#and I've been crying laughing over this for like the past 5 minutes

[apomaro-mellow]

Hot for Teacher(s) 5

Part 4 / AO3 Link

"It's not even about what they say, I mean it is, it's more about how they say it", Eddie said over the phone. He was in the process of making himself dinner while Steve was on the line.

"Like what?", Steve asked, in the middle of making Shawn's lunch for the next day.

"Like, today Alex said 'barbecue is my favorite' and Brian was like 'your mom!' Like what? What does that even mean, Steve? I ask you, what does that mean?"

Steve laughed on the other end. "Well you know how memes work, right?"

"I'm offended you would ask that."

"I just mean it sounds like that. They're passing around a joke until it mutates and now just saying the phrase, regardless of context, is a joke."

"You're brilliant, you know that?"

"So I've been told~"

"Hey, you're making Shawn's lunch now, right? You know what would be funny?"

"Your sense of humor frightens me", Steve said.

"You tell me everything inside, and then I tell Shawn and act like I'm guessing. It'll blow his mind."

"You're ridiculous", Steve said with a shake of his head. But he ended up telling Eddie anyway.

When he went to bed that night, he dreamt of the day Shawn was born again. But this time it was less sights and smells and more sounds as an alpha rumbled close to his ear.

"You're doing great, beautiful."

"Bet your pup's gonna be the cutest..."

He woke up, feeling slightly disoriented as he remembered that he wasn't a new parent, that Shawn wasn't an infant, and that Billy wasn't sleeping beside him. He released a relieved sigh at that last part and got ready for the day.

Both he and Eddie got really busy as winter break began to near and Eddie wondered if it would be too forward to ask Steve out during the break. For all he knew, Steve might have plans to travel during it. But then again, that sounded like all the reason to ask him out before he went too long without seeing him again.

They talked just about every other night though. And try as they might, the conversation always veered to their students and the goings on of their work lives at school.

"Should you be telling me all of this? As a parent?", Steve asked one night. He was curled up on the couch, tv low in the background.

"As a parent, no", Eddie admitted. "But if you were my boyfriend.... then you'd have access to all the hot elementary gossip."

"....Did you just try and seduce me with student gossip?"

"Don't you wanna know which girl in my class has a crush on Shawn?", Eddie tempted.

Steve let out a long drawn out sigh. "You know I do. But I also think that we should have more dates under our belt before we start calling ourselves boyfriends."

"What have all these calls been?"

"Just talks?"

"Stevie, I call you more than anyone. I think in the past few weeks I've called you more than the rest of my phone contacts all year."

"...Are you busy tomorrow?"

"Nope."

Steve chewed his lip a little before going on. "Come over for dinner. Just you and me, I'll send Shawn over to Robin's."

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

Shawn was more than happy to go over to Robin's for the night. She let him put whatever he want on his pizza and let him watch pg-13 movies sometimes. Steve was aware of this, but always warned Robin that she couldn't come crying to him when he got an upset stomach or had nightmares.

Eddie came over just a few minutes after he saw Shawn off and together they put the finishing touches on the dinner Steve had started.

"So this is going to sound weird...", Steve began as they sat down to eat. "But, have we met before?"

Eddie swallowed his mouthful before grinning. "What a line. I'm already in your house, baby. You don't need to use cheesy pick up lines on me."

"I'm serious", Steve said with a roll of his eyes. "Do you think it might be possible?"

"I think I'd remember running into someone like you. Why do you ask?"

Steve picked at his food. "Sometimes you smell familiar. Like, I know I've said you smell safe, but it's like I've smelled it somewhere before."

Eddie swallowed. "...What did your ex smell like?", he ventured.

"Nothing like you", Steve replied quickly. "Even when he wasn't upset I...I just started associating his scent with bad things."

"Well, maybe you just had a very formative experience in a candle shop. They're getting really expressive with fragrances nowadays. Remember that one from a while back? The mountain lodge scent craze?"

"God, how could I forget?", Steve laughed as the conversation changed to candle scents, perfumes, and colognes, and how some brands seemed to be going a bit far trying to imitate certain smells.

After dinner, Eddie offered to help with the dishes so that Steve didn't have to worry about them later.

"You really didn't have to", he said as Eddie handed him a dish to dry.

"Can I be corny for a sec? I've kinda always imagined doing the dishes with someone special. Boring stuff like that."

Steve felt his heart stop and he grabbed Eddie's face to bring him in for a kiss. When they finished, Eddie started perusing the shelf in the living room and immediately found Shawn's baby book.

"Didn't realize you had such a soft spot for him", Steve teased.

"Oh I'm sure he was a cute baby. But I wanna see new parent Stevie", Eddie said, holding it up, asking permission.

Steve sat down on the couch, patting the space next to him. Eddie hopped on like an excited puppy and they started flipping through it. The first few pages showed the ultrasounds and Steve's growing belly.

"I think the weirdest craving I had was turkey sandwiches with crunchy peanut butter. But besides that, it was pretty normal."

"You can't say 'normal' after prefacing it with turkey and peanut butter sandwiches", Eddie said with a grimace.

Steve shrugged. "The only other thing I craved was broccoli for a whole month."

"That explains why Shawn shovels it down during lunch."

There were a couple of appearances by Billy, but Steve didn't talk about him much. It wasn't all bad of course. It rarely is. But when Billy got unpleasant it was really bad. Enough to sour most of the good memories they had made together. The only thing untainted by Billy was Shawn himself, innocent in it all.

Then they got to the day Shawn had been born and the first few were of his teeny wrinkled red face, swaddled up. But after turning the page, Eddie froze on the couch. In the center of the page was Steve lying on a hospital bed, Shawn in his arms. There was a person standing by the bed, arm under the newborn pup, helping Steve support him.

The photo cut off the person's upper body and head, but Eddie knew it was Billy standing there. Steve felt him stiffen up and looked at him confused.

"What's wrong?"

Eddie was gazing at him like he was seeing Steve for the first time. Steve's brow furrowed even more and he took a look at the picture again, wondering what it was. Sure his hair was a mess and his face was pretty red, sweaty, and swollen, but did he really look all that different?

Then he caught the arm helping to hold Shawn, caught the rings on the hand, most different but at least one that was undeniably the same. And if that wasn't enough, caught the tattoos that were visible on the arm.

The same arm that was wrapped around his shoulders right now.

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

"Billy", Steve breathed into the phone, trying to pace himself. "Billy, my water broke. Please call me back. I'll be at Hawkins General Hospital."

Steve hung up and looked to his overnight bag sitting by the door. Even if Billy got his message, Steve wasn't very confident in him getting here on time to drive him to the hospital. And he was pretty sure most rideshares wouldn't want an omega in labor in their backseat. Steve was literally debating whether he should clean up the spill from his water breaking now or just leave it for later.

He wanted to make Billy clean it, the fucking asshole but he also didn't want an argument the moment they returned from the hospital. Mind made up, he leaned over with great difficulty to get the bag and then grabbed his keys.

Steve was never more grateful than now that he lived in a small town and was able to get to the hospital in less than 10 minutes. But it was a very long ten minutes in which he imagined every sort of car accident imaginable.

When he parked, he called Billy again and got his voicemail again. Billy had left the apartment about two hours ago, to do god knows what. He called again after checking in while he was still lucid. As his contractions got closer, he could feel that he was losing himself and his instincts were taking over.

An omega giving birth could be dangerous nowadays. In earlier times, when babies were born in the home, this wasn't much of a problem. An omega would be surrounded by family and familiar scents. But in the sterile, nearly scentless environment of a hospital, they had a tendency to lash out at the hands of strangers trying to help deliver the baby.

If the omega's partner was present, or someone else close to them, this made things go a lot more smoothly. But Steve had arrived completely alone. No one to speak for but himself and the pup inside of him. When asked if anyone was coming, he admitted to calling his alpha several times but not getting a reply.

The nurse stroked his sweaty forehead, giving him a pitying look.

"You poor thing. But you're going to have to start pushing soon. Your pup's about ready to meet the world."

Steve shook his head. "Can't. I can't. It's not time yet."

The doctor gave him an appraising look. "I'm afraid to say that it is, alpha or no. This is what happens when you get pupped up without a bite."

And that was a sore spot for Steve, who had asked for Billy's bite more than once. Even more when he found out he was pregnant. His eyes glassed over with tears from both the pain and the oncoming sensation that he had feared.

"Doctor, watch what you say. I think he's succumbing to rejection sickness", the nurse said, nose catching a hint of it through her mask.

What was worse than Steve snapping at the hands trying to assist would be him feeling too weak to even do anything.

The doctor cursed under her breath. "Nurse, go find a volunteer alpha. No need to make this more difficult than it needs to be."

The nurse scurried out, Steve couldn't tell how long she'd been gone but was deep in a flurry of sensations. Billy didn't want him, he never wanted him, not seriously. Not even to officially mate him. He didn't want this pup either. His baby was coming into the world unloved and it was Steve's fault for being such a failure and-

"Found someone", the nurse rushed in.

"'Someone'?", the doctor raised a brow at the man she brought in.

"He's not official but all the other volunteers are busy."

"This is highly unprofessional, you understand that?"

"I think losing a pup and possibly a patient would be even worse. Do you know what to do, sweetie?"

"Yeah", a third voice said.

Steve rubbed at his eyes, trying to get them to clear but the tears kept coming and the pain was never ending. He felt a hand grab his and wanted to snap but the rumble of an alpha's voice got him to pause. It wasn't Billy, didn't smell like him at all, yet somehow that was better.

"You're doing great, beautiful." The alpha held his hand on one and stroked his hair with the other.

"The pup...", Steve whimpered as the doctor and nurse got to work between his legs.

"Doc's gonna help you out. Bet your pup's gonna be the cutest in the ward. But I think you gotta help push him out."

Steve was panting as he started to push. He had to do this. He owed it to his pup to try. He had been so excited from the moment the test showed positive. He couldn't give up now. He thought about the ten toes and ten fingers and their ruddy face and their wisps of hair and he couldn't wait anymore to see them for himself.

All through it, the alpha gave him words of encouragement, projected a comforting scent, and kept both hands on him, grounding him to the moment. With a big final push, tiny cries filled the room and Steve collapsed onto the bed.

He felt like he dizzy, to say the least and while his pup was cleaned up, he was given a heavy dose of painkillers. Finally, his baby was given to him, all swaddled up and there was that itty-bitty pink face. Steve immediately started to cry again, but this time in joy.

"Gorgeous baby, just like their dame."

"Thank you", Steve breathed out. He put his nose to his pup's forehead. He smelled just a bit of Steve but besides that was scentless. His inner omega longed for the scent of himself and his alpha to cover their babe, marking them as their own and protecting them. Unknowingly, he let out a cooing call and the alpha beside him answered it, reaching out to rub his wrist against the blanket.

"What are you gonna call him?"

"Shawn...", Steve had decided long ago. He let out a very long yawn, which his pup then mirrored.

The alpha stayed with them for at least an hour, covering them both in his scent, turning away respectfully when the nurse came to help Steve nurse for the first time. Steve had still been too out of it to appreciate it but had been grateful later. The alpha had to go soon after, and truly it was perfect timing.

Billy finally arrived about five minutes later, looking relieved at first to see Steve and the baby were fine, but then his nostrils flared when he smelled an unfamiliar alpha on what he deemed to be his omega and his pup. Steve had been tired to fight, just kept his eyes open so that Billy could said his piece before handing Shawn over and closing his eyes.

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

"....That alpha was you", Steve whispered.

"And that omega was you", Eddie replied.

Part 6

Tag Team

@anne-bennett-cosplayer @aol19 @lololol-1234 @hippieg1rl420 @gregre369 @attic-cat-blog

[hopefulromances]

can you do #5&6 where jamie is comforting his girlfriend?

5. “Why are you crying?”

6. “Talk to me.”

Is this self indulgent... yes... now continue

You didn't know when it started. You just felt so hopeless. It'd been months since you lost your job, leaving you unemployed. You had been so high. Doing so well. Happy, healthy, in love. Now you could barely leave your bed, much less force yourself to cook or work out.

It came to a head today when you finally decided to leave the house and ended up with a parking ticket. A parking ticket. You stared at the ticket in despair. This had to be a sign that you never needed to leave your house again.

"Goddamnit, god fucking damnnit," You cursed to yourself, feeling that thickness in your throat that always indicated you were about to lose it.

You crumpled up the ticket in your hand and slammed the door to your car, finally going inside the house. You headed straight to your room, not even noticing that Jamie was home.

"Hey babe what's goin- Woah!" Jamie didn't even have time to process what was going on when you ran straight past him and closed the door to your room. He could hear you sniffling on the other side of the door and it broke his heart.

He walked over to the door and leaned against the wall, knocking softly. "Babe? Why are you crying?"

"Go away, Jamie," you croaked from behind the door.

Well he wasn't gonna do that. He frowned leaning his forehead against the door. "I"m not going away until you let me in." You were quiet on the other side of the door. No noises except for the occasional sob. "And if you don't tell me what's wrong I'll just start singing and not stop."

That drew a little giggle out of you but you still didn't open the door.

"Alright, you've asked for it," Jamie took a big breath. "AND I! HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE! AND I NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE! AND I SWEAR! IT'S THE TRUTH! AND I'M HOLDING ONTO YOOOU!"

You door flew open and you appeared, your eyes red from tears but at least the door was opened.

"Okay, okay, I'm here just..." You let out a large sigh and let Jamie into the room.

You sat on the floor, back resting on your bed frame. Jame came over to sit next to you, looking down at you.

"Hey," He nudged you. "Talk to me."

You frowned and shook your head, speaking quietly. "I just don't think I was meant to be unemployed."

Now it was Jamie's turn to frown. He knew you weren't doing well on that front, but no matter how many times he reassured you that it would be okay, you still ended up in your head about it.

