#anyways i live for the :3 tag being in the top 5
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aromanticbastards ¡ 2 years ago
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Ich habe 8.148 Mal im Jahr 2022 etwas gepostet
Das sind 401 more posts als 2021!
402 Einträge erstellt (5%)
7.746 Einträge gerebloggt (95%)
Blogs, die ich am häufigsten gerebloggt habe:
@mordcore
@klavierpanda
@liquidlikecats
@tesco-brand-aromantics
@twice-as-many-stars
Ich habe 1.851 meiner Einträge im Jahr 2022 getaggt
#undescribed – 540 Einträge
#alex' quatsch – 238 Einträge
#ask games – 30 Einträge
#goncharov – 21 Einträge
#thanks for the ask :) – 17 Einträge
#:3 – 17 Einträge
#unreality – 16 Einträge
#/lh – 15 Einträge
#thanks for the ask! – 14 Einträge
#me – 13 Einträge
Longest Tag: 139 characters
#aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Meine Top-Einträge im Jahr 2022:
#5
day one of cat sitting. i have already taken more than ten photos of the beast.
92 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 18. Juli 2022
#4
i dont quite get the post about ace/aro being separated. like.. biromantic and bisexual are two different orientations but they arent separated often when talking about bi people, why should ace/aro be separated specifically? (asking for genuine answers im just a little confused. i do think they are separate but i dont get the anger against them being grouped since they are similar and related)
basically, a lot of the time, alloaros and non-sam aros are just ignored in aspec conversations, and a lot of people in the queer community who are neither of those (alloallos, alloaces and aroaces) just assume that someone who signals being aro has to be ace, and even aroaces who prioritize their aro identity are ignored in what is prioritized by others.
what is additionally annoying is a problem with sex negativity in the ace community. this is not to say all aces are sex negative or shame people for having sex, but on one hand, i have seen not that few aces who have an attitude of "sex is yucky and i am better than people who experience sexual attraction" and also "aces are automatically wholesome people because we don't want to do anything sexual" (which also has a whole other problems regarding sex favourability).
so being automatically grouped with aces is very annoying for most non-ace aros. we have a lot of similar fights and i think a united aspec community is important, but it's also important not to forget that the there are non-ace aros, and i have nearly never seen us mentioned in general pride stuff seperately from aces
110 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 29. Juli 2022
#3
i am virtually hugging all the aros who are touch starved right now (and like being hugged of course). you are so lovely, the world is lucky to have you 💚
414 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 25. April 2022
#2
guys guys guys you won't believe it! i actually managed to recover the music for katya's and goncharov's final dance! unfortunately the recording is pretty low quality but i'll see if i can maybe get a better one soon!
442 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 22. November 2022
Meine #1 des Jahres 2022
pet peeve of mine: people writing aros/aces as one category when listing multiple categories, for example "queer includes (among other identities) gay, lesbian, bi, trans, inter and aro/ace people". these are two separate identities. it's nice that aspec people are included but i had soo many people come up to me at pride with ace stuff while i was only indicating to be aro, and i really wish people would start to see aromanticism as its own orientation
1.257 Anmerkungen – Gepostet 29. Juli 2022
Hol dir deinen Tumblr-Jahresrückblick 2022 →
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selencgraphy ¡ 3 months ago
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— 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐒
prompt drabble series - nonverbal ways to say ‘i love you’
5 - remembering a trivial fact about them
prompts from promptingyou
PAIRING: logan howlett x gn!reader
TAGS: they/them pronouns for reader, fluff, actions speak louder than words is logan’s strong suit, tall!logan bc i love hugh jackman :)
A/N: deadpool and wolverine revived my love for logan so this is just self-indulgent bc i love him so so much. the x-men movies were my gateway into marvel so i just have to show my man some love yk? happy reading <3
WORD COUNT: 597
masterlist || request box <3
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You and Logan weren’t that close. Aside from having rooms right next to each other and being co-workers, you didn’t know much about him. Rarely were you ever in a room with him when it was just you two. 
Heading over to the kitchen for a midnight snack, you stumble upon him smoking by the window. “Can't sleep either?" you asked as you quietly padded across the wood. 
Logan merely grunted in response, taking a drag of his cigar. Grabbing the tub of your favorite ice cream from the freezer, you took a seat at the counter. The tub was practically almost empty so you resorted to eating straight out of it. "Are those really any better than regular cigarettes?" you carefully asked in hopes of breaking the awkward silence—well, at least to you it was awkward. At your question, he turned over his shoulder and leaned to sit down against the window sill, his eyebrows furrowed a little deeper than they normally were.
"Haven't tried anything but these," he replied, glancing down at it before looking back at you, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"What?"
"You're the first person who's caught me smoking inside that didn’t immediately remind me of Chuck's stupid rule."
"I mean… it is a good rule considering this whole place is built of wood," you joked, taking another bite of ice cream before speaking again. "I'm not one for rules either anyways. It'd be a bit hypocritical of me to get on your case, don't you think?"
He hummed, the tiniest smirk on his face at your nonchalance. He'd been living and teaching (begrudgingly) at the mansion for a while now, but a lot of the kids and other X-Men were still intimidated by him. His tough guy façade certainly didn’t help much but that’s just how he was used to living after being alive for almost 200 years. But that never seemed to deter you. Putting out his cigar, he started to head back to his room. "Don't stay up too late, bub," he muttered as he passed you.
"Night, Logan,” you called over your shoulder, scraping the sides of the tub as you finished it out. Throwing it away, you made a mental note to grab more whenever you went back out to get groceries.
A couple days later…
“Shit,” you muttered under your breath as you made your way down to the kitchen. It was pretty early in the day, but you weren’t one to let the time of day deter you from snacking on a few scoops of ice cream. Then you remembered. You had eaten the last bit the other night when you ran into Logan and had yet to restock. Damn.
So it came as a surprise to see yet another full tub in the freezer when you went to rummage through it to find something else to satiate your sweet tooth. A post-it was taped to the top of it, big black letters scrawled across it.
For Y/N. If you’re not them, do not touch this. - Logan
Your face brightened as you read it. Sure, it wasn’t that sweet of a message, but you’d take what you could get. Pulling it out, you realized it was the same exact flavor—your favorite flavor—and brand you loved. You’d barely spent five minutes with each other the other night, but he remembered.
“I gotta thank him later,” you thought to yourself as you sat down, your day made by the gesture. Maybe your efforts to befriend him weren’t a lost cause after all.
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solarmorrigan ¡ 1 month ago
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It's Coming From Inside the House
For the @steddie-spooktober day 5 prompt: "Did you hear that?" Rated: T | Words: 2472 | CW: panic attack, mentions of recreational drug use | Tags: Eddie Munson and Steve Harrington friendship, pre-relationship, sorta, Eddie Munson being an asshole, Eddie Munson is a sweetheart, he has the range, Steve Harrington has PTSD, post season 2, pre season 3 Divider credit: @steddiecameraroll-graphics
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Now look, Eddie has never claimed to be the world’s nicest guy. He’s often claimed the opposite, in fact, in the name of getting shithead bullies and jocks to leave him and his alone.
And Harrington is no saint, either. Sure, he’s turned over some kind of new leaf since last year, ditching the assholes he used to hang out with and mostly keeping to himself (particularly since November, when his busted face had been the talk of Hawkins High), but he’s been part of enough sportsball-related hazing rituals for Eddie to assume he can at least take a joke.
Anyway, the point is, when he’s given occasion to realize that King Steve seems to be afraid of the dark, Eddie isn’t quite able to resist the urge to poke at him. Just a little.
He’s got Harrington in his trailer, just dropping by for a late-night transaction, and they’ve got an unexpected spring storm raging outside. It had just blown in, heavy winds and rain and all, surrounding the trailer with the sound of nature’s howling fury, and Harrington already seems on edge (probably why he needs the weed, really).
And then the lights flicker–
Flicker–
Flicker–
And cut out.
Both Eddie and Harrington freeze, plunged into darkness cut only by the frequent flashes of lightning.
“What just happened?” Harrington asks, his voice gone tight.
“Seems like the power went out,” Eddie snarks, because that much should be obvious. “Probably the wind. The grid isn’t as secure out here where it’s only us poor people.”
Harrington has no comeback, which is a little disappointing. He’s so quiet that the only way Eddie can tell he’s still there at all is because he can see him illuminated by brief lightning strikes.
Eddie sighs and starts shuffling in the direction of the kitchen. “Gimme a minute, I think we’ve got an old camping lantern somewhere.”
He bangs his knees on just about every object he walks past, swearing up a storm, but he finally makes it to the kitchen and feels around in the cabinets for the lantern he hopes is still there. He knocks over a few pots and pans in the process, but finally – success!
Eddie gropes for the switch on top of the lantern as he pulls it from the cabinet, praying that the battery inside is still good, and flinches and blinks the sparkles from his eyes when the thing lights up about six inches from his face.
Illumination acquired, Eddie uses it to find the junk drawer and pull out the flashlight they keep inside (might’ve been easier to find that first, instead of knocking into all the cookware, now that Eddie thinks on it), and then heads back to where he’s left Harrington standing in the living room.
“Let there be light,” he says, holding up the old lantern in victory.
Harrington, again, says nothing. He looks pale in the light of the lantern, nearly frozen where he stands, staring out the window. He almost reminds Eddie of a frightened rabbit, eyes wide and body locked up in a fight, flight, or freeze response heavily weighted in favor of the third option. And if he’s the rabbit, Eddie is like nothing so much as the wolf, ready to sink his teeth in.
Just a little. Just as a joke, that’s all.
As he places the camping lantern on the table, he pauses and cocks his head, pretending to listen.
“Hey,” he says quietly, and Harrington finally turns to look at him. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Harrington rasps, eyes darting back towards the window.
“I don’t know, it was… like sort of a scratching sound? It’s– There!” Eddie jumps, playing at being startled. “There it was again, did you hear it?”
Harrington swallows heavily, shaking his head. “I don’t hear anything, are you sure–”
“I think it’s coming from the door,” Eddie hisses, voice gone low, nearly covered by the steady roll of thunder.
Harrington whirls back around, looking at the shadowed shape of the door where it sits just outside the halo of light the little lantern is throwing out.
“What if something’s trying to get in?” Eddie’s practically whispering now, low and dramatic. “Should we– should we check?”
Slowly, Harrington nods. “I’ll check,” he says, and he sounds so resolute about it, so resigned, like he’s agreeing to go off to war, that Eddie has to bite down on a laugh. So fucking serious, this guy.
“I’m right behind you,” Eddie says, though Harrington barely seems to register when Eddie sidles up at his back.
They cross from where they’d been standing by the coffee table and over to the door, standing in front of it as another crack of thunder booms overhead. Harrington reaches for the handle.
“Go ahead,” Eddie breathes, raising his arms. “I’m… right… BEHIND YOU!”
As he shouts, he grabs Harrington around the middle, digging his fingers into his sides almost like he’s trying to tickle him, and holy shit, Harrington’s reaction does not disappoint. He jumps and jerks like he’s just been electrocuted, letting out a strangled yell as he pulls away from Eddie, whirling around to face him, and Eddie can’t help it– he laughs.
Like, not a cruel laugh, just the laugh of a prank successfully pulled off.
“I can’t believe you actually fell for that!” he wheezes out around his giggles.
And Eddie isn’t fully ignorant to the idea that there are consequences for his actions; he’s pretty sure at this point Harrington is going to start yelling, maybe start swinging, almost definitely cussing Eddie out – except he doesn’t.
He doesn’t actually do anything. He’s just standing there, eyes blown wide, one hand clenched over his chest while he almost heaves for breath.
“…Harrington?” Eddie tries, as his laughter dies away. “Hey. You good?”
Harrington doesn’t reply. Eddie’s not even sure he’s seeing him right now; his gaze looks glassed over in the low light, staring at something in the middle distance that Eddie can’t see. It’s kind of freaking Eddie out.
“Harrington. Hey. Can you hear me?” Eddie reaches up to wave a hand in front of Harrington’s face, and the reaction is immediate.
He jumps again, swearing and stumbling backwards until he hits the wall by the door with a hard thump, where he slides down into a sitting position on the floor, knees pulled up in front of him and arms wrapped around his middle. He’s still breathing hard, and his eyes are darting around the trailer, still looking for something, but fucked if Eddie knows what.
And fuck. Shit, Eddie feels like an asshole, he’s just given Harrington some kind of full-blown panic attack. Shit.
“Harrington,” he says, trying to sound firm and reassuring even though he has no goddamn idea what he’s doing as he crouches down in front of the guy. “Listen, there’s nothing to be scared of, man, it was just me being a dick.”
Harrington’s eyes flick in Eddie’s direction, but Eddie’s not all that convinced he’s registering what Eddie’s saying.
“Okay, I’m gonna – just a second.” Eddie holds a finger up and stands again, darting over to the coffee table to grab the lantern and, almost as an afterthought, the flashlight. “Okay, here we go,” he says, kneeling in front of Harrington and placing the lantern between them. “Do you wanna hold the flashlight? Would that help?”
He’s barely held the flashlight up for Harrington to take when the other boy’s fingers are wrapping around it, nearly jerking it out of Eddie’s hand. He flicks it on and sweeps the beam around the room, nearly blinding Eddie at least twice in the process.
“See?” Eddie says once Harrington’s performed as much of an inspection of the place as he can from his position on the floor. “Nothing here. Just you, me, and the storm.”
This doesn’t seem to be as reassuring as Eddie would have hoped; Harrington is still on the hysterical edge of hyperventilating, flashlight clutched in one fist and the other hand clenching his jacket where it’s still wrapped around his middle.
“Harrington. Steve,” Eddie tries, and he finally gets a long enough look from Harrington that he thinks he must actually be hearing him. “You’ve gotta breathe, man. Deeper breaths, c’mon. I don’t want you passing out on me.”
And it looks like maybe he’s trying, but the air keeps stuttering back out of his lungs before he can hold it for long. He shakes his head, and Eddie bites his lip, thinking.
“Here. I’m just gonna– don’t freak out again, okay?” Slowly, Eddie reaches for Harrington’s free hand, and with an air of confusion, Harrington lets him take it, unwrapping his fingers from where they’re clutched in his jacket and letting Eddie pull until his palm is pressed flat against Eddie’s chest. “Copy me, okay? In… and out.”
Exaggerating his breaths, Eddie takes big gulps of air, in and out, and waits for Harrington to follow suit – and after a few long moments, he manages it.
Slowly, his breathing deepens out, no longer coming in quick, shallow gasps, and his posture seems to deflate as it does. He sags back against the wall, the flashlight still clutched tight in his fist, and lets his head fall back.
“Better?” Eddie asks.
Harrington shrugs. He flinches at the next flash of lighting, and Eddie squeezes his hand, which he is, for some reason, still holding.
“Just the storm,” Eddie says, and Harrington shoots him a vaguely bitchy look that feels a lot more on par with how he should be acting.
He doesn’t take his hand back, though, so Eddie just keeps holding it.
He holds it and he talks, trying to drown out the rumbles of thunder that are growing more and more distant, trying to distract from the flashes of lightning that seem to be distressing Harrington more than anything else, trying to make up for the fact that he’d caused this whole mess in the first place. And Harrington seems to listen, watching him with eyes half-lidded in exhaustion, even cracking a tiny smile a few times, when Eddie gets particularly animated.
Then, after about an hour of nothing but the warm glow of the camping lantern, nothing but the sound of Eddie’s voice and the dying storm, the power kicks back on. The lights come to life and the fridge starts humming from the kitchen, and Harrington squeezes Eddie’s hand hard, eyes falling shut for a moment in apparent divine gratitude.
“Oh, thank god,” he mutters, and Eddie can’t help but agree.
Slowly, he lets go of Harrington’s hand, and Harrington takes it back, awkwardly handing over the flashlight as if in trade. He stands from the floor, a little shaky, and Eddie follows suit, ready to catch him if his overtaxed body doesn’t prove to be up to the task, but Harrington manages to stand on his own two feet, so Eddie takes a step back.
“Uh… thanks. For all of that,” Harrington says quietly, voice a little wrecked.
Eddie shakes his head. “I’m the one who gave you a fucking panic attack in the first place. Sitting with you was literally the least I could do.”
Harrington shrugs. “You didn’t have to, though.”
“Common decency—and my conscience—beg to differ,” Eddie says, and Harrington lets out a little huff that might have been a laugh.
“Anyway, I should get out of your hair,” Harrington says. “Do you still have the, uh–”
“Oh, shit, yeah.” Eddie had nearly forgotten why Harrington had come over there in the first place. He crosses back over to the coffee table, where he’d dropped the bag when the power had gone out, and snatches it up, offering it to Harrington. “Here you are, my liege.”
The title, caught somewhere between mocking and actual friendliness, makes Harrington huff out another laugh, and he reaches for his wallet.
“How much do I owe you?”
Eddie almost can’t believe he’s about to say it, but– “Don’t worry about it. This one’s on the house.”
He’ll eat the cost if it’ll assuage his guilt – if it’ll get the image of Harrington crumpled on the floor, gasping for air as he searches the room for some kind of threat, out of Eddie’s head.
Harrington frowns. “You don’t have to do that.”
Eddie shrugs. “Call it even for having given you all the more reason to need to smoke it.”
Harrington is still frowning, hand still poised to pull his wallet from his back pocket, so Eddie shoves the baggie into his free hand, closing his fingers around it and letting go.
“Looks like it’s in your hands now, no takebacks!” Eddie insists. “Or, you know, no givebacks, I guess.”
Harrington rolls his eyes, but he drops his hand and tucks the baggie into the pocket of his jacket. “Well, thanks, then. I think.”
Eddie nods, searching over Harrington’s face; he’s still pale as shit, and it makes the dark circles under his eyes, previously barely noticeable, stand out in stark relief. He looks like he’s almost swaying where he stands, and Eddie frowns.
“You gonna be good to drive?” he asks, not really sure what he plans to do if Harrington isn’t.
“I think I’ll be fine, man,” Harrington snarks, and it’s close enough to what Eddie’s used to hearing from him that he’s willing to let the matter drop.
Harrington turns for the door, but pauses just before he reaches for the handle. Eddie wonders if maybe he’s still thinking of Eddie’s stupid prank, unable to shake the idea that something really might be waiting at the door to get him, when Harrington turns back to look at him.
“Don’t mention this to anyone, okay?” he says, possibly going for demanding, maybe even threatening, but landing somewhere closer to a plea. “I don’t need– I just don’t need anyone knowing…”
“Mum’s the word, man,” Eddie assures him quickly, miming zipping up his lips, locking them, and tossing the key over his shoulder.
With a tiny smile crossing his face, Harrington nods. “Thanks. I’ll, uh – see you around, I guess.”
“Yeah. See you around.” Eddie nods.
