#best mom and son your honor

[signanothername]

The road to recovery is a long one but one eventually gets there <3

[mazojo]

I wish the Langa promotional birthday art a very good soulmates

[teasel-backatitagain]

Thinking about her (Karina Braun)

[cashmoneyyysstuff]

Crying bc that could never be me bc I never really had close guy friends when I was young please write a one shot or something of childhood friends y/n and Katsuki of Katsuki being immune to cooties and bringing these tendencies to UA together 😭

eeeee i was secretly hoping someone would ask me to talk about this more tehhehehe here you go ! I didn’t rlly get what you meant with him carrying the cootie thing to high school so i wrote this around your ask a lil, hope you don't mind ! i tried honoring your request as best i can, hope you enjoy !

fem reader, polar opposite’s trope except not POLAR opposite’s cus yn is a little shit on the low, mitsuki favoritism lol, mitsuki and katsuki arguing n bein sassy, katsuki gets embarrassed, mitsuki is mischievous, katsuki calling his mother old, yn calls mitsuki ‘miss’, pure fluff honestly, say it with me CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS TROPE WOHOOOO, mentions of making out n kissing, established relationship, cooties lol, lemme know if i missed sum else <3 !!

katsuki wants to do one of three things right now : dissapear, sink into the floor or die—and the more he hears his old hag babbling on and on to you with a familiar photo album in her lap, the more he's starting to find the all three options tempting.

" oh look, this was at you guys' kindergarten graduation ! you were both soooo small, do you remember that ?! "

he hears his mom gush from the other bigger living room couch she's sitting on with you. it's been 15 minutes since you had come over to his house and the plan was for you guys to hang out, watch a movie and get a make out session in before you leave or preferably have you sleep over.

that was the plan, until his old hag came and fucked it up.

15 minutes since she'd dragged you over to the couch and talked your ear off about whatever the fuck moms talk about and you, being the sweetheart that you are, listened patiently the whole time, chatting and giggling out jokes easily. katsuki really, really doesn't know how you do it but he sure as hell respects you for it.

you'd always insisted on being polite with his mom, something about staying in her good graces after you guys had started dating. katsuki thinks that's extremely stupid because his mom has loved you since that day in elementary school when he'd dragged you over to her, his little hand gripping yours tightly and proudly exclaiming you were the one he was gonna marry. you were sweeter and calmer than he was by far and she was immediatly enamoured with you. katsuki's damn near sure she loves you more than she loves him. that in itself isn't the problem. the problem was that she's been hogging you ever since you walked in the door.

usually, katsuki's fast enough to drag you up to his room before she can get her claws in you, but he wasn't fast enough today and that's how he ended up in his current predicament.

" and this one when you came over for christmas—oh, katsuki begged me to let you stay over, you know ? you cannot believe how loud he can get when he doesn't get his way, started rolling around on the floor n' everything ! "

katsuki feels his ears redden the more he listens to this conversation and he wishes so bad for you guys to just fucking go. he could go to his room and avoid this entire conversation in theory, but he'd rather avoid his mom telling you some other embarrassing stories that you absolutely do not need to know about, so he concedes and tries his best to drown the conversation out, scrolling on his phone.

"ou, i have an adorable picture of katsuki in the bath let me find—"

" DON'T FUCKIN’ SHOW HER THAT, HAG ?! " katsuki shrieks, startling you, his mom looks surprised for no more than a milisecond before shooting him a nasty glare unphased by her son's outburst. "what's got you pipin' up now, brat ?" she asks unimpressed.

katsuki practically zooms over and snatches the album away from his mother's grip, shooting her a glare identical to her own. " i'm gonna burn this in your sleep one of these days, i swear. " he grumbles, trudging off to put the album back on one of the shelves of his living room and ignoring his mom wishing him good luck with that. katsuki feels like he's lost a battle when he hears you giggle quietly when he turns away, no doubt his mother had said something about how he was embarrassed to have you see his baby pictures. he vows to get revenge and thinks the best way to start is by throwing this cursed collection of pictures on an open fire. he decides to just put it back on the shelf for now.

“ what a spoilsport, am i right ?” mitsuki nudges you with her shoulder and you giggle at what katsuki personally finds a horrible joke. to each their own though, or whatever.

katsuki scoffs to himself. he makes his way back to the couch and stands in front of you both, arms crossed.

“you done hoggin’ my girlfriend now or are you gonna keep yappin’ some more ?” mitsuki scoffs at her son’s words, wrapping her arms around your frame and pulling you against her tightly when she sees katsuki’s hand creeping towards you, assuming he'd try to pull you away.

“ i’m sure you can be patient for a little longer, as hard as i know it is for you.” you hear katsuki scoff out an insult under his breath, mitsuki pays it no mind. “besides, yn has been enjoyin’ our conversation so far, haven’t ya sweetie ?” she asks. you, again, being the sweet thing that you are, happily nod with a smile. mitsuki looks up at her son with a smug look, her expression screams “see ?”.

“ she’s only agreein’ cus yer fuckin’ holdin’ her hostage.” katsuki grumbles. he feels his patience dwindling at a pace that should definitely be alarming. he looks at you and feels his heart flutter when you offer him an apologetic smile. his patience returns the slightest bit.

“hostage ? don’t be ridiculous katsuki—” then it’s as if a lightbulb goes off, katsuki can practically see it gleaming above her head and he really doesn’t like it.

“he’s always been like that y’know ? all clingy—you remember that right ?!”the excitement in her voice becomes more prominent when she sees you nod enthusiastically. katsuki has a strange, foreboding feeling about this.

“ i remember he’d constantly want you around holdin’ his hand everywhere. one time—" she pauses as she bursts into giggles that, to katsuki, sound more like witch cackles than anything.

“one time you refused to hold his hand because you got scared he’d get cooties” she chuckles. katsuki feels his stomach drop.

“but he said that wouldn’t happen because he was too strong to get them !”

fuck patience.

katsuki grabs you and stalks off so fast you feel like you’re floating a little bit. he quickly yells out a “we’re goin’ to my room, don’t fuckin’ bother us !” then he’s quickly running up the stairs with you in tow. it’s only when you get to the hallway that leads to his bedroom that he looks back at you. he rolls his eyes when he sees you clearly fighting back a laugh.

“be quiet.”

“i didn’t even say anything yet !” you defend, giggling at the same time. katsuki fights back a smile at the sound.

“yeah, but you were going to and i don’t wanna hear it.” he bites. he squeezes your hand afterwards, telling you it was a joke in his own way. in actuality, katsuki could listen to you talk for hours and hours, days on end without getting bored. you’re being a brat right now though, so he won’t tell you that.

you smile at his back as katsuki drags you along muttering to himself about how he “never should’ve left you with that old witch for so long.”

“i remember that, y’know ? the cootie thing.” you admit jokingly. walking up a little faster you catch up to him and walk side by side. he glances at you from the corner of his eye then looks away and scoffs “of course you do.” he groans.

“ you’re mom didn’t mean to embarrass you, i’m sure.” you try to console him despite still snickering at the memory of his face going beet red after his mom had ‘exposed’ him. “and it was nice to see those pictures. it felt all...nostalgic.” you reminisce about the summer days you’d spent over the years with your katsuki with a smile. remembering the days of adventures and melting ice cream. of waterparks and bandaged covered knees.

katsuki doesn’t make a sound next to you and you think he’s just ignoring you until he speaks again, the scowl on his face threatens to melt away. “that old bat had it out for me the entire time. she’s fuckin’ evil incarnate, just doesn’t show it to you.” he feels prideful when he hears you laugh “that’s mean !” you scold through giggles, but his smirk says he’s seen through you. he comes to a stop and backs you up until your back is against the wall.

“yer laughin’ though. not as much of an angel as you’re pretending to be, are ya ?” he teases, leaning in closer to you until your noses brush. you try to fight back the smile that pulls at your mouth but it doesn’t work and after a moment you’re giggling again. katsuki swears every time you laugh an angel gets its wings. he steals a sloppy kiss to hear the sound again.

your hands play with the hem of his plain black shirt. he’s handsome, too handsome. his outfit consisted of a plain black t-shirt and some sweatpants yet he still looks like a model and it makes you want to kiss him silly, call it revenge for looking so good.

“ i’m not pretending to be anything, definitely not an angel.” you chuckle “unlike you, i’m just being nice.” you stick your tongue at him and he chuckles. rolling his eyes, he scoffs. his warm hands reflexively start running up and down your waist.

“yeah well, that’s cus unlike me your ass gets to go home. you’d be less nice if you were stuck in here like i am.” you playfully roll your eyes at his dramatics

“i doubt that. besides, miss mitsuki likes me !”

“she’ll get mad at you for callin’ her miss again.” you gasp, quickly clasping your hand over your mouth as if his mom would hear you from here. katsuki’s snort makes you snort as well.

“c’mon” he urges after a minute, grabbing at your hand and tugging at it “we’re goin’ to my room.” he mumbles out a “fuckin’ finally” and you laugh.

then you get an idea.

you suddenly rip your hand from his and katsuki immediately stops dead in his tracks to stare back at you like you had just insulted him. you let out a tiny snort at his expression.

“the hell are you doin’ ?”

you clasp your hands behind your back and sigh, even looking down at the floor sadly for extra dramatic effect “we can’t risk it, suki.”

“hah ?” katsuki fully turns to you, slowly starting to grow worried at your sudden shift in attitude. “what’re you talking about ?”

“i mean..if we hold hands..” you slowly look up at him, revealing your shit eating grin “you might get cooties..”

katsuki looks at you for about 15 seconds with an incredulous look on his face and you burst out laughing. he’s definitely one of the most expressive people you’d ever met, so seeing what kind of faces he’ll makes next is always fun.

he walks over, grabs your hand and squeezes hard, as punishment you assume. you yelp through giggles.

you hear him let out a disappointment sigh when he turns his back to you and drags you to his room again. you happily follow along behind him like you’d done for years now.

"i really shouldn't have left you with that old hag for so long." he mutters bitterly. you let out a snort and smile to yourself, content that your plan to mess with your boyfriend ended up being succesful. you perk up when he suddenly huffs out a laugh.

" and anyways, i won't be gettin' any cooties. m'too cool for 'em." you laugh out loud and the way he grips your hand a little tighter tells you you don't need to see his face to know he's proud of that.

"what if i have them ?" you challenge in between snickers.

katsuki scoffs dissaprovingly, you can basically see him rolling his eyes despite his back being to you.

"you don't. only losers get cooties. and as far as i know, you're not a loser." he's a little embarrassed because this is reminding him too much of when you were kids and it makes him cringe. when he'd come up with excuses like him being 'too strong' or 'too cool' to get cooties because he just couldn't admit he simply wanted you close. "yer anythin' but." you hear him mumble.

you walk up next to him with a somewhat shy smile "i'm flattered you think of me that way." you confess.

"don't let it get to your head." katsuki quips. you respond by sticking your tongue at him again. he tries to ignore the loud thumping of his heart but it's not going too smoothly for him. his cheeks slowly redden and he looks away from you again, not before shooting you an eyeroll.

"hope you know you owe me extra cuddle time for wastin' it talkin' to my ma." katsuki adds, changing the subject. you smile up at him in response and offer him a sweet 'mhm !'

his mom may have embarrassed the shit out of him, but he figures it wasn't all bad. he's still deadset on destroying that photo album before she ends up showing you that picture of him in the bath, though. he'll think about a plan later but right now he plans to enjoy his cuddle time with you, cootie free.

[dcxdpdabbles]

Hey I'm not sure if this is one of yours so feel free to ignore if it's not but justin case, I'd love to see the fallout of honeypot dick and danny after dick reveals that he was just using danny to gather evidence.

Tim remembers the day Danny Crowne came into his life. It was on one of his parents' rare trips home. They were always busy, but they loved him as much as possible. When they allowed themselves to remember about him.

He thinks he was four or five the first time someone uttered the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" around him. Tim believes it had been a nanny, one of the last ones before his parents deemed him old enough to handle things independently.

It took him some time to understand the phrase—he had to piece it together based on phrases in books since search engines online were not the best then—but when he did, Tim thought nothing fit Drake's parenting style more than that.

His dad and mom loved him, but they would get caught up in their work with every new discovery or issue at the company, and their son would fall into the afterthought category. They didn't mean to, and Tim had witnessed his father and mother's guilt when they could resurface long enough to remember that they had a son waiting for them back home.

Even inside the Manor, the Drakes were so used to being in their own rooms, with the doors sealed shut. Rarely would they all sit down and chat, believing if they existed in the same building, that was bonding.

Tim hadn't realized until Danny that he and his parents shared more of a roommate relationship than a family one.

He had tried to understand them when he was younger, as Tim definitely had the same issue. He knew what it was like to enjoy something so much that it took over every aspect of his life. He got so lost in whatever new hobby or interest he had that he forgot to accept the international calls his parents set up.

It crushed him to see the new voicemail blinking on his answering machine, but it's not like he could undo forgetting to sit near the phone since he was busy staring at bugs in the yard. (Tim was really into bugs at one point)

Tim doesn't realize how lonely he is until Danny Crowne randomly appears as the new sole hire for the crumbling Crowne company. A few years after Bruce Wayne took in Richard Grayson, he was taken in from the streets for his advanced mind after Mr. Crowne had stumbled upon him at a school fair or something.

People scoffed at Crowne's pathetic attempt to butter up to Bruce Wayne, especially since only a week after Danny was announced, his father bullied his way into a party invitation for Dick Grayson's birthday event.

He remembered it was supposed to be a birthday party, but the adults treated it like a birthday gala instead. They separated the children into another room full of games and music while they wined and dined in the main hall. It was a big event since Bruce Wayne only hosted three significant events of the season at the time, despite his party animal persona.

To get into a party hosted by Wayne was like getting the golden ticket to Wonka's factory. This also meant that if you were invited, you had to attend as it would ruin your chances of networking and it would also plump your reputation.

Tim's parents knew this very well as they had returned just to go to the event in honor of Dick Grayson, the boy who went from rags to riches. People whispered that he was shaping up to be Bruce's heir, as Bruce had taken him in when he was nine and no wife or other children to speak of.

Dick Grayson, at fourteen, was the gateway to Wayne's wealth and connections. Every teenage girl was told to make him fall in love with him and every boy to befriend him. Tim was no different.

His parents spoke non-stop about Tim needing to endear himself to Dick Grayson, but how could tiny little eight-year-old Tim do so? That was Robin!

He couldn't look at the older boy without becoming flustered, not that his folks knew about Robin.

