us get ready for the Emmys let’s hope we take home an award,” You say crossing your fingers and making both teams cheer. Paul gives a wave and you blow a kiss before you turn facing each other and you pull a funny face and he bursts into laughter as the cameras stop rolling.

“Alright I think we got what we needed, so great meeting you guys, and best of luck tonight,” The interviewer says and you smile thanking them as they head out to pack up. Your manager comes up looking over her iPad that has the schedule.

“Alright we have a bit of time for photos and then the car will be pulling up to take us to the venue,” She says, and Paul helps guide you to the balcony as you grab the train of your dress. It’s fun and casual between yours and Paul’s team bouncing off each other. The first round of photos starts with you posing out on the balcony getting the professional photos done and throwing in a few funny poses when you see Paul whip out his film camera to take a few pictures. Then it switches to Paul who seamlessly starts posing and you take a few pictures on your phone before getting a decent one from his camera, he ends up breaking into waves of laughter as you keep hollering and sending him whistles as he poses. The pair of you do photos together some looking at the camera others looking at each other. Both your managers posting little teasers on each of your Instagram stories for the night ahead the photos already going viral.

From the hotel room to the car felt like a blur and you didn’t even realize you were pulling into the venue and entering the conga line of cars to the red carpet. Your leg shakes restlessly until Paul rests his hand on your knee making you look at him.

“Breathe,” He makes the gesture of letting out a big breath of air which you copy feeling your body stop vibrating with nerves, “It’ll be fine.”

You nod though the pit in your stomach still hasn't left now that you are so close, “I feel less nervous about the awards but this is our first time together like in spotlight public.” You take his hands playing with his fingers to help with your nerves, “Just nerves what they are gonna say is all.”

Paul nods understanding. It was a huge secret when you both first got together, not that you both were ashamed of each other but you both respected your privacy very much. Even when you were younger you were very cautious about what you put out on the internet perfectly curating posts and appearances so people didn’t have anything negative to say. It definitely freed up the older you got and the more secure you felt in your career but still, there were certain subjects you didn’t want the whole world to know. You prided yourself in keeping your relationships locked tight the only people aware of them being your family and close friends. It reached a point in some scenarios where the public and fans assumed the people you were with were just close friends given how that was the case most of the time. You were lucky for Paul to understand your hesitancy being so quiet about the two of you and it worked out in your favor. You were able to enjoy the starting of your relationship just the time together between the two of you and not the whole world focused on you all. Even telling Pedro was something you were worried about entering the relationship with Paul, he was his co-worker, some would call it a bit of an age difference with him being a few years older than you, you were still what people would consider their early 20s and him in his late 20s but neither of you noticed or cared for it. You remember it clear the day you told Pedro well more of him finding out.

It was during the time Gladiator 2 was on pause due to some production issues so Paul had decided to visit and spend the week with you in New York, this is about 3 months of you guys dating. For context you love Pedro and have such a close bond with each other that you have keys for each other and know everything about each other. What you didn’t think was him being back in New York as well and assuming he was on the West Coast or anywhere but New York. So you and Paul had just obviously given the time apart..had sex since being reunited and ordered pizza, after you showered and he was currently in the shower while you picked out a movie. The doorbell rang assuming it was the deliveryman going to answer shocked seeing Pedro there instead of holding the pizza and letting himself in.

“Luigi’s Pizza you know how to plan a dinner, I have so much to talk about Malta and Morrocco,” Pedro says and the immediate fear on your face and before you could stop the nuclear bomb that was about to go off as the familiar voice of the man you were with and an oddly familiar voice to Pedro comes from down the hall.

Paul comes around the wall with the confidence of a man who just got laid still wet from the shower only dressed in very loose sweats that hung sinfully low on his hips, “Baby did the food show u—” His words cut off as he see Pedro standing there with equally wide eyes as his gaze darts from both you and Paul the pieces quickly coming together.

Paul takes your hand placing a kiss on the back of it right as the car in front of you pulls up about to be next in line, “Ignore what they say. None of it matters, it’s just us and our friends celebrating an amazing night together.” You take in his words before nodding in agreement right as the car pulls up. Paul flashes you a smile before pressing a light kiss to not ruin your makeup.

“Ready?” He asks and you nod giving an assured smile and he returns with an even wider smile. A knock on the car before the door unlocks and the muffled sounds of the fan and the red carpet get louder. The door opens fully and Paul steps out and the crowd of fans screech he turns grabbing your hand as you scooch to the open door. Grabbing Paul’s hand you immediately see the uproar as you exit the car the scream of fans in their section. Waving at them together as your managers guide you towards the little waiting area before the red carpet. It wasn’t long until you were called next to walk the carpet.

“Ready?” You ask Paul and he smiles pressing a kiss to your knuckles.

“Let’s go.”

Shouts and flashes of both yours and Paul’s name as you posed for solo shots. Over the scream of photographers, your gaze always finds itself back to Paul who was looking over at you too.

“Paul! Y/n! Let’s get a photo together,” A photographer shouts and it’s instant the shouts for you two to pose together and questions thrown at the pair of you. It’s easy to find one another his hand keeping a reassuring contact on your waist as you smile at the cameras. Your managers have to practically drag you two off the carpet as the paparazzi keep yelling more comments and get final photos.

“A few interviews then we’ll get you guys inside for the ceremony,” Your manager says and you nod as both you and Paul are brought to different networks to conduct interviews.

“Y/n so nice to meet you,” The interviewer from E! News greets warmly, “You look stunning tonight!”

“So nice to me you and thank you so much!” You respond holding the microphone between your hands as you speak to her.

“It seems you have caught the attention of many people tonight for one of your first Emmy nominations, especially at your age! If you win tonight, you will have become the youngest winner in your category at twenty-three, just a year younger than past winner Zendaya, who also happens to be presenting tonight for that award,” she says, and you give a nervous smile.

“I am definitely nervous now that you mentioned it,” You cringe making the both of you laugh, “But I’m so honored to be nominated, there are so many talented actresses in this category that all deserve this award. I really couldn’t tell you who it’s going to.” You speak honestly.

“Well, we’re hoping for the best for everyone tonight and even if you aren’t taking home an award you aren’t leaving empty-handed. It seems you have graced all of us who have been dying to see you and your partner in public.” She says and you laugh, “Anything to say on that?”

“Well, Paul and I are very grateful for all the support our friends, family, and lovely fans have given us.” You say a small smile. You truly were grateful for all the support those close to you have given especially with how crazy the industry is and how on-air every moment of your life has been. “Paul has also just been an amazing support in my life I’m so blessed to have known him.” You keep your piece on Paul short and sweet knowing you would ramble off on how amazing he is as a person and actor, just going off on a complete tangent.

“That is so sweet, you two are amazing together I’m sure he’ll enjoy your praise,” The interviewer coos and you chuckle.

“He’ll probably try to one-up me in the compliments he’s too humble at accepting them and so will dish a plentiful of compliments,” You retort making the pair of you laugh.

“If I see him I’ll be sure to pass off your message,” She smiles, “Thank you so much, enjoy the rest of your night, and best of luck.” You thank her before your manager guides you off to do a couple more interviewers since you are nominated in a category. As your manager leads you to the next interview you spot a very familiar figure speaking to another person.

“Lux!” You call out and she turns spotting you amongst celebrities and managers as you make your way past people quickly accepting the embrace from her. “You look gorgeous tonight!” Your praise has her smiling and she rests her hands on your shoulders looking you over.

“Says you! You look stunning and where is the lucky man?” Lux asks looking over your shoulder expecting your partner somewhere near.

“I think still doing interviews, if we didn’t meet up during the interviews we both would just head inside,” You say looking around yourself but for a different person.

“If you’re looking for Pedro he’s over there with Vanity Fair,” She points a finger over and you spot the back of his curly head, “He’s be antsy looking for you and Bella tonight.” You smile thanking her with a quick hug and plan to meet inside before having your manager already used to your antics and guide you over to Pedro. Luckily he hadn’t noticed you and his manager spots you with a friendly smile seeing the mischievous look on your face also used to your antics from the Mandalorian.

“I’m excited for tonight not even for the nomination just to be able to see friends and coworkers of mine I haven’t seen since we wrapped films,” You hear Pedro say as you slowly walk into view of the camera and interviewer who spots you. You drop your mouth and point at Pedro who is in front of you.

“Oh my god is that Pedro?” Pretending to fangirl as you mouth with faux awe. The interviewer chuckles and you don’t see Pedro’s confused expression until he turns around and sees you there with a cheesy grin.

“Pedro I’m such a big fan you are literally so zaddy!” Your voice is all shaky fanning back fake tears and the belly laugh that comes from him as he pulls you into a hug with his free hand pressing a kiss to your crown.

“Ah, father and daughter reunited!” The interviewer says as Pedro pulls out of the hug a still shocked look on his face as he takes in your outfit. “Y/n pleasure to meet you!”

“You look so beautiful!” Pedro’s praise warms you up and you flush waving him off.

“You look great too! Giving very professor vibes with the sweater and glasses,” You point at the large frames covering his face. He snorts rolling his eyes.

“Like a professor that got his ass whooped.” He says shrugging his sling arm making you and the interviewer laugh. “Thought I was gonna miss you on the carpet until we got inside.”

“Ran into your sister and she pointed me in your direction,” You say and you see your manager pointing at her watch and you send a brief nod, “Well I better head before Paul sends a search party. Nice to meet you!” You say to the interviewer who repeats the sentiments. A quick hug from Pedro with a kiss on the cheek before waving them off.

“See you soon chiquita.”

“Bye P! I’ll see you inside!” You wave him off before you and your manager continue your trek once more inside.

“Alright you are all good on interviews and photos, I will see you after the show enjoy the night, and good luck!” Your manager says looking over her to-do list for tonight and you give a nervous smile, “You’ll be alright you win great, you don’t, no biggie you’re young and have plenty of opportunities,” She squeezes your hands. She looks a bit past you before she continues,

“I’m sure he’ll keep reminding you. You too have fun.” You feel an arm snake around your waist pulling you gently to lean against his chest, feeling your nerves slip away. Your manager waves before walking off joining Paul’s manager and you turn looking up at him already seeing the look on his face.

“I know…I know stop stressing and enjoy my night.” You roll your eyes and he hums satisfied with you already knowing what he is going to tell you.

“You love me.” He smirks taking your hand and guiding you to the line of celebrities waiting to be ushered to their seats. You scoff your words holding no weight.

“Ugh, you wish.”

It’s easy to find your seats finding yourself near actors and actresses you’ve heard of but glad to see you were put in seats near Pedro and Bella. Bella sat in the row in front of you and Paul with Pedro and Lux sitting behind you guys. The show went on accordingly with the categories going through cheering for the nominees and winners of each category. When the category for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Pedro had you and the audience in laughter.

“It’s my shoulder, not my arm and I’m here to set the record straight,” He says so plainly, “Kieran Culkin beat the shit out of me.” You almost choked on your spit at his comment your laughter only growing louder seeing Kieran’s reaction so serious before him and Pedro break with laughter as the award is presented. When the award for Best Actor in a Drama Series was announced you reached your hand back feeling Pedro’s hand grab you as each actor is called out. Cheering loudly when his name was announced with a quick snippet of his character in ‘The Last of Us’. While his name wasn’t called out you still smile squeezing his hand before clapping for Kieran Culkin who goes up to accept the award.

“Now presenting the award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, Zendaya and Jodie Foster!” The announcement comes through the speakers immediately filled with nerves feeling Paul’s hand resting on your thigh drawing circles and calming you slightly.

“And now for the nominees,” Zendaya says into the microphone and you clap as each actress is announced.

“Sarah Snook; Succession, Sharon Horgan; Bad Sisters, Melanie Lynskey; Yellowjackets, Elisabeth Moss; The Handmaid's Tale, Bella Ramsey; The Last of Us,” You clap a cheer extra loud for them and then continue calling out the nominees, “Keri Russell; The Diplomat, Y/n L/n; The Mandolrian” You hear the cheering around you as your name along with small clips of your character Tiya is shown on screen. In your peripheral, you can see the camera capture your reaction as Paul grabs your hand squeezing it. You don’t dare move your gaze from Jodie Foster and Zendaya as they speak.

“And the Emmy goes to,” You watch Jodie Foster open the card your hand probably cutting the circulation out of Paul’s hand. Zendaya smiles before she speaks.

“Y/n L/n, The Mandalorian.”

The roar of cheers from all around you as you sit there frozen for a second before it registers to you.

You won.

You stand up as the others do looking over at Paul who has the widest grin, “Holy fuck I won!” You say to him who nods enthusiastically and you can’t help but kiss him. It’s such a quick kiss but it means everything to the two of you as you pull away turn to Pedro who is cheering loudly and instantly pulling you into a hug pressing a kiss to your temple.

“I’m so proud of you!” He mumbles as you pull away Lux smiles widely at you as you quickly hug Bella who’s practically jumping with joy before finally walking down the aisle as your fellow actors applaud for you. It’s an almost out-of-body experience climbing up those steps and accepting the award from Jodie Foster and Zendaya who give you brief hugs before you stand before the microphone the heavy award in your hands.

“Hi..oh my god I didn’t plan at all what to say,” That makes the audience laugh your gaze sweeping through the crowd of people finding your group. “I want to thank my amazing team who got me this job, my friends and family back at home I love you so much, to the Mandalorian Team, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni thank you for giving me this opportunity to bring Tiya to life, there are so many people I want to thank uh Pedro,” You gaze locks with him. You already see him getting teary-eyed making your words shaky.

“I’ve worked and grown with you over five years, you’re my second dad I love you so much. I also want to thank my partner, Paul,” Your gaze moves to Paul who has the proudest look on his face and you can feel tears burning at the back of your eyes, “I love you so much, you are my rock, my best friend, I’m so grateful you are in my life I could keep rambling on until they drag me off.” That makes Paul and the crowd laugh. “Alright, I’m gonna go before I start crying.” Your voice is already shaky enough as the audience cheers hearing loud whistles from Pedro as Jodie and Zendaya guide you off. Once you disappear backstage seeing allowed paparazzi taking photos of the three of you. Your manager already backstage pulls you into a hug and you let out a shaky exhale.

“No tears or René will have my head for letting an Emmy winner ruin her makeup,” Her words make you laugh leaning your head back and blinking back tears, “Alright we’ll get some quick photos and interviews before you’ll be set to head back for the ceremony.”

It’s a blur of heading to where the other winners are to get their photos taken. You probably have the widest grin as you hold your Emmy up. The flash of cameras as they shout congratulations and where to look at. Then it was the interviews with various media outlets each hungry for the latest news of your career this Emmy win special now being the youngest female Emmy winner in your category. During a commercial break, you were ushered back to your seats a cheesy grin across your face when your friends spot your return. You’re shuffling as face as you can in your dress and heels immediately welcomed with hugs and kisses of second congratulation.

“I completely blacked out up there did I make a fool of myself?” You ask seriously making Lux and Bella laugh as you all sit down.

“Not at all. You had Pedro crying like a baby with you up there,” Bella states and you laugh leaning against Paul.

“I was not!” Pedro still red with tears defends himself and Lux shakes her head.

“It was pretty bad,” Paul says and Lux gives him a look.

“Don’t act all innocent I saw a few tears from you too mister,” She pokes his shoulder and Paul flushed with embarrassment, “I got the whole video of both of their reactions with Pedro crying and your boyfriend all teary-eyed.”

“Awww you two getting all sappy,” You tease poking your partner and making him roll his eyes, “You do love me.”

“Of course I do,” Paul scoffs looks at you and your teasing smile softens seeing the pure adoration and love in his eyes.

Bella makes a disgusted sound, “You too are so cheesy it makes me sick,” That makes you all laugh and over the speakers, it’s announced the commercial break would be ending now. As the ceremony returns with the audience applauding your hand grabs Paul giving it a squeeze that he returns.

