#and we still have Christmas with my mom this weekend and I have to put something together for the kids

[harmonizewithechoes]

.

[j-esbian]

it’s all good to say everyone should have public holidays off, but what about when you want to go to the movies on that holiday because now you don’t have to work? what if it’s presidents’ day and you need groceries? what if you need medical attention but it’s flag day? what if you need childcare, for any reason, on mlk day?

essential workers are some of the most overworked among us and deserve relief as much as anyone else but it’s just not enforceable for everyone to get every holiday off

[stevesjockstrap]

Alone on Thanksgiving? Mad at your dad?

Based on this post

Or, Steve invites Craigslist!Eddie to Thanksgiving as his fake boyfriend for entertainment and drama purposes

Rated: T? Always with the swearing idk | read on ao3

ETA a/n: shout out to @rocknrollsalad for a direct quote in here and putting up with me and @machtaholic for encouraging this 🖤

“Are you serious?”

Steve sighed. “Yes, Robbie. You know how much my parents have been on me since they’re losing what little power they have left. This is going to be awesome.”

She was pacing around their living room, making him anxious. “But why are you going to take this stranger from Craigslist? Why can’t you find someone you know? Argyle would do it. What if this guy doesn’t show, or he comes and steals something?”

“If he doesn’t show I’m in the same boat anyhow, but hey, there’s a thought. You think I can pay him more to steal something from my parents? I’d love to see that.”

“Steve!” She rounded on him, eyes wide. “You’re paying him? You didn’t tell me that!”

“For fuck’s sake, Rob. He didn’t ask for money, the post actually said he would do it just for food. But the guy’s driving half an hour and I’m willing to bet my family is worse than he’s expecting. Sit down, you’re making me dizzy. Read this and tell me this isn’t exactly what I need.” He scrolled on his phone and handed it to her.

Her shoulders relaxed as she read on, laughing finally, “You’re not going to make him propose or fight your dad on the front lawn, right?”

“Maybe for Christmas,” he smirked.

His parent’s house was always so cold and empty. It was his childhood home but he had never really felt any attachment to it. His apartment with Robin was small and cluttered but cozy, and full of memories of them and their friends. They had done a Friendsgiving the previous weekend that had been a dangerously good time. (The smoke detector had only gone off three times, a new record.)

Running his hand through his hair again, he looked at the clock. Would Eddie show? He checked his phone again, knowing there were no missed texts because he had just looked thirty seconds ago. Why was he more nervous about meeting him than introducing him to his family? They’d had one phone call and some texts, mostly arranging the time and place and Steve already apologizing for his family.

Eddie had laughed, “It’s okay, Steve. Trust me, I’ve dealt with worse.”

He went to the bathroom, just to kill time.

And of course the doorbell rang.

He quickly washed and dried his hands, sparing a second to pull his hair into a less raked-through mess.

Quickening his pace when he saw his mom still holding the door open, not allowing whoever was on the stoop in, he craned his neck to see out the door.

Oh fuck.

“If you’d just go get him, ma’am, we could clear this all up,” Eddie was saying. The words were polite but there was an edge to them, just the tinge of a sneer on his lips. It was perfect.

“He’s mine,” he heard himself say. His mom whipped around, eyes crazed and mouth open. “Uh- I mean,” his eyes returned to Eddie standing on his doorstep. Taking in the long thick wavy hair, big brown eyes, his lips pulled into a toothy grin now. He’d clearly attempted to dress up, grey slacks and a black button down, paired with heavy combat boots. The sleeves were rolled up to reveal tattoos up his forearms and the backs of his hands. There were more tattoos on his neck, and Steve’s eyes glued themselves to the ring through his lip. Guh. “He’s, uh, here for me.”

“Hi Steve,” he watched the lips form. “Was just meeting your lovely mother.” Again there was nothing wrong with the words themselves, nothing anyone could pinpoint or take offense to. But that slithery way he said it with a razor sharp sting, Steve was impressed. He was clearly an expert at this.

Steve tried to school his own expression and voice. “My apologies. Mom, this is Eddie, my boyfriend.”

There was a long silence where he thought his mom was going to combust. She opened and closed her mouth several times, her eyebrows furrowed. He’d never seen her speechless before.

Eddie sent him a smirk and he almost matched it but his mom looked at him finally and stammered, “Y-your, ah, I’m sorry.” She closed her eyes and pulled in a steadying breath. When she opened them she asked, “He’s your boyfriend?”

“Yes ma’am,” Eddie answered from almost behind her now as she turned to question Steve.

“And why is it you didn’t tell us he was coming? Why is he ringing the doorbell like a stranger?”

“I, um, well I did think he’d text when he got here or something…” Steve started, meeting Eddie’s eyes over her shoulder.

“What, and miss out on this warm welcome?” Eddie winked at him but quickly settled his face when his mom turned to him. Doing the exact thing he’d hoped for, Mrs. Harrington remembering she’s leaving a guest out on her doorstep.

Steve delighted in the fact that this was going to be a chess match and his mother was already several moves behind.

Her eyes narrowed and she held a hand out to welcome Eddie in, walking them all into the foyer. “Well, don’t let me stop you, go ahead and greet your boyfriend, Steven.”

It was a challenge, he knew, but they hadn’t discussed this. Eddie was on the ball, however. He continued his momentum to slide a hand under Steve’s suit jacket to settle on his ribs and the other he brought up to cup his face, leaning in and angling their heads together. Steve tried to relax and closed his eyes. Eddie pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, but from where his mom was standing she wouldn’t be able to tell.

“Hey, baby. Missed you,” he breathed when he pulled away. Steve was halfway to believing this himself.

“Yeah,” he sighed stupidly.

Eddie pulled his hands away and he almost reached back for them before stopping himself with a shake. He found he’d only gone a foot away when he opened his eyes though. Oh he was in trouble.

His mother cleared her throat from behind Eddie like she hadn’t put them up to this. Steve reached out for his hand and held onto it.

“Okay so I’m going to go introduce him to everyone else,” he said quickly and walked further into the house. Holding his hand.

They made their way through the dining room, Steve taking more and more pleasure with each stilted interaction Eddie weaved through with his family members.

His dad was propped in the living room with his uncle and Steve could feel his eyes on him as they made their way around. He knew his mother had ran to tell him all about it but he wouldn’t take being ignored well. It was making his skin crawl but he knew it would further piss off his dad so he kept it up.

After everyone else had been formally introduced to Eddie and Steve had gulped half a glass of wine, he felt almost ready to go deal with him. He took Eddie’s hand again and turned, but navigated them to the sliding glass door and outside instead.

It was chilly, late November in Indiana, but it felt amazing after the stuffiness of the house.

Steve remembered he still had Eddie’s hand in his and he quickly dropped it. “Uh, you smoke?”

Eddie grinned, all teeth and tongue as he held a battered pack of Newports out to him. “Not usually, really, but it makes for a good prop. Sorry they’re shit.”

“Holy shit. You’re amazing. I mean- perfect, I mean- fuck.” Steve laughed and shook his head. “The on-the-spot fact checking of my aunt’s political shit was next level. You could do this year round and make a killing, man.” He did pull a cigarette out of the pack and Eddie leaned into him, clicking the lighter for him, meeting his eyes as Steve sucked in.

“I don’t-“

The door slid open behind them and Mr. Harrington walked out.

“Looks like you and your date are avoiding me, Steven,” he said. Steve watched as he gave Eddie a very slow up and down look.

“No, dad. Just needed a break. It’s warm in there.” He made his face remain neutral. It’s not like anyone was cooking anything, his mom always got their big family meals catered.

His dad narrowed his eyes at him as he held eye contact, taking a drag from his bummed cigarette.

“Where is Robin today?”

He sighed. “With her family, dad. And for the last time, I’m not dating Robin. She’s a lesbian. This is Eddie, by the way. My date? He’s my boyfriend.”

When Steve had tried to come out as bisexual to his parents, his dad especially had made it clear that he did not accept that about his only child. As the years went on and he hadn’t spoken much about this part of his life, it seemed his dad had hoped it just went away.

Mr. Harrington scoffed, “I don’t understand why you want to throw your life away, Steven. I thought we’d raised you better-“ Eddie made a noise next to him and Steve knew he couldn’t look at him or he’d burst out laughing.

“Save it, dad. Believe it or not I love my life. Which is something I’d never thought I would be able to say. Can you even say that?”

His dad shook his head disappointedly and walked back inside.

“Excellent job. I don’t think you need me here after all,” Eddie joked.

Steve propped himself against the wall of the house, deeply tired from having to defend his choices to his dad for the umpteenth time.

“Maybe not need. But it’s been really fun having you here. Usually dinner conversation is about how big of a disappointment I am. Oh, I guess I didn’t give you that backstory. I’m graduating with my masters in psychology in the spring, and I’ve been early accepted into a PhD program. And there’s no money in helping people,” he chuckled. “So.” He scuffed out the butt with his heel and left it on his dad’s pristine patio.

“Steve. That’s amazing! Congratulations.” Eddie seemed genuinely excited for him and it brought a small smile to his face. “You look like you could really use a hug, man. Can I hug you?”

“Of course.” If he let himself hold on for a few seconds longer than strictly necessary, Eddie allowed it.

Dinner was quiet. His uncle asked Eddie what he did for work and he enthusiastically explained he was a line cook and worked nights at a bar. Steve surreptitiously looked around to take in everyone’s expressions and quickly covered his mouth with his napkin. He actually enjoyed himself during a holiday dinner for the first time he could remember.

Eddie at one point threw an arm around the back of his chair and he leaned in a bit into him, catching the disapproving stares they got from the corner of his eye.

Pie was passed around and by then Steve had had another glass of wine or two. He reached over to thumb the whipped cream from the side of Eddie’s lip without thinking, before popping the thumb into his own mouth. Eddie’s eyes widened and it was on the tip of his tongue to apologize but he caught himself.

“Thanks, babe,” Eddie said with a chuckle.

After saying their awkward goodbyes to everyone, Steve walked Eddie to his van. He looked down at his feet, fiddling with his keys.

“Hey, um, this may be out of left field and let me know if it’s too much, okay?” Eddie waited for Steve to nod. “Do you want to come to my uncle’s with me tomorrow night? It’s just the two of us and he always volunteers to work the holiday. But we do a thing, you know. A-and he’s always bugging me to bring someone.”

Steve blinked. “Would it have to be a fake date? I’m not as skilled at that as you are.”

“No, I mean, it wouldn’t- god I suck. I’m actually asking, like for real. If that’s okay? Just be you. And I’ll just be me.”

“That’s very okay. I’d really like that.” He couldn’t hold back his smile. Taking the chance, he leaned in, Eddie meeting him in the middle to finally press their lips together.

[janeyseymour]

I Hate You, I Love You- part 2

Part 1.

Summary: You swallow your pride and ask Melissa to do you the favor of a lifetime.

WC: ~2.5k

Monday morning comes all too soon for you. Today is the day that you have to swallow all of your pride and your hatred for the redheaded woman and all but beg her to pretend to be your faux girlfriend for the holidays.

You’re sitting at your desk trying to grade the last few spelling tests you skipped out on over the weekend when you hear her make her way in, keys jingling and boots clanking against the tile loudly. God- you do not want to do this. But it’s now, or it’s in the staff lounge with everybody watching and listening in. So, you stand from your desk, run your fingers through your hair nervously, and make your way over to her door.

Her back is turned to you, she’s leaning over to put her bags on the ground, and… damn. Her figure is insane. You take a few silent moments to appreciate it without her being aware that you’re there. Quietly, you knock on her doorframe and lean against it, arms crossed over your chest. Are you pushing your breasts up just the slightest bit? Maybe. If you have to swallow your pride and nearly die of embarrassment, you might as well look hot doing it.

She turns just her top half, still leaning over, and you have the perfect view of her… Shit. Stop looking. 

“What could you possibly need right now?” She huffs out. “It’s freakin’ Monday at 7:30.”

You harden at the greeting she’s given you. “Trust me,” you roll your eyes. “I don’t wanna be here anymore than you do. But, I got to talk to you. Alone.”

“Oh?” The redhead raises her brow and sits in her seat before looking at you confused. “Come to finally tell me that you’re-”

“I need a favor,” you sigh. “Like, a really big one.”

“I can’t get you outta a ticket,” Melissa snorts. “You know that.”

“I don’t need that. I need… I need you to…” Just fucking say it. “I need you to pretend to my girlfriend over the holidays.”

Her jaw drops. It’s clear that’s not what she was expecting you to say in the slightest. “What?”

“I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend over the holidays, and before you shoot me down, at least let me give you the sob story and think about it. Please?”

She begins howling with laughter. “Sure, let’s hear it.”

You explain what had happened on Saturday, and you hate the way that she’s getting such pleasure out of your misfortune. “And they all mentioned something about it yesterday as I was leaving too, so I know I can’t get out of embarrassment either way- having you there somehow seems like the better option.”

“Why’d you say my name?” your colleague asks, and it’s clear she genuinely wants to know. But then she gives you that ridiculous smirk again. “Is it because you know I’m the hottest person you could think of?”

“Please,” you snort. “I was going through the list of single people I knew in my head, and I knew I couldn’t say someone that my mom already knew… unfortunately, your name came out of my mouth before I could stop it. And now they know what you look like, so it’s not like I can ask anyone else to pretend to be you. But you wish I thought you were hot.”

That’s a bluff. You think she’s hot as hell, but she can’t know that. And what you don’t know is that Melissa wishes you didn’t hate her the way that you do, and she wishes that she didn’t have to pretend to hate you to get your attention. 

“What’s in it for me?” she chooses to ask.

You roll your eyes. “My mom’s cooking, and you get out of having to deal with Kristen Marie on Christmas.”

“And…?”

“A hundred bucks.”

“A hundred bucks a day.”

“No way.”

“How many days are we talkin’?”

“Probably the weekend,” you sigh. “That’s three hundred bucks and an hour car ride there and back; usually stay with them during the holidays so I don’t have to drive back and forth, and if I don’t, they’ll know something’s up.”

“Three hundred bucks,” Melissa states again. She knows she won’t take your money, but she wants to see how desperate you are.

You groan. “Fine.”

“And then what are you gonna tell them after?”

“That we broke up,” you tell her as if it’s obvious. “Trust me. This is just going to be a weekend thing, and then I’ll only have to talk to you at work.”

“Fine. Don’t go fallin’ in love with me, babe,” the redhead winks at you.

You absolutely despise the way that the red creeps into your cheeks. “Don’t worry. That’s the last thing I’ll be doing.”

As the holiday season approaches, your mother continues to pester you about bringing your ‘girlfriend’ around before the actual holiday. Luckily, you can use the excuse that you are extremely busy with your students, as is Melissa. It’s not a lie- you feel like you’re drowning this year. You know your colleague isn’t fairing much better with her students.

But the Friday before winter break starts, exactly a week before you have to make your way back to your parents house, you step into Melissa’s room again early in the morning.

“Come over tonight. We need to figure out all of the details of our relationship so we don’t flop in front of my family next week,” you tell the redhead.

Melissa shakes her head though. “You come to me. Ain’t no way I’m goin’ to your place and eating takeout when I can just make us dinner.”

“Fine.”

“Six. Bring wine.”

After a long day of school with children all too eager to be done for the week, they’re sent home, and you’re able to leave the school for the weekend. You’re looking forward to the last few days of teaching before the break and then Christmas break itself… until you remember that you have to spend Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after with Melissa. God, this is going to suck.

Still, you’re caught in your web of lies, and you know you can’t back out now- not this late in the game. So, at six o’clock, you’re on Melissa’s front stoop, knocking with a few bottles of wine in hand.

When the redhead opens the door, you hate yourself for ogling her. She’s standing there in a tank top and sweatpants, hair knotted up in a messy bun, and covered in flour. “Jesus. I said a bottle, not three.”

“Well, I didn’t know what you liked, and we’re gonna have to be drunk to make this work,” you shrug.

“Red,” is all she says as she steps out of the way to let you in. “Don’t forget that for when you’re getting me wine at your parents.”

You make a mental note of that, and then you make your way in. “I hate you.”

“I know,” is all Melissa responds with. “But it wasn’t me who said we were dating, now was it?”

“Shut up.”

“Make me.” Green eyes bore into your own for a few seconds, clearly challenging you.

You just set your things down on her counter with a scowl. 

As much as you hate to say it, her cooking is delightful. The wine pairs well with the food. And you aren’t complaining about the view. Melissa looks… she’s hot as fucking hell, and you’ve caught yourself staring at her rack quite a few times during dinner.

You insist on cleaning up dinner, and she fights you on it. There’s something about it that makes you feel a certain way. It’s almost like you love to hate her.

Before you know it, the two of you are settled on the couch, each with yet another glass on wine in hand, and you’re attempting to hash out your fake love story.

“I told them we’ve been dating for a while,” you sigh. “So… I’m thinking four months? Long enough for you to show up to Christmas, but short enough for them to not know about you.”

“Sure,” she agrees without much of a fight. “I’m assuming we just met through work?”

“I figure the more truthful this lie is, the easier it’ll be to keep up with,” you shrug.

Melissa nods along. “That’s a good plan.”

“The other thing is…” you rub your collarbone nervously. “When I’m in a relationship, I tend to be quite touchy, so we have to- we have to do that.”

The redhead shrugs. “Whatever we have to do in order for me to get my three hundred bucks.”

You spend another two hours learning about each other, drinking wine as you go. She’s learned about your parents, your aunts and uncles, where you went to college, what your favorite color is, what kind of wines and cocktails you prefer, the foods that will be at dinners that you won’t go near, what you like to do in your free time… and in turn, you’ve heard all about her enormous family, how long she’s been at Abbott, how she loves to crochet but never knit, the fact that she has a guitar in her classroom that she doesn’t know how to play other than basic chords, among other things. The two of you agree that Melissa was the one to make the move on you after a happy hour with the work crew. You were the first one to say ‘I love you’, and those at school aren’t aware of the budding relationship between the two of you.

It’s a revealing night, and you find yourself not wanting to beat the shit out of the woman next to you. You would almost venture to say that you’re enjoying you’re time with her- almost. 

It’s fairly safe to say when you’re finished going over family trees, your back story, and basic information about each other that you’re both wine drunk. You’ve gone through two bottles, and you’re halfway through the third.

“You’re fuckin’ crazy if you think I’m lettin’ you drive home like this,” your coworker laughs as she watches you attempt to gather your things. “Just stay the night.”

“Like hell I’m doin’ that.”

“You’re gonna have to spend a weekend with me sharing the same bed, in your parents’ house. Get over yourself,” Melissa tells you. “Seriously. Just stay- I got a spare bedroom you can use.”

“Fine.”

The next morning, she’s awake before you and somehow not hungover the way that you are. Melissa’s already left the house actually. She left you a note to make you aware of that.

Had to run out to do some grocery shopping. Don’t miss me too much. She finishes the note with a winking face, and she signs it ‘Mel’.

You roll your eyes, but you pick up the pen before scrawling out, Thanks for letting me stay the night. And then just to fuck with her, you scribble down an ‘xo’. And then you head back to your own apartment, entirely forgetting that you’re still clad in her sweatpants and About shirt.

With a heavy sigh, you shoot her a text. I left, but I forgot I’m wearing your stuff.

Just keep it for now. Bring it when we go to your parents’ house so it looks like you’ve had it for a while.

I hate to say it, but good idea.

I’m full of good ideas, babe.

You spend most of your Saturday nursing a hangover, Sunday is spent preparing things for the final few days of school before Christmas break. With Christmas Eve being on a Friday and Christmas being on a Saturday, that means you have up until Wednesday with your kids. Wednesday is the class holiday party, and you would prefer to have everything set and ready for you to just throw in the trunk of your car come the day of the celebration before you send the kids off.

Then, once your kids are sent off to their parents high on sugar and eager for the break from learning, you’re stuck with the knowledge that you have to spend some of your own retreat with the woman that you love to hate.

“I think we should have dinner again,” Melissa knocks on your door as you’re gathering your belongings. “Come over, I’ll make dinner, and we can go through our story again.”

“I’m bringing the wine?”

Your coworker smirks. “Yeah.”

This dinner ends the exact same way that your last dinner with the redhead did. You’re asleep in Melissa’s guest room dressed in a pair of her sweatpants and an old Abbott tee-shirt.

When you wake up this time around though, Melissa isn’t out. She’s actually downstairs sipping on a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.

“The newspaper? Are you serious?” you tease her.

Your colleague just rolls her eyes. “I like having the fine print- reminds me of when my dad used to read it.”

“Well, lucky for you, my parents still get the paper delivered every morning,” you chuckle. “I don’t know how, but they manage it.”

Melissa purses her lips and sips her coffee. “Good to know.”

You scratch the back of your neck awkwardly before sighing. “Well, I’m gonna head out, but I’ll pick you up Friday at ten? My mom likes when I come over early so I can help her set everything up.”

The redhead just nods.

“Thanks for letting me stay the night again,” you say quietly before you grab your bag and leave.