His parents were in a foul mood because one of their digs was post-pond due to permit issues, and they were forced to attend the gala. They had been so upset that they had not noticed Tim was still strapped in the backseat when they handed the keys to the valet to park the car.

Thankfully, the employee quickly noticed the sleeping child and woke him for the party as he was parking. Tim had been insanely obsessed with NASA back then and had anciently stayed up all night reading about the space program- he hadn't even realized the time until he saw the sunrise behind his curtains.

The valet had walked him to the front door, worried about Tim being separated from his parents, but the young boy had convinced him to let him go to the children's room alone. He was very independent and could handle finding the party for his age group well enough alone.

He just wasn't expecting to take the wrong turn and end up in the main hallway, where the adults were performing their gala. It was slightly intimidating, as Tim had never been in the adult room.

All the elites like to separate the children right at the entrance of their parties- out of sight, out of mind- and he felt so tiny standing in the doorway of the gala.

He had been eight, wearing one of his best suits while clutching a NASA key chain for courage and trying to find his way around the fancy gowns and expensive shoes. That's how Danny had seen him.

The other boy had zeroed in on his keychain, gliding gracefully across the room to Tim's position that belied his roots. It was the first thing Tim noticed about Danny Crowne.

Everything he did was regal.

Despite being the youngest person in the gala attendees' room, he seemed far more respected, like a prince among his subjects. He was also beautiful, with features of nobility that many elites would kill for.

Tim remembered gaping up at him as the gorgeous teenager grinned. "You like space too?"

That was the first time someone older than him had asked about his interests, pulled him to the side, and let Tim ramble on about all the information that cluttered his head. Danny knew more about NASA and space than Tim had been able to find on his own.

The older boy eventually led him back to the children's room and vanished for the rest of the night. Tim's parents told him the following morning that Danny was found taking apart Bruce Wayne's home security, wanting to see the world's most advanced technology up close.

They laughed, dismissing the child, and Tim sat silently as his parents mocked the poor street urchin who thought he could understand what he was ripping apart.

People thought him odd because Danny had started doing that at every event. He was always in a corner, staring intently at some random machinery with a slight craze look in his eye.

His looks, mannerisms, and terminology were at odds with his upbringing, though, as they went against everything people said about him. Tim was enthralled by Danny Crowne's mystery, even when the rest of the elites dismissed him—until Danny started making decisions at his adoptive parents' company.

It made sense why the Crownes had adopted him. Danny's mind, talent, and looks were far beyond average. In only a year, his decision-making took the failing company out of the red, and with him spearheading the research and development department, the company broke ground in the technological world like a raging hurricane.

In one year, he regains all the wealth and honor of the crumbling Corwne family name. He was the ideal heir.

Everyone who used to mock him was now scrambling to befriend the rising star, but Danny Crowne kept to himself. He had gotten what he wanted from the various events he attended and was now focused on making his company powerful.

Of course, his adoptive father was still in charge, but everyone knew that Danny had really turned the company around.

His parents were among those who wanted Danny's influence, but they had no way of appealing to him. That is, until Danny's limo passed Tim, who was walking down the street late at night with his expensive camera, and the prodigy had the driver pull over.

Danny had been horrified to find out the little boy who loved NASA just as much as he was left unattended. His parents had scrambled to make up a story about their old nanny having a heart attack, and the company she came from did not send a replacement.

They were unaware that Tim had been left alone, or so they claimed. Tim thought Danny didn't buy it in the least, but the teenager had been happy to babysit him anyway.

Tim figured Danny would be like every other babysitter: He would show him attention for a few hours and then eventually ignore him. Tim just had to wait for him out.

Danny didn't even have his adoptive parents' attention, either. They lived in a different penthouse and called him once a week. Their conversations were stiff, like neither party knew how to converse with each other. If Tim didn't know any better, they didn't even remember they had adopted Danny.

Half the time, Mr. and Mrs. Crowne seemed unaware of their decision-making. Tim wondered if they were taking some substance because no one rapidly went from displeased to agreeable.

The odd thing about Danny, though, was how much he cared about the silliest things. Only a month after Danny became his babysitter, Tim's English class had a mandatory poem-reading event, during which each student wrote a dumb poem about education.

The parents and guardians were all invited to some cookies and refreshments afterward. Tim thought it was stupid for the assignment because it was in the middle of the day. If guests wanted to make it, they would need to ask their bosses for time off from one to three p.m., which smacks of the workday.

He figured he wouldn't be the only kid without someone there because of this, which made him feel a little better about not mentioning it to his parents. They weren't even in the country.

Tim was one of the first kids to read his poems because the class went by alphabetical order of last name; he was supposed to go third. He was sitting on stage in boredom when he heard the bang of the gymnasium doors swinging open.

Danny was standing in his Gotham Academy uniform, huffing and puffing. He locked eyes with the shocked eight-year-old Tim and gave him the warmest smile to every grace on his face. He quickly dodged one of the teachers, who must have realized Danny had walked out of his classes, scurrying to an open chair and waving at Tim the entire time.

Tim's poem was half-assed at best, as he wrote it ten minutes before the event, but Danny had still cheered like it was the second coming of Shakespeare.

After school, Danny took him for ice cream and chatted about how proud he was of him as if he had not received detention for skipping class to go to Tim's little event.

Since then, Tim's goal has been to protect his regal but gentle-hearted big brother. He's always been insanely intelligent for his age, and now that intelligence had a target, something guiding it rather than his mind wandering to whatever new thought appeared.

In his quest to protect Danny, Tim figures out Batman and Robin's identities and finds the location of the Court of Owls headquarters. He maps out the heavy hitters in Gotham's gangs, mafia, most of the Rouge's secret lairs, and their supplies.

Tim quickly discovers Danny's operation to relocate the poor and orphaned children into safer homes. What he was doing was well intended, but there were many risks to trusting the men and women taking child protective laws into their own hands.

All these threats were too big for Tim to handle alone—what if the Talons were told to take Danny out? What if the gangs and mafias thought they could threaten Danny? What if a rouge took him hostage?

Tim realized he needed a plan. He never told Danny any of what he knew. Not the Bats, not the court of owls, not the rouges, and not the tiny group of meta children that Danny had unknowingly saved from the streets and trafficking.

Another thing Danny needed to learn about Tim was that he was really good at hacking into other people's bank accounts. Lex Luther, Oliver Green, Bruce Wayne, and Jack Drake woke one day to find someone had run off with millions.

Those funds were used to hire Tim's two instructors.

"I will not be kind," Lady Shiva told him at the ripe age of nine. She studied him like a bug trapped under glass, and Tim knew he was one to her.

"Neither will I." Henri Ducard sighed, taking a drag from his cigarette. "But I will make sure you are ready."

Tim's training was harsh, but it made him strong enough that the night the court sent their Talons, Tim could dispatch them and capture one to reverse engineer its creation. He reminded the Court that they may be elites, but they were nowhere near the level of gods.

Lady Shiva was so impressed by him that she introduced him to Deadshot, a man who had a soft spot for children after what had happened to his son. Between the two, his combat training made him a very threat, and Henri marveled at his mind.

"I don't think I ever encountered a mind so advanced since...one of my last students. You'll give him a run for his money, boy."

Tim appreciated his mentor's words about his skills but saw no reason to join their world. He didn't want to be the best fighter in the world, nor did he need money. All he wanted was to be Danny's sword and shield in their corner of the world.

He realized that he needed more hands and eyes to do so successfully. To this day, he does not know what Danny was working on—out of respect, he never investigated his brother past his child relocation program—but he knew that he would support him no matter what.

Danny saved Tim from the sea of darkness he was unaware he was drowning in. The least Tim could do was ensure that Danny's efforts came to fruition.

Turns out he wasn't the only one.

"What can I do to help Danny?" Max demands of Tim when the heir of the Drakes ten. On Max's face are bruises that have only now started to heal. He was taken in by the Parkers the night before after Danny had nearly broken down the door to his old home.

Max had been discovered to have meta powers, ones that let him turn invisible, and his birth parents decided they could beat it out of him. Tim read the file that Danny had stored away in his notebooks.

"Can you fight?" Tim asked, as his new foster parents had discovered the twelve-year-old and relocated him.

"No, but I can learn"

"So can we." A girl, fifteen years old, announced from the group of children that had come to see Danny Crowne in the flesh. Security stopped them before they could see him, but Tim was close enough to give them a hand.

Her name was Heather. She lost her whole family in a fire, where a burn scar edged itself on the lower half of her face and neck. Once, she was a beautiful girl, but the wounds ruined her- or so she was told by people who felt she was dangerous because of them. Too much like Two-Face, they said.

She had been thrown into juvie because there had been no space elsewhere in Gotham's fostering jurisdiction.

It was meant to be temporary. She had gone in at age ten and was now fifteen, only released through Danny Crowne's paid-off guards who had helped her sneak out through the laundry.

Tim studied her, the children grouping behind her, and figured that one didn't become a master without having some students to teach. They became the Ghosts in honor of Danny. Tim had noticed that Danny was really interested in the paranormal, just as much as he was about technological advances, and one of the kids designed their symbol.

A green ghost, flying around a white stylized D so that other Gothamn children would know they were not forgotten even when the Bats and the government turned their backs on them.

"Leader?" Max calls from his computer station. They are deep underground, having taken over the old Court of Owls lair. The day Tim was able to create a weapon that turns the talons back into dead corpses, they had rounded up all the rich court members and erased their memories.

Danny was unaware that Tim stole one of his inventions meant to help the human mind see where he was going between this world and the next thing, and he changed it into a mind wiper.

The Ghost remained neutral in most conflicts, only taking action when someone made a move against Danny, Crowe Corp., or the children of Gotham.

"What is it?"

"Danny wasn't taken." Max's voice is rough with grief. He gestures to the big screen that towers over the city, young adults and children of various ages. Realizing Max was to cast his screen, Tim inclines his head to grant approval.

The screen blinks open to show Officer Black beating Danny on his way to his cell. It looks to be a camera in the hall of the holding cells. Tim's hands curl into fists to see his brother being attacked like that. Someone bites out a swear aimed at Officer Black.

The camera fizzes momentarily before Officer Black flickers to walk away from an empty cell. There are three other unknown men with him, and they are pushing a trash bin. "Someone edited this."

"Yes. I just finished getting it back to its original image." Max types something on his computer, and the video starts over. This time before their eyes, with the image nearly as clear, showcases Danny getting a heavy hit to his head, slamming against the wall with a tump.

He slides to the floor as Black turns away and does not move until a glowing figure rises from where Danny's body is lying. The figure looks alarmingly like Danny but has white hair and green eyes.

It stares down at its hands before it looks at Danny's body in confusion. It rises off the ground, leaving Danny crumbled on the ground of the cell and fades from view.

Officer Black finally looks back, having missed the whole thing before, kneeling and checking Danny's pulse. He doesn't need the officer to shake his head or attempt CPR to know the truth.

Ice runs through his veins as Tim stumbles back into his chair. His choked voice echoes through the room like a bomb setting off.

"Danny's dead."

[dynamitegun]

I have this dumb mental image of an aged Liara, now in her Matriarch stage centuries after the end of the games leading a diplomatic mission into Krogan space. Upon arrival her staff are horrified by a band of Krogan soldiers that meet them at the landing zone led by a grizzled leader. His scales marked by a hundred battles and a demeanor to match, roaring out a 'request' to speak to "the one in charge."

The mood is tense. Krogan space is civilized but along its border bands of renegades, holdouts of the old ways of war aren't uncommon. The mission has a few Asari commandos providing security but they're outnumbered two to one. Should they turn back? Stall for time and try to plan an escape?

Instead, Matriarch T'Soni holds up a hand, calming her staff and without a word, walks down the ship's ramp towards the Krogan completely unarmed, in nothing but her gown, ignoring the cries behind her begging her to come back.

She reaches the band of Krogan warriors, looks the leader up and down and places her hands on her hips.

"Is this anyway to greet your mother, Grunt"?

A tumbleweed passing makes the only sound

The Krogan grins, and scoops Liara into his arms for a hug, lifting her off her feet and spinning her 'round.

"I missed you." He says softly. She pats his shoulder as he places her down again.

"It's good to see you again too Grunt. You've got quite the command here it seems." She feels a smile on her lips as she waves her hand at the Krogan milling about, all trying their best not to stare, just as stunned as the members of the Asari mission.

"Yep. I've got my own brigade now. Aralakh Brigade. Over 2'000 strong. All under my command." His voice rings with pride. Liara nods.

"She'd be proud if she were here you know. Of what you've become Grunt. Following in her footsteps."

Grunt laughs. "She would, wouldn't she"? He doesn't wait for an answer and Liara knows he doesn't need one. They both know the answer. Shepard had taken Grunt in, seen past the tank bred warrior exterior to the boy beneath and had taken him to her side.

When Liara learned of this upon meeting Grunt for the first time on Utukku (Learning her bond mate had an adopted son that she'd never seen fit to mention) she had been surprised, but surprises were something she had grown used to with Shepard.

"Kid just needs a bit of direction Liara. Give him a chance." She could still hear Shepard's voice in her memory reassuring her.

She had been right "on the money" as she was fond of saying.

Liara ran a hand down her front, straightening the folds of her dress as she put back on her 'matriarch face'. "Well then. We have a schedule to keep. A meeting with the planetary overseer. Would you escort us"? She asked aloud.

Grunt nodded, with a slight twinge in his own voice putting on his 'Commander' voice. "I'd be honored, Matriarch T'Soni." Turning he bellowed out to his troops. "Form up!"

Liara walks back to her staff, almost all with wide eyes at what's unfolded before them. She crosses her arms. "As I recall we have a schedule to keep, do we not?" Breaking the trance they rush to their duties. She turns her back to them, hiding a small smile and watches Grunt form up his troops. The way he orders them into formation reminds her of no one but Shepard, a small piece of her still alive all these years on.

She would be proud.

...

I'm of the option that Femshep is Grunt's adoptive mom, and realized that even if she won't be around forever with Grunt, a romanced Liara certainly would be.

[huggybearluvr]

three is plenty | qh43

instagram edit

pairing: dad!quinnhughes x reader

summary: You and your husband Quinn decide to start your family.

