#and Justin knocks it out of the park!

[sun-ni-day]

Raymond Lee x Justin Hartley in Quantum Leap 1x04 "A Decent Proposal"

[mugiwara-lucy]

While everyone else is losing their shit over Gear 5 (i don’t hate it like I did when I first saw it but I tolerate it), THIS is what I’m losing MY SHIT over!!! 🤩🔥

[showyoumyfavoriteobsession]

SHOWYOUMYFAVORITEOBSESSION YEAR IN REVIEW ↦ Top 5 New Songs in 2023

[ashwhowrites]

Dungeons and Revenge

Plot- Eddie finds out the new guy in Hellfire is dating his ex girlfriend

Eddie watched intensely as he rolled his dice, along with Hellfire. The dice dinged against the table, all the boys standing up from their seats as they waited for it to land.

"THAT'S A HIT!" Eddie declared

The boys cheered as they defeated the dragon, ending the campaign for the night.

"HELL YES!" Mike cheered, high-fiving Dustin.

"Good game, boys. Until next time." Eddie said. The boys began packing up, and Eddie walked over to his newest member, Justin.

"J-man, amazing play," Eddie said, patting him on the shoulder. Justin smiled and stood up.

"Thanks, Eddie. Great campaign. It was sick to see all the dragons break apart and force us to save ourselves yet help each other."

Justin had been a member for a little over a month and Eddie hated to admit he was damn good. Not as good as Eddie though, no one ever was.

Eddie was always skeptical of letting new people join, but Justin earned his place and Eddie was starting to like him. He was a senior, a bit taller and more muscular than Eddie. Much shorter hair but just as dark, and a lighter shade of brown eyes.

The group all walked out into the parking lot, still talking about the amazing ending of the night. The conversation faded into the background when Eddie spotted a similar car in the parking lot.

"I was positive I was going to die once the monster spotted me," Dustin said, Mike added on but Eddie was still lost in staring at the parked car. He knew that car, it was hers. Y/N, his ex-girlfriend, is the girl he was still helplessly in love with.

Their relationship ended over five months ago and he still thought about her. He thought about their stupid fight, her wet eyes, and the loud bang as she slammed the door. He has barely seen her since, she did everything to avoid him. He looked for her everywhere, wanting to beg on his knees for another chance.

"Yo, Eddie you good?" Justin asked, taking Eddie out of his thoughts.

Eddie coughed and tore his eyes away, looking at the group of boys who stopped talking and were looking at him.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good. Who needs a ride?" Eddie asked, his eyes already looking back at her car.

"Not me, my girlfriend is picking me up," Justin said with a smile. That love-sick puppy looks in his eyes. A look Eddie was familiar with, the one he always had for Y/N.

"Dude! Do you have a girlfriend? Is she hot?" Gareth asked

"We are fairly new, been seeing her for about two weeks. Made it official last night." Justin said with a smile. "And she's the prettiest girl I've ever laid my eyes on."

"What's her name?" Dustin called after him, Justin already walking into the parking lot.

"Y/N," Justin called back.

Eddie felt his blood run cold, and air stopped entering his lungs. He felt like he was suffocating. All the boys knew Y/N was a touchy subject, and they feared for Eddie's reaction.

They all watched as he walked to the familiar car. A car Eddie spent many times in, so many memories flashed through his head; their first kiss through her window, their first time having sex in the backseat, and where he admitted he loved her.

Eddie tried to fight back tears and failed. A few tears ran down his face as Justin was in the passenger seat. Eddie was thankful he couldn't see her because that would have hurt more. He watched as they drove off, no one knowing what to say.

~

Eddie slammed the trailer door behind him as he raced to his room, storming past a worried Wayne as he locked his bedroom door. He threw his bag on the ground and collapsed on his bed. He screamed into his pillow, and then the screams turned into sobs.

He ignored as Wayne knocked on his door. He couldn't believe she moved on already. He wanted her to be in the same boat as him, he wanted to be the only boy on her mind. But the cold truth showed him he was nowhere in her mind.