With the awards over it was such a whirlwind of afterparties and receptions, Pedro, Lux, and Bella were going to the HBO Reception Party while you and Paul were headed to the Disney Reception Party. It was so exciting taking group photos with all the winners at the Emmys Ceremony before you all left living on that high of winning. Your thumb traces the engraving of your name on the plaque still in awe as you and Paul ride back to the hotel room.

“Congratulations!” Your teams cheer confetti bursts from party poppers as your team hollers and cheers as you and Paul enter. You smile brightly seeing some recording as you hold up your Emmy bouncing with excitement.

“I won a fucking Emmy!” You shout and your teams cheer and laugh at your very animated reaction.

“Alright!” Your manager calls out drawing all of your attention, “We got two afterparties to attend now let’s get you both all set up so you can fully enjoy your win tonight.” Both your teams quickly get to work Paul is taken to change into his after-party attire and you to change into another Alexander McQueen archival piece from the same collection. This a much shorter beautiful baby blue draped dress you wear over an ivory satin button-up jacket with a shawl collar that feels cool on your skin, paired with Givenchy ivory kitten heels. Both Elvira and René work efficiently revamping your hair and makeup when Paul comes out in his afterparty attire. It was the same outfit beside his button-down and tie replaced with a loose white scoop neckline tank showing off his collarbones. He smirks seeing you drink in his appearance from your chair as René reapplies your lipstick and he throws you a wink making you flush looking forward.

“All pretty and ready,” René puts down the setting spray looking you over with a smile.

“Thank you Elviraaaa. Thank you Renééééé.” You cheese as you stand and reapply your favorite perfume on your wrists and neck.

“We’re ready when you are, Emmy winner.” Your manager says and you check your appearance one last time in the mirror before grabbing your clutch and award.

“Ready!”

The Walt Disney Awards Party was a fun time being united with other Star Wars costars and seeing some of the other winners in other categories. Attending felt more obligational given it was the company your show was a part of it was mainly small talk and photos taken with the other winners from your network. After some time a perfectly timed call from Pedro who was heading over to the Netflix Afterparty with the others asking when Paul and you were heading over.

The van hits a pothole but that doesn’t distract the two of you preoccupied in the backseat. Thank god for the privacy divider. Paul practically devours you with his lips barely able to get a breath in. One hand is deep in the nape of his neck pulling him closer the other clutching to his bicep that is wrapped around your waist keeping you flush against him.

“You have…no idea how beautiful…you looked tonight,” Paul mutters between kisses, your award digging into your waist but you pay no mind. His other hand cups your face to pull away to catch your breath before pulling your right back in.

“Paul we’re almost there,” You try to say as he keeps kissing you only one thought on his mind.

His lips are soft and warm but fierce as he bites your lip drawing a sharp gasp and allowing him to slip his tongue inside. Your body is searing, your heartbeat in your ears letting him complete control gripping his coat tighter.

“If we didn’t have to go there are so many things I want to do to you,” His words light your body on fire a light whimper comes from the back of your throat as he pulls back letting you catch your breath. “But,” He starts pressing another kiss to your lips.

“I want you to enjoy tonight you deserve.” He pulls back looking down at your flustered appearance chuckling slightly fixing your hair slightly, “I think I took it a bit too far…” He gives a sheepish look and your jaw drops seeing the stain of your lipstick on his lips quickly whipping out your phone and seeing your smudged lips.

“Paul Colm Mic-” You start but he quickly kisses you mumbling ‘I’m sorry baby,’ and you quickly pull away opening up your clutch and pulling out travel makeup wipes and the lipstick shade, “You are so lucky you’re hot Paul,” You say using a wipe to clean his face before he takes it himself to allow you to fix your lips. He chuckles slightly at the pout as you clean yourself up and reapply your lipstick. Thank god René gave you an extra lipstick. He had to have known you’d do something stupid like makeout with your ridiculous attractive boyfriend before going to a party.

“I love you Y/n.” He says pressing a kiss with his clean lips against your temple as you give a final swipe of color to your lips. He moves to press another kiss to your lips but you swerve pressing a finger to his lips.

“Yeah no…you are like banned the entire night from kissing me and messing up my makeup more.” You see him pout and at that moment the car stops having arrived at the party.

“Seriously?” He asks and you give him a look saying ‘I’m so serious,’. He groans letting his head fall back on the headrest but quickly fixes himself as the door opens and he’s quick to plaster a forced smile as you both exit the car.

This afterparty was a lot more freeing allowing yourself to let loose, one hand was your award the other a drink as you stood beside Lux who had her drink of choice watching Paul dance with Bella twirling them around, Pedro off somewhere to mingle or getting himself into trouble. Paul catches your gaze his face reading to spare him but you only raise your glass as a toast making him throw his head back with a sigh before returning his focus to Bella.

“What’s got him looking like a dog in the doghouse,” Lux asks as you both take sips of your drinks.

“He fucking ruined my lipstick on the car ride over so he’s now banned for the rest of the night.” You explain and Lux bursts into laughter at the confession.

“The car ride over you naughty girl,” She slaps your shoulder and you flush gulping your drink and feeling the alcohol settle in your stomach.

“Chiquita!” You hear Pedro's voice call out easily spotting him as he heads over, “Look who I found!” You smile widely seeing Giancarlo Esposito following behind Pedro.

“There’s the winning lady!” Giancarlo says as he hugs you, pressing a kiss against your cheek, and you return one. “Alright, let's see it.” You smile before showing off the award, and he lets out a whistle, and Pedro gives a small whoop.

“Congratulations you deserve this with all your hard work.” He praises and you return a sincere smile from his compliment not just from a coworker but a well-esteemed actor.

“It looks like a party,” Bella says, bounding over and grabbing her drink from the hightop you all stood around. Following behind is Paul, who smiles and slides to be at your side.

“Ah, the infamous boyfriend. You know I’m basically her uncle,” Giancarlo says, shaking Paul’s hand, which makes you snort and roll your eyes.

“Real funny guys,” You say making them all laugh as Giancarlo bids goodbyes to you all. Paul’s arm is over your shoulder drawing circles into your arm while taking a sip from his drink.

With a sigh, you rest your award on the table, “God this thing is heavy as fuck. I’m supposed to carry it around all night,” You groan.

“If you’re giving it away I’ll gladly take it,” Pedro creeps towards it and you bat his hand away.

“Klepto! I don’t need you stealing more of my shit,” You point at him and he holds his uninjured hand in the air in defense.

“It was one time!” He retorts not wanting to go down this rabbit hole of a conversation again. A new song comes over the speakers making Bella perk up recognizing it.

“I love this song, who’s joining?” Bella the youngest of the group holds their hand out looking at each of you expectedly. Pedro groans grabbing his shoulder in fake pain.

“Ah my old bones can’t take a dance,” Bella rolls their eyes moving to the next person there Paul holding his hands up having already been subjected to dancing. Lux rolls her eyes finishing her drink and taking Bella’s hand who smiles widely.

“Come on leave the old men to their groveling,” She holds her hand now out to you expectedly and you chug your drink needing the liquid courage to dance will many people potentially watching you.

“You old men have fun,” The sudden rush of alcohol makes you giggle as you lean up quickly pressing a kiss to Paul. You slip away before he can deepen the kiss he’s been craving laughing as you join Bella and Lux on the dance floor. You let the young actor twirl you around having to bend slightly to turn under Bella’s arms Lux laughing recording the pair of you on her phone. The two men watch at the table where the drinks and your award are seeing the enjoyment from all of you.

“You’re good for her you know,” Pedro says suddenly making Paul look away from you dancing under the colored lights to look at the older man.

Paul shrugs at the compliment swirling his drink with a self-deprecating tone, “I try not to mess things up.”

“Mess things up? You’re perfect for her, Paul. I’ve seen her in relationships where she wasn’t happy and this is far from that. You too are honestly nauseating with how into each other you are,” Pedro groans making Paul laugh slightly both their gazes focused on the dance floor where you are. The pair cringe at your very bad dance moves but you don’t seem to care, completely focused on the music and being with Bella and Lux.

“I appreciate that Pedro,” Paul says genuinely, “She looks up to you a lot, and always finds a way to mention you somehow.” That makes Pedro chuckle slightly but feel all warm inside at the information.

“Seems like she has a habit of always talking about the men she cares for in her life,” Pedro responds, “She’s always gushing over you like some lovesick teen.”

Paul flushes at that taking a sip of his drink to quell his nerves. “I only hope I can keep making her as happy as she makes me.” There was so much he wanted to do with you in his life. Maybe a few things that still needed time but had he already pictured them yes now just waiting for the right moment. Pedro rests his hand on his shoulder giving it a comforting squeeze.

“You are,” He says before raising his drink in a toast, “To you guys and your futures together.” Paul smiles clinking his glass against Pedro’s both looking back at you cheering on Bella as they dance your gaze darts to Paul a smile naturally crawls up your face as you mouth to him, ‘I love you,’ which he responds in turn with his own.

‘I love you more,’

The night quickly wanes to a close as you bid goodbye to your friends barely stifling back a yawn the liquor tiring you out. You give Bella a big hug that they return with equal amounts.

“When you are back in New York we’ll try to meet up,” You say and they nod excitedly but still a bit tired. You then move onto Lux who hugs you pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“Bye, pretty lady.” You smile at Lux’s comment before moving over to Pedro as he easily scoops you in his free arm his warmth making your eyes droop.

“Night P, I’ll you in a few days.” You say and you hear him hum pressing a kiss to your head.

“Looking forward to whatever you have planned for SNL chiquita,” He pulls back chuckling as you blink slowly grinning.

“It’s gonna be sooooo good,” You slip into the valley girl's vocal fry making him belly laugh giving you a final hug and sending a look over at Paul who holds your award in one hand. He comes over coaxing you off Pedro as you rest against his side stifling a yawn.

“Bye, guys love you!” You give your last bits of energy as they wave you and Paul off as you head to your ride to the hotel. Your head rests in the crook of Paul’s neck during the car ride home his hand tracing circles into your scalp only making you doze off even more. Paul has to guide you through the hotel as you try waking up enough to get to your hotel room.

Once back in your room the energy from the whole day completely wipes you, standing in the middle of the room with your eyes closed. Paul laughs seeing you sleeping while standing up.

“Come on let’s get you ready for bed,” He says guiding you to the bedroom and helping you with your nighttime routine. You give him a sleepy smile as he helps from taking off your shoes to removing the pins in your hair and groaning as he massages your scalp with your hair now free from the updo. You’d fix yourself completely tomorrow with a shower letting your hair be a mess. Sitting on the bathroom counter you lean into his touch he uses a cloth with makeup remover to take off your makeup.

“You’re amazing you know that,” You mumble as he gently wipes your eyeshadow off your face his other hand holding your chin to keep you steady. He hums as he removes the last of it pressing a kiss to your tired lips.

“You can say that more often,” He smirks even in your tired state you still roll your eyes at his comment. He’s a godsent going through your nighttime skincare his hands soothing and delicate as he goes through each of your steps. Guided out of the bathroom he helps you out of your clothing with soft hands and kisses along your shoulders as he dresses you in one of his shirts and a pair of your shorts before settling you into bed. It’s almost instant as you knock out the events of the day draining and the bed quickly drawing you to sleep.

You blink open still seeing it dark from the digital clock on the nightstand reading almost four am. Rolling over to cuddle with Paul you find his side empty and cold. Sitting up vision is still blurry trying to wake up fully to find your boyfriend when you spot the curtain covering the balcony door moving slightly in the breeze.

Paul leans against the balcony railing letting the smoke rest in his lungs before slowly breathing it out, tapping away the ash from the cigarette. Despite the time the streets still seem busy the roads filled with lights of car traffic.

“You’re up late,” Your voice drifts through the night as he glances behind him seeing you stand there rubbing your bare arms from the slight chill in the air. He holds his arm out and you come over instantly feeling the warmth from him as he holds you close. It’s quiet between you two as he continues to smoke with you in his arms.

“Are you alright?” You ask looking up at him a bit of concern in your eyes that he finds comforting.

“I’m good just a few things on my mind,” He says before taking another hit letting his hand with the cig rest against the railing. He doesn’t fight you as you take it from him taking your hit and letting it rest in your lungs before blowing it out into the Los Angeles night.

“Anything I can help with,” You ask looking up at him. He can’t help the slightly anxious look to cross his features that have you perking up in concern turning to fully face him your hand holding his face, “What’s up?”

Paul lets out a shaky breath, taking the cig and getting a much-needed hit before speaking, “I’m so proud of you and I’m still so grateful to call you mine.” You smile softly at his words letting him take his time to process each thing he was to say.

“Just seeing you up there I didn’t want that high for you to ever end. I want to be there for every win, every award show, every moment,” He grabs your hand rubbing circles with his thumb a habit he’s done often.

“I want to be there for you too,” You respond honestly and he smiles at that.

“I love you,” He blurts the phrase familiar but with such a heavy meaning, “So much, probably more than I should or more than you do.” You give him a look at his words.

“Anyways I know we haven’t been together long and I was gonna ask when we were,” His words start making you anxious about what he’s trying to say.

“I was wondering well wanting..” He stumbles over his words cursing his inability to just speak.

“You’re making me nervous Paul,” You can’t help but laugh nervously, “Just tell me.”

“Will you move in with me?” He catches you off guard as you both stand in silence taking in his words.

“Move in with you…” Paul can’t help but anxiously nod but you have a small smile growing on your face.

His cheeks flushed. “Yeah. I know it’s… a lot. But I love being with you, Y/n. Every minute. And I can’t imagine not waking up next to you every morning.”

You kiss him and he eagerly accepts feeling his nerves slip away his hand cupping your face as you pour your love and all your feelings into it. You pull back still close the smoky taste and lingering alcohol on the both of you.

“I’d love to move in with you.” You smile widely and he can’t help but kiss you again with a promise of forever between you too, “Where’d we live?” You’re mind already running off what’d you both do, how’d you live together, what it would look like?

“We’ll figure that all out as long as I’m with you.” He says and your heart bursts with joy wrapping your arms tightly around his shoulder the cigarette long forgotten and burnt out. The only focus was on each other and your plans for the future together.

#paul mescal #paul mescal x y/n #paul mescal x reader #paul mescal fanfic #gladiator ii #gladiator 2 #gladiator movie #lucius verus #lucius versus x reader

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ginxyy · 2 days ago

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Midnight glow

The warm hum of conversation filled the room, punctuated by the occasional burst of laughter or the clink of glasses. The New Year’s Eve party was intimate, a mix of close friends and acquaintances who gathered to celebrate the turning of the year in a cozy apartment high above the city. Twinkling string lights adorned the walls, and the skyline outside the window sparkled like a galaxy brought to life.

S.Coups—or Seungcheol, as you knew him now—stood near the makeshift bar, chatting animatedly with Joshua. He wasn’t in stage mode tonight. There were no cameras, no performances, just him. Casual, approachable, and radiating a kind of warmth that made it hard not to gravitate toward him.

You watched him out of the corner of your eye, a glass of champagne in your hand. He had always been charming, but tonight, something about him seemed even more magnetic. Maybe it was the way he threw his head back when he laughed or the way his sleeves were rolled up just enough to show his strong forearms.

“Staring much?” a voice teased beside you. It was Seungkwan, wearing a mischievous grin.

“I’m not—” you started, but he raised a hand, cutting you off.

“Relax, I’m only kidding. But you should go talk to him. He hasn’t stopped looking over here.”

Your heart stuttered at his words, and you turned your head just enough to catch Seungcheol’s eyes flicker to you before he looked away, pretending to listen to Joshua again.

Seungkwan nudged you. “See?”

With a deep breath, you set your glass down and crossed the room. As you approached, Joshua stepped aside with a knowing smile, leaving you alone with Seungcheol.

“Hey,” you said, suddenly feeling shy under his steady gaze.

“Hey.” His lips curved into a small smile. “Having fun?”

