#begie but in a good way

[scenequeensana]

♪ 𝜗𝜚 do you like the way the water taste? 𝜗𝜚 ♪

[that-one-malereader-enthusiast]

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 • 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞

╰┈➤ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐭

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𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭 𝐱 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 || inspo: @nickgoesinsane the post !!!

⟩ » Part One « | Part Two ⟨

cw : MDNI - S1 Lestat, flirting, suggestive content, top male reader, goofy male reader, bagged the baddie by being autistic aesthetic, mentions of sexual interactions, slight Louis jealousy, one-shot.

Thinking of how Lestat would so leisurely find his way onto your leg, his body pressed against yours almost similar to how a feline would greet another. How he would lean his head over as you'd whisper to him what others only wish they could hear.

Ears perking up at the melodic laughter from the blonde beauty himself. His hand having to cover his lips as to stifle his own joy, afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself. Your mere words brought him joy, a rare feeling when it didn't come from either spiting others or showing off his many 'talents'.

You spoiled the man rotten from your presence alone.

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Lestat had become absolutely enthralled with you.

Beforehand, he'd peered his way into your mind and saw you as nothing more than a simpleton who genuinely happened to stumble into a bar. Like a lost puppy, you seemed almost shy, scrambling for help in your mind as the bustling room seemed like a cry out of your comfort zone.

Oh how absolutely wrong he was.

By the time he'd occupied a seat next to you, the blonde man barely had enough time to introduce himself before you perked up and did so first. You were a bit of a motor-mouth, but a smooth one at that. Lestat seemed only partially annoyed as he practically got your life's story before saying a measly five words.

You were the perfect target for a good night, to sate both his needs of hunger. A gluttonous lust he'd have sprung on Louis if the man wasn't so tied up in his own family affairs at the moment. It couldn't have been laid out any better. You were alone, having moved from further down south to try and set up business, but you were lost and passing by.

You had no family or friends worried about you, you weren't of a high enough status to be searched for if gone for more than a day, and better yet, all your belongings were currently on you as you'd been trying to find a place to stay for the night.

Lestat did have to silence you for the moment as you rambled about your current situation. His nimble fingers seemed to caress your jaw, thumb place against your lips. "For such a handsome face, you speak more than you can breathe. Though I can't blame you, having to go through such a harrowing journey with no one willing to help you?"

You seemed to smirk behind his finger, a laugh leaving your slightly chapped lips. "Well, what can I say pretty boy? You simply took my breath away the moment you sat next to lil' ol' me."

Lestat was a bit surprised to say the least as you seemed openly okay with complimenting him in such a way. Many men, caucasian or colored, seemed to keep to themselves or explore behind closed doors. You? Your mind was open and unafraid, bold to say the least—though there wasn't a single degrading thought to behold at that moment, even as the conversation continued.

"Perhaps I could provide you a place for the night? I highly doubt you'd be willing to march to your destination after such a strenuous journey here, pauvre chiot..." Lestat removed his hand, one now tapping against the bar while the other lingered against your open thigh.

"That's mighty sweet of you! So, how could this poor country boy ever repay you for such a kind gesture mista..." You droned on, hoping he'd fill the space in order to finally introduce himself.

"Lestat, Lestat de Lioncourt," he practically purred out.

"Pretty name for an even prettier face. Ya' don't sound like you're from here yourself mister Lestat. Got a story of your own to tell?" You'd now seem almost infatuated with this man who'd barely begin to speak to you, much less offer a place to stay. In the back of your mind, you knew that it was a ploy to sleep with you, maybe even take some of your belongings, but the man seemed much too proper and seemed to hold himself to a higher standing than to be a petty thief.

"Oh, but would you rather I bother you with something more than a story, mon cher?"

"Maybe, but only if you explain what you just said. Sounded somthin' like you were callin' me a cherry. Not to disappoint you, but ain't the first time I've been called a fruit, I'll tell ya that." That seemed to get a genuine chuckle from Lestat, making the smile on your lips widen.

The blonde individual shook his head as his laughter died down. "It seems you are not familiar with the tongue I speak in. Just as it seems you are just as unfamiliar with the French quarter as well."

"I wouldn't mind becoming familiar, whether it be with your tongue or otherwise," you quipped. "I can do much more than yappin' yer ear off, but I do enjoy your voice much more than hearing my own. Wanna get out of this joint? Doesn't seem much like your style Lestat."

If it was an excuse to finally get you alone, he'd take it. As if you were already mesmerized by the devil in disguise, the two of you left the establishment and into the darkness of the night.

Even though you spoke to an extent that would annoy any congressman who'd have told debate against you, Lestat seemed to grow fond of the conversation, as well as the praises you seemed to give. You followed him willingly, though it wasn't much of a surprise to Lestat. There were people that simply swooned over him via their first meeting, but you were different.

Yes, you were charismatic, a bit awkward, and yes, a chatterbox, but your sudden infatuation with Lestat was odd to him. He couldn't see any current thoughts that were of the sexual variety, just genuine curiosity.

So he amused you with a short tale of his own travels, walking side by side in no direction in particular. He was simply biding time before eventually giving your life an end. Though he couldn't have imagined that an hour later, he would be settled in an empty field laying in the grass with you, laughing his heart.

"Chéri, how would he have even gotten his head stuck in such a place?"

"Beats me! Believe me, I called him shithead plenty of times, I just didn't think he'd take it in such a literal sense. Look, and that cow? I felt even worse for her." You ended as you recounted a story from your hometown. "You also keep calling me chair? Are you being funny? Look, you can sit on me, all you had to do was ask honestly—"

"Mon Dieu, you will be the end of me," Lestat wheezed out before sitting up. "I have not laughed like this in a very long time." Rubbing his jaw, he could barely feel an ebbing of aching in his cheeks from how hard he'd smiled before, his stomach tending from how tickled he'd become. "And no, I am not poking fun at you mon cher. Your humor isn't the least bit boring unlike some unruly men I've come into contact with. I assumed you simply had lines to try and...take off with me."

Your face flushed at the idea. "Well, you were also laying it on thick yourself Lestat. Didn't know if you wanted to help me or...somethin' else. I mean, I'm flattered, surprised too. What's a pretty thing like yourself doin without someone on your hip. I mean—you're proper as hell, a real gentleman if anything. A flirt too, charming, handsome, cute, radiant even. You're a diamond compared to the dull coin I am."

Lestat seemed even more surprised at the compliments he was getting, yet you seemed to neglect your own self worth. "Even coins are valuable, dull, dirty, or not. Why do you put yourself down so?"

There was a cloud of despair in your mind for a moment before a sad smile appeared upon your face. "Today could be my last for all I know. I haven't made a name for myself here, and if I were to disappear tonight well...what mark would I have made? You know me as this country bumpkin ya met at the bar? You'll forget about me tomorrow as if I never existed."

You weren't wrong, Lestat had planned to simply get rid of you then and there, but now you'd peaked his interest. "If...you were given the opportunity, to achieve what you'd like, would you take it?"

"No questions asked."

"Even if you had to make a deal with the devil himself?"

"I'd ask him to throw in beaut like yourself, I'd be all in."

Lestat felt a grin appear on his lips at your mere words. "You don't have much hesitation do you?"

"I've got nothing to lose. Go big or go home, right?"

"Indeed Mon cher."

Suddenly Lestat pounced, smashing his lips against yours in an almost bruising strength. You took it as a sign, knowing that tonight would mostly likely end in the two of you sleeping together. His tongue slipped into your mouth, now fighting for control as your own hands came to hold his waist. The kiss was heated, abit sloppy, and by the time Lestat pulled away, you were breathless and flushed down the neck. The moonlight gave way to his silhouette as he stayed hovered above your face.

"Are ya sure you want this Lestat? I've been told I'm a lot to handle."

"You've been so bold and quite forward all night, don't tell me you're getting shy now," a grin appeared on Lestats' face, his fangs peeking from behind his slightly swollen lips.

"Don't say I didn't warn you.."

♡ ͎. ｡˚ 　　°

Lestat seemed to stare at the headboard of the bed, almost lost in thought as just as he felt breathless. He only snapped back to reality as he felt a warm breath and kiss against his bare shoulder.

"You still with me Lestat?" Your voice was much softer, tender as you nuzzled against the nape of the others neck, the sheets covering both of your lower halves as your body hovered above his.

Blinking, the blonde seemingly loosened his grip on both the pillow and the sheet beneath him. He'd slept with others who also seemed full of themselves, but now the tables had turned. He was practically filled to the brim with your sheer girth alone, pressing against his more sensitive places. His tongue ran over his lips, lapping up the leftover drops of blood that filled his throat mere moments ago.

"I told you we could have gone slow...you're not hurtn' are you?"

Lestat was taken aback by your demeanor. Not many people seemed to care for his well-being, especially during sexual escapades such as these. "Mon cher, do you often become this worried about those you sleep with?"

"Couldn't say. You're...the first," your face completely bloomed at the sudden confession.

Lestat however was completely dumbfounded. You did not act like a virgin in bed. He would have never assumed it was your first time, not with the way you completely ravished his body by the time the two of you made it through the front door. Your touch like silk, finding every weak spot and milking it for all its worth.

A groan left the blonde's lips as you'd shifted, though he knew you'd be slightly dazed and possibly inebriated as you were unaware that he'd fed from you tonight. "Dieux, you must be humoring me again, no?" Even peering into your mind once again, he had seen the truth, and knew that you spoke of no jokes.

You made a small noise, but shook your head as you buried your face within Lestats' neck, kissing his warm skin and even up to his jaw. "I hope I'm not disappointin' ya..."

"Merde..."

Lestat didn't expect you to be a literal bucking bronco, but he couldn't deny how you made him feel. Physically, it was as if you were bringing heaven up on his flesh, every touch, flick, lick, almost other worldly. Emotionally...he didn't understand. By daylight you'd be dead, he was sure of it, that he'd have his fun and dispose of you before morning.

Though at the moment it didn't seem as if you were out of energy. A bit sluggish yes, but a certain part of you was ready for more. "Lestat..'" Muttering against his skin, your hips rutted upwards, making a heavenly noise leave the man below you. "You can be on top this time if you want..."

♡ ͎. ｡˚ 　　°

Three months ago, Lestat questioned his morality, though it wasn't the first time he did so. He always entertained Louis and even then, the humans around him weren't much worth the time or space when it came down to their needs or wants— whether it was self loathing, craving of sex, the need for food, or the wanting of home to go back to. They were all the same. It was the same with everyone he'd stumbled upon.

"Another round of drinks for the booth Chéri!"

Lestat found himself sitting on your leg, practically draped over you like a coat, his head tilted against yours. The spoils of laughter and joy you'd brought him within such little time was uncalled for, but granted, he never imagined someone like you would stumble into his life alongside Louis.

He saw no need to change you, though his eyes were set on someone else for such an event. You knew of his secret, and kept it to yourself. The nights where he'd come to see you, having dealt with racist snobs or uninteresting people, you were there to cleanse his boredom.

Though the two of you slept with each other quite often, you would never let him leave without pampering him after. And Lestat enjoyed every minute of it. Your sweet words, the true sincerity that you felt for him, that you loved him. Though it was hard to tell with Lestat if he felt that same way, or if he just adored you like any other human he might keep for entertainment.

Within the last few months the two of you had become business partners, having made a nightclub out of an old townhouse set to be demolished. Many strings had been pulled to get things up and running, but even then it happened to be a successful mission for both men. There was music, dancers, singers, all sorts of entertainers that came in to perform, and many people paid top dollar to come in.

Even Lestat had days where he'd perform on stage. To say he loved to peacock was an understatement.

This nightly job was as thrilling and fun as your nights in the town. Unfortunately, you were a horrible driver. Lestat had never been so unnerved about someone driving, and you? "A better lover than a driver I suppose?"

"I believe so ma chérie, I believe so..." It's safe to say that Lestat would be driving you around while you'd stay being his passenger princess.

Louis watched on from the other side of the half circle booth he sat in, his eyes narrowing at you as you practically wore Lestat, and the man let you. He couldn't understand what was so special about you. In his eyes, you were the same as him, maybe a little less.

Even as you'd been introduced to Louis, the two of you had never met eye to eye. Maybe it was because Lestat seemed to visit him just slightly less often than he did before you showed up. Maybe it was because he barely went out with Louis anymore because he was too busy riding you. With a glass in hand, Louis stared you down as you whispered something with Lestats' ear. He couldn't help but to wonder, seriously, what do you see in that guy?

Lestat stifled a laugh as he pressed the back of his own hand against his mouth. His piercing gaze seemed to shift over to Louis as his thoughts spoke much louder than others. The blonde couldn't help but to grin, pulling you in closer.

"He makes me laugh!"

"Hm?"

"Nothing ma très chère."

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please do not repost my content on other sites and platforms. thank you. © @that-one-malereader-enthusiast ||

more fics from interview with the vampire » IWTV Masterlist

more from @that-one-malereader-enthusiast » Masterlist

Like, Comment, Or Reblog. || A/N: Thank you for reading! Any comments or notes help motivate me to post more often like this! Unfortunately I tend to overthink lots of my writings, which lead to me not posting or becoming unmotivated. This was written out as an imagine but I got carried away! Hope you all enjoyed! Will maybe edit and clean it up later!

[coldfanbou]

Delinquent

Yel's being a little troublesome in this story.

Length 2K

Yel X Mreader

Troublesome, that’s what she was. You walked the school halls, ensuring no one was out of class. Looking out from the second floor, you spot her in her usual spot and sigh. You turn around and head down the stairs, shaking your head as you try to think of what you’ll tell her this time. You open the door and walk through to the outside, “Hey, you know you’re supposed to be in class.” You’ve given up on disciplining her; Yel would be the same woman no matter what you did, and you felt that weight on your shoulders. 

“Yeah, and I’m not,” Yel said, leaning back against the wall, the wind blowing her dirty blonde hair. “What are you going to do about it?” She smirked, annoying you as she waved you off with one hand. You took a deep breath and sighed. “You’re not going to get me in trouble, Mr. Hall monitor, are you?” Yel asks in a cutesy voice, mocking you. You could feel the tension rising. 

With a sense of frustration, you took Yel’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “You’re coming with me,” you declared, leading her through the halls, fully aware of the consequences that awaited her at the principal’s office. 

“Hey!” Yel's confident facade crumbles, revealing a hint of fear in her voice. Her shout draws the attention of a few teachers who peer out of their classrooms. Feeling the weight of their gazes, you release Yel’s hands. She pouts, “You didn’t have to be so rough.”

“Just come with me,” You tell, motioning for her to walk ahead of you. “I try so hard to get you to go to class, but you just don’t.”

“Class is boring; I’d rather be outside and go shopping.” Yel's voice carried a clear tone of boredom and longing for freedom.

You roll your eyes, “Yeah, I know you’d rather be doing that. You’ve told me a million times.”

“This is such a hassle. Just let me go,” Yel groaned, casting a bored look over her shoulder. The two of you turned the corner and headed to the principal’s office, a single room at the very end of the hall. “What if I promised to do something for you?” Yel asked as she stopped in her tracks and turned around. Much to your annoyance, Yel tried to worm her way out of trouble again.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, anything.”

“Go back to class then.” 

Yel’s face drops, “fine, I’ll go to class.” She adjusts her bag and rushes past you, an annoyed look on her face as she makes her way to class. Yel stays in class the rest of the day, annoyed that you would force her to be somewhere she didn’t want to be. She looked out the window, rebelling and choosing not to pay attention or do any work. She was angry and frustrated by the end of the day; she came home, throwing her bag on the floor and staring daggers at you. “Did you really have to make me go to class?”

“It’s for your own good; you need to actually learn something, Yel.” You tell her as you stand up. Yel was much more than a classmate; she was a roommate and a lover. Considering how the two of you acted during school, it would be a complete surprise if they ever found out, and it would ruin Yel’s image, which she had been building up.

Yel loosens her tie and throws it onto the ground. She unbuttoned her shirt, leaving it open as she took a long breath. “When I said anything, I expected you to say something else.” Yel’s cheeks fill with air as she pulls down her skirt, dropping it on the floor before walking toward you. She presses her body against yours, her tits pressing against your chest. “You’re teaching me everything here anyway. Why do I have to go to class?” 

“Because it’s a lot easier that way. It’s for your own good.” You tell her as you place your hands on her waist, instinctively squeezing it.

Yel wraps her arms around your neck, “You know I wouldn’t mind going to class if we-”

“Not happening, Yel.” You interrupt, making her frown. “I know you think it would be sexy, but it would also get you and me expelled if we did.”

“What about the gym storage room? No one goes in there.” Yel begins to plead, her hand moving down to your bulge. “Doesn’t that sound nice? Hm?” 

Wanting Yel to actually try in school, you consider the option, “Convince me.” Yel takes the invitation as a challenge and presses her lips against yours, the faint taste of strawberries hitting you as she unbuckles your belt.

“I’ll make you want it,” Yel whispers into your ear as she fishes your cock out of your underwear, her hand gently stroking it. Her thumb runs over the head of your cock, moving around the tip slowly as she looks into your eyes. You move your hands to her shoulders, moving her shirt off her. Standing in just her bra and panties, Yel smiles at you, your cock twitching in her hand. “Do you like what you see?” 

“Yeah,” you grunt,

“Good.” Yel took one of your hands, moving it behind her to the latch on her bra. She continued to stroke your cock as you fumbled with her bra momentarily. Once you got it undone, Yel tossed it to the side. She pressed her chest against you, her hard nipples rubbing your chest. “Take off that shirt and sit down, baby.” You follow Yel’s orders, unbuttoning your shirt and letting it join the rest of your clothes on the floor while you move back onto the couch. Yel kneeled before you, pausing to let you take in her beauty. Her tanned skin was a thing of beauty. Yel refocused you, using her tawny rouge nipples to rub the tip of your cock. You groan, enjoying the sensation. It made Yel smirk as you coated her tits in a thin layer of precum. She continued to stroke your cock, and spat on her chest, spreading her saliva across her skin as she prepared to move onto the next stage. Yel adjusted herself, straightening her back as she pushed your cock between her breasts. She pressed them together, letting your cock disappear between the large mounds. You throw your head back and groan as she moves them up and down your shaft, her soft tits holding your cock snuggly. 

“Do you like how that feels, baby?” Yel asks, moving slowly as coats your cock in a mixture of saliva and precum.”Imagine how much nicer it would be if I was wearing our gym uniform—my big tits in that tight white shirt,” Yel layered her voice with a sexual tone, making it easier for you to imagine the situation. She smiled to herself as she felt your cock throb between her tits. She kept pumping your cock with your tits as she continued, “Think about how sticky you would leave me when you cum. The shirt would be sticking to me, and you’d be able to see everything.” Yel began moving faster and added more pressure as she moved. “I’m already imagining it. It would be so hot, baby.” Yel lowers her head, sticking out her tongue and lapping at the tip of your cock when it pokes out from between her tits. “I want your cum, baby. Can I please have some?” She says, staring into your eyes. 

You couldn’t resist Yel; you buck your hips upward as you cum, shooting your semen onto her chin and neck. Yel smiles as she feels your cum touch her skin; she leans back, letting the white liquid coat her face. “Hmm, thanks, baby.” She groans, wiping her face with her finger and licking your cum up. “My idea doesn’t sound so bad now, does it? It gets even better, though.”

Yel cleans the cum from her face, eating every drop before rubbing the rest into her skin. Her tits gleam from the mixture; she gives them a quick squeeze before giggling and rising to her feet. She hooks her fingers around her lacy black panties and drops them to the floor before standing before you proudly. “How do you want me, baby? I’ll let you choose.” Yel pokes her cheek, smiling as she waits for your answer.

“I want you to ride me.”

“Good choice,” Yel climbs onto your lap, straddling you. She hovers above your cock, grabbing the softening length and stroking it until you’re hard again. The young woman teases you, lowering herself, but only to rub you against her lips. Yel lets out a light moan as she places one hand on your shoulder. “Will you let us at least try out my idea?” She asks, coming to a stop. 

You run your hand up her chest, between her breasts, and cup her chin. “Fine, we’ll try it out once, but you have to promise to go to your classes. Deal?”

Yel smiles, showing a more giddy side to herself. “Deal,” She leans in, sealing it with a kiss as you press your cock against her entrance and drag her body onto it. Yel’s muffled moans fill the room as she wraps her arms around you. You set your up at her waist, letting Yel control the tempo as she slowly rises and falls onto your body. 

You move your hands around Yel’s body as she bounces on your cock, shifting from her ass to her thighs as you enjoy the feeling of her walls squeezing you. The heat coming from her core filled you with pleasure. Yel’s mind shut off now that she got what she wanted. She focused on the pleasure, enjoying every touch of her body and the way you hit just the right spot when you were buried inside her. She craned her neck back, coming to a stop and grinding against you as you kissed her neck. 

As your hands dug into her skin, Yel bites her lip, reveling in the feeling of being claimed. “Let’s keep going, Yel.” You groan, her walls still moving around you as she grinds against you.

“Sure, baby,” Yel responds, sounding breathless as she begins to move up and down your shaft. Yel’s breasts rub against your chest, her nipples moving up and down the same spots as she rides you. Your groans mix with Yel’s, filling the living room and flooding the rest of the apartment as you move your hands to her ass and help quicken the pace. “Mm, I’m getting close, baby.” Yel moans, her walls clamping down on your cock. 