Masterlist

quinnhughes

liked by jackhughes, y/nhughes, and others...

quinnhughes y/n and I are excited to announce that we will have another member joining the family in February!

view all comments...

jackhughes O. M. G. I AM GONNA BE AN UNCLE?!

y/nhughes yes jack. your gonna be an uncle!

lukehughes I am in shock.

ellenhughes Congratulations to both of you! you are gonna be amazing parents!!

quinnhughes learned from the best ma!

canucksoffical Is it to early to order the nugget a jersey?

y/nhughes not at all!

trevorzegras quinn your old!

quinnhughes i don't like you!

eliaspetterson CONGRATULATIONS! I am so excited to meet my niece or nephew!

y/nhughes actually...

quinnhughes you mean god daughter or god son!

eliasptterson ARE U BEING SO FR RN?!?!

y/nhughes YES! pettie we love you, and couldn't imagine any one better for the job!

eliaspetterson I love you both so much!

y/nhughes

liked by jackhughes, lukehughes, and others

y/nhughes Excited to announce that on February 11th we welcomed Colton Jackson Hughes into the world!

view all comments...

jackhughes colton JACKSON??? guys i'm sobbing

quinnhughes it was her idea...

y/nhughes its cute! and why not honor one of his uncles.

lukehughes I am so inlove alread, I can't wait to meet him in a few days.

ellenhughes so beyond proud and happy for you both! you guys did amazing!

quinnhughes thanks mom

eliaspetterson I AM ON THE WAY WITH DINNER AND TOYS

y/nhughes is it pasta? I really want pasta

eliaspetterson of course its pasta.

quinnhughes I love the both of you so much, you did amazing baby.

y/nhughes quinnnn we love you the most!

quinnhughes

liked by y/nhughes, lukehughes, and others

quinnhughes My boy is so big now, miss when he was a baby.

view all comments.

y/nhughes well I have some good news for you?

quinnhughes we can have another one?

y/nhughes there's already another on the way :)

quinnhughes ARE U SO SERIOUS

y/nhughes yes! we're having another baby!

quinnhughes I love you so much!

lukehughes He's so big!!

jackhughes future nhl star right there.

quinnhughes for sure.

lukehughes oh 100 percent he's gonna be better than all of us.

y/nhughes

liked by lukehughes, quinnhughes, and others

y/nhughes introducing Reese Warren Hughes, and Stevie Elle Hughes!

view all comments...

jackhughes TWINS?!?

trevorzegras @quinnhughes Twins??? you have magic jizz

quinnhughes I truly don't like you.

lukehughes GUYYYSSS you are the best.

quinnhughes love you bro, now this one was my idea.

jackhughes so lukes the favorite brother...

quinnhughes yes.

lukehughes yes.

y/nhughes yes.

trevorzegras yes.

ellenhughes they are to precious! I love you all so much!

[giuliettagaltieri]

Honey, I'm Home

Pairing: Dad!Gojō x Mom!Reader

Chapter Synopsis: Gojō Satoru is home.

Warning: spoilers

Word Count: 889

9 of 9

The fall of the jujutsu society reminded Gojō Satoru of a lot of things.

As honored as he might be, throughout heaven and earth, he is as susceptible as any man.  Maybe even more.

Gojō has too much to lose.  The time when he was fighting for himself and for glory was long forgotten after his heart was held captive by you, and in return, you gave him a home, a family, a reason to win.

Gojō Satoru is a protector, a husband, and a father.

When he was being trapped inside that cube, he could not care for the discomfort of the place, the mortification of seeing his best friend’s body being used and tainted, or the humiliation of having been caught in the enemy’s clutches.

His head was only filled with a picture of you.  How you will be worried sick as Gojō does not think that he will make it home that night.  His son, who refuses to eat his puréed food unless it was his father feeding it to him.

And when he finally made it out.  The first thing he wanted was to have you in his arms.

But that cannot be.  Not yet, as Megumi, the boy he took in and thought of as his own, has his body overcome with Sukuna.

Gojō was careless in that fight.

Or he was just afraid.

He was afraid of hurting Megumi.  Doing damage that cannot be undone. 

No matter how old that boy got, he was still the same brat that asked for chicken nuggets takeout after school.

The price that Gojō paid for such sentiment was great.

Almost too great.

It cost him his life.   

But Gojō was reminded that day that he was not alone.  He no longer has to depend on himself alone.  And for some reason, his soul refused to take that flight to heaven.  His body was dead, but he was never gone.

The thought of you and Satoshi kept him clinging, refusing eternal farewell with every passing second until somebody healed his body enough to become a vessel for his soul once more.

A lot of Gojō’s questions for the metaphysical was answered that day.  Perhaps there really is a greater being up there, looking out for him.

With efforts from hands that were not just Gojō’s, Sukuna was defeated.

But with the loss the jujutsu society suffered from, it was barely called a victory.

Overtime, the school was reestablished.  Multiple young sorcerers in training arrived at the doorstep of the school.  To learn.  To be stronger.  To not suffer from the same helplessness they felt.

But Gojō was done with teaching.

He figured it was time to focus on his clan.  Not that he no longer responds to calls for help.  But most of his days were spent inside his estate house.  Sitting through meetings with the clan elders.  Gojō wanted to smooth out every crease before he passed the title to his son.

Satoshi, his pride and joy, demanded to start his training the day after his sixth naming day.

Gojō oversees his training at times but it is difficult to do when you come waddling with your rounded belly to pinch at his ears for going too far with his strikes.

And there’s your toddler, her wails of wanting to join in on the training was always piercing Gojō’s ears, eventually relenting, he allowed her to join by sitting on his shoulders as she babbled away at her older brother.  It always made her laugh when Satoshi sticks his tongue at her, the sun bouncing off her hair that she got from you as her tiny hands clap messily, her crystal blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

And just as frustration starts to get in the way of Satoshi’s performance, you come with a tray of tea and pastries, your kimono with embroidered blue roses dragging behind you, making you look regal and otherworldly.

This distraction is always welcomed.  Both by father and son.

As Gojō picks up a taiyaki, he watches his son act out his fight, trying to impress you.  Your daughter tries to steal your attention by feeding you with manju and you open your mouth to accept as your hand caresses your stomach.  A smile makes its way to Gojō’s face, his eyes crinkling at the sight.

Had he told himself ten years ago that he would be living this life with you, he was certain that his younger self would believe that the six eyes had finally decayed his mind.

But this is what Gojō wanted him to see.  His childhood home with happy and well-loved children running around, a wife that always had the most lovable of smiles, just sitting under the great oak of your garden to share sweets and stories.

He would love to have blue roses planted there someday too.  And he would task his children to take care of them.  And the children after them.  To see to it that they prosper throughout the years.  Perhaps the Gojō banners could use a bit of redesigning as well, roses would certainly add an appeal to it.

He wanted it known that even Gojō Satoru was only a man.  A man capable of baring his soul to another.  That he loved beyond comprehension and received her love in return.

Where the Blue Roses Grow

[medusapelagia]

14 The betrothal

written for @steddieangstyaugust (prompt: Lake), @augustwritingchallenge (Prompt: prince and princess ), @aug-kissed (prompt: Hand Kiss) Rating: Mature Relationship: Steve/Eddie TW: omegaverse, Omega Steve Harrington, Alpha Eddie Munson, Beta Robin Buckley, violence, blood and injuries, vomit Words: 1563

If Steve was a proper omega he wouldn't be on that stupid carriage, to be shipped from Loch Nora's Kingdom to Forest Park like an unwanted pack.

A proper omega would honor his family, stay home, cross-stitch animals and flowers, and learn poems and music. But Steve never was a proper omega and after he rejected his last suitor his father told him that he wasted his last opportunity to choose a proper alpha and that he was going to find one willing to take in a rebel omega like him.

Male omegas are a blessing and a curse: they are very rare, so Steve's father was able to ask for a high dowry from whoever wanted to marry him, but there weren't many alphas willing to tie their life to a male omega. 

Steve has heard talking about Forest Park. A lot. And never in a good way.

They have a very bad reputation, but they are rich, so Steve has no doubt that his father got a really good dowry for selling him to those people. Well, not selling, betrothing him.

Thankfully, Robin is coming with him. Moving from one Kingdom to another and being completely alone would have been terrible, at least his beta best friend is trying to make him laugh by making silly comments and distract him from the long journey.

Even if the carriage is big and cozy, spending hours sitting on a carriage isn't that comfortable, and Steve's royal ass is in pain.

He doesn't even have enough space to stretch his long legs because in the carriage with them, there are the two guards King Munson himself sent to escort the future bride.

The guards are heavily armed, as they were expecting something to happen, and Steve isn't totally surprised. After all, Forest Hill has a terrible reputation. Their King was an outlaw before he rebelled and became king by killing everyone and conquering the castle, so Steve isn't really looking forward to moving in the same bed with a notorious assassin. But it’s not his choice anymore.

Savages, that's the kindest word Steve’s mom used to define those people, while what everyone thought but none dared to speak out loud was that King Munson was the new Warlord.

A warlord. Not a high-born, just a man with enough power and money to hire the strongest knight and mercenaries to help him keep his power. And Steve is going to get married to a Warlord’s son, or nephew, he's not really sure. Bloodlines are mixed in their Kingdom and they don't give a fuck about dynasties and the only blood that they care about is the one the blood spit by their enemies.

Steve has heard terrible stories about how cruel and violent those people are. One of Steve's servants has told him that Prince Munson killed his first wife with his own hands because she wasn't too sick to give him a child.

Being a male omega Steve knows he can bear pups, even if his heats are irregular and it's harder for him than for other omegas, but he never thought that the ability to bear a child or not could have been the cause of his premature death.

His scent gets sour and acrid while he thinks about the monster that he's supposed to wed. Maybe he should have been more pliant with his previous suitor. Lord Hagan wasn’t that bad after all. A little bit too presumptuous for Steve’s taste but he doubts he would have had him killed if he wasn’t able to bear a child.

"You ok? Do you want to take a break? Stretch your legs a bit?" Robin proposes, drawing soothing circles with her thumb on Steve's hand.

"Yeah, that would be nice." He confirms, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"No break and no stretching. We are still in hostile territory." One of the guards replies without even looking at Steve.

"Couldn't we stop just for a moment?" Robin insists, "We have been on this stupid carriage for hours!"

But an arrow flying through the window and ending his journey a few inches from her face makes her shut up.

"Stay down!" One guard yells, yanking Steve toward the carriage’s floor so abruptly that he falls badly on his own wrist, spraining it, but he doesn't have time to yelp because the carriage stops in the middle of the woods.

"Stay inside!" The first guard yells, jumping out of the carriage and drawing his sword. For a moment Steve catches a glimpse of a bloodied body staring blankly at him with a long arrow in the one eye socket.

"It's ok. It's ok." Robin tries to soothe him, releasing beta relaxing pheromones, but the other guard stops her, complaining that he can't afford to get relaxed by her pheromones, so Steve and Robin hug each other, trying to hide themselves from the attackers.

"He's here!" Someone yells, kicking the carriage door open, but the second guard is quick to pierce the intruder from side to side, what he wasn't expecting was someone else opening the door on the opposite side and grabbing Steve with no kindness, yanking him by his hair.

Robin screams, reaching out toward Steve, the guard turns his head just for a moment and another attacker takes his chance to stab him in the leg while Robin keeps screaming, but the clenching of the metal armor is so loud that Steve almost can't hear her.

A strong hit on the back of his head makes everything turn a warm black and he loses consciousness.

***

When he opens his eyes, Steve is surprised to find himself resting with his back against a big oak tree. In front of him the bluest lake he ever saw.

He puts down his hand, trying to get up, but immediately desists when a bright pain makes him whimper.

"I would stay put if I were you. Your wrist is sprained and you took a nasty hit to the head. Are you feeling dizzy?"

Steve startles, looking around himself, and finally finds a tall man with dark eyes and a nasty scar on his face staring at him with an amused smile.

His kidnapper!

The omega tries to crawl backward, but the unknown man is right, his wrist hurts too much and he still feels lightheaded.

"I think I'm going to puke…" he mutters, before turning on his side and emptying his stomach on the green grass.

Surprisingly, his kidnapper is quickly at his side, holding his hair out of his face, whispering encouraging words while he holds him to his chest with one arm.

When Steve's body gets limp into the kidnapper's arms, he takes a moment to breathe in his scent.

Embers and earth.

An alpha.

A proper omega should never be left alone with an alpha who's not family!

Steve tries to wriggle out of the stranger's hold, but he gently chuckles and pushes Steve's neck closer to the scent gland on his neck, "You're fine, omega. Nothing to worry about."

"I'm betrothed." He objects in a soft voice, while the alpha pheromones make him pliant and docile.

"That's what you're worried about? your honor?" The unknown alpha chuckles. 

He has a nice laugh, Steve decided in his drugged state of mind, and he smells delicious. No other alpha ever smelled so good to him.

Steve must have said something because a very pleased rumble comes from the alpha's chest.

"You don't smell bad yourself, sweetheart." 

Steve should be ashamed of himself, but the alpha's sturdy body is holding him tight and for the first time in his life he feels safe in an alpha's embrace.

"That's good. Come on, sip some water for me to wash away that bad taste."

The omega prince doesn't really know if the alpha is using his alpha's voice, or if he's already scentdrunk or whatever, but the only thing he wants to do is obey this alpha.

Steve spits a few times to clean his mouth from the horrible taste and then drinks some water, while the alpha keeps holding him tight.

The man’s wearing a beaten armor, stained with blood, and for a moment Steve wonders if he will kill him, but the way he keeps holding him makes him think that he’s affected by Steve’s scent as he is from his.

They aren't left alone for long. When Steve turns his head someone is riding toward them. Too many people.

Steve turns toward the alpha with eyes wide with worry, "You have to go. My future husband will kill you. He's a warlord! He won't be pleased you kidnapped me!"

"Kidnapped?" The alpha asks, staring with confusion at the omega, feeling Steve's head with gentle fingers, "How badly did they hurt you, omega?" he asks worriedly, and this time is Steve's turn to frown in confusion.

“I might not look so but I’m a prince. And I was on my way to wed the Forest Park’s Warlord's son. If they catch you, they’ll kill you.”

Eddie bursts out in a loud laugh, shaking Steve who quietly complains of being jostled by the huge Alpha's body.

"Let me introduce myself," the alpha says, grabbing Steve's uninjured hand and kissing the palm of his hand in the most chivalrous way, "I'm Edward Munson, King Munson's nephew, your betrothal." 

[hoseokslefteyebrow]

Thinking about....

Street racer! Suguru, who you go from enemies to lovers with in the most unique way.

You met when you were around 17 years old.

Originally you two didn't click.

Yes, he's gorgeous, and charismatic, but also arrogant and seems to not value women, or at least, that's what you think.

You don't race. You're only at the car meets and alike because your best friend, Ryomen Sukuna, races. (Besides- You don't have a driver's license.)

Originally, Suguru never looked at you twice.

