#and then they try to look for content of it and no dice. YEAH

[quirinah]

my files are kind of a nightmare

[lixiesfreckless]

Let Him Cook | h. j.

➸ synopsis: Your husband is making dinner— or at least, he would be if you weren’t distracting him…

➸ starring: hong joshua x reader

➸ word count: ~900 words

➸ general content: husband!joshua, kissing, need I say more you’re gonna read the fic anyway

➸ rating: TV-14

➸ author’s note: co-written by @ashonheavenscloud in a game of frantic fanfic on the TRAIN??? if you’ve read my fic Sugar Across The Hall, this reads as a pseudo-bonus scene.

♫ this fic has a soundtrack! too good by christian kuria works pretty well hehehe

"Baby, you should take a picture," Joshua chuckles, dicing the tomato on the cutting board with ease, "it'll last longer."

"But my phone is so far away," you whine playfully, stretching your arms on the raised counter akin to a cat as you watch your husband work, not offering much more than the occasional flirty quip and lopsided smile.

Joshua clicks his tongue with a playful smile. “Guess you’re out of luck, then.” He quickly finishes the tomatoes, moving onto the head of lettuce and expertly cutting the leaves into shredded pieces. You dramatically fall limp, making Joshua chuckle.

“Really, I’m sure there’s nothing special about me cutting ingredients for tacos.”

“Not my fault you look so sexy doing it.”

Joshua laughs softly, a light blush rising on his cheeks as he slides the shredded leaves into a bowl and sets the knife down, leaning over the counter and gazing at you.

"Is that why you've been watching me?" He asks coyly, rolling up his sleeves to his forearms again as they had slipped down. "And here I thought you were attempting to learn something-”

"Oh, but I did," you respond, sliding a little closer to him, watching his amused gaze slide across your face. “Mostly that you’re a very talented chef. And I should buy you an apron and one of those white hats-”

“I think you’re just trying to butter me up so I cook for you more often.”

You gasp in fake astonishment. “That’s cruel, Josh.” You slide closer, close enough that he has to look down at you to see the mischief in your irises. He freezes for a second, looking to the ceiling, perhaps to find his restraint.

"What's cruel," he says suddenly, seizing you by the thighs and heaving you up onto the counter with ease, "is you looking as good as you are knowing if I don't finish cooking, neither of us will eat tonight."

"Oh but I can think of one thing I could eat right now," you giggle, reaching for the back of his neck as he leans into you instinctively.

You can hear him slide the cutting board slightly out of his way as he settles between your open thighs, not wasting a second to lean close and steal a lingering kiss. You both sigh into it, and Joshua’s smile widens as he runs his hands up your thighs and leans forward again, met halfway by your eagerness.

“So this is what you were after the whole time, huh?” Joshua mumbles against your lips, hands moving to slip around your waist, hooking his fingers through the loops of your jeans. “So much for loving my cooking.”

“Not my fault you’re so distracting,” you grin, earning another sigh, equal parts exasperated and adoring.

“Yeah, yeah, c’mere,” he pulls you closer, kisses you deeper, tugging at your bottom lip in a way that elicits a swarm of butterflies to take part in wild flight. His nose nudges yours, and you take the opportunity to pull away and look up at him, hands braced at the edge of the counter as you teasingly tilt your head to the side.

"Do you have any post-dinner plans, Mr. Hong?"

"Oh I do," he says, his voice an octave lower as he leans back in, "I'm going to be very busy."

He plants a long, deep kiss on your lips and travels west, trailing down your cheek. "I'm afraid there's a woman," he pauses to place another kiss, "and I just can’t seem to stop thinking about her.” His lips find your jawline, your ear. “She’s got this…hold on me. Her smile, her laugh, her…” his lips drift down your neck, hands moving to firmly grasp your waist as he pauses, nose brushing your throat. “Her…”

His voice fades away, mouth finding the base of your neck and sucking slowly, forcing you to bite your bottom lip against a whine. Joshua leans back after a minute, leaving the new mark tingling as he meets your eyes with a gentle smile that juxtaposes the way his eyes roaming your body, the way he grabs your chin and guides your lips back to his.

“She sounds like quite the woman,” you say through unsteady breaths, muffled before you can say much more by Joshua’s mouth capturing yours, pressing his body into you, cutting you off with a gasp. It takes a minute for you to get another chance at speaking, and hardly that, as your breathing comes in shaky when he pulls back again, eyes still closed, lingering within a breath from your lips. “She’s lucky to have someone as kind and sweet and-”

“Good at cooking?” Joshua suggests, making you giggle as he kisses your cheek again, once more trailing to the side as you nod slowly.

“The best.” Your hands weave through his hair at the back of his head, forcing him to look back at you with dazed eyes and a smile.

“She deserves it,” Joshua whispers, reaching to tuck a piece of hair behind your ear. His mouth lifts further into a teasing grin. “She might even convince me to skip right past dinner.”

‧⋆ ✧˚₊‧⋆. ✧˚₊‧⋆‧

[azuredawn81]

patron of the arts p2 | quinn hughes x musician!reader

read part 1 here

♫ summary: quinn has been nervous for every date with y/n. it seems like everything’s on the line; if he messes up, he could lose y/n. but y/n is dedicated to making sure he knows that she doesn’t mind. that doesn’t stop him from going all out.

♫ pairing: quinn hughes x reader

♫ content: fluff, insecure quinn, intentional lowercase

♫ word count: 0.9k (sorry not sorry)

♫ warnings: none

♫ note: i might make a separate post with the pasta recipe bc i make that at least once a week and it’s SO GOOD

♫ italics mean thoughts

♫ listen to this for the full experience

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

quinn had been tending to the pan on stove when the doorbell rang. he nonchalantly walked to the door, trying to calm his nerves. that was definitely y/n.

“delivery for quinn hughes?”

“yes that’s me.”

“sign on the line.”

he took the package, placed it on the table, and went back to the kitchen. he stirred the tomatoes around with a spatula, flipping the tangy slices over every now and then. the olive oil sizzled and crackled in the pan, embruing the tomatoes with its bitter taste. he sprinkled some diced garlic in the pan, stirred around some more, then placed the lid back on the pan. quinn turned his attention back to the pot, stirring the farfalle around in the boiling water. he poured a little more salt into the water. then, he turned the burner down to low, letting the water simmer.

his attention shifted to the table. he’d recently invested in a simple black tablecloth, trying to look more proper for when y/n comes over. he spread it out over the wooden tabletop, smoothing out all the wrinkles. two plates across from each other, each with a napkin, a fork, and a wine glass. he moved the bouquet of roses from the counter to the table.

then, the timer beeped. he went to the kitchen yet again, this time to strain the pasta. he poured the pot into a colander, letting the water flow into the sink. he took the bay leaves out of the pasta pile, throwing those in the trash can under the sink. he dumped the pasta back into the pot, then portioned out the exact measurement of sauce from the jar, stirring it up. after putting the pasta into a nice bowl, he grabbed the tray of garlic bread from the oven, carefully putting one tomato slice on each piece of bread. the juice seeped from the fruit onto the bread, its warm redness imbuing itself into the grain.

the doorbell rang again. quinn fixed his hair.

“quinn!” y/n exclaimed, a smile on her perfect face. she wrapped her arms around his neck. he returned the hug, his arms snaking around her waist.

“it’s good to see you, y/n.”

“how was practice?”

“nothing crazy, just morning skate… this morning.”

“smells good.”

“yeah, um, i made dinner.”

“you cook?”

“i try.”

she giggled. “you’re funny, hughes.”

“yeah, i try.”

quinn, you’re so dumb. first, morning skate this morning, now “i try” two sentences in a row?

“i like funny guys so… guess you’re in luck.”

quinn broke into a goofy grin.

“and cute guys, so you’re just checking the boxes.”

“um… do you want to eat?”

“i’d love to.”

quinn gently took her hand and led y/n to the table, pulling her chair out.

“and they say chivalry’s dead.”

quinn started blushing like the tomatoes on the garlic bread. “n-not here.”

“so chef hughes, what’s on the menu?”

“pasta and garlic bread.”

“original.”

“it’s very good.”

“i’m sure it is.”

he picked up her plate and walked over to the kitchen, placing the food onto the dish.

“first, we have farfalle pasta with a garlic basil marinara sauce.”

“yum.”

“then, we have garlic bread, made by me this afternoon, with butter and fresh garlic. on top, there’s sautéed tomatoes, with olive oil and pink salt.”

he put the plate down in front of her. “and for the drink, a nice rosé.”

she watched as he poured into her glass. “scrumptious.”

y/n couldn’t help but stare as quinn got food for himself. even this simple action of scooping pasta onto a plate was just so so attractive. she stabbed three of the farfalle with her fork and put it in her mouth.

“hughes, this is so good!”

“you like it?”

“quinn, i just said it was so good.”

“oh well, maybe you just said that to be nice.”

“are you serious?”

“what?”

“quinn, are you okay?”

“y-yeah, i’m fine.”

“you’ve been acting weird tonight.”

“well, yeah, i, um, i had a question b-but i’m just…”

“just what?” he stared down at his food, avoiding her gaze.

“quinn, please talk to me.”

“i’m nervous, okay? i’ve been freaking out all day because i’m nervous that you’ll realize you can do better. that you could have pretty much any man in vancouver. that i’m not… not enough for you.”

“you really think that way?”

“you’re just so amazing and i’m just some guy with eye bags.”

“i quite like your eye bags.”

“actually?”

“yes i like my boyfriend’s eye bags.”

quinn went bug eyed. “b-boyfriend?”

“are you not my boyfriend?”

“well, i mean, i don’t know, i thou-”

“i wore your jersey to your games.”

“and i’m really happy about that, b-”

“the other wags love me.”

“that’s really great, but-”

“i’m sorry, i just assumed-”

“i was gonna ask you to be my girlfriend tonight.”

“quinn, i-”

“please?”

“of course.”

he had a giddy grin on his face. “are you sure it’s not the wine talking?”

“i’m sure.”

“i guess you have to be a canucks fan now.”

“baby, i’m from vancouver. i’ve always been a canucks fan.”

“my cute little canadian girlfriend.”

“you know you have to come to all my concerts now, right?”

“like i’d ever miss one.”

part 3

tags: @verycoolusername1 @luvoblivixus @tomskookie @leclerc-drives-in-circles @dream-girl06 @skepvids @how-what-why-huh @devilinpradaheels @r0wdymaize86

join the tag list to stay updated

[xzerosparrowx]

For the June @steddiemicrofic

Prompt: Stuff | wc: 483 | Rating: M | cw: mild language | tags: attempted car theft, Eddie steals cars, mention of Al Munson, meet cute, Steve has a messy car.

an attempt to steal a car

✨️🚘✨️🚗✨️

Allen Munson was right, this is a fancy car. A beautiful burgundy BMW that gleams under the fluorescent lights of the city and cream leather seats that look like they would feel buttery soft. Eddie almost regrets breaking into it as he shoves the slightly bent Slim Jim into the door and unlocks it in one smooth motion. This is a Robin Hood kind of deal. Steal from the rich to give to the poor.

The poor being Eddie and Al Munson.

He quickly gets into the car and is immediately accosted with the sight of random shit strewn across this luxury German vehicle. It's all just… stuff. Cassettes ranging from ABBA, to David Bowie and fucking Tears for Fears are piled in the glove box. Sweaters, shirts and even a bra have been haphazardly thrown to the back seat. Candy wrappers and bottles of soda litter the floor and dashboard. There's even a few dice that Eddie recognises from playing DnD that have been stashed in the little corners of the car.

Too fascinated by the sheer amount of stuff, Eddie doesn't register someone walking to the car until the passenger door is already open and a guy around his age is getting in, shutting the door behind them.

Eddie is a little stupid when it comes to pretty people, probably getting it from Al, along with his prodigious ability to jack cars. So he doesn't make an attempt to escape, just sits there kind of dumb staring at the very pretty guy in front of him.

“Are you trying to steal my car?” the guy asks, his large brown eyes narrowed at Eddie, the spiced scent of expensive cologne surrounding him. It takes Eddie a moment to comprehend that the guy asked him a question.

“Yeah,” Eddie admits like a total idiot, “but then I got a little sidetracked by all the stuff in your car.”

The man laughs, bright and a little embarrassed. “Yeah sorry,” he apologizes, scratching the back of his neck, highlighting the toned muscle of his bicep, “I've been meaning to clean it for ages.”

“Fuck, you don't need to apologize to me, I'm the one who broke into your car!” Eddie exclaims, he feels a little hysterical with this guy next to him apologizing for the mess, knowing that Eddie was trying to steal his BMW.

“Yeah but it's a little embarrassing, right? For a thief to not be stealing your shit because they're judging how you live.” The guy flushes pink as his eyes roam the contents of his car before settling back on Eddie.