“Me too,” you grunt, continuing the same pace. Yel wraps her arms around you again, holding you tightly as her moans turn into whines. Her walls continue to squeeze your cock as she nears her climax. Feeling your cock throbbing inside her, Yel slams herself down, impaling herself as she cums. You dig your nails into Yel’s skin as she makes you cum inside her; her walls are painted white as you fill her cunt with your cum. Yel shuts her eyes, rocking back and forth as she basks in the afterglow of her orgasm. 

“Shit…that felt good,” Yel groans as she places her hands on your knees and leans back. Your eyes travel up her body, noting the cum leaking out of her. Her body was sweaty, her blonde hair sticking to her forehead. “I’m glad you came around. I’ll be a good girl tomorrow.” She says before leaning in for a kiss. You return the kiss before standing up, your cock still buried inside Yel.

“It’s just a test. If you don't keep your end of the bargain, I’m stopping.” Yel nods, smiling as you carry her to the shower.  “I’ll be watching your grades Yel. If they don’t improve-”

“They’ll get better!” Yel barks, not wanting to talk about school anymore today. The two of you shower together, cleaning each other’s bodies, and slowly come down from your high. 

You found Yel outside again the next day, still causing trouble. “I said I would go to my classes after we did it. I never said anything about the morning classes.” She announced with a smug look on her face. You think to yourself about how she’s never going to change.

[redr0sewrites]

not possible - Viktor x reader

🥀A/n: this was originally a request but it strayed wayyy too far off course... the writing had a mind of its own and im not sorry. but i AM sorry for not posting in a while.... ive been super hyperfixated on DC sorry

🥀Cw: fluff, non-sexual nudity, bathing, exhaustion/overworking

🥀Word Count: 1.2k words

🥀Synopsis: Viktor is overworking yet again, yet upon your insistence, finally takes a break.

Viktor was well aware that the candle at his side had long since burnt out, yet he was unwilling to find a replacement. the moon was bright tonight, and, combined with the soft blue glow emitting from the hextech he was working on, Viktor could make out the tools in front of him without any assistance.

he knew that working in the dim light was not a good idea, considering how straining ones' eyes could lead to faulty vision, but he couldn't bring himself to care. the ache in his bones ran deep, and his fingers shook with each breath. of course Viktor knew he should turn in for the night, but he found himself stuck in his chair, mindlessly fiddling with his most recent hextech project.

he was so engrossed in his work, he barely noticed your approach until you were practically on top of him. familiar hands find purchase on his shoulders and he jumps, only to melt back into your touch.

"ah, it's you," Viktor murmurs, turning around to face you. "may i ask, what are you doing up so late?"

"collecting you," you murmur, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose. "it's already two in the morning. you've been here long enough."

Viktor sighs, and allows you to press a few more kisses to his face. the bags beneath his eyes were heavy, he was stiff and sore, and above all, he was exhausted.

joining you back home was certainly enticing, and hextech could always wait until tomorrow. and yet, the troublesome, burning itch beneath his skin wouldn't dissipate. he needed to complete just one more ruin combination, just finish this one little task, and then he'd let himself rest. at least, that's what he'd been telling himself for the past three hours.

"i can tell your overworking yourself again," you whisper, and Viktor huffs indignantly.

"overworking is, eh, a strong word. i am perfectly capable-" you cut him off by cupping his face in your hands, forcing him to look at you.

"Viktor, i am in no way denying your capabilities. however, you still need sleep. so, come back with me, and you can continue working tomorrow after a full nights rest. does that work?"

Viktor heaves another weary sigh, but agrees. you silently watch as he stands and steadies himself with his cane, not wanting to appear too overbearing but still concerned about his exhaustion. you wish you could alleviate some of the stress and burden that he carries, even though he relentlessly assured you that loving him was enough.

meanwhile, Viktor wordlessly packs up for the night. he knew you were trying to mask it for his own dignity, but the concern on your face was evident in the slightest furrow of your brow and pinch of your lips. he found it hopelessly endearing how you worried over him, and only wished that you would stop for your own sake.

after all, he was doing this for you. for the chance to live happily with you someday, after saving the lives of so many others. hextech consumed so much of his time, yet Viktor intended to make it up to you tenfold when you two would grow old together.

"you ready to head home?" your voice slices through his thoughts like a knife through warm butter, and he finds himself unable to do anything but nod. you did not hesitate to take his hand as you two walk back towards your shared abode, nor did you complain when he had to pause and catch his breath after some particularly bad pain in his leg. by the time you both arrived at your home, Viktor felt even more exhausted.

"i know it's late, but do you want to take a bath before going to bed?" your question lingers in the air for a few seconds before Viktor nods, and you begin setting up. you both know the warm water would only soothe his aching joints, and provide momentary relief from the pain he suffers from.

🥀

its not long before you and Viktor are curled against eachother in your large bathtub after washing off. he presses a gentle kiss to your shoulder as he absentmindedly washed your back, and you let out a relaxed sigh. you were both night-owls, but Viktor was much more accustomed to fighting off exhaustion.

you bite down on your bottom lip as more worries begin to seep into your mind. you feel almost selfish for missing him when he works so hard, and yet you want nothing more than to take all of his stress away. Viktor is quick to notice as you slip deeper in thought, between your tense muscles and quickened breathing, he can read you like a book.

"what are you thinking about, darling?"

another weary sigh escapes you.

"its just... you've been so stressed lately, i just wish i could alleviate some of the burdens you carry.. i know what you do is important, but i still wish i could be around you more often and help you.. y'know?" you let out another sigh. "i just.. miss you sometimes. and i worry. you know i worry.." Viktor chuckles at your words before turning you around to face him, the warm water around you both sloshing gently against the edge of the bath.

"you do more than enough already. believe me, everything i do, i do for you. for us. i love you," he murmurs, and presses a kiss to your forehead, "and nothing will change that. i can't guarantee that i'll always be around... but i will try to stop staying in the lab so late." Viktor's lips crinkle into a soft smile, and you can't help but kiss him in response.

Viktor always feels as though he's floating when you kiss. your soft lips against his, the contrast of his nimble, calloused hands against your smooth skin, your scent, your taste, it was all gloriously intoxicating. you hum against his lips before slowly pulling away, lashes fluttering against his cheek from your proximity.

Viktor leans in to whisper in your ear, his lips just ghosting your temple.

"i think it's high time we went to bed, dear. the waters getting cold, and i wouldn't want my beautiful darling to be exhausted tomorrow, hm?" you sigh at his flattery, yet agree regardless. as Viktor leans against the tub to stand up, you suddenly remember something and grab his hand to get his attention.

"hm?"

"by the way, about what you said earlier.... i love you more."

"that is not possible, my dearest."

GRRR SO HAPPY THIS IS DONE LMAO- sorry i havent been super active ive been on a huge DC kick (specifically the batfam/dick grayson) and suffering from writers block BUT HERE I AM AGAIN!!!!!!!!! ANYWAYS HOPE U ENJOYEDDDD PLS FEEL FREE TO SEND IN REQUESTS (esp dc... HEHE)

[emjiroki]

Warnings: breeding, creampie, mentions of blood and boxing (just snippets) pro boxer Yuji Itadori

A/N: Hello lovelies! back again with my little entry to @his-sweet-minx Sex Me Up event! I got "Missionary with a twist" which is just so perfect for our sweet boy Yuji and I hope it lives up to expectations! please enjoy (also this is SO self indulgent pro boxer Yuji is the LOML)

all reblogs, comments, tags, and likes appreciated and treasured

Sweating. Shuddering. Heavy breathes warm against each others skin as you melt together. You were trying to be easy against his bruised ribs, though it didn't matter to him. The fight was only two rounds before his opponent was face down in the ring, he probably wouldn't even blemish and he wanted, was close to begging, for you to cling to him. Claw his skin, bite his tender muscles lax beneath your hold and mark him for your own.

He needed you. Primally. In a way not even the ring on your finger could satisfy. After the promise you made him before his fight, he wasn't planning on letting out of this bed or off his cock for awhile.

"You were serious when you promised earlier r-right?" He whimpered, just barely able to pull his lips away from yours. You nodded breathlessly, mind swirling in a torrent of sweet pleasure and need.

"I meant every word of it, I want to have your baby Yuuji".

The way he groaned so helplessly lit a fire in your belly, having this man who not even two hours ago had another man's blood smeared across his cheek broken and pleading for you was a high nothing could match. This was a side of him only you were allowed to see.

His hands were so soft against your skin as he squeezed and pulled, his hot tongue licking out against your hard nipple as his thumb worked the other one, his amber eyes glazed over and looking up at you with so much love you felt your heart swell.

"We're not leaving this bed until we have a positive test" he said, sitting up on his knees between your spread legs, "that's my promise to you". The head of his cock was so warm it sent a shiver down your spine as he dragged it through your wetness, bumping against your clit a few times as you moaned into each other's mouths, tongues dancing together and spit leaking from the corners of your lips as the first inch sank in.

"So tight, goddamn" He groaned, pressing his forehead against yours, pressing closer and stretching you so deep it had your toes curling against his back. Before you even take a deep breath to adjust to the intrusion he had your leg hooked over his shoulder, a pussydrunk smile easing across his lips.

Why was it so hard to keep your eyes focused? You could feel your lids pulling shut with every syrupy slow thrust into your heat, the veins along the side of his length dragging against your soft velvety walls. It felt all too much to keep your eyes locked on his, sweat rolling down his cut abs as his big hands kept you pinned beneath him as he took his time to completely unravel you, like the sun was radiating beneath his skin as he pressed kisses across your collarbones and whispered his devotion so low it buzzed in your veins.

You moaned when his hand grasped your jaw, his cock so deep you could feel his heavy balls against your ass as he ruined you.

"Eyes on me baby girl" He murmured, tracing his hand down to lightly squeeze your throat, just enough to have your head spinning as he fucked against that throbbing sweet spot deep inside. "Feel how wet you are?".

It was leaking down to the sheets as you nodded. It felt like your bones turned to liquid with every press of his hips against yours.

"Y-Yuji I'm gonna- aah" your fingers dug into his shoulders as you shivered beneath him, a nearly sinful groan rolling from deep in his chest as your pussy gripped around him so tight he could barely move.

"Squeezing me so good baby," He hissed, bucking his hips in a broken rhythm that nudged the still pulsating spot so roughly that you felt yourself gush against him, your wetness beginning to drip down his abdomen to his thighs. "So pretty when you cum".

"Want you to cum Yuji, please I-I need it" You panted, using the leg he wasn't gripping to pull him in closer. The kiss he pressed against your swollen lips was needy, hungry and insatiable in the way he devoured you until your teeth clashed and your tongues were interlocked, barely able to breathe. His pace was rocking the bed, the headboard banging against the wall and your hands clinging onto him till he had scratches in his skin.

His hips stuttered at the cry of his name that left your lips, whimpering moans huffing through his nose as you felt his cock jump, gush after gush of hot cum filling you until it began to drip out around him. After a moment, he was soft and sensitive, rutting his hips to keep himself inside of you as his cum made it so wet. But the tension was shattered when Gojo's ringtone blasted from Yuji's nightstand, his phone vibrating against the wooden surface. Immediately he snatched it up, declined the call and shut his phone off.

"Manager can wait, I've got a promise to make good on" He smirked when he saw your questioning look, laying a warm hand against your abdomen and planting a soft kiss beneath your bellybutton, his eyes warm with something lustful, "and so do you".

[saturatedstarlight]

an: hi hi hiiii!!! today is my birthday and I'm not one to like receiving material gifts but i do like me a good drabble/fic. So this is my gift to myself, a fluffy smutty drabble fic eheheheheheee. Here's to 24! afab reader

cw: sexual themes. sleepy sex, oral. male receiving, nipple play, choking, creampie, all characters are aged up bokuto in his grown man era!!!!!!!

______________________________________________________________

bokuto x afab reader!!!!!!

Waking up to pee had to be the most annoying thing in the world to you. Especially when you were snuggled up with your personal heater/ mt. Everest of a boyfriend.

You lazily untangle from his tight hold. Bokuto clung to you when you both slept so this was nothing new. The feeling of the dead weight of his muscles required a bit of strength to pry off of you and you managed to slither out of his grasp, the excess fabric of the oversized tee you sported nearly tugging you back to his cute sleeping form.

You finish your business sleepily, stumbling through the room and you bump into Bokuto’s standing figure, his arm gently coaxing your pliant body over, open to any suggestion at this point, so early in the morning. He hugs you from behind, his arms wrapping possessively around you, like he knew you were his last.

His last kiss, last hug, last I love you.

Bokuto hugged you knowingly, so that had to mean you were his and his alone. He ran his strong hands down your front, almost naked underneath of a thin shirt if it were not for the pesky lacey number you put on last night. The feeling of him against you stirred deeply in your tummy, the way he was so gentle with you right now made you feel safe. It also conjured up memories of how rough he was with you. The way he held you as if you were weightless, guided you into positions with ease as he slammed his strong, needy hips against your much smaller body. The feelings intoxicated you.

Bokuto placed a few wet kisses on your neck, drawing your hips closer to his, you moan softly, barely audible as he cupped your breasts, letting each thumb rub over your nipples, awakening both you and your desires simultaneously. “Mmm... Kou-“

“Why is my princess up so early right now?” He asked, his voice husky with sleep.

“Had to pee.” You lean your head back, going dizzy from pleasure.

He turns you around, leaning down to kiss the corner of your mouth gently, “My cutie always has to pee this early huh?”

You place your hands on his shoulders, pushing him away, deciding this would be way better in bed. You lace your fingers in his, pulling him to the warm sheets with you.

“Koutaro, go back to sleep with me.”

“I can’t baby, you’re too- distracting.”

You lie in his warmth and he in yours and you cuddle him closer, playing in his hair as he nuzzles his face in your breasts. Bokuto’s fingers toy with the hem of your shirt and you roll your eyes playfully having grown accustomed to his neediness. You sit up and kneel in front of him.

He sits up expectantly and you sit on his lap, bare chest on display as you kiss up and down his neck and chest. He pulls you closer by your hips and you mewl against his neck. “You always do that.” You whisper lowly.

“And you always make the cutest sounds.” He counters, holding you firmly on-top of him.

You lift your shirt just a bit, exposing the bottom halves of your breasts, arching back, your peaking buds beckoning him.

“B-Baby..” he doesn’t even ask, just pulls you closer to his mouth like it was second nature, having grown comfortable at the act of sucking your nipples.

You moan louder this time, wiggling your hips against his thighs and you tap his chin, asking for release. Bokuto greedily goes for the left nipple but you lift his chin up before latching on to kiss him.

He groans into your mouth in slight displeasure, and you smile against his lips. You kiss him slowly, attempting to subdue his lips that soaked yours in his saliva. However, he pulls you closer by your waist, his hands firmer as he begins licking your tongue gently. You pull away panting:

“B-Baby baby baby, take these off.” You raise off his legs, watching him lift his hips to slide down his boxers, his hard on springing free, slapping against his stomach, curving a bit left and twitching beads of pre cum.

You lick your lips, leaning down to give his angry pink head a few kisses hollowing our your mouth and sliding him deeply down your throat, lubing him up. He attempts to push your head down but you lace your fingers in his again, squeezing his hands as you bob up and down his shaft, gagging and slobbering on him. You suck him between your lips releasing him with a final pop, spitting on his dick for extra lube.

“Fuck- you don’t know what you do to me.” He says lowly, pulling you closer to him, pulling off the shirt you’re wearing and sliding down the skimpy little panties you're wearing off your hips.

Your boyfriend grabs your ass, almost like tradition every time he fucks you and you love it, loving the way it makes you want him to use you even more.

You allign yourself with his cock, taking him in little by little as Bokuto returns to your nipple, kissing and sucking the left and thumbing and pinching the right. You struggle to stay quiet, adjusting to his size and girth were always a challenge for you. However, once he was fully sheathed inside you, it was the best stretch you had ever felt. Addictive even.

“F-Fuuckkk-“ you moan, clenching tightly around him and he smiles, loving the sight of you being filled up by him. An image he'd try to commit to memory but couldn't get the way you feel, sound, and look just right. He drew great pride and confidence knowing he’s the only man who made you feel like this. The only man that could ever make you feel this good.

“That’s it princess, take my cock, yeah I gotchu…relax baby, I promise I’ll make you feel so so good.” His voice sultry and breath hot.

You lean forward, moaning into his chest, Bokuto’s hands running soothingly up and down your back as you clench around him repeatedly, every twitch and throb sending jolts to your spine. Finally you inhale deeply, kissing him as you rose your hips up and down, the sound of his cock squelching in and out your stretched little hole making you bounce faster.

“Mmm mmm-“ he moans as you ride him faster, every time you moved his cock hit your g spot, fucking that fleshy patch like it were his own. He knew the way your body works, every which way you twitched and turned for him, now this-- this he could commit to memory.

He speeds you up, his arms slamming you down harder and faster and you bury your head in the crook of his neck as he whispers sweet sweet nothings in your ear, barreling you faster to your early morning release. He fucks you with abandon and you clench around him when he shoots ropes of his cum deep inside you.

It was here when he treats you like his own play thing, using you, you and your hot, gushy cunt to his heart's content. A few thrusts of his hips that sends you over, clamping down tightly around him, tears brought to your eyes as you cum, the first of many you presume.

“Baby- baby sq-squeeze me. T-that's right, nice and hard for me..” His fingers brush over your nipples, and you clench around him, tighter than you intended when he pulled and squeezed at your sensitive mounds. "K-Kou... fuck..!"

Globs of him spill inside, successfully milking him of all his cum.

Bokuto returns to your breasts, sucking a hickey on one of them, you push against his head, the pain too much but he persists, holding you down firmer, lips and teeth releasing you breast, kissing the purpling bruise softly. His lips kiss yours slowly and sensually, slowly thrusting up into you, knowing that he was not nearly close to being done with you.

He pulls his lips away, pressing them to your neck and jaw before lifting you off of him, lying you down and stroking himself a few times, letting himself harden up bit.

“Kou- no no, don’t tease.” You pout beneath him. He grabbed his length, running it up and down your slit, letting some of his fluid leak out against your clit.

“Shhh shh baby, I got you.” he slowly slides his tip inside you, relishing in the feeling of you squeezing around him, “God you’re perfect.” He said before slamming inside you, knocking the wind from your lungs. His hips fucking you fast, knowing that’s how to get you the best orgasms. He’s purposely slipping out, sliding back in hard and fucking you dumb into the mattress. Your orgasm bursts through you, but Bokuto doesn’t relent, fucking you harder, eliciting another from your abused cunt.

“N-No mor- no I can’t take anymore Kou-“ to which he covers your mouth with his hand, determined to dump one more load into you.

"Ha-ah- a-almost there princess..." With one hand on your mouth and another one around your throat he fucks you, roughly, completely entranced by the sight of you sucking him inside you over and over again, squeezing and moaning behind his sweaty hand.

"S-Shit... baby, ta-take it--all of it.." His body stiffens with his final thrust, slotting deeply inside your tired, puffy pussy. His hand remains around your throat as he slowly pulls out of you, strings of cum spill from your hole and you moan, squirming beneath him.

Bokuto kisses your forehead, bringing you a towel to gently clean you up, placing a scattered kisses on your tummy and face as he cleans you with the the utmost care, pulling your tee back over your head.

Bokuto snuggles with you in his place right next to you, and you offer him a weak smile.

“You did great baby.” and you turn your back toward him, feeling his press himself against your back.

"Of course I did, fucking an athlete is hard work." mumbling before drifting back off to sleep.

[lovekz]

gentleman

syn - ran haitani is a gentleman. sometimes.

cw - indirect insults, ran is a jerk (some point), chubby reader, ran and reader aren't a couple; fwb kinda, not proofread, you get it

-

ran is a gentleman.

he is, he just has to be.

he was raised in two houses, with two mothers. one jerk of a father.

he and his younger brother rindou, have two different mothers, but the same jerk of a father.

they were the only two important women in their life, the reason they do what they do.

these two women, taught them what love is. how they should treat the woman they'll love, and eventually marry.

how to not be like their father, and dump two boys into their hands and a hush paycheck.

so why?

why in the world would he clear his throat, stand tall, and dare himself to say that to you?

"ran, lets go out tonight." you beam at him, turning over in his comfy bed and playing with his hair.

ran gives you a lazy gaze, flipping over to face you and pressing a large hand on your cheek.

he doesn't respond, staring into your eyes as you hold onto his arm.

"was thinking. you know, we haven't been out in a while. rindou recommended this pasta place, and it looks really good." you explain, holding up the phone to his face

ran looks at the place, and then back at you.

you aren't sure what his silence is supposed to mean, but you continue.

"plus, it'll be a good excuse to dress up and look pretty. you know?" you falter a bit, putting your phone down.

"haven't you gained enough weight in the past few days? you want to eat out again?" ran says, before his brain can process it.

you stop breathing, and your heart practically stops beating against your ribcage.

ran has never spoken to you like that, you've never heard him speak the way he did.

"trust me. this'll put so much more weight on you, and either of us won't like it." ran says again, and he doesn't know what's going on.

shut up, he thinks, looking at you begin to screw up your face.

where did it come from? he hasn't a clue.

you sit up from your position and kick your feet off the bed, rubbing your face in frustration.

"wait- i didn't-" "you could've just said you wanted to stay in." you spit, breath hitching as you gather your clothes.

you get dressed quickly and leave, promptly blocking his number.

ever since, ran hasn't heard from you, but he's definitely seen your posts on instagram.

pictures of you and your friends, having girls nights and brunches and what not and-

has your ass gotten fatter?!

ran groans in frustration, throwing his phone down on his stomach.