He wanted to call, his fingers ghosting over the phone. But then he got a better idea, make her come to him. He wiped his face with his shirt and then grabbed his backpack. He tore it open and grabbed his dnd notebook.

~~~

Eddie was a wreck but tried his best to not show it. He hated that now whenever he saw Justin it hurt, and made him think about her. But he had a plan to get his revenge, to release his anger towards Justin for going after what was his.

The boys were nervous about playing now that they knew Justin was dating Eddie's ex-girlfriend. No one told Justin and he was oblivious to the target on his back. Dustin gulped when he saw the smirk and glint in Eddie's eyes.

~

"Yikes, Justin. Looks like you got hit by Lich again!" Eddie crackled, loving the way the boy groaned.

"Let me get in the room and see if I can help," Mike said.

Justin sighed in relief, hoping the rest of the group could join him as they took turns. But his hope was lost when Lich seemed to only target him. Justin thought hard about what he should do, he raised his shield and began to battle.

The boys watched as Eddie and Justin were going head to head. Justin rolled and was successful, able to use his shield as he struck at Lich.

"Remind me your AC?" Eddie asked, a happy smile on his face as he shook the dice.

"I feel like you would remember since this is the 5th hit in 2 rounds... but it's a 17." Justin sighed, starting to get annoyed that Eddie seemed to only target his player during the whole session.

Eddie nodded, enjoying the way he got Justin riled up. He was acting out of jealousy but so what. Justin is winning in life so Eddie might as well win in the game. Eddie rolled his dice onto the table, standing up to see over his books.

"Good! I rolled an 18." He wasn't afraid to show how smug he was, sitting back down with a cocky smirk.

~

The boys were less excited as they walked out of the session, almost no one spoke. Justin was slightly fuming at Eddie but he'd never challenge the master. But that's what Eddie wanted, he wanted Justin to get in his face. Just anything to give Eddie a reason to sucker punch him right in the nose.

Eddie stayed back, knowing he couldn't stand to see Justin going to her again.

Justin sighed as he got in the car, leaning over to softly peck Y/N's lips.

"How did it go?" Y/N asked, peeling out of the parking lot.

"Ass. I could barely fight back, Eddie kept hitting me from left and right. It almost felt like he was personally attacking me." Justin ranted. He had no idea what he did to piss him off.

Y/N rolled her eyes at Eddie's actions, and a bit of anxiety settled in her stomach as she knew why.

"I don't know what I did to him," Justin added

Y/N offered a small smile and moved her hand to softly rub his thigh as she kept her eyes on the road.

"Eddie used to be a good friend of mine, let me talk to him."

~

Eddie was watching the TV, with the volume on low to not disturb Wayne, when there were a few knocks on the door.

He groaned as he stood up, walking towards the door. He slightly cracked it, and his heart sped up when he saw her.

"Y/N?"

"We need to talk," she said, her arms crossed. Eddie opened the door and she walked past him. He closed the door and followed into his bedroom.

She sat on his bed as he walked in. He wanted to take a mental image of how she looked on his bed again. He walked towards her, softly reaching out to cup her face.

She pushed his hand away, and he gulped. He could already feel himself getting emotional as he continued to look at her.

"It's been so long," he said quietly, "I've missed seeing you."

She shook her head and stood up. Walking to the other side of the room to create more space.

"Why are you being a dick to Justin? He loved being part of Hellfire! And he was really upset tonight."

Eddie rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"He's whining about a game? Oh, come on, baby. It's a fucking game!" Eddie argued

"No, he's upset that you put a target on him and he has no idea why. But me? I've got a good idea why you are acting like a jackass," she fought back. Her eyes were hard but Eddie just loved having her eyes on him again.

"Why's that, sweetheart?" She wanted to smack the smirk off his face. She hated herself for how attracted she still was to him.

Ignoring the way the nicknames made her body heat up, she replied, "You found out about us and you got jealous. Which I'd like to remind you that you have no right to be jealous."

"No right?" Eddie laughed as he scoffed. "I'm fucking in love with you. Still, head over my feet for you, and you're dating some other guy!" His voice started to rise but he wasn't yelling.

"You broke up with me! Did you forget that? Did you remember that when you decided to have your pity party and take it out on a guy who seems to actually like me?" Y/N argued, she wasn't surprised by his behavior but she was surprised she'd still be dealing with it.

"I didn't BREAK UP WITH YOU!" He argued, his voice rising and rising.

"WELL YOU NEVER WENT AFTER ME!" She yelled back, throughout all the fighting they didn't notice how close they became. Their bodies were inches away, chest to chest.

"YOU TOLD ME NOT TO! I DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP SCREWING UP"

"YOU'RE ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO GO AFTER ME. BEG ME AND TELL ME YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT ME!" her voice cracked as her yelling turned into soft sobs, "but yo-ou let me leave, I waited in my car and you never came" she whimpered.

Eddie gulped as he watched the tears fall down her face. He stepped forward, closing any space they had between them. His hands cupped her wet cheeks and he bent slightly down so his eyes were level with hers.

"I wanted to follow you so badly. I wanted to walk up to you anytime I got just a second of you. I've failed many times at not listening to you and I thought I was doing what you wanted. Baby, if I knew all I had to do was run after you I would have run in a heartbeat." He said

She sniffled and tried not to melt into his hands. His touch on her skin and his body inches from hers, it's all she craved those long five months.

"You had five months, Eddie. Why now? Why now when I just started to move on?"

"I'm selfish and can't watch another person make you happy. Not when I know I can. If you want to move on, I can't stop you. But if I can offer exactly what he can, I will do it a thousand times better." He said, and before she could blink his lips pressed against hers.

She melted as his warm lips moved against hers. The similarity of the kiss made her heart flutter. She tried to fight it, her hands on his chest to push. But then his hands moved down to her waist and he pulled away, but just barely.

A broken whisper or whimper, she couldn't tell, fell from his lips and landed on hers,

"Please"

She shoved every thought away that told her it was a bad idea. And listened to the way her heart raced like it only did with him. Her actions were fast, her hands cupping his face as she kissed him as hard as she could.

They moved in perfect synchrony, their lips fit together. They clung to each other desperately, making sure the other couldn't go too far away.

They kissed until their lungs burned, begging for air. She pulled away but kept her touch on him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. If you give me another chance, I promise, I will always run after you. I'll pick you up kicking and screaming and bring you home." He pleaded.

This was the first time Y/N believed she ever saw Eddie break down and beg. He was always so damn stubborn, but now he cried and pleaded.

"What if you promise not to make me want to run away?" She joked, a tiny laugh leaving her lips. Eddie softly chuckled, sniffling.

"Anything you want and need," he said, softly kissing her lips again.

"What the hell do I tell Justin?" She asked

"I'll write it into the camping," Eddie joked, loving when she swatted at his chest.

Forgiveness is a long road and he was ready to walk it all.

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37 @bellaisswagger @arlxt @ineedmentalhelp123

[briefinquiries]

Luke Alvez x Reader: Promise You'll Call

Prompt: hi first i just want to say i love you writing so much. Do you think you could write something where luke finds out the reader’s significant other is harming them (mentally or physically)? I understand this is a rough topic but i was just going through a hard time with flashbacks. I understand if you can’t, thank you!

Word count: 7k (idk how this got to be so long)

Warnings: DV mention (in detail), blood tw

A/N: ayyyyooo, it's been forever since i've posted, but enjoy! i wanted to post, so i haven't proof read yet, so please excuse any grammatical mistakes, I'll go back and fix tomorrow :)

Luke honestly didn’t mean to eavesdrop. It just so happened that he was still in his truck, finishing up the burnt bagel he’d made in a rush this morning when you pulled into the parking garage. At first, Luke didn’t recognize that it was you in the black BMW that stopped in the middle of the garage, right behind his own truck. But when he peeked through his rearview mirror, he saw you sitting in the passenger seat, tucking a curtain of hair behind your ear. 

Luke’s stomach flipped, the same way it did every time he saw you. 

Except this time, he actually felt guilty for it, because he was pretty sure the guy driving the car was your boyfriend. Luke was new to the team in the last year, and while he’d done a pretty good job getting to know everyone at the BAU, he still hadn’t met partners or family yet. You were one of the few agents who never talked about your personal life at work. 

But even though Luke couldn’t see the man driving the car, as soon as you cracked open the passenger side door, he certainly heard him. 

Was it even considered eavesdropping if the entire parking garage could hear? 

“I’m not done talking!” The man’s voice echoed across the entire garage, causing Luke to straighten in his seat.  

“Will you lower your voice?” You snapped back in a hushed tone, before looking around the space, clearly embarrassed. 

“Don’t fucking tell me what to do!”

“The whole city is going to hear you, Justin, please.”

“I don’t care if they do– get back in the fucking car!”

Something in Luke’s chest began boiling at the sound of his tone. Did he always speak to you that way? He fought back the urge to peel himself out of his truck. You were his coworker– not his girlfriend. It wasn’t his place to knock this guy down a few pegs, no matter how badly he wanted to. 

“I have nothing else to say to you right now–”

“Good, don’t talk. Fucking listen for once in your life!”

“You’re being ridiculous,” you said, voice eerily calm. It was like you were almost used to this kind of fighting– like you knew the exact steps to take to attempt de-escalating him. “I have to get to work. We’ll talk about this later.”

“If you shut that fucking door, you’re walking home. I swear to–” but the man’s voice was abruptly cut off by you shutting the door. 

Luke secretly felt proud as he watched you turn and walk away from the BMW without looking back. 

Suddenly, music blared through the speakers of the car before Luke heard tires squealing while the car drove away. Luke remained in place while he heard your footsteps fade into the distance, not wanting to embarrass you further or let you know he’d been heard the entire conversation that just played out. 

But while he gave you a moment to catch the elevator without him, Luke didn’t like the feeling that settled in his stomach. If your boyfriend acted like that in the middle of the bureaus parking garage, what the hell was he like behind closed doors?

…

You fought back tears for the entire elevator ride. Thank God no one got into the lift with you, so you at least had a moment of peace before having to pull everything together. 

Justin woke up mad– again. That had been a regular occurrence for the last year. And for the last month, he’d been convinced you were cheating on him. With zero evidence aside from a “hunch” he was apparently going on, there was no amount of convincing or location sharing or reminding him that your job came with sporadic hours that would change his mind. And things were getting worse. Each day it felt like he was angrier– more out of control. And each day you told yourself that you could handle it. You were literally trained on how to de-escalate murderers, for God’s sake. But this morning, when you woke up to not one, but four flat tires on the car you parked in the garage, you knew things were escalating again. 

As the elevator climbed, your phone suddenly pinged in your pocket. You pulled it out to read the text back from your mother. You’d reached out to her earlier, letting her know what you’d suspected– that Justin had slashed your tires so that you couldn’t take your own car to work. 

Mom: He wouldn’t do that. I know you are going through a rough patch, but Justin’s a good man. Did you reach out to that couple’s therapist I told you about?

You let out a sigh. 

Typical. 

Justin had worked at the local hospital with your father before he retired. As a world-wide renowned cardiovascular surgeon with a strong handshake and charismatic demeanor, he could do no wrong in your parent’s eyes. 

In the few instances you actually had reached out to them for support in the last year, the burden always fell back on you. What had you done to piss him off? What were you doing to mitigate the situation? You should have learned by now not to reach out to either one of them. You wouldn’t get the response you wanted. 

The elevator slowly climbed and you knew you had to pull it together. Deep breath in, deep breath out. You reached the fifth floor and stepped out of the elevator, trying to forget about everything that had just happened. 

Within an hour, a new case rolled in. You sat around the round table and listened to Emily give the rundown while Garcia clicked through slides of gruesome crime scenes she blatantly refused to even glimpse at . You tried to pay attention– to compartmentalize your home life like you had always been so good at doing. But as soon as you heard that the case was in Idaho– across the country, worry began creeping back inside of you. One of the biggest problems that Justin had was your constant travel for work. Although he was allowed to put in consistent, 16-hour days at the hospital, he got upset every time you told him where your next case was.

Which, honestly, you understood. When you took the job with the BAU, you never expected to have much of a life outside of it. You were gone more than you were home, and you knew that sort of lifestyle wasn’t for everyone. Except when you met him, Justin had known what you did for work. You didn’t lie or keep it a secret. He said he was okay with the traveling and the long hours. Until he wasn’t. 

Suddenly, there was a gentle tap on your shoulder. Every thought racing through your mind blew away and you refocused on the present moment. 

“Everything okay?” It was Luke asking. 

You looked around to realize that everyone else was packing up their belongings to board the jet. Turning to face Luke, you nodded. “Yeah, sorry. Just daydreaming, I guess.”

“Daydreaming with those crime scenes in the background?” he asked, nodding towards the gruesome picture still up on the screen. “You’ll have to teach me how to do that.”

You let out a breath of laughter. Luke hadn’t been on the team for long, but you realized within a few weeks of knowing him that he always knew how to make people laugh– no matter what was going on in the world around you. That was one of the many reasons he fit in so effortlessly with the team. 

“We can do a mindfulness class sometime,” you joked. 

He smiled, dimples popping from his dark, smooth skin. “I’d attend consistently.” 

Something fluttered in your stomach.

You just chalked it up to stress and nerves. 

…

Luke was supposed to be reviewing the case on the flight. Instead, he couldn’t stop watching you. Out of all the open seats, you chose one right across from him. You had the file open on your lap while your eyes scanned the page. Luke could tell you weren’t reading either, though, because the jet had already been airborne for almost half an hour and you hadn’t flipped the page. 

Meanwhile, Reid, who was to Luke’s right, had already read the entire file, front to back, probably three times by now. 

“Can you give me the Sparknotes version?” Luke leaned over and asked him.  

“What’s Sparknotes?” Reid asked, no hint of humor in his voice. 

Luke’s jaw fell open. “Aren’t you supposed to be a genius or something?”

“I don’t really think that intelligence can be measured or quantified in the way humans have tried to in the past. Technically I have an eidetic memory, which allows me to recall information with accurate precision. Meaning I’d actually have to see the information once to be able to recall it. I’ve never seen a Sparknote… or whatever you called it.”

A smirk spread across your lips, your eyes darting up to meet Luke’s. 

Luke shook his head in disbelief, offering you a small smile before turning back to Spencer. He’d been with the team nearly a year now and he still hadn’t gotten used to Reid’s demeanor. He wondered if he ever would. 

“You never had to Google the summary of a book when you were younger?”

Reid gave Luke a perplexed look. “Why would I do that if I have the book in front of me?”

“Because it’s faster.”

“I can read–”

“20 thousand words a minute,” Rossi interrupted as he walked by with an empty cup of coffee. “Yeah, we know, kid.”

He placed a free hand on Luke’s shoulder, patting it gently. “I have no idea what prompted this conversation, but trust me when I say it’s not worth it.”