Yes, he knew who you were, and sure, you were at least kinda good looking.

But not pretty by his standard.

You don't wear short skirts, nor show off a lot of skin. Nah, you wear whatever you want, and it's always a question whenever you're in the mood to have been wearing make up that night.

You're the simple kind of girl who doesn't catch his eye. (Enough girls did though, he was rarely single.)

Your best friend, however, is a whole different story. 

Ryomen Sukuna was quick, amazingly so. Perhaps even the fastest on track. 

Suguru's best friend Satoru is the only one who can keep up.

It somehow weaves you into their friend group (Satoru, Suguru, Shoko, and now Sukuna and you.)

And at first, Suguru doesn't care.

Until you show you do.

There's a simple code the streetracers you surround yourself with keep.

'Don't hit a pedestrian. ' 

Simple enough. 

They choose to race, and they've sworn off of accidentally taking lives because they love to be reckless.

Suguru is forced to honor that code one fateful night, years later (you're now 21), when a drunk teenager stumbles across the road, forcing him to hit a tree.

The damage was as expected.

The other kid he was racing had crashed too, his girlfriend injured in his passenger seat, guilt and panic overtaking his actions.

He doesn't notice Suguru, heavily injured in his own car.

You're the first to notice that he's late.

Suguru lost occasionally, sure, but the other kid hasn't arrived either, which was suspicious.

With a sigh, you had turned to Satoru, who was chatting up a girl he was known for having the hots for (she still hasn't agreed to let him take her out), but he had simply waved you off.

Rolling your eyes, you turn to Sukuna instead  calling him to check out their track, see if something happened.

He agrees. ( He'll take any excuse to drive anywhere, anytime.)

Of course, you come across the scene of the crash.

Sukuna is quick to call the cops, while you race over to Suguru with wide eyes.

He's stuck in the car, heavily injured.

He's barely able to keep his eyes open as he looks at you.

He's unable to speak for the moment.

But he thinks an angel had come to take him up to heaven when you tenderly cup his cheek and fuss over his injuries.

That night, you spend the night in jail, along with most of your friends, with Suguru in the hospital.

Your mom and older brother were not amused as they bailed you and Sukuna out of jail. (Your father found it hilarious.)

The next day, you visit Suguru.

He's touched, and surprised.

He only expected Satoru to visit, maybe Shoko, but definitely not you.

(Later, you'd find out that he had a girlfriend during this time, and that she was at the car meet during the crash- she had been chatting up other boys. Also, you'll learn that she broke up minutes before your first hospital visit.- She didn't want to care for him. )

Due to the extent of his injuries, he needs a lot of extra care. One of his legs broken, one of his arms healing from fire wounds because of when his engine caught fire while he was stuck.

And you're the only one there to do that.

Out of your own free will.

Satoru is busy.

He leads the same life as Suguru after all, so Suguru understands. 

They were both sons of business men. Future ceo's of big companies.

Suguru's parents were disappointed, and turned a blind eye to him and his needs.

Instead, they hired someone to attend to him.

Which turned out to have been unnecessary. 

You turn out to have a big heart.

Coincidentally, this happens during one of the school breaks (you're in college) and you care for him every moment while you're not at your side job or don't have anything important to attend.

You care for him at a level where you would sometimes stay in the guest room of the house. You care enough for his parents to notice you.

He starts to see you in a different light.

You're beautiful. 

He never realized he'd find someone attractive by especially their personality. 

But he also realizes you're too good for him.

He's done nothing but ignore you after all. 

At most, he'd send you a cocky glance, yet here you are, tending to his every meet.

(Eventually, he'd ask Sukuna if you'd do that for just everyone. And your best friend would shrug. He didn't expect you to care either

In reality, you would. Because you count him as a friend. Even when you didn't expect Suguru originally to care for you the same way if the same thing happened- you're selfless like that.)

You two get to know each other better. He gets to know about your likes and dislikes, your favorite things to do and hobbies, and in return, you're surprised to find out he likes the traditional Japanese style he grew up in, though he also likes hip hop music.

It nearly makes him sad that you'll spend less time once he's healed and college classes have started again.

He's in college too, but in a different, high class school.

He finds himself reaching out to you more often.

You hang out more often too.

At the same time, Satoru and his crush advance too, and eventually after one of the car meets (one Sukuna isn't attending, you usually tag along with him, but you actually came with Suguru,) Suguru, Satoru, his crush and you tag along to a restaurant.

You decide to go in one car to cut parking costs.

An interesting detail is that Suguru never lets anyone besides Satoru sit beside him up front if multiple people are in his car.

It's always been like that.

He also drives one of those three door cars, where you gotta push the seat up in order to climb into the back.

But to your utter surprise, he stops you as you're about to climb in behind the passenger seat, telling Satoru, his best friend to sit in the back instead.

It makes your eyes widen, though Satoru doesn't mind, all too happy to get up close with his crush.

(Also, he knows Suguru likes you. He most definitely doesn't mind.)

You're the first girl to sit up front besides Suguru. None of his ex girlfriends ever sat beside him in the front seat. It had always been Satoru.

And now it's you.

Later on, he doesn't let you pay either.

Things between the two of you are going smoothly, and Suguru nearly has the guts to try and ask you out, when you suddenly have a boyfriend.

The two of you talk less. And it sucks. Suguru hates it.

Sukuna tells him that the dude you're dating is a douche too. 

The Douche hates the platonic bond you share with Sukuna (it's a sibling like relationship.) And also dislikes Suguru.

Imagine Suguru's absolute pleasure when he meets the guy. (Along with Sukuna, Shoko and Satoru.)

He's using his own charismatic personality to his advantage, and the Douche is indeed a douche.

You agree to meet up in your favorite Japanese curry restaurant in the city. ( The one Suguru loves too.)

Sukuna is quick to pull you to his side, sliding you into the booth and sitting down beside you before Douche has a chance to sit down next to you.

Suguru is quick to join you at your other side, which leaves Satoru and Shoko to sit opposite along with Douche.

Douche adds fuel onto the fire by adding the spiciest dish the restaurant has, even challenging the cooks to make it spicier.

(Later on, you tell Suguru that Douche has a weak stomach, which Douche was well aware of, but ignored.)

Not only does Douche nearly cry because of the spiciness, but he also makes the dinner awkward by suffering cuz of the heat. 

In fact, the mood is ruined to such a level, that everyone passes up dessert.

(The restaurant has the best mochi in town in multiple flavours- Suguru knows you love them.)

And the bill is split.

(Suguru is disgusted when your boyfriend doesn't pay for you, and pays for your part.

You're wife material, and deserve the very best and to be pampered.- In his most humble opinion.)

Later on, (barely five minutes later), Douche realizes he has to throw up, unable to handle the spicy food.

You're borderline embarrassed as Douche throws up in a garbage bin (thankfully out of sight) once you're on your way to the car garage.

Suguru feels borderline disgusted with Douche as he casually comes back after throwing up.

Douche reaches out to you, but it seems Sukuna and Suguru have the same thing in mind.

Suguru is quick to gently take you by the hand and pull you in his embrace, while Sukuna roughly grabs Douche by the hair and all but punches him in the face.

No one feels sorry except for you when they leave him in the city by himself.

Once again, you're seated up front in the passenger seat like the passenger princess you are while Satoru, Shoko and Sukuna are squeezed in the back.

It's quiet for a while, until Sukuna eventually tells you to just break up with him.

It kinda goes back and forth between Suguru, Sukuna, Shoko and you for a while. Because you don't want to, for whatever reason.

Suguru doesn't understand why you're willing to hang out with that douche and put yourself through his bullshit until everyone is out of the car and he finally asks you.

But then you get a little shifty and uncomfortable, admitting that Douche is your very first boyfriend.

For a moment Suguru is speechless, because you're a beautiful person inside and out, he never expected that at all.

'Because who would date me?' -Is your answer, one you give with a smile when he asks why.

Suguru's eyes widen.

Have you always had this low of a self vision of yourself? 

He feels stupid for being blind of it. There have been instances where he's noticed your insecurities, but he never thought they all connected to that.

He's stupid too, because even though he knows and thinks it, he doesn't outright tell you to leave Douche and date him instead.

He knows that he would treat you so much better after all.

However, you do break up with Douche that very night.

Douche didn't like how he was punched by Sukuna, nor how Suguru so casually pulled you into his side.

In the end, he blames you for everything  even when you've done nothing wrong, and forces you to choose between him and your friends.

Obviously, you choose your friends.

Suguru and you grow closer after that.

Very much closer.

You become a bit more extrovert.

You had always been introvert, sticking to Sukuna while not necessarily afraid to meddle.

Eventually you had also tagged along with Suguru everywhere, but it's different now.

Months pass with the two of you growing closer, and finally, one night, at Satoru's place, yet another party, (for what you don't know.), he finally speaks the words that have been on his mind all along.

You're both drunk, but not drunk enough to forget.

You're pressed closely next to each other on the couch, side to side.

Suguru's arm is wrapped around you, holding a beer.

An excuse to pull you closer whenever he takes a sip.

(The reason he's drunk in the first place.)

Finally, he confesses that he can treat you so much better than Douche did.

For a moment, you're confused. (Who's Douche again?)

But then you realize what he's trying to say and you fall quiet, surprised.

And Suguru full out confesses. He's loved you for two years. He hated to see how Douche treated you, when he knows you deserve better. Maybe you even deserve better than him, but he's selfish. He wants to keep you for himself. 

Forever, if you'll have him.

By the end of the confession, you're speechless, surprised.

And then you leave without answering him.

Suguru feels regret and heartbroken when he wakes up the next morning in Satoru's guest bedroom. (You had gone home the previous night.)

Meanwhile you're pondering. You're confused over your own feelings. Because do you like Suguru? You've never explicitly thought about it.

Yes, you love spending time with him. Yes, you don't mind being alone with him whenever you go to places. Yes, you like when he laughs, especially when you're the one making him laugh. No, you don't like when other girls get too close to him or make him laugh the same way you do. You love when he pulls you close into his side, or when he rests his hand on your knee or thigh when you're in his passenger seat. - Oh shit, you're in deep.

You shouldn't be surprised. While you had been in that toxic relation with Douche, even Douche could see it. He had mentioned before that he didn't like Suguru because of how close you are, and the way you looked together.

Barely a day later, you text Suguru that you want to meet up, to talk about things.

Suguru's surprised by your text. He really thought he blew it with you.

Now, he feels a tiny bit of hope as you two talk, and he feels like the luckiest man in the world when you tell him you want to give the two of you a try.

You're not sure about loving him just yet, but yes, you do like him. Do find him attractive.

Suguru is okay with that. He's ready to love you, and he'll wait for whenever you're ready to love him too. In the meantime, you'll be fine, safe and happy with him.

He's sure of it.

Although his confession is messy, eventually he'll find out that confessing to you was one of the best things he's ever done, no matter how messy it was.

Masterlist

[corroded-hellfire]

Scout's Honor - Eddie Munson x Reader

Collaboration with my dearest @munson-blurbs

An As You Wish story

Summary: The annual Father-Daughter Girl Scout Square Dance comes around but Eddie and Steve are saddled with some car trouble.

Note: Everyone needs to go thank Bug for this incredibly adorable idea!

Words: 2.1k

[As You Wish masterlist]

Men. 

Can’t live with them, can’t…convince them not to go fishing on the day of their daughters’ Girl Scouts events. 

Eddie and Steve had promised you and Nancy that they would be home in time to take Eliza and Mia to the annual square dance. 

“We’ll get an early start,” they’d said, ignoring Eliza’s insistence that she won’t go with her father if he reeks of fish. He’d just laughed, kissed her cheek, and reiterated that he would shower before the dance. 

Maybe you’re naive for believing him. And yet, when the phone rang and Eddie’s sheepish voice explains that Steve’s car broke down—codeword for ‘we ran out of gas’—you’re wholly unsurprised. 

“I always made fun of Wayne for fishing.” Eddie muses, the payphone crackling as he exhales. “Called it an old man activity. This is what I get.”

You grit your teeth, hand clenched in a fist. “Just…get home,” you hiss, hanging up the receiver and massaging your temples. 

Who could have ever foreseen such an outcome?

While you’re stewing over the men’s incompetence, Mia remains levelheaded—just like her mother—and proposes a solution. “What if Luke and Ryan take us?”

Her suggestion is almost certainly rooted in her crush on your younger son, but it proves to be a worthwhile idea, nonetheless. Eliza’s face lights up, and before you know it, your five-year-old is dragging her brothers from their room. 

“Please?” She pouts sweetly, batting her doe eyes up at them. “Daddy and Uncle Steve can’t make it, and we can’t go all alone.” She lays it on thick, knowing full well she doesn’t have to—the boys would do just about anything for her. 

Ryan and Luke raid Eddie’s dresser drawers for flannels, finding the ones that he had nabbed from Wayne’s trailer. The girls don cowgirl hats, excitedly giggling as they climb into the back of the minivan. It’s still strange for you to see Ryan behind the wheel, but your heart swells with pride as you watch him double-check Eliza’s booster seat before pulling out of the driveway. 

At seventeen years old, Eddie Munson spent his Saturday nights selling cheap weed at high school parties—many of them, ironically, thrown by “King” Steve Harrington. 

At seventeen years old, Ryan Munson is spending his Saturday night taking his little sister and her best friend to the Girl Scouts square dance. 

“Everyone buckled?” He calls back, already knowing that they are. Still, he waits until he receives a chorus of yeses before he drives off. 

Luke turns around from the passenger seat. “Now, do we have to make a perfect square?” He keeps a serious expression, much to Ryan’s amusement. “Like, what if it’s a bit oval-y? Do we get kicked out? Do you two get banished from the Girl Scouts?”

Eliza and Mia are both used to his nonsense, and they burst into a fit of giggles. Ryan cracks a smile of his own, eyes trained on the road. 

Precious cargo and all that. 

When they arrive at the old VFW hall, the girls immediately pull them over to their group of friends. It’s a sea of young girls and their dads—and some moms—but nary a big brother in sight except for the two Munson boys. 

Ryan barely has time to feel out of place. The emcee, a middle-aged woman with bright pink lipstick and a too-wide smile, grabs the mic. 

“Welcome to our Father-Daughter Square Dance!” The room erupts into applause, quieting down only to hear about how this fundraiser supports the Girl Scouts of Indiana. The scouts repeat their pledge, which is met with more cheers, and then a western tune bleats over the old sound system. 

Eliza grabs Ryan’s hand as the emcee calls out instructions. Mia is a bit shyer with Luke, but they still manage all of the steps without stomping on the other’s toes. 

