#bonus points if he got captured while looking at a pretty car

[deathandnonexistentialdread]

Honestly from the way Style is so nonchalant about being threatened by a gun I wouldn't be surprised if it was revealed that Style was taken hostage before and managed to get himself out without getting hurt.

[beigehearts]

The Price of Self Respect

this is part one of a series of yandere chrollo x fem!reader. this story will contain explicit content. Warnings at the beginning of the chapter. Please send me requests if you wish to for hxh characters and scenarios! ❤

PART I Read part two here!  CW: mentions of death, murder, and gore 1,730 words

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It had been many days since you had received an assignment as a hunter. At this point you would have taken a request to open a pickle jar. You had an agent who sourced your jobs through to you that way no one could know your identity. Your agent barely knows your identity outside of your phone number. While you are no where near as infamous as the Zoldyck Family- you definitely are not unknown. “The Creator” is what most people would refer to you as- quite fitting for your ability. Specialists are not as scarce as people make them out to be; a specialist who utilizes their ability as best as they can is scarce. You conjure a pencil, and you can draw anything into existence. Your nen concentrates in your hand and you can create life (or at least a husk of life). Drawing animals or weapons, even humans (who aren’t quite sentient) earned you your high respect as a hunter.

You gaze out of the window at the quiet streets of a city you’ve never travelled to. While the hotel is large and towers over the town, it is probably the biggest building for miles. Bzzzz. You turn towards your bed and see your phone screen is lit up. Picking up the phone you see a single message from the only saved number on your phone.  York New. 14:00. 1278 Pearl Street. G Watanabe- Room 207.  You scroll down to see the status of the person. Alive. Wanted Dead. 7 Days. Employer ---

A smile graced your lips knowing that you finally have a job. While town hopping and sight seeing for the past few weeks was a nice rst, you can’t just halt your income. You enjoy your job anyway so the money is a bonus. Ill pack in the morning you think to yourself, once you land in York New you may have some extra time to research your target. 

The plane ride was smooth and quite comforting- you paid for first class. While you could use your hunter card to be priority seating, it leaves a trace of where you’ve been. Plus, you’ll be getting paid soon enough and the 12 hour plane ride in first class would be nothing compared to the fat check that would be wired to your account. Murder is expensive you know. 

Stepping out of the taxi, the driver gets out and opens the trunk for you. You grab your one small backpack filled with nothing but snacks- drawn snacks are not particularly tasty. Just because you can create it doesn’t mean it’s true to the real deal. You jog towards the doors, fat rain drops assaulting you meanwhile. You get your room key under for the room you reserved under an alias and make your way to the elevator. You press the button to go up and when the elevator reaches your floor it sounds a satisfying ‘ding’ and the doors open almost soundlessly. You stepped into the confined space and to your surprise a man steps in with you. You hadn’t even sensed him nearby, it seemed as if he just popped into reality. 

He’s tall, is the first thing you think when you look at him. Not necessarily tall as in feet wise (though he definitely had quite a few inches on you) but his aura and the way he carried himself made it seem as if he towered you. The corner of his lips turn upwards and suddenly he doesn’t seem so intimidating. It’s as if he was dragged back down to earth. 

“Good morning, awful weather it seems.” The man says with a chuckle. You take a moment to drink in all of him. His black hair is somewhat messy, a middle part with water dripping down a few strands. A bandage is wrapped around his forehead and you wonder if it’s an injury or a fashion statement. A large fur coat cover most of his body, you’re only able to capture a glimpse of a white button up shirt at his neck. 

“Terrible. My flight almost had an emergency landing.” You groan, recalling your annoyance when the captain announced this over the speakers.

“Ah so you just got in today? I got into York New about a week ago. What are you here for?” 

Your eyes travel to his and you notice that they’re unusually large while seeming to only make him more attractive. “I’m on a work trip, though I shouldn’t be here long.”  His lips stretch a little further into something of a grin, “What a coincidence, I’m here on business as well.” 

The elevator dings and you give a quick goodbye, not necessarily because you didn’t like talking to him but because you wanted to take a nice warm shower. You sashay out of the elevator, and the back of your neck tingles, you can tell that his eyes are boring into your back.

You drop your bag onto your bed and wander over to the mirror. Looking at you in the mirror is yourself. Though you never seem to recognize this person as you. You pose in different angles but can’t find one that makes you like yourself. You grab the chub of your stomach and groan hopelessly. A world renown hunter who has killed the unkillable is staring at herself in the mirror and grimacing. You remind yourself that you’re one of the strongest specialists out there and you shouldn’t be critiquing yourself. 

A day passed and your deadline is growing nearer. You draw your outfit for the day, and put on the jeans, hoodie, and heels that were super comfortable thanks to your nen. An assassin has to look good as well as kill. Your rented car waits for you in the hotel garage and when you finally make your way down there, you do a onceover of the car. There are no signs of foul play, tracking, or marking so you hop into the drivers seat comfortably. Once the car is started your phone buzzes. 

+ $2000 to your account message attached: get his pass for the auction and send it to client

You nod to yourself, you had completely forgotten about the auction. Of course you were supposed to kill a member of the mafia during the auction. How could you not have made that connection. While you are intelligent, you wouldn’t say you’re smart. Once you arrive at the hotel your target is staying at, you book a room despite the fact you will not be using it for long. In the hotel room you draw a dress that makes you look like a model, all you need is to look good and your nen for this mission, this goes for most missions.

Each minute on the clock seems to last hours, you need to leave at 01:30, in order to complete your mission at 2. This is the part you hate the most, laying on the hotel bed listening to the clock tick and tick and tick. It feels almost like the clock is mocking you, and sometimes you want to just break it. Though despite this you lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, counting down every minute until the clock strikes 1:30. 

The last mocking tick sound rings and you get up quickly. Walking confidently out of the room and down the large and foolishly elegant hall. You make your way to the elevators where you had a run in with that man and go down to the second floor seeing as you were residing on the fourteenth. The second floor was reserved for the mafia only, many families used this hotel to be near the auction. 

The elevator opens up and you examine the hall. It is much different than the one where your room is. Lights are dimmer and the color pallet of the hall was that of red and black where as yours was blue and white. You step out onto the marble floors and your heels click against the cold surface. Something’s not right. Something is very wrong, very out of place. You can smell it. The smell of blood. 

207 is closer to the end of the hallway than it is to the elevators. The lights are completely off at the end of the hallway as well. With each step towards the room of your target the lights get dimmer until there is no light. You halt and look at the room with gold numbers on it stating ‘207′. The door is cracked and you approach it cautiously. You push the door open and see your target laying on the ground in hundreds of pieces, it’s a bloody mess.

A man stands in front of the window that is the entire wall, his form dark. Now the only sound present is that of the rain pounding against the glass of the window. He turns towards you, and you quickly recognize the large fur jacket. It’s the man from the elevator, his coat is open and he’s shirtless, but covered in blood. His forehead is uncovered by the bandage that was on him previously, revealing a purple cross. His demeanor is still friendly and inviting but something is different about his eyes. 

He smiles and for some reason you feel drawn to him, so you take a step forward. “I’ve been waiting y/n.” 

You swallow any sense of fear you have and nod, “Oh you have?” 

“Of course, I thought I would make your job easier for you.” He chuckles just like he did in the elevator, as if he didn’t just commit an atrocity. But who are you to judge? “Don’t worry, I’ll still be paying you every jenny of what was promised.” 

Your head cocks to the side “So you’re my client?” He nods in response. 

“And I got his pass to the auction so I would say you did a pretty good job of completing your mission.” He waves the pass at you as proof. 

“Can I have the pleasure of knowing your name since you know mine?” You question.

He nods again, “Chrollo is my name. You were commissioned by the spiders.” 

The spiders... It quickly clicks in your head. The phantom troupe. Which means, in front of you stands the leader of the Phantom Troupe.

“It’s nice to meet you Chrollo.” 

[random-mha-thoughts]

No Idea (Bakugou x Reader)

Pairing: Bakugou x Reader

Anon asked:  "yooo sketch was so cute and he was so in character! if you're taking requests could you write a fic where basically all of 1a is at the dorms besides the reader who's patrolling and she gets attacked by dabi and has to fight him off alone meanwhile 1a and dadzawa watch from the dorms via news channel? bonus points for a water quirk reader! you can match the reader up with either deku or bakugou!"

Genre: Action, angst/comfort

Word count: 2,005

Tags:  @yuki-osaki​ @liviitehe​ @iamsoftsodonttoucheume-blog​ 

a/n: Basically this entire ask is describing just a portion of what I’m preparing for my multi-chapter Todoroki fic that I’ve already teased about for my 500 followers special, you can call it maybe an alternate pathway, or a separate continuity that helps to characterize my OC.  And I guess this one is well-timed because I just hit 1K yesterday?? I don’t know how it happened either tbh There will be a special event and a separate mushy post to come, but thank you all so so so much from the bottom of my heart.

This ended up longer than I expected, but that’s okay because I haven’t posted in a few days and I had time today to bang it out in one sitting.  I know this request came from a fluff like Sketch, so I hope you also like angst because that’s my specialty ;) (not to mention I was waiting for someone to request something angsty because I’ve had that photo saved and ready to use it for the LONGEST time).  Thank you for requesting it anon!

"Kinda sucks being out on patrol on the weekend," I sigh to myself, biting into my taiyaki.  "But it isn't all bad I guess."

Mirko had called me out to do a quick patrol this weekend.  This part of the city has been pretty quiet lately, and I don't mind showing my face.  A few passerby's wave at me and I respond in kind.  I like this part of the job, being the hero that everyone knows, respects, and trusts to protect them.  It gives me more drive to save them in time of crises.

"Blue!" a middle school girl walks by and waves.

"Hi, Mina," I smile and wave back.  "Going home from cram school?"

"Yup!" she flashes me a toothy grin.  "Dad's making dinner tonight for once!  It's Mom's birthday!"

"That's wonderful," my smile softens.  "Wish her happy birthday for me, okay?  And get home quick before she worries!"

"I will!" the girl runs off down the sidewalk, waving behind her.

So cute, I think, watching her small figure weave through the crowd of people.  I swallow the last bite of my fish treat and continue on my patrol.  Thankfully, it's another laid back day: I direct a few lost pedestrians to their destinations, make small talk with more familiar faces, help a few elderly carry groceries to their houses, and the like.  I'm content with the mundane flow of a lazy Sunday afternoon.

While talking to a grocery store employee, a sudden explosion in the alley across the street breaks routine.

"Everyone get inside the nearest building or run as far as you can!" I scream out instructions to the citizens nearest to me as I keep an eye on the alley for the next explosion and help anyone within reach to look for cover.  That explosion wasn't normal, I know those blue flames like the back of my hand.

Looks like my Sunday stroll is over.  I dial on my phone as I thread through the frightened crowd toward the alley.  "Mirko san, I might need backup.  There's a very high possibility that the League is involved here, but I'll confirm-"

Right when I'm within a few yards of the alley's opening, another bright blue light flashes, triggering the surrounding crowd to scream and run away faster.  I assist a few others, waiting for the smoke to clear.  A silhouette appears amidst the dark fog, and I know exactly who it is.

"I'm confirming, it's-"

Before I can finish, the shadow stretches out its hand towards me and blasts flames straight at me.  Immediately, I put up a water shield in front of me, then start building it wider so the people near and behind me can get away without damage.  I already know what happens when something - or someone - touches those dangerous blue flames.

"It's-It's Dabi of the League," I force myself to say, the name burning as it rolls off my tongue.  "He appears to be alone."

"Roger.  Try to apprehend him by yourself before I get there!  I'll hurry over as soon as possible!" my mentor responds and cuts the call.

I make sure everyone within the immediate area is evacuated from the streets, scanning every inch wildly for stragglers.  Heat increases around the me suddenly, and darting my head back around shows the fire eating through my water defense without faltering.  Before it completely penetrates my defense, I jump over to the side behind a car, right before a giant hole is ripped in my shield.

I catch my breath calling the water back towards me into my water nodes and compartments in my hero suit.

"Looks like you've improved a lot since the last time I saw you, (Y/n) (L/n)."

His menacing yet familiar voice as he drags out my full name sends shivers up my spine.  Damn it, of all the villains, I had to face him!

"Aw, don't be shy now, I know you're happy to see me too."  His voice moves towards my left.  "We don't even get to see each other anymore."

"I'd prefer it that way," I snap, readying myself for another inevitable attack.

"You better give me a good fight, little one."

His voice-!

At the last second before hearing the crash, I jump out from in front of my cover, the intense heat from the blue flames just millimeters from burning my fingertips.  Dabi had jumped onto the top of the car, his voice being evenly split in both of ears signalling that he had moved from my left to right behind me in the nick of time or else I'd be ashes.

I finally got a good look at his face.  The stitches and staples etched into his face down to his chest and arms are all-too-familiar, along with his raven black hair and turquoise eyes.

"Reminiscing?" his head tilts, gravely voice taunting.  "I don't think you have time to do that."

I sprint off and around for more cover as he throws more fire pillars from his hands, trying to find a fire hydrant of water fountain to give me more material to work with.  Otherwise, I'm only limited to manipulating what's in the air and the stores in my costume.  To my dismay, there's nothing around.

All I have to do is slowly manipulate the water particles around him and condense them over his hands to stop his quirk temporarily.  That's the plan in my head that I'm going for.  But he's way ahead of me, predicting all my moves and constantly jumping to move away from where I've gathered the water particles and forcing me to start over, leaving me to dodge him and put some distance between us.

"I already know all your plans, you can't defeat me that easily by yourself," Dabi mocks me.

I'm at the end of my rope.  It's difficult to keep running and there just isn't enough water in the air to work for a fast attack.  I dodge another one of his attacks and wrack my brain to think of a different strategy.  My mind can only come up with one all or nothing plan, but if it doesn't work, I'll be done for quickly.

It's a risk I have to take.  I slowly start collecting as much water as I can into my suit and immediately around me.  Knock him out as quickly as possible, face him head on.  I take a deep breath.  My body shakes from exhaustion, anticipation, and fear.  I'll have to use my body's own water storage to help me, making this plan dangerous.

Right when Dabi's about to burn me at my new hiding spot I jump out and summon all the water I've stored to mobilize.  Drown him!  A sphere of water forms just around his head.  In his moment of shocked hesitation before he strikes, I force the water to go down his airway to suffocate him.  He catches wind of exactly what I'm doing somehow, raising his hands to send another blast at me.  I summon another set of water from my costume stores to surround his hands to keep the explosion tamed.  Come on, fall unconscious already!

But it's curtains for me.  He's summoning a larger blast to his hands, neutralizing my watery protection around them and I don't have enough stored up to replenish it.  Desperately, I start using up the water inside my body.  Damn it hurry up!  I can't-!

I feel myself reach my limit just as he completely disintegrates my water seal with an explosion, sending me flying backwards down the street until I roll to a stop.  I'm exhausted, I can feel my blood pressure and heart rate dropping, and I'm too weak to try anything else.

Through my dizzied vision, Dabi staggers towards me, coughing and sputtering.  "Damn kid, you really almost had me."

It didn't work, I'm a failure.  I don't have the energy to say anything back.

"Get your hands off her!" a female voice resounds, and stomps reverberate through the ground.

"That's my cue."  I crack open an eye to see him smirk down at me before using his quirk to lift himself off the ground.  "Until we meet again, (Y/n) (L/n)."  He rocket away without a hitch.

Damn it...

After waking up in the emergency ward attached to an IV for my severe dehydration, Mirko tells me Dabi got away and she rushed me right over to the hospital to treat me since I was unconscious.  They won't let me leave until I've replenished all my stores and my urine's clear.

"Also, your teacher's coming to get you," my mentor adds.

Aizawa is going to kill me.

"OI!  WHICH ROOM IS IT?!"

Oh for fuck's sake, I know who else is gonna kill me.

Bakugou stomps in, his head trying to be held back by Aizawa's capture weapon to no avail.

"YOU DUMBASS-!" my boyfriend starts off before the scarf comes over his mouth to muffle his screams.

"This is a hospital, control yourself," Aizawa grits at him deathly and walks next to my hospital bed.  "I guess you did the best you could, but I won't praise you for almost getting yourself killed.  It was a good strategy, it would've worked if you had backup."  He pats my head before smirking.  "Bakugou was about to cry when you collapsed."

"SENSEI!"

"I'll leave you two alone to talk."

Him and Mirko step outside the room, leaving my high-strung boyfriend to rush me.  "Do you have any idea how fucking worried I was, you dumbass?!  You almost got yourself kill, look where you ended up...!"

I drown out his screaming, noticing how bloodshot his crimson eyes are from crying.  He was so worried about me.  I reach my hand up weakly and touch his cheek, cutting his reprimanding screams off short suddenly.  If I had the tears to cry, I would.  Instead, I offer him a tired, melancholy stare of affection.  "I'm sorry," I manage out.  "I know I said I wouldn't use up my own body's water, but I didn't want to die, Katsuki."

The aggression melts away from him face and his hand reaches up to hold mine.  "I guess it was instinctive," he admits, closing his eyes and I feel him start to tremble.  "Why would you face a villain like that alone?"

"I called for backup-"

"You should've stalled for as long as you could!" he sobs out, gripping my hand tighter.

My own body starts to well up, feeling the tickle in my eyes but no tears can escape.  "I tried," is my soft reply.  "I'm sorry."

Bakugou envelopes my body in his, trembling warmth blanketing me with his high emotions.  "What would I have done without you?  When I saw you get hit by that explosion, I almost lost it.  Did you think about how I would feel if you pulled something like that and didn't survive it?"

I feebly return his embrace, tangling my fingers in his puffy hair to comfort the sobs wracking his body.  "I'm here, Katsuki.  I could have been in a worse condition, but I'm still here now."

His trembling and cries slow down to a calming end, and he remains wrapping me with his affection.  "You did well, except the almost dying thing, I guess.  I'm proud of you for holding your own as long as you did against a villain like him."

"Wow, a compliment?  You must have really been shaken up," I poke fun at him to lighten the mood.

"I can be nice..." he mumbles into my neck.  "You better drink a whole ton of water so we can go back together.  Everyone else is worried about you too."

My mind wanders back to Dabi.  I'll have to face him again eventually, and he knows what I'll try to do in the future.  I'll need to be ready.  But until then, I have a hotheaded Pomeranian boyfriend to comfort me from my past and build towards my - hopefully, our - future.

~

Sequel

[outrebanx]

Dragonfly

Chapter 1

Summary: Y/n has just moved to the Outer Banks and is struggling to enjoy it until she meets a few certain pogues (again its an awful summary i’m sorry)

Word count: 2k

Warnings: I don’t think theres anything

A/N: I was originally doing a one shot with this but I hadn’t even got to writing the main bit yet when it seemed to be getting longer so I think if people like it I’ll make it a series and this is kinda like the prologue because theres not much interaction with the pogues and stuff (also the grammar might not be great but oh well) - any feedback would be lovely!

It had only been a week since you’d moved away from Oregon, starting a new life in the Outer Banks, and so far you were struggling to enjoy it. Yes, it was a beautiful place but it wasn’t home to you yet, no matter how hard your dad tried to make it seem like it was, you missed being on the mainland, where you could drive to places whenever you wanted, you missed your friends, but most of all you missed your mum. Your mum dying a few months ago was what caused your dad to move out here - he no longer wanted to be reminded of her wherever he went, whether that was to Cannon Beach where you spent most of your time surfing, swimming and being with your friends (or your mum depending on the day); or if it was just to the shops, he’d be reminded of her everywhere, so apparently that meant he would drag you both to the other side of the country, far away from everything you loved.

It could’ve been worse, you supposed, he could’ve moved somewhere without a coast, which would’ve been your own personal hell, as being in the water was what made you happy and where you went to cool off if you’d argued with your dad or had a bad day.

Annoyingly, since moving here you’d only been able to get down to the sea in the evenings or at night as your days were spent either unpacking or looking for a job somewhere on the island. So far you had returned back to your house, having no luck in anyone hiring you, today was different though, you’d been offered a job at this place called the Wreck, a cute little restaurant in the middle of the island, and you had bought some food from there back with you so you and your dad could celebrate a little.

Pulling into your driveway, you turned off the engine, before getting out you stopped to look at your house - it wasn’t a great looking house, you knew this, and according to the sales person who sold it to your dad, it hadn’t been lived in for a while, which was obvious by the fact that your dad had been fixing it up all week. Your family had never come from money, your dad was a plumber and your mum had been a teacher at a high school, so not hugely paying jobs - but the money (or sometimes lack thereof) hadn’t bothered you guys, as long as you had enough money to eat well and enjoy life together, then it was alright. You agreed with this mentality, but you liked having a part time job to pay for certain things, it was how you’d saved up for a car and how you got your surfboard, so it was worth it.

Stepping out of the car, you made your way to the front door to go inside, and headed straight for the kitchen to put the food you’d brought back with you into the oven to reheat a little before eating.

Realising you hadn’t heard your dad say hello, you called out, “Hey dad, I’ve brought food, where are you?”

You heard a faint answer from the bathroom, and when you got there he was on the floor and attempting to fix the pipes under the bath by the looks of it.

“Hey, how’s that going?”

“Terribly if I’m being honest, one of these pipes had rotted from the inside out so when I tried attaching something to it, it snapped.”

“Oh that’s fun, please tell me the shower still works?”

“Yes it does, don’t worry you won’t have to go anywhere smelling like you do now.” He laughed as you stuck your tongue out at him.

Stepping back slightly so he could stand up, you replied, “And to think I brought you some food, guess I’m just gonna eat it all myself now after that comment.”

You began walking back towards the kitchen when your dad put his arm around your shoulder, “Oh, if food is on the line I take it all back, you smell great.”

“Wow thanks, that seemed really sincere.” You say, smiling back at him as you reached for the oven gloves to get the food out of the oven and onto the plates on the side.

Once you had dished everything up, you both sat at the small dining table in the corner of your kitchen, a comfortable silence falling between you as you dug into the food in front of you.

Your dad broke the silence, “This is really good, where is this from?”

“A little restaurant called the Wreck, that also happens to be where my new job is.”

“You got a job? Damn, you kept that quiet.” He laughed, “I’m really proud of you Y/N, and I know your mum would be too.”

You looked up at him, smiling, “Thanks dad, and there’s no need to be emotional, it’s just a part time job.”

“I think you’ll find I can be proud of you whenever I want, which just happens to be all the time because you’re amazing my little dragonfly.” He reached across the table to ruffle your hair, before retuning focus back to the food in front of him.

You also looked down at your plate, still smiling but trying to stop your dad from seeing how your eyes watered at the nickname your mum had given you when you were younger. The nickname came from the time you and your mum had gone on a walk in the woods near you, where there was a big lake, with hundreds of dragonflies flying around it - initially you had tried to catch some of them, but when that failed, you’d stayed still, holding your hand out hoping one would land on you. Within minutes a large blue one had landed on your hand, which was then followed by a couple more, your mum had taken a picture of this, capturing the joy on your face when you looked at the multiple dragonflies. Since then it had been your nickname, your mum even getting you a cute silver necklace with a dragonfly charm on it for your birthday a few years back - which you’d pretty much never taken off.

“So,” your dad spoke up again, “at this place, the Wreck, are there any people your age who work there as well?”

“Um, there weren’t many people working today when I was in there, but there was this one girl, I think its her family who owns it, and she seems quite nice.”

“That’s good, hopefully you might become friends then.” He smiled at you reassuringly, you bit back your comment about how you had friends at home because you knew he only meant well, and he was struggling just as much as you were in this move, so you just nodded and ate your last mouthful of food.

After you had cleaned your plate, you said to your dad, “I think I might go surfing in a bit, once my food has settled, because I’m going into work tomorrow to collect my uniform and do a small shift, and I’ll probably be too tired to do it after that.”

“Okay that’s fine,” he turned to you as you walked out the room, “just don’t be out too late, and like usual, be careful.”

“I’m always careful.” You smile at him before going upstairs to get ready.

—————

The beach was nice and empty at this point in the evening, probably because the sun was just setting and people would rather not be out in the cold or dark. But you liked the peace and quiet of it, hearing the waves crash against the sand always relaxed you, and there was no need to worry about what other people think of you if there are no people around which was a bonus.

You set out into the water, board in hand, before it was deep enough to get onto it and paddle out a little further. Once you were far enough out, you began waiting for the perfect wave, riding a few that weren’t too great in the meantime, enjoying it all the same though. As you were sat on your board, waiting for another wave, you heard some voices on the beach, and looked over there to try and make out where abouts it was coming from. Eventually you saw a couple of figures walking across the beach, and from where you were it looked like two guys, maybe around your age, but they hadn’t noticed you yet and you weren’t sure whether you wanted them to.

It was unlikely you would be unnoticed for long though because if they looked out to the water they’d be able to see a person, especially if you were riding a wave. Checking the water behind you again, you saw a promising wave begin to form, and so you began paddling to try and catch it, forgetting about the boys on the beach as you focused, and just before the wave broke you stood up, and started riding it. You turned to angle yourself on the wave slightly better before doing a kick flip, and successfully landing it - you couldn’t help but let out a little whoop at your success, always happy when you landed a trick well. After this you only managed a few more seconds on your board before the wave crashed onto you, knocking you into the water.

You quickly swam back up to the surface, getting your board beneath you so you could start paddling towards the beach - deciding to end the night on a high and before it got late enough for your dad to start worrying about you.

As you got nearer the beach you saw that the boys who you’d seen walking were now standing there watching you come out of the water, you’d been right about them spotting you when you were out there.

Once out of the water you rang your hair out before putting it into a bun to keep it out of your face, and just as you started moving again the two boys approached you, in a way that seemed nervous you thought. The closer they got, the more attractive they became, both very tall, one with long brown hair and the other blonde and both with incredible bodies. Damn maybe you wouldn’t mind it here after all.

“Hey, we haven’t seen you around here before, are you new?” One of them, the brunette one, asked.

“Um yeah I moved here last week.”

“Oh that’s cool, by what we saw you do just then I’m assuming you surf a lot?” This time it was the blonde one who had asked the question, and as he did you could see his eyes move up and down your body, a small smirk on his face when he met your eyes.

“Yeh I lived by the coast in Oregon, so I’ve pretty much surfed since I was a kid, which is basically the only thing this place has in common with home, so I’m taking advantage of that.”

The brunette spoke up again, “Thats nice, um, I’m John B and this,” he indicated to the other boy, “is JJ.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Y/N,” you smile at them, “but I need to go now, so I guess I’ll see you around?”

“Yeh that’d be great” JJ replied as you turned around and starting walking back up to your car, turning around one more time to give them a quick wave.

Once you were at your car, you could still faintly hear them, and from what you could work out they were talking about you, nice things it sounded like, you rolled your eyes and got into your car to drive home and collapse in your bed, still thinking about the way JJ had looked at you.

[whats-rambled-rambled]

Smoke&Mirrors - playlist

You can find it on Spotify here.

Let’s start from the beginning:

Imagine Dragons - Smoke and Mirrors

Okay, so with Stuck in reverse series everything started with one song that inspired me to write something, and you know what happened later.

With this new series, the idea came first (prompted by @vaneilla​’s wonderful brain, and you know what? I actually went back to check that bit of convo, and it was all because @gallifreyan-uprising​ did what she did to TP, so I guess thank you both, ladies!), and then I was looking for THE song, that could serve as an inspiration and as a title.

And because all my best ideas come to me while driving, and I had Imagine Dragons in my car’s CD player… BOOM.

//I'm starting to cave

I'm losing my flame

I wanted your truth

But I wanted the pain

To disappear

Dream maker, life taker

Open up my mind

All I believe

Is it a dream

That comes crashing down on me?

All that I hope

Is it just smoke and mirrors?

I want to believe

But all that I know

Is it just smoke and mirrors?//

This just felt so fitting for Reader and her struggle a little later in the series, and smoke and mirrors alone seemed like just what I needed to capture the essence of the main conflict between Neil and R.

