#and if that were true and everything was still happening and blew up in her face

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

.

[facefullofsadness]

we both have two sides that no one knows

nightlclub birthday party!au

rich girl enemy!aeri x rich girl enemy!reader

prompt - why would you show up to aeri uchinaga's party if you hate her so much? she wonders the same as she sees you, but maybe it'll be more fun than either of you thought

content - smut (heated messy desperate hate sex, quickie, intoxicated sex, kinda exhibitionism, cunnilingus), alcohol consumption, written in the second person, fluff at the end if you squint

wc - 2740

a/n - omggg happy birthday my gigi!!! my loml, my only one, my pookie, my one true lover, my baddie from japan, my emo hot girl, my aeri uchinaga!!! god I love this woman and I wish her all the love and support and everything in between and beyond on this lovely october 30th <333 (it's the 31st...) (kinda rushed and bad but you'll let it go right? SHHH DON'T BOO ME AT LEAST IM BACK-)

you fucking hated aeri uchinaga's guts.

oh my god, this girl is the embodiment of nuisance, a rich bitch with daddy's money that stomps on people because of their status. she's such a brat and you absolutely loathe her, but so does she. she views you in the exact same way, just an asshole with her parents' money who doesn't give a fuck about anyone or anything. ironic isn't it? hating the carbon copy of yourself? maybe you both did hate yourselves, making it easy to hate one another. not that either of you would admit that, it must be because your parents' and hers' are rivals, which meant that applied to you both as well.

so you're both left to ponder why you decided to show up to her birthday party tonight, meeting eyes with aeri across the dimly lit and loud nightclub full of people. you both scoff almost at the same time at the sight of one another, the birthday girl rolling her eyes as soon as she sees you and you grimace in response. the faint smirk tugs at her lips the more she realizes that you're here. y/n l/n arriving at aeri uchinaga's birthday party? the two girls loathe one another, so why is this happening?

yunjin was at fault, saying you needed to get your mind off of things and party tonight. you interrogated her and scowled at the girl, wondering if she had any ulterior motive. you didn't realize the party tonight she'd be forcing you to go to was your nemesis' birthday celebration, cursing loudly at the dark-haired girl giggling at you. she didn't give a fuck, she responded with a nonchalant shrug and blew a kiss towards you as she pulled up to the valet.

you storm off towards the bar as the crowd all watches the iron gaze the pink-haired girl has on you. you down a few shots enough to feel your head buzz before you scoff to yourself. just because this is aeri's party doesn't mean you have to go down without a fight. after all, you are still better than her, she's nothing more than an annoying attention seeker. you can handle a little fire if that's what she decides to ignite.

"what the fuck do you think you're doing at my party?" the venom-laced voice snarks from behind you.

you down another drink, wiping your mouth before looking at her with an expression that annoys aeri to her core, "having fun, of course. why, do I bother you?"

she bites her lip and crosses her arms, the faux fur coat rustling on her shoulders as her chest pushes up against your face, "no, I couldn't give less of a fuck if you were here or not. I just think it's amusing that you were audacious enough to come. parents' money not enough to entertain you?"

"you say as if daddy didn't arrange a birthday party for you at the most popular club in the city," you snark back, leaning against the counter and getting up in her space, "clearly I'm not the one that needs entertaining."

she huffs in your face and twirls her pink locks in her fingers, "hm, consider me entertained then. you showed up to my party, how cute, no?"

aeri struts away but not before flashing a cocky smirk, flinging her sakura colored hair towards you. you trail her heatedly, "oh please, you've been bored all night till I showed up."

"heh, you're right," she admits, calling over her bare shoulder to you, "you've made things a lot more interesting."

the sea of people part before you two as you both traverse through the crowd, "now since you're here, why don't you play my games? it's only right to participate since you're my guest."

she turns and pushes you back against the couch you find yourself now sitting in a secluded room filled with her posse of spoiled brats all lined up in a circle resting against the large, round couch lining the private room. her friends snicker as soon as they realize it's you, some of their faces familiar, some of them new. you scowl as soon as you spot yunjin with her arm draped over some girl, realizing it's aeri's friend minjeong. she mimics a yawning gesture and waves her fingers at you in acknowledgement.

aeri places her hands on her hips and sighs, "let's play a classic, shall we?" she smirks as she picks up an empty soju bottle from the table, playing with it before placing it in the center and eyeing you.

you scoff, "spin the bottle? really? how old are you?" the room boos in response to your comment.

"why? scared? nervous y/n?" aeri mocks, her eyebrow cocked as her tongue trails across her lip curiously.

you feel a smirk tug at your lip, "no, not nearly as much as you are uchinaga."

you call her bluff as a pink the same shade of her hair spreads to her cheeks. whether it was the alcohol or embarrassment, it was too late, you already saw through her.

she clears her throat and acts as if her cheeks don't continue to heat up, lowering her large shades over her face and resting them on the tip of her nose, "oh whatever, we'll save the main event for last. jimin?"

she turns to the long haired girl on her side, letting her spin the bottle first. the tall girl reaches forward and spins it, the dim burgundy lighting bouncing off of the glass as it swiftly turns. the empty bottle slows and its tip points towards the other cute girl in the room sporting a bob. you recognize kim chaewon as she stands and licks her lips, jimin chuckling and reaching out towards her, dragging her by the hand to the small closet-like room next door. the room is filled with amused noises as you see yunjin and minjeong's expressions turn (which was the most amusing thing you saw).

you turn away from the love quarrel to face aeri's piercing stare, adjusting the glasses away from her face again and fixing her hair, her eyes staying on you. you accept her challenge, leaning back against the couch and tilting your head to the side, looking right at her with the same intensity. you watch as her finger traces her bottom lip, tugging at it with her nail and her eyes gradually trailing down your body, feasting on you.

you gulp at her stare filled with hunger, playing with the hem of your dark skintight dress between your fingers, rolling it up your crossed legs, letting more of your skin expose itself to her. your stick your tongue between your teeth as you pour yourself a shot and down it, the alcohol leaving a wet sheen on your lips that glimmered in the darkness. she observes your every movement, her eyes never leaving you for a moment.

you lick the alcohol off your lips slowly, your eyes taking the opportunity to wander her tempting figure, tracing every curve accentuated by her dress, your body heating up as you take in every inch of skin exposed to your sight. as your gaze trails her chest and prominent cleavage, falling around her plush thighs, she commands your attention back towards her as she taps on her knee and lifts her finger up.

a waiter stands next to you with drinks on his tray which you take and down, staring into aeri's eyes as she does the same. you feel the alcohol burn down your throat, rolling down until it sloshes with the concoction in your stomach. the buzz heats up your cheeks as jimin and chaewon return to the room, hair disheveled and lipstick smeared, no shame in their appearances.

the room's volume increases in cheers and noise as the smirks on the girls' faces fail to die down. chaewon, as the girl who was picked, has to pick the next person to spin the bottle. she picks up the empty glass, plays with it in her small hands and surveys the room with familiar faces and strangers. her eyes scan before landing on you, grin pulling at her cute face.

she trudges towards you and drops the bottle in your lap with a wink. she drags her feet away as the people cheer your turn, adjusting yourself and standing, dipping over the table in front of aeri, cleavage on full display for the girl gawking at you all night. you lean down and spin it, eyes locked onto the pink haired girl. the anticipation for the other end is high as everyone stares expectantly, the glass' hollow noises echoing through the ears of the players in the room, you and aeri never looking away from one another.

gasps fill the room as the bottle slows and comes to a stop, the tip aiming towards your one and only rival who's eyes are still trained on you. neither of you need to look down to know what happened, the uproar from the crowd of people surrounding you enough to understand. aeri stands and finally turns away, swaying towards the secluded room, and you follow immediately, the room an absolute mess of noise.

you follow aeri into the dark, small, closet-like room, the door shutting behind you both as you feel the pumping from the blasting music of the club behind the other side, the light leaking through enough to illuminate the older girl's features and figure. your bodies are close to each other, the heat emanating from one another as you can hear each other's breathing pick up.

"so much for main event for last huh-" you start to tease her.

"jesus, I wish you'd shut the fuck up already," she interrupts annoyedly before grabbing the back of your neck and smashing her lips against yours', pushing her body against yours' and pinning you to the wall behind you.

immediately, your body responds to her burning touch, kissing her back with the same ferocity, arms clinging around her and gripping her body. your hands drag over her curves, clutching at her dress to grab her flesh under it, digging your nails into her. she hisses into your mouth, breathing heavily against you as her soft lips bruise your needy ones.

you throw off her coat as she pulls your her mouth away to suck on your neck and chest, aeri's hot tongue trailing your exposed skin, her desperate lips leaving wet kisses as you thread your fingers through her luscious locks and pant against her. her strong arms have you pinned against the wall, clinging onto her body as she greedily ravishes your burning skin, causing you to moan out into the small but silent room, your noises filling only her ears to hear.

you feel the cocky girl smile against your skin as she continues to digs her face into you neck, sucking your skin and sinking her teeth into you, making you whimper and squeeze your eyes shut. you grab her biceps and pull her into you, forcing you to flip her against the wall as your eyes fall to her wet red lips, face flushed and eyes filled with pure lust, the desire to indulge in you building in her body. the sight ignites your primal need for the same thing.

you shove your tongue into her mouth and taste her, the combination of various alcohol and sweet lipstick filling your senses, becoming addicted to the taste of aeri uchinaga. your hands grip her thighs as you dig your fingers into her skin, trailing your hands up and under her dress, pushing the material up to her hips. her breath hitches in her throat as your fingertips trace her slit through the lingerie she wears.

you pull away from the heated kiss as a string of saliva connects the two of you, attaching your mouth to her neck. her chest rises and falls as you greedily lick her skin, the spit rolling down through her cleavage. you descend to your knees and leave wet kisses along her thick thighs, hands holding each one, gripping her as they wander around to her ass, sliding under the dress and pulling her panties down.

a sticky string of pleasure stretches as you drag her clothing down her thighs, her legs spreading in anticipation for your next movement. as badly as you want to tease her for being so ruined for you, you need her just as bad, looking up at her and staring into her desperate eyes, wild and dark with desire. continuing to gaze into aeri's needy eyes, you bring your mouth forward and swipe your tongue along her slit, sticking it in her hole and trailing it tortuously against her clit, her delicious wetness coating your tastebuds.

you watch as her eyes roll back and her body slumps against the wall, her head thrown backwards and a pleasured groan escapes her throat, her hand resting atop your head and lacing her fingers through your already messy hair. you lick once again, swirling the tip of your tongue around her pink and hot bud, making her thighs tremble on either side of your head, holding her legs apart and hooking your arms around them.

her hips buck into your mouth as you wrap your lips around her clit and suck, flicking your hot tongue across her pulsing nerves. profanities flow pathetically from your rival's mouth as you continue indulging in her, fluttering your eyes shut as you makeout with her clit. the grip on your hair tightens as her hand digs deeper through your locks, your hands caressing up and down her long legs. she grinds her hips into your mouth as your tongue slips into her leaking cunt, nose brushing her clit now, flicking your wet muscle against her aching walls.

the sound of her desperate and loud moaning resonates within the small room, her whimpers fill your ears and will you to keep going, the intent of stopping failing to comprehend in your intoxicated head, focused on eating the girl shaking in your hold out. you bury your face deep into her pussy, her cunt walls wrapping and sucking your tongue in, rolling the muscle into her and flicking it against the delicious most pleasurable spots inside, rubbing your nose against her throbbing clit. you bring your hand around to use your fingers and roll the pulsing bud in your fingertips, aeri whimpering above you, gathering her pleasure and your saliva to lubricate the aching clit.

you hum against her cunt, the sound reverberating through her body as her moaning becomes pleasurably loud, jutting her hips into your mouth full of her wetness. you moan into her pussy, the vibration throwing her over the edge, screaming your name out as she cums into your expectant mouth. you feel a rush of her juice flow into your mouth, the taste covering your tongue as you drink down every single drop. your tongue licks her cunt up, cleaning every inch of her pussy to devour her slick fully. you leave kisses along her shaking thighs, holding her up and letting her body relax against the wall behind her.

your core pounds against your dress as you stand shakily, your hands resting under her ass to support her. you kiss your way up her body, on top of her dress, not caring if she can't feel your warm lips, just wanting to make sure she knows you're here and can feel and hear you right in front of her. you observe her flushed face, eyes closed, head resting against the wall, pink hair disheveled beautifully, her chest rising and falling, a glistening sheen of perspiration on her skin across her neck, a goddess you call your rival at your mercy in your hands.

you trail your lips across her sweaty skin, kissing her shoulder and inching towards her neck.

"happy birthday, princess," you whisper in her ear as she giggles cutely, turning your face and pressing her forehead to yours.

"let's get out of here," aeri pants against your cum covered lips.

you kiss her in response, "okay, you still owe me an orgasm."

she bites your bottom lip, "it's my birthday."

"wouldn't it be a good present?" you challenge.

she huffs and agrees, "every part of y/n l/n in my hands would be my perfect present."

a/n: this was supposed to be more intricate and better structured but erm well! this is what you get! also this was originally a short but this is too long for a short and kinda long for a regular fic so... idk wtv!

[aurorasdaybreak]

the love shot °˖➴ caleb xia (m)

summary: usually, you're able to keep apart love and hate with ease. but with him, you find that the two are not only more similar than they seem, but also deeply intertwined - to the point you can't separate them anymore. info: farspace fleet colonel!caleb x hunter afab!reader | story compliant | fluff, angst, smut | 18+ | 10k words warnings: some angst, some fluff, mostly smut, possessive!caleb bc ofc he is, possessive!mc bc have you seen his myth?? she did not want to let go AT ALL, (light) spoilers for caleb’s myth, timeline wise this happens i’m considering this an extension of painful signal that might be out of timeline whoopsies (;—;), kissing, making out against a wall, teasing, inappropriate use of evol, dom!caleb, sub!f!reader, choking, f!receiving fingering, f!receiving oral, edging, marking, praise, degradation (slut, cockslut), f!multiple orgasms, squirting, unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!), kinda sappy sex, cervix fucking(ish), caleb checking in bc he’s going hard (and consent and checking in is sexy!), ending is sappy and fluffy?? idk (T_T) author’s note: hi hi hello! i'm new to lads tumblr (but not to writing) and i'm very excited to be here :') it's been a little bit since i've written, so pls be kind but also pls feel free to leave your thoughts in my askbox!! i hope you enjoy :D disclaimer: not beta read, will edit soon for any mistakes!! if you are a minor and you're seeing this, i ask that you turn away and do not read. this is an 18+ story and minors are not welcome. if you are uncomfortable with any of the topics listed in the warning, please do not read this story! °˖➴ inspired by love shot by exo

It’s been hard for you to distinguish what’s true and false these past couple of weeks.

When you took your leave, you had deemed it as a necessary distraction from all of the grief and pain that’s been greeting you in your apartment. You had established your universe’s truths before you touched base in Skyhaven: you’re a Deepspace hunter, you’re here to find links between Ever and the Farspace Fleet, and you’re definitely not using this half-baked mission to run away from what haunts you at night.

An explosion. A necklace just out of reach. Amethyst eyes, dismayed yet hiding something that you couldn’t quite decipher.

You had grown numb to the pain, but that didn’t mean it never left you alone.

When you had gotten into formation waiting for the new Farspace Fleet colonel, you were sure of the reality that you were living in. As lackluster as the world had gotten, it still turned, and you couldn’t wallow and let your anguish eat you alive.

So you stood, holding your breath and waiting to catch a glimpse of the new colonel…

…only for everything you knew to be shattered in an instant.

Because it was him.

But was it really?

In the weeks that followed, you stayed with him and learned new things that kept threatening to disturb the peace you fought to maintain. You learned of his monumental rise through the ranks, the secrets he tried to stash away, even what his workload entailed.

You also learned how wicked he could truly be, bending your trust until you thought it would shatter in between his fingers.

After uncovering the real truth, you had returned to Linkon City and relayed all you knew to Jenna - minus the enigmatic colonel the Association was chasing after. How could you even begin to tell her that the Farspace Fleet’s most feared leader is your childhood best friend? The one that you swore blew up right before your very eyes?

You couldn’t, not without uncovering the truth for yourself first.

So you went back to Skyhaven, spending more days with him.

Looking back on it now, it was almost like when you were kids. He took care of you, cooking your favorite meals and doting on you like he always did. There were soft, stolen moments that you tried to keep at the forefront of your brain, but it was hard to grasp on that warmth when there was an underlying chill in the moments you’ve shared.

You didn’t know then, but you now know the extent of just how wrong things have been within the ranks of the Farspace Fleet. The Toring Chip, memory resets when emotions get too high…people becoming a shell of what they used to be.

You didn’t think that all of this could even exist, much less be possible and be used in such an unfeeling way. In your heart of hearts, you just didn’t want to believe it because it meant that he had gone through it. You had been delusional enough to think he had dodged it.

But all it took was one call from Gideon for you to uncover the truth. Now…

Now, you’re taking in the sight of Caleb Xia’s metal arm in your hands.

You and him are sitting side by side on his makeshift cot, thighs pressed together as you turn the foreign part in your palms. He complies with your silent assessment, moving his arm up and down so that you can examine every angle. Something violent begins to brew in your stomach as you run your fingers along the smooth metal - a rage that you don’t quite know how to quell because you’ve never felt something of this magnitude before.

You almost welcome it. It’s preferable to the gray haze you’ve been living in these past couple of months.

“Do you remember the process?” Your voice is deceptively calm as your palm slides down the length of his forearm so that you can grab his wrist, and you rest his hand in your lap so that you can play with his fingers.

There’s a beat of silence before Caleb lets out a sigh. He pulls his hand from your lap and presses it into his thigh, the joints of his fingers creaking just a little bit at the sheer amount of force he exerts on his own skin. You tut at this, and you grab his wrist again so that you can help his hand relax. You take your time in unfurling each of his metal digits, gently straightening each of them at the knuckle so that they no longer crease. The action has Caleb relaxing, and you try not to shiver when you feel him rest his head on your shoulder.

“I only remember the pain.” It’s a quiet admission, one that leaves his lips and gently ruffles the hair by your ear like a summer breeze carrying a heavy secret. His fingers curl around your own and he squeezes tightly, you returning the same strength. “Looking back, I was thankful for just how excruciating it was. It reminded me that I was alive and that I wasn’t gonna waste my second chance.”

“I hate that you can’t feel much with it anymore.” Your tone is bitter as you shift away from his side, giving you space so that you can properly process all of the information you’ve just been given.

“I don’t just feel much, I feel nothing at all.” Caleb says it with a self-deprecating humor, but you can only scoff as you push yourself off of the cot and stand in front of him.

“I meant what I said about making the Farspace Fleet pay.” You cross your arms and tilt your head to the side, giving him a serious look. “They can’t get away with everything that they’ve done to you and your comrades - hell Caleb, everything they’re doing right now!”

“How do you propose you do that, ____?” He laughs, but it’s not a happy sound as he grabs the back of your thighs and forces you closer, pulling you into his lap so that you straddle him. You tilt your head down so that you can avoid his eyes, and his chest rumbles at your action. 

He tilts your chin up with his metal hand, and you shiver at the restrained strength in which he holds your face. His eyes are cold and his fingers twitch slightly. You should be scared, but somehow you aren’t. There’s a fire that ignites at your proximity, one that’s slowly beginning to spread along your entire body and makes your head spin at its ferocity.

“You can’t just burn the Farspace Fleet down.” It’s almost as if he can read your mind, and you wouldn’t be surprised if he gleaned those thoughts from just one look on your face. “I can’t tell you everything, ____ - but I promise you, things will get better for me, for us.”

That last word has you stilling and dropping your gaze so that you don’t have to look head on at him. You catch a quick glimpse of the silver against his chest, the words When U Come Back highlighted by the silvery light of the moon. Those words feel like a sick joke because the man you gave them to may be here physically - but he’s not really your Caleb.

You reach up to gently pull his metal hand off of your chin, and you can feel the burning of his gaze as you drop your mouth to his right shoulder. You feel his breath hitch when your lips meet the junction of skin and steel, his exhalation shaky when your tongue lightly flicks the slight divot. The taste of salty bitterness lays heavy in your mouth, and you pull away to look back up at his failing restraint.

“Did you feel that?” It’s rhetorical and you both know it from the way you’ve rendered him speechless. His lips form a thin line as your hands make their way up his torso, giving you an anchor as you stare into his eyes. “You say you can’t, but it’s clear that you do.”

Your fingers begin to draw circles on his shoulders, and you try your best to even your breathing so that he can’t see just how affected you are. You can’t afford to show any weakness, not in front of this imposter who wears your dead best friend’s face. 

“I used to be able to read you so clearly.” It’s a whisper, and you let your forehead fall against his collarbone. “I used to know everything just from one look on your face. I hate that they took that from me.”

“Me wearing my heart on my sleeve and showing my weakness?” It’s meant to come out as a scoff, but you can hear the vulnerability in his tone.

“I was thinking more your honesty.” You feel his chest rise quickly, and you shake your head as you chuckle bitterly. “Of course you’d think it’s a weakness now.”

You bite your lip when you hear his hands leave the sheets, and your eyes slip shut when they settle on your waist. The chilling cold and comforting warmth serve as a reminder of the past you crave so much and the present you’re currently dealing with - the cold and calculated colonel versus your childhood best friend who scored himself onto your heart.

Time ticks slowly as he mulls over his response, and your breaths are shallow as you wait for his words. Above you, Caleb swallows thickly before settling on his carefully chosen words.

 “I did it to protect you.”

You quietly suck in a breath, and it’s like even the air in the room has gone still at his quiet admission.

He takes your silence as your permission to continue with his reasoning. The words muffle when they reach your ears though - not because you’re not interested, but because you know it’s not true.

The Caleb you knew would never keep secrets from you. He would be honest, he would never stay away from you for as long as he did.

So why did he?

Are you a burden to him?

Your blood runs cold at the continuous stream of velvet sweetness streaming from his lips, and you shake your head as you push yourself up and away from his suffocating presence. “Bullshit.”

You feel Caleb’s chest stop, your expletive taking him by surprise. “____?”

“I call bullshit, Caleb Xia.”

It’s filled with venom and you clamber away, taking deep breaths and willing yourself to wake up from this suffocating nightmare. You focus your gaze on the single strand of raven hair that sways upright in the nighttime breeze because you know if you look into his eyes, you’ll crumble at his feet. “You didn’t do it for me, you did it to save yourself. Not once did you care for me-”

“That’s a lie and we both know that.” His words are just as harsh as he pushes himself up from the cot, and your eyes pass over his face as his height forces you to see every emotion dancing on his face. “____, I’ve been through the fucking ringer. You have no fucking idea what I had to do to get to this point, what I sacrificed just so I could reach the top all the while protecting my heart.” It comes out raw and his biting words soften at the last word, but you still roll your eyes as you cross your arms to protect yourself.

“So tell me what you did.” They’re quiet but lethally so, satin hiding the steel intent in your words. “Tell me the fucking truth, Caleb. Tell me every painful detail so that I can try to begin to understand you.”

You don’t realize it, but you walk forward until you’re stopped in front of him, back in his space. You hate yourself just a little bit for not being able to fully pull back, but you know deep down you can’t stay too far away from him anymore.

You’re afraid he’ll be taken from you from right under your fingers.

“And in return, I’ll try to tell you the excruciating hurt I went through mourning you and Gran.” Your voice wavers and you grip at your biceps, digging your nails into the muscle to steel yourself. “I’ll try to tell you how fucking awful it felt burying two empty caskets, standing at honor ceremonies, and staring up at my ceiling at night wondering if my dreams would be warm from the happy memories or from the fire that resulted from the blast. I’ll try to explain the emptiness I felt for the months after, because while you were here doing whatever you did to get to the top, I was left with the ghost of you.”

Your lip trembles and you unfold your arms, pressing your palms against your cheeks to furiously wipe away the tears that have begun to course down your face. The room stands still as your shoulders shake, and you can feel his heavy gaze on your head.

“I should have never gone here,” you whisper once your tears subside, leaving you with the bitter emptiness you’ve grown acquainted with. “At least you would’ve stayed dead, and I wouldn’t have grown to hate what you’ve become.”

You turn on your heels and spin around, trying to make your way out of the hidden room. You’re barely able to take two steps before you feel a cool brush against the back of your neck, and you gasp when his metal fingers grasp tightly at your shoulder.

