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ebiemidnightlibrarian ยท 7 months ago
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๐”‡๐”ž๐”ณ๐”ฆ๐”ก ๐”…๐”ฌ๐”ด๐”ฆ๐”ข
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๐Œ๐€๐’๐“๐„๐‘๐‹๐ˆ๐’๐“
๐‰๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ญ๐ก, ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐†๐จ๐›๐ฅ๐ข๐ง ๐Š๐ข๐ง๐ :
๐‘ป๐’‰๐’† ๐‘ด๐’‚๐’ˆ๐’Š๐’„ ๐’๐’‡ ๐‘ป๐’Š๐’Ž๐’† | ๐‘ฑ๐’‚๐’“๐’†๐’•๐’‰, ๐’•๐’‰๐’† ๐’ˆ๐’๐’ƒ๐’๐’Š๐’ ๐’Œ๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐’™ ๐‘ถ๐‘ญ๐‘ช โ€” ๐‘พ๐‘ฐ๐‘ท
[๐‘ฌ๐’๐’ˆ๐’๐’Š๐’”๐’‰] [๐‘ท๐’๐’“๐’•๐’–๐’ˆ๐’–๐’†๐’”๐’†]
Aurora has always been a lonely and imaginative young woman, always reading about faraway realms, fantastical creatures and cruel and heartless kings.
After an argument with Harry, her younger brother, the young woman asks the Goblins; magical creatures that kidnap children to take their little brother. At her request, the King of the Goblins, a character in one of Aurora's books, kidnaps the little boy. Repentant, the young woman will have to face a labyrinth and rescue her brother before the thirteen hours are up to prevent him from being turned into a Goblin forever and she, being imprisoned in the king's castle.
๐‰๐จ๐ก๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ๐ฅ๐จ๐œ๐ค:
๐‘ช๐’‰๐’๐’๐’”๐’† ๐’€๐’๐’–๐’“ ๐‘ท๐’๐’Š๐’”๐’๐’ | ๐‘ฑ๐’๐’‰๐’ ๐‘ฉ๐’๐’‚๐’š๐’๐’๐’„๐’Œ ๐’™ ๐‘บ๐’†๐’™๐‘พ๐’๐’“๐’Œ๐’†๐’“!๐‘ฎ๐‘ต! ๐‘น๐’†๐’‚๐’…๐’†๐’“ โ€” ๐‘ป๐‘ฉ๐‘จ [๐’๐’๐’†-๐’”๐’‰๐’๐’•]
As a lonely and melancholic vampire widow, John decides to drown some of his painful memories of his beloved deceased wife Miriam, in a sensual and desperate sex worker with an unhealthy attraction for death and danger.
๐‘ฐ ๐‘พ๐’‚๐’๐’๐’‚ ๐‘ฉ๐’† ๐’€๐’๐’–๐’“ ๐‘บ๐’๐’‚๐’—๐’† | ๐‘ซ๐’‚๐’“๐’Œ!๐‘ท๐’“๐’๐’‡๐’†๐’”๐’”๐’๐’“!๐‘ฑ๐’๐’‰๐’ ๐‘ฉ๐’๐’‚๐’š๐’๐’๐’„๐’Œ ๐’™ ๐‘บ๐’•๐’–๐’…๐’†๐’๐’•!๐‘ญ๐’†๐’Ž!๐‘น๐’†๐’‚๐’…๐’†๐’“ โ€” ๐‘ถ๐’ ๐‘พ๐’“๐’Š๐’•๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ [๐’๐’๐’†-๐’”๐’‰๐’๐’•]
John Blaylock is the perfect history teacher, he's smart, patience, kind and devilish handsome. One day, during a particularly boring class, he feels the unmistakable sentiment of someone staring eyes on him, and his sparkling blue eyes lay down on you. A shy young woman in the bottom of the class, when she is catching looking at him, she blushes strongly. At that moment, John has a very mischievous idea.
๐”’โ„ญ'๐”ฐ
๐ป๐‘Ž๐‘ฆ๐‘ค๐‘œ๐‘œ๐‘‘ ๐ฝ๐‘œ๐‘›๐‘’๐‘ :
๐‘ป๐’†๐’†๐’๐’‚๐’ˆ๐’† ๐‘พ๐’Š๐’๐’…๐’๐’Š๐’‡๐’† | ๐‘ท๐’“๐’๐’‡๐’†๐’”๐’”๐’๐’“!๐‘ฏ๐’‚๐’š๐’˜๐’๐’๐’… ๐‘ฑ๐’๐’๐’†๐’” ๐’™ ๐‘บ๐’•๐’–๐’…๐’†๐’๐’•!๐‘ญ๐’†๐’Ž!๐‘น๐’†๐’‚๐’…๐’†๐’“ โ€” ๐‘ป๐‘ฉ๐‘จ [๐’๐’๐’†-๐’”๐’‰๐’๐’•]
Haywood accepts the chance of teaching St. Bartollomew's students literature and writing methods. There, he meets you, a promising young woman who's suffering with an abusive relationship. After developing some feelings for her, he decides to help her with the toxic boyfriend.
๐”—๐”ž๐”ค๐”ฉ๐”ฆ๐”ฐ๐”ฑ
@stardustandgunpowder
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dumbnotstupidfuck ยท 8 months ago
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๐‘ญ๐’Š๐’„-๐‘ท๐’๐’‚๐’š๐’๐’Š๐’”๐’• ๐‘ด๐’‚๐’”๐’•๐’†๐’“๐’๐’Š๐’”๐’•
(bc im sick of pinning everything)
ao3 here
โ•šโ•โ•เฎ“เน‘โ™กเน‘เฎ“โ•โ•โ•
๐‘ถ๐’๐’† ๐‘บ๐’‰๐’๐’•๐’”
๐šƒ๐š˜๐šž๐šŒ๐š‘๐šŽ๐š ๐š‹๐šข ๐šŠ๐š— ๐™ฐ๐š—๐š๐šŽ๐š• - ๐™ต๐š•๐šž๐š๐š/๐™ฒ๐š˜๐š–๐š๐š˜๐š›๐š
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฌ, ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต.
๐˜›๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ฑ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ต-๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ, ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ-๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ.
๐™ท๐š˜๐š–๐šŽ - ๐™ท๐šž๐š›๐š/๐™ฒ๐š˜๐š–๐š๐š˜๐š›๐š/๐š‚๐š•๐š’๐š๐š‘๐š ๐™ฐ๐š—๐š๐šœ๐š
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ-๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ-๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฎ.
๐™ธ๐š–๐š–๐š˜๐š›๐š๐šŠ๐š• - ๐™ฐ๐š—๐š๐šœ๐š/๐™ท๐šž๐š›๐š/๐™ณ๐š›๐šŠ๐š–๐šŠ
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜บ ๐˜ค๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ช๐˜ต. ๐˜–๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ.
๐™ฒ๐šŠ๐š๐š•๐š’๐š”๐šŽ - ๐™ณ๐š˜๐š–๐šŽ๐šœ๐š๐š’๐šŒ ๐™ต๐š•๐šž๐š๐š
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ: ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ญ๐˜บ. ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ช๐˜ต.
๐™ฒ๐š˜๐š•๐š•๐šŠ๐š๐šŽ๐š›๐šŠ๐š• ๐™ณ๐šŠ๐š–๐šŠ๐š๐šŽ - ๐™ฐ๐š—๐š๐šœ๐š/๐™ท๐šž๐š›๐š/๐™ฝ๐š˜ ๐™ฒ๐š˜๐š–๐š๐š˜๐š›๐š
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜Š๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜จ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฑ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ฑ ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ค๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ฃ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ด ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ง๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ต. ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฌ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ.
๐‘ด๐’–๐’๐’•๐’Š๐’„๐’‰๐’‚๐’‘๐’•๐’†๐’“
๐™ฒ๐š’๐š๐šข ๐š˜๐š ๐š‚๐š๐šŠ๐š›๐šœ - 3/? - ๐™ท๐š’๐šœ๐š๐š˜๐š›๐š’๐šŒ๐šŠ๐š• ๐™ต๐š’๐šŒ๐š๐š’๐š˜๐š—/๐š๐š˜๐š–๐šŠ๐š—๐šŒ๐šŽ/๐™ณ๐š›๐šŠ๐š–๐šŠ
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜ซ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ด๐˜ค๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ธ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฃ ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด. ๐˜™๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด.
๐™ป๐š’๐šŸ๐šŽ ๐š๐š˜๐š› ๐š†๐š‘๐šŠ๐šโ€™๐šœ ๐™ป๐šŽ๐š๐š - 2/4 - ๐™ท๐š’๐šœ๐š๐š˜๐š›๐š’๐šŒ๐šŠ๐š• ๐™ต๐š’๐šŒ๐š๐š’๐š˜๐š—/๐š๐š˜๐š–๐šŠ๐š—๐šŒ๐šŽ/๐™ท๐šž๐š›๐š/๐™ฒ๐š˜๐š–๐š๐š˜๐š›๐š/๐™ฐ๐š—๐š๐šœ๐š
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ ๐˜ž๐˜ข๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ข ๐˜œ๐˜š๐˜– ๐˜ฑ๏ฟฝ๏ฟฝ๐˜ณ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ.
๐™ฒ๐šŠ๐šž๐šœ๐šŽ ๐šŠ๐š—๐š ๐™ด๐š๐š๐šŽ๐šŒ๐š - ๐™ฒ๐š˜๐š–๐š™๐š•๐šŽ๐š๐šŽ - 2/2 - ๐™ณ๐š›๐šŠ๐š–๐šŠ/๐™ท๐šž๐š›๐š/๐™ฒ๐š˜๐š–๐š๐š˜๐š›๐š
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ ๐˜ง๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฌ๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ.
๐‘บ๐’Ž๐’–๐’•
๐š‚๐š˜๐š•๐šž๐š๐š’๐š˜๐š—๐šœ - ๐™ธ๐š—๐š๐šŽ๐š›๐šŒ๐š›๐šž๐š›๐šŠ๐š• ๐š‚๐šŽ๐šก/๐™ต๐š›๐š˜๐š๐š๐š’๐š—๐š/๐™ต๐š•๐šž๐š๐š๐šข
๐˜š๐˜ถ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜บ : ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ต ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ค๐˜ฉ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ, ๐˜ฃ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ด๐˜บ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ˆ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ซ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง๐˜ง ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฌ. ๐˜๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ'๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜บ ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ฉ.
โ””โ”€โ”€ โ€ขโœงโ€ข โ”€โ”€โ”˜
๐‘ท๐’๐’‚๐’š๐’๐’Š๐’”๐’•๐’”
.ใƒปใ€‚.ใƒปใ‚œโœญใƒป.ใƒปโœซใƒปใ‚œใƒปใ€‚.
๐˜ฉ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฅ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฃ๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ต ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ
๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต
๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ช๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ธ๐˜ฌ๐˜ด
๐˜ต๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ฆ
๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ซ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ
55 notes ยท View notes
staarboyyy ยท 1 year ago
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โ”โ”โ”โ”โ”ยฐโŒœ ่ตคใ„็ณธ โŒŸยฐโ”โ”โ”โ”โ”“
-ห‹ห [ bowie | 19 | any pronouns ] หŽหŠ-
โ”—โ”โ”โ”โ”ยฐโŒœ ่ตคใ„็ณธ โŒŸยฐโ”โ”โ”โ”โ”›
โ”† โ”† โ”† โ”† โ”† โ”†
โ”† โ”† โ”† โ”† โณ โ‚’ โ€ โ€
โ”† โ”† โ”† *:๏ฝฅ๏พŸ โ†ท โ‹ฏ โ™กแตŽ โœฆ โŒ‡ สทแต‰หกแถœแต’แตแต‰ แต—แต’ โ†ด
โ”† โ”† *เณƒ bowies tumblr!
โ”† โ€โŠน๊ฎบหš banner credits ! *โ‚Šยฐใ€‚
ยจ๐ŸŽž
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โœฉยฐ๏ฝก โ‹†โธœ ๐ŸŽง ; all characters are 18+, written by adult(s), for adults, in adult scenarios. These scenarios can range from explicit, to gorey depending on the given tags. minors do not interact!
โ˜…๐Ÿ“Ž {} .. if requests are open, please be patient with completed drabbles! i am only one person with two weak malnourished thumbs, have mercy :(
โ˜†๐Ÿ’ฌใ€‚ใƒปi write for characters that have been considered "controversial" in the past, such as homelander, soldier boy, amanda young, etc. if those characters/sources bother you, please feel free to block me and my tags !
โ˜†ใƒป๏ผŽโ•ใ€Œtagsใ€
-ห‹ห #bowies fics [all fics]
-ห‹ห #bowies requests [requested fics]
-ห‹ห #bowies headcannons [ all headcannons ]
-ห‹ห #bowies comfort tag [reposts of fanart of sources i love]
-ห‹ห #bowies silly tag [funny reposts]
-ห‹ห #pretty colors!!!@ [reposts of fanart of sources i love]
โ•ดโ•ดโ•ดโ•ดโ•ดโŠน๊ฎบหš โ•ดโ•ดโ•ดโ•ดโ•ดโŠนหš โ•ดโ•ดโ•ดโ•ดหšเณƒ โ•ดโ•ด
fic request status ; open !
headcannon request status ; open !
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โœฉยฐ๏ฝกโ‹†saw franchise x reader - all gender neutral
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: amanda young x reader
drowning ; unhealthy dynamics, descriptions of violence, s/h mentions slight stockholm syndrome, menetions of kidnapping, fluff, no smut - strangely soft moments and recalling memories of being taken in by amanda and john [ romance ]
quiet morning ; fluff, sleeping with socks, sleepy morning, buffmanda, pervymanda, straddling, teasing - amanda insists you both sleep in. [ suggestive ]
choice ; stroke mentions/slight descriptions, surgery mentions, panic attacks, grounding, hand holding, fluff, "i hate everyone but you" trope - after john has a stroke, you find yourself slightly split between two sides of the same coin. [ angst / romance ]
territory ; apprentice!reader, jealousy, amanda being a guard dog, anatomical terms for vagina, degradation, dubcon if u squint, biting, sadistmanda - amanda catches you and mark going over your lastet work. [ smut ]
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: mark hoffman x reader
worthy test ; dead dove, detective!reader, kidnapping, smut, gender neutral anatomy, gags, rough sex, slapping, needles, drugging, unhealthy dynamics, dom/sub dynamics, size difference kink, age difference, creampie, big ol man tiddies YEEHAWW!! - you and your team of investigators have been after jigsaw's apprentice for months, yet waking up bound to a chair makes way for suprises more sinister than you could have imagined [ smut ]
โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•
โœฉยฐ๏ฝกโ‹†the boys x reader - all gender neutral
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: homelander x reader
compliance ; sublander, bloodplay, knifeplay, handcuffs, dom/sub dynamic, consent, communication, prior planning, oral sex - getting homelander in a vulnerable position where you put him in cuffs he's not allowed to break. [ smut ]
supernova ; depowered!homelander, homelander reffered to as john, angst with a fluffy ending, domestic sweetness, anxiety attack, eating difficulties - john feels lost after losing his powers despite settling into a "normal" life with you. [ angst / romance ]
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: frenchie x reader
people will talk ; weed smoking, alcohol references, fluff, intoxication, cozy fic, - late night meetings between you, frenchie and a joint [ fluff ]
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: frenchie x butcher x reader
team building ; reader has vagina, weed use / intoxication, supe reaper, enemies to lovers if you squint, hell yeah for long buildup, threesome, lap sitting, oral [receiving / giving], spitroast, lots of petnames - As a Supe on the run, joining The Boys can be nerve wracking - Easing up tension is no easy feat. [ smut ]
โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•
โœฉยฐ๏ฝกโ‹†fallout x reader - all gender neutral
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: cooper howard [the ghoul] x bounty!reader
paid in kind ; gunplay, breathplay, bondage, spitplay, hairpulling, oral [ m receiving ], throatfucking, wallfucking, creampie, accidental yearning, prolonged eye contact is sexy, switch!cooper is underrated, mentions of past sexual experiences, nondescript reader genitals, rad x as ghoul birth control - you've been running for weeks, but there's nowhere he won't find you. [ smut ]
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: prewar!cooper x barbara howard x reader
summer lovin' ; costar!reader, hot tub time!, fluff beyond belief, relationship not labeled but everyone flirts with everyone!, alcohol mentions/consumption - after working on a film with cooper, you never imagined just how charming both of the howards were. [ romance / fluff ]
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โœฉยฐ๏ฝกโ‹† Unexpected
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š thomas shelby x reader fic [ smut - specified anatomy ]
summary ; the shelby's and your family have worked together for quite some time. when your mother made a bold move against the lead shelby brother, you took to going to apologize personally.
tags / warnings ; intoxication, spanking, grinding, pleasure denial, thomas shelby being a bitch, smoking, masturbation, facial, cumplay if u squint, explicit consent, power imbalance - smoking, fluff, morning sex, oral [ reader receiving ] , power imbalance, overstimulation, reluctant feels, thomas shelby please have emotions?? please?? LMAO, irresponsible beta read we die like real men
i. evening ,, ii. morning
โœฉยฐ๏ฝกโ‹† Negotiations
; หšโ‚Š หš โ€งโ‚Š .: soldier boy x reader [ smut, angst - specified anatomy ]
summary ; upon joining The Boys to take down Homelander with the help of Soldier Boy, you come to realize he's much more of a hard bargain than you anticipated.
tags / warnings ; dubcon, forced orgasms, slight daddy kink, glove kink if you squint, size kink, southern charm, drug use, wall sex, no pronouns used for reader but afab anatomy is repeatedly mentioned - intoxication, weed use, cocaine mentions, slight angst, porn with a plot, destructive mutualization, lap sitting, pleasure denial, grinding ("the knee thing"), slight underwear fetish, m!masturbation, couch sex, free use elements, creampie, verbal threats, reader takes initiative (aka fucks around and finds out, with feelings!), is soldier boy a warning? if so, soldier boy antics!,
i. negotations ,, ii. necessary evils
โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•โ•
โŠน๊ฎบหš masterlist will be updated bi-weekly!
โŠน๊ฎบหš for a more accurate list, check #bowies fics ! <3
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102 notes ยท View notes
catchthewindd ยท 6 months ago
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welcome to catchthewindd !!
below the cut are all of my written works :)
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fanfictions
hugh grant // https://www.tumblr.com/catchthewindd/727992537602834432/these-eyes-part-one-hugh-grant
david bowie // https://www.tumblr.com/catchthewindd/739772263625326592/craving-kisses-david-bowie
other works
stranger things characterโ€™s beatles opinions // https://www.tumblr.com/catchthewindd/709567979289034752/this-is-so-niche-but-here-we-go-stranger-things
criminal minds characterโ€™s rupaulโ€™s drag race opinions // https://www.tumblr.com/catchthewindd/745509682143232000/this-is-so-niche-and-specific-but-this-is-who-i
criminal minds music taste headcanons // https://www.tumblr.com/catchthewindd/753409317337726976/some-criminal-minds-characters-and-three-songs-i
thatโ€™s all for now! check back soon for updates :)
3 notes ยท View notes
cannibalcoyote ยท 2 years ago
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Masterlist:
*Imagines that arenโ€™t linked means that they arenโ€™t published yet*
Original Stories:
Senseless Reality
Series
Imagines/One-shots:
Die Hard (Movies):
Simon Gruber Pt.1: A Stranger
Simon Gruber Pt.2: A Savior
Simon Gruber: Am I Worth Anything?
Simon Gruber: Vengeance
Simon Gruber: Lost
Simon Gruber: Fear
Simon Gruber: Escape
Simon/Hans Gruber Pt.1: Alone
Simon Gruber Pt.2: I Will Protect You
DH3 Cast: Anxiety
Star Trek:
Christopher Pike: You Saved Me
Christopher Pike: Arguments
Seven of Nine: Effigy
War Games (1983):
In progress
David Bowie/Characters:
David Bowie: Sun Rays and Rainy Days
David Bowie: The Actress
David Bowie: Kid Sister
David Bowie: Don't Go
David Bowie: Security
David Bowie: Confrontations
David Bowie: Determination
Jack Celliers: Beautiful Eyes
Jack Celliers: Sadie
Jack Celliers: Alive
Rockstar: Your Story (Interview)
I Can't Stay Here Anymore
Jareth: Quelled Fear
Jareth: Twin Souls
Jareth: Lost Child
Jareth: Lost Queen
Jareth: Back Away
Mick Ronson:
Rockstar: Your Story (Interview)
I Can't Stay Here Anymore
Hannibal (TV):
Hannibal Lecter Pt.1: Antisocial
Hannibal Lecter Pt.2:Antisocial
Hannibal Lecter: New Patient
Hannibal Lecter: Protector
Marvel/DC:
Alfred Pennyworth: Alone
The Elder Maximoff (Series)
Animes:
In progress
The Lion King:
Scar: What Did I Do?
Scar: Betrayal
Scar's Adopted Brother (Series)
Cats (Musical):
In progress
Broadchurch:
Alec Hardy: A Messed Up Situation
Alec Hardy: Correlation Does Not Equal Causation
Unraveled (Series)
Harry Potter:
Severus Snape: Siblings
BBC:
In progress
Johnny Depp:
Johnny Depp: Bodyguard Bestfriend
Tom Hanson: Where is Y/N?
Sweeney Todd: Feeling Fatherly
John Dillinger: I Loved You
Jack Sparrow: Too Far
George Jung: Dangerous Affair
House MD:
In progress
MASH:
In progress
NCIS/Criminal Minds:
Aaron Hotchner: Found Out
Aaron Hotchner: First and Last Phone Call
BAU: Team Member to Murderer
Jethro Gibbs: The Dangers of Pride
Peaky Blinders:
In progress
The Dressmaker:
Tilly Dunnage: I'll Be Here
LOTR/The Hobbit:
Thranduil: Why Did You Run?
Thranduil: Abandoned
Thranduil: Nin Naur
Woodland Princess (Series)
House of the Dragon:
Daemon Targaryen/Matt Smith: Two Face
Daemon Targaryen: Daughter
Daemon Targaryen: Bastard
Daemon Targaryen: Unexpected
Aemond Targaryen: Blood Debt
Hazbin Hotel:
In progress
21 notes ยท View notes
warnersister ยท 11 months ago
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Current Work
Harry Potter - discontinued
Shameless - postponed
Encanto - discontinued
Gotham - requests open
The Beatles - postponed
F1 - requests open
Other fandoms - requests open
6 notes ยท View notes
astoriawritings ยท 2 years ago
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Masterlist
โ˜„. *. โ‹† Hello stranger, welcome to my bullshit show. โ˜„. *. โ‹†
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Characters
Requests
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just-a-beatlemaniac69 ยท 1 year ago
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My rules:
I will write smut
I will write fluff
I will try my best to write angst ๐Ÿ’€
Pls specify if you want it to be โ€œGn!readerโ€ or a โ€œMale!readerโ€ Otherwise I will make it a โ€œFem!readerโ€
No incest ๐Ÿ’€
I absolutely will not write ship requests for real people (ex: Paul McCartney x John Lennon, Brian May x Roger Taylor, etc.)
(Thatโ€™s all the rules I can think of right now but Iโ€™ll update this when I think of more rules)
6 notes ยท View notes
spaceagebachelormann ยท 7 months ago
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ยทหš เผ˜โ‚Šยท อŸอŸอžอž๊’ฐโžณ ๐๐š๐ฏ๐ข๐ ๐›๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ž
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โ™กย -ย fluff,ย โœฟย -ย angst,ย โœง -ย crack fic/random,ย โย -ย gn reader,ย โžบย - fem reader,ย โย -ย male reader
navigation โ€” masterlist
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โ‰ก;- ๊’ฐ ยฐ ๐š๐šŠ๐šŸ๐š’๐š ๐š‹๐š˜๐š ๐š’๐šŽ ๊’ฑ
โ•ฐโ”ˆโžค nothing here yet !
โ‰ก;- ๊’ฐ ยฐ ๐šฃ๐š’๐š๐š๐šข ๐šœ๐š๐šŠ๐š›๐š๐šž๐šœ๐š ๊’ฑ
โ•ฐโ”ˆโžค nothing here yet !
โ‰ก;- ๊’ฐ ยฐ ๐š๐š‘๐š˜๐š–๐šŠ๐šœ ๐š“๐šŽ๐š›๐š˜๐š–๐šŽ ๐š—๐šŽ๐š ๐š๐š˜๐š— ๊’ฑ
โ•ฐโ”ˆโžค nothing here yet !
โ‰ก;- ๊’ฐ ยฐ ๐š“๐šŠ๐š›๐šŽ๐š๐š‘ ๊’ฑ
โ•ฐโ”ˆโžค nothing here yet !
โ‰ก;- ๊’ฐ ยฐ ๐šŒ๐šŽ๐š•๐š•๐š’๐šŽ๐š›๐šœ ๊’ฑ
โ•ฐโ”ˆโžค nothing here yet !
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andvys ยท 3 months ago
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Dancing with our hands tied | S.H.
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Chapter twenty five โญ๏ธŽ Who could stay? You could stay
Warnings: none really, just a lot of fluff, a bittersweet ending, lots of love and tooth rotting sweetness
Pairing: Steve Harrington x fem!reader
Summary: You and Steve take another step and move into a whole new chapter.
Word count: 8.5k
Author's note: this is it, guys. this is the last chapter, all we got is an epilogue coming and thats it, the story is nearly over! It's been six months of dwoht!!!! six months of plotting and writing with @hellfire--cult ily roe, thank you for doing this with me โ™ก
Series Masterlist โญ๏ธŽ Previous Chapter
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Moving boxes litter your entire house, some are in the hallway, the kitchen and the living room, some already emptied, some of them are still unopened, sealed with duct tape. Most boxes are in your bedroom though, yours and Steveโ€™s bedroom.ย 
David Bowieโ€™s voice sounds through the speakers, the wind that blows through your open window touches your bare skin, you are only wearing a t-shirt of his, your hair is pulled up in a scrunchie that he picked out for you when you went shopping together, your knees dig into the soft carpet beneath you as you sort through his movie and comic collection, taking them out of the box and stacking them up on your shelf where you had already made space for him. You were honestly a little surprised to find the Captain America comic books in one of his drawers back at his house, he never mentioned them nor did you see him ever holding a comic book in his hand but apparently he only liked them when he was a kid and he grew out of his โ€˜nerdyโ€™ phase when he turned thirteen. Sure. He told you not to pack them, he told you he doesnโ€™t need them anymore but you saw the look in his eyes, the comfort that teenage boy got from getting lost in a world of superheroes, so you packed them into the box and now theyโ€™re finding home on your shelf, ready for him to reach whenever.ย 
You donโ€™t feel his eyes on you at this moment, you are too focused on the memories he packed, on the pictures you find next, of the teens, of Robin and Eddie, of his parents and some of his from his childhood, pictures of you.ย 
Steve had never felt more at peace than he does now, standing in your now shared bedroom, he is sorting through his clothes, placing them on the hangers and into your closet, he is sneaking glances at you, wearing the biggest smile on his face. Your hair is falling out of the scrunchie, his shirt is riding up on your thighs, a soft look resides in your eyes and on your lips as you flip through the pictures he took to his new home. His heart skips strongly as he looks at you, heโ€™s got everything he ever wanted, absolutely everything.ย 
When you asked him to move in with you after only two weeks of dating, he didnโ€™t waste a second to say โ€˜yesโ€™, perhaps he even sounded a little too desperate when that word left his lips but he couldnโ€™t help it. He hated to be away from you, even more so than before, when you werenโ€™t dating yet. He didnโ€™t want to spend a second without you, and neither did you. You clung to each other from the moment he asked you to be his girlfriend, not a single night was spent without the other. You ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together, you showered together and cuddled on the couch in front of the tv, every night. You never went to sleep without one another, so โ€˜why wait?โ€™, you said before you asked him.ย 
He had no trouble leaving his house, it was only ever home because of you and he felt more at home here than he ever did back there. He felt no sadness to leave it behind, only excitement and happiness to enter this chapter of your life together.ย 
Steve looks at the polaroid camera next to your bed, feeling the urge to keep this moment not only in his memory but also in a picture. He places his yellow sweater into your closet before he makes his way over to the nightstand, he picks up the camera and turns it on, removing the cap leans, he tip toes closer to you and kneels down, squinting one eye shut as he aims the camera at you and he captures a perfect moment.ย 
A look of surprise flashes in your features, your brows are pulled up, your lips parted as you stare at the notes in your hand, the notes that fell out of the little notebook that you can only assume to be from his days at school. You didnโ€™t mean to open it or even look inside, it could be a diary, after all. But the notes fell out when you took it out of the box.ย 
You blink, once, twice. You feel as though your eyes are betraying you as you read the words on the white paper. The ink is a little faded, but you can still see every letter clearly.ย 
Your heart is skipping in your chest.ย 
What are you looking at perv?