Chapter 1: Imagine Dragons - Natural

I had the title, I knew what I wanted to do in the first chapter, but I still had doubts if I could switch to this new dynamic. -Neil being mean? I mean how even-- I needed a good playlist to get myself in the right mood to set the tone for the whole series, and even when I found a few songs that were good enough, I knew that none of them was the one. And then again, on my way to work, this time from my Spotify playlist - Natural. I literally started screaming when I realized that it was exactly what I’d been looking for. Not only because of its badass vibe, but those lyrics, holy shit -

//That's the price you pay

Leave behind your heart and cast away

Just another product of today

Rather be the hunter than the prey

And you're standing on the edge face up

'Cause you're a natural

A beating heart of stone

You gotta be so cold

To make it in this world

Yeah, you're a natural

Living your life cutthroat

You gotta be so cold

Yeah, you're a natural//

This is R.  “A beating heart of stone / You gotta be so cold / To make it in this world”. Because she might be all spiky and angry on the outside, but why is she that way? Because she has to. Because nothing ever came easy in her life.

And this is Neil, too. A true natural, as TP calls him. But he also plays a role, because he was put in a position he didn’t want. And not only by TP, but also by R. That scene in the bar? He really hopes to clear the air between them, but she is not ready to listen, and keeps antagonizing him. *sigh* We know how it ends up. Anyway -

bonus: Willyecho - Welcome to the fire

Found this one when I was looking for the vibe, and then those lyrics--:

//I'm focused

I've been watching for the omens

I've been listening to everything you've said

Its been running through my head

Locked and loaded

I've got the feeling that you've noticed

Yeah I've only just begun

I won't stop until it's done

'Til you're broken

So welcome to the fire

I'm the one who lit the night up//

-- because yes, R’s that mad at him, TP, the whole world at this point, really.

Chapter 2: Florence + the Machine - What kind of man

So you know, one of the challenges I’d set for myself for this series was to finally write a proper smut. God, was I stressed out (shoutout to my lovely friends who had to listen to my self-doubting whines for quite some time). And as I knew it was supposed to happen in this chapter, and I already had an appropriate build-up in mind, I needed a song. And it wasn’t this one, although it made its way to the chapter’s playlist. But as I actually wrote the whole thing down… I felt it had that vibe.

//You were on the other side, like always

You could never make you mine//

Oh R, my sweet summer child.

//To let me dangle at a cruel angle

Oh, my feet don't touch the floor

Sometimes you're half in and then you're half out

But you never close the door

What kind of man loves like this?//

And that part is just so fitting with the whole confusion.

bonus: Graffiti Ghosts - Last man standing

The one behind the shooting range sequence:

//Your trigger finger better think about your future

You’re getting twisted thinking I don’t want to shoot ya

I’ve been waiting for a long time

and I’m coming back to get what’s mine

Sick of living with your little double faces

I’m getting itchy and so livid I can taste it

I’ve been waiting for a long time

and I’m swinging til I get what’s mine

but I’m not going down

I’m not going down//

Can’t say that R isn’t fantasizing about shooting Neil at some point, it’s all I’m saying. And the vibe was all right, and worked for the sparring scene as well.

bonus:  Zayde Wolf - New Blood

I needed decent background music to write that sparring scene, you know - to hype myself up. And then found this song. Look at the lyrics:

//I spent my whole life chained to the wall

Hunger for more, not afraid to fall

Had to cut a man down to get where I am

But someone had to tumble, and someone had to stand

Don't try to fight, nothin' you can do

I'm gonna run all over you

It's too late to try, there's nothin' you can do

I'm gonna run all over you//

and

//Most of my life was heavy and hard, yeah

So many days, so many scars

But it was all of those years who make who I am, yeah

But I broke through, and here I stand, yeah//

Added to the playlist instantly. You can see it too, right?

bonus: Nothing But Thieves - Itch

I love this band and I’m eternally grateful that my dear friend @connie-nikas​ itroduced me to their music. Spotify suggested that it fit the mood for the playlist I already had for that part, so I checked the lyrics and YES:

//There's a hunger in my heart

It's full of promise, promise

There's an itch under my skin

It's under my skin, under my skin//

...

//There's a blood red on my shirt

And it's shining, shining

There's a sharp pain from my face

I kinda like it, I like it//

...

//I just wanna love

I just wanna touch

I just wanna see

'Cause I, I just wanna feel something real

'Cause I, I just wanna feel something real

Wanna feel something//

It fits more than one moment in the series, but that blood part seemed accurate for sparring, so it stayed in this chapter.

bonus: Dorothy - Wicked ones

Another Spotify suggestion, and it works pretty well for these dumbasses, although this part:

//This night ain't for the faint of heart

For the faint of heart, for the faint of heart

This night ain't for the faint of heart

'Cause the faint of heart gonna fall apart//

--this got me going while I was having heart palpitations as I was getting closer to the locker scene lol.

And then:

//Ain't no sleep when the wicked play

All we do is get laid, uuh uh uuh uuh

Ain't no love when the wicked run

All we do is try to lay off, lay off, lay off

We're the wicked ones, wicked ones//

Fits, right?

bonus: Muse - Undisclosed desires

I -blame- have to thank M for this one, and it was my initial title song for this part. Just see for yourselves:

//I know you've suffered

But I don't want you to hide

It's cold and loveless

I won't let you be denied

Soothing, I'll make you feel pure

Trust me, you can be sure

I want to reconcile the violence in your heart

I want to recognize your beauty's not just a mask

I want to exorcise the demons from your past

I want to satisfy the undisclosed desires in your heart

You trick your lovers

That you're wicked and divine

You may be a sinner

But your innocence is mine

Please me, show me how it's done

Tease me, you are the one//

It just -- it’s not only about that one scene. Maybe it would be even better for part 3? Anyway, could be sung to R almost word for word, right?

Chapter 3: Nothing But Thieves - You know me too well

One of my favourites from this band, and I knew it had to be a title of some part of the story. Because:

//I gave you a call

Baby, I could come by, help forget it all

'Cause in this sticky weather, oh, it's really hard to sleep

As you know all too well

And when we dig together, oh, you make me feel so cheap

But I can't help myself

Filthy impetuous soul

I wanna give it to you

Oh, just to see what you do

'Cause I'm so drunk on you

Baby, you're all that I want

I want you all to myself

Oh, but you know me too well//

So yeah, filthy impetuous soul was only fair to use for that bathroom, right?

//And maybe you're right

We don't get on so well, when we lose the high//

That’s them at this point, all right.

//'Cause every love story always end in tragedy

If you wait long enough//

Oh hello, R’s beliefs here, clear as night.

//Renew me 'cause sometimes I forget

Got my own two hands clenched around my neck//

Could be said by both of them at this point, tbh.

bonus: Leann Rimes - Can’t fight the moonlight

So let me be frank - I knew I wanted to put that bathroom scene somewhere for quite some time, so it’s written purely for self-indulgence. I just needed to find an opportunity. And during one of the brainstorming sessions with A (because she was so kind to help me out with figuring things out when I stumbled over certain plot points, and I can’t thank her enough), the idea of karaoke night came to life and she gave me this song and fuck yes! That was it!  

One of my favourite Neil headcanons is that he likes cheesy songs, and Coyote Ugly movie has a special place in my heart, so I just knew it was the one for him! Especially because:

//Under the lovers sky

Gonna be with you

And no one's gonna be around

If you think that you won't fall

Well just wait until

'Til the sun goes down//

it’s just perfect if you wanna kinda seduce/kinda embarrass someone, right? And also:

//You can try to resist

Try to hide from my kiss

Don't you know, don't you know

That you, can't fight the moonlight

Deep in the dark, you'll surrender your heart//

Because yes, he wanted to kiss her in that locker room, that’s a thing you do when you’re attracted to someone, right? He thought it was just because of this whole angry sex thing, but was aware of that all the time, that’s why R’s reaction in the bathroom alarms him. I mean it would make him stop anyway, but still.

bonus: Ruelle - Until we go down

The mood progression in this song fried my brain, absolutely amazing!

The lyrics, too:

//And I feel it running through my veins

And I need that fire just to know that I'm awake

Erased, I missed till the break of day

And I need that fire just to know that I'm awake

Until we go down//

bonus: Bishop Briggs - Wild horses

Another song that captures the spirit of what’s going on in R’s head.

//You hold me down in the best way

No quarter from these chains that I've

Slept on my heart for a feeling

Why can't I let my demons out?

Keep screaming into the pillow

Cause your taste still gets me stupid high

Oh glory, I'm a believer

Oh glory, I'm a troubler//

At this point, she’s well aware of the effect Neil has on her, and the internal conflict is strong in this one.

//You call my truth in the worst way

Through the dirty lands of a broken smile

And I swear I'm not a pretender

Sometimes it's love who's the baby's cry

So, I keep on damning the devil

And you keep on saying it's alright

Oh glory, I'm a believer

Oh Lord, I'm holding tight, but//

And the whole vibe of this song, it’s like fuck I’m losing my mind, but I want you and I want you now. Just makes my breath hitch.

bonus: Transviolet - Bloodstream

And as I needed a certain mood, -(ended up actually writing with TENDER in the background because apparently I need a complete opposite mood seeping through my headphones to write any smut at all but anyway...)-, and this song is just...wow.

//Fingertips drip down my spine

Cruel desire, danger in our consequence

You look my way and I lose my…

Hey, you wanna rule the world?

Outlaw love, make you lose control

Hey, hey, boy you got me like whoa

White hot, adrenaline baby

In my veins, you got me praying

Whoa, whoa, whoaaaa

My pretty blue lips begging

Take me, I need you in my bloodstream

Hold me, break me

My breath is for holding, overdose me

I need you in my bloodstream

Hold me, break me, break me//

Hot. I won’t be taking any notes.

Chapter 4: Aimee Mann - Save me

You remember that part 4 was supposed to be the last one? Don’t ask me, I don’t know how I would manage to get that emotional progression from these dumbasses by the end of that part, so I’m glad y’all voted on splitting it into 2 (and then another 2) parts. But I already had a playlist for the finale, and then had to make a new one, and then had too many possible title songs.

Why did this one win? Because in my brain it’s directly connected to my OTP and also fits this part of the story. I battled myself if it was a spoiler or not (and also had trouble getting to terms with R ever admitting that she needs to be saved), but then thought - eh, what the hell, it has the right lyrics and a proper mood, and here it is.

//You look like a perfect fit

For a girl in need of a tourniquet

But can you save me

Come on and save me

If you could save me

From the ranks of the freaks

Who suspect they could never love anyone//

and that shift to this part, oh my heart:

//Except the freaks

Who suspect they could never love anyone

Except the freaks who could never love anyone.//

bonus: Jamie O'Neal - All by myself

Okay, so the car scene was in my mind for a little while, and in the initial outline, aka part 4 is the finale I couldn't find a place for it and thought I might end up making a one shot out of it, so when I actually had enough time to write it into the story, I was so excited!

I was looking for a song, and the first one that came to my mind was Air Supply - All out of love, but I could never beat what Jensen Ackles did in the outtakes of that one Supernatural episode, so I had to abandon that song, sadly. And then I thought about the one with basically the same vibe and *ding ding ding*.  And of course Neil would know it. And would know what movie this is from (just look at him and try telling me he doesn’t like British rom-coms, I dare you). And would tease R about it. (and that’s why I used that cover of this song).

//Hard to be sure

Sometimes I feel so insecure

And loves so distant and obscure

Remains the cure

All by myself

Don't wanna be

All by myself

Anymore//

bonus: Meg Myers - Motel

I’ve discovered Meg’s music just because of Spotify’s recommendations, and oh my god, it’s amazing! And this song just felt right for their talk during the stakeout, just look at the lyrics:

//You're weak, broken in a motel

You blink, tears are falling down, down, down

And you're free, free inside your own hell

You speak, someone let me out, out, out

And I can't stop this pain, it only grows

Tell me why I always feel alone

And I can't fight this feeling anymore

Show me what I'm really living for

I wanna love, wanna live, wanna breath, wanna give

But it's hard and it's dark and we're doomed from the start

I wanna love, wanna live, wanna breathe, wanna give

But it's hard and it's dark and I'm falling apart//

ahh, nothing like a good old angst, am I right? Perfect for writing about the more vulnerable sides of them.

bonus: Fear Of Men - Sane

There is just something in this song that resonates deeply, you know?

//I see you drowning

Half flesh half stone

With ambitions that drain your health

You hear me

(Secrets)

You run from me

You hear me

(You hear me)

I know

You hear me

(Secrets)

You run from me

You hear me

(You hear me)

You know, you know, you know

It’s in your eyes when you’re perfectly sane

It’s in your blood when you can’t bear these heavy thoughts again

It’s in your eyes when you’re perfectly sane

It’s in your blood when you can’t bear these heavy thoughts again//

bonus: Laura Doggett - Beautiful undone

That track almost ended up as the title. When I stumbled upon this song, I was completely blown away, as in I-had-it-on-repeat-for-4h-straight blown away.

//I took you walking

Through the murmurations of my mind//

that line just strikes me right through the heart, and it gets even better later:

//I'm looking down and my heart's connected

I'm feeling love from a different view

We learn the most when we least expect it

We learn the most when we break in two//

I don’t think that any of them expects to learn more about each other during that one mission. I mean sure, Neil counts on it, but doesn’t know what it's gonna be. And if she lets him into his head at all.

//You know you're beautiful undone

(Shine on)

So beautiful undone

You look beautiful undone

(Hearts connected)

My boy of blue.//

My boy of blue. I don’t know why it screamed Neil to me, but it did.

//It's the cracks that let the light shine

It's the cracks that let the light shine through.//

And that’s exactly it.

Chapter 5: LAUREL - Blue blood

Okay, THIS song, as soon as I heard it, I was like - this is it, this is her.

//You woke me up for your blue blood

Made me come undone

Can't believe you've been here the whole time

Too nice to pass you by and I can't believe

You've been here the whole time

You made me feel again

Made me dance circles 'round the pieces of your heart

You made me feel again

After the last time, didn't think that I could love//

That “was he always so gorgeous” moment, right? When she just sees him for the first time this way. And is slowly coming to terms with her feelings.

bonus: Prep School - Come as you are

So this one… We all know the original song (or this is my old ass talking), but only when I heard this cover, I really felt it, you know?

//Come as you are, as you were

As I want you to be

As a friend, as a friend

As an old enemy//

Just made me think about R being ready to get to know Neil better. About the shift in their dynamic.

//When I swear that I don't have a gun

No I don't have a gun//

She lets her guard down, and is ready to trust him.

Also - how great is the mood of this song? That crescendo just takes my breath away, and that calmer moment at the end? Good god. Utter perfection.

bonus: Ray LaMontagne - Such a simple thing

I’ve been sitting on this song for quite some time, and just had to find a suitable moment for it. And this was it.

//Tell me what you're feeling

I can take the pain

Tell me that you mean it

That you won't leave again

Tell me what your heart wants

Such a simple thing

My heart is like paper

Yours is like a flame

I can't make you see

If you don't by now

I'll get through these chains

Some how, some how

Take it if you want it

I'm so tired I just don't care

Can't you see how much you hurt me?

It's like I wasn't there//

My heart just aches while I listen to this song. It’s so tender, and yet so heartbreaking.

bonus: Keane - Hamburg sing

When A sent me this song, god, the way I screamed. Because this is so Neil.

//I don't wanna be adored

Don't wanna be first in line

Or make myself heard

I'd like to bring a little light

To shine a light on your life

To make you feel loved

No, I don't wanna be the only one you know

I want to be the place you call home

I lay myself down to make it so

But you don't want to know

I give much more than I'd ever ask for

Will you see me in the end

Or is it just a waste of time?

Trying to be your friend?

Just shine, shine, shine

Shine a little light

Shine a light on my life

And warm me up again//

At this point in the story, he already fell for her hard. And can just hope that she sees him at one point, too.

You know, writing that first really intimate moment between them-- I know I was supposed to be on R’s side, but I knew what was going on in Neil’s head at that point (that’s why I was so happy when Chels asked that one question that made me write Come as you are) and... I don’t know, I’m so soft for this idiot, I just want to hug him.

//Fool, I wonder if you know yourself at all

You know that it could be so simple//

My dumbasses.

Chapter 6: Phantogram - You’re mine

We’re gonna save this one for the very end, just mentioning it here as we move to the next chapter.

bonus: Adna - Night

You know that sad music montage thing that the movies do after a breakup scene or something? This song has that exact vibe.

//Silence grows and you're all i know

Eyes are closed, I'll see your smile, your love

Thinking

This is what

It could be

Knowing

It is all

It would be

In the night

When you see

What i see

In the night when you feel

What i mean

You're my knight

And my dream

And my only sight

Oh you

Oh you

Stay true//

For me, it’s the beginning of chapter 6. R is almost heartbroken, and that almost comes from the part of her that still thinks that still fights the idea that she might have any feelings for that blonde idiot. Conceal, don't feel, or something. But she’s being haunted by random memories from their time together.

bonus: Snow Patrol - Make this go on forever

This song makes my heart ache and clench and oh my god--

//Please don't let this turn into something it's not

I can only give you everything I've got

I can't be as sorry as you think I should

But I still love you more than anyone else could

All that I keep thinking throughout this whole flight

Is it could take my whole damn life to make this right

This splintered mast I'm holding on won't save me long

Because I know fine well that what I did was wrong//

This works for the sad montage thing I’ve mentioned, but it was all about this line:

//First kiss and the first time that I felt connected to anything//

I was listening to it on my way home one day and my eyes welled up. Because that’s what I wanted both of them to feel right then.

//And I don't know where to look

My words just break and melt

Please just save me from this darkness//

and these lines just brought the image of Neil stumbling over his words and, well, that was it. I knew it had to be done like that.

bonus: Walking On Cars - Speeding Cars

This song is about something different, but there is one part that resonated with the story:

//Even the half smile would have slowed down the time

If I could call you half mine

Maybe this is the safest way to go//

Just fits. Had to be there.

bonus: Etham - Before I lose my mind - Stripped

I think I found this one a while ago, and then it came on when I had Spotify on shuffle, and oh myyyy goooood. That heart-wrenching yearning? So, so on point.

//Look at the state I'm in

I couldn’t say where I've been

Lord knows that it ain't felt like home//

This is as much R’s song, as it is Neil’s.

//I don't know what

I've been running from, running from

Or what I thought I would find

All I know is

You're the only one, only one

I need you tonight

Before I lose my mind//

and this part:

//Don't tell me that I’m too late this time

So much I couldn’t see

With words that I didn't speak

What do I have to do to make you mine?//

This part of the playlist is just utter heartbreak and yearning, but it was only fitting. Just moments before the confession.

bonus: Nick Wilson - Let me hold you

On repeat for the whole part with Neil’s confession. This song is so goddamn beautiful, I can’t--.

//We've been there before

Reaching the end but forgetting the reason we started this for

In all of our flaws

Laid out beneath us, there's no need to keep building up these walls

(Oh we can't go on)

Just let me hold you

I'll run my fingers through your hair

Let our ghost loose

Let me know that you're still there//

bonus: Liz Longley - Rescue my heart

This, on the other hand, started playing right after, and I partially blame it for R’s breakdown. I was just staring at that line about her being afraid to lose him and I was like “where the hell this came from, girl?” and then, as I was trying to push them both further into the plot, but they kinda refused to let each other go, so I was sitting there like “you guys really needed that, huh?”

I know what it sounds like. But when I spend so much time with my characters, really fleshing them out in every possible way, they kinda develop minds of their own, and later they guide me through the dialogue parts, and even sometimes ruin my initial plans. Because they know best how they would behave right then. So all I have to do is just follow them. Or try reasoning with them. (Had a moment like that at the end of the first scene in chapter 6, like had this feeling that R just wanted to dwell on the nature of her relationship with Ives, but I didn’t want to put it there so openly, I was happy with leaving a line here and there, so I had to put my foot down pff - and it switched into that bit about friendships in general)

Right, back to the song:

//Lying to myself I can make it on my own

Making it alone is lonely

Twisting and I'm turning

Oh I'm crashing and I'm burning

So reach out your hand to me

Come down

Rescue my heart I'll drown

Without you//

This is it.

bonus: Madonna - I want you

You know, one of my favourite parts of the writing process is just bumping the ideas around, and I have been blessed to have a wonderful friend such as M, who’s always there when I need to discuss different ideas or just got a bit of dialogue I really want to share. And knowing what I was writing, she sent me this song.

And I’ve been listening to it a lot ever since, and when Neil started his confession, and struggled with words, I wrote: "I want…you.” He moved closer. “The right way.”

I stopped, staring at that line, like really, Neil? This is it? Then the next song from the playlist started playing and:

//I want you the right way

I want you, but I want you to want me too//

So I just sighed and moved on, dropping a short message to M on the way.

bonus: Welshly Arms - Need you tonight

Spotify recommends the best covers, hands down. I love the original song, but this right here? It’s everything.

//How do you feel

I'm lonely

What do you think

Can't take it all

What ya gonna do

Gonna live my life

So slide over here

And give me a moment

Your moves are so raw

I've got to let you know

I've got to let you know

You're one of my kind

I need you tonight

'Cause I'm not sleeping

There's something about you girl

That makes me sweat//

bonus: TENDER - Afternoon

Every song of theirs is just incredibly sensual, so I thought it was only fair to include one of those for the scene (thank you again A, their music is everything, I swear). And this one was particularly accurate:

//I'm spendin' all of my time tryna open up

Let it breathe, let it breathe

It all comes down

To whether you love me anymore

God, I hope you do

'Cause I can't tell, I can't tell

By the look in your eyes//

bonus: Layla - Weightless

Another one for that moment.

//A silver whisper, take flight and steal into my mouth

An urge to kiss you and let this secret pleasure out

Your touch so tender, a helpless roar of golden play

This youthful slender, hallucinate my woes away

We are weightless

We are invincible

Nothin' like this

Flyin' like cannonballs//

bonus: Rob Simonsen - Soft center

While I was discussing the main plot points with A, we knew there had to be a morning after scene, and she had just a song for it. Utter perfection.

end credits: Phantogram - You’re mine

I know I say it a lot, but when A sent it to me… The way I screamed. I couldn’t believe it. The story was already like 2 parts in, I think? And this song...every line was about them. Every. Goddamn. One. And the overall  I just thought to myself “oh, end credits rolling right here.”

//You don't talk to no one

Don't you look at nothing

Focus on me

Look into my eyes

Come a little closer

Let me tell you something

Eat your ego honey

Honey swallow your pride

You don't talk to no one

Don't you look at nothing

Focus on me

Look into my eyes

Come a little closer

Let me tell you something

You ain't going anywhere

'Cause you mine//

And from this part it gets even better:

//I used to be a rifle

Yeah I had my distance,

Whistling like a bullet in the sky//

//I used to be a psycho

Yeah I had my demons,

Crawling like a spider up my spine//

*incoherent screaming*

And the next part took me right back to the very first scene.

//I spotted you the second I walked in the building

I knew that you had let me get you high//

Right? Right???

//I wanna hear the things you say when no-one's listening

But that don't matter anyway...

'Cause you're mine//

And that’s it.

Damn, what a wild ride that was.

Thank you for staying with me until the very end.

[l8rhader]

What are your Top 5 Paragraphs from You Can Change...? How about from the Everything Has Changed verse?

ADJFKLSJFGWOIB WHAT A SWEET QUESTION ARE YOU KIDDING ME I LOVE YOU

In no particular order from You Can Change Right Next To Me

1.  They stood that way for about a minute.  Eddie was astounded.  All it took was a little determination and creativity to come up with a simple adjustment, just so that she could do what she needed to do as a mom without hurting them.  That was it. 

2.  It was silly, he knew, but an act of, he felt, bold defiance struck him.  He stood up and motioned for Richie to do the same, stripped the top sheet from his bed, and looked around the room for something to use to affix it.  Catching his drift, Richie crossed to the bulletin board behind the desk and snagged 4 push pins from their line at the edge of the cork, then walked over to him, pushing them into the wooden frame as Eddie held the sheet in place.  It wasn’t much, and he knew it would never last if she came upstairs, but it felt like something.  

3.  All at once, the weight of everything that had happened to them crashed down around Eddie.  He'd been "strong."  He'd been "brave."  He'd been "mature."  He'd been all the things that he thought he needed to be.  And one moment of pure vulnerability from Richie and he felt it all.  The fear, the joy, the giddiness, the love, the anger, all of it.  For the first time in ages, since that day on the floor outside the cafeteria, the world started to spin.  His chest started to constrict.  

4.  “Oh, yeah, that,” Eddie smiled, nodding.  “You owe me big time for that,” he added, turning him around and giving him a gentle prod toward the basement.  “Such a large inconvenience.  Woe is me, however will I go on-” he joked.  As he wrapped his arms around Richie’s middle, walking behind him, he pressed another gentle kiss to the space between his shoulder blades.  “Having a mildly uncomfortable conversation with my mother-in-law who is, quite possibly, the only one of the four of our parents I'm not currently even a little mad at, to protect my husband from having an even more uncomfortable one?  I’m a hero.”  He shoved Richie down onto the bed and popped on the TV, crawling in front of him and nestling their bodies tightly together.

5.  “Yeah, idiot.  You’re supposed to be on your honeymoon or something,” he said gently, looking up at the Toziers’ house across the street.  He looked back at Richie, knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to help him at all if he couldn't get him to Eddie.  “Which means that you’re supposed to be not leaving Eddie’s side.  I think being two houses away is pushing it.”  He looked around, trying to figure out how exactly he was going to do this.  He stood and tried to pull Richie to his feet, but it was like he was made of rubber.  “Let’s get you home, man.  Come on,” he said, voice belaying a frightened sense of urgency.  “I don’t know how I’m gonna do that because if I touch you it’s going to hurt and I know that I couldn’t carry you even if I tried and The Cardinal is in pieces,” he looked over his shoulder and looked for anything he could use; Any way he could get Richie home.  “I could probably…”  In the corner sat his old bike, abandoned since the day he got his driver’s permit.  “Do you think you can hold yourself up on my bike?”  He nodded limply and Stan pulled him closer to the car.  He turned back to grab it, immediately interrupted by a deadweight thud.  “Richie?” he asked, turning back.  Seeing him on the ground, he cried out, “Richie!”

Bonus line:  While the boys had spent time gaining proficiency in diving into the quarry, Sonia had years on them, but the only thing she was ever good at jumping to was conclusions.