“Repeat that last statement again.” His fingers tighten slightly as he walks in a direction, and a gasp escapes your lips at the sudden proximity and your back meeting a wall. His hand moves up so that his fingers can wrap around your neck, thumb tilting your chin up and forcing you to look at the Colonel standing in front of you as he presses down on the column of your throat just a little bit harder.

“I s-should have never gone h-here.” They leave in puffs, but you still force enough conviction to gain a harsher look in his eyes.

“And?” His voice is clipped, and a sudden pang of fear strikes your spine when you see the wires attached to the machine begin to rise: a sign of him losing his grip on his Evol. “I specifically remember something about hate.”

Your mouth runs dry and your eyes widen, taking in the implication of his words. Caleb laughs humorlessly at your reaction, his fingers slightly loosening and giving you a little taste of the clean air you didn’t realize you were craving.

“Tell me you hate me, ____.” The venomous words are juxstaposed by his gentle tone and his human hand reaching up and gently tucking a piece of hair behind your ear, his warm fingers squeezing your ear lobe and serving as a reminder that somewhere deep down, he’s still your Caleb. “Tell me you hate me, and I’ll let you leave. I’ll disappear for good. I’ll become the ghost you’ve always wanted.”

Your future hangs in a delicate balance as you process his words, turning over the possible options in your head. You’d grown used to living without him and Gran after the explosion. Life was dull, but you’d begun to move on. Staying here and letting him back in would undo the progress you’ve made - it would force you to confront ugly truths you’re not sure you’re ready to face.

But on the other hand…

You don’t think you can do the rest of your life without him. You need him like the air you breathe and the water you drink - he’s vital to your survival like the weapons you wield when you face Wanderers on the field. He’s an extension of you, a reminder of the life you’ve lived and the life that’s ahead of you.

But that life is meaningless without him…even if it’s this twisted, darker version of Caleb you barely know.

You’ve made up your mind.

“I hate you, Colonel Xia. I loathe you with every fiber of my being.” You barely gasp out the words before your arms wrap around his neck and pull him down, bringing his lips to yours.

His reaction is instantaneous, his hands cupping your cheeks and forcing your neck at a higher angle so that he can kiss you more deeply. His body presses yours against the wall, and he swallows the gasp that leaves your lips. It’s angry, full of bitter resentment from the past couple of weeks. His tongue sweeps across your bottom lip and you barely open your mouth wide enough before he forces himself in, tongues tangling before he ultimately wins the battle for dominance.

His hands shift, going from your cheeks to back down your neck before sliding down your back and cupping your hips. He squeezes the flesh and it has your head reeling, pulling away from his lips to gasp for air.

Your head falls back against the wall, and your chest heaves as you suck in air greedily into your lungs. Your fingers grasp his shoulders and you feel your stomach flip at the tortured groan that escapes his mouth, right before he pulls you in even closer to him and kisses you again.

It’s another battle for victory, and you win a point when your fingers reach up to pull at his hair. Caleb’s mouth falls even wider at the sensation and you use that timing to your advantage, allowing yourself to bite and suck at his bottom lip. He groans again, and the sound sends shivers down your spine and causes you to smirk against his mouth.

“What, tired already?” You can’t help the taunting tone that enters your voice, and he pulls away just enough so that you can see the steely resolve on his face.

“In your dreams,” Caleb retorts. His hands shift from your hips to your ass and you try to mask the whimper that nearly escapes you as an exhale, but you know he knows by the huff against your lips that you’ve failed.

He uses your daze to pull your hips even closer to his front, and your eyes roll back into your skull when you feel his rapidly hardening length in his slacks. “This is what you do to me, ____.” He grinds his hips against yours, and this time you can’t quite help the moan that leaves your lips. “You drive me fucking insane.”

You don’t even offer a retort, instead choosing to pull him back down again so that you can kiss him again. He willingly lets you, and you bite down on his lip hard when his palms squeeze at your ass. He taps two fingers against the flesh and your arms tighten around his neck, giving him the chance to slide his hands to the back of your thighs and wrapping your legs around his waist with ease.

Caleb walks out of his makeshift infirmary back into his living room, dodging furniture with ease as you press your lips against his jaw. You feel his chest rumble against yours as you begin to nip and suck blossoms under his chin, and his hands squeeze your ass in warning when you begin to mark up his neck.

You barely register that you’re in his (your?) bedroom until you land onto the bed on your back with a gasp. You bite your lip when you see Caleb kick off his slippers and socks before making his way over to the bed, grabbing your thighs and dragging you to the edge of the bed before letting his palms settle on your hips.

“You know that marking Skyhaven property is a punishable offense?” Caleb’s voice is a drawl as his fingers massage their way up your sides, dipping underneath your shirt and tracing circles that have your patience thinning. “You can be fined or jailed. Depends on the severity, though.”

“W-what does it matter?” Your voice leaves in a gasp as Caleb’s hands finally slide underneath your shirt, giving you the touch you so desperately crave.

“Think about it, pips.” Caleb pulls you up by your waist, and your head spins as he nudges your thighs apart with his knee. “What were you doing just now?”

“Caleb, what-” You can barely think as he guides your arms up, working your shirt over your head before tossing the garment somewhere in his room. He pushes you back down onto the bed, and you feel your eyes begin to close at the hazy, almost animalistic look in his own gaze. His hands pinch at your hips, though, and your eyes snap back open to meet his once again.

“Think, ____.” There’s an edge to his voice as his hands return to your waist, slowly making their way up to your ribcage. “What were you doing to me in the living room?”

You can barely think, mind clouding in need as his thumbs brush the underside of your bra cups. He skims the digits along the underside, letting his nails trace the lacy material - making you swallow thickly as you try to place your answer. 

Your eyes catch the blossoming purple on his neck, and you finally put two and two together. “All because I gave you hickeys?”

“Good girl.” There’s a touch of humor in his voice, and he rewards you by sliding his thumbs underneath your bra and running the rough digits along the swell of your breasts. Your head lolls back at the stimulation, although annoyance flares in your stomach - mixing with the desire and lighting a savage flame in your body.

“That’s dumb as fuck.” It’s a moan, but you can feel his annoyance by the way his hands stop.

“Why is that?” Caleb’s hands make their way to your back, and you lift your torso so that he can struggle with your bra’s clasps. “I’m the Farspace Fleet’s colonel, ____. And my uniform’s gonna have a hard time covering the gifts you’ve given me, pips.”

“Because, Caleb,” you laugh when he fumbles with the clasps, and the irritation on his face gives way to a slight look of endearment that has your heart clenching. You make your heart calm down before you continue with faux confidence. “Because, you were mine first.”

His hands stop at your words, and you meet his eyes with unwavering honesty in response to his incredulous stare. “Pips, what-”

“You’ll always be mine.” Your hands tremble when you lift them to his face, but your touch is sure as you brush a strand of hair off of his forehead. “You’ll never be their property because they can’t take my Caleb away from me.”

The air in the room stills as he pulls his body away from yours, registering the weight of your words. You suddenly feel cold all over and you begin to shiver, although it’s not from the temperature of your current surroundings.

Why did you say that in your stupid, lustful daze?

And why do you suddenly feel nervous about his reaction?

Your eyes land on the hickeys your lips and teeth have left on his chest, the littered marks suddenly making you feel self conscious. What a stupid thing to do. Maybe you should stop-

You feel a sudden pressure on your torso as you’re forced back onto the bed, not realizing that you had pushed yourself up onto your forearms. You look up to see Caleb’s stormy eyes - lust and anger and another emotion you can’t quite place clouding his entire face. His palms land on your bra cups, and you can barely gasp in shock when he grips the lace and tears it clean off your body.

“Caleb!” Your annoyance is evident, and you look up at him with a thin press of your lips. “That was one of my favorite pairs-”

Your statement falls flat when he cups your bare breasts, and you gasp when you feel his thumbs roll against your nipples. He readjusts your body so that your hips are on the edge of the bed, and he lets his face fall into the crook of your neck.

“I’ll buy you a new pair.” There’s a new rawness in his voice, and you shiver when you feel his tongue flick at your earlobe. “I’ll buy you whatever the fuck you want, but it’ll be from me.”

His mouth moves down your neck, and you cry out when you feel his teeth catch your nipple. He flicks at the little bud with the tip of his tongue, and his metal hand begins to pinch and rub at the other, making you rub your hips against his as you gasp.

“You’re so fucking mine, ____.” Caleb’s mouth leaves your breast, and he places a soft kiss against the skin where your heart beats. “It’s you and me, pips.”

His tongue leaves a trail from your chest up to your neck, and he kisses your jaw before nudging your nose against his and letting his forehead fall against yours. “You’re not leaving, ever again.”

It’s a whispered promise, and your eyes flutter shut when your mouth meets his once again. While your first kiss was angry and turbulent, this one is sweet and seals his vow - a slow press of lips, a swipe of his tongue against your bottom lip, and a pace that builds the desperation that’s been festering in the pit of your stomach.

Caleb’s mouth begins to leave a feathery trail, slowly mapping a path from your chin and down the column of your throat. Your breathing stops when he reaches your chest, but he elects to pass your nipples entirely and continue his way down your stomach - finally reaching the skin that’s covered by your pants.

It feels like your nerves are going to ignite at any second - the fire that’s been slowly flickering about to consume you from the inside out. You feel his fingertips slide their way under the band of your pants and you don’t even need to think about it, you just lift your hips up so that he can pull the fabric off of your body.

Your eyes blink open at the sharp intake of his breath when he sees you in nothing but the lace panties that match the bra he tore off, and you fight the urge to reach up and cover yourself. Sure, Caleb’s seen you in a variety of ways since your shared childhood, but never in a way that’s been this…intimate.

He catches your gaze, and you can’t help but smile at the flush that’s painting his cheeks. You watch as he kneels in front of you, and you whimper when his hands land on your thighs and open them as wide as he pleases - allowing him to slot himself in between your legs

Your chest begins to rise and fall in much shallower breaths when his left hand reaches up to touch the little white bow at the center front of your underwear. He toys with the little bit of fabric, and a smirk grows on his lips as his metallic fingers squeeze your plush flesh. “These are cute, ____.”

“They matched the bra you ripped.” Your voice is serious, but you bite your bottom lip and look up at him with a coy smile. “How are you gonna make it up to me, Colonel Xia?”

His body stiffens at your words, and a new layer of frost enters the room as he looks down at you coolly. His hands finally toy with the waistband of your panties, fiddling and sliding the band up and down in a way that lets you know that you’ve made a mistake.

“Don’t call me that.” His voice is clipped, but you can’t find it in yourself to heed his warning when he finally drags the scrap of lace down your thighs. He doesn’t take it fully off, though - he instead elects to leave them halfway down your thighs.

“Why not?” There’s a humorous note to your tone, and you’re surprised to find that you enjoy the sight of him blushing and at a loss for words. You bend your knee and lift your leg just the tiniest bit, angling your ankle so that it barely brushes against the bulge that’s straining against the front of his pants. His fingers tremble against your sides as he chokes at the stimulation, and you giggle and let your leg fall back down. “Is something wrong, Colonel Caleb?”

It’s like something in him snaps.

All of a sudden, he’s pressing your hips down onto the bed, and you can barely move. You gasp as Caleb’s body goes, kneeling at the edge of the bed and moving his head dangerously close to your weeping core. Your body heats in embarrassment and you try to snap your legs shut, but before you can do so he’s grabbing your knees and placing them on his shoulders.

“Don’t. Move.” It’s an impossible command, especially since you can feel the way his hair brushes against your core. Your eyes flutter shut, but they snap back open when you feel him pinch your knee. “And keep your eyes on me, ____.”

Time slows as you feel his lips brush against your knee, a whisper that makes you think you dreamt the sensation. You’re brought back to the present when you feel his lips move closer to the place you want him most - featherlight kisses and brushes of his hair enough to drive you to madness, but not enough to push you to the end you so desperately crave.

Caleb’s lips stop at your inner thigh, right before the place you want him most. You try your best to follow his orders, but it’s near impossible. Your patience is hanging on by a thread, and you don’t know just how long you can keep following what he wants.

Caleb feels your thighs tremble underneath his metal palm, and you know he can feel your desperation at the rumble of his laughter as he stops his teasing. “What’s wrong, ____? Can’t wait anymore?”

“N-no,” you stutter out, trying to hide how affected you are by him. “I-i’m just-”

“Just what?” There’s a potent venom that’s disguised by the honeyed tone he injects into his voice. If you closed your eyes, you would almost believe that he was actually concerned. “Just wanting me?”

You don’t know why, but this sets you off in a way you didn’t know was possible. You buck your hips, and you let out a soft cry when your core just slightly meets his mouth. Your eyes slowly slip shut as you buck your hips again and again, craving and wanting and begging-

But suddenly, your hips stop.

Your eyes widen as you realize just what he did to you, and your stomach flips in equal parts fear and want as you look down and see the cold, calculated smirk playing at the edge of his lips.

“I told you not to move, ____.” Caleb’s Evol pins your body to the mattress, and he uses his hands to spread your thighs as far as they can go with your panties restraining you. “And to keep your eyes on me. And since you’ve failed at those two commands, well...”

His teeth bite down at the sensitive skin of your inner thigh, and you cry out as he sucks harshly. Caleb pulls away to examine the hickey he created to match the ones you made on his neck, and you can’t help but moan when you see the possessiveness in his gaze.

“Caleb, plea-” you begin, but the words die on your tongue when he stares at you with that cold, calculated stare he only gives to those under his command.

“How many times did you move your hips?”

“What?” You’re confused by his question.

“How. Many. Times?”

He presses his lips into your skin after every word, his tongue sucking on your flesh and leaving more marks on your skin. Your mind spins as you try to count, and your answer leaves in a clumsy breath: “Three? Why the fuck does it matter?”

He hums at your response, shaking his head and giving you a smirk. “Oh, ____. You’ll learn soon.”

It’s all the warning you get before his metal fingers meet your pussy, carelessly dragging them up against your slit. A strangled cry escapes your body when the stimulation finally registers in your mind, and you try to buck your hips up so that you can begin to chase your high.

You’ve forgotten about his Evol, however, so you’re forced to feel the molten sensation spreading across your body.

“You’re so impatient, baby.” There’s a whisper of a laugh in Caleb’s voice as he continues to slide his fingers against your pussy lips, avoiding the one spot you want him to press down on the most. “What happened to all the patience I taught you?”

“You taught me jack shit-” you try to snap, but it cuts off into a moan when you feel his fingers dip slightly into your sopping hole. You gnaw at your bottom lip and glare at him, but all he does is work his finger gently into your hole and give you a shit-eating grin.

“Mmm, that’s right ____,” he hums sweetly, slowly working in the cold digit. You try your best to hold his gaze, but the combination of how cold and thick his ring finger is has your eyelids slowly slipping shut.

All of a sudden, you feel his finger pushing deep inside of you, and you cry out and meet his gaze. Caleb’s lips continue to display a twisted grin as he slowly retracts his finger, and you can’t even do anything about it because your hips are held in place by his stupid Evol.

“Sorry, pips.” You can tell he’s not sorry at all, but your sarcastic reply is cut off by a moan when he pushes his finger back in slowly. “You’re just too easy to tease.”

“You’re such an ass.” You can barely breathe from the pleasure he gives you with just a single finger, and you know he can see it from the way your head shakes back and forth on his mattress and the sweat that begins to make your body glisten. You hear Caleb groan from between your thighs, and you lift your head as far as you can manage and whimper at the sight of him thrusting his metal finger in and out of your cunt while his warm palm squeezes your thigh harshly.

You feel the telltale sign of your orgasm beginning to build in the pit of your stomach and you cry out, frustrated at not being able to buck your hips up. You close your eyes and let your head flop back onto the mattress, and you let the feeling wash over your entire being. You can feel yourself get closer and closer and closer until-

-until it fucking stops.

“What the fuck?!” Your eyes snap open and you crane your head up in desperation, only to be greeted by Caleb’s pleased face. His amethyst gaze meets your own, and you can only watch as he brings his finger up to his lips and sucks your want off of the metal like it’s the water he needs to survive.

“Fuck, ____-” Caleb groans, and before you can even register what he’s done, he places both of his hands on your thighs and presses his mouth against your soaking cunt.

“C-caleb!” You cry out. Your hands immediately shoot out and you intertwine your fingers with his soft hair so that you have something to anchor yourself in reality. Caleb groans at the dull ache at his skull but instead of slowing down he speeds up - making the sensations he forces on your body that much more intense.

Caleb’s tongue carelessly traces lines up and down your slit, and you nearly sob in relief when you feel the tip of his tongue finally flick at your clit. He repeats the motion again, and he laughs when he sees the way your hole begins to leak with more of your slick.

“I didn’t know you were that desperate, pips.” Embarrassment flares in the pit of your stomach, although it’s quickly flushed away when he presses the flat of his tongue against your entire pussy and licks up in one, slow stroke.

“M-more, Caleb-” You try to fight the tears that threaten to slide down your cheek, but it’s hard when Caleb continues his ministrations on your cunt. It feels too damn good, and you both know that you’re rapidly reapproaching the climax he so rudely ruined the first time.

Caleb looks up at you, and he can’t help but groans against your cunt at the sight that greets him. Your face is covered in both a light sheen of sweat and tears, and in his twisted mind he wants to lick your cheek just so that he can taste every bit of you. His amethyst eyes go lower, pausing to stare at the way your breasts heave up and down with every breath, down and down until he’s greeted again by the sight of the cunt he’s had dreams about for years.

Your hole is fully leaking by now, begging to be stuffed full of his cock and your clit is swollen from his tongue playing with it. Up above, Caleb can hear you begging to just give you what you want and, well…how can he refuse his girl?

You nearly scream when you feel his lips wrap around your clit, sucking on the sensitive bud while he begins pistoning his fingers in and out of your sloppy cunt. Having gone from a gentle stream of pleasure to a full on tsunami, your brain doesn’t know what to focus on or what to do. You’re about to fall apart at the seams, so you do the only thing you know to do in this moment in time:

You cry out his name.

“Caleb!”

“That’s right, ____.” He commands in a soft yet dangerous voice. His fingers pick up their pace, and a strangled moan leaves your mouth. “I want you to scream, baby. There’s no one here but the two of us so you can be as loud as you fucking want.”

“Oh fuck-” you hiccup, and your fingers tighten against his hair. “Caleb, your Evol-”

“No.” You can feel his head shake his dissent, but it only adds to your pleasure because his lips rub your clit from side to side. He mumbles something under his breath, but you can’t really find it in yourself to care because you’re approaching your climax again and you desperately want to fall apart.

You try to be discreet in your chase, willing yourself to dig your nails into your palm so that he can’t see the way your hands shake. Caleb takes your silence as your plateau, so he doubles his efforts: pistoning his fingers in and out of your pussy and laving little licks on your clit in a bid to bring you to the precipice.

Caleb’s lips pull away from your swollen bud and you try to protest the action by squeezing your thighs shut but he replaces his tongue with his thumb, pressing and rubbing at the nub to placate you. He looks up at your eyes, and you can feel your false bravado crumble at the devilish grin on his face. “You’re awfully quiet up there, pips.”

A broken moan slips out of your mouth, followed by a gasp of his name. “C-caleb-”

“Are you close, baby?”

All of your pride leaves your body at his simple question, and you nod while giving him your sweetest eyes so that he takes pity on you and allows you to cum. “‘m c-close-”

“How close?” Caleb’s fingers gradually pick up their pace, a smooth push and pull in and out of your cunt. You whimper at the feeling, only to whine into the air when you feel his fingers hook up to press into your sweet spot.

“C-close,” you gasp. Your hands leave his hair and you press your palms against your breasts, gently pinching at your nipples so that you can finally push yourself over the edge. You’re so close, you’re about to fall off-

“Not yet.”

Caleb pulls his fingers away from your cunt and you nearly scream in frustration, attempting to close wrap your legs completely around his neck so that his mouth can finish the job. Caleb’s much quicker, however, and he carelessly pushes your knees off his shoulders before standing up and peering down at you with a pleased smile.

“Is my girl desperate?” Caleb’s presence is commanding, but you can’t help but watch his hands as he reaches down to unzip his slacks. “____, I’ve given you so much pleasure but you don’t seem to remember that I’m human too.”

Your breath stops as he pushes the fabric and his boxers down his thighs, and you swallow thickly at the sight of his cock slapping his abs. For all your years living with him when you were kids, you’ve always been mindful of his privacy and never walking in on him naked. Your stomach flips at the length and girth of him, because how in the world is he going to fit into you?

“I’ll make sure I fit.” It’s almost like he’s reading your thoughts, and you look up to see a tender look on his face in response to what’s probably an apprehensive look on your own. He kicks off his underwear and slacks before grabbing at your panties and pulling them down your legs. He releases his Evol on your hips, and you take this as a signal to push yourself up to his headboard while he drops the scrap of fabric onto the floor, and he crawls up the bed so that he can brace himself on his forearms and look down at you.

Caleb smiles softly at you - a far cry from the man who was edging you to the point of tears. Despite everything you smile back, gently nudging your nose with his and eliciting a chuckle from his mouth. He presses a kiss on your cheek and you sigh, taking his sweet action as a chance to reach down and wrapping your hands around his cock.

A strangled sound emerges from the depths of his chest and his head falls to your chest as you pump his length, wanting to give him a fraction of the pleasure you experienced. Caleb’s breathing slowly grows more laboured, but before you can fully achieve your goals he grabs at your hand and stops.

“Not yet,” he slowly grits out, and he pulls your hands off of his cock and pins them both to the headboard with his left hand. His right hand guides his cock to your pussy, and you gasp when you feel his fat tip catch your clit. “I decide when the both of us cum, ____.”

He rolls his hips and you both moan - him from how your slick coats his dick, and you from how his cockhead slightly catches your sopping hole. Your hips buck up so that he can slip inside, but before you can succeed you can feel the telltale weight of his Evol pinning the lower half of your body down and rendering you immobile.

“Fuck you, Caleb,” you grit out through your teeth, and you want nothing more than to bite his neck. He winks at you in response, and he lets go of your wrists before placing both hands on your waist and rubbing comforting circles on your ribcage.

“I’m getting to that,” he jokes, and before you can offer a scathing response he slowly pushes his cock into your cunt. You gasp at the initial pressure of his tip breaching your entrance, but the gasp turns into a long drawn moan the more he forces his thick length - up until he bottoms out, and his balls hit the swell of your ass.

You can barely breathe in your current position - legs spread, his gravity Evol pinning you down to the bed, and your hands gripping the headboard like it’s your last lifeline to your sanity - and maybe it is.

It feels like the knot building in the pit of your stomach could snap at any moment - and Caleb knows it most of all.

“Tell me you want it, ____.” Your eyes flutter back into your skull as he rolls his hips. His cock hits deep inside of you, and a strangled breath makes its way out of your chest when he pulls back slowly.

“C-caleb-!” It’s a plea, and you try to fight against his Evol so that you can link your ankles against the small of his back and pull him closer into your cunt. “P-please-”

“Uh-uh.” It’s annoyingly patient as his left hand reaches out to brush your hair away from your sweaty forehead. His right hand drifts closer to your mound, and you cry out when his cool fingers roll one agonizingly slow circle onto your clit. “Beg, ____.”

You don’t know how, but your stupid pride has you biting your lip as you try to fight his Evol so that you can writhe on his mattress. Your head flips back in frustration, and you can only force out a small, teary “Fuck you.”

“Aren’t I already doing that?” Your pussy flutters at the smirk on his face, and a slight dose of satisfaction fills your chest at the choked moan he forces back, although you’re annoyed at how cocky he still looks. “Beg, ____.”

“No.” You’re proud at how your voice doesn’t waver, although that quickly goes away when you feel his hips pull back more until only his tip remains inside. “W-wait-”

“You know what I’m asking for, ____.” Caleb’s tone is deceptively sweet as he begins to rub circles on your clit, making you cry out in the painful pleasure. “Beg for my cock, and I’ll make you feel so fucking good you’ll want to stay here forever.”

“F-fuck!” You can feel your climax beginning to build again, rising from the plateau he had previously created with your two denied orgasms. Your eyes fall shut and tears escape as your head writhes on his pillow - body held still by his Evol so that you’re forced to feel every bit of pleasure he wreaks onto your body.