"And I get it, a lot of people are unemployed right now, okay I do?" It was like you'd read his mind. "But I'm sick of it. I was doing so well! So well. And now what? I get up lay around then go to bed at night? I just... I need to have some purpose, Jamie. Something that gives me worth. And today," You held up the crumpled piece of paper. "I got a fucking parking ticket. First time I've left the house in like weeks and this happens."

Jamie let the two of you sit in silence for a minute. He let you cry, just sitting there next to you, letting you know he was there.

"Well give me this," he snatched the ticket out of your hand. "I can take care of this."

"Jamie, I don't need you to-"

"Well I want to. I love paying parking tickets. Do you know how many parking ticket's Colin's got?" He laughed. "A lot. And as for the rest of it. It sucks. A lot." He wrapped an arm around you and tugged you into his side. "But you don't need a job to give you worth. Keeley told me that once and it seemed true enough for me but for you it's definitely true." You chuckled, tearfully. Jamie squeezed your extra tight, wrapping another arm around your waist for extra squeezage. "You're worth a lot to me. Like waaay more than any job could give you."

You smiled, finally, giving in to Jamie's affection. You shoved your face into his chest, letting him hold on to you. He kissed your head, rubbing up and down your back with his hand.

"Thank you, Jamie," You mutter, nuzzling deeper into his chest.

Jamie's heart swelled, happy that he could provide you with some comfort. He leaned down and peppered kisses across your head. "Always, baby, always."

[candycandy00]

Roses in the Sky - An Original Alien x Reader Story Part 8

In a future where humanity huddles in decaying domed cities controlled by alien invaders, you and your best friend Anna work as make-shift nurses in a tiny clinic run by the young doctor Terrian. The city is ruled by the aliens' violent, half-breed offspring who serve as brutal overseers. You and Anna have always tried to avoid these overseers at all cost, but your life is changed when one of those same terrifying offspring is brought into the clinic, injured and unconscious.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10

This is an original Alien (well half alien) x Fem Reader story! I hope everyone who enjoys my fanfiction will give this a shot! I’m posting the first chapter just to check for interest. Any feedback whatsoever would be loved! I’ve already written this story so it’s not going to delay my fanfics. Just thought I might post chapters of this between fanfics if anyone is interested.

Slow burn, as this is a novel-length story, but there will be smut in later chapters! Also: violence, blood, rape attempts, death of side characters, etc.

“Are you in love with Terrian?"

The words slipped out of your mouth carelessly, and you regretted asking the question the instant Anna looked up at you with a horrified, tear streaked face. The answer was right there, no words needed to convey it, and hearing it out loud only seemed to pain Anna more.

You sat down beside her. "You could've told me."

Anna stared toward the bottom of the stairs. "I didn't want to admit it. I don't think I even admitted it to myself until I saw him holding that half-breed's hand."

"Maybe they're not a couple," you offered. "Maybe he's just taking care of her. We don't know what their relationship is yet."

Anna put her face in her hands. "It's obvious! You saw the way he looked at her! She's beautiful and looks good in the outfits he likes and they've lived together for two years!"

You had no response to that. Terrian and Nariah had certainly looked like a happy couple. You sighed and threw an arm around Anna, feeling the other girl's body tremble as she cried.

Several minutes later, Anna stopped crying and dried her eyes. "Sorry," she said, still sniffling. "I know it's a stupid thing to cry over. But it just feels like half-breeds keep taking things away from me. They took my mom, and my brother, and my body. But for the past few years, I've been thinking, 'At least I have you and Terrian'. Now it's like you're turning to Vartan and Terrian has that... woman upstairs."

Your immediate reaction was to go on the defense, to loudly proclaim that you were not turning to Vartan, that there was no way Vartan would ever take you away from Anna, but stop stopped yourself before you could open your mouth. If you were honest with yourself, you would admit that you were being drawn more and more to the mysterious half-breed who slept on your couch.

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way," you finally said. "But I'll always be here for you, no matter what happens with Vartan. He can't replace you. No one can."

Anna's eyes were wet again, but she smiled. "I made the best decision of my life when I agreed to share that blanket with you on Second Street."

You laughed. "When I saw you, all I could think was, 'She's small, so there would be more blanket for me'."

"You were so devious back then!"

"Hey, it's how I survived,” you said with a shrug. 

Footsteps sounded from the stairs behind you, and you turned to watch Terrian approach with a worried expression. He looked at you and Anna, then lowered his head. "I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have kept Nariah from you. I just didn't want to worry you two. I promise I'll never keep secrets from you again, okay?"

You looked at Anna, who slowly nodded. You turned back to Terrian. "We forgive you."

Terrian exhaled, and you wondered if he'd been holding his breath since he came down stairs. He smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"But you don't seriously keep her up in that dusty room all day, do you?" you asked.

"No, no," he answered. "She has her own room down here but I moved her today because you girls were coming. I guess that plan didn't work though." He laughed nervously and looked at Anna, who wouldn't meet his eyes.

You gave him a look you hoped he would interpret as "Don't ask. Not now."

He must have gotten the message. He gave another weak smile and said, "You're free to leave for today. If you didn't get everything done, that's fine. Be sure to come back tomorrow, okay?"

He looked at Anna as he spoke the question, but she stood up without a word and walked down the stairs to the first floor. You heard one of the bedroom doors shut and figured Anna was changing out of the maid costume before heading home.

"She's still angry with me," Terrian said sadly.

"She'll get over it eventually," you assured him. "Just give her a little time."

"You're not angry with me, are you?"

You shrugged. "I have a half-breed at my place too. I can't really say much about it, can I?"

"Thanks," he told you again, and you nodded to him before heading down the stairs.

Anna was already gone when you finished changing, so you walked home alone. It was dusk, which meant the city was a gross color of orangey-maroon as you reached your apartment. You wondered if Vartan would still be sitting motionlessly on the couch, or if he'd even be there at all. You had no idea how long his exile from the tower would last, and he hadn't bothered to tell you. 

When you opened the door, you immediately scanned the room. You almost laughed when you realized that Vartan was indeed still sitting on your couch. You slipped off your shoes, dropped your duffel bag on the floor, and walked into the living room.

Upon closer inspection, you noticed that Vartan was asleep, slightly slumped over. You leaned down to look at him, thinking for the second time that he almost looked human while sleeping. He breathed the same as you did, his chest rising and falling slightly as his breaths made little wheezing sounds.

His eyes snapped open suddenly and you took a quick step back. "I'm home," you said, trying to start a conversation before he had time to question your closeness. "What did you do all day? Don't tell me you sat there staring at the wall."

He sat up straight and raised his arms above his head, stretching in a way that reminded you of a cat. He rubbed his eyes, one at a time, and looked at you. "I slept most of the day," he said. "I read your books as well."

You saw all five of your old trashy romance novels strewn across the couch beside him and blanched. They had belonged to your mother, and they were full of exactly the sort of scenes you really did not want a half-breed in your home thinking about. You gathered them up in your hands and said, "Where did you even find these?"

"They were on a shelf over there," he answered, pointing to a rickety book case that was completely empty.

You replaced them on the shelf and headed for the kitchen. "I guess you're hungry. I don't have much but I'll try to fix something."

A loud knock at the door startled you, and you looked swiftly to Vartan. "Hide!" you whispered, pointing to the darkened hall that led to your bedroom. He obeyed and slipped into the shadows as you walked over to the door. "Who is it?" you asked.

"My son is hurt," a male voice called back. "You're a nurse, right?"

You felt something stir in your heart. It had only been a day, but you realized at that moment that you truly missed being a nurse. "Well, sort of," you said through the door, "but all my supplies at are the doctor's house now. We had to close the clinic."

The voice on the other side hesitated for a moment, then said, "Can you at least look at him? He's bleeding."

You unlocked the door and began pulling it open. The door suddenly shoved against you hard enough to knock you down, and three men rushed into your apartment.

"Look for food and medicine first!" one of them shouted to the others, who split up and began digging through your refrigerator and drawers.

"Hey, stop it!" you yelled. "I told you I don't have any supplies here!"

The man in the kitchen was filling a plastic bag with fruit, butter, and everything else he could get his hands on. "You have plenty of food though!"

You ran over to him and tried to pull the bag from his hand. "Stop! Get out of here!" you screamed, jerking with all your strength until the bag split and the contents spilled out.

"Damn it!" the man said, shoving you away and stooping down to gather back up the food.

The man who had been giving orders made his way to the kitchen and grabbed you by the hair. "Shut up and back off, you little bitch, or I'll slit your throat!"

"Let me go!" you cried, trying to jerk free. The man released you, then immediately punched you in the stomach. You groaned and dropped to the floor, holding your sides. You looked up at the sneering man. "You're... making a big... mistake," you said.

The man laughed. "What are you gonna do? Report us to the half-breeds? Good luck with that!" He kicked you in the gut and laughed again while the other two continued grabbing your food.

You rolled over onto your stomach and tried to crawl to your feet, but one of the men kicked you again and you collapsed. You looked back to see which one had attacked you, but in that same instant a dark blur moved by you at such speed you could barely make out what it was.

Vartan now stood over you, facing the man behind you. Without a word he reached out and ripped the man's head right off his shoulders. Blood sprayed your apartment like a fire hydrant and you shrieked, more from surprise than horror.

The other two men, upon realizing just what had been hiding in your apartment, made a run for the door, but they didn't even make it out of the kitchen. Vartan swooped in like an angel of death, clad in black, ripping the burglars limb from bloody limb as you sat watching, frozen in shock.

The man who had initially punched you was the last to go, lying face up in a pool of his blood, both his arms torn off. Vartan lingered with him, bi-colored eyes narrowed into an expression you had never seen a half-breed wear, as if he had a personal vendetta against the man. He lifted the man up into the air and squeezed the man's neck until there was a terrible cracking sound. Vartan dropped the now limp body onto the floor and turned around.

You stared up at him blankly. He was covered in blood, like red brush strokes on white canvas. He was a ruthless angel of death, but somehow he had become your savior. "Are you alright?" he asked, holding out a hand to you. Even though it made no sense, even though it was totally crazy to even think it, you could've sworn right then that Vartan looked worried.

"I'm okay," you answered, taking his hand and standing up. You looked around the kitchen, suddenly more thankful than ever for your time at the clinic. You had seen so much blood and gore that it hardly fazed you any more.

"I am sorry," Vartan said in his usual monotone voice. "I have broken one of your rules. I will leave if you want."

You had nearly forgotten making the rule at all. He had agreed to punish no one while he was staying with you, but how could you enforce that rule when he had broken it only to save you?

"I don't want you to leave," you told him, surprised by your own frankness. "You protected me, so how can I blame you for that?"

He looked at you silently for a moment, and for the first time you were struck by a sudden desperation to know what he was thinking. If you asked, he probably would have told you, but you couldn't bring yourself to do it.

"I will clean up the mess I made then,” he said. 

You nodded and gathered up the food the men were trying to steal. Some of it was splattered with blood, but most of it was in plastic bags, safe from the bloodshed. You replaced what could still be used in the refrigerator and handed the now empty bags to Vartan, who began placing the various severed limbs in them.

The two of you cleaned the kitchen in silence, the only sounds coming from the squish of body parts being crammed into the bags or the squeak of a mop across the floor. You wondered if you should thank Vartan for what he did. How did things get this far? You had started out fearful of speaking to him, because he was a half-breed. Now you were afraid for entirely different reasons.

You felt like you were balancing on a wire, caught between being fascinated by him - strangely attracted to his otherness and grateful for his bizarre kindness - and being disgusted by his violence.

When they were finished, they took turns in the shower and met again in the kitchen. Vartan had a dark towel wrapped around his waist, apparently remembering the conversation that took place before you left for work. You threw his uniform into the washing machine and sat down at the table.

"Are you hungry?" you asked him casually, your own appetite completely dissolved from the moment Vartan ripped the first head off.

"Somewhat," he answered, his voice as even as ever.

"What do you like?"

"Meat. Cheese. Carrots. Oranges." He read them off like a grocery list.

You stood up and opened the fridge. "I have bologna."

"That will be fine," he said.

You pulled out the things you needed to make a sandwich and avoided his eyes while you fixed his food. He was watching you, staring at you with those alien eyes, yet somehow it felt... normal? Like he had been watching you for years? You shook your head and finished his sandwich, then sat down at the table beside him.

He ate the food, slowly but otherwise the same way anyone would eat. You remembered Terrian's words, that Nariah had become "so much more human than Pagoda". You wondered if you could ever say the same for Vartan.

"Hey," you said, and he stopped mid bite to look at you curiously. You hesitated for another moment, then smiled at him. "Thank you."

The corners of his mouth twitched, as if he reflexively wanted to return the smile, but his expression remained the same. "You're welcome," he replied.

Tag List:

@scrumptiouslampwobblercop

If you’d like to be tagged in future parts, let me know!

[tlouxobsessed]

Let me down

Synopsis - Ellie and y/n were best friends until they began to drift, y/n hates Ellie now. At least up until your mother invites Ellie over for dinner.......

Characters - Switch/mean!Ellie x Y/N!reader

I do not own The last of us, Y/N is afab therefore female body parts will be mentioned. Below there is a warning of what will contain this story.

Warnings - Lesbian sex, , cunnilingus, fingering (r!receiving) spanking, abandonment, afab (female parts) , Mentions of murder.

~ Four years earlier ~

"Okay so Truth or Dare" the green eyed girl said to y/n.

"Hmm-"

"Hurry Y/N!!!"

"Ellie!! calm down I need to think" Y/n said laughing at the girls lack of patiences.

"Okay...truth"

"Lameeee" Ellie said, rolling her forest green eyes towards y/n.

"Fine....dare"

Ellie smirked knowing now she could make y/n do the stupidest thing ever. Ellie sat there pondering on what she should make y/n do, she wanted her to do something risky. Y/n stared at Ellie waiting for her to decide, she admired Ellie's features. The way her jawline was perfectly chiseled. Her green eyes sparkling in the low light from the lamp. The auburn hair landing right above her breasts.

"y/n?" Ellie asked.

"Oh shit- sorry uh?" Y/N said her pinks turning a bright shade of pink.