“Liza, I’m sorry Dad couldn’t make it,” Ryan says between songs. 

Eliza gives him a small smile. “That’s okay. It’s kinda cooler to bring my big brother.”

He grins. Just wait until his dad hears that. 

As everyone is getting into position for the next dance, a new song comes on that has more banjo than Luke has ever heard in his life. 

“Oh, yeah. We’re definitely in Indiana,” he says.

Mia chuckles as she peeks up at Luke from beneath the brim of her straw cowgirl hat. A blue ribbon on one of her red pigtail braids is loose so Luke reaches down to fix it for the little girl. Mia’s freckled face blooms as red as her hair. Luke pretends not to notice, not wanting to embarrass her. The big crush on Luke became obvious when she was three, and now at ten, it’s still hanging around. The fifteen-year-old Munson boy thinks it’s flattering and only ever teases her if she starts it first. 

“Ready?” Luke asks, offering Mia his hand.

“Ready!”

“But I didn't realize any of this until I was standing alone. In a barn... wife-less. Now, you can imagine my disappointment when it suddenly dawned on me that the woman I love is about to be kicked out of the country. So, Margaret. Marry me. Because I'd like to date you.”

Both you and Nancy hold your wine glasses, neither moving a muscle as you watch Ryan Reynolds catch up to Sandra Bullock in a New York City office building. An empty pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream sits between you on the couch, two green-smudged silver spoons resting inside. 

With the men out fishing, Ryan and Luke out with the two girls, and Natalie watching the rest of the kids over at the Harrington house, your place became the ultimate Mom’s Night In for you and Nancy. A chance to drink a little, gossip a little, have some snacks and watch some romcoms. 

Your peace has finally come to an end, however, when the front door bursts open and two men who reek of murky water, bug spray, and gasoline come barging in. 

“Jesus, Steve,” Nancy says, face pinching up at the foul odor wafting from your husbands. 

You wave a hand in front of your face as if that will make the smell dissipate any faster. 

“How were the fish?” you ask, turning your head away to give your nostrils a fighting chance.

“We caught a grand total of zero,” Steve says with a sigh, his black fishing boots looking comically misplaced on him. Neither of the men look natural in fishing gear. But when a guy from work offered Eddie the use of his boat for the day, he found he couldn’t turn it down. 

“Did you bring the fishing poles?” Nancy asks, sarcasm lining the amusement on her face.

Both men give her an annoyed side eye before Eddie looks around and takes a step towards you.

“Where are the girls?” he asks. 

“Ryan and Luke took them to the dance,” you tell him. “They should be back soon.”

Steve grimaces and claps a heavy hand down on Eddie’s shoulder.

“Eliza’s gonna kill you.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows and spins to meet his friend’s eye.

“And Mia won’t kill you?”

Steve grins. “Not if she got to dance with Luke.” This is the only time the man has ever been thankful for Mia’s crush on the Munson teen. 

Front door still open from when the men barged in, Ryan, Luke, Eliza, and Mia walk inside, laughing and talking over one another. Ryan is giving Eliza a piggyback ride and Luke has Mia’s too-small cowgirl hat perched on top of his head. The moment Eliza’s wide brown eyes spot her father, she demands answers. 

“Daddy, where were you?”

Ryan gently lets her down and she stomps over in her beige cowgirl boots, stopping right in front of Eddie. 

“Liza, I’m so sorry,” Eddie pleads. “Our car broke down. We tried everything we could to get back in time—”

Tears build up in Eliza’s eyes and Eddie feels his heart constrict in his chest. It might as well be Eliza’s little fist squeezing it.

“You were s’post to go with me!”

Eddie sighs and runs a ringed, smelly hand over his face. “I know. And I promise I’ll go next time. But I’m glad you got to bring your brothers. 

“Did you have fun at least?” Steve asks from behind him. 

Mia nods emphatically and both you and Nancy have to bite your lips to keep from smiling. 

Eliza nods in agreement, although not as enthusiastically as her friend. “Yeah. And Ryan is a good dancer.”

Luke smirks, and if Eddie were looking at him, he’d see the devious glint in his eye. “Not as good as Dad, I’m sure.”

Loud snickers come from you, Nancy, and Steve. Eddie’s jaw drops open as he looks around the room. 

“I can dance!”

“Yeah, Dad?” Ryan asks.

“Yeah!”

“Lucky for you, we’re all right here to witness it,” Luke says with a shrug. 

Eddie scoffs and shakes his head. “There’s no music. And I don’t really think my Metallica is easy to groove to.”

“We’ve got my Billy Joel—” you start.

“Or my *NSYNC!” Mia adds. 

“No,” Eddie says. “Thank you girls, but no.”

Smirk only growing larger, Luke pats his father on the shoulder. “Lucky for you, we’ve got just what you need.”

Eddie raises an eyebrow as he watches his son take a CD out of a Target bag he was conveniently hiding behind his back. 

“How was fishing, by the way?” Luke asks as he wrestles with the plastic engulfing the case.

“Pointless,” Steve says.

“Your uncle didn’t bring enough bait,” Eddie added. Steve is about to refute but Luke speaks before he gets the chance.

“But you would have, Dad? Does that make you a master baiter?” 

Ryan is the only one who is unable to contain his laughter. The joke goes over the girls’ heads, but you give your son a soft glare anyway. Never mind that you found it hilarious, just as you know the other adults did as well, but sometimes you’ve got to be the parent. 

Luke shrugs it off and pops the finally-freed CD into the stereo and the sound of a bow sawing over fiddle strings fills the room. Your second-oldest nods his head to Eliza.

“Go ahead, Lize. Show the old man how it’s done.”

“There’s not enough room to square dance in here,” Eddie says.

Without even so much as glancing at one another, you and Nancy get off of the couch and push it back, making plenty more space in the living room. The two of you smirk at one another and Nancy crosses her arms over her chest.

“Y’know, I don’t think it’s fair that you guys get to reap the benefits of your daughters being Girl Scouts without putting in the work.”

A grin grows on your face as you see where Nancy is going with this. 

“Yeah,” you agree, “maybe you don’t need more Samoas this year.”

Eddie’s face falls, and he looks at Steve, who shrugs in defeat. Gotta hit the guys where it hurts: food. 

“All right, show us the moves,” Steve says.

Mia grins, a bounce in her step as she takes Eliza’s smaller hand and walks to the middle of the floor. “Okay, me and Liza will be partners. Just watch us.”

Steve furrows his eyebrows and looks between the two girls, one with now-messy twin red braids, and the other with a light brown cowgirl hat atop two curly pigtails. 

“Wait, if you two are dancing together, who are Eddie and I dancing with?” he asks. 

Eliza giggles. “Each other.”

“Nope,” Eddie replies. “No way.”

With an over dramatic sigh, you shrug your shoulders at your husband. “No dancing, no Samoas.”

“Damn those little coconut fuckers,” Eddie mumbles under his breath. “All right, big boy. But I get to be the guy.”

“Sure, we’ll play pretend,” Steve quips back. It’ll be a miracle if they both make it through the first dance alive.

Eliza and Mia begin to go through the motions, showing their fathers what to do. Everyone is laughing as they do-si-do and hook arms to swing each other around. 

“Did I earn my cookies yet?” Eddie asks once the next song ends.

“That’s up to your daughter,” you tell him with a shrug. 

Eddie looks at Eliza expectantly, the big puppy dog eyes that he passed down to her working their magic. 

“Almost, Daddy. You gotta dance with me first.”

“Now that, I can do.”

[raven-dor]

you and i

in which steve and his best friend since 4th grade graduate

PAIRING: steve harrington x reader

WARNINGS: given last name, established relationship, like one swear word, fluff

WORD COUNT: 2,284

AN: 100 followers!! Thank you all so much; I literally could not have done this without you!! Here's a little Steve Imagine I wrote a while ago!! I hope you enjoy it, and here's to 100 more!!

pt.2

"Steve! Hurry up! I can't be late!"

Y/N sat on Steve's bed, waiting impatiently for him to finish his hair. She knew that his literal hours of styling would inevitably get damaged underneath the hideous caps they had to wear, but Steve still insisted.

So there they were, ten minutes before they had to be at the school, and Steve was still doing his hair.

"Jeez! Relax Y/N/N. We still have-" He looked at his clock. "Shit."

Y/N walked into the bathroom and crossed her arms, smirking. "Yeah. Shit."

He turned around and grinned. "Well, well, well. Don't you look like Little Miss Valedictorian."

She smiled shyly at him for a moment. Her white dress peeked out from beneath her dark green robe, which was covered with tassels, each one another achievement that Steve had proudly watched her earn. National Honor Society, Student Government, Music Honors. The list goes on and on.

Y/N scrunched her eyebrows, laughing at her best friend. "You're an odd duck, Harrington."

"That's why you love me."

She glared at him, tapping her wrist, even though she didn't have a watch. "You done?"

He shoved his comb in his drawer, and turned back around, walking past her quickly. "Let's go!"

Y/N grabbed her shoes and cap and followed after her best friend. Mrs.Harrington beamed, and Y/N tried to pretend that the older woman was always this happy for her son.

She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Mrs. Harrington in person; it must have been almost five years ago.

"Look at you two," she walked up to Steve and pinched his cheeks. "I remember when you first started kindergarten."

Steve whined, pulling away. "Mom!"

His mother rolled her eyes. "Stand up straight, and try to look presentable. I want to take a photo."

Steve groaned, and Y/N put her hand on his shoulder, whispering in his ear teasingly. "Do what your mother says, Steven."

He pushed her away, sticking his tongue out.

Y/N stood aside as Mrs.Harrington took several polaroids of her son. She looked at Y/N, ushering her to her son's side. "Get over here."

"Yes ma'am."

She shuffled beside Steve and leaned in.

"Say cheese!"

"Cheese!"

Steve looked down at the last moment, Y/N completely oblivious to the fact that he was looking at her. She was honestly focused on trying not to look like a total disaster.

"Okay, one more, and then you can go."

Steve put his arm around her shoulders, leaning his head on hers.

"Say cheese one more time!"

Steve smirked. "Cheese one more time!"

The King of Hawkins High clapped his hands and grabbed his car keys, pulling Y/N along with him. "See you, Mom!"

"Bye, darling! Bye, Steve!"

Y/N giggled as she got into the passenger's seat. "I'm darling."

"You're a twerp is what you are. Now buckle up. You are not going to be late." He had a weird glint in his eyes. "Not if I can help it."

"It really doesn't matter that much!" But Steve ignored her, going fifteen over the speed limit immediately after pulling out of his driveway.

Thank God for Steve's car. They made it just barely, and Y/N and Steve pushed their way to the front of the line. "Excuse us!"

Steve pushed through. "Move you, shitheads!" Steve shoved another one of his annoying ass peers and then came face to face with horror itself. "Mrs. Click."

"Mr. Harrington." She looked slightly less dismal as she turned to Y/N. "Ms. Wilkins."

She smiled guiltily. "Mrs. Click. We're here."

"So I can see." She handed them two index cards. "Fill out your names phonetically so the announcers don't pronounce them wrong." She walked slightly down the line before turning back around. "Congratulations, you two." She pursed her lips, and they both could have sworn she was smiling. "You weren't the worst students I ever had."

Steve shivered and looked at Y/N. "On that bright side we don't ever have to take a class with her again." He grinned. "Can I borrow your pen?"

She dropped it in his palm and turned to the front, straightening her posture and taking deep breaths. She ran through her speech in her head, how she would smile, how- Pomp and Circumstance began. She clenched her fist, and Steve grabbed her hand, rubbing the back, and slowly her fist fell open. Steve straightened his cap while simultaneously holding her hand tightly, kissing the back. "We got this, Y/N/N."

The walking across the field was fast enough, but the time from that and to her speech felt like an eternity. "And now, our class Valedictorian, Y/N Wilkins."

Steve yelled at the top of his lungs, the crowd giving a polite clapping volume. She could hear two other voices screaming at the top of their lungs and knew exactly who they were. She stood up and walked calmly to the stage. She shook the hand of their principal and took a deep breath, looking down at Steve, who was staring up at her proudly.

"Welcome friends, parents, loved ones, and staff to the graduation of the Class of 1985." There were cheers from the students. "We couldn't have made it here without you." She took a breath. "Hawkins High has been for us all, the best or worst time of our lives." Chuckles echoed throughout the student body. "But even then, our lives have been changed. We've grown, learned, and made lifelong friends. We've had relationships and friendships develop and crumble within minutes."

She smiled. "And for most of my peers, Hawkins has been their home for their whole lives. They've known each other since pre-k, and many interactions you observe show you. But I moved to Hawkins in fourth grade. I used to live in New York City. I loved it there, it was like a giant playground. But after my father passed away, my mother and aunt decided to move back to their hometown, Hawkins Indiana. I have to say, I was upset at first. Who wouldn't be? Being ripped from what you've known your whole life is difficult. But as soon as I sat down at my table in Mrs.Davidson's fourth-grade class, I instantly felt better. I'm sure many of you are very confused right now. Let me set the tone." Y/N laughed. "It's 1976, and this classroom is bustling with noise. Mrs. Davidson is trying to settle her class down, except for two. A girl who was staring sadly down at her desk, and a boy who threw his hand out, waiting for her to shake it. Steve Harrington-" The crowd murmured, some yelling praise for the King of Hawkins.

"Held out his hand, and after that, he never left me alone." Steve scoffed but kept smiling at the stage. "After eight years of school together, he has remained one of my best friends. He's helped me through many of my life's problems. Tests, driving lessons, my mothers..." Her eyes welled up. "Disappearance, and most recently, college." Steve knew what else she wanted to add to this list. Fighting against the Upside Down had made them closer than ever if that was even possible.

"He has helped me more than he could ever know. He's made me braver, faster, in the wittiest sense, and happier. The only thing he hasn't improved is my humor." The crowd laughed. "Sorry, Steve, but I have superior taste in comedy. In my opinion, Steve Harrington is the best example of Hawkins. He's kind, funny, and empathetic. He exemplifies the very best this town has to offer." She smiled at Steve, putting a hand over her heart. "I don't know if I've been changed for the better, but because I met you, I've definitely been changed for good." Steve grinned brightly up at the stage. "Alright, I'm almost done. I want to thank my family. Aunt Claudia, thank you for treating me like one of your own, even when I don't like it. Dustin, my favorite middle schooler. Also my cousin. You are the smartest person I know, and the best confidant." Y/N took a deep breath and smiled lightly, glancing out at the field full of her old classmates, teachers, and friends. "Thank you for your hospitality, Hawkins. You will forever be my home."