And with that, Harrington is gone, out the door and crunching across the wet gravel to his car, taking the strangeness of the night with him.
Eddie stands in the middle of his living room for a long moment, feeling as though something about his view of Steve Harrington—possibly even his view of something larger—has shifted, though he can’t quite put his finger on how.
He puzzles it over for a bit before shrugging it off, stooping to grab the lantern and put it back where it belongs. It doesn’t really matter, he figures. It’s not like he and Harrington will have much reason to interact after this.
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thatfeelinwhenyou ¡ 1 year ago
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KINDRED — yang jungwon
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It’s your final year of highschool, and your only goal is to graduate top of your cohort, as usual. Except as student council president, your advisor can’t seem to leave you alone. What happens when you take Decelis Academy’s top student, their star taekwondo athlete and put them in front of a camera?
“Kindred” a student documentary. Pilot episode airing tonight on TVN 7PM KST.
PAIRING: athlete!jungwon x stucopres!fem!reader
FEATURING: enhypen, yunjin from lesserafim, ryujin and chaeryeong from itzy, chanelle from runext, beomgyu and taehyun from txt, wonyoung from ive, gunwook and gyuvin from zb1 etc.
GENRE: high school au, enemies to lovers, nerd x athlete, forced proximity, slice of life, coming of age, he fell first and harder, fluff, ANGST, teen drama, slow burn ish?
STATUS: completed! (01/09/2023 – 18/03/2024)
WARNINGS: contains profanities, horrible attempt at humour, urban lingo, probably cringy, kys/kms jokes, depression jokes, sexual innuendos (nothing too inappropriate), depiction of violence, family drama, incorrect timestamps/information, no fixed faceclaims, not proofread etc.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: story concept is heavily inspired by the kdrama ‘our beloved summer’ other than that the storyline is completely original (or so i assume since i manifested this out from the crevices of my pea brain). chapters with ‘(hw)’ next to them indicates that they are half-written, in case y’all skip over it! as always, the content and depiction of the characters in this smau do not in anyway represent them in real life. lastly, if you do end up enjoying, please do like, comment (love reading your comments btw), and reblog so this can reach!
TAGS: #tfwy kindred #tfwy smau
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TEASER
profile. one | two | three
episode 1 - ratatouille and the underdogs
episode 2 - one way ticket to university
episode 3 - do you take constructive criticism?
episode 4 - unsolicited but appreciated
episode 5 - the art of benevolence
episode 6 - taekwondo-anti
episode 7 - beating the mentally ill allegations
episode 8 - can’t help it, i’m a libra
episode 9 - operation we-don’t-really-hate-each-other (hw)
episode 10 - she’s an oscar award winning actress
episode 11 - someone like me (hw)
episode 12 - ‘female-lead-realising-the-bad-boy-isnt-actually-that-bad’ arc
episode 13 - 5 foot 9 garfield meets avatar
episode 14 - yn the heterosexual
episode 15 - the ynwon getting closer montage :p
episode 16 - to the moon and back
episode 17 - eat 2 left toes
episode 18 - you are approved! (hw)
episode 19 - asking for a friend
episode 20 - rediscovering won’s ability to love
episode 21 - beomgyu’s 99999 eq
episode 22 - ynwon get together or else >:(
episode 23 - “hate”
episode 24 - not all problems can be solved with a formula
episode 25 - H.O.M.E.W.R.E.C.K.E.R
episode 26 - collecting facebook milfs like pokĂŠmons
episode 27 - you were brighter than the moon (hw)
episode 28 - she's studious not stupid
episode 29 - the garden is full of surprises (hw)
episode 30 - weapon of mass destruction
episode 31 - the name above me (hw)
episode 32 - no offense but she’s a cockblocker
episode 33 - the bane of my existence (hw)
episode 34 - risky risky wiggy wigi this is an emergency
episode 35 - live my life on my terms (hw)
episode 36 - separation anxiety goes crazy
episode 37 - paparizzki
episode 38 - is it too late now to say Sorry?
episode 39 - everything will work out just the way you want it to (hw)
episode 40 (finale) - her entire being is loveable (written)
epilogue - kindred, signing off part 1 | part 2
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bonus chapters!
yunjin x heeseung
i can fight
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CopyrightŠ 2023 thatfeelinwhenyou All Rights Reserved
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dxncingwithastrxnger ¡ 1 month ago
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1. i'm sleeping with a ghoul (Ghost!Lucifer x MC)
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A/N: Hello!! This is a few days late, but I said I wanted to do Obey Me month and I'm sticking to it, damn it! So I offer you my very first story for it, as well as the first thing I've published for the om fandom that isn't Barbatos. This was actually really fun to write and I wanna thank @the-ancient-fae for giving me the prompt of 'ghost' to help me figure something out!! That simple prompt has created a whole basket of ideas in my head, so thank you, Roxy 💜 But anyways, enjoy reading!!
Pairing(s): Lucifer x MC
Prompt: Day 1 - Lucifer from @obeymetournaments's list of prompts for this month!!
Summary: The tale of someone who encountered a... different kind of ghost.
Tag(s): 18+, themes of stalking, Spectrophilia/Phasmophilia, dubious consent, non-explicit, mentions of sexual content, first person pov
Word Count: 922
Song Inspiration: Sex With A Ghost By Teddy Hyde
Not beta'd, all mistakes are my own.
~*~
[Author Masterlist]
[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4] [Day 5] [Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8] [Day 9] [Day 10] [Day 11] [Day 12] [Day 13] [Day 14] [Day 15] [Day 16] [Day 17] [Day 18] [Day 19] [Day 20] [Day 21] [Day 22] [Day 23] [Day 24] [Day 25] [Day 26] [Day 27] [Day 28] [Day 29] [Day 30] [Day 31]
~*~
Anyone who’s ever lived in a haunted house before will be familiar with the usual signs. Creaking floors, footsteps down the hallway, doors opening and closing on their own, whispers in other rooms. I, myself, am familiar with all of those, but those aren’t the things I’m experiencing in my current home. I hear less whispers and more longing sighs. I see shadows creeping around the corner. Sometimes the flap of wings. The click of formal shoes. I’ve recently started finding feathers in random places throughout the house. Long, black feathers. Bigger than any bird in my neighborhood.
I can feel whenever I’m being watched. The time I seem to be watched most is when I’m sleeping. Or at least laying in my bed at night. I can even see the outline of a figure if I look into the darkness for long enough and I swear the figure has horns and wings. Do you think it sees me, too?
~*~
The ghost. It’s a man. I know what he looks like now. He’s gotten bolder, closer. Or maybe I’ve just started paying more attention?
The places I find feathers have gotten more consistent. More specific. They’re only in parts of the houses I often frequent, like the kitchen and my own bedroom. And just the other day… I was in the bathroom, had just finished a shower. It was such a cliche. I wiped off the mirror and immediately I saw him, behind me. But unlike the movies, he didn’t flicker away as soon as I saw him. Instead, he stayed. He met my eyes. It was like he wanted me to see him. And so, I did. Soft, black, feathery hair with just the tiniest piece of his bangs turned gray. Deep, mysterious red and black eyes. Four black-feathered wings that are a glorious sight to behold, almost how one would imagine angel wings. But then my eyes catch on the large, black horns curving upwards from the top of his head. That’s when I’m reminded that he is certainly no angel.
Even so, he took my breath away. And he knew it. A look of pride upon his face before I blink and he’s finally gone. It took me a moment to recover after that. But it was not because I was terrified. Nor was I upset that he was intruding upon my home. All I felt in that moment was an intense curiosity, along with excitement at the thought of finding out more.
~*~
I’m starting to think something’s wrong with me. I can’t truly be thinking like this about a ghost, can I? But I can’t help it. He’s doing it on purpose. Seducing me. There’s no other way to describe it. I see him all the time now. He’s stopped trying to hide from me. He watches me openly now, during all hours of the day. I’ve started speaking to him. He’s there to listen, so I might as well, right? And sometimes he’ll answer. With gestures or the softest of whispers. But what’s more important is what happens at night.
Once I’ve shut off all the lights and settled beneath my blankets, that’s when I’ll feel it. Fingers brushing over my skin. Sometimes gloved, sometimes bare. First, it was just soft affection. Holding my cheek or tracing my hand. Then, he’d trace down my neck and over my calves. And now, he’s trailing down my chest and up my thighs with touches that can no longer be considered simple affection. No, these touches are filled with intent. And I know something’s fucked in my head because in response, I’ve started wearing less and less clothes to bed. He’s taking it as an invitation to continue and we both know that’s exactly what it is. Even before it’s bedtime, I’m already anticipating the feel of his fingers and the pleasure his touch brings.
I think he’s waiting to take a step further because he enjoys seeing me touch myself. He gets this smirk on his face as his low chuckle fills my ear and it only adds to my overloaded senses, driving me over the edge. Sometimes during the day, I’m unable to help myself when I think too much about it. When that happens, I always make sure to be loud enough so that he’ll know exactly what I’m doing.
Even now, questioning my own mind, I can’t find a single ounce of hesitation towards any of it.
~*~
Lucifer. Lucifer. Lucifer. That is my lover’s name. He finally told me when he gave himself to me completely. I got to see him in all his glory, laid bare and without any clothing in the way. Just as he saw me the same way. And not only did he touch me without holding back, but I got to touch him as well. We were finally joined as one and that’s when I knew for certain - this is love. It must be. There’s no other emotion I could use to describe how I feel for him. And I know he loves me, too. He told me so. Told me that even when he was alive he never loved another the way he loves me.
We’ll be together forever, him and I. He’s in my bed every night and right beside me throughout the day. He takes me whenever he feels like it and I would never dream of rejecting him. All of me belongs to him now, mind, body, and soul, and I don’t want it any other way.
~*~
A/N: Please, let me know your thoughts!! Thank you for reading!!! 💜💜💜
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icarusredwings ¡ 2 months ago
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i *live* for your agere wade omg 😢🙏🏻 i also age regress there's just something about your favorite character being like you that makes me smile :) your writing is absolutely wonderful as well!! :3
Hi hon, Im so proud of you for doing what's good for you, and I am so happy that you've found something to enjoy that makes you feel good about yourself.
Thank you so much for the support. I've seen more people mention how excited they were to find cute, mild, and nonnsexual regressions for Wade, so I've decided to put it on A03 for more people to enjoy.
I actually was nervous about posting them in general because of the stigma around it but seeing how supportive you all have been (I dont know why im even shocked) it's made me a little more confident in my writing. I was abused quite a bit as a child, and while I don't regress, I do have a special attachment to my stuffed animals and find comfort in kids' shows. Annnddd, as someone who was working towards becoming a geneticist? It's comforting to know that some very intelligent and successful people also do.
While you're waiting for me to write more or upload to A03, have some HCs:
Depending on what's going on, he fluctuates between 5-8.
Wade has 3 caregivers, Al, Vanessa, and Logan. He loves them all so much but certian care givers are for certain things. Al (Mama) is he goes too for booboos, Ness (Mommy) is who takes him out the most, to the park and doctors (If things get too out of hand, she can pull the "He's my disabled son you bastard" card, and Logan (Kitty) is general. The one youll find when wade is casually colouring or playing tea party with.
He'll take "sippies" but hes a bit too old for them because he chews the tops off.
Cereal, mac and cheese, pizza, bassically anything he already eats as an adult, including spicy tacos.
He doesn't have a lot of toys (and if he does, they're from a give away or a dumpster) so is very possesive of them and will instantly get upset if you try to take them away or "hurt" them.
Wade is the type to just chill with you on the couch and eat snacks if you don't have the energy to play or take him to the park. Even as a child, he was very emotionally intelligent, and it shows.
Most kids would have tantrums, but he seems to either be understanding or go cry in silence while isolated (its what hes used too)
As much as people say he's a potty mouth, I don't see it. Not yet anyway. Sure he'll say "bad words" sometimes but as someone whos used to being screamed at to shut up all the time, I believe he talks so much as an adult BECAUSE he wasn't allowed as a kid so he's more of an observer unless you are unfortunately his favorite and then hes going to tell you random facts.
Oftentimes, the "perfect child" are ones that are independent, quiet, and who monitor their emotions/ actions around other kids and adults. This means being forced to act older than you actually are, walking on eggshells around adults and trying to do things by himself.
He likes to wear clothes that are too big for him rather then tight. (Bonus points if they're a hoodie or a sweater)
He likes baths and sometimes will tell you that his "Skin hurts" when really it's just itchy/peeling/ needs lotion.
He's not big on babytalk but "puppy" "mama" "mommy" "park?" "Kitty scratch bad guys" "I watch tv?" "Go home?" "Play horses?" Are common. Its either small unfinished sentneces or endless rambling with full sentences that repeat themself. Logan has once heard "Did you know-?" 30 times once all in 10 minutes
He has a stuffy of a Wolverine named Fluffy from Kitty, a unicorn named Buttercream from Mommy, and a bear shaped dog toy from Mama. In her defense she didn't know it was a dog toy (because shes blind and cant read duh) but Wade loves it more that it squeaks.
Because kidWade (He is "NOT little", he's a "Big boy") is bigger than them, he has issues playing a little... rough... with other kids. He has infact shoved a kid into the sand while playing tag.
Wade is very erm... possesive.. over his caregivers and will act out if he believes Kitty is ignoring him. Because of their history, hes even more prone to acting out with Ness and has gone as far as telling someone they looked like a burnt quesodilla that "had a baby with a wrinkled cucumber" before (and will do it again)
Flappy hands. Giggles. Screeches. That is all that needs to be said.
Wade likes music, arts, and crafts. Physical exercise is nice too but naps are needed afterwards.
Naps must be willing. If you tell him to go take a nap he'll just stomp his feet and cry that hes "being good" so "doesn't need one" bassically, naps are punishment.
Tw for sensitive topics such as mental and physical health
The worst part about having Wade isn't that he is a "brat" or "bad", no infact wade barley ever is a brat. He's very people pleasing because he just wants as much affection as possible. it's the fact that you can't trick him or keep him from doing something. He's too smart.
"Come on baby, we're going to the park"
"Yay!!- wait.... Mommy... Mommy the park is that way...Mommy this is how you go to the mean doctors! They're gonna rip my teeth out!"
It's even HARDER to care for a kid who can escape literally anything and can run all the way home if you upset him too badly. The only thing really you can do is call a different cg and double up on the reassurance. (And maybe a bribe)
Another thing is that just because he's in this headspace doesn't mean his issues are gone. Between the nightmares, the flashbacks, the scary hallucinations that he can't understand, intrusive thoughts about harming a person, impusive thoughts, and just straight up having to deal with cancer on top of it all, etc.
Do you know how hard it is to explain to a child that they're nauseous and exhausted because the cells inside of him are eating the other cells, dying, and healing all at the same time?
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sidekick-hero ¡ 2 months ago
Text
First Love, Second Chance (Part 5)
(steddie | explicit | @steddiesmuttyseptember prompt "make up sex" | tags: exes to lovers, canon divergence (Eddie lives), future fic (set 2001), Top!Steve, Bottom!Eddie, emotional sex | Part 5)
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Find the whole thing on AO3
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“Eddie,” Steve half-laughed, half-gasped, “Eddie, come on, let me open the door before we get arrested for public indecency.”
Eddie groaned against Steve’s neck, where he’d been busy leaving a trail of marks, but he loosened his tight grip just enough for Steve to fish his keys out of his pocket. It took him a few attempts—Eddie’s hot mouth biting and licking along his skin made it hard to concentrate—but with a triumphant little “A-ha!” Steve managed to push the door to his apartment open. The two men stumbled inside, into the darkness of the hallway.
For once, Steve was grateful that Robin had moved in with her girlfriend about a year ago, leaving him to find an affordable place on his own. If they were still roommates, he and Eddie would have had to come up with some other plan for alone time after sneaking out of the event.
A pang of guilt hit him for leaving his date behind so abruptly. Lisa had been great—a woman he could have seen himself with if he hadn’t just realized, with absolute clarity, that his perfect match was standing right in front of him. He silently vowed to ask the agency to send her a gift with a note that read something like, “I’m so, so sorry for being such an ass, but the love of my life came back, and I couldn’t let him slip away again.”
Before he could finish the thought, he was slammed against the wall with a soft “Oomph!” The impact knocked the breath out of him, but Steve barely had time to inhale before Eddie’s mouth was on his again, eager and demanding, lips soft and tongue insistent. Who needed air, anyway, when he had Eddie Munson’s kisses to keep him alive?
They kept kissing, the only sounds in the dark hallway their ragged breaths and the soft, wet glide of their mouths against each other. Steve had missed this—not just the physical attraction or the raw, undeniable chemistry that made every moment with Eddie electric, but something deeper. He'd had plenty of sex with plenty of people before and after Eddie, some of it really good, even great. But it almost felt unfair to compare anyone to Eddie.
Because what he missed most was the way Eddie made him feel.
For most of his life, Steve felt like he was just playing a series of roles: the obedient son, the all-American golden boy, the Casanova, the babysitter, the chauffeur. All these personas crafted to win attention, admiration, maybe even affection. Some kind of love.
But with Eddie, none of those roles mattered. With Eddie, he was enough. More than enough. He was everything. He could feel it in every touch, every brush of Eddie’s fingers along his cheek and down his neck. He heard it in the way Eddie’s breath hitched whenever Steve touched him back. He tasted it in Eddie’s fervent kisses, the way he couldn't seem to stop himself from claiming Steve's mouth, over and over again. Most of all, Steve could see it in Eddie’s gaze—a gaze that found him like a compass needle pointing true north, no matter the room or the crowd.
To feel Eddie’s undivided attention on him again, after being deprived of it for so long, was almost overwhelming.
When their lips finally parted to gulp down much-needed air, Steve rested his forehead against Eddie’s, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. He stared into Eddie's eyes, illuminated faintly by the light filtering through the street lamps outside. He hadn’t even had time to flip on the lights before Eddie was on him, and it felt like they were teenagers again—caught in that intoxicating swirl of hormones and love, a heady mix that made him feel drunk on desire.
"Are you sure?" Eddie whispered in the tiny space between them. At Steve's soft, questioning sound, Eddie nudged his nose against Steve’s and clarified, "I feel like if we keep going, we're headed straight for a home run. And I'd love that, Stevie, more than anything. But only if it’s what you want, too. Whatever happens next, I’m all in—completely and enthusiastically. If you send me home right now and tell me to call you tomorrow, I’d go, and I’d spend the whole night thinking about everything I want to learn about you and your life here, everything I want to share about mine. If you asked me to come to bed and just hold you, I’d feel like the luckiest bastard alive."
Eddie finally drew in a breath, like he’d been holding it in since he started speaking. Then he gave Steve that smile—the one Steve could easily fall in love with if he hadn’t already been there for years.