~ Present day ~

"holy shit-" you said bursting up after the dream. You didn't think about Ellie much...but when you did it was like swallowing nails. It pained you so much but there wasn't anything you could do. Your friendship with her was over. Anywho you weren’t really the type that sat and dwelled over stuff out of your control, you enjoyed the present not the past. Sure you’d see Ellie around Jackson but you never paid much mind to so, the two of you never had to speak so why’d bother dwelling?

You glanced over at your clock, the red numbers exclaiming ‘5:47’ realizing you sat there for two extra minutes overthinking your dream. 'fucking shit I need to get up' you stood up staring into the mirror by your bed, wondering why you'd get up so early anyways? you had been training your body for years to get up at this time, but no patrol today, no plans....so why be up so early.

"Baby are you up?" you glanced behind you seeing your mother come into your room. Her hand wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. Your mother had always been your best friend, after your father passed away she was all you had. You adored her and she adored you, it was always that way.

"Oh Hi mom, are we doing anything today?" You asked slipping some jeans on along with a crewneck. "Well Hun I was thinking...and before you say no- hear me out, I invited Ellie over-" You quickly looked up, your heart dropping hearing that familiar name once again. You hadn't spoken to her in years, after Joel died she became even more distant.

You knew she lived on a farm a few miles out from Jackson, with Dina and their child. But that was short lived....

~ Two years prior ~

"It's Dina!!! she's back!" Your mother said running towards Maria's house pulling you with her. You two wandered into the house seeing a distraught Dina and a sleeping JJ. "Ellie left...Tommy came and started rambling about finding Abby, she went to go find her three months ago. I've decided to come back and live with Jesse's parents. I am done with Ellie...if she even makes it back."

' If she even makes it back '

You felt your heart skip a beat with that sentence. Even though Ellie and you had a falling out...you still wouldn't be able to live without knowing she was safe.

"Excuse me" You said heading back towards your house, you spent the next few weeks crying to yourself and wearing Ellie's old shirt she had left there.

~ Back to present day ~

"Mom!! seriously?? Why?" your mother glanced down swirling the drink with her finger then taking another swig. "Because Y/n she doesn't have anybody anymore...she's been alone. You still never told me what happened between you two.." You didn't know how to tell your mom, she didn't know you liked girls. She had no idea that night by the fire, the dare was to kiss Ellie, she didn't know that Ellie and you ended up half naked, bodies intertwined that night...hair a mess...sweat pouring. She had no idea...Ellie's long term girlfriend, Cat walked in on the two of you intertwined, lips parted with one another's...bodies drenched...room filled with tension.

Yet you still never got what you wanted...you never got Ellie completely. Even when the two of you were best friends, there was always someone stopping you from having one another completely. And when the two of you were about to make love, somebody once again stopped that. This made you despise Ellie, Cat made you despise Ellie...then Dina...They all prevented you from having what was yours. Ellie.

"She is coming over for dinner, you do not have to tell me what happened between you two...but y/n please be nice." You nodded sitting down on your bed and pulling out your journel.

You began writing in this when Ellie had given you it. For your fifteenth birthday...she gave you a notebook with doodles in it. Pictures of you, her and some pages dated with days Ellie had written about you. You cherished the notebook like a child, writing in it everyday for hours.

Entry #1,990

Today mom told me Ellie is coming to dinner...which means she is staying with us. I had a feeling something was coming, my mom had been acting too nice recently. Cleaning my room, trading her favorite stuff for new dresses, shoes and books for me. I should've known.

I haven't spoken to Ellie in forever...I'm pretty nervous but we will see how it goes. I dunno how I feel about Ellie anymore...I know she loved Dina so much so I am a lil' nervous but we'll see ya'know?

"Y/N!! please come down here please!!" You heard your mother say. Your stomach felt full, your throat felt dry and your head felt heavy. God what were you going to do. You made you way down the creaky stairs revealing a tired looking Ellie. She was wearing a dark green button up, the sleeves rolled up revaling that same tattoo she's had since seventeen. Some black skinny jeans hugging her figure. And her usual converse still on ever since you were teens. You didn't know what to say. She didn't look up at you, her eyes kept locked to the ground.

"hi" you choked out, the smell of dinner hitting your nose as you made your way further down into the living room. "Hey" Ellie said looking up at you, her greens meeting your e/c.

"Listen dinner is ready! I hate to do this but I have to head out....Maria and Tommy invited me for a drink at their house to discuss some town issues. I love you" Your mom said to you guys, walking over and placing a kiss on your forehead. She hugged Ellie, "great to see you Ellie" then made her way out.

The two of you just stared at one another..."You hungry" you asked the awkward girl.

"Uh a litle" Ellie replied. You nodded placing some of the chicken and potatoes on her plate.

The two of you sat in silence until you knew you had to break the thick tension.

"Ellie...We left off on a really bad term when we had last spoken."

"Yeah we did" Ellie said mouth full with bread.

"I'm sorry" You were surprised to hear Ellie say that. You never expected her to actually take ownership for her actions. "I really am y/n, It wasn't right of me for what I did....I really....really wanted you...I always have" Ellie put down her fork making her way over to you. Placing her warm, rough hands onto your shoulders rubbing them. You didn't even know how to respond. You melted into her touch feeling her thumbs go right into the soft spots of your weak shoulders.

"Let me clean this up for us" Ellie picked up the dishes, washing them while you sat there stunned. This all felt too familiar....too comfortable, almost too good to be true. Ellie walked back over to you, reaching out waiting for you to interlock hands. "C'mon y/n let me show you how sorry I am." You agreed lining up your fingers with hers, she followed behind you, walking into your once pink room. The walls now grey, your black sheets and black curtains surprised Ellie.

You and her sat down onto the bed, the once full sized mattress now a queen. It was all so different, you weren't the same girl Ellie had let down one too many times. Ellie looked over at you, flashbacks from that hot July night coming in way too fast. The feeling of her warm, plump, chapped lips against yours all too similar. Her hand made its way up to your right breast, cupping it and massaging through the thin purple tank you had on. She reached behind unclipping the bra, cool air turning your nipple rock hard. She caressed your erect nipples, your moans into her mouth turning her eager to feel you.

"Take these off" Ellie said gesturing towards your grey sweats, her fingers playing with the band of the pants. You complied, pulling them down revealing your lace, black panties. "fuck Ellie" You gasped as she rubbed her calloused palm over the small wet patch. Ellie slipped your panties to the side, rubbing her index finger between your dripping folds. You couldn't help but twitch with each light tap on your clit. "You like that y/n? Show me how bad you want me" Ellie's words felt like drugs in your bloodstream, her mouth parting once again between yours. Her tongue fumbling against the inside of your mouth, licking your bottom lips just as she sticks her pointer inside you.

She strums pushing it up on your spongey part, you tighten around her as she pulls out then adds another. Her two fingers pumping in and out, your moans getting louder, gripping the back of her neck. She pulls out unbuttoning her sweat drenched shirt revealing a black sports bra, she takes off her black jeans adjusting her soaked boxers. Ellie pushes you down back onto the bed, making her way up sucking and kissing on your inner thighs, she leaves her signature purple and red marks.

"Oh my-" You manage to spat out as she plunges her tongue against your soaking wet cunt. "Take it" she says shoving two fingers in immediately...feeling you clench around her. She sighs out feeling you tense up every time you speed up against her swollen clit. The throbbing part of you begins to feel heavy, your stomach feels tight, that all too familiar knot forming. Ellie watches as you unclench releasing your hot, juices all down her hand.

She pulls her hand out, licking your juices off consuming it like she's been starved. "You did so good" Ellie says watching your red face become a shade darker from the praise.

Ellie lays next to you, rubbing your temples and handed you the glass of water near your bed...all you can manage to say while laying against her chest.....

"Please don't let me down again..."

I hope you guys enjoyed :0 I love writing one shot smuts, but I always need sooooo much detail that it could become an actual story LOL.

[spid3rpunksimp]

Hello this my first time doing this but if you don’t mind can I request a Hobie x reader where the reader is in a somewhat depressive state because they miss their best friend that they’ve been friends with for 6 years. And they haven’t seen them in  3-5 months but to them it seems like a year. And reader is having breakdowns at random times through the day. But tries to hide it and make it seem like they are ok but it’s obvious that they aren’t ok.

You can ignore this if you want

Ngl, I know this one is a personal request. I know how it feels to be depressed, or have depression for that matter. If I'm correct I hope you know that your loved and that it'll be okay

Just pretend

Bst.F/N=Best friend's name

I tear trickled down my check as I looked in the mirror, and hand over my mouth. I missed them so much. It was so painful to sit here without them. Memories of us sitting together and laughing at jokes that didn't even make since to our self's flooded my mind as more tears fell as knocking on the bathroom door broke the silence as I was cover the sound of my silent weeping.

"Love? A'e you alright?" Hobie said to be through the sound of the door as I wiped away my tears and tried to make my voice sound as normal as possible. "Yup! Just finishing up!" I said as I grabbed a mascara bottle and put some one, trying to hide any sight of the fact that I was just crying. Hobie knew about me and my best friend, he knew that they had moved away just about five months ago, he knew I was hurting because of it, but I was determined to make sure he didn't know just how badly this was affecting me, I don't want him to worry...

As I unlocked and opened the bathroom door I stepped out and hugged Hobie tightly with a warm smile on my face. "Coffee?" I said as I looked up at him with pleating eyes. It was something that really kept me going throughout the day. "Of course, love." Hobie chuckled back as I let go of him and started walking to the door.

Our entire drive there was practically silent. I stared out the window as I felt tears threaten to fall from my face as another flash back of me and my best friend flooded my mind once more. I thought about how me and my best friend would go out and get coffee together on Saturdays and we would simply talk about our life's. Before me and Hobie were dating I would tell her everything about our friendship and as soon as me and Hobie started dating I would tell her everything that was going on between our relationship. She was even there for me and Hobies first kiss.

"Love?" Hobie said in a worried tone as I jolted back to reality, looking over to him holding back the tears best I could, "You alright love? You ain't answer'in me and I've been tellin you we're here for the past minute." Hobie told me as I simply blinked wide eyes as I felt the tears begin to make their way out of my eye. "Sorry, must've spaced out there." I said as I unbuckled and got out of the car quickly, walking inside and to the bathroom as quickly as I could.

As soon as I got into the bathroom I broke. The pain was so much, I couldn't handle it alone but I had to. My best friend ended up getting a new number and had forgotten to tell me exactly what it was. It was killing me on the inside cause I knew I would most likely never see them again. As that thought came into my mind I broke once again, covering my sobs with my hand as someone else came into the bathroom. I felt steamy tears roll down my eyes, falling onto my ripped jeans as more and moire followed after, mascara becoming ruined.

After the person had left I took my hand off of my mouth and whipped my tears with a piece of toilet paper, throwing it away and walking out of the bathroom shortly after.

"Babe.." I heard Hobie say beside me as I stepped into the car. "Yeah?" I said giving him a smile. Looking at his expression my smile slowly faded as he examined my face. "Love what's going on?" he asked me as I simply looked at him blankly. "What do ya mean? I'm great!" Hobie looked at me concerned as he handed me my coffee and put the car into reverse and began to drive out of our parking spot. "Whatever you say.."

As the car drove by building after building, I felt tears come up once again as I took small sips of my coffee. I felt Hobies eyes on me. I knew he knew. It was stupid of me to think I could hold up a game like this for so long.

As we pulled into the parking lot and walked up the stairs towards our apartment it was silent. Tears pecked at my eyes and burned them as I held them back with all the force I could muster up. As we opened the door I couldn't take it anymore as I dropped the coffee entirely and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it. After, I turned the water on and slid down the door as loud, sad sobs erupted from my mouth. Tears ran down my cheeks and ran down my nose, face, and chin. Some tears went into my mouth as I tasted the salty water mix of sadness.

Knock knock knock

The knocks were genital. Soft and full of worry. "Please let me help." I heard a genital voice say as I covered my mouth. Hobie had been listening the entire time I was crying. Before I could stop myself I felt myself reaching up and unlocking the door, moving over to the wall behind the door as I felt it open quietly. "This is about (Bst.f/N) innit?" he said as he gave me a soft look, sitting down next to me and hugging me genitally. I shook my head.

"Its okay to talk to me about this stuff." hobie said as he moved me to his lap as I straddled him, putting my head on his shoulder as I sobbed louder as I felt him genitally pet me, playing with the bottom of my shirt as we simply sat there as I cried.

"It's okay, love. I'm right here."

I'm so sorry if this isn't exactly what you wanted it was just what I had come up with so yeah thank you for the request though!

[track-five]

i've accumulated over fifty half-written fics in the past four years (i'm sure most of them will end up smashed together) so i desperately need help figuring out what to focus on right now. here are little pieces from a few (decently established) drafts that i could get out within a few days while i work on longer stuff

1.

“Could I ask you a question?”

“Always,” Harry grinned, sliding into bed and gently tugging the older boy to sit between his legs.

“I...jus’ love you s’much.”

“…is that your question?”

“Mm, yeah.”

“You really got a fever, don’t you?”

2. [larry's house: loml]

“I thought you were a murderer! Never sneak in like that again, damn near gave me a heart attack.”

“Maybe I am a murderer."

“No, you’re the love of my life.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t murder you...”

3. [very very very sappy pining love letters]

I guess I’m just lonely tonight. Maybe I wish I had you here to hold me like I held you. Maybe I just need a good cry. Maybe I just need you.

Can you come home yet?

I miss you.

I love you.

- Louis

4. [unfortunately this has no redeeming qualities! all hurt, no comfort]

“I jus’ wanna do up his necklace one more time.” Louis’ throat tightened as tears pricked the corners of his eyes. “I wanna stroke his curls and hold his hand and make him laugh one more time. I-I…I jus’ want one more minute.”

5. [baby boyfriends]

“When’s the last time you had a glass of water?”

“Huh? Oh, I dunno. Yesterday?”