Your handwriting.ย 
Your note.ย 
You remember that day, you remember how you caught him staring at you, throughout the whole class, the hopeless girl in you was blushing butโ€ฆ the teenage you was annoyed, thinking that he was just messing with you, thinking that he somehow found out about your crush on him and decided to tease you, to play with you.ย 
You put the note down on your lap and read the other.ย 
Very funny, are you running out of girls to flirt with, King Steve?
You donโ€™t even hear the clicking sound of the camera, you pay no mind to the flash going off either. You are too surprised by what you see as you keep flipping through the notes that he kept, the ones he kept for years, back when he didnโ€™t even like you.
You flinch in surprise when you feel a pair of arms around your waist but quickly relax and melt into him, into his embrace, into his warm touch. Your lips curl into a smile when his own press soft kisses to your neck, whispering into your skin.ย 
โ€œKing Steve was an idiot, wasnโ€™t he? He couldnโ€™t throw away these notes but still kept acting like a dick to you.โ€ย 
The thought of him struggling to throw your notes into the trash, makes your chest swell with warmth.ย 
You tilt your head back to face your boyfriend, you place the notes down and wrap your hand around his wrist.ย 
โ€œDidโ€ฆ you keep them on purpose?โ€ You ask as for a moment, you thought that he mightโ€™ve forgotten them.ย 
โ€œI did, my heart just didnโ€™t allow me to throw them away.โ€ย ย 
You chuckle at his words and shake your head, โ€œyeah, sure.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s true, honey!โ€ He exclaims, squeezing your waist.ย 
You flinch in surprise, a giggle falling from your lips as you hold his wrists tighter.ย 
โ€œIt always knew who it belonged to.โ€ He whispers with no humor in his voice, just genuine honesty, because itโ€™s true, his heart knew, it always knew.ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re such a sap, Steve Harrington,โ€ you say, though with nothing but a wide smile on your lips.ย 
โ€œYeah, Iโ€™m your sap,โ€ he grins, clinging tighter to your waist, he nuzzles his face into your neck, breathing you in and kissing you there, feeling his heart swelling in excitement, in love as he thinks of his future now, a future he thought he would only ever dream of, a future you both want, with one another. He will get to wake beside you every morning, with you in his arms, greeted by your soft touch, by your sweet kisses, he will get to sit at the breakfast table with you, write the grocery list with you while you enjoy your morning coffee, he will kiss you before leaving for work and he will come home, not to an empty house like he used to, no, he will come to you, his home.ย 
You cup the side of his face when you tilt your head back, chasing his lips with your own, you both giggle when your noses bump together before your mouths touch and you both get lost in the sweet kiss you can never get enough of.ย 
His feelings grow stronger and stronger, each passing second, they get bigger and brighter, evolving into something he never thought was even possible to feel, something bigger than love, something he canโ€™t even describe with words, even if he tried to but he feels like the happiest man in the world โ€“ in the fucking universe.ย 
He feels bonded to you, he belongs to you and you to him.ย 
He pulls away from the kiss with an even bigger smile on his face than before, he caresses your cheek and looks into your eyes, โ€œI thinkโ€ฆ no, I know,โ€ he corrects himself, pressing his lips to yours once more, โ€œyouโ€™re my soulmate.โ€
A soft giggle escapes you, you tilt your head to the side and move closer to him. Staring at the loving look in his hazel eyes, the relaxed and happy smile he now constantly wears.ย 
โ€œYou really thinkโ€“โ€
He cuts you off with a kiss to your lips, โ€œI know so,โ€ he whispers against your mouth, โ€œmy heart knows, I know.โ€
โ€œSoulmates,โ€ you whisper and wrap your arms around your boyfriend's neck, crawling into his lap, he happily pulls you tighter against him. โ€œI love the sound of that.โ€
โ€œI chose you.โ€
โ€œOh, did you?โ€ You giggle. โ€œWe werenโ€™t made for each other? You just chose me? Thatโ€™s how it works?โ€ย 
Steve squeezes your waist, moving one hand up your body, he cradles your face again and tucks your hair behind your ear, leaning in to kiss your cheek, โ€œoh honey, I think we were made with each other, but I still chose you,โ€ he whispers in confidence, though struggling to word his feelings, his beliefs correctly.ย 
You gaze into his eyes, trying to make sense of his words, though your mind can follow, your heart understands.ย 
โ€œWell, I chose you back, Steve Harrington.โ€
He smiles and he canโ€™t hold back from kissing you again, kissing the love of his life, kissing you until he can no longer breathe.ย 
Neither of you heard the car pull up into your driveway, or the slam of the front door, or the loud โ€˜helloโ€™. You are too caught up in each other, in the kiss, in the perfect touches.ย 
โ€œGuys?โ€ Eddieโ€™s voice sounds through the house, โ€œI brought food!โ€
You are the first to pull away, giggling when he frowns at you and chases after your lips, pecking them once more.ย 
โ€œHe brought food.โ€
โ€œMhmm, Iโ€™d rather eat something else right now,โ€ he murmurs and trails his kisses down to your neck, holding your waist tighter when you try to move away.ย 
Your stomach flips, skin growing warm beneath his hands and his lips, โ€œl-later, Stevieโ€ฆโ€ You stutter, trying to control your breathing when his lips find that one spot.
โ€œGuys, stop fucking or I swear to Ozzy, Iโ€™m gonna come upstairs andโ€“โ€
โ€œAlright, alright!โ€ Your boyfriend yells out to him, chuckling, โ€œweโ€™re coming!โ€ย 
โ€œWe so are coming,โ€ you giggle into his ear, kissing his cheek before you pull away from him, amused by the groan that falls from his lips, โ€œlater.โ€ย 
His hands fall from your waist as you stand up and walk over to your dresser to grab a pair of shorts to wear, not wanting to flash your best friend by accident.ย 
Steve gets up as well, though his eyes never leave your form, theyโ€™re glued on your butt. He licks his lips as he watches you bend over, those silky pink panties look so perfect to rip offโ€ฆ later. He nearly groans again when you pull your black shorts over them. Coming up from behind, he grabs a handful of your ass, earning a squeal from you that only makes him grin when you look back at him.ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re obsessed,โ€ you snort and swat his hand away weakly.ย 
โ€œWith you? Yes, I am,โ€ he smiles proudly as he wraps his arm around your shoulder and starts leading you out into the hallway.ย 
โ€œNo, with my ass.โ€
At that, he grabs your ass again, giving it a squeeze, โ€œthat too.โ€
Your giggle echoes through the hallway, and your best friend instantly looks up at the sound of that, standing in the middle of the chaos, surrounded by Steveโ€™s boxes, with two bags of takeout and a confused frown on his face.ย 
โ€œHey guys.โ€ย 
โ€œHi Eds,โ€ you smile at your best friend.
Steve greets him happily, a big smile resting on his face, Eddie isnโ€™t sure if he has ever seen him like this but ever since you two started dating, Steve hasnโ€™t stopped smiling and you are just the same, youโ€™re basically skipping down the stairs, your eyes are shining, your skin is glowing, you are the happiest you have ever been.ย 
You and Steve found each other.ย 
Two pieces that always belonged together.ย 
Two pieces that became one.ย 
Eddieโ€™s eyes move back to all the boxes in your hallway, the handwriting on them is unmistakably Steveโ€™s.ย 
โ€œSo uh, whatโ€™s all this?โ€ He asks, he has an idea of what this is but a part of him believes that he is just mistaking something.ย 
You and Steve glance at each other, eyes lighting up even more, lips curling into even bigger smiles. You bite your lip and turn back to Eddie.ย 
โ€œSteve is moving in!โ€ย 
Eddieโ€™s brown eyes grow wide, his lips part in surprise and he nearly drops both bags of takeout, he stares between you two with an expression on his face that nearly makes you both laugh.ย 
He looks around again, catching a glimpse of Steveโ€™s favorite armchair now standing in your living room, along with an opened box, a blanket falling out of it, the one that always decorated the big couch in the living room back at his house.ย 
Clearly, you arenโ€™t joking.ย 
He squints his eyes as he looks back at the two of you, watching the way your boyfriend pulls you back into his chest, his arms slowly moving around your waist.ย 
โ€œUh, arenโ€™t you guys moving a little too quickly?โ€ He asks, looking between you both bewildered.ย 
You and Steve turn to face one another, you both smile, gazing into each otherโ€™s eyes for a moment. His flash withโ€ฆ mischief as his hand begins to travel south, settling on your lower belly.ย 
You both turn back to the metalhead.ย 
โ€œNah,โ€ you speak in unison.ย 
Eddie blinks, eyes flicking back and forth between you and Steve.ย 
โ€œWe uhโ€ฆ sort of cooked a little nuggetโ€ฆ a little too soon,โ€ Steve explains, biting back his laugh.ย 
You press your lips together as you stare at your best friend. You place your hand over Steveโ€™s and lean your head back on his shoulder, melting into him when he kisses your temple.ย 
If Eddieโ€™s eyes could grow any wider, they would. He blinks a few times before he closes his eyes completely, shaking his head, his curls bounce. He furrows his brows so strongly, he looks as though he is in pain. He opens his eyes again and takes a deep breath, he looks at your serious face, at his and then at Steveโ€™s large hand covering your stomach protectively.ย 
Little nugget.ย 
You and Steve wait patiently for his reaction.ย 
โ€œJesus Christ! You horny fuckers donโ€™t know how to use protection!?โ€ He exclaims, raising his arms up, the paper bags in his hands rustle. Youโ€™re surprised they didnโ€™t rip yet with the way he is flailing his arms around. โ€œA little nugget!? What theโ€“ I need to sit down.โ€ย 
Steve snorts quietly, amused by the shock on his face.ย 
โ€œOh, this is crazy,โ€ Eddie sighs, like a shocked father whose teenage girl just revealed her accidental pregnancy.ย 
You can no longer hold it in, bursting into laughter, you infect Steve with it too. His arms tighten around you as you laugh at your best friend.ย 
Eddieโ€™s eyebrows rise up now, his jaw dropping slightly as he finally catches on.ย 
โ€œYou really fell for it,โ€ you giggle, blinking back the tears of amusement.ย 
โ€œCan you blame me!?โ€ Eddie nearly yells, pointing at you and Steve, โ€œyouโ€™re at it like some goddamn rabbits! Besides, we all know about his breeding kink!โ€
Your giggles might not ever die down today, Steveโ€™s red cheeks make this moment even better.ย 
โ€œDude,โ€ he groans.ย 
โ€œItโ€™s true,โ€ Eddie snorts as he relaxes again, coming down from the shock.ย 
โ€œIt is,โ€ you nod.ย 
Eddie opens his mouth again, though his smile quickly falls and he scrunches his nose when he looks between you both, a smirk now pulling at Steveโ€™s lips.ย 
โ€œOhโ€ฆ okay, yeah uh, letโ€™s change the topic,โ€ he shakes his head again, holding up his hand as he squeezes his eyes shut.ย 
โ€œAlright, well, there are no nuggets on the way yet, so you can relax.โ€ย 
Eddie nods, chuckling to himself.ย 
โ€œYeah, so uhโ€ฆ are you guys hungry?โ€ย 
You look down at the bags in his hand, only now registering the smell of fries, your mouth waters and your stomach feels empty, all of a sudden.ย 
You nod and open your mouth, but before you or Steve can respond, a knock on the door interrupts you.ย 
Eddie turns to the door before he looks back at you, brown eyes flicking back and forth between yours and your boyfriends, โ€œare you expecting anyone?โ€ He asks, placing the takeout bags on the dresser.ย 
You and Steve both shrug.ย 
โ€œNot really,โ€ you mumble.ย 
Eddie steps forward and opens the door, stepping aside to let you see who is standing on the other side.ย 
โ€œOh, hello ladies,โ€ Eddie grins, waving at the little girl in Maxโ€™s arms.ย 
Your eyes light up in excitement, a warm smile graces your face when you see your niece who is babbling away, waving with her little arms and tugging at Maxโ€™s hair who doesnโ€™t even flinch.ย 
โ€œOh my god,โ€ you nearly squeal, leaving your boyfriendโ€™s embrace, you make your way over to the two girls, โ€œhi! Come here, princess!โ€ You grin, lifting your arms up, giggling when Francine squeaks at the sight of you, making grabby hands before you take her from Maxโ€™s arms.ย 
โ€œI missed you so much, Francis!โ€ You whisper and tickle her side, kissing her chubby cheek.ย 
Steveโ€™s heart flutters, a sweet smile tugs at his lips, his cheeks turn rosy and he feels warm all over. Every time he sees you holding your niece, he canโ€™t help but picture you with your own little family. He takes a few steps forward, wrapping his arm around you and taking Francineโ€™s tiny hand, โ€œhi angel,โ€ he whispers, cooing at her when she gets jumpy in your arms, excited to see him. He tickles her belly, making the little girl giggle, โ€œyou got so much bigger since the last time!โ€ย 
Max furrows her brows, not knowing about the day you and Steve babysat Francine together. She chuckles when your niece clasps her tiny hand around his finger.ย 
โ€œHi guys!โ€ Your sister finally catches up, walking into the house, car keys in one hand and pizza boxes in the other. She stops next to Max, and nudges her shoulder against hers, โ€œI ran into Max downtown when I stopped by to get some pizza!โ€ She explains, placing the boxes on the dresser next to Eddieโ€™s takeout bags, โ€œoh, you got takeout already.โ€
โ€œYep, I got some fries and burgers for Blondie and boyfriend over here,โ€ Eddie grins teasingly, knowing that you havenโ€™t introduced him as your boyfriend to her in person yet, you didnโ€™t get the chance to until now, she only just came back from her vacation.ย 
Max snickers at your flustered expression, her and Eddie share a look, both amused by the way youโ€™re trying to hide your face in Steveโ€™s chest which only prompts Francine to grab a handful of his shirt, making him chuckle.ย 
โ€œOh right,โ€ your sister grins, looking between you two as she makes her way over to you, already opening her arms so she can greet you properly.ย 
Steve lets go of you but Francine doesnโ€™t let him step away, she still holds his finger tightly, making both him and Eddie chuckle when she stares up at him with her big eyes, babbling away.ย 
โ€œSheโ€™s just like her auntie,โ€ Eddie comments, laughing when you shoot him a playful glare over your sisterโ€™s shoulder.ย 
โ€œHow are you, Daisy?โ€ Your sister smiles, squeezing you tightly before pulling away.ย 
You see the teasing look in her eyes when she glances at your boyfriend behind you.
โ€œIโ€™m good,โ€ you reply, unable to do it without a smile, something that makes the look in your sisterโ€™s eyes soften because itโ€™s the first genuine โ€˜Iโ€™m goodโ€™ that she heard from you in years. You always lied to her about your true feelings, never letting her in, never giving her the words she wanted to hear from you, you kept it all to yourself, not wanting to โ€˜shareโ€™ your misery with the people around you.ย 
She never got through to you, no matter how hard she tried, she never succeeded, but the people in this room did โ€“ Eddie and Max did, they gave you back that smile that she missed seeing on your face, they broke you out of that little shell, you were so comfortable in for the past years.ย 
And Steve, heโ€ฆ gave you everything.ย 
You are more than just good. You are happy, happy in a way you have never been before. The walls around you have crumbled completely, the look in your eyes is one of love and contentment, your skin is glowing, your eyes are shining, you are justโ€ฆ happy.ย 
โ€œSoโ€ฆ are you gonna introduce me to your boyfriend properly this time?โ€ She teases, only having heard from you about it all on the phone.ย 
Your cheeks grow hot, you know how long she had been waiting for this moment, always teasing and hoping for you to finally fall in love โ€“ as though you werenโ€™t hopeless for years already, she was pointing out cute guys for you to date, not knowing that there was only one you had your eyes set on.ย 
โ€œTwinkieโ€“โ€
โ€œYou know thatโ€™s not my name,โ€ your sister interrupts you with a glare, making you and Max chuckle.ย 
โ€œFine,โ€ you snort, saying her real name this time as Steve wraps his arm back around you again, pulling you into him, he grins excitedly as he stretches his hand out to your sister, like itโ€™s their first time meeting, like she didnโ€™t walk in on you and him cuddling on your couch with baby Francine in his arms. She takes his hand with an amused smile.ย 
Max and Eddie share a look, amused by this little introduction.ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s my boyfriend Steve,โ€ you say with a giggle, feeling your heart burst with happiness. Francine squeals in your arms, like sheโ€™s happy to hear those words, as well, making everyone laugh in the room.ย 
โ€œSteve, thatโ€™s my sister.โ€
โ€œNice to meet you, Twinkie,โ€ Steve chuckles, earning a glare from her.ย 
You lean your head on his shoulder, adjusting your baby niece on your hip. Steve lets go of your sisterโ€™s hand and wraps his arm back around you again, kissing your temple.ย 
โ€œI meant to say that I will kick your ass if you hurt her but I think that Max might beat me to it.โ€
โ€œYouโ€™re right,โ€ Max nods at your sister, crossing her arms over her chest, she gives Steve a pointed look, โ€œheโ€™ll wake up in Billyโ€™s car again if he ever does anything stupid.โ€ย 
Steveโ€™s eyes widen, he shakes his head at her, holding his hand up slightly with Francineโ€™s hand still wrapped around his finger, โ€œno way, Mayfield.โ€ย 
Eddie smirks as he throws his arm around Maxโ€™s shoulder, grinning at the redhead, โ€œdonโ€™t worry, Steve. Sheโ€™s getting driving lessons from me now.โ€
You snort.ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s even worse, Munson,โ€ Steve scoffs, pointing at Max, โ€œa maniac getting driving lessons from another maniac? Yeah, no goddamn way, youโ€™re getting driving lessons from me now.โ€ย 
Eddie looks a little offended by his words, he places his hand over his heart, โ€œIโ€™m a good driver.โ€
โ€œYeah, besides Iโ€™m good enough to drive by myself, I donโ€™t need an instructor, I watched and learned from Billy.โ€
โ€œGreat, another maniac,โ€ Steve sighs.
Your sister laughs at the interaction, she looks around, finally noticing all the boxes though she doesnโ€™t say anything, even as her brows furrow and a curious, confused look flashes in her eyes. It doesnโ€™t take her long to figure out what this means, itโ€™s obvious, even more so with the clear excitement in both yours and his eyes.ย 
You look away from your friends and your boyfriend, drowning out the conversation as you look back at your sister, noticing the look in her eyes and the way she stares at the boxes. You grow a little nervous, not knowing what she thinks of this, what she will say about this but when she meets your eyes, she only shakes her head at you with a smile on her face.ย 
She takes a step closer, placing her hand on her daughter's back as she leans in to whisper in your ear, โ€œwhen you know you know, and you always knew.โ€ย 
You nod with a smile on your face, feeling the heat of his body against yours, feeling his loving touch on your shoulder, feeling safe in his embrace.ย 
โ€œYeah, I did.โ€ย 
You knew it from the very start.
You were ruined for anyone else, before he even touched you.ย 
And when his lips touched yours for the first time, you knew you were done for, you thought it was over for you, that you would never find happiness after that but now youโ€™re here, he is here, he is all yours and sometimes you are still in disbelief about it all, no matter how many weeks have passed, you still canโ€™t wrap your head around it all, about how lucky you are, just like him.ย 
But there is someone else who is still in disbelief, Dustin. He was so convinced that you were dating Eddie, he just couldnโ€™t understand how it all went by him that you and Steve had been a thing for months already, that you werenโ€™t Eddieโ€™s girl but Steveโ€™s girl.ย 
He is even more in shock now as he is in your living room, taking in the sight of Steveโ€™s belongings in your house, all the moving boxes.ย 
You invited all your friends over after the surprise visits you had already gotten, the amount of food Eddie and your sister brought was way too much anyways, so Steve made a call and invited all your friends over, well, most of them.ย 
Argyle went back to California. Jonathan who declined both college acceptance offers to Lenora Hills Community college and Emerson, made his dream come true of going to NYU, after a long and honest talk with Nancy, they decided to follow their own dreams, but still sticking together, even with a distance between them. Boston and New York arenโ€™t that far apart, after all.ย 
So, after a little goodbye party at the hideout where Eddie and his band played, they all left Hawkins after a wild night filled with booze and weed โ€“ from both Argyle and Eddie.
Robin and Vickie went on a trip to Chicago before the latter leaves for College as well, but Robin knew all about Steveโ€™s moving plans, he called her right away to tell her the news.ย 
Everyone is entering a new chapter and this time, itโ€™s all, only positive changes, only ones you all look forward to, ones that you donโ€™t step into nervously and with uncertainty, no, for once, you are all at peace, you are all happy, all excited for the future.ย 
Your living room is filled with friends, with family, itโ€™s filled with laughter and smiles, something that has been lacking in the past few years. A house that was once just filled with sadness and a grayish glow, is now filled with life, the golden sun that shines inside, reflect the emotions in you now.ย 
Steve who is sitting on the couch, is holding your niece in his arms, she is sitting on his lap, happily. Babbling and giggling more than she did before, she is waving her arms around, giggling louder every time he makes a funny face or tickles her belly.ย 
Eddie sits beside him, cooing at the little girl every time a giggle escapes her, โ€œoh, a fairy was born,โ€ he tells her after each giggle from her.ย 
Steve gives her tiny hand a kiss when she places it on his cheek, which only prompts her to laugh again.ย 
โ€œOh, and another,โ€ Eddie chuckles and taps her nose.ย 
A loving smile stays on your lips as you watch your boyfriend with your niece, adoring the mesmerized look on his face. He chuckles every time she turns to Eddie and looks at him with her big eyes before she turns her attention back to him, squealing and waving her arms around.ย 
Your sister sits beside you, looking stunned, โ€œhuh, he is a natural.โ€ย 
โ€œMhmm, he is,โ€ you nod.ย 
Lucas and Dustin sit on the floor, bickering about something as always, while Max rolls her eyes at them every few seconds or so, cursing at them when Dustin throws one of the pillows at his friend.ย 
โ€œHey!โ€ Steve shakes his head at him, giving them a disapproving look, โ€œstop that! How old are you two? Francine over here is maturer than you two,โ€ he grumbles, gesturing to the little girl in his arms who looks back and forth between Dustin and Lucas with a curious look on her face.ย 
Eddie chuckles beside him, nodding.
โ€œYou really got yourself a dad boyfriend,โ€ your sister whispers into your ear, snickering as she sips on her coke.ย 
You giggle and nod your head. You love this side of him and you love how he looks with a baby in his arms.ย 
Steve catches you staring at him, and the scowl he previously looked at the teens with, quickly vanishes, a smile appears on his face and he tilts his head at you, beckoning you to him.ย 
You put your drink down on the table, pushing aside your empty plate from before, you get up and make your way over to your boyfriend.ย 
โ€œCan I hold her?โ€ Eddie asks, holding Francineโ€™s tiny hand in his, smiling at the little girl.ย 
โ€œOh, now you wanna hold her?โ€ Your sister chuckles, teasing him. โ€œThought you were scared of babies, Eddie.โ€ย 
โ€œOnly when they poop.โ€
โ€œYou are such a child, man.โ€ Lucas snorts at him.ย 
โ€œHey, youโ€™re not the one who was chased down with a diaper full of poop!โ€ He exclaims, glaring at Max who only giggles in response.ย 
โ€œYou chased him down with a dirty diaper?โ€ Lucas asks his girlfriend, who nods with a smirk on his face.ย 
He starts laughing and raises his hand at her, high fiving his girlfriend.ย 
Eddie shakes his head at the two, rolling his eyes before he looks back at Francine, reaching his hands out to her, she looks at him curiously, grasping his thumb, she holds it tightly.ย 
โ€œCome here, princess,โ€ Eddie whispers as he carefully takes her from Steveโ€™s hands, lifting her into his arms, he cradles the back of her head even though she doesnโ€™t even need the support anymore. โ€œHoly shit, sheโ€™s so light.โ€
โ€œLanguage,โ€ Steve glares at him as he relaxes back in his seat once Eddie leans back with her in his arms. The metalhead ignores him, too mesmerized by your niece in his arms, who stares up at him, curiously and with big eyes.ย 
Your boyfriend reaches for your hand, not letting you sit beside him, he pulls you onto his lap instead, wrapping his arms around your waist, he takes you into his embrace, kissing your shoulder once youโ€™re settled on top of him.ย 
โ€œHey, keep it pg in here, thereโ€™s kids and a baby in this room,โ€ your best friend teases your boyfriend, smirking at him.ย 
โ€œWeโ€™re not kids anymore,โ€ Lucas scoffs.ย 
โ€œYeah, bet Max and Lucas meet up at Skull Rock to kissโ€“โ€
โ€œDude!โ€ โ€œDustin!โ€ย 
Lucas and Max yell in unison, glaring at their friend with flustered faces, causing you all to laugh at them.ย 
โ€œItโ€™s the truth,โ€ Dustin smirks, shrugging โ€“ and that is how all the bickering starts again, though this time, Max joins.ย 
Shaking your head at them, you turn away to watch your niece instead, laying your head on Steveโ€™s shoulder, your heart flutters in your chest when he tightens his hold on you and kisses your temple, rubbing circles into your hip, he whispers the softest I love you into your ear.ย 
โ€œOh my god,โ€ your best friend whispers in awe, watching your niece falling asleep in his arms, tiny hand still gripping his finger, face nuzzled into his chest comfortably. Eddie looks around, shushing at the teens.ย 
You and Steve look at each other in surprise, not even five minutes have passed since Eddie took Francine from Steveโ€™s arms, and she is already fast asleep in his arms.ย 
โ€œWell now we know who can babysit her,โ€ your sister jokes, also stunned by how fast she passed out in the metalheads arms.ย 
โ€œYeah, and ourย  future kids too,โ€ you say without thinking, completely unaware of the feelings those words cause inside of Steve.ย 
He blushes a deep red, warmth spreads inside of him and he shifts with you on his lap, gripping you tighter and clearing his throat when your best friend smirks at his reaction.ย 
That shuts the teens up, their bickering coming to a stop the moment they realize what you just said, they all share a look before they turn to you and Steve.ย 
While Lucas smirks and wiggles his brows at Steve, Max is giggling at his blushing cheeks but Dustin, he only raises his eyebrows and shakes his head, not in disapproval though.