“Yeah, it’s a great party,” you replied, glancing around. “It’s nice to see you like this. Relaxed.”

He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I guess I’m not always like this, huh? It’s a nice change from the usual chaos.”

You both fell into an easy conversation, talking about everything and nothing. The minutes slipped by unnoticed as the party buzzed around you. With each word, you felt the wall of formality that came with his fame crumble. He wasn’t just S.Coups, the leader of SEVENTEEN; he was Seungcheol, a man who smiled easily and listened intently.

As the countdown to midnight approached, the atmosphere shifted. People began gathering near the large windows to watch the fireworks, couples holding hands and friends laughing as they prepared to ring in the new year.

Seungcheol looked at you, his expression unreadable. “Want to go somewhere quieter?”

“Sure.”

He led you to the balcony, where the city stretched out in a glittering expanse. The cold air nipped at your cheeks, but it was refreshing after the warmth of the crowded apartment. Seungcheol shrugged off his jacket and draped it over your shoulders without a word, the scent of his cologne wrapping around you like a hug.

“Thanks,” you said softly, pulling the jacket tighter around yourself.

He leaned against the railing, his hands in his pockets. “I’ve been meaning to tell you something tonight.”

You tilted your head, curiosity bubbling. “What is it?”

He hesitated, his eyes searching yours as if trying to find the right words. “This past year has been crazy. With work, touring, and everything else, it’s easy to get caught up in it all. But whenever I saw you—whether it was at a concert or just hanging out—I felt grounded. Like I could breathe again.”

Your heart raced as he spoke, the sincerity in his voice making it hard to look away.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is…” He trailed off, looking down briefly before meeting your gaze again. “You mean a lot to me. More than I’ve probably let on.”

Before you could respond, the sound of the countdown reached your ears.

“Ten… Nine…”

Seungcheol straightened, his eyes never leaving yours. The world around you seemed to blur, the voices of the partygoers fading into the background.

“Eight… Seven…”

The air between you crackled with anticipation.

“Six… Five…”

“Can I?” he asked softly, his voice barely audible over the noise.

“Four… Three…”

You nodded, a smile tugging at your lips.

“Two… One…”

As the clock struck midnight and the city erupted into fireworks, Seungcheol closed the distance between you, his lips capturing yours in a kiss that was both tender and passionate. His hands cupped your face, holding you as if you were the only thing that mattered in that moment.

When he pulled back, his forehead rested against yours, a soft laugh escaping his lips. “Happy New Year.”

You smiled, your heart full. “Happy New Year, Seungcheol.”

The fireworks lit up the sky, but neither of you noticed. All that mattered was the warmth of his arms around you and the promise of what the new year might bring.

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the-witty-pen-name · 2 days ago

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Video Girl

Modern AU

Rockstar!Eddie Munson x Youtuber!F!Reader

Summary: Eddie stumbled across your YouTube channel when you posted a review about Corroded Coffin’s newest album. Now, he’s binged all your videos and your channel has become his “comfort channel” that he has on all the time while he’s feeling lonely on tour. When they’re invited to perform at a convention he wonders if he’ll finally get the chance to meet you.

Word Count: 7.5k

Warnings: pining; fluff; angst; cyber-bulling/mean comments directed towards reader; kissing; slowish burn; eddie absolutely down bad; substance use; cursing

A/N: he convention is essentially VidCon- I’ve never been to VidCon or any other type of convention before. I have no idea what I’m really talking about but this is like my best guess as an outsider as to how conventions like these may look? Sorry in advance. I really loved the idea of the reader being a content creator but I don’t know the details on how being a creator at a con would work haha I did my best.

Eddie falls asleep every night to the sound of your voice.

When the tour bus is driving overnight as they head to the next city, he rests his phone on the wall of his bunk, watching YouTube videos with the volume low as he tries to drift off. One of your videos had played as a recommendation automatically and he was too tired to turn off his phone. He laid on his stomach, too tired to move but still not fully asleep.

“Hey everyone,” you smiled, offering a wave to your video's viewers. “I’m really excited for this video- it’s been literally requested non-stop since my last Corroded Coffin video-”

The mention of the band, makes his ears perk and he opens his eyes again- suddenly not as tired as he just was a second ago. You’re holding up a copy of the band’s newest vinyl and talking about how this video will be your live reaction to listening to it for the first time.

Eddie usually doesn’t watch or pay attention to reviewers- he doesn’t really care for typical critics. However, he just ended up watching it. He smiles to himself as you excitedly tear the plastic to open your vinyl, and you show your viewers a tour of the record sleeve, the photos inside, everything visual. You beam excitedly at the included square posters and the book with the lyrics. You hold up one of the posters.

“Literally the hottest guy I think I’ve ever seen,” You smile bashfully, the poster showing Eddie playing his guitar at one of their shows. Eddie can’t help but blush. “You guys already know, Eddie Munson is my celebrity crush- has been for like years… ever since the EP came out like what? 6 years ago? He’s gorgeous. Anyways…” You get back on topic, focusing on talking about the visuals and the album's concepts. You provide your own opinions and interpretations and Eddie can’t help but just really appreciate how much you appreciate all of the effort the band put into every aspect of the album.

Eddie can’t help as his whole chest swells with pride with each of your reactions. You practically jump out of your seat with excitement at the riffs, the way you head bang to the drum solos, the way you pause and take your time to absorb lyrics. It’s so endearing. He’s smiling to himself as you go on excitedly.

From that moment, he watched everything you posted. Your channel was a bit eclectic- album reviews, gaming, vlogs… he watched everything. Your vlogs were probably his favorite. When he’s in his bunk winding down, it kind of feels like being on FaceTime with a friend. He loves watching just the normalcy of your life compared to his. Sometimes, his heart aches for simplicity like that. He can picture himself there, sitting with you in your car after you went through the drive through, taking you to the bookstore, helping you cook. He wishes he could have something like that.

“Holy shit guys,” you smile, you cover your face with your free hand while you hold your phone. Using his burner account, Eddie is watching your most recent TikTok that’s been reposted to your Instagram story. You show a paparazzi photo that’s been taken of Eddie recently, you zoom in and show that under his flannel and his jacket, he’s wearing your merch. “Eddie Fucking Munson is wearing my merch! My merch! Shit, this can’t be real. That’s my shirt!”

Eddie recognizes where that photo was taken almost immediately. He’s walking out of the hotel they stayed in last weekend after their shows in Toronto. He and the other guys were leaving out the back entrance, thinking they’d be safe from view. Of course, there was a pap with a long lens.

He’d been up all night, and he looked like it. His hair was even more unruly than usual, he was sporting dark under eyes, and he was wearing the clothes he went to bed in- old sweats and your shirt. He was embarrassed to have a photo of him like that circling around the internet. No matter how often it happens, he can never get used to it. It always sucks.

But right now, you are so happy and it’s all Eddie can focus on. You’re smiling so wide, and he’s the reason for it. Your eyes are big with excitement and it’s like your joy is jumping off his phone screen directly into his chest. He couldn’t even care less about the picture now, or how he looks. It doesn’t matter. He’s just happy watching you be happy. All of his initial worries just melt away as you talk to the camera.

“I can’t even wrap my head around that one- Eddie Munson knows I exist. And two, he’s watched my videos? Jesus Christ, I don’t know if I’m more excited or embarrassed,” you flush. Eddie chuckles. He likes the story and puts his phone down so he can focus. Later on, the same warm feelings bubble up again when he sees that you tweeted that since that photo began to circulate, you’ve gained thousands of new followers and that your tshirt completely sold out on your site. You tweet at him directly thanking him. He screenshots it.

Eddie originally wasn’t thrilled about the band going to perform at a convention right in the middle of their break on the tour. A beautiful month of doing nothing now suddenly interrupted. However, when you post that you’re going- he doesn’t mind so much anymore.

Apprehension clouds his mind once he starts to think about it too much. You’ll probably think he’s a freak- some creepy stalker if he ever admits to you how much he watches your content. Despite you saying many times that he’s your celebrity crush, he can’t imagine living up to any sort of idea of him that you have in your head. He’ll fall short, you’ll reject him, and he’ll never be able to live it down. It’ll break him.

You’re a nervous wreck as you look over the schedule- your eyes narrowing on the line-up of live performances. How in the hell did the convention center manage to book Corroded Coffin? You haven’t been able to think about anything except Eddie Munson since your friend had sent you that photo. Your mind races with questions. You want to know how many videos he’s seen- has he seen the ones where you essentially make a fool of yourself talking about him? Does he even know who you are or is it someone else’s shirt? Is he a subscriber? You can’t even fathom that you exist in the timeline where one of the biggest stars on the rise in some capacity knew of your existence.You can’t even think straight.

Fans are screaming outside the convention center as the band arrives in a large black SUV. Eddie’s palms are sweating, and he is more nervous than he thought he’d be. The anxious feeling he’s experiencing has nothing to do with the crowd, the cameras, the performance- it’s all because of you. Looking at the building they will shortly be escorted into, all he can think about is how you’re here- after the months of pining from behind the security of his phone, he’s going to be at the same place as you. He can’t let the opportunity to meet you pass him by.

Jeff and Gareth shove him to pay attention when he doesn’t look up from his phone when the car finally stops. They exchange a knowing look that Eddie deos his best to ignore. He got wrapped up in photos of you- watching your story as you post selfies with your friends as you’re walking around the convention center. Your smile is infectious to him. He resolved a while ago it was the prettiest he’s ever seen, coming to terms with the fact that he's helplessly smitten. He tucks his phone securely into the pocket of his jeans, and follows quickly behind his bandmates as they are ushered into the building safely.

“Corroded Coffin just got here,” your friend squeals, as she shows you a livestream someone is taking from outside. You watch Eddie on the screen as he quickly walks into the building. He’s wearing the goddamn shirt again. Your face feels overwhelmingly hot as this begins to feel all too real. He waves to fans with a goofy, wide smile- sticking out his tongue and throwing up the devil’s horns with one of his hands. You watch his laughter and it makes your heart ache.

He looks good. You’d think he’d look silly with the pink shirt but he looks so undeniably hot. He’s wearing black ripped jeans, heavy boots, and your baby pink shirt with the sleeves cuffed accentuating his tattoos. Your channel’s name is splayed across the expanse of his chest and you swear you short circuit. It’s only then that you fully allow yourself to admit that Eddie Munson not only knows that you exist- and he’s a fan.

Your friends chatter excitedly, freaking out about the situation- because duh. Who wouldn’t be? You can’t even think because your heart is beating so incredibly loud and fast, and adrenaline is making your head throb. It’s a sensory overload, and you feel like you can’t wrap your head around it. You physically shake your head to try to subside the feeling. You needed to be on- you had to finish setting up your booth, be ready to meet people who subscribed to you. You couldn’t let yourself get bogged down by this, at least not yet.

You hurried to get your table ready- tablecloth with your logo displayed on the front, merch folded into neat piles, your business cards in a small tray. Your channel name was displayed on a banner behind you that you had made to match. Your friends helped you set up the portable POS system as you set up a rack that you filled with your stickers. You didn’t really care if people bought anything, you were just excited to meet the people you’ve interacted with online since you started your channel.

Understandably, a lot of people who approached your table immediately started asking you about Eddie. It was a lot of the same questions over and over but you didn’t mind that so much. They all had asked the same things you had been asking yourself- and you wanted to know the answers as badly as they seemed to.

“No, no. I haven’t met him.”

“No, I didn’t know he watched my videos.”

“Yeah, it’s really crazy.”

“No, I didn’t send PR.”

“Yeah, no. I didn’t pay him to wear it.”

Eddie anxiously shook his leg, trying to figure out if he could sneak away. Unfortunately, most instances- it feels like his time isn’t his own. He wishes he could just walk around with Jeff and Gareth, but there’s no way to safely do that. Everything needs to be planned out, timed out and they always need security. He doesn’t want to complain- it’s that everything needs to be a thing. He can’t just go up and talk to a girl. He needs to tell his security, who also needs to coordinate with the building security. It needs to be added to the timeline of the day. Before he knows it, there’s like fifteen moving pieces that need to be put in place so he can walk up to you.

He knows it’s easier to just ask for you to be brought to him. He feels like that’s cheating. He’s the fan- he’s the one wanting the experience of meeting you. It makes him feel icky- sending buff intimidating security guys to ask you to follow them blindly- taking you away from the fun and people just so he can say hello? Makes him feel like he’d look like a douchebag. He understands it needs to be you in your world- he doesn’t want you to be the one who feels out of place. But then on the other hand, he’s drawing all this attention towards him and inadvertently to you if he does this. He worries about the scene he’s inevitably going to cause and he hopes you don’t resent him for it.

It’s towards the end of day one. Most attendees are making their way over to the auditorium for some of the other live performances. Since Eddie figured most people would be heading to that while the vendors were getting ready to partially break down their booths, it might be the perfect time to walk around. It ended up working out more perfectly than Eddie would have hoped.

Jeff and Gareth wanted to check out the other acts that were performing, so they went to go watch the concert. Eddie was able to walk around the near empty convention halls with his head of security following a couple of steps behind. He can see you in the distance. He feels warmth bubble up as he just observes your actions briefly from a short distance.

You’re packing up your merchandise and putting them into boxes, tucking them under your table to keep it out of the way until tomorrow. Three teenage girls cautiously approach you and you immediately stop everything to offer each of them a hug. You smile and chat with them- taking your time to ask them questions and thank them for talking to you. You ask them if you can take a picture with them and they nod enthusiastically. You wrap your arms around them like you’ve known them forever as your friend offers to take the picture. You hug them all again, sincerely thanking them for coming over to talk to you.

Without needing him to ask, his security lets him approach you on his own. He stands far enough back that Eddie can feel independent but still close enough he can jump in if he needs to interfere. Eddie’s been racking his brain all day for the best thing to say to you when he finally gets to meet you. Of course, he has nothing. He’s so nervous and he’s praying to God that you won’t be able to tell.

“Hey,” he says shyly as he approaches. He walks with his hands stuffed in his back pockets.

Your eyes widen in surprise, though you guess you shouldn’t be that surprised. You try your best to play it cool, but you're not sure you’re pulling it off well at all.

“Nice shirt,” you comment, with a smile.

“I’m Eddie,” he introduces himself. He’s so shy, not at all like how you'd expect him to be. You can’t help but find it endearing. You introduce yourself too.

“I, uh, I just wanted to tell you that I love you videos,” he compliments bashfully. “I think I’ve seen them all- I’m a big fan.”

“Thank you- um, same. I mean, I’m a big fan of yours too. Not of myself, obviously,” you ramble, “Your music! Not videos, but yes- I also love your music videos…”

“Thanks,” he replies, and you’re relieved to be cut off before you embarrass yourself further. “Listen, um, I wanted to ask- could we get a picture together?”

You straighten your posture and nod enthusiastically. “Oh, yeah- of course,” you reply. You go to smooth out your hair, and tug at the hem of your shirt.

“You look great,” he insists and you feel flush at his compliments. You feel giddy, as he casually wraps his arm around your shoulders. He holds up his phone, making sure you're both in frame. You both smile and he snaps a picture of the two of you.

“Do- do you mind sending it to me?” You ask.

“Here,” he offers his phone to you, “Do you want to just send it to yourself?” You’re stunned. He’s trusting you with his phone? You text the selfie to yourself, and hand it back.

“Thanks,” you smile.

“Are you going to the concert?” He asks, “I was going to meet Jeff and Gareth… do you want to come with me?”

“My friends are waiting for me..,” you say, and you’re a little disappointed to have to say no to him. “We’re supposed to meet up there actually.”

“Well, you can just have them meet us at the box if you want,” he shrugs nonchalantly. He hears his security sigh but he couldn’t care less.

“If that won’t be too much trouble,” you insist. He shrugs it off.

“Nah, don’t even worry about it,” he’s doing his best to be nonchalant. “What do you think?” He asks hopefully.