Luke heard you stifle a laugh as Rossi walked past. 

…

You’d been on edge the entire plane ride. Justin never responded to your message, letting him know you’d be away for at least the next couple of days on a case. Maybe he was in the OR today, or maybe the hospital’s cell service was just spotty. 

Or maybe he really was just that mad at you. 

You knew the way he treated you was wrong. You recognized the red flags that had been staring you right in the face. But slashing your tires? Maybe your mom was right– maybe there was another explanation. Because no matter how much he yelled, or got in your face, or tried to intimidate you, you really didn’t think there was any way he could do that. 

You hated being this distracted while you worked. Emily was having to repeat instructions for you, JJ was throwing you worried glances, Spencer had asked three times now if you were okay… It was like you were the one being profiled in Idaho. 

Of course that wasn’t really the case, though. You were in Sun Valley because of a string of murdered women, each left dumped and discarded in ditches off the parkway. Each with ligature markings around their necks. Each with evidence of sexual assault. And each deserving of your undivided attention. 

You tried your best to give it to them. But in reality, when the case finally wrapped up six days after you’d arrived, you knew that everyone had picked up your slack. 

And while you were grateful to be part of a team that could pick up the slack of others, you hated that you had to utilize it. 

‘Unbelievable.’

That had been the only message you received from Justin the entire week you were away. You sent a practical novel back– trying to apologize and explain your side. Then you tried calling at least twice a day. But each time you went straight to his voicemail. Normally, space wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Except the jet was about to land back at Quantico, and you were terrified of what was next. 

Not to mention you had no ride home. 

“Hey,” a soothing voice suddenly said, stirring you from your thoughts. 

When you glanced up, you saw Luke gesturing towards the open seat across from you. 

“You mind? Everyone else is asleep.”

For a moment, you looked around the jet and noticed that Luke was right. Practically everyone was sprawled out or curled up against a window, passed out. You couldn’t blame them. It had been a rough case. If circumstances were different and you weren’t currently overthinking everything in your life, you’d probably be passed out too. 

Eventually you turned back to Luke and nodded. “You couldn't sleep?” You asked him. 

He shook his head. “Nah. I never sleep on planes. I think it’s a control-thing. I can never calm myself down enough to actually sleep.”

You frowned. “Now that you say that, I’ve never actually seen you sleep on the jet.”

“And you probably never will.” 

You grinned back. “Does that mean I’ll never get to know if Luke Alvez snores?”

“I’m afraid that information is classified,” he smirked. 

“Such a tease.”

Luke let out a low chuckle before casually leaning forward in his seat. “I did want to see if everything was okay, though.”

“What do you mean?” You asked, probably sounding too defensive. 

He shrugged. “I mean you just didn’t seem yourself this week. Not in a bad way or anything– just off.”

Shit. You knew it had been noticeable. But even still, the small part of you that was hoping it wasn’t deflated at Luke’s words. You actually debated telling him everything, which was so out of the norm for you lately. Ever since you and Justin had been having problems, you’d turned into a shell of who you used to be– you never hung out with Penn, Emily, or JJ anymore. You never had time for getting your ass kicked at chess on the jet with Reid, because you were too busy worrying if Justin was mad at you for leaving. You never joined everyone at Rossi’s evening dinners because you felt guilty for spending nights that you were home away from the house and Justin would never go with you. 

Suddenly, the harsh reality slapped you right in the face: You didn’t like who you were becoming. You didn’t like who you were when you were with Justin. The thought made you want to curl up and hide from the world– from Luke. But there was something about the way he looked at you– so earnest and intentional, like he was hanging onto every word, like he actually wanted to be someone you could trust, that felt prevented you from doing so. 

“You’re chewing on your lip,” Luke pointed out. “That’s how I always know when you’re overthinking.”

You relaxed your jaw instantly. That’s how he always knew? How often was Luke paying attention to your moods and mannerisms? The thought made something flutter in your stomach, but not in the anxious way it had been fluttering recently. This was softer– less scary. 

“Stupid profilers,” you muttered under your breath, desperate to break through whatever tension was boiling between the two of you. 

It was enough to earn a chuckle from Luke. “We are pretty annoying, aren’t we?” He sat back in his chair, cracking his knuckles casually. “You know, my last two girlfriends have broken up with me because of this job. One was serious– the last one, not so much. But still. They said it was too demanding– that I couldn’t make them a priority. I don’t know if you remember the Orlando case last fall. The one with–”

“The fourteen year old boy. We were too late to save him, but we got his sister,” you finished for him. “I remember.” Not only did you remember, but that very same case had been burned into your brain for months. 

Luke nodded. “Yeah. Well, when we got back from that case, that’s when she broke up with me. She said she was trying to deal with me being gone all the time. But if I couldn’t even be present when I was home, she was done. God, I had nightmares about that case for weeks– still do sometimes.” 

You gazed at him sympathetically. Unfortunately, his story wasn’t that out of the norm. Aside from you, everyone on the team in a relationship was already married. Once you had a solid, established relationship, most times it was doable. But the reality was, it was hard to date someone and be part of the BAU. 

“I’m sorry,” you said softly. 

“Don’t be,” he waved you off. “They were right. I put my job first. And I’d like to think that the person I’m supposed to be with would understand how important this work is to me, even if each case takes a little piece from me.”

You thought about Justin– always criticizing, always making comments and remarks about how much you worked. You thought about the last few weeks and all the late nights you’d sat and done unnecessary paper at your desk just to avoid going home to him. 

“Or maybe you’d actually want to make the person you’re supposed to be with the priority,” you suggested softly without meeting Luke’s gaze.   

Luke had just been so vulnerable with you– telling you about his relationship problems like you were someone he could confide in. And the scary part was, you liked it. You liked being someone he came to with these types of things. You wished he’d do it more. 

Justin never confided in you– never let you confide in him, either. You stared intently down at your lap and wondered what it would feel like to have someone who would. 

“Justin and I– we’re having some issues.”

Finally, you dared to look up at Luke. His brown eyes looked black in the dimly lit jet, but they still glistened as he listened. “He’s just so mad at me,” you whispered, voice faltering. You’d barely said anything, but you could already feel all of the emotions you’d been masking and forcing down start to bubble towards the surface. “All the time. And I don’t know what to do about it. I don’t know if I want to do anything about it.”

Luke leaned forward again, his elbows resting on his knees while he wound his fingers together. “I heard him when he dropped you off in the garage the other day,” Luke said honestly. Instantly, you felt heat rise to your cheeks. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, I swear, I was just waiting in my car because I was early and well–”

You took a shaky breath, embarrassed beyond belief. “Anyone in the vicinity would have heard him that day.”

Luke’s voice lowered. “Does he always talk to you like that?” 

Yes, you thought. 

“No. That was just a bad morning.”

Luke nodded, but pursed his lips like he didn’t quite believe you. “I know it isn’t my place, but you don’t deserve that. I mean, fuck, no one does. But especially you.”

You smiled softly, trying to believe that he was right– that you didn’t deserve Justin’s harsh comments or anger. And on some level, you knew you didn’t. But another part of you always wondered why you didn’t try harder– why you didn’t care if he ended things or not. 

“Thanks Luke.” 

He nodded, leaning back once again. You gazed out the jet window, seeing familiar city lights in the distance. You’d be landing soon. And then it was back to whatever grim reality faced you at home.   

 “You don’t have your car today, do you?” Luke asked suddenly, stirring you from your thoughts. 

You shook your head. “Uh no. When I went to leave for work, my tires were flat.”

“All of them?” he asked, sounding shocked. 

“All of them.” 

“What’d you do, park in a pile of glass?”

“No, I think they were slashed.”

Luke’s eyes widened, a wave of concern washing over his face. “You don’t think–”

“I have no proof,” you said, knowing instantly what Luke was implying before he even said it. “But yes.”

“Jesus–”

You took a slow, steadying breath, doing your best not to fall apart in front of Luke. 

“I think your place is on my way home,” Luke said after a moment. “I can give you a ride.”

You looked up, instantly ready to decline the generous offer. Luke was good– too good. And you didn’t want to ruin whatever type of friendship was blossoming between you by being too needy right from the start. 

“Don’t even try to say no,” he spoke first. “Please let me give you a ride.”

By habit, you chewed on your lower lip. 

“Don’t overthink it,” he said quietly. “I wouldn’t have offered if it was going to be an inconvenience.”

You felt guilty– you really couldn’t help it, and you weren’t used to accepting help from others. But something about Luke’s tone was so earnest, you believed him. He wouldn’t have offered if he didn’t expect you to say yes. After a moment, you nodded slowly. “Okay,” your head hung, gaze falling to your lap. “Thank you.”

The two of you spent the final minutes of the jet ride sitting quietly, gazes fixated out the window as the pilot landed you safely back in Quantico. When the lights flickered on, your other team members stirred in their seats with exhausted sighs and groans. You grabbed your go bag and followed closely behind Luke as he stepped off the plane. 

“Need anything inside?” he asked. 

You shook your head. “No, I’m good.”

With that, he adjusted the bag on his shoulder and veered towards the parking garage with you just strides behind him. 

Luke made small talk on the ride home. It was like he knew how nervous you were to see Justin and was trying to lighten the mood. You mostly just smiled and nodded in response, and felt grateful when Luke didn’t pressure you or point this out. Only when you got close enough to offer him instructions to your house did you actually utter any words. 

Then, before you knew it, Luke was putting his truck in park on the street near your house. You swallowed thickly as soon as you saw Justin’s car in the driveway and a single light still on in the house. 

The harsh reality was that you had no idea what to expect when you walked through those doors. But here… now… sitting in this truck with Luke, you felt safe. It was hard to leave that. 

But of course you had to. Luke couldn’t wait here all night. 

“Thanks for the ride,” you said softly, trying to conceal how shaky your voice sounded. 

“I don’t mean to overstep,” he said quickly. “But… I just– I mean, I don’t feel good about leaving you here.”

You shook your head quickly. Again, not wanting to feel like a burden. “I’m fine. It’ll be fine. He can be controlling and he gets angry– but he’d never hurt me or anything.”

Luke nodded, although the furrow in his brow told you he didn’t quite believe you. 

“You have my number. Promise me you’ll call if you need anything.”

You weren’t used to this kind of generosity. But before you could overthink things, you nodded earnestly, believing that you would actually call him if it came to that. If nothing else, Luke had proven how trustworthy he was in the last few hours alone. 

“Alright,” he nodded carefully as you slid out of the front seat of his truck, feet colliding with the pavement. 

“Thanks again,” you did your best to muster up a genuine smile. 

The corner of his lip tugged up slightly, but concern was still plastered over his face. “See you on Monday then.”

“Monday,” you agreed. 

With that, you closed the door– putting a literal wall between you and the only person who had made you feel safe in the last week. 

You turned towards your house, the knots in your stomach tightening with each passing moment. When you reached the front door, you turned one last time to see Luke leaned forward, eyes trained on you. Your chest softened when you realized he was waiting for you to get inside safely before driving off. Offering him one, final wave, you turned to unlock the front door. 

When you first stepped inside your house– everything looked normal. The light above the stove was on and the fridge hummed softly. You placed your duffel bag on the floor and stepped into the kitchen for some water. As you filled up a glass, you began to wonder if maybe you’d overreacted. Maybe Justin had been busy with work this week– just like you’d been. 

But your wishful thinking was short lived. 

Because the second you turned away from the faucet, you nearly jumped out of your skin at the sight of Justin– standing on the other side of the island counter. You hadn’t even heard him approach you. 

“Jesus, Justin–” you gasped, setting your glass of water down on the counter. “You scared me.”

Instead of replying, his eyes just narrowed. He looked angry– angrier than you’d ever seen him. An eerie chill crept down your spine, sending an eruption of goosebumps across your skin. 

“Where were you?” he asked, voice menacing and icy. 

“I told you– there was a case–”

His hands slammed down on the counter, causing you to take a step back as you jumped. 

“Don’t lie to me!” 

“I’m not lying–” you said quickly, trying to keep your own voice even. You knew how important it would be to remain calm. 

But despite your efforts, Justin swiped his hand across the counter, sending your cup of water colliding into the wall, where it shattered. 

You winced, unable to completely contain your shock. Because despite the yelling and the screaming, Justin had never done that before. Something inside of you told you that you had to leave… now– but you couldn’t react in time. Because before you could even turn your body to head towards the door, he was already turning the corner around the island, eliminating the only barrier between you and his violent outburst. 

“Where are you going, huh?” he challenged. “Gonna take off again?”

“I was at work, Justin– I told you that.”

He took another step closer to you, sending you a step backwards. Like a choreographed dance, you alternated steps until you heard the crunch of glass beneath your shoes. You’d reached the wall. You were cornered. 

Panic flooded through you. And suddenly, logic went out the window. You couldn’t think rationally– you couldn’t problem solve. Everything just went blank. 

“Who brought you home tonight, hm?” 

He was close enough that you could smell the alcohol melting off his breath. You lowered your head, trying to appear as submissive as you could– because what the hell else were you supposed to do?

“I saw the truck– the white one? Who the fuck was that?”

“Just someone from work,” you answered quickly. 

“Just someone from work, huh?” He took another step forward. There was practically no space between the two of you now. “Look at me when you talk.” 

You were trembling so hard, you couldn’t follow his commands as fast as he wanted. 

“I said–” he snapped harshly. Instantly, you felt fingers wrapping around your throat, forcing your head up. Justin’s hand squeezed, cutting air off. “Look at me when you talk.” 

His grip tightened. “Go ahead– say it. Tell me where you were.”

You opened your mouth, but you couldn’t even get air in your lungs, let alone formulate words. 

Justin’s eyebrow raised. For a moment, he actually looked like he was enjoying this. 

“No?” he asked. “Nothing? Are you finally done lying to me?”

You tried to inhale– but when nothing came, more panic settled in your stomach. You squirmed, needing air fast. Your hands raised to grab his forearm, desperate for him to let go. You tried to breathe again– but when air still didn’t come, you dug your nails into his skin without thinking– scratching him, hoping that would help. Except, you were so panicked, you had no concept of how hard you actually scratched him. Your nails broke through the skin– causing him to release your throat.  

“You bitch,” he hissed. Before you could even take a breath, you felt something collide with the side of your face, sending your head whipping to the side. 

Your head hung for a moment while your brain tried to comprehend what was happening. 

Justin had hit you– and there was currently something warm dripping down the side of your head. As you were hunched over, you felt something then collide with your stomach– hard. His knee maybe? You couldn’t tell–

“You let some man drive you home to my house!” he yelled, hand closing around your throat again. This time, he launched you backwards, whipping your head into the wall forcefully. “And then you come in and you fucking lie about it?” 