A giddy laugh escaped Steve, unable to help himself. "How could you not know?"
Eddie raised an eyebrow, amused. "Know what?"
"I’ve been sure since the first time you kissed me," Steve replied, "and then tried to bolt in a panic—until you realized you still couldn’t walk very far and fell down like a baby giraffe."
Eddie snorted, joining in the laughter. “You make me sound incredibly suave and sexy.”
With a grin, Steve tugged Eddie closer by the lapel of his coat and kissed him again, keeping it sweet and teasing. “Oh, you are, baby. So suave. So sexy.”
Eddie placed a hand over his heart with a mock-offended look. “Now you’re just mocking me. I’m mortally wounded—the knife twisted by the very man who owns my heart. Et tu, Brutus—”
Steve decided to silence Eddie’s theatrical rambling with another kiss, deeper this time, while pushing Eddie's coat off his shoulders. Eddie’s words melted into a pleased hum as Steve’s fingers moved deftly, unbuttoning Eddie’s shirt.
“I’m sure,” Steve panted against Eddie’s lips, pausing just long enough to look him in the eye. “I want this. I want you. We’ll figure out the rest, step by step.”
“You have me, sweetheart, for as long as you want me,” Eddie vowed, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m done running.”
“Good,” Steve whispered, his voice quiet but sure. It felt like time had stopped around them, the air between them thick and heavy like warm honey. Suddenly, Steve wanted nothing more than to see Eddie clearly, to look into those familiar brown eyes that always gave everything away.
Steve quickly shrugged off his own coat and pulled his shirt over his head. He couldn't help but smirk at the soft groan Eddie let out, his hands instantly finding their way to Steve’s chest, fingers threading through his chest hair. “God, I missed this. My precious.”
Steve chuckled, hooking his fingers into Eddie’s waistband and starting to tug him toward the bedroom. “I see your weird obsession with my chest hair is still going strong,” he teased.
Eddie followed him eagerly, his hands roaming over Steve’s skin like he was trying to memorize the feel of him all over again. “Can you blame me?”
Finally reaching the bedroom, Steve wasted no time pulling Eddie toward the bed, pushing him down onto the mattress. Eddie bounced, laughing with delight at how the scene felt like it could be from a cheesy porno. But his laughter quickly faded when Steve flicked on the bedside lamp and let his hands drift down his chest toward his waistband, making a show of getting undressed. Steve popped the button on his jeans, his hips swaying with a teasing slowness. His hands slid down his muscular thighs, accentuated by the tight fit of his Levi’s, before moving back up to tug at the zipper.
Just as Steve grabbed the waistband to pull his jeans down, Eddie slid off the bed, dropping to his knees in front of him in one fluid motion. Steve caught the slight wince that crossed Eddie’s face.
“You okay, baby?” Steve asked, concern threading through his voice. He knew Eddie had a habit of hurting himself in the name of sexiness.
Eddie chuckled, nodding. “Just my knees reminding me of the inevitable passage of time.”
Steve’s fingers threaded through Eddie’s curls, still as full and dark as they were the first time he’d done this. “Is that your way of telling me I should go easy on you, old man?”
He wasn’t prepared for Eddie’s response—a swift, almost desperate yank at the back of his thighs that pulled him closer, Eddie’s face nuzzling against the hard length straining against the metal of his open fly. The wet heat of Eddie’s mouth through the thin fabric of Steve’s boxer briefs was enough to draw a low, needy moan from his lips.
“Easy on me?” Eddie rasped, his voice already rough like he’d spent hours worshiping Steve’s body. “That’s the last thing I want. I want to make up for every single day we lost. I want you to claim me all over again, and then I want to return the favor. I want to forget there was ever a time I didn’t belong to you.”
With that, Eddie tugged Steve’s pants and underwear down in one swift motion, leaving him completely bare under Eddie's ravenous gaze. Eddie licked his lips like a starving man eyeing his favorite meal. The intensity in Eddie's eyes sent a wave of heat through Steve, his body already trembling with anticipation.
“You know, the first time I saw you naked, my first thought was how fucking unfair it was," Eddie murmured, almost sounding offended even as his gaze raked over Steve's body. "How can everything about you be so goddamn pretty… even your dick?”
His voice was thick with admiration, his long, dexterous fingers wrapping around Steve’s hard length in exactly the way Steve loved. Steve opened his mouth to respond, but the words got lost in his throat as Eddie, wasting no time, sank his mouth down over Steve’s cock. The wet heat, the sensation of Eddie's lips and tongue, overwhelmed him, making his knees nearly buckle.
In the five years they'd been together, they had learned each other inside and out, knew exactly how to make the other come in mere minutes, how to touch and kiss and lick and fuck until the other was a trembling mess. So it didn’t surprise Steve that Eddie still knew every single thing that drove him mad with lust. Eddie’s clever tongue focused on the head of his cock, teasing the slit, swirling around it, before suddenly sinking down in one smooth move until his nose was buried in Steve’s pubic hair.
“Fuck,” Steve hissed, doubling over as his hands gripped Eddie’s curls tightly, anchoring himself in place. He felt Eddie smirk around him, clearly proud of the reaction he’d provoked. But Steve couldn’t even begin to care, not when Eddie started moving up and down his length, his tongue gliding along the underside of his cock, tracing the vein, humming with pleasure every time he hit the back of Eddie’s throat. It was the sweetest kind of torture, Eddie’s mouth working him over with practiced ease while he gazed up at Steve with those dark, adoring eyes. Like blowing Steve was a privilege, like Steve himself was a wonder Eddie had been lucky enough to find.
It wasn’t like Steve had lived like a monk all these years. If anything, his stamina had only improved with age and experience. But somehow, with Eddie worshiping him on his knees, he felt like he was seconds away from the edge, like he could come just from the way Eddie looked at him.
“Baby, if you want a home run tonight, you gotta stop,” he managed to gasp out, his voice breathless as if he’d just finished a marathon — though, knowing from experience, marathon sex with Eddie could be even more exhausting than an actual marathon.
Eddie reluctantly pulled off, taking a moment to catch his breath before playfully biting Steve’s hipbone. “Remember when we could go several rounds in one night?” He sighed with mock wistfulness, but the glint in his eyes betrayed his amusement.
“Actually, Robin and I decided to repress the entire era when Reagan was president,” Steve replied with a grin. Then he carefully pulled Eddie back up to his feet, mindful of his knees that had seen better days. No one warned them that hitting their mid-thirties would feel like this. His respect for Hopper, Joyce, and even Murray had grown exponentially since getting closer and closer to the age they were when they first battled monsters from the Upside Down. Some days, he didn’t even feel like running to catch the bus.
They shared a kiss that started almost chaste — if not for the lingering taste of Steve on Eddie’s tongue. “Catcher or pitcher?” he asked, a playful edge to his voice.
“Huh?” Eddie looked dazed from the kiss, swaying forward like he was chasing Steve’s lips. The sight was impossibly endearing.
Steve chuckled softly. “You wanna catch or pitch? You know, for our home run.”
To Steve's surprise, Eddie let out a pained groan at the question. “I hope you know I blame you and only you for the fact that I even get that fucking metaphor, let alone finding it as hot as I do.”
Smirking, Steve reached out to cup the bulge in Eddie's pants. "Hmmm. I don’t know, this doesn’t feel like you’re all that mad about it, Munson." He squeezed, delighting in the way Eddie twitched beneath his hand. "And you still haven’t answered me. You wanna spread me out on my bed and make me take this," he said, stroking Eddie through his jeans, "inch by inch, feel me squeeze tight and hot around you?” Eddie’s hips jerked into Steve’s touch, a needy whimper escaping his lips at the image Steve was painting with his words.
“Or do you want me to undress you slowly," Steve continued, "lay you down, lick and finger you open until you’re begging for me? Let me give you everything you want, take you apart and put you back together? Hold you down and fuck you so good you forget everyone else who ever touched you but me?”
Steve had never been one for sharing, and while he didn’t hold it against Eddie that there had been others while they were apart — he had been with other people too, after all — a darker, more primal part of him wanted to remind Eddie exactly who he belonged to.
His hand never stopped teasing, and by now Eddie was clutching Steve's forearms tightly, his hips undulating, seeking more friction, more pleasure. "This. That. What you just said. Please, Stevie. Want you to."
“Want me to what?” Steve demanded, his voice low, rough with need. He wanted Eddie to say it. He needed Eddie to say it.
“Want you to show me I’m yours,” Eddie breathed, eyes dark with desire.
And who was Steve to deny them what they both so obviously wanted?
He kept his promise and undressed Eddie slowly, his hands trembling with the need to explore every inch of the beloved body beneath them once more. He found new tattoos, but also a few more scars that hadn't been there the last time they were like this. Steve made a mental note to ask Eddie about them later. Right now, he simply pressed soft kisses against each new mark he discovered, silently vowing to love them as much as he loved every other part of Eddie.
Once they were both naked, Steve murmured for Eddie to get onto the bed on all fours. Eddie obeyed without hesitation — a miracle in itself, showing just how much he needed this, needed him. Steve took a moment to gather the lube and condoms from the bedside drawer. He took a moment to mourn the fact that they had to use a condom, wishing he could feel Eddie bare, skin to skin, but he knew it was the right thing to do. At least until they could talk about being exclusive again and get tested.
When he turned back toward the bed, Steve's breath hitched at the sight before him. Miles of pale skin stretched out before him, adorned with black ink and pink scars, old and fresh alike — testaments to the battles Eddie had fought and survived. His body was leaner, his shoulders broader, his arms more defined, but he still retained that wiry frame that always drove Steve wild. Eddie's cock hung full and heavy between his spread legs, his back arched in a way that put his ass on perfect display, open and inviting, ready for Steve to take.
"You should take a picture, might last you longer," Eddie teased, glancing over his shoulder with a wicked grin.
Steve chuckled, momentarily caught off guard by the idea. He still had a few grainy, clandestine photos of Eddie from back in the day, capturing their moments in bed, raw and unguarded. The thought was tempting, and he mentally filed it away for later. For now, he put the lube and condoms within reach and settled in behind Eddie, his hands moving instantly to the soft flesh of Eddie’s ass, stroking and squeezing, relishing the heat and softness under his palms.
“You’re perfect,” he whispered, unable to keep the awe from his voice, feeling Eddie shiver beneath his touch.
Determined to show Eddie exactly how much he meant every word, Steve leaned in, diving between those enticing cheeks without hesitation. His tongue, wet and insistent, teased at Eddie's rim, making a point to keep it as sloppy as possible. He knew how much Eddie loved the filthy, wet sounds and the sensation of spit trickling down to his balls.
Eddie’s hoarse moans, punctuated by his breathless mix of praise and pleading, were like music to Steve’s ears. One of his favorite things about sex with Eddie was how unapologetically loud and expressive he was — just as passionate in bed as he was about everything else in life. For Steve, his partner's pleasure had always been paramount, and knowing he could make Eddie feel this way filled him with a deep, satisfying pride.
It had been a revelation for Steve when he realized that his talents with his mouth could be applied to a man just as effectively as with all the girls he'd been with during his days as King Steve. Back then, his oral skills were the stuff of legend, and when he figured out how to use them on Eddie, they’d both reached new heights of sexual fulfillment.
“Oh my god,” Eddie gasped, voice raw and strained as he pressed the words out between desperate moans. “Your fucking mouth.”
Steve chuckled against him, tongue still buried inside, amused by the way Eddie unknowingly mirrored his own thoughts. He knew he could make Eddie come like this, with just his mouth — he’d done it many times before — but tonight, they had something different in mind. Reluctantly, he pulled back, biting playfully at the plush curve of Eddie's right cheek before grabbing the lube from the pillow beside Eddie’s head.
His first finger slipped inside easily; Eddie was already stretched by his tongue, his body pliant and eager. Steve could feel the heat and tightness around his finger, and as much as he wanted to draw this out, to tease Eddie until he was a trembling mess, his own need was overwhelming. He wanted to be as close to Eddie as humanly possible, to feel every inch of him, to erase every bit of distance that had ever been between them.
One finger was soon joined by another, Eddie’s body yielding easily, drawing Steve in. “Taking it so well, baby. So eager for me to fuck you, huh?”
“Ye-yes, fuck, please, don’t need another finger, just you, I—” Another moan, high and needy, slipped from Eddie’s lips. “I can take it, you know I can,” he babbled, hips pushing back against Steve’s hand, fucking himself on his long fingers. Eddie was right; Steve knew he could sink in just like this. They’d always used their fingers to drive each other wild, not because they needed the stretching. When they were too impatient or time was scarce, they’d often skip the foreplay altogether.
Steve had wanted to take his time, to make up for all the days and nights they’d missed, but he realized there was too much pent-up desire, too much yearning for each other. The need to be close was overwhelming in its intensity. They could take their time later, once the burning urgency had softened into something slower and more languid.
“Okay, baby, okay, I’ve got you,” Steve promised, stroking Eddie’s trembling back like he was soothing a skittish animal. He could feel the tension in Eddie’s body, taut and electric. “Eddie, baby, can you turn around for me?” His hands continued their gentle path, trying to calm whatever had Eddie on edge.
Eddie turned slowly, reluctantly, until he was sitting in front of Steve again. He was still hard, his skin glistening with a fine sheen of sweat, and his dark eyes were wide and uncertain. His bottom lip, red and swollen from his own teeth, trembled as he avoided Steve’s gaze.
“What’s going on? You seem nervous. Do you want to stop?” Steve asked, his voice filled with concern. Eddie had been so eager, so hungry for this — but what if he felt pressured, like he had to do it just to keep Steve?
Eddie shook his head but kept his eyes downcast, something clearly weighing on his mind. Steve reached out, lacing their fingers together, and brought Eddie’s hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles. “You can talk to me. Whatever it is, it’s okay. Remember what you said? Whatever happens next, I’m all in. We can stop right now; I’ll make us some cocoa or tea, and we can cuddle or talk, whatever you need. And I’ll still want you just as much.”
That seemed to be the right thing to say because Eddie squeezed his hand, thumb brushing over Steve’s knuckles as he finally spoke. “I don’t want to stop. I want this… I want you… so much. That’s the problem.” At Steve’s confused hum, Eddie continued. “I’m scared, Stevie. It’s stupid, I know, but… God, I’m so fucking scared.”
“Scared? Of what? Of me?” Steve asked, his heart tightening in his chest.
Eddie finally looked up, and Steve’s heart broke at the raw vulnerability in his eyes. “Of how much I want you. How much I need you. It’s terrifying. I feel out of control, like I’ll break apart if you stop touching me.”
Steve’s heart clenched at Eddie’s admission, feeling the weight of every word settle between them. Eddie’s eyes, so wide and vulnerable, flicked up to meet his, and Steve saw the fear there — not of him, but of the intensity of what he was feeling. It was like a tidal wave, something too big to contain or control. He tightened his grip on Eddie’s hand, drawing him closer, feeling the heat and tremor of his body.
"Hey," he murmured softly, "it's okay. You're safe here. I know it feels like too much right now," Steve continued, voice low and soothing, "but it doesn’t have to be. We don’t have to rush this. We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for."
“I am ready,” Eddie insisted, the desperation in his voice making Steve's heart twist. "But it feels like — like if I let go, I’ll lose myself. Or worse, you. And I can't… I can't lose you again. Not when I just got you back."
Steve shifted closer, cupping Eddie's face with both hands, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones. "You’re not going to lose me," he promised, his voice steady, his gaze unwavering. "I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Eddie’s breath hitched, his eyes searching Steve's, and Steve leaned in, pressing a gentle, lingering kiss to his lips. He kept it soft, reassuring. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against Eddie’s, his hands still cradling Eddie’s face. “We’ll go as slow as you need. We have all the time in the world now. And if you need to stop, we’ll stop. But if you want me to keep going, I’m here. I’m right here with you.”
For a moment, Eddie just breathed, like he was soaking in Steve’s words, his promises. Then, he nodded, a small, tentative smile breaking through the anxiety in his eyes. "I don’t want to stop," he whispered, voice steadier now. "I just… needed to know you’re with me. That you feel it too."
“I do,” Steve replied, brushing a kiss to Eddie’s brow. “Believe me, Eddie, I never felt like this about anyone but you.”
Eddie swallowed, the tension easing from his shoulders. “Okay,” he breathed. “Then… don’t stop. Just… hold me while you do. Please.”
Steve's smile was gentle. "Always," he whispered, pulling Eddie closer, as if holding him while making love could ever be anything less than a joy.
The next few minutes felt like a dream. Steve never stopped touching Eddie, and Eddie never stopped touching him, their hands and bodies in constant, tender contact. Eddie rolled the condom over Steve’s length, slicking it with lube, while Steve kept caressing Eddie’s thighs, kneeling between his spread legs.
And then, finally, with Eddie on his back and Steve poised above him, he sank slowly into the familiar heat of Eddie’s body after years apart. Every movement was slow, deliberate, filled with care and affection. Their gazes were locked, fingers intertwined beside Eddie’s head, and it felt as if time had ceased to exist. Steve leaned down to capture Eddie’s lips in a tender kiss, hips flush against Eddie's, and they kissed again and again, the earlier urgency softened into something gentler, more profound.
When Steve began to move, his hips rolled languidly, their mouths never more than a breath apart. Eddie’s grip on his hands was firm, as if Steve were the only thing anchoring him to the present, holding him together with touch alone. Maybe he was. Steve certainly felt the same way about Eddie.
Their bodies fell into a rhythm that only they knew. They were pressed together from head to toe, chests flush, Eddie’s hard cock trapped beneath Steve’s stomach, Eddie’s legs wrapped tightly around Steve’s waist. It felt like they were caught in the eternal dance of the moon and the sea, Steve’s hips mimicking the ebb and flow of the tides, pushing into Eddie again and again. Beneath him, Eddie met every thrust with his own, welcoming Steve home with a smile Steve could feel on his lips.
“I love you,” Steve whispered against Eddie’s lips, aware of how insane it might sound to anyone else, but knowing the truth of it deep in his heart. The last ten years had melted away the moment their eyes met again. After learning what had caused Eddie to walk away all those years ago, and knowing Eddie had missed him just as much as he’d missed Eddie, those old feelings that had never quite disappeared resurfaced, filling his heart until they overflowed from his lips, just like they always had.
Eddie’s eyes went wide, his grip tightening almost painfully. “Steve—”
“You don’t have to say it back, but I needed you to know. I never stopped loving you, Eddie. I don’t think I ever will.”
“Thank God, because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop loving you, too.”
Steve captured Eddie’s mouth in another passionate kiss, pouring all his love and devotion into it. He knew that this moment would forever be one of the best of his life.