Thursday, you spend most of the day regretting your decision of lying to your parents and aunt and somehow convincing the Melissa Schemmenti to play into your lie. Most of Thursday night is you lying awake and stressing. When you do finally fall asleep, you’re plagued with stress dreams about how this could all go terribly wrong.

All too soon does your alarm go off, you’re hauling your suitcase into the car, and then you’re making your way to Melissa’s house to pick her up.

She’s ready relatively quickly and jumping into your passenger seat in an awfully good mood for someone who has to pretend to be in love with you.

The drive is quiet, and you thank God for that. But then, you’re pulling into your parents’ driveway, and your nerves start to get the best of you. You feel your palms sweating as you don’t loosen your grip on the steering wheel. 

Melissa looks to you with her brows furrowed. “Hey.”

“What?” you grit out.

“If you don’t fuck this up, I won’t.” And then she’s out of your car and grabbing both of your bags before she makes her way over to your door and opens it for you.

You raise a brow.

“Your mom is already standing at the front door waiting for us to come in,” she whispers to you. And then for good measure, she presses a quick kiss to your cheek. “C’mon.”

You tangle your hand with her free one, and then you’re making your way up to the door. You can only pray Melissa isn’t disgusted with your sweaty palms.

You don’t even have to knock before your mother whips open the door, Aunt Jo right behind her, with a grin on her face.

Here goes nothing. 

TAGS: @schemmentis @thesapphictimelady @marvel210 @itisdoctortoyousir @morgana-larkin @doesthatsuggestanythingtoyou @marvels--slut @sweetcheeksschemmenti @megamultifandomtrashposts @lemz378 @http-sam @melissaschemmentisbranzino @imaginesmultifandoms @sexysapphicshopowner @lilfartbox1 @maybe-a-humanbean @imlike-so-gaydude @a-queen-and-her-throne @notinmyvocab @melanielaufeyson @dvrkhcld @cosmichymns @sasheemo @m1lflov3rrr @ricejucie @temilyrights @emilynissangtr @squinnchy @dopenightmaretyphoon @emeraldoceansstuff @shinyfaerielights  @blkmxrvel @marvelwomenrule @sarahjohannson @casualfoxwitch

[gracieheartspedro]

Somewhere With You

Part 4 of How Long

pairing: f!reader x brother-in-law!joel miller

FIND Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 HERE!!

description: sleeping with your exes brother is one thing, but envisioning a whole life with him? that's a dangerous game. but you did it. now you're here, and tommy is fucking pissed.

word count: 5.3k

warnings: MINORS DNI! this is 18+, pre!outbreak joel, there is smut in this part!! fear of being caught by sarah?, unprotected p in v, oral sex (f receiving), joel is a CONSENT KING, dirty talk, overstimulation, titty fucking (yw caly), light violence, tommy is literally evil.

author's note: jesus christ i'm so glad I am finally here with this. I feel like finishing this is my greatest success in life lmao. I will probably continue this series but this is the last part for a while. I appreciate everyone's love on it and I can't wait to get more stuff out to y'all!

“Are we going to have a celebration when we get home?”

Joel laughs, “Yeah, we can. What did you wanna do?”

You just listen to Sarah list off all the possible ways to celebrate winning the tournament. The movies, going to the mall for new jeans, going to the local ice cream parlor every night of the week. Joel shakes his head at that one as he turns the truck onto the highway. You have your knees up to your chest, the zip up Joel let you borrow hanging off your shoulders. You had complained about how cold you were all weekend, so Joel shut you up by tossing you his zip up. You haven’t taken it off since. 

The sun was setting over the horizon, drawing the Sunday to a close. You had to work in the morning and you were dreading concluding the weekend you spent with Joel and Sarah. 

Everything with them seems natural. It felt like family. 

You did not want to face tomorrow, especially when there was no set plans as to when you would be hanging out with them again. 

Luckily, Sarah has not mentioned much of anything about what she saw early Saturday morning, so there was no awkward tension. The only time it came up was when you all were tired from Saturday’s events and you arrived back to the hotel room.

“You two sleeping together tonight, too?” She asked, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. She wasn’t even trying to be rude or demeaning, she just wanted to know if she could fall asleep in one of the beds without being stirred. 

“Yeah, you can have that bed hun.” Joel answered. 

Sitting on those horribly uncomfortable bleachers and cheering Sarah on had taken a lot out of you, so you were ready to throw yourself into the plush mattress, too. 

You watched Sarah throw herself onto of the comforter, sinking into the pillows face first. It makes you giggle while you grab your pajamas to change. 

Joel nudges you while you dig through your duffle, “No funny business tonight, ma’am.” 

You shake your head, his comment making your stomach turn upside down with nerves. You smack his chest with the back of your hand, “No duh, asshole.”

Sarah puts her headphones on, drowning out Joel’s humming to an old country song. You just stare ahead, watching him speed pass car after car. His truck revs every time he does it which makes you clench your knees a bit tighter. 

“In a rush, dear?”

The nickname makes his heart race.

He taps his fingers, trying to act like that nickname doesn’t drive him insane. “Want to make sure to get you home so you can be rested up for work in the morning.”

“That’s mighty sweet of you, but take your time. I’m in no rush.”

He eases off the gas a bit, taking your advice. 

“You talk to your Mama lately? She still likin’ Maine?” 

It wasn’t a question you were expecting coming from Joel. You had told him about your mom around the time that she moved away, however long ago that was. You truly didn’t expect him to even remember.

“We talk every week, she likes it there. Wants me to come experience a winter there, so I may go up for Christmas,” You explain, remembering back to conversation you two just had last week. She wanted you to feel what fluffy snow felt like and maybe go skiing with her. 

It makes Joel’s heart sink a bit. Not because you would be visiting your mother, but instead you would not be here to spend Christmas with him and Sarah. He had already planned on making a spot for you at the dining table. 

“That’d be nice,” He licks his lips, contemplating if he should say what he really wants to say, “‘M bettin’ she misses seein’ your beautiful face everyday.”

You smile, your cheeks burning hot at Joel calling you beautiful. You knew you had to throw him off and give him a sarcastic response to keep him on his toes.

“Gonna freeze my ass off there. May have to borrow some of your flannels.”

He chuckles, tilting his head towards you, “You already havta’ have about four of my t-shirts, now that hoodie. You wanna raid me some more?”

“If I’m remembering correctly, you said I just had to “get with you” to get clothes,” You’re whispering, leaning into him. You don’t want Sarah to hear the words you’re speaking to her father, “How many times do we need to go at it before I get one of those denim jackets you own?”

He peers over at you. You smirk, quirking one eyebrow up.

“You with me to get my clothes or somethin’?”

“That and other things,” You tease, pulling away, leaning your back against the seat again. 

Joel peers into the rear view mirror. Sarah is asleep, her headphones blasting her favorite pop album. He tilts his head towards you, his eyes not leaving the road, “You’ll havta remind me of those other things when we get home.”

He could get used to always having you in his passenger seat. 

-

Sarah was dead asleep in the backseat, so you both decided to get all the stuff from the back inside before nudging her awake. You quietly shut the door, grabbing Joel’s one bag from the driveway and slinging it over your shoulder. 

You follow close behind him as he unlocks the front door and places Sarah’s stuff on the staircase. 

The idea of having to leave made you want to scream. You didn’t feel like driving home and laying lonely in your own bed. You didn’t want to resume your boring life at work. You just wanted him. 

This weekend made you realize that you really couldn’t live without him. You’re not only comfortable around him, but he’s exciting. He cracks jokes and compliments you when you don’t expect it. Those couple of months without him were still months he was plaguing your mind, even though he wasn’t physically around you. 

You snap out of your thoughts quickly. You start watching Joel’s muscles restrict over his gray t-shirt and it’s enough to send you to your knees. You didn’t even realize how crazy he was driving you. His messy curls that were trapped under a hat most of the weekend are finally loose and curling up his neck. And the way his jeans hugged his ass while he walked away from you? You didn’t know how long to could refrain from telling him you needed him, right this second. 

“I may call out tomorrow. Too tired to sit on my computer all day and run reports,” You say while he wonders back to you from his bedroom down the hall. You’re hoping it leads to an offer.  

He nods, tossing his keys on the entry table next to you,“Yeah, I am off tomorrow. Have to get this house in order and make sure Sarah actually wakes up for school in the morning.”

No offer. Maybe you could propose it?

“Maybe I could just spend the night.”

The air is thick instantly with tension. You can hear the hitch in his throat. Once you say it, you realize how desperate you must sound. But you want to be able to lay next to him again. You want and need him. 

“If that’s what you wanna do, sweetheart. I don’t mind none. Love havin’ you here.”

He grabs your waist lazily, pulling you into his chest. The connection sends chills down your arms. 

“Are you sure? I don’t want to you to think I’m being needy.”

He doesn’t even hesitate, he just bows his head to capture your lips with his, giving you a slow sensual kiss. You move your hands up to his neck, pulling him down further into you, eager to be close to him. 

When he realizes that’s where it’s going, he pulls up for air. 

“Lemme go get the last couple bags and get Sarah inside.”

As he says that, the door flings open behind you. A sleepy Sarah blinks at both of you, shaking her head instantly when she sees her Dad’s arms wrapped around you. You push back, flinging yourself backwards and away from Joel. 

“Can you lovebirds do that somewhere else,” She groans, while rubbing her eyes, “Don’t need another sibling created right in front of m-”

“Sarah Jane!”

-

You smile when Joel drops onto his mattress with a huff. 

“So…” You drift off, crawling onto Joel’s lap, “You come here often?”

He chuckles, his hands beginning to trail your waist.

“Come here quite often, actually,” He jokes, his hands resting right under your shirt and on your hips. “How about you?”

You hum, “Not really. Maybe a couple times. Would love to come around, more though.”

“That so?”

You lean down, using your fingers to pull back his brown locks and pivot his head upward. You kiss him gingerly, smiling at his small groan.

You pull away, “I’d love to come to your bed every night, Joel Miller.”

The guttural moan he makes sends a rush to your core. He grabs the nape of your neck and brings you back down to his lips. He takes control of your movements, switching positions by gently laying you back. He leans over your body, his lips carrying the weight of his emotion. You’re scrambling though, tugging at his shirt, trying to rid it off his body. He pulls away to throw it off his body, motioning you to do the same. Soon, you two are completely naked.

“I never get sick of this view,” He rasps, his eyes raking your body. 

You smirk, “Back atcha, babe.”

He positions himself on top of you, his lips lingering on your neck and collarbones. 

Joel’s kisses are always intentional. It’s like he knows every pressure point on your body. His lips are always wet and supple, dragging across your soft skin. 

When his mouth reaches the skin around your breast, you start to arch up for more contact. He grabs your stomach, pushing it softly down onto the bed. 

“Patience, baby,” He mumbles, kissing the same area on the other breast. You jerk up again, absentmindedly.

“Can’t help it,” You whine, trying not to sound so desperate. 

He clicks his tongue, “You can and you will.”

His lips wrap around your nipple and you just watch with hooded lids. His eyes are closed, so focus on teasing every inch of your body. You can feel the slick pool between your legs at the sight. 

“Joel, please.”

He releases the pink nub, “What, baby? Use those words.”

“I want you all over, Joel.”

“Yeah? Where? Here?” 

He grabs your breast roughly, making you mewl. 

You finally gesture down. Your hand slides between your legs, dragging up and down your own slit. You gather as much slick as you can, bringing it up to Joel’s surprised expression. 

“I see…” He brings your fingers up to his lips. You gape at his next actions, amazed that he’s so filthy. He takes your two fingers and licks them like a popsicle. You audible sigh as he sucks on your fingers like a man starved. 

“You goin’ to be extra good for me?” He asks when your digits escape his mouth. 

“Always am.”

Your voice is shaky when you say it. It makes Joel smirk. He loves when you sound ruined.

“Love hearing those words come out of your pretty little mouth.”

He crawls down your body, peppering kisses from your stomach down to your thighs. You watch him closely as he props your thighs over his shoulders. He does not waste time, diving straight into your divine center. You try to refrain from screaming his name, knowing Sarah may not be asleep yet. You clap your hand over your mouth while he licks your sensitive clit. He lays his tongue flat, pressing into you as he shakes his head back and forth. When he does that, you yelp into your palm. 

“Mmm, baby girl wants to be loud so bad,” He chuckles darkly, using his fingers to spread your lips, “You wanna be loud for me huh?”

“Yes, please, God,” You pant, “Need you in me, Joel.”

“Yeah? Lets stretch you out a bit,” He doesn’t even give any warning when he sinks his fingers inside your pussy. “Gotta make sure you’re nice and ready, baby girl. Want you to cum before I stick this cock in ya.”

You swallow, letting him take the lead like usual. You liked it this way, when he ravishes you with his abilities and you get to cum several times. You never had sex like this in your life, especially consistently. 

His fingers curl inside you, pumping in and out. You can hear how wet you are, the wetness sequelching against Joel’s fingers. Your pussy is graced with his tongue again while he fucks you with his digits. It’s like it’s pulled out of you. The orgasm sends white hot flashes to your vision. You know you’re saying something, but it’s no word in the English language. 

When you come back down from euphoria, Joel’s ontop of you again. He’s kissing your cheeks, mumbling something about how beautiful you are when you cum. 

“Joel, please,” Your hands grab onto his biceps, “Want you inside me.”

His cock drags along your navel, as he situates himself between your legs. 

“Yeah? Always so eager,” He grabs his cock with his free hand, “Wanna try something a little different?”

Your stomach drops, “Like what?”

He toys with your nipple with his pointer and thumb, “Always wanted to fuck these.”

You smirk at the thought, your stomach finally at ease.

“You want to fuck my titties, Joel?”

“If you’ll let me,” He squeezes your boob gently, “Think these things are perfect. Want my cock right between them.”

You nod, “Fuck ‘em then, baby.”

He pulls you up, practically shoving you on the ground beside his bed. He wasn’t being aggressive, just guiding you to follow his lead. You sit on your knees, watching up at him as he pumps his cock over you. You use both hands to push your tits together. He grins as he touches the head of his cock to your hard nipples. 

“So good for me,” He groans, slipping his cock between your cleavage, “Obeyin’ me and doin’ everythin’ I want. My fuckin’ dream girl.”

He starts to fuck your squeezed together tits as you stare up at him with a completely spent expression. You dribble some spit down between the break in your breast to lube up the area. Your pupils are blown and you feel the wetness of you slit soaking the skin of your legs. You can tell by the look on Joel’s face that he could cum at the sight of you. 

But he stops and instead, grabs your bicep and tosses you back on the bed. You watch him crawl up between your legs, his face untamed and filled with anticipation. 

“Need to cum in that pussy,” He pumps it a couple times before slipping in between your pussy lips, “Do you need me to put on a condom or anything? I don’t have to fuck you raw every time.”

You bite your lip, “I like feeling every part of you, Joel. I promise.”

“Mmm,” He hums, sinking his cock head inside you, “Love to hear that, baby.”

You circle your hips, practically fiening for him to sink all the way into you. He takes the hint, plunging into you with one snap. Once he’s finally sheathed in you, you groan out which only instigates him. He draws out and back in, his pace painstakingly slow. You grip onto his forearms, digging your nails into them. Maybe he will take the hint that you need it faster. 

But, no.

“Words, darlin’. Tell me what you need.”

You choke out the words, “Faster. Harder.”

He kisses your lips, shushing you as his tempo picks up. He wants to feel the vibrations of your moans. He knows if you’re too loud there may be listening ears, so kissing you will hush the sounds of pleasure. He sits up and repositions, grabbing the back of both of your legs, practically folding you in half. You smirk in delight, watching his furrowed expression focus on your body’s reactions. 

“This pussy is mine,” He huffs, watching himself plow into you, “All fuckin’ mine. Ya know that?”

“Yes,” You manage to peep out, “It’s yours, Joel.”

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ,” He spreads your legs, opening you up nice and wide. His thumb finds your responsive clit, circling it with the momentum of his hips, “Cum for me, baby. Soak this fuckin’ cock.”

Your body reacts in the way he finds so satisfying. Your hips lift up as the climax takes over, your whole body shaking at the ecstasy he brings you. He doesn’t let up, chasing his own bliss. You are so overstimulated, you are just gasping for air. He starts to falter, his pace slowing as he coats your insides with his cum. 

You start to chuckle when his body practically collapses onto you. His sweaty curls stick to your perspiring cheek. You find yourself kissing his temple, practically thanking him for fucking you so good every time.

He stands up, his half-hard dick slipping out of you pain-stakingly slow. You whimper at the feeling, still a mess from your orgasm. 

“God, you are perfect,” He mumbles, his hand slipping down your bare thigh, “Could fuck you every day for the rest of my life.”

You are still awestruck by the interaction, you don’t even know you’re saying it, “Why don’t you?”

He smiles while he helps you sit up, “I will. Now let’s get you all showered and ready for bed, huh?”

“Yes, please.”

-

Luckily for you, your body naturally wakes up at 5:30AM. You creep out of the bedroom, making sure not to stir Joel awake. You find the house phone and call your boss, letting her know you were “sick” and needed to use a sick day. She just mumbled a “whatever” and you hung up, heading back to the warmth of Joel’s bed. 

Joel wakes up as soon as you crawl back into bed, but he knew he had to get up and make sure Sarah got ready and off to school, anway. He cuddles you for a bit, watching you nod back off to sleep. He let you sleep in while he cleaned up the house a bit. He tries his best not to much too much noise, not wanting to rattle you awake. 

You did wake back up when you heard the vacuum. You pull yourself together, putting your hair up into a bun as you stumble out of the bedroom. Joel stands in the living room, not even aware you’re behind him. He jumps when he notices you in the threshold, turning off the vacuum. 

“Mornin’ sleepin’ beauty,” He laughs as he wraps up the vacuum cord. 

“Mornin’ handsome.”

You watch him roll the machine back into the hall closet before taking note to how nice and clean the house looked. 

“Looks good in here,” You mumble, noting how every surface looks dusted, “It’s missing one thing. You have a vase?”

He silently nods, looking at you confused.

“Go fill it with water, I’ll be back.”

You walk towards the front door, swinging it open as you begin tip toeing to Joel’s side garden. He had started it with Sarah years ago, and for the most part, it was completely overgrown. Some flowers still bloom in the Texas sun, so you pick the prettiest from the dirt. Once you have a bundle, you practically jog inside to show Joel your bouquet. 

“Hmm,” He smirks, “Didn’t think we needed flowers.”

“Well, you do.”

He shows you the vase on the coffee table, letting you take on the responsibility to make it pretty. He watches you carefully, your tired eyes trained on the task. 

You were his dream girl, truly.

Once you’re satisfied with your arrangement, you make a grand gesture. 

“Beautiful, baby,” He beams, wrapping his arms around your waist. He drops down onto the couch, pulling you into his lap. 

“Who me or the flowers?” You joke.

“Both.”

You give him a lazy kiss, smirking into it. 

This part of life with Joel is so domestic and perfect. You two could create this little world and live in it forever. He appreciated your silly antics, knowing how neglected this side of you must have been with Tommy. He didn’t care about the small gestures like Joel did. 

It was so reassuring being with Joel. He praised you like you had never been before. 

As you pull away from his lips, you hear a door slam outside. Before you could even react, the front door swings open into the house. You sit on Joel’s lap, turned away from the front door, completely dumbfounded.

“What is going on here?”

His voice scares you. You don’t even want to turn around in Joel’s lap to face him. Joel slowly helps you out of his lap, his eyes never leaving Tommy’s. 

When you finally turn to face Tommy, his eyes are wild and bright red. He looks like he hasn’t showered in days, his longer hair greasy and standing in all sorts of directions. It’s not his appearance that scares you, it’s the energy he’s brought into Joel’s living room. It’s the same scary tension you experienced when he lashed out on you before. 

Joel finally speaks up, clearing his throat. “What do you mean?”

But Tommy isn’t talking to Joel. He’s looking at you. 

“Are you fuckin’ my brother?”

He’s pointing at you, his finger waving at you like an adult who’s scolding a child. You open your mouth, but you can’t say anything. Your throat is dry, the shock and terror taking ahold of your vocal chords. 

“Tommy, we aren’t doing this.”

Joel puts himself in between Tommy and you, ensuring he doesn’t creep closer to you. You want to believe Tommy would never get physical with you, but the way he looks now, you’re not one hundred percent positive. 

“That’s not what I fuckin’ asking, Joel. Are you two sleepin’ together?” 

His voice is booming, bouncing off every corner of the room. It makes you shrink three sizes. 

Joel places his head up, warning him silently not to get any closer, “Tommy-”

“Answer the fuckin’ question!”

You want to curl into a ball. You knew this would fucking happen. You knew he’d go insane. 

You look at Joel finally. You realize your eyes were trained on Tommy in terror, unsure on how to console him. Joel licks his lips, rolling his eyes a bit. You just nod, trying to answer Tommy’s question without saying anything. You didn’t want him to realize how shaky your voice was. 