“Yeah! I’ll text them, they’ll freak out,” you smile. You lean over to the security guy. “In like a normal way, they are harmless. The worst thing they’ll be is maybe loud. I swear.”

The man offers a closed lip smile and nods.

***

“It was just hanging out,” Eddie argues exhausted. He slumped in his seat and crossed his arms. The band’s publicist scoffs, pushing her phone across the table.

“No, it’s not,” she chastises, “first, you wear the shirt. The pink tshirt was great- did wonderful; the public really liked it. But, then you wear this shirt again at a public event where it was confirmed this person would be in attendance. Then, you’re photographed with this girl and you didn’t think there’d be speculation? You’ve essentially confirmed a relationship.”

“Wearing a fucking tshirt and posting a selfie confirms a relationship?” He retorts.

“Not in normal circumstances, but you already know that there’s never normal circumstances.”

“We’re not together.”

“Eddie, this isn’t about lecturing you. Stop acting like a spoiled little kid. This isn’t about you- this is about everything you’ve built and accomplished; your band mates and their careers. It’s about all the people you employ. You can sit here and act like your actions don’t have consequences- and this isn’t about whether or not she’s a good person, or if you are or aren’t dating- it’s about thinking about the impact you have and why it’s so important to think about and plan these things.”

“Literally no one would have anything to worry about. Her reputation is spotless, she does charity fundraisers, she makes YouTube videos about Stardew Valley for Christsake.”

“This time? Sure, but this isn’t the first time you’ve been reckless Eddie. You can’t deny you’ve done worse- this is just the newest thing.”

“Jesus…”

“It’s better for optics when the three of you appear single.”

“What the hell? We aren’t even dating! We hung out once.”

“Eddie…”

“You’re telling me that people lose their jobs and no one buys our albums if I go out on a date?”

“It’s gradual Eddie.. have you even given any thought on how this is going to affect her? The microscope you put her under? The swarm of crazed fans, angry and jealous and spiteful that it’s not them… you’ve sent the poor girl out to slaughter.”

He recoils, shrinking further into the chair. Had it been that selfish and thoughtless? He didn’t imagine anything this upsetting could happen. He does feel like shit now- he didn’t think about how this attention would affect you. Maybe he had been blinded by his own infatuation. It’s not fair to you. He wanted to see you again, but maybe now he thinks he shouldn’t. You were so sweet, he thinks back on that day. He couldn’t imagine anyone hating you, or wanting to inflict that kind of pain his publicist is talking about.

He looks at the pictures she’s trying to show him. The both of you chatting near her table- obviously taken from a distance and zoomed in. He’s blushing looking at you- of course he was. You’re both smiling, looking at each other and not paying attention to anything else. Then, photos taken of the concert. Sitting next to each other, legs brushed up against each other as you chat- completely ignoring the show. He’s leaning in close so he can hear you speak. Then, you’re standing next to each other, cheering and clapping for the performance. Well, more so that you’re applauding the artist, and Eddie is standing next to you- looking at you like a lovesick idiot. It’s painfully obvious that he’s into you. Now, he’s more worried if you picked up on that than anything else. And if he wasn’t anymore obvious in his body language, just to really drive the point home- he was wearing the pink t-shirt on top of everything else.

“This is just the one post ET made about it,” she says, opening the comment section for him. “Look at the comments- this was posted an hour ago.”

He can do much better kind of sad actually

Mid

She is so annoying

They both make me sick

She’s not even that pretty

Who even is she gross

Why is she even there

It's obvious she’s just using him to grow her channel

Eddie blink twice if you need help

Clout chaser

Hundreds of comments like that kept pouring in. Of course, for every negative comment there were hundreds of positive- but Eddie couldn’t help but focus on the hateful things people were saying about you. He wanted to reply to every one of them and defend you. Who were these faceless, nameless assholes with nothing better to do?

***

You had posted a vlog about your experience at the convention- completely leaving Eddie or anything Corroded Coffin out. You shared videos of you meeting subscribers, and you meeting your favorite creators. You shared fun videos of your friends and you trying the convention center food. However, as you should’ve expected, all of the comments were about Eddie. On your little corner of the internet, your following was overwhelmingly positive and supportive. Occasionally, you saw a comment that was obviously left by someone who sought out your channel after the pictures were posted- but otherwise, you were fine.

You figured you’d be better off not to go looking for the negativity because you knew for sure you’d find it. Blocking and deleting is very easy to do, you decided a long time ago when you started your channel. You’re used to the occasional hate comment, and you haven’t checked your social media notifications on other platforms in so long. You were impressing yourself with how you’d handled the situation honestly. You figured you’d just stay offline for a few days and everything would mellow and go back to normal. You grossly underestimated the persistent attention that would soon hit you.

When you tried to live stream for your most recent let’s play, you ended up deciding to end the stream way earlier than you usually would. You anticipated people joining to ask about Eddie or ask about the photos, but you underestimated the influx of viewers you’d receive. Your moderators weren’t able to keep up and the stream was completely overrun with spam comments and hate. You usually stream for a few hours but this happened about a half an hour into your live, and you decided to shut it down. You needed to regroup. You were startled- it was unexpected to say the least. You weren’t sure where to go from here. Almost immediately after you ended the live stream, you got a text.

You okay?

Eddie had been watching?

Yeah, I’m okay. That was just a lot. I didn’t know what to do.

I’m sorry. It’s my fault.

Nothing is your fault. You don’t need to apologize. I appreciate you checking in.

Of course sweetheart

Sweetheart? You could squeal- just collapse on your bed and kick your feet. You wanted to just scream into your pillow. It was like that one text canceled out all the bullshit you just had to deal with. Thousands of people can comment that they hate you all day long, but you are the one he’s texting. You're the one he just called sweetheart.

While you’re trying to decide how to respond, your phone begins to vibrate. He’s calling you. Your heart leaps and your stomach excitedly ties itself in knots. You hadn’t spoken to him since a couple of weeks ago at the convention. You gathered the courage to answer right before the call would get sent to voicemail.

“Hey,” you answer, trying to sound casual.

“Hey,” he replies.

Eddie’s on the tour bus- he’s in another time zone that’s a few hours ahead of yours. He can hear Jeff snoring in the bunk under his and he’s sure Gareth must also be asleep. He pulled the draw curtain to muffle his talking, but he still wants to keep his voice down.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” He asked. “How are you holding up?” He winces. He hates that this is a thing. He resents that something like this would happen to you and he feels incredibly guilty. He did this to you, and you never asked for it.

“I’m good- really,” you insist. “I’m just logging off. I think I just want to deal with it all tomorrow.”

“I wanted to call you way sooner than this,” he admits, scratching the back of his neck nervously before he starts to lay down. “I’m sorry I didn’t- I really wanted to, but I don’t know- I sort of convinced myself you’d want nothing to do with me after all of this press and attention.”

“I do feel like I’m under a microscope a little bit,” you giggle, “But that has nothing to do with you. I was hoping you’d call. I’m glad you did.”

“Our publicist isn’t too happy with me,” he explains. “Nothing to do with you-” he quickly makes sure to explain, “She just likes to plan out everything and she gets mad when I go rogue.”

“So it was a publicity stunt?” You gasp, faking shock. “I’m kidding,” you reassure him and you smile when you hear him laugh.

“Trust me, it was the complete opposite,” he reiterates. “Listen,” he takes a deep breath, “I really want to see you again.”

“I’d really like that.”

“Good,” he replies, and he punches the air victoriously for no one but himself. “What are you doing next weekend?”

“I’m not doing anything,” you say teasingly, “but aren’t you playing like back to back shows in Indianapolis?”

“Fly out and meet me,” he proposes, “Come to a show and we can hang out after. We’re playing Thursday, Friday, Saturday- come to the Saturday show. Bring your friends if you want- there’s probably going to be an afterparty of some sort. Be my date. If you still can tolerate me after that, we can hang out on Sunday and do the whole like real date thing- I know this great breakfast place…”

You bite your lip, of course you want to say yes. What girl wouldn’t? The guy whose poster is literally on your wall is calling you and wanting to whisk you away for a weekend.

“Are you okay being seen with me?” you ask hesitantly, “Are we adding fuel to the fire, if we do this?”

“I guess so,” Eddie sighs, “but to be entirely honest- I don’t give a shit at all what people are going to say. I just care about you- I want to get to know you and see where this goes. That’s all that matters.”

“I’ve liked you for a really long time,” he goes on to confess, “Listen, I’ve had like a really stupidly big embarrassing crush on you since like the first time I saw one of your videos. I don’t need any convincing- I know I want this. But like weird parasocial, celebrity crush feelings aside, I started to like you even more after I met you. To me, seeing if this goes anywhere is worth it. I don’t mind putting up with the attention if I get to spend more time with you.”

“But,” he continues, “I know it’s asking a lot of you- and I know this isn’t easy. And you have to deal with so much added pressure. I fully signed up for the paparazzi and the crazy fans, it comes with doing what I love. I signed on that dotted line a while ago. I gave up my privacy and my anonymity, you know? You don’t have to be a part of that- it’s too much of me to ask of anyone.”

“Can I think about it?” You ask and you bite your lip.

“Of course, sweetheart,” he reassures you, and you're so happy to hear he doesn’t sound upset or disappointed. You can tell he’s being genuine at putting your comfort first. “Here’s what I’m gonna do, text me your email if you’re okay with that- I’ll send you the plane tickets.”

“I can-”

“Nope. It’s my insane idea for a first date- I’m asking you out, so I pay,” he insists. “Look, if you decide not to use them, I’ll make sure it’s taken care of. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of everything. Please don’t feel like you have to use them, I know this is a big ask. It’s ridiculous. But I think you’re worth it.”

“I will think about it,” you say sincerely, “I don’t want to rush into anything. I just need a bit of time.”

“You can have all the time you need, sweetheart. I’m not going anywhere until you say the word.”

***

Eddie has resolved that you aren’t coming to the show tonight. He hasn’t heard from you since that phone call, and he’s realized he probably scared you away. He knows he can be dramatic, and he falls into things too quickly, and he’s convinced he’s ruined his chances with you. He’s heartbroken.

But the show must go on.

Despite feeling completely devastated, he still gives the show his all. No one would tell he was going through something to look at him. He was giving all his energy, giving the crowd back exactly what they were giving him. He could do it.

You kept telling yourself over and over again to just play it cool. You tried not to lose it in the back of the Uber in bumper to bumper traffic. You watched the numbers crawl by minute by minute on your phone, knowing which song in the setlist you were missing next. You worried when the venue security questioned the legitimacy of your passes, questioning you until you felt dizzy. You finally made it as the band was finishing up one of your favorites. So relieved you made it before the end, you couldn’t find it in you to care that you missed it. You hung back, and followed the instructions of the tech crew carefully so you wouldn’t be in the way. You let yourself take a deep breath. You made it.

“Miss, do you mind waiting in the dressing room after this song?” Someone asked you, “The show’s finale has some flames and other large visual effects. It’s a liability to have you back here.”

Understanding, you nod and you promise to make your way there. As the song finished up, another crew member found you and brought you to a security guard, who then escorted you to a room with “TALENT” marked in bold on the door- a piece of plain paper with CORRODED COFFIN taped underneath. He held the door open for you and you thanked him, walking inside.

You felt very out of place, amongst Eddie, Gareth and Jeff’s things without them there. You were apprehensive and took a few minutes to find a space where you felt comfortable. Obviously, they weren’t expecting anyone. Clothes were strewn about haphazardly, stage makeup still left open and messy on the rooms vanity, their duffel bags thrown messily on the floor. It felt like a piece of their world you weren’t supposed to see. A TV mounted to the wall was playing the show, so you took a seat on the uncomfortable couch and watched the rest of the concert.

You tried to practice how you’d be sitting when Eddie walked in. You didn’t want to be slouched but you also didn’t want to look too forced. You opted to just sit with your legs crossed- casual but not too casual that you felt frumpy.

For their final exit, the band was lowered under the stage. Crawling out from underneath the mechanics, Eddie hoped maybe he’d see you there waiting for him. His face fell after the high of being on stage when he realized he got his hopes up again. Jeff patted him on the back, not needing to even ask to know why Eddie was clearly upset.

“Come on,” Gareth said encouragingly, passing him a bottle of water. Eddie nods his head as a thank you, and the three of them begin to make their way back to the dressing room, thanking staff for helping as they see them.

When Jeff is the first one in the door, he offers you a wide, knowing smile. You move to stand up and say hello when Eddie sees you.

“You’re here,” he marvels.

“I’m sorry I was late,” you apologize, “I was stuck in the traffic outside forever and then when I got here they asked me to wait here-”

Eddie strides over and envelops you into a crushing hug. You were tense but your body immediately relaxed. You hug him back, not caring about how sweaty he is from just being on stage.

“I’m happy you’re here,” he mumbles into your hair before pulling away.

“Me too,” you agree.

“I wasn’t sure if you were coming,” he whispers, afraid the guys would hear and make fun of him for sounding so desperate.

“Me either,” you giggle. It makes him smile again. His grin expands from ear to ear and all of a sudden, every little sadness he felt all night just evaporated.

“We’re going to the wrap party,” Jeff interjects, pushing Gareth out the door with him. “We’ll see you guys over there.”

“Wrap party?” You ask, intrigued.

“Yeah, like the crew and everyone at this like after party thing,” he explains. “Should be kinda cool if you want to check it out.”

“I’d like that.”

***

The music is blaring; the bass pulsing throughout your entire body and it makes your ears feel like they’d pop. Hundreds of people were crammed up against one another, and the smoke from a variety of substances wafted throughout the bar. Eddie held your hand, helping guide you through the hoards of people. He offered a head nod to people as you both passed- no one would hear him talk anyways.

You travel up a few mezzanine levels until you’re both further away from the chaos. You can look down and see the crowded dance floor, but you are much more content with this calmer atmosphere. Leather couches and coffee tables adorn this floor of the club. Another bar is situated in the corner, with a line much, much shorter than the ones downstairs. You start to realize this is some sort of private area or VIP lounge of some kind. You see security positioned in all corners as the guard which led you and Eddie here takes his new position against the wall near the bar.

“This is pretty much all crew, producers, management people, friends,” Eddie explains, “Just people who are close to us, you know?”

You spot Jeff and Gareth on one of the couches, in the midst of a heated discussion with another person you don’t recognize. Gareth almost spills his drink as he’s frantically using his hands to make a point, while Jeff is sitting with his back to him- talking to a girl who is seated on the arm of the couch.

“MUNSON!” A voice booms over the chatter. Eddie looks to the direction of the voice. You watch his eyes light up, unapologetically happy. He drops your hand and you see him bolt to the person.

“Harrington, you motherfucker!” Eddie exclaims, pulling the other guy into a big hug. “Shit,” he pulls away quickly, and returns back to you. With his hand on your back, he gently guides you over to the spot of the reunion. “Steve Harrington,” he introduces. Steve shakes your hand as you introduce yourself, and he smirks as he glances between you and Eddie.

Eventually, Eddie introduces you to all of his hometown friends. They all attended the show- drove up from Eddie’s hometown to surprise him. Despite catching up with old friends, Eddie was so attentive to make sure you still felt included. He went out of his way to make sure you were introduced to everyone, and he bragged on your behalf about the success of your channel to everyone. He also made sure to fill you in if you got lost in the conversations. He’d explain the context of the inside jokes, tell you the bigger story that an anecdote was from… everything to pull you into his world, his real world.

“We should get out of here and go to The Hideout,” Gareth said, “For old times sake.”

“I’m not abandoning top shelf shit for the skunky beer at The Hideout,” Steve scrunched his nose in disgust.

“What’s The Hideout?” you ask Eddie as the group debates the next move.

“A really, really, really shitty bar back home,” he whispers close to your ear. “It was where we used to play when we were just starting. It was actually awful,” he chuckles, reminiscing. “We’d play to practically no one on Tuesday nights at like 11pm.”

“You had the time of your life didn’t you?” you smile, knowingly. He nodded.