He raises his hands up, closing his eyes for a moment, โ€œyou guys gotta give me a moment, Iโ€™m still trying to get used to this,โ€ he wiggles his fingers between you both.ย 
โ€œWhat do you mean?โ€ Your sister chuckles, cocking her head to the side.ย 
Dustin blinks at her, gesturing to you once more, โ€œthem being a couple, I mean have you seen them before!? They were constantly at each otherโ€™s throats!โ€
โ€œYeah, cause Steve was an idiot,โ€ Lucas laughs.ย 
Steve gives him a pointed look, but doesnโ€™t fight him on that, he calls himself that, all the time, for everything that happened between you in the past.ย 
โ€œI thought she was with Eddie!โ€ย 
Your sister laughs with a confused look on her face, shaking her head, โ€œwhy, because theyโ€™re always together?โ€ย 
Steve rolls his eyes at Dustin, holding you a little tighter.
โ€œYeah! And like I said, they were always fighting!โ€ย 
โ€œMhmm, and suddenly they didnโ€™t, I wonder why,โ€ Lucas smirks, wiggling his eyebrows at you both again.ย 
โ€œHe really wanted them together, by the way,โ€ Max tells your sister, pointing her finger at her boyfriend.ย 
โ€œFrom day one,โ€ he nods proudly, โ€œand now theyโ€™re together, moving in together! I always knew whatโ€™s up. I mean, I always knew about Steveโ€™s little crush on her, a guy just knows it.โ€
Dustin looks at him confused, he frowns and blinks at your boyfriend, staring at him for a long moment, he looks at you and then back at him before his eyes widen and he jumps up, โ€œthat is why you gave me the shittiest advice ever! You told me chicks dig it when guys are mean to them!โ€
โ€œThe key with girls is acting like you donโ€™t care,โ€ Lucas and Max mock him, giggling with each other.ย 
Steve groans and throws his head back when you turn to face him with an amused smile, โ€œwow, thatโ€™s some good advice, babe.โ€
โ€œWell, it clearly worked,โ€ Eddie snorts, glancing at you briefly as he adjusts Francine in his arms.ย 
Dustin grins at Steve, โ€œoh, thatโ€™s why you were so mean to her! Bet you expected her to fall at your feet but instead she was mean to you too! Thatโ€™s why you didnโ€™t stop there and just kept going because you wanted her attention โ€“ oh, now I understand!โ€ He laughs, shaking his head as he stares in disbelief, like he uncovered something groundbreaking.ย 
โ€œYou know what, Henderson?โ€ Steve mumbles, straightening his back, he leans closer to you, pressing his chest against your back, he leans his chin on your shoulder, โ€œyouโ€™re right.โ€ He admits after a long pause, despite hating to boost that boyโ€™s ego, he admits it.ย 
He is right.ย 
Steve was always infatuated with you, he just never wanted to admit it, not even to himself, not even when he kept those notes that you had found earlier. He ignored what he desired, who his heart desired, because that teenage boy in him, was too proud to admit that he liked someone who didnโ€™t like him back but he also couldnโ€™t fight those feelings, they irritated him, they made him mean.ย 
So yeah, Dustin was right but so was Lucas.ย 
And now they continue to tease him about it all, while you sit back and watch in amusement, enjoying the redness that covers your boyfriend's cheeks while he holds you in his arms and plays with your hands, toying with your ring finger the way he always does, he tries to hide the smile on his face but fails to do so when your eyes meet his and he sees the joy in them, the one that has been there since the night he confessed his love for you.ย 
He loves you so much, he canโ€™t even think of a moment when he didnโ€™t โ€“ itโ€™s impossible to think of one.ย 
You adjust on top of him, turning and twisting your body until you can lay your head on his shoulder, snuggling into him, not caring about anything around you, about the vulnerability, the softness, the affectionate side of you, youโ€™re displaying so casually โ€“ something you would have never done before.ย 
Steveโ€™s heart could burst at this very moment.ย 
He knows how much you struggled to show your true feelings and emotions, how you hid from the world, for years. How you never let anyone see the real side of you, how closed up and sheltered you were, how you dug yourself a hole and stayed in there for the longest time, thinking that you were better off in hiding, thinking that you had to stay in the void forever, all alone, all by yourself, with fears and a feeling of deep sorrow, you just couldnโ€™t let go of.ย 
But through the darkness, through the pain that the upside down had brought you, had dragged you into, you found a family, just like he did.ย 
Eddie stepped into your life, a best friend you never thought you would have again after you lost both Billy and Chrissy so tragically. You didnโ€™t want to let him in, you feared that the curse upon you that you believed you had, would take him from you too, that it was only a matter of time until the darkness would drag him away from you as well, just like it had dragged away everyone else that you have loved. But he didnโ€™t allow you to push him away, he didnโ€™t let you believe for a second that any of what happened was your fault, he stuck to your side, from the day at skull rock, he stuck to your side in the upside down and after, he stayed, no matter how hard you tried to deny that bond between you, he stayed.ย 
Max, the stubborn girl that refused to ever leave your side, who never once stepped away from you, who sees you as her big sister, just like Lucas. The two teens had to be forced out of your hospital room after what Jason did to you, they never left without a fight.
And through the darkness, through the worst days, you and Steve have found each other, through monsters and pain, through bloodshed and tears, you finally found your way to each other โ€“ neither of you are surrounded by sadness any longer, by emptiness and a longing for love you could only ever find in each other.ย 
This room that was once filled with silence and sadness, an emptiness, a dark cloud that always hung over your home is now gone. You are no longer alone, youโ€™re surrounded by people who decided that you are worth loving, worth staying for, you both are.ย 
You have found home in each other, and you found a family.ย 
That night, when you are back in your bedroom, you sit on your floor next to each other, surrounded by candlelight, two glasses of wine on each side of you, a bag of your favorite candy before you and a bunch of pictures all across your floor, surrounding the corkboard that lies on the carpet. Your TV is on but neither of you pay attention to the movie playing on the screen. The smell of fresh bed sheets lingers in the room, along with the scent of his and your body wash, your hair is still wet from your shower together.ย 
Your giggles sound through the room as he laughs at the silly picture he took of Dustin earlier, unable to stop as he stares at the face the teen made.ย 
โ€œWeโ€™re definitely putting that picture up,โ€ Steve snickers as he pins it to the corkboard โ€“ the corkboard that was his idea, to put up pictures of your favorite memories, of the people that mean the most to you.ย 
โ€œI think weโ€™ll need a second corkboard,โ€ you chuckle as you look at all the pictures that have taken up the entire space of the board.ย 
โ€œYeah,โ€ Steve smiles as he wraps his arm around your shoulder and looks down at the pictures on your lap, he reaches for the one of you and Eddie, that one was taken in his backyard, both yours and his eyes are bloodshot, lazy smiles are on your faces, your hair is wild and all over the place, Eddie is wearing two pigtails, his arm is thrown over your shoulder, a joint sticking between his fingers, Steve remembers that night, the way you all got drunk and high and played hide and seek in Eddieโ€™s backyard, like a group of kids โ€“ it wasnโ€™t long after you and Steve made your little arrangement. That night, he pulled you behind one of the high bushes and kissed you breathless while your friends were looking for you. He was the reason for your messy hair and your puffy lips.ย 
Steve takes the picture with a grin on his face, taking up one of the last spots on the board, he pins it.ย 
โ€œReally? This one?โ€ You question and tilt your head back to look at him, โ€œwhy?โ€
โ€œCause you look adorable,โ€ he whispers and leans in to peck your lips, โ€œwith your hair all messed up from my hands,โ€ he murmurs against your mouth, kissing you once more.
โ€œMaking out in the bushes was definitely something,โ€ you giggle, nuzzling your nose into his.ย 
He cradles your cheeks and nods, smiling as he leans his forehead against yours. You sigh in contentment as his lips brush against yours, his warm touch sends sparks through your body, he is melting into you the way you melt into him. You look into his hazel eyes, into his loving gaze, a breathy, sweet chuckle escapes him before he closes his eyes and kisses you deeply.ย 
Your lips move slowly against his, you savor every second of each kiss, you both do, even though you know you have the rest of your life to do this with each other. You taste the wine on his lips and the candy, you feel his protective, soft touch, his thumb caressing your cheek as his tongue slips past your lips, clashing against your own.ย 
His heart flutters in his chest when you whimper into the kiss, when you throw your arms around his neck and press yourself against him, crawling into his lap with his help.ย 
Steve holds you tightly, his hand travels to the back of your neck, running his fingers through your wet hair, he runs his fingers up and down your spine before he cradles your cheek again. His free hand pats the space around him, touching the carpet as he searches for the polaroid camera, sighing and moaning into the kiss when you press yourself tighter against him and deepen the kiss, running your fingers through his messy hair.ย 
The flash of the camera doesnโ€™t even make you flinch, it only makes you giggle as you pull away from your boyfriend, your eyes flashing with amusement when he opens his own and meets you with a grin.ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re so sneaky, Stevie,โ€ you whisper as you glance at the polaroid camera in his hand.ย 
Steve laughs and steals another kiss from you, he puts the camera down after you pick out the picture.ย 
You look down at the still developing picture, waiting for the reveal. You press your lips together, sighing when he kisses your neck.ย 
โ€œIโ€™m so happy, baby, I hope you know that,โ€ Steve whispers against your skin, slipping his hand underneath your shirt as he hugs you against his chest. โ€œYouโ€™re the best thing thatโ€™s ever happened to me.โ€ He murmurs adoringly, the sight of your smile, of the joy in your eyes makes his heart swell so strongly.ย 
Many months ago, he told you to get yourself a boyfriend and stop getting on his nerves โ€” you donโ€™t know why this moment flashes in your mind now, why this takes you back to that day at Family Video but the memory makes you giggle.ย 
โ€œWhatโ€™s so funny?โ€ Steve asks, amused.ย 
โ€œYou told me to get myself a boyfriendโ€ฆ and I did.โ€ย 
Steve furrows his eyebrows, tilting his head to the side, he purses his lips as his hazel eyes gaze into yours, they widen and a huff leaves his mouth before he chuckles.ย 
โ€œYeah, and I fucking love it, baby. Iโ€™m your boyfriend,โ€ he says, proudly, wiggling his eyebrows at you.ย 
โ€œWell, I love to be your girlfriend, Stevie.โ€ย 
His heart will always flutter at these words, at the way you look at him, at the way you touch him, like heโ€™s something perfect.ย 
โ€œYou caught me,โ€ he whispers, pressing his lips to yours strongly, โ€œand I caught you.โ€
You hold onto his neck, running your fingers through his hair, you refuse to look away from him.ย 
โ€œAnd Iโ€™m never letting you go,โ€ he promises, โ€œyouโ€™re mine and Iโ€™m yours.โ€
Your cheeks nearly hurt from how hard youโ€™re smiling, and it only gets worse when he leans in to pepper your face in kisses, โ€œmy girlfriend.โ€ Kiss. โ€œMy beautiful, gorgeous girl.โ€ Kiss. โ€œMy future wife.โ€ Kiss. โ€œMy stars.โ€ Kiss. โ€œMy sun and my moon.โ€ Kiss. โ€œMy whole galaxy.โ€ Kiss.ย 
You canโ€™t stop giggling, your eyes tear up from all the laughter that falls from your lips and when you lean your head back, it only turns out to be a mistake when Steve latches his mouth onto your neck, tickling you with the stubble on his cheeks.ย 
โ€œSteve!โ€ย 
His chuckles vibrate against you, he buries his face in your neck and breathes in your scent, โ€œIโ€™m so in love with you.โ€
He reminds you of that, all day, when he doesnโ€™t whisper those words into your ear, he lets you feel it, with touches, with small gestures, leaving notes around the house or by waking you with coffee every morning when youโ€™re not the one beating him to it.ย 
Steve pushes you down on the carpet and crawls on top of you, pressing one hand on the carpet beneath you, he looks away from you for a moment, taking the fully developed polaroid picture, he smiles at it as he pins it into the middle of the corkboard.ย 
You admire him, raising your hand to cup his cheek, you brush your fingers through his hair, it got so much longer but you love it like this, how it covers his forehead, how it curls on the nape of his neck, how messy it looks.ย 
โ€œSteve?โ€ย 
โ€œYeah?โ€ He whispers as he reaches for your hand, entwining his fingers with yours, he looks down at you with loving eyes.ย 
โ€œIโ€™m in love with you.โ€
These words always feel like a warm and comforting embrace. There is so much love that he holds in his heart for you, he canโ€™t even put it into words just how strong it is, not even if he tried to.ย 
You trace his features with your fingers, touching him softly and carefully, making him melt into your touch as a smile graces his face, he slowly leans in, closer and closer until your lips are brushing against each other.ย 
โ€œForever?โ€ He asks you, gazing into your starry eyes.ย 
You wrap your arms around his neck, smiling when he presses himself against you, staring at you in a way that makes all your insides tingle.ย 
โ€œForever and ever!โ€ You grin before he slams his lips back on yours, kissing you deeply and feverishly, smiling happily against your lips as his hands make their way under your shirt while yours get lost in his hair.ย 
โ€œForever and ever,โ€ he murmurs against your lips, opening his eyes, they basically sparkle with stars. โ€œMy darling, forever and ever, I fucking love the sound of that.โ€ He whispers and kisses your cheek. โ€œI love you.โ€
You pinch his chin between your fingers and kiss his lips, smiling brightly at your man, the golden light in your room makes him look so ethereal. His hazel eyes shine so golden, his skin inviting your lips, his hands lay on your body so perfectly, like a touch of an angel, perhaps he is one, he is yours.ย 
You went through the storm, the one you have always been so afraid of, you went through it, through the darkest of storms, through ones you didnโ€™t even think existed and you didnโ€™t come out unscathed, you were knocked off your feet and you were harmed, you took scars with you, on your body and in your heart but even through that, you came out alright โ€“ because he was always there, he always reached his hand out to you, he always waited on the other side, he was always there, even when you both didnโ€™t realize just how close he always was, just how ready he always was to fight for you the way you always fought for him.ย 
You both went through so much, you both suffered greatly.ย 
But now you are here, with each other, where you both belong.ย 
Steve leans his forehead against yours, he takes your hand in his, bringing it up to his lips, he kisses your ring finger, making that smile on your face bigger and brighter.ย 
โ€œI love you, Steve Harrington,โ€ you whisper back before you melt into each other, yet again. Getting lost in the kiss, one of endless to come.ย 
Hell was the journey but it brought you both to heaven.ย 
Hands tied,
โ™ก
well, it's over, this is the end :') (actually there's still gonna be the epilogue so I'm gonna save my sappy comment for that one)
@prettyboyeddiemunson @taintedcigs @mysticmunson @ibellcipem @joekeerysmoles @thecreelhouse @maroon-cardigan @corrodedcorpses @moon-flowerrs @munson-mjstan @munsonlore @sherrylyn0628 @agirlwholovesrockstars
501 notes ยท View notes
radioactiveparker ยท 7 months ago
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The Breakfast Club - Eddie Munson X Cheerleader!Reader (Mini Series)
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Eddie Munson X Fem!Cheerleader!Reader - Enemies to Lovers
Summary: Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. Each has a chance to tell his or her story, making the others see them a little differently. And when the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same. (A retelling of The Breakfast Club, written and directed by John Hughes.)
Series Warnings: Enemies to lovers / All Characters Are 18+ / Strong Language / Sex References / Mentions of Abuse (physical and emotional) / Cheating / Bad Relationships / Dysfunctional Families / Arguing / Materialism / Kleptomania / Stereotyping / Sexual Orientations / Drug Use / Mentions of Alcohol / Smoking / Pyromania and Fire / References to Demonianism and Satanism / References to Religious Beliefs / Social Alienationย / Angst / Hurt-Comfort / Use of Y/N (like once or twice) / Eddie is a complete asshole
A/N: This mini series is set in its own little world, so it does not follow the Stranger Things timeline, and I have taken some creative liberties with most characters. Yes, they are all still in high school (final year and 18+), and yes, some of the events don't match up - just forget everything you knew about Stranger Things, it's easier that way haha.
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โ€œ...And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. Theyโ€™re quite aware of what theyโ€™re going through...โ€ - David Bowieย 
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Masterlist: (completed)
Part One - These Children That You Spit On
Part Two - Low Tolerance For Dehydration
Part Three - Hallway Vision
Part Four - Hand Over The Purse
Part Five - Don't You Forget About Me
Taglist: @cruwushes @the-ch0sen-on3 @namelesshumanperson @ali-r3n @cadence73 @munsonssweets @ahoyyharrington @mewchiili @yourdailymemedelivery @httpsunflowers @b-irock @coolglittercornbae @sav12321 @cumslutforaemond @siriuslysmoking @learninglinesintherainn @peaches-roses-sins @lodeddiperrodrick @catherinnn @lilocapoca @minniedreamers @melaninjhs @chaosfrogsonfire @levylovegood @bowsforsienna @rcailleachcola @spookysace24
534 notes ยท View notes
ebiemidnightlibrarian ยท 7 months ago
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๐‘ฌ๐‘ฉ๐‘ฐ๐‘ฌ'๐‘บ ๐‘ด๐‘จ๐‘บ๐‘ป๐‘ฌ๐‘น๐‘ณ๐‘ฐ๐‘บ๐‘ป
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Hello, everyone!
First of all, before the list begins, I feel that I need to warn you that English isn't my first language, so might happen you find some writing/grammar mistakes, I also don't have a beta reader, again I'm sorry for any mistakes.
Most, if not all my fanfictions are 'x ofc/c', however, I write them as reader fics. That means that the only differences from a 'x reader' fic is that the character will have a name and the narration will be in the third person. But no details about the embodiment of the character will be given, with a few exceptions in a couple stories, but I'll be warning in the notes and warnings of the piece when that happens.
Also, I made this Google form, so you can tell me where you want to be tagged. That's all for now.
Enjoy :)
Update: ALL my fanfictions are on indeterminate hiatos. But, I'm not abandoning them, I promise ๐Ÿ˜˜
Update #2: Some changes in the Masterlist, I'm reorganizing the whole thing to get a better view of what I'll be doing, hopefully I'll be able to post something soon.
๐”–๐”ฆ๐”ก๐”ข ๐”…๐”ฉ๐”ฌ๐”ค ๐”‡๐”ข๐”ก๐”ฆ๐” ๐”ž๐”ฑ๐”ข๐”ก ๐”ฑ๐”ฌ ๐”’โ„ญ'๐”ฐ
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๐”‡๐”ž๐”ณ๐”ฆ๐”ก ๐”…๐”ฌ๐”ด๐”ฆ๐”ข
๐‰๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ญ๐ก, ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐†๐จ๐›๐ฅ๐ข๐ง ๐Š๐ข๐ง๐ 
๐‰๐จ๐ก๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐š๐ฒ๐ฅ๐จ๐œ๐ค
๐”’โ„ญ'๐”ฐ
๐‘ฏ๐’‚๐’š๐’˜๐’๐’๐’… ๐‘ฑ๐’๐’๐’†๐’”
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๐”‡๐”ž๐”ซ๐”ฆ๐”ข๐”ฉ ๐”…๐”ฏ๐”ฒฬˆ๐”ฅ๐”ฉ
๐๐š๐ซ๐จ๐ง ๐‡๐ž๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐™๐ž๐ฆ๐จ
๐ƒ๐จ๐œ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐‹๐š๐ฌ๐ณ๐ฅ๐จ ๐Š๐ซ๐ž๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ž๐ซ
๐„๐ซ๐ง๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐’๐œ๐ก๐ฆ๐ข๐๐ญ
๐”ฌ๐”ฑ๐”ฅ๐”ข๐”ฏ ๐”ด๐”ฌ๐”ฏ๐”จ๐”ฐ
๐”’โ„ญ'๐”ฐ
๐‘ณ๐’†๐’๐’› ๐‘ด. ๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’Š๐’๐’…๐’†๐’Ž๐’‚๐’๐’
๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’Š๐’๐’“๐’Š๐’„๐’‰ ๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’Š๐’๐’†๐’“
๐‘ญ๐’‚๐’•๐’‰๐’†๐’“ ๐‘ด๐’‚๐’•๐’†๐’ ๐‘น๐’๐’Ž๐’†๐’“๐’
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๐€๐›๐ง๐ž๐ซ ๐Š๐ซ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ [๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ค๐š-๐ƒ๐จ๐ญ ๐Œ๐š๐ง]
๐Œ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐จ๐œ
๐‰๐จ๐ก๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ง
๐”ฌ๐”ฑ๐”ฅ๐”ข๐”ฏ ๐”ด๐”ฌ๐”ฏ๐”จ๐”ฐ
๐”’โ„ญ'๐”ฐ
๐‘ฏ๐’‚๐’†๐’”๐’•๐’†๐’“ ๐‘ฎ๐’“๐’Š๐’Ž๐’‚๐’๐’…
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โ„Œ๐”ž๐”ช๐”ฆ๐”ฐ๐”ฅ ๐”๐”ฆ๐”ซ๐”จ๐”ฉ๐”ž๐”ฑ๐”ข๐”ฏ
๐…๐š๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐๐š๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐‡๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ | ๐Œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ ๐‰๐จ๐ก๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ
๐Œ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฐ ๐Š๐ข๐ฆ๐›๐ฅ๐ž
๐๐ซ๐ข๐œ๐ž ๐‚๐š๐ญ๐ฅ๐ž๐๐ ๐ž
๐‰๐จ๐ง๐ก ๐“๐ฒ๐ฅ๐ž๐ซ
๐€๐ง๐๐ซ๐ž๐ฐ ๐Š๐ž๐š๐ง๐ž๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ
๐”ฌ๐”ฑ๐”ฅ๐”ข๐”ฏ ๐”ด๐”ฌ๐”ฏ๐”จ๐”ฐ
๐”’โ„ญ'๐”ฐ
๐‘ฏ๐’†๐’๐’“๐’š ๐‘ฎ. ๐‘ท๐’“๐’†๐’”๐’„๐’๐’•๐’•
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๐•บ๐–™๐–๐–Š๐–— ๐•ฑ๐–†๐–“๐–‰๐–”๐–’๐–˜
๐”“๐”ฉ๐”ž๐”ถ๐”ฉ๐”ฆ๐”ฐ๐”ฑ๐”ฐ
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And that's it for now.
I'll make a separate post for each fanfic and one-shot, with the specs of genres and warnings.
๐‘ฐ๐‘ด๐‘ท๐‘ถ๐‘น๐‘ป๐‘จ๐‘ต๐‘ป!
These stories are 100% mine, that is, I created, started and will finish them the way they were planned within the proper time. That said, I do not consent anything originally posted on this blog being copied/pasted/translated/or any other form of reproduction, to any site other than here, on this blog, without my permission. In short, not even over my dead body.
Thank you in advance for your attention and I hope you enjoy these stories made with great care and effort.
Good reading!
23 notes ยท View notes
gender-thief2 ยท 7 months ago
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iโ€™m Bee ๐Ÿ
prounouns: he/him, or any
regulus black apologist
โ€ผ๏ธPLEASE STOP SENDING ME ASKS ASKING FOR DONATIONS I AM NOT ABLE TO HELPโ€ผ๏ธ
โ€ผ๏ธFUCK JKR I HATE THAT BITCHโ€ผ๏ธ
iโ€™m genderfluid and ace spec
music i like: phoebe bridgers, lucy dacus, boygenius, the front bottoms, ethel cain, adrianne lenker, big thief, chappell roan, faye webster, mitski, beabadoobee, clairo, towa bird, tv girl, hozier, conan gray, taylor swift, david bowie
fandoms: marauders (main hyperfixation rn), gravity falls, good omens, death note
marauders tweets masterlist under the cut!
Marauders Tweets Series Masterlist:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
Part 13
Part 14
Part 15
Part 16
Part 17
Part 18
Part 19
Part 20
Part 21
Part 22
Part 23
Part 24
Part 25
Part 26
Part 27
Part 28
Part 29
Part 30
Part 31
Part 32
Part 33
Part 34
Part 35
Part 36
Part 37
Part 38
Part 39
Part 40
593 notes ยท View notes
loki-cees-all ยท 11 days ago
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Space Oddity {Avengers!Loki x Female Reader One-shot}
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Cee's Loki Fic Masterlist / AO3 Link
Pairing : Avengers!Loki x Female Reader
Summary : While preparing for Stark Towerโ€™s Halloween party, Loki misunderstands the point of a Halloween Costume. Luckily he has you to help him navigate such tricky waters.ย 
W/c : 10k words
Content / Warnings : Established Relationship, Fluff, Smut, Loki being a little massive shit and also a silly goose.
Author's Note : Last year a certain LIFE-RUINER (affectionate) dressed up as Ziggy Stardust/David Bowie/Aladdin Sane for Halloween, and it permanently altered my brain chemistry. Because of (or in spite of?) the ensuing brain rot, it took 11 months of me staring at that picture to finally come up with an idea to include Loki in that delicious little mix.