You grasped at his wrist– not scratching, but trying to get him to loosen his grip. You couldn’t breathe– no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t breathe. 

“Please,” you tried to say, but all that came out was a gasp. 

You attempted to look at him– hoping he could see how sincere you were being. But when you gazed up, your stomach just dropped. His eyes were menacing– black, empty. He looked like he could kill you right here and now and not care in the slightest. 

Justin’s grip tightened, you could feel each individual finger as it dug deeper into your skin, cutting off your airway– crushing your windpipe. 

You were going to die– You were going to die and there was nothing you could do to stop it. 

You dug your nails into his skin again, you flailed– you slapped with what energy you had left. But nothing was working. Your vision was blurring– dark edges starting to create a tunnel around the world. He was too strong– and you were going to die. 

Until suddenly, with no warning, Justin’s grip loosened. 

Instantly, you slid to the floor– coughing and choking as you gasped for air. 

You waited for whatever would come next– a kick to the ribs, something clattering over your head. But instead, you heard his footsteps retreating. 

You willed yourself to look up– through foggy vision clouded by tears, you saw Justin backing out of the kitchen, his eyes wide. 

“I-I–” he stammered. “I didn’t–” For a moment he paused, like he was frozen in place, before shaking his head. 

You were too focused on trying to breathe regularly again to make sense of the look of remorse seemingly on his face before he darted out of the room. 

Although he was out of your sight, you knew Justin couldn’t be far. And you knew that, despite the fact that you were sputtering and could barely breathe, you had to get out of that house. With what little strength you had left, you pushed yourself off the floor. Your back throbbed from being thrown against the wall, while a wave of dizziness overcame you. You all but staggered to where you’d dropped your bag earlier, doing a quick scan of the room before grabbing the strap and hauling it over your shoulder. 

You hurried to the front door, hand on the knob, when you paused. 

Where the hell were you supposed to go?

And then Luke’s words from earlier flashed through your mind. 

Promise me you’ll call if you need anything. 

You couldn’t– you thought. You’d already asked him for so much. But he did make you promise. And honestly, you couldn’t think of anyone in the world aside from him that you’d talk to about what had just happened. 

Suddenly, you heard movement from upstairs. 

You didn’t have time to toggle back and forth. You had to make a decision. 

Before you could second guess anything, you grabbed your phone from your pocket, pulled up Luke’s contact info, and hurried out the door. 

…

The second your name flashed across his screen, Luke knew he shouldn’t have left. Granted, he was only four minutes down the road– but he wished he had listened to his gut and just stayed. 

He slid his thumb across the screen. “Hello?”

He was met by an eerie silence.

“Hello?” he repeated. 

“Luke–” Your voice sounds so small– so choked up. “I’m sorry– I–” 

He waited a moment, hanging on to each word you spoke like it was a prayer. 

“Could you– maybe… could you come back? I’m so sorry– I–”

Luke was already turning his truck around before you could finish your choppy sentence. 

“I’m on my way,” he assured you. “Stay right there, okay?”

He was pretty sure he heard you agree before the line went dead. But regardless, Luke was back at your house in an instant. The second he put his truck in park, he was already undoing his seatbelt and launching himself out of the car. 

He had no idea what he was walking into– all he knew was that he had to get you out of there. What the hell could this asshole have said to you to have you so shaken up over the phone? 

He imagined knocking on the door– finding you tear streaked and trembling. It made his insides roar with anger before even seeing you. 

Except, when Luke turned the corner of his truck. He didn’t have to reach the front door to see you. He didn’t even have to walk across your lawn. Instead, you were hunched over on the curb, face buried in your hands while your whole body shook. 

Luke’s shoulders fell– your name tumbling from his lips as he approached you.

He had prepared for trembling– he had prepared for crying. But what he wasn’t prepared for, was seeing your face, bloodied and bruised when you looked up at him. 

He stopped dead in his tracks, everything inside of him turning to ice at the sight. 

“Where is he?” Luke managed to choke out. His voice sounded muffled and distant in his own ears. 

You let out a shaky breath before attempting to smile– like you were trying to somehow convince him that you were okay. The cut on your lip stretched as you did, making you wince. “Inside,” you whispered. 

He nodded once. As much as he didn’t want to leave you out here alone, Luke couldn’t help himself. 

“I’ll kill him,” he said through gritted teeth. And just like that, he was off– taking long strides towards the front door. He had no idea what your house looked like– no idea where he’d find that asshole lurking. All Luke knew was that he was going to pay for what he did to you. 

He had tunnel vision– the only thing in front of him was a blind, rageful desire to hurt that piece of shit as much as he had hurt you. He was narrowing in on the front door– just a few steps away… until he heard something break through the fog. 

It was you– your voice so soft and broken, calling out to him desperately. He turned around, blinders widening to see you standing on the lawn, chest heaving and tears falling down your cheeks quickly. 

“Please Luke–” you begged. “Please don’t. I want to leave. Please, can we leave?”

He paused, but only for a second before all of his anger melted away in an instant.  

He nodded, knowing right there– in that moment, that he would do absolutely anything for you at the drop of a hat. In a few quick steps, he was back at your side, hand hovering near your lower back just in case you needed extra support. 

“We can go,” he said gently, purposely keeping his voice as calm as he could. “Let’s get you in the truck.” 

After only a couple of steps, Luke noticed that you were limping. He felt a wave of tears burning behind his eyes. He was frustrated– angry. With your boyfriend, but mostly with himself. He knew he shouldn’t have left. He knew it in his gut. He should have been there– maybe if he’d stayed, he would’ve heard the yelling– he could’ve stepped in before things got this bad. 

“Can you get up, okay?” he asked as he opened the passenger door for you.

You nodded, reaching up for the handle bar. He watched as you winced– just the extension of your torso causing your breathing to increase. 

“You’re alright,” he said. “Let me help.” 

He made sure to wait for you to nod before he placed his hand against your lower back. Ever so gently, he supported your weight so that you could hoist yourself up into the front seat. 

“There you go,” he said, once you were safely tucked inside. He closed the door and turned to head to the driver’s side. Just as he did, he caught a flash of movement from the direction of your house. When he looked, he saw Justin standing on the front porch. Even from the road, Luke could see the tears glistening in his eyes. 

He felt the familiar anger from earlier resurfacing inside of him. It tightened in his chest– burned in his stomach. He envisioned himself crossing the lawn– grabbing Justin by the shirt collar– launching his fist right into his jaw. 

Luke inhaled deeply before looking back towards you. You were staring at him, crying again, your face riddled with fear. Because you knew exactly what he was imagining, and it made you afraid. 

Luke’s insides softened. 

No. 

He would not just be another man who scared you tonight. Luke wanted to be someone you felt safe with. 

Without looking back, he hurried along the front of his hood and climbed into his side of the truck. He put the truck in drive and calmly accelerated down the road– away from everything that had ever hurt you. 

…

It was only when you were in the safe confinement of Luke’s truck that you realized how bad you were shaking.  

The further you got from the house, the more the events from that evening sank into your brain. You’d seen this before with victims– once their adrenaline calmed down and they actually realized they were safe, fight or flight wasn’t protecting them anymore.

There was so much you wanted to say to Luke. But you could barely muster up the strength to breathe, let alone explain yourself. 

But you knew that you had to say something. You inhaled shakily and picked at the loose hangnail on your thumb. “Luke, I’m so sorry,” you said, breaking through the thick silence. 

He adjusted his grip on the steering wheel, knuckles turning white from how hard he was holding on. He hadn’t said a word since you’d been on the road and you found yourself wondering what was going through his mind. Was he angry? Annoyed? Frustrated?   

Luke grimaced. “Please don’t apologize,” he said softly. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

You bit your lip to keep any tears from spilling out– you’d cried enough in front of Luke for one day. “I just meant that I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”

“You didn’t drag me into anything.”

Something in his tone just seemed so off– so curt. You desperately needed to make this right. 

“Is there a hotel or something on the way to your place? You don’t have to go out of your way– you can just drop me off, I don’t want to inconvenience you–”

Luke hit the breaks, his truck coming to a stop as he pulled over on the side of the road. After shifting the gear, he turned in his seat to look at you. 

“I’m not inconvenienced by you. And I’m not dropping you off at a hotel. You’re coming to my place, and I’m going to clean up your cuts, and then I’m going to make you dinner.”

“Luke–” you started to protest but he shook his head. 

“Please,” he said, voice cracking. “Please, let me do this– Otherwise… otherwise I won’t be able to forgive myself.”

Your brows furrowed. “Forgive yourself? What are you talking about?”

Luke shook his head, his dark mop of curls unruly after the long day. Slowly, he lifted his head and gazed out of the windshield, like he was deep in thought. 

“I knew something was wrong– I mean, I heard the way he spoke to you in the garage. After you told me he slashed your tires… I just knew. I knew something bad would happen when I dropped you off, but I tried to convince myself I was just being dramatic– or paranoid. But I knew– and I didn’t listen. I left you, and you got hurt. So please, let me make you dinner and give you a safe place to be tonight. It’s the least I can do.”

Your mouth hung open– whatever you thought was going on in Luke’s mind, it wasn’t that. Before you could think twice, you leaned forward in your seat and gathered his hand in yours. His warm skin touched yours– sending shockwaves through your entire body. 

“None of this was your fault,” you assured him. “In fact, you've shown me more kindness in the last few hours than I think Justin has shown me in the last year. I’m so grateful it was you who came and got me tonight, Luke.”

The words came out so easily– probably because of how true they were. 

His gaze flickered towards yours– eyes glistening with unshed tears. He spun his hand, so that your palms pressed against each other, before lacing your fingers together and squeezing gently. 

“You know I’ll never let him hurt you again, right?” he asked. 

His words sent chills down your spine. You did know, but you weren't sure if you were ready to admit that or not. So instead, you changed the subject.

"Are we almost to your house?"

Luke shrugged. "Not really- I'm closer to Stafford, probably thirty five minutes."

You frowned. "Stafford? That's the opposite direction. I thought you said my place was on your way home."

A smirk crept across Luke's face. "That might've been a tiny lie."

"Luke!" you exclaimed.

He let out a laugh. "What? I knew you wouldn't have gotten in the car otherwise. Am I wrong?"

You let out a huff of air, hating the fact that he was right.

As he put the truck in drive and continued down the road, you squeezed his hand back.

[emjayewrites]

monster mash • jobe bellingham (halloween oneshot)

SYNOPSIS: Justine & Jobe has some fun together after attending a Halloween party.

PAIRINGS: Jobe Bellingham x Justine (fc: @/themiaamoore)

WARNINGS: cursing, halloween stuff, mentions of sex, jealous!jobe (18+ only)

TAGLIST: @judesbabymamas, @judesprincess, @yeea-nah, @leilaxaliel, @f1-football-fiend @bbgkoo @irishmanwhore @lettersofgold @deonn-jaelle @sucredreamer @henneseyhoe @judes-hoe

A/N: One little halloween oneshot for Jobey….this is set in the Football Baes Universe. Read Hey There, Delilah to catch up. Gif by @jobesbabe

Jobe Bellingham had never been the biggest fan of haunted houses, but when Sunderland AFC asked him to join in on their Halloween festivities, he couldn’t say no. Besides, he liked a good scare when he knew it was all for show. Dressed in his Sunderland tracksuit with a club-branded beanie snug over his head, he made his way through a dark, creaking haunted house on the outskirts of town, complete with jump scares, fog machines, and an overzealous actor wielding a fake chainsaw.

The haunted house was packed with fans, and Jobe played along, letting out exaggerated yelps and laughing when some ghostly figure popped out of the shadows. His laughter was captured by the social media team as they recorded content for the club’s channels, and Jobe even joked around with some young supporters, pretending to be terrified for their entertainment. By the time he finished the circuit, he felt exhausted but thoroughly amused.

But his night wasn’t over yet. He had one more destination: Leeds. Justine had invited him to a Halloween party there, and despite the two-hour drive, he wasn’t about to miss out. The idea of seeing her, especially dressed up in some costume she’d no doubt planned meticulously, was more than enough to keep his energy up.

After dropping by his flat to grab his duffle bag with a change of clothes, Jobe hit the road, navigating his way to Leeds. The drive wasn’t too bad; he had a playlist queued up, blasting Halloween classics and a few guilty-pleasure pop hits to keep him awake. It was a crisp autumn night, the road lined with swirling leaves as the clock neared 8 PM.

When he arrived in Leeds, he parked in front of Justine’s flat, cutting the engine and slinging his duffle bag over his shoulder. The street was already buzzing with activity, costumed partygoers heading out, and he felt the atmosphere of the night ramp up. Jobe walked up to Justine’s door and knocked twice, then waited, wondering what costume she’d chosen this time.

When the door opened, Jobe’s jaw nearly hit the floor. Justine stood there in an adorable yet dangerously revealing Strawberry Shortcake costume. The bubble skirt, candy-pink and dotted with strawberry prints, barely covered her thighs, and her hair in braided pigtails that framed her face. Her corset top cinched at the waist, accentuating every curve, and the knee-high white socks completed the look.

Justine tilted her head, her lips quirking up in a smile when she noticed his expression. “Hey, Jobe,” she said, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.

Jobe’s gaze dropped from her playful brown eyes to her exposed legs and back up again. “You want me to two-foot stomp someone tonight, Jus?” he asked, his voice low and serious despite the smirk playing on his lips.

Justine raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “What are you talking about, Jobe?” She turned back to the mirror by her door and applied a shiny coat of lip gloss to her already perfect lips. The motion was so casual, as if she hadn’t just rendered him speechless.

Jobe stepped into the hallway, following her to her flat, then dropped his duffle bag by the door and shook his head. “You’re going out dressed like that, and you don’t expect me to put someone in hospital if they look at you wrong?” His eyes lingered on the bubble skirt that inched dangerously high as she shifted her weight.

Justine capped her lip gloss and shot him a sideways glance. “Relax, big guy,” she said, rubbing her lips together. “It’s Halloween. People are supposed to look.”

Jobe groaned, running a hand over his face. “Yeah, well, they’re gonna be looking a little too much.”

“Aw, are you worried?” she teased, stepping closer, her eyes glittering with mischief. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

“Sure,” he replied, his voice dry. “Until you need me to pull someone off of you when you’ve accidentally made them fall in love.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile never wavered. “Come on, you big softie,” she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him further into the flat. “Let me finish getting ready, and then we’ll head to the party.”

Jobe followed her, trying and failing to keep his gaze anywhere but on her costume. It was going to be a long night, and he wasn’t entirely sure if he was ready for it—or for whatever trouble Justine’s Strawberry Shortcake outfit would cause. But one thing was certain: he’d do anything to keep her smiling, even if that meant stomping someone at the party.

Jobe and Justine stepped out of her building and into the cool autumn night, the air alive with anticipation. Halloween parties always had a certain thrill, especially in a city like Leeds. As they walked, Justine’s bubble skirt swished with every step, drawing the eyes of some guys they passed. Jobe couldn’t help but glare at them, the protective instinct in him flaring up. He might have promised not to stomp anyone tonight, but that didn’t mean he had to like the attention she was getting.