“Harry, you’re jokin’ right?”

“I, uh, I don’t think so.”

Louis kept up his incredulous stare while running a hand through his fringe. He sighed, breaking their eye contact when he turned his gaze to the ceiling as if some kind of answer to his every problem would fall from the heavens.

“Christ, your mother’s gonna kill me."

[duskwoodgirl4life]

Chapter 11

I spent the next week in the hospital. The pains have started to subside and the doctors are happy with the progress. The baby is healthy and doing really well. Jake hasn't left my side. I finally managed to persuade him to get some rest. He's been sleeping in the chair next to me for the past couple of hours. He's been so focused on me that he's not been looking after himself. Now that I have started to get better I'm going to make sure Jake gets some proper rest. I know he only wants to make sure I'm okay but the way he's been going he's completely worn out.

The next couple of days everything is still looking good, the doctor is pleased with how I am doing and tells me I can go home. " I'm so happy you said that, I can't wait to get home to my own bed" I see a look of relief on Jake's face that the doctor is letting me go home. Later that afternoon Jake and I got home. It's such a nice feeling being able to be back. It feels like a lifetime since I was last home. "Now MC why don't you put your feet up and I'll get you something to drink" Jake is still trying to pretend he's got everything under control. "Jake, stop you go and sit down. I can make myself a drink. You're completely exhausted now go" Jake doesn't try to argue with me as he knows deep down I am right.

By the time I get back to the sofa Jake is already asleep, I grab the blanket off the back of the sofa and cover him up. I sat down next to him and put on the TV for some background noise. Not really paying attention to the TV I start to feel my eyes get heavy and I soon fall asleep cuddled up to Jake.

I don't know how much time passed but when I wake up Jake is not next to me, when I look at the clock it's 6pm. "Jake? Where are you?" I pull myself up off the sofa and go in search of Jake. As I make my way through the apartment I spot a note on the table that's from Jake.

Dear MC,

I've just gone to pick up some Chinese. I will be back soon.

Love

Jake

Xxxxxx

A smile spreads across my face. He's so thoughtful, I decided to go warm some plates up for when Jake gets back. After setting the table I grab a couple of candles and make it a little bit more romantic. After the table is set I walk over to the window to close the curtains and I see Jake talking to a woman I can't quite make out who she is until she turns around. Why the hell is he talking to her or all people why is he standing talking to Emma! I start to feel all kinds of emotions. Everything feels like it's hitting me all at once. He stood there talking to his ex. He's talking to her laughing and joking. I close the curtains and walk over to get my phone and send Jake a text.

MC: Hey, how long are you going to me?

Jake: Hey, I won't be long just on my way back

MC: I've set the table, do you want anything to drink?

Jake: please I'll have some juice, I will be home in 5 minutes X

I put my phone down on the table and walked back over to the window, pulling the curtain back a little. I don't see Jake standing there anymore. After a few minutes I hear Jake coming back, closing the door behind him. "I'm back MC sorry I was so long I'll explain everything in a second" I was completely taken back when Jake said he would explain everything. A part of me was expecting him to make up some lie or excuse but he didn't. He actually said he would explain. After the food gets plated we sit down at the table and start to eat. "MC, the reason why I was so long was because I ran into Emma. I wasn't expecting her to still be in duskwood after everything" I sat looking at Jake as he tried his best to explain what had gone on between them. "She said she's doing well and is seeing someone else. She told me she misses me and wanted us to try again but I turned her down. I told her that I am in love with you MC"

I was completely taken back by what Jake said. I was all prepared for an argument in my head. I was picturing slamming doors and crying. "You really told her that? Just when I thought I couldn't love you anymore than I already do." Jake smiles and takes my hand in his and gives it a light squeeze. "I really did MC, I never really loved her deep down I knew it was a mistake the moment I asked her to marry me" I start to feel my heart rate slow down and my body starting to feel at ease with what Jake has told me.

As the weeks pass Jake and I grow even closer together with the arrival of the baby approaching we have started to sort the spare room out and get it decorated. We decided to go for an ocean theme. Jake painted the walls an ocean blue colour with a hint of green on the blue. I draw on the walls sketching out different animals. After I get done sketching the last little details on the fish I feel Jake's arms wrap around me. "Hey, I brought you something to eat and drink, I thought you could use a break" I turn to face Jake and kiss him softly on the lips and smile. "Thank you babe, I could use a break" I follow Jake into the kitchen when there is a knock at the door I shout to Jake telling him I'll answer it. When I open the door there is a box on the floor with a note sticking out the side of the box.

I pick it up and look at the note it's addressed to Jake. "Jake there was a box with this note left for you" I hand the box to Jake and he looks at the note, all the colour drains from his face. He hands me the note and I read what it says.

To my darling Jake,

It was so good to see you the other day. I love you just as much as I have ever done. I hope you enjoy the gift I bought you until we meet again my handsome man.

Xxxxx

I drop off the note onto the table Jake opens up the box and inside is a dozen red roses petals. "Jake what's going on? Is this some kind of sick joke" Jake sits down on a chair and looks at me with pure shock. "I don't understand what's happening!! Please MC you have to believe me" the look on Jake's face says it all. "It's from her isn't it? Why is she sending you gifts? Before Jake could even respond his phone buzzed. He pulls out his phone and it's a text from her.

Emm: Hello babe, hope you liked the little gift I left you I will win you back love you always Jake. Xxxxx

[goldheartedsky]

Idk if you're still doing the kiss prompt fills but Andy/Booker for 50?

50) ...out of love

"I'm sorry the house is a fucking mess," Booker mumbles, embarrassment flooding up his throat as Andy steps through the door. "I've been trying to get everything cleaned up, but, y'know..."

A grin tugs at her lips before she leans in and kisses him on the cheek, Booker all but melting under her touch. "You've got three kids under 5, Book. I'm not expecting your house to look like a museum," she says, punching his shoulder gently. "I'm just glad you finally stopped acting like a hermit."

"Yeah, I just—" He scrubs a hand over the back of his neck and swallows thickly. "It's just been a lot to deal with, Heloise being gone and all."

It's been a year since she walked out on him—on them all, really—and, while the initial blow of his wife's infidelity had cut him so deep that it's a miracle he's even in one piece, Booker is still reeling from the fact that Heloise could just walk away from the boys without looking back once. So, yeah, he's pulled away, drank too much, focused on the boys instead of his friends or even himself.

Who wouldn't?

But Andy seems to sense the shame creeping back into his body and chases it away in an instant, slinging her arm over his shoulder and tugging him toward the couch. "Come on, we've got a lot to catch up on."

They put some dumb old sitcom on the TV and chip away at the past six months of missed moments together, Booker laughing for the first time in way too long. It was like missing a limb, like living underwater for months on end, and Booker is finally able to breathe again.

At least, until Jean-Pierre wakes up—the baby monitor blaring red as the toddler starts crying.

"Fuck," Booker grumbles, looking at Andy apologetically. "It'll just be a minute. He probably dropped his—"

Andy rolls her eyes and shoves him up off the couch. "Book, it's fine, go take care of JP. I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

He freezes, words cutting straight into the tenderest parts of his heart, and wonders if Andy really knows what she said. She's here. She's not leaving him.

It takes a little bit to settle Jean-Pierre and, even though Andy had promised she'd be there when he got back, a little rush of surprise still runs through Booker when he sees her still on the couch when he comes back downstairs. But that surprise is immediately replaced by aching infatuation when he sees what she's doing on the couch.

Booker's legs feel numb as he makes his way down the last couple steps, watching Andy fold another one of Henri's little shirts. The basket of clean laundry he had abandoned a few days ago is at her feet and a pile of folded clothes sits beside her like it's the most normal thing in the world.

"What—What are you doing?" Booker croaks, throat suddenly so dry he's not sure how the words come out.

Andy's brow furrows as she looks up at him, a pair of JP's pajamas in hand. "Folding the boys' laundry?" she says, like he's stupid and, honestly, maybe Booker is. "I figured you could use the help and I'm here." The room spins and a soft smile tugs on Andy's lips as her head tilts. "What?"

He's not sure what happens but something comes over him. His mind shuts down and his heart takes over his body as he stumbles over to Andy, grabbing the pair of pajamas from her hands and tossing them to the side. She doesn't even have a chance to say a single word as Booker wraps one hand around the back of her neck and drags Andy into a devoted kiss. He kisses until they both run out of breath, until his head is spinning, until Andy kisses him back with just as much tenderness.

"What was that for?" she whispers, finally breaking the kiss to catch her breath. Andy's aquamarine eyes are wide and bright and Booker never wants to let her go. "It's just laundry..."

Booker shakes his head and pulls her into another kiss before murmuring, "It's so much more than that."

[eddievansick]

No joke left behind

I had just begun to start my latest comeback. And I do TikToks and send them to Instagram too, but I try not to do anything on Facebook because of all the hackers and Facebook's constant desire NOT to do anything about hackers or cloned accounts. I have some content on YouTube too, but I have either been working way too many hours just to survive, so comedy wasn't possible for the 10 or so years. But I was doing good back in the day and with about 1000 followers I was on my way to making it. But I got hurt at work and the government had different plans for my life, basically to end it, but I'm not gonna get into that right now. Maybe later tho.

So I came up with an idea. I was gonna pool all my jokes, new and old, together, make a list, and get back out there. But money gets tight and Im struggling with a few injuries that caused my early retirement, so I decided to do albums. All the jokes about my son on one album (which I planned to do for a few years), then all my taxi jokes, complete with all the jokes about my gps girlfriend, Samantha (I still miss her. Every time a use my phones gps I think about her), and then all the "crazy" jokes, which basically covers everything.

But as I dove into my project I started to relive the past 12 years of my life, and I didn't realize that was gonna happen. Its depressing. You have no idea how depressing.

My plan was to go through a list that an old girlfriend made for me when I first started doing comedy. Then to go through both my phones for jokes I texted and sent, or didn't send, then go through all my emails. Then I was gonna go through my Facebook and all other social media sites for all those jokes. And of course all my TikTok and Instagram. But when I got to the Facebook it all hit me. I had deleted my first 3-4 Facebook sites, mainly because of all the hackers on Facebook and the silencing of political truth and their extreme far left agenda, but the last one I took screenshots of so I didn't lose the content. Some were jokes, some were memories. And not all the memories were good. Especially the last 11 years.

And i'm ocd so when I save something on the pc, or send a joke or another writing, i usually send it to more than 1 other source, and sometimes to 4 other sources. Then I move it and save it again so I don't lose it. Then I use it again and save it all over, and repeat what I see is a vicious cycle. Some things I had saved almost 2 dozen times and now I was reliving the last 12 years of my life almost 2 dozen times. And it was depressing.

So I came up with a better idea. I'll write a book. It'll start with all the jokes about my son in chronological order, then go to the taxi and work related jokes, most of which have never been written before, but yep I got them, then the rest of my life, which is basically what I write about because its good to write about things you know, and I know me better than anyone else I know. I've been me for over 60 years now and, well, nobody does it better. It's not easy being me, don't get it wrong. In fact its torture sometimes, but I gotta be me, nobody does it better. I got experience like I said. In fact, one time at one job, as we were leaving for union negotiations, a manager joked, "so who is gonna be you now Ed?" And I told her, "well Patty, you can give it it try, but I wouldn't suggest it, not for a minute. Its not easy. Its tough." When we got back from the union vote I asked her, "so how was it?' And she said she didn't last 5 minutes, so I said "i told you so" and we all laughed. Why THEY were laughing I cant tell you. Its not easy being me.

Then from the book I will have a guide for recording the albums, and put everything on TikTok and Instagram. With the book I can do the sitcom and the movie, then do other movies and shows and be rich and famous all for about 6-12 months before I get hit by a truck or die some other way, and become a household name like Heath Ledger or James Dean, and have people cry at my funeral like they ever knew me, and visit my grave and leave their panties, and on and on and on.

But now its time to get serious again about writing. If I make it great, if not oh well. Even now my great-great-great-great-great-great, great, great grandchildren have an inheritance from me. And Im already gonna be a cult classic at least because of my christmas song "Ghetto Hell" and as of this moment I have made a grand total of $14.24 through DistroKid for its distribution to YouTube and all the other social media and streaming services. My great-great-great-great-great-great, great, great grandchildren should be able to split at least $250 by that time. Most comedians never see earnings that high, so thank you to all my fan, and thank you to my family member, and my several other personalities. Had any of the OTHER different personalities checked out Ghetto Hell on YouTube, I would have already been at $15.00 by now, but THAT'S OK! Be that way. See if I care.

The book shall be called No Joke Left Behind

[aria-ashryver]

🌟...aaaaand it's over, no more chemo!🌟

(at least I very much hope so 🤞)

And Caesar, well...

How are you feeling, Aria? When are you getting new scans? Should the side effects go away soon? If they schedule a surgery, when will it happen?

(Also, this is how I picture you getting ready to hear the results of said scans)

♥️🎉🫂🥂

HELLO sweet lovely!!

Thoughts under the cut bc I'm getting a little bleak and edgy for a sec here lmao, but out here, lemme just say:

FUCK YEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHH I DID THAT!!!! 🙌✨🎉💪

I meet with my oncologist next week, so I won't know much more until then (he'll hopefully be telling me I can make an appointment with the surgery team to talk surgery plans!!), but whatever the news is, bring it on. I've got this.

y'know, these last 3 months have really felt like...

but you know what? I'm still here. Still standing. Still got my foot on Caesar's throat.

These past couple days I've been... ugh. I want to keep matching the celebratory energy, I really do. But I am standing on a bloodied battlefield, gasping for air, my darling.

Shortly before noon, May 30th, 2023, I was told my cancer was metastatic.

Advanced.

Secondary.

Stage 4.

Incurable.

I've been carrying that knowledge for a few months now. About 114,000 minutes, actually. And I've been cutting down the intrusive thoughts that whole time. The terror. The doubt. The sheer, stark loneliness that is existing in a body with something insidious that's trying to kill you. I cannot tell you how truly claustrophobic cancer is.