Everything Has Changed is so much harder because there’s just so much of it but:

1.  They locked eyes and the whole cheesy speech, full of raunchy jokes and sentimental anecdotes Richie had been working on for weeks flew out of his mind.  Recently, memory lapses were jokingly called "The Derry Effect" between them. This wasn't "The Derry Effect." This was "The Eddie Kaspbrak Effect." The breathless, mystifying way Eddie left him feeling had carried through since they were 11 and he dragged him across his mother's house to make him wash his hands before they shared popcorn out of the same bowl.  [highest hopes]

2.  “Okay, I’m Richie because…” he whispered and huffed, cutting off his soliloquy and quietly climbing toward him.  “Hi?” He offered his Eddie a quick peck through the open window, then flicked his eyes upward, exasperation comedically magnified by his glasses, “Who else would I be?”  He lugged his upper body in the window and, aided by his still-too-long legs, managed to get inside without falling. “We’ve definitely got the father denying down and we’ll put a pin in the name changing,” he laughed, imagining a day when, maybe, he’d be Richie Kaspbrak or the smaller boy in front of him would be Eddie Tozier, feeling a familiar warmth in his chest, “but like, I’ve got some baggage here, babe.  A little help would be nice.” Aided by Eddie, he started untangling his limbs from the straps and setting the bags in a pile in the corner. [coming home]

3.  He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes, trying to capture the last time he’d been that scared.  There had to have been a moment. He could feel it. A movie projector and a ramshackle old house. A dead girl floating.  But he couldn’t voice any of it. “I haven’t felt that way since…” A hammock. Bikes. Sewers. Paul Bunyan. Shared Ice Cream Cones.  Fleeting images fell through his mind and petered out. It was like trying to catch smoke in a butterfly net. “I don’t know why my brain filled in dairy?”  He shook his head, trying to figure out what he meant by that. Not dairy. What the fuck? “I haven’t felt that way since dairy? What does that even mean?”  He took one of the strawberries from the bowl and bit into it, releasing juice down his chin as he spoke. [mine/yours]

4.  Tutting, Pennywise wagged his finger.  “Oh. Not so gentile language, pretty bird.”  He pointed to the room below, where Bill was fighting against the current to get back to Mike.  “See the way this one swims? All of your friends, all the losers, they swim! Just like at the quarry.  Jump, fall, swim. It’s fun!” He laughed, licking his lips and reaching in to tease Stan once more. “Soon, they’ll float like itty,” poke , “bitty,” poke , “Georgie!” Stan kicked the clown’s hand and it pulled back.  It was not happy about that. “Not you, Stanley! Not you. You can't even tread water,” he snarled, plucking through the ropes that suspended the box in midair.  “Let's see if you can fly!” Laughing once more, he broke the final cord and sent him plummeting to the ground. “Don't forget your parachute!” he prompted, littering the ground with blood splattered yarmulke. [feeling like I missed you]

5. (arguably this is 2 paragraphs but like... it’s one of my absolute favorite moments i’ve ever written)  Laughing, realizing how ridiculous he must look, a seventeen-year-old boy standing out in the woods cradling a babydoll, he was overcome with an idea.  He took to wrapping the doll to look as lifelike as possible. When he’d swaddled her in the tiny blanket she came with, he mussed his hair up to look a little more frazzled.  Then, he found a position for her in his arms that looked believable for an actual infant to be in. Finally, he cooked up a little story about a certain redheaded Loser who had popped back in a little while ago to visit and, well, surprise, Ma!  He couldn’t believe what he was going to do, but now that the idea was in his head, he couldn’t get it out. “Let’s go see if we can’t give your Grandmonster a heart attack, okay?” He laughed as he moved in through the back gate, whispering to the small bundle in his arms.  “Roll out…”  //  Heart attack was pretty close.  Eddie slunk into the house as guiltily as possible, then shook Megan a little harder than what one would classify as a rocking motion.  As soon as he did, she let out a piercing scream that he managed to quell. His mother yelled out for him and he quietly edged into the room, keeping his back to the wall and the doll’s face hidden.  His mother blanched then turned scarlet and they were off. He worked up some tears and spilled his whole sordid story. “And now she’s here, and she’s mine, and I don’t care. She’s all I have left of-” he trailed off, imagining shaking Billy Crystal’s hand at the Oscars over this riveting and raw performance.  “She’s a part of me. I can’t lose that.” [butterflies]

Bonus Line:   “ Anyway, ‘Handsome, what the hell do you call that? How are you going to censor a whole building?’[...] This asshole turns to me and goes ‘It’s great, isn’t it? And no one noticed!’” [measuring]

[knuffled]

just practice - chapter seven

so hopefully this chapter punched you in the gut and stole your lunch money because that means i did my job. if you liked the chapter, please do reblog or drop a comment on ao3 - i would really appreciate it!

here’s the ao3 link

bonus link to the song i was playing on repeat while writing this chapter

Annabeth’s lungs burned from exertion as she made her way out of the woods behind the high school. To her right, the lake was calm like always, but there weren’t any geese floating atop the water this time of the year. Darkness was already beginning to encroach upon the sovereignty of the setting sun, turning the sky an inky purple, and apart from the sound of her own ragged breathing and swift footsteps, it was blissfully silent.

With the invitational only a week away, Coach Davis had freed her from her responsibilities as captain until it was over, which was why she had the luxury of running this far ahead of everyone else instead of having to slow down to keep watch of the underclassmen. It felt so liberating to run without the weight of responsibility hanging over her head. In her darker moments, Annabeth sometimes found herself wondering if being captain was actually keeping her from reaching her full potential, but despite all her complaining, she did take great pride in her role.

Coach Davis was waiting for her at the end of the trail, stopwatch in hand. When she saw Annabeth approaching, her eyes flitted from the stopwatch to Annabeth and back to the stopwatch again, a smile beginning to break across her face, but Annabeth was too focused to notice it. Within seconds, Annabeth came to a stop in front of her and crouched over with her hands pressed against the top of her thighs and swallowed deep lungfuls of air.

“Look at your time!” Coach Davis said, unable to repress the excitement in her voice.

Annabeth blearily looked up at the stopwatch inches in front of her face and took a few seconds to register the time before knitting her eyebrows.

“Are you sure that’s accurate? There’s no way I finished three minutes earlier than normal,” Annabeth said, still trying to catch her breath.

“Oh, it’s accurate alright!” Coach said, grinning manically. “You’ve really improved over the course of this past month, unbelievably so.”

Three minutes didn’t sound like a long time in most contexts, but for long distance running making such an improvement was nothing short of miraculous. Not for the first time, Annabeth mentally thanked herself for being brave enough to reach out to Reyna. The minor improvements she had picked up on during their run together was paying dividends now. Theoretically, Annabeth knew that the tweaks she made would help but seeing the evidence right before her eyes, especially when the improvement was so stark, was beyond gratifying.

“If you go at a race pace, your time should be even better,” Coach added.

Annabeth stood up and brushed aside the strands of golden blonde hair that had escaped from her ponytail and lay matted on her forehead.

“I sure hope so,” she said.

Today she had done a tempo run, which meant her pace had been around 15% less than her typical race pace. With her veins shot full of adrenaline during an actual competition, her time should improve theoretically, in ceteris paribus at least.

“I’m sure it will. Alright, I’ve got to stick around and finish timing everyone else. Do your cooldown run and stretch. Be sure to get plenty of rest the next few days,” Coach ordered.

Annabeth huffed and said, “I’ve been on the team for four years, Coach – you don’t need to remind me to cooldown and stretch.”

Coach Davis shrugged her shoulders with a smirk. “Force of habit, I guess.”

Annabeth rolled her eyes and made her way closer to the high school track where she jogged a lap before starting her stretches. The coolness of the grass against her flushed skin felt wonderful, eliciting a sigh of relief from her. Annabeth took her time with her stretches and enjoyed the thoughtless, almost trance-like, state she felt after a strenuous run.

It didn’t last for long, however, and she soon found herself thinking about the dream for the umpteenth time that week. Interacting with Percy felt more stilted than ever, much to her dismay. For the first time in her life, she didn’t know what to say around him anymore.

Well, that and Reyna’s confession both made things more awkward than usual. Annabeth knew that she would have to tell him at some point that Reyna had asked her out, but she didn’t know how to broach the subject, especially since Percy didn’t seem to like Reyna that much. There was a part of her that wanted to hide it from him altogether, insisting that she was entitled to keeping secrets if Percy could, but she always felt guilty afterwards for thinking that.

Annabeth had just finished her final set of stretches when Jason flopped on the ground beside her with an exaggerated groan, covering his eyes with his forearm.

“You’re done early,” he said breathlessly.

“Three minutes early, to be precise,” Annabeth said, trying not to sound smug.

He moved his arm to peek at her with one eye, a huge grin splitting across his face. “Holy shit, seriously? That’s amazing!”

“Thanks, I’m just hoping it’s a good omen for the invitational,” Annabeth said.

Jason huffed and said, “Ugh, don’t remind me. I don’t even want to think about it.”

Annabeth patted his arm affectionately and said, “You’ll do fine. I’m sure of it.”

“Easy for you to say, Ms. Three Minutes Early,” Jason scoffed.

“Don’t be an ass,” Annabeth said, laughing.

Jason rolled his eyes and asked, “What’s your secret, oh wise one?”

For a brief moment, Annabeth considered telling Jason that Reyna had asked her out, but it would’ve been difficult considering he didn’t know about the whole fake-dating thing.

Instead, she opted for a half-truth and said, “I ran with Reyna, the girl who won State last year, over the weekend and picked up on some inefficiencies with my form. Didn’t think it would help as much as it did.”

“Oh, Reyna!” Jason said. “I went to summer camp with her in middle school.”

Annabeth raised an eyebrow and said, “Really?”

Jason sat up and nodded, wiping the dirt off his palms against his shorts. “Yeah, she was intense. Beat me at pretty much every camp activity – canoeing, rock climbing, capture the flag – you name it. She was even better than me at arts and crafts!”

Annabeth laughed and said, “Yeah, that sounds like her.”

“It’s gotta be exhausting to live like that. Treating everything as a competition means you can never do anything just for fun,” Jason said.

“She probably thinks that the competition is the fun part," Annabeth said, shrugging. "At least, that’s how I feel, and she and I are kind of similar."

Jason looked at her closely, his head cocked to the side, before a small smile broke across his lips. “Now that you mention, you two are scarily alike,” he mused.

“She’s faster than me,” Annabeth said lightly.

Jason nudged her with his shoulder and shook his head fondly. “I can’t believe you sometimes. I’m pretty sure I would go insane in minutes if I had to live in your head.”

“Saying you’d last minutes is a bit generous,” Annabeth teased.

“Ok, that’s enough bullying for one day,” Jason said, standing up. “I still need to do my cooldown run or Coach will hunt me down.”

A sudden thought occurred to her, prompting Annabeth to catch Jason’s arm before he left.

When he looked down at her quizzically, Annabeth said, “Before you go: what do you know about Kara Mayfield?”

Jason furrowed his brow and said, “Percy’s ex?”

“Yeah, do you know what happened between them?” Annabeth asked.

He looked away from her and coughed surreptitiously. “Uh, no.”

Annabeth narrowed her eyes and said, “I know you’re lying, Jason. You’ve always been dogshit at it.”

When he remained silent, Annabeth sighed and said, “Piper’s already gotten to you, hasn’t she?”

Jason gave her a pleading look and said, “Look, I don’t want to keep anything from you, you know that, but this is a special circumstance. I agreed with Piper when she told me not to tell you. It’s something you need to hear from Percy himself.”

A spark of anger blazed in her chest, but Annabeth forced herself to breathe and nod instead. It was hard not to be frustrated when everyone refused to tell her and insisted she ask Percy when she knew Percy wouldn’t tell her either. No matter what she did, she lost.

“I’m sorry,” Jason said. “We’re not trying to do it to piss you off or anything. It’s just not our business to tell you.”

Annabeth sighed and said, “Yeah, I get it. Thanks anyways.”

Jason offered her an apologetic smile and jogged back to the track to finish his cooldown lap. Annabeth sat there for a while longer before sighing and making her way to the showers. She stayed under the water for longer than usual, trying to stomach the bitterness that had been brewing in the pit of her stomach all week. It was made harder by having to hold the dream in perilous tension at the same time. She almost wished she could just give in and allow herself to be bitter, but she felt too guilty when twelve year old Percy’s promise still echoed endlessly in her mind.

When she finished her shower, Annabeth made her way to the parking lot. She was in the process of fishing for her keys in the front pocket of her backpack when she noticed Percy sitting on the hood of her car, a brooding look on his face.

Annabeth's stomach churned as she tried frantically to think of her best course of action. She didn’t want to have a confrontation with him now while she was still trying to work through how she felt, but she could tell by the look on his face that he wasn’t going to let her escape without at least admitting something was going on. With a sigh, she decided it would be best to get it over with and made her way towards him.

Once he saw her, Percy offered her a small smile and pushed off the car. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Annabeth said, gripping her backpack strap.

“Can we talk?”

Annabeth blinked. She hadn’t expected him to get straight to the point, but she supposed it was better this way.

“Sure,” Annabeth said tightly.

Percy raised an eyebrow and said, “Do you want to tell me what’s going on? You’ve been acting weird all week. Almost like you’re trying to avoid me.”

Annabeth was silent for a few seconds, trying to decide how much she wanted to tell him. Part of her wanted to immediately jump to asking him about Kara, but her intuition was telling her that she wouldn’t get any answers out of him that way. She also briefly considered denying that there was anything going on altogether, but she could tell by the intensity in his eyes that he would call her bluff immediately.

She sighed and decided to go with a half-truth again. “I went running with Reyna last week, and she asked me out.”

Percy’s face was perfectly blank, and his body language didn’t betray anything about his emotional state, despite what she had said. There was a brief silence, and when Percy spoke, there was a hint of trepidation in his voice along with something else, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

“And what did you say?”

Annabeth scuffed her converses against her ankle, her hands wrapped even tighter around her backpack straps.

“I turned her down at first, but she insisted that I think about it.”

“And you’re still mulling it over?” Percy said slowly.

Annabeth nodded and said, “I want to make sure that I take my response seriously because she asked me out seriously. If I was offhanded about it, I’d feel like a dick.”

There was another pause before Percy deflated a bit and said, “So I’m guessing you want to call the whole fake-dating thing off then?”

“What? No!” Annabeth said, frowning. “Unless you want to call it off.”

Percy blinked before he said cryptically, “I want whatever you want.”

Annabeth hesitated and swayed in place before saying, “Well, I’m not going to go out with her. I mean, I barely know her.”

“I’m confused,” Percy said, furrowing his brow. “If you’ve already decided on that, then what is there to think about?”

Annabeth sighed and leaned against her car, hugging her arms against her chest. “I don’t really know either. It’s just that– well, I’ve never been asked out by a girl before, and I never imagined that I would actually consider saying yes in that situation.”

Percy softened a little bit and said, “That sounds confusing. I think it makes sense that you’re feeling a little conflicted about it.”

“I’m trying to think of what this means. Like, am I straight? Am I bi? Does being attracted to just one girl make me bi or is it a one-off? I don’t really know,” Annabeth said, trying not to sound frustrated.

“So you’ve never been attracted to any other girls in the past?” Percy asked.

Annabeth was about to say that she hadn’t before she caught herself and thought about it some more.

“Well, I mean I think Piper and Rachel are attractive and stuff, but it didn’t really occur to me that I could date them,” Annabeth said, shrugging. “Maybe it’s purely aesthetic?”

“If it was, I feel like you wouldn’t be giving it this much thought right now,” Percy noted. “Like, if you were absolutely straight, you would have known immediately that dating a girl wasn’t for you, I think. The fact that you’re still mulling it over makes me think you might not be entirely straight.”

Annabeth was silent for a bit before she slowly said, “Yeah, I think you’re right.”

Percy leaned against the car right beside her, close enough that their elbows knocked against each other.

“It’s not like you need to immediately think you’re bi, anyways. Piper always says sexuality is more like a gradient than a binary, right? I don’t think you need to be in a rush to label yourself or anything. Take your time and figure it out. It’s okay if you’re wrong or realize differently in the future. It’s not like you aren’t allowed to change or anything,” Percy said.

Annabeth took some to digest what he had said before she turned to him and smiled. “Thanks, I think I feel a bit better now. I mean I’ll still have to think about it more but yeah,” she said.

“Of course you do,” Percy said fondly.

Annabeth shot him a mock-glare, but there wasn’t any venom behind it. All at once, a lump formed in her throat. She had really missed this. When things were just normal and easy and she didn’t have to swim through twenty layers of subtext to understand what the fuck was going on. She missed when they were just Annabeth and Percy.

“What are you thinking about?” Percy asked softly.

Annabeth swallowed and tried for a laugh, but it sounded strained even to her own ears.

“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head. “Nothing. Just that it’s been a while since we were like this and stuff. It made me realize how much I missed this.”

“Yeah, me too,” Percy whispered, sounding suddenly weary.

Annabeth blinked in surprise – she hadn’t expected him to agree with her. She had assumed he was going to say that nothing had changed at all and that they were still the same. Hearing Percy also admit that things were different hurt a lot more than she thought it would.

Percy gently bumped his shoulder into hers, a small, wistful smile on his lips. Annabeth tried to return the smile but knew it wouldn’t reach her eyes.

“You sure that’s all that’s going on?” Percy asked gently.

The familiar warmth and kindness in his voice nearly made her crumble and admit all the pain and resentment she was holding inside, but she forced herself to stay strong and shake her head instead.

She needed some time to figure this out on her own before she confronted him. For some reason, she knew that if she tried to ask him now without knowing enough that he would just weasel his way out somehow. Whatever he was holding back would take a lot of effort to break through, and she needed to be more prepared for when that time came. At the very least, she knew that it wasn’t a battle she could win right now.

Percy looked at her skeptically but otherwise nodded and stepped away from her car. He ruffled his hair before he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

“Well, that was all that I wanted to talk about, I guess. I know things haven’t been great between us and stuff, so I just wanted to make sure we were still good,” Percy said.

“Yeah, we’re still good,” Annabeth lied, her voice catching on the last word.

Percy looked at her for a while, his brow ever so slightly furrowed, like he was going to say something more, but then he shook his head and stepped backwards.

“Well, I’ll let you get going then,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Annabeth.”

Annabeth cleared her throat and nodded. “Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

:::

After shutting the car door, Annabeth fiddled with her green cape for what felt like the thirteenth time since she’d put on her costume. The damn thing kept getting caught underneath her feet when she tried to walk, constantly making her trip. She swore darkly under her breath and made her up the driveway to Rachel’s house.

Annabeth rang the doorbell and wondered how anyone would even be able to hear it over the rumbling bass blasting inside, but it wasn’t long before Rachel opened the door, a bright grin on her face. Annabeth had to do a double take when she saw Rachel’s costume. She was painted entirely orange and there was a large yellow mustache taped under her nose.

“Annabeth! I’m so glad you could make it.” Rachel said brightly. “Cool costume! You’re a quidditch player right?”

Annabeth nodded and said, “Thanks! I would compliment your costume too, but I honestly don’t have a clue what you’re supposed to be.”

Rachel put her hands on her hips and lowered her voice. “I’m the Lorax! And I speak for the trees!”

That managed to get a laugh out of Annabeth. Every year, Rachel threw a Halloween costume party, and without fail, she always wore the most bizarre costumes. Last year, she had been Chewbacca from Star Wars, complete with the wookie cries and everything, and the year before that she’d been Vincent Van Gogh after he had cut his ear off.

Rachel craned her neck and looked behind Annabeth. “I don’t see Percy. Is he not coming?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes and said, “He could’ve driven himself here, you know. It’s not like we’re always attached at the hip. Anyways, he couldn’t come because he has a swim meet tomorrow morning.”

Rachel held her palms up in surrender and said, “Alright, sorry, sorry. Just thought you guys were going to do a couple costume or something.”

“That’s not happening in a million years,” Annabeth said, snorting.

Rachel patted her arm benignly and said, “Love makes people do all sorts of strange things, darling. Now come, enjoy the festivities!”

“People in the 21st century don’t say festivities,” Annabeth said, unable to help herself.

“Well, I am honored to be the first,” Rachel said glibly. “There’s food and drinks in the kitchen. You already know where the bathrooms are so I don’t need to give you that spiel. I think I saw Piper and Jason near the backyard. I’ve gotta go greet people, but I’ll find you later! Go have some fun!”

Annabeth only had the chance to nod before Rachel disappeared into the crowd once more. There were a lot of people at the party, some from Westwood, some from Rachel’s private school, and some from other schools that Annabeth couldn’t recognize. She made her way through the throng of dancing teenagers in the living room and made a beeline for the backyard, hoping she’d find Jason and Piper there.

She spent a few minutes looking for them before giving up and heading back inside. Luckily, she ran into Hazel shortly after and joined her in the living room to dance a bit. Annabeth hated dancing with a burning passion, but she was more willing if she was with friends. After all the tension from the past weeks and with the invitational bearing down on her, she figured it was a good time to cut loose.

Dancing in a quidditch costume proved to be more logistically difficult than she could’ve anticipated. She nearly tripped on her stupid cape five more times before she finally called it quits and made a break for the kitchen.

Hazel joined her and watched as Annabeth reached for a bottle of water, downing it in one giant gulp before opening another. Once she finished her second bottle, she wiped her lips with the back of her hand and turned to Hazel, who was still looking for something to drink.

“Have you seen Piper and Jason? Rachel told me that they were here,” Annabeth shouted, trying to be heard over the music.

“Yeah, I think I saw them in the basement a while ago,” Hazel said.

“Weird, I couldn’t find them,” Annabeth said, frowning.

Hazel shrugged and said, “Maybe they don’t want to be found.”

Annabeth pulled a face that made Hazel giggle.

“As long as they’re out of sight,” Hazel said mildly, eyeing the food on the countertop.

She looked like she was going to get something to eat when she paused and fished her phone out of her pocket.

Her face lit up and she turned to Annabeth and said, “Just got a text from Frank saying he just got here and that he brought Leo with him too. I’m gonna meet them at the front door. See you in a bit!”

“Yeah, I’ll see you later,” Annabeth said.

Hazel nodded before leaving the kitchen. Once she was gone, Annabeth sighed and leaned against the counter top, already contemplating going home. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn’t bring herself to enjoy parties unless she was with close friends the entire time. She found herself wishing Percy were here, telling her some snarky joke about some of the other party goers, but the thought only soured her mood even more.

She was about to leave the party altogether when Kara Mayfield walked into the kitchen, clad in a Sansa Stark costume. Annabeth watched, unable to hide her astonishment, as Kara sifted through the drinks before deciding on a bottle of Jim Beam. Throughout most of her life, Annabeth had pretty terrible luck, but at that moment, she couldn’t help feeling that the universe was presenting an opportunity on a silver platter for her.

Annabeth approached her before she could talk herself out of it. “Hey, Kara,” she said.

Kara looked up, noticing Annabeth for the first time, and took a step backwards, a nervous smile on her face. “Oh, hi, Annabeth,” she said.

“Nice costume,” Annabeth said, nodding to her outfit.

Kara looked down and breathed a laugh. “Thanks. It would be more accurate if my hair wasn’t brown though. Yours is neat too. Repping Slytherin, huh? That’s pretty bold of you.”

“What can I say? I like to live dangerously,” Annabeth said, shrugging.

There was an awkward pause before Kara cleared her throat and busied herself pouring a drink.

“I heard that you and Percy were finally going out. That’s great!” she said with strained enthusiasm.

“Yeah, since the start of the school year,” Annabeth said carefully.

The fact that Kara was steering the conversation exactly where Annabeth wanted it to go only reaffirmed to her that she had to take advantage of this golden opportunity, but in the back of her mind, a small voice whispered that she would be going behind Percy’s back if she continued.

Kara’s lips quirked upwards in the semblance of a weak smile. “That’s good. It was a long time coming.”

How many times had someone said that to her now? “What do you mean by that?” Annabeth asked, frowning.

Kara looked up from the table sharply, her facsimile of a smile dropping, and searched Annabeth’s eyes with a cold stare.

“Are you fucking with me?” she asked lowly.

Annabeth blinked and held her palms up in surrender. “What? No, I’m genuinely curious. I’ve been hearing other people say the same thing, and I don’t know why.”

Kara barked a harsh laugh. “Are you fucking serious? You don’t know why?”

Annabeth’s jaw tightened involuntarily before she forced herself to close her eyes and exhale slowly. “That’s why I’m asking,” she said.

For a few moments, Kara simply stared at her before her eyes widened. “Holy shit, you actually don’t know. Well, that explains a lot of things.”

“I’ve tried asking, but no one will tell me what happened,” Annabeth said, shaking her head. “I wanted to hear it from you.”

“It’s not something you want to hear,” Kara muttered, looking away.

Annabeth bit back her frustration and said, “I can decide that for myself.”

There was a pause before Kara deflated in front of her, and when she looked at Annabeth again, she reminded Annabeth of a lamb being led to slaughter.

“Oh well, you’re going to find out eventually. Might as well get it over with,” Kara muttered. “Let’s go outside. I can’t hear myself think in here.”

Annabeth nodded in agreement, and they both left the kitchen but not before Kara paused and took the entire bottle of Jim Beam with her.

When Annabeth gave her a quizzical look, Kara smiled grimly and said, “Trust me, we’re both going to need this soon.”

A flicker of apprehension began to burn in the back of her mind. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. Annabeth shook her head, trying to dispel the thought. This was the best chance she had to find out what happened between Percy and Kara. She couldn’t afford to back out now.

Kara sat down by the edge of the empty pool, setting the alcohol beside her, and took her shoes off so she could dip her toes in the water. The lights at the bottom of the pool cast smudged beams that swiggled when the water was even remotely disturbed. Kara kicked her feet under the water, forming bubbles that rushed to the surface, and the ensuing ripples sent the fallen leaves floating in the water into a slow waltz.

She leaned back on her palms and stared up at the night sky for a while before suddenly speaking. “So, how much do you know?”

Annabeth sat down beside her and hugged her knees to her chest. “Almost nothing.”

“Well, I guess I’ll start from the beginning then,” Kara said, sighing. “I’ll give you some context, so you can better understand everything. I’m not trying to make excuses, but I do want you to know that I was in a really fucked up place back then, and that led me to making some really bad decisions, decisions I still deeply regret.”

Once Annabeth nodded in acknowledgment, Kara took a sip from the bottle. “Okay, so I had a boyfriend during my first two years in high school that I really liked. I’d known him since we were kids and stuff. We went back a long way,” she said, a forlorn tinge in her voice.

“Kind of like you and Percy, now that I think about it,” Kara mused, looking at Annabeth. “Anyhow, towards the end of sophomore year, he cheated on me for some whatever reason.”

“Shit, I’m sorry to hear that,” Annabeth said.

Kara gave her a terse smile and shrugged. “Yeah, well it happens. We broke up after that, of course, but it was really rough. I remember crying almost everyday after school, wondering desperately what I did wrong, why things happened the way they did. What fucked me up the most was the fact that I’d known him since we were like six years old. I kept asking myself: was I just unaware that he had always been like this, or had he changed somewhere along the way?”

“It got really bad,” Kara admitted softly. “I kind of developed an eating disorder and started drinking a lot, but nothing helped. Instead of waiting to get over it, I thought I just needed to be in a new relationship. Like, more than anything, I wanted someone to make me feel like I mattered.”

“And that’s when Percy came in,” Annabeth said, understanding finally dawning on her.

Kara nodded and said, “Yeah, we had history class together. He was always really sweet. Funny in a dorky way. And really hot. I asked him out at the start of junior year, and I still remember him asking me if I was sure about it. He told me that he knew I had just broken up with my old boyfriend and that he didn’t want to be someone’s rebound. I stupidly said yes, which was the first in a long list of mistakes.”

She paused to take another sip from the bottle, but when she set it down again, her eyes were distant and unfocused.

“We started going out after that, and for a while it was good, but I was still hurting a lot from my previous relationship. Percy was really nice about it though,” Kara said wistfully. “He listened to me vent a lot. It probably wasn’t pleasant hearing your girlfriend talk about her ex all the time, but he was really sweet about it.”

“I think it was the first time in a long while that I felt like I meant something to someone, and not long after, I legitimately did start to fall for him. Like, it was just easy being around him, I can’t explain it,” Kara said, shaking her head.

Annabeth found herself smiling. “Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.”

“Like I said, for a while things were good,” Kara said, sighing. “Only issue was that you were all he talked about. Always ‘Annabeth said this, Annabeth did that.’ It was like he worshipped the ground you walked on. Needless to say, hearing your boyfriend constantly talking about how amazing another girl is, can really make you feel like shit.”

Despite the context, Annabeth couldn’t help feeling a rush of affection for Percy. “I had no idea he talked about me that much.”

“Well, I wasn’t the only one – the other girls he’s dated have said the same thing. It was particularly hard on me, especially when he would sometimes cancel dates to be with you. After what happened with my ex, I felt like it would be monumentally stupid of me to ignore all the red flags popping up,” Kara said bitterly. “So, over time, I slowly became convinced he was cheating on me with you.”

“Percy would never cheat on someone,” Annabeth said reflexively, unable to hide how offended she felt. “If you knew him at all, you wouldn’t think for a second that he would even be capable of that.”

Kara barked a harsh laugh and shrugged. “Well, I thought I knew my old boyfriend, and I was spectacularly wrong about that, so you’ll have to excuse me if I didn’t exactly trust my judgment at the time.”

Her immediate instinct was to protest, but when she was unable to think of a response, Annabeth clenched her jaw and nodded sharply for Kara to continue.

“When I confronted him about it, he insisted that you both were just friends. I really wanted to believe him, but I just couldn’t and honestly I can’t blame myself for that. I mean, anyone could tell that he was super in love with you,” Kara said.

Whether it was through teasing comments made by friends or whispered rumors among classmates, people had been telling her since middle school that Percy was in love with her, in some form or another. Annabeth had always dismissed it as drama stirred by people who had nothing better to do, but hearing it come from Percy’s former girlfriend, even if Annabeth didn’t fully believe it, still knocked the air out of her lungs.