“Yeah, it was pretty fucking awesome,” he admits.

“Fine, not tonight,” Gareth concedes finally, “but we gotta get back there at some point.”

“So,” Nancy says, changing the subject and turning to you. “Eddie didn’t tell us he had a girlfriend. We all had to find out on TMZ like the rest of the world. When did you guys meet?”

“Oh, um,” you begin, but Eddie places his arm around your shoulders.

“This is our first date, actually,” he interjects, confidently. “So none of you assholes can say anything to make me look bad. I’m trying to impress her.”

You bite your lip to hold back a smile.

“So the whole t-shirt thing?” Nancy asks, directing her question to Eddie.

“My way of just trying to get her attention I guess,” he admits with a shrug, “Not that first picture though- I looked terrible. The second time though? Yeah, that was totally on purpose.”

Your face felt like it was on fire- you were overwhelmed with the way Eddie was so nonchalant. He was so honest, unabashedly so, with the way he spoke about his interest in you. You’d never experienced that type of attention, you didn’t know how to handle it. You don’t know how to play this game when he’s just put all his cards out on the table. There’s no guessing, no implications, no mind games- he just likes you. For the first time, in the craziest of circumstances, something you always found complicated is finally simple.

He liked you. He pursued you. He got you.

The drinks and the conversation continue to flow with ease. Eddie enjoyed sitting back and watching you fit in with his life. He loves the way it’s all just making sense. It’s like you’ve known his friends for years. You fit perfectly amongst them, and he just can’t help himself as he just admires you. He’s finding it so hard to play it cool, but he just wants to skip ahead to where this is routine. He wants you here, learning this side of him- engrossing yourself into his world. It just clicks and to him, it just all makes sense.

When Jeff Gareth and him are inevitably pulled away to greet and talk with other people, he can’t help but keep checking back on you. He didn’t want to abandon you. He didn’t want to engage with anyone else here outside of the little circle he reluctantly had to leave. He should be paying attention to the names of these suits he’s meeting, but his mind is too preoccupied. He wants to just rush back to you, and intercept any embarrassing things he knows his friends are telling you.

“I think you and Eddie seem really great together,” Steve discloses to you when the rest of the group is caught up in their own conversations. “He wears his heart on his sleeve,” Steve explains, “He’s not like how the tabloids and the news make him out to be. He’s always been misunderstood. I just uh- wanted to let you know that. He doesn’t do this, ever.”

Steve goes on to explain, “He’ll kill me for telling you this. But I haven’t heard Eddie talk about a girl since the whole band thing took off. You’d think he’d be like running wild and like getting all these girls- hell, that would be me. He’s very selective on who he invites in; he wouldn’t be doing all of this if he didn’t want this to go somewhere like for you two.”

“I can tell he really likes you,” Steve continues, “I just wanted to make sure you know how good of a guy he is. In case you know, like, you had any doubts or anything. He’s not like that kind of guy. He’s probably the most sincere, loyal person ever- I just, you know, wanted to hype him up to you a little bit and vouch for him. And also just to ask you, to please not break his heart- don’t make him have false hope if you aren’t serious.”

You nod, understanding where Steve is coming from.

“Back,” Eddie announces, jumping over the back of the couch to settle himself between you and Steve. “That was so fucking boring,” he jokes, wrapping his arm around you comfortably. “Best thing at this party is right here,” he gestures around the circle of his friends with the stem of his beer bottle, starting with Steve and working the neck around to you. He offers an incredibly cheesy grin and you laugh at his antics. You rest your head on his shoulder as he settles back into the group conversation, and you both miss how Steve smiles watching the two of you.

***

The ride back to the hotel is quiet, Jeff and Gareth sit quietly on their phones in the middle row of the large car while you're cuddled into Eddie’s side in the far back row. Eddie doesn’t dare move, too terrified that he’ll wake you up. Your head rests on his shoulder and your body is flush to his. He silently curses every pot hole and sharp turn begging that you stay like this for as long as possible.

Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be anyone waiting outside for them. The driver pulls around to the back door- the plan is to sneak you all in through the kitchen. The band’s body guard opens the car door. Gareth and Jeff climb out and scurry into the building quickly. Eddie softly nudges you awake.

“Keep your hood up, sweetheart,” Eddie instructs as you pull your jacket tighter around you. You put your hood on your head and pull it down to cover your face- just in case. Eddie helps you out of the car- also with his hood on. “Head down, okay?” he whispers, and he guides you as you walk with your head down.

You scurry through the kitchen and you use the elevator towards the back of the building to travel to the higher floors.

Eddie arranged for one of the assistants to bring your bags here while you were out. He set you up in the room across the hall from him. He wanted to make sure you had your own space. When you get to the rooms, Gareth and Jeff disappear to their own rooms, offering very tired “goodnights.” Eddie walks you to your door.

“I had so much fun tonight,” you sleepily admit. “Thank you… thank you for trusting me.”

His eyes soften. He leans down and presses a kiss to your forehead. “Get some sleep,” he smiles, affectionately grazing your jaw with his thumb. You lean up and his heart skips when he watches your eyes linger- looking between his eyes and his lips. You press your lips to his and this delicate kiss feels like enough to make his entire body melt.

It’s soft and perfect. A first kiss that you only see in the movies. Kissing you made Eddie feel like he’d never kissed anyone before. Nothing that came before amounted nearly as much as this. He feels like he’s in high school again all of a sudden. This, he decides, should have been his first kiss. Because none of them ever felt as good as this. He makes up his mind then and there, that you’re the only person he wants to kiss for the rest of his life. It’s a thought he won’t share until much further down the road.

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steddieas-shegoes · 2 days ago

Text

first of the year

for @steddieholidaydrabbles prompt 'midnight'

all of my holiday drabbles will be from the bear hugs universe. many of them could probably be read standalone, but will make the most sense and be enjoyed best if you read that first!

rated e | 783 words | no cw | tags: established relationship, sexual frustration, frottage, multiple orgasms

🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

Eddie stares at the ceiling. Blinks. Breathes in. Holds it. Breathes out.

Steve’s fingers curl into a fist against Eddie’s chest as he lets out a soft snore.

It’s the first year he isn’t out partying for New Year’s Eve. Steve asked if he wanted to find a babysitter and go out with him, and he insisted he didn’t. He has no reason to go out now that he has this family and this life.

And he means it. He’s settled. He’s happy.

He’s fucking losing his mind.

It’s 11:54 at night on New Year’s Eve and he’s in bed with the love of his life while their daughter sleeps in her room down the hall and in the morning he’ll wake up and make pancakes while Steve makes coffee and they’ll go skate at the rink that’s basically their second home. It’s 11:54 at night on New Year’s Eve and they let Rory stay up past her bedtime, but she didn’t make it to midnight, so he carried her to bed and kissed her forehead. It’s 11:54 at night on New Year’s Eve and Steve was already asleep by the time he got back to their bed.

He isn’t even getting a midnight kiss from his future husband.

It’s silly to feel even a little upset. He’s got years and years of midnight kisses ahead of him.

Steve’s leg kicks over his own and his thigh rubs against his boxers, tugging them tight against his dick. Eddie barely bites back a moan.

They’ve been so busy with the holidays, having Robin and Chrissy and Wayne over for a couple days, taking Rory to private lessons, preparing for the chaos the new year will bring almost immediately. They haven’t had any intimate time for nearly two weeks.

Oh. That’s why Eddie’s so on edge.

Maybe if he can adjust Steve enough, he can get a hand on his rapidly hardening cock, get himself off so he can fall asleep. If he just…shifts…

“‘S wrong?” Steve mumbles sleepily, raspy voice making Eddie still completely.

He knows better than to fake sleeping. Steve’s already awake, probably already feels his hard length against his thigh.

“Ah,” he says before Eddie can come up with something, anything. “Need me to help you?”

Jesus, yeah. Eddie’s never needed anything more. But he’s pretty sure it’s gonna take one or two tiny movements of Steve’s leg to get him there.

“Won’t need much,” Eddie admits.

Steve sits up and leans on an elbow, looking down at Eddie who’s started sweating at some point in the last minute. Maybe he’s been working himself up longer than he realized.

”Use my leg,” Steve says as he brings it up an inch, presses down for a second to show that it’s in the perfect spot. “Were you gonna get off while I slept?”

Eddie shakes his head, whimpers as he ruts up against Steve’s thigh. He’s leaking. It would be embarrassing if anything they ever did together could be embarrassing.

“You weren’t gonna try to sneak your hand in your boxers?” Steve tights his muscle, smirks when Eddie ruts faster. “Is this better?”

“Mhm, so much better,” Eddie gasps as he feels his stomach tighten. “Fuck, like that.”

“You’re doing all the work, baby. I’m just watchin’.”

That sends Eddie right over the edge. He almost can’t believe how good it feels, something this simple. Something where he is doing all the work.

“Fuck,” he says again, trembling through it, feeling too warm, but shivering under Steve’s gaze. “I needed that.”

“I know.” Steve leans down to kiss his lips, softer than he expects. “Sorry we haven’t had time. I feel like I’ve been neglecting you.”

“No, it’s-” he’s cut off by the sound of fireworks going off outside, and he remembers that they aren’t too far from where the city’s midnight show is. “Is that gonna wake Rory up?”

“Nah. She’s used to the city noises,” Steve’s hand drifts down to Eddie’s waistband, grimacing at how wet it is. “Probably should get cleaned up.”

“Or…” Eddie grabs Steve’s wrist, squeezes. “We could make more of a mess first.”

Steve huffs a laugh as he lets his head fall to Eddie’s chest for a moment.

“Happy New Year, baby.”

“Is that a yes?” Eddie asks.

“It’s always a yes,” Steve kisses his chest and lifts his head up. “Get these off.”

“Happy New Year, sweetheart,” Eddie says as he strips off his boxers.

The sound of the fireworks drowns out some of their moans, but Steve’s gentle ‘I love you’ is still loud enough to echo in Eddie’s head as he comes for the second time that night.

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #steddie holiday drabbles #steddie events #steve harrington x eddie munson #bear hugs universe #midnight

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fawninthesnow · 2 days ago

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𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧': Pt. 1

𐙚 Eddie Munson x Fem! Reader 18+ 𐙚

Summary: You were raised on a farm near Hawkins, Indiana. In charge of the family farm, you are left home alone. One day, a peculiar young man stops by and needs a place to stay.

Warnings/contains: Rockstar Eddie au, farm girl au, breeding, smut, rough sex, oral sex (fem+male receiving), mentions of paganism, smoking, misuse of religion, knife play, mentions of blood, not proof read-- english is not my first language!

Word Count: ~1.1k

More on my Master list! + follow & reblog pls

You glared at the man; arms crossed tightly over your chest. Your boots squelched in the mud as you scrutinized him from head to toe. "And what are you supposed to be? Some kinda demon?" Your denim shorts clung to your curves, fitting snugly at your hips. The frayed hem was hard to ignore, just like the well-worn shirt that bore the word 'Indiana.'

“No! For the third time, I’m here to buy from the farm!”

“Tsk, people like you go to grocery stores in the city…”

"I was born just a few miles from here; I'm also from Indiana." He muttered, "I've been coming here for weeks."

You stepped from him and continued to feed the geese. “Well, I’ve never seen ya. This is my family’s place.” The man looked about the fields and towards the barn and farmhouse, “You met with the farm hand before, I reckon?”

“I guess so. Guy named Evan.”

You squinted at him again before placing the feed bucket down. You placed your hands on your hips; a smirk on your lips. “How old are you?”

“I am twenty-nine.”

“What’s your name, Satanist?”

“My name’s Eddie. And I am not a satanist!”

“I don’t believe you, long hair. Ya know, Jesus says that long hair is a sin.”

“A sin?”

“Yeah. You’d look better if you’d clean yourself up. Go to church occasionally.”

He took off his jacket in the warmth of the open field, “I will gladly do that, Miss! I just need to buy a few things. Can you help me?”

“I hope you know, I’m gonna charge you extra for comin’ on this farm lookin’ that way. Yeah?” He grumbled again and followed you into the family farmhouse. “This is fresh produce from the morning. Meats in this freezer. Canned goods are in the cellar. Look around. And don’t steal nothin’! I got a few guns. Understand?!” He nodded as you offered him a crate to fill with food.

When he was done, he placed the full crate on the table. “How much for all this?”

He opened his wallet, and you peered in, “Seventy.” You put out your hand and he placed the money into your hand. “Now get out.”

“You know, you should leave customer interaction to your farmhand or your father!” He said as he left the house, descending the porch steps. “Have a good day, Miss!”

“Have a regular day, *Eddie*.” You said his name rather awkward.

As the sun set, you went to store produce in the cellar, wrapping peaches in cheese cloth. You carried a crate back upstairs and shut the cellar doors, making sure to lock it. Dusk began to settle as you changed out your boots for tennis shoes. “Hey?” You jumped back, flipping open a switchblade at the sound of the stranger. “Woah!”

You rolled your eyes. “Eddie. What do you want?” You asked as you put away your switchblade.

“I left my jacket here, I think. Have you seen it around? Black, leather?”

“Oh, your devil jacket?” You laughed, “You can look around, I guess. I haven’t seen it.”

He smirked at the twang in your voice as you carried the empty food pails, a playful glint in his eyes. With a casual sweep of his gaze, he took in the bird pens and the cluttered chicken coops nearby, each one bustling with activity. The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden hue over the farm, highlighting the vibrant colors of the various breeds clucking and flapping about.

After a half hour of searching, frustration began to etch itself on his features as he let out a deep groan, feeling rather defeated. His shoes were caked in mud, and the bottoms of his jeans splattered and heavy.

"Any luck?" you asked, leaning nonchalantly against a weathered post on the porch, arms crossed and a slight smile playing on your lips. You watched him as he raked a hand through his tousled hair, a mixture of determination and exasperation evident in the way he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. T

“No.” He dusted his hands off, tucking his hands in his back pocket. “Alright, Miss.”

“It’s [Y/n].” You said back to him as he stood beneath you on the steps. “If I find it, I will hold it for ya, I guess.”

"I appreciate that." You said with a nod, watching as he turned and walked back to his van. With a slight hesitation, he climbed inside, presumably to check something under the hood or perhaps to gather his tools. After a few tense moments, he suddenly reappeared, frustration etched on his face. He strode over to the front of the van, kicked the tire with a forceful kick, and exclaimed, "Damn it. It won't start!" His voice carried a mix of anger and disbelief.

You leaned on one of the Spindles, “Need help? Not from me but…ehh.”

“My engine’s fucked.” You held your cheek and cringed, “Do you get tow trucks out here?”

“Only on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays.” You shrugged, and turned around, prepared to turn into the house.

“Thursday…” he whispered to himself before calling out to you, “Wait.” He ran towards the porch again, “Please, let me stay with you. Just for the night.”

“No, no, devil-worshippin’ sinner! You cannot lay under this roof.”

“Miss.” He sighed. “Just let me in. Who else is in here?”

“None. Of. Your. Business.”

“I know nobody, but you are here today.” You rolled your eyes and went into the house, holding the door ajar. “[Y/n]. I’ll pay you.”

“I don’t give a cow’s ass. You’re a stranger.”

“Miss, I just got back from touring.”

You grumbled, placing your shoe out to stop him from coming inside, “Touring? What? Spreading your demonic rituals?”

“No, again. I make music.”

“If you’re so damn popular, you should have enough to fix that damn van. Hell! Buy a new one!”

He reached deep into his pocket, the fabric rustling as his fingers fumbled around for something. With a definitive motion, he pulled out a thick wad of cash, the bills crisp and neatly stacked. He held it out toward you, an urgent expression on his face. “Let me in,” he demanded, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made your heart race.

You couldn't take your gaze off the money, a mix of disbelief and temptation swirling within you. The weight of the moment hung heavily in the air. You bit your lip, a nervous habit surfacing as you considered the implications of his offer.