Fuck, Eddie feels like a huge dickbag.

“Nah, no judgment from me man,” Eddie shakes his head reassuringly, pulling out the David Bowie tape, “you got some good music here,” and grins at the small smile on the man's face.

“Thanks,” the man chuckles, “I'm Steve, by the way.”

“Eddie.”

[fishfooddude]

The Social Media Manager: The Series (part 4)

Just some awkwardness and miscommunication.

The Bear MasterList

Directory

Part 3

Bars and Miscommunication

It was almost midnight, and Carmy was nowhere to be seen. You were annoyed; was he ghosting you? “Rusty, come play pool with us.” Sara waved at you. She was standing by the pool table with a pair of men. Both were tall, with dark hair, pretty brown eyes, and pearly white smiles. The one on the left looked at you like a piece of meat, while the one on the right stood directly behind Sara. You shook your head.

“I’m still holding out hope.” you laughed, trying to mask your disappointment, as you took another sip from your overpriced cocktail. Sara rolled her eyes; she’d made up her mind about Carmy. He wasn’t showing up tonight, and you shouldn’t invest more effort in pursuing a romantic relationship with him. You stared at your phone and watched the minutes tick by. At 11:59 PM, you finally gave up. After a weak wave to Sara, you started walking toward the bar's exit, feeling a mix of embarrassment and regret. Maybe you were too forward with Carmy. You felt stupid that you’d even tried asking out Marcus’s boss. 

You stood outside waiting for an Uber when you heard someone yell your name. Looking over your shoulder hesitantly, Carmy was heading in your direction. He may have been an hour late, but you still felt the air leave your lungs as he jogged in your direction. You wanted to say something witty, but nothing came to mind. “You’re not leavin’, are ya?” Carmy softly asked as he reached your side. 

You shrugged and avoided eye contact as you explained being tired. The words floated through Carmy’s mind. He noticed your shift in behavior immediately. He fucked up, and he knew it. “Can I take you home? I got held up at the restaurant-” he started to ask as a black Honda Civic pulled up to where you’d been waiting. 

“My ubers here… night, Carmy.” you felt defeated and stupid as you playfully nudged him. “I’ll come by the restaurant next week to get some more content for Instagram.” 

~

“I feel like such a dumbass.” you laughed as you took videos of Syd dicing an onion. Making videos of her making some of the new menu items felt like a good way to create buzz for The Bear- at least until you remembered the events of the weekend and that Carmy was currently hiding from you in the office ‘doing paperwork.’

“You’re not. Carmy just isn’t the one you know.” Syd explained as she scooped the onions into a bowl with garlic and jalapenos. “I haven’t known him that long, but-” Syd cut herself off and adjusted her shoulders. You looked over your shoulder to see Carmy had emerged from the office to help Marcus and Sweeps unload a produce delivery. You rolled your eyes and turned your attention back to Syd.

And that’s how it went for weeks. 

You’d come into The Bear to take pictures and video, then sit in the dining area for a couple of hours to edit the videos into TikToks and Instagram Reels. Carmy would casually watch you from the kitchen and imagine ways he could make it up to you.

You were sick of it. After swallowing your pride, you’d decided to call Carmy. It was a little after midnight, and you didn’t expect him to answer, but he did immediately. “Hey Rusty, everything okay?” he answered. You bit your lip before responding, “Uh, I feel like things have been awkward between us. I guess I just wanted to say sorry?” 

“For what? I should probably be the one apologizing.” Carmy laughed as he brought his cigarette to his lips. He smiled when he heard you giggle in response, “How bout we’re both sorry, and we hang out outside of The Bear… like a date.”

“You want to go on a date with me?” you asked, laughing at Carmy’s surprise. “I do,” you answered, hoping you didn’t make a complete fool of yourself. “How about we get dinner tomorrow- since The Bear is closed on Mondays?” you gnawed on the inside of your cheek, waiting for Carmy’s answer. “Uh- yeah, that sounds good. Pick you at 7.”

[fadedin2u]

pick up and roll the dice - ch. 3

read in between the lines, i know you love me…

summary: you plan a surprise for ellie’s birthday, and ellie’s doesn’t know what to do about her overwhelming feelings for you.

content: college!au, childhood best friends!au, dealer!ellie, fem!reader, modern!au, ellie is a simp (not surprising), ur also a simp, art major!ellie, kinda slow burn??

word count: 2k

warnings: none really for this chapter!! expect nsfw chapters in the future so MDNI 18+

notes: it bums me tf out how little attention ellie fluff gets on tumblr, but i love writing this series, so if u like to read it, like/reblogs are SO appreciated

read chapters one and two here!

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

The day after the party, Ellie’s a wreck. She barely got a wink of sleep that night, unable to stop ruminating on how much she’s fucking up her friendship with you by having this soul-consuming want for you. It’s not like Ellie doesn’t know how bad this could all end. You’re not only her closest friend, one of the few people she actually trusts, but you’re her goddamn roommate. If Ellie fucks this up, there’s no escaping the awkwardness that would inevitably ensue, plus risk losing you completely.

So, she texts Kylie.

E: hey, sorry for going MIA lmao, things got busy, would u wanna grab dinner w me on friday?

Ellie sits down on her bed and rubs her temples. She doesn’t even like Kylie very much, but she’s available, and she’s clearly interested in Ellie, so at the very least Kylie can be a distraction from you.

Ellie feels a black hole of guilt swirling in her stomach from leading Kylie on, but it dissipates as quickly as it came on when you burst through into dorm, kicking off your shoes that you wore to your morning classes. Ellie, usually, is still asleep when you leave for classes, but this morning, she was just lying in bed, completely awake, as she listened to you getting ready, pushing through your hangover.

“Happy 20th Birthday eve!” You exclaim, giving Ellie a bright, cheeky grin.

She rolls her eyes, trying to conceal her smile, “You’re such a fucking dork.

You shrug and laugh, “Hey, it takes one to know one.”

You notice the dark circles under her eyes and frown slightly, “You look like shit.”

Ellie huffs a laugh, “Thanks.”

You sit across from Ellie on your own dorm-style twin bed. “You’re free tomorrow, right?”

Ellie nods, “I’m getting breakfast with Joel that morning, but yeah, I’ll be free after.”

You grin, and mischievous look on your face, “Good.”

Ellie raises an eyebrow, “Should I be worried?”

You shake your head, “Nah, you’ll love it. I just can’t wait to see your reaction. Just make sure you’re here at the dorm by 5pm, okay?”

Ellie puts up her hand, raising two fingers, “Scout’s honor.”

You snort, standing up to walk to the bathroom, “That’d probably mean more if you were actually a Scout.”

Ellie scoffs, “I know way more about survival than any of those dipshits, I’m basically an honorary scout, if you think about it.”

You rolls your eyes and laugh, “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Els.”

—————

The next day, Ellie’s playing the guitar that Joel made her for her birthday when you walk into the dorm at 5pm sharp.

“Happy Birthday Ellie-Bellie!” You exclaim, knowing her deep-seated hatred for her childhood nickname as you throw a handful of streamers in her direction.

She keeps herself from laughing, “You’re cleaning that up, right?”

You give her a look, “No, I was planning on making you my maid on your birthday. Now come on, we need to get going!”

She puts her guitar to the side and stands up, smoothing out the wrinkles in her t-shirt and cargo pants with her hands.

“Is that from Joel?” You ask, motioning to the guitar.

Ellie nods and smiles wide, “Yeah, he made it for me, it’s super sweet.”

You examine the guitar’s craftsmanship as Ellie laces up her converse.

“You’re not driving right?” She asks.

You give her another look, “I have to, it’s a surprise destination. You can’t drive somewhere you don’t even know you’re going to.”

She groans, “And to think I didn’t even give Joel a proper goodbye.”

You kick her shin playfully, “Shut up, you’ll be fine. I’m an… okay driver.”

Ellie starts walking out of the dorm building with you, “Does an ‘okay driver’ almost commit vehicular manslaughter twice?”

Your face goes hot, “Those kids appeared out of no where, and I stand by that. Besides, the key word is ‘almost’, babe.”

Ellie doesn’t look convinced.

“Besides, you get to be my passenger princess for today,” You say with an obnoxiously cocky grin as you walk into the parking lot.

Ellie rubs her face, “Jesus fucking Christ.”

You giggle and walk up to your car, opening the passenger door for Ellie, to which Ellie rolls her eyes at, but you can see that she’s trying not to smile.

You hop in the driver’s seat and say, “Birthday girl gets aux.”

Ellie plays a lot of 80s music during your drive into the city to her surprise destination, her taste in music developed during her years living with Joel. Halfway through Take On Me by A-ha, you pull into a parking lot.

You and Ellie get out of the car and you start leading her to a large building. Once you two can see the sign that reads “The Hansen Planetarium”, a giddy grin breaks out on Ellie’s face.

“Oh fuck yeah, we’re going to the planetarium?!” Ellie asks, walking faster.

You laugh and catch up with her, “What can I say? I know my girl.”

Ellie’s face goes a bit pink and she tucks some loose hair from her half-up bun behind her ear, “Yeah, I guess you do.”

You show the person at the planetarium’s front desk your confirmation for the tickets you bought beforehand, and you go inside.

Ellie stops to read nearly every blurb that’s written in front of each display, and you patiently wait for her, wanting her to take her time and fully enjoy the experience.

In between reading and examining the exhibits, Ellie is listing off factoid after factoid.

“Y’know, Neptune’s only made one full orbit around the sun since its discovery.”

“There’s actually some gravity on the International Space Station, which is kinda weird honestly.”

“Dude, do you know that the moon is really shaped like a lemon?”

You raise an eyebrow at that one, “You’re lying.”

Ellie laughs, “I am not! It’s fucking crazy! It looks round in the night sky, but I swear on my life it’s really shaped like a lemon.”

You shrug, still doubtful but accepting that Ellie’s probably not wrong, knowing her long-time obsession with space.

By the time you’ve made it through the all of the exhibits, Ellie is a little bummed.

“I almost wish there was more to look at, I don’t wanna say goodbye yet,” she says and your lips quirk up into a knowing smile.

“Yeah, it sure is too bad that there’s nothing else to do. On an unrelated note, follow me.”

You lead Ellie to the entrance of the Dome Theater inside the planetarium, and Ellie’s eyes light up when she reads the sign.

“Rock the Dome? Dude. Is this a laser show?”

You laugh and nod, glad that you guessed correctly that Ellie, the nerd she is, would be genuinely excited about this.

Ellie pulls you into a tight hug, “What the fuck? You know me too well.”

Your cheeks go hot and you giggle a little, “Well, at least we can agree on that.”

You give the Usher the tickets you pre-paid for, and let Ellie pick your seats in the Dome Theater, the night sky projected onto the curved walls surrounding you.

When she sits, you sit next to her and she immediately grabs your hand.

“Thank you. Seriously. This is… Genuinely one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.” Ellie says, squeezing your hand with a soft look in her eyes.

You squeeze her hand back, hoping you don’t look as flustered as you feel. “It’s seriously no big deal, Els. You’re my best friend, you deserve this.”

Ellie looks down at her lap and smiles a little, but doesn’t let go of your hand as the laser show starts, fog machines starting to pump out misty clouds into the room that makes the light from the lasers almost look solid.

Your mind is racing as the music comes on, mesmerizing the crowd with the lasers dancing in coordination, ‘This is platonic, right? This has to be platonic. Ellie’s just being appreciative of what I did for her. Jesus fucking Christ, maybe this isn’t platonic?’

You decided to not think about it too much at that moment, and try to enjoy the spectacle of color and light before your eyes.

———

The show included a lot of classic rock from the 80s, including Queen, the Stones, Bowie, Talking Heads, and The Clash. Ellie was awestruck, singing under her breath to every song that she knew, while you tried not to smile too big at how cute she was being.

By the time you two are back at the dorm, Ellie is completely over the moon.

“This was seriously the best birthday I’ve had yet. A new guitar from Joel, planetarium, and a laser show? This day fuckin’ ruled.”

You giggle and go over to your closet, “Well, it’s not quite over yet.”

Ellie narrows her eyes, “No way. You’ve already done so much.”

You pull a thin, wrapped gift from the top of your small closet, and bring it over to where Ellie’s standing.

“I wanted to do so much,” You say, rubbing the back of your neck.

Ellie takes the gift from you and sits down on her bed, intrigued.

“Can I open it?” She asks.

You laugh, “No, I just brought over your birthday gift so you could check out my wrapping job. Go open it, dumbass.”

Ellie chuckles and tears open the wrapping paper, her face morphing into shock as she sees the Special Edition “Savage Starlight” comic book in her hands.

“Holy fuck,” Ellie says, staring at it a second longer before nearly lunging forward to hug you.