“Percy didn’t love me – he liked me – and that was it. It wasn’t long till I realized that he loved you more than he ever would love me, and, once I did, it just– it just fucking broke me,” Kara said, her voice cracking at the end.

Annabeth’s heart clenched in her chest. She didn’t like where this conversation was heading, but it was already too late to stop it.

“You can probably guess what happened next, but I’ll spell it out anyways,” Kara said, taking a shuddering breath. “Through some demented logic, I convinced myself that I had to cheat on him to get even. So I did.”

Annabeth had already begun to suspect as much, but actually hearing it come from Kara’s mouth hit her in a way she was utterly unprepared for. Time seemed to stop, and her throat felt like it was sewing itself shut. Suddenly, even the act of breathing felt painful.

Kara cleared her throat and stared down at the bottle in her hands, tracing the outline of the Jim Beam logo with her finger, for a few seconds.

“Of course, I told him about it later. He had to know if I wanted to get even, after all. He just sat there and listened quietly. Can’t tell you what he looked like because I couldn’t bring myself to look at him,” Kara said, chuckling humorlessly.

“And, after that, I told him we should break up, but in the middle of that, you texted him. I can still remember exactly what happened, like it was yesterday. There I was, telling my boyfriend I had cheated on him and wanted to break up, and he stops and checks his fucking phone while I’m talking, and do you know what he told me after that?”

Kara gave Annabeth a sidelong glance, cold fury burning in her eyes, but Annabeth didn’t dare speak or move. Before she continued, Kara took a long swig from the bottle and screwed her eyes shut.

When she spoke, Kara sounded utterly dead inside. “He looked at me and said in this super emotionless voice, ‘Annabeth needs me, so I have to go now’. And then he just stood up and left. Just. Like. That.”

Annabeth couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The sound of the party in the background bled into nothingness, replaced by the frantic pounding of her heart beating inside her skull. Bile rose to her throat, bringing with it the sudden urge to vomit.

What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck

Kara leaned back on her palms again and laughed humorlessly, shaking her head. “I remember being so fucking stunned. Like, your girlfriend is telling you she’s breaking up with you after cheating on you, and your response is to go be someone else’s fucking therapist?”

If Kara was right, then Percy must have come to see her right after this happened. Annabeth desperately combed through her memory, reviewing all her interactions with Percy that year, searching for a hint or a sign, anything that could possibly betray that something was amiss, but nothing stuck out to her.

Annabeth bit her bottom lip in a vain attempt to stop it from trembling, cutting into her palms with her fingernails.

If Percy had seen her that day, he had acted as gentle and kind as he always had, never letting her know what he had been through, just so he could help her with whatever the stupid thing she’d texted him about.

Then another terrible thought occurred to her. What if Percy was showing signs that he was hurting that day, but she had been so self-absorbed with her own issues that she hadn’t even noticed?

The thought made her want to retch.

Kara tiredly said, “I’ve been trying to apologize to him ever since, but Piper doesn’t let me get anywhere near him, which is really fucking frustrating. If Percy doesn’t want to see me, then that’s fine – I deserve that – but like, let him make his own decisions. He doesn’t need a fucking babysitter.”

Annabeth shook her head and said, “Piper is doing that because despite all this messed up shit that you did to him, if you talked to Percy and apologized, he would still forgive you. Piper knows that and doesn’t want to let that happen.”

For the first time since their conversation began, Kara looked genuinely shocked. “There’s no fucking way he would-” she began, but Annabeth interrupted her.

“I know Percy. That’s exactly what he would do. If I were in Piper’s shoes, I wouldn’t let you within a mile of him,” Annabeth said, anger creeping into her voice.

“Ah, there it is,” Kara said, a mordant smile dancing on her lips. “I was wondering when you’d get angry. I spent all of junior year dreading what would happen once you found out, you know? I mean, Piper was hostile enough, but I didn’t want to imagine how you were going to react.”

She was right. If Annabeth had known about this back then, there was no telling what she would’ve done. Even now, Annabeth balled fists trembled with fury, itching to hurt Kara. Annabeth wanted to hurt her more badly than she had ever wanted anything in her life, but she screwed her eyes shut and steadied her breathing instead.

“I’m surprised he never told you,” Kara muttered. “I figured you’d be the first to know.”

“He knew I’d come for you,” Annabeth said, her eyes still closed. “He did it to protect you. Despite everything you did, he still tried to protect you.”

There was a pause before Annabeth continued, and when she did, her voice cracked with barely suppressed rage, “Percy was good, and you-you!”

Kara fell silent at that, pressing her lips together tightly so they wouldn’t quiver. Annabeth caught a glimpse of the pained look in Kara’s eyes before she turned away from Annabeth to hide her tears, but the way her shoulders shook and she sniffled gave her away.

Despite everything, a tiny part of Annabeth couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for her. Kara made some terrible mistakes, but as she herself admitted: she was in a really fucked up place. That didn’t mean for one second that Annabeth would forgive her – every molecule in her body burned with the need for vengeance – but it did make her feel a small amount of sympathy for her.

In the back of her mind, however, some tiny part of her felt a sick sense of elation after hearing Kara’s story. Percy had chosen her over his previous girlfriends – she had meant more to him than any of them. Annabeth had always known she was important to him, but to see such an obvious, direct comparison made her giddy, and she hated herself for it.

Still, to know exactly how much he cared about her made a lump form in Annabeth’s throat. She couldn’t help feeling that she was partially responsible for this mess too. If she hadn’t taken so much of his time when she knew he had a girlfriend, maybe this would never have happened.

Was it her own selfishness to see him, to have him in her life without thinking about his own circumstances, that had caused him so much pain, so much suffering?

“Will you tell him that I am sorry,” Kara said, her voice raw and bleeding.

Annabeth’s immediate instinct was to refuse – she had no right asking for absolution – but this wasn’t about her: it was about Percy and Kara.

After a while, Annabeth slowly said, “I won’t promise anything, but I’ll think about it.”

“That’s good enough for me,” Kara muttered.

A minute of silence passed, and the sound of thumping bass coming from inside the house rushed in to swallow it, reminding Annabeth that she was, in fact, at a party. The whole thing was so surreal and it overwhelmed her all at once.

Annabeth felt sullied, like she’d failed Percy when he needed her most, and she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to forgive herself for that. It was made worse by the fact that she’d gone behind his back to hear this story to begin with. Annabeth knew now that he had tried to hide it from her because he knew she would blame herself if she ever found out.

He was too good for her.

He had always been too good for her. She was only now realizing just how much.

Annabeth took a deep shuddering breath and her voice was hoarse when she spoke. “Thank you for telling me all this, but I don’t think I will ever forgive you.”

Kara offered her a pained smile and whispered, “I thought as much.”

When Annabeth stood up, Kara cocked her head to the side and looked up at her. “You’re taking this a lot better than I imagined you would.”

“I don’t know how I feel right now,” Annabeth said. “But this isn’t about me – it’s about Percy. It doesn’t really matter how I feel.”

Kara nodded in a clipped manner. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

There was a pause before Annabeth said, “I’m gonna head home now.”

“Okay,” Kara said. “Thanks for not breaking my nose.”

Despite the situation, a laugh managed to escape Annabeth before the pain settled in again immediately. “I wish I could be offended by that, but that’s fair,” she said.

Kara smiled again, but this time it was actually genuine. “Take care, Annabeth.”

“You too,” Annabeth said quietly.

She lingered there for a few seconds longer before heading back inside the house. Annabeth jostled through the party-goers, barely registering them as they passed by. If anyone spoke to her, she didn’t hear them. At some point, she found herself sitting inside her car. Then she was home. Then in her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

The clock that hung over her bedroom door ticking the seconds as they passed was the only sound she could hear, the seconds piling atop another, suffocating her underneath their weight. It was only after surrendering to sleep that she could actually breathe freely – the guilt was too much when she was conscious.

[princecharmingmendes]

Paris | Day One

When your parents decide to travel with your best friend’s family that you haven’t talked to in a while, who you have a massive secret crush on, what could go wrong, right? Right?! (best friends to lovers)

*It’s my first series, hope you love it!

*Word Count: 6.3k

*Warnings: cursing, slight angst and Shawnie boy being cute.

*Posted: December 7th, 2019

                                                          -*- 

Pants? Check! Gloves? Check! Fuzzy socks? Check! Charger? Check! Passport? Check! Phone? Shit! Where’s it again?! Oh, yeah, I’m holding it.

I rolled my eyes to my own stupidity finishing my mental packing checklist. I think I might have everything I needd with me. Well, I’ll only find out whenever I need something from across the ocean and notice that I probably forgot it on top of the sea of clothes that I decided not to pack laying on top of my bed.

I don’t even know why I’m so apprehensive about this whole family trip thing. We always travel together at least once a year, the only difference is that this time, the Mendes’ family would be joining us, which wasn’t the first time as well. I mean, maybe the first time in a few years, but still, nothing that I haven’t been through before. Shawn is not even going to be joining us! I mean, not that I care.

The buzz from my nightstand captured my attention from my thoughts and I stretched as best as I could to reach for my phone without getting up from the soft spot on my bed. I internally rolled my eyes at the photo of my younger sister lighting up the screen.

“Sup, kiddo?”

“I’m not a kid anymore, you know?” She said trying to contain the anger laced on her tone.

“Yeah, sure, whatever you say, kiddo”

“God, sometimes I really hate you”

“Awn, I love you too, Flo, so, why did call the most amazing human being on the whole wide world?”

“Y/N, seriously, you’re so annoying”

“Whatever, but, ‘seriously’” I said mocking her tone, earning a light chuckle from the other side of the line “what can I do for ya?”

“I’m just calling you to check if things are ready, mom’s been driving me crazy” Florence said and I swear to God that I could imagine her rolling her eyes in annoyance, but I could not blame her.

I mean, I love my mom, but she is a general when it comes to traveling, she needs to double check every little thing possible, finding mistakes where you could not even imagine. But after all that stress, you could be 100% sure that nothing would go wrong if she planned everything, because she had a plan “D” for everything. That’s right, a plan “D”.

“Everything’s in the right place, double checked and ready to go” I said between giggles.

“Great, she said you can leave in ten if you want, dad’s just finishing some stuff so that we can go to the airport”

“Kay, I think I’ll just go now, I’m pretty bored anyway”

“Fine, see you in ten”

“See you, kiddo” I said ending the call before she could kill me.

I took a deep breath and got up, closing my huge suitcase, but not before going through the whole mental checklist thing, and with all the strength I had, getting it on the floor. I grabbed my phone and tossed it on my backpack, put my sunglasses on the top of my head and got out of my small apartment. Took a deep breath again to lift my suitcase to put it on my car, and got it, starting it to go to my parents house.

It was weird saying their house, I mean, they bought it, so it’s theirs, but I sort of grew up there and I just recently moved out, so I guess I’m just getting over the fact that I don’t live with them anymore. It’s not like I live that far, it’s just that I decided to move closer to college to make my daily routine easier, so I moved to a small apartment that’s just a seven minute drive to campus, or a twenty minute walk. But it’s not like in a non insane traffic rush it would take me more than 10 minutes to get to their house. And since we moved almost five years ago to Toronto, we got much closer, since we had to readjust and make new social circles in the Big City, so I guess that’s why it’s so weird to me to not be around them the whole time.

After the whole nostalgic thoughts and a few jamming sessions on the car, I entered the building and parked on my spot, typing quickly on my phone saying that I was already there to my sister. She replied almost instantaneously, telling me to wait in the garage and that they were on their way down. So I just sat on the car, waiting for them, scrolling through social media and feeling my heart beat a little faster when I saw a picture Shawn posted on his stories, on a FUCKING airport. That had to be a coincidence. He wasn’t going to Paris with us, he simply couldn’t.

Let me get this story straight. My family and I used to live in a small town in Canada, called Pickering, and we used to be the Mendes’ neighbors. Our parents clicked almost automatically when they moved, because someone took French classes with someone when they were like seven and whatever, you know what I mean. So me and Shawn, Florence and Aaliyah kind of didn’t have an option on not becoming like best friends. Flo and Aaliyah had a similar age, my sister is 17 and Liyah is 16. Shawn is 21 and I’m 20, and since we’re literally at each other’s houses all the time, we automatically became best friends basically since the day we were born. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

The problem is that Shawn Peter Raul Mendes is the definition of perfection. He’s not just the hottest person to live on earth and probably the whole galaxy, but also the funniest, kindest, most talented and caring human being I’ve ever met. And there’s a bonus, he knew me better than anyone. So it was impossible to not fall for him when I discovered what that is/was. Okay, maybe not fall for him, but I did have a major crush on him growing up, but I never said anything, cause, duh, who would?! I’d never do anything that could make our relationship weird. Even because he never showed any signs telling me he felt something as well.

So yeah, I had to swallow seeing him with other girls, having a heartbreak because of other girls and all that with a smile on my face, like it didn’t feel like having someone pinching my heart every damn time. But what made everything worse was the day I found out we were moving to Toronto when I was like 15. I ran into his house, straight into his room and cried the whole night, and when I told him the reason why, he couldn’t hold it in, so he cried with me. In the end, he helped me pack and promised me that we would still be best friends, no matter where I was moving to, that he would call and text all day, that he would be only a couple miles away, and I believed him. And I can’t say he didn’t keep his promise, at least for the first year.

We would se each other every holiday and text non-stop, but than he started dating some random girl and suddenly, he couldn’t come on the holidays or answer my phone calls. And to avoid another heartbreak, I decided to let it go. It’s not like we don’t talk anymore or don’t see each other in years, it’s just that, it’s not the same as before. But I don’t blame him, this is inevitable, our lives are so different. He’s one year older and he travels a lot, he took a whole year just to wander around the globe with his friends, he’s in music school somewhere and is dating a girl that looks like just got out of a runaway. I’m just someone who finished high school and went straight to college to become a doctor, so my life is quite boring, I study a lot, work an insane amount of hours for a student with my stepfather to gain experience (and that’s it, no money for me), I’m finishing a research and my last fling didn’t go as well as I expected, turned out I was not his only one. So yeah, completely different lives.

He cannot come to this trip and mess with my head that I took many years to get in the right place. He simply can’t.

“Darling?” The voice of my mom reverberated through the whole garage startling the shit out of me.

“Geez, mom, are you trying to kill me or something?” I said jokingly standing up from the seat and going to greet them.

“It’s just a little revenge for every time you scared me”

“Hi, Y/N, where’s your suitcase?” Dad asked me kissing my forehead.

“Hi, dad, it’s in my car”

“Okay, you girls get your stuff on the car and I’ll grab the suitcases, Okay? Karen said they’re already here, waiting for us to go to the boarding area”

“Kay” Flo said getting her backpack and jumping on the backseat of the car. Mom was already on the passenger seat.

“Do you need help, dad?” I said as I watched him get my bag from my car, putting it into his.

“No, sweetheart, I’m done, the rest is already here, thanks”

With that, I just nodded and climbed on the car, that a few moments later was already on the streets of Toronto heading to the airport.

                                                         -*-

“Oh my God, is that Shawn?!” Flo whisper yelled to me, getting my attention that was on my phone to her. We were close to the check-in desk where our parents where checking-in our luggage.

“Dunno, don’t care”

“Oh, come on, Y/N, he’s your best friend and there’s like ages since you last saw him, it was on summer!”

“Yeah, so? Six months it’s not that much”

“God, you’re so annoying”

“What are you two already arguing about? This is vacation you guys, try to chill a little bit and behave, please” Mom said as they approached “Now let’s find Karen and Manny”

“I think they’re there, love” Dad said pointing towards what Flo said Shawn was, but I just didn’t want to look just yet.

“Oh, yes, that’s them, let’s go!”

Shit.

“Karen!” Was the first greeting to be heard as we got closer to the them, obviously it came from my mom, cause she was born without the power of being embarrassed.

“Oh my god! You look amazing!”

And than everyone started talking and hugging and all that stuff. I was a little behind, too focused on the level I was on CandyCrush to look up, but when I bumped into a wall I immediately looked up and tried to stabilize myself, but that was just a stupid idea. It wasn’t a wall. His scent was the first thing to make me weak on my knees. But than my eyes met his honey colored ones and that beautiful grin that showed all his perfect aligned teeth. And before I could fall on my butt, his strong hands gripped my waist firmly, steadying my body and keeping me close.

“Sh-Shawn” I sighed practically a whisper “oh, shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you” and all I could hear was my heart beating wildly and his melodic chuckle.

“S’okay, honey, still playing CandyCrush?”

“Uh... yeah, yeah, it’s a nice game”

“Yes, it is, God, you look so...”

“Y/N, my dear!” Karen cut her son in the middle of the sentence, making my heart skip a beat. I don’t know if I should thank her or be mad at her “Shawn, can you please let her go, I didn’t see her in a while too”

“Sure” He said, cleaning his throat and letting go of me, scratching the back of his neck. Am I really missing his hands on me?!

“Hi, Karen, how are you?” I said smiling politely before being engulfed in a bear hug.

“I’m extremely happy to be here with you guys, and you? Oh, you must have so much to tell me! You look so good, you get prettier everyday! Are you dating someone new? How college?” She asked too many questions making me dizzy for a second.

“Sweetie, calm down, you’ll be with her for a long time, don’t make her regret coming just now, hey there, Y/N” Manny said giggling, making Karen smack his arm playfully.

“I’m good, college is amazing, too much in such a little time, but still amazing. And thank you?!” I said trying to answer everything.

“That’s really good, dear, but don’t worry, we’ll have time to catch on everything”

“I’m pretty sure we will”

“Y/N!”

“Liyah! Loved your hair” I said hugging her.

“Oh, thanks!”

As we walked down the aisles to the boarding area, everyone was talking cheerfully to each other, catching on everything they could. I was a little behind in the middle of Flo and Liyah, listening to her new crush when I felt something reaching for my wrist, making me look back, seeing Shawn with a shy smile on his face, so I went a little to the side to walk beside him instead.

“I never greeted you properly”

“I guess you didn’t”

“Hi, Y/N, how are you?” He said reaching his hand out, I grabbed it smiling and you shook them.

“Hi, Mendes, I’m fine, and you?”

“So much better now” he said winking in my direction, making me blush lightly “I can’t believe that I can still make you all flushed that easily”

“Oh, shut up, pink cheeks”

“Oh, drop it, you’re sister’s right, you’re annoying as heck, but I still missed you”

I froze as the words fell off his lips.

“Everything okay, honey?” Shawn asked turning around with concern written all over his face “did I say anything wrong?”

“Hm?”

“You stopped out of the blue”

“Oh, I just remembered that I have no idea who I’m sitting with on the flight, ya know?”

“Oh, didn’t know that was a issue, are you still afraid of turbulence? Is that why?”

“Hm, yeah”

“Oh, than you can chill, you’re with me, your parents and mine put us together to catch up”

Great. Just what I needed.

“Oh, that sounds nice”

“So, how’s life?”

“Same”

“Really? But what about that guy... Roger?”

“Rick? Oh, turned out you were right and he was a dick”

“What did he do?! Did he hurt you?!”

“Well, he did cheat on me, so he kind of hurt me, but not physically”

Shawn mumbled something I couldn’t hear.

“What was that?”

“Hm? Nothing”

“Shawn...”

“Nothing, honey, I swear” he said looking straight ahead. So I decided to just drop it. He’s just too stubborn.

“So... how’s your life?”

“Mine? Great, I’m moving back to Canada”

“Really? When?”

“Actually, just moved back to Toronto like two days ago”

“I can’t believe it!”

“Me neither” Shawn chuckled “I was supposed to surprise you, don’t know, just show up at your door or college”

“You thought about surprising me?”

“Of course, you’re my best friend, honey”

“Oh”

“‘Oh’? Why do you sound this surprised?

“I don’t know, we just aren’t that close anymore, and we didn’t see each other for like six months, and you didn’t call on my birthday and...” I couldn’t finish because someone was asking for my documents and stuff.

So we went through the whole process and going through the gate, sitting down close to each other on the plane without a word. After what felt like ages, I felt something brushing the sides of my thigh. I look down and it’s Shawn’s knee bouncing. And for now, I just ignored it, knowing he had a lot to say, just wasn’t comfortable enough to do it now. So we got in the plane and sat on our seats, I sat next to the window, and I let him take the aisle due to his gigantic legs.

My headphones were quite loud when I felt the plane starting to move, making my hands grip the seat tighter involuntarily. Before I could start feeling sick to my stomach, I felt a hand covering my knee, giving it a little squeeze. I just breathed in a little deeper and looked at his face, but he was already looking at me. He leaned in, kissing my forehead and letting go of my knee, turning his palm up, so I instantaneously held it, threading my fingers with his.

“It’s okay, princess, you’re fine and I’m here with you, okay?” He said in a calm and low tone near to my ear, making my whole body melt into the seat “do you want me to do anything to make it better?” I just shaked my head “no? Is this enough?” I nodded “okay, so just breath for me, eh? Can you do that for me, honey?”

I nodded starting deep breaths and felt my hand being lightly squeezed, in encouragement.

When the plane was finally stable, I slowly let go of his hand and snuggled into the wall. I could feel Shawn’s stare on me, but I couldn’t simply look at him, so I just closed my eyes and focused on whatever artist’s voice was playing through my earphones.

An hour or so later, when everyone seemed to be asleep, including mister “I miss you”, my bladder decided to work, so I really needed to go to the bathroom. I got up and started trying to jump the sleeping giant by my side, but something made him stir wake while I was literally in the middle of jumping him, with his legs between mine, and he just grabbed me by my hips.

“Hm, Sorry, did I wake you?” I practically whispered, trying to gain some balance I placed my hands each side of his head on his seat.

“No, baby, whatcha doing?”

“I need to go to the bathroom”

“Oh, sorry” he said with his eyes not completely open, in a zone between sleep and consciousness.

I just gave him a tight lip smile and ran to the bathroom. Okay, did he just called me “baby”? I shook my head and threw cold water on my face. Getting back there made my heart get a little warmer. Shawn was laying with half of his body on my seat, with his arms crossed and the softest look on his face.

“Shawnie?” I whispered laying my hand on his chest and he whined still asleep “handsome, I need to get back to my place”

Shawn slowly opened his eyes again, rubbing his whole face, mumbling a “sorry” and sitting straight. I jumped his legs back and sat down.

“Do you want to lay on me, big guy?”

“Can I?”

“Sure” and as I said, he quickly lifted that seat divider and placed his head on my chest, snuggling on my side and wrapping his arms around me.

“Thank you, honey” he said as I started running my hand through his hair, making him groan softly, and in a matter of seconds, drift off to sleep again. So I just chose a random movie to play and tried to fall asleep, since I didn’t have much to do other than stay quietly because of Shawn standing basically on top of me.

Fortunately, I ended up dozing off pretty quickly, but half and hour later, I felt something on my neck making me wake up, but I didn’t want to open my eyes just yet.

“What?” I groaned as lowly as I could.

“Shh, baby, you can go back to sleep” Shawn murmured against the skin of my neck.

There he goes again with the baby thing.

“Shawn? What are you doing?”

“Nothing” he said nuzzling his face even deeper in my neck.

“Shawn?!”

“Shh, baby, there’s people trying to sleep, and you should be doing the same” he said and I felt his lips brush against my skin, giving me goosebumps.

“Seriously, what the hell are you doing?”

“I just missed you, do you want me to back off?” He asked and I pondered for a while, than I shook my head  and he mumbled a simple “good”.

He peppered light feather kisses along the side of my neck, making me feel those damn butterflies on my stomach, and also making me feel like I’m 13 all over again.

“Go back to sleep, honey” he said running his nose through the extension of my neck.

“You woke me, I can’t”

“Sorry, you’re just so warm and cozy, I couldn’t resist”

“Resist...?”

“You” Shawn said like it’s obvious giving a longer kiss on a particular sensitive spot, pulling from me a little whine and making me thread my fingers between his curls. Shawn chuckled lightly against my skin “yes, honey, anything you want to say?”

“You”

“What about me?” He said leaning his head against my shoulder, turning my head by my chin to look at him.

“You’re just confusing”

“I’m confusing?”

“Yes! Why did you wake up?”

“The person behind me tripped on my feet on their way back to his seat”

“Oh, I see that, do you... hmm...”

“Do I...?”

“Do you want to go back to sleep?”

“I wouldn’t mind” he said straightening his back and getting back to his seat.

“Where are you going?” I asked pouting involuntarily and he just smiled. More of a cocky grin than anything else.

“Just adjusting so you can lay on me”

“Oh, okay”

“C’mere, honey” he said patting his chest and I just laid there, wrapping my arms around his middle, and having him do the same “now sleeps, I’ll be right here”.

“Kay” and with that, he kissed the top of my head and held me even tighter, starting to play with my hair. How can you not immediately go back to sleep with that?

                                                         -*-

I woke up a while later with the sound of the flight attendant offering dinner to another people a few seats ahead of us. I grabbed my phone and saw that we still had a four hour flight to Paris and sighed. Well, at least I had a giant warm pillow by my side. I tried sitting properly but Shawn wouldn’t let go of me, so I just gave up and relaxed against his chest, grabbing my sketchbook to look through it.

I got so lost in over analyzing my past few drawings that I didn’t notice that he was awake and looking through them with me. At least, not until I quickly went through one that I didn’t finish and he placed his hand over the page, stopping me from turning it. I looked up to meet his honey colored ones already looking at me.

“What?”

“What is this one?” He said extremely low due to the nap we took, making me warm inside.

“It’s nothing, I didn’t even finish sketching it”

“Is it us?” He said taking his hand from the page and looking at it.

“It was supposed to be, it’s a recreation of that picture we took at your place on Christmas, wrapped up in christmas’ lights”

“Why?”

“Dunno, guess I just missed you a little bit more than usual that day”

“No, why didn’t you finish it?”

“Oh, sorry, I... I guess it seemed odd to draw the both of us, especially because at that time we weren’t even talking because of...”

“Yeah, and I’m sorry about that”

“It’s okay, I guess, it’s over”

“She was wrong though”

“Your ex? Obviously, she was jealous for no reason, you’ve never seen me as more than friends”

“And neither have you”

“Yes, I know that, she didn’t”

“I made a lot of dumb choices, eh?”

“Yeah, you did, Shawn”

“And I wish I could just go back and fix them”

“Fix what’s not broken? You don’t need to fix anything, I’m right here, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but you are hurt”

“Am I?”

“Honey... we need to talk about it, we’ll never go back to normal if we don’t”

“I don’t have anything to say, Shawnie”

“But I do, honey” he said taking a deep breath “I know I’ve been the shittiest friend in history, that you didn’t always come first in the past few months and I’m truly sorry for that. I’m also sorry for promising things to you that I didn’t keep, like always being there for you when you need me and stuff. And sorry for the ex girlfriends that made us go further apart, obviously for my mistake, but anyway, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that...”

“Shawn...”

“Please, Y/N, I really need to get that off my chest”

“And I will let you do that, is just that she’s...” I didn’t finish the sentence, just pointed to the flight attendant offering dinner.

“Oh, sorry” he said flashing her a smile that probably almost killed the poor woman. Yes, that’s Shawn Mendes effect.

We grabbed our trays, thanking her and placing them on the little table thing.

“Okay, keep going”

“Okay, and I’m sorry for everything I did you wrong, for example, not calling you on your birthday, just a quick text, but I just did that cause I was so ashamed of all of the things that I did to you, I almost didn’t come to this trip to not put any sort of pressure on you for forgiving me. But specially, the most important thing I should be apologizing for is for making you feel like you don’t mean the world to me and that you aren’t one of the most important women in my life, and I love you with my whole heart and I missed you like hell, and being away from you was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my entire life. And I never want this to happen again. I’m sorry, Y/N, for everything”

I couldn’t breath. Really, all the air that was on my lungs simply disappeared. I just stared my shoes for what felt like a really long time.

“Honey? Y/N? Are you okay? Do you need me to leave?”

Oh, okay, it was a long time.

“Hm, Sorry, I’m just trying to, ya know, absorb everything”

“Okay” he said stating the back of the seat in front of him.

“Hey” I said placing my hand on his thigh squeezing it lightly “it’s okay, big guy, I’m not mad at you, I love you too, and it’s okay, I just figured we were going through different times in life and stuff... but it’s okay”

“It shouldn’t be, you should hate me”

“Not really, but I just can’t” I said and he placed his hand on top of mine.