Part 2 coming soon! Must follow to be added to any taglist!!

More on my Master list! + follow & reblog pls

R3post bc there was too many errors, sorry. English isn't my first language!!

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gotham--fc · 3 days ago

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Désolée - A Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey Imagine

Part two of my previous Pou and Stacey fic which you can find here

Y/N comes to visit Pou and Stacey in Montreal and tempers flare

Y/N had never been so relieved for summer break.

She, like every teenager, counts the days until school is out, naturally, but this summer is different. From dealing with normal school stuff, to her hometown team who keep moving her up age groups and coaches not so subtly trying to poach her for their teams, to being in the national team rotation and suddenly being one of the most popular people in her town, she’s ready for a break.

Of course, hockey doesn’t stop, hockey never stops, but hockey takes a break. Or rather, she takes a break since she doesn’t have to attend tryouts and recruitment camps anymore. She feels bad, feels like she’s getting special treatment over some of the girls who have been on the team longer than her, but there’s nothing she can do about it. And she has plans, so there’s that.

She steps off the plane in the Montreal airport, carry on dragging behind her. She didn’t want to check a bag, so she shoved everything into her carry on and now it feels heavier than anything. She finds her way through the airport and out past security. She pauses for a moment, looking around at all the people gathered there, trying to find a familiar face. Her eyes land on a brightly coloured sign with “Mon Petite Lapinou” written on it. She shakes her head fondly, a blush rising on her cheeks and a warmth filling her chest.

“Salut!” Pou wraps her up in a big hug and rocks her side to side. “How are you? Was the flight okay? How did your exams go?”

“Marie, please, let the girl breathe,” Laura says. Pou lets go and Y/N hugs Laura. “She was a little too excited for your visit,” Laura whispers to Y/N.

“Have you ever been to Montreal?” Pou asks as they walk to the car. Pou took Y/N’s carry on from her as soon as they started walking and carries it easily.

“No, I mean, I’ve been to Quebec for tournaments and stuff but I never had any in Montreal. We were mostly in Gatineau and Sherbrooke.”

“You’ll love it, it’s a beautiful city,” Pou says, “Maybe you’ll love it so much you’ll want to come here after you graduate college.”

“Marie,” Laura scolds, “She’s not even done high school.”

“Okay okay,” Pou says, “But I’ll still make you like Montreal more than Boston. I don’t want you playing for my rival team in a few years.”

Y/N smiles at that. She has no doubt that Pou will convince her Montreal is a better city than Boston, but she has no idea what the future will hold. She doesn’t even know if she’ll do well in college, let alone get drafted and actually make a team in the PWHL.

“Are you hungry?” Laura places her hand on Y/N’s shoulder as Pou puts her bag in the trunk of the car. “We can stop somewhere for food on the way back if you want.”

“I’m alright,” Y/N says, subconsciously leaning into Laura’s touch. “I think I’m just tired.”

“Alright,” Laura says, “Let us know if you change your mind, okay?” Y/N nods.

They all pile in the car, Laura in the front seat while Pou drives and Y/N in the back. Pou talks the whole time, telling Y/N all the things they’ll do while she’s here, pointing out landmarks and buildings and telling stories. Y/N does her best to listen, but the flight and the rocking of the car pulls her to sleep.

“Marie,” Laura says quietly, “Look.”

Marie glances in the rearview mirror and sees Y/N asleep. She smiles fondly at her.

“It’s hard to believe she’ll be going to college in a year, she looks so young,” Marie says.

“Don’t say that when she’s awake,” Laura says, “She might kill you.”

***

Y/N really likes being with Pou and Laura. It’s fun, exploring Montreal, and getting to see the two of them outside of the camp environment. It’s not like they hide their relationship, since everyone knows about them, but they still keep things professional during camps. It’s fun seeing them without the pressure of camp and performing.

Pou wakes up every day at 5am to walk Arlo. They return at 6am and make the most noise possible and Y/N smiles as she hears Laura yell for them to keep it down and then the clamber of footsteps as Pou and Arlo run up the stairs and jump in bed with Laura. Y/N then usually pulls her pillow over her head and goes back to sleep until 8am.

Pou and Laura love going to farmers markets and Y/N tags along as Pou speaks in rapid fire French to all the vendors. Y/N tries to keep up, but her grade nine French isn’t enough.

“You’ll pick it up the longer you’re here,” Laura tells her, “If you even end up in Montreal. You won’t need much French in Boston, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Y/N says.

She doesn’t know how to explain the pit in her chest that opens every time one of them mentions Boston, or where she’s going to end up once she graduates. She knows she has to think about it, she’s going to Boston in a year, she can’t avoid it, but she just wishes everyone would let her spend the summer just being a regular teenager on summer vacation.

“I’ll have to send you a list of restaurants to try when you’re in Boston,” Pou says that night when they’re having dinner. “And me and Laura can come visit you and–”

“Can’t you spend one day not talking about Boston?” Y/N snaps, “I might not even go to Boston! And I might not get drafted to Montreal in five years if I even get drafted at all! I’m sorry that you only care about me because you think I’m your protégé or something but I’m not like you and I never will be!”

Y/N shoves her chair back and storms out of the room, frustrated tears in her eyes.

“Wh – Y/N! Come back here! Arrêt! Reviens à table!”

Y/N ignores her and slams the door of the guest bedroom.

***

Laura isn’t going to say she say this coming. She saw signs, the way Y/N got quiet and seemed to shrink whenever someone brought up college or the pros, the way Marie never seemed to notice. She won’t say she’s better at reading Y/N than Marie, or that Marie is unobservant, or anything like that. Laura only noticed because she’s been through this with Marie already.

Back when they first started dating, Laura wasn’t settled in her career. She still felt like an outsider, like a fringe player, and she spent years expecting the national team coaches to call her and tell her she didn’t make the team. Marie never understood that, because she never had to. Ever since her debut, she was a mainstay on the national team. She’s the captain, there was no question she would be on every team she was healthy enough to be on. She never dealt with the uncertainty.

Marie also never understood why Laura doubted herself. She never understood why Laura would plan for what happens when she gets cut. For Marie, Laura was a phenomenal player who made the team better, so why wouldn’t she be on every roster? For Laura, she was a good player in a sea of good players who all deserved a spot.

They had arguments, and times when they were both too stubborn and didn’t talk for days or weeks. There were times when Laura felt less than, and felt small standing next to the Marie-Philip Poulin. Of course, Marie never understood that either.

Things are better now, Laura is settled and confident in her skills. She doesn’t expect to get cut after every bad practice, and she doesn’t feel overshadowed by Marie. Yes, there’s still people who think she only got where she is because of Marie. People who think Montreal only signed her because they signed Marie first. But Laura knows what she brings to a team and she knows she deserves her spot. When Marie defends her, praises her, Laura doesn’t feel patronized. She knows Marie isn’t saying those things because she feels like she has to, or because she feels like she needs to appease Laura. Laura knows she says what she does because she loves Laura so much that she can’t stand to hear people criticizing her unfairly and she can’t stand people talking about her when they know nothing about her or her play.

Laura knows Marie sees a lot of herself in Y/N, but Laura thinks Y/N is a lot more like she is than Marie.

“Let her go,” Laura says, tugging Marie back down when Marie tries to storm after Y/N.

“But–”

“Give her space, you’re only going to yell at each other if you chase after her now.”

“She… She yelled at us! That’s… She’s… It was rude!”

“I know, love,” Laura gently rubs the space between Marie’s shoulder blades.

Laura knows it’s not the fact that Y/N yelled, it’s what she said that’s upsetting Marie.

“Let’s give her some time to calm down, and then I’ll go talk to her, see if I can figure out what’s going on.”

***

Y/N doesn’t emerge at all that night. Marie gets more and more sullen as the night goes on. Laura knows there’s nothing she can do when Marie is like this. They both can get in their heads and neither can let things go that easily, so Laura knows she just needs to let Marie sulk until she’s done sulking.

The next morning, Marie is still sulking. While Marie is out walking Arlo, Laura (even though she hates it normally) gets out of bed and prepares breakfast. She leaves two servings for herself and Marie and brings one serving up to Y/N’s room. She knocks lightly on the door.

“It’s just me, I’m leaving some breakfast here for you,” Laura says, “You can come down if you want, but you can stay in there for as long as you want.”

Y/N doesn’t come down, but Laura hears her open the door and take the plate. A little bit later, Marie comes home. Arlo gets halfway up the stairs before he realizes Laura is still downstairs. He leaps onto the couch and Laura laughs as he licks her face. Marie laughs too, but Laura can hear its strained.

“Is she still acting like a morveuse?” Marie says. Laura sighs.

“She is still upstairs, but she is not a brat,” Laura shushes Marie before she can start talking again, “She’s a 17-year-old girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. All you ever talk to her about is hockey or Boston, it’s no surprise she thinks that’s all you care about.”

“That’s not true!” Marie says, “I’m trying to help–”

“Marie, I love you, but sometimes your help doesn’t help,” Laura puts her arm around Marie’s shoulder and pulls her closer. “I know you think you’re helping prepare her for the future, and I love that about you, you know that.” Laura pauses. “Can you see that Y/N is stressed about college and her future in hockey and sometimes having that be all you talk about doesn’t help her be less stressed.”

“All I wanted when I was her age was for someone to tell me what to do,” Marie says quietly, her voice thick.

“I know, baby, I know.”

***

Later in the afternoon, Marie takes Arlo on another walk. Laura has told her not to spoil him during the offseason so he doesn’t expect this treatment all the time, but Marie doesn’t listen, and Laura doesn’t push it today. While Marie is out, Laura goes up to Y/N’s room.

“It’s just me,” Laura says after she knocks, “Marie isn’t home, can I come in?”

After a moment, Y/N answers quietly: “Okay.”

Y/N is laying on the bed. Laura sits beside her.

“How are you doing?” Laura asks. Y/N shrugs.

“Is she really mad at me?” Y/N whispers.

“She was,” Laura answers, “She’s not mad at you anymore. She was only trying to help and she didn’t mean to upset you. Look,” Laura sighs, “When she was your age, she was so scared. She had no idea what to expect. All she wanted was for someone to tell her what she was supposed to do and she assumed you would be the same way. She just wants to make things easier for you. She really does feel bad that she upset you so much.”

“I don’t feel like I deserve it all,” Y/N says, “Like, it’s different for her, or you. I’m not that good and I just… I don’t think I’ll make it.” Y/N rolls over so her back is to Laura. “I don’t want to lose you both when you realize I’m not as good as you think.”

“When I first started seeing Marie, I felt the same way,” Laura says. Y/N’s head jerks towards Laura and she looks up at Laura with a confused expression. “I stopped talking to her, actually, because I didn’t feel good enough compared to her. I thought it would easier to break it off than wait for her to do it later on.”

“What happened?”

“Marie is more stubborn than anyone I’ve ever met,” Laura smiles as she thinks about her fiancée. Y/N huffs out a laugh at Laura’s statement. “She wouldn’t let me go without a reason, so I told her. And she told me I was being an idiot and she was right. Marie loves hockey, but hockey is the last thing on her mind when it comes to the people she loves.”

“I chose BU because that’s where she went,” Y/N says quietly, “I just want her to be proud of me.”

“She is, she is so proud of you. We both are.”

***

Later, when Marie comes home, Y/N sits nervously on the couch. She and Laura practiced this whole speech that Y/N would say to explain how she was feeling and why she was feeling that way and Y/N was determined to say it. She was still running it over in her head when she hears Marie come in, when she hears Marie let Arlo off the leash, when she hears Marie greet Laura and walk towards the living room. Y/N takes a deep breath to center herself and stands. Marie pauses when she sees Y/N. Y/N opens her mouth to begin, but what comes out of her mouth is this:

“Mama.”

And then Y/N is crying and she throws herself into Marie’s arms. Marie freezes for a second, then she’s wrapping Y/N up in a tight hug.

“Oh, mon petite lapinou,” Marie says, “It’s alright, I got you, it’s alright.”

“I’m sorry,” Y/N cries, “I’m sorry.”

“Non, non,” Marie says firmly, “You have nothing to be sorry about, I am the one who needs to apologize. I’m sorry I pushed you and I’m sorry I upset you and I’m sorry you felt like I didn’t care.”

When Y/N finally stops crying, Marie pulls back and takes Y/N’s face in her hands.

“Are you okay now, mon petite lapinou?” Marie asks.

“Yeah,” Y/N wipes at her eyes, but Marie swats her hands away and wipes the tears away herself, much gentler than Y/N would’ve. Marie gives Y/N a kiss on the forehead.

“From now on, we won’t talk about hockey at all unless you bring it up first, okay?” Marie says.

“You don’t have to do that,” Y/N says, “It’s okay–”

“There are lots of things that we can talk about that aren’t hockey,” Marie says, “Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Now that that’s over,” Laura says, “Can we go back to enjoying Y/N’s visit?”

Marie and Y/N look at each other, and Y/N can see the same idea pop up in Marie’s head. They grin at each other then both turn to Laura. Laura realizes a moment too late and Marie and Y/N grab her and pull her down on the couch. Laura shrieks as Marie and Y/N wrestle her down. Almost immediately Arlo jumps on them and Y/N laughs so hard her sides hurt as Arlo alternates between licking Laura and Marie’s faces.

As Y/N watches Laura and Marie and Arlo wrestle on the couch, she’s really happy she took this trip, and she’s really happy she chose to play hockey and that it’s brought her to this moment right here.

#marie philip poulin #laura stacey #marie philip poulin x reader #laura stacey x reader #marie philip poulin x laura stacey x reader #woho #pwhl #woho imagine #hockey rpf #womens hockey rpf

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hardtchill · 2 days ago

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I feel stupid asking but I didn’t watch NWSL before 2024 and it still confuses me, but I often see people talk about the way Tobin left thorns and how it seemed she was bitter, do you mind explaining why? I’ve tried to look in to it I’m just completely lost. Sorry to ask!

oh god anon you just unlocked my hidden rage. Strap in, this is going to be a wild ride.

Tobin played for the Thorns ever since the start of the NWSL (2013), she was the biggest and most popular player there. She was loved in that city and she wanted to be there. If you don't know Tobin well, you need to know this part. Tobin didn't really consider any place home and traveled all the time. When she got to Portland she started to settle down and actually said she finally found her home. She had said multiple times that she wanted to finish her career in Portland. She even tried to get Portland to sign Christen so they could finally live in the same city and play together. I cannot overstate how much Portland loved Tobin and what an icon she was for that team.

Fast forward to 2020 and covid hitting. Tobin by then has bought a home and she spent quarantine in Portland with Christen. The NWSL wanting to be the first professional sports league back decides to organize the challenge cup in june 2020. Still one of the stupidest and most reckless ideas in NWSL history. Tobin (and Christen) elect not to play which Portland, turns out, really did not like. In september 2020 Tobin (and Christen) are signed by Manchester United to play overseas because they did want to play again (but somewhere safe).

It is important to note that Tobin's rights were still owned by Portland because in the NWSL players aren't human, they are cattle. In the 2020 expansion draft in which Louisville joins the league Portland decides not to protect Tobin and Louisville takes her rights (again, cattle). Everyone and their mother knows this is a foul thing to do and Tobin (and Christen) completely ignore Louisville up until this day. Portland got huge criticism for the way they treated Tobin, feeling like not protecting her (and also the lack of attention to her being drafted) was disrespectful to a player so important to the club. Portland also did nothing to trade her back which would have been perfectly allowed.

Afterwards Louisville being the cunts they are refused to give up Tobin's rights even though Tobin never wanted to play there (keep in mind that rights doesn't mean contract, tobin got no choice in the matter). Tobin couldn't sign with another NWSL team as long as Louisville refused to trade her rights or give them up. So Tobin decides to spent another year in England playing for Arsenal. She got injured again which what we now know to be a chronic knee issue. She returned to the NWSL briefly to join Reign (after Louisville FINALLY pulled their heads out of their asses) but never truly got back to fitness.