Caleb’s hips threaten to snap forward, but he forces himself still as he takes in the view of you underneath his body, barely speared on his cock but already delirious on the pleasure. It fills him with a sick sense of satisfaction - the fearless leader and daring Hunter reduced to a little cockslut writhing on only the tip of his dick. He has half a mind to pull out just so that he can make you sob from the emptiness, but he holds back and continues to rub little circles on your clit until you break.

“C’mon, ____.” It almost sounds teasing, and you sob when you feel yourself on the edge of the precipice - just about to fall off. “Say you want me.”

You’re deliriously out of your mind, and all pride leaves your body when you open your eyes and look at the face that has haunted you in your sleep for the past couple of months. “P-please Caleb! Please make m-me cum-”

“Fuck,” he swears, and you barely register him releasing his gravity hold on your body before he grips your knees and forces them on his shoulders once again, pressing his cock all the way in and hitting your sweet spot in one fell swoop.

“S-shit, Caleb!” It’s a scream as you cum, your eyes sliding shut. Your orgasm washes over your body and consumes you from the inside out, and all you can do is dig your nails into his shoulders to anchor you in the present. Caleb can barely hold himself together when he feels your release pelt at his thighs and balls, and he groans before gripping your calves tighter and drilling himself into your cunt.

“You’re such a slut, ____,” he rumbles as he angles your body up, pistoning his hips so that he can more easily reach your deepest spot. “You came just from me pushing my cock into your pussy? I thought you had more restraint than that.”

“C-caleb.” You’re sobbing at this point, the pleasure bordering pain. “Oh fuck, Caleb-”

He leans down and presses his mouth against your breasts, biting as he continues to thrust in and out of you. His lips create a trail of marks up the column of your neck until they press against your lips. Your mouth falls open easily, and he breathes harshly as your tongue grazes his.

“Look at what I’ve reduced the top Hunter to,” Caleb murmurs with gentle poison. He plants kisses all over your face, and the sweet gesture almost makes you forget that he’s ravaging you. “The sweetest little cockslut who only knows how to scream my name.”

Your only response is to cry out even louder, your hands sliding down and finding purchase on his broad back. Your nails dig into the muscle so that you can try and keep from spiraling deeper into your pleasure, and you’re rewarded with a groan against your mouth.

Caleb’s hips slow to a torturous pace, designed to make you feel every inch of him sliding in and out. Your walls tremble around his aching length and you whimper when he pushes in one final time and stops, letting the both of you catch your breath. Your head swims in your current position - you’re so unbelievably full of his cock, but you want more.

“Caleb.” You can’t hide the desperation in your voice, and your hips tilt just the tiniest bit so that you can feel a fraction of the pleasure he gave you. “I-I wanna c-cum again, please-”

You roll your hips more boldly this time, and he gasps when his tip hits your sweet spot. Your walls flutter and you squeal, your head falling back as you continue to grind yourself on his cock.

All of a sudden, you feel the heaviness of his Evol settle on your hips once more, forcing you to stop. You cry out and try to fight it, but the cool brush of metal on your chin forces you to open your eyes and look up.

And you find your blood running cold.

Because Caleb - oh, you can tell he’s mad.

His lips are straight, and you can tell that he’s holding himself back for the sole purpose of punishing you. His hips pull back until he’s fully unsheathed from your cunt, and you sob at the way your walls clench pathetically at the sudden emptiness.

You need him.

There’s a dark chuckle above you, and you know he can see the desperation on your face. There’s a wet plap!, and you register the sound of his dick slapping against your pussy before feeling it properly. You cry out again, and Caleb takes your open mouth as an opportunity to slap his cock against your cunt again.

He continues his action over and over until you find yourself at the edge again, begging for his cock deep in your pussy. You can barely make out the babbles escaping your mouth - not when you feel so fucking good and you want more.

All of a sudden he stops, and you feel his warm hand gently cupping your cheek. Your eyes open blearily, and you can see the concern on his face as he looks down at you. “You okay, ____?”

Your heart squeezes at the care on his face, and you turn your head so that you can press a kiss against his palm. You can hear his shaky gasp above you, and you look back at him with a small smile on your lips.

“‘’ okay.” It comes out as a slurred whine, and you look up at him imploringly. “I promise, I j-just feel too good.”

He laughs at this, and his head dips down so that he can kiss the skin of your throat. His lips make their way past your chin and all the way up to your lips, where he presses the softest kiss on your mouth that has you melting.

This is your Caleb.

This is the man you love.

You don’t want to say it, though. You don’t want to shatter the illusion.

So you kiss him back slowly, and you pull away before he can deepen your kiss so that you can whisper:

“Please Caleb, I want all of you.”

There’s a standstill as he processes your words, and he doesn’t give you time to think before his Evol is lifting once more so that he can arch your chest up to meet his. Caleb’s mouth presses against your lips once more, and you gasp as you feel his cock entering you once more - giving you exactly what you need.

There are no other sounds in your shared room besides your gasps and the sound of the headboard smacking against your wall. It feels like it’s just you and Caleb - and that’s exactly how you want it to stay.

Caleb grunts as he begins to deepen his thrusts, and he takes a chance to look down at you when he sees that your eyes are closed. His heart swells in his chest at the sight of you - marks on your neck and chest, sweat making your skin glisten, and feeling so good because of him.

He’s suddenly overwhelmed by all of this - all of you. The one he loves more than the entire world, the one he’s kept carefully locked away in the deepest recesses of his memories. He’s adding all of this to that special place. Every excruciating moment spent at the Farspace Fleet is worth it because he’s protecting his love - protecting you.

Caleb leans down, pressing kisses on your lips as he gradually speeds up again. “I’m gonna cum inside this pretty cunt, stuff you full of my cum and make you mine forever.” Each word is emphasized by a messy thrust, and you can barely register what he means because you just feel too good right now. “I’m going to take care of you f-forever, ____. It’ll j-just be us two, baby, f-fuck-”

His hips start to stutter and you cry out when you feel his metal fingers land on your clit, rubbing hard circles and driving you closer and closer to your edge. His warm hand makes its way to your hand, and you squeeze his fingers tightly when your palms meet so that you have something to hold on to when you give yourself completely to him.

“Let’s cum together, ____.” It’s a plea and you both moan when his tip batters at your cervix. His Evol on your body loosens and you immediately grind your hips up to meet his thrusts, making the both of you spiral closer towards your joined end.

“C-caleb,” you hiccup, fat tears rolling down your cheeks. “‘M-m, I’m about to cu-”

“It’s okay, you can cum.” He leans down and presses his lips against your forehead, pressing soft kisses while maintaining his pace so that you can fall off the edge safely. “Cum for me, baby.”

With his permission you finally allow yourself to fall, the knot in your stomach unraveling as you cum. It’s not as painful as the first time - this one is filled with more warmth, accompanied by Caleb’s mouth peppering doting kisses all over your face. You cry out at the duality of his sweet kisses and his hard thrusts, walls fluttering around his thick cock and begging for him to meet you at the end.

Caleb grits his teeth and continues to pump himself into your inviting heat as you writhe underneath him, feeling his hips stutter and his balls tighten at the sound of your sweet gasps and your fluttering walls around him. He brings your fingers up to his mouth and presses reverent kisses on each of your fingertips before bringing your palm to his lips and kissing the skin gently. The sweet gesture makes your eyes open, and you blearily look at him with a blissful haze.

“C-cum for me, Caleb.” It’s a soft command, one that makes him groan as your legs wrap around his waist to pull him in. “I want your cum in me, please Caleb.”

“Oh shit, ____-” He thrusts his cock into you one more time before stilling, his head falling onto your neck as he cums. You whine at the feeling of warmth, your walls weakly pulsing around his cock in an attempt to take all of him. His hands settle on your hips and he squeezes like his life depends on it, and you’re sure that you’ll leave bruises on the delicate skin.

You can’t find it in yourself to care, though. You want all of it.

His head lifts up from your neck, and you can’t help but giggle at the glassy look in his eyes. Your fingers move to push up the sweaty strands away from his forehead, but he catches your hands and pulls it toward his mouth.

You watch as he repeats the same tender action of kissing your fingertips, and your heart aches at the intimacy of it all.

“Are you the Farspace Fleet Colonel or Caleb Xia?”

Your question breaches through the content silence, and you hate that you have to say it. It’s something necessary though - a summary of everything that’s happened between the two of you, and his answer will determine how things go.

Caleb looks at you, a softness in his eyes that has your heart aching. He presses a kiss on your forehead, and he nudges your nose against his own before finally giving you his answer

“I’m both.” You gasp at his words, but his hands gently knead your waist and placate you. “I’m both, and it’s our reality now.”

He kisses your eyelids this time, and you feel your eyes water at the gentle intimacy. “I don’t know how I’ll make it up to you, ____. But I mean what I said. Everything I do is to protect you. I don’t know how, but I’ll make it up to you for as long as you want me to.”

His words taper off as he lets you mull over his meaning. You lips brush over his own, and he leaves a chaste kiss - leading you to come up with your response.

“You can start by cooking breakfast for me tomorrow.” The words are softened by your sleepy tone, and you hum in content at the gentle rumble of his laughter below you. “And by telling me what you remember from the start.”

“I promise.” He seals it with a kiss on your lips, and you smile sleepily at the tender action before you nuzzle yourself into his chest - letting yourself surrender to slumber.

a/n #2: i hope you enjoyed <3 pls leave your thoughts here!

[jar0fhoney]

PART 1 - PART 2 - PART 3 (NSFW) - PART 4 - PART 5 (NSFW) - PART 6 - PART 7 (NSFW) - PART 8 (NSFW)

“Would you ever wanna leave, Ma?”

The question had been teetering on the tip of your tongue since Khargaad had propositioned you a month ago. August was yawning into September and it would be time to harvest any day now. Your mother stared into her plate, tapping her spoon into the stew.

“Did I ever think I would be able to? No. But do I want to…?” There was a pained smile on her face, like it hurt to remember, “When I was a little girl, I wanted to see it all. See the world. I would get lost in father’s encyclopedias.”

Despite living in a rural land, farming for a living, your mother was raised in a rather upper class family. Her father, a notable professor, had very high expectations for all of his children.

“If he could see me now…” Your mother dug her head into her hands, “An old lady working on a farm? No husband? No prospects or ambition? He would weep.”

“Stop that Ma.” You scolded her. She sighed.

She had ran away with your father at a young age. He was a stable boy who was crass, reckless, impassioned, fiery. Everything your mother had been raised to look down on. They eloped in secret, earning her family’s contempt and rejection.

“I always thought you and your sisters were my chance to make up for it. To make up for all the promise I threw away. I could’ve been… an anthropologist… or a historian.”

You had never met the man your mother saw in your father. And it took many years for your mother to accept the man she married just wasn’t there anymore. You remember him as mean. Egotistical. Violent. The day he left was the day you all let out a sigh of relief, but out of everyone your mother took it the very hardest. Father was her first rebellion and one that blew up right in her face. You reached across the dining room table, taking her hands into yours.

“Let’s leave, Ma. Just go. Somewhere. Anywhere but here.” She tensed for a second, hands firm on yours,

“Y/n… did something happen? Are you afraid? Did he… did he hurt you?”

You laughed softly, reassuringly running your thumbs over her knuckles, “No no no. It’s mostly Khargaad’s idea in the first place. I think he… I don’t know… I think he just wants the best for me.”

Her shoulders slouch, tension easing.

“The best for you… is all I’ve ever wanted y/n.”

-

You peered over at Khargaad plucking tomatoes. He had gotten into the habit of just showing up in the afternoons to assist in tending the fields. At first, he would sheepishly ask permission to join you. But now, with absolutely no shame, you would see him marching down the path to you in order to get his share of the work started. You gave up trying to assure him he didn’t need to volunteer his time a while ago.

“You’re smiling an awful lot over there.” His voice cut through the silence and almost startled you. In truth, you had grown so used to his presence that it was easy to let your guard down around him now.

And so, that is why you had absentmindedly found yourself day dreaming about telling Khargaad about you and your mother’s conversation. That you wanted to leave with him. There was a big stupid grin plastered on your face.

“Let’s go, Khargaad.”

He smirked, “Back to my place?”

“No silly, I mean go.”

He paused for a second.

“Oh…”

“OH!”

Before you could respond you were hoisted in the air by the orc. You wrapped your legs around his torso, straddling his waist. His eyes were so bright and excited, like a little puppy. “And your Ma is coming with us?!”

“Yes of cou- AH!” Khargaad had broken into a jog towards the house, you still in his arms. Your mother sat peacefully in the front garden thumbing through a book titled “Orc Customs and Cultures: A Regional Guide.”

“Ma’am! Is it true?” He exclaimed. She smirked cheekily, already knowing what he was referring to.

“You sure it won’t damper your mood? Dragging this old bag of bones along with you?”

He shook his head earnestly, setting you down in the process. Your mother and Khargaad had struck up a lovely friendship of their own since the two of you had begun courtship. The book on Orc culture she read was a gift from him (apparently presenting physical tokens of goodwill to the parents was a very common part of orc courtship).

“Ma’am… I would be so thrilled to have your company.” His huge hand enveloped your mother’s firmly. She fanned herself jokingly, “Well if you put it that way, how can a girl refuse.”

You all decided to reconvene and discuss your plans. By the end of the conversation, Khargaad had his hand wrapped around your waist in such a manner you knew what he was thinking. He loved to hold you there.

-

“Oh Gods…” Khargaad croaked, with a vice grip on the furs covering his bed.

You sat perched between his legs, licking delicately up the base of is needy cock. It was an intoxicating sight, seeing your pretty pink tongue swirling around his tip, and your hand pumping him up and down. You were too good to be true.

It was easy to tell when he was close. His voice would get hoarse, and it seemed as if every muscle in his body was flexing in anticipation. It thrilled him that you had gotten so adept at getting him to his limit, to reduce him to a mumbling mess.

“Waitt st-stop c’mere-“ Khargaad reached down and pulled you up by your waist. He was downright obsessed with the way his thumbs pressed into the soft skin of your tummy. He lifted you up directly over his painfully erect cock, and you reached down to line himself up with your already red and puffy entrance.

He loved pleasuring you so much, it often was the very first thing he sought to do when he pulled you into bed. He had grown very fond of pulling you into his lap, making an absolute mess of you with his hands. Making you squirt was always a goal, he derived a smug sense of satisfaction from it that always left him with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Come on please make a mess for me y/n. Make a mess on my hands for me sweetheart.” He would mewl into your ear whilst rubbing your clit and finger-fucking you at a dizzying pace.

And so, as per usual, your sensitive pussy was ready for him by the time he speared you onto his cock. He liked to watch you slowly take him, seeing himself disappear between your folds. He began pumping you up and down on himself, like you were his own living fleshlight. His strength made it so he could work up to a rather quick pace, all the while you bringing your hands up to play with your tits.

“Oh- OH!” He cried out suddenly, pulling you off of himself. He shot thick hot ropes of cum onto his stomach. When he was done, you grabbed a warm washcloth from his basin, wiping his soft stomach clean.

He pulled you down to cradle you in his arms. “I’m going to take you home…” his voice muffled into your neck.

;)

@reads-stuff-quietly @loo-looland @sluttygirl123 @beaniebaneenie @blushycadaver @sunndust @whyiamadegenerate @the-attic-of-porcelain @freakyotaku059-blog @youknowits-derea @thoughts-of-bear-undercovers @allthecraftandthings @gruffle1 @kennedyabraxas123 @queenies1x1 @jellyslimesofficial @jasminedragoon @rangoismyname @the-queen-of-sorrows @the-dumber-scaramouche @heddaloddafun @swimmingrascalbatdragon @hellodollstuff @wingedghostpepper @pistachioinfernal @honeybaegle @sammehshark @dij-ology @forgemotherkestrel @wafflefries786 @sadsilver @shellyyyyy0000 @thecreativeblueberry-blog @lovingbadguys

[russellsppttemplates]

We don't fit together (Lando Norris)

Your lifestyle is so different to Lando's that maybe everyone else is right

Note: english is not my first language. I'm not sure how I feel about this, it's like a love hate relationship with it to be completely honest... I hope it's still enjoyable to read! Update: there's a part 2 here !

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Tw: mentions reader's insecurities about herself and about her relationship with Lando, alcohol consumption

Tag list: @myloverjk-blog @hiireadstuff @c-losur3

Lando facetimes and he's going to a club wherever he is

"Hello, baby!", Lando greeted with a bug smile when you picked up his video call.

"Hey love, congrats on your podium!", you smiled back, now able to congratulate him face to face even if through a screen, "Don't you look handsome, hm?", you bit your lip once he set the phone and clasped his bracelets on his wrist.

The outfit was simple but he made it look so good. He was wearing black jeans, a white t-shirt and a backwards black cap was covering his curls. Had he been right in front of you, you would have already laced your arms around his neck and littered little kisses along the tanned skin.

"Thank you, baby", he blushed slightly, "Max and Kelly are also going to the club where Martin is playing tonight", he smiled, "it's really good and it's supposed to have the craziest nights out in town, so we're going to check it out - I miss you loads, can't wait to go back home", he mused.

"Me too, but I'm glad you're having a good time out there! I'm not going to say I wish I was there because it doesn't look like my scene, but I can't wait to have you with me, love", you giggled.

"That's true, I don't think it would be very enjoyable for you", Lando agreed, "we're leaving in the morning, which will be night time for you, so I'll text you updates and then when I arrive we can have an early dinner in that restaurant you really like near my place and then you could spend the night. How does that sound?", he suggested.

"Sounds good to me", you smiled at the prospect. Time couldn't go by faster.

"I have to go, baby - Max and Kelly are already downstairs waiting for me! I love you and I can't wait to kiss your gorgeous face", he winked.

"Go enjoy yourself, Lan, you deserve it! Give my congratulations to Max and send Kelly a hug from me. I love you!", you blew him a kiss before he ended the call.

Work commitments and some family situations had kept you from going to the race weekend. It was a common thing to happen but it still left you missing Lando like crazy, counting down the hours until he was on your arms again.

You finished cooking your dinner, ate it and then headed to the living room, ready to unwind and start your bedtime routine, getting a selfie from Kelly with Max and Lando in it too, the club lights illuminating then enough to tell them apart.

When you woke up, like promised, Lando had sent you a text saying he had boarded the jet and everything was on schedule. Opening the text, you saw that a few hours before he had also sent you a video.

It was less than a minute, but you could see Martin and Lando at the DJ table, happily interacting with the crowd before mixing some music up and dancing along, "I love you, baby!", Lando said into the phone before he ended the video.

You did your morning workout, showered and while you were having breakfast, you scrolled through your social media, seeing some edits from the race and a couple of videos from the club Lando, amongst other drivers, partied in.

The first one was a different angle from the one you had been sent, someone on the dance floor recording it and sending it to a fan page.

They usually didn't say much other than stating facts about the video, where it was taken, who was in it and who had sent it. This one, however, seemed to spark up the conversation as a lot of people had opinions about it.

He just looks so good 🥵 I'd never be able to leave his side if I was with him!

He always has the best night out spots

He just looks so happy when he's doing it, it's great he has friends who support him in it outside of racing

Scrolling down, a gossip page post popped up. Unlike the other videos, this one was in a controlled environment and it seemed to be from someone on the VIP area. You could see Lando and Martin talking to a group of people before the girl flipped the camera, speaking into her phone as subtitles showed "I can't believe this, it's Lando Norris! Fp you think we should go up to him? I bet he's here alone as usual", the blonde girl said as she swept her hair over her shoulder. She looked stunning, hair curled to perfection and make-up done in such a complementing way it showed skills you knew you didn't have yourself, "I've seen Max and Kelly, and Carlos was just at the bar I think", another girl with short black hair said.

"You know what I mean, he's never here with what's her face", she giggled tipsily.

Dating Lando meant that you were exposed to these type of interactions from people online on a daily basis, more frequently whenever he posted you or you joined him for the race weekend. On the comments, some people alerted the page admin and the girl who sent the video about how offensive it was and how they didn't have the right to talk about you like that, but it didn't seem to do much as other people left their opinion.

He'd be so much better without her, did you see the article where someone at the club said he left with another girl? She's done for...

It wouldn't surprise me tbh, there's only so much it can work before you realise you don't have similar interests and things are not making you happy

Lando would be so good with someone who is in the public eye, can you imagine all the content we would get?

Shaking it off of your body, you closed the app and locked your phone, taking a deep breath as your mind started filling with all sorts of doubts.

At the start, noise from the media was easy to reason with, but lately it was all you could think about. Every week with every interaction Lando had with another woman, they would suggest he was in a relationship despite knowing you were dating eachother. You didn't understand why, but they had even taken the extra step of having someone comment on it and give their opinion on it, as if there was an opinion to give on who he dated and didn't date.

Getting up, your put some music on your headphones and started tidying the house. You couldn't sort your thoughts out, so might as well deal with the mess on your apartment.

"I missed you so much", Lando said once you opened the door, his arms instantly wrapping around your body and walking you backwards, closing the door with his foot, "hello, my love", he said, nipping a few kisses on your neck before he looked up, finally kissing your lips after having spent so long away from you.

"Hello, Lan", you cupped his face, kissing his lips again as his hands roamed along your waist and back, "I'm so glad you're back home", you smiled.

"Me too, especially when I'm greeted like this", he smirked, looking you up and down. In the last two years, you still hadn't gotten fully used to the way he would look at you.

His heart swelled with pride because you were his, all for him and no one else, "I love this colour on you", he kissed your exposed clavicle, "as much as I'd love to continue this, we have reservations to get to", he smiled before licking the spot he just kissed, "let's go, gorgeous", he encouraged, making you get your coat and bag and put on your shoes, ready to go.

.

Lando got VIP entrances to a fairly new club, and since Max was in town, too, you decided to join them on a night out. Despite the opinions everyone on the internet seemed to have, you did enjoy going out, just not every week or even every month. Shutting down your laptop after sending the last e-mail, you went to shower and start getting ready.

Making sure the towell was secure on your head and the robe was soaking up all the water remnants from your skin, you walked up to your wardrobe, running your fingers through the options you had for tonight. Settling in an outfit you felt both comfortable and beautiful in, you were quick to dry yourself and change, grabbing a simple black bag out of your closet and then heading to the bathroom for hair and make-up. You clipped your loose waves away from your face once they were dry while you applied some foundation to even out your skin tone, hiding the dark circles that came with the little sleep you'd gotten that week, bronzing, highlighting and contouring what needed, doing your brows and applying some mascara to your lashes. You weren't too fussed about makeup, choosing to stay on the simpler side of things, not bothering with the little moles and pimples that still showed through as you'd end up with your face resembling a pancake instead.

Checking if you were on time, you grabbed your watch and bracelets and clasped them to your wrist before clasping your necklace on your neck and putting simple hoop earrings, appreciating your final look in the mirror.

Not too much, not too little, but you didn't look like the girls your boyfriend was rumoured to be dating. The article came from a magazine where they had analysed everyone they thought would suit Lando and his lifestyle, and even though you tried yo ignore it, Lando was the first to come to your place and tell you, in person, that he had nothing to do with those girls and most of them he didn't even knew personally anyway, spending the rest of the night in your bed reminding how much he loved you and only you.

Lando was coming to pick you up soon, so you headed to the living room to wait for him. A knock on the door announced his presence, "I'm here to pick up the most beautiful woman in the whole wide world - my girlfriend", he charmed before taking a good look at you, "you're stunning, baby, breath taking", he gasped.

"C'mon, let's go", you urged, your cheeks blushing at the attention he was giving you, "Baby girl, a little twirl for me first", he smirked, as you did it, "we're both one good looking couple, aren't we?", he added, kissing your cheek as you played with the thin chain around his neck, "you look great, handsome, so great", you kissed his throat before closing the door behind you.

As you walked inside the club with Lando, who laced your hand in his as soon as he saw the crowded place, you took it all in.

It would be a lie to say that your senses hadn't been invaded all at once when you stepped into the VIP area of the club, different kinds of substances in the air and some perfume notes invading your nose, lights flashing your eyes as the loud music rang in your ears and drummed on your feet.

Lando carefully guided you through the people - the less crowded zone helping your movements -, always keeping you close as he looked for Max and Martin.