“I love you so much, Y/N”

“You’re my best friend, dude, you kinda have to”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s it” he said sighing.

“Isn’t it?”

“Of course it is, honey”

“Good, now can we eat? I’m starving” I said and he giggled.

“Yes, we can, Y/N”

After that, we chose a movie and started watching it. His hand made a discreet way to my knee, and I just looked at it, but didn’t say a word. The movie was a random rom-com movie and I can say it was starting to get boring, but since people around us were falling back asleep, we didn’t have much to do. I felt his fingers starting to come higher on my leg, stopping in the middle of my thigh.

“Shawn?”

“Hmm?”

“What are you doing?”

“Watching the movie”

“Hm, yeah?”

“Yup” he said popping the ‘P’.

“What’s the name of the main character?”

“Susan?”

“Yeah, you’re such a bad liar, where are you, big guy?”

“M’here”

“No, you’re not”

“I’m just... enjoying you...r company” he said tracing random figures with the pad of his thumb “I really missed you”

“What do you mean?”

“I just feel the need to touch you”

“Well, you are”

“I know”

“Do you mind?”

“Not really”

“Okay” he said squeezing my thigh and than grabbing both of them and putting them over his lap, pulling me even closer.

“Dear?” Karen called making us both jump in our seats “oh, sorry, didn’t mean to scary you”

“It’s okay” I said chucking and trying to take my legs from Shawn’s lap, but he wouldn’t let me move “what happened?”

“Nothing, I was just going to the bathroom and wanted to check on you guys on the way back, do you need anything?”

“We’re fine, mom, I think we can handle this”

“I know you do, sweetheart, doesn’t mean I don’t get worried”

“Well, everything’s great, Karen, thank you” I said giving her a smile, which she gave back.

“Okay, I’ll just go back to my seat, we have another two hours” she said going away.

“Shit, she scared me” I said and Shawn laughed “shhh”

“Oh shit, sorry”

“It’s okay, dummy”

And that’s pretty much how we spent the rest of the flight, laughing, talking and watching that movie.

                                                         -*-

A few hours later, we were already at the hotel, checked in and heading to our floors. Both of our parents were at the same floor. Me, Shawn, Flo and Liyah were almost at the top, both of our sisters were in the same room at the left of the hall, and me and Shawn were to the right, but each one in one room.

Five minutes after I closed the door, someone knocked on it, so I turned around and opened it. Shawn was standing awkwardly in the middle of the hall scratching the back of his neck.

“Yes? Can I help you?”

“Hm, nope, I thought maybe you needed some, with the bag and stuff”

“Well, I didn’t even take a look at the view, so I guess maybe? Well, you can come in, I don’t think I’ll be sleeping any time soon, we slept a lot during the flight”

“Yeah, exactly... so, where do you want me to place your bag?” He asked stepping into my room.

“Hm, there?” I said pointing to a random corner of the room and going to the balcony, opening the doors and heading outside, just staring at the view of the Eiffel Tower.

“Holy shit” Shawn mumbled behind me.

“Yeah, it’s so... magical”

“Mhmm” he said standing by my side “we’re lucky we both got his view”

“Really?”

“My room is right next door”

“Is it?”

“Yeah, I think we even have a door between them”

“Oh, wouldn’t you like that, Mendes”

“What do you mean?” He said flushing hard under the moonlight, making those stupid butterflies appear again, making me remember everything I’ve ever felt for him “honey?” He called making ME flush for being caught staring at him.

“Oh, shit, sorry, well, you always like to scare me randomly and stuff, so that would make things a lot easier”

“Do you think I’m twelve?”

“No, of course not, big guy, I’m 100% sure”

“Oh, please” he said rolling his eyes at me playfully and chuckling “let me check that door thing again”

I just laughed as he walked back to the room. I just leaned on the balcony railing, enjoying the view and the light breeze from the cold night, that was giving me light goosebumps. And for a second, just a little moment, I allowed myself to imagine what would be like to have something with Shawn. I mean, I’ve done that a lot when I was younger and stuff, but nowadays I just don’t allow myself to do that, not anymore.

But being with him would probably be amazing. He always do this thing where he just puts his whole heart into everything he does, especially when he loves it. So just imagine being with someone so passionate, and caring, and kind, and sweet, and smart, and hot as him. I just can’t see any bad points in it.

“What’s going on on that pretty little head of yours, honey?” Shawn said lowly next to my ear, making my heart skip a beat and almost die.

You see, I wouldn’t mind the closeness and stuff, cause that guy has no idea of what personal space means. BUT, I would always see it coming and prepare myself to not freak out. But I did not see him coming, and did not expect him to be right behind me, close enough so that I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck, since I was with my hair in a messy bun. His hands grabbed the railing in front of me, standing beside mine. Shit, he’s close.

“Nothing”

“Mhmmm, I don’t believe you” he said pressing his lips gently on my skin, making me bite me bottom lip to hold back a whimper.

“I... it’s nothing”

“See, it is something” he said rubbing the tip of his nose against the extension of my neck “I know you, baby, just tell me”

“I was just thinking how this trip would be a perfect scenario for me to be with someone... you know... romantically involved with someone”

“Oh” he said and I could feel his arms tensioning around me “anyone in particular?”

“Hm?” I said playing with my fingers but I felt one of his hands on my waist, turning me around to face him, but I just couldn’t, so I stared at our feet.

“So...? Anyone?”

“Oh, shit, sorry, no... not a single soul in particular, no one, no”

“Sure?”

“Yeah, sure”

“Yeah, don’t believe you right now, but I think I’m going back to my room to let you rest, you seem really tired”

“Do I?”

“Yes, you can’t seem to concentrate on what I’m saying, and you were staring at nothing in particular when I got here, so I guess you’re just tired”

“Yeah, that’s probably it”

“So... let’s go back inside?”

“Mhmmm”

“Honey?”

“Hm?” I mumbled looking up for the first time since he turned me around, and I regretted it almost instantaneously, why did he have to look so fucking good? And than he smiled, making me feel like my legs were turning into jello, making me grab his arms for support.

“Do you want me to carry you to bed?”

“I need to take a shower first”

“Okay, let’s do it like this, I’ll take you to the bathroom and I’ll let you shower and I’ll leave the door between our bedrooms open, so I can shower and come back before you, than I’ll tuck you in bed and go back to my room, okay? Sounds nice?”

“You’re perfect” I said without thinking and than flushing, because I noticed what just left my mouth.

He just chuckled wrapping his arms around my middle, taking me off the ground and to the bathroom, placing me on top of the sink. He went back to the room and returned a few moments later with my PJs, my shower bag and my bag of underwear.

“I’ll leave you to shower and stuff, and whenever you’re ready, I’ll be waiting for you in your room, okay, honey?”

“Okay” I basically whispered and he smiled, placing a delicate kiss on my forehead before leaving.

I just hopped off the counter top and locked the door, stepping into the shower a few moments later. A nice steaming hot shower later, I had my hair in a messy ponytail, makeup free face, lotion on my body, fuzzy socks and sweats on, and with that, I stepped out of the bathroom only to die a little more.

The room was already dark, only with the tv on, my things were nicely organized on the nightstand or on top of the suitcase, and Shawn... He was laying in the middle of my bed, with his curls a little damp, wearing his flannel plants and hoodie, barefoot, scrolling through some social media, oh so casually. God, he’s going to kill me without even trying.

“Hi” I said in a really soft tone, softer than I intended.

“Oh, hi, honey, are you ready for bed?” He asked and I just nodded “c’mere” he said opening his arms for me and I just crawled into bed with him, getting lost in the warmth of his body and scent.

“You’re the most caring person I’ve ever met”

“Thank you, I truly try to be”

“I know, and you are, and I love you”

“I love you too, Y/N, you have no idea”

Oh, I do.

“Thank you, for everything”

“You don’t have to thank me... but I won’t turn this into a discussion, so... what time are we getting up tomorrow?”

“Dunno, what time is it?”

“A quarter past midnight”

“8:30? So we can be downstairs at 9 am for breakfast? They said they’re going to leave the hotel at ten o’clock sharp so if we do this, we’ll have time”

“Yeah, that’s nice, but since I’ve been to Paris before, if you wanna do something separate or something they don’t want to, just tell me, and I’ll take you anywhere”

“Okay, great to know I have my own tourist guide” I said between a yawn and he chuckled.

“Okay, I really need to let you sleep” he said letting go of me and getting up, straightening the duvet on top of me and kissing my forehead “goodnight, honey, knock if you need me, okay?”

I nodded and held his hand.

“What, baby?”

“Thank you, for apologizing and making up for it, I missed you too” I said and he gave me a half smile.

“I’m still on the process, I hope someday I’ll be able to make it up to you”

“You already have... I... goodnight, Shawn” I said nuzzling on my pillow and letting go of his hand, but not before squeezing it lightly.

“Goodnight, Y/N” he said almost like a whisper as he left the room and I let the slumber take over me.

                                                         -*-

*Please reblog or like this post if you liked it so I'll know if I'm supposed to keep posting this series thing.

*I'm sorry if there are any spelling mistakes.

*Please do not repost this without giving me the credit, this is a completely original piece and I do not give permission to copy this!

*Hope you guys enjoyed it!

*xoxo*

-🌙

[maximoff-pan]

dating steve harrington and being a henderson would include...(part one)

this doesn’t include season 3 as I haven’t finished watching it yet, but if you want, I’m totally willing to do a part two that includes season 3

feedback is much appreciated :)

Early Relationship/Enemies

When you first met Steve, you couldn’t stand him...

No seriously, he was everything you could possibly hate about a person

Arrogant, annoying, an utter asshole......you get the idea

Unfortunately when Nancy (your best friend, and your brother’s friend’s sister) starts dating Steve, it means you have to see him more than you’d like to

When Nancy drags you to Steve’s party, you end up hanging out with Barb (poor Barb)

You’re 100% annoyed to be there

“You lost Henderson?”

Just when you thought he couldn’t be more of a douchebag.....he actually has the audacity to talk to you.....I mean, the nerve on that boy

Okay so that might be a little dramatic....but

No party is worth having to socialize with ‘King Steve’

Just the thought of his stupid persona makes you want to gag

“Go fuck yourself Harrington.”

“Ah, so that’s the route we’re taking tonight....profanity.”

Honestly, Steve has always admired you, despite your frosty relationship in high-school

You’re one of the only girls who doesn’t fall at his feet

It’s really refreshing and kinda hot......

nope, no, Steve does not like you, (Y/n) Henderson.....no way, that’s crazy, right?????

Besides, he’s dating Nancy

ANYWAY.....

He’s really impressed when you stand up to him and Tommy H. to protect Jonathan

Honestly, you take no shit from anyone, especially Steve Harrington, even if he is really dreamy....

Wait what? You do not like Steve Harrington....nuh uh

Okay maybe a little

Sorta Friends

In the next few months, he and Nancy break up

It’s weird, because you try to console Nancy about it, yet she doesn’t seem to care

She’s too interested in Jonathan

Which totally shocks you because despite your rocky relationship with Steve, you thought he seemed like a great boyfriend, and that they were happy together

This is when you and Dustin run into Steve while looking for Mike

Boy did this whole Dart situation have you on edge....you’re sure you look like crap

But there’s no way you look worse than Steve

“You look worse for wear Harrington.”

“You don’t look too great yourself Henderson.”

Cue arguing for a good few minutes

Dustin is fed up

He does not understand any of this argument whatsoever....he just wants to find Mike

“Hey Steve, you still got that bat?”

Friends to Something More

This is when your relationship starts to change

Steve starts getting closer with Dustin and you can’t help it

Goddamn he just had to make you like him

You end up saving each other’s asses a few times when fighting the demogorgons

“Steve, on your left!”

Wacking the fuck out of one of them as they approach Steve

“Thanks Henderson”

“It’s no big deal.”

To Steve, it is a big deal

He’s never seen you like this, and he’s starting to forget why you hated each other

Both being protective of the kids AF

When Billy comes to find Max, it’s Harrington and Henderson to the rescue™️

NO ONE is going to hurt those kids, not on your watch

Steve getting knocked out in the process

Allowing the kids to try and help save everyone

When Steve wakes up to see you driving, let’s just say, he’s not happy

“What the fuck Henderson? Are you trying to get us all killed?”

“Sorry you were too busy losing a fight to make decisions.”

Bickering back and forth

Mike is done with it pretty quickly

“God, just getting married already.”

Que utter silence.......

Everything ends up turning out fine

El closes the gate

Steve asks you who El is....

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later.”

“You wanna hang out later Henderson?”

“Yeah, I guess I do Harrington.”

Dustin noticing how close the two of you are getting and sees the opportunity to tease you

“StOP FlirTINg WIth mY siStER HarRinGToN!”

On the night of the snowball, you go with Steve to drop off Dustin

“Aw, my baby brother, all grown up.”

“Shut up (Y/n).”

Dustin does the purring thing on his way out of the car

You cringe at him

“Never do that again Dusty.”

Steve and Dustin both laugh

“That’s what I’ve been telling him.”

“Yeah yeah.”

Dustin points to the two of you

“Keep it pg 13. I really don’t want to come out here to see you two making out in the car.”

Steve blushes so much and you think it’s really cute

Making out with Steve definitely wouldn’t be so bad

Something More

While Dustin is at the snowball, you head back to your place

You put in a movie, make some popcorn, and plop yourself down on the couch

Steve lets out a loud sigh and wraps his arm around your shoulders

“Getting a little cozy there, Harrington?”

He blushes again and pull his arm back

“Sorry.”

“No no! I’m kidding! I liked it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

He leans back and you two cuddle together

You snuggle together for a while, before Steve leans down and whispers in your ear...

“I really like you Henderson.”

You’re shocked

Especially after everything with Nancy

You never thought when you’d started this whole demogorgon shit show that you’d end up falling for Steve Harrington

But here you are....

“I like you too Harrington.”

You’re sitting quietly for a couple of minutes just taking each other in, when suddenly Steve breaks the silence

“Can I kiss you?”

You do a double take, but quickly get yourself composed again

You grin

“Yeah you dork. You can kiss me.”

Kissing Steve is like nothing you’ve ever experienced

Just a few months ago, you had hated him

And now you’re making out with him in your living room

It’s surreal and he’s really putting everything into it

You can feel how much he cares about you

“Steve.”

“(Y/n).”

That’s one of the first times either of you has used the other’s first name in a long time

You break apart at the same time

“Wow.”

He stares at you

“Yeah, wow.”

You make out for a while before going back to the movie, and cuddling some more.....this time a lot closer

You don’t mean to fall asleep, but it’s sooooo comfortable

I mean, Steve is just so warm and you can’t help it

Steve falls asleep next to you, you in his arms, a smile on both of your faces

Everything is right

Bonus

A few hours later, your front door slams open

In walks an utterly annoyed Dustin Henderson

He trudges into the living room, his eyes trained on the floor

“I honestly cannot believe you two.” He yells without looking up.

When you don’t respond, he gets more frustrated

“Hey assholes! You forgot to pick me up.”

He finally looks up to see you curled into Steve, asleep on the couch

“Oh come on Harrington! Really, my sister?” He mumbles jokingly as he walks towards the stairs

Taking one last glance at the two of you, he grins noticing this opportunity

He runs up and grabs your camera, running back to you and Steve

Capturing a picture, he laughs

“Who knew my sister had more game than me?....”

Let’s just say, you and Steve never live that picture down

[trashtheater101]

Prompts

Been meaning to make this for a while: Free list of skele-prompts! No credit needed (although I’d love to read it if you make one, maybe drop me a note?), and feel free to change ANY of the details or ships. This list is meant to ✧INSPIRE✧ not restrict. 

These are largely old ideas that I realize I’m probably never going to get around to writing myself and thought I’d share. Mostly Papcest, but there’s some left open for Fontcest and Sanscest, and you can always change it up. I probably forgot some, so I’ll add to it as I remember them.

RoyalMoney (Poppy/Cash)

Poppy is a wealthy, and unbearably bored Nigerian prince. Kept safe and sound, a prisoner in the castle by his overprotective brother, Poppy is allowed only limited contact with the guards or servants, and nothing at all with the outside world. When a thief breaks in through his bedroom window (captured easily by the Great Prince Poppy! He’s sheltered, not helpless!), Poppy can't help being intrigued… [His brother can shove it; He’s decided to keep this one.]

Fellcest (Red/Edge)

Red is a scientist. Or at least he used to be. He’s studied the wonders of the universe, tested the limits of time-space, and even broken through the divides between worlds. […none of it compared to learning the way his brother reacts to flirting.]

SpicyHoney (Edge/Stretch(Rus))

Edge is a loyal knight, through and through, and Rus is the true heir to the throne. Edge is determined to protect him no matter the cost. Even now that the kingdom has been overthrown and they were barely able to escape with their lives. Even now that they must keep moving, and live in hiding, lest Rus be captured and executed. Even though Rus is used to being pampered and spoiled, and Edge is the only one left to treat him with the sort of devotion and reverence that a true prince deserves. [Originally a Edge x Anyone, but the pouty, stubborn prince kept morphing into Rus, soooo…]

Edge and Stretch are stuck in a car together for a long trip, and expect to bicker the whole time. Unfortunately 5 minutes in one of them accidentally confesses. Neither are prepared for this, and now the car ride is spent dealing with THIS instead... oh dear… 

Stretch needs to get a physical. Cool, no big, even doctors aren’t sure what to do with a pile of bones, so no point in being embarrassed, and—bonus!—most don’t know how skeleton magic works, so he gets to skip the more invasive stuff. Except—wait—this time his doctor is a skeleton? A really hot skeleton?? And since Stretch is missing so much from his chart, he’s getting a THOROUGH exam??? ...great… [Bonus points for Stretch aggressively flirting to hide his nerves, “w-wow doc. i don’t usually spread my legs before the first date, haha. guess you must be special.”]

SpicyBBQ (Edge/Slim)

Edge’s new lamia is a dominant type, strong, and eager to breed him. But Edge isn’t inclined to submit, and he’s pretty sure he knows exactly how to tame his horny pet. [Succeed or fail, both are tasty~.]

MapleBlossom (Slim/Papyrus)

Slim is the lead singer/guitarist/drummer in an up and coming band. Hanging out at an afterparty of one of his shows, some cute little groupie, or a fan, or whatever, catches his attention when they start chatting him up. Slim is charmed, and while he’s got a pretty firm rule about not fucking the fans, he’s gotta make an exception this time. He’s gonna rock this groupies world. [Except that Papyrus isn’t a groupie. Or a fan. He was just invited along by a friend and thought this stranger might want someone to talk to. But boy is he flattered by all the attention! Is this… flirting?!?] 

SweetMoney (Sugar(HT!Pap)/Cash)

Taking his first ever train trip to the big city, Sugar ends up sitting next to a stranger. Cash seems friendly enough on the ride, but when they get off he refuses to leave??? He keeps insisting it’s too dangerous for someone like Sugar to be alone in the city, and that all well and good, but Sugar’s pretty sure he has a stalker now??? Blood had warned him about this… oh well… For a stalker, Cash is awfully charming. 

Edge x _______

Edge is an Alpha. All the Papyruses are Alphas, so of course he’s an Alpha. He is the most Alpha-y-est Alpha to ever Alpha, thank you very much. And as long as he keeps taking his Alpha-supplements, surely no one will be any the wiser. But the supplements can only repress his instincts so much when he’s surrounded by so many fine, aggressively-dominant Alphas. And let’s be real, how long would it really take a group of Alphas to notice an Omega in their midst? [Easily could be one-on-one, but this prompt is feeling pretty gang-bang-y to me~] 

In hindsight I think I may have seen this idea around before (so let me know if it’s already a thing…), but Edge as a Heinz Doofenshmirtz-(Or like MegaMind, Dr. Horrible, fuckin.... Team Rocket??)-style villain! Over the top dramatic! But also pretty ridiculous... But definitely EVIL!!!!! But also is he though??? Red is his henchman. His love interest can be the Hero, but also could be his usual kidnapping victim, or the cute skele from the laundry mat, or I suppose his henchman, or a brand-new unique dynamic! 

Loud Top Edge. That’s really all I’ve got for this prompt. It really didn’t have to be under Edge specifically… you could make it anyone, but I was thinking of Edge. ...as just... a… noisy… really verbal top... yeah...~<3

Papyrus x _______

Someone has been stealing apples from Papyrus’s apple orchard, and he is determined to catch the culprit! [Well, it turns out the culprit happens to be very attractive and that is a whole new, very different problem!]

Papyrus x _______/Sans x _______

Undertale is Universe 0. It’s the base, the original, the one every universe is spun off of. As such, there is some sort of general law of attraction pulling all the copies towards their originals. Or at least, that’s Sans’s theory anyway. That would explain all these Sans’s that keep hitting on him and—don’t think i don’t notice the rest of you making passes at my bro-! are you looking for a b a d  t i m e ? 

Bonus Lamia prompt

[A]’s lamia goes into a submissive heat. No matter what they do, however, [A] can’t seem to satisfy them. A quick google search reveals their lamia is looking to be bred with eggs, but—uh—[A] can’t produce eggs, and neither of them really want kids yet anyways, and—hey, you can buy safe to insert pseudo-eggs!—Don’t worry baby, I’m gonna give you just what you need~ 

- - - - -

A list of loose themes and thoughts. Poke through and see if anything catches your attention. Or maybe mix some together? (Conveniently numbered for a random number generator!) 

1. Bitties

2. Asleep on shoulder

3. Shopping trip

4. Bandaging after sparring 

5. Broken down car

6. Attractive salesman

7. Trapped in a box~ 

8. Good old fashioned temporary amnesia 

9. Is that a dog in your jacket? 

10. “If you touch him I will END you...!”

11. Crossover

12. Lamias

13. The meal was unrecognizable...You eat it anyways. 

14. Classic fairytale, but with a twist! 

15. A more obscure fairytale. (With all the ‘wtf??’s they tend to entail.)

16. “Please tell me you meant to do that...”

17. Ectoboobies

18. “God, you’re so hot… You look hot! SWEATY! Do you want a drink!?!?”

19. “F-FLIRTING? SO YOU FINALLY REVEAL YOUR ULTIMATE FEELINGS!?”

20. Borrowed pajamas

21. Candle light

22. BEACH DAY

23. Someone not normally collared: collared~! 

24. “Sit down and shut up! ...I’m going to serenade you now.”

25. “What will it take to make you realize I’m no good for you?” 

26. Running out of water

27. Physically shielding from harm

28. Can’t stop staring

29. Broke something important

30. He only ever acted like this when he was covered in dust…

31. Well... people always say you should marry a doctor

32. “I think I’m falling for you” 

33. “Guess you fell for me~” 

34. A bad vacation

35. Missing the bus 

36. A WAY too fancy restaurant

37. Good morning kiss

38. That’s probably a serial killer chasing you tbh. 

39. Lost & alone… 

40. Annoying Dog is secretly a matchmaker

41. A goodbye note

42. Freezing cold

43. A slow dance after the lights go down

44. Exploring

45. Hey! You’re that actor/singer/etc I like-! Why are you grinding on me!?!? 

46. “I failed you…”

47. A non-traditional Heat symptom

48. Soul-bonding: the aftermath. 

49. 2 dudes sittin in a hot tub, 5 ft apart cause they’re very gay and sorta nervous and-gosh-it sure is hot in this hot tub… 

50. Flowey: “Okay, look. I don’t normally give advice but…”

[raibebe]

Softer than expected

Genre: Fluff(?) (some more explicit stuff is mentioned though) Words: 4.516 (I’m sorry this somehow got really out of hand) Prompts: I think I’ve fallen for you, I can’t take my eyes off of you, My heart feels like it’s about to explode For @herlastdancewithhim (I don’t know why it won’t let me tag you...) A/N: I don’t know why this took me so long, I’m really sorry, it’s also not really fluffy but it’s all I could come up with all those lines. I tried really hard to keep it somewhat PG, but if someone wants an extended version, hit me up.  Also bonus points to everyone who can spot all the members I’ve hidden not so subtle and who can name the era.  Aaaand special thanks to @jookyunhoevercoupshoe for helping me with this one ❤

The air of the club was filled with smoke and sweat and the bass resonated heavy inside your bones but what really took your breath away was the stranger you had been dancing with for the last couple of songs. His bright orange hair had caught your eye in the crowd of people and when you had gotten closer to him, you liked what you saw. He was moving effortlessly to the heavy beat, wearing a plain black tank top which showed off his toned arms nicely and leather pants which seemed to fit around his broad thighs like a second skin. And he wasn’t shy either. When you had shamelessly rolled your body along his to get his attention - because the alcohol buzzing in your veins had whispered to you that it would be a very good idea - he didn’t hesitate to put his strong hands on your hips so you could sway to the beat in union. 

It didn’t take long until the atmosphere between you two became more heated. It just needed one particular hard thrust of your hips and you could feel him growl low in his chest before he gripped your hips harder and ground himself against the curve of your ass. His tight pants didn’t really hide anything, making a moan escape your lips while you rested your head on his muscular chest. “You are so hot, babe,” he growled in your ear, letting his teeth graze over your pulse point. Your breath hitched when you could feel him grow against your ass. “You want to take this somewhere else?” You asked, turning around in his hold and pressing your body flush with his.

Instead of answering, the handsome man captured your lips with his plush ones in a heated kiss, letting his actions speak for him. When his teeth softly sank into your bottom lip, you went pliant in his hold, locking your arms around his neck for support and opening your lips to beckon his tongue inside. His tongue moved along yours eagerly, exploring your mouth. Breaking the kiss, he whispered: “Hold on tight, princess,” before grabbing your ass tightly and hoisting you up. Squealing you wrapped your legs around him, now feeling how aroused he really was.

Not caring about what anyone in the crowded club might think of you, he walked the two of you more to the back of the club where he rested your back against a wall in a dark corner before he connected your lips again and ground himself up against your clothed core. Breaking away from him, a moan left your swollen lips. The stranger wasted no time and attacked your neck with gentle nips and open mouthed kisses. “Shit, you can leave marks, it’s okay, babe,” you breathlessly told him, circling your hips in his hold. Cursing and pressing himself tighter against you, he gritted out “Jooheon, my name is Jooheon.” before biting down hard on the sensitive spot right above your pulse point, sucking on the tender flesh.

His name left your lips in a moan, drawing out the second syllable in a plea for more. “Fuck, you sound so pretty moaning my name.” “Then make me moan it until I’m hoarse,” you demanded with another roll of your hips. An arrangement of curses left his lips before he answered. “My roommate is out tonight and my place is not too far from here.” “Then what are you waiting for?” You asked him, gripping the short hair on the back of his neck tightly and kissing his bobbing Adam’s apple. Almost gentle he released his grip on your ass and lowered you back to the ground only to back you up into the wall again, shoving his knee between your legs, making your mouth fall open in a silent moan. He grinned almost animalistic and his hands found your hips again, grinding your clothed core against his muscular thigh. You could already feel the pleasure building inside you just from rubbing yourself against him. “Does that feel good, princess?” Jooheon breathed against the bruise that he had made on your skin. You could just whimper in response, throwing your head back, quickening the pace on his thigh. “Fuck, you look so gorgeous riding my thigh like that. Just imagine what I could do to you once I have you naked in my bed.” You had to use all of your remaining willpower to stop yourself from grinding down on his thigh to chase your high like this. “Then take me there.”

­~

Waking up to the morning sun tickling your face, you carefully got out of Jooheon’s bed, gathering your clothes. You really hoped his roommate wasn’t up yet, you weren’t ready for a walk of shame this early in the morning. Looking back at your lover from last night, you felt somewhat fond of him. His features were relaxed and he was clutching tightly onto his blanket.

You quickly opened some of his drawers before pulling out paper and a pen and scribbling down your phone number and your name. Maybe he would call you, so he could fulfil his promise of making you scream his name.

 >>----------------------------------- several months later -----------------------------------<<

Looking yourself up and down in your full length mirror, you were pleased with what you saw. Even though it was your turn to be the designated driver for tonight and you wouldn’t drink nor leave your friends for some hook-up, you still had dolled up: You were wearing your favourite pair of distressed denim jeans and a black top that left most of your back uncovered. One of your roommates had done your make-up as well. It wasn’t much but it accentuated your features nicely.