You stumble back a bit, laughing as you wrap your arms around her as well.

“I’m guessing that was a good choice?”

Ellie guffaws, “Are you fucking kidding? It’s perfect. How the fuck did you find this, dude?”

You shrug , smiling to yourself, “I have my ways.”

Ellie pulls back from the hug, her freckled face a little pink as she looks back down at the comic book.

“This is too much. Like, way too much.”

You shrug, “Once again, you deserve it.”

Ellie looks down, smiling to herself, “Still. You’re just… This is so fucking thoughtful.”

You laugh a little, feeling flustered by this whole interaction, “What can I say? I have a lot of thoughts in this head, I gotta make good use of them.”

‘So fucking dumb, oh my god,’ you think to yourself, wincing at your response.

Ellie rolls her eyes at you, but her grin is huge and pure. “I’m gonna use the bathroom super quick, but do you wanna read it with me after?”

You smile wide, sitting on her bed, “Absolutely.”

Ellie races to your shared bathroom, and as she’s gone, you pull out your phone and scroll absentmindedly.

You’re pulled away from your phone when you hear Ellie’s phone buzz on her bedside table, right next to you, the screen lit up.

Before you have time to shame yourself for intruding on her personal business, you glance over at her screen, where a text is shown:

Kylie: I would love that! :) what time were you thinking?

Your stomach fills with dread and complete embarrassment. You should’ve known better than to think that Ellie holding your hand was anything more than platonic, that Ellie would ever see you more than her best friend. You knew that Ellie has never, and will never see you the way you see her, and you still let yourself get butt hurt over something as stupid as her getting a text from someone else.

‘I’m so fucking dumb, this is my own damn fault for getting my hopes up.’

You try to go back to scrolling through your phone, but your churning stomach keeps distracting you from thinking about what’s on your own screen, still thinking about the text you saw on Ellie’s.

When Ellie comes back in the room, she tears open the plastic packaging on the comic book and tosses herself onto her bed, pressed against you.

You move away from her slightly, “You ready?”

Ellie’s chest pangs with slight hurt, seeing you distance yourself from her.

“Uh, yeah! Let’s see what the Traveler’s are up to this time,” She says, trying to cover up how let down she is that you clearly don’t want to cuddle with her as usual.

You cross your arms and legs, leaning against the wall against Ellie’s bed. You’re barely able to see the full page of the comic book, but you don’t really care, it’s not like you’ll be able to think of anything except for that text.

Ellie glances over at you, her face crestfallen as she bites her lip, before pulling it together and getting into her “narrator” voice.

“The year is 2186, light years away from planet Earth…”

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

read texts w/ reader and ellie here

i realized i don’t have a taglist for this so lmk if you’d like to be added!

taglist: @elsbabyxx @mikellie

[lowkeyrobin]

Omg I'm OBSESSED with your writing!!! Can I suggest RanbooxReader where reader is just very flirty to Ran and they just. Short circuit (in a /pos way)

Just wholesome, kinda romancey goodness, nothing suggestive of course :)

oooo yeah of course!! ; and thank you!! I'm so happy you like my content sm 🫶🫶 ; sorry this is so short, I've had 0 braincells recently and I'm halfway functioning

RANBOO ; short-circuit romance

summary ; you like to flirt with ranboo a lot, and it makes them freeze up sometimes

warnings ; language

word count ; 484

masterlist

"You're too sweet for me" You chuckle, "You're an angel, I swear"

Ranboo blinks and quickly looks away, trying to hide the red on their cheeks, creeping up their face and past their mask. You continue talking to stream as they try and factory reset themselves, attempting to make sense of your statement. As they try, it's apparent that they're flustered and confused, also trying to hide it from the stream and webcam in front of you as well.

They quickly excuse themselves, needing to "grab a snack" because they were hungry. Of course, you let them go, reassuring them that that their health and wellbeing was more important than the stream.

You notice the chat catching onto him, but you ignore it, thinking it was just typical shipping.

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

A week later, Ranboo's back at your house to stream with you and some friends to play Monopoly. Tubbo sits across from you, Ranboo on his left, then Tommy on the final side. The board sits in the middle of the table, all of you sitting on the floor, on your knees, due to the short stature of the table.

You throw a hundred fake dollars at Ranboo, owing them rent on a space. "You're a bitch. A hot bitch, at that!"

"What does that even mean??" He asks.

"You're a bitch who's hot, Ranboo. C'mon"

They're left speechless, staring at you in confusion as you laugh, hanging the dice to Tommy.

Ranboo feels their face warm up a bit for some reason, finding the random compliment a little heartwarming.

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

"How do I look?" Ranboo spins around, posing and whatnot in the doorway to your bedroom in a new outfit.

"Zoo-wee-mama"

"I'm sorry, what?" They laugh

"You heard me"

"I'm putting that on my goodnight post"

"Kay"

"You're a piece of shit!"

"Mkay"

"Oh my God"

"You love me"

"Yeah, I do, sadly"

✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩

You, Tommy, Tubbo, and Ranboo had created a little home movie series and were now talking about your character dynamics now that five of the first ten episodes had been released. You and Ranboo sit on the floor in front of Tommy and Tubbo, sitting on the couch.

"No, no, no, it goes, Tommy is the moon, always revolving around the Earth. Tubbo is the Earth, never undershadowed. And Ranboo is the sun, he's just super fucking hot"

Ranboo freezes as they feel their face warm up a bit, unknowing of what to say as Tommy and Tubbo laugh and discuss with you.

"You good, Ranboo?" You ask

They merely nod as you see red creeping onto their cheeks. You smugly smile and get back to the blonde and brunette next to you.

[thissortofsorcery]

Hiii, Gabii 💕

For the soft fic prompt meme:

14. Phone calls

and/or

17. fixing the other persons clothes absentmindedly or like tucking their hair behind their ear U KNOW WHAT I MEAN THAT SOFT STUFF

Thank you 🫶

YAM I FINISHED IT

I'm sorry it took me so damn long to fill this prompt for you. I know you like it when they're soft! I hope you like this one.

--

Steve never feels more grown-up than when he and Billy cook together.

It started during senior year — as a dare, of all things. They weren’t even together then, Billy hiding behind a wall of toxic masculinity to protect himself from Neil. He still tracked Steve’s every movement with his eyes. Steve was completely oblivious to his feelings and why his gut twisted every time Billy gave girls that look of his.

“I doubt you can cook anything with the shit you got in your house, pretty boy,” Billy had said, lip curling derisively at the content of Steve’s fridge. “When’s the last time you bought groceries?” 

Steve proceeded to cook the best improvised scramble he’d ever done out of sheer determination to make Billy eat his words. He’d had no idea it would turn out good when he started. Usually, his cooking attempts had a 50/50 chance of turning out wonderful or having to be tossed based on the smell alone.

Two years later, and Steve’s a lot better at cooking. He can make all the basics and some fancy stuff, too, with Billy or on his own — but the favorite meals are the ones he and Billy cook together, arms brushing, hips bumping each other out of the way, spoons being offered to taste. 

Cooking together is mostly a weekend thing since their shifts end hours apart. Steve’s used to fixing something up quick when he gets home from work so it’s ready by the time Billy is done at the garage. Saturday and Sunday are the days they go all out.

So Steve is caught off guard when his phone rings fifteen minutes before his shift ends on a Wednesday, and it’s Billy calling.

“I wanna try making Ceviche,” is what Billy says, skipping the ‘hello’ and going straight to the point. “So, do you want fish or shrimp?” 

“You want to make what?” Steve frowns, barely recognizing the name. He flails toward his work computer to open Google, but he doesn’t know how to spell it out. “Wait, where are you?” 

“At the grocery store, Harrington. Keep up,” Billy snarks affectionately. “It’s, like, cooking fish with lemon juice. It’s great.” 

“What are you doing at the grocery store?” 

“I got off work early. Fish or shrimp, Steve, come on.” 

“You know how to make this thing?” Steve says. He’s known Billy long enough that he doesn’t doubt Billy’s cooking skills, but he’s never heard of this dish before or that Billy had and liked it. 

“Yeah, pretty boy, it’s called YouTube. It has cherry tomatoes in it; you like those.” 

Steve grins. “I do,” he says. “Go with fish, I guess.” 

“Great,” Billy says and hangs up immediately. Steve smiles at his phone for no reason.

He’s home half an hour later, and he finds Billy at the kitchen counter already, dicing up the fish fillets into little cubes. Billy’s freshly showered, his work clothes traded for soft sweatpants and a tank top. Steve stops to admire the curve of his strong shoulders and the swell of his biceps, his eyes following the familiar expanse of golden skin that still makes his heart flutter years later.

“Hey,” Steve says, announcing himself as he enters the kitchen, so Billy has time to put the knife down before Steve hugs him from behind. Steve buries his nose in Billy’s shoulder, breathing deeply. Billy leans back against him, humming contentedly as Steve strokes Billy’s sides. 

“Hi,” Billy says. “I’d hug you back, but my hands are gross.” 

Steve kisses Billy’s shoulder and snorts. “It’s fine. How can I help?” 

“Can you get started on the garlic?” Billy directs. Steve follows, and they fall into a familiar dance in their tiny kitchen, sharing counter space and anecdotes about their days.

Cooking together is peaceful, the way few things in their lives have been, and Steve lets the feeling of home and family wash over him. His shoulders relax, and the headache that’s been threatening to bloom in his right temple fades away, insignificant in the face of Billy’s laughter at Steve’s impressions of his coworkers. 

A light touch to Steve’s forehead makes him blink. He looks away from the lemons he’s squeezing to find Billy brushing away a lock of hair that had started poking Steve in the eye the second he got lemon juice all over his hands. Billy’s hand is light, his fingertips soft as he tucks Steve’s hair behind his ear, and a pleasant shiver goes down Steve’s spine. 

“Thanks,” Steve says, a dumb smile on his face. Billy’s eyes are soft, watching Steve with familiar warmth. 

“Anytime, pretty boy.” 

The quiet, gentle gesture spreads warmth in Steve’s chest, down his spine, down his arms, all the way to his sticky fingertips. There have been thousands of them over the years they’ve been together, but they never fail to make Steve blush and duck his head like a preteen. They’re affectionate with each other really often, but there’s something about finding the space to have these little moments in the middle of doing mundane, everyday things that strikes a deep chord in Steve. 

“I love you.” The words escape Steve’s lips, the reflection of a feeling so natural to him that they’re behind every other sentence he says. 

The corner of Billy’s mouth ticks up, expression morphing into what used to be a smug smirk when he was younger, and now is a soft, fond expression that’s only ever aimed at a very select group of people.

“Sap,” is what Billy says, but the warmth in his tone is clear. 

“I know you like it,” Steve teases, smiling.

“What I’d like is for you to be done with those lemons,” Billy snarks, his elbow brushing Steve’s.

“Alright, alright,” Steve laughs. “I’m done.” 

When they’re finished, and the glass tray is in the fridge, Billy pulls Steve to the couch so they can make out for the hour it takes for the lemon juice to cook the fish. And it comes out pretty damn good — though Steve’s pretty sure he’s biased, only because he and Billy made it together.

[seastarblue]

Writmas Day Sixteen!

SILLY BOARD GAME TIME YAY

I wanted to do a silly SHORT one for today but WHOOPS it’s a lil long 😭 ah well (also shhhhhh it’s still the 16th somewhere in my heart )

the prompts for today

the ones I used:

“Surrender. It is your only hope, your only salvation”

The hiss of the wind

The crash of thunder

The stirring of darkness

guys I promise it’s Silly and Low Stakes ik the prompts aren’t but I S W E A R—

Alsoooo tried to do a lil smth different with the dialogue I hope it makes sense ��

Thunder boomed, rattling the windowsills. Soon after, lightning flared, further illuminating the room in which six Guards sat. A game table sat in between them all, a motley of woody brown and inky black shapes, winding paths around and together until they coalesced into a simple black circle in the center. Wind howled through the slight crack in the window, but none of the six payed it any mind, choosing instead to direct their attention to the game happening right in front of them.

Two of them stood off, content with simply observing. The other four were engrossed in their little competition.

“AHA!” Mehri shouted, clacking a wood piece onto a spot on the board. “Take that, weasel!”

“Tsk, ye didn’t do much, quit yer screechin’,” Harper replied, moving his piece back several spaces. “I’m still gonna win.”

“That’s what you said the last three times, Harper,” his teammate, Aleksi, said quietly. He took the dice and gave it a roll, then picked up his piece. “Also it’s we, not just you.”

“You should move it there,” Kaiden said, pointing to a spot just left of where Mehri’s piece was. “That way, you’ll be able to—”

“Ah, shshshshhhh Kaiden, you don’t get to play,” Li Hua said, taking her roll of the dice. It clattered on the hard floor, landing on a six. “Yay—aw man. Bad spot.” Pouting, she moved her piece the correct amount of spaces.