I've won this battle, yes. I made it through my chemotherapy. But I'm going to be sword in hand for the rest of my life. I don't get to rest. And you know what? That's okay. In a lot of ways, I've been fighting for years.

The irony isn't lost on me that I fought tooth and nail to claw my way through depression and suicidal ideation, and now that I finally, wholeheartedly want to live, I get handed a death sentence. One I can beat back, yes (see: bloodied battlefield, foot on Caesar's throat, et cetera), but one that I'll have to continue fighting forever.

I'll be honest, I have more flavours of trauma than a goddamn ice cream parlour, I was wholeheartedly fucked up even before the cancer diagnosis lmao. But NOTHING has broken me yet.

The world has been trying to kill me for decades and I haven't let it.

Caesar is just one more enemy to laugh at.

This battlefield may be bloodied and barren, but it is mine.

I may be standing on a field of broken bones and corpses, but I am standing.

So, here's to the next fight. I'm ready 🖤

also, just as a random parting thought, I was having a massive cry yesterday (again 114,000 minutes!! of being forced to confront my own mortality, and this was only Breakdown #5 (yes, I'm counting), so like... I think I'm doing real good haha). Anyway, I stumbled on a YT short that was so bleakly hilarious to me in the context of having cancer that I laughed so hard it snapped me right the fuck out of it and i stopped being sad and resumed being awesome

the tl;dr is hell yeah chemo is over (hopefully), and I am literally unkillable and feeling very cool and rad about it 💅

also now I want a sword.

oh my god i totally need to buy myself a sword when they declare my body cancer free don't i?

...oh my god im gonna do it

kitty you genius

[the-pappu-that-cant-dance]

I've been cry laughing over your url for the past 5 minutes help me

Hahahaa, thanks!!!!! I love your blog!!! It feels like such an achievement to be noticed by a blog I have admired!😄😂

[fruitfulchaos]

just going to rant about polish healthcare here, bear with me.

so, here's the fucking thing. i had my last actual visit at the psychiatrist in MARCH. the next one was in july or even september, not sure. i was working a 9-5 at the time and simply couldn't go - didn't even get a phone consultation, nothing, just meds refilled. my next one is scheduled AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. important info is that two weeks from now will be exactly one year since i was admitted to a psych ward. 😐 now, the doctor calculated the meds wrong and i am missing one pack's worth of meds to even GET ME to the end of november. i have called about it before and they told me that "i will get a call with a date" which, of course, did not happen. i called them today, mad as fuck, because im on my last four pills, and i need to take two per day.

i asked the receptionist about a possible teleconsultation, mentioned that i am already a patient of said doctor. i cannot stress the terror the following put me in:

"in january at the earliest"

IN JANUARY??? I'M SUPPOSED TO WAIT 3 MONTHS FOR A FUCKING PHONE CALL?????????

"You must be joking" I laugh nervously into the phone and raise my hand to my mouth. My friend is sitting in front of me by the table, she's confused. The receptionist mutters some apologies or an explanation - doesn't matter, it's all buzzing in my brain. I plead with her further about how I'm running out of meds which were supposed to last me until the end of November. I mention the extreme doses I'm on.

"I can do Tuesday for the prescription code"

"Tuesday?" I mumbled into the phone, trying to remain formal and polite. "Nothing earlier? For just a code?" A prescription code is four digits long, and my last full visit ran for no longer than 10 minutes. I tie the conversation up somehow, can't remember. I might have a date for Tuesday. I hang up and sit, with my mouth wide open for way too long to be normal, holding eye contact with my bestie who's now trying to silently figure out what happened without upsetting me. I'm, actually, factually, genuinely too stunned to speak. Some wires cross in my brain and somehow, despite the elephant doses of chemicals, tears form in my eyes. I don't cry, but something lifts, and a few of them fall while I'm just frozen like 😦. Withdrawing from 200mg of sertraline over 4 days might kill me. So now, I'm rationing the two pills I have left and try not to vomit my insides out, try to ignore the beaming pain in my skull. Tomorrow after uni I'm going straight to the psych ward unit nearest to me and forcing them to change my medication immediately. Or I Might Die. Fuck NFZ. Fuck private healthcare. Fuck the polish government for cutting funds for psychiatric healthcare. I've been waiting on a therapy date since march. I'm on the list of "patients in dire need", by the way. Had I not been working myself to the bone over the past few months, had I not decided to stay living with my abuser in order to afford finishing my degree, I wouldn't even be able to go for private healthcare, which I need to choose now. I will be eating away at my savings, so it's barely a choice now, anyway. It's not a choice when your other choice is to be metaphorically left bleeding out while waiting for an appointment. This is fucking insane. And they want to cut public funds even more, for the sake of some wanna-be capitalists. Poland is a tax heaven for corporations and it's making me go insane. How come I pay fucking taxes from my social and can't even get a fucking prescription on time, after being admitted?

[irrelevantlostie]

Ah yes. The one and only.

[midnightstar-90]

Going Our Separate Ways

Taglist | Request | Wattpad

Main Masterlist | Stranger Things Masterlist

Mike Wheeler x Platonic! Reader

Requested by Anonymous: best friend mike. idk what else to say. bff mike if you were having a bad day i suppose . if you see this i hope u have a great day!! :-)

Summary: Reader struggles to tell Mike some bad news before his trip to see his girlfriend.

Warnings: Slight Language, Angst

A/N: I've actually been through a situation very close to this, so this story was written based on experience.

I sat slumped on the couch, watching tv with my little sister, Y/S/N (Your Sister's Name). She held the remote in her hands and happily watched Care Bears. My arms laid crossed, across my chest, as I watched Baby Tugs Bear and Baby Hugs Bear listen to Grams Bear's stories, with a blank stare.

"Girls!" Mom called us, from the kitchen. "Dinner is ready!"

Y/S/N turned the tv off, with the remote, and ran into the kitchen. I slowly made my way into the kitchen to find my mother placing a bowl of green beans on the table. My mother turned towards me. And as I went to sit down, she said, "Y/N? Be a dear, and get your father for me."

I nodded and turned to head towards my father's study to find him already walking our way. "No need, Honey," Dad said with a smile. He walked into the dining room and gave me a hug first. He then made his way to my mother and sister before he said, "Actually, I have some exciting news."

My mother laughed, "Well can we at least start dinner first? I would hate for us to have a cold dinner after this exciting news you have for us."

"Yes," my dad responded, motioning for us to sit. We all sat down and began making our plates. As soon as we were done, we prayed over our food and began to dig in.

A couple bites in, my father starts up a conversation. "So, I have some exciting news to share," Dad said, happily.

"What is it, dad?" I asked, before taking a bite out of my potato.

"Well..." He paused. "...I got a promotion, today."

"Well, that is great, honey," My mother told my father with a smile.

"And the best part is that the company is moving us. They've already picked out a house for us, and they're going to pay for it in full. I will say, I was a little skeptical about the promotion at first, but I think this promotion will be good for us."

"Why were you skeptical, honey?"My mom asked.

"Because we'd have to move to Boston. But I've already looked at the schools-" My eyes went wide at what my father just told us.

"What?! Dad, you can't just speed past that key detail like that!" I said, getting out of my seat.

"Well, honey, it's a big opportunity for all of us," Dad said with a sad smile.

"Who's all of us?" I asked, staring my father in the eye. My lip quivered as tears started to form in my eyes.

"You, your sister, your mother, and I-"

"You mean just you?”

“Y/N, don’t talk to your father like that,” my mother scolded me.

I continued to look my father in the eyes and say, “No! We’ve been here less than a year, and we’re already moving. I can’t leave this place. I finally have friends that get me. And I’m finally happy. Why do you have to take that away from me?”

“Honey, you’ll make friends at your new school,” my mother told me.

“I don’t want to see you sad. Every time we move, it’s to make your life better. A better job leads to more money. More money leads to better schools. Better schools lead to a better future. And that is what I want for you. For the both of you,” Dad said, leaving his chair and walking towards me. He pulled me into a hug, but I immediately push him away.

“If moving away from the life I’m living right now, in Hawkins, then I don’t want it.”

And with that I ran up to my room. I slammed the door shut and flopped onto my bed. I laid there, crying into my black and white cover.

About 5 minutes later, the tears had died down. I could then hear a tiny static sound from my desk. I looked over and saw my walkie-talkie sitting upright. I could see that the device had been on since I ended my last conversation with my friends.

“Shit,” I said, rushing over to the device. I quickly flipped the walkie off, but continued to hold it in my hand.

I look down at my hand. Should I tell them? Should I wait? What if they get mad? Lots of questions roamed through my head as I thought about the possibilities of telling my friends the news… or even if I tell them.

I looked at the device in my head once more, and thought about the one person who would understand.

Turning the device on, I spoke,” Max? Max, are you there? Come in Max?” I let my finger off the button and waited.

Not even five seconds later, a static sound let out of the device before a voice rang out. “Y/N? Are you okay?”

“No.”

“What’s wrong?” She asked, concerned.

“My dad got a promotion.”

For a minute, nothing transmitted back to me. That was until the static came back, “Um… Okay. That wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“The promotion is in Massachusetts,” I said.

“Oh, that makes more sense,” Max replied.

“Yeah, I just heard.”

“We’ll, when are you leaving?” She asked.

“I- actually I don’t know, but probably soon. My dad’s job chose the house, and they’re paying for it. You’ve been through something like this. What do I do?” I asked, desperately.

“Well… have you told the boys?”

“No.”

“Well, you should tell them. It would suck if you never told them you were moving, and then they never see you again,” Max explained.

“You’re right.”

“How are you going to tell them?”

“I think I’ll do it tomorrow during lunch,” I said.

“Good luck,” Max said.

My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. “Wait. You’re not going to be there?”

“No. You know how it is with me and Lucas. Besides I have a appointment with Ms. Kelly,” Max explained.

I looked down slowly, and hit the button once more. “Okay. I’ll figure it out. Thank you, Max,” I say into the walkie.

“No problem.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Y/N.”

I made sure to cut the walkie off this time and went back over to my bed. I laid under my covers in the fetus position as I quietly cried myself to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up exhausted. All the emotions and crying last night really drained me.

I sat on the couch watching the news as I waited for the Sinclair’s to show up for carpool. I wore my ‘Hellfire Club’ t-shirt and a pair of blue mom jeans.

Just as the news hit it’s last segment, a car horn honked outside of my house. I quickly left the couch, grabbed my backpack, and yelled, “I’m leaving, mom!”

I was about to close the door on my way out, when I heard a small, “Okay. I love you!”

I rushed over to Sinclair’s station wagon and hopped in the trunk. I tried not to let last night's emotions get in the way of the car ride to school. I wanted to tell the group altogether. Instead, I wore a fake smile and excitedly yelled, "Morning, Sinclairs!"

"Morning, Y/N."

"Hey!"

Ever since we moved to Hawkins, the Sinclairs and the Y/L/Ns have been family friends. Sue had welcomed us to the neighborhood with a welcome party. That's where I first started to get along with Lucas and his sister, Erica.

But I met my best friend Mike at the party also. When I met Mike, he was kind of out of it. When our relationship started, he compared everything I did to his girlfriend, El. And I have to admit, sometimes it hurt, but I knew he was hurting because she lived across the country, At least that is what Dustin and Lucas told me.

When Freshman year started, a two-time Senior took us under his wing, and he let us join his D&D club. I didn't know much about the game, but I knew everyone in the club was just as serious about the game as the basketball team was about their championship games. If anyone spoke bad about the single player, you earned the wrath of everyone in the group.

I looked over the seat to find Lucas dressed in his basketball jersey, rather than his 'Hellfire Club' t-shirt. Confused, I asked, "Lucas, are you not joining us tonight at Hellfire?"

Lucas looked down. "I can't make it. This is the game right before the championships. If we win, we'll play in the championship game, the night the day Spring Break starts.

"The boys aren't going to be happy, especially Eddie," I tell the boy.

"Yeah, I know."

This isn't the right time to tell the boys. That would be two types of bad news in one day. Maybe I should wait till tomorrow.

The Next Day

Hellfire was fun, even though we were down a player. We came out victorious against Vecna, and everyone was happy, even Eddie. Who knows how many more of these moments like this I’ll get before I leave.

When I came home, dad had moving boxes lined up against the wall next to the front door. I knew it was only a matter of time before we would be gone, forever. That means I was coming up on my deadline before the boys would learn the truth the hard way.

I walked into school with Lucas by my side. He was telling me about the basketball game, yesterday. I told him about Hellfire in the car ride.

“Of course Jason scored the winning shot last night,” Lucas said, with a slightly sad tone.

“Wait. You didn’t tell me about any of your shots,” I said, concerned.

“Because there were none to tell.”

"They never passed you the ball?" I asked, curiously.

"No. More like, I have benched the whole game," Lucas said, disappointed.

I rubbed Lucas' back, in a comforting way. But my arm was soon replaced with Dustin. He stood between the two of us with his arm around our shoulders and said, "Hey, guys!"

Lucas and I replied with a "hi" before Dustin turned his attention toward me. "So, why was Max asking if you talked to us?"

I looked away with my mouth agape. "Um-I-well..." I said, quietly.

"Wait. You two have talked to Max?" Lucas asked curiously. He wore the same sparkle in his eye that he always had when Max was the topic of the conversation. You could feel the desperation radiating off of him. It was sad, in my opinion.

Dustin rolled his eyes, ignoring his friend's comment. I took a deep breath and gave in to the deep stare Dustin kept on my face. "Fine!" I said. "I was trying to get some advice."

"Advice on what?" the two boys asked. Now both boys were looking at me with a deep stare. I felt pressured into speaking. "Advice on how to tell you all that I am moving," I said, sadly.

"You're moving!" The boys asked, very loudly, might I add.

I quickly moved in front of the boys, covering their mouths so they couldn't yell anymore. I looked around, seeing only a couple eyes watching us. "Yes," I whispered.

We arrived at our first class for the day. We walked in and sat in our regular seats, in the middle of the classroom.