Once he gets confirmation, all hell breaks loose. He’s pushing on Joel with his chest, screaming expletives at him. You stand in the corner of the living room, your body practically wedged between a lamp and the couch. You want to become one of the dustbunnies on the floor boards, not wanting to be apart of this situation.

“You’re a fuckin’ asshole! You fucked my girl-“

Before he can even finish the statement, Joel becomes a brick wall. He’s staring down at Tommy now, all the while snot is running down at his little brother’s face. He looked pathetic. As he nudges Joel’s chest, he hardly moves a milimeter. Joel doesn’t even hesitate when he says the next words. 

“Not your girl.”

You truly cannot believe the words coming out of Joel’s mouth. You knew what he was insinuating and it brought chills up your back. Tommy’s movements completely halt and he stands there in a stunned silence. Joel’s jaw is slack, his eyes trained down at Tommy. It’s a stand-off. 

Tommy crooks his head to the side, like he’s stretching it. “You want to pull that shit now, Joel? I knew you wanted my sloppy seconds the moment you told me she was at your house that night.”

Being referred as “sloppy seconds” makes your blood boil. It’s so dehumanizing. 

“Stop talking about her like that,” Joel warns, his voice a whole octave lower. 

“No,” Tommy growls, his gaze finally falling on you again, “You’re a whore. Just like your stupid sister.”

You swallow hard. It’s finally your moment to shine. The burst of adrenaline chorusing through your veins finally propels you forward, pushing Joel out of your way. 

“You’re the town whore, Tommy Miller. You fucked your way around Austin and then came home to me every night,” You are shaking. Luckily, your voice isn’t wavering, “You lie. You cheat. You are a decietiful little shit. And I’m so glad you are because if you hadn’t slept with my sister and told me, I would have never realized how terrible you were to me all these years. I wasted so much time on babying you.”

The vein in his forehead is bulging and it makes you smile a bit. 

“If I could go back in time, I would’ve saved my fucking tears and ran the other direction.”

He has the audacity to giggle, “Instead you ran right into Joel’s arms.”

You don’t hesitate, “You never gave a damn about me, he actually did. I should’ve taken the hint the moment he brought me flowers for my graduation, and you showed up with a flask.”

“You graduated college! Big fuckin’ deal! Get over yourself!”

Now you’re laughing. 

“Bite me, Tommy,” You reach out and grab his t-shirt, pulling him into you. It makes Joel super nervous how close he is to you. He knows Tommy’s temper and how easily he will snap. He doesn’t know the next words about to come out of your mouth. 

“You cheated on me, you fucking loser. I told you then we were done that night, did I not? What I did after that point is not your business. I’m not yours anymore. And your brother, he treats me real good. Way better than you ever did. He can actually last, unlike you,” You smack your lips together, “He can fuck me better than you, that’s for sure.”

Joel’s eyes widen at the words. Tommy looks completely dazed, but as soon as the last line leaves your mouth, he pushes you backward, right into Joel. You squeak at the contact, your brain registering that he actually put his hands on you. Joel quickly grabs you from tripping over him, and places you behind him quickly. Tommy reaches out for you, but Joel stops him meer inches from your face. 

“Fuck you!”

Tommy tries to throw his hand at Joel’s head next but it’s quickly stopped by Joel’s forearm. Instead of Tommy continuing the fight with you two, he takes it out on the new flowers and vase you just put out on Joel’s coffee table. He uses all his force, grabbing the vase and launching it towards the wall. The glasses shatters, water splashes on the wall, and pieces of flowers litter the floor. 

The action sends Joel pushing Tommy backward and against the wall. You want to yell out for them to stop, but all that comes out his Joel’s name. 

When he pins Tommy to the wall, he finally turns to you. 

“Don’t.”

It’s the only word you can say. You’re shaking, your eyes welling with tears. Joel knows you don’t want to see him demolish Tommy with his fists, so he thinks quick. He grabs Tommy’s collar, dragging him out the front door. 

You follow far behind, not sure what Joel’s gameplan is. 

Tommy is yelling, telling Joel to unhand him. Joel just tightens his grip. 

“Coming into my house, talking to my girl like that. Fuckin’ disrespectful little shit.”

“Fuck you, Joel,” Tommy yells, his voice probably waking the neighbors. Joel launches Tommy’s body into the front yard, right near the flower bed. You watch from the doorway, wanting to keep your distance from the confrontation. 

“Remember when you had temper tantrums when Momma told you no as a boy? Nothings changed. You’re an immature little brat.”

Joel reaches down into the flower bed, grabbing the hose. Tommy is still on the ground, scrambling to get up. Joel does something so unexpected, it makes you yelp. He starts soaking Tommy with the hose. 

“Yeah, like the girl said before,” He aims towards Tommy’s face, “bite me.”

Tommy starts to spit up water, jumping up and away from the stream of water. Instead of tackling Joel like you anticipate, he just shakingly wipes his hair out of his eyes. 

“You two are sick. Fuckin’ sick. And everyone will know about this.”

It makes your heart sink to your stomach. You don’t really care if anyone knows anymore. You knew this was going to be the worst part, but its the way he makes it sound like a threat. 

“I bet they will, I just don’t give a damn.”

Joel sprays him while he stands up, making Tommy groan and yell out in annoyance. Joel just smiles, sickly. 

Tommy storms off to his truck, dripping wet from the shower Joel just gave him on his front lawn. Joel tosses the hose back into the garden, satisfied with his work. You two stand there, watching Tommy do a burn out and speed off down the road. You breathe out loud, your hands finding your face. Joel glances between his neighbour’s houses, ensuring there is no one outside watching the events unfold. He did not care if they did watch, but he knew you would probably care. 

He grabs ahold of your shoulders, guiding you back inside the house. Your eyes instantly fall on all the shattered glass and flowers as you walk inside. Joel ignores it and brings you into the kitchen. 

Your mind is racing. You knew every word you said to Tommy was right deep down. But the girl you were, she wouldn’t have instigated his rage. She would’ve sat there and took every word he said to heart and believed them. 

But the girl you are now, that girl is completely ruthless. You are petty. You are harsh. You are angry. 

You kind of scared yourself. 

“Joel-”

“No baby,” he mutters, “You better not say what I think you’re gonna say.”

“Joel, we can’t d-”

“We can. Because fuck Tommy. Fuck everyone,” He grabs your hips, letting his hands settle softly on your curves, “I want you. I want you so bad. I am not lettin’ you get away. Tommy can tell everyone in the fuckin’ world about us, and I won’t fuckin’ care. What he says doesn’t reflect you. You did nothin’ wrong. Okay?”

You swallow. You know he’s right, but you’re so scared of all this fallout. You don’t want it to scare you away from Joel, but it’s nervewracking to wait around and anticipate all of the chaos that will follow this incident. You did not want to tear apart a family. It’s the same feeling you had the morning after you first slept with Joel.

You’re scared to have him because of what it means for him. It means weird holidays and weird stares at grocery stores. It means you will be known as his brother’s ex girlfriend never just his girl. 

You don’t realize it, but you’re staring past Joel. He tilts your head towards him, making your eyes connect. 

“I love you, okay?”

His words make your heart flutter with relief. Maybe that’s what you needed. You needed him to finally say those words. Because those words were hanging in the back of your mind, simmering, waiting to be said.

“I love you, too, Joel.”

[luna-andra]

StepDad!König Headcanons (SFW & Wholesome) ✨

Image @cozyhuii (@miss_bozo on Twitter)

Headcanons I thought up of König being a step daddy to reader's kid

A/N: Y'all got my very first König headcanon list to 600+ notes earlier today and I had to pump this one out. I had been in a writing rut for a while (still kind of am? But I'm finding my way back) and this is my way of showing my gratitude. StepDad!König originally was something I did for me (König being step daddy to my kid? YES PLEASE) but I made this gender neutral (& gn kid) like the other ones 🖤

Domesticated!König Series: Part 1 Part 2

I write other stuff too! Masterlist here 🖤

👑 His reaction was the better outcome you had thought up when König found out you had a kid from a previous relationship. Why would that deter him from continuing to date you? He was a man that didn’t view single parents as “spoiled goods”, and would quite frankly curb stomp someone if they heard them refer to you as such.

👑 He was aware of the possibility of you postponing and rescheduling dates, and unfortunately they did happen. “Sitter canceled? No problem.” “Mom/Dad bailed on their weekend? I get it.” You were so relieved by his patience and empathy for the times plans would fall through.

👑 It was clear to König that you were going to hold off on introducing him to your child. He had great respect for that rule, it meant you were very keen on not having a revolving door of people coming in and out of that kid’s life.

👑 As time went on, he would always show an active interest in your child by asking how they are doing in school? Did they still like [insert movie/TV show here]? He hoped they liked the treats he had bought at the PX on base.

👑 But the one time you seemed extremely defeated and bummed out about another postponed date, he took his chance and threw out the idea of hanging out - the three of you - at your house. You hesitated, but it had been nearly long enough for you to be okay with it. The guilt weighed on you considering it had been a hot minute since the two of you had any time for each other. König was such a sweetheart, reassuring you that this is how he wanted to spend his time, with you and your kiddo.

👑 Almost every date after that became an outing with the three of you. He was referred to as Onkel König by your child, a title that warmed his gigantic heart.

👑 Came to every sports game/martial arts competition/band or orchestra event/etc. Became as active as the bio mom/dad (if they were still around) in their extra-curricular activities. He didn’t want to miss a single thing.

👑 Speaking of bio mom/dad/ex-spouse, he made the conscious effort to be acquainted with them if they were still present in Kiddo’s life. As long as they were cordial, so was König.

👑 Spoiled the hell out of Kiddo for Christmas and birthdays. They wanted for nothing and sometimes you hated it but were also thankful that he has come to love a child that originally wasn’t his.

👑 We all know König is of older age given his rank of Colonel. It’s so funny when he has to ask you about lingo the younger kids use. “What is bussies and why do they want to go there so much?” That was fun explaining it to König as his face grew intensely pink at his ignorance. It’s best if he comes to you every time he hears something new fly out of that kid’s mouth.

👑 He always used German terms of endearment for the both of you, and Kiddo picked up German the more time they spent with König. It forced you to learn too (you were already learning but you were putting in extra hours after bedtime to stay ahead of them).

👑 100% a prankster. And oh god… did it get out of hand quickly. You had to sit both of them down to scold them about putting soy sauce in your coffee when you weren’t looking; that was the final straw. No one messes with the morning coffee. 

👑 Came home with a puppy from the animal shelter because Kiddo got an A on their test (failed to mention to König that it was a test they had already got rewarded for).

👑 The only time you ever saw this man cry was at Kiddo’s graduation. They said to their friends “Can you take a picture of me with my Dad? He showed up in uniform for this.” He held it together for the event, but let the tear loose on the way home.

Likes & reblogs are always appreciated! Asks are opened for requests & ideas for others. Might do some for Ghost in the future ✨

[almostgenerallyalways]

mamas (don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys)

Pairing: Jake Seresin x fem!reader Category: angst / fluff / run-on sentences Word count: 3,1k CW: language, I’ve been to Texas once okay forgive me, divorce Author’s note: this was supposed to be a holiday fic but I got stuck on it and almost abandoned it, but here it is rescued from my drafts, shoutout to all the amazing tgm fic writers your writing truly astounds me

Summary: Every year around the holidays, you hear from your ex. This year when you don’t respond, he decides to show up at your door. 

2022

Jake UT  [November 23, 2022 at 10:24 PM]

Hey stranger

Visiting my mom for Thanksgiving

How’ve you been?

You ignore the message. How you’ve been in the last twelve months is not something you feel up to discussing with him.

You spend the next weeks dealing with crisis after crisis at work, leaning into the chaos like you have been all year. Your personal life? Garbage fire. Reconfiguring your entire pump setup two weeks before going to production, because the DoC slapped an import ban on one of your key suppliers in China? You’re on top of it.

But then, the week before Christmas, another message comes in:

Jake UT  [December 17th, 2022 at 3:47 PM]

Hey

In town for the holidays

Would love to see you if you’re free

Brett welcome too, of course

A pang in your chest, but curiosity gets the better of you, so you text back:

Thanksgiving and Christmas? Judy must be thrilled.

You’ve met Jake’s mom all of one time, ten years ago, but she made a lasting impression. Fiercely protective of her only son, she’d been wary of you at first (you were, in order of importance: Too non-Texan, too vegetarian, and too focused on trying to rescue an almost-due group project for your sustainable water management class in which no one was pulling their weight).

And yet, over the Thanksgiving weekend you’d spent at Jake’s mother’s house in Colton, she’d slowly warmed up to you. You’d asked her endless questions about her job as a project manager at Austin-Bergstrom, and she’d poured you half glasses of wine (still exotic, to you, back then) at the kitchen island, shooing Jake back into the living room.

She’d even called you, after you guys broke up, to say she was sorry to hear it, and to tell you to call her up any time you needed someone to talk to. You’d tried your best to keep your voice even, not to break down in tears for the seventh time that day, and never called her again.

* * *

“Dude. Put your phone away for two minutes.”

Jake looks up apologetically at his friend, and pockets the device. “Sorry. Just expecting a text.”

Sandeep holds out his bottle of Lone Star, and Jake clinks it with his own. “It’s good to see you, man. Sorry I wasn’t around at Thanksgiving, we were visiting Jed’s family in NC. I didn’t expect you to be back so soon.”

Jake takes a swig of his beer, the cold liquid feeling like a balm to his throat. “Yeah, well. It’s been a big year, work-wise, so they owed me one. I wanted to spend some extra time with my mom.”

Bringing up his drink to toast again, Sandeep says: “Here’s to you, bud. And to getting that permanent assignment in California. At least we knew where to send our holiday card this year.”

Condensation drips down the neck of his bottle, and Jake spins it slowly in his hand, stopping himself from peeling off the label. He feels on edge, unmoored, despite this 6th Street dive bar being as familiar to him as the back of his own hand.

Sandeep’s got his number. “Seeing anyone else while you’re in town? I don’t know, Myers?”

Jake doesn’t look up, but feels his cheeks heat up fractionally.

His friend takes another swig of his beer. “I guess I should stop calling her Myers. You know, with the divorce and all.”

The bottle escapes Jake’s grip, and amber liquid sloshes across the table, into Sandeep’s lap. “Shit, Seresin! Grab some napkins, will you?”

* * *

 2012

 You’d always known there was an expiration date on this thing with Jake, which is why you’d been reluctant to meet his mom to begin with.

You wanted fundamentally different things. He, the Navy: Adventure, excitement, a chance to serve his country. You: Stability. A family. A place where you belonged.

Both of you: an opportunity to prove yourself.

It’s civil, as far as breakups go.

“You always knew I wanted to fly.” He says, over breakfast at Magnolia Café. There’s a hard set to his jaw that makes you soften in contrast, because of course you do, everyone who’s ever been near Jake Seresin for longer than ten minutes knows he’s always wanted to fly.

From your first date he told you about how Judy used to park him in her office at the airport when her summer childcare fell through; little Jake happily spending the day watching commercial jets taxiing and taking off in quick succession.

How her coworkers, the civilian engineers who’d stayed on after Bergstrom Air Force Base was decommissioned and commercialized, would regale him with stories about generations of F-4 Phantoms. Or the British Airways Concorde, one of only twenty of the ill-fated aircraft ever made, bringing the Queen to Austin in a little yellow hat. The Reconnaissance Air Meet bringing in the best fighter pilots from across all divisions of the military and abroad, to compete and show off their skills.

Jake would listen to them with stars in his eyes.

You pick at your migas, your appetite gone. “I know, Jake. I would never stop you.”

But you look at him, and you know your face mirrors his determination. “But I can’t come with you, Jake. I can’t start my career following you around from camp to base year to year. I’m forty-thousand dollars in debt getting this degree, and I need to follow my own plan.”

You haven’t moved in together, though Jake spends most of his nights at your tiny off-campus apartment, where you’ve made him countless cups of black coffee trying to fuel weekend study sessions. Where he would come in past midnight, back from the late shift at his part-time job at the H-E-B, and bury his face in your neck, waking you up even though you’d been asleep for hours. Where you would hold his sleeping head to your chest, his deep breathing somehow felt inside of you, and run your fingers up and down the bare skin of his back, trying to memorize him.

You’re twenty-two, you tell yourself. This is not the end of the world.

So you see him off at the front door, a box of his things clutched to his chest, and you force yourself to be strong. “You better be,” and you try to smile up at him, but you’re not sure you’re doing a convincing job, “You better be the best goddamn pilot the Navy has ever seen, Jake.”

For a second, he looks like he wants to say something, but then he just puts down the box, and pulls you into a last embrace. You sink into it, the fundamentally safe feeling of his arms around you, then make yourself pull away after a minute, pretending you don’t see the wet stains on his shirt.

Later you look at all the spaces in your apartment he is now conspicuously absent from (no dog-eared volume of Game of Thrones on the nightstand, no boots by the door), and it hits you then; the crevasse he’s left in your life. It may run deeper than you thought.

* * *

Jake had gone to Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island, then designator-specific training in Pensacola, Florida, and done his best not to think about you.

It helped that his days were intense and exhausting. It helped that, on liberty weekends, girls would flock to him and his friends in bars.

It helped to be several states away from you.

It helped to be living his dream.

* * *

There is a bit of a backslide, that first Thanksgiving after, where you both think it can’t hurt to see each other for one drink, for old time’s sake, which ends in him taking you up against the door in your new apartment, your legs wrapped around his waist because he does not have the willpower or presence of mind to figure out the way to your bedroom.

He knows it was a mistake, at about five AM the next day, when the blue light of morning starts streaming through a gap in the curtains, illuminating your tousled hair fanned out over the pillow, the steady rise and fall of your chest so familiar to him he could cry.

Untangling himself from you hurts, and he does perhaps the most cowardly thing he ever will: he sneaks out before you wake up. But next week he’s shipping out, and the thought of the same dead-end conversation over coffee made just the way he likes it is unbearable, so he makes himself walk away.

Somehow it’s worse, the second time around.

* * *

You’d met someone else, like he’d known you would. He sees the engagement announcement on Facebook, browsing on his phone between drills, and likes the post. It’s the third year he’s been away, and he’s at TOPGUN by then, so he has a lot on his mind. He has a girlfriend, even, a local: cute as a button, beats him savagely at pool.

It doesn’t fully hit him until the first time he sees you with your then-fiancé, at a little holiday reunion of college friends. He sees you with that ring on your finger, another man’s arm around your shoulders, and he gets an acute sense of the alternate reality that could’ve been his.

It feels a little like losing altitude too fast.

Your initial reception of him is understandably frosty, but you seem too genuinely happy to hold a grudge. By the third round, when he sidles up to you at the bar, you give him a quick hug, looking up at him with a smile that squeezes his heart: “I’m so proud of you, Jake.”

He nods, not quite trusting himself to speak, and pulls you back in, just for a moment, tucking your head under his chin. You smell like apple and magnolia, like nights spent with his nose pressed into your back.

You don’t invite him to the wedding, and he’s all too glad not to have to make up an excuse not to go.

* * *

Things settle, after that. Jake gets deployed and reassigned, breaks up with his girlfriend and eventually gets another. You get promoted to senior engineer, then project lead. You see each other, not every year but close enough, sometimes with your husband there, sometimes without.

He braces himself for the next Facebook post; that you’re pregnant, but it never comes. Over time, even that seems to lose some of its potential emotional impact on him.  

Until three weeks ago, when you don’t text him back.

* * *

 2022

 You kick your shoes off in the entryway, then head into the kitchen to pour a glass of water. Before you can reach the tap, the doorbell rings, and for a second you think somehow, some way, your terrible Bumble date has followed you home.

Grabbing the biggest kitchen knife you own off the magnet strip over the sink, just in case, you creep back to the door, barefoot, to press your face up to the peephole.

You don’t really expect to see the guy you just left, the ice in your glass not even melted before you were thinking up excuses to get out of there, but you sure as fuck don’t expect to see Jake either.

The door feels heavier than usual as you slowly slide it open, or maybe you’re just a little stunned. The night air hits your skin, and you can make out the sound of dogs barking in the distance.

For a long moment, Jake just looks at you, but then he says: “What were you planning on doing with that, sweetheart?”

You follow the jut of his chin down the line of your arm, and contemplate the knife for a second, Jake’s sudden appearance having made you forget all about it.

“I thought someone might have followed me here.”

“Ah.” He says, a spark in his eyes, clearly suppressing a smile. “If you were going to defend yourself in hand-to-hand combat, a knife is a terrible choice. I could give you some tips, though.”

Putting the damn thing down on your entryway console, you turn back to look at him. It’s not cold, exactly, in December in South Central Austin, but he looks underdressed: a long-sleeved light grey t-shirt, hands shoved in the pockets of a faded pair of jeans.

He looks good, you can’t deny it: he’s always had an immediate effect on you.

Jake, your somewhat gangly, sweet college boyfriend had it. Jake, ten years of military training later: older, filled out, fine crinkly lines starting to appear at the corners of his eyes (helped along by the California sun and God knows what far-off places), irrevocably still does.