“Yeah, besides,” Noha piped in, “you made us lose, Kaiden.”

She scowled. “No I didn’t. Harper moved my piece!”

“Did not, ye’re just upset ye didn’t see my skills coming!”

“What skills? Thievery? Trickery? Sleight of hand?”

“Skills are skills.”

“I CAN’T STOP WINNING!” Mehri cried, slapping her piece even closer to the center, grinning triumphantly.

Li Hua cackled. “Well, boys, it was fun! But it looks like this game is set and match—” her expression soured. “—you’ve gotta be kidding me.”

It was Harper’s turn to cackle. “Shoulda placed yer piece better, Lili~”

“I only had one place to go because Aleksi—”

“All I did was follow Kaiden’s advice!” Aleksi protested.

“And she’s not even playing!” Li Hua hissed back.

“I am playing in spirit, Lili.”

“That doesn’t count!” Li Hua huffed in frustration.

Kaiden shrugged. “Sure it does. And also, Mehri, your piece is—“

“Shoooooosh Kaiden this isn’t yer problem!” Harper said, emerald eyes narrowing.

“Yes it is, I want your side to lose.”

“Even me?” Aleksi asked.

“Yes, Alek, even you. That one—” she pointed at Harper, “—shall feel my wrath. Shouldn’t have stolen my piece, Sticky Fingers.”

Harper scoffed. “I’m—ugh, we” he glanced at Aleksi “—are still gonna win.”

Noha piped in again. “If you’re trying to help them win, Kaiden, why did you tell Aleksi to move his piece there?”

“Well, that’s a secret,” she replied, “but I will say this: You both should surrender. It is your only hope, your only salvation—”

Right on cue, a thunderclap interrupted her, rattling the whole room. The runelights sputtered off, leaving the six in darkness.

“…Dorian is gonna send one of us to get that working again, isn’t he?” Mehri asked, eyebrows furrowed.

The six of them groaned. Their Lieutenant was a nasty one, always sending the oddballs to do the messy work.

“Probably.” Harper said.

“I wanted to see how this would end…” Noha mumbled.

“Then finish this quickly, I wanna help Mehri and Li Hua,” Kaiden said, gesturing to the board.

“Again, ye’re not allowed to help!”

“Shut up Harper, it’s fine.” Li Hua snapped.

“So ye only care when it’s her helping me, eh?”

“Yes. Now roll the dice!”

He obliged, moving his piece to its correct space. “What’re ye going to do now, eh? Pretty good move there, I don’t think ye’ll top it easy.”

He couldn’t finish his sentence before both Li Hua and Mehri let out a celebratory whoop. Harper and Aleksi both exchanged a glance, seeing the confusion on the others face despite the dark.

“Well… that’s game. Good job, Li Hua, Mehri.” Aleksi said, still bewildered as he gave both the women a little pat on the shoulder. They looked confused as well, but still victorious.

As the group dispersed, Kaiden pulled Harper aside, took his hand, and placed two wood pieces into it. He gawked as he realized what happened.

“Fuckin’ hypocrite, ye are.”

The darkness stirred near them, and Noha appeared, silent as they always were. “It’s like you said, Harper. ‘Skills are skills’.”

Harper only scoffed in reply, but neither Kaiden nor Noha thought they imagined the grin on his face.

———

awh man we’ll see if I like this later—also the game they’re playing is a mix of Lado (pls tell me yall know Lado) and chess hehehehehehe I haven’t really figured out how it works 😔

General Writing Taglist! Lemme know if you’d like on via dm!

@bunnymermaidwrites @abiteofhoney @aalinaaaaaa @vesanal @cepheusgalaxy

@fifis-corner @urnumber1star @thebookishkiwi @sunflowerrosy @theink-stainedfolk

@threedaysgross @mundanemoongirl @satohqbanana @bamber344 @imonthemoonitsmadeofcheese

@viridis-icithus @cc-writes-stuff @anothersummerofsleep @sharkblizzardblogs

@verdant-mainframe @kittrrrr @ruvastuon @agirlandherquill (<- the host!) @annothersummerofsleep

@nczaversnick @zerotothex @oliolioxenfreewrites

yay I hope yall enjoyed :>

[hippiegoth97]

Into the Fire: An Eddie Munson x Reader Story Pt. 16

Collage by me :)

Master List

Part 15

Tag List: @keikoraven @ar-jupiter @alcielo1438 @cairro-xx @stolen-in-moonlight

@micheledawn1975 @janiejenn @rafescurtainbangz @melodymunson @spacedoutdaydreamer

@veemoon @sariahs-stuff @feral-pumpkin-energy @comeonatmebruh @munsoneightysixx

@morgthemagpie @josephquinnsfreckles @jenniquinn @usergeta @cometzombie

@spookybabey @daggerdaggerkitten @nina6708 @sanctumdemunson @yourdailymemedelivery

@person-005 @slowandsteddie @gri959 @elegantkoalapaper @letitgoandletlive

@loserboysandlithium @costellation-hunter @leelei1980 @h-ness1944 @pretendthisnameisclever

@ohmeg @stalactitekilla @hellfirenacht @birdysaturne @oneforthemunny

@prettyboyeddiemunson @eddievanmunson @msgexymunson @rattkween86 @violetpixiedust

@bimbobaggins69 @angel-munson @eldermayfield @munsonsbtch @babygorewhore

@mediocredreams @xxbimbobunnyxx @taintedcigs @ali-r3n

Content Warning 18+ Only, Minors DNI:  swearing, yelling/arguing, anger, angst, crying, nightmares, mentions of blood/violence/death, parental issues, mentions of terminal illness, smut, oral sex, unprotected sex, fluff

Word Count: 8.4k

divider by @strangergraphics

Part 16: Hold Me Now

Sunday, April 23rd, 1989

"Alright, Y/N. You've gotta roll a perfect twenty to win. Think you can do it?" Eddie asks, tossing you the D20 from across the table. You catch it in your hand, looking at it anxiously. This is your last chance to clinch a win, otherwise you and your fellow players' journey is all for naught on this Sunday evening.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" You reply in uncertainty, heart racing with anticipation. You can feel everyone's eyes on you as you rattle the plastic icosahedron in your sweaty hands. You release the die after far too many shakes, and it chatters to the table. The moment plays out in slow motion, each side coming into view in agonizing succession. The players around you watch the spectacle unfold, loudly hoping and praying for the odds to work in your favor. You look on hopefully, biting your lip as your pupils follow the movement. The object in question gradually comes to a stop, rolling over one last time to display the numbers 2-0 in bright, blinding red paint. "Holy shit." You exhale, unable to believe you've actually succeeded. You look around the room, met with seven pairs of widened eyes and accompanying mouths hanging slack jawed to mirror your own skepticism.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you do it! Congratulations to Y/N on claiming a victory on her first game!" Eddie announces with a proud grin, bowing to you while extending his arms dramatically.

"Fuck yeah!" Dustin cheers, and the others join in with hoots and hollers while they squish you in a huddle of bodies. You're over the moon to have done so well on your first try, jumping up and down with glee. You imagine this is what it's like when sports teams win their big game, adrenaline and explosive joy coursing through your body when you realize you’ve managed to pull it off.

Eddie scoots his chair out, pushing his way through the crowd to reach you. He reels you into his embrace, kissing you passionately as a reward for truly becoming the Queen of Hellfire. Your knees give out as you melt into him, and he lifts you up to wrap your legs around his waist. "Well done, sweetheart." He says when his lips leave yours, an unrestrained hunger in his eyes. You can see he is nearly desperate to celebrate your achievement in his particularly ravenous way.

You nod in understanding, smirking as you think about what he's going to be doing to you as soon as you're alone. "Thanks, love. Let's clean up and go home, hm?" You suggest, gently squeezing his sides with your thighs. Eddie puts you back down, and you assist him and the others in scooping up dice and player pieces. You can tell he's rushing, clumsily dropping his papers on the floor. He needs to get out of Mike's basement as soon as possible. You still have to drop the other kids at their homes after this, and neither of you want to take a second longer than necessary. You can't deny that during this whole weekend, every turn and attack and spell has served as a unique type of foreplay for you two. You've never shared such intensity before, it's a wonder nobody picked up on you two smoldering the entire game.

Friday was certainly mind-blowing, but last night was even crazier. You rode Eddie's cock for what felt like hours in his bed, crying his name to high heaven while you came over and over. He even pulled out some handcuffs he'd neglected to tell you about before, chaining your hands behind you while he railed you from the back. You called him Dungeon Master whenever he asked, well, more like commanded. He spanked your ass harder and harder every time you said it, the red-hot sting on your flesh sending you over the edge all on its own. He said the filthiest things to you all night, and you reciprocated by telling him just how fucking good he was, how you're his and only his. There must have been at least fifteen orgasms between the two of you, most of which were yours. Making you cum is one of Eddie's favorite things, and he just can't stop himself until you tap out.

You say goodbye to Mike and his parents, loading the rest of the kids into the van for the final time this weekend. You drop off Lucas and Erica first, then Dustin, and finally the Tanners as they live the furthest away from the Wheeler house. Once Ian and James are safely inside, you and Eddie drive over to his place. Wayne just so happens to have a night off from work, a much-needed rest from back-breaking labor at the plant. You'd both been hoping to have the place to yourselves, but you suppose your libidos will just have to wait a while longer.

Eddie makes dinner for the three of you, taking this as a chance to have the meal you'd planned to share before Wayne got sick. "Need any help, Eds?" You offer from the couch, beer in hand as you sit with Wayne. He's got a baseball game on, and you can't follow it worth shit. He offers helpful commentary in his comforting tone, and you slowly grasp the rules as you listen.

"Nah, you just sit pretty and let me work my magic." Eddie replies with a slight panic in his voice. He's trying out one of the recipes from the books you bought him. He's practiced it a couple of times when he's home alone, all of which have ended in using the fire extinguisher from underneath the sink. But he has faith that with you here as his good luck charm, he can finally do it. He scrambles around the kitchen, tenderizing chicken and setting potatoes to boil on the stove.

"Don't burn down the whole trailer, now. I'd hate to end up homeless 'cause you wanna impress your lady friend, Edward." Wayne says, making you laugh. He gives you a kind smile, returning the attention to the men on TV swinging bats and running in tight white pants.

"No fires today, Wayne. I'd bet my left nut on it." Eddie retorts, clanging bowls and utensils around hastily. You crane your neck to inspect what he's doing, but you really have no fucking clue what's going on in there.

"I'd much prefer money or smokes, kid." Wayne replies while chuckling to himself.

"I'm sure it'll be great, darling. I believe in you." You call to Eddie in encouragement, still watching the players swing and miss on the screen before you.

"Thank you, baby." Eddie smiles, and he starts to relax. He knows damn well he could present you with a plate absolutely burnt to a crisp and you'd eat every last bite, telling him how delicious it was afterwards. He takes a deep breath, letting the few chef's skills he has take the reins. He's carefully reading the recipes in the book step by step to stay on the right track.

The smells wafting over to you from the kitchen some time later are making your mouth water, thyme and rosemary are particularly present. Your stomach growls loudly, giving yourself away. "How much longer, Ed? I think Y/N's 'bout ready to eat the couch!" Wayne teases, though you take no offense. You were tempted to ask yourself, but you didn't want to interrupt Eddie's process.

"Almost done, like...five more minutes!" Eddie says as he pulls a pan out of the oven. The smell only grows stronger, and your belly tenses as you await the opportunity to taste whatever he’s created. He opens the cabinet to pull out some plates, setting them on the counter to dish out the food. He places a large, roasted chicken breast on each plate, cutting into his own to make sure it's done. "Perfect." He murmurs to himself, smirking at how tender and juicy the inside of the meat is. He scoops potatoes and green beans from the pan to sit beside the chicken, and brings each plate to the table once he's finished. "Dinner is officially served." He announces, retrieving silverware from one of the drawers. You and Wayne meet him at the table. Eddie sits between the two of you, waiting expectantly for you to comment on your plates.

You look down at the meal before you, steam rising off of it in the dim lighting. It's straight out of a picture book, and you can't help just staring at it for a moment. "Wow, Eds. It looks amazing! Smells really good, too." You glance at him, giving a proud smile like the one you received from him earlier today. You pick up your fork and knife, cutting into the chicken. The dull blade glides through the meat effortlessly, and you just know you're gonna have to hold back a vulgar sound when you finally taste it. You pierce the slice with your fork, bringing it to your lips. You bite down, gasping at the juices releasing from the tender flesh. You chew slowly, your mouth sitting open in shock once you swallow.