Justine noticed his irritation and nudged him playfully. “You’re making it look like we’re more than what we are,” she said, her voice teasing.

Jobe shot her a sidelong look. “Can’t help it,” he muttered. “It’s the bubble skirt’s fault.”

She rolled her eyes but laughed. “Anyway,” she said, changing the subject, “how’s it been? We haven’t seen each other in a bit. Student teaching is killing me slowly, but you?”

Jobe’s expression softened. “Yeah, it’s been a lot, hasn’t it? Football’s intense, but it’s been good to have a free day like today—and a bit of the weekend—to chill with you. Missed you, Jus.”

Justine’s eyes softened, a small smile playing on her lips. “Aw,” she said, bumping her shoulder into his. “So…where’s your costume?”

Jobe grinned and reached into his hoodie pocket, pulling out a simple, worn Ghostface mask. He held it up for her to see, and Justine stared at it for a beat before making a face. “Really, Jobe?” she groaned. “Ghostface? At least be Michael Myers or something.”

“Nah, too complicated,” he replied, sliding the mask back into his pocket. “Besides, Ghostface is easy. Throw on the mask, done. Scaring you is the only part that matters.”

Justine shook her head, amused. “Your creativity is off the charts, truly.”

They finally reached the venue, a brick building that pulsed with the bass of a popular Drake song. The party was already in full swing, and a few costumed partygoers lingered outside, smoking cigarettes and laughing. Justine waved to some of them, and Jobe was about to follow her inside when she stopped to hug a dreadhead Black guy dressed as Bob Marley.

Jobe’s stomach twisted uncomfortably as he watched. The guy’s eyes lingered a bit too long on Justine’s exposed chest, and it made Jobe’s blood simmer. “Hey Jus,” the guy said, his voice warm. “You look so fuckin’ good.”

Justine’s smile was bright. “Thanks, Keyon. You look good too. I love Bob Marley,” she replied.

Keyon’s grin widened. “I know you do.”

Jobe had had enough. He cleared his throat loudly, and Justine glanced back at him, eyes narrowing slightly at the interruption. “This is, uh… my mate from home, Jobe. Jobe, this is my schoolmate Keyon,” she introduced, her voice light but the tension in her gaze palpable.

Keyon’s eyes widened, recognition dawning. “The great Jobe Bellingham is in Leeds? Wow, that’s crazy. Can I get a selfie, my man?” Keyon asked, holding up his phone.

Jobe’s jaw clenched. “No,” he said flatly.

Keyon’s smile faltered, and confusion etched onto his face. Justine stepped in, giving Keyon a small, apologetic smile. “He’s just chilling, Key,” she explained. “Perhaps another time for selfies?”

Keyon nodded, still looking a bit taken aback. “Yeah, sounds cool,” he said, then offered Jobe a polite nod. “Nice seeing ya, mate.”

Jobe responded with a tight “Mmhmm,” and Justine rolled her eyes, grabbing his hand and pulling him inside. The music engulfed them, and the party atmosphere swallowed them whole. The room was strung with fake cobwebs and orange fairy lights, red Solo cups littering every surface. People in all kinds of costumes danced and mingled, some gathered around tables set up with Halloween-themed snacks and a punch bowl that glowed an eerie green.

Once they were away from Keyon, Justine let go of Jobe’s hand and spun around to face him, her eyes narrowing. “What the hell was that?” she demanded, folding her arms over her chest.

Jobe frowned. “What was what?”

“Your attitude toward Keyon,” she said, exasperated. “He’s my mate, Jobe. You didn’t have to be so rude.”

Jobe ran a hand through his hair, frustration simmering. “I didn’t like how he was touching you,” he admitted. “Or the way he was looking at you.”

Justine sighed, exasperated. “Jobe, we’re just fucking. You don’t need to get all protective. Keyon is just a mate, nothing more.”

Jobe gave her a skeptical look. “Bullshit,” his eyes seemed to say, and she rolled her eyes.

“Fine, whatever,” she muttered, clearly not in the mood to argue. The tension hung between them for a moment before the party atmosphere forced them to let it go.

The room was crowded, bodies pressed together as hip-hop music thumped through the speakers. The air smelled of spilled beer and sweet, sugary treats, and a group of people was playing some kind of drinking game in the corner.

“Want a drink?” Justine asked over the music, her lips quirked in a challenging smile.

Jobe nodded, shoving his hands into his hoodie pockets. He watched as she wove her way through the crowd, mingling effortlessly, flashing smiles and exchanging greetings. His eyes never left her, and his stomach twisted with something he didn’t want to name. Jealousy, maybe, or something deeper, something he couldn’t admit even to himself.

Whatever it was, it had him feeling protective, possessive even. He exhaled, trying to shake it off. This was supposed to be a fun night. He’d come all the way from Sunderland for her, and he was determined to enjoy it.

Justine returned with two red Solo cups, a mischievous smile on her lips as she handed one to Jobe. “Here you go,” she said, raising her own in a mock toast. “To spontaneous Halloween adventures.”

Jobe clinked his cup against hers, a smile tugging at his lips. “Cheers to that,” he said, taking a sip. The drink burned slightly on the way down—cheap vodka mixed with some kind of neon fruit punch—but he didn’t care. The buzz was starting to settle in, and the energy of the party was infectious.

They moved into the crowd, the bass of the music pulsing through the floor and up into their bones. Justine led the way, her Strawberry Shortcake costume catching the colored lights from above. Jobe couldn’t help but smile as she turned to face him, her eyes sparkling. “Dance with me,” she demanded, grabbing his free hand.

Jobe set his cup on a nearby table, already feeling lighter and looser, and pulled her close. They started moving together to the rhythm of a Travis Scott song, the beat guiding their movements. Justine’s hips swayed in perfect time with the music, and Jobe couldn’t keep his hands from finding her waist, holding her close as they danced. Her bubble skirt rode up slightly, but she didn’t seem to care.

Justine laughed, the sound bright and carefree, and Jobe found himself laughing with her, caught up in the moment. She spun around and pressed her back against his chest, winding her body to the music, and he couldn’t help but smirk. The energy between them was electric, something simmering just beneath the surface, a push and pull he never fully understood but couldn’t resist.

From the corner of his eye, a figure caught his attention. Jobe glanced over and saw Keyon standing by the wall, holding his drink and watching them. Keyon’s gaze was focused on Justine, his expression unreadable but clearly interested. Something about the way Keyon’s eyes lingered made Jobe’s jaw tighten.

Justine whined onto Jobe, her body grinding against his in time with the beat, and a faint smirk played at his lips. He slid his hands lower on her waist, his grip tightening as if staking a claim. When he glanced back at Keyon, the guy sucked his teeth in annoyance, then turned and left his spot in the corner, disappearing into the crowd.

Jobe’s smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of irritation. He knew he’d have to keep an eye on Keyon. There was something about the way the guy looked at Justine that rubbed him the wrong way. The idea of Keyon trying to make a move on her made Jobe’s blood simmer, and that protectiveness he felt earlier roared back to life.

But as he looked down at Justine, still dancing and laughing, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of confusion. Why did he care so much? They were just friends with benefits, nothing more. He was supposed to be okay with that, supposed to be casual about everything. But here he was, feeling territorial and defensive, his emotions starting to get muddled in a way he didn’t like.

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. This wasn’t the time to unpack whatever he was feeling. Right now, Justine was here, with him, and that was what mattered. Even if his heart was starting to wonder if he wanted more.

The night felt electrifying, the energy of the party coursing through Jobe’s veins. He and Justine danced under the strobing lights, laughing and getting lost in the music. Their movements grew more carefree with every song, and when someone passed around a tray of Jell-O shots, Justine grabbed a couple, offering one to Jobe.

“Bottoms up,” she giggled, her cheeks already flushed. She tossed back the shot, and Jobe followed suit, wincing at the artificial sweetness and the sting of the alcohol. Justine was tipsy, her laughter coming more freely, and she pulled him through the crowd, weaving between clusters of people until she found some of her friends from her teaching program.

“Guys, this is Jobe,” she introduced him with a wide smile, her words slightly slurred. “He’s from home. Like, you know… Birmingham. And a footballer. But don’t make it a big deal.”

Her friends exchanged pleasantries with Jobe, some a little more starstruck than others, but one of the girls brought up something that caught his attention. “Hey, Jus, are you still thinking about that grad school in the States?” the friend asked. “The one in Boston?”

Jobe’s eyes widened, his head snapping toward Justine. “Grad school in the U.S.?” he echoed, trying to hide the shock that must’ve been obvious on his face.

Justine waved off her friend’s comment with a lazy hand. “It’s not set in stone,” she said breezily. “I’ll see what kind of job I can get first, you know? Maybe at a good private school. It’s just… options.”

Jobe tried to push down the unsettling feeling in his gut, but it lingered as they left the party around 1 AM. The streets of Leeds were quieter now, a chill settling into the air as they walked back to Justine’s building. The conversation replayed in his mind, and he finally had to ask. “So… what was that about? The whole grad school in the U.S. thing?”

Justine shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself to fight off the cold. “It’s just something I’ve been considering,” she said nonchalantly. “But it’s not a big deal. Don’t tell me you’d miss me or something, Jobe.”

He rolled his eyes, feigning indifference. “Miss you? Nah, only a little bit,” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm as his arms wrapped around her body to warm her up.

She laughed, and they reached her building. Justine unlocked it and led him inside, where the warm air was a welcome relief. Once the door to her flat was closed, she began to undo the straps of her costume, her movements a little clumsy from the alcohol. “Help me with this,” she said, turning her back to him and gesturing to the corset that was laced tightly.

Jobe stepped closer, his fingers working to untie the laces. The corset loosened, and Justine turned to face him, her eyes meeting his. “Honestly, grad school in the States is like… Plan D,” she said softly. “A lot of dominoes have to fall for that to even happen.”

He couldn’t help the twinge of sadness that flickered across his face. The thought of her being so far away felt wrong, but he just nodded. Justine reached up, her fingers grazing his cheek. The tender touch sent a shiver through him, and she stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his.

He immediately kissed her back, the connection between them deepening. His hands found their way to her ass, kneading her curves as their lips moved together. Justine pulled away slightly, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Put on the Ghostface mask,” she whispered.

Jobe’s lips curved into a grin, catching her meaning and the way her eyes had darkened with lust. “You’re a lil’ freak, ya know that?” he teased, but he pulled the mask out of his pocket anyway, slipping it over his head.

Justine giggled. “Wanna reenact Scary Movie?” she asked playfully.

“Fuck yeah,” Jobe replied, his voice muffled through the mask. He let out a fake growl, and Justine shrieked in mock terror, taking off toward her bedroom. He chased after her, adrenaline and desire thrumming through him, as the door closed behind them for a night of “fun activities.”

jusjus_tine • posted on their story 15 hours ago

story comments:

jobebellingham: fuckin’ bangin’ 😝

judebellingham: 👻

lilahamilton: u look good ❤️❤️

keyon_lawes: 👀👀👀

patsy123: my fave 🍓 🍰

[runningincircl3s]

Nothing Ever After

Noah Sebastian x Reader x Vinny Mauro

Chapter Thirteen

chapter warnings: tiny smut warning? it's nothing too graphic at all!

i guess this is a filler chapter? it's just chaotic and fun! happy monday bffs :)

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

“No, I’m totally convinced y/n and Vin are gonna get together after this tour- if they haven't already- I mean, have you seen the way she looks at him?” Justin said, taking a sip of his water. The guys were getting ready to set  up at the next venue, most of them gathered in a group in the parking lot. “And catching them the other day just proves my point.”

“Wait, what?” Noah questioned, trying to conceal the way his blood was beginning to boil at the thought of you and Vinny. He had noticed how the two of you had suddenly grown closer, but surely Justin had got it all wrong. You and Vinny were just friends, right?

“I went to get changed after the show yesterday and there they were in the dressing room, all over each other.” 

“What do you mean?” Folio laughed nervously, noticing the change in Noah's expression.

“I mean he had her pinned against the wall.” Justin chuckled, “I’m totally here for it, I think they’re cute together.” 

“Yeah, a perfect couple.” Noah mumbles, crossing his arms. “Hey, where are they?” 

“Vin’s taking a nap.” Ricky says defensively, “Why?”

“I just need to ask him about uh… Something... real quick.” Noah says as he marches towards the bus. 

The bus was silent, which wasn’t exactly calming his nerves. However, as he approached the bunks, he realised Ricky was right. There he was, asleep, with you nowhere to be seen. 

“See, I told you he was asleep.” Ricky says, looking up as he watches Noah dart from one bus to the other. 

“Y/n?” He calls out, and you turn your head away from your laptop. 

“Hey, what’s up?” 

You watch as Noah messes with the buttons at the front of the bus. 

“How the hell do you lock this thing- Oh!” He presses a button and the doors make a clicking sound, and you assume he found the lock button. 

“Noah, what’s going on?” You ask, setting your laptop down as you get up, feeling slightly worried. 

“Tell me you’re mine.” 

“Excuse me?” You ask, slightly taken back. 

His large hand comes to cup your face, his eyes darkening as they meet yours. 

“Tell me. You’re mine.”

“Noah…” 

His eyes were darker than you’ve ever seen them and the grip he had on your face was tightening, you had to bite your lip to suppress the whimper that wanted to slip from your mouth. You swallowed hard, feeling your breath becoming heavier and a dull ache between your thighs. 

“I won’t ask again.” He warned, pushing you against the wall, his leg slipping between yours. 

“I’m yours, Noah.” You tell him, looking up at him through your lashes as he squishes your face in his hand, a proud yet devilish smile on his face.

“Good girl,” he whispered, finally leaning down to capture your lips with his, “You’re all mine.” 

“Yours,” you whimper between kisses, your hand sliding down his body as you begin to palm his cock over his joggers. 

Outside, the guys are still talking as Vinny gets off the bus, wearing a pair of sunglasses he received from a fan at one of the shows. As he joins the others, they all look between each other, waiting for somebody to speak first. 

“You okay, Vin?” Ricky chuckles, watching as Vinny shakes his head. 

“No my fucking head hurts, and it’s so bright out here. I thought by having a nap my headache would go away but it feels even worse.” He groans. 

“Want some aspirin?” Matt asks, “I’ve got some on the bus.”

“Can I?” He asks, pulling his hood over his head. “I’d appreciate that.”

Matt nods, walking over to the bus, attempting to open the door but failing. 

“Shit, it must have locked itself again, Noah’s got the keys.” He groaned, knocking on the door, “Can someone unlock the door please?” He shouted. 

Noah suddenly pulled away. He had you against the wall of the bus, your legs wrapped around his waist as he pounded into you. You were tugging on his hair as he attacked your neck with his mouth, but the banging on the door made the both of you jump, quickly rushing to throw your hoodie and shorts back on, and Noah pulled his boxers and joggers back up, trying to catch his breath as he fixed his hair, rushing over to the door. 

“One second!” He shouted, trying to find the button to unlock the bus. “Which one is it?” He was trying to buy you time as you rushed back to your bunk, grabbing your laptop on the way. “Wait, I got it!” 

As Noah pressed the button, the door opened and Matt sighed, walking up the steps and on to the bus. 

“I told our driver the doors fucked, I got locked out the other day when I come back to- Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah… why?” Noah questioned. 

“You look a little flustered,” he began to smile, “Is y/n here?”

“Yeah, she’s working in her bunk, why?”

“Why all the questions, Noah?” He teased, walking over to where his bag was, digging through it to find the aspirin for Vin. “Next time you want to fuck on the bus, don’t leave your panties on the floor.” He says, looking between you and Noah. 