P.S. I do recommend listening to Space Oddity by David Bowie while you read this. If you start the song at "Humanityโ€™s wide variety of music..." then depending on your reading speed, the song's first Verse should start right at the big reveal ๐Ÿคญ
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18+ Only - Minors DNI
โŠฑ โ”€ เผ“ โ”€โ”€ โ‹…โ€ขโ‹…โŠฐ โ”€ โ‹… โˆ™ โˆ˜ โ˜ฝ เผ“ โ˜พ โˆ˜ โˆ™ โ‹… โ”€ โŠฑโ‹…โ€ขโ‹… โ”€โ”€ เผ“ โ”€ โŠฐ
A crisp, hazy mist obscured your view of the ground from the 22nd floor of Stark Tower. Sunrise was yet to fully finish, and the Earth below was quiet, still adjusting to the uneasy transition from slumber to consciousness. Within that ambiguity, it was easy to believe that youโ€™d somehow awoken on an entirely new planet.ย 
You often wondered what that was like, to feel the soil from an uncharted world give way underneath your boots. To feel a breeze coming off an ocean no other human had ever seen before, or to look up into the night sky and see the stars of a brand new galaxy. How colossal, how surreal, how inferior it must make someone feel.ย 
On lazy mornings such as this one, youโ€™d often ask your partner what it was like to be an astronaut. Heโ€™d hand you a steaming cup of coffee as he rejoined you in bed, and with a contemplative expression, heโ€™d always respond with a brand new answer.ย 
You suspected the change in response was just due to him recalling his first trip to a different realm, and each time you always listened very carefully. You always closed your eyes and tried to lose yourself in the picturesque descriptions of fantasy worlds youโ€™d probably never be able to see personally.ย 
Sometimes, if you focused hard enough, you could almost smell the forests of a brand new planet. You could almost taste its fresh water and its different fruit, and feel the immaculate breezes of its unstudied seasons. But then youโ€™d open your eyes again, and when you looked through the skyscraperโ€™s window, the few dapples of orange and yellow leaves breaking through the dense fog would let you know this was still planet Earth.ย 
But that wasnโ€™t always so bad. Occasionally, there would be several weeks without a world-ending threat breathing down the Avengerโ€™s necks, and that meant you could pretend you were all just regular people. You could sleep in or get up extra early to watch the world come to life, you could rush around and do any of the million things that needed to be done, or you could simply lay there and bask in that sweet silence.ย 
Today, after having coffee in bed, your only concrete plan was a shopping trip in the West Village with Wanda and Nat. Your only solid goal was to finally settle on the perfect costumes for the Halloween party happening just a few days from now.ย 
It was no secret that the Avengers had acquired a sizable contingency of cynics over the years, ones who werenโ€™t shy about openly criticizing the entire team. From the collateral damage incurred during battle, to the individual actions of its members both on and off the team - anything they did was suspect, and absolutely nothing was beyond complaint. Thus, Pepper Potts had made it her personal mission to finally correct the planetโ€™s opinions of its heroes.ย 
In addition to the teamโ€™s assistance towards rebuilding efforts after their battles were won and having its members performing very public charity work, Stark Tower was starting to host more โ€œfunโ€ events in order to further boost the teamโ€™s positive image.ย 
โ€œTo get your names in the papersย withoutย a rising death toll immediately afterwards,โ€ was specifically how Pepper had explained her initiative. And naturally, that meant a Halloween Party was deemed absolutely necessary.ย 
Anyone who was even tertiarily related to the Avengers was going to be there: from the low-level, but still notable, world government leaders, to the honorary members from all corners of the globe. And of course, plenty of reporters and photographers would be in attendance, all of them ready to document every singleย funย moment. It was set to become an impressive party, and knowing Pepper, a very classy event - so it shouldnโ€™t have been at all surprising that most of the team had become hyper-focused on winning the partyโ€™s costume contest.ย 
Initially, everyone kept their costumes a secret from one another, and the trash-talking was of a mostly friendly nature. But then rumors started flying around, and gradually, some members of the team started taking the competition far too seriously. Alliances were formed, and subsequently broken. The taunting soon became serious, and then reached devastating levels, which ultimately escalated into a four-day period where Tony and Steve couldnโ€™t even be in the same room together without a physical fight breaking out.ย 
Thankfully, the girls were far more casual about it, and that afternoonโ€™s shopping trip was planned to be one of mutual support. Wanda was hoping to finalize her coupleโ€™s costume with Vision, and even though she hadnโ€™t mentioned it directly, you knew that Nat was attempting a similar endeavor with Bruce, despite his timid insistence that he wasnโ€™t a โ€œcostume guyโ€. It was so adorably endearing that it almost gave you a toothache.ย 
Unfortunately, things were not so cut and dry with Loki.ย 
He had yet to mention the Halloween party on his own, nor had he participated in any group discussions on the subject - he even ignored Tony's attempts to goad him into verbal sparring matches, something Loki ordinarily enjoyed. Not that anyone should be genuinely excited about performative media relations disguised as aย funย party, but nonetheless, you were starting to become concerned about his lack of interest.
Private conversations with him about finding a costume had gone nowhere. He didnโ€™t understand why he needed to dress up at all, or why you cared so much about it. And while he wasnโ€™t saying it out loud, you didnโ€™t need to be a genius to guess why he had reservations: everyone else already believed he was anย actualย monster, so shouldnโ€™t he just beย himselfย on Halloween?ย 
Only a few weeks had passed since youโ€™d moved in together, but it was going really well, all things considered. The otherworldly being youโ€™d fallen in love with still didnโ€™t understand most Earthly customs, and you very much enjoyed being his Midgardian teacher. But coming to terms with what heโ€™d done while under the influence of the Mind Stone was still an ongoing struggle for him.ย 
Loki had good days, but he also had very,ย veryย bad days. He still had nightmares about his past, and frequently his worries about the future kept him helplessly trapped in bed. It broke your heart to witness, and even though heโ€™d probably never reveal the full details about his time with The Black Order and Thanos, he at least never stopped you from offering him comfort in the middle of the night.ย 
Because he wasnโ€™t the monster his critics or inner demons claimed he was, no matter how convincing they were. He deserved a good and peaceful life just as much as everyone else did, and you wanted nothing more than to help him finally have one.ย 
When youโ€™d left the apartment later that morning, Loki was lounging peacefully on the living room couch, his nose buried in the oldest book youโ€™d ever seen. A gentle smile had tugged at his lips while you kissed his forehead on your way out, and with tremendous love in his eyes, he said that heโ€™d miss you terribly while you were gone.ย 
After an early lunch at The Coppola Cafe, the three of you spent the afternoon browsing what felt like every single vintage clothing shop in the West End. It didnโ€™t take long for Wanda and Nat to finalize their costumes, and eventually you did manage to find something for yourself, but deciding on your partnerโ€™s costume was another story entirely. A terribly complicated task, one that was impossible to accomplish and rotten with trap doors and landmines hiding within the deceptive labyrinth that was Loki.ย 
The girls did their best to make helpful suggestions during the shopping trip, offering such innocent and guiltless ideas like a mailman, or a stuffy professor - or perhaps he could dress up as Shakespeare so he could spend the entire party wandering around quotingย Hamlet. Or maybe instead, he should just wear a Ghostface mask and a long black cloak, so he had a good excuse to stay concealed and silent all night long.ย 
You appreciated their efforts, but none of those ideas were quite right for him. You couldnโ€™t really explain why, but they just werenโ€™tโ€ฆLoki.ย 
By late afternoon, your mind had turned into a jumbled mess. Unable to think clearly anymore, you resorted to aimless purchases of extra things neither of you probably wouldnโ€™t ever use - cheap makeup sets, bottles of fake blood, a set of vampire fangs, a pair of cat ears. Several brightly colored wigs, a second-hand cape, and a large bag of Halloween candy to stress eat later finally completed your purchases for the day.ย 
The group came back to the Tower just before dusk, and the living room of your apartment was quiet when you walked inside. A few lamps illuminated on the end tables gave the space a dark, brooding mood, which was greatly appreciated after such a busy and disappointing day. But unfortunately, Loki was no longer on the couch where youโ€™d left him, and that old book was nowhere to be seen.ย 
โ€œHey! Iโ€™m home!โ€ you called out while setting your shopping bags down by the front door.ย 
An odd silence was the only thing that greeted you.ย 
Usually, Loki would be at the front door, ready to sweep you up in his arms whenever you returned home. But the apartment remained unmoving, even as you called out a second time. When he still didnโ€™t appear, you poked your head into the kitchen while shrugging off your jacket and slipping off your shoes. But that room was also completely vacant, with no evidence of dinner being started or already had.ย 
Loki preferred spending most of his time alone, but occasionally heโ€™d allow an enticing bribe from Bruce or Thor to drag him out of the apartment; maybe he was just studying something interesting up in Bruceโ€™s lab, or perhaps heโ€™d agreed to help his brother play a prank on someone. Grateful for the opportunity to wallow in solitude for a bit, you pulled the giant bag of Halloween candy from a shopping bag and made your way towards the back of the apartment.ย 
You padded down the empty hallway where there was still no sign of Loki. Everything in the entire apartment was clean, and in its place. There was absolutely nothing wrong, and yet it felt like the weight of the entire world was resting heavily on your shoulders. You tried to reassure yourself that it was nothing that a coma-inducing amount of candy couldnโ€™t fix, but even that was becoming less believable with each step forward.ย 
As you approached the bedroom, you thought you could hear the very faint sounds of guitar strumming through the closed door. That gave you pause; certain that you hadnโ€™t left anything on before leaving that morning, you cautiously moved closer, until your ear was pressed against the door.ย 
Yes, that was music you were hearing -ย familiarย music, even though you couldnโ€™t quite place it yet, and you couldnโ€™t help but to smile to yourself. Loki was home after all, and he had been entertaining himself with music while you were out. It thoroughly warmed your heart with an unexplainable feeling of serenity, and pleased that heโ€™d remembered how to use the record player on his own, you waited behind the door to listen for another moment.ย 
Humanityโ€™s wide variety of music was one of the few things about our culture that heโ€™d expressed genuine interest in - which of course, you happily encouraged. It was so much fun introducing him to everything from the classic composers of the 18th and 19th centuries, to the psychedelic rockers of the 20th century. From the upbeat pop groups of your middle school years, to the angsty singers that made up the soundtrack of your early twenties.
You closed your eyes to focus solely on whatever he was listening to now. The music itself was playing low, the singerโ€™s impassive voice just barely audible to you. But you couldnโ€™t tell if it was a really old recording, or if the sound was just distorted after passing through the door.ย 
Off in the distance, a punctuated drum stroke marked the countdown to some inconceivable event, and adrenaline suddenly filled your bloodstream. A low hum vibrated underneath the drum, steady until it wasnโ€™t, and then gradually it shifted into a cosmic wail that seemed to be transmitting itself across all of time and space. A cacophony of instruments, from both the planet Earth and of the stars themselves, finally crescendoed together in a powerful array of astronomical declaration.ย 
A declaration that something was happening at that very moment. Breathed into life with a static kiss, that something was so astonishingly important, and it vehemently demanded immediate witness.ย 
Your curiosity, overwhelming to the point that you couldnโ€™t take it any longer, forced you to carefully reach for the door handle. Its metal, both warm and cold simultaneously, felt like home. It felt unreal.ย 
This felt like opening the hatch to an ancient spacecraft.ย 
This is Ground Control to Major Tomโ€ฆ
You pushed open the door, and immediately let out a startled laugh. Standing in front of the bedroom mirror was a tall and lanky figure, turning himself back and forth while carefully examining his reflection. That part wasnโ€™t surprising; but rather, it was the way heโ€™d dressed himself that was completely unexpected.ย 
Youโ€™ve really made the gradeโ€ฆ
Bright red and blue stripes lined the figureโ€™s jumpsuit from shoulder to toe, each one evenly separated by thin lines of white. Familiar dark curls cascaded and twisted down past a pair of golden, glittering shoulder pads that only amplified his already impressive stature. Across his right eye, stretching from well below his cheekbone up to meet with his natural hairline, was a crimson lightning bolt. Its perfectly jagged edges were outlined in shimmering blue, and the leather platform boots on his feet were a brilliant, shining red.ย 
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wearโ€ฆ
You knew it wasnโ€™t actually Ziggy Stardust standing there; logically, you knew that much to be true. David Bowie had died several years ago, and while you now believed in alien life on other planets, and magic, and superheroes - you still knew the matter of ghosts to be entirely science fiction.ย 
Rational thought, if you had been capable of it in that moment, would have told you that this was just your celestial partner practicing another one of his illusions. But this mirage was so much more powerful than reason, or fact, or reality could have ever hoped to be. While shoulder-strung spectral harps blared from the record player and the harmonized magnetism of flesh and blood and God stood before you, the only conclusion to be reached was that youโ€™d finally lost your entire mind.ย 
Now itโ€™s time to leave the capsule if you dareโ€ฆ
Other than his hair, his illusion was categorically perfect: the only hint of Loki underneath this glamour was the flicker of mischievous green hiding behind heterochromatic eyes. But those werenโ€™t Lokiโ€™s cheekbones, or his lips, or his nose.ย 
They were David fucking Bowieโ€™s.ย 
This is Major Tom to Ground Controlโ€ฆ
Your jaw dropped even further when he finally noticed you. He turned someone elseโ€™s body, and he lifted someone elseโ€™s chin. The illustrious and supernal smile he flashed in your direction tugged at someone elseโ€™s lips. But the confidence that radiated out of him, like the infernal rays of an ever-bursting star, belonged to Loki, and Loki alone.ย 
It was different from Bowieโ€™s, but still somehow the same; despite the oddity of both their ensembles, neither outfit had worn either man. And similar to that ethereal mortal from over 50 years ago, Lokiโ€™s aura overrode any bewildered question ofย why, and instead begged the eternal question ofย how?ย 
Iโ€™m stepping through the doorโ€ฆ
How was he making this look work for him? Just like Bowie, Loki was equal parts striking and ridiculous. He was magnetic and breathtaking, he was pulling you in while simultaneously stunning the oxygen from your lungs. No thoughts, no words, no sounds could ever truly capture the true essence of this scene, and all you could manage was another stunned laugh as you looked him up and down.ย 
His lips finally moved, but you couldnโ€™t hear what he was saying. A symphony of guitars and keyboards and organs and stringed instruments all crescendoed together to effectively pay tribute to the creation of this universe and drown out his voice. The sound, dizzying and disorienting, overpowered the feel of the floor beneath your feet until gravity was no longer enough to keep you tethered to the Earth.ย 
And Iโ€™m floating in the most peculiar wayโ€ฆ
Your mind, completely overwhelmed by the glowing specter just ten feet away, had become entirely blank. You were rendered so totally speechless that you forgot every single detail about your past. You simply werenโ€™t you anymore; you were an astronaut from a distant planet on the other side of the universe, and you always had been.ย 
You werenโ€™t standing on the 22nd floor of Stark Tower, you were opening the hatch of an imaginary spacecraft, you were taking that first step out onto an unexplored moon. You were leaving the very first footprints upon its previously untouched surface, and you were carving your name into its virgin moondust. You were leaving your mark for future generations to someday gaze upon, in sheer awe of the audacity to wonder what else could be out there.ย 
And the stars look very different todayโ€ฆย 
Without even noticing, you let go of the bag of Halloween candy; whether it also began floating or if it crashed to your bedroom floor was no longer any of your concern. All you could think about was if it felt this surreal, this mind-blowing to look upon the real David Bowie. How did anybody manage to not spontaneously combust in his presence?ย 
All sense of relative dimensions lost their meaning. Space was completely irrelevant, time was a fictional construct. The universe was never going to stop expanding, so would anyone ever be able to see it all? How could a numerical value ever be assigned to the entire concept of time? Why were any of us here?ย 
For here, am I sitting in a tin can?ย 
You had no way of knowing how much time had passed, but at some point, Loki must have realized that heโ€™d broken you. Without losing his proud smile, he waved a hand in the direction of your record player. Its needle lifted, and an eerie silence immediately descended over the room.ย 
As soon as the music stopped, part of the spell clouding your mind vanished. A rush of oxygen suddenly filled your lungs, and your heart finally returned to its beating. Blood resumed its journey through your veins, and the floor became substantial underneath your feet again. You blinked once, twice, three times and shook your head, trying to clear it so that you might be able to ask just one of the million questions that all popped up at the exact same time.ย 
โ€œSomething the matter, dear?โ€ย 
Your eyes flew back open. Unfortunately, his glamour was still in place, and it was Ziggy Stardust that gingerly approached your position by the door. And when heโ€™d spoken, it wasnโ€™t Lokiโ€™s voice youโ€™d heard - it was the voice of David Bowie.ย 
Unsure of what to do with yourself, inundated and engulfed in sensations of the most flustered manner, you squeezed your eyes shut again. Your arms crossed and uncrossed, your knees locked and unlocked as your weight shifted back and forth. You couldnโ€™t help but laugh and shake your head again.ย 
โ€œLoki, umโ€ฆWhat theโ€ฆโ€ You had to pause to let out a deep, shaky breath, to run your hands up and down your face in a desperate attempt to wake from this very confusing dream. โ€œWhat, um - are you doing, exactly?โ€ย 
The air around you warmed considerably as he stopped in front of you, and the amusement in Bowieโ€™s voice, so smooth and so sure of himself, was more than palpable as he spoke.ย 
โ€œPreparing for the masquerade, my dear. The same thing you were doing all afternoon.โ€
A gentle finger tilted your chin upwards, silently requesting that your eyes open again. When you did, it was Ziggy Stardust staring down at you from his impressive height, his expression curious and the unnecessarily tall boots he stood upon just making everything worse for you.ย 
You gasped breathlessly. Your brain almost melted entirely. The massive crush youโ€™d had on David Bowie when you were 13 years old suddenly roared to life once more. Youโ€™d never told anyone about it, because everyone else your age was in love with the much more socially acceptable choices of Nick Carter or Justin Timberlake. Back then, admitting to a near-fatal attraction on an androgynous, bisexual and eccentric musician from the 1970s would have been akin to signing your own death warrant.ย 
Nowadays, such a crush was far more acceptable to have, but you thought those feelings had faded away with adolescence. Thereโ€™d been no reason to bring it up, not even when youโ€™d first introduced Loki to Bowieโ€™s music. And now you were standing face-to-chest with the physical embodiment of your lie by omission.ย 
Overwhelmed once more, you backed away from him and covered your eyes. โ€œOkay, can you - take those boots off, please? Youโ€™re already ridiculously taller than me, so you donโ€™t need themโ€ฆโ€ย 
โ€œAs you wish, darling.โ€ย 
His voice, though sincere, was still someone elseโ€™s. Admittedly, it was intoxicating to hear Bowieโ€™s voice addressing you in such a loving, familiar tone - but it was also incredibly intimidating. You were already on the verge of collapse as it was; you didnโ€™t need yet another reason to make a very rapid crash landing to the floor.ย 
Carefully, you let out a very slow breath to steady yourself. โ€œAnd - can you also go back to usingย yourย voice, please?โ€ย 
There was a brief moment of silence, and a part of you wished you could see the enchanting smirk he almost certainly wore at that very moment. When he finally answered, it was in his own voice again, but it was just as amused as Bowieโ€™s voice had been.ย 
โ€œAs you wish, darling.โ€ย 
You let out a shuddered sigh of relief, and your body relaxed somewhat. When you cracked open your eyelids from behind your fingers, he was still Ziggy, but the sight was a little easier to deal with now that he stood at his normal height and spoke with his actual voice.ย 
Now that he was closer, you took in the comforting notes of citrus and cedarwood on his skin, scents you knew to be Lokiโ€™s. You swallowed hard, your pupils dilated wildly as you finally allowed yourself to look him over.ย 
โ€œYou did this for the Halloween party?โ€ you asked softly.ย 
Lokiโ€™s expression was much more reserved now, and he nodded earnestly. โ€œYes, I thought you would enjoy it. Is that not the case?โ€ย 
Your breath hitched as you reached out to touch him. Your fingertips brushed along the golden collar around his neck. The material was soft and pliable, not like the polyester youโ€™d find on a cheap costume from a pop-up Halloween store. No, the fabric Loki wore was both real, and it wasnโ€™t. It was the truth, but it was also a lie. He was both mortal and ethereal simultaneously.ย 
โ€œAnd what made you choose this version of David Bowie to imitate?โ€ย 
The reimagined figure of Ziggy Stardust shrugged nonchalantly. His gaze, as intent and dedicated as ever, remained locked on your expression while your fingers drifted over to his shoulder pads, and then back down to the center of his chest.ย 
โ€œWell, the other night you remarked on how much I supposedly resembled this particular mortalโ€ฆโ€ย 
A shy smile pulled at your lips. โ€œOkay, go onโ€ฆโ€ย 
He reached out to caress your cheek, his thumb soft and solid against your skin. โ€œAnd I was thinking about that film you showed me. The one that used music to tell its storyโ€ฆโ€
You stifled another giggle by pulling your lower lip between your teeth. Both of your hands found their way to his chest, one of them pulling the zipper of his jumpsuit until you could see just the barest hint of his chest hair.ย 
โ€œA music video. Theย Space Oddityย music video, specificallyโ€ฆโ€ย 
Ziggy, or Loki - whomever it was - donned a playful grin. โ€œYes, of course. With the oscillating, dark-green lines. I quite enjoyed that oneโ€ฆโ€ย 
You nodded absentmindedly. Your fingers, like they had a mind of their own, tugged the zipper down just a little bit further. Its metal teeth, crafted with the utmost precision possible, gave way and unlocked so easily to reveal even more of his skin, and your heart hammered inside your chest.ย 
It was impossible that Loki couldnโ€™t see right through your expression, that he didnโ€™t know about the salacious thoughts swirling around in your head. Like heโ€™d expected you to have this very reaction, he gently slipped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer, until you were pressed all the way against him.ย 
โ€œDarling, I know that the stress of preparing for this particular soiree has been weighing heavily on your mind as of lateโ€ฆโ€ he continued with a soft murmur as he delicately spun you both around and guided you back towards the bed. โ€œAnd I wanted to do something to help alleviate that burden for youโ€ฆโ€ย 
Your heart leapt violently into your throat. At first, it was the surprise that heโ€™d noticed your inner turmoil that did you in, but then it shifted towards dismay over you apparently not hiding it as well as you thought you were.ย 
โ€œIโ€™m afraid I donโ€™t know what youโ€™re talking about,โ€ you replied with an innocent smile as he slowly lowered you both down to the mattress.ย 
But yes,ย of courseย youโ€™d been feeling tons of pressure lately about the party. The Avengers had all known about your relationship with Loki for a while, but the rest of the Tower still didnโ€™t - and neither did the rest of the world. They were all going to find out at the Halloween party.ย 
Loki chuckled and allowed his weight to fully settle on top of yours. โ€œWhat have I told you about good girls who like to lie, my love?โ€ he murmured softly, his lips brushing teasingly against yours.ย 
While you didnโ€™t really care what everyone else thought about you, what they thought about Loki was many magnitudes of greater importance. He was already in a very precarious situation as it was; depending on the pundit or publication, his every scowl was interpreted as one of disdain for the human race, his every word a threat that he was just moments away from leading another alien invasion.ย 
They already hated him, and theyโ€™d never forgive him for New York, no matter how well heโ€™d behaved since.ย 
Your breath shuddered, and your fingers couldnโ€™t help but tangle between the dark curls that were so effortlessly Lokiโ€™s. โ€œThat they shouldโ€ฆdo it more, probably?โ€ย 
Any mistake he made in the field was grounds for his dismissal, anytime he drank a glass of wine instead of a beer was his blatant attempt to dismantle democracy itself. His every move was overanalyzed and deciphered by a bunch of people who had never even met him, who never even cared to know what he was like behind closed doors or in private, when he actually felt safe to be himself.ย 
They didnโ€™t even care that heโ€™d been corrupted by measures of torture theyโ€™d never have been able to survive themselves. Or that it had been entirely against his will, or that even while his invasion was taking place, he was subtly laying the groundwork for the Avengers to be able to stop him in the first place.ย 
โ€œA valiant attempt, darling, but we both know that wasnโ€™t what I meantโ€ฆโ€ he whispered hotly, nippling at your jaw. He adjusted the angle of his hips, and he began to roll them against yours.ย 
You moaned softly in response. Your mind began to melt, this time in pleasure instead of shock. The juxtaposition of Loki and Bowie and Ziggy, though confusing at first, started to make sense. It scratched an itch you couldnโ€™t possibly have guessed that you had, and it created an intense need deep within your soul.