"between you and milly, i don't know who's worse." rindou walks in the living room, holding his six month old in his hands.

ran sighs, sitting up and taking her from his grasp to rest her on his chest.

rindou takes a seat on the recliner, and leans his head back.

"i don't know what to do rin. her ass is fatter!" ran complains, patting milly's back soothingly.

his younger brother gives him a old look, before sitting up a little bit.

"just apologize. i don't know, you showed up to my house, scared my wife off, and keep crying over her. what'd you do?" rindou questions, laying on his side to get your attention.

ran sighs, giving milly a glance. she coos at him, stretching her little arms while she yawns.

"might've pointed out her biggest insecurity." ran grumbles, embarrassed to even admit it.

"you called her fat?!" rindou whisper yells, taking note of his daughter finally falling asleep.

ran adjusts the little girl in his hands, and sighs quietly.

"i didn't say it directly." ran explains, closing his eyes and tilting his head back to rest on the back of the couch.

rindou groans, covering his face and shaking his head in embarrassment for his brother.

"i don't know what to do. i can't lose her." ran says, opening his eyes once more.

rindou drops his hands into his lap, and flinches at the loud sound it made when it collided with the meat on his thighs.

the sound makes ran flinch as well, and the little girl in his arms jolt awake and begin sobbing once more.

rindou sighs, standing up from the seat and rubbing his eyes.

it's one in the morning, and he can't stand this anymore.

"okay. time for a walk." rindou says, stretching his limbs.

-

the two brothers walk with tamila for a while, up until they reach their childhood home.

the light in the foyer is on, and so is the light in the kitchen.

ran is the one who takes the first step onto the patio, and rings the bell 7 annoying times.

the door swings open, and rindou's birth mother stands there with an irritated face.

she's dressed up, holding her heel in her hand.

when she notices it's ran, she beams and holds her hands out to embrace him.

"ran! what are you doing out so late?" she questions, pulling him into the home.

it still smells the same, like rosemary and something sweet.

he remembers going to school and having everyone smell how good he smelt all the time.

"hey ma." rindou greets, pulling the stroller into the house with a short smile.

a bit more stumbling, and in comes ran's birth mother, dressed up as well.

"aww look at you two all grown!" she giggles, pulling them both into a big hug as rindou's birth mother closes the door.

they hug for a bit, before dragging them into the living room to fawn over the (finally) sleeping baby.

"what brings you two in so late? and why do you look like you haven't slept?" ran's birth mother questions, sitting next to ran.

"mom, i f- messed up. really bad." he complains, looking at her with upset eyes.

she gets comfortable in her seat and swings one leg over the other, looking at him.

rindou's mother follows, letting her son rest.

"what happened? oh you see rico, i told you that dream i had meant something." rindou's birth mother points out, fixing her hair.

"whatever kali, fill us in come on!" ran's birth mother said, tapping ran to get his attention.

so ran begins to tell them about you.

how you met at rindou's work party as both plus ones, how you got to know each other at rindou's baby shower, and how he took you out on dates when he'd get his pay check.

he doesn't fail to begin to mention how great the sex was, since he forgot he was talking to his moms.

all down to what he had said to you the last night he sent you.

his mothers listen intently, sharing looks instead of giving him the feedback he hoped for.

when he finishes, he takes a breath and looks at the two women.

they share one last look, before rico (ran's birth mother) takes a deep sigh and slaps ran across the face.

before he can say anything in response, kali gives him yet another slap on his other cheek.

"you fucked up. bad. but you can fix it. you know where she lives?" rico says, looking at her boy.

he nods, and kali sits up in her spot. "get her right boy. you might wanna grovel at her feet if she's actually the way she is." kali yawns, planting a kiss on his temple.

and that's what ran fears.

-

it's seven in the morning, and you're laying in bed, skimming through the many different reels on instagram.

for some reason, you can't find anything funny.

you sigh, flipping over onto your back and staring up at the ceiling.

there wasn't anything for you to do today. all your girlfriends had gone back to work and you gave yourself the day off.

you hear the front door open, and a pair of keys swinging around.

oh no.

you scramble out of bed and tug on a pair of sweats, storming your way downstairs.

"get out." you say immediately, glaring at- a bunch of bags?

gucci, dolce and gabbanna, edible arrangements, ihop, the bakery not too far, foot locker, marc jacobs, and so much more.

they are all laid out on the floor in front of the culprit, ran haitani.

before you can say anything, he gets on his knees and presses his head onto the floor.

"fuck i don't deserve you baby. i'm so sorry." ran says a bit loud, his hair touching the floor along with him.

"m' a piece of shit and i shouldn't have said that to you. you're so fucking gorgeous and i don't know what i was thinking when that came out of my mouth." ran explains.

you stare down at him, and then glance at all the bags.

"where.. did you get all this from? how?" you question, folding your arms over your chest.

ran sits up and points to everything, explaining how his mothers made him drive all over to get all this for you.

he then points to the bag of money, fixing his hair, and looking directly at you.

"then this is your rent, for the next two months. my whole paycheck." ran says, standing to his full height.

you stare at him, before taking a seat.

"you told your.. mothers? about me?" you question quietly, holding your hand out to him.

he takes it and nods, bringing it up to his lips and kissing it multiple times.

"they think you're wonderful. slapped the shit out of me when i told them what i did." ran chuckles, rubbing his cheek.

you roll your eyes, before letting him help you out of your seat and pulling you closer to him.

"i love you, alright? i can't stop thinking about you and i know i don't deserve you, but fuck do i want you." ran whispers, looking into your eyes.

you lean into him and wrap your arms around him, giving him a smile.

"then have me." you whisper back, just inches away from his lips.

it's safe to say the big breakfast and edible arrangements were forgotten within seconds.

[cinnamongorll]

a fragile line - chapter 19

read on ao3! (111k words) | previous chapter | next chapter | masterlist

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female OC

Tags: extreme slow burn, age gap, older man/younger woman, protective joel, jealous joel, hurt/comfort, pov third person, mutual pining, angst, sexual tension, friends to lovers, canon-typical violence, feral joel, parental abuse, eventual smut.

Fic synopsis: three years ago, Juliet escaped her father's religious survivor camp, ending up in the Boston QZ. Juliet created a life for herself in Boston, desperate to forget the trauma of her upbringing. One day, Juliet arrives home to find a mysterious letter which forces her to return to her home town. Juliet can't travel the harsh post-apocalyptic landscape alone, so she enlists the help of the grumpy and, at times, frightening man she works alongside: Joel Miller.

Warning: detailed descriptions of physical abuse from a parent

Word count: 7.8k

wasn't going to post this today but I can't hold you all in anticipation for feral Joel any longer ;)

this is both my favourite and the most painful chapter yet...

Chapter 19: 'Strangers'

Joel’s POV:

The frigid night air did nothing to cool the fire raging beneath Joel’s skin.

The bartender, whose name Joel never asked, slipped them out the backdoor. The way his wide eyes darted around, as he pushed open the rusted metal door, told Joel that he was worried, terrified even. But the deep, permanent, crease between his eyebrows also told him that fear was an ever present emotion in the residents of this town. 

Joel had neither the patience nor the pleasantries to thank the man, so he opted for a curt nod as his eyes shot to the black street that stretched before them. There were no streetlights to lessen the sense of oppressive darkness which surrounded the path Joel and Ethan began to walk. They kept their steps quick, careful to avoid watchful eyes who were used to peering through the dark. 

The thick handle of Joel’s knife was enclosed within his hand, the blade pressed against his jeans. Hidden, but ready to slice anything that got in his way. Joel imagined pressing the sharp edge to Elijah’s throat, feeling the weight of the blade pushing in, and savouring the heat of his blood as it wet his hands. Joel’s lips twisted in the beginnings of a cruel snarl.

Ethan’s steps pounded behind him, struggling to keep up with Joel’s vicious stride. Joel adjusted his broad shoulders, attempting to shake off the suffocating feeling of Ethan’s presence. 

They were headed to the armoury. Neither of them had any significant weapons on them, and Joel wasn’t risking stepping into a situation where he wasn’t properly prepared. Juliet’s life hung in the balance; Joel wouldn’t risk a thing. Especially when it was his fault that she was back here, his fault that she was locked in a house with her abuser, his fault that she hadn’t felt she could tell him…

Within the swirling mess of self-loathing, which continued to swell in his mind, lay a puzzle that Joel couldn’t figure out. Why allow Joel to go to the bar? Why allow him to be seen by the townspeople? Joel’s jaw tightened and the weight of his steps grew heavier as he contemplated Elijah’s decisions. Picking apart the mind of a madman was not something Joel enjoyed, but he was good at it. Because he understood strategy, he understood cruelty. 

Joel skidded to a stop as they rounded on a corner, his head whipped side to side as he struggled to see through the aching darkness.

“This way,” a rough voice whispered. Ethan stepped around Joel and began walking down another empty street. Joel followed close behind, gritting his teeth. 

As they closed in on the armoury, which was really just a run down barn on the edge of town, Joel sunk deeper into the mind of Juliet’s dad. The questions were overpowering and endless. Why hurt Juliet? Why lure her back here? Why not let her go?

Joel’s fingers curled into a tight fist. He felt the harsh bite of his knife begin to press into his calloused skin as realisation dawned over him. 

Elijah wanted complete control over Juliet, he wanted to be her protector, her saviour. 

Which meant that he had lost something. Elijah had suffered a loss in his past so great that his instincts of care and protection had twisted, becoming darker, more intense, more dangerous. Juliet wasn’t just his daughter, she was his second chance. 

Protection and fear often bled into possession and control. There was a fragile line between care and ownership, love and dominance. 

Joel’s heavy breaths faltered, stuttering, as his own past crept over his skin, crawling into his mind, bringing forth memories too painful to even visualise. 

The sharp blade of his knife finally pierced his skin and Joel could breathe again. The air released from his tight lungs, as the sting on his hand eased the pressure in his mind. 

Ethan turned to look over his shoulder, attempting to read the look on Joel’s face. But it was too dark, and Joel was too good at shielding his emotions. He just ground out a quick command: “Keep movin’” and Ethan quickened his steps as they raced across the damp grass. 

Elijah was addicted to control. He had this whole town so brutally devoted to him that they were complacent in the torture of two young people. That was why he allowed Joel to go to the bar: surveillance. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. And who better to watch over Joel than his keen eyed followers? 

Joel uttered a quiet “fuck ” under his breath. Ethan didn’t turn around this time. Joel was glad, he wasn’t in control of himself, he might start swinging at the next person who looked him in the eye. 

Bringing him to the armoury earlier, showing him his gifted weapons, his gifted vehicle, was all an elaborate trick. Elijah was playing with his food. There was no way he was letting Joel leave this town. He thought back to earlier when he stepped in front of Juliet, when he opposed Elijah’s sick claim over her, and offered Juliet a choice. Joel had watched the ire ripple under Elijah’s stone features. Joel had challenged him, Joel was a threat. And Elijah wasn’t going to let him get away with it.  

He should have never stepped away from her. He shouldn’t have left her there when he felt something was wrong. Joel was haunted by many things in his life, but he knew that that decision would cling to him for a long time. Thick regret boiled within him but Joel didn’t try to push it down anymore, he didn’t try to displace it. Joel allowed his fear, his regret and his anger to inflame, to blister, to worsen. 

Joel relished in the blood that pooled in his hand, he savoured the sharp sting that throbbed around the blade of his knife. 

The pain fueled him. 

Juliet needed him, and he wouldn’t let her down again. 

………………………………………………..

“Wait out here,” Joel ordered. His voice low but commanding as he stretched his arm out in front of Ethan, blocking him from moving towards the doors to the armoury. 

Ethan peered up at him, his eyes narrowing as he registered Joel’s demand. The crease between Joel’s eyes deepened as he watched the shock and resentment wash over the younger man’s sallow features. Ethan opened his mouth, ready to argue, but Joel just raised his hand with impatience, cutting him off.

“I don’t know what or who’s in there, I’m goin’ in alone,” he said, leaving no room for a debate as he began to turn towards the doors. But that didn’t stop Ethan from trying. 

Ethan moved forward, grabbing hold of Joel’s sleeve before he could reach the handle. Joel’s head whipped towards him and his hands began to shake with the effort it took not to punch that entitled look off of his face. 

“I got Juliet out of his town once, and I can do it again. Who even are you?” Ethan’s words rushed out in a single breath as his eyes darted around, making sure no one had spotted them. He was practically jumping on the spot with the energy that rippled through him. 

“You’re gonna want to let go of me,” Joel ground out slowly, after a pause. He didn’t break eye contact with Ethan as his hand quickly unlatched from his tight grip on Joel’s sleeve.  

Joel rolled his shoulders and ran a hand over his face. He was growing impatient, he had no idea what was happening to Juliet right now and Ethan was only prolonging her suffering with his whining. 

“You stay behind me and you shut up, got it?” Joel hissed, his irritation rolling off of him in waves. Ethan just nodded, sharp and quick. Joel stared at him a moment longer before rolling his eyes and reaching for the door handle. 

The inside of the armoury was quiet, there was no one else lurking in the old barn as far as Joel could tell. But he moved slowly through the building, heading straight for the shotguns on the back wall. Elijah and his people had built up one hell of a supply.

A few minutes later, Joel ran his hand over the weapon before swinging the strap of the shotgun over his shoulder. He released a weighted breath at the feeling of a gun in his hands again. Ethan stood beside him, his hand outstretched to grab a gun of his own. Joel looked down at him, his eyebrows raised. 

“You know how to use one of these?” he asked, watching Ethan from the corner of his eye as he adjusted his own gun.

Ethan grabbed hold of a shotgun and shot Joel an incredulous look. “Of course I can use a fucking shotgun,” he replied.

If Juliet didn’t care for Ethan, he would have been a dead man from that comment alone. Joel’s lips twitched with restrained anger before turning around and searching for ammo. He heard Ethan release a quiet, relieved, breath.

Once they were stocked up on ammo, Joel and Ethan headed to the side of the barn where the trucks were kept. Juliet had promised him a car battery back in the QZ, but there was way more than just batteries available. There were three trucks lined in a row, each of them rusted and dusty as though they hadn’t been driven in a long time. But Joel guessed that they were well maintained, their batteries charged every now and then in case of emergencies. That’s what Joel would do if he were in charge of a town. 

Joel had begun to creep around the first truck, ready to try to hotwire it if needed. He had to know there was a way out of this town, a vehicle ready for him to get Juliet away as quickly as possible. But before he could even reach the truck, he stilled. His muscles locked up as he froze in place. 

“Ethan made it to the bar, tried to fight that guy who turned up with Juliet. Joel, I think his name was,” said a voice from outside the barn, his words were muffled but Joel heard them clear enough. So did Ethan, who shot Joel a terror filled look. 

Joel reached out his hand, palm up, to still Ethan. His mind began to filter through a thousand possibilities of how they would get out of here alive and without alerting whoever roamed outside. They both stood like statues, Ethan’s eyes latched onto Joel, as another voice from outside raised loud enough for them to hear.

“Fuck, Elijah’s not gonna like this”

Then a third voice…

“Just hurry up and get the ammo, then we’ll go get them. They won’t have made it far.”

Joel jumped into gear, moving with pure instinct. There were three voices outside, that meant they were outnumbered. And they were coming inside, which meant his hopes of a quiet exit were gone. 

They would have to fight. 

Joel curled his hand towards Ethan, and pointed with a sharp look from his dark eyes towards the door. Ethan frowned but followed, their steps thankfully silent on the old wooden floor. 

They positioned themselves on either side of the barn doors. Joel attempted to have a silent conversation with Ethan, but it was either too dark or Ethan wasn’t the brightest, because all Joel got in response was a confused tilt of his head. 

Joel’s eyes shot to the ceiling, the pressure on his chest increasing as he heard the voices move closer. Joel lifted his free hand, making quick, focused gestures. Ethan eventually nodded, finally understanding Joel’s clear instructions. 

Joel clenched his jaw, gritted his teeth, and waited for the men to open the doors. 

Moments later, the handle turned, and Joel was ready. The first man came through the door, and immediately fell forward, crashing onto the dirty floor with a bullet in his head. 

Shouts rang in Joel’s ears as the next two men came barging in, stepping over the body of their friend. Their jaws hung open and their eyes moved between Joel and Ethan, obviously unprepared and taken off guard. Joel was right about this town, it may have the weapons and supplies, but there were no fighters living here. 

Before the men’s eyes swung back over to Joel, another body dropped to the floor. Joel’s gaze immediately darted to Ethan, who stood breathing heavily, winded by the force it took to fire a gun in his weak state. 

Joel recognised the third man. He had ginger hair and a thick, bleeding gash across his forehead, covered in a small bit of gauze. Before Ethan could finish the job, Joel moved, grabbing the man from behind and bringing his shotgun around to press on his neck as the man was forced to push against Joel’s front, wriggling as the shotgun tightened and his air began to lessen. 

Joel grunted as the man elbowed him in the ribs but he held steady. “Don’t shoot, we need him,” Joel barked towards Ethan, who had already pointed his gun towards the man in Joel’s arms. 

Ethan, confused, began to move closer, stepping over the two bodies at his feet.

Before the man passed out from the crushing force of the shotgun pressed against his neck, Joel moved his mouth to his ear. “Where’s Juliet?” he hissed, still grunting in between breaths as the man continued to squirm against him. 

Joel eased the force of the gun just a little to allow the man enough air to reply. “At her house, with Elijah,” the man croaked out as his boots began to kick back against Joel’s shins 

Joel held steady, eyeing Ethan. Juliet was still at her house, meaning Elijah hadn’t moved her anywhere. They knew where to go. But Joel wasn’t done with his interrogation. 

He tilted his mouth back to the man’s ear. “Who’s with ‘em?” Joel asked, his voice rough with pain as the man got another hit in. 

When the man didn’t answer, Joel adjusted his grip on the shotgun, applying more pressure on the man’s throat until Joel began to feel his consciousness slip. Then he loosened it again. 

Ethan had lowered his gun as he stared at Joel. His eyes were wide and his gaze kept darting away as though he struggled to watch the brutal scene in front of him. Joel noted this with deep frustration. Perhaps Ethan’s weakness was not only found in the current state of his battered and malnourished body. 

“Daniel,” the man in his arms finally gasped out. “Daniel is with them.”

Joel’s lips pulled back to reveal the shape of a vicious snarl. Only one more idiot standing in the way of Joel wrapping his fist around Elijah’s neck. 

Before Ethan could even open his mouth, Joel had let go of the shotgun and replaced his grip on the man’s neck with his arm. The muscles in his bicep flexed as Joel forced his arm in one quick movement until he heard the crunch of the man’s neck and felt his body go limp. 

Joel stepped back and allowed the body to drop to the floor. He stood over it, breathing heavy while he adjusted the strap of his shotgun.

Ethan had jumped backwards when the man hit the floor, almost tripping over the other bodies. His boots were stained with their blood as it pooled around them.

Ethan lifted his heavy gaze to Joel’s face. “What the hell was that?” he demanded, his voice shaky. 

“We know where she is, we know who she’s with. We can go get her now,” Joel said, in a monotone, matter of fact voice as he began to step over the still warm bodies. 

Ethan made a sound almost like a growl and whipped his hand out towards Joel, the tips of his fingers almost touching the arm of his jacket before Joel grabbed Ethan by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall beside the doors.

The adrenaline was still pumping steadily through Joel’s bloodstream as let go of one of Ethan’s shoulders, slipped his knife out of his pocket, and brought it to Ethan’s face. “What did I tell you bout’ touchin’ me?” Joel seethed, pushing the tip of his blade against the soft skin of Ethan’s cheek. 

Ethan swallowed rough, the action restrained as though he was frightened the knife would cut him. Joel would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted. 

“Don’t fucking question my methods,” Joel warned, in a voice so quiet it might have sounded gentle. But the look in Joel’s eyes made it very clear that his words were coated in a razor sharp edge. He pressed the knife in further, careful not to break skin. “If you can’t handle this then leave, cause I'm gettin’ Juliet outta here with or without you.” 

Ethan’s jaw clenched, then he nodded sharp and quick. 

Joel let go of him and walked out the doors before Ethan could even catch his breath. 

…………………………………………………

Juliet’s POV:

There were exactly fourteen steps down to the basement.

Juliet counted every one, each time she followed her father into the dark room below their rickety house. It helped ground her, the counting.

She would count the steps, then she would count the seconds, the minutes, and the hours. And when the number grew high enough for her father to be satisfied with her punishment, Juliet would listen as he walked those fourteen steps back down to collect her.

It was strange how memory worked. It had been nearly four years since Juliet wandered into the suffocating darkness of the basement, nearly four years since she felt the cold chill in the air which coated her skin like an oily slick. Yet, she still remembered to count the steps. 

She did it on instinct, her mind was entirely devoid of thought or emotion, all that drifted through her consciousness was the sound of her counting. One, two, three, four… 

Juliet was too numb to think anyway, to feel anything other than the space around her. The entire time she had travelled with Joel, Juliet knew what her destination was. The basement flashed through her mind many times, usually waking her from a shallow sleep in the truck or causing her to thrash and kick in her sleeping bag as she lay beside Joel. He would reach out a hand, stilling the movement of her legs, calming her racing heart. 