Confessing their love seemed to ignite the earlier fire between them, bringing a fresh urgency to their lovemaking. Suddenly, all Steve wanted was to feel Eddie come because of him, to see him unravel from the pleasure he gave him. His hips picked up speed as he sought the perfect angle to hit Eddie’s prostate with every thrust, each raspy ah, ah, ah from Eddie like a siren’s call he followed, focused entirely on Eddie's pleasure.
Not to be outdone, Eddie began whispering in his ear, telling him how well he was fucking him, how perfect Steve’s cock felt, how Steve was made for him, making him feel like no one else ever had. Eddie’s voice, breathless and raw, promised he couldn’t wait for Steve to fuck him bare again, his cum dripping from his used hole, wanting Steve to push it back in, to mark him as his, and his alone.
Even with the way both of them focused on chasing heights of pleasure, Steve’s orgasm still snuck up on him, the only warning the tight coil in his belly that suddenly twisted painfully. “Fuck, baby, you’re making me come.”
“I’m close, so close, I just—I need—” Eddie’s voice was husky, desperate, and Steve knew exactly what he needed.
It was a tight fit to get his hand between them—neither of them willing to have any space separating them—but Steve managed, wrapping his fingers around Eddie’s cock. It was slick with precum and sweat, easing his strokes.
The keening moans falling from Eddie’s lips told Steve just how close he was, so he allowed himself to chase his own orgasm, thrusting into Eddie with short, forceful movements while stroking him just the way he knew Eddie liked it.
And when he felt Eddie clench around him, cum spilling between them and down his fingers, Steve finally let go. He came with a low, guttural fuck, his hips stuttering, his body tightening as he pressed in as deep as he could, filling the condom.
His arms gave out beneath him like a puppet with its strings cut, and he half-sank, half-fell onto Eddie, who let out a soft oof at the weight on top of him.
“Too heavy?” Steve asked, hoping for Eddie to say no so he could stay just like this.
“No,” Eddie replied with a soft smile, probably reading his mind, “stay. Please.”
“For as long as you want me to.”
He was rewarded with a kiss that felt like both a confession and a promise. “How does forever sound?”
“Perfect,” Steve whispered. “Forever sounds perfect.”
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snowyquokka ¡ 9 months ago
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DRAINED
bf felix x gn reader
cw: hurt/comfort, angst, mentions of anxiety, stress, crying, fluff (maybe?), swearing, overworked felix, shitty grammar
wc: 0.6k
a.n - my first attempt at hurt/comfort. did i do well? <3
dont hate me but i think i prefer writing angst rather than anything else
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧
Felix sighs and all but throws himself on top of you as you sit on the couch. “Hi, baby.” you giggle as he nuzzles his face into your neck.
“What’s the matter, Sunshine?” you say as you run your fingers through his soft blonde hair.
“Exhausted, overwhelmed, sad,” he lists against your neck. You always feel bad when he comes home from the studio or after he’s toured. Your boyfriend is constantly tiring himself, working as hard as he possibly can. You wish he would take care of himself once in a while. Felix says that’s what you’re for anyways.
You press a kiss to his temple and hum.
“Why are you sad, love?” He sighs and snuggles closer to you.
“I kept fucking up my part. Redid it five times.” you can feel him pout. Another example of him pushing himself to his limits is when he frustrates himself to the point where nothing satisfies him. He could go hours with many fantastic takes but will insist on retrying it until it’s absolutely perfect.
“I’m sure you did amazing,” Felix squeezes you tighter and inhales deeply.
“‘m sorry,” he says, breaking the comfortable silence. You pull back enough to be able to see his face. He has no makeup on, his freckles on full display. Sometimes when you’re bored you’ll pretend like they’re constellations and connect them in your head.
“Sorry for what, Lix?”
“For bothering you with this kinda stuff. It's not important and I don't want to worry you.” Your heart plummets down to the floor.
“Why wouldn’t it be important to me, love? If you’re upset, I’m upset. Your problems are mine.” you kiss his forehead softly. Felix shifts in your arms so he’s at eye level.
You hold his hands while you watch a single tear stream down his cheek. He immediately wipes it away and displays a small, but not reassuring, smile.
“Thank you,” he sniffles and leans his forehead against yours.
“Of course, Sunshine. I’m always going to be here.”
TWO DAYS LATER
You’re sitting in bed watching a random movie when your phone dings.
my only sunshine <3: im gonna be a little late tonight
my only sunshine <3: im sorry. i love you ❤️
you: its okay baby. let me know when ur on ur way !! i love you too
You sigh and lock your phone. It’s not like you’re mad at him or anything of that sort. It’s just difficult watching him drain himself again and again. No matter what you say, he always goes back to overworking himself.
Tears that you hadn’t noticed were brimming fall down your cheeks. You turn everything off and close your eyes, inhaling Felix’s scent from the pillows.
You wake to the sound of the front door closing and glance at the alarm clock,
5:08am
Fuck. Is he just getting home?
You climb out of bed and wander into the living room where you find your boyfriend sitting with his face in his hands, he immediately notices you. He had turned the small lamp in the corner on, allowing you to take in his disheveled state.
His long blonde hair tousled from his fingers being ran through it. His eyes bloodshot from what seemed like hours of crying and lack of sleep. His hands shake and his leg bounces up and down in an anxious manner.
“Baby?” you whisper with worry laced in your voice prompting Felix’s body to almost automatically rack with sobs. You quickly pull him into you and wrap your arms around his figure, the only sound present in the room being both of your cries blended together.
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tags: @godslino
divider: @chaeneuu
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sugar-omi ¡ 1 year ago
Note
Dilf!Cove spicy headcanons… crumbs for the masses please… 👀
HELP I SPIRALED THIS IS SO LONG.... THIS AINT CRUMBS ITS LITERALLY A WHOLE MEAL
but no bc why did this actually get outta hand.... um. anyway.... may or may not fix the format bc there's a lot going on but.. enjoy :)
tags : NSFW, DILF!cove, headcanons, multiple choice dialogue, dilf!cove is just frisky okay you just gotta read it, bit of bottom/switch cove, lots of service top cove
synopsis : nsfw dilf!cove headcanons
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big. big man. big, beefy, squishy, thicc man with PROMINENT VEINS IN HIS (BIG) HANDS and he KNOWS ITS HOT and he ABUSES IT BC HE KNOWS YOU LOVE IT
constantly grabbing you, rubbing your thigh and back and shoulder...
can't drive properly unless he has a hand on your thigh or your hand in his
don't be afraid to smack his hand away, because thats how you end up giving truck drivers a show on the highway bc your nasty ass husband is fingering you or jerking you off until you're sloppy
like i think a few truckers know you by now....
he's so bad for yalls reputation</3
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also you can't pay him enough to button his shirt up all the way.
minimum 3 buttons undone.
usually has 4-5 buttons undone and when he bends over you can see his (pierced) nipples and all the bite marks n hickeys you left behind last night
sleeps in less and less clothes
remember how someone (on twt i think? maybe it wasn an anon tho) said smth about why does cove wear long pants n shirt when he doesnt like layers?
well he had that epiphany too
and at first it was pants and tank top, or long sleeves n shorts
then tank and shorts... then just his boxers....
but now, he'll sleep full on naked
ofc if you're uncomfortable with it, he won't.
but who doesn't want their sexy husband to sleep naked?
it leads to interesting mornings too..
cove's hard length pressed up against you because he can't sleep without holding or being close to you
and for weeks, the morning starts with lazy hand-jobs, frisky blow-jobs (especially when he's sleeping, something you surprised him with when he said he dreamed about that yesterday)
and then it ended up with you or him on top of the other, your/his hips never too far away and you're lazily kissing..
or cove cuddling you in the morning, and you slip him inside you or he slips between your thighs.. cove loves it when you do that, pushing your ass back on him and he can just hold you while you fuck yourself on his cock
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loves to take you on vacation or lil getaways
you're kids are grown and you're empty nesters, even if theyre still at home for college, they dont necessarily need you now
so if cove takes you away on a beach vacation, surprising you with a boat for a week. thats great!!!
and you promise to send your family pictures, but please be careful...
because that picture of the view through the window? you can see your naked husband in the reflection
that picture of you laying in bed with breakfast? you can see his soft cock laying on his thigh...
besides those photos, maybe think twice before sending the 'safe' ones or prepare for comments telling you to get a room (or your kids sending sick emojis or something bc cove is being touchy in the photo)
bc cove is either grabbing your butt, chest, his face in your neck, and/or he has you on his lap, and you can basically see the nasty thoughts in his head or his look of satisfaction or his hand is (once again) in a dangerous spot...
everyone jokes abt you 2 having the time of your lives over there, especially away from the kids
kid: please leave the sexual tension at the door BEFORE YOU GET HOME!!!! ✋️✋️
which they'd be right abt, because that selfie of you guys using the mini-bar in the backyard?
cove bends you over the mini-bar and sucks you off / eats you out until you complain abt the surface hurting your back and then he picks you up and brings you inside
that selfie of the two of you or one of you in the infinity pool, both of yall in your cute new swimsuits you bought for this trip, having a drink?
after that picture, cove has you leaning back on your elbows, the water splashing and clapping between you as he fucks you
or you'll be trying to take a selfie and he swims up behind you, and fucks you from behind.. your body squished between his body and the wet tile as he tells you how good you look in that swimsuit...
yeah definitely fucks you in the pool or hot tub several times.
while sitting in the hot tub, he has you in his lap and he's thrusting up into you, your arms wrapped around him and he's sucking on your chest
that picture of you guys in your formal wear, about to go to dinner?
you were so late that your table almost got given away, all because cove begged you to let him give you head after you got ready and dolled up
and you aren't even gonna mention how he stopped in the middle of getting ready himself to fuck you over the bathroom counter after you got out the shower
yeah, everyone sees you guys absolutely glowing when you come back, and there's definitely a mark or two on each of you that isn't hidden
mmm this is why I can see cove buying a boat
sometimes you can't afford to take a whole trip abroad or outta state
so why not spend the day on the boat, and maybe.. just maybe... you can sunbathe, sip mimosas, let cove give you head.... sounds like a great time <33
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omfg surprises you with lingerie
buys himself something risque and lays out a trail of petals to the bedroom from the front door, and there he is, on a fluffy bed with more petals, laid/sat up all pretty
surprises you with toys too
even if its more of a gift to him, it benefits you <3
who wouldn't wanna pleasure their stressed husband after a long week, using whatever vibe, dildo, plug, or fleshlight that he picked out for you to use on him
even begs you to fuck / peg him, he really just wants you to take care of him
or if you let him, he'll fuck himself on your cock (or your mouth) until he feels better
also does it for you
buys you cute lil toys to use on you alongside his mouth or cock
no matter what, loves to pleasure you, especially with his own body
constantly using his mouth or fingers on you, he lives for it
also buys you lingerie if you'd like it
but mainly buys you clothes. be it formal, casual, or whatever
likes to dress you up period, especially for dates
ofc there's always a surprise in there :)
which always leads to you rushing home or sneaking into the bathroom at the restaurant n one of you tugging at the others clothes
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omfg nudes and taking pics/videos...
by this point, cove will send you a cheeky nude or video while you're at work just to make you rush home or call him on your lunch break
loves it if he gets to come to your work and you ride him in the parking lot, growling about how dirty he is
if you send him a nude or video while he's at work, fuck he's in pieces
needs you to come fuck him or suck him off, or even let him get you off (he'll definitely jerk off while giving you head)
sometimes he just can't help but wanna take a picture of you and/or him during sex
you just look so pretty; covered in sweat n hickeys (and his cum<3), stuffed with his dick, or your head thrown back from pleasure when he's going down on you.
or his fingers stirring up your insides until all you can hear in the video is your sloppy insides, loud moans, and occasionally cove's dirty talk n babbles about how good you are for him
also wants to commemorate you or him looking pretty in lingerie
poses all pretty for you, shows off his fat ass in his lacy undies... he's just so cute
so not only do you guys have a lovely memory of a spicy anniversary (or random tuesday) night, but you also have material for the spank bank
because when you're away long enough, you can expect a naughty call from cove in the middle of the night
someetimes he sends you a text to please call him, he needs to hear your voice... or you catch him in the middle of reminiscing
he's all breathy and panting, tries to act normal but after the first few times, doesn't even bother trying to pretend his not rutting up into his hand or fucking himself on one of his favorite thick dildos<3
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hufflepuffwritingstuff2 ¡ 1 year ago
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Forced Family- Part 4
Part 3
Hero remained mildly sedated for the next few days. Villain wheeled them around the estate, going into each room so Hero could see. Villain fed them all of their meals; Hero had tried to resist at first, but being so out of it made it easy for Villain to push the food past their lips and coax them into swallowing. When that wouldn’t work, Villain would offer for Supervillain to try, and then Hero would quickly comply.
“Good job,” Villain would praise.
When it wasn’t a mealtime, Hero was placed on the couch in the living room, where Villain would hold them while Supervillain sat next to them. Villain would put on a movie, always one of Hero’s favorites, and Supervillain would run their hand through Hero’s hair.
“No need to be afraid,” Supervillain would say.
Sidekick would zip in and out all day, stopping to tell Hero about their training or their latest criminal exploits. Sidekick would share their snacks and show them funny videos on their phone.
After ages of falling asleep and waking up freshly drugged, Hero opened their eyes and felt… alert? They looked down at their body and saw that they weren’t restrained in any way. They sat up in bed, puzzled. There was a knock on their door, and Supervillain entered.
“Hey there,” they said gently, “How do you feel?”
Hero gulped.
“F-fine,” they answered.
Supervillain smiled.
“Good,” they said, “you’d been punished enough. Won’t you come down for breakfast? Villain’s making your favorite.”
Hero gingerly climbed out of bed. They approached Supervillain and let themselves be led down to the kitchen. Villain was making chocolate chip pancakes topped with whipped cream.
“Hero,” they said brightly, “come sit down!”
Hero sat down at the kitchen table. Villain set a plate of pancakes in front of them. Hero didn’t feel like eating, but they picked up their fork anyway and took a bite. The pancakes were delicious, just like Villain had always made them. Hero ate slowly while Villain watched them.
“Thank you,” Hero said quietly.
“Of course,” Villain said, “you know I love cooking for you.”
Sidekick sped into the room in the blink of an eye.
“Hey, you’re awake awake,” Sidekick said, “awesome!”
Sidekick poured themselves a glass of lemonade and stuck a popsicle stick in it. They handed it to Hero.
“Can you freeze this?” they asked.
Hero nodded numbly, letting the cold seep out of their hands and into Sidekick’s drink. It was frozen in seconds.
“Awesome!” Sidekick beamed.
They took the frozen treat out of the glass and began to eat it. Hero finished their pancakes and sat there, expressionless. Supervillain sat down next to them.
“You seem to have accepted your position,” Supervillain said, “that’s good… Sidekick, Villain, and I are planning on heading out today. Henchman will keep an eye on you.”
Henchman waved from their spot by the sink. When everyone finished their breakfast, the three criminals headed out, leaving Hero alone in the kitchen with Henchman. Henchman sat down next to Hero.
“Listen to me very carefully,” Henchman said in a hushed tone, “I need your full cooperation if I’m going to get you out of here.”
Part 5
Patreon
Ko-Fi
Tags: @mythixmagic @infinityshadows @fishtale88 @thelazywitchphotographer @the-beasts-have-arrived @princessofonwardsworld @surplus-of-sarcasm @d-cs @cardboardarsonist @whumpterful-beeeeee @mentalityofacoolduck @rejectedbytheempty @whump-on-a-log @discordzero @caspersdelusion @steh-lar-uh-nuhs @bluesoulpeace @prettyboynoahhh @iamapotatoe
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25shadesoffebruary ¡ 11 months ago
Text
10 BL BOYS I WANT CARNALLY Redo
I have a few people tag me @firstkanaphans @negrowhat in this and when I originally did it I only put Phaya from the sign but I started thinking and I said yeah I got more so here are the others.
1. Phaya from the sign
Idk if it’s the way that Billy plays this character or what but Phaya has my heart. He’s just so annoyingly cute and playful but so smart and curious and he does not like to be ignored and so passionate, it’s endearing really idk.
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2. Mork from Last Twilight
This man is so warm and kind and loving and caring and loyal and and and I could go on and and on I love him so much. Like that man went to jail because his friend decided to put his woodpecker into another birds tree and he fought for his ex girlfriend trust. I’m sorry that man is so fucking warm.
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3. King from Bed Friend
I love this man and his big brown cow eyes so much. He’s just a walking green flag and he so sexy. He is just thoughtful, caring, loving, warm. I want him on every level. Love him
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4. Akk from Enchantè
He a little slow on the uptake but that man is so romantic and kind. And truly was a green flag. And truly just wanted the best for Theo even if he had to put himself on the back burner.
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5. Jeng from Step by Step
JENG WAS A MAN (no pun intended) That man was a CEO of his own business while trying to manage another business that he hated. He was self sacrificing and so kind. I love that tired his best to change when it came to Pat. He made some questionable decisions but I believe he did that because he thought that was best for him. He was loving and caring a I count him as a green flag.
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6. Mark from Love Mechanics
That man went through so much for love. But I love how he was true to himself. I love how self aware he was and I love how he stood up for himself. Mark knew who he was and also knew what he wanted but he also knew that he was fucked when it came to Vee. I would have treated him right.
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7. Ayan from The Eclipse
That man was a menace. But I love how fiercely loyal he was. I love how kind and thoughtful and loving this man was. He just wanted Justice ( and for the school to burn to ashes and for ashes to go the dumpster never to be seen again) for his uncle, he was a heartbroken boy who has lost his one close person in his life and was spinning around lost like a broken compass but he found his north in Akk and I love that for him.
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8. Phayu from Love in the Air
Is this really a surprise to anybody. I mean come on now. That man knew how to stand on business. He knew what he wanted and made sure he got it. Made sure the person he wanted was also on their business. He wanted them to be successful together and love a man that is ambitious. Very loyal and protective but was also completely a simp.
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9. Boeing from Only Friends
This man was wicked for no other reason then the fact that he could be. I was fascinated. Came to ruin lives and almost succeeded to if it hadn’t been for RayMew and them being like ahh back the fuck up off my man. I still think RaySandBoeing threesome should have happen. I would have like to see Boeing and Top kiss but also BoeingTopBoston would have been interesting to see. And I think Boston would have loved it there to be honest but we talking about Boeing here. Anyway that man should have had more screen time so he could fuck up more people lives.
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10. Kinn from KinnPorsche
Listen Linda, that man was most definitely not a green flag and a very dark pink flag but I don’t think he was a red flag. He was just dumb. He’s complicated. But he was kind and thoughtful in his own way. And he tired to be fair to people. But Porsche was on that man mind 25/8 and it’s hard to think when someone is occupying your mind like that. But is he very loyal to a man that did not deserve it. He was caring for his people and was a big simp and I love that for him.