You shake your head, trying to clear your thoughts. “What are you doing here, Jake?”

At that, his expression sobers, and he looks at you for a long moment before he says:

“You didn’t tell me.”

* * *

Fucking Sandeep, you think, rubbing the back of your hand across your eyes, because that fucker has not been subtle with the hints lately, tutting like a Victorian matron while you pass the time evaluating your Bumble matches with his husband during Monday night football’s ad breaks.

The granite of your kitchen countertop feels reassuringly cool beneath your thighs, and you take a deep breath, keeping your eyes on the tile below:

“I wasn’t ready.”

Jake huffs, or so you assume by the little sound that escapes him, as you determinedly face only his sneakers: “It’s been a year. You sure told everyone else we know.”

That makes your head snap up, emotion rising in your chest in a way you don’t like, have always had to tamp down when it comes to him, these last ten years. “Fuck off, Jake. You know it’s different when it comes to you.”

He leans back against the fridge, arms folded, just slightly lifting his right eyebrow at you in that irritating way of his: “I could’ve been there for you.”

Fuck it, you think, all cards on the table then. “I was heartbroken, and embarrassed, and trying to figure out how to exist on my own again after being married for five years to someone who didn’t turn out to be who I thought he was, Jake. Sorry my first impulse wasn’t to come cry on my hometown hero ex-boyfriend’s shoulder.”

His eyes soften, and he pushes off the fridge to come stand next to you, running his fingers over the edge of the countertop. “I’m sorry,” he says, voice quieter than a moment ago. “I’m being a dick. It’s just, you have to know, I would’ve been there for you.”

He pauses for a second, takes a deep breath: “It’s always been different when it comes to you too, sweetheart.”

You start to shake, a little, or maybe it’s your imagination. But your voice wavers as you say his name, everything about your tone a warning: “Jake.”

He closes his eyes, shakes his head: “Our timing sucked, and I don’t regret our decision from back then. I’m proud of who I’ve become in the last ten years, and I’m proud of you. You think I don’t keep up with what you’re doing? The articles you’ve published?”

This stuns you, momentarily. “No, Jake Seresin. If I’m completely honest, I didn’t think you gave a shit about the latest advances in Texas drought management.”

Just being near him, the familiar smell of him bringing up memories you’ve had years to unsuccessfully repress, is overpowering.

He makes it worse by turning to you, face so goddamn heartbreakingly earnest as he says: “I couldn’t give you what you deserved, ten years ago, but I always told myself, if I was ever in a position to…” He swallows. “I tried to forget about it when you got married, I tried to root for you and Brett, I swear.”

His hand settles next to your thigh, not quite touching, and your hand comes down on its own accord to cover his. He straightens almost imperceptibly, uses his other palm to wipe a tear that’s made its way down your cheek.

Cupping your face, he draws a deep breath. “I have a permanent assignment now, in San Diego. I know it’s…”

“Jake.” You interrupt, squeezing your eyes shut, grabbing the hem of his shirt. “I’m not remotely the same person I was back then.”

He moves to stand in front of you now, and you draw him in between your thighs. Suddenly it seems imperative that you feel him, that he holds you.

Dipping his head to yours, you can hear the smile in his voice, watery, tentative: “Then let me get to know you again. Get to know me again.” He leans one hand on the counter, the other tracing your cheekbone. “No pressure. I’m totally very cool about this. Whatever you want.”

You laugh, a little choked up through tears, but genuine. It feels liberating. “What if I say yes? How does this work?”

His smile broadens, eyes crinkling at the corners, and he’s so goddamn close, nudging your nose with his. “Come visit me, for a start. I’ll show you the sights.”

You draw him in a little closer still, legs wrapping around his waist, one hand finding its way into his close-cropped hair, and you could cry for how familiar he still feels after all these years.

But when you close the gap between your lips and his, it’s like coming home and yet not at all: he’s different and rougher and sharper and it floods you with emotion, something big and terrifying and old and new.

He leans into the kiss, grinning, cards his fingers through your hair before he moves to cover your chin, your brow, the space next to your ear with kisses, and you remember this with a jolt to your heart – how singularly intense it is to be the focus of Jake Seresin, like the strength of the sun is aimed at you, how he never does anything by halves.

You take his chin in your hand, kiss him again for good measure, before saying, into the stubble of his jaw: “One visit. No pressure.”

The grin he gives you in return could power half this city: “One visit. No pressure.”

He dips his head to yours again, kissing the skin behind your ear as he tells you: “Southern California has a lot of drought problems, you know. I’ve actually been reading some really scary articles about it.”

.

.

.

i hope you enjoyed :):) - if you liked this I hope you’ll check out some of my other work:

where the wild things are (rooster x reader)

cross my heart (hangman x reader) masterlist

[leslie057]

rating things owned by nancy elizabeth wheeler

because she’s got a lot of little things. mostly they are very cute and strange little things.

starting off strong we have the prettiest tissue box in the world. 9/10, i think if i were sick it would make me feel better to have such a nice tissue box.

i’m fairly certain this is her diary beside it because her diary looks pink in the upside down version of her bedroom. so this is probably it? 11/10, i want to read it so bad. and very sweet pic with mom—7.5/10.

next up these pinstripe pants !! 10/10 i love them so much. oh and the index finger ring is there obviously, 8/10, such a consistent piece of her character.

a ribbon for being the bestest girl ever in the world. 10/10. also the card of cardinals: 6/10, probably just a christmas card or something rather than a symbol of her love for birds. but i still like it.

mr rabbit gets 11/10 for the name alone. and why does he look dead. i love him. he’s me.

descent from xanadu: QUITE LITERALLY 0/10. at first i was SO excited to cheer her on for reading a sex and drugs book at school but as it turns out? bizarre and gross. seems to go heavy on nonconsensual stuff. i snagged a free pdf and command f’d for whore and bitch. lots of results obviously (one use of c*ck crazy bitch…lovely). it seems men in this book say a lot of sexist stuff that the women pretend to hate but love which i can’t imagine is great for a teenage girl to consume. also just not sexy at all.

literally so bad, and this is not the worst of it.

sooo bad. the author was what 70 (??) writing that his female character got clinically DIAGNOSED with being a slut for every guy she comes in contact with. i know options for sexy literature were probably limited at this time but…please go check out something else. i wanna bonk her on the head with this book (paperback) and hug her. you don’t need to read this to be cool and sexually aware. moving on.

on the other side of that, the blondie calendar gives us a sense of the GOOD media she’s consuming!! a 10/10 no questions asked. we don't really get to see many of her hobbies or interests outside of investigation so this is a much appreciated detail.

of course like all good things in life the blondie calendar does get replaced. its replacement is what i will call Weird Antinaturalist Art Piece #1 seen in her room in s4. i give it a 4/10 because idk what’s going on really.

and here is a very crunchy screencap of Weird Antinaturalist Art Piece #2 from s4 which i will give a 5/10. note the boyfriend typical photography above it, for sure a 10/10.

there is also Weird Antinaturalist Art Piece #3 which gets an 8/10 because i like the composition and the piano player. where did she get this and why. interior decoration is her passion.

the sleeping bag and crochet pillow setup. 7/10. would take a cat nap here.

pluto!! 15/10, the best mickey mouse character i would say. i hope her cousin is taking good care of him.

bulletin board 10/10. i love how obvious it is that she has had this up for forever. probably a nice constant in her life.

and my favorite pic up there is this precious one. look at herrr. 5000/10.

her floral weekender bag. 6/10, i like it, but not as much as i like the speedwalk and the toss into the backseat. she was SO ready for her lab takedown road trip.

trapper keeper is a 9/10 because they probably put anything and everything on trapper keepers back in the day and yet still she chose this lovely understated hot air balloon. elegant.

tom cruise poster is 1000000/10 actually. she is so loyal to that man. actually though not a great pic of him all things considered so maybe i give it a 999999/10. (i love it so much because i know for a fact that jonathan byers works proactively to never acknowledge this poster, because he is more mature than that.) (he is not more mature than that, in fact he is a little pouty about mr cruise.)

KITTY FIGURINE. 10/10. i thought it was just in s4 but i found it on her other nightstand in s1. very very adorable. i imagine it is now one of the first things she sees in the morning (well that and her blue telephone: 8/10) which is bizarre and cute. the mixtape drawer gets a 10/10 for reasons that i don’t think i need to get into.

white fingerless gloves! 10/10. so chic for monster hunting.

black fingerless gloves from s4. hmmm 3/10, they're cool i guess but they don’t feel very nancy and the white ones are so much better. especially because you may get the splatter effect of monster blood on them in a battle scenario, which would be badass.

piggybank (with her name on the side). 2/10 unfortunately i don’t like him. he looks at me like i took out his whole pig village and i just need some quarters. also did she paint this herself? in that case, 3/10 for customization lol.

pastel underwear drawer: 10/10. her committment to the hollistic aesthetic and color palette of her room is impressive here. it was a good idea to use this drawer as a deterrence against her little brother and a money hiding place but clearly he has no manners and is a THIEF.

STRIPED SOCKS. 10/10. i realize it's hard to see because she's moving so fast (slow down he is not going anywhere) but they are indeed stripey even though i would have guessed solid white. and wow what good sleeping socks. stripes are just cozier. hope she got lots of sleep in those.

[deexchanel]

BM4

Word Count: 2,995

Pairing: Chris Evans x BlackFem!OC

Warning: Swearing, Arguments, Angst, Fluff & Jealousy.

Summary: They meet for the planned lunch date. Chris still has a lot of things on his mind that he wants to speak about.

A/N: I’M BACKK FRIENDSS! Might not be for a long time but definitely for a good time. For the sake of my chapters Liv is 4 instead of 3, carry on. mwahhh 🫦

**I'm going to come back to edit later, cause right now its getting irritating**

<<<<BM, BM2, BM3 >>>>

————————-

“Lively.” Ryelle sighed after the phone call ended. She is not caving into no more sweet sucker bullshit. He chose Minka when he decided to stay with her. You want Ry? You should’ve left with her. “We haven’t fully celebrated your birthday since they planned an event yesterday. Are you sure you want to hang out with your Dad today?"

Lively contemplated the proposition being proposed at hand. This weekend has been crazy but it is this supposedly hot girl summer her mom keeps calling it. Her answer remained the same. “Yes! I want pasta"

“Ugh okay! I don’t know why you are cool with your Dad, he and I are beefing right now.” Ryelle shook her head, getting up from the counter. Lively climbed down from the seat giggling at her momma. They began making their way down the hallway. “Beef? What does that mean?” 

“It means when I see your Dad, I’m gonna.” She turned around picked up Liv and started swirling her around. The 4-year-old lets out her beautiful giggle, latching on to her mother. “Mommy, put me downn!!”

“Neverr!” Ry yelled playfully as she ran towards Liv’s room so they could change out of exercise clothes and into something cute. She dropped her gently on the bed. “Do you want to stay in this outfit or change?”

“Change!” Liv screamed while rolling around so she could get up from the pile of stuffed animals. “Changee? What you changing for girl?” Ry joked as she looked through Liv’s closet. Liv finally got out of the struggle and followed her mom into the closet. “So I can look pretty for Daddy like you do!”

“Like I do? Liv I get pretty for myself baby. We don’t get pretty for a man.” Ryelle turned around holding up two different colored tights. Lively jumped pointing at the yellow tights she wanted to wear. “We get pretty for ourselves.” Ry smothers her face with kisses. 

“Mommy.” She giggled turning red from all the love given. They proceeded their morning routine like no other as R&B played lowly in the background. Ryelle enjoyed moments like this with her baby girl and she’ll forever cherish them. She loves the bond they have, appreciating that she’s able to give love that she didn’t receive. 

Chris eventually texted her the location of the restaurant he wanted them to meet at. After putting on perfume and lipgloss, the girl was out the door, into the beautiful city.

Ryelle parked her Honda Accord near the entrance seeing the black suv’s, Chris’s security were most likely sitting in.

She turned down the music looking at Liv in her carseat. “Ready?”

“Ready!” Liv gave a big smile.

Ryelle shook her head not believing she’s actually here. It’s still fuck Chris.

It took them a minute but they walked into the restaurant, hand in hand. When walking in, Ryelle went towards the hostess stand but security stepped in the way.

“Ryelle right this way ma’am”

“O-Oh Okay!” She responded a bit confused and was taken off guard. The security guided them to this gorgeous private section where Chris sat there looking at the menu. Liv’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Daddy!!”

She let go of her mother’s hand running towards her father. Chris sat the menu down instantly sliding out of his seat, kneeling with his arms wide open. “ Lively!!”

She ran into his arms giving him the biggest hug. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too Princess.” He held her tightly, giving her the biggest kiss on her cheek. Ry checked out his outfit as she walked, starting to feel they were so under dressed as she got closer. He has a nice ass suit and they look like they’re going shopping at the mall what the hell.

By time Ryelle made it to the table, he stood up with Liv in his arms. He shifted her over to give Ry a hug but she waved him off.

That definitely made him raise an eyebrow but Liv captured his attention before he could speak on it. “Do I look pretty Daddy?”

Chris gave her a big smile, “You look beautiful my love. Your outfit is stunning.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead and she let out a giggle. Chris was sitting with Liv in lap as they sat down at the table. Ry rolled her eyes mumbling, picking up the menu.

“With that expensive ass suit on and them ugly ass shoes.”

Chris looked up from the menu. “What you say?”

“You heard what I said.”

“What’s with the petty comments?”

"I'm just saying, you look as if you're going to a movie premiere while we look like we're going to a football game or something."

He held his hand up in defense,"Well I had an important meeting after our lunch date so-"

"Whatever Chris.", She waved him off.

Chris smacks his lips out of irritation from being cut off, letting go of the conversation cause he didn't like the attitude coming from Ry.

“Mommy said yall are beefing. What that mean?” Liv interrupted the conversation being her innocent self. Chris made a face towards his baby’s mother, now fed up with the secret animosity.

“We got a problem now? Ryelle I haven’t done shit to you and now you have a problem with me? What the hell.”

“Chris are we going to ignore the fact that your fiance pulled up on us kissing last night and we’re meeting today like everything normal! That doesn’t bother you??"

“No it doesn’t bother me cause I told you from the jump Saturday morning that I want this. I want my family Ryelle, I want you. You make me feel comfortable, make me feel like I belong!”

“That’s flattering Chris but you’re going about this wrong! All of this is wrong!”

“Me wanting to love you is wrong-”

“No it's how certain you were on marrying Minka last week now you’re wanting to marry me like what?! Do you hear how crazy that sounds!!”

Chris voice started to raise, sensing that Ryelle wasn't taking him seriously,“I don’t give a fuck about what's crazy any more. I am determined to get what I want and thats you!” Liv clutched onto his arm not liking the tone of his voice.

"Lower your voice." Ry grit through her teeth, seeing how antsy Liv was getting in his lap. Before Chris could respond, the waitress came to their table.

"Hi, what can I start you guys off with today?"

"We'll do the crab claws for our appetizer." Chris then turn his attention towards his daughter in his arms. "Liv do you want that as well or would you like something else?"

Liv peeked up a moment, speaking gently, "Mozzy Sticks."

"Mozzy Sticks it is love, anything else?"

She shook her head, going back to her cuddle spot knowing that her parent were going to start arguing as soon as the lady left. The things they talk about genuinely confuses her and she wishes they would stop arguing. Mommy told her that it is disrespectful for her to interrupt adults conversation but she is tired of hearing her parents bicker. Why can't her parents be like Melanie parents? They never argue.

Liv glanced back and forth between her parents as their conversation sparked as soon as the lady left like she said. Ugh!

" Am I wasting my time? You know I've been showing you how I’m into you but I do not received the same energy back.”

"Shit Chris, I need to be asking the same thing! I don't trust the fact that you claim that you are in love with me. Truthfully I've been in love with you since the first day we met, I've never stopped." Ryelle confessed as she runs her hand through her hair. She instantly fumbles with fingers knowing the conversation was getting deeper.

“I’m just not going to blurt something out like that. You’ve been gone for months and summers, you thought I was going to hop in your arms like that. No, I need time and reassurance.”

Chris pinches the bridge of his nose, “I will Ry but you haven't been 100% with me either. ” It’s his turn now to do the grilling cause looking back, he doesn’t know much about Ry. “Are you dating or talking to another guy?”

Thank God, the waitress came over to the table with their appetizers. They gave the her their order of what they would like to eat. Liv sat up straight facing the table, she began eating along with her parents. After Ryelle took the first bite, she proceeded to give him the answer.

“I do talk to someone Chris…”

Chris looked up from his plate so fast, “What?? You’ve been having the men your dating around my daughter?!”

Ry looked at him in disbelief, “No! I don’t even play like that, plus that's not what you asked!!” irritation starts kicking back in. “Can’t believe you trying to play me!”

“I’m just stating facts. I need to know if you’re bringing her around them. Who is he? Matter fact, what’s his name??” Chris attitude kick in as he sat the fork down roughly. It clanked against the plate making Liv jump.

“Calm down with your aggressiveness, you’re scaring Liv!” Ryelle sat her fork down as well. Now she raised her voice, “PLUS, you can’t ask shit to me about who I’m dating. You just came back in the picture, slow your damn roll!”

“The fuck you mean I can't Ryelle, I’ve been expressing my love to you! I have every right to know!”

“Chris I will cuss you out if you don’t calm down.”

“Ryelle I’m just saying like be so real right now.”

“That don’t mean talk to me crazy!”

“You been talking to me crazy this whole time. Don’t fucking act stupid!”

“Chris do not make me knock your ass out! Just because I talk to someone doesn’t mean that I’m bringing random men around Liv. I wouldn’t do no crazy shit like that!” Now Ryelle stood up from the table slightly leaning over it, she pointed at him. “Stop fucking playing with me!”

“You knew you had another guy in the picture, letting me look stupid confessing my love to you. I feel like a complete fucking fool!” Chris abruptly stood up as well, tightly gripping onto Liv. The swift movement made her smear the marinara sauce against her face and drop the cheese stick she held. That was it for Liv.

Lively began sobbing which instantly grabbed the attention of both her parents. “What’s wrong?!”

She squirmed out of his arms, running to the nearest corner of the room. Ryelle tries to call her but Liv rejected it.

“Lively, baby…”

"No!"

Ryelle is big on giving Liv her space when she starts crying. It took all her might not go over there and care for her baby. Both of them let out a sigh, knowing their conversation got way too heated between them. "Chris I'm sorry for having an attitude when we arrived and not keeping my cool. I shouldn't have been so caught up in us to realize this lunch date was meant for spending time with Liv, not arguing."

Chris grabbed her hand placing a kiss," Do not apologize Ryelle, I should've controlled my jealousy. I wanted to talk about us as much as you wanted to so this is both on us. I am truly sorry, please don't let this be a reason that I don't see her again." His face turned red a bit as tears welled into his eyes. Just thinking of his life without Liv's beautiful smile, crushes him.

"I wouldn't do that to you Chris, she deserves to be in your life." Ryelle pulled him into a hug. He gave her a squeeze as they hugged for a min. She pulled back from the hug hearing that Liv's cries have soften." We should go check on her now."

"Okay." Chris placed a kiss on her forehead and they held hands as they made way toward their daughter. Lively held her knees closes, while still wiping her tears. It broke their heart to see her like that, wanting to prevent situation like this in the future.

Both Chris and Ryelle squatted by their Princess. Ry spoke up softly,"Lively baby, Mommy and Daddy ruined your day with our problems. You're too young to be dealing with this and with that we are genuinely sorry Princess."

"Yes baby girl, we are genuinely sorry."

Lively looked up at them with glossy eyes. "Why you can't be like Melanie's parents?" She glanced between both her parents. "They don't yell, you always yell at each other. Is it about me? Is it s-something wrong with me?" Tears fell from her eyes. This broke Ryelle even more, she started crying while wiping the food from Liv's face.

"No! There isn't anything wrong with you Princess. Daddy and I were bumping heads that's all but no more of that."

" Lively Evans, you are perfect in every single way. Your mom and I will figure out this problem. I will make all of this up to you." Chris placed a kiss on her forehead, aw man his heart. "I love you and I love your mother to the fullest." He opened his arms, hoping that she would still come to him. Lively went back into his arms," I love you too."

They both let go of the breath they didn't know they were holding. A part of them hoped their daughter didn't hate them. During the interactions, the waitress brought their lunch but didn't want to interrupt. So they came back to the table to finish their lunch date.

Ryelle was quiet, so many things ran through her mind. She wants this, she wants Chris. There are just so many obstacles that come in the way. Do she just want keep her guard up or say fuck it and let him in? If she do, what are the consequences? Would she be happy? There are so many questions that Ryelle doesn't know if she wants to explore yet. She looked up from her plate of pasta seeing Chris and Lively in their own world sharing food plus jokes.

“Yeah, you get to meet my dog Dodger.”

“Dodger?”

“Yes sweetheart.”