She was always grateful for his quiet strength and his rare soothing touch, but it only kept the monsters at bay for a short while. They were never really gone. Because every mile they travelled led them closer to Juliet’s real nightmare. 

Five, six, seven… 

Juliet wasn’t sure what awaited her at the bottom of the steps, how she would reach the ‘salvation’ her father spoke of. Through her numbness, a spark of pain shot through her heart when she imagined Ethan facing the same fate. The thought of him hating her hurt more, though. Ethan was the only good thing in her life for so long, to lose that … 

Eight, nine, ten, eleven… 

Her mind picked up again and brought forth the anxiety and fear that shook her to the bone. Joel would never forgive her. She had brought him here on stupid, naive, false hope. Juliet had been content with returning home and fading into nothing but a memory in Joel’s mind, and a sad smile on Ethan’s lips. But with Ethan turned against her, turned into something vicious, something like her father, and Joel trapped here… Juliet began to feel that her sacrifice was in vain. The only person gaining anything was her father. It was always her father who won their games, Juliet had been stupid to think otherwise. 

Twelve, thirteen … 

Her legs shook with each step, the world around her travelled in slow motion. Bile rose in her throat and she fought to keep her arms by her side.

For most people, the world ended around twenty years ago. But for Juliet, her world ended with the last step down those basement stairs. 

Fourteen.  

…………………………………

“You know, Ethan sat in a chair just like this.”

Juliet blinked, her father’s words slicing through the fog that filled her head, clouding her thoughts and numbing her emotions. She looked down, reminding herself where she was. Juliet blinked again, slower this time, when she remembered the thick, coarse rope which wrapped around her wrists and ankles, tying her to the metal chair she sat on. 

Eventually, her head tilted back up to meet her father’s icy gaze. His lips twitched into a satisfied smile when she didn’t respond. It appeared that Elijah had counted on her speechlessness. 

He lowered his eyes to the restraints on her wrists, then turned and walked towards a fireplace on the back wall of the room, directly in front of Juliet. This was new, there had never been a source of light in the basement before. 

“They’re for your safety. Don’t want you running off again. It’s not safe for you out there,” her father explained, his back turned to Juliet as he picked up a poker and prodded the burning logs. 

“I managed just fine on my own,” Juliet murmured without a thought. The words just slipped out. Her head shot up and her teeth clamped down on her tongue when she realised what she said. 

Her father’s movements stilled, the poker now hovering over the fire. 

Then Juliet heard his quiet chuckle, getting louder with every second until she watched her father’s shoulders shake. Juliet squirmed in her seat, her heart had begun to pound against her chest. 

Without warning, the laughter ceased. The only sound that remained was the crackling of the fire and the quiet breaths that slipped past Juliet’s clenched jaw. She followed her father’s movements as he dropped the poker back into its stand and picked up the bible resting on the wooden top of the fireplace, then turned towards her. 

When he met her eyes, his face was devoid of all emotion. 

“Let’s begin,” he said and cracked open the first page. 

…………………………………………………….

Juliet’s head swung to the side with the force of the slap. 

This time, it wasn’t by her father’s hand, but rather the book he held. Pain blossomed across her jaw and rippled through every muscle on her face. Her mouth filled with spit which had begun to spill out of the side of her numbing lips. She felt a wetness against her ear too, it was most likely bleeding as well. 

Her father was bent over her, his face red with muted rage and his mouth open wide as he shouted words that Juliet couldn’t hear. The only sound she heard was a prolonged high pitched noise, drowning out everything else. The hit had stunned her and she struggled to remember why her father had done it. Usually there was something she had done wrong, something that angered him, something that forced him to teach her a lesson. 

Her father continued to scream in her face, the hot air from his breath hit her already burning cheek. Juliet just stared back, her eyebrows pinched together in a mixture of pain and confusion. 

A scream tore from her throat when a hand gripped her chin and began to squeeze. “Are you listening to me?” her father raged. Her hearing started to return but the sound was still muffled. In an effort to stop his assault on her face, Juliet began to nod her head in frantic movements until her father released her. 

Her father staggered backwards and ran a hand through his grey hair, tugging on the strands. Juliet spat a mixture of spit and blood onto the floor and forced her head up to watch him. He looked off balance, his eyes were wild and unfocused as they scanned Juliet.

As the seconds passed, and the pain became less urgent, Juliet remembered what she had done to deserve such punishment. 

Elijah decided that the first stage in her ‘salvation’ was confession. It turns out he wasn’t a big fan of the answers Juliet gave him. Her father’s hands had begun to shake when she answered his questions about Ethan. His face turned red when he asked her about Boston. And the slap came after he asked about travelling with Joel.

“Your confession is not done, Juliet. I can sense there is more you have not revealed,” her father urged. “You cannot begin to cleanse until I know how soiled you are.”

The bile rose in Juliet’s throat again, but she swallowed it down and steadied her features. It surprised her, the anger that had started to build within herself. 

“Let’s try again, shall we?” he asked, leaning back and crossing his arms across his chest. “Tell me about your time with Joel.” 

“No,” Juliet murmured, before spitting more blood. The thought of Joel brought pain far worse than the bruises blossoming across her face. Her father had no right to ask about him. And for what? For some sick possessive insight into the intimate parts of her life. Her father believed he had full ownership of her, like she was his to control like a child’s doll. Juliet hadn’t realised this until a couple years into living in the QZ, when the wounds from her childhood began to scab over. When her memories became clearer, and she saw her father for what he really was. 

“No,” she said again, louder this time. That slap had awoken something inside her. That slap was no different to the slaps she received as a young girl. Even when she did everything he asked of her, he would always find something to punish her for. When she opened her eyes into her father’s wild stare, she realised that nothing she would ever do would be good enough for him. 

The thought was freeing, almost. Even strapped to a chair in the basement of her father’s house, Juliet felt liberated. 

And with that liberation, came a sense of recklessness. 

“No?” her father finally asked, repeating her resistance with a quirked brow. “The mention of Joel seems to have hit a nerve,” he taunted, “has Ethan truly been replaced? Joel’s a bit old for you, isn’t he, my dear?”

Juliet’s hands began to tremble. Not with fear, but with rage.

“He has nothing to do with this,” she insisted, her hands curling into fists. Elijah noted the movement with great interest. 

“Hmmmm,” he began, walking forward again. Her father liked to tower over Juliet when he could, she assumed it made him feel in control, made him feel powerful. Maybe it reminded him of when she was truly a child, before she had thoughts of her own. 

“I saw the way Joel looked at you. I saw the way he watched you. It was like he had claimed you,” her father snarled. 

Juliet glared at him as she gritted her teeth. She felt like she was balancing on a tightrope, one wrong move and she’d fall to her death. Bravery was not always rewarded. But Juliet couldn’t stifle the rage that had burned inside her, and the remaining throbbing pain from his slap only ignited that fire. 

“I am not a thing to be claimed,” Juliet ground out, struggling to control her anger. “I’m not yours, I’m not anyone’s.” 

Elijah was silent, but Juliet held her ground, she didn’t break the withering stare she threw his way. Everything had been taken from her, she had nothing left to lose. 

“Who taught you that?” her father demanded, then barked out a short laugh. “I am your father, I have every claim over you.” 

“Father’s are supposed to love their daughters, not own them,” Juliet protested. Her eyes began to fill with frustrated tears, but her words grew louder, more forceful. “This isn’t love. It’s possession.”

Juliet had watched fathers with their daughters in the Boston QZ, she had watched their smiles and their laughs. Juliet knew what fatherly love was supposed to look like, and this wasn’t it. 

Elijah stalked those last few steps towards her and placed his hands over her restrained wrists, pressing his weight down on them until their faces were inches apart. Juliet leaned back as far as she could, her face flinching with discomfort. Her wrists began to ache, and Juliet’s arms started shaking involuntarily. Elijah enjoyed watching her struggle. His lips transformed into a sneer, and his eyes shone with a sick delight. And the anger… his rage was rolling off of him in waves, he could barely keep it contained. 

“The world is not safe, Juliet ,” he whispered inches from her face, her name dropped from his lips like a curse. “There are demons, yes. Those infected monsters, with their peeling faces and sharp teeth. But there is worse out there. Hunters, raiders who crawl the country, killing and gutting people with no remorse -” 

Elijah cut himself off with a heavy sigh, then his words became frenzied. “I kept you here, I kept you safe from that. I kept you safe because you are my property, you are mine to protect. And I will not lose another daughter to -” 

He stopped, letting go of her wrists immediately. The blood rushed back into them and Juliet began to feel her fingers again, but that relief was the furthest thing from her mind. 

Another daughter? 

Her father staggered back another few steps, he looked horrified. His mask slipped right off his face as he said those words, now he struggled to put it back on. He wiped a hand over his forehead and when he brought it back down, the horror was gone. He was seething, his whole body moved with the force of his brutal breaths. 

“What do you mean, another daughter?” Juliet whispered, but her voice sounded far away. 

Her father flinched. Juliet was unsure if what she was experiencing was real, or a dream. Maybe she passed out when he hit her, maybe this was all in her imagination. Because her father’s bravado had never faltered, and yet here he stood before her, visibly flinching at her words. 

Elijah started to pace in front of Juliet’s chair, his steps brisk and savage. Juliet’s mind was still clouded, so it took her a few seconds to realise he was mumbling to himself. 

Then he stopped, turning to face Juliet. He looked like he was arguing with himself, he was losing control, unravelling right in front of her. For the first time since she could remember, Juliet looked at her father and saw weakness staring back at her. 

“Your parents couldn’t protect you, sweet Juliet,” he began. His eyes had a detached look in them, like he wasn’t really standing in front of her. 

Juliet swore her heart stopped at his words.

“They didn’t have what it took to survive. They didn’t have the determination to keep you safe,” Elijah continued, raising his bible in the air as he spoke.

Nausea washed over her. 

“I saved you. I saved you from them . And then I spared them any more suffering.”

He paused to inhale a deep breath, as though his words were suffocating him. But he wasn’t finished. 

“You looked so much like her, with your brown eyes and curls. And your cry, when your parents died, God, it sounded so much like hers.”

Juliet didn’t know how much more of this she could take, the nausea was overpowering her. 

“I knew at that moment that you were mine, that you were my second chance. I could take you in, protect you, make sure you were never taken from me. Never stolen away.”

The ringing in Juliet’s ears returned, and she leaned forward and vomited all over the floor. 

Her father didn’t take his eyes off of her, wasn’t even remotely startled by the evidence of her disgust. He walked forward and bent down until they were at eye level, then he lifted a hand and reached towards her chin.

Juliet’s entire body recoiled from his touch. She felt a wetness on her cheeks and nearly gasped in shock when she realised she was crying. Tears were flowing down her face and dripping onto her neck. Elijah tried again, reaching forward to grab her chin in his tight hold. 

A moment ago, when Elijah’s own confession fell from his lips, his eyes looked wistful, haunted. But now, as he knelt before her, that simmering fury had returned. He began to tighten his grip on her chin. 

Juliet couldn’t feel the pain anymore, she couldn’t feel much of anything. 

“The one thing I couldn’t protect you from, my dear, was your own stupidity,” her father growled, his lips pulling back into a snarl. 

Juliet began to struggle in his grip, attempting to pull herself away from his hand, but it was no use. With her wrists and legs restrained, Juliet was powerless. 

“All those years, feeding you, keeping you sheltered in my home, behind the fence I built, in the community I created,” he paused to shake his head. “And you repaid me by running away, by throwing my protection back in my face.”

“You insulted me once, Juliet. I will not let that happen again.”

Elijah released her chin suddenly and Juliet’s gaze dropped to the floor. She couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes again. There was nothing behind his icy stare. Juliet could no longer predict his movements, his actions. 

Her father was playing his own game and she had no idea of the rules. 

She couldn’t even begin to unravel everything he just confessed to. Juliet was in shock, nothing made sense anymore. She felt lightheaded, maybe if she just passed out everything would go away, she would wake up lying next to Joel in the woods. Another hot tear rolled down her burning cheek. 

“Daniel!” Elijah bellowed. 

Juliet blinked, finally raising her eyes to look around her. Her father stood by the fire, the poker in his hand. There was something else there too, he was clipping something onto the poker, but her eyes were too blurry with tears to see. 

The door at the top of the basement stairs opened and Daniel came into view. He didn’t say a word, just walked up behind her and hovered, waiting on her father’s instructions. Juliet’s stomach dropped, an icy dread churning in her gut. 

After another agonisingly long minute, Elijah pulled away from the fire and turned towards her. Juliet's eyes immediately dropped to the poker in his hands. And the red hot metal letters attached to the end of it. 

E.M. Elijah Matthews.  

The nausea struck Juliet, hard and fast. She nearly doubled over, but by some miracle, she stayed upright. Her legs began to tremble, shaking the metal chair beneath her. Juliet had figured out her father’s next move. 

“No, no, no, no,” she began to cry, pulling against the ropes with enough force to tear skin.

She watched as her father nodded to Daniel behind her and felt his hands come down on her shoulders. 

“I don’t want it to be too visible, Daniel please lift up her shirt,” her father ordered, as he continued his slow walk towards her. The white hot end of the poker reflected in his eyes and illuminated the cruel shape of his mouth. 

“No!” Juliet screamed through thick tears as Daniel’s rough hands reached down and lifted up her shirt, revealing her stomach. 

Elijah stopped in front of her, peering down, relishing in her fear. 

“This isn’t love,” Juliet cried, defeat seeping into her tone.

Her father smiled, a real smile this time. 

“Love is pain, my sweet Juliet. You just have to be strong enough to bear it,” he said softly. “It’s time you remember who you belong to.”

Then he brought the end of the poker down on Juliet’s stomach.

Juliet felt a scream crawl up her throat, but she couldn’t hear a thing. 

The ringing in her ears drowned out everything around her. The smell of her burning flesh met her nose just as dark spots began to dance across her vision. 

As the darkness consumed her, a familiar face flashed before eyes. In her current state, Juliet could not recall the man’s name, but she felt warm, and she felt safe as he gently wiped her tears with his rough, calloused fingers. 

……………………………………………..

Joel’s POV:

It didn’t take them long to reach Juliet’s house. No one stopped them as they darted through the quiet streets, Ethan staggering to keep up with Joel. 

The house looked different in the dark. It was still old and crumbling, but without the twilight sky bathing it in a soft blue light, the house no longer looked sad.

It looked dangerous. 

They staggered to a stop at the bottom of the porch steps, the lights in the house were on so they kept to the shadows. 

Joel’s fingers clenched and unclenched in a constant, repetitive movement. Joel had fed every bit of fear and regret churning in his gut into his anger, and now it crawled over his skin, desperate for release. 

Ethan signalled with his head towards a side door, Joel nodded and took the lead. He didn’t trust Ethan. He didn’t trust that he could protect Juliet, he didn’t trust his motives. 

But Ethan knew this house, so Joel had to trust that he knew how to get them in. 

“They’ll be in the basement,” Ethan mouthed to Joel before they reached the side door.

Joel frowned, horror starting to overpower his rage. But there was no time to question how Ethan knew this, or what that meant for Juliet. Joel just bit the skin inside his cheek and reached his hand towards the door handle. 

It was unlocked.

He turned back to Ethan before entering the house. It was two against two, Joel wasn’t worried about gunning down the men that surrounded Juliet. Joel just wanted to be the one to deal with Elijah. A single bullet was too easy for him. 

Killing was not often a pleasure for Joel, it was always a necessity. But he knew he would enjoy watching Elijah bleed. 

The house was silent, eerily so. 

Joel began to feel that sense of wrongness from earlier. He didn’t listen to his gut the first time, he wouldn’t make that mistake again. They had to hurry. 

With another sharp nod from Joel, Ethan moved through the house until he reached a door in the middle of the hall. Then he stepped back, darting his gaze up to Joel’s face. 

Joel gripped his shotgun, his fingers flexing across the handle. Ethan echoed his movements, then squeezed his eyes shut for a second. Joel noted the nervous action. He wondered what Ethan had seen in this basement that made him so fearful of it. 

Without another thought, Joel, in one powerful movement, kicked open the basement door and began his descent into the dark room. His heartbeat quickened in anticipation of a fight. 

Time slowed as Joel moved down the steps, his head turning to try and get a sense of the layout but it was so dark. 

The first thing he noticed was the smell.

It was something rotten, but he couldn’t place it. 

It didn’t matter anyways, he wasn’t able to give it much thought, because a man rounded the corner, pulling his gun out of his back pocket. 

Joel fired a bullet through his skull before he got the chance. 

Time continued to slow as Joel reached the bottom step, his gun still out in front of him. Ethan’s presence looming behind him.

Moving around the corner into the room, the smell increased, burning Joel’s nose. If he wasn’t being driven by pure survival instincts at that moment, he would have gagged. 

Another step into the room and Joel spotted a dwindling fire at the back wall, and a man standing next to it, his hands in the air, his mouth open. 

Another step and Joel noticed the chair sitting opposite the fire, and the bent figure of a person hunched over, their head at an unnatural angle. 

Another step and the man scrambled for the poker by the fire, branding it like a weapon.

Another step and Joel rounded on the figure in the chair.

With one sharp inhale, Joel realised that the figure in the chair was a girl.

With one skipped heartbeat, Joel recognised the bruised and battered face of Juliet.

With one glance downwards, Joel noticed the horrific amount of blood pooled around her torso, dripping onto the floor. 

With one strangled gasp, Joel knew that she was dead. 

Time picked up again, moving at a rapid pace all at once. Joel whipped his gaze from Juliet’s body to the man by the fire. Elijah.  

Joel didn’t hear Ethan’s steps pound behind him. Joel didn’t hear Ethan’s pained scream. Joel didn’t hear his own guttural cry as he threw himself at Juliet’s father. 

He dropped his gun, letting it swing from the strap on his shoulder. Joel’s hands knocked the poker from Elijah’s grip then met his neck with a brutal intensity, slamming him against the fireplace, pinning him against the stone wall above it. 

Elijah reached his hands up, clawing at Joel’s arms. His eyes were wide and bloodshot. 

Joel’s face shook with fury, his lips pulled back to bare his teeth. He was snarling at the man in his grip, practically growling as he increased the pressure in his hands. Joel was an animal, his instincts had taken over. 

Some distant part of Joel’s brain heard Ethan yelling, screaming. But Joel wasn’t listening, the only thing he was focused on was the man in front of him begging for air. 

Juliet’s face flashed in his mind, and he pushed harder, practically crushing her father’s throat.

This was the man who had killed her, this was the sick, disgusting man who had made her life a living hell. And there he was, writhing and choking in Joel’s grip. 

But it wasn’t enough for Joel. 

The image of Juliet’s neck, bent at an unthinkable angle, and the blood, god, the blood that poured from her.

Joel wanted, no, needed, to watch Elijah bleed too.

He released his grip so suddenly that Juliet’s father almost fell into the fire, but Joel caught him before that happened. With one hand tight on Elijah’s shoulder, lifting him up, Joel pulled back his other arm and fired his fist into his face. 

Once

Twice…

Joel lost count after twenty or so hits. 

Elijah’s face was unrecognisable, but Joel couldn’t even see him anymore. It was Juliet’s face that covered his vision. He watched her roll her eyes at him, he watched her lips twitch into a reluctant smile, he watched her head tilt back as she laughed. 

Joel knew Elijah was dead, but he kept punching. 

Blood splattered his face, and his fist burned, but he kept punching. 

Joel kept punching because he knew that if he stopped, he’d have to turn around and face Juliet’s lifeless body. He’d have to look at her face and know that she would never smile again, never roll her eyes at his grumpy remarks, never laugh with a recklessness he wished he could imitate. 

Ethan’s yelling started to seep into Joel’s consciousness, growing louder. But he wasn’t screaming for Juliet, he was screaming at Joel. 

Joel pulled back from Elijah, breathing heavy. How weak, how pathetic he looked as a bloody mess resembling a man. 

Joel glanced down at the small fire, still burning quietly, then pushed Elijah’s body into the weakening blaze. Joel watched as the fire started to lick at his skin, blistering his flesh. 

The smell struck his nose, and Joel whipped around towards Juliet’s body. That was what he had smelled when he entered the basement. Joel didn’t think that more rage could coat around his heart, but somehow this realisation brought forth a wave of anger he didn’t even think his body was capable of containing. 

“Lift up her shirt,” Joel commanded with a lifeless voice, staring numbly at Juliet’s bloodied torso. 

Ethan was still shouting, but Joel continued to block him out. 

“Lift up her shirt,” he demanded again, louder this time, harsher.

Ethan carefully reached around Juliet and rolled up her shirt.

There it was, barely visible beneath the layer of thick blood, a brand marking her skin. E.M.

Joel ached to turn around, pull Elijah out of the fire and continue pummelling his face. But as he looked closer, a muscle in his very tight jaw jumped when he noticed that, despite the amount of blood, the brand was the only wound on Juliet’s stomach.

Joel’s eyes darted to Ethan, who had cut the ropes on Juliet’s wrists and ankles free, and now sat on his knees with his fingers latched on the underside of Juliet’s raw wrist. 

“She’s alive,” Ethan croaked out. “I can feel her pulse, it’s weak but it’s there.”

Ethan’s words washed over Joel and he staggered backwards. Relief was quick and brutal, but it did nothing to ease his horror. Juliet sat broken before him. Not dead, but nearly. Almost. 

“Get up,” Joel barked out, gesturing for Ethan to stand and move away from Juliet. 