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Tagging: @respectthepetty @smittenskitten @spicyvampire @chaos0pikachu @icouldhyperfixatehim @omarandjohnny @piningintrovert @pondsphuwin and anybody who wants to do it
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letmesleep8 ¡ 3 months ago
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even if I die screaming // elliexreader
CHAPTER 4: There's an ocean in Nebraska
AO3 | chapter 3 | chapter 5
content warnings/tags: subtle homophobia, mentions of alcohol/being drunk, mention of cannibalism as a metaphor
notes: oh my, look who it is! i know it took me quite a while to post this. sorry, i was in a depression. but anyways, here is the chapter! i promise I'll try to post the next one soon this time. have a great evening! or morning. or anything.
tag list: @h4-rt3s @sallythatgurl-64 @pinkinternetfire @lorelaihehe (sorry if i tag you without you asking or something, unless you're lorelai, that was on purpose :3)
•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────••─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────••─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•
"I hate it here so I will go to lunar valleys in my mind
When they found a better planet, only the gentle survived"
— I Hate It Here, Taylor Swift
January 23, 2039 Winter
Dear diary, 
Today was strange. I came home from the get-together and ate the whole rest of the cake I made. My head hurts and I feel like my fingers smell like Ellie. I can still feel her phantom touch in my face whenever I close my eyes for too long.
Mom’s drunk, she's already completely asleep in her bedroom. I locked myself up in mine, I’m afraid she’ll smell the weed. I feel bad, guilty. I can’t sleep. I am a terrible daughter and I deserve nothing she’s ever fought to give me. I am a disappointment and I promise I won’t do anything like this ever ag- 
•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────••─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────••─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•
I heard a noise on my window, I first thought it was maybe a bird. One more time, I heard something hitting the frame. I got up to check and got scared by the pebble that almost hit my face. 
“Oh fuck, I’m sorry!” Ellie looked worried and embarrassed. I simply laughed.
“What are you doing here? It’s, like, four a.m”, I sat on the frame. “You should be in bed.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” She swallowed, nervously. “ Y’wanna go for a walk?” I unknowingly held my breath and bit my bottom lip to the blood. If Mama wakes up and doesn’t see me in bed she would be so worried, but at the same time, I couldn’t pretend like living under her subtle rules wasn’t killing me slowly. 
“Help me get out.” I said and Ellie smirked, giving me her hand. I jumped off the frame and tripped a little. “Where are you taking me?” I started following her down to the trees. 
“Just follow, I promise you’ll like it.” She smiled and so did I. Just then I realized she hasn’t let go of my hand since I jumped out of the window. In fact, she squeezed it from time to  time. 
I went with her up to a small clearing across the creek, we had hung out around there before. The difference is that now there was a blanket on the floor with what seemed to be a telescope on top.
“What is this?” I sat, smiling. “Where’d you get this thing?”
“Oh, this old thing? Joel found it and gave it to me when I was, like, fifteen.” She sat down by my side. “I just remembered it, y’know, when you started tracing the stars on my back and shit…” 
I felt my cheeks getting completely flustered, so I hid my face between my hands. “I am so sorry about that, it was embarrassing as hell.” I sighed and chuckled, throwing my head back.
“It’s not embarrassing, you were just high”, Ellie laughed. “T’was sweet.” Her cheeks started becoming rosy too. I laid back on the blanket. “Hey, c’mere. Let’s check this thing out.” I  scooted closer to her, looking into the telescope and then giving her some space to look too, her shoulder brushing against mine. “Damn, the sky’s always so pretty in Wyoming. It was always smokey back in Boston.” She said, looking amazed. 
“You’re from Boston? “ I asked.
“Born and raised.” She replied.  “You?”
“Nebraska. Never traveled that far.” I chuckled. “Have you ever seen the ocean? “
“ Yeah, sure! Wait… Haven’t you?” I shook my head, she looked surprised.
“Yeah…” I laughed. “Nebraska isn’t really beachy, y’know?”
She laughed, elbowing me softly. “Well, then we gotta take you somewhere that is! Where’d you like to go, miss?” 
I smiled. It was fun pretending like we weren’t trapped here forever sometimes. “Well, I think California must be nice, you know? Maybe Florida. Just don’t think we could get there by horse.” 
She laid back on the blanket, arms above her head, and sighed. “Man, I wish it was easier to find a car that actually works. I could drive ya there, you’d see the beach.” 
I watched as she laid there, the skin under her slightly open flannel chilled by the breeze. I wondered if her chest was freckled too, where did her spots end? I didn’t even realize I was staring, when something slipped my mouth. “Well, actually-” I stopped myself, but it was kinda late, she seemed interested and I couldn’t leave those forest eyes guessing. “My mom, she keeps a car battery hidden. But it’s for desperate situations, a safe way out. But don’t tell anyone I said that!”
Ellie’s hand reached for my nose, booping me like a cat. “Relax, spacegirl. Your secret’s safe with me.” She laughed and I laid on the blanket too. 
The sky was a deep blue, the stars like snowflakes. I thought I saw a beam of light or something, maybe thunder, but soon I realized: it was a shooting star. “Ellie, quick, make a wish!” I closed my eyes. “Aw shit, okay.” She closed hers too, smiling. 
“I wished for my mom to find me new records.” I smiled, “what did you wish for, Els?”
She blushed in the slightest, looking away. “Oh, yeah, I forgot to make one.”
“You’re just lying now.” I laughed. “Come on, you can tell. What would you like right now? A car? A camera? A puppy?” 
I felt her eyes analyzing every single inch of my face and her lips parting, almost involuntarily. “I wish you liked girls.” I felt my heart dropping to my feet, my throat went dry, I stayed silent. She sat up immediately, I did the same. She started putting the telescope away, getting ready to leave. 
“Wait, Ellie, don’t-” I touched her shoulder. “I… don’t like boys, I- Girls… I’ve never tried.” 
I could see her face light back up but she was trying to keep it nonchalant. “Do… you want to?” I swallowed and breathed in deeply as I simply nodded in response. Her face went straight up red, it looked like fire. I think I may have caught her by surprise. 
The girl took her left hand towards my face, tucking away a strand of hair behind my ear. I was almost panting as she got closer to me, our noses touching. My eyes went to her lips, chapped but pink, burnt from the cold. She exhaled into mine as she finally locked them in, her hand now on the side of my neck. Almost as if programmed to, I opened them up for her.
Her mouth was heavenly, her tongue felt like a warm treat. So I kissed her, I kissed like I longed for it for ages, I kissed her like a movie, I kissed her like everyone could watch. I took my hand to her neck, hers climbed its way up to my hair, holding onto it like I’d run away. But I would never, I wish we would stay like this until the end of times. 
Quickly, the simple kiss had turned hungry. I felt like she was going to eat me whole, devour me like a beast and, truthfully, I didn’t even mind, I waited for it, too. I wished for her body so bad that I wouldn’t even mind becoming part of it. It felt like an out-of-body experience how she held me like I was always hers. 
Until I heard a voice coming from beyond the creek. “Els, sorry for interrupting but she should come with me. Quick.” It was Dina, she seemed worried. I followed her, she told Ellie to not come along. 
When we went back to town near my house, I could hear my mom talking to Mike. “Just- gone! I just woke up and she wasn’t there.” Dina stepped closer, “found her!” She smiled, not really knowing what to say. 
Mama took into a tight hug. “Oh my God, you scared me so much!” I could smell the worry in her, or maybe it was just the alcohol. Didn’t take long for her to switch and slightly shake me. “Where the hell were you!?” I froze. 
“I- I was just stargazing, with Dina, you were asleep-” I didn’t have a clue what to say, I am a terrible liar. Always been. 
“Don’t you lie to me! Where were you?!” Her voice became angrier. “You were with that girl again, weren’t you? Joel 's girl? I told you to stay away from her!”
“No, mom, I wasn’t with Ellie, I swear.” My lip was trembling. “I just went for a walk! I thought you were asleep…” 
“Go home. Right now. Go.” She looked so disappointed. My eyes filled with water, I had never seen her like that. Mike tried waving goodbye to me but I was so  distraught that I didn’t even pay attention. I just went straight back home and cried in my room for the rest of the night, sitting on the windowsill. I felt unworthy.
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bellaireland1981 ¡ 1 year ago
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Starting Over | 8
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Summary: You come home to work to find your husband of three years in bed with your supposed best friend. It’s the wake up call you finally needed to take your two year old daughter and get the hell out of Texas. With nowhere to go you head to your big brother in San Diego. The sagger squad takes you under their wings, and shows you what having a family means. You get a fresh start… will you find your happily ever after?
Characters: Jake “hangman” Seresin x Sister! Reader, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Seresin! Reader (Eventually), Hangman x Phoenix , Adorable OC Gracie!   The Dagger squad
Word Count: 10,161
Warnings: Angst, fighting, cheating husband, emotional abuse, eventual fluff, smut in later chapters, Sweet uncle Jake, Adorable Rooster with a toddler… if I miss any please let me know.
A/N: I don’t own the characters or storyline for Top Gun Maverick. All OC’s are mine. I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION FOR ANYONE TO COPY OR REPOST MY WORK TO ANY OTHER PLATFORM! DON’T STEAL! Reblogs, likes and comments ALWAYS welcomed. THANK YOU @waywardodysseys​ and  @beyondthesefourwalls​ as always for reading over my work and helping me flush out ideas!!
Taglist is open! If I missed anyone who asked to be tagged, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM  to be added. It’s getting to hard to keep track of asks.
CH 1  CH 2  CH 3  Ch 4  Ch 5  Ch 6  Ch 7 
The weekend flew by, with a much needed beach day with the whole squad on Saturday and a relaxing day spent at the house on Sunday. With Trent in jail without the ability to be released on a bond this time, you finally felt like you were able to breathe for the first time since everything started.
Jake decided to still keep his leave time, using it as an opportunity to help you with Gracie so you could start to look into daycares and meet with Penny to figure out hours for the job she’d offered. He was also making you go to UCSD to meet with an admissions representative to look into masters programs for degrees you REALLY wanted and not just something you were forced into. It felt like your life was finally falling into place and everything was going so well… you were almost afraid to trust it.
Tuesday afternoon your lawyer called to let you know that Trent’s hearing was set for the following week. Since the divorce hearing would also be next Tuesday, it appeared as if everything could potentially be over by next week, or at least closer to being over. She reassured you that with this being the second time that he violated the order of protection he would definitely be looking at jail time, just as the officers had said on Friday. She also said that she’d be surprised if he didn’t go ahead and sign off on the divorce and parental rights ahead of the other hearing as his lawyer would most likely advise it. You doubted that though since Trent rarely did anything anyone advised him to do.
“Tulip, I’m going to take Princess G to the park then to get some ice cream.” Jake said, bringing Gracie into the living room after her nap. “I think Nix is going to try to meet us there. Take some time for yourself this afternoon. Enjoy ‘you’ time.”
“I don’t even know what to do with ‘me’ time.” You laughed.
“Exactly the point.” He said, “Maybe go get your toes painted or whatever girls do. Or go drive to UCSD, or go shopping… get your hair done… just… something that is 100% for YOU Tulip.”
“Ok.” You said, giving in, knowing Jake wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer anyway.
“And do not even THINK about dinner tonight.” He added, “Phoenix and I are stealing this one tonight. Bradley will be coming to get you after he’s off to take you to dinner.”
“I guess you have it all figured out then, huh?” You laughed. “Thank you, Jakey. I love you… and I’m lucky to have you for my big brother.”
“I love you too, Tulip.” He replied. “Alright, Princess G… ready to go to the park? Nix is gonna meet us there!”
“Yes Pwease.” She replied, still sleepily, “Mommy, you go too?”
“No, baby.” you replied, smiling, “You get to have Uncle Jakey all to yourself. Mommy will see you later.”
“Tomorrow morning.” Jake corrected, “We’re going to have a sleepover with Aunty Nix and build forts and watch movies and eat pizza. No mommies allowed.”
“Why no mommies, Unco Jakey?” Gracie asked, looking concerned.
“Because then we couldn’t stay up past bedtime and eat junk food and watch movies IN the fort.” He explained in an exaggerated whisper.
“Otay” She whispered back loudly, “Sowy Mommy!”
“It’s ok, Baby.” You laughed, “You have fun with Uncle Jakey and Aunty Nix.”
“Pack an overnight  bag before Bradley picks you up for dinner, Tulip.” Jake said, winking at you.
“Daddy Woosta?” Gracie asked, “I see him too!”
“DADDY Rooster?” Jake asked, smiling widely and looking at you with eyebrows raised.
“She started calling him that Friday night after everything happened…” You explained, “Bradley melted… I didn’t see a problem…”
“I like it.” Jake said, “I approve, just so you know.”
“How about we stop over after dinner to check on the fort building, Baby Girl?” You suggested.
“Yes!” She said, excited, “I wuv him. We call him?”
“Princess G, Daddy Rooster is flying in his plane right now. Mommy will make sure he comes to see you later, ok?” Jake suggested..
“Otay!” She agreed, “We go park now?”
“Sure can,” Jake said, “Let me grab your bag, Princess.”
“Come give Mommy big hugs, Baby girl!” You said, taking her from Jake so he could go get her stuff packed. “Be good for Uncle Jakey and Aunty Nix, Ok?”
“Otay, Mommy.” She promised, hugging you, “I wuv you.”
“I love you too, my Baby girl!” You replied, hugging her back. You were thankful she was so little and none of the crap with Trent would have any lasting effects on her. She was a happy and loving little girl, living her best life.
“Alright, Princess G, the park awaits!” Jake said, coming back to the living room. “Have fun, Tulip. Love you” He dropped a kiss on your head, reclaiming Gracie and the two were off on their adventure, leaving you to shake your head and laugh at the closing door on their way out.
You decided to go get a pedicure before heading to the Hard Deck to talk to Penny about finally taking her up on her offer of the part time job handling the books and inventory, freeing her up to take time away from the bar during the day occasionally.  You would work 3 days a week, leaving you enough time to take classes if you decided to pursue a master’s degree. You were still undecided on that for the time being. You had enough changes happening, enough on your plate…you were afraid to make any more decisions of that magnitude. You did promise Jake you’d talk to someone from the university to get options and you would, but you weren’t sure you were quite ready to actually pursue the degree yet. You DID need to find a daycare though for Gracie. You knew it would be good for Gracie to have other kids to play with the few days a week you’d be working.
You had just left the Hard Deck and were heading to your car when Bradley called.
“Hey, Sweetheart.” He said. You could hear the smile in his voice. “I’m finishing up here then I’ll be over to get you. Jake talk to you?”
“Yup.” You laughed. “He told me he’s having a sleepover with Gracie and Nix and no mommies allowed because then they can’t stay up late, sleep in forts and watch movies.”
“Sounds about right.” He chuckled, “Mommies are definitely allowed at my sleepover. We can build our own fort, Sweetheart.”
“I think I like sleepovers with you.” You replied, “Gracie requested a visit from Daddy Rooster.”
“I REALLY love that title,” He rasped, his voice full of emotion, “I absolutely need to see my girl tonight.”
“Jake approves of the title too.” You informed him. “I promised her we’d stop.”
“I’m walking out of here in 10 minutes tops so I’ll be there in about 20.” He said, “Do you want me to pick up take out and we eat at my place or go out somewhere?”
“I like the idea of staying in, actually.” You replied, “You make fort building sound very appealing.”
“I’ll see you soon, Sweetheart.” He laughed, “Drive safe going home.”
“You too.” You replied.
You got home and decided to jump in the shower quickly before changing into a sundress and a pair of sandals. Jake and Nix ended up getting back with Gracie as you were coming out of your room before Bradley made it over.
“Mommy!” Gracie exclaimed, running over to you, arms up for you to lift her up. “We pway at the park! And eat ice cweam!”
“Wow!” You said, “What sounds like so much fun! Were you good for Uncle Jakey and Aunt Nix?”
“Yup!” She nodded her head. “I good!”
“Of course!” Phoenix said, “She was fantastic! We had fun, didn’t we, Sweet girl?”
“Yes! Now we make forts!” She informed you, “Mommy, where Daddy Woosta?”
“He’ll be here soon, Baby girl.” You said kissing her head and setting her down, “He’s so excited to see you.”
“Let’s go get you washed up for dinner, quickly Princess G” Jake said, taking her hand and leaning her back to the bathroom to wash her hands.
“Daddy Rooster?” Phoenix gushed, “That’s absolutely adorable.”
“I KNOW!” You exclaimed, “He turned to a puddle when she said it. She just spontaneously busted out with it.”
“How do you feel about it?” She asked
“I’m completely ok with it.” You replied, “You don’t think it’s too soon do you?”
“Sweetie, I think there is no timetable for these things.” She replied, “If you, as her mom, are ok with it, and Rooster, the person on the receiving end of it, is ok, and Gracie is obviously ok… then I say… Daddy Rooster has a new title.”
“Nat, I am 100% gone for that man.” You confided in her, “I know I should feel guilty since I’m legally married to another but my heart fully belongs to Bradley.”
“We all kinda figured that one out already,” She laughed. “But I’m glad to know you’re aware. He feels the same, just so you know. Just promise that you won’t get tied down by timetables or what you think social norms dictate. Do what feels right to you and Bradley and what’s best for Gracie.”
“I promise.” You said.
Bradley arrived not long after. Jake had just finished getting Gracie cleaned up when he came through the front door.
“Daddy Woosta!” She exclaimed, barreling through the living room and straight into Bradley’s arms. He’d dropped down to his knees to be at her level and swooped her up. “I wuv you.”
“Hi Princess.” He said, kissing the top of her head, “I love you too, my girl.”
“You sweep ova wif me?” She asked him sweetly.
“How about we have a sleep over another night, Princess?” He countered, “I hear you have a super fun sleepover with forts planned with Uncle Jake and Aunty Nix tonight.”
“Otay.” She agreed. “And Mommy too?”
“And Mommy too.” He promised.
“Alright, Princess G.” Jake said, “Ready to start our super fun sleepover?”
“Yes!” She exclaimed, then turned to kiss Bradley on the cheek and hug him before wiggling out of his arms and running to say goodbye to you. “Wuv you Mommy! Wuv you Daddy Woosta!”
“Love you too, Baby girl.” You replied, hugging her and kissing her. “Be good for Uncle Jakey and Aunty  Nix, and Mommy will see you tomorrow morning.”
“Otay, Mommy.” She said before running over to Phoenix.
“Ready to go, Sweetheart?” Bradley asked, his hand coming up to rest on the small of your back.
“Yup.” You replied, smiling, “Overnight bag packed, as ordered by my dear sweet brother who said no mommies allowed at their super fun sleepover…. I’m all yours, Lieutenant Bradshaw.”