“What? We weren’t-” 

“It’s okay! I won’t tell the others, but you could’ve waited until tomorrow when we’ve got our own rooms, for the love of god!”

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

You have officially been on tour for a month now, and it has been the best time of your life. You had met so many new people and had opportunities you never would have expected before. You were invited to do an interview backstage at a festival that the guys were playing at for a couple days, answering questions about how you got the role of touring photographer. You didn’t want to tell them it was because you were friends with Bryan, so you explained how you did a photography club in school, and how it had led you here. 

Matt warned you that if the questions started to get too personal then to not answer them, and there was one particular question that pissed you off. 

“So, some Bad Omens fans have taken to social media and have speculated that you’re dating Noah Sebastian. Can you tell us anything about that?”

You let out a laugh at how ridiculous that was. 

“No. There’s nothing to tell, my private life is exactly that- private. Whether we were dating or not is nobody’s business, but to the twelve year olds and stalkers out there, no. I’m not dating your parasocial boyfriend.”

“Well that told them!” The interviewer chuckled nervously, “and Bad Omens are touring with Motionless in White right now, can you tell us any backstage secrets or gossip you might have heard from either bands?”

“Vinny Mauro loves mayo!” You smiled mischievously, “Any fans that see him about on the streets, meet him in VIP, or even send gifts to him, give him mayo! He’ll be so thankful! And also, Jolly snores!” 

“Well, we would’ve never known that if it weren’t for you! Thank you, y/n! We hope to see you here again next year!” 

“Thank you for having me.” You smiled and the interview finished. 

“Why the fuck would you say that?” You heard someone groan as you began to leave, and you turned to see Vin standing by watching. . 

“How long have you been there?” 

“Since Bryan told me you had an interview.” He smiled, “Why the hell did you tell them I like mayo?”

“Because you don’t.” You smirked. 

“It’s all I’m ever gonna get sent now, just you wait, y/n y/l/n, I will get my revenge!” 

“Yeah, I’d like to see you try.” You stuck your tongue out as you walked past him, before turning back to look at him, “How long until you’re on.” 

“Oh it’s hours away, why?”

“Because in 15 minutes Rain City Drive are playing their set and I don’t want to go by myself.” 

“You don’t want to go by yourself?” He laughed, before giving in, “Fine, I'll come with you. What stage are they playing?”

You dragged Vinny with you to watch Rain City Drive play their new album, and although he told you he’s not heard any of these songs before, you were happy to see he seemed to like them. 

“What’s this one?” He asked as you were dancing along to one song in particular.

“Medicate me!” You told him, taking his hands as you continue to bounce around, “What do you think?”

“I like this one.” He smiled.

"I thought you would... I'm going to go back to my room tonight and make you a playlist of songs I think you'd like." You smiled

"I'd like that," he said, "I'll make one for you too... Hey, do you wanna see Loathe with me after this? They're playing on a different stage so I think we could just about make it before I have to get ready to go on."

"Sure!"

I know you're leaving and I tell myself I'm over your love

Hard to believe it when I taste you on the tip of my tongue

You continued to sing along, dancing beside Vinny who just looked happy to be here.

“Oh my God... It can't be... Vinny?!” You hear someone shout from behind you, and a little group of fans all spoke with him and asked Vin for a picture. 

“Are you the new photographer for Bad Omens, y/n?” One of the people asked you. 

“Yeah, I wouldn’t say I’m their photographer because that’ll always be Bryan, but I’ve been touring with them.”

“The picture you posted of Noah and Ricky together has been my lock screen for like two weeks now, look! I have your notifications on so I know when you post and I always get so excited!” They told you, warming your heart as they showed you their wallpaper on their phone.

“Well Motionless in White’s photographer couldn’t be here today so I’ll be filling in for him, so you can expect some more pictures in a couple days.”

“Oh my god! Please get some more of Ricky!” They begged. 

“I’ll try my best,” you chuckled, “Are you gonna be there for their set?” 

“Of course! Why would I miss it?” They grinned, and their friends started to walk off. “It was great to meet you!” 

“You too!” You smiled, waving as they walked off. “Wow,” you said to Vinny, “that’s the first time someone’s ever come up to me.” 

“You better get used to it.” He laughed. 

As their singer Matt thanked everybody for showing love on their new album they announced they were going to sing one last song, and as much as you would've loved to stay for it, Vinny wanted to go and see Loathe on another stage so you watched him put his sunglasses back on before taking your hand and finding the way to the other stage.

You told yourself he was only holding your hand so you didn't lose each other in the sea of people, but you couldn't help but feel warm inside at the feeling of his skin on yours.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

For the first time in weeks, you were back on stage with Motionless in White, taking pictures of each member, the stage as a whole, and some of the crowd. You had been Bad Omens' photographer last night so that Bryan could watch one of his favourite bands perform, and when Chris asked if you could fill in for their photographer tonight you didn't hesitate to say yes. You were always in awe of these guys when they were on stage, but there was something different about their energy this time, even after a month on the road they were still giving it their all. 

You kept finding yourself watching Vinny in particular, he was in his own world behind his drum kit, and it took your breath away. You caught yourself staring, and took your camera over with you to get a shot of him from the side, and as you look back at the pictures, you realise there was a slight smirk on his face. 

“You guys were awesome!” You cheer as they walk backstage to where you had been briefly waiting as they threw out guitar picks, setlists, drumsticks, and anything else they could think of. 

“I can’t believe I fell again.” Rick sighed, picking up a bottle of water. 

“You did?” You laugh, you must have completely missed it, clearly your attention was elsewhere throughout the show. 

“You didn’t see?” Ryan laughed, “He was there one minute then he was gone! I thought he’d gone off stage until I watched him get back up.” 

“Well it’s totally fucked my back.” Ricky groaned. 

“Someone get the old man some ice!” Chris joked, earning a glare off Rick. 

You waited as the guys all got changed, and you walked with Ricky and Vinny back to the bus. 

“Update,” Vinny pointed at the camera, “We just got done playing to like… three hundred million people, it was fucking awesome!” He claps, thinking of something else to say, “Y/n took some hot pictures of me, Rick fell off the stage-”

“I didn’t fall off the stage,” Ricky interrupted, turning the camera to his face, “I misjudged where the platform was.”

“Rick fell off the stage.” Vinny repeated, “And now we’re about to go play some Mario kart.”

“Y/n do you have anything to add?” Rick pointed the camera at you. 

“Motionless in White rock,” you said proudly, “It was great to…” You trailed off as your phone vibrated, and you saw it was a text from Noah, who should've currently been on stage with Poppy. 

“Just got off stage. Where are you?”

“I need you so fucking bad”

You froze, forgetting about the camera pointed at you. 

During the weeks you’d been touring, you and Noah had managed to keep your ‘relationship’ private, meaning only Angela, Vin, Folio and Matt knew what you were up to. You’d use each other for stress relief more than anything, or when Bad Omens would finish a show the two of you would go missing for twenty minutes because the adrenaline that was pumping through Noah’s veins would quickly switch to horniness- to put it bluntly- and he needed a release.

However, you’d be lying if you said Noah was the only thing on your mind as he’d have you pushed up against the wall, or on a table, pounding into you from behind. Your mind would often bring you back to how Vinny was when you were together that night, and how you longed to have him again, but he made it clear the two of you were strictly just friends, or so you assumed. You didn't mind this, you loved Vinny and were happy that you and him could still get along so well after everything. But there was still a part of you that wished the circumstances were different, especially when you'd get jealous seeing him flirting with other women, or how you'd hold back tears when he'd bring someone back to his hotel room or when you'd be on the bus and look over at him and just wished you could kiss him.

You weren't going to reply to Noah, you’d told the other guys you’d go back with them and play Mario kart, but you could still feel an ache between your thighs that had been there since you watched Vinny during slaughterhouse. Your knees weakened every time it got to a certain part in that song, but something was different about today.

“I’ll be 10 minutes.” You replied to Noah, and suddenly brought your hand up to your head. 

“Fuck, I think I’m getting a headache, I think I need to lay down, I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” You say, quickly turning around and heading towards the Bad Omens trailer. 

Ricky and Vinny look at each other as you walk away. 

“That’s weird.” Rick points out, “She got a text and suddenly she's just... left?” 

“Maybe she got some bad news,” Vin suggests, “I’ll check up on her later.”

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Wobbly on your legs, Noah handed you your clothes to get dressed as he fixed his hair in the mirror. Your time together was cut short as Noah got a call reminding him he had somewhere to be, he told you he thought he had more time but clearly he got it wrong.

"I just wish we could spend more time together." You frowned, pulling your shorts back up.

"What do you mean?" He asked, leaning against the desk in the band's trailer.

"I mean it feels like I only see you when you want something from me," you sighed, "It'd be nice to spend a day together when we're off, but you're never around. It's not that I don't like hanging out with the others, but it'd be nice for you to be about more."

"I'm sorry." He looked away from you as he shook his head slightly, "There's just a lot going on at the moment, I don't get any time to myself either. How about the next time we have a day off we spend it together, yeah?"

"I'd like that." You smile, hearing your phone ring from the desk Noah was stood at.

"It's Vinny," he said, handing you your phone, "I'll let you let yourself out, I need to get to this interview."

"Okay, see you later?"

"Of course." He gave you one last smile before heading out the door, and you quickly answered your phone.

"Hello?" You asked, wondering what Vin could want.

"Hey, I just wanted to check up on you. You left quite suddenly earlier., is everything okay?" His concern made you smile to yourself, but then you felt bad knowing what you were actually getting up to behind his back.

"Yeah, I took some painkillers and I'm feeling better now."

"Good," he smiled on the other side of the phone, "D'ya still wanna come and hang with us? Ryan's been waiting for you to kick his ass like you said you would."

"There's no backing out!" You heard Ryan shout, making you chuckle as you slipped your shoes on.

"No, I'll be there in 10. You're on the bus, right?"

"Yeah, we are. I'll look out for you."

"Thanks." You smiled, ending the call.

The walk to the guys' bus wasn't too long, but your feet were aching from standing all day, and running around the stage. You reflected on the last two days as you made your way past other bands' buses and trailers, really appreciating the opportunity that had been handed to you.

You thought about the atmosphere when Bad Omens were getting ready to go on stage the night before, how hyped Folio was and how his energy was so contagious.

Then your mind brought you back to this afternoon, you and Vinny stood watching Loathe's set whilst they played is it really you. The way he was singing along, swaying to the music and the smile on his face as he shook his head in what appeared to be embarrassment when you complimented his singing.

"No," you grinned, "I really like your singing!"

"Shut up." He couldn't hide the smirk on his face as he looked up at the stage, avoiding any eye contact with you.

"I mean it! Maybe they should get your vocals on the next album."

"I hate you." He chuckled, and you couldn't help but smile at how beautiful he looked as he blushed at your compliment.

Before you knew it, you had reached Motionless' bus. You couldn't help but find it funny this afternoon when Vin complained about Bad Omens getting a trailer when they were stuck on their bus, but Ryan explained it was probably because they were headliners.

As you were welcomed on to the bus by Justin, you dumped your bag on the table and sat down next to him. Ryan, Ricky and Vinny were all too busy playing Mario kart to even acknowledge you, and you sighed, reaching for your phone in your pocket.

"Is everything okay?" Justin asked, noticing the pissed off look on your face.

"Yeah..." You sighed, you were still upset with Noah and how abruptly he left just now, but you couldn't tell the guys that. "I'm just tired and hungry."

"It's a good job we've got plenty of snacks then." Justin smiled, reaching for the plastic bag that was on the floor beside the couch, sliding over the table to you.

"Fuck you, I quit!" Rick sighed, dropping the controller to the table as the tv screen lit up saying Ryan won the round. "You guys have to be cheating."

"You wish," Vinny laughed, reaching for his water bottle, "Y/n?" He motioned to Rick's controller and you slowly nodded your head.

"I'm gonna beat your asses."

"And if you don't?" Vin smirked.

"You really doubt me?" You raised an eyebrow, "It's on, bitch."

———————————————

i’m still not over apocalypse fest or dj vinny in the slightest so expect that to come in later chapters because i simply can’t stop thinking about it…

@rumoured-whispers @collisionofyourkissmakesitsohard @lma1986 @thisbicc @dominuslunae @miss570 @miamore0570 @jilliemiw86 @itsyaboinoah

[whoisneo404]

What about a nick x younger brother where the younger brother thinks he might be gay so he goes to big brother nick for advice ( p.s. i know this isn’t like any of your other stories but i cant stop thinking about it ) ( the younger brother is gay )

Proud of you, buddy.

Summary: you think you have catched feeling for one of your classmates, unsure about these new feelings towards this boy, you decide to ask your older brother Nick for some advice.

Note: Nick, Matt and Chris call reader ‘Buddy’. Also a bit short, hope you like this.

The bell rang, I stood up grabbing my backpack and walking to the parking lot of the school. I was excited because my brothers were home for mom’s birthday which is on the weekend. As I check my phone to see if Matt was already outside to pick me up like he said he would I feel an arm resting on my shoulders.

‘’HEY! Why are you in a hurry?’’ Jackson is my friend since I entered this school, he’s outgoing and loves to do sports and play videogames. Recently, I have started to feel weird around him.

‘’I didn’t tell you? My brothers are here for mom’s birthday.’’ We walk side by side, his arm around me, my face red and my gaze focused in front of me, I didn’t want him to look at me like this.

‘’That’s so cool. That means I’ll finally meat them, right?’’

‘’Yeah, I almost forgot mom told me you could come to the dinner.’’

‘’Of course I can go, she loves me.’’

‘’Yep.’’ I try to not let out a sigh, I try to not run away. Why do I feel like this? ‘’Hey, I think that’s Matt there, so I need to go, bye, see you tomorrow.’’ I don’t give him time to reply and rush to the car.

‘’Hey, buddy. Everything okay? You are all red?’’ Matt looks at me while I put my seatbelt on.

‘’Yeah, all good. I’m glad you guys are here.’’

‘’Me too, buddy.’’

-------

‘’Omg, you are actually taller. That’s amazing.’’ Chris hugs me as I entered the kitchen. ‘’I think you might be as tall as us one day.’’

‘’Soon, you’ll see.’’ I smirk, and punch him playfully.

‘’Careful ladies, my bro is not here to play.’’ I stop smiling, he doesn’t notice ‘cus he’s already sitting at the table with Matt.

‘’All right, Chrissy. Leave your brother alone.’’ Mom says while putting another plate with food on the table. ‘’Honey, can you call Nick?’’ she looks at me and I nod.

I go to Nick’s old room and knock on the door. ‘’Come in.’’ I open the door and he is taking out some stuff from his backpack. ‘’Oh, Hi. How have you been?’’ I rush to him and hug him; he laughs and messes up my hair.

‘’Do you think… maybe, we can talk after lunch?’’

‘’Of course buddy, did something happened?’’ he looks down at me concerned.

‘’No, I mean, not really. I just wanted to talk to you about something.’’

‘’Okay, after we eat, we can talk about whatever you want.’’ After another quick hug we go downstairs to eat.

We talk about everything. How is it where they live, how’s school, old friends, about mom’s birthday, dad’s new hobby, Justin wanting a new car. Just a lot of chatting, and a small pit of anxiety grew on my stomach. I know Nick won’t say anything bad, he will be so supportive, understand me, but I’m not even sure if I’m gay, maybe I’m bisexual, I don’t know if I have ever liked a girl that way? What if I do some day?