"Hey! You finally made it!", Max said as he greeted you, "Y/N, fancy sering you here! You look amazing as always", he complimented your black pants and emerald green one shoulder top outfit.

"Hi, I'm Martin, have we met before?", he asked after he pulled you for a half hug, "I don't think so, no, I'm Y/N", you smiled at his kindness and welcoming demeanour.

"You weren't joking when you said you were going to bring special company tonight", the dutch DJ nudged Lando with his elbow before fistbumping his hand.

"My special lady only goes out when the music is really good, so you should feel honoured, mate", Lando tsked, kissing the side of your head and smiling down at you. He was so happy you were there with him.

"The bar is over there, c'mon! Let's go and get something", Max suggested, leading the way with Martin right behind him as Lando's hands squeezed your waist again as he guided you to the bar, occasionally nodding to acquaintances you two bumped into.

Getting yourself a drink and Lando grabbing something non-alcoholic for him, "I'm driving us both home tonight, I don't want to do anything irresponsible", he reasoned as the four of you engaged in conversation about the set Lando and Martin would be doing. You had always been a kept to yourself type of person, not really letting people in until you knew for sure what their intentions were, but having Lando and Max there gave you enough ease to chat with Martin too while you waited for them to go up to the booth.

Granted this wasn't your usual choice of plans, you had been out enough times to know what it entailed and what to expect, a lot of people you didn't know coming up to greet your boyfriend, some seeming closer friendships to him that others.

"Are you okay, baby? We'll have to go up in a bit, do you want to stay here or go up there?", he questioned, "I need to go to the bathroom, I won't be long hopefully, but I can meet you up there when I come back - do you think that will be okay?", you wondered, "yes, of course! Just wave at me or Max if anyone gives you any trouble, beautiful", he kissed you, "I love you", he mumbled against your lips, squeezing your hips softly before Martin pulled on his arm.

On your way to the bathroom, you accidentally touched the railing on the stairs when you were set your cup down on the designated area, the liquid on it making your squirm a little as you held out your hand like you had touched poison. For all you knew, it could be something like that.

There were two girls waiting to use one of the stalls, prompting you to gently slot yourself in front of them, "sorry, but do you mind if go first just now? I just need to wash my hand and then I'll be back to the line", you asked politely as they nodded, the first one going to the stall that freed up and making room for you as the other girl stepped out. Her face was familiar as you took a glance in the mirror, and from the smile she gave you through the mirror, you assumed she probably recognised you too.

Washing your hands again when you came out of the stall, you walked to the bar and got yourself a bottle of water, noticing your boyfriend already pressing and tapping the buttons on the mixing table as everyone danced and many captured the moment on their phones while you waited. The booth looked tight and, truthfully, quite exposed, so you decided to stay where you had been previously, still able to enjoy yourself and dance while you watched Lando and Martin.

Max must've thought the same as he spotted you a few minutes later, twirling you around before he set his drink on the high table.

"Ruby!", Max yelled as the girl from the bathroom walked up to him and gave him a hug followed by another girl you assumed was her friend, introducing her to Max before turning to you.

"You're Y/N, right?", she asked, noticing your surprised expression, "sorry, I didn't mean to be so blunt - I'm Ruby, this is my friend Katie", she introduced, "we bumped into you in the bathroom, and it looked like you knew who I was", she clarified, still noticing apprehension from you, "I know Lando - we're acquaintances, I guess", she said.

"I'm so sorry, your face was familiar but I didn't know where from", you apoligised, "I kept going over in my head but I couldn't pinpoint where I knew you from", you gulped.

Up close and in the club environment, you were now sure of why her face was so familiar. She was one of the girls the gossip magazine page mentioned. She was gorgeous and from the way people greeted her, she seemed to attend many parties and nights out at that club.

"It's okay - Lando has told me about you, by the way", she smiled before her friend pitched in, "it's so nice to finally see you here, it's a good thing you came here to see him. I didn't think it would suit you, but it does look like you're having a good time", Katie offered before sipping from her drink.

"Yes, it's quite fun actually, Martin and Lando are a good duo I'd say", you smiled, pushing the backhanded compliment to the back of your mind for now.

"Do you want something to drink, Y/N? I can get it for you!", Max offered and you shook your head no, thanking him for his offer but politely declining as you saw him walk to the bar with Ruby.

"How has your night been, Y/N?", she tried to start up a conversation and appear put together even though it was clear she had drank over her limit, "I never see you here with Lando - he usually hangs out with us when he isn't pretending to be a world famous DJ", she giggled, "so are you enjoying it? I know it's not really your scene".

"It's not my usual, no, but I enjoy a night out every now and again", you remained polite, "He's really happy when he does it and he gets to relax a little and forget his troubles for a bit, it's a good thing".

"He's really funny, yes, and charming too", she hiccuped, "I'm sure people come here for a good night out anyway, but I just know that most of these people here", she pointed to the people dancing, "are here for him because they know he enjoys a good party and they do too - I guess they're hoping their similar interests will cross paths", she smiled.

She was really trying to get to you, and much to your disappointment in yourself, she was successfully doing it.

"That's how he is wired, you know? Parties after parties, living it up with all the luxury he has access to, and at such a young age, he has everything on his fingertips, anyone even! It's just a matter of him choosing what he really wants", she added, straightening herself against the table when Ruby walked back with Max.

"What were you two chatting about?", Ruby asked as she set the drinks on the table, Max doing the same with his.

"I was just telling Y/N how it usually is around here, but tonight they've upped their game because Lando is playing, look at him!", Katie pointed at your boyfriend before she started dancing around.

"He's really fun at these functions", Ruby offered, "looks like it is something he enjoys doing", she said in an earnest tone, and for a few seconds, you wanted to believe she wasn't digging at you like her friend was and was just stating a fact.

Lando had a big smile on his face. His skin was glowing both from his tan and the sheen of the sweat from how warm it was up there, occasionally holding Martin's hand when he hugged him from behind and rested his hand on his sternum. All troubles were put to a halt when he enjoyed his time off with friends doing things he loved.

Once the set was over and the speakers played what you assumed was some random playlist for the moment, Lando and Martin came back to join you at the table, "did you enjoy it, Y/N?", Martin asked.

"I did, it was very good!", you smiled, feeling Lando's hands on your waist before his mouth whispered on your ear, "Hi, baby" and kissed your neck.

"Did you stay here for the whole set?", he wondered, "yes, it looked a little cramped up in there so I stayed here with Max, then Ruby and Katie joined us for a bit", you nodded with your eyes as Katie seemed to notice your eyes on here, waving back at you and Lando.

"Oh, Ruby - she's nice, I met her girlfriend the last time I was here - so that's her friend?", he mused turning fully around to face you.

"Should be, we didn't really talk much", you shrugged your shoulders.

"Did you really enjoy it, Y/N? You can say no and we'll be out of here of you don't want to stay", Lando offered, "I myself am getting quite tired actually", he said as he rested his hand on top of his stomach.

"I did, you did really well up there, and you looked really handsome", you smirked, twirling a curly lock that fell on his forehead.

It didn't take long before people started leaving, the night already mostly done with after Lando danced with you for a bit, noticing you seemed to also have spent most of your battery and wete in deep need of going back home. Bidding goodbye to everyone, you and Lando made your way to his car as he drove you back to his apartment where you had planned to spend the night.

Taking your heels off and putting on your slippers, you waited for Lando to lock the door and join you in the living room, thumbs fiddling with eachother.

Noticing your behaviour, Lando knocked on the door and approached you gently, "You alright, baby? You've been quiet since before we left the club. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Is your tummy upset? Or is it your head", he listed the possible causes of your discomfort.

He was however missing the point. It seemed you both missed it until now. For you at least anyway, he still didn't notice it.

Better late than never.

"I'm not judging your choices, it's not my place and definitely not on this... but... do you think we work?", you quesioned, your lips trembling slightly as all emotions seemed to come back to the front. How different you were, how his interests weren't similar to yours, how his happiness was something you were getting in the way of.

"What do you mean if we work?", Lando asked, genuinely not understanding your question.

"We're so different, Lando. Your lifestyle has nothing similar to mine, and I'm not even talking about money - that's a pretty obvious one and something not most humans can do anyway -, I'm talking about being the soul of the party, always ready to go on to the next night out and plan everything surrounding it. I don't do nightlife like you do, I barely do it at all. And that's okay for me as it is okay for you with what you do", you clarified.

"What are you saying, Y/N?", he inquired, a new tone of defensiveness in his voice.

"I'm saying we don't fit together like that", you let the words out, your heart shattering as each syllable came out.

"Y/N, that doesn't mean anything", Lando began, "sure, there are different interests that we don't have in common and that we don't share, but that doesn't make it not work between us! Why would it?", he argued, "it sounds to me like you're calling our relationship out because I like to go out and you don't and I don't agree with it".

"Lando, it hurts, it's painful", you stated, tears falling from your eyes at your admission.

It caught him off guard and his brain shifted somewhere else. To the promise he made you and the promise he made himself. He would never make you hurt and he would never be the cause of your pain.

"Y/N, baby, we can talk about this better when we've gathered our thoughts", he tried even though any suggestion he could make would potentially increase your pain. And he couldn't bear to do that.

"No one would ever see you and see me and say that we were good together, it just took us longer to see what they have noticed so long ago - so much so that they think you deserve someone else", you murmured.

"But I don't need anyone else's opinion when I have you", he mused softly, wanting to take your hand in his but you still fiddled with your thumbs before wiping your cheeks.

"Y/N, I promise that whatever is going on in your head is not the truth - your mins is telling you awful lies. I love you so much and I don't think like that", he tried to reason, "That's not what we are".

"I want to go home", you gulped, "I'm going to get an Uber", you announced, looking at a broken Lando.

"Can I drive you there, please?", he asked, himself feeling like prolonging the argument would only lead to worse but needing to make sure you felt he wouldn't give up, "I'd feel better being in charge of the car taking you home than anyone else at this time", he reasoned.

"You won't ask me anything else? Can we do it in silence?", you asked. The words had a bitter taste on your mouth like they didn't belong there. Chatting with Lando was one of your favourite things in the world, hearing his voice and his giggles, those were the best sounds ever known to man.

"Okay, if that's how you want it", Lando assured, grabbing his keys while you put your shoes back on along with your coat.

The drive to your apartment was agonisingly silent. Lando wanted to ask you where this left your relationship, you wanted to ask him if what he said was true.

"We're here", Lando announced, stopping the car and getting out, waiting for you to get out and meet him by the driver's seat door, "I- Y/N, is this goodbye?", he worked himself up to ask, "because I don't want that, we can talk about his and sort it out, please, this is what we do, love", he pleaded.

"Can we talk about it another day? I can't think straight tonight, and I don't want to say things that will hurt you because of that", you suggested.

"Sure", Lando sighed, "whenever you're ready. I love you, Y/N", he looked into your eyes, refraining from kissing your forehead even though that was all he wanted to do.

"Thank you, for this and for bringing me home, Lan, I love you", you looked back into his eyes.

He was hurt, too, and the last three words you said seemed to have brought anger to the mix as well. There was a grey hue and the sparkle was lost despite the moon glistening.

"Have a good night, baby, I love you more than words can say, and I will fight for you and for us, even if I'm the only one in the battlefield, I'll fight for both of us", he assured.

Part 2

[hmhas-00]

Ch. 36

Hit Me Hard & Soft

A/N- Broken hearts healing - ❤️‍🩹 loading up… GUYS!! Are we finally getting through all this tension?? How are we feeling?

Remy’s POV

I stretched out in bed, feeling around with my left arm, noticing the empty space beside me. I turn over, and reach for my phone.

11 am.

I stand up with my usual morning yawn, walking out to my living area, expecting to see Billie eating out my pantry. Instead, a sloppily written note on my fridge from her, letting me know to call.

I dial her as I make my way to the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth.

No answer.

I call her again, but again, get her voice mail instead. I decide to leave a text message, and get on with my morning.

Three hours later, after checking messages twenty times, I decide to call again. Still no answer.

After packing almost everything I own for Australia, eating lunch, and calling her for the fifth time today, a weird feeling in my stomach developed. It wasn’t like Billie to not at least text back.

I threw on some jeans and a long sleeve striped top, grabbed my keys, tied on my converse, and headed over to her house.

At her door, I rang the doorbell, waiting for an answer.

Nothing.

I attempted the code to unlock the door, failing twice, but finally, successfully unlocking the door. The code was my birthday.

0228

I walked in, searching the entire first floor, immediately drawn to the mess in the kitchen. It looked like the blender had been used, and left untouched, still half full with a green smoothie. There were breadcrumbs on a cutting board, and a knife with peanut butter on it.

The silence in the home was starting to freak me out. There’s usually some sort of music playing in the background, even if it’s very low.

Suddenly, the sound of claws on hardwood floor turned the corner, scaring me half to death. Shark and Brutus immediately jumped up at me, desperate for attention.

I need to stop watching so many true crime shows.

“Fuck—” I blew out a puff of terrified air. “Hi, babies! You scared me.” I got on my knees, letting them lick my face.

“Where’s your mom?” I asked them, standing back up and walking towards the stairs. The pups follow me, panting up the stairs and wagging their tails.

I open her door, “Billie?” I whisper. As I look around, I notice empty hangers lying on the floor, and her bedding messily draped over the side. I turned the corner, seeing the bathroom is just as messy as the kitchen, and walk through to her giant closet. More empty hangers piled on the floor, and an empty section to go along.

“That’s weird...” I thought, out loud.

I walk out of her bathroom, immediately noticing her broken phone on her floor. Examining it in my hands, I realize the cause for my unanswered calls was a cracked screen that will no longer power on.

Now, I know something serious happened.

“Billie…” The dogs ran down the hallway towards a second bedroom. “Billie?” I picked up the pace, walking toward the closed door, where the dogs patiently sat in front of.

I open it, my heart beating so fast that I could feel it in my throat. “Billie?”

The bed was unmade, but the room was otherwise clean. My eyes were drawn to the curtains waving with each gust of wind, coming from the open balcony doors. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach and I gripped onto the doorknob, refusing to let go until further notice.

“Remy?” Billie’s voice alleviated my worries, instantly allowing me to exhale the air I was holding in my lungs.

I poked my head through, finding her sat on an outdoor, rattan chaise, wrapped in a blanket.

“You bitch. You had me walking around here like a damn ghost buster.” I murmured, walking through the curtains into the balcony. “What happened?”

She looked up momentarily, “Sorry, Rem. I didn’t hear you. I broke my phone. Sorry if you called.” She answered, not fully present.

I sat next to her, by her feet. “Yeah, I saw that… Did something happen between you and Ellie?” The empty hangers, the empty space in the closet, the broken phone… it all clicked.

“We broke up. She left today.” She said, her voice monotone.

“Oh?” I tilted my head. “Are you okay?” I ask, knowing she isn’t. I put a hand on her leg, watching her bland expression.

“Yeah…” She said, softly. “It just sucks. The way it happened.” She cleared her throat.

“It looks like it was pretty intense…” I say, referring to the mess inside.

She sighed deeply, looking at me with swollen eyes and tear stained cheeks. “She just- The distance was gonna be too much.”

“That’s why you broke your phone?” I lifted a brow, knowing there was more to the story.

She nodded, looking distanced.

“She just up and left? Packed her things and left the place trashed?”

“She didn’t mean to leave it trashed. They’re just hangers.” She shrugged.

“I mean, it just looks like you guys got in a huge fight.”

“Remy, just let it be. Nothing happened, we just broke up.”

She looked and sounded annoyed. I didn’t want to keep pushing, but I knew something was terribly wrong. Her usually blue eyes looked gray in hue and lifeless.

“Did she hurt you?”

“No!”

“You’ve been crying.” I tilted my head, softening my voice.

“I’m- I’ll be okay. I just wanted it to work so badly.”

“Billie, you know I’m gonna bug you until you tell me what really happened.”

“I know you are. But that’s all it was.”

I shook my head, “You’re lying.”

She said nothing, just looked at me and let out a long sigh, “We left off on a good note… It just sucks.” She shrugged.

I watched her bring a hand to her hair and fix her front layers.

She opened up her arms to me and I obliged, scooting up towards her, and laying beside her on the large lounge chaise.

“I’m here when you wanna talk about it.” I said, only silence coming from her end.

We stayed like this for a while, listening to the cool breeze shake the leaves on the trees in her yard. I could feel something deeper than she was letting on. It always felt that way.

*************

Inside, I helped her pick up the mess on the floor, starting with the hangers, working our way to the bathroom, sorting out her toiletries and organizing cabinets. Billie stared at the empty space in her closet before sighing and closing the door behind her.

I pushed my head, quickly, back into the bathroom cabinet to give her some space, so she didn’t know I was watching.

“You don’t have to finish that. I can get to it later.” She squatted down next to me, looking inside.

“I’m almost done, no biggie.” I smiled, noticing her eyes looked tired and her complexion drained.

She sighed, squatting over the cold, bathroom tile. She gave me a half-way side smile, barely showing off her dimples.

“Did you eat?” I pulled my head out of the cabinet, looking in her eyes. She cut our eye contact immediately, stammering slow enough for me to know she forgot to eat. “Let’s go get some food, I’m hungry,” I lied, knowing she wouldn’t want me to make a big deal if she admitted she hadn’t eaten all day. Besides, she needs to get out of the house. Looking at the emptier space around her must be daunting.

She wanted to act like she was fine, like the breakup was no big deal.

She nods, “What are you feeling?”

I list about 5 of her favorite places to eat at, hoping she’ll choose.

“Which one do you wanna eat at?” She asked.

I pick the one her eyes lit up at the sound of, and she nods, smiling for me, a real smile this time.

*************

Quieter than usual, Billie and I sat across from each other at her favorite restaurant. Not even the usual jokes or loud giggles coming from our table, and even her favorite meal didn’t make her expression any less dull.

“We’re gonna have SO much fun in Australia.” I tapped her foot with mine under the table.

She nodded, before taking a bite of her food. “Yeah.”

“Ooh! We’re gonna go to the beach, tan, go thrifting…”

My attempts to cheer her up didn’t quite work the way I wanted them to. I stand up and join her side of the booth, sitting right beside her.

“Can I try?” I grab my fork and grab a bite off her plate. She nods. “Wanna try mine?” I look at her.

“Sure.” She forces a smile. I grab her fork and fix her the best bite. “Thanks.” She opens her mouth and I feed it to her.

“That was hot.” I joke, hoping to make her laugh.

She stifles a laugh, shaking her head at my lame attempts to get a single ounce of joy out of her.

“Mommy vibes, am I right?” I fix her another bite of my plate, holding it in front of her face.

“Dude,” She laughs, taking the fork from me and taking the bite. “What’s wrong with you.”

I lean back in the seat, “You’re all sad, it makes me sad. I worry about you.” I say, in a stupid Russian accent.

She laughs, “I’m fine, I told you, dumbass!”

”Okay, okay.” I laugh, standing up to go back to my side of the table.

“Aht aht!” She grabs my hand before I reach my seat, “I didn’t say you could get up.” She pulls me back toward her, my body flinging back and my foot getting caught behind the table leg. I let out a small yelp.

She gasps, grabbing my waist, tight, before I fall, scooping me in again. I let myself lean into the strong force, sinking back into the booth.

There is no harm done, just our two faces, millimeters apart, sharing the same relieved breath.

She looks into my eyes as I let the scared blood pump down my heart, back into my veins. I begin to laugh softly, forgetting that everyone in the restaurant was probably staring now. For some reason the tunnel vision set in and my cheeks grew hot. Perhaps from embarrassment.

Her eyes blinked rapidly and her gaze swept away towards my former booth, across from her. Her face became red. So red, that even under the dim restaurant lighting, I could tell it was at least 3 shades darker.

“It’s okay! I’m okay.” I laughed, fixing my hair back into its claw clip.

“My bad.” She scooted away, toward the wall, clearing her throat.

Our hands overlap when I reach for her, the slightest touch shocking us both with static friction. I continue to laugh as the waiter approaches our table, asking if I’m okay. My laugh became louder, nodding to reassure everyone around that we’re fine.

Billie began laughing, looking down at her plate, the situation catching up to her, quickly. Her infectious laughter grew, causing others around us to join in. My heart became full, hearing that wonderful sound, letting me know it would all be okay.

She looked at me, tears of laughter forming in her eyes, holding her stomach as I elbowed her ribcage softly.

I leaned my head on her shoulder as our laughs became sighs of contentment, slowly catching our breath in the middle of this upscale restaurant.

I periodically kept my eyes on her as I finished my food, loving the color brought back to her face. Her cheeks were rose-blush and her eyes were cyan blue under the soft lights.

“Wanna sleep over? You can help me pack for Australia…” She asked, a smile creeping into the corners of her lips, forming the subtlest dimples only I could see.

“I’d love that.” I hummed.

[ilovebuckers5]

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚scary love˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

nika muhl x reader

summary - you've never experienced true love until nika came along and part of you doesn't believe that you deserve her.

word count - 1.6k

themes :

-angst

-fluff

warnings :

-arguing

-cursing

a / n - inspired by scary love by the neighborhood and dedicated to my love (not the bad parts though only the sweet ones!)

Nika's hair always felt nice on my bare chest. I felt at peace when I'd wake up to her lips just barely touching my collarbones. my hands were still tangled in her hair but I slowly twirled some strands in between my fingers. this didn't feel right. it felt right in the moment but in the back of my mind, I didn't deserve it. I didn't deserve to have this perfect woman in my arms. it felt like I took up her warmth. I slowly peeled my arms off of her back and slid out from under her. her head gently fell against the pillow I was previously lying on. I watched as she didn't make a single move. I stood there and admired her messy hair sprawled out on the silky pillowcase. her fingers tightened around nothing but fabric, I could tell she wanted me back there. but I still walked to the bathroom and cleaned myself up. brushed my hair and brushed my teeth with the same thought running around my head. the same thoughts.

I can't fuck this up 

yet the moment I felt okay and comfortable, a flip had switched. a couple of weeks after that morning I was feeling amazing. I felt like everything I was blessed with was meant for me. but the second an ounce of doubt ran through my head, I blew.

"Baby who is this?" Nika said holding my phone to my face. her voice was soft and calm but part of me still felt threatened. it wasn't anyone. it was just my best friend and I happened to have her contact as "babe💞" the same emoji I had next to Nika's name on my phone. I knew that it was just my best friend and nothing more but for some reason, I felt the need to panic. as if I had something to hide. "oh. uh, it's just- no one." I snatched my phone out of her hand leaving it empty as if it was searching for something to grasp onto. I held my phone to my face as I quickly changed the contact back to my best friend's name and a red heart next to it. I felt guilty for nothing. when I looked up I saw Nika with watering eyes ready to burst. and suddenly I copied. this is the last thing I wanted. Had I fucked it up? "y-you can tell me who it is." her voice was trembling beneath her lips. I could tell that inside she was fuming and wanted to explode but she had always hidden her angry side from me so she refused to blow. I quickly stepped closer to her body, cradling her jaw. I tried to calm her down without telling her the truth even though I knew that was what would fix things. something was stopping me. She tilted her head in the opposite direction of my hand, ripping her skin from my own. "who was it? just fucking tell me." why didn't I tell her. why couldn't I? I rested my hands against my stomach trying to control my increasing breath. "i-i don't know." my voice trailed off with shaky breaths. what the fuck was stopping me. I held onto my arms pretending it was Nika. the room went quiet after Nika took a couple of deep breaths. Nika finally turned around and showed her damp face. her eyebrows furrowed when she saw that I had been crying too. "why are you crying? what do you have to be crying about?" she pointed her finger at my chest, gently bumping me back. I took a breath, stumbling over my air while wiping tears from my cheeks as fast as I could. I tried to keep it together and not sob out of frustration. "it's not anyone Nika I promise." I practically pleaded between words.

"then why won't you tell me!?" her hands flung through the air drastically.

"Please you gotta trust me, baby." I dipped my head into my palms.

"how am I supposed to trust you when you can't even tell me who you're calling babe?"

"It's just a nickname," I whispered under my breath.

"Jesus Christ." her hands were tangled in her hair as she paced around the room.

"I'm sorry" I croaked out between hidden sobs.

I felt weak.

"do you realize that I love you? more than anything in the world and if you do too you need to fucking show it!" she said with her back faced to me.

I held onto that. She loved me more than anything in the world. and I loved her more than myself.