Unable to resist him any further, you captured his lips in a fiery kiss, and he eagerly returned it. His mouth worked hard and fast against yours, in a brand new style of coruscating and devastating passion. Hot and heavy, the kiss tasted just like Lokiโ€™s always had, but now it contained an extra dose of stardust.ย 
Loki's hands cupped your cheeks, thumbs brushing against your cheekbones, his hips again rolling against yours. His breath was quick against your skin, his needy groans like music to your ears. This transcendental combination of the past and present, of both the mortal plane and of the stars themselves, somehow craved you this badly and he wasnโ€™t even afraid to show it.ย 
It was so strange; Loki may have come from the stars, but somehow, he was still beholden to you here on Earth.ย 
Within moments your legs wrapped themselves around his waist. Your tongue swiped at his bottom lip, requesting entry, and he granted it. Your hands drifted to his neck, his drifted to your thighs, and your bodies writhed together, eagerly, desperately, hungrily.ย 
The heat between you escalated even further - the kind of heat that usually precipitated the creation of a new star in the sky. Just as you began to yank the jumpsuitโ€™s zipper down further, a shimmer of emerald washed down your bodies, effortlessly and fully undressing the both of you.ย 
You fuckingย lovedย it when he did that.ย 
Loki could use his magic to do anything he wanted; he could, and had already, used it to destroy, and to maim, and to control. But now he only used it to protect the ones heโ€™d previously tried to conquer. Now he just used it to love - or when he couldnโ€™t handle not being inside you for another second.ย 
His skin was hot against yours, his hands worshiped your curves. Your body stretched and arched underneath his, taking him in, making love to him like it was the very first time. It always felt that way, like you were floating one hundred thousand miles above the Earth, like the stars were finally within reach and only now could you actually reach them.ย 
Your fingernails dug into his hips. The sound of the creaking bed was soon drowned out by breathless moans against your ear, of prayers and curses and promises. Your toes curled, your eyelids fluttered shut. Wild movements crescendoed into the purest form of what you knew to be the truth: the Earth was blue, the moon was silver, and Lokiโ€™s love would always be with you no matter where he went.ย 
The orgasm ripped through you like a gravitational force collapsing the entire universe. Your muscles tensed, your body trembled underneath him. Pleasure seeped out of your pores and you cried out for him, incoherent and delirious. It felt like you had left your body entirely - remarkably disconnected from reality, but still safely anchored to him.ย 
Loki fell off the edge just after you did. His muscles contracted as he clung to you, his voice nothing but shameless groans and heated gasps. With parted lips and a heavy breath, he intertwined his fingers with yours, he buried his face into your neck, and together your bodies finally collapsed within that mutual satisfaction.ย 
An immeasurable length of time passed during the quiet contentment that followed, and by now, the sun had fully set. Unsure of whether you were just dozing or if youโ€™d actually joined the astral plane, you allowed yourself to remain limp and boneless in his arms. Once again, gravity had no authority here, and you found peace just drifting aimlessly through the ever-growing expansion of outer space.ย 
โ€œYou never answered my earlier question, darlingโ€ฆ.โ€ย 
Lokiโ€™s demulcent voice gently pulled you back down to Earth. Your eyelids struggled to open underneath the pressure of the planetโ€™s immense gravity, and suddenly you couldnโ€™t remember anything that had transpired beforehand.ย 
โ€œNo, Iโ€™m...pretty sure I answered it already,โ€ you replied with a false confidence, stretching your body against his in an obvious attempt to distract him.ย 
He chuckled and shifted with you, propping himself up on one elbow. His other hand traced a swirling pattern along your hip. โ€œAnd Iโ€™m quite certain that you didnโ€™t, loveโ€ฆโ€
For someone called the God of Mischief, he was surely determined to never let you get away with anything. You let out a laughing groan of frustration, and as your eyes opened, as you looked up into his, your breath vanished from your lungs.ย 
The stars looked so different now. They werenโ€™t Ziggyโ€™s, nor Bowieโ€™s, anymore - they were Lokiโ€™s. His glamour had started to fail while you were making love, and now the large constellations of the deepest greens and blues, of Loki himself, were all that stared lovingly back at you.ย 
Loki grinned when he noticed the awe in your expression. His brow arched in a curious and teasing fashion when you couldnโ€™t answer him.ย 
โ€œMy goodness, sheโ€™s turned into a cosmonaut and floated away, hasnโ€™t sheโ€ฆ?โ€ he murmured softly, pretending to talk to himself. He took his fingers and made them dance against the sensitive skin of your neck to get your attention. โ€œHello, darling? Are you still there?โ€ย 
Almost immediately you were drowning in a fit of giggles. You scrunched up your shoulders and tried to squirm away, laughing and cursing at him while Loki continued his teasing. But his fingers, tender yet relentless on your sensitive skin, made it impossible to keep your eyes open or coordinate your muscles enough to put a stop to his attack.ย 
โ€œYes, hello? I was wondering if youโ€™ve seen a beautiful girl in there?โ€ he continued in that same vexatious tone, his hold on you tightening as he nuzzled his face to yours. โ€œSheโ€™s my darling companion, and Iโ€™ve been missing her terribly. Can you tell her to come back to me, please?โ€ย 
You let out more breathless laughs, you made more desperate wriggles in his grasp. If youโ€™d been able to see anything, you would have seen his cheeky grin and sparkling eyes, all lit up with mirth and devilry. There was absolutely nothing Loki loved more than play, and perhaps that was the true meaning of life anyway.ย 
But when you finally cried out for mercy, he instantly relented, granting you more benevolence within a single moment of play than heโ€™d ever been given in centuries. And all things considered, Loki was still quite delicate in his handling of you. After all, he had gentleness woven deep within him - the kind that had developed out of defiance, not because it was taught, and that just made him all the more genuine.ย 
Dutifully, like it was an honor, he shifted your bodies so that he was on his back and you were nestled safely to his chest. Your leg curled around his, and after his fingers completed their soothing motions over the skin heโ€™d just attacked, they moved in wide swoops along your back.ย 
โ€œI suppose I should repeat my question then?โ€ he murmured softly after kissing your temple.ย 
His skin, soft and smooth and pale, now smelled like an ancient fire that could burn his way through anything, if heโ€™d wanted it to. It was intoxicating. You wondered if that was the same scent that had once filled the air of Asgard, if youโ€™d ever get to experience it yourself someday.ย 
โ€œMmm, yeah. I think you shouldโ€ฆโ€ย 
Loki cleared his throat, hesitating. His fingertips drifted up to the divot of your shoulder. โ€œDid you truly not enjoy the costume I chose?โ€ย 
His voice was so quiet, so tender that it made your heart ache a little bit. You shifted on the bed, leaning up to look him in the eyes.ย 
โ€œNo, I did love it, Loki! It was really thoughtful of you, and for a second, Iโ€ฆโ€ You smiled fondly, recalling the moment you first saw him, while one of your favorite songs ever blasted from your record player. โ€œI really thought it wasย actuallyย David Bowie, back from the deadโ€ฆโ€ย 
Loki quirked an eyebrow. โ€œAnd so naturally, your first reaction was toโ€ฆlaugh at it?โ€ย 
Your lips pursed together, trying to suppress another one. โ€œOkay, Iโ€™m sorry about that. But I wasnโ€™t laughing at the costume, it was honestly justโ€ฆreally overwhelming to walk in and see so unexpectedlyโ€ฆโ€
โ€œOh, you found it to beย overwhelming, did you?โ€ Loki grinned again, apparently possessing an infinite supply of them. โ€œMy poor little dearest, Iโ€™m afraid you only have yourself to blame for that.โ€
โ€œMe?!โ€ you laughed incredulously. โ€œBut Iโ€™m the victim here!โ€
So sure of himself, Loki gave a teasing nod. โ€œYes, you see, darling - I was in the process of choosing the appropriate level of detail for the illusion when you so rudely interrupted meโ€ฆโ€
You maintained a playful, sarcastic expression as he explained himself. โ€œSure, sure. Or you could have just, you knowโ€ฆlockedย the bedroom door if you didnโ€™t want to be interruptedโ€ฆโ€ย 
Loki chucked and playfully swatted at your hip. โ€œSo then tell me, what about it was too much for you? I had already decided that the red hair was a bit excessive, but should I alter the clothing as well? The voice?โ€ he asked, his hand now softly soothing the skin heโ€™d just swatted.ย 
You silently thanked whatever it was other there that Loki had decided to keep his actual hair; it was one of his best features. Almost automatically, your fingers drifted through those gorgeous strands of caliginous curls, relishing in their strength and fluidity. He let out a tranquil hum when your touch grazed his scalp, and the sound was so effortless, so real, that nothing else could ever compare.ย 
Unfortunately, your thoughts then drifted towards far less pleasant topics.ย 
No one in their right mind could ever bring Lokiโ€™s capabilities as a sorcerer into question, especially not during battle. In fact, Wanda had previously expressed feelings of inadequacy when comparing her talents to his. But he had spent entireย centuriesย perfecting his craft, heโ€™d dedicated entire human lifetimes to his studies - to the point where most people remained completely unaware of its full extent once an illusion had been cast.ย 
A large part of that was because he preferred to remain an unanswerable question to everyone else, especially after the attack on New York. Heโ€™d rather they looked at his daggers instead of at his soul, or at the black heart he worried was the true source of his seidr. He didnโ€™t want anyone to know what he was truly capable of, lest they fear him even more - or try to use his own knowledge against him.ย 
But if he wore the illusion of one of Bowieโ€™s personas to the party - not dressed as, but if he actuallyย wasย the physical embodiment of Ziggy Stardust come back to life - then everyone would know just how afraid of him they should be. You could see the fear-mongering op-ed headlines already -ย Former Alien Invader Transforms Himself into a Dead Rocker. Whatโ€™s to Stop Him from Imitating the President Next?ย 
And the critics who didnโ€™t make that massive jump towards an impossible conclusion? You already knew that if he wore the wrong costume to the party, theyโ€™d have even more reason to pick him apart; if they secretly loved his costume, theyโ€™d simply accuse him of pandering. There was literally no direction for him to go that wouldnโ€™t result in more needless hatred being spewed at him.ย 
Even more pressing than all of that, what if they accused him of corrupting an innocent human when they learned about your relationship? You desperately didnโ€™t want to make his life harder than it needed to be, but neither could you face bringing that concern up to him; what if he secretly agreed with them? What if he decided he was defiling your entire life just by existing within it?
What if he decided to leave you, in order to correct that grievous mistake?ย 
Your fingertips gently traced the angle of his jaw. His eyes drifted closed as he clearly savored your touch, and his expression was just so serene, so peaceful. You couldnโ€™t let him sacrifice that tranquility for the sake of a party; Loki may not have needed your protection on the battlefield, but you sure as hell werenโ€™t going to let him wander into danger back at home.ย 
โ€œWell, maybe the issue is that you were using anย illusion, instead of a costumeโ€ฆโ€ย 
His eyes fluttered open beneath a furrowed brow. His pupils widened before fixating on you. โ€œI donโ€™t understand. The goal is toย becomeย the subject in question, is it not?โ€ย 
You couldnโ€™t help but laugh again; sometimes he surprised you with how human he was, and other times it was because of howย alienย he was. Letting out a slow breath, you pushed yourself up to sitting next to him. Your legs curled over to the side, and you draped yourself across his chest.ย 
โ€œI think the real issue is that you might beย slightlyย misunderstanding the point of a costume contest,โ€ you began with a gentle smile. โ€œUsing magic to alter your appearance for a contest could be consideredโ€ฆcheating, by some people.โ€ย 
His expression was tender, but unrelenting. โ€œIโ€™m still not seeing the problem, darling. If Iโ€™m to become someone else in order to participate, then Iโ€™m going toย becomeย someone elseโ€ฆโ€ย 
โ€œBut the whole point is how muchย effortย you put into the costume,โ€ you explained with a gentle head tilt. โ€œItโ€™s about how creative you can be with either a limited skill set, or a small budget, or shortened time constraintsโ€ฆโ€ย 
You paused for a moment to let your words sink in before continuing.
โ€œAnd Iโ€™m so sorry, but using magic justโ€ฆisnโ€™t that much effort for you. No matter how amazing or lifelike the illusion is.โ€ย 
He nodded, and his eyes flickered with understanding. For a very brief moment, he seemed to be taking your words to heart. But when his lips curved into a cheeky grin, you knew he was about to make another snarky comment.ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re saying Stark will have a conniption if I win the costume contest at his own party? Is that it?โ€ย 
You sighed and rolled your eyes while matching his smile. It was actually incredible that he still had this much energy to devote towards acting like a total menace. โ€œYes, if it helps you to think about it like that, then that is exactly what Iโ€™m trying to sayโ€ฆโ€ย 
Loki continued thinking about your explanation for another moment, his gaze distant while his hand ran along the length of your arm. Eventually, the grin on his face slowly shifted towards one of true sincerity.ย 
โ€œAlright then. What would you suggest I do instead?โ€ย 
You met his gaze with an even bigger smile of your own. All that remained of his illusion was a jagged, crimson lightning bolt stretching down his cheek, and you brought your fingertips down to gently trace along the boltโ€™s edges. His skin was so very soft, the transition between alabaster and crimson so seamless. It was only then that you remembered one of the purchases made earlier that day with Wanda and Nat.ย 
โ€œWell, for startersโ€ฆI think we ought to actuallyย paintย this design on your face.โ€ย 
Before he could even respond, you had already hopped out of bed - not that you would have responded to him anyway. And while wearing nothing but a scheming grin, you practically soared across the room, stopping just long enough to grab a few clothes from the bedroom floor on your way to the living room.ย 
โ€œWe ought to doย what, darling?โ€ Lokiโ€™s incredulous voice called out after you disappeared through the doorway.ย 
As you hurried into the living room, you bounced on one foot, and then the other, while pulling the pair of panties up to your hips. After clumsily slipping the t-shirt over your head and guiding your arms through its sleeves, you lowered down to your knees next to the shopping bags left by the front door.ย 
Did you have any experience with painting faces? None whatsoever.
Was that going to stop you now? Absolutely not. His illusion may have been overwhelming, but Lokiโ€™s inspiration of picking a David Bowie character for his Halloween costume was beyond perfect, and you were going to do whatever it took to make that idea a more feasible reality.ย 
Rummaging past the bright pink wig and the fringed flapper dress and the vampire fangs purchased earlier that day, you finally found it: a palette of Halloween make-up. The flat, rectangular box contained a few small brushes and a row of circular discs, each one filled with a different and very bright shade of creamy, metallic make-up.ย 
It was definitely a very cheap make-up set, and probably had way too many questionable ingredients that youโ€™d never be able to fully investigate, but it should work just fine for this little trial - as long as Loki let you anywhere near him with it. You were sure that he would after batting your pretty little eyelashes at him.ย 
Back in the bedroom, you could hear him shifting on the bed. You shot back up to your feet. โ€œDonโ€™t get up! Just stay right there, Loki, Iโ€™m coming back!โ€
You carefully ripped into the package as you padded across the living room. Not only was this your first time painting someoneโ€™s face, but it might be the first time Lokiโ€™d ever had his face painted as well. A twinge of excitement, laced with a hint of unease, swam freely inside your veins; there was a good reason why your skillset had led you towards a career of getting beat up on a professional level, instead of towards a quieter, peaceful career of make-up artistry or hair-styling.ย 
Complicating matters even more was the fact that Loki was quite particular about his appearance. The last thing you wanted to do was ruin this newfound interest in the Halloween party.ย 
When you returned to the doorway of your bedroom, Loki was seated on the edge of your shared bed. His long legs were spread wide, with delicious expanses of thigh peeking out between the tousled sheets. His expression was dreamy and brooding as he ran a large hand through his midnight curls, like his thoughts were a hundred thousand miles away while he smoothed and detangled.ย 
His face lit up when he finally noticed you, but then it dropped when he saw what you were holding. โ€œPlease tell me thatโ€™s a joke. Youโ€™re joking with that, yes?โ€ย 
You grinned and shook your head like you were trying to fling your nervous energy into a nearby galaxy. โ€œNot a chance. Scoot!โ€ you laughed, waving your hand to get him to make room for you.ย 
He complied, but still let out a frustrated groan as he shifted to the middle of the bed and leaned back against the headboard. โ€œDarling, beย reasonable. Iโ€™m already getting a rash just looking at that preposterous concoctionโ€ฆโ€ย 
โ€œOh,ย come on! โ€ you whined, fluttering your eyelashes in a way you know he both loved and hated. โ€œI know itโ€™s notย Armani, but youโ€™ll survive a test run with it, right?โ€ย 
Loki sighed, and then he softly patted the mattress next to him. โ€œYouโ€™re lucky youโ€™re so damn adorableโ€ฆโ€ย 
โ€œI know. Itโ€™s a blessing and a curse for you, isnโ€™t it?โ€ย 
Having won the first battle, you settled next to him on the bed. Your legs curled up underneath you, and with an innocent smile, you blinked at him once more, a silent request that he drop the final remainder of his illusion. The lightning bolt on his face disappeared with an emerald glimmer, and a playful smirk replaced it.ย 
โ€œYes, it is. And youโ€™re going to be so very embarrassed if this folderol does actually kill meโ€ฆโ€ย 
You carefully pried open the palette and dragged a brush through the creamy, red substance on the palette. โ€œOh, please. Of all the things that could kill you, itโ€™sย notย going to be drug-store brand holiday make-upโ€ฆโ€ย 
Starting at his forehead, you made gentle strokes against his skin, testing to see how well it absorbed the cream. As expected, it didnโ€™t smear very well, the edges were smudged and uneven. But there was no need to panic just yet - it was still completely fixable. That is, as long as you avoided direct eye contact with him, or else you might become even more flustered than you already were.ย 
Lokiโ€™s gaze shifted as you worked, watching either your hands or your face depending on whether you were gathering color or painting his skin. His features were soft, his eyes still dreamy as he watched you work, but you carefully kept your attention towards the task at hand; his attention was like a black hole of colossal proportions, and once you were caught in it, the only thing keeping you from splitting into a million different strands of yourself was Loki himself.ย 
When he realized his alluring good-looks werenโ€™t enough to distract you this time, he switched to a different tactic.
โ€œDarling, do you really expect me to believe that Stark is allowing Miss Potts to paintย hisย face for the party?โ€ย 
You snorted, expecting nothing less from someone called the God of Mischief. โ€œIf Tony knows whatโ€™s good for him, he is.โ€
As you pulled the brush across the bridge of his nose, Loki let out a chuckle and titled his head. โ€œIs that some sort of veiled threat, darling? What happens if I refuse to cooperate with you?โ€ย 
That little movement was just enough to ruin what might have been a decent brush stroke, and it made you smear crimson down the length of his nose instead of diagonally across his cheek.ย 
โ€œHey, stop moving!โ€ you gasped and laughed at the same time. โ€œOr youโ€™re gonna wind up looking even more ridiculous!โ€ย 
โ€œWould it be rude to say that I find that difficult to believe, my love?โ€ย 
Ignoring his comment, you licked the tips of your finger and swiped it along the edges of the lightning bolt, trying to smooth it out. When the makeup just smeared instead of erasing neatly, a new rush of panic settled in your chest. You licked your finger again and rubbed it harder over his skin, and then you tried using your other, untainted fingers - but all that resulted in was the tips of those digits, and now your tongue, turning the brightest red to have ever existed.ย 
โ€œSomething the matter, darling?โ€ Loki asked knowingly, repeating his earlier question. He pursed his lips together, just barely attempting to suppress a vindicated smile as he watched you struggle. โ€œIs theย inferiorย product you insisted upon ruining theย homemadeย look youโ€™d imagined for me?โ€ย 
Forcing your expression into one of neutrality required a tremendous amount of effort. โ€œNope. Everythingโ€™s going perfectly, my love,โ€ you lied, switching the makeup palette to your other hand. Within seconds, the fingertips of both hands were traitorously stained with the truth.ย 
โ€œReally? Youโ€™re absolutely sure about that, darling?โ€ Loki asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he glanced at the make-up palette. โ€œPlease correct me if Iโ€™m mistaken, but there seems to be more tint on your fingers than whatโ€™s left in the containerโ€ฆโ€ย 
Your face scrunched up in amused frustration, and the unpleasant taste of chemicals and oils now completely coated your tongue. โ€œMmhmm, this is aโ€ฆtotally normal part of the process.โ€ย 
His comments were just making everything worse, but you were still determined to see this attempt through to the end. At that point, the makeup palette was discarded entirely and soon became lost within the bed sheets as you pushed yourself up to your knees and shifted closer to him. You took the hem of your t-shirt and pulled it up in a desperate attempt to finally fix the boltโ€™s outline and salvage your work.ย 
You swiped the soft fabric down the length of his nose, but the make-up must have believed your t-shirt to be a brush, and all you did was push the red deeper into his skin. Silently cursing yourself, you pulled your t-shirt up further and tried to focus on gathering as much color as possible. Secretly though, you prayed that effectively flashing him like this would distract him from making more teasing comments at your expense.ย 
But that didnโ€™t quite work either, and Lokiโ€™s chuckle from behind your t-shirt was both leeryย andย leering.ย 
โ€œAnd now youโ€™ve resorted to seduction as a means of distraction from your liesโ€ฆโ€ he purred, the sound almost a growl as he brought his hands to your waist. โ€œIโ€™d say our relationship might be having a negative effect on your morality, darling, but youโ€™d be much better at this if it wasโ€ฆโ€ย 
You were still determined not to let him win, even as a shuddered breath tumbled from your lips. Your heart beat faster in your chest as the entire front of your t-shirt became tinted with red, and your face warmed from the feel of his hands gliding down to your hips.ย 
โ€œItโ€™s fine! Itโ€™s fine, Loki. Trust me, Iโ€™ve done this a million - โ€ย 
โ€œSweetheart.โ€ย 
Lokiโ€™s voice was kind but firm when he interrupted. He leaned back as he pulled your shirt down, revealing the devastation on his face that your attempts to fix had caused. โ€œPlease just admit that youโ€™re not very good at thisโ€ฆโ€ย 
You gasped and clamped a hand over your mouth. There was red everywhere - in his eyebrows and his eyelashes, across his right cheek and somehow, underneath his chin. The combination of mess on his both serious and amused expression was a horrifying, delightful sight, and you only barely managed to swallow the giggle bubbling in your throat.ย 
Loki arched a suspicious eyebrow. He flicked his wrist and produced a small, handheld mirror with his seidr, and he stared at you expectantly - granting you one final opportunity to come clean, as it were.ย 
โ€œCome on, darling. I will love you no less if you just admit it.โ€ย 
But you couldnโ€™t; all you could manage was to laugh, cover your eyes and brace for the inevitable as he finally looked at his reflection.ย 
โ€œThis is absolutely marvelous, darling,โ€ he finally replied in a wry tone of voice.ย 
You shook while trying to suppress another laugh, but it was all over now. Heโ€™d seen the abominable, unskilled attempt at facial decoration youโ€™d left on his skin, and you knew he was never going to let you hear the end of it despite the fact that he was laughing too.ย 
โ€œAnd you were absolutely right, this isย soย much better than using magic. Perhaps I should go into battle like this. I could simplyย frightenย our enemies to deathโ€ฆโ€ย 
You let out a heavy laugh of defeat and let your hands fall to your thighs. You were sure there was probably red make-up smudged all over your own face as well now, but you didnโ€™t care anymore. โ€œAlright, so.ย Maybeย Iโ€™m not that great at painting facesโ€ฆโ€ย 
โ€œOh, on theย contrary, sweet girlโ€ฆโ€ Loki chuckled as he tossed the mirror away and pulled you closer, settling you over his lap. He leaned up and nuzzled his nose to yours. โ€œThis isย impeccableย work. Stunning, evenโ€ฆโ€ย 
โ€œNo, stop it! Youโ€™re making a mess!โ€ you laughed and tried to look away, but his face followed yours, no doubt just smearing even more make-up all over each other. โ€œLoki! Youโ€™re ruining all of my hard work!โ€ย 
His arms tightened around you. He began to kiss and nip at your jaw, your nose, your neck. โ€œOr am I making it moreย authentic? Did you ever think about that, darling?โ€ย 
Resigning yourself to retaliation at Lokiโ€™s level, you matched his every kiss and nip with another to his jaw, his nose, his neck. He let out an encouraging chuckle and cupped your jaw with his hands, angling your face properly to his. When your lips finally met, he let out a soft hum, and then his kiss shifted into one of reassurance.ย 
Your arms slid around his neck as he leaned back against the headboard. His lips moved slowly and tenderly as he held you close to his chest, and they said everything that you needed to know. This was okay,ย heย was okay. Aside from a few errant, washable streaks of crimson on his face, nothing real was actually amiss here.ย 
He may have been teasing you before, but he was also loving you. The experiment had yielded far less than stellar results, but that was still okay. A suitable ensemble for the party would be found eventually - or perhaps just better make-up products - and the two of you were still going to have as much fun as someone could have at a corporate holiday party, even if there were a few extra pairs of wandering eyes there.ย 
After another moment or two, the kiss broke naturally. You let out a slow breath and pressed your forehead to his. โ€œAlright, I fully admit that I completely suck at face-painting. We donโ€™t have to go down that routeโ€ฆโ€ย 
Loki smiled and nodded. A glimmering wash of emerald erased any evidence of red from all skin and clothing. โ€œYes, Iโ€™m quite certain that we can come up with something elseโ€ฆโ€ย 
By revealing his mortal partner to the world, youโ€™d hoped it would soften the rough edges of Loki that his detractors wanted to keep illuminated underneath a hateful microscope. Youโ€™d wanted to protect him, to make his life simpler, to possibly ease his troubled integration on the planet heโ€™d once tried to subjugate.ย 
But the relaxed smile on his lips told you that he didnโ€™t need you to do any of those things. Loki was from the stars, yes, but he only ever clung to one specific thing. He may have come from on high, his perspective and past experiences originating from a millennia away from yours, but he was still here, looking at you. Loving only you.
You were his, and he was yours. No amount of criticism, or any blades held to his throat, or cruel darts thrown at his loving eyes were ever going to avert his gaze. They could make him climb mountains on mountains to get to you, but as long as there were sunbirds to soar back down with, then it was all worth it, wasnโ€™t it?ย 
Your hands slid into his hair, gently tangling themselves within his dark curls. Your eyes roamed slowly over his angular features and icy blue eyes, admiring the planes of his cheekbones and the true depth of his gaze that simultaneously showcased both the wide expanse of outer space and your own reflection within his irises.ย 
Loki was timeless. He was broken and hopeful, grateful and almost too intelligent to not know better. He was pensive, and he understood light and dark better than anyone else youโ€™d ever met. The noir shadows of his heart were what had initially drawn you in, but the hidden brilliance of his glowing soul was what had made you stay.ย 
A new idea coalesced inside your heart, and you settled your hips to his with a sly grin. โ€œAre you by any chance familiar with myย favoriteย David Bowie persona?โ€ย 
Loki smiled again, but this time he shook his head. โ€œAre you really only telling meย nowย that theย Space Oddityย himself is not your favorite persona of his?โ€ he murmured curiously.ย 
You bit your lip and reached for your laptop on the nightstand, eager to introduce him to something brand new once more.
โŠฑ โ”€โ”€ เผ“ โ”€โ”€ โ‹…โ€ขโ‹…โŠฐ โ”€โ”€ โ‹… โˆ™ โˆ˜ โ˜ฝ เผ“ โ˜พ โˆ˜ โˆ™ โ‹… โ”€โ”€ โŠฑโ‹…โ€ขโ‹… โ”€โ”€ เผ“ โ”€โ”€ โŠฐ
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godmadeaterribleerror ยท 2 months ago
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Chapter 13 - The Terror of Knowing
Series Masterlist
Author's Note: Iโ€™d like to dedicate this Chapter to Eric Kripke. This oneโ€™s for you. Bitch. Chapter Title from Under Pressure By Queen & David Bowie.
Word Count: 21.6k (I'm crazy. I'm on a roll. I haven't slept more than 4 hours.)
Chapter Summary/Warnings: Ben get's a phone, and Victoria Neuman undergoes big changes. Usual warnings. Also somnophilia? Kind of? You'll see.
Tags: Soldier Boy/Supe!Female Reader, canon divergence, enemies to friends to lovers, canon divergence, slow burn, fluff, angst, pining
Read on A03!
Chapter 12 - Chapter 14
This was going to be a very long, entertaining day.
You get up early in the morning, sneaking downstairs to grab the phones youโ€™d left abandoned after last nightโ€™s fight and subsequent not-fight. Kissing. Youโ€™d kissed Ben.
A lot.ย 
It didnโ€™t feel real. It had been realโ€”you were sure of itโ€”because you woke up on Benโ€™s chest and could still feel the ghost of his lips on yours. It was real because his arms were wrapped around your waist, and his hands were slightly under your shirt so his fingers brushed your skin. He hadnโ€™t done that before, touched you like that in his sleep. Heโ€™d mostly rolled up to you like a very large dog, never touching your skin unless you fell asleep with him already doing so. Youโ€™d never been sure if it was purposeful, subconscious, or just something you were overthinking. Just coincidental, simply a byproduct of how heโ€™d essentially throw himself on top of you, tangling blankets and creating natural barriers between your bodies.
But this touch felt purposeful. This touch felt important. Careful and low on your back and different. It was undeniable evidence that last night had been real and not simply another dream.
It took a lot of effort to get out of bed. There was the physical game, where you had to remove yourself from Benโ€™s grasp without waking him up. It involved slow and measured movements, a lot of stopping and waiting when he shifted or snored a little too loud, and several reevaluations of your methods when Ben just pulled you tighter against him.
Then there was the mental game. Where the question wasnโ€™t could you leave the bed, logistically, but did you even want to? Was it really worth it for two stupid phones? Here you had to convince yourself that youโ€™d woken up to Ben holding you many times before, and this wasnโ€™t any different. This was the same, really. Semantically. Youโ€™d be back soon anyway. It would barely be three minutes to go to the living room, grab the phones, and return. But he wasnโ€™t making it easy. He kept bringing you closer, kept making disgruntled sounds when you got a little too far away, and his warm and rough hands on your skin made it hard to do anything that would take them away from you. At one point you were pushing yourself away from Benโ€™s chestโ€”so close to being home free and able to roll out of the bedโ€”and you brushed up against his morning wood.
You had to take a few deep breaths before you could start moving again.
After a tremendous amount of mental effort, some very strategic and well-timed squirming, and another quarter hour youโ€™d gotten out of Benโ€™s arms and fallen down to the floor. Youโ€™d stood up slowly, tiptoed to the door, and all but ran down the stairs. The phones had fallen under the couch and between the cushions during last nightโ€™s events, and you managed to fish them out in only a few minutes. The mission was successful, because youโ€™d gotten the phones in faster than youโ€™d thought you would and Ben was still none the wiser to your absence. Sure, your phone was dead and Benโ€™s was covered in dust, but you had a charger on your bedside table and Ben would have to just be grateful he got a phone.
Now, youโ€™re climbing up the stairs in soft steps, both phones in hand. When you open the door to your room you start a little, because you see Ben sitting up against the headboard and giving you a frown that borders on a pout, narrowing his eyes at you.
โ€œGood morning,โ€ you say cautiously, scanning his face as you lean against the now-closed door with your hands behind your back.
โ€œWhere did you go?โ€
You blink at Benโ€™s grumble. โ€œDownstairs? I didnโ€™t mean to wake you-โ€ย 
โ€œWhy,โ€ Ben snaps, and you realize thatโ€”despite the sleep lingering in his eyesโ€”heโ€™s upright, hands clenched at his side, leaning forwards slightly. You can even hear something edged into his voice as he continues. โ€œWhat the fuck were you doing.โ€
Thereโ€™s a warm, humming feeling of need and comfort in your gut. Itโ€™s trying to move you towards Ben, to pull the frown off his face with your lips, but itโ€™s not stronger than the spark in your chest. The little, bright desire that makes you feel light. That feeds off of Benโ€™s deep voice and surly behavior and just him.