“Well, then it’s a very good thing that mommies are very much allowed at my super fun sleepover tonight.” He winked, grabbing your overnight bag and guiding you out of the front door.
Back at Bradley’s the two of you ate the take out that he’d picked up before picking you up. Afterwards he sent you to change into comfy clothes while he constructed the promised fort in the middle room. You changed out of the dress, putting on the sleep shorts you’d packed, but opting instead to pull on one of Bradley’s well worn Navy t-shirts. You pulled your hair into a messy bun on top of your head before making your way out to the living room.
“That’s some impressive fort building, Lieutenant.” You said, walking into the room. He’d moved around some of the furniture to make room for the fort, using the dining room chairs and couch as the structure to drape the blankets over.
“Wait until you see the inside, Sweetheart.” He said, smiling. “You look really good in my shirt, too.”
“Thanks.” You beamed, “It looked more comfortable than the one I brought with me.”
“You can wear my clothes anytime.” He said. “Come on inside our very own fort.”
You walked around to the opening in the front where he was holding the blanket open for you. You crouched down and crawled inside to find more blankets laid out on the floor with pillows to keep you both comfortable. He’d found and strung up some battery operated fairy lights to give you some light inside the fort as well as a couple of the flameless battery operated candles. He had his laptop opened for you to watch a movie on and a variety of snacks as well.
“Bradley.” You laughed, “How in the hell did you get this all set up in the short time I was changing?”
“I may have had everything already set up and ready to go…” He replied, a blush creeping up his neck to his cheeks. “Jake and I hashed this plan out yesterday. I ran home at lunch instead of actually eating lunch.”
“Bradley!” You admonished, “Please tell me you didn’t fly without proper nutrition? The only thing worse than you eating vending machine food for lunch is you eating no lunch at all!”
“I grabbed a bag of chips and a granola bar.” He shrugged. “I was ok.”
“You will either bring your sexy ass to the house tomorrow on your lunch to get a proper meal or I will make Jake bring me to the base to deliver the lunch to you.” You informed him
“You like my ass, huh Sweetheart?” He asked, smirking at you, settling against the pillows piled up and pulling you down with him. You settled between his legs, resting your back against his chest.
“That’s what you got from that? You laughed, “But for the record, I do like your ass.”
“For the record, I think everything about you is sexy as hell, Sweetheart.” He said, his voice right by your ear, sending shivers down your body. He had changed into gray Navy sweats, and you were discovering how soft they were against your skin as you ran your palms over his legs.
“So what’s the plan for this super fun sleepover tonight?” You asked, tilting your head back to look up at him.
He leaned his head down, connecting his lips to yours, his arms already wrapped around your middle, fingers splayed wide over your torso.
“The plan is to keep you locked in my arms, while we watch a movie and relax in our super cool fort here.” He said, using his face to nudge your head to the side and drop kisses on and nip at your neck, “Hopefully with a little bit of making out with my girl thrown in.”
“I like that plan.” You replied smiling. “Your girl, huh?”
“Baby, Gracie is literally calling me ‘Daddy Rooster’.” He laughed, “We’re gonna have a very sad little girl if you’re not my girl.”
You turned around so that you were facing him, straddling him and wrapping your arms around his neck, your fingers working into his hair at the nape of his neck.
“I am absolutely yours.” You said without hesitation. “Gracie and I are both yours if you want us. I know we still have a few hurdles to jump and definitely come with some baggage, but …”
“Sweetheart, there is nothing I want more.” He said, interrupting you, his lips finding yours, his hands moving to your hips to anchor you to him. His tongue snaked out, licking over your lower lip seaking entrance. You opened, allowing him in, your own tongue moving to meet his, tasting one another. His hands moved over your back before dropping down to the hem of the t-shirt and moving up and under, until his hands connected with your bare skin. You gasp, burying your fingers deeper into his hair, and grinding down onto him as you deepen the kiss.
“Shit, Sweetheart.” He groans as your core rubs against his semi hardened cock. “You feel so fucking good.”
You continue to move against him, knowing you would need to stop, but not ready to lose this feeling just yet. You kiss your way to his neck, tracing over the scars with your tongue, causing a shiver to move over his whole body. He groans deeply, his hands moving over you feverishly, pulling you closer.
“Mmm” You moaned, panting, “Bradley, as much as I desperately want to continue this, we need to hit the breaks.”
“I know.” He agreed, sucking air into his own lungs, using his hands to gently still your movement, giving him a moment to collect himself. “Just need a minute here, Sweetheart.”
“I want the first time we’re together to be when I’m able to freely give every piece of myself to you, without any legalities standing in the way.” You said quietly, “He doesn’t get to taint anything between us.”
“There’s no way he could taint anything we have, Sweetheart” Bradley assured you, pulling you down against him again, “I would happily wait forever for you.”
You both sat together, recovering from the heavy makeout session for several moments before you were once more tucked with your back against his chest, nestled between his legs with his laptop propped up on the coffee table so you could watch a movie together.
The next morning, you made Bradley breakfast and packed him a lunch while he was getting ready for work.
“I could definitely get used to this.” He smiled, walking into the kitchen.
“Something other than cold cereal or frozen waffles for breakfast?” You asked, smiling at him over your shoulder, soaking in the sight of him in his flightsuit.
“Getting to wake up with you, getting ready for work knowing you’re in the same house…” He replied, wrapping his arms around you from behind and kissing your neck, just under your ear. “And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit excited about this amazing breakfast you’ve made.”
“I knew it was the food.” You teased, rolling your eyes. He easily spun you around in his arms and dropped his head down to capture your lips with his own in a heated kiss.
“Now THAT is how I need to start every day.” He said, once you’d both had to pull away to breathe.
“No arguments from me.” You replied, “Let’s get you fed, fly boy. You need to get to work and I’ve got an appointment to check out a daycare for Gracie today.”
“How do you feel about that?” He asked, carrying plates to the table. You joined him at the table, sitting down next to him while you both dug into the omelettes you’d made.
“It’ll only be part time.” You said, “It makes me nervous, but I know she needs to be with kids, and I need to get out and be around adults… work. Eventually, I’ll maybe look at going back for my master’s degree. One step at a time.”
“Do you want me to go with you?” He offered, “I can get one of the others to cover my class this afternoon. I’m sure Mav will be fine with it.”
“You’re perfect and amazing for offering.” You answered, offering a smile, “I’ll be ok though. I’ll actually probably need you more next week at the court hearing if you’re able to get off for that… if you want that is…”
“Sweetheart, that’s already a done deal.” He replied. “I already have the entire week for leave. Mav put it in for me before last Friday and I told him to leave it. There’s no way in hell I’d let you face that alone. I know you’ll have Jake… but you have me now too.”
“Thank you.” You said, relieved to know he’d be there with you.
“You absolutely do not need to thank me for that, Baby.” He replied, leaning over to kiss your forehead, “We’re officially a team.”
After finishing breakfast, Bradley grabbed his flight bag and the two of you headed out to the Bronco. He drove you home on his way to the base, which was not actually on his way to the base at all.
“In hindsight, I should have just met you over her last night.” You laughed, when he parked in the driveway. “You’re going to be so late, Bradley!”
“Worth it.” He replied, leaning over to kiss you, “Give my Princess hugs and kisses for me?”
“I will.” You promised, “If you’re not doing anything tonight, do you want to come over after work for dinner?”
“As long as you’re not sick of met yet.” He teased, “Jake’s probably ready to boot me to the curb.”
“He’s too busy with Nat to even notice.” You laughed, “But he doens’t mind because he just wants Gracie and me to be happy… and we are.”
“Good.” He smiled widely, “Mission accomplished. I’ll see you after work, Sweetheart.”
“Fly safe.” You said, leaning in to kiss him again.
“Always.” He promised.
The visit the daycare went really well. Gracie loved the room and teacher she’d be with and had already made a friend. Jake had gone with and had asked all the pertinent safety questions setting your own mind at ease. You knew that Trent would definitely be spending the foreseeable future in jail but for your own sanity you needed a plan in place. The daycare had strict policies for who was allowed in and out and nobody was allowed to pick up a child that wasn’t on that child’s list.  
After going through the center, Jake kept Gracie busy while you filled out the needed paperwork to enroll her.
“Jakey I’m adding you as emergency contact.” You told him, writing down his contact information.
“Add Rooster too.” He replied, flashing a knowing smile.
“Shouldn’t I ask him before I add his name?” You asked. “That seems like basic etiquette.”
“Tulip, she calls him Daddy Rooster, and he’s perfectly fine with it… in fact, he actually loves it.” Jake said, “I highly doubt he’ll be upset about being added as Princess G’s emergency contact. I’d be willing to bet he’d be upset if he WASN’T added.”
“You’re probably right.” You laughed, “Ok, Bradley is being added… but what do you suggest I put down as the relationship?”
“Daddy Woosta?” Gracie asked, “I see him?”
“We’ll go see him after we leave here, Princess.” Jake promised, “You heard the Princess. He’s Daddy Woosta.”
“Jake, I cannot put that on here.” You laughed.
“Put down, Dad.” He said, “It’ll make one less thing to change later. And on the pick up list, you might want to add the whole squad.”
“I am not imposing on them by having them pick up Gracie.” You argued.
Jake pulled out his phone, typing out a text before tucking his phone back into his pocket. You continued to fill out the paperwork, trying to hurry now that you knew you’d be heading to base to see Bradley afterwards.
Jakes phone dinged, then your own phone rang with an incoming FaceTime call. Looking at the caller ID you saw it was Nat. You glared at Jake before quicking answering. As soon as the call went through you saw it wasn’t just Nat. The entire dagger squad, minus Jake was staring back at you, giving you ‘the look’.
“Hi guys…” You said. “How’s your day going?”
“Imposing on us?” Nat asked indignantly.
“There’s a question of even adding us to the pick up list?” Coyote asked, “I’m hurt, Y/N.”
“Sweetheart…” Bradley started.
“Oh you’re already emergency contact, Man.” Jake called, “Only hiccup was she didn’t know what to put for the relationship.”
“I’m good then!” He beamed, “And Daddy Rooster is my title, Sweetheart.”
“Not putting that on the paperwork, Bradley.” you laughed.
“I told her to shorten it.” Jake added.
“Sweetheart, just put down whatever you’re comfortable with.” Bradley said, smiling at you. Phoenix took her phone back from him so you were looking at her.
“Hey, seriously, Y/N.” She said, “Add us all to the pick up list. You never know when you’ll need someone to get her and this way you’re covered. You know we’re all trustworthy… some more than others of course… but we all love that little girl. Now, finish filling out the paperwork and bring her to us…”
“Yes, ma’am.” You replied, laughing. After hanging up, you quickly finished the paperwork. You decided to put down Daddy under the relationship and when you handed the paperwork to the director you explained the situation. She smiled and reassured you that yours wasn’t the first nor the last unconventional family to come through the center and the most important thing was that Gracie was clearly surrounded by people who loved hear dearly.
Confident that you’d made the right choice, you all left, with a list of supplies she’d need for her first day the following week.
You made your way to the base, stopping for lunch on the way so that you can feed Gracie. You knew that once you lef the base she’d need a nap.
“Ready to go see Daddy Rooster, Princess G?” Jake asked, as he was waved through the guard gate on base.
“Yes!” She exclaimed happily from her carseat. “Daddy Woosta! We see Aunty Nix too?”
“We sure will, Sweet girl!” You promised, “Everyone is waiting and so excited to see you!”
Jake drove around to the front of the hangar and parked his truck next to Bradley’s Bronco.
“Mommy!’ Gracie yelled from the backseat, “Dat’s Daddy Woosta’s Bwoo twuck!”
“It is!” You confirmed, “And here he comes now.” Bradley was making his way out of the building, too impatient to wait for you all to come inside. Phoenix, apparently just as impatient, but whether it was to see Gracie or Jake you weren’t entirely sure. You unbuckled your seatbelt and got out of the truck as Bradley got to you.
“Hey, Sweetheart.” He said, wrapping arm around your waist and lowering his head to kiss you softly. “I missed you.”
“It’s only been a few hours,” You reasoned,  kissing him back, “But I missed you too.”
“Where’s my girl?” He asked, opening the back door to the truck. “There’s my princess!”
“Daddy Woosta!” Gracie exclaimed, squirming in her seat, making grabby hands towards Bradley. He quickly unbuckled her carseat and pulled her out of the truck. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, dropping a kiss in her soft curls.
“I missed you, Princess.” Bradley said, pulling back to look at her, “Did you have fun today?”
“I miss you too.” She said, “Yes! I go pway and Mommy and Unco Jakey ask wots of stuffs!”
“We were thorough.” Jake shrugged, smiling when nugged him. “Not just anyone can take care of Princess G.”
“They have tight security protocols in place?” Bradley asked
“Nobody is allowed inside the center that isn’t on the list. There’s a bell with a camera out front you have to ring in unless you have a keycard. If your name isn’t on the list of approved pick up and you don’t have proper ID you aren’t allowed to take the child from the property.” Jake confirmed, “If an attempt is made by a non-approved pick up person, the parents are notified as are the authorities if there is an order of protection in place.”
“Perfect.” Bradley said approvingly, “So our Princess will be nice and safe while she’s not in with us. Did you like the kids and your new classroom, Princess?”
“Yes!” She squealed, “I have fwends! Mommy says I go back and pway!”
“Next week you’ll go back and Mommy will go to work.” You said.
“How about this weekend, Mommy and I take you to go buy a backpack perfect for a Princess?” Bradley asked. “You’ll need a backpack to carry all your pretty pictures that you color at daycare home in.”
“Yes!” Gracie agreed, happily.
“Hey!” Coyote yelled through the open door, “The rest of the squad and Mav are wondering why you’re keeping our little Gracie Nugget out here and not sharing her? It’s rude.”
“He’s right.” Phoenix agreed, reaching over to take Gracie from Bradley. “It is rude. Come on, Sweetie, let’s go play with the rest of the squad. They’re more fun.”
Friday  night the squad descended on the house for the weekly dinner. While you were normally the one that did the majority of the cooking, this time, they’d all pulled together and organized amongst themselves to pull off the dinner so that you just got to sit back and take it all in. Unfortunately you weren’t very good at doing nothing, so you found yourself full of nervous energy.
“Sweetheart, you running back and forth to refill stuff defeats the purpose of us all taking care of you for a change.” Bradley said gently, reaching for the bowl of cut up fruit in your hand.
“I don’t know if you noticed, but I kinda suck at doing nothing, Bradley.” You sighed, “I also don’t do so well stayin’ out of my head when I’m not busy…”
“Come here,” He said, pulling you into his arms. You wrapped your own around his middle, resting your head against his chest. “I know telling you it’s going to be ok isn’t helpful. The anxiety is real, you’ve been living in this limbo for too long. But I WILL tell you, you are not alone. I am here. Jake is here. The whole team is here.”
“Thank you.” You whispered, “I honestly don’t know what I would do without you, Bradley.”
“Sweetheart, you’re never going to have to find out.” He promised. “I am not going anywhere. I have a strict no return policy, so I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”
“Damnit, Tulip.” Jake teased, coming up behind you, “I told you to read return policies before taking in stray chickens. Now we’re stuck with him”
“You love him and you know it.” Phoenix said, laughing.
“He’s alright.” Jake winked, taking Phoenix’s hand as they walked past into the house.
“He’s an idiot.” You laughed, once they’d gone inside.
“He is.” Bradley agreed, smirking, “But he’s our idiot and we’re stuck with him.”
“We are.” You said, “Wouldn’t want it any other way.”
You spent the weekend getting ready to start your new job at the Hard Deck, which mainly just included making sure Gracie had everything she needed to start daycare. As promised, you and Bradley took Gracie to find the perfect backpack for her. She picked out a Disney Princess backpack (not surprisingly). You let her pick up new toddler panties as she’d done really well with potty training over the last several days. You were hoping it would continue with being at daycare, but you grabbed another pack of pullups just in case.
Sunday Jake and Phoenix one again stole Gracie for the day, taking her to a splash pad and park. Bradley picked you up early and drove you out to a hangar in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. He got Mav to let him borrow his plane to take you for a ride. It was amazing to be in Bradley’s world, to experience a small part of what he loved.
“That, was AMAZING!” You gushed, once he’d landed and come around to help you down from the plane. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him down to connect your lips in a soft kiss. “Thank you for sharing your world with me.”
“Sweetheart, I’ll happily share my entire world with you.” He replied. “I’m glad you enjoyed flying though.”
“I’ve never been in a plane so small before.” You said. “I think I just enjoyed it because I fully trust the Pilot.”
“I’m happy to hear that, Sweetheart,” He laughed, kissing you again. “Ready to head back?”
After securing the plane and locking the hangar up for Mav, Bradley led you to the Bronco, opening the passenger door and helping you in. He made sure to lean over to steal a final kiss before making his way around to the driver’s side.
“How would you feel about us stealing our girl back from Jake and Phoenix and kicking them out for the night?” Bradley asked as you headed back to town from the Hangar. “I think they need a date night. We can spend time with Gracie then once we get her tucked in we can have our own date night in.”
“I love that idea.” You said, smiling over at him. “I really love that you get to take her to her first day of daycare with me tomorrow. I’m going to be an emotional wreck.”
“I’m not sure I won’t be a wreck right along with you, Sweetheart.” He admitted. “Will she go all day?”
“Yeah, she goes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while I work.” You said, “I don’t have to be at the bar until 10 though, we’ll have time to recover after dropping her off before I have to go work.”
“I can take you to work and then go take care of some stuff and pick you back up when you’re done.” He offered, “Then we can go get Gracie from daycare after and treat her to ice cream after her first day.”
“Sounds perfect.” You agreed, “Tomorrow night will need to be really low key and an early night. I’m going to be a nervous wreck.”
“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do, Sweetheart.” He said.
When you arrived home, Jake and Phoenix had been happy to take you up on date night, but made it known they would be tagging in for  pick up the next day since they’d miss first day drop off. You had a feeling that Gracie’s first day of Kindergarten was going to be  whole production.
After lots of extra playtime and Gracie insisting on Daddy Rooster being the one to read her a bedtime story, you had finally gotten her tucked in and off to dreamland. You and Bradley spent the rest of the night cuddled up on the couch watching a movie before heading to bed to fall asleep tucked into one another’s arms.
Monday morning you woke up wrapped in Bradley’s arms, your legs intertwined with his. Not quite ready to leave his embrace, snuggle down further into him, tucking your face back into the crook of his shoulder.
“Morning, Sweetheart.” He chuckled, his voice deep from sleep.
“Five more minutes.” You mumbled into his neck, “I’m too comfy. You’re so warm.”
“No arguments here.” He replied, “The alarm hasn’t gone off yet, so I think we have a few more minutes.”