"I-" I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off.

"no. You can explain to me once you actually know how to"

Nika walked out of the door and to her car. I knew where she was going. she drove all the way back to campus to see Paige. it's where she always went when she was upset. So there I was sitting on the edge of our bed. crying to pass the time that was only filled with hope for her coming back through the door and giving me time to explain. I slowly moved to the floor and sat against the wall instead. My knees curled up to my chest. my jeans soaked up all the tears that came out of my eyes. I held onto my shins and sobbed for the rest of the night. it was only at around 3 am that I decided to get up and change something. I brushed through my hair and changed into sweatpants and a cropped tank top. I changed from my slippers into tennis shoes before leaving the apartment and walking to campus. it took me thirty minutes to get there and about ten minutes to get the balls to knock on Paige's door. the door swung open to reveal Paige staring at me. blanker than usual. she was obviously mad and that made me feel even worse. "uh- can I come in?" I know Paige loved me and Nika together and separately so she let me in and sat herself on her couch. "she's in my room." she spit out blandly while motioning her hand behind her head.

"did you walk here?" Paige questioned while shoving leftovers in her mouth.

"yes," I said while walking down to where Nika was. the door was cracked open enough for me to see her lying on Paige's bed. no covers and not a pillow. just flat sheets. I hesitated with my hand hovering over the door knob before creaking open the door. Nika was asleep, which I was part thankful and sad about. She used to say that it was almost impossible to sleep without me. I could tell that she wasn't completely out though. I can always tell now from the number of times I've walked in on her sitting up waiting for me to come back from the bathroom. She would always have a goofy smile on her lips once I called her out for fake sleeping. I chose to lean against the wall after closing the door instead of sitting on the edge of Paige's bed like how I wanted to. I watched Nika's chest rise and fall with every melancholy breath she took in her sleep. A million things went through my head questioning what she could be thinking about. A small hair fell down the side of her face and I took no time to reach and move it back behind her ear. I guess she's a light sleeper without me. she blinked her eyes open and I wanted to cover my face. her eyes were locked with mine for half a second before she looked down at the pale purple sheets she was lying on. we sat in silence for what felt like forever until I spoke.

"it was my best friend. the girl in my contacts." I explained, waiting for Nika to even look at me.

"We have this inside joke where we call each other babe and it was brought up the night before so I thought it would be funny to change her contact to that but I'm now realizing that it was a bad thing to do while in a relationship and I'm so so sorry, I don't want to lose you and I feel like I just did you're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I don't know what I'd do without you-" my words began to trail off before Nika stood up and held her finger to my lips.

"stop." her hand rested on my hip while she stared into my eyes for the first time in 2 hours. I got caught in her eyes. her touch and her breath and everything else. she sighed and looked at the floor then back up to me.

"It's okay," she whispered while wiping the few tears that fell down my face without me noticing. she pressed her forehead against mine while moving her hands to the small of my back. a shiver ran up my spine when I felt her touch on my uncovered skin.

"I love you, Nika. so much more than you think. I'm so" my voice began to break "I'm scared that something will go wrong. that's the only thing that has ever happened to me. I get in an argument and then it's over. if that happened between us, I- I don't know what I'd do." Nika nodded along while I spoke.

"I am never. ever. going to pull that kind of shit on you beba."

Nika's accent calmed me. her words seemed to flow more when her accent was present.

I wrapped my arms around Nika's body pulling her in tightly. I pulled away to see her staring in absolute awe. her hands ran over my hair, slowly twirling strands between her fingers like how I used to.

[starkraivennemad]

Do You Like Me?

Mycroft Holmes looked at the paper he pulled out of his pocket in utter confusion.

He knew what it was: three-holed, loose-leaf paper. The type of paper every school-aged child was familiar with. He felt an odd sense of nostalgia simply holding the paper with its college-ruled lines. His brain began to swim with deductions:

Carefully halved -its smooth torn edge telling him the person likely used a ruler to do so.

Folded to create a square.

Wrinkled as if having been balled up to be binned but then smoothed out again.

All of that, while its own level of bafflement, was not as dumbfounding as what was written inside.

It's Valentine's Day. I like you. Do you like me?  Yes ⬜ No ⬜

It was evident the giver started on this quaint, middle-school note-writing path, realized the ridiculousness of giving him of all people such a thing, and was going to throw it away, but then changed their mind and slipped him the note anyway.

It was unsigned but Mycroft recognized the writing and could hear the voice of its author in his mind.

He has not seen him in nearly a week. How? Why NOW?

Then he recalled a conversation from a year ago.

It was the week of Valentine's Day. He and Gregory Lestrade had met for their monthly Sherlock update, which stopped being about Sherlock long ago. Gregory was recalling how he felt when, as a spotty young teen, he slipped such a note to a girl he liked but forgot to sign it. The girl in question presumed it was from another classmate that she fancied and approached him with it. The classmate, seizing the opportunity, claimed the note was his. By the time Gregory realized what had happened, he was too heartbroken and ashamed to say anything. He had not sent a Valentine again until he was married, and they both knew what happened there. Mycroft was just coming to terms with realizing he had fallen in love with Gregory and convinced himself Gregory would not be interested in him. Thus, kept his feelings to himself. He could not admit then that he would have never made that mistake were Gregory to send him such, and he would have checked off Yes. Instead, Mycroft casually mentioned he had started uni by then. Not that he thought of such things then, but he was much too young for his intellectual peers. And that same intellect had cut him off from what should be his social peers. He had not said the words, but he knew Gregory understood it meant he had never sent nor received such a thing. So, in true Mycroft fashion, he blew the whole conversation off in fierce snark about the sentiment surrounding the time of year and quickly changed the subject.

Now, a year later, Mycroft stared at the paper in his hands.

He was grateful none could see how his heart lurched, for surely could not hide his wonder.

Here he was, a grown man, a near middle-aged man at that! -receiving his very first Valentine!

For a little piece of paper, it carried a lot of weight. One he never expected to bear.

And it's from Gregory!

The enormity of what it meant! That Gregory, who would never toy with him on such a thing knowing who he is, has done this?

Could it really be that simple? To have everything by answering a Valentine?

The thought utterly gutted Mycroft.

Mycroft was not a man for romantic overtures; he simply was not. Still, he knew he had to do something.  There are only two people who could get close enough to him to deliver such and he has not seen his brother in days.

"Anthea?"

"Sir?"

Mycroft held out the note. "Please reverse the travel of today's delivery."

Anthea barely suppressed her smirk as she slipped the note into a pocket without looking at it. "Yes, sir."

Mycroft gave it two hours.

Ninety-three minutes later, his phone buzzed.

TEXT: This is faster. She or whoever was sent is good. I just found it in my pocket. –GL

It was a photo of the original note, now with Mycroft’s response added, plus another text.

It's Valentine's Day. I like you. Do you like me?  Yes ✔ No ⬜ It is MORE than like. YES ✔  

TEXT: If you could have 24 hours with me and I couldn't say no, what would we be doing? –GL

Mycroft nearly dropped his phone as far too many visuals, clean and… otherwise, suddenly crashed in his mind.

It was heady to realize what he once never dared to dream could be on the verge of becoming reality.

TEXT: Be my Valentine and find out. I’m at Diogenes. The clock will begin upon arrival. Come and kiss me. –MH

TEXT: I’ll be there in an hour, depending on traffic. –GL

“Anthea?”

“Shall I clear your schedules for today, Sir?”

Mycroft could not find it in him to even pretend annoyance at her presumptuousness; she was his aide-de-camp for a reason.

“Today and tomorrow,” he looked at his phone, “Actually -hold that thought…”

Emboldened, Mycroft sent another text.

TEXT: Can you be enticed to double the time if you’ll allow me to reverse the order? –MH

He mentally grinned at the thought of Gregory's face upon reading it. 

TEXT: Consider me enticed. I’ll be there in LESS an hour! –GL

Mycroft’s eyes playfully narrowed on a smug-looking Anthea. “Make that today, tomorrow, and the day after.”

“Of course, sir.”

=========================

Read/Comment on AO3

@flashfictionfridayofficial @mystradepromptsandscenarios @fluffbruary

[ohsohoney]

When it comes to love you're just as blinded.

Part Ten

Eminem x Musician

Summary: It starts with a drunk embarrassing video, it spirals into something a whole lot more.

Note: Later than usual, sorry! But I've been busy with a whole load of shit ngl, it's just been stress:) Let me know if anyone else wants to be added to the taglist though, I realise my updating is a bit sporadic? Maybe? Just a little? Lmao, anyway here's 10, hope you enjoy!

| Set in 2014, just after the release of LP 2

taglist: @thelastemzy

Masterlist

Jacket potatoes were a fucking delicacy.

Any Brit back home would tell you that. You could top ‘em with all sorts; Chilli, Tuna, Cheese, Chicken, Stuffing, Coleslaw, Bacon, Gravy, Bolognese— some people even liked them plain. But my favourite, as well as the only real and true way to serve a jacket potato, was with an ungodly amount of butter and baked beans.

Being in the States, it was a rather hard dish to come by. But, seeing as Marshall always appeared to go above and beyond, beans (No, none of that shoddy American shit) could be found in the little basket he’d gone and gifted me the day before. A little wicker bowl full of goodies to soothe that little ache of homesickness. 

I smacked the can down onto the countertop and levelled Rosie with a long stare.

“You’re serious?” She asked me around a wary glance, extending her arm out cautiously to get a better look at the bright blue tin as though she thought the contents might just reach out to try and grab her back.

“Deadly.” I remarked, attempting to keep my smile hidden when I met her question with a raised brow, “You’ll love it.”

Rosie didn’t look too convinced about that fact and yet, she rolled up her sleeves and took a seat at the counter to watch me work, helping out with the few things that she could. 

She had waltzed in through the front door a while earlier, just a second after I’d made it up the stairs, and the grin she’d worn when she had spotted me had had my heart warming and the pair of us wandering into the kitchen, arm in arm and already talking at a mile an hour. 

I was sauteing some mushrooms in a pan after having peeled and diced them up, whilst she kept a keen eye on the warming potatoes. “So Dad’s finally found some inspiration then?” Rosie asked me after a while, peering into the oven.

I smiled when I peered over at her, seeing how the orange glow of it washed over the side of her face to softly illuminate her features. “Seems so, we got a lot done but he was on a roll by the end of it.” I told her in reply, shaking the pan again and blinking at the sizzle that sparked up, “What do you mean anyway? Finally.” I dragged out that last word in a small singsong which made her chuckle as she stood to her full height once more and turned.

“He’s been trying to write for a couple weeks now, I think. Or months.” She shrugged, stepping back to watch the mushrooms fry with a slight wrinkle of her nose, “Not sure, but he keeps complaining about it whenever he’s on the phone.”

With a small hum, my eyes flickered back over to her, then to the pan again, “He didn’t mention it.”

Rosie blew out a faint chuckle and leant back against the counter, knuckles wrapping around its edge, “Why would he? He hates jinxing himself.”

It was cute that she noticed things like that about him, something I’d begun to note in the short time I’d been staying with the two, but I didn’t know... A large part of me wished that Marshall would have said something about it before, or at least alluded to it. It made me feel a bit bad for bowing out so early now. 

Still, my mind was quickly recaptured by the task at hand and then the story that Z deemed to tell me about, apparently a teacher thought that one of her friends was a shoo in for these auditions that they had coming up soon. The familiarity of the scene made me think back to Lottie, to everything that was happening back home, and I wished, silently and not for the first time, that it could be possible for a person to exist in two places at once. 

The spuds took their time baking but soon enough they were ready and piping hot, fluffy on the inside and with a crisp exterior. Rosie gathered up the butter and cheese at my signal, face lighting up at the prospect of being able to drown her own in the latter, whilst I pinched the tops of the spuds with a clean tea towel and plated them up, spattering them with a small amount of herbs.

I was going to keep Marshall’s wrapped up in tinfoil, if only to save it from going all horrible before he had the chance to try such a delicacy, but thankfully he’d worked his way back up the stairs just in time. I wondered how he’d managed it.

“Hey, you’ve got table duty.” Rosie exclaimed as soon as she saw him bustling over the threshold, handing the cutlery she was already holding to him without a second thought, which caused Em to blink down at his hands whilst he struggled not to drop the sudden weight he'd just been shafted with.

“‘Scuse me?” Marshall prompted, brow furrowed as his gaze wandered about the rest of the kitchen. I wondered what he thought of the bubbling pot of red sauce sitting on the hob, as well as the absurd amount of butter both Rosie and I had already lumped onto our steaming plates.

“You can set the table, Dad.” Z explained as she jumped back to help me with the mushrooms, her voice edging the line of a whining lilt, “We cooked! So it’s only fair.”

Marshall stared at her for a second longer before he ultimately snorted, “Right.” He murmured, recapturing his hold on the silver he held and eyes finding mine, before he spun round on his heel and left the room once again with a small smirk. When he returned, his plate was almost ready and just about to be loaded up with– “The hell’s that?”

I withheld my snarky reply in favour of smirking when Rosie answered for me, her eyes widening in the face of her father’s obvious leery expression. “Beans, Dad. El told me it’s one of her favourite meals, she wanted to share it with us.”

It wasn’t hard to hear the undertone there, the kind that told him to keep quiet on how he felt about the bubbling bowl I was currently holding because Z obviously didn’t want me feeling disheartened in any way. It was adorable, as was the stern face she’d paired with it, the same face that her dad found hard to waver against. His shoulders slumped ever so.

“Right.” He repeated for the second time tonight, dragging the first syllable out a tad, “Looks good?” He tried. 

I had to laugh then, “That a question or statement, Mathers?”

His eyes flickered over to meet mine, but I motioned for Rosie to get a start on heaping the cheese we’d grated onto her plate, the girl’s responding grin was giant. 

“I–” Em appeared stumped for a split second before he eventually just pressed his lips together and decided to jump in on helping us. Although he did complain when he spotted the frying pan sat off to the side, “Mushrooms too?” But with Rosie’s short warning of Dad, Marshall only appeared to raise his hands in mock surrender and then moved over to grab the plates so that he could carry them off into the next room.

I shared a conspiratorial smile with the younger girl before we followed after him, the three of us settling into the same seats as we had occupied the day before. Marshall still looked wary, even with his beans being hidden beneath a thick layer of cheese that I figured he had reasoned to himself would mask whatever taste was under it, but Z, to my utter surprise, looked ready to dig in.

“Changed your tune there, lovely.” I mentioned with a sly smirk, my gaze lingering on her long enough to catch the sheepish reaction she bore before she just shrugged and dipped her head around a grin, fork already in hand.

“Smells good.” Was the excuse she used and so I softened my face into a smile too.

“Well you helped so of course it does,” I quipped easily, picking up my fork as well before nudging Em’s forearm, “Come on, you big baby. Just try it. If you hate it, I’ll order you whatever you want. On me.”

That had him rolling his eyes, but he picked up his knife and fork with a determined expression.

I bit back a round of chuckles I could feel bubbling in my throat and used my chin to getsure for the pair of them to get stuck in. Rosie was quick to tear into hers and I was silently thankful for the way the potato easily broke apart under her knife, its texture fluffy and golden.

“Oh wow, this is so good.” She blew out the second that she could, already moving onto her next bite whilst Marshall was still working his way up to trying his own. “When you first showed me those beans? I was so sure I was gonna puke.”

I snorted quietly at that image, perfectly content with the plate of home I’d gone and conjured up for us, whilst Em’s face wrinkled. “Well if you had hated it, you’d have only had your Dad to blame, he’s the one who bought them.”

“I jus’ looked up British shit, they were top five on every list.” Marshall defended before he finally took a bite, slow in the way he raised his fork to his mouth, his eyebrows raising a little as he let the taste settle in, “Shit.”

My eyes narrowed a tad around the smile that I was chewing on to keep hidden but I watched him cut further into the potato, beans and melted cheese puddling around the sides. “That a good shit or bad shit?”

“Three dollars.” Z acknowledged, voice muffled by the food she still had in her mouth.

I laughed at that and shook my head in fond amusement before I turned to Em for an answer. He took another bite, a big one, something I took to be a good sign, and just nodded. My brow quirked in hope. “So good?”

He hummed, one shoulder shrugging, “Ain’t gone die if I finish it.”

Snorting, I could only shake my head at him, hiding my smile behind my fist. “Idiot. You like it.”

Marshall rolled his eyes, though the gesture was obviously fond as he raised his fork to point at me, “Just grateful you didn’t burn down my damn house.”

Rosie’s giggles filled the room and with them we all settled in to enjoy. Marshall asked after his daughter’s day and the girl was all too happy to ramble and rant to him, face lighting up at the prospect of it. She mentioned her English lesson, the book they had started on and how her teacher had explained this one paragraph to her class, then she went into detail about the play that was set to happen just before the Christmas break. I chimed in here and there, putting in my two cents where it was worth, but in truth, I was perfectly content to simply listen and watch on. 

The clean up that followed was mainly made up of me and Z messing around and singing to the music Em had stuck on, never the type to linger in silence. The pair of us did manage to rope the man into joining us once he had loaded up the dishwasher though, something he thoroughly complained about but followed through on all the same. He was just a sucker for his kid's smile, I reckoned, went above and beyond for the girl and it was all too easy to see.

It was a lot later that we all fell into a comfortable silence around the tele, Rosie sat crossed legged on the sofa with her homework whilst I offered help whenever asked. Marshall had joined the two of us a little later, after his phone had rang and he’d stepped out to take the call, he’d padded into the room with only the explanation of ‘Royce’ before he’d fallen into the seat beside me. I’d hummed but was too distracted by Rosie’s newest question to prod him further on it.

By the time she had finished up, handwriting practically perfect, her books had fallen into a heap on the coffee table and she’d slowly but surely scootched her way further up the sofa. I kept my eyes on the tele when I’d outstretched an arm in quiet invitation but hadn’t missed the grin she’d given in turn before she’d settled into my side, head coming to rest on my thigh. I caught Marshall’s watchful stare from out of the corner of my eye but didn’t glance back over, smiling at the scene that played out on the screen whilst my hand smoothed over the girl’s hair. 

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed between us before Marshall’s quiet cough broke the peace we’d since created, but the sky was more of a hazy cast of dark blue now rather than the ruddy auburn that had lined it much earlier. I stifled a small yawn.

Rosie sniffed softly in my lap, twisting a tad to cast her Dad a quizzical glance. Throughout the duration of the film that Z had picked out for us to watch, the man had gotten close enough that he now only had to drop his shoulders to poke at her cheek.

“Bath and bed, kid.”

The scrunch that overwhelmed Rosie’s face at the order had me grinning and so I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before moving my hand to pat her shoulder. “Up and at ‘em, soldier. Heard what the old man said.”

“Do I have to?” Z huffed, just as a hand came up to rub at her eye. Marshall’s mouth ticked ever so slightly into an amused smirk, his fingers replacing mine in an effort to smooth the front of her hair. 

“School tomorrow.” He reminded her all too gently, dropping his hand lower to shuck the underside of her chin which only made the girl smile sleepily. “You know the deal.”

She sighed heavily in retort, but did eventually make the move to push herself up and out of my lap, legs stretching across the couch cushions before her feet found the floor. It was just as she went to stand that she turned to face me though, her expression a little meek but rapidly losing the residual somnolence it had just held. “Will you do my hair again for me tomorrow?”

I was caught by surprise at the question she’d asked. I wouldn’t lie, but I didn’t let the reaction show as I smiled warmly back at her, reaching out to tap a finger on the top side of her hand, “‘Course. Anything you want, lovely.”

Rosie’s little grin had her eyes squinting and forced the corners of her mouth to pinch upwards in a move that only deepened her dimples. She leaned over to give me a hug of thanks, whispering the word into my ear before she pulled away and rounded the sofa, kissing her Dad’s cheek on her way out.

“No messin’ about, Z. An early night, ‘kay?” Em reminded her, leaning against the back of the couch so that he could tilt his head far enough to see her, “I’ll be up soon.” He added, his words met by another charming grin whilst she shook her head in fond exasperation and slipped out of the room, leaving just the pair of us and the tv. 

It was a long while before Marshall disturbed the quiet once more, the film we’d been watching had finished some time ago and so now all that was playing on the screen was a couple repeats of South Park and the odd advertisement. “She’s different with you.” I heard him voice.

With a furrowed brow, I let my head turn to find him. He was perched in the same position he had been, but now with an arm stretched along the back of the sofa and a knee bent to fill the small gap that still separated us. “What d’you mean?”

When he replied, it was low and soft, a murmur if not for the sincerity behind it. “She don’t act like that ‘round nobody.” He told me, fingers jumping in a steady rhythm on the back of the cushion, his eyes peering between mine. “Me, sure. She’s a fuckin’ koala when she wants to be, but with other people… it’s something she second guesses.”

His words confused me. Or rather, threw me. “I don’t get it.”

He dropped his gaze, blowing out a small but mirthful huff through his nose, his thumb dragged along the edge of the sofa. “You known her what, three days? And she don’t think about gettin’ close to you. Sure she’ll be coy with it, sly even, but that’s ‘cause she don’t wanna overstep with you. Like that right there–” Em said, getsuring his chin out towards my lap, I followed the gesture, then blinked back up at him, remembering the way she’d approached me, “She don't do that with people.”

My face must have given away to the fact that I was still trying to process the weight of what he meant, because his smile was soft, warm even.

It made me think of Lottie, who was always so open with her affection, who gave it out without thought or focus, her smile always great, always there. Then of myself. I tended to avoid affection where it mattered, a reason as to why I’d never let many people too close to my heart, why I hadn’t had something fulfilling to divulge when Marshall and I had spoken about past exes, I supposed. It baffled me to see some of the same tendencies I’d shown growing up in Rosie, in a girl too sweet, too loving, too happy to be so aware of how to guard herself.

I looked to him again and let him have his fill, allowed him to see how his words, the sentiment behind them, had pierced through the armour I’d long since moulded around myself. 

One side of his mouth lifted and he used the hand resting on the back of the sofa to circle my wrist, leaning in a little closer, filling that previous gap. “Ro’s had her mom, her sister. They’ve been there. They love her, and she loves them. I know that. But with Kim, it ain’t always parentin’, it’s fun and games. It’s showin’ off, not showin’ up. It’s messin’ around until she finally grows–” 

He paused there, eyes flickering left and then right as his tongue swiped over his lower lip, almost as though he was resentful of the term he wished to use. 

He settled for, “Bored. Or maybe jus’ tired, you know? She’s there until it's her time to step up and do the job she’s ‘sposed to, til it's missed recitals and forgetting pick-up, that’s when she reacts. Pulls away.”

He sighed, gaze caught on his fingers, on the easy way they engulfed my wrist. His thumb brushed over the freckle that dotted the bone, and continued on through a slow exhale, “Ayla, she’s a lot older. She does her own thing, she’s got school, work, friends. Z obviously filters into all that, but there's always been a small divide. I like to think it’s just ‘cause of their ages– it’s how me and Nate worked growin’ up, you know? But there’s this whole idea that fuckin’ messes with my head, like maybe it's all down to me. Ayla’s my niece, but she’ll always be one of my own. I love that girl as much as I love Rosie. More than life itself. But I know I hurt her, havin’ her here, watchin’ me fail and fuck up whilst she was growin’ up. And jus’, maybe I can’t help but wonder if I ever let her know that enough, that I loved her, if it’s that that’s impacted her relationship with Z.”

I was quick in my attempt to soothe his doubts, the hand he didn’t hold jumping over to lay across the top of his own. “I’d call you an idiot, but I reckon you already know that.” I chuckled halfheartedly, though my smile was genuine when his eyes snapped up to meet my own, “You’re an amazing father, Em. I honestly believe that with my whole heart. And it doesn’t take much to see it either. I mean, I was here not even a day and was so quick to see the love you held for your daughter. I saw it in your reactions too when we called, when you spoke of them, however brief it was. I haven’t met Ayla but I don’t think I’d have to for me to see that your worries are just that, worries. I’m sure that girl loves you in the very same sense that I am sure that she knows you love her. That you see her as much more than just your niece.”

My thumb trailed over the back of his hand, skimming knuckles, taking in their slight discoloration, the faint white lines that could have only been age old scars. I dipped my head a tad so that my gaze could align with his shadowed blues, prompting him into lifting his eyes from off the floor.