Basically Tobin's story is a classic example of why the NWSL will never be a professional league until they consider players to be humans who deserve human rights.

#ask #tobin heath #nwsl #portland thorns #racing louisville fc #and before people start #no this is not a nwsl v wsl post #the wsl in its current form can also not be considered a professional league

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aspenmissing · 1 day ago

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ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇꜱ

ᴊᴀʏᴠɪᴋ (ɪᴍᴘʟɪᴇᴅ) x ᴘʟᴀᴛᴏɴɪᴄ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ || ꜰʟᴜꜰꜰ || 3093 ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ

🇼🇦🇷🇳🇮🇳🇬🇸⦂ ɪᴍᴘʟɪᴇᴅ/ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ, 🇯🇦🇾🇨🇪 🇧🇪🇮🇳🇬 🇦🇳 🇦🇸🇸 🇦🇹 🇫🇮🇷🇸🇹

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: ʏ/ɴ ɪꜱ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴀ ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴠɪᴋᴛᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴊᴀʏᴄᴇ ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇʟᴘ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ꜱʜᴇ ᴀᴛᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴇᴀʟ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʟᴀʙ. ᴅᴇꜱᴘɪᴛᴇ ʜᴇʀ ʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʙᴀᴄᴋɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴢᴀᴜɴ, ᴠɪᴋᴛᴏʀ ꜱᴇᴇꜱ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴀʟ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀꜱ ɢᴜɪᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ, ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ.

ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ | ᴊᴀʏᴄᴇ | ᴠɪᴋᴛᴏʀ

The night was thick with the usual haze of smoke and industry that clung to the air in Zaun. The sound of clanking metal echoed through the alleyways, and the smell of oil and rust was almost comforting — it was the scent of home, a place she had come to know and hate in equal measure.

Y/N had always learned to survive in Zaun, and stealing from the rich folk on the other side of the city was as much a part of life as breathing. So, when she found her way to the door of a mysterious lab, she saw only opportunity. The building, though impressive and intimidating, had something precious locked inside — she could feel it. A good score was always waiting to be found.

Sneaking inside had been easy enough, and she had made her way to the lab’s vault. But luck wasn’t on her side this time. As soon as her hand closed around the glinting coins, a voice echoed from behind her, sharp and commanding.

"You're not as quiet as you think."

Y/N froze, her heart hammering in her chest. Slowly, she turned around, finding herself face-to-face with none other than Viktor — the brilliant scientist who was known for his genius with Hextech, and his cold, calculating demeanor. But standing beside him was Jayce, the charismatic but equally imposing leader of their shared venture.

Y/N quickly backed away, her hand still clutching the small bag of coins. She tried to act calm, trying to maintain some of the bravado she’d learned in her life on the streets. "I-I was just—"

"No need for excuses," Viktor interrupted, his voice steady, but something in his expression softened just slightly. "You don’t belong here."

Jayce stepped forward, crossing his arms and frowning at her. "And what exactly were you planning to do with that? You really think you can just steal from us and get away with it?" His voice was laced with suspicion and frustration, the protective side of him coming through.

Y/N’s heart beat faster, a cold sweat forming on her forehead. She could feel the weight of Jayce’s gaze, sharp and accusatory. It made her nervous, but Viktor’s eyes seemed different — softer, more understanding. "I... I'm sorry," she stammered. "I just needed the money. My... my family’s gone. And Zaun... it doesn’t care."

Viktor looked at her for a long moment, his expression thoughtful. "I understand," he said quietly. "I grew up in Zaun. I know what it’s like to fight for survival, to scrape by. To have nothing." There was a rawness to his words that made her pause, taken aback by his honesty. "But there’s more to life than this," he added softly, his voice carrying a note of hope.

Jayce, on the other hand, looked skeptical, still crossing his arms over his chest. "We don’t have time to baby every thief who comes through here. You’re lucky we’re even considering letting you go," he said, his tone still cold, but with a hint of reluctant concern. "What happens next? You go back to your street life and get caught in some bigger mess?"

Y/N felt her throat tighten. She had never been offered anything like this — real concern. She wasn’t sure if she could trust it. "I... I don’t know," she muttered, voice breaking. "I’ve got nothing. I just thought if I could take something—"

Viktor took a step toward her, his cane clicking and his voice was steady, calm. "I know it’s hard. I’ve been there. I know what it feels like to be ignored, to be nothing. But this doesn’t have to be your life." He extended his hand, almost like a gesture of peace. "Take the money. It’s a chance to start again."

Jayce hesitated, glancing at Viktor, who gave him a subtle but firm nod. There was still a clear wariness in Jayce’s eyes, but after a long pause, he sighed and lowered his arms. "Fine," he muttered. "Take it, but don’t think this means we trust you. You’re not welcome here permanently."

Y/N, feeling a mix of confusion and gratitude, looked down at the coins in her hand. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice small. "I... I don’t understand. Why not turn me in?"

Viktor’s gaze softened even more as he regarded her. "Because we see something in you," he said quietly. "You’re not just another street kid. I’ve seen that spark before. And maybe we can help you find a better way."

Jayce seemed to struggle with his own internal conflict but ultimately remained silent, his gaze heavy with concern.

Days passed after that encounter, and Y/N found herself on the streets again, struggling to survive. Life in Zaun was unforgiving, and no matter how hard she tried to stay out of trouble, it always found her. She’d spent the last few days dodging gang members, trying to avoid the law, and always keeping her head down. But the weight of Viktor’s offer still gnawed at her. The kindness he had shown, the understanding in his voice—it had left an impression on her.

Yet, the harshness of her reality pulled her back to the only life she knew. She tried to make a few coins here and there, but every day felt harder than the last. The constant bruises from fights, the endless nights in dark alleyways—it was taking its toll. Her body ached from the beatings she’d taken, and she found herself cornered one evening after an especially brutal altercation with some thugs who thought they could take what little she had left.

By the time she stumbled back through the streets, her clothes were torn, her face bruised, and her ribs felt as though they might snap with every shallow breath. The promise of safety, of something more, tugged at her. And though she was ashamed, she made her way back to the lab, uncertain of what she was doing but needing a place to catch her breath.

When she knocked, it was Viktor who answered first - she knew as she heard the sound of his cane clicking on the floor as he walked over to the door. His eyes scanned her from head to toe, a flicker of concern passing over his face. Without a word, he stepped aside, allowing her in. She barely had the strength to stand, her legs shaking beneath her.

"You came back," Viktor said quietly, his tone mixed with something between curiosity and understanding.

"I—" Y/N’s voice cracked, and she bit her lip to steady herself. She looked at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. "I didn’t know where else to go."

Jayce appeared behind Viktor, his usual stern expression softening when he saw the state Y/N was in. "What happened?" he asked, his tone no longer accusatory but tinged with concern.

"I... I got into a fight," Y/N admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "I didn’t know how to handle it. They... they beat me down and took what little I had left." She paused, feeling vulnerable for the first time in a long while. "I just... I don’t know what to do anymore."

Viktor didn’t speak immediately. He simply looked at her, his expression contemplative. Then, without hesitation, he stepped closer. "You don’t have to do this alone. You don’t have to keep fighting like this. You’ve shown up here because you want something better, haven’t you?"

Y/N looked up, her vision blurred from the pain and exhaustion, but his words hit her like a punch to the gut. She had never really thought about it that way before, but maybe… maybe she did want more.

"Why do you care?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Why would you help me again? I’m just another street rat."

Viktor's gaze softened as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Because I've been where you are," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "I’ve been ignored, discarded. I know what it’s like to feel like there’s nothing left. But there is always something more, if you're willing to take it."

Jayce crossed his arms, clearly conflicted but with an edge of understanding in his voice. "You think this is going to be easy? You think we’re just going to let you in like that?"

Y/N’s breath hitched. She wasn’t sure if she could trust them. She had always relied on herself to get by, never expecting anyone to come to her rescue. But Viktor’s words had left an impression. He saw something in her, something beyond the broken girl who had spent her life scraping by.

"I… I don’t know," she said softly. "I don’t know what I’m doing. But I don’t want to keep living like this."

Viktor smiled faintly, a rare warmth in his expression. "Then let us help you. You don’t have to be alone in this."

Y/N stood there, feeling the weight of his offer sink in. She didn’t have to make the decision right away, but for the first time in a long while, she felt a glimmer of hope.

Jayce’s eyes softened as well, his earlier skepticism now tempered with something resembling sympathy. "Just don’t expect us to trust you right away," he warned, his voice still cautious. "You’ll have to prove yourself."

Y/N nodded, wiping the blood from her lip. "I will. I promise."

Viktor stepped forward and gently guided her toward a nearby chair. "Rest for now," he said quietly. "We’ll take care of you. And tomorrow, we’ll figure out what comes next."

As she sat down, feeling the exhaustion from the fight finally overwhelm her, Y/N realized that she had a choice. For the first time, she could see a different path—one where she wasn’t alone, where she wasn’t just another victim of Zaun’s brutal streets.

Maybe Viktor and Jayce weren’t the answer to all her problems, but they were a chance. And Y/N wasn’t going to let that slip away.

Months passed since Y/N's return to the lab, and with Viktor and Jayce’s help, life slowly began to feel like it was turning around. At first, the adjustment had been hard. The bustling lab, the feeling of being watched by two men who clearly had their own reservations, and the constant worry that she wouldn’t fit in—all of it weighed heavily on her. But every day, she grew stronger, more confident, and learned something new. Viktor's guidance was steady and patient, while Jayce’s stubborn protectiveness slowly gave way to a quieter respect.

The hardest part was integrating into society again. She was no longer just a street kid, living off scraps and avoiding the law. The academy offered her a fresh start, but the pressure of trying to prove herself to people who were used to success—the wealthy students and their polished lives—was overwhelming.

It wasn’t just about the academy, though. It was about the future. Y/N wanted to do something better with her life. Viktor had seen something in her, and he had pushed her to apply, offering his resources to help her study. Jayce had been hesitant at first, worried that this was just another fleeting decision, but he’d warmed up to her determination. Now, as the entrance exam approached, the weight of it all felt heavier than ever.

The night before the entrance exam, Y/N sat alone in her room, papers scattered across her desk, books piled high. Her fingers ran nervously over the pages, but her mind felt distant, lost. Despite Viktor’s encouragement, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she wasn’t good enough for the academy—let alone the kind of life she dreamed of.

Jayce knocked on her door, and before she could respond, he opened it slightly, peeking inside. His eyes softened when he saw her hunched over the desk, her face drawn with concern.

"Hey," he said, his voice unusually gentle. "You’ve been at this for hours. You need a break."

Y/N looked up at him, her eyes tired, her face strained. "I don’t think I can do this, Jayce. I’m not like the other kids. They’ve had everything handed to them—education, resources, connections. I’m just... a girl from Zaun. I don’t belong there."

Jayce leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. "You’ve been proving yourself since the day I met you. Don’t let this exam be the thing that breaks you."

Her gaze fell to the desk again, but she didn’t respond. She wanted to believe him, but the fear gnawed at her.

Viktor’s voice suddenly echoed from the hallway, his tone calm but firm. "Jayce is right. You’ve come this far because you’ve pushed yourself, because you wanted more than just survival. The academy will test you, but what matters is your heart, your mind, and your ability to think beyond what you’ve been given."

Y/N smiled faintly, appreciating their support, but the doubt was still there. Viktor always knew what to say, but how could she really measure up to the kids who’d been groomed for success their entire lives?

The morning of the exam came all too soon. Y/N dressed in her best clothes—something Jayce had bought for her—though it felt foreign on her body. The nerves were unbearable, and as she stood outside the academy gates, she couldn’t help but feel like an imposter.

Jayce stood beside her, watching her intently. "You got this," he said, his voice steady but full of warmth. "You’ve always been a survivor, Y/N. And this? This is just one more step."

Viktor joined them moments later, his cane tapping against the stone as he walked to her side. "Remember," he said softly, "you are not defined by where you come from. You define yourself by what you choose to do next."

Y/N nodded, taking in their words, and tried to calm her racing thoughts. "I’ll do my best," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

With a final look at the academy’s towering gates, she stepped forward, her heart pounding as she passed through them.

Several hours later, Y/N found herself back at Viktor and Jayce’s shared home, the envelope containing her exam results clutched tightly in her hand. Her fingers were trembling, and her stomach churned with anxiety. It had been the longest day of her life, each second since leaving the exam hall feeling like a weight pressing down on her chest. She hadn’t opened the envelope yet, and the fear of failure gnawed at her relentlessly.

As she walked through the door, Viktor and Jayce looked up, their expressions unreadable at first. The quiet, familiar atmosphere of the home felt foreign to Y/N now, heavy with the weight of what the envelope represented. The moment she stepped inside, Jayce’s eyes narrowed with concern, and Viktor’s gaze softened as he saw the envelope in her hand.

"Well?" Jayce asked, a casual tone masking the tension that lay beneath. His gaze flickered to the envelope she still clutched like a lifeline.

Y/N stood frozen in the doorway, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes darted between them, her breath caught in her throat. She wasn’t sure she could say the words, wasn’t sure she could bear the weight of the disappointment that might come if the results weren’t what she hoped for.

"I—I’m scared," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she stared at the envelope. "What if I failed? What if all the effort you two put into me... what if it was all for nothing?"

Viktor and Jayce exchanged a glance, the same concern flickering in both their eyes. Jayce softened, uncrossing his arms and stepping closer to her.

"You won’t know until you open it," he said, his voice gentle. "You’ve come this far, Y/N. And whatever the results are, you’ve already proven you’re stronger than you think."

But Y/N shook her head, the fear overwhelming her. "What if I’m not enough?" she murmured, her hand trembling as she held the envelope. "What if I’m just... not cut out for this life?"

Viktor stood from his seat, his presence a quiet strength behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip steady but kind. "You are more than enough," he said, his voice low and comforting. "You’ve already overcome so much. One result doesn’t define you."

Y/N swallowed hard, trying to steady her racing heart. The thought of disappointing them both, of proving their belief in her wrong, was almost too much to bear. She had come so far—had worked so hard, with them both pushing her, supporting her. What if it wasn’t enough?

Jayce took another step forward, offering a small smile. "We’re with you, no matter what happens. But don’t let the fear of failing keep you from finding out what you’ve achieved. Open it."

The room was silent for a long moment as Y/N stood there, the envelope still tightly in her grip. Finally, with a deep breath, she steeled herself and carefully ripped open the seal. Her eyes skimmed over the paper, her breath catching in her throat as she read the words.

Her chest tightened, and for a moment, she thought she might crumble under the weight of it all. But then her eyes began to focus, the words clearer, the meaning undeniable.

She passed. She’d made it.

A small, breathless laugh escaped her lips before she even realized it, her body trembling with a mixture of relief and disbelief. "I... I passed," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "I really passed."

Jayce grinned, his eyes lighting up with pride. He stepped forward, gently tugging her into a hug. "Told you so," he murmured, his voice warm against her ear. "I knew you had it in you."

Viktor’s expression softened, a rare and genuine smile gracing his features. "I never had a doubt," he said quietly, his voice full of quiet pride. "You’ve earned this, Y/N."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at both of them, her heart overflowing with emotion. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice thick with gratitude. "I wouldn’t have made it without you two."

Viktor gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, his voice steady and unwavering. "You did it. We didn’t get you here. You did."

And for the first time, Y/N felt the weight of her fears lift from her shoulders. The future, uncertain as it was, suddenly seemed full of possibility. With Viktor and Jayce by her side, she knew she was ready to face whatever came next.