โ€œAw,โ€ you tilt your head at him with a mocking smile. โ€œDid you miss me?โ€
His frown deepens. โ€œNo.โ€ย 
โ€œI think you missed me. I think youโ€™re grumpy because you woke up and I wasnโ€™t there.โ€
His scowl is almost adorable. โ€œIโ€™m not fucking grumpy.โ€ You raised your brows at him with a light, teasing grin on your face. โ€œShut up.โ€
You hum. โ€œIf you keep whining Iโ€™m not giving you your gift.โ€
โ€œGift?โ€
You give Ben a grin. โ€œGuess who earned phone privileges.โ€ You donโ€™t wait for his response before pushing off the door and presenting the phone dramatically. โ€œIt starts with you and ends with cunt.โ€
You throw the phone to him, walking towards the bed as you do, and he catches it with ease. โ€œBrat.โ€
โ€œJust for that Iโ€™m not telling you what your passcode is.โ€
ย โ€œPasscode?โ€ย 
โ€œOh shut up,โ€ you give him a flat look, dropping on the edge of the mattresses. โ€œYou know what a passcode is.โ€
โ€œPhones donโ€™t have passcodes. You open them with your face.โ€
You snort at Benโ€™s indignant expression. โ€œYour face?โ€
โ€œThatโ€™s how you fucking open yours,โ€ Ben glances between the phone in his hand and you, holding his gaze as you slowly scooting across the bed to plug your own phone in. โ€œIโ€™m not a goddamn idiot-โ€œ
โ€œThen open it.โ€ You nod at the phone, clenched in Benโ€™s hand. โ€œIf Iโ€™m wrong, just open it.โ€
He gives you one last glare, tapping the screen roughly. The phone lights on, displaying a picture of his shield where it's still resting in your bathroom. Ben blinks at the screen, before looking up at you with a frown.
โ€œThatโ€™s my shield.โ€
โ€œI know,โ€ you scan his face, trying to gauge his reaction without touching him. Youโ€™d spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to choose a wallpaper for Benโ€™s phone. A band logo felt weird, youโ€™d considered just a stock photo of the Grand Canyon several times, and there was no way you were about to just put his face there. That wouldโ€™ve meant scrolling through a lot of old Soldier Boy promotional photo shoots, and you had already missed him enough. That wouldโ€™ve just been cruel to you. Eventually youโ€™d decided the shield was a safe bet, and just taken a photo of it as a placeholder. He could change it later, but you still really wanted him to like it. Which was annoying, because it was just a photo, and he didnโ€™t even knowโ€”nor did he have to ever knowโ€”how much effort had gone into it. Youโ€™d deleted several angles you deemed bad and shots you thought were blurry. He better like it, because that was fifteen minutes of your life youโ€™d never get back.
Ben looked back at the photo with a frown. โ€œHow did you get that?โ€
You blink. โ€œWhat, the photo?โ€
He grunts in affirmation, still staring at the screen.
โ€œI took it?โ€ You say slowly, and he looks up at you.
โ€œWith what. How did it get there.โ€
โ€œWith a camera? Youโ€™re not that old,โ€ you meet Benโ€™s surly frown with a small smile, nudging his shoulder. A mistake, because his confusion runs through you with something rough and easy that sits in your chest. โ€œYouโ€™ve definitely seen a camera before. You lived in front of cameras.โ€
ย โ€œCameras are big. Iโ€™d have fucking notice if you had one.โ€
โ€œWelcome to the wonders of modern technology,โ€ you reach over his body, flipping the phone over in his hand and tapping the lenses. โ€œPhones have cameras now.โ€
ย You look back up at Ben with a grin, and find him still watching you. The rough and easy thing is growing strong through where youโ€™re touching, and your faces are a lot closer together than youโ€™d realized.
โ€œSo, um,โ€ you canโ€™t make yourself move, the intensity of Benโ€™s gaze locking you against him. โ€œI took the photo. I can show you how-โ€œย 
From the corner of your eye, you see Ben drop the phone just before he kisses you. His hand moves up, cupping your face to angle it where he wants you, and you let him. Because this is real, and it makes your head spin happily. Thereโ€™s no noise in your head about trying to notice everything around you and fit it into a puzzle, no reeling about what Benโ€™s thinking. Because youโ€™re falling against his back, leaning over his shoulder, and his lips are soft against yours. All you feel is Ben.
When he pulls back, he has a smug grin on his face. โ€œI canโ€™t believe itโ€™s that easy to shut you up. I shouldโ€™ve done this months ago.โ€
โ€œFuck you,โ€ you try and snap, but the words come out breathless and lustful. โ€œStop trying to distract me-โ€œ
โ€œYou donโ€™t seem to be stopping me,โ€ he winks, and you knee him in the back.
โ€œShut it. Open the phone.โ€
He rolls his eyes, but picks it up from his lap. He manages to figure out that you need to swipe up himself, and you feel the tight frustration grow in him when the passcode display pops up. You wait several minutes, letting Ben glower at the screen as he aggressively taps it. That frustration builds in him and you feel it move to coil in your stomach from where you still lean over his shoulder.ย 
โ€œReady to admit defeat?โ€ย 
โ€œShut the fuck up,โ€ he grumbles, hitting another set of random numbers with a rigid hand. The words too many failed attempts, try again in 1 minute cover the screen, and Benโ€™s grip on the phone tenses, enough that youโ€™re surprised the screen doesnโ€™t crack. โ€œWhat does that fucking mean.โ€
โ€œIt means you donโ€™t know the passcode, so the phone is locked for a minute. If you get it wrong four more times, all the data gets erased.โ€
He turns his head to glare at you. โ€œFix it.โ€
โ€œSay you were wrong.โ€
โ€œNo.โ€
You shrug, โ€œthen Iโ€™m not fixing it.โ€
โ€œBrat.โ€
โ€œCunt.โ€
โ€œYouโ€™re fucking annoying.โ€
โ€œRight back at you, Pretty Boy. Say you were wrong.โ€
โ€œI was fucking wrong. Fix it.โ€ His voice is low, gravely and annoyed with clipped words, but you can still feel the jagged affection in him. So you smile sweetly, grabbing the phone from his hand as the minute ends.
Youโ€™re hanging around him, body pressed right against his back, head resting on his shoulder, and arms reaching around his neck as you hold the phone up for you both to see. โ€œItโ€™s 696969,โ€ you enter each number as you speak. โ€œEasy to remember. I can set up the face thing for you later, if you want.โ€
He grunts, taking the phone back as you return it to his hand. โ€œWhat the fuck am I supposed to do with it.โ€
โ€œWhatever you want, I guess. I put in all the contacts you need, and downloaded some apps-โ€œ
โ€œApps? What the fuck are apps?โ€
โ€œJesus,โ€ you mutter to yourself, fully realizing youโ€™re going to have to walk Ben through this like heโ€™s a toddler. โ€œApps are an abbreviation for applications. You put them on your phone for different things, like texting or entertainment or shopping.โ€
โ€œI donโ€™t need entertainment. I have you.โ€
His words, paired with the firm way he says themโ€”like simple and obvious factโ€”make you feel warm and dizzy, but you just hum. โ€œThen just donโ€™t use it for that. Itโ€™s your phone, Ben, you do what you want with it.โ€
โ€œWhat do you use it for?โ€ His hand comes up to hold your arm around him as he frowns at you.
โ€œMy phone?โ€ You have to clarify, because heโ€™s so close and thereโ€™s no way heโ€™s not touching you like that on purpose. Trying to make it hard to focus on anything but him.
โ€œFucking obviously.โ€
You whack his chest with your free arm. โ€œShut up.โ€
โ€œAnswer my question.โ€
You try to tune out how his hand is starting to rub against your arm, now certain heโ€™s doing it deliberately. โ€œI donโ€™t know, what does anyone use phones for? Texting, music, photos, social media, porn-โ€œ
โ€œPorn? You use this for porn?โ€
โ€œEveryone does. Thereโ€™s lots of porn on the internet, and the internet is on your phone.โ€
โ€œWhat kind of porn?โ€
โ€œAll of it,โ€ you shrug. โ€œIf you can think of it, itโ€™s a safe bet itโ€™s on there.โ€
โ€œNo,โ€ Ben tugs you forward a little further, grinning cockily. โ€œWhat kind of porn do you use?โ€
You gape at him like a fish. โ€œI, uh, I dunno. Regular porn?โ€
โ€œYou can be more fucking specific than that,โ€ his smile is growing, and you can feel his amusement growing with lust. You have to stop yourself drooling as you respond, because his hunger in your gut is making you thirsty, and his face is so unfairly attractive and distractingly close to yours.
โ€œI am not sharing my porn habits with you, Ben.โ€
โ€œWhy the hell not?โ€ He says your name and it vibrates through you. โ€œI can promise you, it wonโ€™t be something I havenโ€™t fucking seen before. If itโ€™s porn, Iโ€™ve seen it.โ€
That makes you snort. โ€œI doubt that.โ€
The hunger in Ben grows, moving down, down, down into you. โ€œWhat kind of freaky shit are you into that I wouldnโ€™t have seen, Sunshine?โ€
โ€œNo, thatโ€™s not-โ€œ you take a deep breath, because you need to defend yourself, and thatโ€™s hard to do when everything feels hot and aching. โ€œThereโ€™s like, a lot of porn on the internet. A lot. And I can promise you thereโ€™s some shit that even youโ€™ve never seen.โ€
โ€œPromise?โ€ You canโ€™t meet Benโ€™s eyes as he teases you, because you can feel the strength of his desire and that alone is making you feel faint and feverish. Looking at him would be counterproductive. โ€œThatโ€™s a dangerous fucking promise to make, beautiful.โ€
โ€œShut up.โ€
He hums. โ€œI think you need to prove it.โ€ You donโ€™t answer, still refusing to let yourself look at him, and Ben tugs at your arm slightly. โ€œCan you fucking prove it?โ€
โ€œIt is not my job to prove that the internet has porn,โ€ you manage to mumble, and he chuckles.
โ€œMaybe not, but I think weโ€™re a little fucking past only doing things for our jobs.โ€
โ€œFuck you.โ€
Suddenly, Ben is pulling you around his body, using his hold on your arm to spin you into his lap. His other hand moves up, running through your hair and pulling your head up to look at him, and his whole face is alight with almost ravenous hunger. You canโ€™t look away, even if you wanted to.ย  He leans forward, until heโ€™s just a fraction of an inch from you, and whispers, โ€œAll you have to do is fucking ask, and you can.โ€
You canโ€™t stop yourself from grabbing his shirt, forcing him forward to close the space between you. This kiss isnโ€™t quite as brutal as last night, but that doesnโ€™t mean itโ€™s not just as desperate. Your legs wrap around Benโ€™s torso, trying to bring him closer as he tugs at your hair to make your head move further back. His arm is back around you, pushing you up against him as he groans into your mouth, and it makes you moan in response. You can feel him, growing hard against your ass as he sucks on your lower lip, and youโ€™ve never felt a devouring need as strong as the one in Ben thatโ€™s climbing through your blood and up your spine. It takes every single sliver and bit of willpower you possess to not just give into him, let Ben just keep going until every part of you is flooded with just him and his body.
Itโ€™s just lust, a small voice ringings in your head. Not what you have. Only lust.ย 
But that sharp and loud feeling in Benโ€™s chest is still there. Itโ€™s pushing against the lust, making it bigger. And heโ€™s right here, and breathing raggedly into your mouth. His muscles are rippling around you, and his whole body is controlled like heโ€™s holding himself back. He feels so good, and all heโ€™s doing is kissing you. It would be so easy to make him feel like this, to return all heโ€™s giving you by touching him where heโ€™s pushing into your skin.
But if you do that, youโ€™ll just be falling further. Youโ€™d already failed to stop yourself just tasting him in the simplest way. If you reached down, even if you were just giving him your hand, that would be another thing youโ€™d need to have forever. Another thing that made you need more.
So when Ben pulls back, first just taking a sharp breath before leaning back down for one last, wet, heavy kiss before resting his forehead against yours, you have to chose your words carefully, picking them out and saying them slowly.
โ€œAre you sure youโ€™re okay with this?โ€œ You ask, your heart still pounding in your ears.
โ€œOkay with what?โ€ He grunts, and you almost moan just from his voice. Deep and hoarse and just as needy as you feel.
โ€œThis being it right now. Not, you know,โ€ you glance down pointedly. โ€œMore.โ€
โ€œOf fucking course I am.โ€ Ben sounds offended, like the answer no is unfathomable to him. โ€œWhy the hell wouldnโ€™t I be.โ€ย 
โ€œBecause, uh,โ€ you lean back a little to fully meet his eyes, your voice unsteady. โ€œYouโ€™re you.โ€
He scowls, and you can feel his frustration return like a train crashing into you. Tight and sour in his chest. โ€œWhat the fuck does that mean.โ€
Itโ€™s hard to keep looking at him. โ€œYou founded herogasm. 40% of what you say is some sort of innuendo. Itโ€™s not bad,โ€ your own voice is anxious, because you think, know, that you want Benโ€”just physically, not to mention the other partโ€”more than he wants you. If this pushes him away, makes him stop kissing you until your mouth is slightly swollen and youโ€™re aching, youโ€™d hate yourself for taking that away from you. โ€œItโ€™s really not. But I just, I canโ€™t do the uh, bigger stuff,โ€ bad word choice, because you can still feel him against your thigh and now all you can think about is shifting to bring him closer. โ€œSo I just, I just want to make sure this is enough. For you.โ€
The sourness is still in him, but his voice isnโ€™t bitter or angry when he speaks. Itโ€™s almost stern. โ€œYou fucking trust me, yeah?โ€ย 
โ€œOf course I do.โ€ The words had barely left his mouth when you answer, your response almost instinctual.
โ€œThen believe me when I say that Iโ€™m more than damn fine with this.โ€
You shake your head. โ€œItโ€™s more complicated than that, Ben-โ€œ
โ€œNo itโ€™s not. I want this, you want this. Iโ€™m not going to lie and say I donโ€™t also want to fuck you, because Iโ€™m not a damn pussy and I really fucking do.โ€ He pushes his hips upwards to emphasize the evidence against you, and you have to bite down a whine. โ€œYou donโ€™t have a goddamn clue how fucking bad I want you. But Iโ€™m not going to make you do a damn thing you donโ€™t want.โ€
โ€œI do want,โ€ your words are weak, and you canโ€™t stop them falling out of you. โ€œWant you. I want you. But itโ€™s just, I canโ€™t-โ€œ
โ€œIs this enough for you?โ€ Ben says your name, scanning your face with that look that strings every piece of you apart for him to have.
No.
โ€œYes.โ€
He nods roughly, moving you a little further up against his chest. โ€œThen stop asking stupid questions.โ€
Being so close to him makes every part of you a little higherโ€”a littleโ€”and itโ€™s easy to say, โ€œmake me.โ€ย 
Ben laughs, and itโ€™s loud and smooth and comfortable. โ€œBrat.โ€
You open your mouth to say something, probably, but any and all words are forgotten when his mouth slams back into yours. In only a heartbeat his arms tighten under yours as his knee is pushing you further upwards by your ass, standing up off the bed with one steady and fluid movement. You can hear the sound of his phone falling to the ground, but canโ€™t really bring yourself to care because Benโ€™s dropping his head to your neck and sucking at it as he walks you backwards, sitting you with surprising care against the dresser. Heโ€™s running his hands up your back, into your hair, holding you still while his mouth finds your collarbone. Kissing a line across it and making you moan right into his ear-
A small, annoyed sound escapes your throat when he pulls back with a lazy grin. โ€œYogurt and toast?โ€
โ€œWhaโ€ฆโ€ You trail off, your brain struggling to return to speech in the fog of Ben still holding your thigh and tracing a thumb across your cheekbone.ย 
โ€œYogurt and toast.โ€
โ€œI heard you,โ€ you frown. โ€œI donโ€™t know what youโ€™re talking about.โ€
Ben moves forwards just a quarter-step, and youโ€™re made aware of the fact that heโ€™s standing between your legs. โ€œBreakfast. What the fuck else could I be talking about.โ€
โ€œI donโ€™t know, I just wasnโ€™t thinking about breakfast.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat were you thinking about?โ€ย 
You shove at his chest, and he doesnโ€™t even pretend to be affected. โ€œFuck you.โ€ย 
โ€œI couldโ€™ve guessed that,โ€ Ben winks, and your whole face becomes heated.ย 
โ€œYou canโ€™t just make that same joke every time I say that,โ€ you manage to grumble. โ€œItโ€™s not going to get funnier.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s not supposed to be funny, itโ€™s supposed to make you horny,โ€ he scans your body slowly, leaning into his, thighs pressed together, hands grabbing at his shirt. โ€œAnd Iโ€™d say itโ€™s doing its job real fucking well.โ€
โ€œFuck-โ€œ you scowl as you cut yourself off. His eyes return to yours, glowing with the smug, satisfied feeling you can feel near his gut. You stick your tongue out at him as a backup plan, which immediately backfires because Ben nips at it quickly before kissing you one last time. Itโ€™s messy and long and the moment you completely give into it heโ€™s gone.
โ€œGet changed,โ€ Ben tells you as he walks towards the hallway door. โ€œIโ€™ll meet you downstairs.โ€
โ€œYouโ€™re a fucking tease!โ€ you call after him, and his snort echoes through the house.
It only takes you a minute to change, time that is mostly spent collecting yourself and checking your now-charged phone. Thereโ€™s a testing message from Mallory that you give thumbs up to, a simple hi from Kimiko you respond to with a smile, and a very long and detailed text from Annie about the details of Stand Edgarโ€™s deal that you decide to read later in favor of Butchers more to-the-point words.
William Butcher: Worst Boss Ever
Soldier Boyโ€™s blasting Neuman for Edgar. Need a day to set it up, then we move. Canโ€™t let word get to her.
You pick Benโ€™s phone up from where it had landed just under the bed, and make your way downstairs. Ben is waiting for you in the kitchen, sitting at the counter and glaring at the doorway before he sees you. His mouth opens to say something when you come into view, but before he can youโ€™re throwing his phone to his face without warning.
He catches itโ€”Youโ€™d hadnโ€™t bothered to worry about if he would, because youโ€™d see him catch a knife out of the air while stomping up the stairsโ€”and gives you an annoyed frown. โ€œYou changed too slow.โ€
โ€œYou didnโ€™t give me a time limit,โ€ you walk around to sit beside him as you speak. โ€œButcher says they only need a day before we move on Neuman.โ€
โ€œI donโ€™t give a shit.โ€
โ€œLovely. Open your phone.โ€ย 
โ€œWhy,โ€ he grumbles, and you shrug.
โ€œTo prove you were listening and remember the passcode.โ€
Ben rolls his eyes, but glares down at the device in his hand. You watch in amusement as his face draws into a focused frown, angrily smashing the numbers on the display with his forefinger. When it unlocks he looks at you with a self-satisfied grin. โ€œFucking piece of cake.โ€
โ€œUh huh,โ€ you give him a mocking nod and smile. โ€œNow send a text.โ€ย 
โ€œA text?โ€ย 
โ€œIf youโ€™re such a tech savant, send a text,โ€ your smile becomes genuine and toothy as his eyes narrow at your teasing. โ€œOne, simple fucking text. Whatever you want, to whoever you want.โ€
Ben holds your grin with his glower before glancing back at the phone. โ€œWhatever I want?โ€
โ€œThatโ€™s what I said. I can help if you ask very nicely.โ€
Ben looks back at you, his expression remarkably determined. โ€œI can do it my fucking self. Shut up and eat your breakfast.โ€ย 
Only as Benโ€™s pushing the food closer towards youโ€”attention now entirely focused on the phoneโ€”do you see it. Heโ€™s put yogurt on a plate, something that heโ€™s done several times before and seems to have no interest in stopping, no matter how many times you tell him itโ€™s just plain weird. Thereโ€™s a slight improvement in that he has made some sort of attempt to separate the yogurt from the toast, laying the spoon between them in an attempted barrier. The result is almost nothing, if anything now you just have to deal with a yogurt-covered spoon, but itโ€™s still confusingly heart-warming. The gentle feeling that grows in your chest is only spurred on by glancing at Benโ€™s plateโ€”hardly touched and forgotten in front of himโ€”and seeing that he has just a little less yogurt than you and that thereโ€™s no jam on his toast.
โ€œBen?โ€ you ask slowly, and he grunts in a signal to keep talking. โ€œWhereโ€™s your jam?โ€
โ€œWhat the fuck are you talking about. Is this slang Iโ€™m supposed to learn, because Iโ€™d rather you shove a fucking bomb up my ass-โ€œ
โ€œItโ€™s not slang, dummy. Your literal jam. That you always put on your toast. Where is it?โ€
โ€œWe ran out.โ€ย 
You stare at your own toast, almost drowning in red jam. โ€œAnd the yogurt?โ€ย 
โ€œWhat about the yogurt?โ€
โ€œYou barely have any.โ€
Heโ€™s not looking up as he responds, โ€œOut of that shit as well.โ€ย 
You blink at him. โ€œWe got groceries yesterday.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s not my goddamn fault Malloryโ€™s a terrible fucking shopper-โ€œย 
โ€œNo, I donโ€™t care about that. I can just text her later. Whyโ€™d you give me all the stuff?โ€
โ€œYou need to eat.โ€ Benโ€™s answer is flat and bored.
โ€œSo do you. You have the metabolism of a hummingbird-โ€œย 
That makes him look up. โ€œA hummingbird?โ€
โ€œThey have famously high metabolism, they have to eat two times their body weight daily. But thatโ€™s not the point-โ€œ
โ€œWhy do you know that?โ€ He sounds bemused, frowning at you.
You give a half-hearted shrug. โ€œI donโ€™t know, why does anyone know anything. Ben, you need to eat as-โ€œ
โ€œYou know so much weird shit.โ€ You canโ€™t read his tone, and have to fight the urge to touch him and find out if heโ€™s annoyed or bored or amused-
Shaking your head, you manage to move on. โ€œYouโ€™re trying to distract me.โ€ย 
โ€œMaybe.โ€ Benโ€™s shoulder nudges yours. โ€œBut itโ€™s not my fault itโ€™s real fucking easy to do it.โ€ย 
Youโ€™re gaping at him a littleโ€”heโ€™s looking at the phone again with a thin-lipped frown of concentrationโ€”because all you felt when your shoulders connected, arms brushing, was simple affection. Pure and sitting in his chest and head like air. Itโ€™s making the small voice reminding you not to try and make this go further harder to hear, making you need to know more. Youโ€™re about to say something, push him for what he meant by his comment, why he put the extra food on your plate, maybe circle back to the question pounding in your head of why are you okay with just this. Iโ€™m glad you are, Iโ€™m unspeakably grateful, but why. You shouldnโ€™t be. Fucking hell, Ben, Iโ€™m barely okay with this. I havenโ€™t told you why I need this, not really, so why in living hell are you happy with just this?
But your phone buzzes before you can.ย 
Ben looks up at you with a pleased, cocky smirk. โ€œCheck your phone, Sunshine.โ€ย 
You pick it up off the tableโ€”angling the screen away from Ben so he canโ€™t see his contact nameโ€”and glance up at his straight, self-satisfied posture and smug face before you read his text.ย 
Benjamin: Handsome Fucking Dumbass Cunt
You look hot when your being annoyingย 
You read it a few times before you look up at him. โ€œYou used the wrong youโ€™re. It should have an apostrophe, itโ€™s a contraction.โ€ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s all you have to say?โ€ย 
โ€œWhat am I supposed to say?โ€ You raise your eyebrows at him. โ€œThank you?โ€ย 
โ€œOr that Iโ€™m hot. Return the fucking compliment. I worked hard on it, and texting is fucking stupid.โ€ย 
You roll your eyes. โ€œYour compliment sounds like you're a teenager who just found out his dick wasnโ€™t just for pissing.โ€
Ben frowns, picking up his phone again. You watch him type at little faster this time, still one finger at a time but with an almost zealous focus. Your phone buzzes again, and he looks up at you with an intense gaze and speaks with sharp words. โ€œRead that one.โ€
You sigh, but do.ย 
Benjamin: Handsome Fucking Dumbass Cunt
You are so beautiful that if I got to fuck you a thousand times it would only make you more beautiful so Iโ€™d keep fucking you foreverย 
You stare at it for a second, because itโ€™s so shockingly sweet and graphic itโ€™s making your body incredibly confused. Half of you is moved, and wants to kiss him gently and smile at him until he says something like that again. The other half want him to fuck you right here, then on the floor, then in the hallway, then on the stairs, and on and on until youโ€™ve covered the whole house.
โ€œBetter?โ€ He grunts, and you look up at him with a heated face.
โ€œYeah, um. Yeah.โ€ You give a dry laugh. โ€œAnd here I thought I wasnโ€™t your type.โ€
That makes him scowl, and his voice is an annoyed grumble. โ€œWhat made you fucking think that.โ€
โ€œFor one, all my teeth are real and I can walk without a cane.โ€
Benโ€™s face becomes a little lighter. โ€œI fuck one old lady in front of Butcher and Cocksucker and all you dumbass idiot pussies think I only fuck old ladies.โ€ย 
โ€œNo, I just think itโ€™s hilarious.โ€
โ€œWell, youโ€™re not a fucking idiot,โ€ He mutters, and your smile must look downright insane.
โ€œAnd your compliment game is getting better by the second,โ€ you bite into your toast, speaking through crumbs. โ€œAm I allowed to teach you about internet slang? Or are you going to shove a bomb up your ass.โ€
โ€œYouโ€™re allowed to do whatever you fucking want, Sunshine,โ€ Ben shrugs.
โ€œSo thatโ€™s a yes?โ€ย 
โ€œI didnโ€™t say that.โ€ย 
You roll your eyes. โ€œBen,โ€ you exaggerate his name in your drawl, leaning forward as you swallow. โ€œIf I were to try and teach you about the internet, would you listen to me or be a huge fucking baby about it.โ€
He rolls his eyes. โ€œI am not a fucking baby-โ€œย 
โ€œI said huge fucking baby.โ€ย 
โ€œShut the fuck up. And you couldnโ€™t make me learn about internet slang if you cut off my dick,โ€ Ben winks. โ€œWhich, as Iโ€™ve been damn telling you, would hurt you more than me.โ€
โ€œI donโ€™t think you know how pain works,โ€ you mutter, taking another bite.ย 
โ€œMy point still fucking stands.โ€ย 
You examine Ben carefully. โ€œWhat if I asked nicely? Would you listen then?โ€ย 
โ€œNo.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat if I said please.โ€ย 
โ€œI donโ€™t care.โ€ย 
โ€œWhy not?โ€ You pout. โ€œWhat if I said itโ€™s important to me?โ€ย 
Ben snorts. โ€œThis isnโ€™t fucking important to you.โ€ย 
โ€œYou donโ€™t know that.โ€ย 
โ€œYeah, I do.โ€ Ben leans forward until heโ€™s only a breath away. โ€œYou just want to try and teach me shit. Even though it never fucking works out for you.โ€ย 
โ€œReally?โ€ You hum. โ€œBecause you just sent me a text on a phone, Pretty Boy. Could you do that in December?โ€ย 
โ€œYou sure think mighty high of yourself, Sunshine. I couldโ€™ve figured it out my goddamn self.โ€ย 
โ€œI think highly of myself,โ€ you smile, moving close enough that your lips are brushing Benโ€™s but never fully touching. โ€œBecause Iโ€™m right.โ€ย 
Ben grunts, staring at your mouth like he can will it to be closer. โ€œBrat.โ€ย 
You donโ€™t miss a beat. โ€œCunt. You know, I wouldnโ€™t just teach you about slang. I could show you where to find the porn.โ€
โ€œI thought that wasnโ€™t your fucking job?โ€ย 
โ€œIt isnโ€™t,โ€ Neither of you will close that final gap. Youโ€™re not touching, but you can feel the heat from Benโ€™s body, hear his breathing turn heavy. โ€œBut I can see a few ways in which it could benefit me.โ€
Benโ€™s eyes shoot to yours, and his voice is a growl. โ€œLike what.โ€ย 
โ€œI could tell you, or just show you,โ€ you twist your face in mock concern. โ€œBut that would be teaching you and that never works out for me-โ€œย 
You know youโ€™ve wonโ€”the game youโ€™d fallen into and the argumentโ€”because Ben kisses you. Rough and consuming, pushing his mouth to yours with a feral sound and holding your jaw with a firm hand. You let him pull you closer, relaxing into his touch and taste and smell and everything. Itโ€™s all just Ben. Picking you up with one arm, standing without ever parting from you, letting your hands scratch at his back and neck as he only kisses you more. You might be grinding against him because he groans, and his grip starts to crush you into his body. You whimper when he bounces you further up his body, making you angle your head down to stay connected to his mouth. To keep that hunger eating you in the best possible way. To keep the roar in your heart climbing up into your head and making everything so simply Ben. Coffee and salt and strawberries and Ben.ย 
He pulls back so abruptly you whine, and scans your face with narrow eyes. โ€œWeโ€™re going to try something.โ€ย 
โ€œHow specific,โ€ your grumble is breathless, but your glare at least feels strong. โ€œAre you going to tell me what that means?โ€ย 
โ€œIf you would be patient for once in your damn life, Iโ€™d have told you already.โ€
โ€œFuck yo-โ€œ His splits into a wide grin, and you know you didnโ€™t cut yourself off in time.