“I’m also honoured that you think Rosie’s comfortable enough around me to mention the gravity behind it, that you’d trust me with her company, let alone her affection.” I said sweetly, gifting him another smile, it was close lipped but one that appled my cheeks. His stare caught onto it, fingers tightening around my wrist by a fraction in a squeeze that showed only his appreciation. So I squeezed back, fingers fastening over the top of his fist. “Z’s hard not to love, she’s all of your best parts and more. Sometimes…” 

I took a small breath, fretful over saying what I had intended to until Marshall met my flickering gaze once more, silently prompting me on. I swallowed thickly, feeling the force of it travel through my throat, but did follow through, “Sometimes it’s just hard raising kids, I guess not everyone’s made out for the harsher reality of it all. Of having to be a parent and not a friend. I mean, it was forced on me in a way, I’ve been raising my siblings since Danny the day came along, since before I knew what being a mum meant. What one was.” The weight of that admission had me reeling for a split second, at the truth it held. But I pursed my lips before allowing my eyes to find Marshall’s once more, “Kim, I’m sure she tries, I’m sure it’s more than my mum ever did, ever could do, but it’s okay for you to fear that it’s not enough for Z, too.”

Marshall worked his jaw, blinking for a second before he eventually spoke, voice rasping with the emotion he felt. “Kid deserves the world.”

I found myself grinning at that, the teary kind which glossed over your eyes but was strong enough that you couldn’t prevent the fluid motion of it. It was without thought that my arms came up to wind their way around his neck and I relaxed further in the gesture when I eventually felt his face come to rest against my shoulder.

“She does.” I murmured, hand cupping the back of his neck, fingers resting over the fine hair which lined his nape. “She does.” I heard myself repeat again as my eyes slipped closed. 

When we parted, I watched as Em knuckled the corner of his eye, grunting faintly to clear his throat and rid the room of any tension that then clouded us. I felt the corner of my mouth twitch, but did look away towards the tele when he started to shift once more, giving him a sense of security that he hadn’t been caught out, that I wouldn’t dig too deeply into his reaction. 

“Thanks.” He murmured after a stunted moment and it was only then that I glanced back over to him. I smiled in turn.

“Nothing to thank me for.”

When we parted ways for the night, I chose to head on up to bed, mind so full of thoughts that I found it hard to latch onto a singular one, whilst Marshall stopped at the bottom of the staircase to gift me a quiet goodnight, eyes caught on the reflection of moonlight that crept its way across my cheek, the sight mirrored on his own face.

I didn’t know it then but I would eventually, he’d never felt so inspired.

So as I’d slipped beneath my duvet, my mind stuck on the words we’d shared, Marshall was back down in the studio, writing away once more. But this time, it was for a completely different reason.

[itallcomesfromhoney]

TEASER - Kiribaku x Reader (friends to lovers) ft. fakedating!au

not my gif

“You really let Bakugo and Kirishima have it tonight.” Mina said giggling as you walked arm in arm back to the girls’ dorms. Momo nodded in agreement, both enjoying the drama that you brought.

You roll your eyes,

“They deserved it.”

“What even happened? Bakugo looked like he was about to snap his fingers and light everything on fire, while Kirishima looked like he was gonna pull a muscle with the expression he had.” Momo asked you, frowning a little.

“I have no idea, I was just dancing with Todoroki when they blew up at me and Bakugo called me a bitch” you shrug and scowl at the memory.

Mina scoffed, “I feel like I have a pretty good guess as to what their problem was.”

“Hm? What’s that?”

“Maybe they’re jealous of Shoto?” Mina said with a teasing tone, as if she wanted to get a reaction out of you. Momo nodded, agreeing with Mina’s theory.

You freeze,

“Jealous? Why would they be jealous, they’re my best friends?”

“Because they want to be more than just friends, obviously.” Yaoyorozu laughed, finding it funny that you didn’t understand the pink girl.

“Ah- no way, Momo” you stammer, flushing at the other girl’s words.

“It’s so obvious.” Momo continued to giggle, while Mina nodded again.

It was clear that they thought it was funny that you didn’t realize it, especially with how Bakugo and Kirishima were acting lately. You paused to think, it was true they didn’t like other guys around you, and they had sabotaged every time a guy might had tried to ask you out.

“Do you really think so?” You ask the girls.

“I absolutely do” Yaoyorozu said with a smirk. Mina nodded again.

“Bakugo has always been way overprotective of you, so it makes perfect sense when he gets this way when he sees you with another guy. Even Kirishima is acting pretty weird over the situation. Honestly, I am still surprised that you haven’t noticed it sooner than this.” She smirked as she spoke, finding the whole situation amusing.

“Well I’m not talking to them until they apologise for ruining my evening” you pout, choosing to ignore the theory flying around.

“That’s probably not gonna take long.”

“I give it a day before they both come running to you.”

“Unless I really annoy them” you muse, a plan for revenge already forming in your head.

“Oh? And how do you plan on doing that?” Momo snickered, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Mina raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

“Who do we know that would piss them off the most if I started dating?” You muse “Me being anywhere near him would about give Katsuki an aneurysm”

The two of them both burst out laughing as you spoke.

“Perfect.”

“He’s the perfect choice.” Mina said, finally speaking up after several seconds of laughter.

“If you could give him my number and explain the situation I’d be so grateful, he’ll definitely be up for getting under their skin” you ask Mina.

“Oh, I would love to. It’ll be fun seeing both of them have a complete meltdown over this.”

The next day, you’re sat reading on your bed, mulling over the night before when you feel your phone buzz next to you.

Note: Just a teaser for a fic I had knocking around! Could be a fun one but let me know if you want the actual chapter/fic!

[hellfirenacht]

Wing Man 11

Fic Summary: Steve ‘the Hair’ Harrington is your best friend, and is constantly striking out. Sick of this, you two make a deal; you’ll wing man for each other. Hooking Steve up with dates is easy, but he finds himself struggling to find you a date. At least, until Dustin starts talking about his new cool friend Eddie.

Chapter Summary: Steve talks shit. Paige and Eddie talk business.

5.2k words

Series Master List

Working for Family Video came with many upsides, especially when you worked with people who you also enjoyed seeing outside of the store. Rentals were already dirt cheap with your employee discount, and near expired candy and popcorn never quite made it into the dumpster out back and somehow magically appeared in your bag instead at the end of your shift. 

You always liked to think that Family Video was sponsoring your bi-monthly movie nights with Steve and Robin. The Harrington household was always the meeting spot, as he was the only one who had a tv and VCR in his room. Well, you did as well now after Keith had tossed out an old player, saying it was broken. You’d brought it home to tinker with and found that some kid had stuck gum in the tape slot. It had taken you a week to clean and another month to figure out how to hook everything back up, but it was yours. Steve still had the nicer home and tv though, and more importantly his parents bought brand name snacks. 

The three of you were in Steve’s living room, the movie playing on the screen long forgotten as the three of you caught up with each other. Robin was usually the barometer for if a movie was worth watching, she and Steve might have had very different tastes, but Steve would usually get sucked up into whatever movie she chose. 

“So is his band any good?” Robin asked, dumping a bag of m&ms into her bowl of popcorn. 

“I think so.” you shrugged, cracking open a drink. “If anything, they’re good enough to be scouted twice.”

“By the same person.” Steve pointed out. “You know, his ex.” 

You had brought the news of Eddie’s meet up with Paige to your friends with mixed results. Robin seemed indifferent, but that’s because most of the time she didn’t have the same interest in talking about boys. Steve, however, seemed less than thrilled about this idea. 

“Yes, Steve, his ex. As in, not together anymore.” you sighed, wishing you felt as confident as you sounded. “Whatever happened between them sounded like it blew up for both of them.”

“But she still wants to have lunch with him!” Steve said. 

“Yes, to talk about the band!” you shot back. “And it’s lunch. Didn’t you tell me that dinner is a date and lunch is just two people hanging out?” 

“Since when does my advice apply to you or Eddie?”

“Since Paige isn’t me or Eddie, so your dating advice might actually apply here.” you snapped and took a breath. “Sorry. This is all new to me. I’m really not sure how I’m supposed to feel right now. It’s like every time things start to go well with me and Eddie, something happens. Paige, Chris, you-”

“Hey-”

“I like him a lot.” You leaned back against the couch, grabbing the popcorn bowl from Robin. “When I’m with him, I get that same feeling that I do when I’m hanging out with you two or when I’m at the show every month. I don’t feel like I’m hiding myself when he’s around.”

“There are other weirdos and freaks around.” Steve pointed out. “If I had known there were that many of you around, I would have agreed to go to the show earlier to help you get phone numbers.” 

“Yeah, but have you seen the way she looks when she’s talking about Eddie?” Robin hopped into the conversation. “I don’t think anyone even existed to her that night.”

It was true, no one other than your friends and (unfortunately) Chris had truly registered to you at the show. Yeah, you’d noticed the few cast members but they weren’t the metal head with the long hair and crop top that had held your hand all night.

“Oh shit, did I tell you guys that we ran into Chris?!” You asked suddenly, changing the subject. 

“Wait, that guy you and Eddie kept talking shit about?” Steve turned to look at you, grabbing a handful of popcorn and getting crumbs on the couch.

“Yeah!” you said. “He actually works for the show now, I guess? He said he’s been there for a while and he’s seen me at the show before. It was so fucking weird.”

“Is that the guy who said you were too normal to play with Hellfire?” Robin asked. 

You nodded. “Yeah, and he ran Hellfire into the ground until Eddie took over. And now he’s doing tech for the show. Also, he was Rocky in the shadow cast.”

“The guy in the metallic shorts?!” Steve gawked. 

“Columbia did say that the cast changed for the night.” Robin said, and you gave her a quizzical look, remembering the lipstick mark you’d seen on her jaw that night. “She came by and talked to us before the show!” 

“She couldn’t resist my charm.” Steve gave you a smile that you were sure worked with someone like Nancy Wheeler, or Tammy Thompson. You just shook your head and laughed. 

“Right, anyway. Chris came and talked to us after the show and he told me auditions are gonna be open for the cast. He gave me his card, and told me that it was invite only.” you explained.

“You’ve been talking about wanting to be part of that since we started working together.” Steve said. 

“Yeah, I guess I get a shot to do something, too.” 

“Chris turned you down for Hellfire, and now is letting you audition?” Robin asked. 

“We aren’t in school anymore.” you pointed out. “I know how it sounds, but none of us are the same people we were back then. I’m not the same person I was two years ago, none of us are.”

“I hate it when you’re right, you know.” 

“I’m just saying that if I can give you the benefit of the doubt and make friends with you then maybe Chris isn’t as big of a prick as he was back then. I might not have even given Eddie a chance, either.” You picked out a few m&ms from the popcorn bucket, getting your fingers covered with butter and colored candy coating. “I mean, at the end of the day, isn't that what this whole deal was about? Shaking off old habits and trying to step outside of contentment?”

“I thought your deal was so that you can stop having Steve check you out every time you wanted to rent porn.” Robin snickered. 

“I thought we were just trying to get dates.” Steve looked confused and you gave him a pat on the head. It always amused you how his hair could spring back into place like that.

“That too.” you said. 

“So, you’re really okay with Eddie going to see his ex?” Steve said, forcing you back into that topic. 

”I’m not thrilled about it.” You finally admitted. “But we only went on one date and this might help his band. Besides, if we start... Whatever this is without some sort of trust then is it even worth starting?”

“So you trust him?” 

“I trust you and Dustin, who vouched for him. He was honest enough to tell me that it’s his ex who wants to talk about his band. What happens next is up to him.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” Steve relented and his eyes wandered back to the tv. 

You didn’t, but you were tired of letting other people tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. 

Ever since Benny’s shut down, there wasn’t really any good place to meet up with someone for lunch in town. Every time he had seen Paige before, it had either been at the Hideout, or his van. Neither of which was really a good place to talk about Corroded Coffin. 

It was Paige’s idea to meet at the small hole-in-the-wall pub that was just out of Eddie’s comfort zone in terms of price. Eddie arrived on Saturday afternoon, earlier than he meant to with his nerves. He leaned against the wall outside of the pub, watched the cars go by as he waited for her. 

She didn’t leave him waiting for long, and ten minutes before their agreed upon time, Paige was standing in front of him for the first time in over two years. She hadn’t grown an inch, but her wavy dark hair had, and now barely brushed her shoulders. In the daylight, Eddie could see a faint tint of red that he never noticed before. Other than two or three times, he realized that he and Paige had never spent a lot of time together when the sun was out. Paige’s freckles were as prominent as ever. 

To Eddie’s surprise, she looked happy to see him. 

“Hi, Eddie.” she said, and to his relief she didn’t go in for a hug. 

“Hi, Paige.” He responded and reached over to open the door to the pub for her. 

The two didn’t say anything until they were sitting at a dimly lit booth in the corner, where Paige broke the ice. 

“Before we get into any business talk, I need you to be honest with me.” She started, sitting up straight and looking him in the eyes. “If you care about your future in music, and your band, you need to tell me what happened. Tell me how you ended up in jail two days before the most important moment in either of our careers.” 

Eddie had expected this, and the past week had been spent trying to find a way to spin the story so that he didn’t look like the biggest asshole on the planet. In the end, he decided that he should be honest with her. Paige wanted real, and he would give that to her, tarnish and all.

Someone came by and took their drink orders, giving Eddie a moment to collect his thoughts. 

“I did something stupid.” He started. 

“Obviously.” She gave him a wry smile. 

“Moving to California isn’t cheap.” He watched the tone of his voice, searching for that piece of him that made Hellfire and Corroded Coffin listen to him. Being a dungeon master for so long had given him a way of speaking that could draw someone in when he tried, and right now he knew he needed to try and convince Paige that Corroded Coffin deserved a second chance. “I needed a way to pay for everything that came with moving across country. My dad... he-” Eddie’s voice wavered for a brief moment. “He had an idea to make some quick cash for the two of us. It wasn’t smart, and it really wasn’t legal.”

“Jesus,” Paige sighed, looking at him with a deep frown. “I would have helped you, Eddie. I was already willing to let you live with me for free until we got you set up. I told you that you didn’t have to be alone in this.” 

Asking for and accepting help wasn’t something that Eddie was ever good at. He’d been hyper-independent since he was a child, when his dad would disappear for long stretches of time, even after his mom died. Asking for help after (or especially because) Paige had put in so much money and effort for him already, wasn’t something that he could bring himself to do. 

“I know.” Eddie said. “I had this stupid idea that if I didn’t make the effort on my own, then I didn’t deserve the change. So I did something stupid, really fucking stupid, and it cost me everything.”

“Mark told me that you shot a cop.” Paige said, and before Eddie could speak up, she continued. “I didn’t believe him. When I wired the money, I was able to get an idea of what happened. You saved that guys life.” 

“I couldn’t let him just bleed out on my yard.” Eddie said. “I couldn’t- it wouldn’t be right to run away like that.” 

“You really caused a lot of trouble, you know that?” 

“I know.” Eddie took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry. I fucked up. I did a lot of stupid shit I shouldn’t have, and I paid the price. It cost me more than just the audition.”

There was a time between getting the news about his audition with WR Records and the heist that Eddie flew. He had everything he had ever wanted; he got the girl, had his dad back, he had a future, which was something he never thought he’d have. For a few beautiful weeks, he had spiraled up, up, and up. 

In the end though, what goes up must come down. Eddie had reached for something that would never be meant for someone with the last name ‘Munson’. He had crashed back down to earth, to the reality of who he was and it had cost him everything. His dad, his childhood house, his audition, Paige, and even Ronnie for a short time. 

For the next two years, Eddie swore to never even think about reaching for the sun again. 

“Thank you for being honest with me.” Paige said. “I still think you’re an asshole.”

“I was an asshole.” He didn’t even try to fight it. “The biggest one in Hawkins.”

Even with her declaration, Paige still had a look on her face that was the ghost of an expression she had in the passenger side of his van on the night that she had given him the news that WR Records had liked him. 

“Things went downhill for me when you bailed on the audition.” Paige said, and Eddie swallowed, his mouth feeling dry. He had never known what had happened with her after their fight over the phone. “I got in a lot of trouble because of you. Davey doesn’t like anyone, but he liked you. When I couldn’t get you out there, it really screwed up any trust I had with my job.”

She stopped talking for a moment as a waiter came by and dropped off their food. Eddie couldn’t bring himself to touch the overpriced sandwich in front of him yet. His mouth felt dry and he reached for his water instead. 

“I was stuck in a dead end job, where any talent I tried to bring to the label was shot down without being given a chance. I was being paid to do nothing, except babysit the studio and paperwork.  I got demoted, and I was already at the bottom of the totem pole.” Paige never looked away from Eddie, her gaze unflinching and sharp. “I stopped liking music.”

Guilt washed over Eddie, and there was something in him that screamed at him to run away to avoid this. Being the reason someone stopped liking music? He knew he’d fucked up but that... that was something deeper than just missing an audition. 

“They didn’t have the means to really fire me, I hadn’t done anything wrong.” she continued. “They moved me to a smaller label under the WR name. That label was where acts they had given up on went to die.”

“Which label?” Eddie managed to ask, despite how dry his mouth felt. Even the water wasn’t helping. 

“Left Turn Media.” Paige said. 

During those weeks when things had been good between the two of them, Paige had mentioned the label once or twice. It was considered a death sentence to be put on that label, and working for them was WR’s way to get people to quit without firing them. The two had listened to a few cassettes from the label. The bands weren’t bad, and that was what stuck out to Eddie. The music wasn’t bad, but it was clear that the production was lacking and half-assed. Paige said that the music would be sent out to small radio stations to be played in the middle of the night. 

“Shit.” Eddie said. 

“Yeah, shit.” Paige let out a laugh. “But if there’s one thing I am, it’s stubborn. I threw myself into my work. I’ve been spending the last two years breaking down and completely reassembling Left Turn, and now I’m in charge of it.”

“You.” His eyes went wide as he stared at her. “You’re in charge of Left Turn Media.”

“It’s amazing what you can do when you’re pissed and have something to prove.” Paige shrugged. “I had a lot of time to think about my relationship with music in the last few years. I realized if I wanted to bring something real to the music scene of L.A. I was going to have to do it myself.”

Her dark lips curled up into a smile. “I should almost thank you for fucking up. Because you bailed, I was put in charge of a sinking ship. I patched it up with my own time and money and now Left Turn has become the label for all misfit bands who don’t fit any shiny polished label. I proved to myself and everyone around me that I belong in this industry.”

“I-” Eddie wasn’t sure how he was supposed to respond to that. “You’re welcome...?”

“We’re expanding the label outside of California.” She continued. “I’m in charge so I’m trying to bring good music to my hometown. It’s still not the biggest label, and we can’t offer half of what the bigger labels would, but it’s something.”

“And what are you offering?” Eddie felt dizzy, the more she talked. His words were careful, as if asking the wrong question could end in another blow up between the two of them. 

“What I’m offering is another chance for Corroded Coffin to be signed.” Paige’s arms crossed over her chest. “Left Turn is still finding its footing outside of L.A., so we’re flexible. I’m here to work with local radio and college stations around Indiana to get them to play the few bands we’ve signed so far. Who we have are okay, but they aren’t...”

“Real?” 

“Eddie you have something, as much as I never wanted to admit it again after what happened between us. There’s something about the way that you play that I haven’t been able to find since. I could do this without you, but I think that this is the real sink or swim moment. WR Records goes on with or without you, but I think what you have is what could turn Left Turn around.” Page took a deep breath. “If Corroded Coffin wants another shot, this would be it. If you still have that do-or-die energy when you play, I could offer you a real deal to put together an album. I could get you on the radio.”

Eddie listened to her words, taking in what she was offering. Yes, it wouldn’t be the easy street that WR would have been able to offer, but it would be something. And this time, it wouldn’t just be him auditioning, but Corroded Coffin was wanted this time. 

“You’re serious.” Eddie said, his heart rate picking up. 

“As serious as shooting a cop.” 

“Jesus.” Eddie couldn’t stop himself from letting out a laugh. He ran his fingers through his hair, messing up his fringe as he replayed everything that Paige had just told him in his mind. She wanted him to audition again. This was a chance that he wasn’t sure could be passed up. 

“Some of the band is still in high school.” He said, feeling reality settle like a stone in his stomach. He didn’t mention that his name was on that roster. 

“Like I said, we’re flexible.” Paige said. “I still need you all to audition again, and even then it’s going to take me a few months to set anything up here for the band. I want you all to audition with me and a few others from the label before the end of the year. If everything goes according to plan, Left Turn might have the recording studio ready by next June.” 

“You’re setting up your own recording studio?” Eddie perked up, the anxiety and guilt that he had originally felt was now shifting into something new. He found himself relaxing enough to eat his overpriced sandwich. 

“Yes. We need something that’s a step above Live Mike Studios in Lafayette. We have the building picked out and are already gutting it for Left Turn.” 

“You’ve really thought of everything, haven’t you?” Eddie smiled at her. 

“I have.” Paige agreed. “But I learned not to put all my eggs into one basket. This industry has taught me to have a plan A, B C, and D.” She let out a long sigh. “I made it to plan L before and I would prefer not to do that again.” 

“What was plan L?” 

“If I go into the whole story, I’ll need a strong drink. It involved a guitar player with his head up his ass thinking he was going to be the next Gene Simmons.” Paige groaned. 

“Gene Simmons doesn’t play guitar.” Eddie pointed out. Paige gave him a thousand yard stare, which said everything he needed to know. “Ok. Gotcha.” 

“I’m hoping to get everything set up with minimal surprises.” She concluded. “Get with your band. I’m going to be in town for the rest of the year setting things up.”

Eddie nodded. “So... why Indiana?” he asked. “You were in California. Why come back here to set this up?”

“Like I said, I want to bring good music to my hometown. Once everything’s done, I’ll be able to move back and forth from California to here.”

“And Corroded Coffin?”

“Will stay in Indiana.” She said firmly. “I can’t turn you into the Rock Hero you could have been two years ago, but I can try and make you a Hometown Hero.”

Another story. Paige had always been good at spinning stories. Once upon a time, Eddie had been a barback turned frontman turned Rock Hero. Now he’d be barback turned frontman turned Hometown Hero. That part felt less believable than before. 

That’s how Paige saw him, but how did he see himself? Barback turned front man turned drug thief turned drug dealer turned uber senior? None of that was a story worth selling. And what about the rest of his band? Would Gareth, Jeff, or Zack want to be part of this? Ronnie hadn’t, she just wanted to play just to play. Jeff had been excited about this when the opportunity was first presented, but would he still want the chance? Gareth was the youngest and still had over a year of school left. 

One thing at a time. 

“I’ll talk to the guys next practice.” Eddie said. 

“Good. Are you still playing at the Hideout?” Paige asked. 

Eddie froze for a second, as he imagined Paige and you in the same space to watch him play. He imagined your excited face, and the way you would cheer for them after every song, the excitement that radiated off of you after every set. Even earlier this week, when you’d dropped by to watch them, knowing that Eddie was going to see Paige, you’d still shown the same enthusiasm as before. 

He’d thrown you another pick. You’d handed it back to him at the end of the night, telling him that he could toss it at you again next week. 

“You look like someone who loses your picks the second they are out of your sight.”

You’d been right. The only one he could consistently find was the one he’d turned into a necklace. His dad’s picks had been packed away, shoved under his bed where he wouldn’t see them. Eddie didn’t use those picks anymore. 

A few weeks ago, he couldn’t stop comparing you to Paige, but now he couldn’t stop thinking about how different you two were. 

“Yeah, we play on Tuesdays now.” Eddie said. “People stopped complaining enough that Bev decided to give us a steady slot.”

“Good to know.” Paige said. She wasn’t confirming or denying if she’d show up, but that look in her eyes said that he could expect to see her again soon. 

After all, The Hideout was the only place in twenty miles of Hawkins that offered any live music. 

For the rest of the meal, the two caught up with each other. It didn’t feel as weird as Eddie would have expected, but it was nice. He let Paige do most of the talking, letting her tell him about her work in the industry, he didn’t need her knowing more than she needed to if he wanted to have this shot. Would she want to sign a bunch of high schoolers? He hadn’t even told Paige the first time that he had dropped out when Higgins blackmailed him. 

That was alright for now though. Paige talking meant that he didn’t have to and he added to the conversation by asking plenty of questions about her work. Hearing about the music industry from her end was something that he had a genuine interest in, anyway. 