“Is everyone ready?” You shouted into your shared apartment while slipping on a pair of comfortable black sneakers. After several agreeing shouts, your three roommates emerged from their rooms as well, all dressed very sexy and wearing heels to make up for their short height.

“So where is this party again?” You asked when everyone made their way downstairs to get to the car. “It’s just a short drive downtown,” one of your friends gave you her phone where she had already typed the address into Google Maps. “I really hope the hot dudes from last time will be there as well,” your best friend sighed, throwing her long blonde hair over her exposed shoulders. The last time you four had been to one of those house-parties two weeks ago, a group of really attractive men had been attending as well. Two of them had even danced with some of you but it hadn’t led to anything more even though your friends had apparently slipped them their phone numbers. “You think you can score this time?” You teased while starting the car. “If none of them reacts to me in this dress, they are not interested in girls, I swear to god,” the blonde laughed confidently. “Yeah, your boobs are about to fall out,” another roommate pointed out. “So is your ass,” she retoured and stuck her tongue out.

Your friends bickered like that for the whole drive to the venue which turned out to be a really expensive looking apartment building. “You sure this is the place?” You asked after you had safely parked the car.  “It’s the address my friend send me.” Looking up the building you could see colourful LED lights on one of the balconies and if you were quiet you could faintly hear some music.

“Seems to be the place,” one of the girls concluded and pulled you with her to the entrance of the building where a security guard was seated in the lobby, who - by the way he looked at you - already knew you were here for the party upstairs. Before telling you the level you had to go to, he asked you all to show your IDs so no one underage was attending the party. But you had the suspicion he just wanted to take a closer look at your friends in their very revealing clothes.

When you were all stuffed in the small elevator, you repeated the ground rules you had set up when partying: “So, if anyone doesn’t come back home with me, tell me. I won’t drive any hook-ups, so please take a cab then and please no one puke in the car.” Your friends nodded in union. The last time one of your friends had driven a hook-up home with you, it had been more than awkward, so you had decided to add that to your basic rules.

The doors of the elevator opened with a soft noise and you were standing in a big white living room. Exiting the elevator, your jaw dropped open. Not only was the apartment huge but every item in the room looked like it was more expensive than the whole furniture in your entire apartment. Loud EDM music was blasting through various speakers and the room was lit with several mood lights that were changing colour according to the beats of the song. “I feel weirdly out of place,” you confessed to your friends who were equally astonished as you were.

“Welcome ladies,” a deep voice welcomed you. It belonged to a man with ash grey hair who was wearing tight leather pants and a plain white shirt which he didn’t bother to button up all the way, exposing part of his chest. He had been at the last party as well but you couldn’t remember his name and you were pretty sure he was one of the ‘hot dudes’ your best friend had referred to in the car. “I’m Changkyun and this is basically my party, so please enjoy yourselves. If you have any suggestions for music you can tell them to my friend over there,” he pointed to a tall man with platinum blonde hair standing behind actual turntables, who seemed to be really immersed in setting up, hooking up his laptop to one of the devices on the table. “Drinks are in the kitchen which is just over there, feel free to help yourself,” Changkyun pointed his own cup in the direction. “But if you ask nicely I’ll even mix you something special,” he added with a wink and made his way over to another group of girls, swaying his hips to the beat as he went.

“Shit, he’s still hot,”  one of you girls commented with a deep sigh which made you and the others burst out in laughter. “Maybe tonight is your lucky night,” you tried to cheer her up and pulled her with you to the kitchen area which seemed equally expensive.

Different bottles of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages were littered atop the marble countertops as well as a huge bowl of what seemed like a fruit-punch where a man with shiny dark brown hair wearing a dark choker was adding a deliberate amount of what seemed like rum. In this case deliberate was a whole bottle. After tasting it he seemed not quite satisfied yet and grabbed another bottle and emptied half of it as well. “I’m so getting wasted on that,” your best friend giggled and headed over to the man and leaned next to him on the counter, batting her eyelashes at him. You had to suppress a laugh when his eyes trailed down to her exposed cleavage before his brows set into a deep, disapproving scowl and his gaze was fixed back to her face.

Helping yourself to just coke (or Pepsi since that was all they had) your little group went back to the living room which had become much more packed with people in the meantime and sat down on one of the big white leather couches, enjoying your drinks and observing the crowd, definitely not low-key judging the other women’s clothing, make-up or hair choices. “I really don’t understand why you would wear that baby blue lace top with that weird shiny white skirt,” you said disapprovingly, pointing to a petite girl who was obvioulsy already drunk and tried really hard to get attention from the handsome DJ. “She doesn’t even have the ass for the skirt and her eyeliner is almost connected to her eyebrow,” a male voice jumped in on your conversation and a blonde man with a bright smile sat down next to you and handed over brightly coloured shots to all of you, which you politely declined. Shrugging he just drowned two, not even flinching while your friends were making all kinds of weird faces and tried to immediately wash the taste away with their drinks. “What on earth was that?” If it was possible, the man smiled even brighter, looking mischievous. “Just my special mixture for tonight: raspberry liquor, tequila and lemon juice.” “And why exactly would you mix those three together?” One of the girls asked after she had drowned her punch. “Goes straight to your head, I���ll see you on the dance floor in about ten minutes,” he winked and gathered the shot glasses before disappearing as fast as he had appeared.

He hadn’t been wrong, when the handsome DJ (who had gathered a crowd around him already) played a remix of Sandstorm all of your friends decided it was time to dance. Squished between them, you stared to lose yourself to the beat, swaying your body.

~

When your clothes started to stick to your body, you excused yourself outside to cool off. Sighing loudly when the cool air of the night hit your heated body, you sat down on a bench, catching your breath. You figured it was already close to midnight and the sky was pitch-black.

“You okay there?” Startled by the voice that ripped you out of your thoughts, you almost fell from the narrow bench if he hadn’t caught your arm to steady you. “Had a drink or two too many?” He asked with a tender voice when he let go of your arm and sat down next to you. “None actually, you just surprised me,” you replied, heart still racing. But when you looked up at him, it almost stopped beating. You would recognise that bright orange hair anywhere: Lee Jooheon.

You and him had hooked up a couple of times a few months ago. The first time both of you were drunk and made out in the back of a club which had led not only to you basically riding his thigh and dry humping him in said club but also to hushed sex in his apartment because he didn’t know when his roommate would be back. A week later he had drunk-texted you, telling you how none of the woman in the club were as hot as you and how badly he wanted to show you what he was actually capable of when he had the time to please you. Why you had agreed to see him that night was still a mystery to you because you had been completely sober and were supposed to just have a chill night in with your friends. It had been worth it though aside from the teasing you had to endure the next week from your friends because your thighs had been covered in hickeys when you had come back home later that night. 

After that the hook-ups became somewhat frequent. Your friends had even started to call him your special friend with benefits. But you actually didn’t see him except when you hooked up. You also didn’t really know anything about him apart from his sexual preferences, so you wouldn’t really call him a friend. But it had been exciting. You could basically try anything with him and didn’t have to be ashamed because he couldn’t really judge you and even if he did you could just have ended it and would never see him again. Or that was what you had thought.

Because after a couple of weeks he was suddenly sitting in one of your classes, the bright hair very hard to miss even in the big auditorium. You had hoped that he would just not recognise you in the crowd but because faith hated you, he made friends with some people you studied with from time to time. They had asked whether you knew Jooheon because you were reacting so funny when he had joined your group in the library to study, but you firmly denied and ignored him the whole time he had tried to talk to you.

It might have been childish but you had stopped coming to that study group and chose another one. Also you had just sent him a simple ‘I’m not doing this anymore’ text before blocking his number so he couldn’t text you back. You didn’t really know what you were afraid of but the thought of dealing with him in your daily life when you had done some really explicit stuff with him in the bedroom was just too embarrassing for you.

And now he was sitting in front of you. Fate really did hate you. On top of that Jooheon looked breathtakingly good tonight, you had to admit that: He was wearing a simple black T-Shirt that was nicely fitted to his body. A silver chain was hanging from his neck and his legs were clad in tight black jeans. He had styled his hair upwards exposing his forehead.

You didn’t know what to say or how to react because you had basically ghosted him for the past months. Every time you had spotted his hair in any sort of crowd you had made sure to be surrounded by as many people as possible so he wouldn’t come to talk to you which had worked surprisingly well.

“You look really pretty today,” Jooheon broke the awkward silence and looked you up and down once. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of you when you were dancing earlier,” he added, voice barely more than a whisper, leaning closer to you.

Groaning, you pushed him away and buried your face in your hands. “Can we please not do this, Jooheon?” “Do what?” “I told you I can’t do this anymore, not when you are part of my daily life,” you tried to explain yourself, feeling the blush creeping up your face. “We don’t have to do anything. I just tried to be polite and made you a compliment,” he tried to play it down. “I’ve seen you naked, goddammit. You can’t just go around and talk to me like nothing ever happened”, you groaned again and got up, walking towards the railing of the balcony. You needed space. “So if you hadn’t seen me naked, it would be okay if I complimented you?” He asked from where he was still sitting on the bench, voice strained. “Just go back inside, Jooheon. What are you even doing here? It’s not even a college party.” “I’m friends with Changkyun,” he just stated calmly.

After a moment of silence, Jooheon walked up next to you and propped himself up against the railing next to you. “So what are you doing out here all alone, pretty?” He asked in a nonchalant tone. “My name is Jooheon, by the way.” You looked at him with an open mouth. What was he doing? “So you are not going to tell me your name? The more mysterious type, hm?” He continued. Was he pretending he didn’t know you so he could talk to you now? Perplexed you told him your name. “That’s a really pretty name. Are you a student?” He was really going through with this. And it didn’t seem like he just wanted to hook-up again. He sounded genuinely interested even though he knew damn well that you were a student. Narrowing your eyes at him, you just nodded. “Oh wow, me too. Strange that we would meet here at a party that’s not related to college. So what are you studying?” “I’m a journalism major,” you answered truthfully and actually interested in what Jooheon was studying that he was in a class with you. He didn’t really strike you as the type to take literature courses but you really didn’t know much about him. “How funny, we might share some classes. I’m in music production but I’m taking some classes to get better at writing lyrics,” he grinned at you, his sweet dimples showing. You had never really paid attention to them but somehow his bright smile made your heart flutter. “Well, what kind of music are you making?” You asked to keep the conversation going.

Just like that you both got immersed in talking not only about his studies and the music he was making but also talking about just life in general, your friends and a very heated discussion about which dumplings were the best ones. “I see, I can’t blame you for being entitled to your wrong opinion,” Jooheon started explaining when the discussion was heading nowhere, “So I might just have to take you out and proof that you are wrong.” You didn’t know how to react. Even though you had forgotten everything Jooheon and you had done prior to this evening and the conversation you had was more than enjoyable and you had laughed a lot, you still had done those things. Could you just go on a date with a guy that you had slept with multiple times?

But before you could answer, the door to the balcony was sliding open and a giggling couple was coming outside. Cursing under his breath Jooheon pulled you close to him, hiding you two from the couple behind a plant. Standing there, face basically pressed against his strong chest, your heart began beating furiously. Every complaint about his action got stuck in your throat not only due to the sudden proximity to him but because the couple was no longer giggling but making very lewd noises. You felt a blush creeping up your face. How did you always end up in these awkward situations?

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Jooheon cursed and looked around the plant you were hiding behind. Risking a peek through the leaves you also looked at the couple: A petite blonde girl was sitting on the lap of a really bulky man with black hair. His hands were currently coming down from her sides to grab a handful of her ass and grind her against his crotch which made both of them moan, breaking their kiss. Having seen enough you buried your head in Jooheon’s chest. “How do I bleach my eyes?” You groaned which made him chuckle silently but you could feel him vibrate beneath you. “That’s not even the worst I’ve seen Hyung do,” he confessed. “Well, make him stop. I don’t want to be in the same room when she sucks him off or something.” Suppressing another laugh Jooheon pulled out his phone and typed a quick message.

A few moments later the door to the balcony opened again and an angry shout disrupted the moans the couple was making. A tall man with brown hair, tan skin and a shirt which also was only buttoned halfway, exposing a smooth and well trained chest, had entered and began scolding the other man about behaving when he was in public and how he did not care what the other would do as long as it happened behind closed doors. Clearly embarrassed the girl untangled herself from the bulky man and hurried inside, rearranging her clothes and hair.

“Also where is Jooheon anyways that he saw you?” The tan man asked the other one whose skin seemed almost unhealthily white next to him. “Last time I saw him he was venting to Kyunnie about that girl he used to see.” “The one who broke his heart?” The rest of the conversation was getting lost while they shut the door behind them when they went inside.

Disbelieving what you just heard, you looked up at Jooheon. “Were they talking about me?” Sighing, he avoided your gaze and looked into the night instead. He looked so vulnerable, dark eyes reflecting the lights of the city like little stars. “I... I broke your heart?” “You weren’t supposed to hear that, you know?” “But I did,” you whispered and grabbed his hands. You couldn’t stand seeing him like this. He was supposed to smile and show you his beautiful dimples.

Sighing again he turned to look at your intertwined fingers. “You know... I... I think I’ve fallen for you back all those months. I really wanted to just get to know you more but you basically always fled right after. And then you just decided to block me and avoid me in classes. I’m not usually a person to just fuck around, you know? That first time was an accident. I’ve never done anything like that before. But I just wanted to keep seeing you, couldn’t get you out of my head. Still can’t...”

He lifted his gaze and looked directly into your eyes. His face was an open book and it read hurt all over it. You hadn’t even realized that you could have hurt him with your behaviour, having thought he was just one of those fuckboys. But of course he wasn’t. He had always been somewhat sweet and had put your pleasure over his. Had always invited you to stay over just a little longer and had held you close when you both were coming down from your highs, pressing little kisses and gentle touches to the skin he had abused minutes before where little red marks were forming.

“What can I do to make it up to you?” You asked silently, wanting to comfort him. Jooheon looked at you for a long time as if he was searching for the answer somewhere on your face, his thumbs slowly stroking the back of your hands. “Close your eyes, please,” he asked eventually.

Without thinking any further, you did as you were asked. Seconds later you could feel his soft, plush lips on yours in a chaste kiss. You had kissed him before but this was different. Almost pure. It made your stomach flutter and your insides turn. Humming softly, you let go of his hands and put them around his brought shoulders instead to pull him close and into another kiss. Sighing Jooheon rested his hands on your hips caressing the skin where your shirt had ridden up.

When you broke the kiss, Jooheon leaned his forehead against yours and smiled brightly and you couldn’t stop yourself from breathlessly giggling. “My heart feels like it’s about to explode,” he confessed, pressing a quick kiss to the tip of your nose. “How did I not notice how soft you actually are?” You grinned and poked one of his dimples. “Excuse me, but I’m obviously super badass,” he deadpanned but couldn’t hold the expression for very long, chuckling softly. “Of course, I’m very sorry,” you replied, kissing both his dimples. “So, have you thought about the dumpling-date?”

[hermitologist]

My 20 Favorite Records of 2019

Lists! Everyone loves them. Here’s another one.

These are the records I liked the most this year. That doesn’t mean they’re the *best*, that means I liked them. You might not. That’s fine! You might be livid that Porpoise Corpse’s neo-classical folk prog double LP isn’t on my list because it’s an easy top 5 record for you, but maybe electric mandolin solos, blast beats, and harpsichord runs aren’t my thing. That’s fine too! It’s infinitely cooler and far more productive to let people enjoy the art they enjoy rather than wasting precious minutes of your life trying to convince the entire internet to have the exact same taste in music.

That said ... 

This years list is chock full of the usual, if you’re familiar with my taste at all -- tons of super heavy bummer jams, a handful of Radiohead-adjacent mid-tempo rock of the indie or emo variety, some hearty post-rock, some tried-and-true vets doing the thing they do very well ... again, and a few outliers. The honorable mentions list gets considerably more eclectic if you’re looking for stuff that sounds less like a soundtrack to various stages of the apocalypse.

As always, I welcome your suggestions for records and podcasts I might’ve missed the boat on. There’s way too much good stuff out there to keep up with, so PLEASE help me out.

Also: When I am not being a lazy pile of crap, I try to haul my dadbod around town for a run a few days a week and will listen to/briefly review a record in the process. Almost every record on this list has been a part of one of those posts, so if you’re interested in such a thing, please check out my Instagram.

BONUS: I put together a playlist on Spotify of my favorite song from each of my top 20 records, and a separate one for the 51 other records I liked this year, so if you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, just needle drop a little and see if anything grabs you. And if anyone’s feeling productive and has time to do an Apple Music playlist, I’ll link and credit you.

Top 20 Spotify Playlist

Top 20 Apple Music Playlist -- Thanks, Austin!

Other Faves Spotify Playlist

But before we get to the Top 20, a couple of records that deserve a nod ... 

Record I Listened To The Most In 2019 Whether I Wanted To Or Not

Angel Du$t - Pretty Buff

This is my four-year-old son’s favorite record, and while I’m trying to round out his musical palate by throwing on all sorts of different bands while we’re hanging out, he insists on either “no music” or “The Basketball Song” (which is “Big Ass Love”). I have no idea how or why his little amazingly weird brain equates the song with basketball (a sport he doesn’t really play or watch or think about ever, to my knowledge), but it does. He LOVES IT. I’ve got to admit, I didn't care for the song all that much when I first heard it, but it’s an earworm, and some 3000 plays later, I love it, and I love the record. Funny how that works out.

Record That Came out in 2009, But I Didn’t Discover Until 2019

Self-Evident - Endings

Endings was neck-and-neck with my favorite record of 2019 for spins this year. Coincidentally, the it was recommended by someone from the band who made my #1 record, and it has moments where it sounds a whole hell of a lot like my #1 record. Blows my mind that a band that was/is so incredibly in my wheelhouse sonically, that has released nine LPs over an 18 year career, and operates in circles incredibly close to a ton of bands I love and respect and nerd out about music with somehow managed to elude me for the better part of two decades. At any rate I’m incredibly stoked to have finally found them, absolutely love them, and honestly might’ve listened to this LP 20 times in a matter of a few days when I got my first taste. It’s that good. 

And now for the list ... 

20) Remote Viewing - It’s Better This Way

Super nasty, dark, sludgy, well-crafted noise rock out of London that fits somewhere in between KEN Mode and early-Kowloon Walled City sonically. You’d think it was pretty crazy to have a band be so locked in and fully formed as early as LP2, but then you find out they’re ex-members of Palehorse, Million Dead, and I Want You Dead and it all kinda makes sense. Unfortunately, the song on the playlist is from a previous LP (because the new one is inexplicably not on Spotify), but you can and should get the new record on Bandcamp.

19) From Indian Lakes - Dimly Lit

I’ve been a big fan of FIL for years, but have always been at a bit of a loss when it comes time to describe them. It’s hazy and dreamy, but not quite shoegazey ... it’s insanely infectious and pleasing to the ear, but not really poppy ... it’s forward-thinking and experimental, but not quite art-rock or groggy at all. It’s just excellent. Full stop. If you dig anything from Tycho, to Radiohead, to The Cure, to Slowdive you’ll enjoy this.

18) Stray From The Path - Internal Atomics

Furious, mathy, riff-heavy hardcore from Long Island that sounds like a reformed Rage Against The Machine had spent the past two decades doing steroids, mainlining Red Bull, and studying the finer points of Moshology. The breakdowns are massive, the drumming absolutely mental, and the vocals pissed as hell. At my advanced age, it’s rare that a record makes me want to pit and/or try to deadlift cars, but this one’s got that magic.

17) Glassing - Spotted Horse

Mostly spazzy, occasionally dreamy, black-metal sprinkled post-hardcore that fits in very well with bands like Portrayal Of Guilt and Respire in the rebirth of traditional screamo. It’s fits and starts of chaos and beauty, and it all sounds and feels like it could completely go off the rails at any time which is what made bands like Orchid and Majority Rule and Saetia so great back in the day. 

16) La Dispute - Panorama

It’s no secret that I’m a big La Dispute fan (Thrice has toured the US with them twice in the past decade), and I love all of their records, but I’m pretty sure I can say with full confidence that this is the best record they’ve ever made. Everything is firing at peak performance, and the way the record is arranged and sequenced makes it feel more like a film score than a collection of songs. It’s a complete work -- meant to be listened to as such, which is a daunting artistic task, but they pulled it off in grand fashion.

15) Russian Circles - Blood Year

This band has been in the upper echelon of post-rock bands for as long as I can remember, and Blood Year is another incredible addition to their already stellar discography. These guys are all absolute monsters at their given instruments, and one of the best live rock bands on the planet, so getting to hear them do their thing on a record that manages to actually capture that live energy and ambience really does the trick for me. 

14) Greet Death - New Hell

This one kinda came outta nowhere for me, as I (ashamedly) was not familiar with them prior to giving New Hell a spin. It blew me away. I’m a total sucker for bummer jams, and this record is full of top-quality sludgy, sad, shoegazey goodness. If you dig Cloakroom, O’ Brother, or Pianos Become The Teeth this is gonna be right up your alley.  

13) Sleep Token - Sundowning

Another record that came out of nowhere to knock me on my ass. I downloaded it before a transatlantic flight on a whim (after hearing about 30 seconds of the opening track), hoping that it would be a nice, mellow companion to ease my in-flight anxiety. And it was, but whoa was it so much more than that. It kinda sounds like a collab between Active Child and Deftones -- poppy, melancholic piano ballads, brought to crushing crescendos via super heavy drop-tuned sludge -- which sounds like a mess, but it works so well. It’s a killer record and probably would’ve landed higher on this year’s list if it hadn’t come out so late in the year.

12) Big Thief - UFOF

This one’s a bit of an outlier, and a damn good one at that. I came across UFOF via a friend’s recommendation before the hype train had left the station, and honestly didn’t know what to expect. Said recommendation simply said that it was good and infectious and probably a few other things that I can’t recall, but didn’t mention the folk thing (which is great because I probably would have passed). The friend was right. It’s good (maybe even great), incredibly infectious, and gave me a nice reprieve from the heavy stuff I tend to listen to on the regular.

11) Cave In - Final Transmission

I’m beyond thankful we got any new music from Cave In after Caleb passed. They owed us nothing, and had every right to walk away, but managed to rally to release a killer record that is heavy both sonically and conceptually, and still manages to give me chills despite being live demos recorded in a rehearsal room. There are few bands on the planet who’ve inspired me like Cave In have, and seeing them pull together to grieve and forge ahead to continue to build their legacy is even more inspiring. What a band.

10) Pedro The Lion - Phoenix

My favorite singer/songwriter of my generation decided to revive the project that made me a fan of his in the first place. That project put out a record for the first time in 15 years, and I had unreasonably high expectations for it. Phoenix delivered and then some. I remember sitting at my kitchen table, weeping into my cup of coffee the first time I heard Phoenix, the same way Control used to make it seem like the inside of the Thrice van was getting a little dusty during cross-country drives back in the early 00s. It blows my mind that David Bazan can be such a prolific artist, write such insanely powerful music, and seem incapable of writing a dud song. 

9) Coilguns - Watchwinders

This Swiss noise-rock band kicks unbelievable amounts of ass. Their Millenials LP made my favorites list last year, and when I heard they had a follow up coming out a little over a year later, my gut reaction was to worry they’d blow it with a new record that was either rushed and/or half-assed, or lose the plot and take a hard left turn and make something markedly un-Coilguns. They did neither. The made an absolute monster of an album, that was apparently written in the studio, and is full of live energy in rawness that is pretty tough to capture in a sterile atmosphere like a studio. Watchwinders dropped in late October, and if I’d had a bit more time with it, I could see it moving up to my Top 5. It’s that good. I find myself going back to it constantly.

8) Blessed - Salt

This record kinda defies description, but it reminds me of everything from Pile to Menomena to Interpol to La Dispute to Devo at times. As scatterbrained and incongruent as that might sound, I assure you it rules. It was in verrrry heavy rotation this year -- mostly for the utterly filthy drum groove on the final track. If you like your music catchy, but slathered in weird, this is definitely gonna do the thing for you. It’s an incredible record.

7) Herod - Sombre Dessein

I hadn’t heard of this band before they popped up on a Spotify playlist early this year, and when “Reckoning” hit, it absolutely flattened me. You know that nuclear apocalypse scene from Terminator 2? That’s what “Reckoning” did to me. It was undoubtedly my favorite ultra-heavy track of the year, and while it’s my favorite song on the record by a pretty large margin, the rest of Sombre Dessein kicks ass too. It’s 42 minutes of crushing heaviness that kinda sounds like a blend of Cult Of Luna, Meshuggah, and Gojira. Heavy. Pissed. Unrelenting. And Outstanding.

6) Pile - Green & Grey

Every time I try to describe Pile to someone I fail. On Wikipedia they’re described as “indie rock”, which ... sure, I suppose? There’s a little post-punk in there, a little post-rock, a little noise-rock, nods to classic rock (maybe?), a little of that southern magic that made Colour Revolt so great (but Pile’s from Boston so hmm ... ), some country even? Do you like weird guitars? Freakish musicians? Melancholic crooning? I dunno. It’s all over the place, but in the best ways possible. They’re a singular band, and so damn good. Green & Grey is stellar addition to a discography that is already full of incredible music ... even if the album cover gives makes me want to fold those blankets and put them away.

5) PUP - Morbid Stuff

Was this the year that PUP broke? Definitely seems like it, and rightfully so. Morbid Stuff is my favorite thing they’ve ever done, but I’ve absolutely loved everything they’ve ever put out, so that’s saying a lot. Per usual, it’s insanely infectious and anthemic without being traditionally poppy or relying on tropes to burrow into your skull and take up residence there. It’s uplifting musically, but kinda depressing lyrically, which does this weird push/pull thing in my brain that makes it impossible to stop listening to. The musicianship is fantastic, the guitar parts especially -- like the guitar line in “Scorpion Hill” wow. I really needed a record to fill the gaping void between the metal/sludge/noise and the ambient/downtempo electronica I listened to this year, and Morbid Stuff fit the bill perfectly.

4) Cult Of Luna - A Dawn To Fear

These guys belong on the Mount Rushmore of Post-Rock/Metal with Neurosis and Isis. Nobody has done it better than them over the past two decades, and A Dawn To Fear is arguably their best work to date. It, like any Cult Of Luna requires a great deal of patience, but man if they don’t make the wait worth it. They’re the masters of the slow build to an absolutely crushing climax, the dynamic shifts that leave you feeling like you got hit by a freight train, the nuanced instrumentation that tells a different story each time you listen to a certain section of a song. They’re absolute masters at their craft, and this record is them at their peak. 

3) Big|Brave - A Gaze Among Them

Another record that came out of nowhere to completely floor me. I hadn’t heard a single note from this band until a friend recommended I check out the opening track, “Muted Shifting Of Space”. I did ... and that plodding drum and bass pulse with dark, swirling, ethereal guitar swells/feedback and soaring vocals building into a huge release of sludgy, drop-tuned goodness checked off all the boxes for me. I was hooked. The atmosphere and dynamics Big|Brave have built their sound around give every song a cinematic feel -- if you close your eyes, can you see drone footage of landscapes too? . If you dig post-rock/metal that is experimental around the edges, moody, absurdly heavy, and has both feet firmly planted in sludge, this is a must-have record. 

2) Cloudkicker - Unending

If you’ve been following me on social media or reading these year-end lists for a while you’re probably pretty familiar with Cloudkicker by now because any time we get new music I can’t shut up about it and the record invariably ends up on this list. This instance is no different. Unending is the first LP we’ve gotten from Ben Sharp in four years, and it’s worth the wait and then some. He’s managed to pull from every era of CK and turn it into a masterpiece mash-up of styles without it ever feeling rehashed or uninspired. I’d go far as to say this tops Beacons and Fade for me, and comes awfully close to challenging Subsume for my favorite Cloudkicker record of all time and space. There’s soooo much progressive and djenty masturbatory metal garbage floating in the ether right now. Hearing the one of the kings do the damn thing properly is incredibly refreshing.