When he didn’t move quick enough, Joel snarled, “get the fuck away from her,” in his lifeless voice. His eyes didn’t leave Juliet’s face. She was so pale, and covered in blood and bruises. 

Ethan scrambled away from her and Joel moved forward, his steps were heavy, like he was wading through water. But his hands, though fractured and bruised, were so gentle as they slid behind her back, tucking under her legs and lifting her broken body to his chest. Her head rolled onto his shoulder and Joel tilted his chin down towards her. His eyes shuttered closed as his stubbled jaw grazed over Juliet’s dark hair. 

He kept watching her until he felt her chest rise and fall with a shallow breath. Joel almost choked with relief. Then the terror snuck back in. She was so cold, and there was so much blood. They had to get out of here, get somewhere safe. 

Joel couldn’t spend another second in this basement.

Time slowed to a crawl again as he walked the fourteen steps out of the basement, Juliet’s fragile body shivering against him.

Joel vowed, with each step he climbed, that he would never again let Juliet out of his sight, never again allow her to suffer, until she begged him herself to go.

If Juliet allowed it, he would burn anything and anyone who ever dared to hurt her.

______________________

@amyispxnk @shotgun-shelby @http-paprika

[mwolf0epsilon]

The 501st Gang Meet their 105th Counterparts

A prequel to my last post

Rex, staring uneasily at the fully kitted captain Carno who is just silently staring at him: ...Uh, welcome aboard. I'm sure you'll feel right at home with the 501st and, should you need anything, we're more than willing to accomodate. Carno, continuing to stare menacingly before finally speaking up in a raspy and very hushed tone: I don't like your face. Rex: Wh-- Carno, shoving past him rudely: Stay out of my way, Blondie. I don't need some flashy Jedi's pet putting a spotlight on me. Rex, starting to think this might not be as easy as the briefing made it sound: Oh boy...

-

James, looking Jesse up and down while playing with his braid: So, is like, the tat supposed to be some kinda statement, or are you just really into licking boots? Jesse, pausing: I... Excuse me?! -staring at James wide-eyed- James: Oooh, it's a statement isn't it? Dang boy, they should slap you on a poster. Every battalion needs a show fathier, I guess! Jesse, glaring: I don't like you. James: Feeling's mutual. This ship ain't big enough for two token pretty boys. Jesse: No, no it isn't.

-

Hardcase, excitedly showing Clearcut around while talking like a ship running a click per second: Clearcut, allowing Hardcase to drag him around while sort of tuning him out and only picking up on vital pieces of information like emergency hallways, weapons storage and other such things: Hardcase: You don't talk much do ya? That's fine I'll talk for the both of us! Clearcut: By all means, carry on. Hardcase, happily carrying on: I can tell we're both gonna get along really well. Clearcut: I agree.

-

Kix, staring at Bon who's been shaking and on the verge of tears since arriving: Bon, staring back at Kix with very wet eyes while holding a fully stocked medkit in hand: I get to use this on anyone who comes in here? Kix, blinking: ... Yes. This is the medbay after all. Bon: And I'm allowed to treat them? I'm allowed? Kix, feeling a little uneasy: Yes...? Bon, openly crying now: This is the happiest day of my life... Kix, incredibly uncomfortable: Ah...

-

Echo & Fives, having a stare down with Wallflower & Nowt: Wallflower & Nowt, staring back at Fives and Echo with an impassive and a smug look respectively: Fives, opens up his mouth to say something: Nowt: Bitch. Wallflower, turning to slap his brother across the face: Captain said to put a sock in it. Nowt: The captain can suck it! If it wasn't for me he wouldn't know half the kark the others get up to when he's not looking! Wallflower: Karkin' snitch! Fives, closing his mouth and looking at Echo: Echo, nodding at Fives as both of them slowly back away from the now furiously arguing Jenga Twins:

-

Tup, sitting on the floor wrapped in a thin blanket because he was kicked out of his bunk and had his belongings taken: Can I at least have my brush back? Lobo, tossing him a pair of scissors instead: No amount of brushing will make that rat's nest look any less like osik. Tup, narrowly avoiding getting hit by the scissors and now standing up angrily: I'm gonna knock your teeth out. Lobo, equally angry: I'm gonna make you eat your own hair. Tup & Lobo launch themselves at each other and proceed to start a fight:

-

Dogma, a little overwhelmed as Caprichoso pulls him along while he's supposed to be the one giving him a tour of the ship: Caprichoso, wide-eyed and extremely excited about everything he's seen so far: Wow! You 501st lot have EVERYTHING! Good eats, tons of new gear up for grabs, full training room setup, clean showers, clean barracks, fully stocked medbay... Your Jedi spoil you so good! You must be the greatest troopers ever! Dogma: I... I wouldn't say they spoil us... That'd be a sign of unfair favoritism and would go against the no fraternization rules. And while the 501st certainly has a degree of great competency among many of the GAR's forces, those things you've listed are all requirements that were put forward to the Republic since the beginning of the army's first year of deployment. An ill-prepared and ill-equipment battalion wouldn't serve properly. Caprichoso: I know what you mean. But our general didn't see it that way. Thought we could push ourselves to be better without extra help... But eh! Who cares? The blighter is dead an' buried while we're here now! Gosh... You think your medic could give me a once over? Or or or, maybe we could hit the mess? Or uh! A shower yeah! I haven't had a shower in two weeks... My armour's getting more rank than I am ehehe! Get it? Dogma, moving slightly away from Caprichoso out of mild disgust: I, yes, a hot shower and a hot meal, then I can continue giving you the to-- Caprichoso: YOU GUYS GET HOT WATER?! I LOVE IT HERE ALREADY! -hugging Dogma tightly- We are gonna be such great friends! Dogma, eyes watering at the intense stench of B.O as well as the bone crushing hug of the rather clingy trooper: Stars have mercy...

[captainpricelover]

You're a cunt

Philip Graves x f!reader

Wordcount- 1.1k

Warnings: Smut!! Oral f! receiving, P in V sex, slightly rough sex, Philip fucks you against a wall. 

Names used: Baby, sweetheart

You and Graves had been hooking up on the down low, so you were more shocked than anyone when he decides to betray you. You stick with your task force, you escape with Soap and Ghost into the nearby city. When your split up from the duo you hide away in a house trying to fix your broken radio, your life is only made worse when Philip decides to enter that very same house.

You stumble up the stairs to the bedroom of the random townhouse where you made your temporary shelter. Outside, the sounds of the shadow company’s radio crackling remind you of your own, you look down at your tactical vest only to find your radio split into multiple pieces, thank god it's still fixable all you need is some duct tape. Instantly, you open all the drawers and check under the bed for some. You get to the nightstands, one had some pills and reading glasses while the other has some handcuffs, you originally were a bit disgusted until you notice a roll of duct tape underneath them. Thank god for kinky people. The pieces of the radio slowly come together like a puzzle you was so close to taping it all up when you hear footsteps. Shit. You panic and immediately rush under the bed. The footsteps get louder and you begin to control your breathing. The door opens, then shuts. Only one step of footsteps can be heard.

“Come on out, baby.” You can recognise that Southern accent anywhere.

He drops himself to the floor right in front of you. Those blue eyes staring into your soul.

“You’re a cunt.” You say

“Aww I missed you too, sugar,” He smirks “Now are you going to come out or am I going to have to drag you?” 

You slowly shimmy your way out so that you now standing on the opposite side of the bed.

“I wished you picked the second option, you know I like to watch you struggle,”

“So are we just going to ignore the elephant in the room,”

“I don’t see an eleph-”

“WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” You scream

“Don’t do that, you’re going to draw so much attention over here,”

“Philip you ordered your men to shoot me,” You say in a much quieter voice.

“I did my job.”

“Last night you told me that you loved me!”

You could cut the tension with a knife. Silent surrounds you both. Tears fill your eyes, slightly blurring your vision.

“Look, I am sorry, I have my orders. I need to follow them.”

“You could have told me,”

“So you could go and tell your friends.” 

You walk around the bed to face him. His eyes fixate on you as you walk. They dart up and down your body taking in every last detail. All the words you want to say get caught on the tip of the tongue. You loved Philip, truly. He was kind and he cared for you, also the fact he was the CEO of a shadow company meant he was loaded and not to mention the mind-blowing sex. But the moment when he took over Alejandro’s base shattered your heart into a thousand pieces, you were hoping that after this whole missile crisis was over you would get into an actual relationship. You’re brought out of your thoughts by Philips's lips crashing into yours. His hands grab your hips and he crashes them against the wall. Your tounges fight for dominance but you quickly allow him to take over. He pressed his groin against you. The tent in his trousers is large. He breaks the kiss

“Let me try and make it up to you,”

His hands make quick work of your utility belt as it drops to the floor not a second later. Your zipper is undone and before you can realise your panties and trousers are around your ankles and Philips’s face is shoved against your pussy furiously sucking on your clit. Your fingers find their way to the crown of his head as you grip his brown locks. Two of his fingers tease your entrance as his tongue glides between your folds. He’s good. He eats you out like a starved man.  When his index and middle finger finally enter you they instantly begin to attack your G-spot. Philip’s fingers pump in and out of you quickly making you become undone. Suddenly, he stops. You let out a whine.

“Don’t worry baby,”

 He attempts to comfort you and he undoes his zipper and pulls his cock out of his boxers. Philips stand up, he practically towers over you, and his hands find their way to the back of your thighs where his fingers grip the flesh. He picks you up and you instinctively wrap your legs around his waist. Your back smashes against the wall as he aligns his cock with your entrance.

“You going to kill me or arrest me after this?” You ask

“Depends on how good you are for me,”

He smirks before slamming the entire length of his manhood into you, hitting your cervix. A moan almost escapes your lips but is stopped by his hand covering your mouth.

“Gotta be quiet sweetheart,”

He states before thrusting in and out of you. The sounds of his balls slapping against you and your muffled moans fill the room. Your arms wrap around his neck, clinging on to him for dear life as he slams his cock in and out of your pussy. 

“I’m gonna c-cum, Graves!” You mumble under his hand

“Cum for me,” He practically growls. You cum immediately after he says that. Your grip becomes loose while his hold on you becomes stronger. His thrusts become rougher and more frantic. Philip places small kisses on your cheek before you feel hot strings of cum pouring out inside you. He pulls out slowly before sitting you down on the edge of the bed.

“Do you need help with your pants?” He asks with genuine concern.

“I’ve got it,” You go to pull them up but before you can, Philip’s hand presses against your inner thigh with a tissue cleaning up his mess. He shoots you a smile before helping you pull up your pants.

“I didn't need your help,”

Philips's lips open, he's about to say something but he stops as your radio crackles. It's Simon asking for your yours or Ghost’s location. Your duct tape idea actually worked. His expression changes as he remembers his missions and what he needs to do. A sigh escapes his lips as he pinches the bridge of his name. He stares at you for a minute but it felt like an eternity.

“Go, now.”

You are about to say something but you instead put your utility belt back before claiming out the window and into the cold, rainy town to reunite with Ghost and Soap.

[mayasdeluca]

Could you rate Marina scenes but only.from s7.

Ik it wasnt perfect and kinda rushed but we had so many cute stuff

Sorry for the delay! This took some time and I'm still not sure of my ranking because some of these were tough. We did get some great scenes despite them ultimately doing Marina dirty in Season 7 IMO. A lot of stuff brushed under the rug/put in wordless montages that was really frustrating after waiting so long for certain storylines to wrap up and come to fruition but this is how I would rank them.

This would be my top 5 and then the rest under the cut:

7x04: truth or scared scene. so good. finally got to hear them express their fears to one another. (crazy how they all ended up becoming reality during the season) and then of course the cuddling scene at the end and carina sleeping in maya’s neck like we all knew she did <3 lovely to see and bonus that it was directed by Stefania.

2. 7x05: in maya’s bunk. top tier. everything about this scene is perfect. carina waiting for maya while wearing her sfd clothes. liam there. maya freaking out when she sees carina’s bloody shirt. carina having to tell maya she can’t get pregnant and maya immediately wanting to fix it and suggesting her eggs. maya finally speaking italian to her wife. i’m so glad we got this and in the 100th episode makes it even more meaningful <3

3. 7x10: we’re pregnant. two babies. i love this scene even if i wish we got more of an initial reaction to them finally seeing each other after all the wildfire stress. but the payoff of carina finally getting to tell maya she’s pregnant was beautiful and so special. the spinning kiss parallel to their proposal scene felt meaningful also. they finally had their moment <3

4. 7x09: i’d rather focus on my hot wife. 10/10 great scene. the foreshadowing of this is definitely evil but it's probably the sexiest thing we got of the season and didn't disappoint. Danielle and Stefania truly delivered as they always do when getting the material.

5. 7x01: Hi little Liam. We’d like to be your moms. I love this scene. Maya being the one to suggest adoption, saying they can still have their plans to get pregnant, listing all the reasons it makes sense for them. Carina being so happy and the way Maya looks at her at the end as Carina is looking at Liam and Liam looking up at both of them. I’ll always wish we got more of the beginning stages of Marina bringing Liam home from the hospital/introducing him to the team etc. but this scene was really good. The start of them finally becoming moms <3

Now the rest. I don't know if the 7x09 cliffhanger technically counts because they don't interact in it but I have to shout it out/put it close to the top because it's still so beautifully done and intertwined both of them together in such an amazing way. Just such a shame that they didn't pay it off that well.

6. 7x09: scene in kitchen. mutual i love you’s finally, the ultrasound picture on the fridge, maya wearing the jacket she wore when they first met. another great scene that gave us so many good things.

7. 7x05: FaceTime maya carina liam. super cute. we got probie and babe and maya in her class A’s. 

8. 7x08: opening montage scene of ivf process/embryo transfer. loved this scene, glad we got to see some of it on tv for once that just involved the two of them. i think out of all their wordless montage scenes in the season, this is the one that actually made sense to be a montage but some of us were so frustrated with them already having a lot of those scenes already that we wished there was dialogue. but i think it was nice seeing the process being done, the way they were looking at each other with complete heart eyes, maya holding carina’s hand every step of the way and then carina explaining things to maya on the ultrasound photo. and i love that it was the first scene of the episode. and then the transition to them at the clinic and maya being all protective of carina moving heavy things? 10/10

9. 7x07: scene in the beginning with liam is adorable. maya testing carina for her meeting about the lawsuit, maya and liam both crying and carina comforting them both. all it was missing was a kiss of some sort, don’t know why they didn’t add that. also carina calling herself mommy felt wrong

10. 7x04: getting locked out of the house. peak comedy. carina saying she wants to fight. love seeing them bicker like an old married couple lol "i’m married to maya bishop, of course my car is locked"

11. 7x06: at the clinic. maya being all smitten at the idea of carina being pregnant. i’m so glad we at least got this since we never got to see maya around a pregnant carina…we were so robbed of that

12. 7x08: over protective maya about the embryo transfer at the clinic and wanting carina to take it easy…adorable. the little bits we got of her being that way since we didn’t get to see it while carina was actually pregnant but i love that carina also reassures her she’s fine and still capable of doing things.

13. 7x09: in the tent, worried wives and ‘see you at home’ short but sweet

14. 7x09: texting scene. lasagna mention. super cute and bonus carina/liam cuteness 

15. 7x06: joe’s bar. annoyed they cut the kiss which was a theme this season but i really liked this scene. maya being a cute yapper while carina amusingly listens to her wife and them talking about mason and their parents and bringing it back to them having their own kids. carina telling maya she’s going to be a good mom…it was just a cute married domestic scene at their place.

16. 7x01: talking about getting house. Carina saying ‘your apartment’ stings even if I get she’s saying it because of the bad memories. seeing Carina with Liam in the beginning and Maya saying she did everything she could to save his bio mom was cute. our house. our home. this scene is cute but the fact that they didn’t just let them kiss properly is annoying and then we got the awkward angle instead. 

17. 7x08: in the lounge talking about liam and the bio dad. love how carina leans into maya’s chest and maya kisses the top of her head. wish it wasn’t so quick but it was a nice scene

18. 7x02: Carina getting sued: Maya being supportive of Carina from the jump was cute and the little touches throughout the scene was so them. and Maya basically making sure everything was taken care of and leading the way once they got the call to get Liam? my heart

19. 7x04: discussing attachment parenting and their different styles. i found this scene to be very interesting and to hear maya's POV of why she felt the way she did and it made sense for her stance to be what it was while carina felt the opposite. thought it was nice to hear them talk about it in a healthy way despite them disagreeing.

20. 7x04: the fight in liam’s room. lots of mixed feelings with this scene. i know people think Carina always pushes Maya too hard but i also think she should be able to talk about the tough things with her wife at times. it shouldn’t just be a ‘therapy’ thing when Carina is just trying to figure out where Maya is coming from. it’s also interesting to me how Maya always goes to bring up Carina’s father whenever she gets confronted with something by Carina, i wish that was something that was addressed. i also understand Maya is still working on herself and so getting defensive and walking out is still something she does and i don’t blame her for that. but part of me does wish we would have gotten to see them grow from this as it was already a step in the right direction after the fighting in season 3 (and we all know how maya handled that) but to finally get to see them ‘fight’ and discuss something without Maya walking away. 

21. 7x08: marina walking into the engagement party and telling the team about being on track to adopt liam. glad we got this moment and the team being happy for them. 

22. 7x02: Marina Clinic Scenes (I’m just grouping them altogether as one since they weren’t technically alone for any of them but still had some moments) love the look Carina gives Maya when she says “That’s what I said” about never having kids. Carina helping Maya with her gown, seeing them work together to figure out the illness the woman had, it was nice seeing them work together in that element like that (though i still think it was a missed opportunity for them to deal with a contagious situation and one of them catching something/worrying about liam but there was already a lot going on plus the suing situation at the end)

23. 7x04: Maya with the drill in the beginning. Carina with liam was adorable but it felt a little forced that Carina just couldn’t get a diaper herself lol

24. 7x07: end scene. having the box hit Maya’s boobs so they can’t kiss? stupid and unnecessary. only good things were the hand holding and amore mio. the double standards between all the couples sex scenes were trash as we’ve all said. 

25. 7x10: the flash forwards. idk if these count but they were fine. Maya’s showing them both giving birth was unexpected but i am glad we got the vision of carina giving birth to their baby. Carina’s only showing some weirdly placed photoshoot was underwhelming though.

26. 7x02: bringing Liam to the station…the fact that this was just a wordless montage really upsets me. I think this moment deserved way more. I get that it was Jack’s moment/episode but Marina had been waiting for this for so long and we deserved to see them excited and having the team excited with dialogue that they were finally bringing their baby home with them. 

27. 7x03: montage scene(s) - if these even count…I think we all know how ridiculous it was that this it the only content they got in the Pride episode and while it was sweet seeing the three of them in their new home and getting to dance and have their moment as a family…they deserved so much better and so much more. 

[henrysglock]

Well, Well...Look Whose Limbs Are Still Intact (AKA the 4th NINA installment)

After seeing The First Shadow, I'm revisiting NINA installment #3!

Previously, I had speculated that El may have committed the 4.07 massacre after all, because there are multiple shots where the bodies don't have the Vecna eyes/snapped limbs.

For example, the difference:

And she may still have, I won't rule that out entirely. However...After seeing TFS, I have questions.

In TFS, when "Henry" doesn't attack in classic Vecna-style (which we actually witness firsthand just as often as we witness traditional Vecna killings), he attacks similarly to the way El does:

(it's not exactly the same, but the end results are very similar)

It's not Vecna style. Point blank.

When Vecna kills, the limbs always go first, and the eyes go last. We see that in Prancer, we see it in Virginia, and we see it in 1986. Limbs, then jaw, then eyes.

As far as we know, "Henry" on his own doesn't snap limbs at all, let alone jaws. The victims (see: Mr. Newby and Inmate 58361) are usually awake, aware, and screaming in agony, and no bones are broken. The eyes are the only thing to go, and they go fairly quickly.

Not Vecna-style.

So now, of course, I have to look back at her:

I know we've all seen this scene (and these pictures) so, so many times. Most likely from me, and most likely in another part of this analysis series. However, I want to run through this one part specifically shot by shot because it's EXTREMELY funny to me.

We've got Jumpsuit-A Guy (I'll just call him JA for short) attacking El:

So you'd assume he's both the One making El's eyes bleed that way and the One making her limbs twist/snap, right? Because he's doing what Vecna does?

(He isn't, but they want you to think he's doing what Vecna does. They're very good at hiding things about jumpsuit guys.)

But check this out.

We never see teen El with: a) twisting/snapping limbs b) the squeezing eye blood pattern c) JA Guy on screen at the same time. We see everything in tight shots. (Of course, always managing to keep that mirror in view behind One without showing us El. That's a secret tool that'll help us later.)

I've put the shot progressions in order from L -> R, top -> bottom, like lines in a book:

(Blackout to the new Terry/birth memory)

So, from this scene alone, we actually have very little evidence that JA did both things.

And you might go "Oh James, but look at the subtitles earlier!"

I have to ask: Are the breaking bones in the room with us right now?

Because all I see is El flailing, which is consistent with the next subtitle:

But...subtitling aside. I have better evidence that he didn't do both things. The Duffers thought they could pull a fast one on me, but the jokes on them—I'm an autistic freak who liked the I-Spy books way too much as a kid.

Can anyone explain this away?

And yes, the guy in the final screenshot is a bloody jumpsuit guy, even if I can't tell you with 100% certainty which jumpsuit he is. He's just moving really fast:

Anyway. That aside, have a look at the blood pattern on El.