"To where?" The boys asked, much quieter now.

"Boston," I replied, shyly.

"BOSTON?!" They yelled out once more. Our teacher lifted her head from her desk and looked at the rest of us. She put her pointer finger to her lips and said "shhh" before going back to her book.

"Boston?!" they asked in a whisper.

"Yes."

"Does Mike know?" Lucas asked. I shook my head 'no', making the boys frown. "Well, you need to tell him before his trip," He told me.

My eyebrows scrunched in confusion. "His trip?" I asked the two boys.

"Yeah, he told us yesterday. He's going to California to visit his girlfriend for spring break," Dustin informed me.

My eyes started to water as I realized that my mission was coming to an end. And if I want to tell Mike that I'm leaving, I'd have to tell him now. It's now or never.

Right before the bell rang, Mike runs into class and took his seat right in front of me. I stared Mike down, sadly, as he placed his bag down before sitting down. Mike turned back toward me and asked, "You okay?" I nodded my head, turning my attention toward my teacher.

After The Championship Game/The Ultimate D&D Battle

This morning, my dad warned me that we would be moving within the next couple of days. And let's just say that packing was not an issue. I came home last night to find most of my room packed, except for my clothes and personal belongings. Y/S/N claimed that dad's job had hired a crew to pack up the house.

So here I was, enjoying my last night with my friends. Even though I missed Lucas's Championship game, he had missed one of the best battles ever. Turns out we didn't defeat Vecna. And with the help of Erica Sinclair, we finally beat the son of a bitch.

I said my last goodbyes to Eddie, but it wasn't as hard because he had already known. I told him after lunch. During the time it took for Eddie to walk me to class, like the big brother Eddie tended to act like, even though he was an only child. There were tears from both of us, along with hugs.

Now, here I stood, on the porch of the last person I had yet to tell about my situation. I knocked on the door. My chest heaved as I waited for someone to open the door. A few seconds later, Karen Wheeler opened the door with a bright smile.

"Y/N? Um- Mike is busy packing right now. Can this wait until tomorrow?" She asked with a sad smile.

The breath in my body was almost taken away as I began to cry. "No. Can I- please? It'll be quick," I said, struggling to speak my words.

Karen looked at me with sympathy. She opened the door a little wider and gestured me inside. I stepped into the house and mumbled a small "thank you".

I made my way upstairs to find Mike's door cracked. I walked closer, opening the door a little wider. Mike was walking between his dresser, closet, and bed, mumbling a list to himself.

"Shirts? Check. Pants? Check. What am I missing?" Mike mumbled.

"Hi," I said opening the door all the way.

"Y/N- hey, are you okay?" Mike asked. I shook my head 'no' as I held myself. Mike moved towards his bed and moved his suitcase that was 3/4 full onto the floor. He patted the bed signaling for me to sit. I followed his orders and sat there quietly as tears rushed down my face.

"What's wrong?"

I closed my eyes and moved my head to face the ceiling. "I've tried all week to tell you, but I didn't know how. There was just so much going on, and now if I don't tell you, I'll feel guilt," I said, quietly, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

Mike placed his hand on my knee. "What is it?" He asked concerned.

"I'm moving to Boston," I said in a hushed whisper.

"Boston? Why would you move there?"

"Because my dad got a job, and his job agreed to pay for all moving expenses, including the house. My father took the offer before consulting with his family," I said with a sneer.

"Shit," Mike said, making me nod my head in response.

"So, when do you leave?"

"In a couple of days," I said, emotionless, tears still running down my face.

"Shit!" He said a bit louder.

"Yeah."

"You just moved here though," Mike pointed out.

"Yeah. I've moved a lot, but this is the hardest move I've ever faced. Leaving you guys- leaving you is one of the hardest things I've done. I've been hiding behind a fake smile for the past week, and there is nothing I can do," I said looking down.

Mike moved his hand from my knee to my hands, which were nervously fighting with each other. "Hey, you will always have us," Mike said, trying to look me in the eye. I turned to face him, letting him wipe the tears from my face.

"How so?" I asked, confused.

"The way we always talk. You will always have Dustin, Lucas, and I with your walkie-talkie."

"But what if it doesn't work?"

"Then we'll call... every night if it means we don't lose you."

I smiled at the boy. "Thank you, Mike," I said, pulling the boy into a hug. "El is lucky to have a guy like you for a boyfriend," I say with a smile. He rubs my back as we just sit there, holding each other as much as we can before our time is out.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. TIck. Tock.

Taglist: @avada-kedavra-bitch-187

[i-cant-sing]

Platonic Yandere RE8: TRP part 5

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 6

Check out my MASTERLIST for more!

Summary: Platonic yandere RE 8 characters for a teen reader, who is trying to save her family and also not trying to have a mental breakdown every 5 minutes.

"Okay, did you check the top floor?" You asked Handsome, who nodded in reply.

"Hmm, well I cleared the ground the floor. And I don't wanna go to the basement alone. So, let's go- actually, you go first. I don't have a weapon except for this... sack with rocks." You said, shaking the burlap sack you found and filled it with heavy pebbles and rocks.

Hey, its better than having no weapon.

You followed Handsome down into the damp basement, probably due to the lake, and immediately covered your nose at the mouldy smell. A few lightbulbs poorly illuminated the basement, the corridors down here were long.

Perhaps it was the mould that seemed to grow more the deeper you guys went, or more likely the depleting oxygen down there, but you were once again washed over with the feeling of impending doom that was about to bitch slap you and Handsome soon.

You kept your eyes peeled as you looked for any signs of Rose or Ethan. Unfortunately, you didn't find anything.

Well, not anything. You did find... someone?

You and Handsome stared at the big mass of... honestly, you're not sure but you guess... mold? Yeah, probably a big mass of mold that was sobbing in one corner of the room, which was decorated with a couple of old movie posters and some damp books that had green stuff growing at the corners.

The thing was- well it was sobbing like a man, and he was so grief stricken that he failed to notice you and Handsome standing there for the last 5 minutes. You nudged Handsome and signalled him to move along quietly- better to avoid trouble than to face it before necessary.

Alas, the odds are not in your favour, because in the next second, Handsome slipped on the slimy mold and fell on his ass, startling himself as his drill buzzed off loudly.

And if the situation wasn't potentially life threatening, you would've laughed at him. Smart cyborg lol.

You knew you had alarmed the sobbing guy, but you still turned around slowly for the dramatic effect.

"Huh-?! What- who are you?!" The moldy guy said, his eyes wide as he looked at you and Handsome. You were about to reply when you looked at what he was holding- a pink blanket, much like the one Rose was swaddled in.

"You- where is Rose? What did you do to her?" Your eyes were fixed on the blanket. The thing began tearing up again. "I- I didn't do anything! I was just keeping her safe for Mother Miranda!"

"The crow bitch?! Keeping Rose safe for her? She's going to sacrifice her!"

"Crow bitch?" he gasped, before pointing at you. "You're the girl who attacked mother! How dare you!"

"How dare I? Listen here buddy- I've been attacked by several creatures beyond my understanding, I have come near to death many times, I have been taking a shit in the woods for the past couple of days with my ass freezing in the snow, risking hypothermia, and I'm high on pain meds right now- so yes, I do have a whole lot of courage to beat the shit out of anyone who's trying to hurt my sister, no matter what species they are."

The guy cowered at your booming voice, but you didn't care, as you walked slowly towards him, swinging your sack of rocks at him threatninngly. "I'm gonna ask you this only once. Where. Is. Rose?"

The guy fell onto his old chair and broke down crying. "I don't know! We were having such a good time here- she even liked all the movies we watched. But then that pest- Ethan Winters- he took her away from me!"

Wait- Ethan? Dad was here?

You snapped your fingers in front of him to get him to focus on you. "You said Ethan Winters- where'd he go? Was he alright? Did he say anything about me?"

But he just shook his head. "No, I don't know where he went. I- I tried to stop him. But he took her away! Mother is gonna be so disappointed in me- oh god, she's gonna get rid of me, isn't she-" The guy rambled on but you were focused on the fact that Ethan had gotten Rose- which meant he was going to come back for you and leave this village.

"-and then he swooped in and took the flask containing her arms-"

What?

You looked at him confused. "Flask? What are talking you about?"

The guy slapped his hand over his mouth as he shook his head. "N-nothing!"

Yeah, right.

"Handsome." You called, eyes fixated on the creature before you. "Listen here...?"

"S-salvatore Moreau."

"Salvatore Moreau. This is my friend, Handsome. And he's going to drill holes into you until you tell me the truth- oh and believe me, I'll fucking know if you're lying to me. These pain meds have awoken a genius in me, so... get talking."

Moreau looked at you, then at Handsome, then back at your dead serious face, before he began wailing again.

"God! I- I don't know- Mother Miranda gave us- gave us all a flask each, containing crystallised parts of Rose- and she gave me the arms! Alcina was lucky! She got the head flask!"

Arms? Head? Wait-

"Don't- don't tell me you chopped up Rose!" Your face went pale as Moreau nodded. "Well, yeah. That's how we're supposed to protect her from Ethan-"

"Protect her? YOU KILLED HER!"You bellowed, making his quiver in his seat as he violently shook his head.

"No! You've got it all wrong! She's still alive-!'

"You chopped her head and limbs! How the hell is she still alive!"

"Because she's not a normal human!"

Not normal? Heisenberg said the same thing- something about her being a vessel for crow bitch's dead daughter.

"Tell me everything. Starting from Miranda and the lords and this village and everything that's wrong here."

20 minutes later and you fell on one of the old chairs with a thud, trying to process the pandora box that Moreau had opened up at you.

So far, these were the facts that he'd told you:

Rose was still alive, and Ethan was running around the village collecting her parts to reunite her- at the Ceremony Site.

Crow bitch is gonna sacrifice Rose and she actually does have some weird powers, as do all the lords.

And all of this was 100% not a bad acid trip or hallucinations caused by your pain meds. Because they were wearing off and you were definitely starting to feel the pain from the lycan attack. Yeah, fuck you Heisenberg.

"Fucking hell." You whispered under your breath.

You closed your eyes as you leaned your head back against the wall.

What do I do now? What do I do?

"Do you know where Ethan went?"

"N-no. I- I swear, I don't know."

"Well, did he say anything?"

"Not really- just that he was gonna get Rose back!"

Hmm, so he's probably going to all lords to get all of her fragments. So, I should follow his trail too. He's already been at Heisenberg's factory, and you definitely didn't see any flask at Beneviento's estate, and he's already taken the flask from Moreau... so, that leaves Dimitrescu.

With a huff, you pushed yourself off the chair. "Lord Moreau." You got his attention. "We're leaving now. Do you plan to fight us?"

The man shook his head. "No- but if you don't mind me asking, w-why do you care so much about Rose?"

You looked around his room and replied. "She's my sister."

"You're a Winter too?!" You nodded.

"Maybe- maybe I should kill you. Yes, that- that would please Mother greatly-"

"Why do you care so much about that bitch?"

Moreau tilted his head. "B-because she created us. Made us into what we are- one big family!"

"Yeahhh....I don't think she really cares about anyone of you guys."

"What? No- no, she does care about us!" Moreau shook his head. "I mean, sure she doesn't invite me to family meetings a lot. And perhaps I have overheard her say that I am an idiot and- and useless and a burden and-" He looked at you ashamed. "But that's because I am. I do make a lot of stupid mistakes, and I am- not exactly easy on the eye."

"Dude... stop that."

"Huh?"

"I love self depreciating as much as the next guy. But you're just plain out insulting yourself." You plopped back in the chair. "Look, this woman, she does not care about you. At all. And I can tell you now, she's just using you for her own means. She's gonna dispose you off at the first chance she gets."

"No- no. She won't do that. And even if she does, she probably has a good reason too!"

"Would she do the same for you?" Moreau looked perplexed. "Would she put herself in danger for you? Isn't that what family is supposed to do?"

"Well, she can't- she's the strongest one of us-"

"What do any of you get from killing Rose? Miranda gets her daughter back, but you guys? What do you get?"

"Eva will be a part of us- a new member of our family!"

"No, Lord Moreau. Once Eva comes around, its just gonna be her and Miranda on one side, and all the lords on the other." You got up again, bending in front of him. "If she really considered you guys family, why would she put you all at risk for Eva? Aren't you guys enough for her?"

"I- I am- maybe I am not good enough for her?"

"No, you are. You're just chasing after her impossible standards, seeking her approval. And you don't need to do any of that." You ran a hand through your hair. "Look at what she's done to you. All for her own selfish reasons. Don't you have your own dreams? Something that you want?"

You sighed. "Lord Moreau, there's nothing wrong with putting yourself before anyone else. Its not selfish." You looked at the shelf behind that contained all these movies- all love genre. "Don't you want love? What? You don't think you deserve it?"

Moreau slumped his shoulders. "Who would love me?"

"A lot of people, but why don't you start with yourself. I mean sure, you don't exactly look like Prince Charming, but there's no use crying over things you cant change. And judging by your movie collection, you're definitely a romantic dude, who wears his heart on his sleeve. I know people judge someone by their looks, even I do, but appearances can be deceptive! I already have a feeling that you're a very interesting person to talk to, and all you need is a little more confidence in yourself- and some new clothes, and a whole lot of air freshener. The ladies may not be lining up outside, but I can guarantee that you'd feel a lot better about yourself. And who doesn't love a confident guy- confident, not egoistic, the line is very fine."

For the first time since you arrived, Moreau actually cracked up a smile. "Look at that, you have a good smile too. Tell you what- do you have wifi here?" You weren't actually expecting him to nod. "Yeah, Heisenberg got it for us, and this big TV- which is smart, according to him, on my birthday." You chuckled at his attempt at explaining smart TV. "Okay. Give me the remote." Moreau and Handsome watched you press a couple of buttons, eyes fixed on the screen in front of you.

"And... there!"

"What? What did you do?" Moreau asked, worried that you'd messed with his video player or something. "I gave you my Netflix account!"