โ€œThatโ€™s actually a part of this, Sunshine.โ€ Ben starts to walk out of the kitchen, still holding you slightly above him. โ€œArenโ€™t you just a fucking genius.โ€
You frown at him. โ€œI thought you were okay without-โ€œย 
โ€œI told you to stop fucking asking that,โ€ Ben snaps, squeezing his grip around your waist and on your thighs. You can feel the resolved stone feeling running around you with that same bitterness from before. โ€œYou told me you trust me, prove it. Stop asking stupid questions about if Iโ€™m okay with this when I obviously fucking am.โ€ He stops in the middle of the dining room. โ€œUnderstood?โ€ย 
โ€œUnderstood,โ€ you mumble, and Ben rolls his eyes before kissing you again. This one is quick, and even though it only lasts a second youโ€™re still burning when he pulls away.ย 
โ€œTry again, like you actually fucking mean it this time.โ€ย 
Even as you wrinkle your nose at him, your voice becomes louder and you believe you more. โ€œUnderstood.โ€ย 
โ€œGood,โ€ Ben nods, but still doesnโ€™t let you go. โ€œWeโ€™re going to do a new reward system.โ€ย 
You blink at himโ€”your head still in a little of a dazeโ€”unsure if you heard correctly. โ€œWhat?โ€ย 
โ€œNo more favors. You keep using them for stupid shit like TV and making me read.โ€ Benโ€™s face scrunches in disgust at the very memory of books. โ€œThis will be more effective anyway.โ€ย 
โ€œYou still havenโ€™t told me what this is. It might be dogshit. It might get you burnt a lot today.โ€ Even as you snark at him, you have a feeling you know exactly what heโ€™s talking about. And you will never tell him that heโ€™s right. If this is going where you think itโ€™s going, it will definitely be effective.ย 
โ€œItโ€™s not,โ€ Ben lowers you down his body, not letting go until your feet are steady on the ground. โ€œAnd Iโ€™m not too worried about burns. Weโ€™re not working on that today.โ€ย 
That catches you off guard. โ€œWeโ€™re not?โ€ย 
โ€œNope,โ€ Ben leans down to your eye level with a wide, cocky smile. โ€œYouโ€™re going to sing, whatever the hell you want, and youโ€™re going to control it.โ€
โ€œI canโ€™t-โ€œ
โ€œYes, you can.โ€ Benโ€™s tone is firm. โ€œYou will. Even if it takes us a hundred goddamn years, you will.โ€
You want to argue. You might just literally not be able to control it. That might simply be a part of the power. But Ben also said a hundred years. A hundred years that you would get to have him. So you can only mumble a protest of, โ€œI really canโ€™t control it now. I might, uh, make stuff happen you donโ€™t want to see.โ€
โ€œWhat could I possibly not want to see,โ€ Ben says, giving you an incredulous look. โ€œSex? Death? Torture? Which of those do you think would make me gasp like a pussy grasping their fucking Sunday pearls.โ€ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s not what I meant, you dick. It might be emotional. More than just lights and dancing. Intim-โ€œ You stumble over yourself, because that word might be too much. โ€œIt might just be parts of me you donโ€™t want to see.โ€ย 
โ€œI think Iโ€™ll fucking manage,โ€ Ben drawls, and you sigh.ย 
โ€œBenjamin-โ€œย 
โ€œDonโ€™t Benjamin me,โ€ Ben snaps your name. โ€œThereโ€™s not a thing you could show me that would make me walk away now. You burn, I burn. Not controlling this is something that makes you more afraid Homelander.โ€ย 
Not a question, but you nod nervously. โ€œI guess, yeah.โ€ย 
โ€œThen weโ€™re going to make it better.โ€ Ben takes a large step back, and you tilt your head at him.ย 
โ€œYou still havenโ€™t actually told me what the new reward system is.โ€ย 
He winks, โ€œdo one thing on purpose, and Iโ€™ll let you teach me two things about my phone.โ€
โ€œYouโ€™ll let me?โ€ You scoff. โ€œThat feels like itโ€™s more beneficial to you than me.โ€ย 
โ€œWell, Iโ€™ll also suck on your beautiful fucking face until youโ€™re begging me to fuck you. And then I wonโ€™t, because Iโ€™m a gentleman. And you wouldnโ€™t be of sound mind.โ€ย 
โ€œCunt.โ€ You grumble, and he just shrugs with a smirk.ย 
โ€œBrat.โ€ย 
โ€œHow will you know I did something on purpose?โ€ You cross your arms, wrinkling your nose at him. โ€œI could just lie.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat a good fucking point,โ€ Ben says your name, grin never dropping. โ€œThis is why youโ€™re the brains.โ€ย 
โ€œI thought I was the beauty. You were very bitchy about that.โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re all three, and Iโ€™m the pimp. Tell me what youโ€™re going to be trying to make happen.โ€
You scowl. โ€œI donโ€™t fucking know, I didnโ€™t have time to prepare an idea-โ€œย 
โ€œIt doesnโ€™t have to be fancy. Just whatever pops into your damn head.โ€
โ€œBut-โ€œย 
โ€œWe can fight about this all fucking day,โ€ Ben shrugs. โ€œOr you can say what youโ€™re thinking in three, two-โ€œย 
โ€œStrawberries!โ€ You blurt, glaring at him. โ€œFucking strawberries.โ€ย 
His brows raise. โ€œStrawberries?โ€ย 
โ€œYou said whatever pops into my head. Iโ€™m making a grocery list, fucking sue me.โ€
โ€œYou think you can make strawberries work?โ€ Ben watches you, trying to pick you apart with slow words and a stupidly handsome face.ย 
โ€œNo. Because this wonโ€™t work.โ€ย 
He rolls his eyes. โ€œCan you fucking try to make it work?โ€ย 
โ€œMaybe.โ€
โ€œThen get a move on.โ€ย 
You cross your arms. โ€œWhat the hell am I supposed to sing?โ€ย 
โ€œWhatever the hell you want,โ€ he grins. โ€œBut could you let me know ahead of time if my clone will be joining us?โ€ย 
โ€œShut the fuck up,โ€ you snap, and Ben laughs, leaning back against the wall. โ€œAre you just going to watch me?โ€ย 
Ben shrugs, still smiling widely at you. You told me to shut up. Deal with the consequences, Sunshine.
You stick your tongue out at him, flipping him off at the same time, and he just snorts.ย 
It takes you a full minute to choose a song. Canโ€™t do a sex song, canโ€™t do a romance song, canโ€™t do any that opens up the chance of Fake Ben showing up again. Not when Real Ben is watching you on the other side of the room and might explode if his ego gets any bigger. Canโ€™t do a song about pain or abuse, canโ€™t do Smash Mouth, canโ€™t do anything that makes you think of Homelander. You could do a recession-type pop song, but that just feels weird.
Thereโ€™sโ€”as there always isโ€”an easy and obvious solution. Moon River. You know, at least in theory, what will happen. Ben knows the song, knows about what it means to you. Moon River, plain and simple.ย 
You donโ€™t bother trying to look at Ben when you start. You have no interest in seeing him, seeing his reaction or demeanor as you do this. So you chose a scorch mark on the wall, glue your eyes to it, and sing. Quietly at first, but you find a rhythm and it builds until your voice feels clear and strong. The instrumentals kick in faster this time, smooth guitar and strings and cymbals. The changes to the world are a little different this go, however. Youโ€™re not in your childhood bedroom, but a distorted version of the safe house bedroom. The horse paintings are blurred, and itโ€™s not clean anymoreโ€”small signs of both you and Ben scattered across the area in shirts and towels, a book on your nightstand and a benโ€™s supe suit across the bedโ€”but it feels more comfortable. More natural. The sky does open again, flooding the area with light from stars that are a little closer than they should be, and you can feel a warm breeze moving in from above. You can smell pine trees and rain and coffee and the ocean and strawberries-ย 
Strawberries. The song is almost over and you havenโ€™t even tried to make strawberries appear. You could write off the smell as your attempt, Ben doesnโ€™t know how this works and you could likely sell it, but you want to win. You donโ€™t want to trick him and come out on top. You want to win and fucking earn it.
Which is really annoying. Cheating is easier.
You try to focus. Strawberries. Maybe a field of them, maybe just a large vine of their flowers that climbs up the wall. Anywhere they want to be, as long as thereโ€™s strawberries. But no matter how hard you think strawberries. All across the room, or on the floor, or sprouting out of your face, strawberries, nothing happens.
The song draws to a close, and the world fades back into you and Ben in the dining room.
โ€œIt didnโ€™t work,โ€ you say flatly.
โ€œGo again,โ€ Ben pushes off the wall, walking to sit in one of the less-than sturdy chairs in the corner of the room. โ€œWeโ€™ve got all fucking day.โ€ย 
You sigh. โ€œItโ€™s only 10:30.โ€ย 
โ€œAnd weโ€™ll be here until you get this.โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re a fucking cunt.โ€ย 
โ€œYou love it, brat. Go again.โ€ย 
You scoff, even as your heart becomes a little faster in your chest, and start the song over. This time, you glare at Ben the whole way, and nothing happens.ย 
โ€œAgain.โ€ย 
It takes seven hours. You donโ€™t bother changing the song, half because youโ€™re stubborn and half because itโ€™s established a clean pattern of events. Bedroom, instruments, sky, wind, comfort. Over and over and over, slowly becoming more solid, the images and sensations in less of a haze. Itโ€™s not purposeful, so you havenโ€™t won, but the practice isโ€”annoyinglyโ€”making you stronger. Ben notices, you can tell by his stupidly pleased smirk, but doesnโ€™t say anything. Around 1, he leaves the room with only a short order for you to keep going and returns with two bagels. He passes one to you wordlessly, and when you drop to the floorโ€”eating with your legs crossed beneath youโ€”Ben scoffs. But he also lowers himself to your side, inhaling his bagel with his knee pressed against yours and a hand on your thigh. You can feel that content, smooth and effortless in Benโ€™s chest. Flowing in time with that stone resolve wrapping around you, around him. Neither of you speakโ€”you donโ€™t really feel like you need toโ€”and when you finish your bagels within seconds of each other, Ben squeezes his hand once before standing and returning to his chair.
Itโ€™s 5:30 when it happens. Youโ€™ve been at this all day, youโ€™re tired, but you kept going and going and now, when your illusions have become a clear and perfect replica of the world, it happens. A single strawberry flower, sprouting in a glowing rainbow mist on the mattress. You can hear Benโ€™s chair squeak when he sees it, even if the sound only echoes distantly over your orchestra, and you almost stutter to halt in shock. But when you push forwardsโ€”voice becoming a little frantic, a little off-pitchedโ€”the plant grows. Overtaking the bed, covering the sheets and pillows until itโ€™s all green leaves and blooming red fruit.
When the song finds its natural conclusion, you look over at Ben with wide-eyes. Heโ€™s staring at where the bed was, now dissipated into a colorful mist through the dining room.ย 
โ€œHow the fuck did you do that?โ€ His voice is gruff, looking at you with an intense, unblinking stare.
โ€œI donโ€™t know, it just sort of happened-โ€œย 
โ€œCan you do it again?โ€ย 
โ€œI donโ€™t know, Ben.โ€ You rub your face, your eyes becoming heavy. โ€œIโ€™m tired-โ€œย 
He stands so suddenly it almost makes you start. Without warning Ben crosses the room, picks you up, and carries you out of the dining room.
โ€œWhat are you-โ€œ
Ben cuts off your mumbled protest. โ€œYou look like shit.โ€ย 
โ€œRude,โ€ you grumble, shoving his chest. โ€œYouโ€™re the asshole who made me work all day.โ€ย 
โ€œAnd Iโ€™d fucking do it again,โ€ Ben holds you a little tighter as you climb the stairs. โ€œYou got stronger. You controlled it. And now youโ€™re going to take a shower, because you look like shit.โ€ย 
โ€œAgain, thatโ€™s rude-โ€œย 
Ben kisses your nose, pushing the door to your room open with his foot. โ€œBeautiful shit. But shit.โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re real lucky I donโ€™t kick your ass, Pretty Boy.โ€ You huff, and Ben chuckles against you.ย 
โ€œI donโ€™t think youโ€™ve got the energy to kick anyoneโ€™s ass right now,โ€ Ben drawls your name as he sets you down on the mattress.ย 
โ€œAnd whose fault is that?โ€ย 
Ben ignores you. โ€œGo shower, Sunshine. Iโ€™ll bring up dinner, and then youโ€™re going the hell to bed.โ€
โ€œYouโ€™re a dick, Benjamin!โ€ Your voice raises to a half-hearted shout as he leaves the room, and you can hear the amusement in his voice when he shouts back.
โ€œFucking shower!โ€ย 
You roll your eyesโ€”sticking your tongue out at the empty hallwayโ€”but stand and walk to the bathroom. Not because Ben told you, but because youโ€™re sweaty and gross and somehow sore despite only standing. Itโ€™s a tight feeling running along your muscles, stronger under your arms and circling your forehead, aching behind your knees. You take your time with the shower, letting steam fill the room and simply standing in the hot, gentle fall of the water until you hear Benโ€™s loud steps re-enter the room.
When you leave the bathroom, changed into a sleep shirt and your hair wrapped in a towel, Benโ€™s standing tall and rigid in the middle of the room. Thereโ€™s a plate of something that might be spaghetti in one hand, and your phone in the other.ย 
โ€œYou got a text from Hughie,โ€ he grunts, passing you both the plate and the phone.ย 
โ€œOh, what did he-โ€œ you stop yourself, looking up at Ben with a gaping smile. โ€œDid you just say Hughie?โ€ย 
โ€œShut up.โ€ย 
โ€œNo, no. You said Hughie. Youโ€™ve never called him Hughie.โ€ย 
โ€œShut up,โ€ Ben mutters, stomping past you to the bathroom. โ€œIโ€™m going to shower.โ€ย 
You set the plate down on the dresser, spinning to grab his arm. He stops, turning to look at you with a glare, and you push through the haze of his care and hunger and annoyance and thereโ€™s that strange tightness again- โ€œAre you okay?โ€ย 
Ben scoffs. โ€œIโ€™m fucking fine. Iโ€™m not a weak-โ€œย 
โ€œPussy, I know. Youโ€™re being grumpy again.โ€ย 
โ€œIโ€™m not grumpy.โ€ย 
โ€œUh huh,โ€ you raise your brows at him, letting disbelief coat your voice and cover your face. โ€œWhyโ€™d you call Hughie his name?โ€ย 
โ€œAm I not allowed to call people their damn names?โ€
โ€œNot when youโ€™ve only called them Cocksucker before.โ€ย 
Ben yanks his arm from you, taking a long, labored breath before grumbling, โ€œThat kid is the only one of those pussies who seems to genuinely mean it when he says shit. I can respect that.โ€ He walks into the bathroom, glancing back at you once. โ€œRead his fucking text.โ€
You stare at the door for a second after it closes before picking up the fork Ben had stuck into the spaghetti, taking a large bite as you open your phone.ย 
Hughie Campbell: Not Allowed to Speak On Fall Out Boy
Are you okay? Just wanted to check after all the Tek Knight shit.
Iโ€™m really sorry about that. I shouldโ€™ve pushed Butcher.
Kimiko wants to know too, but she threw her phone at The Deep during a fight and it broke.ย 
You smile softly at the screen.ย 
Iโ€™m good. Really. Iโ€™ll see you tomorrow for Neuman.
Tell Kimiko I hope she kicked The Deepโ€™s ass.ย 
โ€œBen!โ€ you call, knocking on the door. โ€œThe showerโ€™s not on, I know you can hear me!โ€
โ€œWhat?!โ€ He snaps, opening the door just enough for you to see his bare chest.ย 
โ€œUm,โ€ you swallow, trying not to look further down. โ€œDo you want ice cream?โ€ย 
He scans your face. โ€œVanilla?โ€ย 
โ€œSure, old man,โ€ you grin, and Ben scowls.ย 
โ€œShut the fuck up.โ€
He starts to close the door, but you stick your arm forward to stop him. โ€œThank you.โ€ย 
โ€œYou fucking volunteered to get me the ice cream, I donโ€™t have thank you-โ€œย 
โ€œNo, you dumbass.โ€ You whack what you can reach of his shoulder. Mistake, because powerful heat and desire and something loud that makes everything sharp pieces through you. โ€œIโ€™m saying thank you.โ€ย 
He frowns, leaning forward a little. It takes active effort not to drop your gaze. โ€œFor what.โ€ย 
โ€œThe food. Bringing my phone up,โ€ you give him a teasing grin. โ€œSitting with me tomorrow for internet lessons.โ€ย 
Ben snorts, opening the door to stand fully before you. By some sort of miracle, his pants are still on. He lets go of the door for a second, cupping your face in his hands and he examines your face. โ€œFucking brat,โ€ he mutters, and you scoff.ย 
โ€œIโ€™m starting to youโ€™ve forgotten my name-โ€œ
He all but picks you up off the ground, and this time heโ€™s gentle. Every part of this kiss is soft, from his mouth to his hold on you. Itโ€™s long and careful and so tender it might break you. When he pulls back, he draws circles along your cheeks, smirking down at you.ย 
โ€œTwo things,โ€ he says your name in that low, deep way that makes everything spin a little. โ€œYou get to teach me two things. If you try to pull three on me, the sucking face is off the table.โ€
He retreats back into the bathroom, closing the door, and youโ€™re left dumbfounded in the bedroom, swaying slightly to nothing at all.
You go down stairs after inhaling your spaghetti, returning with two bowls of ice cream. You sit on the bed as you eat your small helping, having put practically the remainder of the pint in Benโ€™s bowl, which is waiting for him on the dresser. Taking the infinite amount of time provided by Benโ€™s shower, you run over the day in your head, trying to pin-point what had changed. How you had controlled it. Any small shift in the late afternoon that you could use. Implement further. But it only devolved into you playing Benโ€™s words and actions on loop in your head. How easy he was touching you, like it was the most absurdly natural thing for him in the world. How quickly he had, you had, fallen into the habit of it. Because it was natural. It was easy and everything, and youโ€™d expected it to feel different. To be tense, or awkward, a strange dance you didnโ€™t know how to navigate.
But it felt the same. Your thirst was stronger, trying to take root in your brain and make you pull Ben into you, but everything else felt the same.ย 
And that was terrifying.ย 
You hear the shower turn off, a chew at your tongue as you stare at the door. The moment it opens, Ben walking through with wet hair falling across his eyes and a bare chest, you speak. Because if you donโ€™t blurt out your words now, youโ€™d just get lost in him and his stupid face and stupid body and he smells so good-ย 
โ€œWhat if I fucked a dog?โ€ย 
Ben stops in the middle of the room, staring at you in confusion. โ€œWhat the actual fucking hell are you talking about.โ€ย 
โ€œYou said there wasnโ€™t a thing that could make you walk away. What if I fucked a dog?โ€ย 
โ€œDid you fuck a dog?โ€ย 
โ€œNo, thatโ€™s just an example.โ€ย 
โ€œWhy the hell is that your example?โ€
โ€œI donโ€™t know,โ€ you shake your head nervously. โ€œThatโ€™s not the point. If I did fuck a dog, would you that make you walk away?โ€ย 
He snorts, picking his ice cream. โ€œAre you going to fuck a dog?โ€ย 
โ€œNo, but thatโ€™s not the point-โ€œย 
Ben says your name, bumping your thigh with his as he sits at your side. โ€œIf you fucked a dog I would have a fuck ton of questions. But I wouldnโ€™t walk away.โ€ย 
โ€œReally?โ€ย 
โ€œI might check you into an asylum,โ€ he shrugs, taking a large bite of ice cream. โ€œBut Iโ€™d make sure itโ€™s one that offers conjugal visits.โ€ย 
You give a flat look. โ€œI would not attend conjugal visits with the man who checked me into an asylum.โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re the one who fucked a dog in this scenario,โ€ he speaks through his mouthful, and a little ice cream dribbles onto his beard. โ€œIโ€™m just being a responsible, upstanding citizen.โ€ย 
That makes you laugh. โ€œOh, fuck off. Youโ€™ve never been an upstanding citizen in your life.โ€ย 
โ€œI work for the CIA, Sunshine.โ€ Ben says smugly. โ€œNot much more fucking upstanding than that.โ€ย 
โ€œWe both work for the CIA,โ€ you try not to stare at where drops of ice cream are smeared on his face. You want to lick them off, but you are also not moving first. โ€œAnd, as Iโ€™ve told you before, we donโ€™t actually work for the CIA. We donโ€™t get paid.โ€ย 
โ€œWe need to fucking talk to Mallory about that,โ€ Ben grunts. โ€œWeโ€™re carrying her whole pussy fucking team on our backs. We deserve to be paid.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat part of legally dead still isnโ€™t getting through to you?โ€ย 
โ€œThe part that means we donโ€™t get paid. Itโ€™s fucking exploitation.โ€ย 
You snort. โ€œYeah, youโ€™re really suffering in this arrangement. All you get is a free phone, free internet, free food, and a free house.โ€ย 
โ€œAnd you,โ€ he winks. โ€œFree you.โ€ย 
That makes your whole body loose and hot. โ€œShut up.โ€ย 
โ€œAre you going to show me porn tomorrow?โ€ He muses, ignoring you. โ€œIโ€™ve well fucking earned it.โ€ย 
โ€œFuck you.โ€ย 
This time itโ€™s purposeful. This time you canโ€™t stop staring at Benโ€™s full lips, covered in vanilla, or stop leaning into his study, warm body. This time youโ€™re setting him up, dangling the bait in front of him, daring him to take it.ย 
He does.ย 
Ben tugs you forward until youโ€™re tucked right at your side, his arm around your shoulders so his hand can tilt your mouth up to his. You donโ€™t hesitate to lick his lips when they find yours, taking the sweetness of the sugar combined with just him onto your tongue. Saltier, stronger, better than anything youโ€™ve ever tasted before. He bites your tongue lightly when you do it again, pushing back with his own until you whimper, your hand darting to his face to try and get more. Youโ€™re vaguely aware of Ben setting the ice cream to the side, and suddenly heโ€™s pulling you down, then over his chest once heโ€™s flat on his back. You slide one hand into his hair, letting your weight rest entirely against him and grinding down on his abdomen until he groans your name. His hand grip your hips, stilling you completely, tugging you down just enough that you can feel him hard, prodding into your thigh.ย 
Ben looks down at you, eyes hooded, voice gravelly. โ€œIf you donโ€™t want more right fucking now, you need to stop that.โ€ย 
Nothing is more difficult than nodding, trying to get a hold of your body and not just letting yourself crash forwards. Letting Ben take everything. โ€œSorry-โ€œย 
โ€œDonโ€™t apologize,โ€ he snaps, moving one hand up your back until itโ€™s holding the back of your head, running fingers through your hair. โ€œNever apologize to me.โ€ย 
You smile at him, toothy and careless. โ€œEven if I fuck a dog?โ€ย 
He snorts. โ€œWay to ruin the fucking mood.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s a talent.โ€ย 
Ben lowers your head onto his chest in a slow movement, and you donโ€™t stop him. When he speaks, you can feel his voice everywhere. โ€œI think itโ€™s bedtime for you, beautiful.โ€ย 
โ€œJust because I ruined the mood?โ€ You mumble a protest, but heโ€™s warm and secure around you. Making you sleepy.ย 
โ€œBecause youโ€™re actively fighting to stay the hell awake. Sleep.โ€ย 
You try to keep arguing, but all that comes out is an incoherent hum. This might become a problem, how if Ben just kisses you and holds you, your body will listen to him more than it ever listens to you. But it doesnโ€™t feel like one now. It just feels safe, surrounded by the smell of pine and still tasting vanilla.