“I like waking up in your arms.” You said, lifting your head just enough to be heard, “And I sleep better with you… listening to your heartbeat… feeling your warmth, the smell of your body wash mixed with jet fuel…”
“I sleep better with you too, Sweetheart.” He admitted, “And I definitely love waking up with you in my arms. I don’t know if I should be offended by the jet fuel comment thought.”
“NO!” You said, shooting up to look at him, only to see the sparkle of amusement in his eyes. You playfully slapped him and settled back down so you were once more laying on his chest, “You just have a unique scent’s that’s beyond just your body wash and it’s very comforting.”
“You’re cute when you’re riled up.” He laughed. “We should probably get going so we can get our Princess some breakfast and make sure everything is perfect without having to rush.”
“We have to make sure we take picture too.” You reminded him, “Jake made me promise I’d get some since he won’t be home this morning to take them.”
“Let’s rock and roll then, Sweetheart.” He said lifting his head to kiss the top of yours.
The two of you got up and got ready before Bradley headed off to the kitchen to start getting breakfast ready while you went in and got Gracie up.
She was excited to go to her new “school” so she sprung right up and you got her dressed in a pair of cute knit shorts and a Disney Princess t-shirt. She wanted her hair in two pony tails so you pulled her curly hair into two matching pony tails with small purple bows to match her shirt. Once she was dressed you ushered her out to the kitchen to get breakfast.
“There’s my beautiful Princess!” Bradley said when Gracie walked into the kitchen, “Are you hungry baby girl?”
“Yes pwease!” She answered, heading directly to Bradley and lifting her arms up to be picked up. Bradley quickly wiped his hands on the towel and picked her up, covering her face in kisses, causing her to burst into a round of giggles. “Dat tickles Daddy!”
“I had to make sure I gave you lots and lots of kisses to get you through the day!” He explained, “I didn’t want you to run outta power half way through.”
“You siwy!” She laughed, but then leaned forward and placed several kisses on Bradleys face in return. “You have powa now too!”
“Thank you, Princess!” He smiled, “Now I’ll make it all day until I see you again tonight.”
“Alright, my two crazies, time for breakfast.” You said, chucklling at their antics, “We need to get you fed, then Uncle Jakey wants us to take lots of pictures so he can see how pretty and grown up you look heading off to your first day!”
After breakfast you all headed outside to the front porch for pictures you made sure to snap some of just Gracie, then took a few of Gracie with Bradley, he got a few with you and her before finally taking some in selfie mode with all three of you. It may have been a little overkill for just a first day at daycare but it was also the first day of a fresh start of sorts.
Drop off went pretty smooth… as far as Gracie was concerned. She went right in and was excited to play with the kids. You and Bradley managed to hold it together until you were back in the Bronco and then there were a few tears shed.
“We’re going to be absolute wrecks when we take her to kindergarten.” He chuckled, glancing over at you.
“Or when she graduates high school.” You smiled over at him. “Does it seem crazy that we’ve only known one another for a short time but we’re already in so deep… that when I picture the future for Gracie and me, no version of it is without you?”
“Sweetheart, it’s not crazy.” He assure you. “I really believe that when people are meant to be and they find each other time doesn’t matter. We will do this at whatever pace we determine is right.” He turned so that his body was facing you and he took your hands in his own, “And the only future I want is one with you and Gracie. You two are my entire world.”
To keep the emotions from bubbling up you leaned over and connected your lips with his in a gentle kiss. Smiling against him.
“We’re on the same page then.” You said.
You sent several pictures to the group chat while Bradley drove you back home.  You got stuff ready for dinner that night before needing to get ready for work. Bradley dropped you off at the Hard Deck, promising to come back as soon as he ran some errands.
Penny showed you the books and the inventory lists on the computer, explaining the system. You spent the afternoon familiarizing yourself with the system and making a list of what was running low and what would be needed sooner rather than later. Bradley arrived a few hours after dropping you off and sat at the bar chatting with Penny until you were ready to head out for the day.
“I think I’ve got a good handle on the current system.” You said coming out to bar area from the back office, “I started a list of what’s running low and can finalize what needs to be ordered on Wednesday when I’m back.”
“Sounds good.” She replied, “So tomorrow morning… what time do you need me there?”
“My lawyer wants to meet before going in, so we need to be at the courthouse at 8.” You replied, “I can’t thank you enough for staying with Gracie, Penny. Just knowing she’s going to be safe and taken care of takes lot off of my shoulders.”
“Sweetie, you do not need to thanke me one bit.” She assured you, “I’m more than happy to spend time with that sweet little girl. You just focus on getting yourself free from that piece of shit and staying strong tomorrow, ok?”
“Ok” You said, smiling. “I can handle that.”
“Perfect.” She said, coming around the bar to wrap you in a hug, “Rooster, take this sweet one home to spend time with her baby and I’ll see you both in the morning.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” He replied wrapping his arm around your waist and guiding you out of the bar.
As per the deal the night before, Jake and Phoenix got to pick up Gracie from daycare and bring her home. They stopped on the way for a slushie to celebrate and to hear all about her first day. When they arrived you had already changed clothes were working in the kitchen on dinner with Bradley.
“Mommy, we home!” Gracie called when they arrived. You could hear Jake prompting her to take off her shoes and little backpack before she came running to the kitchen.
“How was your first day of daycare, Sweet Girl” You asked, wiping your hands of and scooping her up into your arms. “Did you have so much fun?”
“Yes!” She confirmed, “I dwawed, pwayed, and wead books!”
“That sounds like a very full day!” Bradley said, stepping over and kissing her head, “Did you have enough power?”
“Yes!” She laughed, holding her hands out to Bradley, who immediately pulled her into his arms.
“I missed you today, Princess.” He said, giving her snuggles.
“I missed you too, Daddy Woosta.” She replied, hugging him back tightly.
“How did pick up go?” You asked,  as Jake and Phoenix walked into the kitchen, “Did they give you any trouble?”
“Nope.” Jake smiled, “They remembered me from last week and I have the card so no issues. They said she had a fantastic day. Already making lots of new friends.”
“Are we surprised?” You asked, laughing, “She’s one hundred percent her uncle when it comes to being an extrovert.”
“We may need to work on the whole ‘stranger danger’ thing with her.” Jake acknowledged, “She’s probably a little too friendly.”
That night you and Bradley both tucked Gracie into bed after reading her a book and going through the nightly routine of bathtime and snuggles with Uncle Jakey while watching one episode of whatever classic cartoon Jake managed to find for that night. He was determined that Gracie would be exposed to all of the great classic cartoons we’d grown up on.
“Sweet dreams, Princess.” Bradley said, leaning down to kiss her forehead, “I love you.”
“I wuv you too, Daddy Woosta.” She replied softly, smiling at him. He stood up and made room for you to move in to sit next to her.
“I love you Sweet Girl.” You said, leaning down to hug her and kiss her, “Sweetest of dreams, Baby.”
“Wuv you, Mommy” She replied, hugging you back.
The next morning you were on autopilot getting ready. Bradley and Jake did their best to make sure you at least tried to eat some breakfast but your anxiety was really high and the thought of food made you want to throw up.
“Tulip, you need to eat something.” Jake said, “Even if it’s just toast. If you don’t, you’ll pass out in court.”
“He’s right, Sweetheart.” Bradley agreed, “Maybe eat a slice of toast and a half of banana.”
“Mommy, you sick?” Gracie asked, concerned, not knowing what was happening but picking up on something being off with her adults.
“No, Sweet Girl.” You reassured her, forcing a small smile, “Mommy just has butterflies in her belly this morning.”
“Mommy, you siwy” She giggled, “You eat my nana?”
“That’s so sweet of you, Baby,” you smiled, “You need to eat your banana so you have energy to play with Penny today. Mommy will get another banana ok?”
Penny arrived not long after and quickly took over with Gracie so that the three of you could get out the door.
Jake sent a text to everyone letting them know you were headin the courthouse so they could plan their arrival accordingly. You didn’t know but they’d all made arrangements to take the day off to there to support you. Mav had put in a word with the higher ups to get it approved.  
“It’s going to be OK, Tulip.” Jake said confidently, standing outside of the courthouse. “No matter the outcome of today’s hearing, in the end, it’s all going work out. Keep your head up, we’ve all got you.”
“We’re right here by your side, Sweetheart.” Bradley added, “Not going anywhere, no matter what happens. None of us are.”
“There’s zero chance I’d make it through this without you guys.” You said, your voice shaky with emotion. “Thank you both for being my strength when I’m not so sure I can be strong on my own.”
“Y/N Seresin you are the strongest woman I know.” Jake said, “Even when you don’t believe it. You’d be just fine on your own, but you’ll never have to find out. We love you and we’ll always have your back.”
“Every one of us.” Phoenix said walking over to you. You turned to see the entire Squadron and Mav waking up. Overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from your new found family you turned into Bradley’s embrace and burst into tears. Knowing the reason behind the tears, Jake added his support hugging you from behind, sandwhiching you in the middle of himself and Bradley. The rest of team formed a huddle, essentially forming one giant group hug.
“I can add this to the list of unexpected experiences.” Jake joked, trying to ease your anxiety. “Glad I showered this morning.”
You let you a laugh, muffled by Bradley’s chest. The squad started to separate allowing you to take a step back and look at everyone.
“Y’all are the best.” You said, “Obviously I can’t even put into words how much this means to me that you’re all here.”
“Nowhere we’d rather be.” Phoenix said smiling, slipping her hand into Jake’s.
“And that’s saying a lot coming from a bunch of aviators who’d always rather be in the air than on the ground.” Coyote added. “But you don’t mess with one of our own without getting all of us.”
“We should get inside, Ms. Kennedy wants meet with Tulip before going in.” Jake said, ushering everyone toward the entrance.
Bradley took your hand walking along side you into the building. Once inside you all had to go through security and then were directed toward the correct courtroom. Lauren was waiting outside when you all got there.
“Good morning, Y/N.” Lauren greeted, smiling,“Looks like you have your whole support system in attendance today.”
“Yes, ma’am.” You smiled back, “My family has expanded over the last month. I’m very lucky to have them all in my corner.”
“You can never have too many in your corner.” She said, “If you want to come on into the conference room with me, we can go over what to expect today.”
“We’ll go in and get seated, Y/N.” Mav said, “Keep your chin up, Kid. You’ve got this.”
“Thank you, Mav.” You replied, smiling at him, then you turned to Lauren, “Can Jake and Bradley come in with us?”
“Absoultely.” She replied, leading the way into the conference room a few doors down from the courtroom you’d be in shortly. “Jake, I’ve met, Bradley, you  I’ve only heard about. You were there both times Trent showed up and broke the court order?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Bradley replied, “It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for everything you’re doing for Y/N and Gracie.”
“It’s absolutely my pleasure.” She replied, “I’m glad Y/N has such an amazing support team. I take it, you’ve take my advice then and have started living again, Y/N?”
“Yes.” You replied, looking over at Bradley and smiling. “We were actually coming back from our first date when Trent showed up the first time. Things have progressed since then.”
“Good. You look happy,” She observed, “You deserve to be happy. How’s Gracie doing, she’s pretty little, so I’m guessing she’s pretty resilient and not aware of everything going on around her.”
“She’s great.” You beamed, “She picks up on when emotions are running high. She knew something was wrong when Trent showed up and Nat sent her out to get Jake and Bradley. But she’s a happy little girl that makes friends wherever she goes.”
“She’s already claimed Bradley as her own.” Jake added, winking at you. “She’s got the whole squadron wrapped around her little Princess finger.”
“She owns me.” Bradley admitted, chuckling. Looking at you, smiling he added, “Her momma does too.”
“Alright, that’s exactly what I love to hear.” Lauren said, smiling at the three of you. “Let’s make sure when we leave here today we have all the loose ends tied up to allow you to move foreward with your new family, Y/N.”
“Is that a possibility?” You asked, afraid to get your hopes up. “I figured Trent would do something to drag it all out somehow.”
“In this case, his actions have tied his hands. Literally and figuratively.” She said. “He’s established that he’s verbally abusive and left marks on you while trying to forceuflly remove you from your residence against your will. You’re not asking for anything other than what you left Texas with. You’ve got the order of protection that was violated twice… Sweetie, the odds are in your favor that the judge will happily grant you the divorce today. In terms of disolving Trent’s parental rights, again we can establish he’s a danger to Gracie’s wellbeing, we can establish a lack of involvement prior to the request based on the texts we saved, and he was planning on removing her from your residence along with you against your will. He will be doing jail time for the second violation of the order of protection and we can use that to our advantage as well. It at least gets you full custody with zero visitation from him.”
“I don’t want him being anything to my little girl.” You said. “I know I can’t erase her DNA, but I need to erase him from her life on paper… please help me do that.”
“I will be pushing for that, Y/N.” Lauren assured you. “Is there another reason you’d need Trent to sign away his rights or to have them removed?”
“So that I can give Gracie the daddy she deserves.” You whispered, “The daddy she loves and who loves her.”
“Sweetheart.” Bradley said, taking your hand and turning you to face him, “It doesn’t matter what a piece of paper says or what DNA says, or even what her last name is. That little Princess is already my baby girl and will be my baby girl forever.”
“He’s right, Tulip.” Jake added softly, “She’s already claimed him as her Daddy Woosta. She doesn’t care if it’s not official in the courts. To her it’s already real. And he’s ‘daddy’ on the emergency contact list at daycare so I’d say that’s official.”
“I’d say that’s about all that matters too.” Lauren said, “The rest is just the icing on the cake. I’ll do my best to make sure that cake has icing when you’re ready to add it. Sound like a plan?”
“Yes. Thank you.” You replied, wiping tears from your eyes. “He won’t be physically allowed in the courtroom today, right?  Just his lawyer can appear?”
“Correct.” Lauren said, “Due to him being currently incarcerated pending his court appearance and due to the order of protection.”
“Ok.” You replied, taking a deep breath. “I’m ready whenever you are.”
“Alright. The judge is due into court in about fifteen minutes so let’s go in and get seated until your case is called.” Lauren said, “I believe yours is the first one on the docket for the day.”
The three of you walked back down to the courtroom where the others had already gone in and found seats close to them but where you were directed to sit by the court deputy. You tried to keep from bouncing out of the chair with nervous energy. Jake ended up holding one of your hands and Bradley holding the other in order to prevent you from twisting them into knots.
“Breathe, Sweetheart.” Bradley whispered, “It’ll all be over soon.”  
Jake squeezed the hand he was holding three times to let you know he loved you, you squeezed back, looking over with a small smile.
“All rise for the Honorable Judge Edwards” The deputy called out. Everyone stood while the judge walked into the courtroom from his chambers and took his spot.
“You may be seated” He said.
The deputy called the first court of the day, your case. Lauren stood up and addressed the Judge going over what was requested and a little bit of the history. He took a moment to review the files in front of him, asking her clarifying questions here and there. The entire time you sat there, feeling as though you would throw up from the nerves. You regretted eating the  banana and toast that morning, and prayed it didn’t make a reappearence in the courtroom.
“After reviewing everything Ms. Kennedy has provided as well as the countersuits provided by Mr. Andrews on behalf of his client, and taking into consideration the two violations of the order of protection put into place not even a month ago,” Judge Edwards said, “It’s really a no brainer here on dissolving this marriage. Mr. Andrews, you can relay to your client that even though it wasn’t requested, I am ordering that all assets be split equally between parties. I cannot in good conscience allow this young woman who has already been through the wringer, to walk away with nothing, especially when there is a child involved. I’m assuming young lady, and correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I saw an added note for a request for name change in this paperwork, so is ok if I address you as Ms. Seresin?”
“Yes, You Honor.” You said, standing up next to Lauren when she held her hand out to you and smiled.
“Ms. Seresin.” He continued, “I am happy to push that name change through for you as well here today, I’m sure you remember how much work is involved in changing your name, but I don’t blame you one bit. As for the custody and  parental rights of the your child. I would love to settle that for you today, but that is not within my power to do so. I will be referring you to a family court and will personally put a rush on that, there are a few judges over there that owe me favors. Mr. Owens, you would be wise to advise your client it would be in his best interests to think about coming to an agreement ahead of the next court date. Is there anything else I can do for you today, Ms. Seresin?”
“No, Sir.” You replied, your voice shaking with emotion.  “Thank you so much for everything you’ve already done, Your Honor.”
“You’re very welcome.” He replied, “You are a free woman, Ms. Seresin.  Ms. Kennedy, file this at the clerk’s desk on your way out, they’ll get it expedited for you.”
“Thank you, Your Honor.” She replied. She turned towards you and motioned for you all to head towards the exit.
Once you were out of the courtroom you collapsed into Bradley’s arms, overcome with the mixed emotions. You were elated to finally be freed from Trent, but devastated that you hadne’t yet freed your little girl. Bradley held you tightly to him, supporting you against him, letting you breathe and reign in the tears.
“It’s all Ok, Sweetheart.” he whispered, “Let it out. I’ve got you.”
“We’re halfway there, Tulip.” Jake said, rubbing your back, “We had to get you out in order to get Princess G out, Ok?”
“They’re right, Sweetie.” Lauren said gently, “This is good. Judge Edwards was our best case scenario today. I’ve known him for years. He was actually the judge that got me out of my marriage. I knew we had this in the bag when I saw the docket. His friends in the family court will be the same way. It’s no longer a matter of ‘If”, Y/N. It’s now just ‘when’.”
“So what happens now?” You asked, finding your voice.
“Now…” She said, smiling, “I go get copies of these papers, and then I file them with the clerk. These papers mean you, Y/N, are no longer married to Trent. They mean your legal last name is once more Seresin… meaning a very long wait at the DMV and Social Security office… and they mean you get to 100% take back your life. I will get the custody and parental rights forms refiled with Judge Edwards signatures so they’re rushed. I’ll call you when I hear anything, ok?”
“Thank you.” You choked out past the trears once more clogging your throat, “Thank you so much for everything.”
“You’re so welcome, Sweetie.” She replied, hugging you. “Let’s get your copies so you can go celebrate with your family.”
Once outside of the courthouse, you stopped and took a deep breath, tipping your head back to  let the sun wash over your face, the warmth of it washing away all of the worries, the anxiety, the unhappiness. You were finally free of Trent. You were Y/N Seresin again.
“I’d say this calls for a celebration.” Mav said. “Since we’ve got the day off, let’s head to the beach. I’ll get pizzas and coolers of drinks and everyone can let off some steam.”
“Sounds good to me!” Fanboy agreed.
“I’m in!” Bob said.
“Dogfight Football!” Coyote cheered.
“What do you think, Tulip?” Jake asked, “Beach day with the fam? Gracie can nap there under the umbrella when she’s sleepy.”
“I think it sounds perfect.” You agreed, smiling at them all. Jake and Phoenix walked ahead with the others, everyone discussing plans for the impromptu beach day.