"Well? How is it?" Eddie asks while biting his lip. You haven't said anything for a moment, making him nervous. You meet his gaze, somehow more turned on than you were after winning the campaign. There's something so attractive to you that Eddie can cook like no one else on this earth. Everything he makes for you is a labor of love, and it puts all others to shame.

"It's fucking fantastic!" You tell him honestly, unable to hold back as you stare at him with dilated pupils.

"I second that." Wayne says with his mouth half-full. He didn't bother to participate in any dramatic effect. You don't blame him, this chicken is so damn good.

"You really think so?" Eddie blushes at the praise.

"Of course I do." You reply sincerely. He doesn't say anything else, just leans over slightly to give you a thankful kiss. Eddie can't resist grabbing the sides of your face, deepening the kiss with no regard for the other company in the room.

"Jesus, cut it out! I'm tryin' to eat, ya damn horndog!" Wayne chides, directing his disdain at his nephew as opposed to you. Eddie breaks away abruptly, digging into his own serving to hide his embarrassment.

The three of you eat hastily, utterly enamored with your food. Everything is cooked just right, with the optimal amount of seasoning. Eddie clears the plates once you're all finished, rejoining you at the table. "That was really amazing, baby. Thank you for making it." You speak affectionately, reaching over to take his hand in yours.

"You're welcome, sweetheart. I'm glad you liked it. It's all thanks to those books you gave me." He replies, stroking your knuckles with his thumb.

"You're turnin' into a regular little housewife, Ed." Wayne jokes as he takes a swig of his beer.

"I never took you to be so old-fashioned, Wayne." You quip, keeping the light laughter going in the room. You really enjoy the relationship these two have. It's the perfect balance between supportive and ball-busting. To be welcomed into their little world so easily is truly a treat in your eyes. The families of almost all your exes were much more conservative with their attachments.

"I can promise you, there ain't a damn thing that's traditional about the Munson family." Wayne chuckles, before continuing. "But I sure as shit wouldn't have it any other way." He claps a hand on Eddie's shoulder, shaking it in playful tenderness. "Speakin’ of, Wilfred called again today." He says as gently as he can, and the statement snuffs out the happy energy in the room. It pains Wayne to say a single word about his brother, even his name feels like knives scraping against his gums. But he wouldn't bring him up if it wasn't important.

"What’s the bastard want this time?" Eddie asks, shrinking in his chair as his mind slips into survival mode.

"Well, I,uh…I hate to say this when we've been havin' such a good time tonight. But, I 'spose there ain't a convenient time for bad news." Wayne dances around the subject, but you imagine whatever he's about to say is going to drop like a bomb. Heavy, explosive, destructive. You worry how Eddie will react, you can see his fight or flight battling with itself all over his face. Wayne sighs, clearing his throat. "He's dyin', Edward."

Eddie chuckles abruptly, shaking his head. "Voluntarily?" He asks as a poor joke, falling into an unnerving fit of laughter.

You and Wayne look to each other, worried that your man has lost his mind. "Eddie, please be serious. It ain't funny." His uncle speaks sternly, but it only makes him laugh harder. His eyes water from how hard he's going, and his body shudders with each guffaw. It's like he's heard the world's most hilarious joke, laughing himself to death over it. "He's got cancer, goddammit!" Wayne bangs his fist on the table, becoming angry at Eddie cackling his head off at this news.

"GOOD! THAT'S WHAT HE FUCKING DESERVES, WAYNE!" Eddie screams back, his face going red as his features scrunch into unbridled rage. It's like a switch has flipped, the humor is gone as soon as it came. He's breathing heavily, a small step away from snarling. He stands up abruptly, knocking his chair over. It bangs against the floor, scraping the beaten linoleum. He stomps down the hall with his fists balled at his sides. He goes into his room, nearly breaking the door off its hinges when he slams it. You flinch at the sound, pinching your eyes shut in reflex.

"I'm sorry, Y/N. I shouldn't have said anything tonight. I just don't know what to do." Wayne apologizes, sniffling slightly. He didn't want to upset Eddie, far from it. He's conflicted about his brother dying. On the one hand, he's one of the few people left in his family. On the other, he's a real piece of shit that beat his wife and son after falling to the bottom of the bottle. Wayne was always taught that blood is thicker than water, but he's been doubting the validity of that statement more and more when it comes to Wilfred.

"It's fine, Wayne. I'm very sorry about your brother. This can't be an easy time for you. I know he's not the greatest guy or anything, but I can tell you value family a lot." You pause, contemplating if you should even ask the one question that's flitting about in your mind. "Did he say how long he's got?" His expression changes slightly, and you worry you're overstepping now. "You don't have to tell me, I know I'm not fam一"

"Don't say that, Y/N.” Wayne cuts you off. “You count as family in my eyes, and you do even more in Eddie's. He loves you more than I ever saw him capable of before. Don't ever doubt the well-earned place you have here, ya hear me?" He speaks purposefully, ensuring every word he says rings true.

"Okay." You nod, letting him continue the conversation.

"To answer your question, he's got a couple months left at best. And his dyin' wish is to see Edward one last time. To apologize or some shit, make amends. Fucker had his whole life to make shit right with his son, and he waits 'til he's about to meet the goddamn devil himself to do it." He chuckles wryly, letting out a resigned sigh.

"I'm not sure Eddie's gonna go for that. I don't really blame him. I certainly wouldn't if I was in his shoes." You can already see how a potential try at convincing him to go through with it would pan out, and it ends in yelling and tears. Maybe a hole punched into the wall for good measure.

"I can't say I disagree. But I promised Wilfred I'd get 'im over there. He's my brother, and he ain't gonna be tormentin' this world much longer." His eyes close for a moment, gearing up to say something else that he finds very difficult. "Look, I hate to ask this of ya, but can you try to talk to Eddie? I know he'd listen to ya more than anyone else. Feel free to tell me to shove it, but it would mean the world, Y/N."

You nod again, wanting to help him out. "I'll try my best, Wayne. I'm not gonna push him into it if he's not digging the idea. I love Eddie too much to force him to face that man if it'll only end up hurting him."

"That's more than fair, darlin'. Just try your best, and I'll take 'no' for an answer if he chooses it." You both stand up from the table, meeting in a soft hug. "I don't envy your position, that's for sure." He laughs, drawing a giggle from you too.

"No shit. But it's better to try and get shot down, than to end up regretting not trying at all. I'm sure that's something my old man learned that hard way in the end." Wayne gives you a gentle squeeze at the mention of your own father, Eddie had told him about the funeral a week or so ago.

You let one another go after a moment, wiping a couple stray tears from your eyes. You make your way down the hall to attend to your man, afraid of what version of him you might find lurking inside his room. You quietly knock on the door, hearing nothing on the other side. You apprehensively twist the knob, pushing the door open as gently as you can. You find Eddie sitting on the edge of the bed, staring down at the floor. His hair drapes to hide his face, and the heel of his foot taps incessantly against the floor. "What do you want?" He asks, barely fighting back the urge to yell at the top of his lungs.

"Eddie..." He softens slightly when he realizes it's you. His foot slows down, and his trembling subsides slightly. "I don't really...know what to say. All the usual questions make no sense. You know, ‘are you alright?’, or ‘can I get you anything?’. So, I guess I'll try this instead. What do you need?" You close the door behind you, walking across the room to sit beside him. You don't touch him just yet, you don't want to enter his space unless he invites you.

"I need you, Y/N. Just you." He whispers, raising his head to bring it level with yours. He's been crying silent, angry tears. His eyes are red and puffy, and his plump bottom lip shakes independently from his body. You bring yourself closer to him, wrapping your arms around his torso. He buries his head against your neck, releasing an borderline inhuman wail that vibrates against your skin. One that rivals the guttural sounds he made after his fight with Jason. His own arms squeeze you so tight, but it's a welcome constriction. His body aches for yours, clinging to you like an infant to its mother. He just needs you to make everything okay again.

"It's okay, love. I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere, alright?" You stroke his hair with your hand, rocking him gently side to side to soothe his distressed soul.

"I'm sorry I got so mad, Y/N. I didn't wanna yell like that. I'm sorry if I scared you." Eddie helplessly attempts to apologize, his words coming out choppy and pained. His sobs wrench his insides around, almost making him ill. He wants to stop crying, to stop making you have to comfort him so much. He's always hated how emotional he is, sometimes he cries at absolutely nothing at all. If he only knew that it's one of the many reasons why you love him so much. His vulnerability is just a bullet-point in a long list of things that make him the greatest man you've ever known.

"Baby, it's okay. Don't worry about it, I know you weren't mad at me. And Wayne knows too, he knows you're just upset. And that's okay. You don't have to be anything but what you feel right now. You're safe here with me. I promise, Eds." You coo at him, hoping you can help him relax soon. This certainly isn't how you pictured tonight going, the exact opposite, actually. But life's funny that way. Just when you think everything's sunshine and lollipops, an atom bomb falls from the sky to blow it all to pieces.

You help Eddie ride out the tears, getting him to lie down after carefully removing his clothes. He nestles under the covers, only his eyes and the top of his head peeking out at you. He's gone silent now, his throat hurts terribly from his meltdown. The only sound from him is the steady breathing through his nose. You continue to caress his hair, it's one of the easiest ways to calm him down. He looks so tired, and you won't lie that tonight has worn you out as well. You were riding on an incredible high that you hoped would end with even more incredible sex, but now you're both feeling lower than you ever thought possible. Sleep's heavy hands rest on your shoulders, overriding everything else. "You comin' to bed, sweetheart?" Eddie asks meekly, his words muffled by the blanket he's taken shelter in.

"Yeah. I just have to pee first. Do you need anything? Maybe some water?" You offer, he's probably a little dehydrated after all the crying. He nods, flicking his eyes away from you in shame. "Baby, please don't be hard on yourself. You haven't done anything wrong. I'll be right back, okay?" You insist that there's no reason for him to be so sorry, but he can't help feeling like a scolded child. It's not anything you said, nor any of Wayne's words either. It's what he's saying to himself, hidden within the confines of his skull.

You're being an asshole, Eddie. You yelled at Wayne, and now Y/N has to baby you. How can you possibly think you're good enough for her? You may be well into your twenties, but you're still the same silly child you've always been. Crying because your daddy who used to beat you is dying? How pathetic. A single tear forces itself from his eye, and he quickly wipes it away before you can see. He hears the toilet flush, and the sink turning on and off. He listens to your footsteps landing softly along the floor to the kitchen and back to him. You re-enter the room, coaxing him to sit up and drink from the glass you brought him. "Thanks." Eddie says simply, slurping down the water in a few seconds flat. It hits hard in his stomach, cooling him down from the inside out. He hands you the empty cup, and you set it on the nightstand. You flick off the light, removing your clothes to join Eddie under the covers.

Before you can roll over to let him spoon you, he snatches you into his arms. He tangles his legs with yours, not wanting to let go. You stiffen at the sudden movement, but relax immediately when you realize what he wants. You get as far into his space as you can, your tits pressing against his bare chest. "I love you, Eddie." You give him a gentle kiss, not expecting him to return it with much force. But he does, more hungry and desperate than you anticipated. But the feeling behind it isn't lust, it's longing. Even though you're right here with him, any centimeter of space between you feels like miles. Eddie wants more than anything to be okay, but tonight's news has fractured something in him. He'll mend, with time. But he needs you now more than ever before, and he really hopes you're up to the task.

"I love you too, princess." Eddie replies once you pull away. The way his lips met with yours makes your heart ache terribly. You know he's struggling right now, and you have every intention of staying by his side through this difficult time. You want him to lean on you, you want to be his rock. You dread the idea of even breathing a word of the promise you made with Wayne to Eddie, you're afraid it'll push him off the deep end. You choose to put the notion aside for now, rest is much more important, for both of you. Sleep takes you both into its inviting depths swiftly and easily, but the journey you embark upon in dreamland is far from pleasant.

You're strapped to the kitchen chair in the trailer, unable to move. Darkness surrounds you, the only light coming from the overhead lamp above the table. Wayne and Eddie are trapped just the same as you, seemingly reliving the events that took place at dinner. Eddie's laughing maniacally, his eyes going wild and bloodshot as he cackles with glee. He's staring at you, jaw almost unhinged like a snake. You can see all his teeth, his tongue, the back of his throat lit up by the light. The moisture in his mouth and eyes twinkles eerily at you. The veins in his forehead and neck stick out prominently beneath his flesh that has reddened from laughing so hard. 

"Shut up! Stop laughing! It's not fuckin' funny! He's dyin', you big idiot! Stop it! Just stop it!" Wayne screams repeatedly at his nephew, practically turning blue at the force of his pleading.