Paige told him about how she had been given a copy of Iron’s Maiden’s Live After Death by Davey. She was even willing to make Eddie a copy of it. It wasn’t the video, but he wasn’t about to turn down audio of one of his favorite bands that wasn’t even released in the US. 

When the check came, Paige didn’t even blink as she paid the tab and the two of them made their way outside again. It was still pretty early in the afternoon, and the chill of the late autumn air contrasted the bright blue sky.

Trying to still be somewhat of a gentleman, Eddie walked Paige to her car as she recounted the tale of how she had been on the flight from Indianapolis to Los Angeles where Izzy Stradlin had been arrested for pissing in front of everyone.

Paige stopped with her hand on the door to her car before turning around to face Eddie before getting in. 

“I don’t hate you, you know.” she said. “I was mad for a really long time at what you did. But I don’t think you’re a bad guy, Eddie.”

Eddie didn’t feel like he deserved the forgiveness she was offering him. Being told that he was anything other than some satanic cult leader or freak wasn’t something he’d ever get used to.  

“Paige I...” He wasn’t sure what to say. 

She had that look in her eyes, the same look she’d had after she’d given him the news about his original audition. What are you waiting for? Paige was moving closer, freckles like constellations on her skin and the moon in her eyes eclipsed by her eyelids. 

Eddie's hand fell on Paige’s shoulder before her lips could get any closer to his. “I can’t.” he said. 

Her face went through a few emotions. Surprise, disappointment, and settling on embarrassment. 

“Shit. Sorry.” Paige said, shaking her head. 

“No it’s.. It’s fine.” Eddie said, and he could have sworn that Paige looked just as confused as he did. “I don’t think it’s a great idea to do.... That.” 

Eddie hadn’t once entertained the idea of Paige and him together again. It didn’t feel right. He wouldn’t lie and say that he didn’t find her attractive, but it wasn’t the same feeling he got that first night in the Hideout. As a teen, he’d been thrilled that a pretty girl was paying any attention to him at all, and was willing to do anything and be anything she wanted. 

Any relationship with Paige was business, plain and simple. She wanted a Rock Hero to help her get up the ladder, Eddie wanted to make it with his band. Sex had just been a bonus in their past relationship. Paige knew her stuff with music and the industry, but she didn’t rant about Ozzy and his bats, or have a real interest in D&D or put herself out there the same way that you- 

“I’m seeing someone.” He blurted out before Paige could say anything else. 

Paige looked surprised for a moment and shook her head and laughed. “Right. That... I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I did that.” she admitted. “I guess I got swept up in this stupid fantasy about being a power couple. We’re a bad idea.” 

“I’m sorry.” Eddie said, not sure what else could be said in this situation. 

“Don’t be. You’re right, ‘us’ is a bad idea.” she ran her fingers through her hair. “It’s a good thing my offer isn’t dependent on if we’re sleeping together or not.”

“I know you bought me lunch, are giving my band a second chance, and forgave me for one of the biggest fuck ups of my life, but I don’t put out that easy.” Eddie smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood.

Paige offered her hand and Eddie took it. “Business only then.” she said. “Talk to your band and call me to set up the audition.” 

Eddie watched Paige’s car drive off, and suddenly felt a lot lighter. He blasted his music and drove home, nearly laughing like a maniac. Today had been a wild roller coaster of emotions, and he couldn’t wait until the next band practice to bring the news to his band. 

At home, he grabbed his guitar and immediately began sorting through Corroded Coffin’s small pile of original songs, and the covers that they were able to perform the best. Eddie was off, lost in his own world as he wrote, re-wrote, and re-worked the set list. 

What would you think? Would you be excited for him? If this worked, he was going to make sure to get you concert tickets. Okay, he was getting ahead of himself. Maybe you could at least come for the audition as moral support. His band liked you, so maybe they wouldn’t mind. 

Eddie didn’t come back down to Earth until the phone rang that evening after Wayne went to work. He almost missed the call because of how deep he was into perfecting the riff that had eluded him for the past few months, determined now more than ever to get it down. 

He reached the phone on the last possible ring. “Hello?”

“Hey... Eddie?” Your voice cracked over the phone, and that feeling of excitement came crashing down. “Sorry I... Can you come pick me up? I’m at home.” 

You were crying. He could hear it in the way your voice strained and cracked. He was already reaching for his keys. 

“I’ll be right there.”  

a/n: As I stated before, I do like to try and keep everything as time accurate as possible. However things happen, and sometimes things are too good not to use. The Izzy Stradlin incident did not happen until 1989, but the fact that it was on a flight from Indianapolis to LA was too good to pass up. I also would like to notate that I did make a mistake when it came to the Ozzy Bat Incident. It was not a 17 year old girl, it was a 17 year old boy and the bat was already dead. Chalk that inaccuracy up to the tabloids of the time, and the lack of Google. No, this will not be addressed in the future of the fic unless it’s funny. 

Dividers By: @strangergraphics

Tag List @k8loo @terrormonster55 @sp1dyb0y1008 @crocwork-clockodile @ali-r3n @mxcheese @josephquinnschesthair @gagasbee @peaches-roses-sins @witchwolflea @vintagehellfire @royale1803 @cumslutforaemond @prestinalove @browneyedgirly93 @perpetualmess @thebook-hobbit @cultish-corner @grishaversecaptivated @sortagaysortahigh @halialex1119 @siriuslysmoking @huffledor-able541 @pookiesnatcher @eddiesguitarskills @browneyes-8288 @sheneedsrocknroll92

[joekeeryswife]

angel baby - a.t

hello everyone! first Alex imagine and of course it is a dad one lol. i feel like that’s all i’m good at writing. here is holding his daughter for the first time, probably has some mistakes. short and sweet, enjoy🩰

he had no idea he could love something so much. his heart felt like it had exploded. he loved you of course but this, this was a different kind of love.

“my angel, we have been waiting for you” he cradled her, his eyes darting across the newborns face as she slept peacefully.

his finger softly stroked her cheek, she newborns cheek twitched slightly, obliviously it had tickled her. he was in awe.

“god you look like your mum. she has said from day one that you’d look like me but deep down i knew you’d be as beautiful as her” he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

you were sleeping soundly on the bed across from the pair, a difficult labour had worn you out and Alex had begged you to get some rest even though you didn’t want to you obliged.

“your mummy had a very hard labour with you, i was so scared but now you’re here and you’re both safe. it still doesn’t feel real” it was true, it was fairly known that Alex had his fair share of girlfriends in the past.

he didn’t even know if he’d wanted to be a dad but that all changed when he met you. as soon as he laid his eyes on you he knew that you were the one he was meant to marry and create a family with.

you were quite a bit younger than him, him being 38 and you being 28 made people talk but he didn’t care. he loved you and no amount of hate comments would change that.

“i can’t believe i am your dad” he didn’t know why but he could feel himself welling up. just looking at this perfect angel that he and you had created just blew his mind.

the baby shifted in his arms, a small stretch and a yawn followed. she slowly blinked, her dark eyes matching his. she was only five hours old, probably wondering where the hell she was but their eyes locked and a few tears fell down his cheeks

“hi sweet girl, look at you with your eyes open already” he shifted slightly, getting himself more comfortable in hospital chair.

he sniffled “you have got so many people excited to meet you princess. you’re the first grandchild, you’re going to be so spoilt”

his parents where getting older and with him being the only child he wanted them to have at least one grandchild to carry on the Turner name.

his mother had been ecstatic when she found out she was going to be a grandma, and she was even more excited when she found out it was a girl.

she had knitted all different hats and blankets for the baby, her room was filled with clothes and toys they had bought because this was a huge deal to them.

alex heard you stir as you slept, he finally took his eyes off of his baby girl to check if you were okay. you had a traumatic labour, baby girls heart rate had dropped as you were pushing and as you pushed her out you got quite an awful tear leading to you getting 24 stitches.

you didn’t wake up, only stirring to get in a more comfortable position and Alex watched you until you stopped fidgeting to make sure you were okay.

after what happened, Alex knew he would do everything in his power to make you as pain free and stress free as possible. he turned his attention back to the small newborn in his arms. the two of you had discussed names, some being too unique, some not being unique at all and some being just boring but finally after nearly a full blown argument about her name you had picked one which suited her perfectly.

“now i know that you’re a newborn and you’ve literally just entered the world but we need to stick together and make sure that your mama has no stress. you’ve got to be the most perfect newborn ever. she had a very difficult time bringing you into this world” he leant back into the chair and adjusted the baby carefully in his arms.

she looked at him, eyes blinking slowly as she looked up at her father “yeah, you’re looking confused now but you definitely know who i am. i used to speak to you all the time when you were in there” your daughter already had thick brown, curly hair under her pink hat the hospital gave you.

“you know, you really are one of the most beautiful things i have ever seen in my life and i have seen quite a few pretty things in my lifetime” he lent down to press a small, sweet kiss on her forehead. “i’ll never let anything happen to you angel. i love you so much Posie”

[slothwrath]

If I could've been, I would've been

Pairing: Rose Thompson Hovick/Reader

Summary: Lucille gets Rose a part. Kind of.

Word count: 4,935

Hi know it's been like a month! My life is so busy right now I'm mainly writing this on my breaks at work, but I will finish this I swear. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know if you have any suggestions <3

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/63757222/chapters/165846757#workskin

Chapter 2 - This agent thing is easy

It felt like every light on stage was shining directly into your eyes, which was really making today's run through a little difficult. More difficult than usual at least. But whatever, you didn't need to see where you were going or anything like that.

Apparently the lighting guy for the show you were in was a little eccentric and thought it would be a good idea to change everything about the lighting cues last minute because the previous stuff was all wrong. Something about it not "illuminating the actors true essence" well enough.

It wouldn't have been such a bad idea if it had happened earlier on in the production, the setup had felt a bit one note. If you hadn't already had your opening night. A few days ago. And it hadn't gone very well so of course everyone was panicking. The buzz of voices around you grew as you all tried to navigate your blocking with the sun having manifested in the middle of the theater.

This is what you got for joining washed up productions in a theater group that was going to fall apart any second now. Jerry the lighting guy fucking everything up and the director nowhere in sight.

It didn't matter though, you had other things to occupy yourself with while everyone pulled themselves together. You hadn't been able to stop thinking about Rose all week. It was the first time you actually had fond memories from a shift- of being chased down through the kitchens.

She had seemed so small at the bar, half a head shorter than you and dining alone on a Friday night, but when she had talked to you she was exactly the opposite. She was a lot but in a good way, you didn't know how else to say it. In the way she'd wedged herself as close as possible in that dark alley, practically on top of you, and jumped right into asking questions- almost like an interrogation really. In the way she grabbed your arm so casually like you had already known each other for a while.

You'd liked the way her hair framed her face in a fiery maelstrom, adding at least half an inch to her height. You'd always had a thing for curls and you couldn't stop remembering one specific cowlick you wanted to smooth back. And the way her eyes never left your face, dark and playful and just as intense as the rest of her. Her intensity drew you like a moth to the flame. You couldn't believe she had chosen to talk to you out of everyone else in the restaurant.

And you had practically told her you were a big shot star despite despite the massive amount of evidence to the contrary. But so what if you'd stretched the truth a little? It didn't count as a full lie if it was gonna be true eventually.

Suddenly the whole theater went dark, silencing the room for a second along with your thoughts. Of course this was when the director decided to finally show up.

"Jerry again with the fucking lights?! Turn them back on!"

"I can't boss, I think we blew a fuse."

It was eerie how quickly everything grew quiet then, especially considering nobody could see a damn thing. Johnny wasn't known for being a particularly quiet director. Or kind for that matter. He shouted the minute anything wasn't going his way and he didn't pull his punches or sugarcoat any of his notes either- he could hit the back of the theater like the lead soprano in an opera any day of the week. But he didn't seem to have anything to say now.

Until- "Fine it doesn't matter anyways. Run through's cancelled for the day folks and so's the show tonight, something's come up. But I'm working on it so I still expect to see you all bright and early tomorrow morning!" The sound of footsteps echoed through the theater as he began storming off. "And the lights better be up and running by then Jerry or so help me I will replace you in a second!"

As if you could afford anyone walking out on the production at this point.

You stumbled blindly after Johnny as everyone resumed moving in the darkness, slamming into people on the way and half falling off the stage when you failed to locate the stairs. The lobby of the theater was pitifully deserted and looked like it had been hit by a group of vandalisers. Repeatedly. The few chairs they had available that weren't buried under spare costumes and old playbills looked as if they'd kill you if you sat on them, covered in various stains and splinters as they were. The posters on the walls from the troupes myriad of failed shows were so coated with dust nobody could make out what they said, which was probably for the best anyways, and if you looked at the ticket booth too long you'd notice what looked suspiciously like two bullet holes in the top right corner.

It was never supposed to be like this. You were in New York for a while, right next door to Broadway and hitting auditions everyday. For big roles too- you could've had it made by now if you had stayed. If life hadn't gotten in the way and shot you straight back down to home and straight into no good productions that fell apart at the drop of a hat.

"Johnny!" You called out as he rounded a corner.

He looked as if he wanted to disappear at the sight of you. "Not now Lucille, I have bigger problems to solve than whatever you've got going on."

You caught up with him anyway and followed him towards his office. "But I want to help." That was sort of true.

He stared at you in disbelief.

"Fine and I need to talk to you about something." You admitted.

"Yeah that's more like it. Christ it feels like the apocalypse everyday with you people, if it's not one thing falling apart it's another. Just one time I'd like everything to go smoothly, but that's show business for you I guess."

He signaled the bartender and ordered a drink. The theater didn't actually have any offices so everyone used the neighboring bar for their meetings. It wasn't such a bad set-up, the bar had a conjoining door to the lobby so they got some extra business from drunks wandering in and the actors had easy access to alcohol as well. Really you had to be drunk for their shows, whether you were in the audience or on stage.

"What's happened this time?" You asked.

"Francesca quit on us. Something about falling in love with a tortoise breeder in Portland." He downed his glass in one go before ordering another. "Actors."

Fuck. Francesca wasn't your lead but she might as well be. She was a good actress, confident on stage and precise with her movements. Always off book on time too. The show wouldn't be the same without her.

"I'm gonna try to call in some favors so we'll have our replacement tomorrow but I'm not hopeful we'll get anyone even half as good as she was. Who else can bring down the house with that final monologue? Loud and racy as hell that woman."

You leaned forward, face resting against the bar so you could make eye contact with him. He hadn't been looking at you, doing everything he could to pretend you weren't there. But you had someone who could take Francesca's place.

"What if I told you I could get you someone tonight? Hell, in the next hour if you want."

Now he was looking at you- like you were insane or something.

"Who?"

"Doesn't matter, you wouldn't recognize the name but she's great. Actually she's what I needed to talk to you about so this is perfect."

Johnny leaned back, regarding you suspiciously. "Huh. And you promise she's good?"

You nodded vigorously, almost smacking your head on the counter. "She's sensational."

He grunted in response. "Well I don't have any other good leads. You have three hours. And you're buying me these drinks."

You leaped up, simultaneously searching for your wallet and scrambling to get out the door as fast as possible.

"Thank you Johnny you won't regret this!"

He looked a little like he was starting to regret it already but it was too late, no take backs.

You were going to find Rose.

This whole getting someone roles thing was easier than you'd thought. Maybe you should have been an agent instead.

***

The decor in the living room was all wrong. The walls were a flat, off-white color that blended in too much with everything else in the room, from the cream colored sofas to the lousy bland armchairs. Despite what the room was called it looked particularly unlived in- repetitious and boring like it was decorated by someone hired, not by Louise or Rose.

Rose reached up and moved one of the pictures on the wall slightly to the left. Some wallpaper would do this room good, maybe something floral. Or anything with color really. She should've kept the cow head instead of getting rid of it last month to appease Louise. It would've looked great above the mantel.

The curtains were too long. That was the real problem. She moved to adjust them and they tangled together in twisted loops on the floor.

Maybe if she didn't have so much time on her hands to look at everything it wouldn't be such an issue. Really the problem was how often she was left to her own devices these days. An abundance of free time had never been a good thing for Rose at all.

She ran her hand along the back of the sofa, absentmindedly tracing along the seams and scheming of ways to fix the room without Louise noticing.

This was pathetic. What was she even doing standing around like some sort of boring old lady, the room was fine it was her life that was the problem. Again. Since when did she let herself be sidelined and forgotten in a corner? She should be planning another act for her daughter. She should be-

The doorbell rang cutting her silent rant to herself short.

"I'll get it!" Rose called out, glad to have something else to distract herself with.

Then she remembered that she was alone and calling out to no one. She'd sent the maid home early and Louise was who knows where. Probably at some important meeting Rose hadn't been invited to.

Though secret meetings she wasn't involved in were quickly moved from her mind as she opened the door and came face to face with you.

"Hello." You said with a small smile, looking equally excited and startled like some sort of prey animal again. Like you hadn't really expected to see her at the door somehow.

It had been over a week since she'd first spoken to you at the Cattle Classique. Even though she'd told herself she'd find time to bother you she hadn't gotten around to it. Rose'd never had an issue going after anything she wanted before and she certainly had the time for it right now, but something had stopped her.

She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the sight of you though, reflecting yours in matching delight.

"How do you know where I live?" Rose asked after a few beats of silence.

"Um, I wouldn't worry about it." You said, eyes widening slightly before very quickly moving on. "I think I got you a part in this show I'm in!"

Rose had been looking for something to do. She invited you inside.

She could tell you were hesitant to accept the offer, but you entered anyway after a nervous second. It was funny how you contradicted yourself, bold and excited one moment then shy and uncertain the next. You seemed like someone who knew what she wanted and how to go after it but you were unsure in you actions leading up to it.

It was cute. How you looked so shy as Rose led you through the house but your steps rang confident.

"We don't actually have a lot of time." You said, taking in everything in quiet awe.

"Wouldn't be the first time I've been involved in a last minute audition."

"Oh good." You did sound immensely relieved by this for some reason. "We have three hours."

Rose turned to look at you swiftly, drawing your attention back from your surroundings. Good. Sure it was nice that you liked the place so much, she hadn't always lived in such glamour, but she wished you would pay more attention to her. It wasn't like she could take much credit for where she lived these days anyways, stonewalled from anything involving Louise as she was.

"Well why did you let me invite you in? We should go now." She started moving back towards the entryway, making a mental list of everything she might need as she went along.

"What? Now? You haven't even looked at the script, I haven't told you anything-" You protested, scrambling to keep up with her sudden change of direction.

"What's the role?"

"A noblewoman during the regency era. She's loud and a bit of a comedic part but she has some of the best lines and is sympathetic-"

"I could do it in my sleep. Just let me get my coat."

"Okay- Rose-" Your feet skidded on the tiled floors behind her in your rush. "Wait!"

Rose paused reluctantly. If you had expected to find things going steady and slow with her you had another thing coming. Rose didn't do waiting around for things to happen.

But when she turned to look at you again she saw something soft on your face, not apprehension or exasperation, combined with a measure of excitement and determination that rivaled her own.

"Okay." You said for what must be the seventeenth time. "You're going to nail this audition and we're going to own that stage several nights a week for the next couple months."

Then a touch of worry clouded your face as if you'd just remembered something terrible. "But this theater isn't exactly the grandest place in the world." You were fiddling with your sleeves anxiously. Rose wanted to reach out and grab your hands, do anything to comfort you. "It's not a permanent setup for me, hell I'd be surprised if the theater itself even lasts a month, but you gotta start somewhere you know?"

Rose knew.

"We can work our way from that dump to anywhere in the country we want." You continued. "I just needed to warn you first."

That last part was said like more of a challenge than a warning, with your chin jutting out and a frantic look in your eyes. Jesus you were adorable. And Rose loved a good challenge.

She reached out and cupped your face, giving in to her impulse to touch you. "Let's nail this audition then."

You leaned into her touch before she pulled away, murmuring another startled, "Okay."

Rose chose one of her favorite coats for the occasion, an emerald green number that fell to her calves with a small ruffle around the shoulders, almost like the petals of a flower. Louise had made it for her years ago out of the silk backdrop they'd used for some fairy land show she'd had a dream about.

"Let's go." She tried to go past you on her way to the door but you put a hand on her arm, gently stopping her.

She froze again, exasperated- if she really only had three hours like you said then you needed to go. And she knew her coats were loud and she didn't care- wasn't changing it for any audition either. That it made people notice her was by design. But she didn't want you to say anything about it.

Instead you ran your hand over her shoulder, straightening the coat out where it had gotten bunched up. "There. You're gorgeous."

Rose tried her best to keep it together as you linked your arm through hers and dragged her out the door. She really needed to stop underestimating you.

"Now we can go."

***

You hadn't been kidding the theater was a dump, but Rose had seen more than a few trashy theaters in her time. At least this one didn't seem to have cabaret acts or anything below board like that involved- though the shady bar attached to the theater like some sort of leech certainly wasn't helping it's character.

She'd gone over the script with you in that bar for a frantic couple of hours, pouring over the words and trying to memorize as much of it in as possible. The show wasn't good but it wasn't all that bad either, there were too many monologues for her taste but the high-speed carriage chase at the end really tied it all together. The important thing was Rose knew she was good, she was great actually. She could turn this show from a mediocre one to a fabulous one, and she could feel something inside herself come alive at the prospect of having something to work on again, of being back in the game. Of being needed for something.

"You're going to do fantastic. Just don't listen to anything Johnny says he's an asshole." You were saying as you lead her towards the theater, stopping outside the doors with her. "I'll be right outside the whole time- though I don't think you'll need any help."

It was a nice bonus how much you seemed to believe in her too.

Wait.

"You're not coming in?" Rose felt unusually panicked at the thought.

You shook your head. "Johnny likes to do his auditions without an audience, something about it being personable and bringing out a more honest performance from the actor."

That just sounded like it was inviting in a whole world of trouble. And also counterintuitive to the idea of theater in general. Wasn't the whole point to have an audience?

Rose resisted the urge to cling on to your arm and drag you into the room with her.

"Well this Johnny doesn't sound like the type of guy we need to be listening to even if he is the director. Come in with me." She tried instead.

But you shook your head. "We have to play this as much by his book as possible, at least until you get the part. Like I said, Johnny can be a little difficult."

Rose didn't say anything in response, just turned to the door and took a deep breath.

"I'll be right here Rose." You assured her.

Not that she needed it. She was going to be just fine.

She rolled back her shoulders and said to the door- "Yeah yeah, don't worry I've got this one."

Johnny was leaning against the stage with an arrogant swagger in his stance, studying the script as if he only had a few seconds to look at it before it grew legs and walked away, refusing to look at her as she crossed over to him. He'd looked short and grumpy from across the room, like all the worst stagehands Rose had dealt with over the years, and he didn't get any taller or happier the closer she got.

When he finally glanced up after she cleared her throat she realized it was much worse than she thought. His eyes lit up with recognition.

"Rose Thompson Hovick." He half exclaimed and half spat. "Now there's a face I'd hoped to never see again."

Rose didn't like swearing but she could think of many choice words she'd have liked to say in that moment.

"Jonathan Beaver." She said, straightening her back in response to his accusing stare. He was taller than her but not by much- she could take him if things got ugly.

Johnny pushed away from the stage, matching her stance in intimidation. "Come to steal another venue from me? Well you'll have to get in line, I have a show already falling apart and a last minute audition for this role I have to fill."

He seemed to realize what he'd said as soon as it came out of his mouth and quickly followed it up with- "Though it's a much better production than last time I saw you, what was it seven years ago now? And that sorry act you replaced mine with- Baby June and the Sickly Cow?"

It had been about dancing goats actually, way before she'd ever introduced a cow, and it hadn't been sorry.

"Well what I've got going on is a real winner this time and I won't have you waltzing in to ruin it." He continued before Rose could correct him.

Glancing around the decrepit theater she tactfully chose not to comment on the actual state of his show. Her face said it all anyways.

"I know." She said instead. "I'm here for the audition."

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed. Something thudded softly in the background but Rose couldn't tell if it was the broken down theater or her anxiety. Then his face slowly stretched from that infuriating scowl into something she thought was supposed to be a smile.

"You're Lucille's lucky actress? Aren't you a little old?"

"I'm not the one here that's old enough to remember the start of the civil war."