1) Town Portal - Of Violence

No surprise here. I’ve been crapping my pants about this band ever since my good friend Scott Evans shared their music with me a couple years ago. I’ve been unhealthily obsessed ever since. The magical progressive rock/metal these three guys are capable melts and massages my brain in a way few bands ever have. Of Violence is incredibly mathy without ever feeling awkward, it’s melodic without being conventional, it’s discordant without being abrasive, it’s heavy as shit without being overloaded with distortion, it’s progressive as hell without ever coming remotely close to devolving into a wankfest, and it’s damn near perfect in every way. Songwriting? Great. Tones? Phenomenal. Musicianship? Otherworldly. Execution? Flawless. Mix? Perfect. Replayability? (Not a word, but ... ) PUT THIS RECORD ON A GODDAMN LOOP AND NEVER TURN IT OFF. Can you tell I like it? You might too, so give it a listen. And if by chance you do not like it, please see a doctor. You’re broken.

OTHER STUFF I REALLY ENJOYED THIS YEAR

HEAVY JAMS

METZ - Automat

Buildings - Negative Sound

Helms Alee - Noctiluca

Minors - Abject Bodies

Periphery - Periphery 4: HAIL STAN

Employed To Serve - Eternal Forward Motion

Elizabeth Colour Wheel - Nocero

Defeater - S/T

Pelican - Nighttime Stories

Spotlights - Love And Decay

Great Falls - A Sense of Rest

Baroness - Gold & Grey

The End of the Ocean - -aire

Vous Autres - Champ du Sang

Brutus - Nest

Torche - Admission

Glose - The Second Best of Glose

Throes - In The Hands of an Angry God

Slipknot - We Are Not Your Kind

meth. - Mother of Red Light

SECT - Blood of the Beasts

Kublai Khan TX - Absolute

Seizures - Reverie of the Revolving Diamond

Dead Kiwis - Systematic Home Run

Norma Jean - All Hail

Refused - War Music

Chamber - Ripping / Pulling / Tearing

MIDRANGE JAMS

Jimmy Eat World - Surviving

Elbow - Giants of All Sizes

Raketkanon - RKTKN #3

Bad Religion - Age of Unreason

The Appleseed Cast - The Fleeting Light of Impermanence

DIIV - Deceiver

Idiot Pilot - Blue Blood

Microwave - Death Is A Warm Blanket

Low Dose - S/T

SWMRS - Berkeley’s On Fire

Self-Evident - Lost Inside The Machinery

B. Hamilton - Nothing and Nowhere

MELLOW JAMS

Trade Wind - Certain Freedoms

Square Peg Round Hole - Branches

Great Grandpa - Four of Arrows

Local Natives - Violet Street

Rhone - Leaving State

Shlohmo - The End 

Tycho - Weather

Bon Iver - i,i

Drowse - Light Mirror

Bonniesongs - Energetic Mind

Telefon Tel Aviv - Dreams Are Not Enough

GoGo Penguin - Ocean In A Drop

Bent Knee - You Know What They Mean

THE PODCAST QUEUE

The Deadcast (RIP) - sports, culture

Chapo Trap House - politics

The Rich Roll Podcast - health, wellness, endurance sports

Hang Up & Listen - sports

Effectively Wild - baseball

The Gist - current events

The Downbeat - drums, humor

To Live & Die In LA - true crime

FilmDrunk Frotcast - movies, culture, humor

The Modern Drummer Podcast with Mike & Mike - drums (duh)

The Trap Set - also drums

Song Exploder - songwriting

[mercenarypark]

How do you think a crossover between Scooby-Doo and Ghostbusters would go?

EDIT: i typed all this shit out, posted the ask, and it posted without any text. thank CHRIST i saved everything i had written like 5 minutes before but i gotta re-add some edits real quickfunny that u ask since my friends and i have been workshopping that concept for monthsHeres what we have set in stone: first of all, Ray is Fred’s uncle. Theres no way around this one. This is mandatory. We’ve got two excitable and kindhearted idiots, with a love of ghosts and mysteries, who are constantly walking right into danger while having The Time Of Their LIVES, and theyre both voiced by Frank Welker? Not to mention the fact that so many Scooby Doo movies/shows involve various relatives of the Scooby gang suddenly appearing out of nowhere despite never being referenced before, and Fred having a famous uncle isnt even out of the ordinary, what with him being Bobby Flay’s nephew [and, while its only briefly mentioned in one old non-canon video i found, hes apparently a distant cousin of Tom Jones. which is hilarious] Second of all, setting will probably be Miskatonic University, aka the fictional university from Lovecraft mythos. Stay with me here, I know full well Lovecraft is garbage, but both Scooby AND RGB canon have Miskatonic as a real place At some point in RGB, Venkman and Egon go to Miskatonic for information during “The Collect Call of C[a]thulhu”, and the university is referenced again in “The Hole in The Wall Gang”, where Ray talks about his college football team having to fight Miskatonic’s once In Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated, at the very, VERY end of the show, the gang gets scholarships to Miskatonic and drive off on a road trip to there, solving mysteries along the way. They’d have a perfectly valid excuse to already be in that area- and even outside of Mystery Incorporated’s timeline, you could easily make the argument that Miskatonic University and Arkam, Massachusetts would still exist in other Scooby timelines since it exists THERE, and they could still have a reason to be in that area solving mysteries as a resultAs for an actual plot, that’s more debatable. Probably some eldritch god bullshit, probably a lot of “is this a job for US or for YOU?” and trying to sort out if they’re dealing with a guy in a mask or an actual supernatural being. could also lead into the two teams trying to one-up each other in friendly[or not so friendly] competition, with Winston being literally the only one who wouldnt take part in that (see: “Ghostbuster of the Year”, and him also being the only one with the common sense to be like “wait we’re getting into a petty fight with teenagers now? Really??”). aside from that probably mostly a lot of the Ghostbusters bouncing off the Scooby gang. Going off what we’ve discussed:-Ray and Fred’s love for each other as family is compromised by the fact that neither of them will accept the possibility that the other guy’s car is better than theirs. Ecto-1 vs the Mystery Machine. who will win? no one. no one will win this mess-that said Ray and his talent with engineering works well with Fred’s trap building expertise so if whatever monster of the week they wind up dealing with is tangible, they’d make something incredible and way, wayyyy too complicated to catch it-It would take about 10 minutes for Egon to get into a heated debate with Velma over the existence of the supernatural, and they would both at least CONSIDER getting into a literal fistfight over it. Do not leave these two alone together. It won’t be pretty. -And in Mystery Inc, there’s the added bonus of Scooby technically being an alien god; so in that continuity there’s the potential of Egon, who steadfastly doesn’t believe in aliens, being confronted with the gang’s “mascot” who is an alien; and Velma, who steadfastly doesn’t believe in ghosts, being confronted with the Ghostbusters’ “mascot”, who is a ghost. -Slimer, Egon, Shaggy, and Scooby can and will eat the rest of them out of house and home. This is a fact.-Velma and Winston get along for being the bookish ones of their respective teams AND for far and away being two of the smartest, with the most common sense-that said Daphne probably has the most common sense and practical knowledge of the gang, and she and Winston both also share the sad title of “most often sidelined and ignored and not given the fun roles”, though over the years Daph has managed to save herself from this (see: Be Cool Scooby Doo). Also, without them, their respective teams basically fall to pieces. they are the glue keeping these ships running. -though with regards to what roles Daphne DOES get to play most of the time, iirc Venkman is the non-Janine Ghostbuster who’s most likely to get kidnapped, if only one of them is captured and not the whole crew like in “Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster”. [examples of Venkman getting kidnapped solo include “The Bird of Kildarby” and “A Fright at the Opera”.] What I’m saying is, if anyone’s gonna get kidnapped by the monster of the week, it might well be these two. They can probably break themselves free, though, especially if they work together-Venkman, Shaggy, and Scooby share the common trait of being perfectly willing to ditch everyone else if given the opportunity and go nap and/or eat instead of dealing with whatever the hell is going on THIS time. the difference is that Venkman’s not really a coward, he’s just a lazy asshole-Speaking of things Venkman has in common with the gang, Venkman and Fred share the titles of “least brain cells” AND “biggest egos”. lord save everyone if those two try to put their heads together. anyway thats most of what we’ve got so far[i know, theres an unfortunate lack of Janine]. with all of that combined, you could probably make a pretty good crossover. christ knows ive been chipping away at the idea for a while, though i havent made much headway w/ how busy i am and how distracted i get (see: my 10 other in-progress rgb fics in varying stages of completion, and the fact that i only have 2 that are actually finished and posted)in short, i think the idea is fantastic and its a genuine shame that it doesnt look like the idea has really been considered, even with scooby doo guess who out now. Sure, there’s been more and more crossovers with the comics- the TMNT crossover and the new Transformers crossover- but I’d really want to see this with RGB and not the prime versions and again, it doesn’t look like crossover comics with the RGB characters have been considered. :/

[elleberquist6]

In The Area

(self repost, my first post was an Ao3 link, and I wanted to post again solely on tumblr to link to my fic page) Written for americanphancakes for the Spring Fic Exchange for @phanfictionevents​ Excerpt: Dan admired him for a moment, running a hand down his milky thigh before paying him the compliment he was due, “You’re a marvelous specimen of humanity.” “You too,” Phil whispered, but then said louder, “I can tell that you’re a testament to your kind, too.”Dan noticed where Phil’s eyes kept flicking and he laughed. “Want something?”Phil’s cheeks got pink and he was having trouble maintaining eye contact, but he said, “Um, well, are you ready? To study me I mean…” Rating: Explicit Word count: 5408 Warnings: Sexual situation

Prompt: "Alien abduction turns into consensual tentacle sex (y'know, for science!).... but neither of them is the alien (or aliens)! Bonus points if the fic includes them watching each other gettin' tentacled down. :D"

I was very inspired by this prompt, though I took some liberties with it ;) I hope you like it

In the middle of the barren Nevada desert, there's a dusty unmarked road that leads to the front gate of Area 51. It's protected by little more than a chain link fence, a boom gate, and intimidating trespassing signs. One would think that America's much mythicized top-secret military base would be under closer guard, but make no mistake. They are watching. [https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a24152/area-51-history/]

This wasn’t where he had expected to end up, when Dan had booked this Nevada vacation a few months ago. This was despite the fact that he had planned his vacation to the last detail at home: a reservation for dinner for one at Caesars Palace, tickets to a performance by Chris Angel, and he’d even exchanged some cash for a bagful of quarters to play on the slots. Despite all these preparations, he’d postponed all his plans in Las Vegas the second he’d heard that Area 51 was a mere 80 miles away.

Dan could have boarded a bus, but instead he rented a car at the airport – something about this trip was making him impulsive and eager to indulge his whims. Maybe it was the proximity to Sin City and the old adage, What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Well, he was headed to a place a little North of Vegas now, but he was going to embrace the spirit of the slogan anyway. He had a feeling that if he did, this could be the best trip of his life.

The heat of the day wasn’t abating as he rolled through the desert – the car’s alleged air conditioning helped at first, but the heat quickly overwhelmed it and it started blasting hot air in his face. He shut it off and rolled down the windows, allowing a breeze to blow through. As the sweat on his skin started to dry and the thin cotton of his black t-shirt rustled in the breeze, he began to enjoy the ride. The wasn’t much to see besides the other cars on the highway, the landscape of scattered prickly-looking shrubs, and the occasional rabbit darting between them. It was a pretty bleak and barren place, but the setting relaxed him. This place calmed his mind, which normally raced with thoughts. He settled behind the wheel as the miles ticked by.

The sun was high in the sky as Dan parked his car in the lot, and walked to the nearby designated meeting point for the tour package that he had purchased – it was a large green sign that said “Extraterrestrial Highway” and was covered with stickers. About two dozen people were already gathered under the sign, and based on the fact that some of them were wearing graphic t-shirts with saucers on them and headbands with antennae, he figured that this was his group and stood beside them. He looked up at the sign, tempted to take a selfie with it.

“Yeah, mum.” Someone nearby said. “Yeah, I am. I’ll call you later. Bye.”

Dan’s ears tingled at the sound of a familiar accent like his own, and he turned to see a man with black hair who wearing a red NASA shirt. The man was disconnecting a call before slipping his cellphone into his backpack. He noticed Dan’s gaze, which prompted Dan to look away, hoping that the flush in his cheeks could be blamed on the sun blazing above.

Before he could dwell on the awkward moment further, someone stepped out of the crowd, waving a manual on Area 51 written by Captain Chuck Clark to get their attention. It was their tour guide, who directed them to board the tour bus. The adventure was about to begin.

Dan was lucky enough to grab a window seat on the bus, so he could enjoy the sights and snap a few photos along the way. The first stop of the tour was an Inn where they would be having lunch. He hadn’t noticed anything odd about the name of the Inn when he had glanced at it while booking the tour, but he stopped to take a closer look at the sign when he noticed the guy in the NASA shirt standing in front of it, laughing.

“The…” Dan read it slowly, his lips curling with amusement. “Little A'le' Inn.”

The NASA shirt guy looked a bit self-conscious, and perhaps his cheeks were pink from the sun. He said, “I know it’s silly, but I can’t help loving a good pun.”

“Relax, I won’t punish you for that,” Dan said, putting extra emphasis on the ‘pun’. Something about this guy was bringing out a playful side of him.

“Thank you for your punderstanding,” NASA guy said. Before Dan could groan, he extended his phone and asked, “Would you mind taking a photo of me with the sign?”

Dan took the guy’s phone and had to admit that he was a photogenic man, since he quickly captured a good shot of him. Belatedly, he reflected that if he were smoother, he would have put his number in the guy’s phone, but it was too late now, as he'd returned the phone.

“Let’s go get lunch,” the guy said, nodding at the Inn and cheerfully oblivious to Dan’s inner turmoil. “I’m Phil, by the way.”

As he watched Phil lead the way, Dan found himself falling into step behind him.

They sat at the same table for lunch, and both ordered Alien Burgers, joking as they ate that aliens didn’t taste like chicken as people always said they did in movies. As the meal wrapped up, the tour guide was talking about what they would be going to see next, but Dan was too distracted by Phil to pay much attention to anything else. The sun was streaming in the window beside them, glazing Phil’s pale face with white light, which sparkled in his blue eyes. He was too beautiful to be a mere human.

The tour continued, and they drove past the mysterious dry lake, and saw “alien petroglyphs”. The whole time, Dan stayed close to Phil’s side, who didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he seemed happy to have someone to talk to and kept up a running commentary about the sights. To Dan, the commentary from Phil seemed was much more interesting than anything the guide was saying, so he tuned out the rest of the world. Phil kept him fully entertained with interesting facts during their visit to the Black Mailbox location too.

By the time they were walking through the Mutant Joshua Tree Forest, Phil’s stream of facts ended abruptly. He asked, “I’m sorry, am I talking too much? I’ll shut up if I’m being annoying.”

“No, not at all.” Then Dan confessed, “I just feel a bit out of my depth. You seem to really know this stuff, and I’m just here in Area 51 because I really like the X Files.”

When Phil snorted with laughter in response, Dan’s face flushed, and this time his face was far too red to blame on anything else. He shouldn’t have said that. He should have pretended to be really into space to impress this guy. Instead, his honesty had humiliated him. Now he couldn’t look Phil in the eye. They had fallen to the back of the pack as their group walked through the forest, and in his embarrassment Dan started to lengthen his stride to escape the situation and join the others.

“Wait, Dan.” A sweaty hand grasped his, and held on tight, refusing to let him escape. Dan swallowed heavily and liked the contact far more than he knew he should. He glanced over his shoulder at Phil, who was smiling. He said to Dan in a mock whisper, “If you can keep a secret, I like the X Files too.”

Dan laughed in surprise. “No, you don’t. You’re just saying that to save me from my humiliation.”

“Really, I do. I’m a total nerd, and not just for space and science. I love Sci Fi, like X Files, Doctor Who, and Star Trek. They’re awesome.”

“Oh…” Dan felt himself relaxing. His hand was still clasped with Phil’s, and neither of them seemed in a hurry to break the contact, despite how sticky their palms were with sweat. The simple contact made tingles run up his spine.

“So,” Phil said slowly. “What are your favorite kinds of aliens from Sci Fi?”

Dan could have answered honestly and named some of his favorite villains from Doctor Who like the Daleks or Cybermen, but instead he impulsively said, “The ones who appear like normal humans at first.”

Phil’s brows knit together with confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Like right now, you and me.” He smirked and said in a flirty voice, “How do you know I’m human? It’s interesting to think about, isn’t it?”

Phil grinned, finally figuring out what Dan was up to, and he said, “Hmm, that is interesting. I think I could pick up on some red flags, if you were willing to let me study you for a bit.”

Dan was willing, and for the rest of the tour he answered questions, like his age (to which he responded 907 years old after his favorite incarnation of Doctor Who), the location where another habitable planet might be in the solar system (1,000 light years away in the Lyra constellation), and what he thought the answer to life, the universe, and everything was. 42 of course.

By the time the tour ended and they arrived back at the parking lot where the rest of the group departed, barely noticed by the pair, Phil concluded, “Hmm, I think there’s a 50/50 chance you’re an alien, but I’m still not sure.”

Dan giggled and was walking backwards in the rapidly emptying parking lot, leading Phil to his rental car by their joined hands. “What can I do to convince you?”

“I don’t know…” Phil’s eyes roved up and down Dan’s body before settling on his stomach. “Oh, there is something! I heard aliens usually don’t have belly buttons. Well? Do you?”

Dan giggled again. His back was now pressed against his rental car, and Phil was standing close. “Well? Why don’t you take a look? You’re the investigator here, Mulder.”

“And who does that make you? Scully?” Phil asked, his eyes still fixed on the shirt concealing Dan’s belly.

“I thought it was obvious who I was,” Dan said, as he placed his hands on Phil’s shoulders, as if to prevent him from running away. “I’m the alien who is abducting you.”

Phil shivered slightly and his pupils dilated. He opened his mouth to say something, but swallowed his words, and his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat.

Encouraged by how into this Phil was, Dan grabbed the waistband of his jeans and tugged him closer. For a moment, he just enjoyed the warmth of the body pressed against him and noticed the way their chests rose together as they each sucked in uneven breaths. Then Dan whispered, “Human, this is your last chance. Escape now if that is what you want to do. If not… I’m taking you with me.”

Phil swallowed again and pressed himself closer. “Then take me.”

Without breaking eye contact – he kind of feared that doing so would break the intensity of this moment – Dan reached to open the door to the backseat behind him. He took a step to the side, pulling Phil with him, and then shoved him into the backseat.

Phil fell into the back with a small ‘oof’, his blue eyes going wide with surprise, and his legs dangling outside of the car.

Just as Dan was about to apologize for his brash move, Phil slid further into the car, making room in the backseat for Dan. Grinning, Dan climbed in and closed the door behind him. Feeling how hot it was in here, he said, “One sec.” He leaned between the seats to put the key in the ignition and flip on the A/C. As a cool breeze blasted from the vents, Dan started to slide into the back of the car again, hoping that the awkward sight of his bum in the air hadn’t killed the mood. He said, “Should feel less like a sauna in here soon.”

“Mmm hmm,” Phil sighed, hardly seeming to notice what Dan was saying.

Dan glanced over his shoulder, seeing that Phil was staring at his bum. Well, the mood certainly hadn’t been killed, it seemed… With his cheeks pink, Dan knelt in the backseat in the space between Phil’s parted knees. In the glow of the overhead light, he admired the sight of Phil lying beneath him. His red NASA shirt was riding high, exposing a bit of creamy belly, his black quiff was mussed, and his blue eyes were heavily lidded. Dan wanted him so badly but wasn’t sure where he wanted to start first.

“Well? Do you have one? Show me,” Phil requested in a rough voice.

It took Dan’s distracted brain a few seconds to recall what they had been talking about outside. When he did, he lifted the front of his black t-shirt to expose his belly button. “I have one, but that doesn’t mean I’m human. Lots of extraterrestrials have them. It’s where they connected us to the pod where we were grown.”

Phil laughed and reached out to stroke Dan’s exposed stomach, leaving tingling trails behind his tracing fingertips. “Tell me more. Show me more. I want to know all about you and where you come from.”

“The place where I come from is actually the moon of a much larger nearby planet, although don’t think of it like the moon of your Earth. It’s much larger and has an atmosphere. The air is rich in nitrogen, and it has a ghostly green glow. It’s no wonder why the scientists of Earth have been fascinated by it for decades.” As Dan spoke, the grin on Phil’s face showed him that he once more knew exactly what Dan was referencing. He loved how much they had in common. Dan placed his hands on the hem of his black t-shirt. “Well, that’s some more about where I come from. Now, how about me. Are you curious to see what an alien looks like?”

Phil licked his lips. “Not just any alien. You. I’m curious to see what you look like.”

In response, Dan peeled off his shirt, slowly in a way that he hoped was teasing and alluring. After discarding his shirt, he arched his back a little to display his smooth chest, aware of the way that Phil was watching him. He waited for whatever response would be offered, biting his lip self-consciously and hoping that looked sexy.

Phil placed two tentative hands on Dan’s hips and caressed, seeming to admire the softness of Dan’s skin. He slipped his hands along the waistline of Dan’s jeans, and he appeared to be particularly intrigued by the start of Dan’s v-line, which was just peeking out of the fabric of his low-slung pants. Phil’s thumbs caressed the lines, which sent tingles all the way down, and Dan shivered. Finally, Phil spoke in a whisper, “You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”

Feeling cheeky, Dan grinned and said, “And you haven’t seen the rest of me yet. I think you’re in for a surprise.”

Phil seemed distracted. His eyes were now on the dark skin of Dan’s nipples and his hands were inching upwards. “Oh? What’s that.”

Hesitating, Dan almost didn’t say it. He didn’t want to kill the sexy vibe with a kinky joke, and though Phil had been into it before this could be crossing a line… He took a deep breath. He couldn’t think of anything else to say, and the silence was getting too long, so he decided to just say it in the flirtiest voice he could manage. “I may look human right now, but there’s something about me that may shock you. Phil… when I show it to you, you have to promise me you won’t scream.”

Phil’s blue eyes widened. “What is it?”

With his lips pulled wide with a grin, he leaned over to give Phil a quick kiss, only realizing at the contact that it was their first kiss. Dan froze in place, unsure if this was what Phil wanted or if he should have asked for permission first, but Phil responded to the kiss. It felt easy and right. Phil’s lips were soft, and Dan could taste the strawberry milkshake he’d had at the Inn. It was so lovely that Dan found himself sighing contentedly when they broke apart.

“Well?” Phil asked with a soft chuckle.

Dan blinked, trying to refocus his thoughts which had gone swimmy at the kiss. “Hmm?”

“What is the thing you were going to tell me?”

“Oh,” Dan said with a nervous chuckle. “I was going to show you, not tell you. So, you’ll just have to be patient, little human.” He was lying partially on top of Phil since the kiss, so he felt it when Phil shivered in response. Dan chuckled, “You’re enjoying this far too much. Being abducted by an alien is supposed to be scary.”

Phil gave a chagrined smile. “Okay, I’ll admit it. Perhaps this is a recurring fantasy of mine. And you, too. Perhaps I wanted to be lying here with you from the moment I saw you earlier. I hope that doesn’t bother you.”

“Of course it doesn’t,” Dan said, hoping it showed in his voice how flattered he felt. He wanted to give Phil something in return for this this feeling, so he launched himself fully back into the alien abduction fantasy, complete with cocky grin. He lifted himself off Phil and knelt above him once more with his hands playing idly with the button on his jeans, a gesture meant more to draw the eyes there than to accomplish disrobing. “Does it bother you, little human, to know that you’re a fantasy of mine too? That I’m thinking about doing all kinds of things to you right now?”

Phil bit his bottom lip before asking, “What things do you want to do to me?”

“I’d like to make a study of your body,” he said, running a hand across the smooth, pale skin of Phil’s stomach, and then across the ribs along his side. “I’d like to explore your body, to see what I can make it do… for research purposes of course. Human bodies fascinate me, and there’s so much I must learn about you. So, Phil, will you help me with this?”

Phil was biting his lip again, and this time it looked like he was doing it to hide a smile. “Well, I don’t know… What will I get for helping you? I hope I get to explore a little bit of your fascinating body, too. And what exactly will this this study involve?”

“Oh, you can explore me all you like.” Dan’s hands returned to his own pants, and this time made efficient work of his fly and zipper. He kicked off his jeans, hindered slightly by the tight confines of the car, but made it look as easy and sexy as he could. Now that he was only wearing black Calvin Klein boxer-briefs, his arousal was obvious, and he tried to wear it with a confidence that fit with this narrative. The way that Phil was staring at him with obvious desire made that a little easier, so Dan smiled at him. “And as for this study, do you remember when I said I might show you something shocking later? That’s part of this. I’m going to show you my tentacle now, but please don’t scream.”

Phil was biting his bottom lip so hard now that the skin beneath it was blanching white – he was trying and failing to hold in laughter. After a moment of composing himself, he said in a breathy voice, “I won’t scream. I promise. Now, please show it to me.”

As Dan had expected, all of Phil’s attention was now focused on the bulge in his boxers. Dan moved his right hand to it and teased the fabric, as if he were contemplating taking his boxers off, while also stimulating himself. This sight succeeded in captivating Phil’s full attention, which had been the plan. Leaning slightly to the left, he was able to reach into his suitcase on the floor and retrieve a cloth bag from inside.

“What’s that?” Phil asked, when Dan dropped all pretense of stroking himself to dig in the bag for the toy.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Dan said, as he dropped the bag to the floor, and brandished what was inside. “This is my tentacle.”

The toy was dark violet with a stylized design on it in a lighter shade of purple, where there would be suction cups on a tentacle if the toy wasn’t smooth for comfort. It was made of a soft silicone with a tapered point, and there was a slight squiggle to it. The sight made Phil’s mouth gape. He didn’t say anything.

“Do you like it?” Dan asked in a small voice, losing some of his cocky demeanor.

After swallowing heavily, Phil said, “I love it. Are you going to use it on me?”

“If you want me to, I will. Do you?”

“Yes, please,” Phil said with a smile.

“Okay then. Pants off. I need to get something else,” Dan requested, picking up the authoritative manner of an abducting alien once more. While Phil shimmied out of his jeans, Dan returned to his suitcase and grabbed a bottle of lube. He also got out a condom, which he rolled onto the tentacle toy – the toy was clean, but it seemed polite to put a condom on it before using it on a stranger. By the time he returned to place between Phil’s knees, he was nude now. Dan admired him for a moment, running a hand down his milky thigh before paying him the compliment he was due, “You’re a marvelous specimen of humanity.”

“You too,” Phil whispered, but then said louder, “I can tell that you’re a testament to your kind, too.”

Dan noticed the way that Phil’s eyes kept flicking to the tentacle dildo in his hand. He laughed and wiggled it. “Want something?”

Phil’s cheeks got pink and he was having trouble maintaining eye contact, but he said, “Um, well, are you ready? To study me I mean…”

“I am.” Dan put down the dildo for a moment. He uncapped the bottle of lube and drizzled some on his fingers. As he rubbed his fingers together to warm the fluid, he said, “From what I’ve heard about humans, there’s a little bit of preparation that’s necessary before I do any internal exploring. Are you ready?” When Phil nodded in response, Dan reached down to press a finger into his body. He watched Phil’s face for signs of discomfort but saw nothing more than a slight wrinkling of his nose. As he moved his finger in and out, he said, “You have to tell me what you’re feeling. For the study. Be as detailed as you can.”

“Mmmmh, feels nice. It would feel even nicer if you moved your hand faster,” Phil requested, and his breathing got heavier as Dan instantly complied. He shifted his hips, searching for a better angle to receive the attention Dan was giving him. “I can take another. You can add another finger please.”

Dan pressed a second finger into him. He was still watching Phil’s face, but no longer out of concern – there was something intoxicating about the sight of this lovely face in the grip of pleasure and knowing that he was the one causing it. As Phil was swept away by the sensation, his breathing got heavier, and he closed his eyes. Overtaken by a wave of affection, Dan leaned in to place a kiss on the inside of Phil’s thigh.

After a few more minutes, it was obvious to Dan that Phil was eager for more, and he felt the same. He withdrew his fingers and picked up the toy, which he coated with more lube. He asked, “Are you ready for the next stage of the experiment, little human?”