‘’Buddy, lets go.’’ Nicks hand is on my shoulder. Matt and Chris were cleaning up the table. Mom and dad were picking up a movie to watch together. Nick and I went to the backyard.

‘’So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?’’ he sits on the cement floor, I sit besides him. The breeze messing our hairs.

‘’I like someone.’’ Nick looks at me and tilts his head. I think he know; I could tell anyone at this house, I can talk about girls with dad, Matt, Chris, Justin. Why would I be telling him about my crush if they weren’t a ‘he’.

‘’Okay, and?’’

‘’That someone is a boy… and I don’t know if I’m gay or I don’t know. Also, I don’t know what to do, because I want to be with him but what if he doesn’t want the same? And I’m freaking out, so I wanted to talk with you because maybe you could help me.’’ I cover my face with my hands.

‘’Wow, that’s a lot to take in… First of all, thank you for telling me. Second, you don’t need to know what you are, you don’t have to put a label to yourself yet, or ever, if you don’t feel like any sexualities define you, that’s okay.’’ My eyes start to water up a bit. ‘’So, about this boy. What is it that you like about him?’’ I let out a chuckle.

‘’What is it that I don’t like about him? he’s the best, so funny, kind, smart. I’m afraid because he’s my best friend, and I don’t know if he likes boys. I’m terrified to mess things up.’’

‘’Ow buddy.’’ He pats my back. ‘’It’s all right, you are still young, it’s okay to mess up and be in love. You can try to ask him out, I know it’s terrifying. But sometimes being afraid it’s better than regretting not doing it.’’

I nod and a few tears start to stream down my face. I feel Nicks hands wrap around me. This reminds me when he came out to me, he cried, and I cried because he was crying, we hugged and I told him I loved him. I bury my face in the crock of his neck I let myself go, all my fears, my anxiety, it went out in form of tears. After a while I stop, I back up a bit and clean my face with my hands.

‘’Want to get something to drink?’’ I nod.

‘’Don’t tell them yet. Please.’’ Nick gifts me a warm smile and nods. He knows what I’m experiencing, and I’m so glad to have him by my side to live this and learn about myself.

[kickthecan-revolution]

A long time ago when Trump was first in office, I had a sustained two week anxiety attack, convinced we were going to experience a significant war and I had to be prepared. I’d just gotten a big bonus and I spent a ton of it on survivor gear - all of those buckets of rice, beans, dehydrated food, camping gear, solar lights - so much more. I made go bags for work, my car and home. The primary one was stolen when I first moved in here via a break in where thieves stole a lot of stuff people were storing in the garage. The backpack was in my parking spot - poof, gone.

I lugged so much of it here - over the years I’ve slowly simplified it but I’ve been a little afraid to let all of it go. it started this habit of buying extras - why not buy three Justin’s boxes of peanut butter packets even though I only need one? Why not have five ketchups so I never run out?

When R was here organizing, I *saw* it - all of the canned food that had expired, all of the stuff I was keeping in the pantry that I didn’t use because I didn’t even know I had it. She gently said “if you feel like you want to bake cookies, you can just zip over to the store and buy flour.” Part of it was never having enough food when we were little - we could afford it, my mom just never bought enough for us. It’s why I’d drive around on Christmas looking for snack food before all the kids came over. Granted, that could be my food insecurity speaking and my filter was grounded from that, it’s a very likely possibility.

Anyway. R is coming back for my last infusion bringing her BFF A who is an organizer and a professional chef. She’s going to organize so much of my stuff but the deal is, I only have what I really want to keep, consider getting rid of the extras of things I don’t need (including three spatulas, etc) and focusing on keeping what I love and use for myself every week instead of all of the imaginary dinner parties I throw in my head. So that’s what I’ve done today, after…11 hours of sleep? I’ve been slowly whittling it all down and it feels so great. I’m 90% done. It’s not as much as I thought but it’s just so good to let it go.

My surgery is tentatively scheduled for October 01, pending what happens with this biopsy on Friday. That feels lightning fast. My last chemo infusion is next Wednesday - I’m not going to lie, I’m afraid of it based on this last one, I was so debilitated by the fatigue, I had more hair shedding than usual, no appetite and the peripheral neuropathy was hard so I’m going to try to freeze my hands and feet during the infusion to prevent it. It has definitely lessened, thank God but it’s not gone away entirely. It can take a long time.

I cry so frequently these days, even writing that it’s the last one. I’ve held it all together for five months, and I can feel the emotional and mental reserves I’ve leaned on to that beginning to crumble. That’s probably good. Things are starting to get……thin when I’m sleeping. My dreams are wild and I heard repeated knocking three times last night. My cats were on high alert. I pit myself in a golden bubble and reminded myself that I live in a building where people could be knocking at other doors, not likely at 3am but it helped. I stayed up until 4:30am watching The Office and then slept hard until 9am.

I’m numb when I think of the MRI biopsy on Friday, two of my worst things happening at the same time is like a cruel joke (biopsies aren’t painful but just traumatic waiting for the results). I’m strong - I can and will do this. And then chemo, and then the surgery which completely freaks me out - I have a massive fear of “going under” - and then I’ll know what happens after those biopsies come back.

In talking about work, my oncologist recommend that I extend my leave of absence to at least March of next year. The neuropathy is concerning her as are my cognitive tests, and I think for a living. She reminded me how they have taken my body to the point of decline where the basics work but there’s a lot of damage. And the mental damage of all of the biopsies on top of that, she thinks I need time. I agree with her. So I’m going to pursue that, it means I live on a lot less and I don’t think I am guaranteed a job when I go back but I’m not worried about that.

[x-just-another-fanfic-writer-x]

Chapter 4

Summary: You get stuck outside your flat and an unlikely person provides shelter.

Word count: 1.9k

You started your week working late again, never good for a Monday. You’d spent three hours texting your boyfriend, trying to help him with yet another problem at his job. You didn’t get to your own work until well into the afternoon. You were lucky your employer was flexible, as long as you got the job done, no one cared how late you stayed. And apparently neither did Justin. You’d texted him hours earlier and told him to eat dinner without you. But apart from an emoji of pizza and a chicken, he hadn’t said anything since, despite the late hour. The tension from the previous week had long been brushed under the carpet - a fun day out at Thorpe Park would do that. You made sure he wore sun cream, and he screamed like a little bitch on the Saw ride. You smiled as you packed up your things, that was a good day out.

You finally clocked out of your job almost 12 hours after you arrived, the office was spookily dark now, the only staff member left was the lone security guard. You were dead on your feet, desperate to get home and relax before you started to get really tired. At least the commute home would be less stressful by now.

Except midway through, there was a signalling error. Again. You groaned as you sat on the deserted train, you really didn’t want to deal with this right now. It wasn’t that far walking from this stop you supposed. It would be cheaper than getting a cab for just a five minute drive. You debated with yourself for ten minutes before sucking it up and exiting the station. 

The next twenty minutes walking in the cold night air wasn’t pleasant. You tensed each time you walked past men, especially ones who were alone. Your eyes darted around the place checking for threats. And your nose began to run, and you didn’t have a bloody tissue.

The warmth of the apartment building was a welcome relief, both for its temperature and safety. You dragged your feet up the stairs, longing to finally go to bed. Your freezing hands fumbled around in your pockets for your key. But with a sick realistation, you couldn’t find it. You wracked your brain, struggling to recall where the hell you’d have put them. You had assumed they were in your pocket, where you usually left them. Then it hit you.

“Fuck’s sake,” you murmured, pinching the bridge of your nose. You put them on your desk .

You got out your phone and texted Justin. Why the man removed his ‘last active’ status, you’ll never know. You stared at the screen, waiting. When he didn't reply immediately, you called. It went straight to voicemail.

You cursed under your breath, and knocked on your door. Three gentle raps at first. 

Nothing. 

You sighed in frustration and tried again, a little louder this time. 

Still nothing. 

The third time you knocked as though you were a rude delivery guy, praying nobody else in the building heard. You waited, ear pressed against the door, and heard, guess what?

Nothing.

Finally you hit the door with one loud thump then slumped against it.  A few moments later, a different door creaked open from across the hall. You glanced up towards the noise. In the opening stood your neighbour, looking tall, dark and handsome as always.

“Everything okay?” Bucky asked, his voice hoarse. You felt your cheeks flush in embarrassment.

“Yeah, I left my keys back at the office, and my boyfriend can’t seem to hear me knocking,” you said, rolling your eyes.

“I see.”

“I’m sorry I woke you up,” you said apologetically.

“I was still awake, doll,” Bucky said softly. 

“Oh,” you murmured. You were a little surprised at the pet name, it wasn’t common in the UK, but with his accent it sounded… nice. 

A brief moment of silence passed as Bucky regarded you, his lips pursing. 

“You planning on standing there the rest of the night?”

“Got nowhere else to go, so…” you trailed off and let your eyes wander to the wall adjacent to him, even more embarrassed. You could have just gone back to the office to get your keys, though by the time you’d return, it would be well after 2 am. You could just keep banging on the door and waiting for Justin to emerge from his deep slumber. You could pick the-

“Do you wanna come inside?” Bucky offered, tearing you from your thoughts and taking you by surprise.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t impose,” you said, shaking your head.

“I can’t let you sit out here for the next 8 hours,” he replied matter-of-fact.

You were surprised once again by his chivalry, and looked at him mildly perplexed before nodding. “Okay, thank you,” you said with a small but genuine smile. Bucky nodded once, then stalked back into his apartment with you following behind.

You had assumed his place would look similar to your own, in basic layout at least, and you were proven right. But you weren’t expecting it to look quite so… bare. So un-lived in. He’d been here what, six weeks now? Seven?

"You’re out pretty late for a work night," he commented as you glanced around.

"Am I?" you replied absentmindedly. You hovered near the sofa, searching for any hint of Bucky’s personality in the living room.

"You’re normally home by nine,” he continued. That comment got your attention.

"You keeping tabs on me?" you teased with a small smirk, looking at him directly now. He stood across from you, leaning against his dining table, his hands in his pockets.

"I hear you,” he replied bluntly.

"Oh… Well I had some stuff to do and got behind on my work, so, had to stay late. Then the trains were fucked so I kind of like, walked some of it back," you shrugged. Bucky’s eyes widened as you finished your sentence.

"Couldn’t your boyfriend have got you? He has a car, right?" he said with disdain.

"No… I mean yeah, he has a car but no, I couldn’t ask him."

"Why not?" 

"It's complicated,” you said with another shrug. “Anyway I’m sorry, I'm keeping you up.”

"I'm not tired."

“Do you normally stay up past midnight?” 

Bucky didn’t answer, the simple question left hanging in the air. He may not be tired, but you were, and as if on queue you yawned. 

"Take the bed," he instructed, pushing off from the dining table.

You shook your head “No, I couldn’t."

"I'm not having you sleep on the couch."

"No seriously, you've already let me into your home, I'm not taking your bed too.”

"No-"

"If you want me in here I'm taking the couch," you said firmly, cutting him off. It had the desired effect, Bucky raised his hands in defeat.

"Alright, fine. Let me know if you need anything."

You sighed and nodded, watching as he walked off into presumably his bedroom before finally sitting on the sofa. You typed out a long, angry text to your boyfriend. Telling him where you were, exactly why you were having to stay in your neighbours flat. Because he couldn’t bloody wake up to let you in and he let his bloody phone die and now you're having to bloody spend the night in the flat of the neighbour you barely know! You hit send. Then sent a bunch of angry emojis before slouching back on the sofa and glancing around the room once more.

You huffed, then sat upright to take your shoes off before standing, unable to resist the urge to snoop. No photographs, no nick nacks. Did Bucky even live here? It was worse than an IKEA showroom, at least they had fake photographs and fake clutter. A floorboard creaked loudly beneath your foot and you froze. You waited a moment, listening for any sounds of Bucky, then creeped back to the sofa to settle in for the night. You felt too awkward to ask for a blanket from the man, let alone even use his bathroom.

You sighed, and stared at the ceiling, silently seething at the whole situation yet feeling incredibly grateful for Bucky’s kindness. You weren’t sure how you were going to repay him, you hardly knew him, but you had to do something in the future. You wondered what sort of things the man liked, aside from apparently jogging and trips to the convenience store. 

You could get him a new water bottle? No, that would be a lame gift.

You could get him a gift card for Adidas? That might seem weird…

You could buy him some damn plants to make his place more homely? But he might be rubbish at looking after them and they could die.

A bottle of beer? Too basic.

A bottle of wine? Too risky.

A bottle of whisky? Too presumptuous. 

You groaned quietly. Why did you have to overthink so bloody much. You closed your eyes, hoping the answer would come to you in your sleep.

It felt like no time had passed when you woke up to your blaring alarm. Usually you wake to the sound of snoring, so the silence was disconcerting. As were the completely different surroundings, until you remembered you’re in Bucky’s flat. You sat up, careful not to rub your face and ruin yesterday’s makeup. 

“Morning,” Bucky said in the quiet, making you jump.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?" 

“Morning,” you mumbled, then awkwardly stood up from the sofa as you cleared your throat. You noticed his eyes give you a once over, and hoped your hair wasn’t too much of a mess. Then you wondered how long he'd been lurking there.

"Sleep okay?"

"Y-yeah, thank you," you replied. Bucky's eyes dropped to the sofa where you just were, and you worried if you looked weird for not asking for a blanket. 

"Did you? Sleep okay?" you asked before your previous thought could spiral. He nodded.

"No I umm, I need to go get ready for work… Thanks for letting me use your couch, again, by the way.”

“Don’t mention it.”

You hovered, unsure what you’re supposed to do, if anything. You then nodded, and walked to his front door. You tried to open it but it was locked. Of course it’s locked, it’s his bloody apartment.

God why were you so awkward sometimes.

Bucky walked over, removing a set of keys from his pocket. You took a small step back, the close proximity making you feel unusually flustered. His cologne wafted into your nostrils, and you cursed the fact your boyfriend struggled to even remember to wear deodorant half the time. Bucky unlocked the door, and you quickly stepped out.

“Thanks, again,” you said quietly as you walked down the corridor. You waited until he shut his door before letting out a breath you hadn’t realised you were holding.

You gave Justin an earful once the banging on the door woke him up. His sleep was apparently less deep now it was the morning. You hated how the man could literally sleep for 16 hours straight if he didn’t have you to wake him up. He found it funny you had to stop over at Bucky’s, which only made you more mad. How was it possibly funny. How did he fall asleep not even knowing when you would be coming home from work! He didn't see the big deal.

You didn’t spend a second longer than needed in the flat before leaving for work in a huff.

[callsigns-haze]

Pretty like a crime

Chapter 11

Pairing: Agent Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Singlemom! Agent Y/n 'Cobra' Y/l/n

Summary: Cobra is finally back on the agency and is finally back in the job. With Kai at home she has to jumble being a mother and a agent. She's sent to her first U.C mission but never thought that she would meet a blonde, green eyed Texan...