She would love to see this sight for the rest of her life, man the love she has for this man is so strong. Ryelle didn't even know she had zoned out staring at the two loves of her life. "Mommy, what you looking at?"

That pulled Ry out of her trance to see them looking at her with confused expressions. "My bad guys, I was lost in my thoughts."

"She's not going to admit that she was staring at our beauty." Chris sassed to Liv's which made her giggle. Ryelle shook her head at their silliness, letting a smile creep unto her face "I wasn't."

"Oo Guess what!!"Lively spoke excitedly, looking up to her Dad. He gave her his full attention.

"What is it love bug?"

"I go to school tomorrow!"

Chris didn't understand why she mentioned school but he kept the conversation going," Are you excited? You get to hang out with your friends again."

Ryelle giggled at his confusion and spoke up in the conversation. "Chris you know she doesn't have a sense of time. She meant to say it's the first day of school tomorrow."

Now this had Chris excited, he get to experience a milestone. "First day of school Liv, that's great news! You’re a big girl now." Lively stood up in the chair, wrapping her arms around him. He wrapped one arm around her to secure that she won’t fall.

"Yes Daddy! Are you going to be there when I go?"

"Even better sweetheart, I'll be there in the morning to drop you off and pick you up."

"Yayyy!!! Mommy did you hear that?"”

Ryelle gave her daughter a smile, “Yess, I heard the great news. I’ll have you up and ready by time he gets there.” Chris began poking Lively all over sending her into a giggling fit. During this whole time neither one of them have checked their phone.

Ryelle reached for her phone to check the time. It was 3:26 p.m. They had been there for over 2 hours. That made her wonder about Chris’s meetings.

“Uh Chris, what happened to your meeting? We’ve been here for the past two hours.”

“Oh crap, I haven’t checked my phone since you guys got here.”Chris facepalmed as he grabbed his phone probably checking thousands of messages. “I’ll get James to cancel it. Now let’s get the check then go out for ice cream, yeah?”

He canceled his important plans for them. He canceled…plans… for them… Ryelle just sat there fighting a smile from growing. They stared into each other eyes for a second but Ry broke it with tension rising,“Liv is ice cream fine?”

“Ice creamm!”

Ryelle smiled at them, cleaning up around the table. Chris stood up letting go of Liv for a moment, he sat down a couple bills from his pocket. She leaped into his arms and Chris caught her in time.

“Oomf.”

“Liv be careful baby.” Ryelle cautioned as she grabbed her purse from the chair. Chris grabbed Ry hand as they began walking out of the restaurant.

“How about I spend the rest of the day with you guys?” Chris questioned once they stood in front of her car. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, “I’m not taking no for a answer.”

Ryelle looked away in shyness, he still makes her nervous. “That’s fine with me Chris.”

Yeah so all that stuff she was talking about earlier after the phone call,ignore that. Ryelle is weak in the knees, she can’t help but admit it. He cares about her and Liv, that's the part she loves the most. Maybe them taking things slow will help them blossom a beautiful relationship.

When Chris placed Lively in the carseat, Ry still stood outside of the car in a daze. He walked over to the driver side grabbing her waist,"You are so beautiful my love. I could admire your beauty all day everyday."

"Chrisss." A blush crept unto her face trying to push him away from her so he couldn't see.

Chris lets out a laugh knowing he have made her nervous, he placed a finger under her chin so she can look at him. "Come here." He convinced, placing his lips onto hers. Ryelle melted into the kiss, letting out a slight moan when his hand gripped her ass.

This man has her wrapped around his finger, oh god!

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

Heyy guys! It's been two years since I've posted and honestly I don't have any reason for that lol. Life be lifing and I just be needing to hop on the train of staying intune with myself. It's been a minute guys but thank you for still loving & supporting my page.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

You will see me very soon ;)

Stay Slutty My Friends <3

[pastafossa]

There's been a little more improvement with mom today.

They gave her heart a little shock to see if they could get it beating normally and it seemed to work - it's back in rhythm, which helped her stats, and it's a good, strong heart rate. Her chest x ray also showed a little improvement. So they lowered her oxygen and sedation levels just a touch to get a sense of how well she'd be able to breathe on her own, and her oxygen stayed up. It also didn't dip when they put her on her back again today. The nurses (gods bless every last one of them) were really nice and said, tentatively, that while she's still very very sick, they're hopeful she's leaving the worst of it.

Me and sis got to see her today (dad sadly is still sick with the flu so doesn't want to bring that in). That was hard, and scary, but also worth it. We told her about normal things, that my CA sis is coming up for Christmas to see her, and that we miss her and need her mom hugs, that there are so many people pulling for her whether it's prayers or good energy or candles or spells, that she still has new things to paint and romance novels to read, and that she still has to see Thunderbolts because Bucky is her favorite Marvel character and think of all the fanfic that will drop after that for her to read. She didn't really react, although she'd kinda open her eyes and move a little every now and then, but I hope she heard us.

We didn't get a chance to put up the Christmas tree. We'd planned it the weekend she went in. I think we're going to put it up so it's there when, when when when, not if, when, she comes home.

Thank you to all the people who're supporting me and sending good energy, prayers, spells, supportive messages, everything our way. You have no idea how much it helps.

[harrysfolklore]

putting the christmas tree with harry !!

this is my entry for @watchmegetobsessed’s fanficmas 2022 !! i hope you like it 💕

if you want exclusive blurbs and tropes SUBSCRIBE TO MY PATREON

ask me anything | masterlist | likes and reblogs are appreciated !

NAUGHTY LIST

The calendar marked that it was December the 19, and you and Harry still didn't have a single Christmas decoration up in your house.

To be fair, you just spent the past month travelling across South America for Harry's last shows of 2022, but now after a quick stop in Los Angeles, you were finally home in London.

So after complaining about how your house looked so sad and dragging Harry to the nearest store to buy some decorations and a tree, your plan of the evening that consisted on getting your house in the Christmas mood started.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go." you and Harry sang along to Michael Bublé's voice that played on the speakers.

"Oh Christmas songs, I am your slave." Harry said as he passed you a couple of ornaments to hang on the tree.

"Did you just quote your tweet from 2014?" You turned around to look at him with a small smile, he was wearing a red jumper with brown corduroy pants and everything about him looked cuddly.

You loved being home with him.

"I don't know, maybe," he shrugged before continuing, "Mum called, wants to know if we're still coming this weekend."

"Of course we are, Christmas with the Styles for the second year, I wouldn't miss that for anything." you happily said, over the two years you and Harry have been together, his family had become your second one, they received you with open arms last Christmas and made you feel like one of them.

"Remember how nervous you were last year?" a smile made its way to Harry's face as he remembered last year's Christmas, since you and Harry started dating during his 2021 tour, you only had the chance to meet his mum and sister once when they visited him for one of his shows in LA, and Christmas was going to be your second meeting.

"Give me a break, okay? It was my second time meeting your mom and I was going to crash in her house for the holidays, of course I was going to be nervous." you told him as you hung more ornaments and decorations in your tree, it was almost done and you were very happy with the results.

"And they ended up loving you, baby, just like I told you," he moved to stand behind you, wrapping his arm around your shoulders, pressing a few kisses to the side of your face, making you lean into him "Tree looks good, we did a great job." he kissed the side of your face again, lingering his lips there for a minute.

"We? Harry I basically did all of that on my own while you sang Christmas songs the entire time." you playfully complained, turning around to face him and place your hands on his stomach, the material of his jumper soft in your hands.

"Heyyyy! That was mean!" he made his typical 'Heyyy' face, making you throw your head back as you laughed.

“I’m so happy to be spending the holidays with you again,” you ignored his complaints and decided to be soft for a minute. It was the perfect season for it, after all, “This year was just amazing, and I can't wait to see what next year has for us, if you'll still have me, of course."

"Baby! Of course I'll have you, I'm wrapped around your little finger and you know that," he kissed your nose sweetly, making you scrunch your face a little, "Besides, who's going to put up my tree next Christmas if you're not around? I'm going to turn into Scrooge!" you rolled your eyes with affection before speaking.

"So that's the only reason why we're dating? Because I put together amazing Christmas trees?" you decided to play along with him.

"That and your fantastic arse." he placed his hands in your bum making you squeal and laugh.

"Wish I could said that your arse is fantastic too but," he raised his brow, waiting for you to finish your sentence, "I was taught not to lie to others."

"Oh come on, my arse is spectacular and you know it," you laughed at his antics again, he could be such a man-child sometimes, "You're being so mean to me today, I might have to do something about it."

"Yeah? Like what?" it was your turn to raise your brow and tilt your head, waiting for his answer.

"I'm putting you on my naughty list." he grabbed you by the hips, making your chest collide with his, you instantly moved your hands to place them on his neck.

"You have a naughty list? Who else is there?" your eyes moved to his lips for a moment, dying to taste the red wine he had been drinking from them.

"Just you, actually." he smirked and finally kissed your lips, happiness filling both of you to be home for the holidays.

taglist: @cucciolafaerie @eleanordaisy @sunflowersndpeaches @golden-hoax @alienorknight @daydreamingofmatilda @sunflowervolume66 @vanteguccir @ivyproblems @ayeshathestyles @stylesmygucci @gimsaysay @rosaliedepp @dontworrysunflower @milfrrynation @manifestrry @iceebabies @harrystylesrecs @pleasingrryyy @harianaswhore @leadmetogarden @abeanontoast @grapejuice-rry @vrittivsanghavi @msolbesg @tati813 @sad1esgf @ivegotparticulartaste @eviesaurusrex @itsgabbysblog @theekyliepage @gumballavocadoharry @watermelonsugacry @be-with-me-so-happily @a-strange-familiar @reveriehs @musicforcinemas @harrybabyyyyyyy @tinydeskwriter @noooovaaaaa @tenaciousperfectionunknown @mxltifxnd0m @rach2602 @balletdancerry @b-reads-things @juiceboxrry @lomlolivia @itsgigikay

[faghubby]

Christmas Miracle

"Paulie come here" Morgan called from the bedroom. I stopped what I was doing and rush to her.

"I have decided to give you the best Christmas present ever" Morgan told me. "But first I want you to make yourself all girlie" she teased stepping close to me. She kissed my neck. I wasted no time first jumping in the shower to touch up any loose hairs I might have.

Morgan had helped me explore my submissive nature over the past two years. It had started as a game, but grew. I now exclusively wore not only panties but often a bra and stockings as well under my clothes. Morgan had tought me how to do my makeup and hair. Having me dress fully as a woman most weekends. Morgan and I had not had traditional sex in almost a year. Instead often lesbian sex. Using toys on each other and me orally pleasing her. On rare occasions she would stroke my dick. Morgan also cuckold me. But we didn't talk about it. As she put it, "it is none of your business what I do with men"

As I got out if the shower I found a red Christmas dress waiting for me. Along with sexy red lingerie. I got dressed. And did my makeup. I looked very sexy in my Christmas outfit I thought. Morgan was dressed in jeans and a long sleeve tee shirt when I found her. I towered over her in my 3 inch heels.

"You look perfect" Morgan smiled.

"Now, I decided for Christmas I am giving you freedom" she smiled. "No more hiding, I am going to help you introduce Paulina to the world." She told me. I was a bit worried.

"So we have an appointment to have our Christmas pictures taken. She grabbed her keys and led me to the car. I had been out dressed before but she drove to a local shop and made me go in. The photographer knew all about what she wanted posing us with me in the submissive role. Sitting with Morgan above me. Or playful where Morgan lifted me up. Morgan was happy with the pics. Not even letting me look. She chose one for a mass online card to everyone we knew.

"Paulina, come hit send" she told me. I hesitated.

"You know you want everyone to know, I think the family already suspects" Morgan told me. As I stood there the photographer reached under my dress. Startled I hit send.

"Do you want him" Morgan whispered in my ear. She didn't wait for an answer she pushed me to my knees. I had never sucked a real cock. Only Morgan's toys. I reached up and unzipped his pants. And pulled out his cock. Morgan stepped away as I took his cock in my mouth.

Meanwhile I heard my phone start digging like crazy. Morgan laughed

"OH everyone loves the pic baby. Even your mom" she told me.

"You seem to be enjoying Brad's cock baby" she said as I gagged on it. Just then he grabbed my head and pumped his load down my throat. I couldn't swallow fast enough gagging and coughing spitting his cum all over myself.

"Paulina you need to learn to swallow" Morgan said. She pushed me back to his cock. "Clean him up at least" I licked his softening cock and balls clean. I felt ashamed of what I had done as I stood up.

"Don't worry baby, I will find you lots of cocks to suck" Morgan told me. I was rock hard in my panties it showed thru the tight dress.

"Someone really liked sucking cock" Morgan giggled as Brad zipped up his pants and unlocked the door. I had not even realized he had locked it. Morgan led me out with cum still on my dress and my dick rock hard bulging my dress. Morgan read me my messages as I drove home.

"Your boss said you look pretty" she laughed. "Maybe you could work out a way to get a raise"

"John, says he can't wait to fuck me again" Morgan commented about my cousin

"Your mom said she loves the dress, wants to know if you will be wearing it to Christmas dinner" Morgan kept answering the messages but didn't tell me what she replied.

"Wow, Joe (my best friend) has a big cock" she said showing me a dick pic he sent me. When we got home we saw our neighbor staring at us with disgust.

"Go get the mail" Morgan told me. I walked to the end of the driveway. When I came inside. Morgan was stripped down to just her plain white panties.

"You where so naughty. Sucking Brad's cock" she told me. She picked up a leather strap.

'What is that for?" I said my voice shaking.

"Call Joe, ask him to come over and fuck you" she told me. She wrapped the leather strap gently around my neck.

"call Joe, if you don't want to let him fuck you, ask him to come fuck me" she told me. I picked up my phone.

"Hey sissy" Joe said as he answered.

"Joe, um you have a nice cock" I stuttered. Why did I say that?

"well thank you" he laughed.

"Would you like to come over?" I asked softly

"Be there soon" he said and hung up.

"You didn't ask him" Morgan said taking the leather strap.

"Bend over the couch with you panties pulled down" she ordered me. We had never even spoken about this. But I did as she said.

SMACK the strap stung my ass. I jumped.

"Don't move" Morgan said as a second blow hit.

"Want another or are you ready to admit what you are to the world" she asked. I didn't want another that was for sure. She squirted lube in my ass.

"when Joe gets here tell him what you did with Brad and ask him to help you do better" she told me. She shoved a large plug in my ass. She had me kneel by the front door and wait. Joe knocked a few minutes later I just said come in.

"Don't you look hot" Joe said.

"I tried to suck a cock today, but couldn't swallow. Will you help me?" I said. He dropped his pants he wore no underwear. I took him in my mouth.

"OH yes, suck my cock, you can suck it everyday if you want to" he told me.

"Hello, Morgan" Joe said I went to turn my head but Joe help my head on his cock.

"Your wife is so hot" Joe told me. As I continued to suck his cock. Morgan came up behind me and pushed on the plug in my ass. I moaned around Joe's cock.

"Like this Morgan said taking Joe's cock and sucking on it then put it back in my mouth. And his balls sweety. Lick and suck his balls. I did as she instructed. She then whispered in my ear.

"Joe will you please Fuck Morgan for me, she needs a man to fuck her" I pleaded. Morgan kissed my cheek and stood. joe carried her to our room and locked the door. I sat and listened to then fuck. Morgan moaned and cried out several times. As I heard Joe grunting.

The door opened suddenly and Joe appeared. His cock hanging soft. He waited a moment. Without a word I licked him clean tasting both his and Morgan's juices.

"You are a bitch now" Joe told me. As he went to gather his clothes from the front hall. I found Morgan in bed.naked her pussy red and swollen with Joe's seed leaking from it.

"Do you want to clean me? She asked. I just buried my head between her thighs without a word.

"You can never go back, everyone knows" Morgan reminded me. As she had me clean out all my male clothes from my closet.

[keelt9]

Chapter 2

Masterlist

“Oh shit!” 

I whisper, feeling the burn sensation on my hand. My cup of tea is burning in my hand.

The sound of the doorbell makes my mother run downstairs and opens the door; screamings and yelling sounds pull my father to the door. I dry my hand after putting it under the cold water before hearing the quick and small footsteps.

“AUNT Y/N!” Archie screams as he runs and reaches me in the frame door of the kitchen. He jumps so I can hug him.

“You're heavy.” He giggles, his little arms around my neck. 

“No, auntie is the coat!” I put him down seeing my brother walking to us.

He opened his arms too. “I still can't believe it.” He lifted me from the ground. “A Christmas miracle.”

I pinch his ribs and Nora hugs me. “It's good having you here.”

Nora and Peter meet in college. Peter studied architecture and Nora urbanism, after a boring Halloween party where both of them leave early wearing a silly costume, their love story begins. Two years after their graduation got engaged, and a year after they announced they were pregnant.

Do the math, Peter is really really older than me, 10 years older to be more specific.

“Mom is a beautiful Christmas tree.” Peter said as we sat in the living room, his eyes stuck in the big tree and the red and white colors all over it.

“Oh, this time, Y/N is the mastermind.” Mom smiles at me. “You must be hungry, let’s go, Y/N are finishing the breakfast.” 

I chuckle because I barely put the coffee maker on.

Nora serves more orange juice to Archie. “This is your second week here?” She asked me, I nod because I'm mouthful. “Having fun?”

She knows how much I love my work and the few, almost nonexistent days off I take, I see her lively eyes.

“I have… a lot of things that keep me busy.” She laughs, as we change the conversation to what is in the Christmas List of Archie.

When we finish breakfast we all start to get ready for the day, Peter reaches me in the door, eating another slice of apple pie. “A lot of things, huh?” I roll my eyes. 

“How many have you already eaten?” He offers me his plate, but Archie grabs his father's leg. 

“Ready buddy?” Archie nods with a lot of excitement.. “Are you sure you can handle him?” He smiles at him.

I scoff. “Come on! It’s not my first time.” Dad appears with the keys of the car. “Besides, I have backups.” Peter laughs as we see Nora walking to us chatting with mom. 

“Now, have fun, we are in charge of this little cookie monster.” Mom lifts Archie from the ground walking to the car. 

“We pick him up for lunch, all right?” Peter says, dad put a hand on his shoulder before reaching mom and Archie. 

Archie is a really quiet and shy boy; since he is one year old, he loves to spend time with our parents at home or in the coffee shop where he basically increases the sales with that cute smile and his curly hair. Among that he loves to spend time with dad as he listens to him playing the piano.

That day Archie was hypnotized by the piano and the Christmas tree next to the window. 

“It took me a lot of time, do you like it?” Archie nods, running to the piano pulling me by the hand. 

“Just one please!” Archie makes me sit as he tries to climb to the black seat in front of the piano. “And I promise I will just eat one cookie of each flavor!” 

I laugh, his parents set the limit for two cookies, that’s all. “Archie, I haven’t played in a while.” I grab his little face.

“Please, just one.” He swings his little feet looking at the piano and…I gave up.

It was like a natural thing with dad, at a young age Pete and I learned to play piano as we grew up we passed late nights weekends hearing dad play and unconsciously go and play with him. When Nora and Peter knew they were expecting, he used to play for Archie in his free time and as a baby became my as under the sleeve, everytime he was in a bad mood, I played what became our favorite song.

I stretch my fingers before starting to play, Archie moving all his body side to side, after recognizing the song he starts to hum. I lost in his soft voice and the note of the piano; when we reach the end a lot of claps make us jump.

In the coffee, people gather, some with their orders in their hands, another making a line but all with soft smiles. 

“You start to build your legacy Mr. Stratton?” One of the customers said to my dad who proudly denied with his head. Slowly people go and the rest remain waiting for their orders, Archie turns with a smile in his face and gives me high five.

“You’re not that off pitch aunt.” I scoff. 

“You got a friend on me, beautiful.” Like a magnet, Archie turns around with his eyes wide open.

“JOE!” He jumps off the bench and goes to hug Burrow. “Hi!” Joe was sitting in his heels so he could try to be at his height. He hugs Archie with one arm and before they split, he lifts a cookie to the level of his eyes.

“It’s a secret, all right?” Joe whispers, making Archie giggle and hug him again, this time a cookie in his mouth. 

“Let’s go, cookie monster! Give them something to wait for.” Mom appears to take Archie to the office. “Joe and grandpa have things to talk about.” She smiles at Joe. “Simon be here in a minute darling” 

I lift trying to follow mom. “Hey, Y/N, do you have a minute?” 

Last night was a moment of crisis, after Joe helped me to put the star I froze for a seconds but I remember the last time we was this close; how he quickly take his arm of my hands like if I was some kind of plague, makes my body react and move to the side avoiding his proximity, leaving him standing as I grab the boxes to the storage. 

“Actually, I have things to do, my dad will be here any minute.” I try to pass next to him, avoiding all the time his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” I hissed at hearing his words, for years and months I tried to know what I did that was so awful that made him turn apart. “I was so rude, but…” Now, after years, I don’t need this. 