#Arcane #arcane fandom #arcane fluff #jayvik x reader #Platonic!#jayce x reader #viktor x reader #jayce x reader x viktor #jayce x you #jayce talis x reader #jayce x y/n #viktor x y/n #viktor x you

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laterosal · 2 days ago

Text

♤ Summer Love in Moonlight | Itoshi Sae x Reader

▽ featuring: itoshi sae x fem!reader … no repost on any platforms © laterosal 2024 … pre-blue lock era | during early summer, a late night visit to the hills where you both quietly stare at the night sky and make your wish as a shooting star streaked across the starry night … word count: 3.3k

📌 AO3 | one-shot

“We’re going a little too far, Sae,” you whispered as you instinctively reached for his hand, pulling him next to you as you stumbled across the rolling hills under the night sky. “I’ve never been this far out from the city.” Having trailed after Sae to the outskirts of the city and leaving the flickering lights of each skyscraper and lofty building behind, you finally caught your breath as he slowly stopped at the top of a hill. “Are we supposed to be this far out from the town?”

“There’s a reason I brought you here. You’ll see.” He gently massaged the back of your hand with his thumb as you both settled at the top of the hill, sitting together. You brought your legs up to your chest and hugged them as the warm breezes blew your hair to one side.

“So. What made you decide that bringing me to an isolated place was a good choice?” you asked in a soft voice, linking your hands with his. Your shallow breathing could still be heard in the quiet outskirts as if a ripple of an echo. “It’s unlike you.”

He did not respond. Rather, his teal-colored eyes trailed up the clear night sky, with you especially staring attentively at his long underlashes.

“I’m going to Madrid soon.”

You blink slowly as you turn your head to him.

“Wait—Really?” You jumped up in excitement and tackled him onto the ground. “That’s— OOMPH.”

“Y/N, if you crush my bones or bruise me, I’ll have the pleasure of making your life miserable.” Sae groaned as you gently pushed yourself up, cheeks flushed from your bodies’ heat radiating off of each other.

“Okay, okay—I’ll see you try.” You smiled mischievously and sat next to him, folding your arms as you leaned against his shoulder. He’s going to Madrid. He’s going… to Madrid.

It was his lifelong dream to become the world’s best striker—and you had supported his journey since the young ages when he first began football. Although the words that tumbled out of his mouth didn’t sit right with you, you brushed off this emotion that shattered your heart into pieces.

He’s leaving.

How long would you have to wait for him to come back? For years?

“I wish you the best of luck for this next part of your journey, then,” you whisper as you stare into the sky along with him, your eyes glistening with tears. “I’ll hope to see you one day on the news as the world’s best striker!”

“Right.” Sae nodded slowly as he let go of your hand, crossing his arms.

“You don’t sound happy at all.”

“Thanks for stating the obvious, Y/N. Of course I am not, to some degree. I don’t want to leave home yet. Not when both my brother and… still need me.” Sae shrugged as he gazed towards the rolling hills and slowly at you.

Your brother and?

“I’m sure Rin is also happy that you’re able to have this opportunity of playing in this world class arena of football.” You hoped that these words would wash away his doubts of making his decision, but a part of you wanted to be selfish and hoped for him to decline the invitation joining Re Al.

“Are you?” Your hesitation must have answered his question, as he followed up with: “That tells me enough, then.”

“Don't take that the wrong way. I am happy for you! I just… want to spend more time with you. We’ve been childhood friends for, what, more than a decade now? Our whole lives?” You fidgeted with your fingers as you lean your head on top of your knees. “It’s a difficult change without you. Especially when we’re going to start the second semester as a third-year in junior high school soon. I mean, just think about it. What will I do if I’m starting my first year in high school by next year?”

“Do you know that if you wish for something, it binds you to the unknown and the uncertainty?”

“You’re 14, Sae. What riddles are you spouting about?” You roll your eyes, stretching your legs and hands out, covering as much of the hill as you can. “What ‘unknown’ or ‘uncertainty’ do you talk about?”

“I brought you here to see the stars, that’s all.” Sae closed his eyes and listened into the naturalistic surroundings, the quiet chirps and grass rustling. “You don’t know any English, do you, Y/N?”

“Not a lot,” you admitted. “Why?” He pointed into the sky as your eyes trailed the stars. Then, a streak of white flew across the sky, an illuminating memory captured in your eyes. You shut them, clasping your hands together as you quietly murmured your wish. He, on the other hand, alluringly stared at your calm face, your lips slightly parted open. Illuminated under the moonlight, Sae could only view you as an untouchable person, someone too pure for the world.

I hope he can stay with me. Just one last time. I hope I can hold you close to me as I lean forward towards your face, under the night sky.

“Tonight wasn’t meant for the stars to guide us together. I meant for us to see the moon, ignorant child. The moon… is beautiful, isn’t it?” Sae whispered in English, reaching his fingers out into the sky. He turned to look at you, your eyes still closed.

“Did you say something, Sae?” You opened your mouth to add something, before pausing. A small smile appeared as you understood Sae’s very confession in English.

“No.” He responded coldly. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s nothing.” You echoed. Your wish. His confession. “Right, it’s really, really, nothing.”

Your unresolved feelings attacked your heart into the depths, feeling a pool of emptiness in your eyes and soul. Say something.

“We should head back now. Rin-chan might be worrying about you.” You stood up, brushing the grass off your legs. Both of you felt a sudden early summer wave of humid heat despite it being a cooler evening compared to the other nights. “Isn’t he such a great younger brother, looking up to you? And definitely skilled in football, too.”

Sae shrugged, standing up and making his way back to the city lights.

“Yeah. He… is. Maybe… he has the potential to be a striker.”

“Happy birthday! How are you doing? I hope you got to treat yourself to something for your birthday. I was just watching your brother in a football match—you don’t understand how much he’s been improving. Maybe sometime soon you can come back to Japan, you know? I really want to see you again! Oh, and Rin-chan’s been asking what you have been doing for football practices by the way, and he says hi! … Ew, that did not sound like me at all.” BZZT.

“Happy birthday Sae! It’s been a while since I’ve— Okay, no. Let’s try again.” BZZT.

“Uh. Happy birthday, Sae. I hope you’re doing well in Madrid! It’s been a while since I’ve actually talked to you. Just want to check in and make sure you haven’t vanished from existence, yeah? I… Your brother says hi, by the way. Um. … Yeah. I don’t know.” BZZT.

“I never reached out to you for these past few months, but I just wanted to say happy birthday! I hope you’re doing well. And… I really miss you.”

A winter night where news from Rin came that his older brother came back for a few days. You were hesitant exactly how to greet him—would anything change with you understanding his confession? Would your relationship be any different than now? During these few years as Itoshi Sae was in Madrid, you tried contacting him multiple times, though leaving unsent emails in your inbox. He never reached out to you, either. Therefore you both left it alone, no words spoken towards one another for the past few years.

You hurried over to the Itoshi house, a familiar route where from time to time you would hold Rin’s hand as you walked him back home. The road lights flickered every other step that echoed within the street, your hands stuffed into your pockets as you breathed out a puff of air. Your eyes wandered from one house door to another, finally landing on the overgrown vines that snaked up the house, untrimmed grass, and dim golden light from the window. It did not seem to welcome visitors, the whole environment of the house seemingly isolated from the rest of the neighborhood. You stalked up the pathway to the porch, holding a fist up to knock on the door, before dropping your hand.

“Y/N-kun?” A quavering voice that invited anything but warmth spoke behind you. You turned around, noticing his familiar magenta hair slightly longer than the last time they met. “Why are you here?”

“How are you?” You cracked a smile, hoping to lighten the mood. No greetings. Nothing. You fidgeted with the hem of your clothes as you awkwardly looked away from Sae’s exhausted gaze, eye bags quite noticeable.

“Fine,” he muttered coldly, unlocking the door and slamming the door shut. You jump at the impact of the sound, backing a few steps away.

“Are you okay?” You ask quietly through the door, wondering if Itoshi Sae was still hovering behind the door. “Where’s Rin-chan?”

“I’m tired, Y/N-kun. I hope you can see yourself out.” His footsteps were light against the echoing hallway.

You stood in surprise, not wondering what happened at his time in Madrid. Knowing Sae, you would feel that he dodged your question about his younger brother for a reason. Perhaps because of an argument between the two Itoshi brothers.

You thought about whether to open the door, to reach for him, to ask him what was wrong. Though deep down, you wondered if he still harbored feelings for you. If he was the same person from years ago, or if his inner child and teenager disappeared from existence.

You weren’t exactly sure what to do. The door had just been slammed in front of your face, although it started creaking open, as if beckoning you to enter. You finally stepped in, turning the knob on the door behind you to shut it.

You walked towards his bedroom, seeing a dim light stretch from the bedroom to the hallways, as his body was sprawled on his bed, with a small twitch of his arm.

You didn’t know what went wrong. Where it went wrong. A shiver went up your spine as you felt uncomfortable being so close to Sae.

You desperately wanted to reach for him, embrace him and whisper that everything was fine.

Was it? Was everything fine, after all these years?

Sleepless nights as you tossed and turned in bed, thinking about the moonlit night—Could you have said something to keep him here? Though, you thought again and shook your head. Little Rin would have strangled you for not letting his older brother chase after their dream of being strikers together.

It had been several months since you last saw both Itoshi brothers. You figured that they just needed some time alone, before you three were able to go back to the old days and hang out at the park.

You were completely wrong about that.

Last message Rin sent had been only a few days back, with him letting you know he was out for a football training program. You still looked at the message occasionally, before setting your phone on the table.

“Well,” Nori Ayaka tapped her index finger against her chin. “Maybe they really hate each other now. Brothers since forever… and now they hate each other?”

“I don’t think so,” you mumbled. “Sae isn’t the type of person to hold a grudge on another. Uh, but Rin… is a different story.”

“So the younger brother has this one-sided violent hatred towards his older brother?” your friend clarified. “Ah, well. Does the older one even know?”

“I don’t know…” you admitted. “He just looked… tired.” Your eyes wandered towards the bustling streets from the modern glass windows, in which trees swayed every so often with colorful leaves catching the rhythm of the large wind currents.

“Okay, well, think of it this way: if you had a childhood friend…” Your friend leaned back against her chair and folded her arms. “And you two had a dream together for a long time, and one day, your childhood friend of over a decade crushes your dream by accepting the reality, how would you feel?”

“Um, betrayed.” You blinked a few times, staring at your friend with a pointed look.

“Exactly! That’s the situation your friend’s younger brother is in.”

“O…kay? So, Rin feels betrayed by his brother crushing their dreams… and Sae doesn’t realize the harm that has been done towards his brother?”

“I would assume so.” She shrugged, pulling on her sleeves of the oversized hoodie. “But from what you were saying about the prodigy, I would assume he’s either burnt out from football or had his dreams crushed by the world class football teams and strikers.”

“I see. But my question is, why are they avoiding me? It’s not like I did anything to Rin or Sae, did I? I tried to message Sae a while back with no response, and Rin… Well, the only message he sent was something about a football program.”

“Hm. How about talking to the older brother? I mean, the younger one, Rin, was it? Isn’t he gone now—to the football program you mentioned,” she clarified.

“Riiight.” You sighed and propped your arm up against your chin. “Okay. I’ll see about it. Thank you, Ayaka.” You weren’t sure whether to feel nervous to strike up a conversation with Sae after your last encounter. Although, the aroma of coffee and incessant clinking of the crockery slowly washed your worries away, putting your mind more at ease.

You looked up from your phone and breathed a sigh of relief. Done. Sent. Though, you were surprised to see him text you back so quickly.

You vaguely remembered the rocky roads to the outskirts of the city, the rowdy crowds and noise diminishing the farther you ventured down the road. Frequently, you could hear birds chirping from far away then softening, fading into the silent night.

As you followed the swarm of birds that perched at the top of the hill, you noticed a figure already sitting near the birds, glancing at the shimmers of the sky.

You shuffled through the grass and finally made your way to your childhood friend, to which he greets you with: “You’re early.”

“Says the one who’s already here before me.” You rolled your eyes, checking your phone for the time. 11:49PM. You plopped next to him hugging your knees, your head turned to stare at his turquoise eyes.

“You know,” you whispered after several minutes of silence. “What did you mean by ‘the unknown and the uncertainty?’”

He scrunched his eyebrows together.

“You brought me to see the stars this time.” He paused slightly. “Maybe I was just a 14-year-old spouting riddles and nonsense.” You gave him a long stare, releasing a sigh.

“You’re 14, Sae. What riddles are you spouting about?”

You once said that. So why was he repeating the words that left your mouth years ago?

Though, thinking back at your memories from your previous encounter, you realized you had asked him about the unknown and the uncertainty once before.

“What ‘unknown’ or ‘uncertainty’ do you talk about?”

“I brought you here to see the stars, that’s all.”

“Am I missing something?” You wondered aloud.

“The stars,” he started. “are a symbol of hope. When I brought you to see the stars, I wanted to gain hope. I wanted the two of us to have hope. And it turns out, I was right. When you wish for something, you only think about your wish and the result you get out of it. You don’t think about the unknown and the uncertainty—the time in between the creation of a wish and the fulfilment of a wish.”

You swallowed a lump in your throat. Hope.

“Hope has also chained me to the uncertainty, while I solely thought of the fulfillment of a dream.” You nodded slowly. “What… about your dream of becoming the best striker?”

He went silent.

“It’s difficult to choose between the two dreams I had, when I was a 14-year-old. So, I chose one over the other.” You went silent. His other dream about the two of you together, running beneath the moonlight and stars and sky. “Though, being the best striker… Nevermind that. What did you wish for that day when there was a shooting star?” Sae tilted his head to get a better look at your face.

“What did you?”

“I didn’t. I was just looking at you.” You choked on your saliva as you heard his blunt words—which, you supposed, was typical of Sae; after all, his blunt and occasional arrogant behavior was what set him apart from his radiantly positive and enthusiastic brother.

“And I can’t tell you. If wishes are spoken, aren’t they…” You searched your mind for a word to complete the sentence.

“They won’t come true, huh.” You nodded.

I hope he can stay with me.

“The moon is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?” You smiled dimly as you whispered in English, staring at the clouded moonlight.

“The moonlight is—What?” He turned his head to see a tear slip down your cheek.

Just one more last time.

“You don’t know any English, do you?”

“Not a lot.”

A soft whistling filled the night air, as he leaned forward to wipe a tear away with his thumb.

I hope I can hold you close to me as I lean forward towards your face, under the night sky.

He wrapped his arms around you, making gentle circles with his hand around your back. You leaned in towards his embrace and pressed your head against his chest.

“Years ago, you said that ‘tonight wasn’t meant for the stars to guide us together.’” You laughed softly as you ran your fingers through his hair.

“That was true then. But… I have decided.”

Tonight wasn’t meant for the stars to guide us together.

“Decided?” You raised your eyebrows, angling your head to meet his alluring gaze.

“To stay with you. What else?” He rolled his eyes as he cracked a small smile.

“It took you a few years to decide that. I don’t blame you though; after all, I did support your dream to become the best striker,” you jokingly commented. His smile vanished instantly as he looked uncomfortable.

“Sometimes, I feel like the past few years in Madrid were a waste. Oh, I…” He noticed your confused expression. “I accepted the reality of my ability as a striker. The world out there is huge, after all. I am hoping to be a great midfielder some day.”

“Is that why Rin…” You stopped, recalling your friend Ayaka’s words. “I see. Well, I’m sure you already are a great midfielder. Besides that, I’ll root for you no matter what, whether your dreams change or not. Okay?” You held out your pinky. “Promise that we’ll be together forever, no matter what happens.”

“Yeah.” You buried your head into his arm as you intertwined fingers together.

Sitting beneath the pale moonlight at summer’s end, flocks of birds soared into the sky, following a streak of bright light in the darkness; the shooting star raced across the night, sealing their promise for eternities and beyond.

a/n: last post for the year :') hope you guys enjoyed reading this hweheh

#roro residence ✩#fluff #bllk x reader #blue lock #fanfic #oneshot #sae x reader #sae x you #itoshi sae #sae itoshi #bllk sae #blue lock sae #bllk #reader insert #blue lock x reader #blue lock x you #bllk x you

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