That wiped the smile off his face real fast. Rose refused to back off, lifting her chin in defiance and daring him to make another comment.

He did of course.

"Funny. I wouldn't have thought this would be the role for you if I'm being honest, it's a little too refined. I'm sure I could find something more appropriate for you though- maybe a mother? But then if what I've heard is correct you weren't very good at that in real life, never really there for your kids in any way that mattered. Why would it be any different on stage?"

"You take that back right now."

She was seconds away from throwing the audition out the window and jumping him right there. If Rose was one thing it was involved in her children's lives. That's more than some could say.

"Fine." He gave in, though she suspected it was mainly so she would shut up. "You can have your audition, be my guest. I'm eagerly awaiting this so called talent you always claimed to know so much about."

She didn't appreciate the sarcastic tone in his voice but she confidently took to the stage anyways and prepared for battle. This was going to be no walk in the park but it didn't matter- Rose was no pushover herself.

***

The bar attached to the theater really was a depressing piece of work but Rose didn't have anywhere else to go. She didn't want to go home and she didn't want to be out on the streets looking for another sorry hole to sulk in.

The audition hadn't gone well to say the least. It had started off on the wrong note and the tension only increased the longer Rose tried to make it work- then it had ended when Rose accidentally knocked over one of the fancy side tables being used in the show and Johnny told her to get the hell out. She'd left with dignity, kicking over a chair for good measure on her way out.

Of course it hadn't gone well, anyone could have known that, because Johnny hadn't wanted it to go well. He didn't want Rose within 50 feet of his theater because of some stupid grudge from almost a decade ago. Stubborn old bastard.

So it was his fault things hadn't gone well really and it had nothing to do with her or her talent. She had plenty of talent to go around.

The bartender set her drink down in an unnecessarily harsh manner, bringing her out of her thoughts. He moved on to two women on the other side of the bar that were in a heated discussion before she could say anything about it and Rose considered leaving after all.

She hadn't gone back to you after she'd stormed out of the audition, exiting out the stage door opposite from the side you were on. What was the point? She was beginning to suspect she was old news, washed up in the business before she'd even got the chance to put her own name out there. Not a star but a figure in the background and maybe no amount of dreaming was going to land her in the spotlight. You were just starting out- you still had plenty of time to make it and you certainly had the charm for it. What was the point?

She needed to find one if she was going to face you again otherwise this was all just a bit too pathetic. She got up to go home only to be narrowly missed by someone storming out of the bar before she could- one of the women that had been arguing.

"All right be that way! I don't need you to make this show work- there's plenty of other actresses willing to work with me!" The other woman called after her before slumping against her table like a kicked puppy.

Something itched at the back of Rose's mind and pulled her across the room to the table. The woman was tall and angular with a full head of straw colored hair shielding her face from view. She seemed to be trying to melt into the table.

"You have a role to fill?" Rose asked.

She looked up in surprise. "Yeah. We start rehearsals tomorrow but one of my extras quit on me last minute. Something about getting revenge on a tortoise breeder for stealing her best friend?"

Rose sat down without needing an invitation and leaned across the table enthusiastically. "What if I told you I could help?"

The woman's expression shifted from surprise to suspicion. "Why? Did Johnny put you up to this? I won't have him meddling with my shows just because he feels threatened by a new director."

"Are you kidding? The last thing I'd want to do is be associated with a schmuck like him."

The other woman studied her for a second before offering her hand. "I'm Lydia. New around here if you hadn't already guessed."

Rose took it. "Rose."

"So you have someone in need of a part?"

Rose faltered. Someone. As in not her, someone with more talent and few less years. Someone who could play noblewomen and leading ladies instead of being laughed off the stage for being too wrong.

"Yes it's-" She was losing steam. "What's the role?"

Lydia sagged again like this was going to be a deal breaker. "Just a few extra roles in the ensemble- a handful of lines, nothing too big. But I could work something out if your actress really is good."

Rose could work with that, even if it did sound a little desperate. She willed herself to pick up speed again.

"Oh she's great alright, you're gonna want her on that stage for more than a handful of lines worth. It's actually-" She broke off again, locking eyes with Lydia across the table- skeptical but with a touch of hope.

She found herself saying- "Lucille. Her name's Lucille."

"Great. Is Lucille free tomorrow?"

***

You hadn't been out in the hallway where she'd left you. Of course you hadn't, it had been well over an hour since she'd disappeared into the theater. There were voices echoing out from a room somewhere further down the hall and Rose hesitated for a second before turning around. It didn't feel like you would have stuck around and just drifted to another crowd if Rose never came back.

She realized, and not for the first time, that she had no idea how to find you. But she'd figure it out. This predicament wasn't so unusual for her, she didn't often hesitate before starting anything and that included the people that she invited into her life. If the first impression was good then that's great, welcome aboard, you were in her life and the rest of the details of actually knowing you could come later. She didn't have time for small talk when fame was on the line.

Rose left the theater, hands snagging on the rough wood of the door on the way out- it was like nothing in the entire building had ever been sanded down- and stepped out into the cool air. Maybe she could fall back on old plans and haunt the Cattle Classique for a while.

The door slammed open behind her.

"Rose!"

You looked so gentle framed in the doorway like a painting, a worried expression on your face and your eyes shining a little. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of you before she could say anything about what had happened.

"Lucille." She was certain you couldn't have heard her the way she murmured your name under her breath, like a prayer or an invocation.

"I thought-" You cut yourself off before shaking your head. "How did the audition go?"

Rose mustered all the excitement she could to put into her next words. It wasn't so hard to do now in your presence .

"I didn't get the role, but you're never gonna believe this!"

[sosa2imagines]

I had my dance and now I'm where I belong.

Warning- Angst, cheating and hopeful fluff.

When they say love is blind, it truly is—because all the red flags turn colorblind.

You had noticed changes in Bucky’s behavior, the little things he stopped doing. Even when he was in Wakanda, you remained by his side like glue. Slowly, he started to regain his memories, and the old Bucky was back, not completely though.

So when he started to flirt with other girls, or when someone random made a pass at him and he never denied them, you foolishly thought, “He’s just acting like his old 40s self, just like Steve once told me, the evergreen womanizer.”

So, you ignored it.

Ignored it until it got out of hand.

One day, you finally confronted him, but he just chuckled.

"You’re overreacting," he said dismissively. "It’s cute seeing you get jealous."

And, like always, the confrontation ended with a kiss, followed by sex.

Every. Single. Time.

But then, Thanos happened.

The battle took a toll on everyone, but thankfully, you all made it back safe and sound. Tony took semi-retirement, Clint too. Nat handled the tower, Wanda was in and out because Vision was in Wakanda, and Steve, your best friend, your once-upon-a-time crush, was getting ready to return the stones.

"Hey..." you cooed softly.

"Hey!" he beamed at you, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Ready?" you asked, trying to keep your voice steady.

Steve glanced down at his compass before looking at you with a sad smile.

"As ready as I’ll ever be."

"Enjoy your dance, Steve. And know where you belong, okay?"

The true meaning behind your words was clear: you were begging him to have his dance with Peggy but to return to you all afterward.

But that didn't happen.

As soon as Steve told Bucky, "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone," and Bucky grumbled, "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you?" you knew.

Steve wasn’t coming back.

And just like that, he was gone.

That night, you cried yourself to sleep, curled into Bucky’s chest as he held you tightly. He was just as devastated, silent tears soaking into your hair.

Fifteen days later new recruits had joined. You and Nat were training them. Bucky helped here and there, but that didn’t stop him from flirting with the girls.

Nat frowned at you.

"What the hell is up with him?" she muttered.

"He’s just… missing Steve," you lied, forcing a smile. "Everything’s tough for him right now."

Nat didn’t buy it. "Bullshit!" she snapped.

And just like that, she banned Bucky from training the recruits.

Then, he and Sam left on a mission to London.

And that was the beginning of the end.

"Sharon?" Bucky’s eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Undercover, Barnes," she smirked. "SHIELD sent me to help you guys."

And just like that, she was part of the mission.

Then, they got separated from Sam.

Their cover almost blew, Sharon thought it was a great idea to kiss Bucky.

And he kissed her back.

One thing led to another, and for the rest of the time in London, they had sex. Every. Single. Day.

When Sam found out, he was furious.

"Buck, what the hell?"

"I’ll tell her," Bucky said nonchalantly.

But not in the way Sam had hoped.

Back at the Tower

Sharon returned with them, claiming she had been there for the mission.

The day Bucky arrived, he went straight to his old room instead of your shared one.

You let him be. It wasn’t unusual for him to need space after a mission.

But then… he started avoiding you.

Your heart ached, a lump forming in your throat every time he brushed past you without a word.

Nat grew concerned.

Sharon was still living in the tower.

Bucky only trained with her now.

Day by day, the love of your life was killing you.

You cried yourself to sleep every night, while Bucky slept far on his side of the bed, only entering the room late at night when he thought you were asleep.

You missed Steve terribly. If he were here, he would’ve knocked some sense into Bucky. Hell, he probably would’ve kicked his ass.

And then came the noises.

Weird, sexual noises from Sharon’s room.

It wasn’t your concern.

Except… it was.

Sam had enough.

"Bucky, tell her, or I will!" Sam warned.

Bucky sighed. He was tired of hiding it. Tired of sneaking around.

So he did it in the cruelest way possible.

That night, you walked into your shared room, only to find Bucky and Sharon making out on your bed.

You stood there, numb, tears flowing freely.

You gave them a few more moments before finally speaking.

"Are you done?"

Bucky sighed, running a hand down his face.

"Sharon, wait in your room." he muttered.

On her way out, she smirked at you, like she had won some competition.

Then, Bucky turned to you, "I’m sorry, Y/N. It’s over. I’m in love with Sharon. I… I packed your bags. Please go back to your old room."

You scoffed, blinking away tears, "Just her, Buck?" your voice was venomous. "What about all the others? The ones you flirted with?"

Bucky was silent. He knew he deserved every bit of your wrath.

"I loved you so deeply, but James, I can’t forgive you," your voice cracked. "Maybe one day in the future. But I stood by your side through everything and yet, you betrayed me."

Bucky swallowed thickly.

"Can you… give me an hour?" you asked quietly.

He nodded and left.

You opened the bags.

Just like you thought, he had only packed the things he gifted you.

You took them all out and placed them on the bed and you repacked.

When Sam and Wanda returned, the truth came out. Sam ripped into Bucky, furious beyond words, how dare he lie.

Wanda sobbed, feeling your suffocating pain through her powers.

Nat was confused at first, believing Bucky’s lie that you two had simply broken up, until Sam called him a liar.

Wanda read your mind and the truth was completely out.

You begged them not to tell Tony.

Tony had worked so hard to trust Bucky. Steve had worked for it. You wouldn’t ruin that.

"Where are you going, Y/N?" Nat asked, her voice gentle.

"I need some time alone," you whispered. "I can’t breathe here..."

"You call us every day, okay?" Wanda warned. "No call, and we will bring you back."

You nodded, hugging her and Nat tightly.

Sam was still furious.

"He should leave, not you," he spat.

"No, Sam. Please," you pleaded. "Be nice to him. For Steve."

With one last look, you left.

Once the team knew the truth, they gave Bucky hell for what he had done.

Did he feel guilty? Yes.

But that didn’t stop him from making things official with Sharon just a week after you left.

Meanwhile, in the Past…

Steve had his dance, but he wasn’t happy.

Peggy had moved on, but that wasn’t what bothered him.

He was worried about you. He opened his compass, staring at the photo inside.

It wasn’t Peggy.

It was you.

Truth was, Peggy was his first love. But you?

You were his home.

He had only stepped back because he saw Bucky falling for you.

But now?

Now, he realized he had made a mistake.

Steve clenched his jaw.

It was time to go back.

Back to you.

Part 2

[violasghost]

At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna, Rachel coming into the picture at this point in time is likely a good thing for Chenford. Discussion of the Rookie S7, Episode 3

Confession, Not going to get into real-world stuff or politics here, but just wanted to say how thankful I am for The Rookie to have as a much needed distraction on Tuesday nights and also glad to know the actors and everyone involved in the show is safe and will hopefully continue to remain safe from the LA wildfires. #SendinglovetoCalifornia

So despite it being a few seasons since we have seen or heard from Rachel, lets face it Lucy Chen has gone through some serious hardships in the last season and a half and with very little support. After she lost Jackson, she pretty much lost her one and only close platonic friend. When Tim broke up with her, the first reaction we got after seeing raw and emotionally hurt Lucy was Smitty joking about other cops betting on the reason for their breakup. (Pretty insensitive, especially to Chenford nation who was mostly in shock at that point.) Then you get Nolan and Celena pretending to care but not really, Celena mostly concerned that Lucy wouldn’t be too much of an emotional basket-case because she wanted to move out of her place and into Lucy’s apartment. And when Nolan asked Lucy about how she was doing when helping Celena to move in at a later date, he clearly regretted asking her such a loaded question. Not to mention the person Lucy thought of as a little sister, Tamara moves out. So no Tamara, no Detective, no Tim, and no explanation for the breakup. So yeah Rachel couldn’t have come at a better time. Lucy needs a real true grown up friend, someone who isn't a colleague or a subordinate. And its great that they have a history and Rachel has known Lucy for longer than anyone else has known her.

Does the fact that Rachel dated Tim bother me? Not really. Mostly because both of them said everything they needed to say to one another (plus it was Lucy who originally fixed them up) and it looks like Rachel was pretty much rooting for Tim and Lucy before she blew into town, so yeah don’t think she will be competition for Chenford.

Another angle that hasn’t been explored and I’m curious if ‘The Rookie’ showrunners will go there is the fact that Rachel in essence is a counselor/social services. Remember, she worked with abused kids? Even if they don’t decide to use Rachel’s professional expertise, she’s staying on Lucy’s couch. She’s not just passing through for one episode. They have already hedged at this with the brief discussion about Lucy and Tim's relationship by the couch, and you know there will be more. Maybe just maybe, Rachel will be able to get Lucy to open up a little bit about her feelings and what happened with Tim. Which would be really good for Lucy.

And it would be really good for Chenford because in order for both Lucy and Tim to be able to move past the 'lets just be friends' cover, they have to get under the surface and dig deep and figure out what it is they both really want, and then work up the courage to go for it. Kinda like when they both decided to start dating in S5. Lots of parallels here since they really did a re-set with their relationship, but they have to work up to that point of realization first, that 1. the feelings are still there (which they are), and 2. its worth the risk (which it is).

Side note, I thought it was really cute when Lucy prepped Seth with all the Tim test answers and Tim cracking Nolan’s fancy safe house lock system, haha.

I also thought it was funny when Bailey returned and the locks were not working. Although still could care less about Jason. The guy who got out of the handcuffs seemed more interesting.

What did you think?

[wiltedflowerpetals]

⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆

At first, you, Mrs. Price, thought that you had to go on a normal but dangerous mission. You only had to get some intel. Get in and out. Easy… right?

But getting captured was not on your to-do-list for this mission…

⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆

Words: 2038

Warning: Blood, death, angsty, fluff

Part 1: Wife Meets Friend | Part 2: Wife On A Mission | Part 3: Wife In Danger | Part 4: (you are reading it) | Part 5: Husband And Wife

141 moved with precision, each man knowing his role in the rescue mission. John led the way, his mind singularly focused on getting to his wife and bringing her back safely. Each step closer to Mikhailov's hideout increased the tension, but John was still determined. He wasn’t going to lose you, not to this man, not to anyone.

They cleared room after room, encountering resistance but dispatching it swiftly. John’s heart dropped with each empty room, the fear gnawing at him. Finally, they reached the central part of the compound - a large, reinforced door that led to what they assumed was a holding area.

Ghost and Gaz took up positions at the door, while Soap rigged the explosives. John waited, every muscle in his body tense. The moment the door blew open, they moved as one, weapons ready.

Inside, the scene that greeted them was one of chaos. Bodies lay across the floor, blood pooling beneath them. John’s eyes darted around the room, his heart in his throat, searching desperately for you.

Until his eyes met yours.

You were huddled in a corner, your clothes stained with blood, your face pale but fierce. The ropes that had bound your hands were on the floor beside you, and in your hands, you held bloodied knife and a piece of glass. Probably from a nearby window or a bottle that was lying on the ground.

For a moment, time seemed to stop. John’s blue eyes stared at you - alive, but bloodied. Relief, his lips turned up, smiling at you. He had found his wife. You were alive.

“(Y/N)!” John shouted, his voice rough with emotion as he rushed to you.

Your head snapped up at the sound of his voice, and the weapons fell from your hands as you rose to your feet. The moment you saw him, you felt a tear escape your eye, as you stumbled forward, throwing yourself into his arms.

John wrapped you in a tight embrace, holding you close as if he could protect you from everything that had happened. You were finally in his arms.

“John…” You whispered, your voice muffled against his chest. “I thought… I didn’t think…”

“Shh…” He soothed, his hand cradling the back of your head. “I’m here. You’re safe now.”

You two stayed like that for a few moments. But eventually, John pulled back just enough to look at you, his eyes scanning you for injuries.

“What happened?” He asked. “How did you manage to-” He gestured to the dead men around them. “How did you fight them off?”

You swallowed hard, your eyes locking with his. You could see the concern, the confusion in his gaze, and you knew you couldn’t keep the truth from him any longer.

“John.” You began, your voice trembling, not knowing how he will react. “… There’s something I need to tell you.”

He frowned, concern deepening. “What is it? You can tell me anything.”

You took a deep breath. “I’m not who you think I am…” Your gaze moved to the ground, scared to see his reaction. “I’ve been lying to you… about my job, about who I am. I’m not just a secretary, John. I’m… I’m a hitman.”

John stared at you, shocked. He couldn’t believe what you were saying. It didn’t make sense - how could his wife, the woman he loved, be a hitman?

“A hitman?” He repeated slowly. “What… What are you talking about?”

Tears welled up in your eyes as you nodded. “It’s true. I’ve been doing this for years, long before I met you. It’s how I know Kate, how I’ve been able to protect you during some missions without you knowing. I didn’t want to tell you… I was afraid that if you knew, it would put you in more danger and… I… I was scared that you might leave me…”

John took a step back, his mind razing through so many thoughts. The woman he had thought he knew, the woman he had married, was a professional killer. It was almost too much for him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, his voice filled with a mix of hurt and confusion. “All this time… Why didn’t you trust me?”

“It wasn’t about trust.” You said quickly. “It was about keeping you safe. If you knew… if anyone knew… it would have put a target on your back. I didn’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

John’s mind raced. You were a murderer…? Someone who got paid just to kill people. Sure, he did it as well, but he was a soldier, while you were a hitman.

He looked around the room again, at the bodies, the blood, and then back at her. The strength it must have taken for you to survive, to fight your way out - he couldn’t deny that you had done what you needed to do to stay alive.

But the betrayal he felt was deep. It felt like a knife stabbing and cutting him. “You should have told me.” He said, his voice breaking slightly. “We could have faced this together.”

Tears spilled down your cheeks as you shook your head. “I’m so sorry, John. I thought I was protecting you, but I see now that I was just lying to both of us. I never wanted to hurt you.”

John was silent for a long moment. He was angry, hurt, and yet… he was also relieved. You were alive, you were here with him, and that was what mattered most.

He reached out, taking your hand in his. “We’ll get through this.” He said, his voice filled with quiet determination. “But no more secrets. We will tell each other everything, from now on. Understand?”

You nodded, squeezing his hand tightly. “No more secrets. I promise.”

John pulled you into his arms again, holding you as tightly as he could. No more lies, no more hiding.

After a moment, he pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. “We need to get out of here.” He said, his voice firm but gentle. “We’ll talk more later, but right now, we have to move.”

You nodded. John motioned for Ghost, Gaz, and Soap to move in, their weapons still drawn as they cleared the area, making sure there were no more threats.

“Clear.” Ghost muttered, his voice low and professional as always.

“Let’s get her out of here.” Soap added, casting a concerned glance at you. He, like the others, didn’t fully understand what had happened, but they all knew the mission wasn’t over until you were safe.

John kept you close as they made their way out of the compound, the team covering them as they moved swiftly and silently. Once outside, the team regrouped at their extraction point. The silence got interrupted by the sound of the helicopter blades cut, ready to take them to safety.

As they boarded, John kept his arm around you, not letting you go for a second. You leaned into him, exhausted. He held you closer, whispering reassurances that you were safe now, that he was there.

The helicopter lifted off, and the team remained silent, each lost in their thoughts. John couldn’t help but think of the man responsible for all this - Mikhailov. He was still out there, a threat looming over them like a dark cloud. John had faced him once before and thought he’d ended it. Now he realized how wrong he’d been.

But he also knew that Mikhailov wasn’t the only threat. The secrets his wife had kept, the life she had lived in, were now a part of his world. They couldn’t go back to the way things were before. Everything had changed.

When they finally touched down at the base, John helped you out of the helicopter, his arm still around you. You looked up at him, your eyes searching his face for some sign of what he was thinking. He could see the fear in your eyes - not fear of him, but fear of what might happen next, of how he would react now that he knew the truth.

He cupped your face in his hands, forcing you to look at him. “We’ll figure this out.” He said, his voice soft but firm. “I don’t know how, but we will. You’re my wife, and I love you. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t.”

Tears filled your eyes again, but this time, they were tears of relief. You nodded, leaning into his touch. “I love you too, John. I’m so sorry for everything.”

As they headed into the base, the team following behind, John knew that Mikhailov was still out there, and as long as that man was alive, they would never be truly safe. This was far from over. The battle lines were drawn, and this time, John wasn’t just fighting for himself - he was fighting for the woman he loved.

And he wouldn’t stop until Mikhailov was nothing more than a ghost of the past.

°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。°。

His arm remained around your shoulders, a silent promise that he would keep you safe. The rest of Task Force 141 followed closely behind; their expressions unreadable.

They reached a secured briefing room, each of them taking their places around the table. John led you to a chair, his hand lingering on your shoulder before he took his place at the head of the table. His mind was racing. So much as happened today.

“We have a problem. Mikhailov. He’s still out there, and he’s not going to stop until he gets what he wants. He’s a ghost from my past, someone I thought I’d taken care of years ago, but he’s come back for revenge. And now, he’s targeting (Y/N) because of me.” John said firmly, arms crossed over his chest, as he glanced at every person at the table.

Gaz frowned. “If Mikhailov is involved, it means this is bigger than just a personal vendetta.”

“That’s why we can’t let our guard down.” John agreed. “He’s already shown he’s willing to go to any lengths to hurt us, and I won’t let him get another chance.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Soap asked, his tone serious. “We can’t just sit around waiting for him to make his next move.”

John nodded, grateful for the support. “We go on the offensive. We track him down, find out where he’s hiding, and take him out before he can do any more damage.”

“And what about Mrs. Price?” Ghost asked, his gaze shifting to you. “She’s been through a lot. Is she ready for what’s coming?”

You straightened in your chair. “I’m ready. I want to help take him down.”

John’s heart swelled with pride at her determination. “We’re going to do this together.”

You looked at him. “I know. But I also know that I’m the one who got us into this mess. I need to be a part of getting us out of it.”

“Then it’s settled.” John said, his voice firm. “We go after Mikhailov, and we end this once and for all.”

They spent the next several hours going over intelligence, strategizing, and preparing for what would be one of the most dangerous missions they had ever undertaken. They knew Mikhailov wouldn’t go down easily, but they will try their best.

“Don’t worry, we got this.” You said on the phone, talking to Kate as she gave more information that might help you all out during the mission. “Good. Be careful. All of you.”

You said your goodbyes, as you walked through the base, gaze moving towards the balcony to see your husband smoking a cigar on there.

You walked to him and leaned against the railing.

Your husband turned to you, his expression softening as he reached out to take your hand. “I meant what I said earlier.” He murmured. “No more secrets, no more hiding.”

You looked up at him, your eyes shining with emotion. “I’m sorry for everything...”

He squeezed your hand, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. “We all make mistakes.”

You nodded, leaning into him as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders.

Together, they would face whatever came next. And together, they would overcome it.

🔖 Taglist: @starriestarlight @aldis-nuts

Masterlist ❀ Askbox/Requests ✿ Navigation

Reblogs and comments are appreciated.( ‘ω’ )

© nanamisflowerfield/wiltedflowerpetals. Do not repost, rewrite, plagiarize my work.