“Hey, I’m fine, it was years ago.” I feel stuck on the floor. “Whatever you feel sorry for, it's ok, it doesn’t matter anymore. You are a special person to my family, but for me…” I turned around, this time that ice eyes were far gone. “You’re just Joe Burrow, not more.” 

“I got it!” Dad appears with a file in his hands. “Thank you honey.” He smiles at me as I pass to the office to reunite with mom and Archie.

Late at night I was working on the manuscript, the drawings are quite bizarre but strangely enchanting at the same time, it keeps me fascinated. 

“Working late?” Peter appears in the kitchen, hair messy and eyes half close. 

“Kind of. I just find it hard to sleep.” I close my laptop, he nods, thinking for a couple of seconds then smiles at me like when I was kid. 

“MILK WITH CHOCOLATE!” Both of us scream in a low voice. 

We sit in the backyard with our huge cups. “Archie told us Joe went to the store and gave him a cookie.” I laughed,Joe must know all the secrets are known by my brother.. “He calls Joe his secret friend.” 

I lick the whipped cream off the top. “I didn’t know he was like this with Arcihe.” 

“Oh, he is. You’ll see it, we have tickets for the next game, come with us and no, it’s not a question.” He answered before I complained. “And on Christmas he sent him a nice present every year. He’s a great guy.” 

I sip the hot milk as he does.“Oh, Archie gossips a lot about you too.” I narrow my eyes.

“Yeah, right.” Peter laughs but answers.

“I’m serious, he always told him about how amazing you are and the latest news of you.” Peter giggled. “Joe listens to him all the time, even if he is late. It’s kind of lovely.”

Peter saw me, but I didn't give it importance. “It’s normal, I’m his super aunt.” He pushed the cup to my face and covered my nose with the cream. 

For a second I kept my eyes in the tree of the back yard, the cold breeze made us shiver. “We should go to sleep, or we will get a cold.”

“Y/N!” Leah threw me a white flower. “The white ribbon.” She laughed as I gave her the ribbon. “Where is your mind these days?” She gets down the stairs, I helped her to put up decorations for a session she has to take this afternoon.

“If you find it, tell me, because I didn't even know.” She leans on the desk.

“Is it for your conversion with Joe?” I told her what happened thinking this could be what I needed but every time I remember that day, endless questions and mixed feelings hit me. “Hey, any closure isn’t easy, take your time.” She point to my heart. “This is what take the longest to heal.”

I nod, helping her to pick all the things she won't use. “I guess you’re not going to the game, right?” 

I already built a perfect excuse for that. I have an important meeting, we have to send the last manuscripts of the year for the authors review, so I can’t go. Part true, the lie is the manuscript usually sends the week of new years eve, not this. Pam helps me with tricky mail to show it to my family.

“No, at all, do you have any plans?” Leah giggles but her eyes told me she indeed has.

“There is a nice restaurant, I’ll pay, I own it for you.” I laugh for the flop from the party of Miles, the love story she already start to write in her face crumble down when he introduced us to his fiance in his party. 

I say goodbye to my family at the door, all wearing his Bengals outfit. “Have fun, all right?” 

“Any chance you come?” Nora asks, I shake my head. 

“You read it, I need to be in this meeting, I’m sorry.” Mom hugs me and says she left the dinner in case I’m hungry. I’ll be back before them anyway. 

One of the couple Leah took photos of their wedding last spring, owns that restaurant, an Italian restaurant to be more specific.

“Wow.” I exclaim the place is full, you can smell all types of aromas in perfect balance, inviting you to eat.

A blond girl who recognizes Leah runs to her to take us to our table; she is the bride, who is in love with Leah's work. Before the desert arrives, Leah excuses herself for going to the bathroom. I see in my phone the photos of Archie in the game wearing his hoodie. 

I can hear from the table beside us a guy speaking bravely. 

“27- 12” A guy says with full joy. “Burrow is him!” 

Even here?

My morning passed between praises to Joe, how amazing the game was and the fact Joe met Archie post game and introduced him to his favorite player Cam Taylor Britt. So I remain at home as much as possible, until the close time approaches. I take a cab to help my parents close the coffee.

“Long day?” Mom asks as I enter the coffee shop and I sit in the first chair I found. 

���No, it’s just, I gave the house the last touch before Christmas.” I show my finger with a small cut for trying to put more lights in the window.

Peter and Nora enter with a huge box of cinnamon rolls, offering one to mom and dad.

“This is from <Sweet Crust>” I ask, the smell is unmistakable. Peter nodded with a huge smile, but didn’t give me one. “Hey!”

“Archie have yours.” Peter said looking at mom who already has that lethal eyes on her.

“Does he still keep him busy?” Dad asked, sitting at the same table as me.

Nora laughs. “He will think twice the second time he offers to babysit.”

I don't get it, but my answer came with Archie walking through the door holding Joe's hand. He keeps talking about his favorite topic of the season, Rudolph the Reindeer.

 “Is there a chance he could take a photo of Rudolph the Reindeer?” Archie asks but Joe pretends to think.

“Well, he is pretty fast, you know.” I giggle, I still fight from time to time to find the right words to answer his question and don’t break the magic.

My mom scoffs, the difference in size is hilarious. “Come on Archie, let Joe have a rest.” Archie nods, running to my mom, not before giving me a small box.

“Tea, Joe?” Mom asks him as she follows Archie.

“I’m fine, thanks.” He answers but his gaze makes me feel unsettled.

“Thank you Joe. You bring something sweet home.” Dad thanked him, before answering the phone which started to ring. “Hi Pam…”

Oh, damn it, I forgot I must send her the papers for the meetings with a couple of editors. I checked my phone and I already have 6 missing calls from her. 

“I got it!” I grab the box and my phone. “Can I take the car?” I ask but my dad is giving me the keys already. 

I kiss his cheek as he rolls his eyes. “See vacations are dangerous.” He laughs. 

In two days will be Christmas and my parents always teach us that a <Merry Christmas> could be healing words in this season.

 “Merry Christmas Joe.” I say as I exit the door.

I send Pam the files and explain to her in detail with which writers could be more tricky and some tips so she doesn’t freak out. “I’m sorry, I promise I will answer your calls.” 

I apologize to her as she rolls her eyes through the camera. “It’s ok, that means you’re enjoying your days off.” Her cellphone start to sound. “I have to go. Merry Christmas Y/N.” 

She smiled. “Merry Christmas Pam, say hi to you mom when you go home.” 

After we end the call I finally take my time to open the box with the cinnamon roll; the scent of vanilla makes me smile, I take a bite when I notice something is written inside of the box. 

<Merry Christmas!> I knew this handwriting.

While Peter was cleaning the table after the dinner, I practically attacked him. “You don't bought the cinnamon rolls?” 

Peter jumps for the straight forward question coming out of the blue. “I didn't even know that place existed. Joe promises Archie he will take him to one of his favorite places the next time he comes here.” I have a weird feeling. “That was last summer, so he picked him first in the morning at the coffee shop hour, at lunch sent us their location and we drove there, he seems like a frequent guest.”

This is my favorite bakery of the town, an issue is to the other side of the city. I took Joe one cold evening of June after he was ruled out and recovering from just knee surgery, 4 years ago.

“I mean, he is a really known face but you know, it seems he is a familiar face around there.” He threw the towel at me. “How do you know that place?” 

“I… I… I used to go there in high school.” I’m confused and Peter notices because he just nods and passes next to me. 

“Nice place.” I keep playing with the towel moving from one hand to another. 

I found it in Google in my first semester of the collage, I remember I drive the old car of mom to the other side of the city just for making sure that place really exist; I fell in love right away with the smell of cinnamon and vanilla, the second I enter when I tasted it, I knew it, this is something I wanted to share with someone special.

Before I went to college one more time and with Joe giving everything in his recovery, I did the same small trip with a detective Burrow in the passenger seat and his incessant questions. We ate 4 that time, not our wiser decision but we really enjoyed those hours. 

The last time I went, the owner, an old man probably in his 70's, called David, gave me a napkin as he put in front of me a milkshake, making me cover a fluffy face with a red eyes between my hands.

[liuvli]

Critical Darling

pairing: eddie munson x fem!goth!reader

summary: It's your senior year. You're a "goth freak" and you definitely stand out, but it doesn't bother you. You're proud of who you are, and nobody is going to change that. Not even the person that motivated you to be so proud in the first place. Eddie "The Freak" Munson.

warnings: she/her pronouns, slow burn, cursing, alcohol, smoking, eventual smut, minor use of y/n, slightly bitchy reader, work in progress

tags: first meetings, pov second person, s4 doesn’t happen, goth!reader, tradgoth!reader, fluff, angst, eddie & chrissy friendship, reader is a little fruity

all fic chapters & a03 link

chapter wc: 8.3k

Chapter Seven: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Although the two of you had made plans to meet up and spend time together before Christmas, you didn’t end up seeing Kace over the weekend, all thanks to one person and one person only; your mother. She had spent the weekend doing nothing but complaining at you for the posters stuck onto the walls of your room, sending you on endless errands that she was more than capable of running herself, critiquing the way you and April decorated the house, being on your back constantly about grades and homework, insisting you had to set a good example for April, who already had A’s in most classes as a Freshman. Truthfully, you knew you had started to reach your limit with it all. 

Christmas Eve had finally arrived, and almost as if it had become a daily task for her, your mom was sitting on the couch filing her nails as she complained about the decorating again. To be more specific, she didn’t like the “hue of the lights” (lights which she had bought a few years back), the color of the tinsel (a color she was obsessed with the last time you heard her express any kind of interest in anything), and the tree looked “anemic”. What did she mean by that? Nobody was to know. Truly one of life’s biggest mysteries. 

She kissed her teeth as she didn’t bother to lift her head to look up at you from where she sat on her armchair, thick lashes casting a dark shadow on her eyes. You switched which leg was crossed over which, readjusting yourself on the couch next to April, TV remote in hand. 

“With all due respect, Mom, you leave April and me home alone for months on end for ‘work’. We keep the place tidy, and we put the decorations up without you having to ask. You could decorate the house yourself if you were here all the time, but you’re not. So, really, what gives you the right to complain?” That ‘tch’ sound again, switching to another nail and filing the edges again.

“...Tidy apart from the housephone. Remind me, how did that end up broken?” Letting out a huff, you uncrossed your legs, leaning forward as you looked over to her.

“I told you, I tripped over it. Must’ve slipped off the wall and I ended up catching it around my leg when getting a glass of water one night.” Silence, before just two words.

“Likely story.” That was it. Your last nerve, gone. Evaporated. Vanished. Missing person case reported. 

Standing from the couch and instantly turning to walk away, you let out a quiet sigh, holding back from the things you really wanted to say.

“Okay, I’m going out. I’ll be at Kace’s.” Blowing some dust off of her nail, your mom still didn’t manage to even look up as she spoke.

“Mhm, do what you want. Just be back in time for dinner tomorrow. No later than 2 pm.” How predictable. It’s Christmas Eve, you said you’re leaving, and she couldn’t give less of a fuck. Love you too, Mom. 

Stepping out of the house with just the clothes on your back, a simple pair of boots, and the leather jacket, you walked to Kace’s, which had thankfully never been too long of a journey. When you turned up at his front door after a short 10-minute trek, the sound of numerous voices inside brought back a memory from last Friday. You had been made aware that the group was having a Hellfire session at Kace’s house on X-mas Eve, but with all the shit your Mom had given you for the past three days, it had slipped your mind. Contemplating whether or not you should just go back home instead, spending the night with your family like most people did, you figured intruding on a Hellfire session would be preferable in comparison to the other option. 

Not bothering to knock on the door, as you had grown used to being told to just let yourself in, you made your way into the living room, finding the boys all sat around Kace’s dinner table, shouting amongst themselves as Eddie chuckled devilishly. The first of the boys to notice you was Dustin Henderson, as he was standing from his chair and facing your direction, just raising a finger to point at you, the others instantly looking over as they all noticed one by one. Coincidentally, Kace was the last to notice as his back was fully turned to you, swiveling in his seat as he finally looked up to notice Dustin’s pointing. When he turned to face you, he lit up, making you remember that he had once said that he was always happy to see you, even if you broke into his house one day and came to brutally murder him in his sleep. His words. 

Rushing over to you and squeezing his arms around you for a hug, he leaned back, his hands still placed on your shoulders.

“I’m so happy to see you, love. As always. What brings you here?” For a brief moment, your eyes flicked over to the rest of the group still seated around the table, and thankfully, Kace understood the awkward glance, shuffling the two of you into the hallway. 

“Argument with my Mom, obviously. I did tell you they were home, didn’t I?” Kace snorted, dropping his hands and taking a step back. 

“Yes, during the brief phone conversation that we had on Saturday before she got back from the store.” You hummed, remembering it now.

“By the way, how are your parents okay with this? Hellfire having their meeting here, I mean.” The tall boy leaned against the door frame, smirking to himself.

“Eh, they don’t know. They’ve gone out for the night and just told me to meet them at my Aunt’s tomorrow for the family dinner. They’ll be spending the night at hers. Hellfire at my place, woop woop!” Laughing at the cheesy display, you nodded, understandingly. 

Hearing a loud holler from the other room as Eddie called after Kace, hoping to continue with the session, you took it as a prompt to make yourself sparse. 

“...I’m gonna go up to your room and chill for a bit. That okay? I just need some space.” Kace nodded, giving you a warm smile.

“Of course, you don’t even need to ask. We’ll be done soon, anyway, because the freshmen need to be home early-ish.” With one last tap on the side of your arm, the boy returned to the room next door as you made your way up to his bedroom, immediately bee-lining towards his bed. 

Spending the next hour reading magazines that Kace proudly collected, listening to music, and letting his TV play quietly in the background, you eventually found yourself mostly forgetting about the shit you had been putting up with for the past few days, finally taking a moment to relax. Kace had popped his head through the door briefly to say that he and Eddie were driving the group home and that he’d return soon, so you found yourself anxiously waiting for that time to come, just wanting to spend some time with your friend before having to make your way home. 

When he did finally return, however, he had Eddie lurking behind him in the doorway, his stature slightly smaller than the boy’s in front of him. The two of them stumbled to explain that Eddie had revealed he’d be spending the night alone due to his uncle working again, as usual, and that Kace had so kindly invited him to come back to the house with him, betting on the chance that’d you’d tolerate him just for the reason they had explained. Not wanting any sort of fight, you allowed it, Kace perking up as he ushered the three of you downstairs, beers in hand that he had been hiding in his room for the longest time, waiting for the best opportunity to finally drink them with someone. 

As the three of you idly chatted about anything and everything, it felt like there was one topic that both you and Eddie had the urge to bring up, exchanging knowing glances every time Kace would be taking his turn to speak, and finally, you decided to pop that bubble of brewing tension.

“Who was that guy you spoke to when we went out for food a while back? You know, the one you keep letting your eyes follow when we see him in public.” As the question finally came out, Kace froze, the bottle pressed up against his lips tilted mid-air, his eyes widening before quickly placing it down on the coffee table, wiping anything away from his mouth.

“Oh, that one. Uh… steveharrington.” You and Eddie gave each other a mutually confused look as neither of you was able to catch what the last word he said was. 

“Sorry, what was that?” Eddie contributed, also curious for an answer, despite already having his suspicions. The boy sitting across from you groaned, letting his head fall back and his eyes land on the ceiling.

“...Steve Harring-”

“STEVE ‘THE HAIR’ HARRINGTON? I fucking knew it.” The speed at which he raised his voice had taken you aback, as you held your hands up in surprise.

“...I still don’t know who this guy is or why it’s such a big deal.” This time, all eyes were on you, and you suddenly felt like you had been living under a rock all this time. Eddie shifted his body to face you, clasping his hands together in front of him.

“Harrington’s this douche that used to go to Hawkins. Would try and hit on any girl that would give him the time of day, after he and his girlfriend split, of course. Thinks he’s all high and mighty.” Eddie tried his best to enlighten you, but with your expression of ‘so?’, he felt the need to add one more piece of information.

“Definitely not the type of guy that would associate with anyone like me or you guys.” With this new understanding, you nodded, taking a sip of beer as Eddie redirected his attention back to Kace, who seemed thankful for a brief moment that he wasn’t being interrogated. 

“You. How did the two of you even end up talking? What the fuck would you and Steve Harrington have in common?” Kace let the tips of his nails gently tap against the wood of the coffee table.

“Well… Tears For Fears was playing over the speakers and I overheard him muttering along to it, so I-” This time, it was your turn to cut him off.

“Hold on just a fucking minute, you like those guys? Our many years of friendship, and you’ve never told me that.” Kace just shrugged, averting his gaze, his fingers still idly tapping.

“I know, not my usual thing. But anyway, I asked him the same thing, not knowing it would be the type of music he was into either, and we just ended up… talking.” In the corner of your eye, you could see Eddie, slack-jaw, blinking in bewilderment.

“...Really didn’t take you for a Harrington kind of guy. Truly.” This earned a shrug from the suddenly quiet boy. Noticing Kace’s unusual demeanor, not his usual confident self, you tried to throw in your two cents.

“Personally, I can see it. I don’t know much about this Harrington guy, but doesn’t sound… too bad. Go for it, love.” His attention caught by the nickname you sparingly used for him, Kace finally lifted his head, giving you a sincerely thankful smile, to which you returned one. Eddie opened his mouth to speak again, which worried you, hoping he wouldn’t say anything to put your friend down again.

“You got a thing for this guy then, huh… Well, Chrissy’s holding a New Year’s party, if you two feel like coming. Pretty sure her Mom is going away with her new boyfriend to start the new year off and Jason somehow convinced the poor girl to take the chance to host a party. Most likely because hosting it himself would do wonders for the good-boy reputation he works so hard to maintain.” Both you and Kace looked over at the brunette, unsure how this was related to the previous topic you were all on.

“What I’m saying is that seeing as it’s a party with mostly… normal people, who knows, Harrington might end up showing his face. Hot girls and beer? What guy would miss out on that?” You let out a fake gag as you rolled your eyes, but this piece of information had Kace perking up instantly, leaning over the table with a hopeful expression. 

After each of you had gotten through a few more drinks, and you got the chance to briefly discuss the issue with your Mom, something you tried not to dwell on, it was time you called it a night. Of course, Kace wasn’t going to let you make your way home whilst drunk, and he wasn’t going to risk his license driving you home, of course, equally drunk. You had somehow found yourself cuddled up next to Kace on the couch, your head resting on his slumped shoulder, with Eddie sitting across from the two of you on the armchair, his shoes kicked off and his legs tucked under him. The shape of his brown, frizzy mane was just barely distinguishable as your eyes struggled to remain open, just barely paying attention to the words he was quietly speaking to Kace. 

“Man. It’s weird, don’t you think?” The boy next to you gave a questioning hum, his body subtly vibrating as he did so, Eddie continuing. 

“Just a couple of years ago…” Again, Kace hummed, this time with a gentle nod, as if he knew what Eddie was trying to say. He took one last swig of beer before placing the empty bottle on the floor beside the couch, leaning back against the cushions.

“I get you. She’s changed a lot since then. Who knows, maybe subconsciously due to your influence?” Eddie laughed, unsure.

“Right. Sure.”

With the sun shining directly into your eyes from the gap in the curtain, you woke up and are immediately aching, sleeping on the couch always working wonders for your body in the long term. At this rate, you’d be needing a cane by the age of 25. However, the second thing you noticed was just how claustrophobic your legs felt, slightly wiggling them around and feeling restricted. Shifting out of the way of the beam of light blinding you, you forced your eyes open, the sight of Eddie still asleep on the other end of the couch taking you aback. What.

Finding the clock on the wall, it read 12:05 pm. Briefly looking around the room, you searched for Kace, but weirdly, no sight of him. As you slumped back down onto the couch, you looked forward, being met by the sight of Eddie with his eyes now slightly cracked open. His arms were crossed over his abdomen, and his hair was unstyled, draping down the back of the couch. 

“...Good morning, Munson.”

“Merry X-mas, doll.” You scoffed, being saved as the sound of Kace stepping down the stairs captured your attention, the boy appearing at the bottom step wearing a long nightgown over a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt you were 90% sure was from summer camp in 7th grade. 

“Dude, did you sleep upstairs? In the bed?” With the biggest case of bedhead you had ever seen, Kace trudged over to the kitchen, pouring a cup of black coffee, and shrugging.

“Well, duh. If the option to sleep in a nice, warm bed is available, I’m taking it. Besides, you seemed… comfortable on the couch.” He snorted as you let out a loud groan, untangling your legs from Eddie’s and throwing the blanket that was draped over the two of you into his lap. You looked down.

“Did you really sleep in jeans?” The still sleepy-eyed brunette looked up at you, stretching his arms above his head.

“...Would you of preferred it if I didn’t?” Holding your hands up to block the view of his face, you began walking away.

“Ew, no. Nevermind.”

Walking into the kitchen, Kace slid a mug over to you, and you graciously expected without a second thought. 

“You good to drive me home before heading to your Aunt’s?” He sipped his coffee, wrapping both hands around the warm mug.