The top gowns have blood on the left hip (twisting limbs El), the bottom gowns have blood on the right hip (squeeze eye blood El).

And I thought okay, well, let's run through some explanations:

Maybe somehow we're seeing that lower splotch by her left knee? First off, the stain's too big. Second, it's not the right shape. Third, it's hand-level. Definitely not the knee splotch.

Maybe, by some impossible 3D modeling limb fuck-up that swapped her hands, we're seeing her from behind? Well, let's see...

Nope! As far as we know, El doesn't have blood on her back, impossible limbs aside.

It seems, almost, like they shot her right side and mirrored it.

See?

So that's straight up not the same girl. Squeezed bloody eyes El and twisting limbs El are different girls.

That, my friends, means we have a brand-new version of teen El in the massacre.

That's consistent with what I talked about here, the scene at the beginning of NINA where teen El turns around twice:

Which is also the scene where we get two different doors in the Rainbow Room with teen El...And it all tracks with the doubled/mirrored rainbow room BTS.

So yes, we definitely have at least two versions of NINA running with teen El! One where her eyes bleed squeeze-style, and one where her bones break.

This means that whatever's going on in that scene with JA, he's not responsible for all of it, because the El in the "correct" gown has the eye blood, but the El in the "mirrored" gown has the twisting limbs. Two different girls, two different guys.

So, then, the next logical question to ask is: What is Jumpsuit-A Guy responsible for?

With the way JA's attack on El is filmed (the camera cuts and tight shots), it's nearly impossible to tell which things he's doing.

Disclaimer: None of the childrens' bodies are killed in a traditional Vecna manner. None of the jaws are broken. There's something else going on here, and I'm not entirely sure what it is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a mirrored version of TFS Henry's attack style (read: limbs first or limbs only rather than eyes only). So when I say "Vecna style", that's me referring to a limbs-first style.

Moving on...I daresay JA doesn't kill "like Vecna". Let me explain.

JA is the only guy we see actively killing in the Rainbow Room, and they're generous enough to swing/pan around to him in a continuous shot for it! No camera cuts there, no extra doubt introduced.

[TFS Brenner voice] They want to be caught so bad, I wonder why they even bother lying to me 🙄

Check it out:

Eyes go first. No twisting or broken limbs. That is JA's attack style. It's not even close to Vecna style.

If you're like me, you'll go:

"Oh, but James! Look at the body behind JA! The eyes are missing, and a couple of the other bodies look like their bones might be broken."

And you'd be right!

I'm not particularly concerned about that in relation to JA, though, since: a) We know a lot of the backdrop is divorced from the actual action (as I mentioned in here irt blood and impact crater separation), and multiple different corpse positions appear within the same jumpsuit, and there are multiple versions of corpses with non-twisted limbs:

(Top Left: JA with two different poses for the "same" corpse. Top Middle: Proving that the top-left photo is, indeed, of JA. Top Right: Two different versions of the "same" corpse with non-broken limbs. Bottom left: The corpse by the shelf goes from broken to unbroken based on relative position to the mirror. Bottom right: Much the same as Bottom Left, corpses go from broken to unbroken based on Brenner's presence.)

As far as I know...as of right now, we haven't found a solid, all-encompassing pattern in the surrounding bodies in relation to the all the jumpsuits.

b) We quite literally just witnessed the pattern of his kill style in the swing-around shot.

And, while I can't 100% confirm that either of these bodies belong to JA, since we don't have confirmation of JA with any non-twisted limb bodies...Once again, I have to ask:

Are the breaking bones in the room with us right now? Because I personally didn't see any twisted, snapped bones.

And here?

Well, well...

Yes, I'm aware those are both across camera cuts. And no, I can't 100% confirm which of the Ones killed those Twos. There may be multiple that don't kill Vecna-style!

It's entirely possible that most of them don't kill Vecna-style, and the Vecna makeup is just an overlay (maybe one that glitches or has missing uploads within NINA. Not a Duffers production error, but an HNL production error).

I will say that JA is the strongest candidate for being one of those non-Vecna-style guys, though.

"Maybe you just caught JA too early in the process for breaking bones?"

I mean, maybe, sure! I can acknowledge that possibility.

It's still not the limbs-first style, though. The order is all wrong, and it still doesn't match what we're shown in the attack on El, gown discrepancy aside. When JA's attacking El, we see the isolated limb-twisting bit before we see the eyes. Meanwhile his attack on Two starts with the eyes. Two's eyes bleed, and his limbs are still intact.

That means JA likely isn't responsible for the limb-twisting bits in the attack on El.

So, my point remains the same: There's at least one One who doesn't attack Vecna-style, and instead attacks like TFS "Henry"—Eyes bloody off the bat, bones not targeted. JA is the strongest candidate I've seen for being one of them. (Put a pin in this. I'm going to talk about it later.)

That supports the two distinct attack styles I was talking about here.

Two does have the cloudy, Vecna-ish eyes, though, and somebody's bones are snapping somewhere...So I genuinely wouldn't be shocked if this, like the gate/dematerialization shot (which I talked about in here), is a dual-outcome overlay of the two attack styles. (More on this in a bit! Hold onto this thought.)

Now, I want to go a layer deeper.

Keeping all that in mind, I want to talk about this bit the released 4.07 script:

Let me explain.

Baby El, per the script, is through the mirror, which tracks with this jumpsuit discrepancy:

JA and JC are both on teen El's side of the mirror. JE is a "through the mirror" jumpsuit, placing him with Baby El.

You know who else is actually "through the mirror", both in script and on film?

JD, who, like JE, we only see when we push through the mirror:

And he is, as predicted, associated with a baby El.

I originally thought they had cut that second "through the mirror" bit when they changed to have One break the mirror instead of just being pinned to it, and that we were just seeing baby El in teen El's place.

They didn't cut it, and we have no idea if what Baby El does is the same as whatever Teen El's doing on the other side of the mirror while we can't see her.

So, tl;dr: JE and JD are definitely different from JA and JC, not just based on jumpsuit, but also by location relative to the mirror and the associated ages of their Els.

JD and JE exist through the mirror (read: with baby El). JA and JC exist not through the mirror (read: with teen El).

Which...All of this becomes even funnier when you look at this guy, the only time we see baby El's face and a One who's still somewhat recognizable on screen together in this sequence:

And like...first off, it's straight up not the same guy. Second off, they're hiding his identity from us.

Just look.

And even at the most surface-level? Look at the hair. He's not the same guy.

Stunt double, 3D-model, either way. All of this could and arguably should be lined up properly, based on the VFX team's capabilities. Both guys are being dematerialized, but they're not the same guy. I just can't tell you with any certainty which guy he is.

However, this all means the guy we see together on screen with baby El here? He may very well be the guy watching her here:

The mirror matches, and it's totally different from JD, who gets this:

(He has the mirror going the opposite way.)

And because he's through the mirror with baby El, this mystery man could be JE, since he's not JD. Again, I just can't say for sure because all we see of JE is his chest and left side, but all we see of secret third guy is his right side, which is so far away that I don't feel comfortable making a claim re: his identity...and JE is deliberately shot mirrored so as not to reveal his right side.

They're deliberately hiding his identity re: jumpsuit pattern. If I could see his chest, or even parts of his arms, I could tell you for sure which One he is. But I can't...so. Here we are, missing variables.

Shaking the Duffers until they drop loot (J?'s jumpsuit pattern).

Anyway!

Remember when I said they were hiding baby Els from us? This is what I'm talking about. Two different guys, two different girls, and they're deliberately hiding both the face blood of one of the Els and the jumpsuit pattern of the One with her.

Now, remember that those few thoughts I asked you to put pins in? The ones about the mirror being kept in frame with JA, not being able to confirm which One killed that intact-limbs Two, and Two's possible dual-overlay/bones snapping somewhere?

Yeah. This is where all that comes in: The Speculation.

JA and JC are on teen El's side of the mirror. JD and JE...and secret third jumpsuit...are on baby El's side of the mirror.

We can confirm that JA takes the eyes first (read: he doesn't attack Two or El in the bone-breaking/Vecna style), and keeping that mirror in frame during the attack on El implies that someone on the other side of it (read: with baby El) should attack the same way. This supports the theory that we're missing a baby El with the squeezed bloody eye pattern, likely the same baby El that we see in BTS pictures.

Can I say with 100% certainty that JA doesn't break bones? No. However...For the moment, I can comfortably hypothesize (say, 65% certainty), that he's the not the one breaking bones on teen El's side of the mirror.

A logical hypothesis based on that is that Jumpsuit-C Guy (the later Brenner-faced One who's purported by the show to have become Vecna) is the one breaking bones/attacking Vecna-style on teen El's side of the mirror.

All these timelines, the different jumpsuits, seem to be happening simultaneously. It's not a massive stretch for me to hypothesize that this factor is what's contributing to the phantom bone-snapping sound and cloudy eyes we see on Two, despite Jumpsuit-A Guy not snapping his bones (much the same as the dual overlay with the gate and the dematerialization).

We're not shown any concrete evidence as to what kill style JE uses, nor do we have any hard conclusions in regard to his fate, but based on his location relative to the mirror, I'm comfortable hypothesizing that he might be this weird, mystery One with the Vecna-eyes baby El. They don't let us see which attack style JD uses or which baby El eye-blood pattern he's associated with. However, based on the conclusion that he's likely not the guy associated with Vecna-eyes baby El...for the moment, I feel comfortable hypothesizing that he does not attack in the bone-breaking/Vecna-style way, and instead attacks squeeze-style and is associated with the BTS-only Baby El.

This is further supported by the fact that a) JD and Hallway Guy seem to be the same person, and Hallway Guy quick-kills the same way El does:

It would stand to reason, then, that his slow kills would be similar to hers.

b) JD goes on to become Mindflayer Guy, not Vecna

(Left: JC, who's smash-cut to Vecna. Right: JD, who's shown shaping the MF)

So, to kind of sum all that up:

JA: Definitely on teen El's side of the mirror, associated with right-hip blood and squeezed bloody eyes teen El. He's probably one of the guys who has an attack style that doesn't break bones first/the squeeze-style attack. We don't know where he ends up, but he may be linked to the Mindflayer.

JC: Definitely on teen El's side of the mirror, possible associated with left-hip blood and twisting limbs Teen El. He may be one of the guys who breaks bones first. He supposedly becomes BrenVecna.

JD: Definitely on Baby El's side of the mirror, never seen on Teen El's side. Associated with mystery blood Baby El. No confirmed attack style, but based on the secretive behavior irt: Baby El's eye blood, he may be one of the guys with an attack style that doesn't break bones/the squeeze-style attack. He's Mindflayer guy.

JE: Baby El's side of the mirror, never seen on Teen El's side. No confirmed attack style or associations. May be associated with Vecna-eyes Baby El, given the secrecy around the mystery man's jumpsuit pattern, which means he may be a bone-breaking guy. We don't know where he ends up, but he may linked to Vecna.

If you made it this far you're automatically stronger than the US Marines. Gold star for all of you.

[cljordan-imperium]

14

Chapter 13

“You know we might want to get in there pretty soon, kitten.”  Kase’s voice sounded a little hoarse to his own ears before he chuckled.  He had a pretty good idea that was partly because of the thoughts and emotions he was having at the moment, the ones that had led him to a spur of the moment decision he was hoping she wouldn’t make him regret anytime in the near future.  As much as he wanted to stay in the garage and keep kissing her, or talking about what this meant for the two of them, he knew that they were being waited on.  It was better to end the moment now, than have his partner, or Spencer, interrupting.  Not to mention that there was an eye in a cooler down next to his leg.

“Not that I want to let you go.” He added, one side of his mouth lifting.  Why did his timing have to suck for shit like this?  He could have waited till he took her back to her car after the examination of the eye.  But, as Kase knew all too well, some moments never happen again and he wasn’t wanting to chance this being one of them.

As Serena nodded, she couldn’t take her eyes off of his sparkling crystalline blue ones.  As she felt drawn into him, she wondered if he realized how open his emotions were in that moment.  It was like his feelings were flowing through his expression.  She didn’t regret even a second of what happened, but they both knew that it was going to complicate things for them.  At the moment, she was not really caring about that, but they would have to talk about it eventually.  Now, however, was not the time.

“I don’t want you to either, but I think you’re right.”  Finally Serena answered, her voice soft as the butterflies in her stomach took flight again.  “There’ll be time later, Karsten.  All the time we want.”  That both excited her and scared her.  How did she end up in this situation again?  Abandoned by Rob, only to now be torn between Keegan and Karsten.

Giving him one last, quick and soft kiss, her hands slid down his back as she pulled away.  She was dreading going into the morgue, and dealing with things; but it could only be put off for so long. The faster she got to work with the examination of the eye, the faster that they would be done and able to focus on other things. Now it was time to get to work.

“Look alive!  Boss lady and your partner incoming!”  Spencer called out with a laugh as he spun his chair away from the monitor, then stood to start to get everything organized for the examination of the eye.  Things would have to be done with meticulous attention to detail and documentation. Everything would have to be recorded via video, audio, and written records, backups of backups made. No detail of the exam would be too small to be recorded in the record.  For the next few days, Spencer and Serena would be a team working in tandem to accomplish only one goal: to ascertain as much information from that one small eye as they could.  Technically there had been no breach in protocol, and as long as no one ever looked at that security tape, there would be no questions regarding the chain of custody and transportation of the eye.  Even then, the eye was never really out of sight or reach of the ME and the lead detective, even if they were paying absolutely no attention to it for a few minutes.  Spencer was certainly not going to be the one to make mention of it.  Sometimes you just knew to employ discretion.

“I will avoid embarrassing your boss, but I’m going to bust Kase’s balls over that one.”  Declan pointed at the screen where he could see Kase and Rena heading in.  There was no way he could pass that up.

“Just don’t cause a fight in the morgue and I honestly don’t give a shit.  He needs to have them busted for taking so long.”  Spencer chuckled then grew serious.  “Time to look like we’ve been doing something other than standing and watching what they were doing.”  He gave a brief chuckle then hit the button that started the video and audio recording in the room for evidentiary purposes, “beginning recording of examination of the human eye and attached partial ocular nerve that was delivered to the offices of the Cook County Assistant District Attorney Colin Masterson’s office….”  Spencer went on to record all the pertinent case information and details as he laid out the surgical instruments that Serena would need to perform the post mortem on the eye.  There was a great deal of procedural information that had to be recorded in just the right order and with just the right verbiage that Spencer could almost do it from memory except for the parts that changed.

When he heard the click of Serena unlocking the door to her private suite where the eye autopsy was to take place, he made a note of the time to the second, and paused the recording so that any chit chat wasn’t about to become public record. 

support banner - @cafekitsune

[isuckatwritingsobenice]

Hi! Can I request a milo thatch x reader who drown themselves in their work but the one time they work with milo, they find some way rope milo into their work? Even if it’s something the reader can easily do by themselves but prefer to do it with milo? Could you sprinkle in some flustered milo by any chance 🙏. Hope you have a good day/night 💞!

ps: love your Alastor fics!!

A/N: Thank you so much I truly appreciate it!! Just an announcement real quick, I’m doing a 500 follower event which is posted & linked to my navigation if anyone is interested!! Anyway, happy reading!!

Warnings: none!

Navigation!! // Masterlist!!

Y/N had been at it for hours, their focus razor-sharp as they meticulously combed through every text, every symbol. They were no stranger to long nights, often losing themselves in their work to the point where everything else faded into the background. The weight of responsibility, the drive to uncover every hidden truth, kept them tethered to the library desk, even as the sun began to set.

Milo had noticed it, of course. How could he not? He admired Y/N’s dedication, but he couldn’t help but worry as he watched them skip meals, their posture growing more rigid, and their eyes tired from hours of staring at ancient texts. As they worked together, he saw the signs of exhaustion creeping in—the way Y/N’s shoulders slumped slightly, the way they blinked more often, trying to stay focused.

He tried to ignore it at first, not wanting to interrupt. But as the minutes turned into hours, Milo’s concern grew. Finally, he couldn’t stay silent any longer. “Y/N,” he said gently, his voice cutting through the silence of the library. “Maybe we should take a break. You’ve been working for so long… I’m worried you’re going to burn out.”

Y/N shook their head, not even looking up from the text in front of them. “I’m fine, Milo. I just need to finish this section, then I’ll take a break. I promise.”

Milo frowned, not convinced. He reached out and gently placed a hand on Y/N’s arm, causing them to pause and finally look at him. “You said that an hour ago,” he pointed out softly. His touch was warm, grounding, and Y/N felt a pang of guilt at the concern in his eyes.

“I know this is important,” Milo continued, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing small circles on Y/N’s arm, “but you’re important too. And I can’t help but worry when I see you pushing yourself so hard. Please, just take a short break. We can go outside, get some fresh air, maybe grab something to eat?”

Y/N hesitated, torn between the need to continue and the growing realization that Milo was right. Their mind was starting to blur around the edges, and their body felt heavier than it had earlier. They looked into Milo’s eyes, seeing the genuine worry there, and something in them softened.

“Alright,” Y/N finally agreed, their voice quieter now. “A break sounds good.”

Milo’s relief was palpable, and his face lit up with a small, grateful smile. “Great! I promise it’ll be quick, and we can come right back after.”

As they stood up, Y/N felt the full weight of their exhaustion hit them. Their legs were stiff, and a dull ache spread across their shoulders. Milo noticed and immediately moved closer, his hand hovering near Y/N’s back as if ready to catch them if they stumbled. “Here, lean on me if you need to,” he offered, his voice filled with concern.

Y/N gave him a tired but appreciative smile. “I’m okay, just… a bit more tired than I realized.”

Milo nodded, understanding. “That’s why it’s important to take breaks,” he said gently, guiding them out of the library. “Even the best researchers need to rest sometimes.”

As they stepped outside, the cool evening air brushed against their skin, refreshing and invigorating. Y/N breathed in deeply, feeling a little bit of the tension in their body start to release. Milo stayed close, his presence comforting and steadying.

For a few moments, they walked in silence, simply enjoying the break. Y/N felt the weight of their exhaustion begin to lift, replaced by a quiet sense of peace. They glanced at Milo, who was looking at them with that same gentle concern.

“Thank you,” Y/N said softly, feeling a warmth spread through their chest—not just from the break, but from the way Milo had cared enough to pull them away from their work. “I needed this more than I realized.”

Milo smiled, his eyes soft as he looked back at Y/N. “Anytime. I’m here to help, remember? Even if that means reminding you to take care of yourself.”

Y/N nodded, feeling a deep sense of gratitude for Milo. As they headed back inside, they felt more refreshed, more ready to continue. And with Milo by their side, they knew they wouldn’t be facing the challenges alone.

[edenshiba]

Can you do a part 2 to the Jesse x Reader?

Meeting Him Again Pt.2

Character: Jesse x Reader

Summary: Running away isn’t a good idea. He found you.

Note: Sorry for taking too long to do this. I’m having a second thought to post since I love to reread my story and then contemplating whether I need to delete it or not. But enjoy!

Pt.2

Run

Run

RUN!

The word has been going around in your mind for hours after he left your apartment. You can’t be with him again, no. He is a criminal.

The one that has been sent to Rasen.

In S.W.O.R.D there are two types of prison, Rasen and Sun King. If you go to Rasen it’s bad enough but Sun King? Oh no.

You just got the news that he has been transferred to Sun King because of his behaviour and now he’s out from there. He wasn’t supposed to be out this soon.

Somebody pay his way out.

That is a good reason to leave S.W.O.R.D and starts your life somewhere else. Maybe Tokyo.

Or Hokkaido.

In a nutshell, anywhere is better than S.W.O.R.D .

The clock shows the time, it’s 7.45 am and you haven’t slept since he left. You were busy packing your things and called your friends to help and thank god your apartment are already empty by 6.40.

Carrying your backpack, you lock the door before heading downstairs. You wave at the taxi before opened up the door.

“Can you go to Asahina Garage?”

“Ok miss.” You silently thank the god.

You left your bike there, for maintenance. You look at your phone, trying to see the shikansen's schedule. Train to Tokyo left at 9.30 am. You still got time to get your bike, drop it at your friends place and go to the train station.

By the time you arrived in front of the garage, you gave the taxi driver a hefty amount of money without letting him to get the change.

You went inside, there he is.

“Yamato, is my bike done?” You asked the male.

He look up to you before smile.

“ Well, just the oil and I guess it’s good to go.” His words calmed you down.

You let out a relieve sigh before shaking the man’s hand.

“Thank you, I appreciate it. Here.” You gave him the money.

He count it before hitting it on his palm. Yamato went to the search the key. Suddenly, your phone ringing.

Koo

Your brow arched, why did he call you?

It’s no surprise that you are kind of close with the male but he never really call you in the morning.

“Koo, what happened?”

From the sound of his voice, you can say that the guy lost his calm personality.

“Rocky’s hurt?” You look at Yamato's direction before going outside.

“You mean to tell me that Rocky’s got beaten up?” You know this doesn’t concern you but Rocky is the best boss ever.

“Ok, take care.”

“Your keys.” Yamato’s voice shocked you.

“Thanks. Tell Cobra I say hi.” He gave you his usual smile.

You starts the engine before take off. Koo's words had been going around your mind. You look at the clock, one hour before the train leaves.

You decided to visit your boss at his club. Koo said that all the worker has been giving day off for today. You didn’t came to work once and numerous occasions already take places.