"GOOD! THAT'S WHAT HE FUCKING DESERVES, WAYNE!" Eddie bellows back, the sheer volume of it shaking the walls of the trailer. "HE SHOULD CONSIDER HIMSELF SO LUCKY! IF I HAD IT MY WAY, I'D KILL THE FUCKER MYSELF! SLICE HIM UP WITH THAT FUCKING SHIV HE CUT ME WITH! GIVE HIM A TASTE OF HIS OWN MEDICINE!" His voice morphs into a deep roar, almost like it's not his anymore at all. This is when you realize there's been another figure with you in the room this whole time. An older man, just barely peeking out from behind your boyfriend like a shadow. His eye meets yours, and he makes himself known once he sees you've found him out.

He's tall and slender, emaciated even. His hair sits shaggily atop his head, messy, gray, and thin. His yellowed eyes are sunken into his skull, and his prison jumpsuit sits loosely on his skeletal form. He's smirking menacingly at you, and you know instantly that this is Wilfred standing before you. Though he may be much older and sicker than Eddie, the family resemblance is quite striking. His hand is hidden behind Eddie's back, who has now fallen silent once you noticed his father. You watch Wilfred flex his arm slightly behind his son, and use him as a puppet to speak to you. "Nice to meet you, darlin'." Eddie's mouth moves unnaturally, Wilfred's voice coming out of his snapping smile. You hear wet squelching at every word, you imagine it's a grisly scene behind Eddie's back. His father's hand shoved deep inside him, blood and viscera leaking out of the brutally formed hole.

"No." Is all you can manage to respond with. You just look on in horror, you don't want to see another second of this.

"What's the matter, sweet-cheeks? I could very well be your father-in-law one day, there's no need to be so rude. Use your words, pretty thing!" Wilfred's other arm stretches across the table to grasp your chin roughly. His fingers are grimy, smudging grease and dirt on your flesh. You flinch at the sensation, wanting to vomit from the smell of him. It's like rotting flesh and sulfur, like he's a demon who rose up from the depths of hell.

"Let him go!" You shout helplessly. He just shakes his head no, maneuvering Eddie's head to mimic the sentiment.

"No can do, darlin'. And since you have no manners, I guess I'll just have to finish what I started!" He releases your face, reaching into his pocket to pull out the shiv Eddie told you about. It's rusty and dull, still coated in blood from the last time.

"Leave him alone! Don't you hurt him!" You scream, tears streaming down your face. But he doesn't heed your words one bit. Instead, he brings the blade to Eddie's throat.

"Say goodbye, princess." Wilfred's voice says through Eddie's lips one last time. Your love's face still smiles at you, a single tear rolling from his left eye. And in one smooth motion, the blade slashes across Eddie's neck. Thick, dark blood pours from the wound, spraying and splattering on the table, his clothes, the floor. A smatter of it whips onto your cheek, uncomfortably warm and stinking of iron.

"NO! EDDIE!" You cry, trying to fight against your restraints. But it's no use, and Eddie sits helplessly beside you in his chair. His eyes don't close, nor his mouth as the life drains out of him. He's just perfectly still with that awful expression on his face. His throat gushes blood, winnowing down to a pitiful drip until there's nothing left. You suddenly wonder where Wayne is, but he's gone when you look across the table. No chair, no body, nothing. And when you look back, there's no sign of Wilfred either. He's not in plain sight, and he's not acting like Eddie's shadow again. You're all alone, still stuck in this chair, with no one to save you. You release visceral wails and screams, staring at Eddie's grinning corpse hopelessly.

"Y/N!" You hear Eddie yell as he shakes you awake frantically. You sit up in bed, gasping as you come to in the darkness of his room. You're soaked in sweat, and there's a beam of light coming through the open door. Wayne's kneeling at the side of the bed, holding your hand while Eddie keeps the blanket above your breasts. "You were screaming in your sleep, sweetheart. Brought me out of my own damn nightmare. Are you okay?" He asks, turning your head to look at him. You meet his eyes, finding nothing resembling how they were in your dream. They're wide and terrified, searching yours for an explanation to your worrying behavior.

"It was terrible, Eddie! We were at the table, strapped to the chairs! And you were laughing so loud! And your dad was there, moving you around like a puppet! And he slit your throat open, there was blood everywhere! And then I was all alone! It was awful, just awful!" You recount your night terror in a sobbing ramble, not caring how irrational or incoherent you sound. Eddie pulls you closer to him, shushing you as you cry violently against his chest.

"Jesus Christ. You two gonna be alright in here?" Wayne asks, giving Eddie a concerned expression. Eddie nods, shooing his uncle away. Wayne's hesitant to leave, and he feels absolutely horrible. He regrets giving you the task of getting Eddie to see his father, guessing that you've been let in the know about what Wilfred did at their last visit. He sighs, shaking his head in shame at himself. He feels like he's making all the wrong decisions here, upsetting the both of you in different ways. At this point, he doesn't give a damn what his brother wants. Wilfred can suck the devil's three-pronged prick as far as he's concerned. He leaves you two alone, making a beeline for the fridge to get another beer. Your screams scared the absolute shit out of him, and he hopes to never hear them again.

"Shh, it's okay, baby. It was just a dream. It wasn't real. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." Eddie coos, trying his best to soothe you. How is it that every time something stressful happens, you two have to take turns getting the other to stop crying? Eddie glances at the clock, and it reads 1:45AM. Neither of you have been asleep very long, maybe an hour or two at best.

"You said you had a nightmare too. What happened?" You ask with your face still smushed against him.

"Just the same dream I've told you about before, ending up in prison with my dad. Wasn't nearly as scary as waking up from your screams, though. And Wayne came bursting in here wondering what the hell was going on. It all happened so fast, I thought it was another nightmare, to be honest." He speaks calmly, though the events that took place while he was half-asleep have frightened him to the core.

"Well, I'm certainly not feeling tired anymore." You reply, nuzzling his neck with your head.

"Me either. We could watch a movie if you want, I doubt Wayne's going to sleep anytime soon. Or I could read to you, we could play cards or something. Anything you want, sweetheart." Eddie makes plenty of suggestions, all of which could certainly help. However, you're afraid that Wilfred could be lurking around any corner, hiding in the shadows, puppeteering your boyfriend. You're so afraid to open your eyes, worried you'll be strapped to the kitchen chair all over again.

"I'd love to do any of that, but I'm so scared, Eds. I can't open my eyes, I don't want to see anything horrific like that again." Your voice trembles, and your heart continues to pound.

He tuts. "I promise you won't, baby." Eddie puts his hands on either side of your face, causing you to flinch. "Relax, love. Let me lead you." He says patiently. You nod in his grip, allowing him to bring your head level with his. It's disorienting to sense movement when all you can see is pitch black. "Open your eyes, sweetheart. It's just me here, no one else." He assures you.

"Okay." You reply shakily, taking a moment to breathe deeply. Inhale, hold, and exhale. You force your eyelids to retract, finding Eddie's kind expression waiting for you on the other side. You let out a sigh of relief, rolling your eyes at yourself for being so afraid.

"Atta girl. See, not so scary now, right?" He smiles, keeping it smaller than usual to avoid frightening you. "So, what would you like to do, angel?" He asks. He'd do whatever you want at this point. Buy you ice cream, go streaking downtown, rob a bank. Anything to help chase the monsters away.

You think on it for a moment, contemplating your options. You don't really want to leave the bedroom, the mere sight of the kitchen would probably make you burst into tears. You just want to be close to Eddie, to latch onto him and never let go. Naturally, your brain makes the only logical conclusion it possibly can in this situation. You bring your hand to Eddie's cheek, stroking it gently. He hums at the contact, watching you closely. He has an inkling as to where this is going, which worries him. He wants to please you, any way you desire. But he wonders if this is what you really want. His hand takes hold of yours, lowering it between your bodies for a moment. "What is it, Eddie?" You ask, realizing he might not be in the mood.

"Y/N. I'll give you anything you want, you know that. I just want to make sure you're not jumping the gun here. So please, use your words. Tell me exactly what I can do to make you feel better." He speaks seriously, his loving face illuminated by the moon shining through the window.

"I don't want you to call me a slut, or choke me, or bite me. I don't want you to be rough with me, or make me scream, or slap my ass." You're trying to state things as plainly as possible. Telling him that as much as you want this, you just can't handle your usual dynamic tonight. "I want you to be slow, and gentle, and tender. I want you to cover me with kisses, and say pretty things to me. I want you to make love to me, Eddie. Use your love for me to make the monsters go away. Please?" You don't mean to come off so dramatic, needy, even. But you know he understands you perfectly.

"That's all I needed to hear, princess." Eddie replies, leaning in to kiss you deeply. You let him take the lead, and he lays you down on the mattress, hovering above you as your mouths quietly smack together. Your head rests on the pillow, and you feel his hands caressing all over your body. His palms make contact with your tits, squeezing them ever so softly. You moan when he grazes your hardened nipples. You don't want to make a lot of noise, you figure Eddie's uncle doesn't need to be traumatized by your screams again. "You're so beautiful, baby." Eddie whispers, moving his lips to your neck. He peppers the skin with wet, warm kisses, never biting down.

"And you're very handsome, Eddie. Your lips feel so good. I want to feel them all over me." You're feeling very warm beneath him and the blanket that rests just above your waist.

"Your wish is my command, angel." He says sweetly, listening to your request without hesitation. He slowly moves his mouth along to your right shoulder, and down the length of your arm to the tips of your fingers. You let out breathy moans all the while, savoring every time he meets your flesh. He repeats these steps on the other side, moving on to your chest afterwards. His blazing touch meets the swells of your breasts, and the valley between them. "I love your tits, sweetheart. They’re so soft, and perfect in my hands." He compliments you, giving you a loving glance before taking your left nipple in his mouth. His tongue swirls around your sensitive bud, making you gasp.

"God, your tongue is amazing, too." Your eyes flutter closed. Eddie's pace is patient, in no rush whatsoever. He's absolutely worshiping you, refusing to neglect a single part of your body. You're becoming unbelievably wet for him. You can feel your arousal seeping into the bed below you as it drips from your cunt. He migrates to your other breast, a muted whine escaping your lungs. "Fuck." Your insides are bubbling, growing towards a boiling point.

"I love making you feel good, sweetheart. Your noises are music to my ears." Eddie scoots down further, giving your stomach and hips repetitive little pecks. They're warm and ticklish, tempting you to squirm. His tongue dips into your navel, pulling another stifled moan from you. Your hands grasp at the taut sheets, unable to form a grip. Eddie's lips meet your hip, then your thigh, all the way down to your ankle. You wait in anticipation for Eddie's mouth to finally come in contact with your pussy, he's currently hidden under the blanket as he makes the trip back up your other leg. His large hands spread your thighs open slightly, and he slinks toward the place he's been dying to taste this whole time.

He licks a thin stripe from your entrance to your clit, sighing blissfully at the sweet, musky flavor. "Eddie." You groan, trying to keep the volume down. Your nails dig ferociously into the bedding. He's dragging his wet muscle on you at a snail's pace, but it's probably the most intense instance of him eating you out you've ever experienced. You tent your knees, allowing yourself to watch him work on you under the covers. He glances at you when he notices the moonlight gleaming down on him, smiling wide before slipping his tongue inside you to stroke your g-spot. "Oh my god. Keep doing that, Eddie. It's perfect." Your walls flex around him involuntarily, a flash of white-hot pleasure rippling through you.

"Mm." He responds, rubbing against your sweet spot repeatedly. It's a challenge for him to maintain this torturous pace, using all his willpower to not fuck you hard and fast with his mouth and fingers.

"Just like that, love. You're gonna make me cum…so fucking good." His tongue flicks inside you expertly, his nose brushing against your clit as he pushes you over the edge. Your breath catches in your throat, and you keep a loud moan trapped inside your chest once the oxygen returns. Your pussy strangles Eddie's tongue, coating it in your juices. Your legs tremble, threatening to snap themselves shut. He strokes your thighs as you ride out your high, and he drinks up every last drop of your cum as it flows out of you.

"You always taste so sweet, angel. I'll never get enough of you." Eddie says once he pulls his mouth away from your cunt. He crawls back up from beneath the blankets to kiss you passionately. You moan at your arousal on his lips, slipping your tongue in to dance languidly with his. You reach between your bodies, grazing your fingertips along Eddie's stiff cock. He grunts against you, his hips stuttering ever so slightly at the contact. You wrap your hand around his length, carefully stroking him up and down. Your other hand goes to Eddie's cheek, cupping it as you continue to make out with him.

The moves you make on one another flow naturally, almost like you're performing a dance. It's unbelievably sensual. That word in particular floats around your love-drunk head for a moment. Sensual, it's such a mature term. But it perfectly encapsulates this moment you and Eddie are currently entangled in. There's no expectations, no clamoring race to the proverbial finish line. It's just pure love, and affection, and commitment to one another. Your mouths pull apart as you need to breathe, and you're staring deep into Eddie's eyes while you continue to touch him. "I want you inside me, baby. You're the perfect size, and you fill me up so well."