They'd finally graduated. Y/N pushed her way through the crowd, Steve holding onto her arm for dear life.

"Dusty!"

She grabbed Dustin and hugged him tightly.

"Y/N/N! I can't breathe."

She let go. "Sorry, bud."

Dustin walked up to Steve and held out his hand. Steve smirked, and then she saw the weirdest shit she had ever seen.

Their handshake.

"What the hell?"

Y/N turned around, fully prepared to scold someone. "Oh hey, guys."

Max, Mike, and Lucas stood behind her.

"Nice speech."

Y/N laughed. "Thanks, Wheeler."

"Congrats, Y/N."

"Thank you, Max."

"You were very cheesy, Y/N/N."

She rolled her eyes lovingly, running up to them with open arms. "Thank you, Lucas." Mike squirmed, Max laughing at him. He yelled out. "Y/N/N, let us go!"

She huffed and let go begrudgingly. "I love you too, Micheal."

Steve cleared his throat, and Y/N turned around. He smiled and put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's get out of here."

"Already ahead of you."

She slipped out of his hold (and her heels) and smiled. "Race ya!"

She ran as fast as she could, Steve catching up to her in no time. Dustin groaned, and Max laughed at her friend's annoyance. "What's wrong, Dusty? Mad that your cousin is falling in love?"

Dusty crossed his arms. "Not at all. She's been in love. I'm just mad that they are both so oblivious."

Max turned back, smiling at the running teenagers. "I bet they're gonna get together this summer." Dustin nodded in agreement.

Lucas and Mike squinted their eyes and looked at their friends like they had three heads.

"They've been doing this for two years..."

Lucas finished his sentence for him. "So who's to say they won't keep doing it?"

Max stared at her boyfriend. "Because I'm not letting them. I'm sick of it, and I've only been here for a year."

Dustin nodded. "Imagine knowing both of them for basically your whole life."

The stars twinkled above the pair as they reminisced over the funniest memories of their times at school. She tried to breathe; she'd laughed so much that her stomach was starting to hurt. "Remember when- when Tommy slipped and fell into Joan's puke?"

Steve started laughing hysterically, the memory evoking a childlike joy he hadn't felt in a while. "And then—then Carol tried to help him, and slipped, pulling him out?"

She took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Staring up, she became entranced by the night sky.  "The stars are really pretty tonight."

Steve smiled at the way her eyes lit up. "They are." He lay beside her, eyes fixed on the moon. "We haven't done this in a while."

Y/N nodded, leaning her head on Steve's shoulder. She didn't want to ruin this moment, but if she didn't tell him now, she'd never tell him.

"I need to tell you something. Something important."

His heart stopped. Was she- No, she wouldn't. He had to be the first to, and besides, he didn't even know if she liked him. He kept his eyes on the sky, too afraid to look at his best friend. "Tell me something."

"I-" Y/N sat up. She decided to look down at her feet so that she wouldn't look at his distracting chocolate eyes and actually get to the point. "I got into NYU."

His heart stuttered and then began pacing normally. He sat up beside her, grinning. "You did?"

She nodded, also grinning. "I did."

"You did!" He stood up, pulling her alongside him. "NYU! That's your dream school, Y/N/N!" He hugged her. "I'm so proud of you."

She sighed, overwhelmed with the smell of his shirt. "I'm really excited! I just..." She let go, still hugging Steve loosely around his waist. "I didn't tell you when I found out because..."

"Because?"

"I was scared of how you'd react."

He scrunched his eyebrows. "Why would you be scared?"

She broke herself out of his embrace and started pacing around the roof. "I don't know. I guess I was afraid that you'd feel like I was leaving you, and I didn't want to make you..."

He interrupted. "You didn't want to make me feel bad, is that it?"

Y/N nodded slowly, and Steve rolled his eyes, grabbing her hand and pulling her to him. "You would never make me feel bad. You deserve this. And you're going to do amazing."

She smiled, burying her face into his chest. "Thank you."

He laughed. "Besides, I'll be fine. I got an interview with an ice cream shop that's opening up in the mall, and their starting pay is 8 dollars an hour."

She looked up. "Are you kidding me? Holy shit Harrington!" It was her turn to jump around, hugging him. "That's awesome! Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

He rolled his eyes. "Well, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Touche."

He sat down, and they got comfortable again, staying close underneath their shared blanket. For warmth purposes, of course. Steve sighed, leaning his head on hers.

"You don't need to worry over little old me. I'll be just fine."

She hummed and closed her eyes. "It's my job, Harrington."

She felt like she was in fourth grade again.

[mynameismckenziemae]

All of Me

Part 1

(next part here)

Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x OFC/You

Summary: You find yourself bored at the beach on a rare day of R & R. Things get a lot more interesting when Jake runs into you (literally). One thing leads to another and you find yourself back at Jake’s for a steamy, fun filled night.

Warnings: 18+ MDNI! Non-explicit smut, p in v, oral (f receiving), slight mentions of losing a spouse, alcohol use, etc.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

Relaxation has never been your forte.

Starting when you were a little girl; always having to sleep with one eye open to avoid your drug-addict mom’s unpredictable moods and the men she brought home. That unwanted attention only increased with age and the way you began to fill out your clothes which only fueled the resentment your mom had for you.

That resentment came to a head shortly after you turned 16 when one of her ‘friends’ made a pass at you and she subsequently kicked you out. Because it was your fault, of course.

Your best friend's family had taken you in with open arms and while it was the first time you felt like you had a home, you couldn’t help but feel guilty that her parents had another mouth to feed and another body to clothe even with their constant reassurance.

So you put your head down and continued to work hard to graduate high school early with honors. You joined the Navy at 17 shortly after with nothing but a backpack and $368 to your name.

Boot camp wasn’t a walk in the park, nor was the next 12 years of medical school and residency. During that time you fell in love, married the love of your life, got pregnant, and then watched your husband wither away from a debilitating, aggressive disease to pass away shortly after the birth of your son.

With the help from your in-laws and best friend, Maggie, you were able to stay enlisted for the past 8 years as you had navigated being a single mother and widow while also pursuing and achieving your dream of becoming a doctor.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

Late last night you arrived home from an endless 6 (and hopefully your last) month deployment-a week earlier than expected. Normally coming back from deployments early is ideal, but your son, Drew, was at Disney with grandma and grandpa for a few more days.

So here you sit on the beach with a cold beer catching some rays while trying and failing to relax.

A rowdy group of guys playing some version of football down the beach keeps creeping closer with each play and the hot, sandy-haired quarterback keeps catching your eye. He’s peacocking for you; flexing and glancing your way. You pointedly ignore it and have to bite back your smile when he deflates.

It doesn’t stop you from sneaking peeks at his sweaty chest under the cover of your sunglasses though as you pull out the smutty book Maggie’s been begging you to read.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

Just as you’re getting to the good part of your book, something flies over the top of you; a foot knocks the beer that was nearly to your lips down the front of your white coverup.

“Shit! I’m so sorry,” there’s an apology before he’s even on his feet. “I didn’t see you ‘till the last second.”

Liar.

“It’s alright,” you reply, looking down as you try to soak up some of the liquid with your towel but it’s no use; it’s saturated with beer, and the wet fabric clings to your torso.

“Sorry!” One of his friends yells, likely the one who threw the football. “Let me buy you an apology drink?”

“No worries,” you call back, glancing back down with a grimace. “I’m good, but thanks anyway!”

“We’ll meet you at the Hard Deck then,” his friend calls before jogging over to the rest of the group already heading that way.

“I really am sorry,” the culprit repeats. Your breath catches when you turn back to him. He’s even more good-looking up close, especially with that sheepish grin. Even though his eyes are hidden by his sunglasses, it’s obvious he’s checking you out. Your nipples are now standing to attention, pushing against your bikini top through the newly see-through fabric of your top. “I knew you were here but I hadn’t realized how close we’d gotten. Are you sure I can’t buy you a drink?”

“I was thinking about taking your friend up on the offer,” you answer truthfully, “but most of the bars around here have a strict “no shirt no service policy.”

You know Penny wouldn’t care but still.

“I’ve got more in the cooler though. You can have one if you get me one too,” you wink before peeling off the soaking garment.

He swallows thickly as he watches before he shakes himself out of it. “Yeah, sure. Thanks.”

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

“So, I, uh…I’m Jake,” he says, handing you a beer. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise, I’m Reese,” you reply, shaking his hand after taking the bottle from him.

“Like the peanut butter cups?” He asks with a cheeky grin as he sits beside you in the sand.

“Wow,” you deadpan before taking a pull of your beer. “Never heard that one before.”You laugh at the dejected look on his face. “Yes, like the peanut butter cups.”

He laughs too, finally loosening up.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

It doesn’t take long for you to piece together that Jake’s younger than you and it’s obvious that he has no trouble keeping his bed warm. He learns quickly that you’re not easily impressed and changes his tune, turning the conversation toward you. You keep it vague, telling him you work in healthcare when he asks, knowing some men are easily intimidated by your degree, and in turn, he tells you he works in aviation.

Your heart pinches more than once as the afternoon passes. Your late husband, Andrew, had taken you to the beach for your first date and Jake reminds you so much of him; the way he makes you laugh; the charming cockiness when he talks about flying, the way he flirts and strokes your ego just right.

You hope your ego isn’t the only thing getting stroked when the sun begins to set. A shiver works through you, making you miss its warmth.

“Cold?” He asks as he rubs his rough, calloused palm over your arm. More goosebumps rise at his touch.

“A little,” you admit with a smile, but it quickly turns into a frown when you press your phone to check the time but it doesn’t light up. “Shoot, my phone died. So much for calling an Uber.”

“You can charge it at my place if you want. It’s not far,” he offers, brushing a strand of hair off your forehead.

“Sure, that’d be great,” you agree, knowing he’s offering more than a charger.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

He learn he was definitely offering more than the phone charger.

You ache in places you forgot existed as you reach for your phone buzzing on Jake’s nightstand.

Jake was better in bed than you expected.

He was a little quick on the draw the first time he had you with your back pressed against his front door, but he surprised you by dropping to his knees after he came, not even bothering to take the condom off. He’d paused at the thin line marring your lower stomach and you held your breath as you waited for him to comment or kick you out but he surprised you again by kissing your c-section scar instead before feasting between your legs like a man starved.

While you showered the sand and sticky residue of the beer off, he had ordered pizza.

After, he invited you to his bed with the excuse that your clothes were still in the dryer (even though you had both hard the buzzer). You’re not sure who fell asleep first, but you woke up a few hours later with his arms around you and his hard-on pressing against your ass.

You fell asleep after riding him, more relaxed than you had felt in years.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

You sit up as you read the messages from your son.

Drew: Mom!! Grandma and Grandpa said we could home early!

Drew: They said we’d be home by 10 with our new flight.

Drew: Is that okay? I just missed you so much.

Drew: Mommmmm

Drew: We’re boarding now.

Mom: I missed you too! Of course, it’s okay! I can’t wait to see you. I love you so much.

You look at the time when your text fails to deliver, 9:18 AM.

Shit. Time to go.

Resisting the urge to whip off the covers and scramble, you slowly get out of Jake’s bed, not wanting to wake him.

You’re quiet as you find your clothes in the dryer and gather your things.

There’s a notepad and pen on the small table near the door and your heart stutters when you see the dog tags hanging next to his keys.

Lt. Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin

US Naval Aviator.

Well. He did say he was in aviation.

Your phone buzzes again and you quickly scribble a note before heading out the door.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

“Reese?” Jake murmurs, cracking his eyes open when he pats the bed, finding it cold.

“No way,” he mutters grumpily as he heads out of the bedroom to find the house empty and quiet.

The first woman he’d felt anything for in years snuck out while he was sleeping.

An orange sticky note stuck to the door catches his eye and he walks over to read:

Sorry to run out-something came up and I had to get home. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you again soon though, lieutenant.

Jake smiles despite himself at the smiley face you drew beside your name and sighs before heading back to bed.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•<•>•

A/N: Wellllll here’s the first part! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it ☺️

I’m leaving early tomorrow morning for a 6 day girls trip (to the beach) so I might be slow to respond/update but who knows, maybe I’ll get bored 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thank you to @lexixstewart again for the meet-cute at the beach idea 🫶🏻

As always, any interaction is appreciated but I love hearing what you think in comments/reblogs!

Please let me know if you want to be added to my taglist (sorry if I forget anyone, I won’t be mad if you remind me).

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[peachsukii]

₊✩‧₊ ⎯ sidekicking at dynamight's agency turns out to be more rewarding than anticipated.

cw // age gap (mid 20s & early 40s), mentions of divorce & a child, suggestive, not proof read ⇢  k.bakugo masterlist

You’re a new sidekick at Bakugo’s agency, a mid-20 something who transferred from another prefecture after moving across the country. He’s in his early 40s, a well seasoned pro hero with plenty of experience under his belt and a successful agency to top off his accomplishments.

Unfortunately, he’s divorced with a kid that his ex-wife hoards from him. Sometimes, his son comes by the agency after school if his mom doesn’t show to get him - one of his assistants walks him home if he’s not in the office himself. It’s a messy situation that everyone chooses not to question him about, including the media. All it took was one stupid pap to ask him about his failed marriage to scare the ever loving shit out of anyone from asking again.

He’s not looking for anything or anyone, hasn’t been on a date in years, avoiding anything to do with “love” by busying himself with work, trying not let any of the dread sink in. His heart is too broken from the divorce and all the shit he went through with his devil of an ex-wife. It often kept him awake at night, adding to the bags under his eyes and the silver highlights in his ashy mane.

And then, there’s you. You’re a firecracker in disguise, passionate and determined to be the best damn hero at the agency. One day, you’re training in the office gym with the other sidekicks and become frustrated with them, unsatisfied with their bland routine. You wanted a challenge when training, something to keep you progressing and not plateauing. Stomping up to Bakugo’s office in the middle of the day, you bang on the door a few times impatiently, hands on your hips when he finally opens the door.

“Newbie? The hell do you want?” He grumbles, crossing his arms over the broadness of his chest. Even in his early 40s, he looks damn good, the perfect buff dad body. It may be littered with scars and stretch marks from weight fluctuation over the years, but he viewed them as badges of honor.

“The sidekicks downstairs are boring with training and I need something better. I’m not gonna stay stagnant with those rookies. I need a better trainer.”

Bakugo glares daggers at you, for both insulting the other sidekicks and interrupting his focus on the stacks of paperwork sitting on his desk.

“So you decided complain’ to the boss that provides the training was the smart thing to do?”