Arriving at the club, you quickly turn off the engine before going inside, your eyes caught the sight of the inside. The club is ruin.

You saw Rocky drinking his usual drink. His eyes widen and stands up once he saw you at the entrance.

“(Y/n) what are you doing here?” You hug his tall figure before take a look at the wound.

One on the forehead, busted lips and lots of bruises. Even thought he’s all bruise up, he still got his handsome look.

“Koo called. He said that someone broke into the club and beat you guys up. Do you know him boss?”

Rocky stay silent even after you forced him to spit it out. Eventually you gave up.

Suddenly you remember, you didn’t quit your job yet. You look at him, feeling guilty for what you’re about to say.

“Hey, actually....”

You took a deep breath, in five minutes you would be gone from this life. You already got the ticket to Tokyo and you will begin your new life there.

As you walk past the bento shop, you halted your movements to see the food. You found your favourite, omurice. You pay for the food before continuing your steps.

Your eyes caught a silhouette of someone. At first you thought that you were wrong but the who suddenly put his hand on your shoulder proves you wrong.

You are scared to look at him.

He found you.

“I told you not to run right?” Your breath hitched and your legs suddenly stops.

Jesse tilted his head to the side to see you. He uses his other hand to move your head, facing his face. He smiled at your reaction.

“Let me go.” Your words almost like a whisper. Jesse smirked before his grip on your shoulder tighten.

“Bunny, don’t make a scene here.” He whispered. You almost run from him but you felt something on your waist.

Something sharp.

You froze, Jesse took the opportunity to drag you with him. When you move a bit, you felt like the tip almost pierce into your clothes.

By the time both of you went out from the train station, you saw a yellow Lamborghini at the parking lot. You didn’t have the gut to ask if he stole that car.

He pushed you inside before opening the driver’s door. Without wasting any time, he starts the engine and drove off from the parking lot. Tears left your eyes after you hold it for long. Jesse took a glimpse at your face, he scoffed before wiping it. His calloused finger grips your jaw, not too hard but not too soft either. Enough to stop you from moving.

“Don’t cry bunny. You hurt me.” His low voice send chills down your spine. He let go of your jaw before making a turn.

How you wish you could run far away from him now.

Why you didn’t move far away when you got time?

Why?

Before you know it, both of you arrived at their hideout. The white building stays the same even after six years. The same building and a bit secluded from others. Not your usual traditional Japanese house.

“After my pretty lady.” His voice shocked you.

You look up to him, his smile never left his face. You got out from the car. Jesse took your hand before going into the house. Despite every effort that you put to make him let your hand go, it never work. He tighten his grips as a warning for you to behave.

Loud noises calmed down once you entered the place. All of the people there stared at you for quite sometime, that was until Bernie started to run to you.

“(Y/n), is this you?” He said, amazed.

Bernie hug you and you froze. Back then, he loves to hug you as you are the only one who love to spend time with him. But now, you don’t know.

All of them are criminals, and you want nothing to do with them.

“ Welcome back.” You look at the man, Ice raise up his glass as a welcome gesture.

While all of them still fussing over your return, you felt empty and deep down you want to run away from here.

Jesse left you with Bernie, 9, Pearl, Diddy with his girlfriend and Sarah at the living room. He and Ice went somewhere else. This is awkward.

You kept drinking the alcohol and doesn’t even what time is it now.

“ Yo checked this out.” Bernie’s voice illuminates the whole room.

He started to play the beat and the next thing you know they started rapping all of the sudden.

Very Bernie and 9.

“How long have you been with Jesse?” Your head perks up.

Sarah, who was drinking earlier finally gives attention to you.

“Well, we met around seven years ago.”

“Yeah and they’ve been a couple since.” Pearl added, in which making your brows furrowed.

“Um, we broke up already.” Their faces dropped.

Sudden 9 and Bernie wasn’t paying attention to their song anymore and Diddy look at you like he’s seeing ghost.

“Are you kidding me?” Was the only thing that 9 manages to say.

Well, it’s not their fault. Jesse was crazy back then, and still is. No one and not even you dared to oppose him.

“I, where’s the toilet?” Before they get to say anything, this is the right time to run.

You still remember the house layout. The toilet is next to the kitchen, and the kitchen back door is always locked. But the windows aren’t.

You examine your surroundings before opened up the window. Thank god it’s big enough for your body to get through.

“Ranmaru paid already. Tomorrow we’ll destroy the Rascals.” You stopped your tracks at the voice.

Rascals? White Rascals?

You peek a little from behind the white wall, Jesse is talking to a group of guy.

“Do I need to go?” The guy with blonde hair asked.

“Well, he paid already. We should get the job done.”

Your fist clenched together.

So he’s the one who beat Rocky?

“What’s that?” You look on your left, two cats were fighting.

When you tried to shoo'ed them away, the blonde guy already appear next to you. His face shows no remorse.

He dragged you from behind the wall. Your eyes met Jesse’s. You quickly pulled your hand from his grip, before walking away from him. You stood in front of Jesse, staring deep into his eyes.

“Were you eavesdropping?” He asked. His face changed from smiling to serious.

“ I happened to be there. Now send me back please.” If you ever learned something from your relationship in the past, it is not to eavesdropped his conversation.

Jesse doesn’t like disrespect, doesn’t matter if it comes from his love one. But he tolerates it when it comes to you.

“ Go to my room and wait there bunny. I got business to settle.” He tucks the stray hair behind your ear and push you slightly.

Back then you would blushed, but now it’s all empty.

You obeyed his words. Running up the stairs, you saw Ice flirting with Sarah in front of his room. Both of them stop when they see you but you just wave them goodbye and went to Jesse’s room.

After six years, you still remember. The room is still white, with a little touch of brown. The furniture layout is till the same and the bed cover is still white.

Old memories started to flooding in your mind. The first day he brought you here, the second time both of you were having sex with every position possible in here and how he always whispered how much he loves you whenever both of you were stargazing at his balcony.

You took your jacket off of your body and hang it at the coat rack. You can’t lie, this place does feel like home.

After all these years running away from him you realized that you still in love with him. Jesse always put effort in everything. Even though your relationship with him is toxic, you still like him.

“Did you make yourself comfortable bunny?” His voice shocked you.

Your turned around, Jesse already hung his jacket and only left with his white t-shirt and jeans. He still doesn’t wear his shoes properly.

“I want to go home.”

“This is your home.” His voice is no way around mad or disappointed.

“This is not my home Jess.” You burst out crying.

Jesse stood there, like a doll. He doesn’t even tried to hug or comfort you.

Just stood there and do nothing.

“I should be in Tokyo by now, chasing my dream and not here, with you out of all people!” You pointed at him.

He is expressionless, like a robot that needs to be thought emotions.

He always like this

“Your dream is here bunny. Don’t you remember? You wanted to be by my side all the time.” You grabbed him by his collar, your (e/c) met his.

“No, no! You will not do this to me right now!”

Despite you grabbing him by his collar, which is something that he hate, he still acted like an Angel.

He moved leaning forward, closing the gap in between him and you before pulled you into a deep kiss.

He deepen the kiss whenever he felt like you were trying to get away from him. Without you realize, he already push you onto the bed. Both of you fell down before he broke the kiss.

He wiped the tears off your face slowly. He kissed all over your face, from your forehead to your eyes and both of you cheeks before ended it on your lips.

“Don’t cry bunny. You shouldn’t wasted your tears on me.” He whispered to you.

Your heart aches. You know that he tried to manipulate you, like the old time. But you can’t resist.

You love him still.

No, you are confused.

You are confused by his action. You spent years trying to forget and get away from him but now all the effort went to waste.

You still can’t leave him. You don’t even have the guts to do it in front of him.

“Let me go Jesse, please. I, I can’t do this anymore.” You begged.

“Shh, no, bunny. Listen to me, you only need me okay? Both of us need each other. Six years is enough okay? Let’s start over.” His puppy like eyes melted your stone heart down.

You can’t do this anymore. You push him aside but he soon trapped you again under him.

“Bunny, listen. We can fix this okay? Give me another chance. We can be happy, forever.”

The tears stars to streaming down your eyes. You lose.

You can’t push him aside, it’s too hard. You still love him.

“Let me in bunny, let me be in your life again.”

[corrodedseraphine]

paper hearts | one shot

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader

summary: You passed the first two years of high school looking at your friend with heart-shaped eyes. Unfortunately, moving out made the contact between you disappear. A few years later, returning to Hawkins you unexpectedly meet him again. Everything comes back with redoubled force, however, this time you have a plan. angst/fluff, friends to lovers

In this au Vecna didin't happen

the one shot is also avaliable on ao3

7 852 words

I got slightly inspired while listening to the song Paper Hearts by The Vamps.

when it comes to the origami, the ring was looking like this, and hearts like this

eddie munson masterlist | general masterlist

"This is our table, freak." One member of the Hawkins High basketball team said. "Don't you know that freshmen can't sit wherever they want? There are rules here!"

"I don't see this seat signed with anyone's name." The boy replied without looking at the bully.

"Not only is he a freak, he's also asking for a bruise." After a moment, the twice as big and definitely stronger basketball player threw his victim off the bench. The other took the tray with his lunch and threw it straight into the trashcan.

"Now you have no reason to be here. Get out of our way." he commented, and the younger boy wordlessly walked past them and left the cafeteria.

Assholes. You thought while watching the whole scene from across the room. Thinking not much, you quickly packed your lunch in a container and quickly followed him. You found him sitting on the floor under the English classroom. He was sitting leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, so you were able to get a better look at him. His curly hair reached his shoulders, which were covered by a black leather jacket. Underneath, he wore a T-shirt with the logo of some band you didn't associate. All this was complemented by black pants with holes at the knees. You guessed that his appearance was one of the reasons why people call him a freak, but you didn't care too much. Hearing you sit down next to him and digging into your backpack he opened his eyes and looked at you with an uncertain look.

"I saw what those idiots did with your lunch." You explained. "We can share. Do you like cheese?" you said, offering him one of your sandwiches.

"You don't have to do that." He replied looking away.

"But I want to." you replied. "I also have cookies, I baked them over the weekend with my aunt." you smiled.

He watched you carefully trying to read your intentions. From the very beginning of school, he was unable to fit in anywhere. Whenever he tried to make any kind of acquaintance he was met with a harsh attitude, so after a while he stopped trying anymore. After all, no one was interested in making friends with trailer trash, right? Why were you sitting next to him now offering him half of your food? Is this some kind of joke? Looking for an excuse to laugh at him?

"I swear it's not poisoned." you laughed. He was wondering if he could trust you. He quickly reached into his memory trying to remember if he had sometimes seen you somewhere in the company of popular kids who loved to make his life miserable. The first days of school can be difficult, and it's hard to remember every face you pass in the hallway. Without associating yours with them he decided that he can give you a chance and he will try to believe that you do not want to hurt him. After all, there are still people in this world who do good, selfless things. Maybe you were just one of them. He sent you another uncertain look and raised his hand slowly. Seeing this you slid your lunch box even closer indicating that he should finally take the bread. After the sandwich, you also handed him two cookies.

"They are delicious," he said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." you replied with a smile. "Can I sit here with you until the end of the break?"

"Uh- Sure." he replied surprised. He found it hard to believe that you wanted to keep him company. From the very beginning, everyone avoided showing up at his side, knowing that by doing so they could also become the target of bullies. An awkward silence fell between the two of you, so you took out a piece of paper from your backpack which you began to fold in different directions. Your new friend watched curiously as your fingers moved quickly and skillfully across the paper. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Oh, it's called origami. It often calms me down, or helps me at times when I have nothing to do with my hands," you explained without taking your eyes off your work.

"My name is Eddie. Eddie Munson." he changed the subject.

"Y/n Y/l/n." You introduced yourself by raising your eyes. "This is my first year, too."

"Nice."

Silence again. After about ten minutes your little creation was finished. You presented Eddie with a small paper ring which resembled a dragon.

"It looks great!" he commented.

"Thanks! I thought it would fit in with the rest. " you beamed looking at his hand covered with heavy, silver rings. "Keep it, it's yours. For luck."

"Thank you!"

It turned out that you shared a lot of classes with each other, where you decided to sit together. Over time you became good friends, but your relationship did not extend beyond the walls of Hawkins High. Eddie, in time, joined a club where they played some board game about dragons and magic, which he passionately told you about when you spent some of your breaks together. All of the homeworks, essays, project you did together, spending long hours in the school library. But during this time, you devoted the least of it to studying. At the very end of the library, hidden between the bookshelves, you created your own world, where hardly anyone else could find you. It was just the two of you and your conversations and quiet dreams of taking it to a higher level beyond the walls of the old school building.

For the next two years you always took a few more cookies with you. However, the cookies were not the only "more." Along with the time spent together came feelings that could not be called purely friendly. Sometimes you had the impression that he felt the same way. That's why it was especially painful for you to deal with the fact that at the beginning of your third year of high school you had to move to another city.

"I can't believe you got promoted to store manager after ONLY a year of working there!" Chrissy exclaimed as she entered the café. The warmth, the smell of coffee and fresh baked goods was a pleasant change from the freezing February air that had taken over all of Hawkins.

"Why can't anyone believe it? It's obvious! First of all, I am know music like no one else, secondly, I am amazing at this job, and thirdly, I am incredibly charming!" Eddie replied with a boyish smile on his lips.

"And to top it off, you're awfully humble," Chrissy rolled her eyes as she reached the counter.

"Welcome to the Sunflower café, how can I help you?"

"Y/n?" you froze. Letting the pen out of your hand you raised your head rapidly and your eyes met the big chocolate ones that looked as shocked as yours. They were as beautiful as you remembered them. A voice you hadn't heard in years, yet could recognize without hesitation echoed in your head. Is it a dream? you thought. Its owner looked slightly different now. His hair, much longer and a little bit more chaotic, his hands now decorated with an impressive number of tattoos. Suddenly a memory appeared in front of your eyes of him taking a pen in an extremely boring class and drawing on his hands, saying that someday they would be real there. He wasn't lying. While you thought it was funny then, now you had to admit that they looked very attractive on him. Very attractive.

"Eddie?" you choked out. Your heart was pounding like crazy, and your temperature suddenly rose by an unimaginable amount.

"Holy shit, it's really you!" he shouted, smiling broadly. The smile was still the same: wide, warm and infectious. Your reaction to it didn't change either, as your knees, as if remembering how to behave, bent immediately. Before you had time to respond in any way he excitedly circled the counter around and locked you in a bear hug. "I'm sorry, but I'm so happy to see you! We haven't seen each other in ages, oh my gosh, you don't even know how I've missed you!" he mumbled in the top of your head.

"I missed Eddie too. So much." you replied when you realized how to breathe again. After a while he let you go and went back to the opposite part of the counter where some girl was waiting for him, who after a moment significally cleared her throat.

"Yeah, right. Chissy, this is y/n an old friend of mine from the early days of high school. Y/n this is Chrissy." he introduced you. You shook hands. She had a lovely smile. A pretty, petite blonde at Eddie's side? Reluctantly, deep down you admitted that they make a really cute couple. You tried to chase away the gentle feeling of jealousy that was awakening in you. You had no right to be jealous. It was logical that after you moved out, time would not stop. Eddie moved on. Apparently, he had chosen a very good path. It wasn't his fault that all these years after you moved out you weren't able to forget about him. It wasn't his fault that every boy you dated had long, curly hair and listened to metal. Nor was it his fault that none of them were able to fill the void you felt after leaving Hawkins.

"How can I help you?" you finally asked.

When they ordered they stepped aside so as not to block space in the queue and you went about preparing the order. From time to time you glanced in their direction. It was stronger than you. The sight of Eddie caused excitement. You couldn't believe that you had him at your fingertips again. You thought he had run away from here after graduating from high school, just as he always wanted to, so coming back here you didn't expect to see him like this. He seemed to have managed to establish a life here. In addition to the excitement, there was also a small discomfort from the uncomfortable feeling when you saw them fiercely discussing something with Chrissy.

"Are you sure it was only a friend?" Chrissy asked when they had gone far enough away so that you couldn't hear what they were talking about.

"Yeah, why?"

"Would you act that way with any old high school friend?" she raised a brow.

"Okay, maybe she was my little crush, but the interest was one-sided, so I never crossed the line."

"She looks in your direction too often for it to be one-sided."

"Okay, Sherlock. You're exaggerating again, she's just in shock, we haven't seen each other for years and I've changed a bit since then. That's all."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

For the next few days, they showed up at the coffee shop almost every day, always at the same hour. They took coffees to go, or drank them inside. They were occasionally joined by other people, some of them you remembered from the school corridors. The biggest surprise for you was the company of Steve Harrington, who just a few years ago would sooner have died than sit at the same table with Eddie.

Valentine's Day morning and afternoon turned out to be a crazy day. Your aunt knew what she was doing when she opened a coffee shop combined with a bakery in Hawkins a few years ago. Crowds of people passing through the building, a ton of orders waiting to be picked up. You definitely weren't ready for such a busy time. After a few hours of running back and forth and cleaning up, as the sun slowly set behind the horizon and the inside was finally empty and quiet you could take a break.

Eddie was just leaving the store that was across the street when, through the large window of the café, he noticed you sitting alone at a table with your face hidden in your hands. Next to you was a washcloth and table cleaner. Slightly worried by this sight, he decided to make one more stop before heading home.

At the sound of the doorbell announcing the arrival of a customer, which you had heard a million times today, you felt like crying. You were exhausted. Physically and mentally exhausted. You were heartily sick of seeing and hearing couples in love, because it reminded you of your own loneliness. All day your brain forced you to wonder how Eddie was spending Valentine's Day. Will he buy Chrissy flowers? Chocolates? Will he take her to the movies? All these options seemed pretty typical. Too normal and common for him. You knew that Eddie was special and liked to do special things. Maybe he will write her a song? Whatever he prepared for her you were sure was amazing. And now, you had the opportunity to ask him about these plans in person.

"Eddie? What are you doing here?"

"I thought a little coffee wouldn't hurt. As long as you're not closing already?"

"It's your lucky day. We're open an hour longer on Valentine's Day, in case someone remembers about a last-minute gift in the form of some baked goods." Despite your tiredness, you smiled.

"In that case, I'd like to order two coffees with milk and two pieces of cake, if you have any left." he laughed, pointing to an empty display case.

"I think I'll find something in the back." You said walking in that direction. When you returned you prepared the coffee, put everything on a tray and carried it to the table where he sat. "Here you go, one coffee and cake for you and another for your girlfriend," he said.

"My girlfriend?" he asked clearly surprised.

"Chrissy? I thought she was about to join you, that's why the second portion?"

"Chrissy? oh- no! She's not my girlfriend, she's just a friend!"

"Oh." was all you could get out of yourself. "Sorry, you looked a bit like that."

"Don't worry." he laughed. "If it weren't for the decorations here I wouldn't even remember that it's Valentine's Day. No one has yet wanted to stay with me long enough to actually make it to it."

"I don't believe you." you replied. "I'm sure your Valentine will be running through the door in any minute." you crossed your arms on your chest.

"Actually, I was hoping you would join me." he said covering his mouth with his hair. "Judging by the lack of a crowd, I figured you'd find a moment for an old friend. Y'know to make up for a few lost years." he winked at you. Hearing that Eddie was single was one thing. But what he did now suddenly made the energy you'd been missing all day fill you up. In fact, you could run a whole marathon now. Embarrassed by how much you enjoyed it, you had to use a hundred percent of your strong willpower to keep from smiling as wide as you could. If you were going to get such a reward after every murderous day at work you were ready to do it every day.

"I'm all ears," you said, sitting down across from him.

You didn't have to encourage him to speak. That didn't change either, no matter what he talked about he always managed to charm the listener. He still played Dungeons and Dragons, but now he proudly announced to you that he could call himself a Dungeon Master and he was the one who organizes campaigns for his friends. Corroded Coffin continued to rock the stage at Hideout. From time to time, when they were lucky, they had the opportunity to play at other venues, but unfortunately adult life has caught up with each of them, causing them not to have as much time as they once did. He also told you about his job at a music store which was ten minutes away from the café, insisting that you must visit him there sometime, so he could recommend some great, as he called it, albums to you. He also suggested that if you have the will and time you can listen to them together. Chrissy worked at a beauty salon right next to the store and they had their lunch breaks at the same time, which explained their frequent visits here. The strangest story turned out to be how his path crossed with the former king of Hawkins High. It was all due to one of the Hellfire's member - Dustin, who introduced them to each other. Once a teenager got into quite a bit of trouble and they both had to rescue him from it, which resulted in a friendship. It turned out that now Steve is a completely different person, who does not resemble that asshole any longer. At the very end, he told how after you left, his enthusiasm for learning and going to school disappeared, causing him to have to repeat his senior year twice.

"Edward Munson are you trying to make me feel guilty for moving out?" you asked while pointing at him the spoon you were eating the cake with.

"Trying to force guilt in you for leaving me! Couldn't you have packed me in a suitcase? I was much thinner back then, I'm sure I would have fit in." he joked.

"I can already see the look on my mother's face at the sight of you jumping out of the suitcase, like in some magic show." you laughed. "Now you look much better by the way." you said feeling a little more confident.

"Are you just trying to tell me I'm handsome?" he asked putting his elbows on the table and leaning toward you.

"Maybe." you said feeling your face burn. Did you mention something about confidence? There was no trace of it anymore. You weren't able to describe how much of an influence your high school friend had on you, but he definitely knew how to trap you.