"Damn, sweetheart. That's gotta be the greatest compliment you've ever given me." He quips, drawing comfortable giggles from the two of you. You kiss him again, using your free hand to gently grip his ass to pull him closer to you. You rub the tip of his dick against your folds, spreading your arousal. You share a muted moan, cherishing every passing second like it's your last. Eddie smoothly removes your hand from his length, bringing the head to wait just outside your inviting entrance. "You ready, babydoll?" He asks, gazing down at you affectionately.

"Yes, love." You whisper, nodding in encouragement. He pushes in just as slowly as he's done everything else tonight, hushed groans escaping you of their own volition. Inch by inch, his cock becomes acquainted with every ridge and groove of your insides. But all the other times he's been inside you don't even compare to right now. Sure, fucking one another's brains out is a helluva good time. But, this? This is as absolute of an act of love that any singular human can hope to achieve. You're melding into one singular being, your hearts beating in sync to create the most beautiful music. The kind that all the cheesy love songs are about. The type that poets rhyme about. The sort that the artists paint, sculpt, and craft about. The heart of all things, from the fossils deep in the earth, to the blazing stars in the night sky, lies here within this bed.

"I love you, Y/N." Eddie says, softer than you've ever heard him say it before. A single tear runs down his cheek at how meaningful this moment is. You reach up to wipe it away, smiling warmly at him.

"I love you too, Eddie." You reply, the words just as delicate coming from your own lips. The gorgeous man above you begins to move, pulling out nice and slow, then returning to your warmth.

"Oh, my god." Eddie whimpers, eyes rolling back into his head at how amazing this all is. There's very little force behind his movements, only enough to give you both exquisite pleasure. He repeats the action over and over. It feels unbelievable, you breathe heavily in each other's faces at the intensity. The most dulcet noises flow liberally from your mouths, amplifying every sensation you're experiencing. A light sheen of sweat coats your bodies, and Eddie lowers his head to plant endless kisses to your throat.

"You're amazing, baby. Everything you do is like magic." You sigh, arching your back in coordination with his sedate thrusts. You hold him as close to you as possible, your fingers spread wide across his back.

"Fuck, you feel so good inside, angel. You're so warm, and tight. So beautiful." Eddie says as he continues to worship your neck. He's honestly not sure how long he can last like this. Luckily, your occasional pulses around him signal that you're in the same boat. His hands rest at your hips, helping him to stay upright despite his knees wanting to buckle.

You sense your end nearing again, and it really hasn't taken much at all. Rolling waves of pleasure wash over you, gradually building higher and higher as Eddie continues to move in and out of you. "I'm getting close, Eds. Can you go just a little faster?" You ask so nicely, enjoying every last moment of this.

"Of course, princess. I'm right there with you." He increases his pace ever so slightly, brushing your sweet spot in an even more impeccable way than before. "Shit." Eddie groans, his hips stuttering as his high threatens to take hold.

"Almost there, love. Kiss me while we cum, please?" You plead, needing to feel as much of him as you possibly can. Eddie just nods, his brain devoid of words entirely. His mouth lands clumsily on yours, and he rubs light circles on your clit to bring you down with him. You moan against one another as lightning strikes through your bodies. You give in to sweet surrender, clinging onto any flesh either of you can reach. Your walls squeeze Eddie's cock, and his pelvis bucks into you once while his load fills you up. You whine at the sudden motion, though it's still extremely gentle compared to his usual level of force.

A small amount of your arousal mixes with his, waiting to drip from you once Eddie pulls out. You're still kissing repeatedly as your highs subside, letting out satisfied sighs and muffled 'I love you's when there's a small gap between you. Eddie's dick softens inside you, and you both hiss slightly when he removes himself. Just as predicted, your mixed release flows lazily from your pussy. "Gorgeous." Eddie groans at the sight, leaning down to clean you up with his mouth.

"Fuck, Eddie." You gasp, you thought he was going to grab a towel or something. He's still tender as ever, only licking where it's needed so he won't spoil the wonderful experience you've had tonight.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I didn't wanna leave to get a towel and have Wayne see me naked. Plus, you taste too damn good to waste." He explains, laying down beside you in the afterglow.

"Hey, I'm not complaining! You just took me by surprise. On another note, that was easily the best sex we've ever had." You roll over to look at his glistening face.

"You're damn right! Shit, if I'd known making love could be better than fucking you senseless, I would be doing that every time!" Eddie exclaims, still in an utterly mind-blown state at the magic you made together. You're both in a ridiculously good mood now, forgetting about the monsters entirely. You feel even closer to one another than before, if that's even possible.

"Maybe we should do it this way more often then." You suggest with a grin, giggling as you snuggle up to him. He gladly accepts you into his embrace, his arms wrapping around you lovingly.

"You got it, babe. How can I possibly say no to you, hm?" He chuckles, giving you another little kiss. It only lasts a couple seconds before being interrupted by huge yawns. "Well, I think that's our cue to get some rest. I've got a shift at the theater tomorrow, now that I think about it." Eddie checks the time again, it's almost three in the morning. You two really took your time.

"Shit, I totally forgot! I'm sorry, Eds. Now I've kept you up and you're gonna be exhausted tomo一" You apologize profusely, but he cuts you off.

"Y/N, it's fine. It's my responsibility, not yours. 'Kay?" He soothes your unease, stroking your back with the tips of his fingers.

"Okay. Hey, speaking of the theater...do you think your boss would give me a job over the summer? I can always work at the Big Buy if not. But I figured it could be kinda fun to work together." Eddie cocks an eyebrow at you, he had no idea you wanted to work during the summer. He suspects it might have to do with whatever little 'surprise' you've been hiding.

"Um...I can ask him. There's not a ton of work to go around, though. So don't get your hopes up." He sees your face fall slightly, he hates the sight of your disappointment. "But I'll try my best. And I must say I'd love to work with you, I think you'd look damn sexy in that uniform." He reassures you, hoping he can convince the owner, Henry Biggs, to let you join the staff. Mr. Biggs is quite the asshole, and Eddie isn't sure you'll be able to handle working for someone like that.

"Thank you, Eddie. You're the sweetest man in the whole wide world." You say with a sleepy smile. You're finding it very hard to keep your eyes open now, and it appears he's in the same position.

"And you're an even sweeter woman, darling. Let's get some rest, you might just have a job interview tomorrow." He plants one final peck to your lips, bringing your head to rest on his chest. You pull up the blankets, trapping all the welcome warmth against your bundle of limbs. Another minute or so later, and the steady beating of your hearts lulls you two to sleep. There's no more nightmares, and no more convict fathers to be found. Just deep, peaceful slumber.

To be continued...

[thebibutterflyao3]

Day 7 - Prompt: Beloved @jegulus-microfic

December Daily Series - 489 words.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

Some people were content to observe the world as it circled around them, rather than engage with it. Regulus might be one of those people, but James wasn’t.

The longer he watched Regulus’s controlled, elegant choreography, the more he wanted to try it for himself. James wasn’t particularly graceful, but he was drawn to the rhythmic swish of Regulus’s hips to a beat that he couldn’t hear. When Sirius trailed off to the side of the rink, James redirected toward the centre.

He didn’t want to interrupt him, so he circled closer gradually until Regulus noticed. Once they made eye contact, James sped up and slipped in behind him. He followed Regulus’s lead and did his best to mimic the skater’s steps as they skated backwards in looping circles.

After a few turns, Regulus’s hips stiffened and his entire body tensed. James frowned, thrown off by the shift. He backed off to give the skater more room to move, but it didn’t seem to help.

Suddenly, Regulus skidded harshly on the ice. He swivelled around so fast that James didn’t have time to react and he crashed hard onto his bum. Staring up at the furious glare of Regulus Black made James feel rather small and bug-like.

“What are you doing?” he snapped.

James offered an apologetic grin and held out his hand. “Trying your routine. It’s harder than it looks.”

Regulus scoffed, “You’re lucky I didn’t knock you flat for invading my path.”

“I mean, you kind of did.”

“That’s not my fault, you fell.”

James inhaled deeply and tried again. “Look, I’m sorry. I figured you could use a partner and-”

“Pardon?”

He scrunched his face when he heard how that came out. “I didn’t mean that you needed one, of course. Just that if you wanted one, I was available.”

“I skate alone.”

“Oh, alright.” James dropped his hand to his lap when it was clear that Regulus had no intention of helping him. “Got it.”

Regulus pulled his ear buds out and rolled them in his hand like dice. He still looked uncomfortable, and his voice was distinctly annoyed when he whispered, “Stand up. People are staring.”

“Yeah, right.”

James hauled himself upright and brushed off his bum. When he was steady on his skates again, he shoved his hands in his pockets and slid away as casually as possible.

“If you change your mind, I’m still available,” he tossed out with a half-hearted laugh.

The incredulous expression on Regulus’s face was answer enough. Any progress that he thought he’d made earlier was well and truly gone now. He was back at square one. Or, potentially negative one.

“Smooth. Really bloody smooth,” a girl snarked as she skated by, rolling her eyes.

James nodded and headed for the boards. Perhaps Regulus had the right idea after all. He would have been better off observing from afar instead of succumbing to his beloved zeal for action.

Next Part >>>

[maidenimage]

90 minutes

I couldn't sleep, so I got on my computer and edited season 2 down to just the present-day Crowley/Aziraphale scenes, just to see how much time that fills.

The answer is: approximately 145 minutes (or 2 hrs 25 min).

I removed everything that didn't have either of them in it, as well as the minisode flashbacks. Here's how each episode tallies up:

2x01: 0:33:45

2x02: 0:18:58 Job Minisode is an additional 0:25:36

2x03: 0:19:12 Edinburgh Minisode is an additional 0:18:25

2x04: 0:05:36 Nazis Minisode is an additional 0:32:48

2x05: 0:27:19

2x06: 0:40:03 (like basically the entire episode, not much fat to trim here)

Keep in mind that this is not a story edit; meaning there are scenes that I cut out that probably would have been in the season if we were genuinely trying to whittle it down to movie-length but keep the integrity of the story. (This includes scenes such as Muriel bringing the matchbox to Michael and Uriel, Shax in Hell talking to Beelzebub, all the Gabriel/Beelzebub flashbacks in episode 6, etc.) But it's late and I don't have time to do that right now, so this is the rough framework we're working with.

Here's my takeaway:

Can season 3 be sliced and diced into one 90-minute episode/movie? Yeah, probably. Are we going to lose a lot of the heart of the show and the characters in doing so? Definitely. Because in order to edit season 2 down into 90 minutes while still keeping the story in tact, I would probably have to add back some of the non-Aziracrow scenes, and cut the following:

The "Before the beginning" scene with Angel Crowley starting up the universe (which we can all agree would be a devastating loss; but doesn't directly tie to present day)

Most likely, the apology dance (because it's long and isn't strictly speaking necessary, except TO ME ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL)

Most if not all of the scenes of Aziraphale convincing the various shopkeepers to attend the meeting (which would gut me, but is objectively not necessary to the story)

A great deal of the Maggie/Nina story (would probably keep some of it, but most of it is superfluous)

A lot of the Gabriel/Jim scenes (which are adorable but are there for entertainment, and not story)

A great deal of the Crowley/Jim scene where he confronts him about telling Aziraphale to shut his stupid mouth and die. Parts of this sequence were important, but a lot of it would have been axed/shortened.

The scene of Aziraphale driving the Bentley and Crowley calling him, furious about everything (which would break my heart to lose)

All of the minisode flashbacks (which would be the MOST tragic thing to do to this content, but objectively none of it was needed for the season 2 plot)

All of Shax gathering the demon troops and Eric arguing with her (which, I wouldn't cry about losing, but still shows you the flavor of the show that would be gone)

Other Hell scenes (e.g. Beelzebub and the dung pits demon)

Other Heaven scenes (e.g. Michael and Uriel arguing over duty officer etc)

A great deal of the demons/bookshop battle (to shorten it up/tighten it)

A great deal of Crowley in Heaven investigating Gabriel's trial/disappearance (again just to shorten/tighten, but not lose completely)

And again, this is all stuff that could easily be cut and the story of season 2 would remain the same, but look at how much of what makes this show so great would be lost.

Ultimately, I'm not here to tell you how to feel. I can tell you what I feel, which is outraged and devastated and grieving and ready to storm studios with pitchforks and a frothy mouth. But I recognize that the Terry Pratchett estate went to bat for us in a big way, and we owe them everything we get in this upcoming finale.

I have other thoughts on this whole nonsense, but I'll save that for another post. Just wanted to provide some numbers data for folks who are curious about what could reasonably be done in 90 minutes. Hope this helps in some way.