“Yup. But don’t count on me to come get you if shit bombs at home. You know I’d usually drop everything to come save you when you need it but… my family, you know how they can be.” You nodded, not having to ask further because you indeed did know what his family was like. 

Finishing your coffee, you offered to help Kace tidy the place up before heading home, and despite his insisting that you didn’t have to, you ended up doing so anyway. Once the living room was returned to its former glory, all three of you piled outside, saying your goodbyes to Eddie. You rested your arms atop the roof of the car as Kace turned to speak to the boy. 

“You doing anything nice today?” The metalhead shrugged, letting his keys dangle between his fingers.

“Nah. Wayne’ll be home later tonight and we’ll probably order takeout but you know what work’s like.” Kace sucked in air through his teeth, giving you an awkward side glance, and you chewed the inside of your mouth, not knowing whether you should say something or not. With just a single wave, the two of you piled into his car as Eddie got into the van, driving down the street as you and Kace sat, awkwardly.

“Why do I feel bad for him?” You questioned, not realizing you had said it out loud. Kace looked over at you, turning the engine on. 

“I do, too, love. If there was something I could do, I would. But again-”

“Yep, know what your family is like.”

As you arrived home and said goodbye to Kace, dinner was just being plated as you made your way into the house. Mom standing in the kitchen, her back turned to you and not a single ounce of acknowledgment, Dad sitting at the table already, reading the newspaper, and April practically leaping over to you, hugging you as if it had been years since you had left.

“Thank God you’re back. That woman is a pain to be around without you here.” You snorted, hushing her as you made your way over to sit down at the table next to your Dad.

“Sorry for leaving, by the way… but we both know it was smarter for me to leave rather than stay.” She nodded, twirling the end of her knife against the tablecloth. 

“Well, true. Can’t blame you for that.” 

Despite the awkward silence, only being broken when your Dad had something to say about what he had read in the morning paper, dinner was… nice? If there was one thing your Mom was good at, which obviously wasn’t her warm parenting skills, it was cooking. On the rare occasion she was home and would cook a meal for everyone, it never failed to give you a bittersweet feeling; remembering what it was like when you were younger, when she felt like an actual Mom, the kind other people had. But these meals always left a sour taste in your mouth afterward, metaphorically speaking, as it was a stark reminder of what things were like now. 

When everyone had finished eating, April had taken notice, quietly placing her cutlery down as she prepared to ask a question.

“...Can I go see Edith?” What the fuck? What kind of question is that?

“It’s Christmas day, April. Why on Earth would you need to go and see one of your friends right now?” The girl dropped her head, fidgeting with her hands, nails clicking against each other.

“Well- I got a gift for her, and I just thought since she got to go out last night-” You leaned forward, waving your hands out in front of you.

“Woah, woah. I went out last night because… I needed air. It’s not the same.” As if you had committed some sort of grave betrayal, the younger girl gave you a look, her eyes flicking over to your mom expectantly. 

“It’s kind of the same. You went out to get away from Mom, I want to go out to see a friend. I think my reason is way more valid.” Noticing the head tilt your Dad made as April spoke, your Mom huffed, the legs of her chair screeching against the flooring as she stood up. Getting more desperate, April revealed another trick she had hidden up her sleeve.

“I’ve been doing my homework! And my room’s tidy, you can check!” You groaned as you leaned back in your chair, crossing your arms.

“Oh, now you’re sucking up to her. Only when it benefits you, right? Screw our sisterly bond-” Silenced by the sound of her hands clapping together, the two of you finally remembered your Mom’s presence less than a meter away. “April, go see your friend. Don’t be home late.” Without a second thought, or a moment to let your Mom change her mind, April stood up from the table and rushed up to her room to get ready to leave, your mom collecting the empty plates and dishes. You followed her over to the kitchen, frustrated by the situation. 

“You would’ve NEVER let me go out on Christmas to see friends when I was her age.” The older woman turned to face you, one hand resting against the edge of the sink. 

“You didn’t have friends at her age. Besides, if it gets her out of my hair and stops you two from bickering…” You took a step back. 

“Right. Merry Christmas.” Dad gave you an understanding look as you walked back into the living room, giving you the go-ahead to slip the first pair of boots on that you grabbed and wrap yourself up in the only jacket you had hanging up in the hallway. 

Stepping out of the house, not caring that the door accidentally slammed behind you, you let your head fall back as you looked up, the sky a solid white. You blinked a few times, letting out a deep sigh, and as you looked down again, ready to start walking to a park, or something, you were greeted with a sight. A very familiar one, by now. The van. As you walked over, Eddie rolled the window down, leaning out slightly with a grin.

“Need something?” His eyes flicked over to the house briefly.

“Figured from what Kace was saying earlier that you’d need saving. You getting in?” Contemplating your choices, you looked back at the house, watching as April stepped out and made her way over to where you were standing, looking up at Eddie in the van.

“Who are you?” Before you could answer, giving her an equally vague response as you did before, Eddie had taken it upon himself to do so, letting more of his body hang out of the window as he stretched his arm out to shake April’s hand, which she did hesitantly. 

“Your sister’s new best friend. You the infamous Apricot?” She scowled. 

“Ew. Yes.” The girl glanced between you and the boy, before landing her gaze on the van. 

“Can you drive me to my friend’s house?” You turned to face her again.

“April, you can’t just ask strangers to drive you places.” A moment of silence before she replied, clearly finding herself hilarious.

“He’s not a stranger. He’s your new best friend.” Dumbfounded, and the metalhead laughing his ass off next to us, April began walking around to the opposite side of the vehicle, not waiting for an answer. Eddie looked down at you, wiping a tear from his eye.

“She’s funny.” You squint.

“You’re a dick.”

Accepting your fate, you followed April to the passenger’s side, sliding into the middle seat before letting the girl slide in after you, closing the door behind herself. After telling Eddie the address of her friend, he was already somewhat familiar. 

“Got a friend who lives nearby. Gotcha.” As he began driving, playing his music on a lower volume than he usually did, April nudged you with her elbow, tilting her head toward you. 

“Is he your new boyfriend?” You couldn’t help letting out a laugh, muffling the sound with the back of your hand before taking in a deep breath and regaining your posture.

“Who’s asking?” She pulled a face.

“Ew.” You also pulled a face.

“Ew, you.”

The van finally parked up outside of a house, and April climbed out the second the vehicle stopped moving, making her way around to the driver’s window, Eddie rolling it down. 

“Get a new air freshener for your van. It smells weird.” Before Eddie could reply, she walked away and up to Edith’s house, the boy rolling the window up and pulling away from the curb. 

“Nice kid. She get it from you?” You just hummed, muttering your next words.

“She thinks you’re my boyfriend.” This short sentence had Eddie choking on air as you fought a smile, taking notice of the way his fingers began nervously tapping the steering wheel.

“We should act like I am to prank her.” You kissed your teeth, shaking your head. 

“What’s wrong with you?” The boy shrugged, briefly glancing over at you.

“Your loss. I’d make a great fake-boyfriend.”

“Uh-huh…” 

Not thinking to ask where you were even going, you were surprised when the van pulled into the parking lot of Family Video, the movie rental store halfway across town. Eddie had stopped the engine and stepped out without saying anything, and you watched as he walked around the front of the van to reach the passenger door, opening it for you. 

“My angel.” He held a hand out for you, and you scrunched your brows together, a smile on your lips. 

“‘Great fake-boyfriend’ my ass. I just puked in my mouth a lil’ bit.” Grabbing his hand as you stepped down, you looked over to the Family Video building, trying to think of any reason as to why you’d be there on Christmas day.

“Enough about your ass, we going with the fake boyfriend thing or…?” Confused by what he was saying, you looked down, instantly recoiling as you pulled your hand out of his. 

The two of you made your way into the store, and you looked around, feeling slightly lost. 

“Look for a movie you wanna watch, I’ve got something I need to do.” With a shrug, you watched as he walked over to the counter, starting a conversation with the girl standing behind it, a girl with short, brassy hair. Five minutes later, Eddie was signaling you to come over to him, a VHS tape in your hand. The girl behind the counter looked down as you placed it in front of her, reading the name on her badge. 

“Gremlins? Good choice.” Eddie laughed, realizing what you had chosen. 

“Really? That’s what you went for? Out of literally everything here.” You shrugged, and he laughed again, shaking his head.

Just a few more minutes later and the tape was in your hands again. The two of you began to leave as Robin said one last thing to Eddie.

“I’ll talk to him for you. Merry Christmas, guys.” The boy smiled and nodded, before leading you out of the store.

“What was that about?” You asked as you walked over to the van again, Eddie opening the door before you had the chance to.

“Oh, nothing. Just me being the best wingman there ever was.” 

The rest of your day was spent on Eddie’s couch, watching the movie you had chosen and eating chips with dips that the boy had picked up for the two of you. You didn’t speak much, as you were still feeling tired from last night at Kace’s, and from the previous week you had been dealing with your mom and thankfully, Eddie had sensed this. He only really spoke when commenting on something happening in the movie or when you spoke first, plus occasionally asking if you needed a refill of soda. Putting personal opinion on Eddie aside, it was one of the most enjoyable Christmases you had ever had. 

At the end of the day, Eddie drove you home just as it was approaching 8 pm. The van arrived outside your house, and you waited a second before turning to leave. Eddie cleared his throat, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel again. 

“So… you coming to Chrissy’s party?” You took a moment to think about it, unsure. 

“Mm, yeah. May as well, seeing as I don’t have any other plans for New Years, and my parents head out again the morning after.” The boy nodded, his posture weirdly stiff.

“Cool, cool…” There was silence for a second as you twisted some of the rings around your fingers. The brunette opened his mouth to speak again, but you got to it first.

“Thanks for saving me. Earlier, I mean. I know I haven’t been super talkative today but… thanks. It was nice.” Finally looking over to him, Eddie was staring at you like a deer in headlights, and you couldn’t help but chuckle slightly at the sight.

“What?” He shook his head as he tilted it to an angle, rubbing the side of his neck.

“Nothing, nothing. You just sounded very… sincere.”It made you scoff, but lightheartedly.

“That’s because I am being sincere.” You watched as he pressed his lips together in a tight smile.

“Right. Gotcha. Well…” Eddie’s breath hitched, almost as if he still had something he needed to say.

“Goodnight, Eddie.” Letting out a shaky breath, he smiled, studying your movements as you grabbed his hand and planted a kiss onto the back of it, black lipstick being left behind. 

As he stared down at the mark left on his skin, you took it as your chance to climb out of the van, Eddie’s hand still raised in the position you had left it in. Forcing yourself to walk into the house without looking back, not wanting to see Eddie giving you some sort of weird face, you couldn’t help but use the peephole as the door shut quietly behind you. Eddie was still sitting in the van outside your house, looking towards the building before turning to face forward, his hair blocking your view of his features. After a few long seconds, he lifted his head before finally driving away.

The days leading up to the party were the mostly same as the days previous to Christmas had been, with your parents also being out of the house most of the time running errands, preparing to go away again. April was spending most of her time in her room unless your mom was in the house, or she was out with friends, and you had also made your bedroom the place where you spent most of your time, trying your best to avoid having to speak to your Mom. 

New Year's Eve had arrived, April was spending the night at a friend’s house for a sleepover with multiple classmates, and your parents were packing to leave the next day. 

At some point, before you were supposed to be leaving for the party, your Dad had come into your room, letting you know that he had left cash in an envelope next to the coffee pot, and to call him if you needed absolutely anything. He had never stuck up for you when your Mom was giving you grief, but you still appreciated what he did for you any other time. The excuse you had given him for going out that night was that you were spending the night at Kace’s house, celebrating with his family, which your Dad was understanding of, only advising you to avoid your Mom as you left for the night. Obviously, he didn’t have to tell you twice.

Kace had picked you up and driven the two of you to the party, so you both arrived at the same time and were both feeling awkward as fuck, at the same time. Seeing as it was mostly cheerleaders, people from the basketball team, and their associated groups, potential people for you and Kace to speak to were… practically non-existent.The only reason Eddie was there was because he was Chrissy’s weed dealer, and the only reason the two of you were there was because of, well, Eddie (and Chrissy, because she had taken a liking to you apparently). Kace was somehow able to interact with all sorts of people, proved by his conversation with that Harrington guy all those weeks ago. Speak of the Devil, that’s exactly who he somehow sniffed out and had begun talking to, cutting into a conversation Harrington was having with some girl on the cheer squad. 

Trying to find some sort of way to make the party enjoyable without Kace by your side, you had found the first guy who didn’t immediately appear completely repulsed by the sight of you, judging the way you dressed and struck up a conversation with him. Yes, he was asking about the clothes and makeup, but not in a mocking or judge-y way, just out of genuine curiosity, from what you could tell. He was asking things like “Why do you dress like that? Do you like scaring people? Is that part intentional? Are you really that pale?”, so honestly, you were humored. 

That was until a girl approached the two of you, seeming to be another one of Chrissy’s friends on the team. Immediately, she threw a nasty look your way but offered you a drink, and stupidly, because of the alcohol you had already consumed up until that point, you accepted the red solo cup without another thought, chugging it in hopes of making the party somewhat more enjoyable in a short amount of time. As you swallowed the last sip, it finally occurred to you how disgusting it tasted. Some alcohol really did taste like this, but this was on a whole new level. You couldn’t imagine anyone enjoying it. Was it some shit like absinthe, or something? 

Placing the cup down on a table next to you, you began stumbling away, your head almost instantly feeling the effects of whatever concoction you had just consumed. Thankfully, you ended up bumping into Chrissy, who took immediate notice of your state, her eyes instantly flicking towards the girl standing a few meters behind you. 

“Oh my gosh, did she give you something? I swear-” The blinde cut herself off as she marched towards the girl, chewing her out as you started walking again, turning the corner to make your way up the stairs, hopefully running into a bathroom at some point on your journey.

Instead, you ended up tripping over some guy sitting on the stairs, the poor dude miserably failing to flirt with a girl who was clearly just sticking around because she thought it was funny. As you fell, however, your hands landing on the boy’s shoulder, he had redirected his attention to you, the girl slipping away and down the stairs, laughing with a group of people as she reached the bottom. You lifted your head, trying to get a good look at the guy as he stood up to support you, recognizing him as the tall guy lurking behind Robin at Family Video last week. 

At some point, you had made your way upstairs, sliding into the first open door you could see and keeling over as you began emptying your gut into a trashcan beside a dresser, wiping the edge of your mouth after a few seconds, and floating over toward the bed, planting yourself down with a big huff. Without realizing what you were doing, you had begun mumbling nonsense about your Mom.

“She’s such an ass… I don’t know what my Dad sees in her, really. I don’t know why he puts up with her shit. It’s so-” You trailed off as you noticed a pressure on your thigh, looking down to see the boy’s hand gripping you. 

“The fuck?” Before you’re able to instantly recoil, your hand is in his other, slowly being pulled toward his lap. You were drunk, yes, but not drunk enough to be completely unaware of what the guy was trying to do. After noticing the way his belt and zipper were already undone, you wasted no time yanking your hand away, stumbling as you stood up from the bed and continued to stumble your way out of the dark room, hearing the guy scoff as you left.

You re-entered the busy hallway, your head starting to pound again as the music became louder, partly shutting the door behind you as you tried to forget what had just happened. Somehow, you hadn’t noticed Eddie appear directly in front of you, almost bumping into him like what you did with Chrissy earlier. You made a fuzzy mental note to practice spatial awareness at some later date. 

The metalhead was already checking you over before you could say anything.

“Chrissy said you looked in bad shape but…” His voice hushed as he leaned forward slightly to look through the crack of the door next to you, watching as the guy from before stood from the bed, zipping his fly up. As you rested your head against the doorframe, Eddie directed his attention back to you, his eyes wide as he looked down, gently holding your arm.

“Did that guy try something with you?” Not quite grasping the severity of Eddie’s concerns, you rolled your eyes, your head rolling to one side and resting on your shoulder.

“Nooo. I mean, he tried. But I hopped up out of there because grossss.” The brunette didn’t say a word before pushing the door open, careful to not knock into you as he walked past and into the room. 

The guy looked up at Eddie as he began to buckle his belt up, being interrupted as Eddie snatched his hand away by the wrist, holding it up into the air.

“Did you touch her?” With a scoff, his trademark by now, the boy began trying to wriggle his hand out of the brunette’s, nervously laughing.

“Pfft, what does it matter to you? She yours or something?” You stepped back into the room, slumping against a dresser next to the doorway, struggling to stay upright as you observed the scene unfolding in front of you. Eddie immediately snapped back.

“What if she is? Really, what if?” This confused the boy, a snort coming from him as he decided to test his luck again.

“But, is she-” And again, Eddie cut him, his tone flatter this time.

“She might be.” The lack of an immediate response from the boy gave Eddie a chance to let his eyes flick over to you, his gaze softening as he appeared to be having some sort of internal conversation with himself, his grip tightening around the boy’s wrist.

He finally let himself look back at the boy.

“If I ever see you approach any woman other than your own mother again, I will cut this hand off and keep it pickled in a jar like a trophy. Do you understand what I’m saying?” The guy began stuttering his words, head trying to recoil away from Eddie, who had his face positioned just inches away.

“-Okay, man. Yeah. I got it.” Finally, Eddie released his grip on the wrist, and the boy slid out of the room within just a few seconds, his head dipping to avoid making any sort of eye contact with you. 

Gently ushering you out of the room with him, you and Eddie were face to face with Chrissy back in the hallway, the girl stepping out of the bathroom across from you, tightening to ribbon around her ponytail as she gave the two of you a warm smile. 

“Oh, hey, guys! You two good?” Eddie stepped in front of you slightly, leaning toward the blonde and lowering his voice. 

“Not doing great. You got somewhere she can stay for the night?” Chrissy was confused, her eyes flitting between you and the boy, so he continued.

“I’ve drunk tonight, and I was just planning on walking back to mine, so I don’t even have my van with me. And… things aren’t great with her parents right now, so I don’t think her going back is a good idea anyway.” The blonde began waving her hands in front of the both of you.

“Say no more. Of course, Eddie. She can have my bed seeing as I’ll probably end up passing out elsewhere in the house later when everyone is gone.” The brunette placed his hands on Chrissy’s shoulders as he thanked her, the girl giving him a big grin.

As she slowly guided you into her room just slightly down the hall, she started speaking as you failed to remain standing still in one spot. 

“Extra blankets in that closet. If she needs pajamas, there’s some in that drawer over there, and bathroom is through that door. I’ll go tell her friend about what’s happening, but I’ll probably head back to the party after that. Unless you want me to look after her, which I’m more than happy to do. You know, so you can enjoy the rest of your night.” Eddie looked around the room, shaking his head.

“No need, I can stay up here.” Chrissy gave him one last nod before heading back downstairs to find Kace. 

You were gently pushed into the bathroom with a set of pajamas that Eddie had quickly grabbed, and you continued to mumble nonsense as you the door was closed behind you. Through the wood, you could hear Kace enter the room, muffled slightly, as he spoke to Eddie.

“Is she okay? What the hell happened?” A sigh.

“Some fucking guy- I don’t know, she must’ve drunk something and a guy must’ve noticed how much of a mess she was. Decided it was his time to shine, I guess.” You can hear the sound of your friend stomping around angrily, almost being able to see the image of him running his hands through his hair due to stress.

“If I see that man, he’s getting castrated. Hold me to my word.” 

A few minutes later, you finally emerged from the bathroom, the door swinging open as you held onto the side of it for dear life. Kace immediately captured you in a tight hug, instinctively letting your head nestle into the crook of his neck, not being able to lift your arms to give him a proper embrace in return. Once released, you trudged over to Chrissy’s bed, falling back onto it and sinking into the mattress, mumbling about how comfortable it was, your head sinking further into the numerous pillows the girl had stacked up. You weren’t awake for long as Kace and Eddie just spoke amongst themselves, their two faces out of sight as they towered above you, their torsos being the last thing you could see before passing out.

Only a few hours later, you were awake. The first thing you did was read the clock on the bedside table, the time reading 04:37. The second thing you did was take notice of the way your head throbbed, the dimly lit room probably being the only reason it wasn’t somehow much worse. You leaned forward and noticed the small night light plugged into the wall, and looked up to notice Eddie asleep on the armchair across from you, his jacket draped across him like a makeshift blanket, his feet crossed over one another on the floor, and his head dipped down, his face not visible. If you listened closely, you could hear his slow, deep breathing, watching the way his shoulders and chest moved in time with the sound. 

Sitting up slightly, you tapped the edge of the mattress with two fingers, attempting to make some noise, but not too much that would startle a person.

“Psst, Munson. Hey-” He lifted his head suddenly, eyes squinting in the darkness, confused. He rubbed his hand down his face as the jacket slid down and into his lap and as he looked at you, he was more awake, his eyes wide as he leaned forward. 

“Oh, hey, you good? You- You’re awake, are you okay?” You lifted an arm and rubbed the side of your head.

“Uh, yeah… I think I’m good. It’s so late, why are we still here?” Eddie straightened his posture as if it was a bad thing to ask. 