"I'm very flattered m'lady" He winked at you. "But enough about me! Now it's your time to shine."

Unlike Eddie, you didn't have much to talk about. Your last year of high school passed mostly with your nose in books because of the backlog you had, and you didn't want to stand out from the rest. Because of this, you didn't have time to go to parties or other social gatherings. You had a few friends, but none of these connections turned into real friendships. You were also on a few dates but everything always ended the same way. Right after graduation, you went to work because you couldn't afford going to college. You grabbed every job you could. Waitress, secretary, shop assistant, kitchen helper. Over those few years your resume grew impressively, however you never found something that made you happy. Only now in the café you felt that going to work was not a form of punishment. And how did you find yourself back in Hawkins? Unfortunately, your mother's sister became seriously ill, and as soon as you found out, you packed up your belongings, sold the house and returned here permanently to take care of her. Her and the café. The money you had from selling the house and the income from your aunt's business was enough to support the three of you and her treatment.

"I'm sorry to hear that, y/n".

"Don't be, the treatment is working, the prognosis is good, so we try not to worry too much. We are thinking good thoughts."

"That's good." he replied. "And you? What are your plans for Valentine's evening? Some dinner at an overpriced restaurant?" he asked, changing the subject.

"More like watching movies alone on the living room couch." you laughed.

"Oh!" he said dramatically. "So I don't have to worry that I'll be attacked by some jealous fiancé right after I leave here?"

"I don't know what your love life is like, but for my part you don't have to worry about that." you laughed.

"I'm so glad you're back. We must see each other more often. It's a must for me to introduce you to the others, would you like to see in person that Steve "The Hair" Harrington is actually a good dude?"

"Sure!"

"Great, I'll let you know where, when, what and how! And now, unfortunately, I have to go. Thank you for the nice time your highness." he placed a gentle kiss on the top of your palm.

"It was my pleasure, majesty knight." you replied playing along. In farewell Eddie hugged you tightly, this time, not being paralyzed by shock, you reciprocated the embrace. For a short while you stood cuddled up like that, when finally Eddie pulled away from you and left.

Despite the exhaustion that grew worse and worse the closer you got to the house, you went inside with a smile on your lips.

"I see someone had a good day at work," your aunt commented as you crossed the threshold of the living room.

"It was better than I expected." you said as you sat down on the couch next to her.

"I know Valentine's Day can be hard. It's one of the hardest days of the year."

"Fortunately, I was able to handle it."

"My brave girl."

"Aunt Alice?" you asked after a while.

"Yes, honey?"

"Do you know the boy in curly long hair with tattoos who comes with the blonde to the café?"

"Chrissy and Eddie? Of course I do. Faithful customers from the very beginning, wonderful kids! From what I hear Eddie is single." She poked you lightly with her shoulder.

You responded only with laughter, and then you both focused on the movie that was playing on the TV. Feeling your eyelids getting heavier you got up with the intention of going to your room to finally rest. Before doing so, though, you asked if she remembered the recipe for the cookies you used to bake together before you moved out, because you felt that putting them on the menu might turn out to be a success.

Like never, you couldn't wait for Monday. Charged with positive energy, you waited impatiently for none other than Eddie to show up at the door at the same time as always. Throughout the weekend, your thoughts kept returning to your accidental Valentine's Day coffee. You wanted to be able to call it a date however in this case you were not sure, which did not change the fact that you got a little more courage and decided to do something in this direction. It may not be a big step, but you always have to start somewhere.

"What smells so good?" Chrissy asked walking up to the counter.

"The newest addition to the menu!" you replied with a wide smile. "Cookies! Would you like to try one?"

"Sure! And two coffees with it." She replied.

"In place or takeaway?"

"In place." Eddie interjected.

When they took a seat at the table you excitedly began preparing the order. As you waited for the coffee to brew you grabbed a piece of paper and began to put it together. As you walked with their order to the table your heart thudded in your chest. It was so loud that you felt like the whole café could hear it. When you placed the plate with the cookie in front of Eddie, you saw emotions flowing across his face that you couldn't quite decipher.

"No way!" he exclaimed. "Are the new cookies on the menu the ones I'm thinking about?"

"Try it and you'll find out." you said, and he immediately took a bite.

"Oh my god." he moaned in delight. "I thought I would never get to taste them in my life again, I need more, I'm begging you." Seeing and hearing his response made you beam even more. With joy you quickly ran to get two more cookies, when you returned Eddie looked as excited as a child waiting for a Christmas gift.

"Eddie is right, y/n, these cookies are delicious!" Chrissy commented. "But I'd love to know what their story is."

You were already about to reply when one of the bakers called you over to help. You apologized to them, leaving the story to Eddie, who was very eager to clue his friend in to it.

"Hey, what's this?" she asked, looking at the plate on which his cup of coffee stood. Between her fingers she grabbed a small paper heart.

"I don't know where it came from." Eddie shrugged his shoulders while biting into another cookie.

"Strange." she muttered, looking at her finding.

"Are you jealous that this little thing was on the freak's plate and not the princess' of Hawkins High?" he asked with a teasing tone.

"Shut up, dingus." she said rolling her eyes.

"Oh no, Robin's influence on you is definitely too much, you're already starting to talk like her!"

Before leaving, they stopped at the counter. Asking what else you could serve, Eddie, of course, asked for cookies to go.

"How many to pack?" you asked, feeling immense satisfaction and joy that your idea was a success.

"All of them." he replied smiling widely.

"Eddie you can't buy out all the cookies!" Chrissy exclaimed.

"Watch me, Cunningham."

From that moment on, each time, strangely enough, there was always a small paper heart next to Eddie's order. At first he thought it was a mistake or a mere coincidence, but over time he knew it happened too often to be a coincidence. Even at first, when he claimed it was a mistake he didn't throw them away. He took them with him and kept them in his van, but when there were more and more of these, he decided that he would find a new place for them. He found a large jar at home, where he put them all in and placed it on the desk in his room. As the hearts filled the jar halfway, he wondered who they might be from. He sat staring at them as if the answer was about to magically appear but nothing like that happened. Analyzing the last few months and the behavior of all the people he had interacted with, he remembered how at first you had assumed in advance that he and Chrissy were a couple. You looked a bit like that, you said. Is it possible that Chrissy asked you to chuck them over? Actually, she has been acting rather strangely lately, but he didn't notice any particular signs that it was her. He always thought their relationship was platonic with a capital P, just like that of Robin and Steve. She was like a younger sister to him and he definitely didn't want to change that. He couldn't change it. On an impulse, he quickly grabbed the phone and dialed her number.

"Hello?" she said on the other side of the receiver.

"We need to talk." he said nervously.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Chrissy you know I love you...but like a sister. And even if I wanted to I couldn't do otherwise. I know what I'm saying now is painful, and I'm sorry, but friendship is the only thing I can offer you."

"Eddie, are you high?" she asked surprised by this precocious confession.

"No, why?"

"You call me in the middle of the night and say some fucked up things." she laughed. "Are you sure you didn't get the wrong number?"

"Aren't those paper hearts from you?" he asked confused.

"Of course not! Jesus, what made you think that anyway?"

"Oh my god what a relief," he breathed deeply. "I've noticed you've been acting a little strange lately so I thought, that maybe, it was the reason."

"I may indeed have someone in mind, but it's definitely not you!"

"And now I am interested... Who is it? Who is better than me?" he joked. There was silence on the other side of the phone. "Chrissy? You there?"

"It's Robin." she said finally.

"I knew it! I knew that the fact that you both suddenly couldn't meet me and Harrington on Valentine's Day for a movie marathon was no coincidence!"

"Fine! But it's not me we're talking about here now! It seems that you, Edward Munson, have a secret admirer."

"What's wrong with you dude? You look like a beaten puppy." Steve asked, sitting down on the bed.

"Eddie invited a girl to our board game night, but she couldn't come." Chrissy explained.

"What girl?" a curious Harrington pulled the subject.

"y/n, she works at the Sunflower café."

"Oh, she's cute." Eddie at that moment sent his friend a murderous look, Steve only raised his hands in a gesture of withdrawal. At the very thought that you might end up on Harrington's dating list made him sick. He didn't want you to be one of those girls who would end up with a broken heart. Or maybe he was actually afraid that you would prefer Steve and not him? Eddie saw you as an wonderful person, so he knew that even a playboy like King Harrington could easily fall in love in you and be spoons about you.

The evening didn't go the way it always did. Eddie, who was always the loudest during them, sat isolated from the whole world. Locked in his own universe he analyzed your conversation on Friday. Every move you made, every word that came out of your mouth. You had no reason to lie to him. In truth, you looked disappointed when you said that this weekend your aunt was having her medication increased and you might be needed at home in case something happened. Unfortunately, his insecurities resurfaced recalling how people every now and then had a sick aunt they suddenly had to take care of just when he proposed to meet. But after all, you were never like them. You were his friend. At least that's what he hoped.

"What if she could and didn't want to?" he asked after thinking for a while.

"Her aunt is ill, Edward. Not everything has to be a conspiracy against you, I'm sure she would be here if she could." Chrissy said in an exasperated tone and rolled her eyes.

"You are such a drama queen." Robin added. "What's that?" she changed the subject by grabbing the jar on his desk.

"Oh, we forgot to tell you that Eddie has a secret admirer!"

"No way! Show me!" shouted Steve breaking off on his feet. Munson, however, was faster and snatched the jar from Robin's hands. All three looked at each other with communicative eyes. It occurred to them that today was definitely not the time for jokes. They knew that this was one of the moments when Eddie's insecurities took over and prevented him from seeing a single ray of sunshine from behind the dark clouds.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound mean." began Steve.

"Yeah, me too." Robin added. Eddie sat on the floor leaning against the bed and held a jar in his hands. What if it was all a joke? What if someone decided to make fun of the local weirdo once again? It hurt him even more to think that, after all, you might be part of this prank too.

"They are so cute." said Chrissy pulling one heart out of the jar, leaning her head against Robin's shoulder.

"Do you want one?" she asked smiling broadly. "If I unfold them step by step I'm sure I can recreate every bend." She sent Eddie a questioning look, asking permission to destroy one of the hearts.

"Whatever." He just sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

Robin began slowly unfolding the paper when an inscription was paper appeared to her eyes. Surprised, she handed it to Steve, who sent her a puzzled look. "Was paper? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he commented. Confused, Eddie turned his gaze in their direction, seeing Steve holding a piece of paper with a note on it.

"This must be some kind of message, a clue!" exclaimed an excited Chrissy. "There must be more of these!"

"Eddie, I'm afraid we have to destroy them all." said Robin trying to hide the smile forming on her face. She knew they meant a lot to her friend, but she had a feeling that unfolding them all might be worth it. Munson, intrigued by his find, momentarily forgot his sadness and spilled the filling of the jar onto the mattress. Everyone immediately got down to unrolling. Some of the hearts were empty, and some had short messages written on them like the first one. After brainstorming, they managed to decipher the message.

if my heart was paper, I'd fold it

throw it to the wind and just hope it

ends up with you

"Oh my God, now for real, we have to find out who it is,"

"What if this is all one big joke?" asked Eddie.

"Anyway, we have to find this person. Either Eddie will find the love of his life, or we'll have a body to bury." commented Robin determined to act.

From that point on, every time, all four of them, no matter when they showed up at the café watched you closely. From time to time, they managed to spot you snatching a piece of paper from your notebook and starting to fold it in between brewing coffee. A few times they managed to catch you putting hearts on a plate right next to Eddie's coffee cup. Robin and Chrissy got so involved that they were visiting the café on their own and observing if hearts were also appearing with other customers' orders, but it wasn't happening.

"What are you doing there?" when one day Robin noticed that you were starting to fold a piece of paper she couldn't stand it and quickly ran to the counter. Panicked, you dropped the half-folded piece of paper to the floor feeling yourself start to blush.

"Uh- nothing!" you said in a strangely high-pitched tone. "W-would you like anything?" you asked stammeringly.

"More cookies." she said looking at you with suspicious eyes. This was the only day when Eddie didn't get a small addition to his order.

The next intrigue was to start sending Steve to order and receive the orders for several days in a row. The plan was simple, during this Harrington would turn on his charm and throw it straight at you to see if, in time, hearts would start showing up next to his orders too. This plan was especially hated by Eddie. Every time he saw Steve flirting with you and showering you with tons of compliments his heart burst with jealousy. He couldn't stop thinking about how much he would love to be in his shoes right now. Seeing your shy smiles when he was doing this, he wished that every one of those smiles was directed at him instead of his friend. Through it all he was forgetting about the whole affair related to the secret admirer, at that moment he didn't even care who it was, he was getting to the fact that if you weren't that person, he didn't want to know who it was. No matter how hard Harrington tried you seemed uninterested in his advances. Nor did his orders begin to receive a charming addition.

During the next meeting at Eddie's, Robin lay on the bed having the message cards spread out in front of her trying to associate the handwriting somehow, but nothing came to mind. "We should make a list of suspects." she finally said. "Think about who it could be and write it down. Babe, give me a piece of paper and a pen." After a phone conversation with Eddie, during which he suspected that Chrissy was behind everything, the two girls finally admitted that they had definitely been something more than friends for a long time.

"Eddie where do you keep your pens?" asked Chrissy looking around the room.

"Somewhere in the cabinet under the desk."

The cabinet was a chaos, you could find literally anything in there. Somewhere between guitar picks and lighters, Chrissy found some half-written, opened pen, but something else caught her attention.

"Who's this cute little guy?" she asked, pulling out a dragon-ring made of paper.

"Y/n made it the same day she shared the cookies with me," Eddie explained.

"Y/n. She made it for you?" Steve asked walking up to Chrissy wanting to get a closer look at the ring.

"Yeah, so hard to believe?" Eddie asked ironically.

"Dude." said Steve with a serious expression on his face. "She made it. Out of paper. For you. Out of paper, completely in the same way as those hearts!"

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Chrissy.

"Dingus is right!" Robin added.

"Nope, not true." Eddie denied, trying to suppress the hope that was beginning to rise in him. "She never looked at me as anything other than a friend, and it's probably the same now."

"Connect the dots Eddie! Coincidentally, on the same day they put the cookies, she gave you that day, on the menu you found a heart on the plate. So many times we've seen her fold them and place them with your orders."

"She may be doing it on behalf of someone else." he replied.

"Okay, I have an idea! Every time we place an order she writes everything down in a notebook, we need to somehow get it and compare the handwriting." Steve suggested.

"And how are you going to steal it from under her nose?" Robin asked.

"I have no idea."

"So I have a better idea."

"Where did you lose the fourth musketeer?" you asked the next day when Eddie, Robin and Steve stood in front of the counter.

"Chrissy is coming later. Actually, we're a little early. It's her birthday today and we wanted to ask if you feel like signing her birthday card?" said Robin slipping you a card. With a smile, you took it from her and wrote short wishes without sensing any trickery. When they sat down at the table everyone stared at your handwriting trying to remember what it looked like on the notes.

"I'm 98% sure it's identical," Steve said. Despite their assurances, Eddie still wasn't convinced. In the meantime, Chrissy came into the café, ordered a coffee and sat down at a table with them. The others showed her a card, which started a fierce discussion, which was interrupted by your arrival at the table. You gave everyone coffee, and additionally placed a cupcake with a candle next to Chrissy.

"Happy birthday!" you said, smiling cheerfully. "On the house."

"Oh thank you!" she said nervously not expecting it. "Why don't you join us?" she offered feeling remorseful.

"I'd love to, but I can't, I have to help out in the kitchen today."

"And what are you doing on the weekend?" asked Steve. "We're going to celebrate Chrissy's birthday at Eddie's, why don't you come over?"

"I'd love to!" you replied, and at the same time one of your co-workers called out to you. You sent them an apologetic look. "We'll talk about the details later, okay?"

"Sure!"

"What the hell man?" Eddie hissed.

"Chill out! If it turns out it's her, I've just arranged a meeting with her for you. You should be grateful!" Steve started to defend himself.

"I feel awful that we're lying to her. She brought me a cupcake! With a candle! I'm about to cry." The blonde hid her face in her hands, and Robin gently stroked her back.

In the evening, they all met in the trailer to add the last missing piece to the investigation. Eddie's heart froze when it turned out that the handwriting from the secret message was the same as the one on Chrissy's birthday card.

"Do you need more evidence, disbeliever?" asked Robin.

"N-no." he said quietly, trying to deal somehow with the storm of emotions he was feeling.

"I don't want to spoil the moment, but we have another problem." interjected Steve. "We now have to throw a fake birthday party for Chrissy."

You arrived at the trailer park moments earlier. In your hands you held a small cake that you had baked, and on the bend from your elbow hung a gift bag. You arrived at the trailer, which, according to their description, belonged to Eddie. When you knocked the first time the silence was the only answer. When you knocked a second time, no one opened either. You were slowly beginning to think you had mixed up the trailers, when finally after the third time the door was opened for you by Robin.

"y/n! Come in." she said, greeting you. "Steve and Eddie went to buy a few more things."

"Hi! Thanks again for the invitation." You entered looking around the trailer. There were a few balloons strewn across the floor, snacks and bottles of drink stood on the kitchen counter. On the walls, under a cover of colorful streamers, was a large collection of hats and mugs. You remembered Eddie telling you in high school that his Uncle always brought them back as souvenirs from new places he had been. The collection has probably grown significantly since then.

"Baby, why don't we somehow use our time together until Eddie and Steve get back from shopping?" the playful voice of Chrissy, who emerged from a room at the end of the trailer, reached you. "Ah!" she croaked upon seeing you standing in the living room. "y/n! you're early!"

"I am sorry." you said seeing how awkward she felt that you heard her proposal to Robin.

"Happy birthday! I baked a cake, I hope you like strawberries." you said, wanting to quickly change the subject.

"You baked me a cake?" she asked with the face of a sad puppy.

"I went to work a little early today to have time to deal with everything."

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed in a voice close to tears.

"D-did I do someting wrong?" you asked shocked.

"No, you did everything like the best!" she replied.

"Chrissy calm down, please."

"She baked me a cake Robin! She bought a gift! I can't handle it!" the younger girl began to panic.

"If you want to be left alone, I can leave." you said retreating to the door, which opened at the same time.

"The three of us. Out." Robin said, pointing a finger at herself, Chrissy and Steve. "You explain everything to her before Chrissy explodes." She added pointing to Eddie, with whom after a moment you were alone. He stood motionless staring at you nervously pressing his lips into a thin line.

"You know that standing still won't make you invisible right?" he only nodded in response. The next two minutes passed in complete silence.

"Sit down." He said pointing to the couch. "Before I say anything, I want you to know that I'll understand if you don't want to stay in touch with me anymore after this."

"Wha- Eddie, why?"

"Just- wait here, okay?" he asked and disappeared into the room Chrissy had left earlier. After a while, he returned holding a whole stack of crumpled pieces of paper in his hands, which you immediately recognized. Your heart beat faster. Of course, starting the whole plan you were aware that there was a possibility that you would eventually be exposed. Of course you thought about this moment every day, but now that it was happening at this exact moment you didn't know what to do.

"I'm sorry!" you shouted panicked. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't, I don't know what I was thinking! Actually I do know- It's just- Oh my God- I've always liked you!" you started rambling. "Even in high school, and then- Then I moved away, but I still couldn't forget about you, then I came back to Hawkins and saw you in the café and it all came back! Everything!" you got up from the couch and started nervously walking around the room in circles. "And when you came on Valentine's Day? And you wanted me to drink coffee with you? I know you treated all that in a friendly way, but I couldn't, especially when you said you were single! When I got home after that evening I came up with this stupid plan, wanting to do something to not lose you again! Jesus- you probably think I'm an crazy idiot now, is that why you mentioned not staying in touch? Don't you want to know me anymore? I'm so-"

Before you could finish Eddie with a quick step was next to you. Second later his lips were on yours stopping your waterfall of words. When the shock wore off and you realized what was happening you threw your arms around his neck reciprocating the kiss, which didn't last too long because unintentionally a wide smile appeared on your face, which you were unable to stop.

"I had to do something to make you shut up." he whispered while stroking your cheek.

"If this is the way you have to shut me up I will become the most talkative person in the world." you replied.

"You don't even know how much I wanted it to be you." He rested his forehead against yours. Without answering you kissed him again. This time it was he who couldn't control his smile. "Since you don't hate me, can you fix the hearts? I miss them a little."

"I can make you new ones."

"How about fixing and making new ones?"

"Whatever you want."

"Guys are you alive?" Robin asked. "You guys are awfully quiet, not that we were eavesdropping..."

Before opening the door, the metalhead placed another sweet kiss on your lips and let the rest inside. Together they told you step by step how they came to all this. Steve felt extremely offended when you said that his charm completely didn't work on you, but Eddie accepted it with great relief.

"Do you want to tell me that I got up two hours early today to prepare a cake for a birthday that doesn't exist?" you asked with a serious face.

"We are so sorry! I told them that lying to you was a bad idea, but Steve's plan B was to steal the notebook you write your orders in!" explained Chrissy while hiding behind Robin. You burst out laughing unable to pretend to be angry with them any longer.

"You better keep telling me all evening that this is the best cake you've ever eaten in your life!" you said.

"Of course it's sweetheart, because it was made by the greatest girl in the whole world." said Eddie putting his arm around you. Sweetheart. You happily admitted that you would be glad to get used to such a name. 

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