"Huh? Netflix? What's that?"

Once you'd explained the streaming service, and how he can watch a whole new selection of movies and shows, Moreau's eyes widened in surprise. The world had really come far in technology!

"Thank you- but why did you do that?"

You shrugged as you began walking towards the door. "So that you could discover modern romance, and explore other genres. I already added some of my favourites on the list. Enjoy, my dude."

Moreau thanked you again, and you left with Handsome.

"Lord Moreau?" He hummed. "Its okay to be selfish."

And with that, you and Handsome left the reservoir, leaving the moldy man in deep thought as he watched this movie called "Twilight".

It was night by the time you and Handsome had left the reservoir. The weather was getting worse by the hour, and your pain meds had completely worn off by now. Handsome had graciously offered to carry you and you tried to walk on your own first, but then one of your ribs poked something inside you and you fell on your knees, clutching your side as you struggled to breathe without it feeling like your lungs were being scratched by razor blades.

Now you were piggy back riding on Handsome's back, one eye on the map and the other on the path in front of you.

"I think we should reach the Dimitrescu castle by morning, so like in... 5 hours?" you said, more to yourself than to Handsome. "I just hope that we don't run into more trouble."

After another hour through the snowy path, the night had finally gotten darker, and the moon was the only thing that was barely illuminating your way. You had fallen silent, opting to keep your eyes and ears open to see if anymore lycans were being sent your way.

But instead of lycans, you caught sight of a very familiar looking carriage that had lanterns dangling around its side. You merely pointed in its direction and Handsome was quick to walk towards it.

"Ahh, Miss Winters! I've been waiting for you!" Duke exclaimed, watching you get off Handsome's back and trudge over to him. "Yeah" you winced, "how'd you know I was gonna be here?"

Duke grinned. "I keep track of all my loyal customers. Besides, I have already made a bag for you!" He said, handing you a black backpack.

"Yeah? What's in it?"

"Everything you'd need for your journey ahead! No weapons though."

You smiled lazily. "hmm, I'm intrigued." You pulled out the coin pouch Heisenberg had given you. "Well, how much for the bag?"

"2 silvers!"

You handed him the coins before looking at all the guns he had behind him.

"Duke." He hummed. "I need good guns, like really good guns with high damage and a lot of rounds. And also some scopes. A knife and shotguns too. Oh and can you add some bandages and painkillers?"

Duke showed you a couple of guns, and some of them were very expensive, but you had a feeling you were going to need it. They were kinda heavy too, so you made Handsome carry them too.

"And these are the painkillers for you." He said, handing you a bottle similar to the one Heisenberg had given you. "Be careful though, Miss Winters. These are very strong." You nodded, before popping one in your mouth.

You looked at your coin pouch again. You still had some coins to spend.

"So... you got some new stuff?"

Duke thought for a moment before gasping and nodding as he pulled out a burlap sack, dropping its contents in front of you, one of them immediately catching your eye.

"I'll take this. And that too."

Duke grinned. "Interesting choices, Miss Winters."

You nodded. "Oh and for my friend here, I want to buy some clothes."

Duke looked at Handsome and his drill arm, before pulling out a large shirt. "Well, this is one of new my shirts. But they may be a little big on him."

"You got a needle and thread?" Duke nodded. "Then give me those with the shirt."

"On the house, Miss Winters." Duke said, happy as he'd already made a fortune today.

"Thanks." You nodded before putting the shirt in your backpack, along with other purchases.

"Lets go, Handsome."

You both continued your journey, hoping to reach the Dimitrescu castle before you freeze out in the cold.

After walking for another two hours, you decided it was time for a break, and the medicine you took earlier was making you feel tired too. You both found a little wooden cabin in the woods, and after checking out, you found it was completely abandoned.

Handsome lit up the fireplace before joining you on the rackety sofa, where you were looking through the bag Duke had made for you.

"So... we've got some nuts, water, chocolate and- garlic?" You said, pulling out multiple bulbs of garlic, all tied together by a strings. "What am I supposed to do with so much garlic? Its not like he gave any other ingredients to make a dish with."

Everything you'd need for your journey ahead!

Dukes words rang through your sleepy head, making you chuckle.

"Yeah, like I'd need garlic to fight off someone with my bad breath. Or maybe impress someone with my cooking skills."

You chuckled to yourself before opening up a nut mix, savouring the salty flavour that you washed down with water. You offered Handsome some chocolate too, but he shook his head. "Alright, you'll get your solar power soon. In like 2-4 hours?"

You sighed before pulling out the shirt you bought for him, and told him to wear it. "Hmm, okay, I got it." You made him take it off again, and Handsome watched with curiosity as you ripped off one of the sleeves, and made him wear it again, then pulled out the thread and needle.

"Just hold still. I'll make the shirt fit you perfectly."

And after 25 minutes, you really did. You clapped your hands and stood back to admire your work.

"Ahh you look so handsome, Handsome!" your eyes twinkled.

Handsome only tilted his head in confusion, still T posing like you'd ask him to while you altered his shirt.

You pulled his arms down and grinned. "You know, with a shower and this shirt, I'm sure your crush is gonna be head over heels for you." As soon as you said that, Handsome blushed slightly and looked away, making you cackle. "Hmm, what's wrong loverrrr boy? Why are you being so shy?" You teased as you tried to make him look at you. "Aww look at you! You're red as a tomato!" He wasn't, he barely had any blood circulating through him, but you continued. "You know what lover boy? I'm gonna kill some more lycans and steal some more shit that I can trade for you. I'm thinking our next purchase for you should be some cologne. Wait no! A RING-" Handsome cut you off by pushing your face away, making you stagger and fall onto the sofa, but you continued to laugh.

"I promise you, Handsome! After I find Rose and Ethan, I'm gonna make your crush fall in love with you. But let me take a nap first."

After resting for another hour, you both were back on track and with some energy now, you both reached the Dimitrescu castle fairly quickly. As you watched the castle from behind the woods, you told Handsome the plan, handing him some gear.

"Okay, Handsome. This is what we're going to do. Our main objective is to find Ethan and Rose or well her flask. If you find either of them, do not harm them. If you find Rose, pick her up and bring her to me. Even if you... find flasks containing parts of her. If you find Ethan, you give him this note." You handed him the piece of paper you had written a little message on, telling him that Handsome is a friend and would guide you back to him safely. "I think you know what these are." You said, showing him the ear comms you had bought from Duke. "This is how we're going to communicate. since we're going to split up. If either of us run into trouble, we'll run towards each other. But we have to be stealthy too. Avoid enemies at all if you can, okay?" You both placed the ear comms in and nodded.

You took the new guns you had bought earlier, quickly loading them and putting the extra ammo in your pocket. You placed the scope on and looked through it at the castle's windows, breath hitching as you saw him.

"Dad!"

Fucking finally.

It wasn't long until you had gotten inside the castle, managing to find a way in. "Are you inside yet?" You asked Handsome through the comms, and he groaned in confirmation.

"Alright, you start from the basement. I'll start from the ground floor and work my way up."

You had your rifle slung over your shoulder, knife in your pocket and shotgun in your hand. With a deep breath, you slowly walked up the stairs, eyes peeled for danger.

After clearing the ground floor, you walked up the stairs to the first floor. As soon as you heard voices, you immediately snuck into one of the nearby rooms, holding your breath as you waited for whoever it was to pass by.

You looked around the large room, the furniture was bigger than you'd ever seen. Everything in that room was far bigger than a normal sized human would need, even the hairbrush.

You were still looking around when you heard voices again, and this time they were coming towards the room. Without thinking much, you dove under the bed, just in time for the door to slam open.

You watched from under the bed as 3 women in black robes drag in- ETHAN!

Your eyes widened at the sight of your father- they had dragged him in with a sickle embedded in his hand. You can't even imagine the amount of pain he's in.

"What a weakling!" One of them said.

"And ugly too!" Another said.

"Doesn't matter. Its his blood we want." Blood? Wait, don't tell me their vamp-

"Darlings~ What do we have here?"

Your breath hitched as you saw another lady walk in, but she was so tall that you couldn't even see above her legs from under the bed. You pulled yourself a little closer, careful not to expose yourself.

"Mother! We've brought you a present! Its-"

"Man blood!" One of the girls interrupted the other, and both got into a little bicker, but you were busy watching the shock on your father's face as he looked at the woman in the white dress.

"Hush now, my daughters. You have brought me such a nice gift- Ethan Winters. I see you've escaped my brother's stupid traps."

"Where is Rose?!" He groaned in pain. "Tell me now or I'm gonna kill all of you fucking freaks!"

Dad, dude, what the hell are you doing? Yelling at women who can literally kill you, all while you still have the sickle embedded in your hand! Not to mention you already look like you're halfway into your grave!

"Shut it, man thing!" The tall woman bellowed. "Before I inform Mother Miranda about your whereabouts, I will have a taste." You watched in horror as the woman grabbed Ethan's non injured hand and slit it open with a knife. Ethan yelped and you covered your mouth with your hand, watching as the woman leaned down and licked the blood of hand, before smacking her lips in disgust.

"Ugh. Nothing special." The tall woman, who you have a pretty good guess is Dimitrescu, said as she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, your father's blood staining it.

"We want a taste too, mother!" One of the smaller women said, but Dimitrescu laughed.

"You will, my Cassandra. But let me call Miranda first. For now, hang him up."

"Yes, mother." The girls said in unison, giggling as they stabbed meat hooks through Ethan's hands before stringing him up, while he yelled in pain.

You felt tears escape your eyes as you watched them hurt your father.

The girls mocked him more before they left with Dimitrescu, promising that they'll be back soon to drain him of all the blood.

What the fuck just happened?

You took deep breaths, trying to calm yourself down from the oncoming panic attack.

Y/n, girl. Calm the fuck down. You need to go and help Ethan before they come back. Now.

Nodding to yourself, you finally rolled out from under the bed, making Ethan look in your direction.

"Wha- Y/n?"

You smiled, wiping the tears out of your eyes.

"Hey, dad."

So, thoughts?

Part 6 is here.

[milkywaybottles]

The Way Things Were | Tommy Shelby x Reader

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

TW: Spoiler but the reader faces a lot of violence in this chapter, so I'm sorry in advance, and tried to spare the gory details. But, please always reach out to me, or someone you trust, if anything bothers you. Take care, much love xx

Chapter 5: The Risks

After giving Tommy a good scolding when he returned home, all seemed to be in working order again, as much as it could be anyways. A handful of days passed and you had gained a more active role in making sure the races went according to plan, especially since Tommy was now protecting Billy Kimber for the moment. You had laughed when he had told you, originally playing it off as a joke. But Tommy was a very serious person and his face didn't shift. Feeling embarrassed, you cleared your throat and agreed to help him.

You had been feeling ill for the past few days so you mostly stuck to the shop, burying your head in as much work as you could do. The nausea was overwhelming but you mostly kept it to yourself. Your ears would ring on occasion and you had a bit of stomach pain.

The shop was mostly empty for the night, just you, Polly, Tommy and Scudboat staying after everyone else. John and Arthur had pissed off to the Garrison for a drink, and from the corner of your eye, you spied Tommy and Polly getting ready to leave. Polly was dressed in an elegant, red lace dress, a lovely hat pinned to her hair.

"Special occasion?" You inquired playfully as the pair walked toward you.

"John called a family meeting at the Garrison. Will you be coming?" Tommy questioned. You smiled gently, looking down at the giant pile of papers on your desk and shaking your head. Crossing your arms over your chest and leaning into your chair, you told him,

"No, thank you. I don't feel awfully well and I've got enough work to keep me busy in the meantime"

Polly shrugged, directing her voice louder so that not only could you hear, but Scudboat could as well, "Suit yourself, love. John will be here in ten minutes"

"Five" Tommy jumped in, pointing at the two of you.

In a flash, the pair had left the building, a large gust of wind blowing leaves in from the door. Scudboat rose from his chair and made his way to the door, with a snap, locking it. He then sat back down and began to count the money. With each satisfying clink, your eyes drifted across the papers, mainly betting tabs. When your eyes began to cross, you swear you needed glasses, just hadn't been able to see a doctor about it yet.

The room was engulfed in smooth, comfortable silence. You had known Scudboat since he first joined the Peaky Blinders and while you weren't close like you were with the others, he was a nice fellow.

A sudden creak broke your concentration and you squeezed the pencil in your hand tight. Scudboat hadn't moved. It could have been John or even Finn, as the young boy loved to come in and out of the shop during school hours. "John?" Scudboat called out, receiving no response. You shared a look with him, blankly shrugging although the raised hairs on your arms said a different story. Holding your breath, you bit your lip.

Out of nowhere, a large burst of war cries erupted from the door, being pushed open to reveal a gang of men. You jumped from your seat in shock, a scream bellowing from your lips at the sight of guns. Three men tackled you to the table, yanking your arms behind your back and causing you to cry out in pain. As you continued to resist, wriggling within their iron grasp, they smacked your head to the table, an excruciating pain radiating from your temple.

"Don't move!" A head of the Lee family ordered. You weren't in the position to disobey with the icy cold barrel of a gun pressed to your cheek. Your body quivered with anxiety. "This is for Cheltenham. We're just takin' back what's ours". You watched in horror as one of the Lees hit Scudboat with the base of his gun, almost knocking him flat out. Scudboat crumpled to the ground like a house of cards.

"There's more money here! Search everywhere!"

The men who had been holding you tossed you to the floor, elbows aching upon impact. "So you're the Shelby whore, eh?" One asked. You gazed up at him through teary eyes, eyes squeezing shut as his steel-capped boot made contact with your fleshy stomach over and over again. 'Ah!' you cried, raising your arms over your face to protect it. "Might have to test that soon. You're definitely pretty enuff'. I bet you could make my head spin". All you wanted to do was curl up into a ball and pray it was over soon. The pain was bitter, your teeth bit through your tongue, and all you could taste was iron.