“I’ll explain when you’re more awake and sobered up in the morning, but Chrissy offered you her room for the night. She’s in her Mom’s room next door, so don’t worry about her.” You nodded, trying to make some sort of sense of the situation with the small amount of information you had before he spoke again. 

“Why don’t you head back to sleep? You’ve only been out for… five-ish hours.” Grimacing as your head throbbed again, you were given your answer.

“I have this huge headache, could you see if Chrissy has something I could take for it?” Without any sort of hesitation, Eddie stood up, walked into Chrissy’s bathroom, and slightly closed the door behind him to prevent too much light from seeping into the room. He returned a few seconds later with two Advil and a glass of water, which you graciously accepted.

Placing the glass on the table beside the bed, you looked up at the boy. 

“Why are you even in here? Did you miss the party to stay up here?” As you asked, Eddie brought a tuft of hair from the side of his head to hide the lower section of his face as he looked away, eyes drifting around the room. 

“Well, yeah. Didn’t feel right leaving you all alone, and I thought Kace would appreciate having more time to speak to Harrington tonight, so I said I’d keep watch, or whatever.” You gave him a simple nod, a weird feeling thrumming in your chest. Probably just a precursor of tomorrow’s hangover. 

“Well, why are you sleeping on that chair?” The question made Eddie laugh as if it was ridiculous for you to even ask. 

“I’m not just gonna climb into bed with a sleeping girl, am I? I’m not that much of a degenerate. It’d feel so wrong.” Chewing the inside of your lip, you sat up even more.

“...That chair can’t be comfortable.” Eddie was clearly confused, nervously laughing as he struggled to remain still, his feet shuffling around in one area.

“Well, what can I do? Not many other options, you know?” 

Without another word, you began taking some of the pillows from Chrissy’s abundant collection and started to construct a wall of them down the middle of the bed, feeling Eddie’s eyes watching closely as you did so. He walked around to the other side of the bed, giving you a look that said ‘Really?’ to which you returned with one saying ‘Really.’ You jerked your head slightly, gesturing for him to get onto the bed. It earned a sigh from him, but he still kicked off his shoes before climbing into the bed, his body rigid in its position. 

You laid back down, but facing him still, just being able to see most of his face, just barely being able to make out his open eyes staring up at the ceiling in the darkness. The pile of pillows wasn’t too tall, but just about thick enough to qualify as a suitable partition between two people, so it was easy for you to slide your arm over it, letting your hand fall onto Eddie’s chest, your fingers slowly rubbing against the fabric of his shirt. He didn’t say anything to the gesture, but you took deliberate notice of the way he tensed up as you first made contact, before relaxing into your touch. 

You decided it was time to break the silence, but just barely, as you whispered, your voice muffled by exhaustion. 

“Thanks for staying with me.” You had begun to worry that you were crossing a boundary for a second as you didn’t get an immediate reply until you felt Eddie’s hand gently slip over your own, his fingers tucking under your palm, thumb gently caressing the skin on your knuckles. 

“Any time, angel. I would’ve been the world’s biggest douche if I had left you up here alone.” Letting your nail tap against the metal of the chain on Eddie’s chest, you smiled to yourself.

“Whatever your motivations were, I appreciate you being here for me, even if it did mean you missed most of the party.” The boy quietly chuckled, your hand moving as his chest shook.

“Worth it, for you.” 

It was the last thing you heard before falling back to sleep, and when you woke up only a few hours later again at 7 am, it would’ve felt like a dream if it wasn’t for the fact that the first thing you saw upon cracking your eyes open was Eddie’s sleeping face. His bangs messy, the pillow wall you had constructed between the two of you being mostly broken down or flattened.

The room was still somewhat dark, as it was the middle of Winter, but the morning allowed for a muted blue shade to be cast across the room, letting shadows fall on Eddie’s face almost too perfectly. Your leg was raised, lying across the wall of pillows, and one of Eddie’s hands was tousled in your hair spread across the pillow, the boy using the crook of his arm as a headrest. Despite being hungover, exhausted, and still delirious, due to having only been awake for, at most, a minute or two, you let out a quiet, shaky breath. 

“Fuck, man.”

[moon-huny]

Feel Your Power - ScareActor!Buggy

CW: My content is not for anyone under 18. Minors DNI. cursing, p in v sex, afab reader, dom!Buggy, sub!Reader that type of dynamic at least

Word Count: 2.7K

Summary: Caleb and Blake throw a Halloween party at their place and a certain guest makes an appearance.

A/N: Ayo, this one is half the length of the original. But it is because I'll have a little epilogue published later on. I am still a bit eepy, but thank you all for your patience and understanding that this weekend was a much needed break from looking at a computer screen.

Happy Kinktober. Okay, that's all, enjoy.

Read Part One The Midnight Hour

“Come on, tell us more about him.”

“Yea, (Y/N), I want to hear every. single. detail.”

You, Lete and Marnie were curled up together on the couch at Caleb’s place – Marnie practically on Lete’s lap. The soft lights around the room reflected in shades of red, blue, green and orange. 

Though Blake and Caleb’s apartment wasn’t huge, they somehow managed to get quite a crowd packed into the small space. The two had been friends since diapers and you’re pretty sure they were third cousins … or shared a step mom … or some other miscellaneous familial thing that was hard to explain.

Marnie was Carrie this year. Her pretty pink slip dress was covered in blood as well as her forehead and neck. The tiara she wore was just a smidge too big and she’d had to readjust the sparkly headpiece all night yet refused to take it off since it would “ruin her look.”

Lete went with a classic Patrick Batemen costume. She had pulled her old school wired headphones down around her neck in the same place a little red tie hung. She wore a cute mini-skirt and suit-jacket combo with a clear raincoat covered in blood to complete the look.

You were a bit spooky last year in your Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas get up. This year, however, you’d decided to go full Halloween glam opting for the ever popular mermaid costume.

“I think he was just Caleb’s weird friend,” you said, brushing off the conversation. “He didn’t even give me his number or contact or name. I really can’t imagine we’d meet again much less … well you get it.”

This was not your first time talking about Buggy since the night of the haunt visit. You had rehashed the story over and over to Lete, Marnie and Blake after they asked where you’d gone on the way home and Caleb just had to open his mouth. 

Granted you only told the story in summary, but still your friends were so intrigued with the idea that some mystery man was on your mind 24/7.

“Why would you be so sure about that?” asked Marnie.

“Yea! Why not ask Caleb for his number or snap or something?” said Lete, exasperated with the fact you refused to make any moves when it came to a guy you were clearly obsessed over.

“Because, I am of the firm belief that when someone says ‘See ya next Halloween’ they aren’t exactly looking for a relationship.” You retort.

It wasn’t like you didn’t want to see him again, just that the idea of getting your hopes up for a guy in this economy was like putting all your chips on 23. You might spin the roulette wheel and win big or you might spend all your money gambling.

It was just then you felt a presence flop onto the empty space on the couch beside you.

“How you feeling tonight, sea queen?” said a very stupidly drunk Caleb dressed as the horror classic Ghostface. “Do you three know that Blake is in the kitchen right now absolutely cleaning house at beer pong? I lost *bur* so many times.”

Blake, dressed as a very glamorous Freddy Kruger, was in fact impeccable at most drinking games. Part of the reason why you and the two lovers decided that, unless you wanted to be face down on the floor, it was best to avoid Blake’s winning rampage until they got bored.

“We told you not to play with them Caleb,” said Lete.

“Hey, (Y/N),” said Caleb, hooking onto you like a backpack. “Trick or treat?”

“You smell like a bar, go eat something and drink a glass of water.” You replied. You were only slightly worried about your friend knowing full well that this was just how he was. A total flirt and a massive drinker.

“Answer my question, Little Mermaid,” he spoke into your ear. “Trick or Treat?”

You rolled your eyes, “I don’t know Caleb, treat?”

Expecting, at worst, a kiss on the cheek or, at best, another seltzer shoved into your hand you did not see it coming when he grabbed your head, rotated it 90 degrees to the left, and pointed out none other than the man who had haunted your dreams for the past week.

There he was plain as day on the other side of the room, only, he didn’t look like he had that night. He wasn’t even wearing a costume. No wonder you didn’t notice him.

Your eyes went wide and your deepest fears came true. He was a real, tangible person and he could potentially think you aren’t worth his time. All of your memories came flooding back to you. All of the super hot moments you shared in the moment began to color in your mind a deep shade of shame and embarrassment. You felt a hand reach over and touch your knee.

“Whatever you are thinking right now,” said Lete. “I need you to know you are the hottest person in the room.”

“Hey!” said Marnie.

“I’m in love with you, it doesn’t count,” Lete said back in an even tone.

“She’s right though, (Y/N) you look great and I am sure he’ll be happy to see you.” Marnie said, confidence in her girlfriend restored.

Eyes still wide in terror at the potential scenarios, he finally turned in your direction. You knew that had to have been your fault. Why is it that people can feel you looking at them? Getting up you swiftly ran into the kitchen.

Pushing past the tight knit cluster of bodies your eyes landed on Blake at the dinner table under soft green light.

“Yo! (Y/N)! Come watch me destroy these losers at this game,” They shouted to you.

If you hadn’t been on a mission to be anywhere but here, you would have called on Blake to stop bullying the other party goers. But these were different circumstances.

“Can I go up to your room for a bit?” you asked quietly so as not to draw attention to yourself while the other team set up their cups. 

Blake got a more serious tone, “yea dude of course. You good?”

“Yep. I’m fine, just need some quiet.”

“Okay, know where to go?”

“Yes, be down in a lil.”

And off you went, down the hall and toward the stairs. 

That is, until a certain someone had to get in your way.

“If you’re avoiding me that is totally okay just say the word and I’ll walk away and leave you alone. But parties aren’t really my thing and I came here tonight to see you so give me one sec?”

There were people all around you yelling over one another and in the small hallway. You really didn’t want to have to yell either. Plus, now that you had plotted a course for the quietness of Blake’s room you were hellbent on going there.

“Okay yea, come on.” You grabbed his wrist in your hand and pulled him up the stairs.

Reaching your friend's room and shutting the door, you turned around to see a somewhat flustered man behind you.

“You know I am more than happy to do whatever you want right now, but I kinda wanted to take a moment to talk beforehand if that’s okay?”

You were confused for a moment but when it all finally registered you let out a loud HA!

“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” you said. “No, I just got overwhelmed with the crowd.”

“Oh! So we aren’t fucking right now? Okay no, that’s cool.” He tried to play it off.

“It’s cool?” you questioned.

“Well I mean it would be cool if we were about to fuck. No, shit sorry I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

Someone tell you why you were preparing for the worst.

“I wanted to say that what happened between us was ridiculously unprofessional. I am so sorry and I know we both had a good time – or at least I assume we both did – I don’t want you to feel like I was out to take advantage of you. 

I mean I was cause you're incredibly hot and I would take advantage of you all night long if you let me but, shit okay, what I am trying to say is I hope I’m not some douchebag.”

You weren’t sure if you should take the apology or laugh. He seemed so genuine and it kinda melted your heartstrings a little. 

“You know,” you started. “I was a little worried you thought the same thing about me. I was super worried that you thought I was just using you for my own twisted sexual fantasy and that you never wanted to see me ever again.”

“Well I don’t want that,” he said. Genuine expression never leaving his face.

“Likewise.”

“So,” he made a few steps toward you, pinning you against the door with his body. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell me what you want.”

////

Kneeling before him, you’d been working on sucking his gorgeous cock into your mouth for the last handful of minutes. He gripped your hair in his fist and softly guided you down and around him listening to your little moans and gasps for air every time he stalled himself at the back.

“That’s a good feeling baby. I like feeling your little throat constrict around me. Almost feels just as good as that pussy.”

In only a few moments after you exchanged words was he able to work you into a pliant obedient putty in the palm of his hand. You could feel yourself getting wetter with every one of his praises coupled with the mean little things he would do to your body.

His words caused you to moan around him which in turn made him buck up into your mouth to chase that vibration.

“God, princess you suck this dick like a fuckin champ.” He started to work into you faster chasing that high and feeling himself get closer to snapping.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Okay!” He pulled you off of him and looked down at your stunning eyes, glazed over with desire and more than a little confidence with how quickly he was about to bust.

“You’re dangerous.” He looked down at you wiggling your ass in the air on all fours while he held his heavy cock in his hand.

The little giggle you let out coupled with his hand lightly squeezing down around the base of his shaft made Buggy feel like he’d died and gone to heaven.

He climbed down onto the floor beside you leaning against the bed frame. Both of you decided that to use Blake’s room was fine, but to have sex on their bed was a whole nother level of ‘don't-go-there.’

“Get right up close to me, pretty girl.” he said into your ear.

He sat you in between his legs so you were in his lap and spread out for him. Your hair and makeup was still elaborately done while the only thing you were left wearing was a pair of aquamarine colored lace underwear.

Your head turned to look at him over your shoulder. His hand found its way under your chin and guided you to meet his lips. His kiss was just as you remembered it. Warm and gentle and it made you feel like you were walking on air.

But then it turned darker, as it always does with him – like sailing into a storm. His kiss grew hungry, he bit down on your lower lip and you’d be lying if you said your tongues fought for any sort of dominance. He was the one to win, to take.

As he kissed you, his hands came up to your chest. His fingers quickly found your nipples and made slow soft circles while he kissed you. The little motions that Buggy made on the raised flesh of your breasts was the exact kind of motion he knew would feel oh so good just a bit lower at a different little bud.

The movements he made sent socks of pleasure straight to where you needed him to touch the most. And yet, Buggy refused to move any lower, opting instead to launch a full assault on your tits. But, what’s the harm in begging?

“Please, daddy,” you whined out. “Can you rub my clit like this, please.”

You used the nickname he liked and spoke as directly as possible. That ought to get you some brownie points, right?

“You little slut,” he said between breaths as his lips continued to dance with your own in a teasing way. “You need to learn some patience. I bet you’ll feel really good if I make you wait longer.”

The plan backfired.

“Feel what you do to me?” He asked. his cock jumping against your back at every moan and keen your let out. “You make me so hard it’s painful. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since that night. The way you cried out for me and all those nasty little thoughts you shared.”

He was beginning to turn you on past the point of no return. You tried to touch yourself for some relief, but Buggy had slapped your hand away. 

“Every night I’d dream about these tits and that tight little cunt. I’d have to pull on my cock every night just to have some peace.”

You wanted him to touch you, but all you could do while he played with you was rock your hips into the air and beg for more.

“Oh? Is baby feeling needy? You want daddy’s fingers in your pussy. You want me to rub your little clit till you come, s’at it?”

You nodded furiously, the feeling of his hard length pressing into your back made you picture all of the delicious ways he could stretch you out on it. 

“I want your cock now, please.” You could feel how sopping wet you were through your underwear.

At this point, Buggy was not inclined to say no. After edging himself in your mouth and now having you ask so sweetly for him to fuck you, there was no time to spare.

Turning around to straddle him, he hooked his finger around your lace panties and pulled his finger through your folds. He let out a groan at how wet you had gotten with just a little nipple play. It was like you’d never been touched before.

While he didnt take the time to stretch you out on his fingers – nor had he gotten you to cum yet – Buggy knew deep down that you were about to be so unbelievably tight. Sure, it might hurt you a little bit, but that feeling was about to be amazing.

You lowered yourself down onto him, but were met with some resistance. Even just the feeling of his tip nestled inside you made you want to push through the discomfort and just feel him already.

“You’re doing so good for me, my good girl, want you to cum on this cock and make this cock cum.”

His words were plenty to spur you on. Ignoring the stretch, you sunk down onto him and felt your eyes flutter shut.

“Yea, holy fuck, that feels so good baby. Can you feel that sweet cunt squeezing me?”

With that you started moving. Slowly up and down at first, but your confidence got the better of you and allowed for much deeper and faster movements.

Every stroke or so, he would whimper, whine, or let out some other form of gorgeous noise that would make you want more.

Soon you both began to approach your high. The string in your belly began to tighten until all of a sudden it snapped.

“Oh fuuucckk, yea yea that’s my girl. That’s my pretty girl. Good girls cum just like this, my girl cums just like this. Let me fuck you baby, I’m not done. You want daddy to finish don't you? You wanna feel my cum in you right?”

Completely dumb on his cock you just nod your head and allow him to finish inside of you. He cums with a growl and a deathgrip on your hips.

Epilogue Coming Soon

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taglist: @max-505 @kurinhimenezu

[mudhamster]

CHWHWN: 22. December - "? ?"

"The trains suck tomorrow. Mom wants me to come today. Besides, it's supposed to snow like hell," Katsuki announced over his cup of coffee, already checking the train schedule on his cell phone. He scratched his chin and frowned, and in the next moment, the sight of a yawning, bed-haired Katsuki was burned into Izuku's memory forever. They sat at the breakfast table, just the two of them on the first day of vacation, and Izuku buttered his last wobbly slice of toast when he casually replied, "I only have a weekend ticket." "Then buy one for today." Izuku blinked at him, "Why?" "To go home?!" Katsuki replied with a look as if Izuku was stupid. Today? With Kacchan? To a completely empty apartment? Unintentionally, he looked at the small Christmas tree in the corner of the room. "I can't go," he said without further ado and then stopped for a moment, "I still have to… buy presents. I'll go… tomorrow. At noon. There'll be a train, don't worry, Kacchan." The toast crumbled under the force of the knife tip and Katsuki raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Uh-huh." He could feel Kacchan's undivided attention on him as he reached for the peanut butter between them. His neck tingled. His mouth suddenly tasted like paper. He was getting warm. "When will you be back?" he finally burst with tension, "Before or after the New Year?" Katsuki immediately reflected the question back to him, "What about you?" "I don't know yet…" "Are you going to the shrine? On New Year's?" "Uh. Um," He usually did. With his mother and their old neighbor, who was too frail to walk up the steps alone. He liked the tradition, but there were certainly more pleasant alternatives than starting his New Year as a crutch for an old woman he barely knew. The only question was which? "Maybe. I don't know yet." With a loud thump, Katsuki slammed his cup down on the table. If it hadn't been empty, the table would be caffeinated now "Why are you acting so weird?" "What do you mean?" "I can't put my finger on it," he mused, obviously annoyed, looking disparagingly at Izuku across the table, "but it annoys the hell out of me."

"Sorry Kacchan," he said honestly, meaning it with every fiber of his being. "Whatever," he mumbled, twirling the empty cup between his fingers and Izuku watched as the image on it changed in the light of the kitchen. Izuku hated lying. And it was even worse to lie to Kacchan while they sat together at the breakfast table, enjoying the most humble but fulfilling simplicity. But since the second Kacchan had told him that he was leaving today, his head had been caught in a too fast roundabout. So much was still open. If Kacchan was leaving today, there were still so many unused notes that it seemed almost impossible to open 24. However, the change in his plan also meant that they were no longer guaranteed to be in the same neighbourhood for Christmas. Sure, he could go home tomorrow and sit on the couch and do everything he usually did with his mom and wait to see if Kacchan got in touch by Christmas. But what if he didn't? He honestly didn't know what would be worse. Getting the rejection while he was sitting at home in an undecorated apartment, or while he was sitting here and at least had the space to distract himself from the disappointment by exercising? "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

His mind was overloaded, that was what was wrong. He desperately tried to bring order to the pitiful remains of his plan.

"What - what, what did you get today?" "You wanna know, huh?" but from the way Kacchan rose from his chair, Izuku knew that he wouldn't get an answer. With both hands on the backrest and an odd look that Izuku couldn't interpret, Kacchan stood behind the chair, "I'll tell you when we go to the shrine …together. Just you and me." On New Year's Day. A week after Christmas. Was he home on New Year's Day? Would he be home at all? Would his mother be home? "…oh…okay," he nodded vaguely. He would make sure that…he…and Kacchan…WHAT? Were going to the shrine together?! Just as he took a breath to express how surprised he was by this offer (hello, him and Kacchan, New Year's tradition, romantic!!), Kacchan beat him to it. "Why the hell aren't you excited?" he snapped at him, grabbing the cup and catching Izuku's perplexed look. They both started talking at the same time. "K-kacchan, I -" "We've never been -" Katsuki was the first to look away, a blush of confusion and disappointment on his face. "I'll be there!“ Izuku said, confused and overwhelmed, “I'm looking forward to it, honestly!" "Just forget it."

Kacchan stomped out of the kitchen and Izuku looked at his toast, in his mind swirling thoughts of the shrine. Of the moment when the bells rang and prayers were said and new horoscopes were drawn. His own from last year was still in the desk drawer at home. It had predicted a great change for him - and he had received it. The idea of going to the shrine with Kacchan was so strange and yet so wonderful that he didn't want to let it fail. He pulled out his phone.

Deku: I know there was no promise in the calendar. But I'll make one anyway: I'll be there for New Year's. I'll pick you up and you pick a shrine. Okay? Kacchan: … fucking fine

They would see each other again this year, regardless of whether Katsuki would ever be able to open 24.