@goodomensafterdark @fuckyeahgoodomens

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Expanding on this a little bit because jealous Eddie is fun to write 😋

Summary; Eddie is the only one allowed to call the reader princess, it's like an unspoken rule in Hellfire. Luke comes along and breaks that rule and Eddie is not happy 👀😳

Warnings; Jealous Eddie, slightly possessive Eddie, not canon compliant.

If you enjoyed this then pls consider giving this a like or reblog or maybe both :) 💕😘 I don't give anyone permission to copy my work.

Eddie loved when new people expressed interest in Hellfire Club, not many did but a rare few came along.

Luke was the latest new recruit. He had asked Eddie at lunchtime if he could join in on a game of dnd and Eddie had agreed.

Turns out Luke was an excellent player and the game was fantastic. The only thing that needled at Eddie was the way Luke kept looking at you.

Eddie knew you were beautiful, funny, kind and welcomed new recruits with open arms but this shit? Luke gazing at you with a love sick look on his face?

Him making you laugh with shitty ass jokes? Enticing that sweet laugh out of you that Eddie loved so much? That was pissing him off.

Nothing ever distracted him from his DM duties but he felt a twist in his stomach, his heart racing when Luke leaned in too close to you, a visceral punch of jealousy.

The worst thing of all was the unspoken rule of Hellfire. Eddie called you princess and you were his princess.

All of Hellfire knew never to call you that but the minute that Eddie tenderly touched your shoulder and said ''It's your turn princess" that's when things went downhill.

"Hey, princess? Wanna kiss my dice for good luck?" Luke asked you with a smug smile on his face and the whole room went silent.

You cringe and lock eyes with Eddie who is seething and Dustin leans into Luke and explains the rule to him.

"Dude, you can't call her that. Only Eddie" and Like scoffed causing Eddie's jaw to tense.

"It's just a fucking nickname" Eddie glare at him.

"Yeah, it is but it's my nickname for my girl, you get that or are we going to have problems here?" Luke grimaces then quietens and Eddie assumes that's the end of it.

Until the next time, he calls you princess and Eddies patience snaps because the douchebag carries on doing it and looks at Eddie with a huge smirk on his face.

He was goading Eddie now.

That was it Luke was going to die.

💕

Not literally of course but at the next session of dnd Luke's character met a death with no come back, absolutely none.

"Ahh well, bad luck dude" Eddie shrugs while pretending to be devasted for Luke.

That's what you get for not listening dude he says to himself because he would have given Luke another chance if he didn't follow you around like a lost puppy, getting up in your personal space.

The fact you looked uncomfortable didn't seem to register to look and that pissed Eddie even more.

He flirted during class, called you Princess in front of Eddie, and tried to put his arm around you even when you moved closer to Eddie and stuck closer to him.

"Do you want me to say anything?" Eddie asks you concerned and you shake your head.

"He will grow bored when he sees I'm not interested" Eddie doesn't think so, he thinks that this asshole will still keep trying to get with you.

Like hell that will happen.

✨✨

Eddie sighs as you wrap your arms around him and kiss his neck. He's completely content having you in his arms and letting all the things that stress him just fade away.

When he was with you he was at peace. He was happier than ever. Just you two. He strokes your hair and kisses your forehead.

One of his hands tangles in your hair and the other rests on the small of your back pulling you close to him.

Your soft moans fill the air and he loves it, loves that little breathy groan you make when his hands caress your body.

"I love your sweet moans baby. All for me hmm?" you giggle and gaze at him, the same utter reverence that's in his gaze is mirrored in yours.

He doesn't notice Luke gawking at them, he's too entranced by you to notice.

"Get up on the table baby, I wanna taste you" he's craving it, craving you and the feel of you writhing around and coming undone with pleasure.

Then he hears the sound of something crashing and a panicked shit. He whips around and zeroes in on Luke looking sheepish and he glares.

Was this fucker watching you and him the whole time? Fierce protectiveness fills him, though he shouldn't be worried as you could hold your own, Jason Carver found that out.

Even still you were his girl and he was sick of this horny douchebag making eyes at you. Fuck off, she's mine.

Something in Eddie's gaze must register with Luke as he finally seems to get it through his thick skull that you were off limits and scarpered.

Dickhead he snorts and turns back to you waiting for him. Your fingers hook around the waistband of his jeans and you pull him closer.

Suddenly Luke is the farthest thing from his mind.

✨

[quitealotofsodapop]

¿Y si Paramita dice la verdad, Venia del futuro? y dijo que ''Hijo de SWK'' ya sabes por las clásicas reglas de reglas líneas del tiempo, Por lo menos el Rey mono tomo esa anécdota como una Borrachera... XDD

translated via google;

"What if Paramita tells the truth, did she come from the future? and he said that ''Son of SWK'' you already know from the classic rules of timeline rules, At least the Monkey King took that anecdote as a Drunkenness... XDD"

I've joked before that King Paramita only calls SWK his "father" because SWK was the cause of his conception, not the DNA provider. They don't actually appear in the story proper. XD

I can imagine PIF and DBK are thinking about trying for kids again, when SWK just busts on in with an armful of artifacts he's been hoarding.

SWK: "Ok... uh. I remembered that since Guanyin is kinda my sworn older sister, I got a few of her vases." PIF, gears turning in her head: "Go on." SWK: "And one she super-duper told me to keep for emergencies after that Scroll of Memory business; is this celestial curse remover. I figure if you or the big guy have any weird curses on you, it could prove useful." PIF & DBK: *both a share a look and nod* PIF: "We'll have the contents examined first before trying anything. We'll report back to you if there's any major developments." SWK: "I completely understand."

A couple of weeks later...

*SWK's phone rings in the middle of the night* SWK, very sleepy: "Hey DBK. Whats u-?" DBK, overjoyed and yelling: "BROTHER IT WAS A MASSIVE SUCCESS!!!" *PIF can be heard sobbing joyfully in the background* SWK: "...wa?" DBK: *hangs up phone without a second word* SWK: "???" Macaque, stirred awake: "Was that in-laws?" SWK: "Uhh... yeah." Macaque: "Did that vase of yours help?" SWK, blinking in realization: "Oh dang. We're gonna be sworn uncles." Macaque, secretly super happy just tired too: "Again, you mean." *falls back to sleep*

Red Son was *very surprised* to learn that they'd be an older sibling, but was nonetheless excited.

This version of Paramita - likely named something else unless Ironbull want to be funny - is born within the next eight months. He's the Demon Bull family's treasure held to the same level as his slightly-older nieces.

[spookydingus]

Howdy, Adventurers!

Are you one of the many, many Tumblr users sitting around thinking, "gee, I sure would love to get into tabletop games, but I need an experienced GM and a group of willing participants to get started on something like that! And the cost is so high!"

WELL, HAVE I GOT NEWS THAT'LL SLAP YOUR DICE RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HAND!

Hi. I'm Teddy. I've been a DM for fifteen years, and I don't plan to stop any time soon. Now, while I normally run paid campaigns in person or via startplayinggames, this still stands as a barrier for entry for a lot of players. Well, luckily for those players, three sessions a week isn't enough to satiate my ravenous need to run tabletop games so I'm doing this for free.

So what do you got for tumblrtop, teddo?

BOY HOWDY WOULD I LOVE TO TELL YA

I got y'all a shiny DISCORD SERVER, JUST for:

Playing tabletop games

Discussing tabletop games

Making friends who play and discuss tabletop games

NOW, TWO RULES BEFORE YOU CLICK THAT LINK

Be real cool about a lotta things. Practice radical acceptance. This is Tumblr. There are gonna be shippers, fic writers, systems, queers, neurodivergents, punks, youngins, oldies, and all other kinds of people interacting with you. Treat everyone with respect and be cool about a life that's lived differently from yours. Listen. I don't wanna have to ban anyone off the bat. If you have a long list of DNI in your bio, this probably isn't the crowd for you.

Be here for the ttrpg. This is a space I am trying to build specifically for the ttrpg community and those who participate in, and contribute to it. You don't play, but you want to spectate? Great! You're just an artist/writer who wants to dump their Drizzt/BG3/WOTR material? Hell yeah. You're interested in joining one of my tables or even running your own game? Come on down.

Yes, even the video game lovers are welcome. Looking at you, "I've only played Baldur's Gate! Where do I start?" crowd. Here. You start here.

Interested in my GM booking page or one of my ongoing paid campaigns? You're welcome there, too! More campaigns are added regularly, depending on my schedule.

Want to support the server and the content I produce, but don't have the time or energy to join in? I also have a ko-fi!

[return-to-twisted-wonderland]

🔆anon

Dorm Swap

Dusk in Scarabia

— —

Dusk: Wait, does this mean I’m spending this whole time with Kalim and Jamil?

🔆: I guess?

Dusk: I’m not on bad terms with Kalim, but he’s more my dad’s friend, so it’s a bit weird. And I don’t think Jamil likes me. Like in the slightest.

🔆: Deal with it. The story is going to be short anyways because I actually listened to the dice for you.

—

Scarabia wasn’t exactly like how Dusk expected it. Yeah, it was hot, but there weren’t parties left and right. Under Kalim’s leadership, Dusk was shocked to see that the place was a functioning dorm. There was a party going on later in the day, but the fact that there were even seconds a party wasn’t happening was a shock.

Honestly, the whole dorm being functional should be credit given to Jamil. Every task done and every order set seemed to trail back to him. He was a massive one man show, just hiding on the shadows, likely trying not to be seen. Too bad for him because Dusk isn’t stupid enough to miss it. The only ones who probably were were ones who were like Kalim or genuinely didn’t care.

Dusk’s day in the dorm started with morning chores. Ones that were actually organized and overseen, something Leona didn’t care enough to do. Dusk was personally assigned to sweep an outside section of the dorm. Easy right? Wrong. Very wrong. Did you know how much sand can get blown onto dorm walkways overnight? Way too much. He also was expected to have it done before classes. And it didn’t help that Jamil was breathing down his neck the whole time. He could feel the staring burning a hole in the back of his head.

After the broom just moving the sand for the umptenth time, he tossed the broom down, swearing at it. Jamil just told him to move before doing it himself and having it done in seconds. Jamil glared at him once he was done, as if showing how easy it was, but it’s not Dusk’s fault. There’s a reason that when Leona cares enough to order cleaning, Dusk doesn’t clean small stuff like dust or dirt.

As soon as it was a reasonable time for everyone to start heading to class Dusk was quickly and unceremoniously pushed out of the dorm. He didn’t have to be so rude about it.

But classes were all normal. Dorm swap didn’t affect any of them and wasn’t on a day off. Though, that made it nice. The longer he could stay out of the dorm, the better.

The better of six hours that is. Once school ended, party time. Dusk slowly headed over to the dorm, trying to save as many seconds as possible, but the second he was within reach of Jamil, he was grabbed and shoved to change into his new Scarabia outfit with a very curt warning to not break any of the accessories.

The outfit was fine, Dusk liked the hood, but the fabric was too flowy for his tastes. Especially the pants. They probably looked good on other people, but they were not something Dusk would wear again.

He luckily wasn’t one of the people who had to see up the party, Kalim didn’t want a guest setting up a party, so the party was already started when he got out there. Music was loudly playing, people were talking and eating, and he could even see people still trying to wrangle some birds for what was probably a later show.

What was this party for again? If he remembers correctly, Jamil said Kalim wanted it for Scarabia moving from a D- average to a D. If only Dusk could get Leona to throw parties anytime someone got a decent grade.

And for how loud and chaotic the party was, it only grew once Kalim showed up. He definitely wasn’t the life of the party for nothing. Encouraging people to eat to their hearts content, moving people to make new friends, and he even went to grab Dusk, who was sitting alone and plopped him right next to his own seat.

Dusk spent most of the party talking to Kalim, though their conversation hit some awkward snags when Dusk’s father was brought up, even if Kalim never seemed to notice them. He also spent that time getting more holes bored into the back of his head because Jamil seemed certain he was going to pull some attack on Kalim.

He’ll admit he quick to anger, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew not to touch a hair on Kalim’s head with anything that could even be perceived as malice.

But the best part of the party was definitely the birds. All working together to sing a song as their different colors melded together in flight. If that kind of show is what normally happens in this dorm, Dusk might actually have to consider transferring.

But all good things end and night started to turn. Dusk might have felt more awake than ever, but he knew the others weren’t, so he didn’t pressure Kalim to keep the party going. Even if that meant having to be on clean up crew.

And for a big party, there will be a big mess. Good thing Jamil learned from morning and decided to give him the duty of making sure there wasn’t trash on the ground. An easy job he got done quickly.

After all was said and done, he lied on the bed and scrolled through his phone for most of the night. What? Did you expect him to sleep? He’s a nocturnal fae, he’ll never be fully adapted to diurnal humans.

— —

Oh, Jamil has his hands even more full with Dusk.