You huff, rolling your eyes and take a step closer to him. “No, Dynamight. I want you to train me. I need the best of the best to be an asset to your agency.”

The way you emphasize ‘I want you’ makes him flinch - a phrase he hasn’t heard in years.

“Ya think I have time to train with a sidekick?” He scoffs, ready to shut the door on you when you grab his wrist, making him jump from the contact. Your eyes lock onto his and a chill runs down his spine at your next demand.

“You’re gonna have to make time.”

That marks the day that you, the newest recruit, left the one and only Katsuki Bakugo speechless. He wanted nothing more than to laugh you off and shut the door, but he hurriedly whispered “Fine, tomorrow at 5am” against his better judgement, then slammed the door.

And thus began the tradition of training with your boss twice a week. It was rigorous, as you expected, but you were more than capable of keeping up with his pace. After a few weeks, he stopped acting grumpy about it and started complimenting your progress. You’ve gotten multiple reports back from other heroes saying they’ve seen an improvement in your work, and how you’ve been extending that to the other sidekicks.

What happened the next morning is something Bakugo still can’t fathom, nor did he think he could ever feel something like it again.

It’s 5am, a regular training session in the agency gym - like always. Today, he’s got you working on your hand to hand combat, focusing on grapples, pins and guarding. He encourages you to go all out, and you do, resulting in sweeping his legs out from under him to knock him on his ass. He’s about to say something snarky like “lucky shot” when you steal the breath from his lungs by following up by pinning him to the ground, straddling his hips and gripping his wrists above his head, chest pressed against his as you hover inches from his face, huffing with sweat trickling down your forehead.

Bakugo's mind goes blank and all his focus shifts to your body contact. All he can think about is the pressure of your fingers snaked around his wrists, the plush of your chest squished up against his own, how your thighs are clenched on his hips and the sensation of your ankles tucked against his thighs. He can feel his face heating up, and his groin, unable to look away or run off somewhere to hide. He's somewhat thankful you have his wrists pinned, elsewise he may have...no, he can't think about that.

"...hello? Earth to Dynamight?" you call at him, releasing one of his wrists to wave your hand in his face. "You okay? You're looking a little pale."

He violently shakes his head, clearing his throat before muttering, "M'fine, now get off'a me."

He scoots backward on the gym mat when you leave his personal bubble, tucking his legs up to his chest with his head on his forearms. He doesn't notice that he's biting his lip hard enough to draw blood and has broken out into a cold sweat. You're standing there, dumbfounded, and decide to call it off for the morning.

"Well, I'll let you get to work or whatever it is you gotta do. Sorry for knocking you on your ass so hard, Dy-"

"Y'can call me Katsuki, you know. S'not always strictly hero names around here."

Where the fuck did that come from? You barely know her.

You grace him with a smile, tilting your head sweetly. "Thanks, Katsuki. I'll see ya later." And off you go, skipping to the locker room to wash up for your shift later in the morning.

What the fuck was that?

Bakugo's stuck sitting on the mats a little while longer, desperately waiting for himself to cool off like a horny high school teenager. He's got a million thoughts running through his head, and the one at the forefront is you in the same exact position, only...

...No.

He can't think of you like that.

Can he?

Shit, he didn't even talk to you outside of mandatory meetings before this training bullshit. But he can't deny you're attractive, and your personality only makes you that much hotter to him.

And so, Bakugo walks into the shared locker room, purposefully locks the door and turns on one of the showers, as hot as he could manage. His back begins to redden from the pressure and temperature of the jet stream as he rested his forearm against the tile. Soon enough, all thoughts of you cumulated into the drain at his feet, ejected from his body and taken care of.

Until the next morning, where he finds you sitting at his desk with two coffees.

"Mornin'! Brought you a 'sorry I kicked your ass' apology coffee. Your assistant said you like it black, hope she was right!"

Shit.

tags; @slayfics @maddietries @starieq @liluvtojineteyam @jays-adventure3 @simp-plague

[babydollmarauders]

GENDER REVEAL — JACK HUGHES

part of the el!hughes au

notes: this takes place November 21st, 2023!!

y/n.hughes

liked by jackhughes, lhughes_06 and 480,617 others

y/n.hughes we’re getting the best of both worlds 🩵

so excited for this journey and for baby boy to join us in the world. i can’t wait to witness El’s transition into big sisterhood, she’s such a sweet and caring baby, i know she’ll be an amazing sibling.

currently calling Mama Ellen to get some tips on how to be a boy mom.

tagged jackhughes

Comments on this post have been limited

jackhughes so grateful to you for giving me the two greatest gifts i could ever ask for. i love you, El, and our baby boy ♥️

y/n.hughes i love you so much, my beloved 🤍

colecaufield my godson 🥹

y/n.hughes your godson! you gonna help Jack teach him how to skate when he turns 3?

colecaufield oh, i have to share that honor with Jack? the man that trips over nothing every game? alright, i guess

jackhughes you know, it’s not too late to make Trevor a godfather again

colecaufield @/jackhughes NO! I’M SORRY! I TAKE IT BACK! PLEASE, I’VE BEEN PRACTICING!

jackhughes i’m a little scared to ask but practicing what?

colecaufield @/jackhughes swaddling, diaper changing, throwing him up in the air and then catching him

y/n.hughes okay so please don’t do that last one

lhughes_06 nephew time!! he’s gonna love me! i’ll teach him how to get chicks

jackhughes yeah, moose? how’s your girlfriend? oh that’s right, you don’t have one

_quinnhughes BURN! 🔥

jackhughes @/_quinnhughes neither do you, Quinny

trevorzegras LITTLE TREVOR HUGHES!!!

y/n.hughes absolutely not 🫶

jackhughes never gonna happen

_quinnhughes i can’t wait to meet this little angel. i know he’s gonna be just as amazing as his mom and his sister 🩵

y/n.hughes i love you Quinny 🤍

jackhughes i feel like i should be insulted?

_quinnhughes you feel correctly

jackhughes but jokes on you, i don’t. because my wife and daughter are perfect and i know my son will be too

nicohischier he’s gonna be amazing! i’m so happy for you guys ❤️

y/n.hughes thank you neeks! we’re so excited for him to arrive!

_alexturcotte he’s gonna be so cool like his uncle 😎

trevorzegras aww thanks turcs!

_alexturcotte i was talking about me…

dawson1417 have you guys picked out a name yet? may i suggest: Dawson?

jackhughes you may not

y/n.hughes @/jackhughes okay wait don’t knock it just yet

dawson1417 YES! DAWSON HUGHES!

trevorzegras she never said it was for certain, dude. it’s not happening

dawson1417 well i got farther than you 🤪

john.marino97 excited to see him at future family skates! i know with El’s sweet and caring heart, she’ll be the most phenomenal big sister ♥️

y/n.hughes oh okay- yeah, sure, make the pregnant woman cry, Johnny

john.marino97 i’m sorry (???)

jackhughes you should be, she just accidentally kneed me as she crawled on my lap to cry. but also, thanks man!

[lupinqs]

CHAPTER ELEVEN ━━ Home, For Christmas

☆ ━ pairing: hopkins!paige x oc (dani callan)

☆ ━ word count: 4.3K

☆ ━ warnings: subtle talks of dani’s bitchass homophobic dad what’s new

☆ ━ links: my masterlist, take me to church masterlist

☆ ━ author’s note: in honor of gameday 🫡sorry this took so long you guys!!!! hopefully the next one won’t lol ALSO! y’all i wrote julia in for a reason, she will end up being important :)

CHRISTMAS DAY at her grandparents’ house is always cozy and warm, filled with laughter and the smell of cinnamon and pine. Dani’s family fills the living room, sprawled across couches, perched on armchairs, and gathered around the fireplace. Her aunts and uncles are trading stories, her little cousins are running around in holiday pajamas, and there’s a pile of presents under the tree, each one wrapped in brightly colored paper.

Dani sits in the corner of the couch, balancing her youngest aunt Julia’s newborn, Grey, in her lap. She’s been fawning over him all day, enchanted by his tiny fingers and the little yawns he lets out every now and then. His downy dark hair sticks up at odd angles, and his soft little hands rest against her arm as she holds him, his eyes drifting closed with that peaceful look babies seem to have mastered.

Julia, who’s only twenty-five and just as warm and lovely as Dani remembers from her childhood, sits beside her, watching Dani with a smile. “You’ve got the magic touch, Dani,” she says, nudging her gently. “He hasn’t fallen asleep for anyone else yet today.”

Dani grins, glancing down at Grey as he lets out a tiny sigh. “Guess he knows I’m his favorite already,” she jokes, stroking the baby’s soft cheek.

Julia shifts a little, leaning back against the couch, and after a moment, she glances sideways at Dani. “How’s your dad been doing?” she asks quietly, her tone careful.

Dani rolls her eyes, her expression slipping into something neutral. “It’s… whatever,” she says, keeping her voice low. “We don’t really talk much.”

Julia nods, understanding written all over her face. “Yeah. Me neither.” There’s a heaviness to her voice, and Dani knows why. Julia is certainly not married to Grey’s father, him having left long before Grey was born. It’s something that Dani’s dad has shamed Julia for, his conservative views casting his half sister as some kind of disgrace. Dani’s heard the things he’s said about her—heard him scoff at Julia’s life choices like they were some kind of moral failure.

She looks at Julia, her heart aching for her. “I’m sorry,” Dani says quietly. “He’s like that with everything, not just you.”

Julia lets out a soft sigh, her gaze drifting to Grey, who’s now fully asleep, his little face relaxed and peaceful. “I know,” she murmurs. “But it still sucks. I just wish he could see… it’s not like I planned for things to turn out this way. But I love Grey. And I wouldn’t trade him for anything.” She smiles down at her son, her expression soft and full of love. “It’s just a difficult situation.”

Dani nods, her throat tight. “Yeah. I get it.” She glances down at Grey, feeling the familiar warmth in her chest. She doesn’t understand why her dad has to be so harsh, so unwilling to forgive. She’s been on that side of things when her own secret came to light, and when that same judgment had been turned on her, it was terrible.

Dani adjusts her grip on Grey, who shifts a little in his sleep, tiny fingers curling around the edge of her sweater.

After a moment, Julia speaks again, her voice soft. “So… are you and Paige still not talking?” she asks, her tone careful, but curious. “Last I heard, you two weren’t friends anymore.”

Dani’s stomach tightens a little, her gaze shifting to the floor. Julia’s met Paige plenty of times—Paige was practically family, as far as her grandparents and aunts were concerned. Dani can still remember how much her mom adored Paige, how her mom used to say that Paige was the best thing to happen to her, that Paige brought out this light in her daughter that she hadn’t seen in anyone else. It’s something that, in her quiet moments, Dani clings to—thinking that maybe her mom really would have understood her situation.

“Paige was always so sweet,” Julia continues, almost wistfully. “And I remember how much your mom loved her, Dani. She always said Paige was the best friend you could ever have.”

Dani sighs, feeling the weight of it all pressing down on her. Her chest tightens with the urge to spill everything—to tell Julia about how it was so much more than just friendship, how Paige is basically her entire world, how they love each other in a much different way than most know. Dani knows Julia isn’t homophobic, and she can’t imagine Julia judging her, especially after everything Julia herself has been through with her dad and such.

But the words catch in her throat. Her fear is too strong, a familiar, icy weight. She imagines what would happen if anything she said got back to her dad, even by accident. She remembers the camp, the isolation, the way it felt like she was being slowly erased. The thought of going back there makes her stomach twist with dread.

She takes a slow breath, then finally says, “No, we’re still not friends.” Her voice is flat, and she hates how empty it sounds. “And we’re… we’re not ever going to be friends again.”

Julia frowns, reaching over to place a comforting hand on Dani’s arm. “I’m sorry, Dani. That must be so hard. Losing a friend like that… I can only imagine.”

Dani just nods, swallowing back the ache in her throat. “Yeah,” she murmurs, her gaze fixed on Grey, who’s still blissfully asleep. “It is.”

Julia gives her a soft smile, a silent offer of comfort, but Dani barely notices, her mind drifting to thoughts of Paige. She feels like she’s buried that love as deeply as she can—hidden it away in a place where her dad and the church can’t touch it.

And she’s going to stay that way. Because that is what is going to keep it safe.

DANI SINKS into her blankets, watching Christmas Vacation play on her laptop, the warmth of the bed comforting against the bite of winter outside. She’d asked her dad to watch the movie with her, hoping for at least a little shared Christmas cheer, but he’d just brushed her off with a brief mutter of how tired he was. So here she is, alone, her room dimly lit, a quiet feeling of loneliness settling in.

The Griswold family is just finishing fitting their huge Christmas tree in their living room when Dani’s phone lights up beside her. She glances down and finds Paige’s name on her screen. Her heart does a little flip as she picks it up, biting back a smile.

Paige ❤️‍🔥

You home yet?

Dani ❤️‍🔥

yeah i got home like an hour ago

Paige ❤️‍🔥

you doing anything?

Dani pauses, glancing at her screen.

Dani ❤️‍🔥

watching christmas vacation in my bed

She sends the message and internally cringes a little as she realizes how lonely it sounds.

Paige ❤️‍🔥

By yourself?

Come over and watch it with me and my fam

Dani laughs softly, rolling her eyes. Of course Paige wouldn’t let her stay alone, not tonight. Paige always has that unwavering energy, that impulsive streak that Dani has never been able to resist.

Dani ❤️‍🔥

paige my dad’s home

Paige ❤️‍🔥

Sneak out!!!

I’ll come get you by your window

Dani stares at the screen, a little stunned, a little thrilled. Her fingers hover over the screen, her thumb hesitating over the keyboard.

Dani ❤️‍🔥

you’re insane

Paige ❤️‍🔥

And yet ur not saying no 😁😁

A grin tugs at Dani’s lips, and she feels her pulse quicken. She glances at her door, hoping and praying for her sake that her dad was true on his word and that he’s asleep, then quietly swings her legs off the bed. Closing her laptop, she grabs her thickest hoodie from her chair, pulling it over her head. She finds her Uggs under the bed, slipping them on and making her way to the window, heart pounding in anticipation. Her fingers fumble a bit as she undoes the lock, the cold air hitting her face the moment she slides it open.

Peering outside, she feels her heart skip as she spots Paige standing below. Paige is bundled up in her coat, hands deep in her pockets, and despite the shivering, she’s grinning up at Dani like this is the most natural thing in the world. Snow has started to fall again, gentle flakes catching in Paige’s hair and dusting her shoulders. She looks really pretty.