Phil nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please. I need it. Give me your tentacle. Breed me with it.” He flushed again as he saw the way Dan was pressing his lips together to hold in laughter. He asked in a hushed voice, “Was that too much?”

“No, that was sexy,” Dan insisted, as he moved the tentacle toy into place, but didn’t push it in yet. He asked, “Ready?”

Phil just nodded again. His cheeks were still red, and he seemed wary of saying anything that might be over the line of normality. It made Dan want to help loosen him up.

Dan pressed the toy in slowly, glancing between the sight of it being swallowed by Phil’s body, and Phil’s face as his nose scrunched up again. When the toy was halfway home, Dan paused and asked, “Am I going too fast? How does that feel?”

“Mmmmh,” Phil sighed, and he seemed to need to take a moment to blink and organize his thoughts. “It feels good. More than good. Please don’t stop, I’m fine and I want more. I want all of it.”

Dan’s cock gave a twitch at the words, but he ignored it. He wanted to please Phil right now, so he wasn’t concerned with his own body’s needs. He was about to start again, but then he decided to tease Phil a little. He bit the inside of his cheek lightly to suppress a smile, and asked, “I’m sorry, you want all of what? I don’t know what you’re asking for…”

Phil scowled, though his eyes were sparkling with amusement. “You’re really going to make me ask for it?”

“Mmm hmm,” Dan hummed, continuing to hold the toy still.

Phil sighed, but then said, “Please give me your tentacle. It feels amazing. If you give me more, I’ll be good for you. I’ll let you study me all you all you need. Please, Dan. Use me for your experiment.”

Dan noticed the way that Phil’s erection was pulsing during this plea. It seemed impossible, but Phil might already be close, just from what they’d done so far and this scenario they were playing with. It was adorable and sexy at the same time, and it made Dan want to give Phil everything. He kissed the inside of his thigh again before saying, “Okay, little human. You can have it all.”

Phil gasped as he felt the slow slide of the toy entering him fully to the base. Then he moaned as Dan started to move it in and out. Dan knew from experience how incredible this toy felt – the nearly uneven texture of the toy and the slight curves in the silicone were unlike any other one he tried. Or like Phil had tried before either, Dan would guess, based on how he seemed to be enjoying it. Dan hoped that this was just like Phil had fantasized a tentacle would feel. In between panting breaths, Phil moaned, “Oh my gosh, Dan. You’re incredible.”

“I am?” Dan’s cheeks flushed. He hadn’t expected that kind of praise – he had thought that Phil would be enjoying the toy in this moment, not the hand that was moving it.  

“Oh, yes,” Phil sighed in response. “You’ve been surprising me since the moment we met. It makes me never want to leave, just so I can see what you’ll do next.”

Warmth flooded Dan’s chest because he felt the same way. He smiled and tried to cover up how touched he was with a casual laugh – he could confess later, but this felt like a moment for giggles and teasing. He said, “If you like surprises, I have one more in store for you. Call it… phase two of the experiment.”

Phil giggled heartily, which jostled his body a little; he seemed to realize how good movement felt, because he started to shift his hips as Dan continued to move the toy inside him. “Mmmh, phase two please. I’m ready. Surprise me.”

Grinning, Dan flipped a switch on the base of the toy. It started to buzz in his hand, and deep inside Phil’s body the tip of the tentacle started to wiggle back and forth. He took a break from thrusting it inside Phil’s body and left it buried deep, just enjoying the sight of what it was doing to Phil’s body.

Phil shouted in surprise at the stimulation. His body went tense, and then he relaxed with a groan. Then he tensed again and arched his back slightly. He thrashed his head from side to side, mussing his hair, and a dark strand got stuck to his sweaty forehead. The muscles in his stomach quivered. For a second, Dan considered moving the toy again in an attempt to finish Phil, but he left it where it was. He wanted to see if he could get him off with words alone. He placed a hand low on Phil’s stomach, and said, “I think I’ve discovered what I needed to know with this experiment. You’re perfect. I’m going to breed you.”

Phil came with a shout, spilling sticky seed across his thighs and stomach. Some ran onto the seats, but Dan wasn’t worried about his rental car now. He watched as the aftershocks of Phil’s orgasm shook him, and then turned off the vibrations so the sensitivity wouldn’t bother him. Carefully, he withdrew the toy, and then discarded it on the floor to be dealt with later. Phil was watching him. He licked his lips and asked in a voice roughened by moaning, “How about you?”

“Me?” Dan blinked and belatedly realized that Phil was asking if he wanted to be taken care of, too. His arousal must be obvious, but Dan shook his head. In that moment, it was difficult to put into words, but he knew he didn’t just want to have sex in a car and never see Phil again, and he feared that would happen if he accepted Phil’s offer now. Hoping that some of the meaning made it into his response, he said, “Not yet.”

Phil smiled and sat up, covering his lap with his pants that had fallen to the floor. As Dan settled comfortably into the backseat with him, Phil said, “Sorry about your car. The backseat might need to be cleaned…”

Dan waved away the worry. “It’s fine. It’s just a rental.”

“You’re just passing through then? Me too.”

Dan nodded. This was quickly becoming awkward small talk, but he didn’t know how to fix this. “Yeah, I’m just here on vacation. I live in London.”

“Oh! Me too!” Phil grinned broadly. “That’s an amazing coincidence.”

“It is.” Dan’s heart was racing in his chest. He stared unblinkingly in Phil’s eyes for a long moment, starting to relax once more. “Did you book a room for the night at the Little A'le' Inn?” When Phil nodded in response, Dan said, "I suppose I should get a room, too." "You might not need to..." Phil said, and the intensity of his gaze made his offer clear. "Oh. Yes. That sounds lovely." Dan found himself already mentally remapping the course of his vacation to include a second person. He realized Phil might not share this impulsive nature, so he said, “Just so you know, I’m supposed to be in Las Vegas tomorrow. I booked some plans there. I was just going to visit Area 51 today.”

“I’ve always wanted to go to Vegas!” In a small voice, Phil asked, “Could I come with you?”

“Of course.” Dan laughed and leaned in to kiss Phil. It felt like the first of many.

“Hey!” Phil protested, but kissed him back. “What’s so funny?”

Dan smiled and shook his head. “I was just thinking about coincidences, and how funny they are. That in this massive universe, two lifeforms can somehow manage to find each other. What are the odds of that?”

“You’re such a nerd.” Phil snorted and shook his head. But he was looking out the window to the darkening sky above, where the first stars of the night were shining.

[marquis-lafayeet]

John Laurens x Spy!Reader Part 2

Don’t hate me, I just wanted something to post.

Warnings: swears

Y/N strutted her way to the barstools at the front of the bar and did a quick scan of the room. Rule number one of being a spy, always scan a room you enter. When she turned back around, she was face to face with the bartender. She glanced down at the name tag. Samuel. Samuel smirked. “What can I get for you, pretty lady?” He said in a not-so-smooth voice. Y/N fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Nothing for now, hot stuff,” she said, plastering on a fake smile and playing along. He raised an eyebrow. Y/N could physically see his ego soar.

Before Samuel could say anything else, she felt a tap on the shoulder. Y/N spun around in the chair and was greeted with the sight of a very handsome man. He was tall, taller than her, and had curly black hair pulled into a low ponytail. He had beautiful sun kissed skin and adorable freckles that scattered across his whole body, she could see some on his buff arms. He had soft hazel eyes that seemed to see right through her disguise. He smiled. That just about did it for Y/N. She felt herself growing nervous. Really Y/N? You just had a boyfriend! She silently agreed with herself. But, that was a while ago! Didn’t you see on his instagram that he’s already moved on? Twice?! Whatever. Hookups were not on her schedule.

Y/N gave him a big grin. “Hi!” She said, trying to sell the “perky” act. His smile widened. “Hey, care to dance?” He said, gesturing to the dance floor. Y/N figured that she could analyze more faces there. Or dance with a hot guy. Either way, jackpot.

Thomas’ POV

I watched Y/N walk into the club. I didn’t want anything to happen to her, over the course of these two years that she’s worked here, she felt like a little sister to me. I shook my head and edited the photo that Y/N wanted me to look at. I zoomed into the writing on the mirror. Fake dealing at Club Adrenaline, lead NYCLE on, kidnap. My eyes widened. Y/N was in trouble.

Third Person POV

As Y/N was dancing with the stranger, she noticed he kept glancing around the room. When he caught her staring she looked away bashfully. “I don’t believe I introduced myself. Winston Parker. And you...?” He trailed off. His eyes were so gorgeous. She wondered how many freckles does he have? “Y/N L/N,” She trailed off. Her eyes widened. Holy shit. She just gave away her cover. But she didn’t catch the little widening of Winston’s eyes, and the little smirk that grew on his face. Y/N immediately turned around and speed walked to the door. Winston stepped in front of her before she reached the door.

He roughly grabbed her arms and turned her around. Before she even knew what was happening, she felt cool handcuffs go around her wrists and a gag in her mouth. He looked down and saw the tiny trademark “NYC” on her wrist. Every NYCLE agent had one. “Where’re you going, sweetie? Back to NYCLE?” He growled the last part. He roughly pushed her into the back room, nodding to Samuel. When he closed the door, Y/N kicked his straight in his jewels with her heel. Winston groaned and fell to his knees. She worked her hands so that they were in front of her and looked around the room. She spit the gag out and found a Bobby pin on the table. She grabbed it with her mouth and unlocked the chains. Wow, handcuff 101 was a really well spent book.

She heard a shout and saw more guys piling into the room. Too many. Y/N knew when she was outnumbered. Suddenly, a kick to the door interrupted her almost defeat. Thomas quickly punched a guy, and paralyzed another guys temporarily using pressure points. “You good Y/N?” He asked worriedly. Y/N furiously nodded. “Just fine.” She grabbed a chair and swung it at one of the guys that was attempting to come at her from behind. Winston stood up, wincing. He pulled a gun out quickly. Y/N and Thomas pulled one out, too. “Put the gun down and I won’t shoot.” Came a low feminine voice from behind Winston. Y/N peeked and saw Maria. Y/N beamed. Winston reluctantly put down the gun. “Fine. You got me. Whatdya want now?” He asked in a frustrated tone.

“Now, we take you back to headquarters and interrogate you,” Maria said, shoving him forward with the barrel of her desert eagle.

t i m e s k i p

Y/N’s POV

We tied up Winston (if that’s even his name) and put a gag in his mouth. “Should we put him in the front?” Eliza, our stay-behind officer, asked. I stiffiled a laugh. She was always so considerate. “No, he’ll try something. Let’s put him in the trunk,” Thomas said, already walking towards it. He opened the trunk door with his key and threw him inside. Eliza winced. If Eliza’s older sister, Angelica, was here, she would have laughed. But she’s on a mission in Bolivia. Peggy, Eliza and Angelica’s youngest sister stepped out the car and pouted. “You guys didn’t call me in,” she said in a whiny voice.

I gave her a sympathetic smile. “Sorry Peggy, we weren’t in need of bombs at the moment,” I said, giving her a side hug. Peggy was our weaponary management. “Next time. Right now, we have to interrogate.”

As we walked inside NYCLE headquarters, I made sure “Winston’s” mask was on tight. I couldn’t have him figuring out where our hq was. I roughly pushed him in the interrogation room and tied him to the chair, and locking his wrists on the arms of the chair. I yanked off the mask and he glared at me in annoyance. I glared harder and started to walk away. “Commander Washington and Agent Hamilton will be with you shortly,” I said uninterested. I walked out the room and sat in the chair looking at the one was glass. To him it looked like a mirror, but I see everything that happens.

Washington and Hamilton walked into the room with files of papers in their hands. “This the secret agent?” Washington asked. Alex on the other hand was jumpy. “How was your mission? Did you get hurt? Please tell me you called for backup when you needed it. Did yo-,” Alex ranted. Washington cut him off. “As you can see, Y/N is fine. Now, let’s go question him.” Washington said in a semi annoyed voice. Alex nodded and shuffled into the interrogation room.

The questioning didn’t look too bad, though Winston wouldn’t give up any information about himself or CMA. Loyal. Bonus. I shook the thought from my head and grimaced. Hamilton clenched his fists and started to yell some explicit things to Winston. Winston just smirked. Hamilton stormed out the room and slammed the door shut. “Y/N, where’s the lie detector,” he angrily asked. I pointed to the table where it was laying. He quickly snatched it up and stormed into the room. He set it up and put the wires on him. He started asking the questions again and scribbled some things down. Finally, the two agents got up and left the room. “So, how’d it go?” I asked in a curious voice.

Washington just sighed and left. Alex groaned and slumped into the chair next to you. “It was horrible. He won’t fess up,” he mumbled. He suddenly perked up. “Could you interrogate him?” He asked in a hopeful voice. I scrunched my face up. “What? I’m a field agent, not an interrogator,” I finalized, crossing my legs. Alex pouted and gave me his puppy dog face. “Pwease?” He begged. I sighed. “Fine,” I muttered. Alex jumped up and cheered. He grabbed my arm and pushed me into the room. Winston looked up and scoffed when he saw me. “If they’re trying to bring out their big guns, I honestly expected better,” he insulted. I didn’t even wince. I knew he was just trying to get under my skin. I sat down in front of him. “So, hows it going?” I asked casually. He rolled his eyes.

“Oh, just peachy. My enemy agency kidnapped me and is trying to get me to break.” He said sarcastically. I looked down at my wrist and stared at the tattoo on my wrist. He started to shift uncomfortably and yanked on his wrist restraints. I looked at them and did a double take on his right one. I got up and squinted. I leaned in closer and inspected his wrist. My eyes widened. On his wrist was a tiny “NYC”. “Y-!” I began. “Shhhhhh!” He hissed. “Nobody can know about this,” he said quietly. I shook my head. “I need to tell Commander Washington,” I said, already heading for the door. “No!” He shouted. He sighed. “If you don’t tell anyone, I’ll tell you why I have this tattoo,” he muttered. I turned around skeptically. I reluctantly sat down in the chair. “Start,” I commanded. He took a deep breath. “First off, my real name is John Laurens, not Winston Parker. And I used to be a NYCLE agent. Just like you,” I took a sharp inhale. “I was a field agent, specialized in being a double agent. It was an undercover assignment. I was assigned with my best friend, and the job was at a wedding party. It was invite only, so we had to wear disguises,” he explained. That reminded me about disguise I thought as I glanced down at my attire. “After a while, I noticed that my friend was missing. I started searching high and low and I wound up outside. I found him in a nearby alley beaten up and on the brink of death. Before I could call for backup, CMA captured me and told me they would set my friend free if I joined them. If I didn’t, they would kill him. So I did what I had to do. I joined CMA, but I disappeared from my friends’ life, and from NYCLE’s files.” He concluded. I shook my head. “Wow, that’s crazy. I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” I sympathized, rubbing his arm. “Do you think I could find my friend?” He asked. I thought for a second and shrugged. “It could be possible.” I answered. He beamed. “Great! Just unlock me and we can start analyzing faces,” he said to me. I put my hands up. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow your roll. You’re still an enemy. And you still attacked me and NYCLE agents. I can’t unlock you. It’s forbidden.” I stated. He rolled his eyes. “Wow, even after three years you NYCLE agents are still goody two shoes.” He muttered under his breath. “I heard that,” I snapped and stalked out of the interrogation room.

[mikotyzini]

Partner-Bonding Day

Pairing: White Rose Words: 2461

While Weiss prepared every weekend with an outline of assignments and studying to be completed, her teammates took a much different approach to their free time (mostly, figuring out how to do as little work as possible).

This particular weekend, however, Ruby woke far earlier than usual - jumping down from her bed just a few minutes after Weiss stepped out of the bathroom.  From that moment on, a smile hardly left Ruby’s lips as she buzzed around the room - getting changed, gathering a backpack, and altogether looking quite thrilled about something.

By the time the other half of their team woke up, Weiss had absorbed enough of Ruby’s enthusiasm that she needed to know the cause of it.  For...research purposes.

“What’s got you so excited?” she asked as Blake walked to the bathroom and Yang stretched her back - causing several wince-worthy cracks.

“Today’s the day!” Ruby exclaimed with a blinding grin, holding up a small flyer for Weiss to see.

“‘Dagger-Con?’” Weiss asked, leaning back in her chair and feeling her brow furrow at another outing she probably wasn’t included in.  Not that she minded...too much...

“Yup!  A whole convention of weapons!  Weapon creators will be there holding workshops and stuff - I’m so excited!”  With another hop, Ruby made it to Yang’s side and bumped her sister’s elbow.  “You excited, Yang??”

From her position by Yang’s side, Ruby didn’t catch the deer-in-headlights expression that briefly crossed Yang’s face.  But, ever the chameleon, Yang threw on a smile when she turned to her sister.

“You know it!” she answered, raising a hand for Ruby to slap for a high-five.  

The next second, Ruby raced into the bathroom before Blake even made it back into the room, and Yang’s smile disappeared.

“Weiss.”  Hurrying over to the desk, Yang dropped her voice to a whisper.  “I kinda need a favor.”

“Don’t tell me…”

“I totally forgot the convention was this weekend,” Yang said, confirming Weiss’ suspicion.  “Blake and I took that assignment in the forest, so…”

As her words trailed off, Yang sent Weiss a pleading expression.

“Can you go with her?  Please?  I know you’re gonna study or whatever, but she’s really excited, and I don’t want her to have to go alone.”

Sighing in exasperation (because that was her default reaction to any of Yang’s requests), Weiss turned away from imploring lilac eyes and considered her options.  Surprisingly, this was an easy decision - she would love to spend the day with Ruby - but she couldn’t let Yang believe that.  She did have important studying to be done, after all.  Plus...Yang looked pretty desperate…

“I don’t know…” Weiss replied with a slow shake of her head.  “I have a lot of studying to do…”

“I’ll make it worth your while!” Yang immediately offered, stepping right into Weiss’ trap like the beautiful, blonde fool she could sometimes be.  On the other side of the room, Weiss caught Blake’s eyeroll - as she was much wiser to Weiss’ ways than Yang was.

“How?” Weiss asked, curious as to what Yang would offer to keep Ruby happy.  The two sisters had such a close relationship, Weiss imagined Yang would do almost anything to avoid letting Ruby down.

“I’ll take your cleaning shifts for the rest of the year,” Yang spit out, casting a wary glance towards the bathroom.

“Wow -”

“And get you one of those coffee things you like every Friday!”

Weiss couldn’t help it - she laughed.  The first offer was already more than enough, but Yang was so frantic for a ‘yes’ that she went and doubled it before hearing Weiss’ response.

Still, Weiss stifled her laugh and managed a sigh - just to make Yang sweat it out a little longer.

“Fine…” she finally agreed, concealing a smile when Yang let out a small ‘yes’ of success right before Ruby flew into the room.

“I’m ready!”  Slinging her backpack around her shoulders, Ruby gave them an adorable thumbs up.

When Yang sent Weiss a quick glance, she decided that she would handle the exchange, as Yang was likely to bumble it somehow.

“You know,” Weiss began, setting her pen down and shutting the textbook on top of it.  “I thought we were going to have partner-bonding time this weekend…”

There were few things that paused Ruby in her tracks like partner-bonding time.  One, she loved working on anything team-related.  Two, she loved devoting time to becoming a better partner - a trait that Weiss adored more each day.

“Oh, uh, sure, but...do you want to do something else?”

“No,” Weiss quickly replied before Ruby decided to sacrifice her beloved Dagger-Con.  “I don’t mind going to this...convention thing…”

“Really??  You wanna go?” Ruby asked, her eyes shining with renewed hope.  “I - I thought you wouldn’t be interested -”

“Well, you never asked,” Weiss huffed, crossing her arms and turning away.  Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the glance Ruby sent Yang - the two sisters holding a silent conversation until Yang shrugged.

“It’s cool with me.  Blake and I can do bonding stuff too!”

Just like that, their ‘crisis’ was solved - and Weiss picked up a couple bonus perks in the process.  Willingly leaving her studies behind, she grabbed her wallet and motioned for Ruby to lead the way - which she did with a trail of petals flying through the door.

As Weiss moved at a more human pace to follow, she caught Blake’s gaze - the girl shaking her head but smirking at the coup Weiss had just pulled.

“See you guys later,” she said, trying to hide a smug smile as she walked through the door and found Ruby waiting for her in the hall.

“Ready?” Weiss asked, her smile breaking through when Ruby raised one hand in the air and jumped.

“Youuuu bet!”

A short while later, the two of them sat in the back of a sleek, black town car heading towards their destination.  Ruby had planned to take public transit with Yang, but...Weiss didn’t approve of that method of transportation.

She did, however, approve of the way Ruby’s excitement increased as their destination grew nearer.  By this point, Ruby was practically buzzing with energy.  Her knee bounced, she hummed a tune, looked out the window, fiddled with the zipper on her jacket, found an old receipt in her pocket - looked at it, then crumpled it up and stuffed it back in.

Having never been to one of these conventions or anything like it, Weiss was curious about the day to come.  Ruby, however, was...‘excited’ seemed too mute of a word to describe her current emotional state.  Thrilled?  Overjoyed?  Elated?

Whatever it was, Weiss loved it.  Seeing Ruby happy filled her with such...peace.  As if the restless energy to excel could be temporarily put on hold while she shared this moment of happiness with Ruby.

“Are you sure this is what you wanna do?” Ruby asked again.

“Ruby...”

“But we can do something else for partner-bonding day!  Like…uh...study?”

The fact that Ruby made the offer was very sweet, especially considering how excited she was for this event.  Although...she normally went out of her way to make sure Weiss was happy - but Weiss had already scored several big wins this morning, she could afford to make this day special for Ruby.

Weiss wanted to make this day special for Ruby.  More special than it would have been with Yang.  Not that she was competitive or anything...

“I think it’ll be fun,” she replied with a smile to put Ruby’s nerves at ease.  “Besides, we’re already here.”

Outside Ruby’s window, their destination loomed into view - Vale Convention Center.  The massive building sat in the heart of downtown, serving as host to a myriad of conventions throughout the year.  Today, the sidewalks crawled with people - the general flow headed towards the building rather than away.

Hearing Ruby suck in a breath, Weiss smiled.

“Are you excited?”

“They need another word for how excited I am!” Ruby proclaimed.  Her vibrant energy multiplied as the car crawled towards the entrance of the building, slowed by the incredible amount of traffic and pedestrians clogging the streets.

“Why don’t we get out here?” Weiss suggested when it looked like Ruby might jump out of the vehicle on her own.

“If you want...I mean, walking will probably be faster…”

With a playful eyeroll at the diplomatic answer, Weiss turned her attention to the man in the driver’s seat.

“You can let us out here,” she directed him.  

“Yes, Miss.”

The vehicle pulled to the side of the road and, as soon as it came to a full stop, Ruby jumped out.  Surprisingly, she still had enough wits about her to turn around and offer her hand to help Weiss out of the car behind her.

“So chivalrous,” Weiss teased as the towncar pulled away, leaving them amongst the crowd of people walking to the convention center.

“Anything for you, milady!” Ruby joked in return, somehow making Weiss blush without even trying.  “And I’m pretty sure we go this way.”

Pointing in the right direction, Ruby grinned and took Weiss’ hand as they walked with the crowd.  On an ordinary day, Weiss would prefer to walk slower and out of the way, but...Ruby was excited.  And when Ruby was excited, her steps grew long and swift, forcing Weiss to speed walk to keep pace.

“You have our tickets or...whatever we need, right?”

“Uh...yup!”

The delayed response drew Weiss’ immediate attention.  

“Ruby...”

“Ok!” Ruby fessed up.  “They sold out too fast, so I don’t actually have tickets.”

For a moment, shock took ahold of Weiss’ mind - flabbergasted that Ruby was so excited for the day when she didn’t even have the most basic means of entry secured.

“Then how are we supposed to get in??”

“Easy!  We’ll just buy some from the scalpers!”

“Scalpers?”

“Yeah!  The people who sell tickets out front.  Look, there’s one right there!”

Weiss didn’t know what she expected when she searched out this ‘scalper,’ but it turned out to be a regular gentleman waving several pieces of plastic through the air while shouting “Badges!” at anyone who passed.

“What an unfortunate nickname,” Weiss muttered while leading Ruby over.

“Excuse me, sir,” she called out, capturing the man’s attention.  “We need two tickets -”

“Got two right here -” he interrupted, holding them out to her.  “Fifty Lien.”

“Ok -”  

“Each.”

Briefly confused as to whether that number was supposed to be intimidating in some way, Weiss simply pulled a crisp hundred Lien bill from her wallet and handed it over.  WIthout a word, the man took the money and gave her the two slips in his hand while turning away.

“Badges!” he yelled again, making her flinch in surprise.

“I’ll pay you back!” Ruby said, dragging Weiss away before she complained about his lack of manners.  “I totally planned on making Yang pay…”

“Don’t worry about it.  It’s my treat.”

The response was rewarded with a smile that made Weiss more and more willing to pay for anything Ruby wanted.  It was hard having such a cute partner sometimes...especially a cute partner who somehow knew exactly how to make her agree with things...

“I’ve waited my entire life for this!” Ruby squealed, clutching onto Weiss’ arm as they walked across a giant lobby covered in advertisements and blown-up pictures of weapons.

“Really?” Weiss asked, lifting a brow as the first of likely many hyperboles appeared.  “Your entire life?”

“You know what I mean!” Ruby protested, making Weiss laugh as they approached a line that led into the exhibit hall.  Standing by each entrance was an employee checking passes on the way through - and what Weiss meant by ‘checking passes’ was nothing more than a quick glimpse before waving people through the doors.

“Pretty sure you could’ve created these,” Weiss muttered while the line moved towards the entrance.  Looking at the badge in her hands, she didn’t find anything overly difficult to copy - especially considering the lax security measures.

“Next time!”  Hopping the last step, Ruby waved her pass to the man standing by the door.  When she earned her obligatory nod and wave, she turned and waited for Weiss to do the same before they walked inside together.

Beyond the doors was the exhibit hall, and it was...something else.  And it was fair to say that this was where Weiss and Ruby’s experiences diverged because to Weiss, it was loud, crowded, somewhat chaotic, and overstimulating.

To Ruby…

“Holyyyyyy cow…” Ruby gasped, her eyes wide as she took in the sights.  “This is like...if heaven and Beacon’s workshop had a baby.”

Even though Weiss laughed at the analogy, she found it quite appropriate.  Rows and rows of vendors filled the giant space, selling everything from scraps of metal to completed weapons.  For someone with Ruby’s likes and hobbies, this was a version of heaven.

“Well, let’s get going,” she said, encouraging Ruby forward with a nod.  That was all the permission Ruby needed to rush towards the first booth - which looked like a weapons company specializing in different types of crossbows.

“Weiss, look at this!” Ruby exclaimed, picking up literally the first item she got her hands on.

It must be important based on Ruby’s reaction, but all Weiss saw was an ordinary piece of paper with lines drawn all over it.

“What is it?” she asked, leaning closer to get a better look at the mess of lines.

“Blueprints to build your own crossbow!” Lowering the paper, Ruby turned a set of pleading eyes on Weiss.  “I wanna build a crossbow!”

There were two appropriate reactions to that statement - the mature, adult thing to do was distract Ruby from the potentially-dangerous quest.  But with those eyes…

“I’ll get it for you.”

“Aww Weiss, you don’t have to do that…”

“I insist.”  Waving towards the attendant nearby, Weiss paid for the blueprints before understanding what this day was turning into.  While Ruby held onto her newest treasure, Weiss pulled out her scroll and typed a message.

“You’re the best, Weiss!  But whatcha doing?”

“Sending a message to our driver - telling him to come back.”

“Oh.  Uh, are you not having fun?”

Ruby’s deflated energy sent a momentary spike of guilt through Weiss, so she quickly put away her scroll and took Ruby’s free hand.

“No, I’m having him come back to carry all the items we’ll be buying today.”

Weiss’ smile grew as she watched realization dawn in Ruby’s eyes.  Suddenly, her very-excited partner was hopping up and down again, clutching both of Weiss’ hands and spinning her in a circle.

“Do you mean what I think you mean??”

Laughing at the response, Weiss waited until Ruby settled into one place before nodding.

“Yes.  Partner-shopping day.”