A smack echoed through the room, a crimson, stinging imprint on your cheek. You felt the hot trail of liquid down your nose, resting on your philtrum. Another well-dressed man towered over you. The two were bending over, examining you with a predatorial look in their eyes. "Messin' with Shelby's women is fun, ya' should give it a try" your attacker told the other. The other man smirked, showing his yellow, chipped teeth.

The head returned to the group with bags upon bags of money. Your stomach flipped. Wheezing, you stuck to the ground.

"Come on, we gotta go" He told them.

The two men grinned from ear to ear, "See you next time, princess". All the men had gathered back at the bookies table, eyes set on the door. You wanted to make a witty comment but the words couldn't formulate, causing you to choke and pipe down. Within a matter of moments, they were gone as quickly as they had come. Your body burned with shame, curling even tighter around itself. Your once clean dress was now covered in mud and blood, hair splayed across the floor and over your face.

You had never noticed all the cracks in the roof before.

“(Y/N)! Scudboat!”.

Relief washed over you at the sound of Tommy’s voice, followed by the murmurs of Polly, John and Arthur. “Oh my God” Polly exclaimed, eyes landing on your dishevelled figure, crippled on the hardwood floor. You groaned as the woman rushed towards you, followed by Arthur, and slowly, John and Tommy. “Can you get up, dear?”. You blinked, opening your mouth to speak but nothing more than a squeak was made. Polly did her best to lift you on her shoulder, quickly assisted by the much more capable John.

“Where the fuck is Scudboat?!” Arthur choked, face red with rage. Tommy stormed into the other room on a hunt for the man. A single, salty tear ran down your bloodied face. You tried so hard to tell them what had happened, wanting to cry out in frustration that not only had your body failed you, but your voice as well. Tommy had emerged back in the room with a bruised Scudboat, though you could imagine his ego was more bruised than anything. You had appeared to have taken ten times the beating of the man.

The next few minutes were a blur of dizziness and zoning out while the rooms were inspected to see what had been taken. Tommy, with a sympathetic face, knelt beside you, taking a clean rag from the kitchen to your face. “I’m so sorry, love. You didn’t deserve this”. Polly came up beside him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

“She’s in shock, I think. Can’t talk. Probably has bruised ribs too by the way she’s holding her stomach” she determined before walking away to rejoin the inspection. Tommy looked back over at you.

“Won’t need stitches…” he dabbed the split in your brow. “What did they do to you?”. He knew you wouldn’t answer, at least not for a while, but it was more a soothing question to pity you. You gave him a weak, apprehensive smile despite the pain, leaning into his hand. He took a bottle of whiskey that had been used to cool Scudboat’s swollen head and dampened the rag with it. You hissed, much like Arthur did a few weeks ago, the alcohol searing your cuts. “That’s my girl” he praised, your stomach filling with butterflies.

‘God, no, (Y/N), what are you doing?’ You thought.

"I'll be back in a minute, eh?" He posed, running his tongue over his lip and setting aside the rag on the counter of the table. Tommy walked back into the meeting room, grabbing something off the fireplace.

"They've taken anything they can lay their hands on" Polly observed, "Four cash boxes"

But nobody was particularly paying attention to what Polly was saying as all eyes were on Tommy. A single pair of wire cutters sat in his hands. He held them up, hesitating to speak, "They left these". Your eyes flitted across the men, not aware of the significance.

"Wire cutters? Why would they leave wire cutters?" Polly quizzed, face downcast.

"Nobody move" Arthur ordered.

"I think our friends are playing the game" Tommy said slowly.

Polly stepped forward, pacing through the shop, "What game?". John was quick to stop her, placing his hand out firmly to prevent her from walking any further, specifically into the office where she was headed. "Aunt Pol, don't. touch. anything"

Your body shuddered with fear. Nobody dared to move under the sharp gaze of the Shelby brothers. "Erasmus Lee was in France" Tommy drawled. Still, no indication of what this meant. Scudboat cursed under his breath sharply, his face twinging with a terror of realisation. "When we gave up ground to the Germans.... we'd leave behind booby traps set up with wires. And we'd leave wire cutters as part of the joke"

Your stomach dropped, nausea overcoming you again.

"Somewhere in here... there's a hand grenade-" John determined, the toothpick sitting between his lips. Hands shaking, you stared up at Tommy, waiting for instructions.

"Holy Jesus-" Polly mumbled.

"-attached to a wire" Arthur finished, "Don't move any chairs or open any doors". The whole shop had been strewn around in a panic. There were chairs, tables and papers thrown all over the floor, and any one of them could set something off. "Go easy, John boy. Go easy" Arthur warned as John walked around as if he was on eggshells.

Tommy shook his head, "No. Boys no, it's not in here. If it was here, it would have blown by now. (Y/N) and Scudboat have been moving around since they left. It was my name on that bullet Erasmus sent. He set up a trap, alright. He set it up just for me". The cogs in his brain were ticking, spinning, thinking of where that grenade could have been. You were worried, gripping the chair with intense pressure, leaving nail marks on the wood.

Tommy didn't have to speak for you to know by the way his face shifted that he had determined a possibility. He moved for the door and you lept from your seat without thought, following. You heard the cutoff of your name being shouted by John but as the door slammed, you no longer heard it. Tommy didn't even have time to worry about the fact you were following as he paced down the street.

A sharp turn led him to the garage where he kept the family car. Little Finn was sitting in the driver's seat, turning the wheel. Your heart almost lept from your throat. If that was where the grenade was- You couldn't bear the thought.

"Finn, stay where you are" Tommy warned, his hand extended to the boy.

The boy giggled, "I was pretending I was you"

Tommy crept towards him at an agonisingly slow pace, "Which door did you open to come in?"

"I didn't" The boy chirped happily, "I climbed in"

"I want you to climb out exactly the same way you climbed in, okay?" Tommy affirmed, getting closer to the door. You stood warily at the entrance of the garage. In an instant, Finn burst out laughing, snapping the door of the car open. You screamed, running for the boy although it was more a limp.

"No no! Finn!" Tommy called, diving for the car. You squeezed your eyes shut, pressing your body against Finn to protect him. An explosion sounded as Tommy tossed the grenade towards another building. He jumped to the pair of you, covering your bodies with his own. There was a mixture of pants. The men that had surrounded the building had flown to the floor but appeared to be alright.

You gave a sigh of relief as Tommy clambered off you, allowing you to press a kiss to Finn's head. "Finn-" You couldn't think of the words to articulate how happy you were that he was alright. In a way, Finn was like your son, both you and Polly had stepped up after their mother's death. Tommy was 19 and you were 16 when it happened.

Tommy grasped the boy's hand tightly, guiding the both of you out of the garage. Then he spun around, kneeling and tapping the cap sitting on Finn's head. "That's why you should never pretend to be me. Okay?". Finn's face was ridden with a scared embarrassment. He nodded solemnly. You gave Finn a reassuring pat on the back.

“Come on. How would you like some hot chocolate at my apartment?”. His face lit up brighter than you had ever seen before.

“Really?” He turned to Tommy, shaking his hands in excitement, “Can I go, Tommy? Can I go, please?”. Tommy wasn’t in the position to say no. His mouth formed into a smirk for Finn,

“Alright. Maybe you should stay with (Y/N) for the night. It’s safer”. Finn understood perfectly. You had a fold-out couch in your lounge which he would use all the time. Finn squeezed you, giving you the biggest hug he could with his arms wrapped around your waist. You winced. “Oi, be gentle” Tommy told him, conscious of your injuries.

Finn smiled sheepishly, letting go of your abdomen. You turned to him and placed your hand supportively on his back, “Come on, Finn”, guiding him back to Watery Lane. You shot Tommy a wistful smile before disappearing down the road.

-

The sight of Finn sleeping quietly on the couch gave you momentary peace. The way his chest rose and fell slowly, his tussled brown hair splayed across the cushion. You leant against the kitchen sink, observing the boy for a while. The ticking of a clock echoed through the apartment. It had been your mothers, and it was the sound of your childhood. You wondered if the boy still dreamt. He was 11, and what the ripe age of 11 was like for you had slipped your mind. You liked to think he did. From the way his lip curled happily or made the slightest mumbles, hoping he was dreaming about something happy like playing marbles or rugby in the street with his mates.

Earlier, you had attended to your wounds, and while your body was sore and broken, it felt much better than it did before.

A glance at the clock and you knew it was getting late. You were going to have to turn in sooner or later. Sighing, you removed yourself from the counter and approached Finn. Brushing his hair from his forehead, you bent down to place a kiss above his brow. Doing your best to stifle a yawn, you brought your hand to your mouth, ears rumbling. “He sleeps soundly, that one. You would think he hadn’t a wink of sleep in his life” a voice remarked. You didn’t jump at the tone, if anything, relaxed as you eased up to stand. The Shelby’s had always had a spare key to your apartment, though seldom used unless necessary.

You watched Tommy in the corner of the doorway, the glow of a lamp illuminating his face in a way which made his eyes even more striking. He was the type of man to observe and managed to look graceful while doing so. Even the dusting of a warm light against his skin made him appear angelic. You had to admit, Tommy Shelby had always been beautiful, like he had been carved from marble. Every inch of his face had a story, every freckle or scar across his body, a reason to be. It never came as a surprise that he was popular with the ladies.

As a young girl, aged 10, you had fancied Arthur. He was the eldest, strong and capable. His rustic features caught you in a trance. What wasn’t there to like? But Tommy… there was a quality to him that his brothers simply did not have. You wanted to drink him in every time your eyes crossed paths, reach out and touch his cheek, caressing your thumb against it. But you were sure that Tommy had never given you that glance back, that second thought beyond the surface. He hadn’t noticed the way you lit up in his presence, nor the way you held his gaze for just that little bit longer than expected.

“I’m just satisfied he finds comfort in me” You said, voice coming out as a whisper. “Such a thing is rare these days”. He nodded, digging in his pocket to pull out a cigarette. The amount of things he could pull out from the pockets of his coat once made you question if they were endless. “Is there a reason you came to visit me, Tommy?”

“Do I need a reason?”

“Ah, that is what Arthur says. Nevertheless, there is always a reason” you remarked slyly, taking the tray of drinks from the side table beside the couch. You and Finn had enjoyed the hot chocolate while you read him a story on the couch by the fire. Not having had the chance to clean up as the boy kept you busy, you decided to take the opportunity so you could retire for the night. Having looked up at Tommy, his expression riddled in thought, he was looking for an answer.

“I suppose” he quipped, “I wanted to apologise for what happened to you”. You shook him off, waving at him that there was no need to continue.

At that moment, as you made your way towards him, your hands trembling from the events of the day causing the tray contents to slide off, plummeting to the floor with great speed. Tommy lunged for the mugs in an attempt to catch them but it was too late. The mugs exploded into shards, scattering across the kitchen floor. You made a squeaking noise before checking to make sure Finn was still asleep. “I’m so sorry-” you fumbled quietly, doing your best to scoop up the shards with your hands. A sharp pain emerged on your thumb, the ruby-coloured liquid seeping out of the cut. You cursed lightly, pulling your hand back sharply and settling on your knees.

“(Y/N)- here let me-” Tommy insisted, bending down to help collect the biggest pieces. There was a moment where he grabbed your hand gently to inspect it, pausing. Without a thought, your eyes met, an invisible string drawn between the two of you. Your brain was too fuzzy, too intoxicated with his scent of cinnamon, smoke and bourbon to think, to notice that the gap was slowly getting smaller between you. It was then closed as your lips connected and a spark went off inside you. Like all the dots had been connected, the stars aligned, all the puzzle pieces falling into place.

Your 20 years of platonic friendship had barely been questioned up until that point.

Sure, you had kissed Tommy before when you were teenagers, being dared to. Sure, you had felt his arm snake around yours before. Hadn’t everyone daydreamt about their best friend at some point? But in that 20 years of friendship, you had never been kissed by Thomas Shelby with such vigour and passion. That was the type that made you yearn inside, hoping and praying for a hint of something more.

Tommy also had to admit that up until that point, he had never really taken notice of how stunning you were, the way you smelt like home or how caring in nature you truly were. You had always just been (Y/N/N), like a sister. It could have been the war that matured him to finally notice these things, but he could now see cracks of his old self with you, peeling back with every interaction you held. Not that you weren’t before, but somewhere in that time of 4 years, you had developed into an even kinder woman who knew what she wanted. To him, you were no longer (Y/N/N), but (Y/N).

You almost let out a moan, his teeth grinding against your lip. Placing a gentle hand on his chest, you pushed him back to break you apart. You weren’t sure what you wanted but you didn’t want it to develop into something more while Finn was in the room. He shot you a curious look, filled with care, eagerly waiting for a response. “Tommy..”

His hand found its way to your face, “A kiss can just be a kiss, love”

Fuck.

You glanced sideways around the room, remembering where you were. In your house, almost at midnight, porcelain scattered across the floor with Tommy Shelby a mess of emotions at your command, and Finn sleeping on the couch. Such a predicament you had found yourself in. Polly warned you as a young adolescent to beware of the Shelby boys, especially Tommy, who had the ladies at his beck and call. You thought you would be different, so why did you melt at his touch?

“I know…” you stated, scarcely a whisper. You weren’t even sure if he heard your declaration. “Tommy, I’m worried the Lees will come back to hurt us”. Your confession caused his eyebrow to arch, face softening at your anxiety. Shaking his head, he took your hands carefully and guided you up to stand.

"They won't hurt you... because I won't let them. Next thing tomorrow, I'm going to deal with it". His response was caring but gruff, coming out like a mumble. A quick exhale of his cigarette let smoke hang in the air. Determining that you had finished speaking, he turned for the door which was just beside the kitchen, splitting off into a hallway.

You hesitated for a moment, a choice buzzing through your mind. Placing your pointer finger in your mouth to bite it, you called out to the man, "Tommy". He spun around, half expecting to be called back. You had to say what you were thinking now. You couldn't just call him back and then not say it. "Stay with me...". Your words were halfway between a statement and a question. It was up to him to decide.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───