“Hey!” Paige calls up softly, her voice a mix of excitement and impatience. “You comin’ down, or what?”

Dani can’t help the smile that spreads across her face. She leans out a little, gripping the window frame for balance. “This is so stupid, you know that?” she whispers, trying not to laugh too loud.

Paige just shrugs, her grin undeterred. “Live a little!”

Dani laughs softly, the sound swallowed by the stillness of the night. She glances down, assessing the climb, feeling a pang of nervousness when she sees just how far the ground looks. Her window isn’t exactly low, and she can’t be sure the snow is soft. She swallows, feeling her pulse quicken as she considers her next move.

“Paige,” she whispers, trying to keep her voice down but still sounding panicked, “I’m going to fall!”

“If you do, I’ll catch you!” Paige whispers back, her voice carrying a confidence that only makes Dani’s heart beat faster. “Besides, there’s like a foot of fresh snow down here. You’ll be fine.”

Paige waves, motioning for her to climb down. Dani takes a deep breath, telling herself she’s done more dangerous things in her life than sneaking out of her own house. She slowly climbs through the window, her fingers gripping the cold edges of the siding as she carefully makes her way down. She’s almost to the bottom, just a couple of feet away from the ground, when her foot slips on the last ledge.

She lets out a small yelp, her fingers losing their grip, and she starts to tumble. There’s a split second of weightlessness, her heart in her throat, and then Paige’s arms are around her, just enough to slow her fall before they both collapse into the snow in a heap. The impact sends a puff of snow up around them, freezing and soft at the same time. Dani’s breath catches as she feels Paige’s arms around her, the warmth of her body cutting through the biting cold.

For a moment, they just lie there in the snow, laughing softly, breathless and tangled together. Their faces are close, so close that Dani can feel Paige’s breath against her cheek, warm and sweet, mingling with the cold night air. Paige’s cheeks are flushed pink, her nose red from the cold, and there’s a light in her eyes that makes Dani’s heart skip a beat.

Paige reaches up, brushing a few stray snowflakes from Dani’s face, her fingers lingering on her cheek. “You good?” she asks softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Dani nods, her own cheeks flushed. She’s suddenly hyper-aware of every point of contact between them—their knees, their hands, the faint tremor in Paige’s touch as her fingers trace along Dani’s cheek. She shivers, but this time, it has nothing to do with the cold.

Paige nods back, looking thoughtful, her hand dropping to swipe a bit of snow off Dani’s shoulder. She glances around, making sure no one’s watching, before leaning in. Her eyes search Dani’s face for a moment, just a flicker of hesitation, before she closes the distance, her lips brushing softly against Dani’s.

The kiss is barely more than a whisper, a featherlight touch that’s over almost as soon as it begins. But it leaves Dani breathless, her heart racing in her chest as she looks up at Paige. There’s a warmth in Paige’s eyes that makes Dani’s stomach flutter, a tenderness that feels like the best Christmas gift she’s ever received.

Paige pulls back, her eyes sparkling with mischief, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “Come on,” she whispers, her voice warm, filled with a quiet joy that Dani feels mirrored in her own chest. Paige helps her to her feet, brushing snow off their coats as they stand together, grinning like conspirators in the snowy silence.

They link arms, Paige’s hand slipping into Dani’s pocket to hold her hand, the feeling of Paige’s fingers warming her whole body up. Together, they start making their way toward Paige’s house, the snow crunching beneath their feet, their laughter echoing softly in the stillness of the night.

They go through the back door of Paige’s house, each of them letting out a relieved sigh as the warmth surrounds them, chasing away the icy chill of the Minnesota night. Dani takes a moment to close her eyes, basking in the feeling of warmth creeping back into her fingers and toes, the familiar smell of cookies, cinnamon, and evergreen filling the air.

There in the kitchen, Drew is perched on a stool by the island, his legs swinging idly as he chews on a Christmas cookie dusted with red and green sprinkles. Bob, Paige’s dad, stands near the stove, pulling sprinkles out of a cabinet. A tray of freshly baked cookies cools on the counter, the sweet scent drifting through the room. Bob’s face lights up when he sees Dani and Paige sneaking in, a broad grin stretching across his face.

“Dani! Merry Christmas!” he exclaims, waving her over as if she were his own daughter. “I saved a couple cookies for you, but they almost fell victim to that creature—” he points to Drew, who giggles at the wording, frosting dusting the corners of his mouth “—over there.”

Dani laughs, an easy grin drifting to her face as she says, “I can see that. Thanks for letting me come over; I didn’t mean to intrude on family Christmas.”

Paige rolls her eyes, her hand on Dani’s hip as she pushes her toward the island. “Shut up, Dan, you’re never intruding.”

“She’s right,” Bob says cheerily, grabbing a couple plain cookies from the tray and placing them in front of the two empty stools next to Drew. “You’re family, Dani.”

Dani feels her face flush at his words, and her chest warms, too. It’s nice to know that they’re glad she’s here, that they don’t feel as though she’s intruding, that maybe she really belongs in this corner of her world. She’d really, really like to.

Dani sits on the bar stool next to Drew, and Paige sits on the other one so the brunette girl is in between the two Bueckers siblings. However, it seems as though the small distance between Dani and Paige is too much, because Dani feels Paige’s hand graze her thigh as she grabs hold of the stool Dani’s sat on, pulling it so close to her own that the two of them are practically sharing a seat. Their shoulders press against each other, as do the sides of their legs, and it’s enough to send a warm jolt through Dani.

Dani sends a little look to Paige, her brows raised ever so slightly, smirk playing her lips.

“What?” Paige asks, though she’s got a look that mirrors the Callan girl’s. “You were too far.”

Dani just shakes her head at the blonde’s words, watching as she grabs the remote and flicks through the Christmas movies until she finds Christmas Vacation, having told Dani that she should watch it with them instead and holding onto her word.

Dani feels a smile lifting her lips as she reaches for a cookie in the tray in front of her, placing it on her plate. She grabs a piping bag, too, squeezing a tiny bit of green icing onto her finger just to get a taste.

“Oh, you’re gettin’ into the icing already?” Paige teases, leaning in with an arched brow. She grabs her own piping bag and, without warning, dabs a bit of red frosting on the tip of Dani’s nose, laughing as Dani’s eyes widen.

Dani gasps, swatting at her with a laugh. “Paige!” she exclaims, grabbing her green icing before leaning over and spreading some onto Paige’s cheek in retaliation.

Paige’s mouth open in mock outrage, but before she can protest herself, Drew interrupts with a grin, reaching for another piping bag, and asking, “Are we having an icing fight?”

The seven-year-old’s words seem to catch Bob’s attention, who turns from where he was watching the movie to see what’s happening behind him. Dani watches his eyes trail over the green on her nose and the red on his daughter’s cheek and he gives them a playfully stern look before telling Drew, “No, buddy, no icing fight. You’ll get on Santa’s Naughty List next year if you do.”

Drew laughs a little, pointing at the two girls sitting next to him and saying, “Ooh, Naughty List.”

Paige just playfully sticks her tongue out at her little brother before grabbing a napkin. She dramatically uses it to wipe the red icing off of her cheek, before balling it up and tossing it back onto the island. Dani rolls her eyes at the blonde’s dramatics, reaching to grab her own napkin to clean up her nose. But Paige swats at the hand Dani was reaching. Dani sends Paige a look, watching as the girl beside her cautiously glances at her dad and Drew—whose attention’s have both been captured by the movie—before leaning in and grinning as she kisses the tip of Dani’s nose and then sticks her tongue out to lick the icing away. She pulls back and Dani’s sure her face is red—especially due to the proximity of Paige’s family—but Paige is just smiling mischievously, using her tongue to swipe away any remaining frosting on her lips.

Dani finally takes the liberty to actually decorate her cookie, deciding for the traditional Christmas tree route. She’s spreading the green icing along the sugar cookie carefully, her eyes occasionally flicking between Christmas Vacation and Paige decorating her own cookie. It’s more endearing to watch the latter—she’s decorating with exaggerated precision (though if Dani’s honest, she can’t tell what the glob of frosting is meant to look like… it might be an ornament), her tongue sticking out in concentration, her hair falling into her face ever so slightly. Dani flicks her eyes away, back to her own handiwork.

At one point, Paige leans over to whisper to Dani, “Look at Drew’s cookie… the sprinkles…”

Dani does as the blonde says, her gaze finding Drew, to the left of her. He’s humming quietly to himself, concentrating on drowning his cookie in red and green sprinkles, his fingers sticky and his cheeks dusted with sugar. Dani stifles a giggle as she leans in even closer to see the cookie piled high with so many sprinkles that it’s almost unrecognizable. She catches Paige’s eye, and they both burst into quiet laughter, trying not to let Drew hear.

“Hey, it’s nice!” Drew defends, noticing their stifled laughter.

From where he’s standing, Bob chuckles, watching the exchange with a fond smile. “You’re doing great, Drew,” he says, reaching over to ruffle his son’s hair, eyes flicking across the three cookies the kids before him are making. “Though, I think you and Paige both have some competition in Dani here.”

Dani watches as Paige looks at her dad in betrayal, though it’s true—her cookie is terrible. Dani just grins, nodding, nudging Paige’s knee under the counter. “Years of practice,” the brunette says in a mock-serious tone before carefully adding a few more sprinkles to her cookie.

Paige rolls her eyes, mumbling, “Whatever. Mine tastes better.”

CHRISTMAS VACATION ended not too long ago, and Drew and Bob went upstairs to bed, leaving Dani and Paige alone. The warm glow of the tree casts a soft light over the living room, and Home Alone now plays quietly on the screen, adding to the late-night comfort. Dani’s curled up against Paige, the two of them snuggled under a thick fleece blanket, Paige’s arm wrapped securely around her. Dani lets herself drift, lulled by the movie, the warmth, the way Paige’s fingers trace soft circles over her shoulder.

But then Paige shifts slightly beneath her, murmuring, “So… I know we promised not to get each other anything…”

Dani’s eyes immediately flick from the TV to Paige, her brow furrowing as she pulls back slightly, a hint of accusation in her gaze. “Tell me you didn’t get me something.”

Paige, looking a little sheepish, averts her eyes and rubs the back of her neck, mumbling, “Well…”

“Paige!” Dani sits up fully now, her voice holding a mixture of surprise and mild reproach. “We promised not to!”

“I know, I know!” Paige protests, her face flushed as she tries to defend herself. “And I wasn’t going to, I swear! But then I was at the mall literally yesterday, just doing some last-minute shopping for my family, and—” She pauses, looking a bit embarrassed but determined to explain. “I saw this thing that really reminded me of you…”

Dani sighs, her shoulders dropping a little as she shakes her head. “Paige…”

“I know,” Paige says quickly, hands lifted in a half-hearted attempt at appeasement. “But it was on sale because of the holidays! I hardly spent any money on it.”

Dani narrows her eyes, trying not to let the affection she feels soften her mock glare. “Still. I feel bad. If I’d known you’d gotten me something, I would’ve gotten you something.”

“Don’t feel bad,” Paige says, shaking her head earnestly. “I was the one who went against our promise, not you.”

They fall silent for a moment, the only sound in the room coming from the movie on the TV. Dani’s gaze flickers to Paige, whose face is shadowed in the dim light. There’s something vulnerable in the way Paige looks at her, something almost tentative, and it makes Dani’s heart ache in a way she can’t quite name.

Finally, Paige speaks up again, her voice soft. “Can I go get it?”

Dani nods, and Paige disentangles herself from their cozy nest of blankets, slipping upstairs while Dani stays on the couch, her mind racing a little. She knows Paige put thought into this, that whatever it is, it’s going to mean something.

Moments later, Paige is bounding down the stairs again, a tiny jewelry box held carefully in her hand. She pauses by the couch, her gaze flickering between the box and Dani, and Dani watches her, heart thudding with a mix of anticipation and warmth.

“Here,” Paige says softly, holding out the box as she sits back down beside Dani, even closer than before, their entire sides pressed up against each other.

Dani takes the box, feeling the slight weight of it in her hands, and slowly lifts the lid. Inside is a delicate silver necklace, the pendant small and simple—almost nondescript, but close up she can see the engraving on it, the tiny, intricate letters that spell out a single word: home.

Dani’s breath catches as she stares down at the pendant, her fingers trembling slightly as she lifts it. She can feel her throat tighten, emotion welling up inside her as the weight of the word hits her fully. It’s more than a necklace; it’s a message, a reminder of everything Paige has been to her, a promise that wherever Paige is, she’ll always have a place to belong.

She glances up at Paige, her eyes stinging, her voice barely above a whisper. “You… you really thought of me when you saw this?”

Paige nods, her gaze soft and steady, her fingers reaching out to brush lightly against Dani’s. “Yeah,” she says, her voice equally soft, almost like she’s afraid of breaking the moment. “I know things have been… hard, with your dad and everything. I just… I wanted you to have something that reminds you that you’ll always have a home with me. No matter what.”

Dani feels the tears slip down her cheeks, and she doesn’t bother to wipe them away. She just lets the words sink in, lets herself feel the weight of Paige’s thoughtfulness, her kindness, the unwavering support Paige always seems to offer, even when Dani feels like she doesn’t deserve it.

“Thank you,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

Paige moves closer, pulling Dani into a hug, her arms wrapping securely around her. She rests her chin on top of Dani’s head, her fingers gently stroking her back, and Dani melts into her, closing her eyes and breathing in Paige’s familiar scent.

“I love you,” Paige murmurs into her hair, her voice soft and steady, filled with a warmth that wraps around Dani like a blanket.

Dani’s own arms tighten around Paige, and she whispers back, “I love you, too.”

They stay like that for a moment, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world fading away. Then, slowly, Paige pulls back, her gaze meeting Dani’s, and there’s a question in her eyes, one Dani answers by leaning in, pressing her lips softly to Paige’s.

The kiss is gentle, almost tentative at first, a quiet meeting of emotions unspoken. But as the seconds stretch, Dani lets herself get lost in it, her hand slipping up to rest against Paige’s cheek, her fingers brushing along her jaw. Paige’s hand finds the small of Dani’s back, pulling her in closer, and Dani feels her heart pounding, the warmth of Paige’s touch grounding her, steadying her.

When they finally pull back, their faces are close, their breaths mingling, and Dani can’t help but smile, the kind of smile that’s soft and true, filled with a happiness she rarely allows herself to feel.

Paige grins back, her fingers brushing over Dani’s cheek as she murmurs, “Merry Christmas, Dani.”

Dani’s voice is quiet, but full of warmth. “Merry Christmas, Paige.”