“You Ok, Sweetheart?” Bradley asked, slipping his hand into yours, entwining your fingers together as you slowly started to walk to the truck.
You paused walking, pulling Bradley to a stop with you. He looked down at you with a look of concern until he saw you smiling up at him.
“I’m not married.” You said, letting go of his hand so you could wrap your arms around his neck.
“No you’re not.” He agreed, smiling down at you, his own arms wrapping around your waist.
“I’m 100% free to date and give my heart to whomever I want.” You said, your smile growning.
“You are.” He agreed, his own smile growing with your words.
“I was waiting for this moment.” You said, taking a deep breath, your eyes getting lost in his own,  “I love you Bradley Bradshaw, so, so much. I have since the first night you stayed over… maybe even before that… and it scared me at first but only because I thought I was stuck and you deserved someone who could love you freely without all of the baggage… but I AM free… so you’re stuck with me now, no returns and all that…”
He stopped your babbling, leaning down and capturing your lips with his own, pouring all of the love he’s felt but hasn’t said out loud into the kiss. His tongue licked over your lips seeking entrance, which you granted, your own tongue dancing over his, as the kiss deepened.
“I love you too, Y/N Seresin.” He rasped, when the need for oxygen drew the two of you apart. “I love you so damn much. No returns. No givebacks. It’s for keeps.”
“Let’s go get our girl and go to the beach.” You said, stealing another kiss. “It’s time to celebrate our fresh start.”
“Let’s get our girl.” He agreed.
A/N: I am SO sorry for the wait on that one! I promise there is more to come! There are TWO more planned chapters this story, so stay tuned!!! What are your thoughts on this one??? 
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days-until-burnout ¡ 5 months ago
Text
Day 4 -
Characters - Pearl/Geminitay Words - 480 Time - 15 mins Content - fluff | gem being down bad
“G’day!”
Gem nearly dropped the tray, knocked another other tray over, and made a bigger mess of flour—all from just a greeting. She turned towards the voice, heart jumping to her throat as she did. It was her confirmation. Her reassurance that she was, in fact, doomed.
“Mornin’ Gem!” Pearl greeted again, soft smile still on her lips. A strand of brown hair fell over her eye when she tilted her head, that curious look in her eyes. Gem was never insecure nor cared about her height the way Joel did, but she had half the mind to admit that yes, Pearl was freakishly tall. “Did I scare you? You know I don’t mean to, you know that, right, Gem?”
“Uh– Ye– Yeah, I know, it’s okay– It’s okay, Pearl. Just, you know,” she set the tray down, pushed the other closer to the middle too. She was lucky Joel wasn’t in, or anyone for that matter, she would like to live this down eventually. She straightened her apron, only smearing flour into it so she looked away, composed herself as best as she could, “Was just in my head. Thinking about stuff… Important stuff! Very��� um… important, yeah…”
Pearl’s eyes twinkled, softly. Her smile remained smitten, and Gem refused to believe it was for her. Instead, she tapped the table, straightened herself, and put on a facade.
“Anyways! How can I help you today, Pearl? You’re a bit early, so there’s not much ready yet. But I can definitively take your order and you can have dibs on whatever you want!”
“Oh!” Pearl lit up, jumped a little. Her fists raised and she did a little cheer, some small dance, then they went behind her back as she took a step forward, leaning closer to Gem, too close she might heart Gem’s pounding heart. “But, won’t Joel be mad at you? Everyone knows how he gets.”
“He doesn’t need to know,” Gem said quietly, playfully. She mustered courage to look at her, gave her a wink as she brought her index to her lips. She smiled, for her, genuinely. 
And how could Gem not melt when Pearl smiled back?
This was worth it. This moment with Pearl, their little secret. She could deal with Joel later, she’d fight the world twice over if it meant she could have this quiet moment with Pearl in the early morning hours. The sky dark, few people awake, just them in the bakery kitchen. 
Alone. 
All alone.
The thought made Gem’s heart skip again, and it wasn’t a train of thought she could afford to board. Not when Pearl was walking closer, asking about products available. Gem couldn’t spare thoughts, not a single thought, not when Pearl’s hand brushed hers when they both reached for the pad of paper. 
She was never going to hear the end of it once Joel found out.
_____
continuation of day 3, which means that day 5 might be the joel one. maybe. not sure but very likely, if i dont come up with anything else tomorrow lol on another note, first time writing gempearl. this was literally me 2 mins into writing
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also, unrelated, but tagging is like my least favorite thing to do. on tumblr and even on ao3. which is why the tags remain pretty simple, and i will most likely keep them the same aside from shipping/non-shipping, suggestive (and nsfw if i ever do) tags that i will sort out on the weekend. but but but, eh, anything bad is literally at the top where content is
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kame-writes ¡ 7 months ago
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Concerning the media overlords au:
First of all: I love it! Thank you for sharing the idea with us <33
Second: Does Alastor live in the tower with the other Vees? And does Alastor still move into the hotel? If yes, on a scale of one to absolutely how sad/pissed/jealous is Vox after receiving this info?
3. I'd like to imagine Velvette's fingers are constantly itching to get ahold of that handsome deer man, who doesn't know how to dress himself properly or trendy, and give his wardrobe an upgrade. Could you imagine this happening? (Maybe with lots of alcohol involved. So that he would at least temporarily let her experiment with his clothes. Bonus points if she is able to take picture too. Vox would obviously make himself some copies for.. private reasons...) Do you see my vision?? Can you see it??
4. Can Vox convince Alastor to do more audio features within their network? Like podcasts or interviews and the like? Or are they just screams as well? (I recently discovered a podcast about cooking, where each week they talk about one ingredient and explain a recipe with it. I think this would fit Alastor's preferences very well.. tho the ingredients might not be as commonly used now that I think about it... anyhow... now I can't stop thinking about Hannibal and Alastor hosting a food podcast.. oops.. sorry, but not really)
5. You mentioned that Husk still works in his casino, if he isn't needed. Do you have any headcanons for Niffty's whereabouts?
Anyway that's all for now! Have a lovely day/night! <33
p.s. Sorry if this ask is intrusive. For some questions it's pretty clear that I've already imagined something for myself that may or may not fit with your vision of this au. If you feel like I overstepped, feel free to ignore this or send me an alastor_fuck_u. gif :D
Im am very happy to have questions asked! You have no idea how many ideas i have and dont know what to do with xD
I'd love to see other peoples headcanons and ideas for this universe, if anyone does anything for it then please tag me so i can see ^^
This is gonna get long so I've put it under a read more
2: No one is really sure if he lives there or just works there. He HAS his own suite in the tower, but he's not always there when they go look for him, and not being able to find him is very a common occurrence, made more frustrating because he refuses to carry or awnser the mobile phone they forced on him. He hangs around in the common areas like the kitchen and living room sometimes. And if they do manage to rope him into something like a movie night its a huge hassle, because he will insist on a black and white or silent film if he HAS to engage with the tv, and Vel and Val hate those.
The whole top of the Tower is dominated by his large Radio tower though, its slightly seperated from the rest of the building, suspended above it with a staircase/ladder to enter the hatch. Valentino is usually not brave enough to check there for Alastor.
Its the same with the hotel. He does move into his own room there, but goes back and forth a lot, and doesnt have a schedule. Vox tires to pretend hes fine with it at first but often ends up the hotel to be a pain in the ass to Charlie, and getting kicked out by the staff of Alastor. Hes convinced himself that Alastor will lose interest sooner rather than later, and the others just tune out his whining at this point. No one buys it when he claims he didnt even notice Alastor was gone as soon as the Radio Demon gets back to the tower.
3: I may be planning to draw this haha He does let her dress him up ocassionally, he has a few differant suits he's approved of and kept, but does wear his original the most the time. Velvette has a line of 'Vintage chic' clothing that partly started as a way to get Alastor to agree to changing his 'ratty ass old man style' by appealing to clothes that were updated takes on his era. He still very rarely leaves the tower in anything but his own usual attire.
He does on rare occasions allow photos to be taken of him by the vees (and once, later on by charlie, under strict instructions that she keeps it to herself) but no video. And none under any circumstances are allowed on social media. He has blown up a few phones that have attempted, both the Vees and employees.
4: Alastor has agreed to be on a podcast a few times, but its rare, and only if its somehting hes really interested in talking about. It's one of the few modern things he approves of since its just a version of a radio talk show. Same with interviews, he keeps them even more extremly rare, and the mystery of the radio Demon keeps sinners in fear more than him being in the public. Vox always wants him to do more since the ratings sky rocket when Alastor features.
When Alastor has done an interview it is with his back to the camera, and sitting in a large wingbacked stupidly over the top ornate chair, that hides him from being seen, except maybe the top tuffs of his ears and antlers. And he doesnt reveal much about himself when he does. The chair is partly to hide him, and partly to stop the equitment form glitching too much. He likes to pulls faces and makes gestures deliberatly made to make Vox falter and look stupid on camera, since hes the only one who can see him in that chair.
He has teased on his own radio show that one 'lucky' sinner may get the chance to be on both a guest star on his radio broadcast AND a livestream if the mood takes. Valentino had to inform him that what he's referring to is called a snuff film
5: Niffty gets moved to the hotel pretty much full time once Alastor gets involved, Husk is a part time employee, but ends up spending less time at his casino as time goes on.
Valentino is happy Niffty is gone because she creeps him out, she ocassionally hung around his studio during work hours, especially if theyre doing a scene with 'bad boys'. Vox isn't bothered. Velvette is not happy, especially that Niffty is reduced to a maid/janitor for the hotel, and makes that very known to Alastor. Velvette loves Niffty, they are chaos sisters and work on very sketchy sounding potions together, and gang up against the boys.
Niffty is also a great seamstress herself and brings her designs to Velvette like an excited child showing off their latest art project. Almost none of these get used, but Vel has fun forcing models to parade around the studio and work in something Nifftys made, they often include bugs and bodyparts, Velvette finds this halarious.
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seiya-starsniper ¡ 5 months ago
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Six Degrees of Separation - Ch 3 (Sandman x Dead Boy Detectives)
Relationships: Dream of the Endless | Morpheus/Hob Gadling, Edwin Paine | Edwin Payne/Charles Rowland, Crystal Palace/Charles Rowland (DCU), Johanna Constantine/Jenny Green Rating: Teen & Up | Status: Incomplete | Chapters 3/5 | Words: 3.5K
Tags: POV Multiple, Hob Gadling gives live advice to a bunch of teenagers, while helping them solve cases, that's it that's the fic, also he maybe plays matchmaker for his hot mess bestie
Summary:
The Dead Boy Detectives run into a familiar pub while out on a case, and Crystal has to contend with an unfortunate event from her past. Hob Gadling wasn't planning on adopting three teenagers and a full grown woman, but stranger things have happened in his long centuries of life.
Tumblr Posts: Chapter 1 || Chapter 2
Read Chapter 3 below, or at the above link on AO3
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Crystal thinks she's being clever by hiding in a corner of the pub away from where most of the staff can see, but somehow, Hob finds her anyway and places a steaming hot mug of tea down on the table in front of her. 
“On the house,” he tells her, and Crystal frowns.
“I can pay,” Crystal tries to insist, reaching for her bag to pull out her wallet. Hob shakes his head and shoos away the attempt, and Crystal doesn’t have it in her to fight too hard. Not today anyways. 
“Next time then,” he tells her with an easy smile. “If I’m being honest, you look like you could use a pick-me-up right now anyways.”
She really could. Crystal imagines she looks like shit. Her eyes are bloodshot from crying, and her nose feels stuffy from all the times she’s blown it in the past hour. She hasn’t even bothered trying to hide the pile of used napkins on the table.
“You did say Tuesdays were slow,” Crystal manages to croak out, trying to keep her voice even as she takes the tea in front of her into shaking hands. 
“I did,” Hob agrees, and then he sits down in the chair opposite her and starts taking out what looks like a pile of homework from his canvas bag. “I actually have some papers to grade, if you want some company. I’m happy to listen if you want to talk about it. Or we can just sit here in silence, if you’d like.”
She does want to talk about it, but the problem is, Crystal doesn’t know where to start. Doesn’t know how to tell Hob, who is both a complete stranger and not a stranger at the same time, that her life is both the best and worst it’s ever been in a very long time. She doesn’t know how to tell him that it’s Niko’s birthday today, and that the giant shopping bag next to her on top of the table is full of dozens of manga volumes she’ll never read, but felt the need to buy because, well because .
But, true to his word, Hob doesn't press her for more conversation, instead focusing immediately on the pile of paperwork he'd stacked. Crystal watches him smile when a student gets the answer right, and frown when they get an answer wrong. Every once in a while, his face takes on a bewildered expression, and Crystal wonders just how terribly bad the answer he’s looking at is.
Crystal wonders if Niko would have been in school now if she hadn't died. She seemed happy to simply solve cases with Crystal and the boys once they’d gotten the parasite out of her, but how long would that have lasted? Did Niko want to go to university? Would she have come to London if Crystal asked her to?
“I walked by a bookshop the other day,” Crystal finally offers, unable to keep the raging storm of emotion to herself any longer. Hob looks up from his paper and puts his pen down. She has his full attention now.
“They had a new volume of a manga out on display,” Crystal continues, glancing over at the shopping bag from that exact same store. “I thought, ‘Oh I should tell Niko, she'll be so excited there’s a new volume out!’ But then I remembered Niko’s not here. Niko's not here because she died trying to save me.”
“Ah,” Hob sighs sympathetically. “You're feeling guilty you're alive and she's not.”
It shouldn’t hurt so much to hear it spoken out loud, but Crystal's tears begin anew. She drops her gaze down to the steaming mug of hot tea and blinks them away as best she can, knowing that the hitch in her breathing gives her away anyways. 
“Survivor's guilt is a bitch,” Crystal says, and just like that, the dam of emotions she’d been holding back finally breaks. “I didn't even get to say goodbye ,” she practically wails into her mug. “We get to say goodbye to all these other strangers, to watch them go into their afterlife and I didn't even get to say goodbye to Niko. I hate it.”
It feels good, to finally get it out there in the open. To put words to her heartache, to the giant, endless maw of raw emotion and guilt. Crystal had tried to vocalize how she’d felt to Charles and Edwin, but they were too used to death, to people moving on. It wasn’t that they didn’t care, but they didn’t know what felt like to be left behind, not really. Not when it was all but guaranteed that they’d always have each other. 
“Life's unfair like that, sometimes,” Hob tells her, and the tone of his voice tells Crystal that the immortal is full of unsaid goodbyes himself. “I’m sorry you didn’t get the chance, truly.”
“You would've liked her,” Crystal replies, wanting to move away from the subject before she has another breakdown. The staff at the bookshop had definitely thought she’d gone through a bad breakup when she was paying for everything. Crystal looks back up at Hob and gives him a wry smile. “Probably way more than you liked me. She wouldn't have tried to burn the place down.”
Hob snorts. “I like you just fine as you are now, kid,” he says, returning her smile with one of his own. “Just no more arson attempts and we're good, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Crystal agrees. “Can’t guarantee a different ghost won’t try though.”
“They’re welcome to try,” Hob says, then gestures around the room. “But you’ve seen my wards. Been building them up here for almost twenty years now, not much is getting in or out of here without my permission.”
“How did you end up owning this place anyways?” Crystal asks, curiosity now burning a hole in her. “Charles and Edwin said the other night that when they first met you and were a traveling merchant or something.”
“Ah,” Hob replies, and his expression turns soft and fond. “I have this…friend, and we used to meet once a century at the old White Horse tavern down the road. For drinks. When they shut the place down, I bought this place, so we could still have someone where to go.”
Crystal narrows her eyes at the way Hob says friend and drinks .
“Is that a euphemism?” Crystal asks, and Hob chokes on his tea. “You know it’s 2024 right?” she continues. “Being gay isn’t ille—oh god, ” she cuts herself off, realization dawning upon her. “Are you in a centuries-long situationship? ” 
Hob goes into a full-on coughing fit now, but still manages to vigorously shake his head at the accusation.
“No I—cough—we’re just—cough—friends!” he insists, but Crystal isn’t convinced. 
“What do you even talk about?” she presses. “And who the hell only meets once a century for just drinks? ” she adds, putting the words in air quotes. 
“It’s complicated,” Hob replies, seeming to finally get his breathing under control. “Mostly just this and that,” the man adds, waving his hands around to emphasize the vagueness of their meetings. “You know, current events.”
“Current. Events.” Crystal repeats incredulously. Right. Yeah. Definitely a situationship. “Sure. Whatever you say.”
“You know what, next time he comes in, I’ll introduce you,” Hob huffs indignantly. His face is bright red too, and Crystal just knows that isn’t all from the loss of air to his windpipe just moments ago. “And then you can see we are just friends .”
He looks so serious, so intent on proving Crystal wrong, while still so desperately pining , that she can’t help but burst into laughter. It feels like a cord unwinds in her chest when she does, loosening a pressure she’d forgotten was there. 
“Yeah okay, sure, I’d love to meet you ‘friend’,” she replies, putting the word friend in air quotes. “But for like, actual drinks, and not ‘drinks’”, she adds with an exaggerated wink. Hob grumbles something about ‘kids these days’ which makes her laugh even more. 
----------------------------------
When Crystal leaves The New Inn hours later, her heart and belly both full, she curls up with her gigantic pile of manga and reads while waiting for Edwin and Charles to get back from their latest case. Since their investigation took them to a condemned building that was quite literally falling apart and structurally unsound, Crystal had been ordered to stay home, and wait for Charles and Edwin to bring the evidence back to her. 
When they do eventually make their way back, it’s with Jenny in tow, and she’s holding a giant cake box in her arms. Crystal smiles through the mist in her eyes, when she opens the box and sees ‘Happy Birthday Niko’ in bright red letters. 
“You remembered too, huh?” Crystal hiccups.
“Stop it, I don’t want to cry too,” Jenny replies, her voice also wavering. Her hands are shaking when she places the cake box down on the table. It’s way too much cake for two people to eat, since Edwin and Charles don’t partake, and Crystal thinks she’s going to be eating leftover cake for the next week at least. Jenny handles the cutting of the cake, and when the two of them each have a slice in hand, Edwin clears his throat, directing their attention to him.
“Right then. A celebration of Niko is not complete without Scooby-Doo,” he declares, and though his tone is light and teasing, Crystal can hear the emotional weight behind it too. 
“Right,” Crystal agrees, and when Charles wraps his arm around her, she gives up all pretense of not wanting to cry, and sobs openly into his shoulder. “I’ll get the TV set up. Just—give me a minute.”
Crystal falls asleep to the sound of cartoon feet running away from the latest villain of the week, and in the moments just before her mind is claimed by the Dreaming, she swears she catches the scent of poppies and dandelions.
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