Warning: Mentions of gun use, ptsd, mentions of death, mentions of shooting, flirting, mentions of abuse, description of dead body, death, blood, undercover work, alcohol use, smut, kissing

Prologue/ Part 1/ Part 2/Part 3/ Part 4/ Part 5/ Part 6/ Part 7/ Part 8/ Part 9/ Part 10

"Jake calm down!" Jake was furious, fuming. If he didn't calm down at this pace he'd turn into a cartoon character with smoke coming from their nose and ears.

Kai was asleep in his room, he insisted on taking Alfie to sleep with him. Kai has fallen in love with that dog. Alfie became his new best friend. You adored it and so did Jake but with the two of them sleeping, the two of you had to tone down.

"How am I meant to calm down, Cobra! He basically threatened you," Jake was pacing up and down the room. You didn't know how to calm him down. You informed Jake about your meet and greet in the hall with Matthew and let's just say it drove your boyfriend mad.

"Jake we have bigger things in mind! There's a bloody killer, swiping us all off and you're here worried about my ex?!?" You were terrified. The whole dagger crew was nearly eliminated. Just you, Bradley, Jake and Javy. Each of the others was knocked down like a pawn in a failed match of chess.

This stops Jake and he walks over to you. He wraps his arms around your waist. His arms delicately rest on your hips as he comes closer, kissing your forehead and reassuring you, "Cobs, I'd fucking die before letting anything happen to you or Kai. You guys saved me and I'll do anything to save you." You nod and pull into his chest.

You were scared, shaking in fear was a way to put it. You didn't know what to do, you were scared for life and your friends were just out six feet underground. You pulled back, and nodded tiredly. He smiled at you, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear before relaying his delicate lips on top of yours. You hum into the kiss before you pull apart.

"Should I clean up?" You wondered, due to the two wine glasses and earlier dinner plates that were still left to be washed. He shook his head, leading you towards your son's bedroom. You stand in front of the frame as he answers. "Go, lay with Kai. I'll clean up and I still have some work. Rest, okay? The two of you are safe."

"And Alfie?"

"And Alfie."

You open the door and step in as Jake heads speeding into the kitchen to reach his phone. Have you ever seen a cartoon character run? You know, like tom, from Tom and jerry. When his legs turn into wheels due to the incredible speed he just took off at? Yep, that was the perfect way to describe Jake.

He rushes over to his phone to quickly send an email. He knew this had to be quick and fast, mixed with a good bribe and paycheck. He looks back over to the door that he sent you into. He knew if you caught him doing this you'd be fuming, absolutely ballistic.

He just emailed Justin to contact Matthew. It was a set up. If Matthew believed that he was going to meet Justin and then magically bumped into Jake's fist nothing bad would happen, right? Just a coincidence. Jake quickly went to his contact list, calling straight to Coyotes number.

'Hello?'

'Javy, meet me at the old factory near the deck in twenty.'

------

After everything that happened, Matthew was out of control at the start. His father was in jail, his brother murder and a lot of more dilemma that nobody cares about or asked for. You simply never thought youd end up in this situation.

You were running through the parking lot. He was on your heels, he was chasing you and wouldn't stop. He was armed as well. You keep running as fast you could until you took the wrong turn. He came out of nowhere. You didn't see him coming. He grabbed your hair and pushed you down. The wind was knocked out of you. The words were taken out of your mouth as you lay flat on the ground and he kneeled against your chest.

"You took everything from me."

Matthew was furious, he held the gun to your head and you were sure he was about to pull the trigger from you more than instantly. He was right, you did just ruin him. But he had taken more from you. His family ruined you, you played their little good girl slave for a while too long.

"You did it first."

------

Jake looked over at the faint body, that was tied to the pole. The man's body, was sat down, legs wide open in a v-shape, arms tied behind his back and neck quite crushed due to choking force. Javy looked over at his friend and didn't know what to say. This was the right thing. Right? I mean it had to be.

"He's not dead properly, he's dying though." Justins voice comes from the darkness as he wears his black gloves with a knive twirling in his fingers. All three men are now standing side by side. They all stare at the still, somehow, alive man tied to the pole. They knew Iif they left it like this, it'd be obvious it was them who did this.

"So you're telling me that thing can still breathe?" Javy asks, point at Matthew's corpse like body as Jake never lifts his gaze of Matthew.

This man was the reason you have lived in fear for years. Each day of your and his marriage was another day of him mistreating you and your future son. He disgusted Jake, how could a man that was kissed by god's blessing, mistreat a woman like you.

"He used to hurt her, you know. After his brother and father, he chose drugs and chugged down with alcohol. He deserved it." Justins words were true, syllable to syllable. But did he deserve it? Nobody deserved to die by their neck getting broken against a pole. Nobody deserved to be strangled by three men on a late nights evening.

But he did hurt you. He tortured you. Used you. He hurt you all your life, in ways nobody knew before. Matthew did deserve it.

"I didn't mean this to happen." Jake was still in a trance. He's killed many men in his days but he has never, never in his full career, felt sorry about it. And now he may, scratch that, he just killed Kai's father and your old husband.

"I know. Look… You two leave. I'll finish the poor bastard off." Javy and Jake just nod and let Justin finish Matthew and take the grown man out of his misery. The two friends walk out. Javy lays his hand upon Jake's back and paths him in reassurance. This wasn't Jake's fault, Matthew threatened you and Jake along with Kai. He was the man who wasted your life.

The sound of something like an atomic drill burst their eardrums. It's like the whole world went numb. Everything went numb.

That's the sound of a machine gun.

Current taglist:

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[deansraspberrypie]

❤ "We’ve been talking about Russelll Shaw, my brother, all season . . .this family drama that’s been going on between Colter and Russell. We finally came up with the perfect casting choice. This person who knocks it out of the park every time. We agreed to do this together, but apparently he’s in the middle of something…" ❤

Justin Hartley (Colter Shaw)

Video: justinhartley (Instagram)

Edited by me: @deansraspberrypie

🍰 Tag list: @undisputedchick2 @jranutter @kazsrm67 🥧

[green-planets]

Sharing some of my thoughts on Cinderella's Castle because I have no one to talk with irl about it (I'm sure most of my points have already been brought up by other people but whatever!) Dark fantasy is my bread and butter so I'm a little disappointed that I had such mixed feelings after my first watch through.

BE WARNED THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT!!

First thing's first, the set, lighting, PUPPETS, and COSTUMES were gorgeous!! The team knocked it out of the park with the look of the show!

Also the twists on the classic Cinderella story were *chef's kiss* The explanations for why no one could remember Ella's face, how the glass slippers worked, and the Stepmother CHOPPING OFF ELLA'S FEET!?! AND SEWING THEM ONTO PUTRICE'S SKIN SUIT SO SHE COULD WEAR THE SLIPPERS!?!?! Strokes of genius. I applaud the Langs

I wanted to see way more of Sir Hop-A-Lot and Crumb! I think they definitely would have benefitted from having a song with Ella, it would have helped solidify their bond and helped flesh out their characters (tbh Ragweed felt like he had more character than either of them 😭)

The songs were VERY hit or miss for me and I felt like a few of them didn't really match the tone of the show. Ash to Ash was a standout number (Kim absolutely killed it!!)

Bryce was amazing as expected and I'm so so happy she was the lead! Her voice is to die for and she brought so much emotion to the role of Ella

I was surprised the Prince and Tadius didn't get a comedic song. It would have worked so well for the scene where Tadius was announcing the ball! He could have been describing ideal characteristics of a queen to the Prince while the Prince goes off on horny ramblings, Tadius gets more frustrated as the song goes on until he finally throws up his hands in defeat, etc.

That being said, I was not a fan of the majority of the raunchy humor. Almost every line that came from the Prince was so unnecessarily gross. I know that was the whole point and I love James as an actor but the character just was not for me. Maybe I'm getting too old for constant streams of dick and poop jokes. I kinda wished they had stuck with a more serious tone overall

This is definitely a nitpick: the fairy godmother scene was SO GOOD (probably my favorite tbh) but I was SO distracted by the pants (AND THE SHOES STICKING OUT!!!) The costume would have looked more ethereal with a floor length skirt imo (or at least cover up her feet!)

I loved Jeff as the narrator. His interactions with Ragweed were very fun!

I had some issues with the pacing and the ending felt very rushed. Ella's final confrontation with her Stepmother should have been an epic battle but instead we got an exposition dump, a flash of light, and it was over :/ Kind of disappointing for the big climax of the show tbh

This is a criticism I've had with several Starkid musicals (aka Hatchetfield trilogy) where we have a character's friend(s) die horrifically and get very little emotional reaction from said character. So THANK YOU Langs for letting Ella properly mourn Lucy and Justine at the end!!!

I do have a lot more thoughts but they feel like nitpicks and complaints about minor plot holes and such, so I don't know if they're really worth sharing at this time. Anyway, overall I thought Cinderella's Castle was okay. The good parts were REALLY REALLY GOOD but unfortunately there were a lot a bits I personally did not enjoy as much as I'd hoped. I'll try to give it at least a second watch before my digital ticket expires to see if any of my opinions change. If not, I'll wait until the pro-shot comes out next year.

[all-things-john-constantine]

CC Review

Nonspoiler Portion

Cinderella's Castle was so fun! joey was right, the women really did an incredible job. don't get me wrong so did all of the men, but damn the women really knocked it out of the park.

Spoilers Below!

Holy crap!!! Bryce!!! Kim! Angela and Lauren and Mariah! The costumes! Ella's dresses! Bryce’s voice! Her emotion during the conversation with Lucy and Justine. Lauren and Mariah got me to love Lucy and Justine so quick! I knew what was coming when they believed her. The troll puppets! The troll daughter wigs! The trolls! They were so delightfully awful.

The Prince and Tadius are hilarious, great work from James and Curt. Holy crap the Prince is so horny! I actually kind of wanted him and Rancilda to be happy for a second there. Tadius's exasperation got me every time. I can’t believe he killed the King lol. Sir Hop a Lot and Crumb were also hilarious, but even more cute. I loved them too. Jeff as the narrator balanced seriousness, dramatic flair, and levity really well. His little hops into the center of the spotlight and bickering with Ragweed amused me.

Alright! Now for the music and story! Such a fun take on Cinderella, makes it both funnier and darker than the versions you’ve probably heard before. I was shocked when the Troll killed her and took her feet! I stopped knowing where things were going then. I thought we might get an unhappy end, but I’m happy with the one we did get. I liked Crumb getting knighted, and Sir Hop a Lot being titled. I just kind of thought aw man his devotion to her was cute, but I should have expected it considering there were two knights. The music was poppy and bouncy. It’s in line with most StarKid shows, it has what you expect based on the hatchetverse, Trail to Oregon, and Twisted but like amped up and mashed up. I’m not sure what to compare the music too.

[kitkatkitchen]

Umbrella Academy - Season 4

Final thoughts (spoilers obviously)

Okay, I’m going to say that this was my least favourite season. However, that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it thoroughly haha

The ‘disappointing’ parts:

- Five and Lila - so weird and not needed! I feel Lila and Diego’s marital problems could have been outlined and accepted in a different way than the cheating way

- Klaus’ weird side plot - I LOVE klaus and I enjoyed his little shenanigans! However I don’t really see the point in his side plot? Or how it relates to the plot of the Cleanse? Klaus’ whole arc has been about not being taken seriously because of his addiction but that arc was not solved this season because all they did was make him the most useless part in ending the apocalypse? He at least could have kept the dog!

- Plotholes - Why did Klaus’ tattoos dissapear and then not reappear with the Marigold like Luther’s body? What’s the full story behind Ray and his absence (all that was mentioned was a separation with no real meat to it or emotion)? Etc etc

- Rushed - why did they choose to do six episodes? I guess we’ll never know. Some things could have been solved with more time? Maybe I could have grown to like Lila and Five if they had been given more than one episode? (I know it was seven years but it feels rushed from an audience perspective)

The parts that made it The Umbrella Academy:

- amazing acting from all parts. I’m so biased when it comes highlight Robert Sheehan but I always will. His ‘daddy issues’ monologue was CORRECT and so well acted <3 And, of course, Justin H Min knocking it out of the park! I really grew to love Luther this season! Tom Hopper does an excellent blend of comedy which makes up for our usual comic relief (Klaus’) more serious plot line. Also Claire’s actress (I don’t know her name, will find out) was great! I really enjoyed when her character was on screen!

- The overall ending - I personally liked the idea that the siblings accept that they were the issue all along. Some of the final moments hit very well. I loved Abigail’s discussion with Hargreeves. KLAUS CRYING CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD SO THANKS FOR THAT. And the cameos at the end were so fun to spot!

- CIA fight scene - such a highlight for me in classic umbrella academy style ! Diego and Luther really stood out to me where they didn’t usually, this season.

- Jean and Gene - classic umbrella academy villains with great wackiness to them.

- COMIC ACCURACY! Always a highlight for me. I’ve been waiting for Klaus to float for a very long time and some great comic cameos!

Overall, not my fave season but the finale made up for some parts that felt rushed or uncertain. I feel if they’d have kept to the ten episode format then a lot of these issues wouldn’t have occurred. For those wondering, season 2 is my favourite season overall <3

[mbmbat]

2021 candidates for name of the year under the cut

Twenty-Bunty: Just get on base or Advance the runner (Redacted)

Twenty-Good Clean Fun: Let's get silly

Twenty-Bunny Fun: Get 20 Bunnies Together

Twenty-Woebegone

Twenty-Sad

Twenty-Marathon

Twenty-Laser Gun: Pew, pew, motherfucker

Twenty-Buy a Gun: Let's just do it

Twenty-On-a-Bun: Eat a Hot Dog

Twenty-Thanks a Ton: Hey, Thanks a Ton!, Gratitude..., Gratatoiulle, Gratitude Attitude, Gratitude Ratitude

Twenty-On-the-Run: Let's Get Out of Here, Let's Lay Low, Hasty Getaway

Twenty-Born to Run: Let's figure it out

Twenty-Chase the Sun: Livin' that Beach Life, Live that Beach Life, Get the Orb, Grab the Orb, Grasp the Orb, Grasp the Orb, Clutch the Orb, Clutch this Orb, Reach for the Orb, Reach for One Specific Star, Soular Power (foreshadowing for 2023)

Twenty- Come Undone: Let's Take Apart this Cage We Made for Ourselves

Twenty-One-on-One: Disconnect to Reconnect; Prove Yourself; Do it, You Fucking Chicken. Bet You Won't

Twenty-Chicken Run

Twenty-Twenty-Dune: Work on Rhyming

Twenty-Twenty-Won

Twenty-Twenty-Done: We're Not Gonna Take It

Twenty-Twenty-Shun

Twenty-Twenty-Stun: Lookin' So Good

[Interlude] Justin: The second t—the second twenty has got to do some lifting, right? Travis: Yeah. Justin: That‘s got—I think—I feel like you can‘t just do Twenty-Twenty and then rhyme with the last word. Travis: Right.

Twenty-Overcome

Twenty-Sauvignon: Savor the Grape

Twenty-Begotten Son

Twenty-Chase the Son: Soular Power

Twenty-Megaton: We Don't Need It

Twenty-It's Begun

Twenty-Twenty-One

Twenty-My Grandson

Twenty-Never Done: Keep It Going. Keep the FIre.

Twenty-Octagon: Let's All Do MMA

Twenty-Tons of Fun

Twenty-Saskatchwan

Twenty-Twenty-Nun: Cloister Up!

Twenty-Big Home Run: Knock It Out the Park; This One's for the Game; Slam it!; Grand Salami; Angels in the Outfield; Bring 'Em Home; Roundin' Third; For All the Marbles; Thanks, Angels; Bases Loaded; We All Believe in You; We're All Behind You; Be Your Own Angel; We're All Angels Now; Be the Angel; You're Flapping Now; Slamma-Jamma; Knock the Skin off the Dang Thing; Kock the Skin off that Greasy Cheddar; Eye on the Ball; Shoot the Moon; Call Your Shot

Twenty-Big Dog Run: Be the Big Dog, No Bones About It (Winner), You Will Definitely Achieve this Year