Just before your eyes close you feel Ben press one last kiss to the top of your head, and thatโ€™s all it takes for sleep to find you.ย 
Youโ€™re on the floor of the dining room, Ben above you, your hands scratch his back as he laughs against your mouth.ย 
โ€œReady for more, Sunshine?โ€ His voice rolls through your whole body, and you nod almost manically.ย 
โ€œYes. Fuck, yes.โ€ย 
He pulls back, watching you lust-blown eyes, and everything is life and green and good and Ben. โ€œBeg.โ€ย 
โ€œYou dick-โ€œย 
He leans down so his nose is bumping yours. โ€œConvince me you want everything. Beg.โ€ย 
โ€œI hate you.โ€ย 
โ€œNo, you donโ€™t. Try again.โ€ย 
Dignity doesnโ€™t really feel important right now. Not when you want everything. Not when Ben is offering. Offering everything. โ€œPlease. I want this. Iโ€™ve wanted this. Just fuck me, you fucking cunt.โ€ย 
He chuckles, kissing around your mouth. โ€œThatโ€™s not very nice.โ€ย 
โ€œPlease fuck me. I want you, Benjamin, you insufferable asshole. I want you, I need you, I-โ€œย 
Thatโ€™s all it takes. Heโ€™s falling back onto you, into you, almost eating you because heโ€™s everything and why did you even bother trying to fight that. Who cares if you canโ€™t go back. Why would you even want to? You just want him, and now you have him, and he has you. Right now he has you, and maybe he wants to keep you the same way you want to keep him. Itโ€™s just you and Ben, and nothing else is real except you and Ben.ย 
Youโ€™re woken suddenly by Ben bucking up into you. When you blink away the fog of sleep from your eyes, heโ€™s fast asleep, still holding you with his head pressed back into the pillow. Youโ€™d somehow moved up his body in the night, finding your head on Benโ€™s shoulder, your face pressed into his neck.ย 
Heโ€™s not having a nightmare. Thereโ€™s no building light or heat in his chest, no pain or distress moving from his body to yours. Only hunger. Vast and aching hunger that moves between your legs. A deep, growling sound leaves Benโ€™s mouth, paired with another rough jerk into the air and his hand fisting into the ends of your hair. Then he moans, right into your ear, and any lingering drowsiness is burned out of your body. Because that moan was long and borderline incoherent, but it sounded like a word. Like your name. And this time when he pushes his groin into the air you can feel him, long and hard, poking against the lowest curve of your ass.ย 
Someone is out to get you. Some hidden facet of the universe has an agenda against you, because Ben is having a sex dream and moaningโ€”as far as you can tellโ€”your name. Because his sex dream just woke you up from your sex dream. About him. And youโ€™re still horny and wet and thirsty and heโ€™s hungry and his cock is only inches from where your desire for him is becoming painful. And to top it all off, Benโ€™s holding you against his body with such a confusing combination of reverence and strength that not a single chance you can wiggle away without waking him.ย 
And if you wake him, thereโ€™s nothing in the world that could stop you from giving every single part of yourself to him. So you have to ride it out, unable to fall back asleep, as Ben continues to fuck the air against you. Making the most pornographic sounds youโ€™ve ever heard, sounds that echo through your body from where youโ€™ve pressed your face into his neck, and leave imprints in your gut and heart and head. This qualifies as torture, you decide, because right now if Ben asked you any question, youโ€™d tell him whatever he wanted to hear. Youโ€™d do whatever he wanted you to do. Anything to make him give you relief. Anything to turn this into something you donโ€™t have to endure, your brain running wild with fantasies of giving Ben everything and him offering you even half as much.ย 
Youโ€™re dizzy with lust and needโ€”your thirst fed by Benโ€™s unyielding hungerโ€”when he finally makes the best sound youโ€™ve heard in your life and satisfaction crashes through your body like a wave. Benโ€™s grip on you loosens, and you frantically roll off of him, climbing out of bed and moving to the bathroom on long but quiet steps. Locking the door, you fall to the floor and shove one hand into your shorts as the other raises to your mouth, biting down to stifle your moans and breaths of Benโ€™s name. Your back presses to the wallโ€”unable to care as the fire starts to seep out of your skinโ€”fingers moving fast against your clit because thereโ€™s not time for anything else. Not when you feel like youโ€™re about to explode, and the aftermath of Benโ€™s own desire is still planted in your body.ย 
You double over when you cum, knees shooting up to your chest as you stare at the floor, eyes wide and heart racing. When your basic cognitive functions returnโ€”the chorus of just Ben fading into the back of your head and the smoke clearing the roomโ€”you realize thatโ€™s never happened before. Youโ€™ve never felt someoneโ€™s orgasm like youโ€™d feel anger or joy or fear. To be fair, you hadnโ€™t been with anyone since the empathy had become a part of you. Except Homelander, and that didnโ€™t count.ย 
Some evil, loathsome part of you still goes there though. Back to the lab, where Homelander would-ย 
You canโ€™t think about it. But heโ€™d done it. After the empathy. And you hadnโ€™t felt it.ย 
Youโ€™d also never felt pain from someone. Not like when you touched Ben in a nightmare. But Benโ€™s emotions were weird. You couldnโ€™t decipher them on a normal day. This probably wasnโ€™t something to note or worry about. Not worth dwelling on at all, not when you were already tearing yourself apart trying to figure out what the massively repressed, ancient man-child in the other room wanted from you. What you could afford to give to the impossible, frustrating, perfect man you-ย 
It wasnโ€™t something to worry about.ย 
Collecting yourself off the floor, you realized you couldnโ€™t go back to bed. You were wide awake, and even if you werenโ€™t Ben had definitely stained the sheets, enough that heโ€™d notice when he woke up. Guilt started to stab into you, because Ben might not have meant you to be there. That was private, his, and youโ€™d just jerked off to it. Youโ€™d tell him. You had to tell him. But not right now. When he woke up.
So you move silently back to the bedroom, grabbing your phone before creeping into the hall and descending into the living room. You fall onto the couch, reading the text from MM, telling you that theyโ€™ll be at the safe house around noon. You give it a little thumbs up, and try to distract yourself from how remarkably horny you still are.
Itโ€™s another hour and half before Ben wakes up and walks down the stairs, his hair messy and eyes blurry as he squints at you.ย 
โ€œHow long have you been up?โ€ Benโ€™s voice is hoarse, and heโ€™s not moving to the couch, standing rigid at the foot of the steps.ย 
You shrug, playing it off in the way youโ€™d been rehearsing over and over. โ€œA few hours.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat woke you up?โ€ Heโ€™s still watching you intently, looking slightly more awake.
โ€œUm,โ€ you canโ€™t lie. It feels wrong to lie. You couldnโ€™t have moved or stopped it, but he needs to know you had been there. โ€œYou?โ€
โ€œMe?โ€ย 
โ€œYou had a, uh, a wet dream? And werenโ€™t letting me go, and I would've tried to go, because you were asleep, but youโ€™re really strong and werenโ€™t letting me go. Iโ€™m-โ€ย 
โ€œDonโ€™t say sorry.โ€ Ben grunts, and finally walks to sit beside you. โ€œAnd I donโ€™t give a shit. It was about you anyway.โ€
โ€œOh.โ€ You hadn't expected him to just say that, but you probably shouldโ€™ve. โ€œThatโ€™s doesnโ€™t mean I get to just stay though-โ€
โ€œMaybe not. But you didnโ€™t chose to, and I donโ€™t give a shit.โ€ Ben leans back into the couch. โ€œIโ€™d fucking tell you if I did. And it sounds like you didnโ€™t have a choice.โ€
โ€œIโ€™m still sor-โ€
Ben says your name firmly. โ€œYou told me. Thatโ€™s what fucking matters. No lies.โ€
You nod slowly. โ€œNo lies.โ€
โ€œYou done freaking out?โ€
โ€œI wasnโ€™t freaking out-โ€
โ€œI get why you were, with the shit that happened to you.โ€ Ben shrugs. โ€œBut if I was worried about you seeing that Iโ€™d sleep in my old room.โ€ Suddenly his eyes narrow at you. โ€œIt didnโ€™t hurt you, did it?โ€
You answer fast. โ€œNo, I uh,โ€ you shake your head. โ€œNo.โ€
โ€œIf it did, you need to fucking tell me. I know you donโ€™t want more-โ€
โ€œI didnโ€™t mind,โ€ you mumble. โ€œReally. Promise. And itโ€™s more complicated than not wanting more. I kind of, um.โ€ No lies. โ€œI liked it.โ€
His eyes flash. โ€œLiked it?โ€
โ€œSorry-โ€
โ€œDonโ€™t fucking apologize.โ€ Ben looks you up and down. โ€œWhat did you like?โ€
โ€œAll of it.โ€
โ€œHow much.โ€
Stupid fucking handsome man and his deep voice that makes you answer. โ€œA lot. I um, took care of myself?โ€
His voice is somehow deeper, and he wonโ€™t look away from you. โ€œTook care of yourself?โ€
โ€œIn the bathroom-โ€
โ€œDid you cum?โ€
You swallow. โ€œYeah.โ€
โ€œGood,โ€ Ben grins, and you think heโ€™s going to keep pushing. โ€œI changed the sheets.โ€ย 
โ€œOh?โ€ You feel a little lighterโ€”itโ€™s a little scary how easy this all is, how fast you feel betterโ€”and your tone becomes teasing. โ€œWithout me asking? Who even are you?โ€
โ€œShut up. Iโ€™m not making you change my cum sheets.โ€ย 
You poke Benโ€™s side with your foot, grinning and the disgruntled sound that escapes him. โ€œYou kiss a man a few times and suddenly heโ€™s doing chores without being a bitch.โ€ย 
Ben catches your foot, yanking you forward until your legs are across his, leaning down until his smirk is hovering above your slack jaw. โ€œYou didnโ€™t kiss me just a few times. You just told me you liked me dreaming about you. And as far as I recall, I owe you one more. But a pussy fucking bitch wouldnโ€™t give you what you want, Sunshine, would he?โ€ When you donโ€™t respond, just staring at him in some sort of horny shock, Ben leans just slightly forward. โ€œWould he?โ€ย 
โ€œCun-โ€œย 
Ben catches your words with his mouth, and you gain just enough control to snap at his tongue between your teeth. Not biting it off, but drawing enough blood that the metallic taste overtakes the taste of Ben. He pulls back with a hiss, and you cross your arms across your chest.ย 
โ€œI told you Iโ€™d do that, Pretty Boy.โ€ You taunt. โ€œYou have no one to blame but yourself.โ€ย 
He gives you an incredulous look, but you can feel his sharp amusement, and his hand has dropped to hold your thigh over his legs. Tracing small patterns on your bare skin. โ€œYouโ€™re a piece of fucking work,โ€ he says your name in something that sounds like awe, and something is leaving a mark inside you, on your ribs.ย 
โ€œWould you have me any other way?โ€ He snorts. โ€œFucking hell, no.โ€ย 
You smile at him, and he smiles back, and if the world ended right now you wouldnโ€™t mind. Not when this is everything. โ€œGood.โ€ You lean back into the armrest of the couch, your eyes never leaving Benโ€™s. โ€œReady for your lesson?โ€ย 
โ€œRight now?โ€ Ben raises his brow at you. โ€œItโ€™s 8 in the goddamn morning.โ€
โ€œAnd we have a long, busy day of internet lessons and hitting Victoria Neuman with your special sauce ahead of us. Might as well get started now.โ€
Ben glares at you. โ€œDonโ€™t call it special sauce."
โ€œHm,โ€ you pause in mock thought. โ€œNo.โ€
โ€œBrat.โ€
You knee his chest lightly. โ€œGo get your phone, Benjamin.โ€
With a series of low grumbles and a strong pout on his face, Ben removes your legs from against him and stands, disappearing back up the stairs. You hum to yourself, foot tapping as you wait for his return, and donโ€™t even realize what youโ€™re doing until Benโ€™s voice sounds behind you.ย 
โ€œWhy does the whole room smell like vanilla.โ€ย 
You feel the flush of your face, freezing as you tip your head back to meet Benโ€™s eyes. โ€œI dunno.โ€ย 
โ€œDid you leave the ice cream out?โ€ He walks back to his seat, glaring at your legs pointedly until you press them to your chest. โ€œBecause I could smell it upstairs as well.โ€ย 
You give an over exaggerated sniff. โ€œWell, itโ€™s gone now.โ€ย 
โ€œNo itโ€™s-โ€œ Ben pauses, scanning your body and face as his nose twitches. โ€œYou were fucking singing.โ€ย 
โ€œMaybe,โ€ you mumble, hugging your knees. โ€œShut up. Did you get your phone?โ€ย 
Ben scoffs, but shakes his hand, displaying the phone. โ€œYour faith in me is astounding,โ€ he grumbles your name, and you sit up a little with your shrug.ย 
โ€œI know youโ€™re being a dick, but yeah, it is.โ€ You lean against your bent legs. โ€œOpen the phone.โ€ย 
He starts to enter the passcode, but looks up at you with a frown. โ€œAre you going to stay over there?โ€ย 
โ€œUm,โ€ you blink at him, and shake your head slightly. โ€œNo?โ€ย 
He doesnโ€™t say anything, just waiting expectantly for you to scoot over to him. Only once you doโ€”thoroughly invading Benโ€™s space as he pulls your legs back up, making you half on his lap and half pressed into his sideโ€”does his attention return to the phone. When he opens itโ€”after three tries, but whoโ€™s countingโ€”Ben looks at you with a cocky grin. โ€œThat it?โ€ย 
โ€œNope,โ€ you lean over him, taking the phone from his hand. โ€œWeโ€™re going to learn about cameras.โ€ย 
โ€œI fucking know about cameras-โ€œย 
โ€œWell, you clearly donโ€™t, because you looked like you were going to have an aneurysm about your lock screen yesterday.โ€ You swipe through the phone, keeping it in Benโ€™s view, and find the camera app. โ€œThat,โ€ you point to the screen, finger hovering over the small, gray button. โ€œIs the camera.โ€ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s not a fucking camera,โ€ he snorts. โ€œThatโ€™s a button.โ€ย 
You roll your eyes. โ€œAnd what, Benjamin, do you think the button does?โ€ย 
He scowls. โ€œShut up.โ€ย 
โ€œAnswer my question.โ€ย 
โ€œCamera.โ€ Benโ€™s answer is through gritted teeth, butโ€”as far as you can tell from where youโ€™re touching himโ€”his annoyance is more for show than anything else. So you keep going, holding the phone a little higher up.ย 
โ€œPress it,โ€ you prompt him, shaking the phone slightly.ย 
Ben does so, his aggressive tap of the screen pushing your hand back slightly. The camera opens up, flipped to the self-view, and Ben starts backwards. โ€œWhy the fuck is it doing that.โ€
โ€œItโ€™s the front view.โ€ย 
โ€œWhy in living Christ would you need a front-view.โ€ย 
โ€œFor selfies.โ€ย 
โ€œSelfies?โ€ย 
โ€œPhotos of oneโ€™s self,โ€ you explain, not bothering to hide the amusement in your voice. โ€œItโ€™s pretty self-descriptive.โ€ย 
โ€œWhy would you need that.โ€ย 
You sigh. โ€œItโ€™s not something you need to do. Most of this isnโ€™t going to be stuff you need to do. Itโ€™s for fun.โ€ย 
โ€œFor fun,โ€ Ben repeats slowly, still sounding like he doesnโ€™t believe you.ย 
โ€œYep. And I think youโ€™d like selfies. You get to pose, and stare at yourself. Itโ€™s right in your wheelhouse, Pretty Boy.โ€ย 
Ben huffs. โ€œWhat would I do with them?โ€ย 
โ€œWhatever you want,โ€ you shrug. โ€œJerk off to them, print them out to hang around the house, post them on social media-โ€œย 
โ€œSocial media?โ€ย 
โ€œI am not explaining social media to you today,โ€ you say flatly. โ€œCameras are already going to be a lot.โ€ย 
โ€œIt looks pretty fucking simple from here,โ€ Ben grumbles, pulling the phone from your hand. โ€œThat big white button takes the photo, yeah?โ€ย 
โ€œWell, yeah,โ€ you try to push down a giggle as he presses the button repeatedly, taking a large amount of selfies from a low angle. Heโ€™ll still probably look hot in all of them, because heโ€™s Ben and life is unfair, but that doesnโ€™t make it less funny. โ€œBut thereโ€™s more to it.โ€ย 
He stops, giving you a frown. โ€œWhat the hell do you mean more.โ€ย 
โ€œTurn the camera.โ€ย 
Slowly, Ben angles the phone so youโ€™re looking at your reflection on the display.ย 
โ€œNo,โ€ you reach up, returning the screen to face him. โ€œTurn the camera. It can switch between the front camera and the back camera,โ€ you tap each one in turn for emphasis. โ€œSo switch them.โ€
He does. After almost eight minutes of swearing under his breathโ€”and very much not under his breathโ€”Ben finds the right button and flips the camera around. From there you make him stand, take several photos of random objects until he can do it without totally messing up the focus, then teach him about zooming. That takes a whole half hour, because he canโ€™t seem to figure out how to get any sort of middle ground, either going all the way out or zooming in for far you canโ€™t even tell what he took the photo of. You forgo filters, thatโ€™s a battle you donโ€™t have the energy to take on today, and instead focus on flashโ€”how to turn it on and off, when it needs to be on and offโ€”and video. That one takes two hours.ย 
You start to wander the house, taking him to the kitchen and explaining how food photos work.ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s fucking insane,โ€ Ben mutters as you conclude your small speech. โ€œJust eat the damn food.โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re still going to eat the food, this is for the memory of it. So you can look at it later and remember hey, that was a fucking delicious quiche.โ€ย 
โ€œThat dumb.โ€ Ben snapped. โ€œJust remember shit with your fucking brain.โ€ย 
You snort. โ€œYouโ€™re going to hate Instagram.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat the hell is Instagram.โ€ย 
You donโ€™t explain or elaborate, simply linking your elbow through his and pulling him into the hallway, up the stairs. From there you spend a while in the bedroom, making Ben take photos in lower lighting to practice the flash and teaching him about mirror selfies. He takes that one a little easier, though it results in a lot of sex jokes about how mirrors are for two hot people fucking and how heโ€™d be open to showing you what that means, beautiful, if you say please.ย 
When you enter the bathroom, making Ben take about three or four videos of the running water, you notice he keeps looking at his shield. Before you can ask what heโ€™s doing it for, he looks at you in the mirror, โ€œHow did you put it on the screen?โ€ย 
โ€œThe shield?โ€ You ask for clarity, even if you know what he means. He grunts, and you continue. โ€œI set it as your wallpaper.โ€ย 
โ€œHow?โ€ย 
You pause, narrowing your eyes at his reflection. โ€œIf I show you, it doesnโ€™t count as part of my winnings, because you asked.โ€ย 
โ€œFine,โ€ Ben thrusts the phone into your hand. โ€œJust do it.โ€ย 
You do, Ben hanging over your shoulder as you navigate to settings, then wallpaper, then slowly walk him through the functions. Eventuallyโ€”after another hour or so of pointless photos and videosโ€”you feel a little more comfortable in his capabilities, maybe even bordering on confident, and tug him back to the couch.ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s thing one,โ€ you take the phone back from Benโ€™s hand, scrolling to the app store. โ€œReady for thing two?โ€ย 
โ€œThat was more than one fucking thing,โ€ he snaps. โ€œThat was a least damn fifty.โ€ย 
โ€œNope. That was just cameras. I get one more.โ€ย 
โ€œNot if I just walk the hell away-โ€œย 
โ€œBen,โ€ you look up at him. โ€œJust trust me. Youโ€™ll like this.โ€ย 
He scowls, but waits for you to return the phone to his hand. Benโ€™s eyes scan the screen for a second before he looks back up at you. โ€œWhat the fuck is this.โ€ย 
โ€œCandy Crush.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat.โ€ย 
You scoot a little closer to him, resting your head against his arm as you look up at him with a smile. โ€œItโ€™s a game. Senior citizens everywhere love it.โ€ย 
โ€œI am not-โ€œย 
โ€œYeah, you are.โ€ You dismiss him, drumming your fingers against his skin. โ€œItโ€™s a silly, stupid game with bright colors and an addictive design. It kills time, and-โ€œ your grin grows until itโ€™s toothy and covering your face. โ€œIf you spend money, itโ€™s out of the CIAโ€™s pocket.โ€ย 
โ€œSpend money?โ€
โ€œIn-app purchases. You fail a level, pay to try again.โ€ย 
Ben says your name, a long drawl that sits in your stomach. โ€œI am not playing this shit.โ€ย 
โ€œSure,โ€ you shrug. โ€œBut if you change your mind, the app looks like that.โ€ You return to the homescreen, pointing at the logo.ย 
โ€œDoesnโ€™t matter. I wonโ€™t fucking use it.โ€ย 
โ€œOkay.โ€ย 
โ€œIโ€™m being serious.โ€ย 
You grin. โ€œAnd I said okay.โ€ย 
โ€œBrat.โ€
You stick your tongue out at him. โ€œCunt.โ€ย 
Ben drops his phone to the side, attention entirely scorching through you. โ€œYou want the second half of our deal?โ€ย 
โ€œYes,โ€ you answer a little too fast, and your voice is suddenly weaker. You blame Benโ€™s lust, climbing into you, intertwining with your own, sitting happily in your gut and above your lungs. Heโ€™s almost on top of you, and you can see just a slight ring of green in his eyes. Watching you, coming closer. Closer, still closer. But not close enough.
You donโ€™t think Ben could ever be close enough. Not when he finally touches you, not when he sucks on your mouth and tongue and neck like heโ€™d promised, not even when he fully rolls on top of you. Because everything in the world is nothing compared to this. Just Ben. Touching you. Close, but not close enough.ย 
Your alarm from your phone barely breaks through your ears into your brain, because all your thoughts are being overtaken by just Ben.ย 
โ€œFuck,โ€ you manage to pull back, grabbing your phone to turn off the repetitive ringing. โ€œWe need to get changed.โ€ย 
โ€œChanged?โ€ Ben frowns, still holding you. โ€œThe hell do we need to get changed for?โ€ย 
โ€œNeuman,โ€ you start to stand up, but Benโ€™s hand falls to grab yours, keeping you from leaving the couch. โ€œThe Boys will be here in like twenty, Ben. Probably more like ten with Butcherโ€™s lack of respect for speed limits and police.โ€ย 
โ€œAnd youโ€™re coming on this one.โ€ He scans your face, hand squeezing yours.ย 
โ€œYeah, I should be. We shouldnโ€™t really be in public for this, so I donโ€™t see why I canโ€™t.โ€ Ben nods, but still doesnโ€™t let go, so you squeeze his hand back. โ€œIโ€™ll be fine. But we need to change.โ€ย 
That seems to get through to him, because he nods, rising from the couch. Still holding your hand. โ€œYou change first. I need to shit.โ€ย 
โ€œCharming.โ€ย 
You start to move away, but Ben doesnโ€™t let go of your hand, spinning you around into his chest. This last kiss is long. Heโ€™s taking his time, pulling you closer and closer, not stopping until you whimper, and then pulling back with a smirk. โ€œYou have seven minutes.โ€ย 
It takes a few seconds of blinking away the burn under your skin to understand what he means. When you do, though, you shove his chest and stomp up the stairs, yelling over your shoulder. โ€œYouโ€™re a piece of shit, Benjamin.โ€
He doesnโ€™t respond, but when you look back for only a second, heโ€™s smiling after you. A toothy, content, easy grin that makes his eyes sparkle and face look like all heโ€™s ever felt is joy. Never any cold Russian nights or sour, consuming revenge. Just joy. Warm, simple joy.ย 
Youโ€™ll never tell him. Heโ€™d hate that you used the word sparkle, because heโ€™s a fucking man and not a glittery pussy, but itโ€™s accurate. And it doesnโ€™t matter, because youโ€™ll never, ever tell him. Youโ€™ll keep him close, but not as close as you want, and touch him until he grows bored of you, and taste phantoms of vanilla and salt and strawberry forever. Youโ€™ll have him like this, and make it be enough. This will be enough. Because Ben is everything, and you donโ€™t deserve everything. He wouldnโ€™t give you everything anyway.ย 
So youโ€™ll have this. Youโ€™ll have his joy and let it carry you everywhere. And that will fucking be enough.
โ€”โ€”โ€”โ€”
Ben had never been so satisfied by just kissing. He didnโ€™t think it was fucking possible to be this satisfied by just kissing. But it was Her. And she was perfect. Kissing Her was perfect. Hell, heโ€™d even start to develop a strategy for how to kiss her. Ben was filing away every sound she madeโ€”the loud whines and quite whimpers and moans, and this one thing where sheโ€™d make a throaty, high noise that was half his name and half a squealโ€”and spending a lot of time trying to figure out what triggered each and every one. If he sucked on Her neck sheโ€™d make a hissing, needy sound. If it was her chin, the noise would become more breathless and sheโ€™d lean into him. If Ben was gentle the sounds were soft, when he let himself go just a fucking fraction, they were loud and desperate.ย 
He wasnโ€™t going to stop until he had it all memorized. Until he knew every single thing that made Her tick and why. The why was fucking vital, because if Ben could figure out why She liked something, he could find a million new ways to do it. And keep going and going until She was singing for him, and he could play Her perfect mouthโ€”and whatever part of her perfect body sheโ€™d offer himโ€”like the symphony it was. Where he was the only conductor in the world that wasnโ€™t a pretentious fucking pussy, because his orchestra was the most fucking perfect woman to ever exist. And then, unless She made him, he wouldnโ€™t ever stop.ย 
Because kissing Her was addicting. Ben had thought that touching her was like a drug, but She had an annoying habit of making Ben look like a fucking idiot. If he hadnโ€™t been so absorbed in touching Her before, he couldโ€™ve seen this coming. He couldโ€™ve realized that just brushing against Her skin was better than any kiss heโ€™d ever had. He couldโ€™ve put together that kissing Her would feel like goddamn sex, hot and wet and savage, the most natural thing heโ€™d ever done. Kissing Her made the Thing so big that it was no longer just in Benโ€™s chest. It was all over him, rooted where it had always been but burning through the rest of his body.ย 
If just kissing Her did this, made Ben become overtaken with an almost pious desire to keep going forever and ever, actually fucking Her might kill him.ย 
And he was okay with that. It would be a worthy death.ย 
She was still upstairs, and Ben could hear the even pattern of Her heartbeat as she changed, hear the shuffle of clothes falling to the floor and moving in the drawers. She was probably fucking naked up there, just a floor away. The Thing wanted to go to Her, just fucking offer more. But he wouldnโ€™t because She didnโ€™t want more right now. Ben didnโ€™t have a goddamn clue why, not when She was kissing him back and fucking cumming to the thought of him. The Thing had almost exploded inside him when Sheโ€™d told him that, and Ben was trying to just pretend he was very calm about it and not trying to figure out ways he could keep Her doing that without hurting her or pushing her away. Even if he couldnโ€™t figure out why that was needed. She seemed almost as desperate for more as Ben was. Not as desperate, because that wasnโ€™t fucking possible. Ben felt pretty fucking confident in saying that nobody had ever been this filled with need for another person in history. But everything he was throwing at Her, she was throwing back at him. Like she always fucking did.
Because She was perfect.ย 
The door to the safe house opened before She returned to the living room, and it occurred to Ben that he still needed to shit. That heโ€™d been standing at the base of the stairs like a goddamn idiot, waiting for Her like a fucking puppy. He could only be more pathetic if he was right outside her door. If a single member of the Pussy Brigade commented on it, asked why he was just standing around like he was lost, heโ€™d tie their tongue into a knot then cut it out.ย 
He heard Butcher first. โ€œYou two twats ready to go?โ€ย 
Ben glared at him down the hall. โ€œObviously weโ€™re fucking not.โ€ย 
โ€œDid MM not fucking text like I told him to?โ€ Butcherโ€™s eyes raked over Ben, taking in his sweatpants and wrinkled shirt.ย 
Wrinkled from Her, the Thing hummed in content. She did that.ย 
Ben told it to shut up. He was well fucking aware of that, and didnโ€™t need the Thing to remind him, because it made him hard and he had no interest in explaining a boner right now.ย 
MM entered the safe house, saying Her name as he walked to stand beside Butcher. โ€œGot the text. She even gave it a reaction.โ€ MM scanned the living room with a frown. โ€œThe hell is she?โ€ย 
On perfect fucking clueโ€”Ben was starting to think She had a fifth power that made her do everything better than anyone had any damn right toโ€”the bedroom door opened and She descended down the stairs.ย 
โ€œBen, where the hell did you put my sunglasses? Because I definitely left them on the dresser and theyโ€™re not there anymore-โ€œ She froze at the bottom of the stairs, spotting Butcher and MM. โ€œUh, hi.โ€ย 
โ€œAfternoon, Love.โ€ Butcher looked between Her and Ben, a taunting smirk tugging at his lips, and it took everything in Ben not to step forward and block Her from Butcherโ€™s gaze. โ€œYou ready to rumble?โ€ย 
โ€œUm,โ€ She looked at Ben, addressing him solely, and it made the Thing swell through him. โ€œCan you change fast?โ€
He nodded, shrugging. โ€œWhatever.โ€ Ben started to push past Her, but she caught his arm. Still only looking at him.ย 
โ€œSunglasses?โ€ย 
Ben knew exactly where those sunglasses were. Theyโ€™d fallen under the bed yesterday morning when heโ€™d swept half the dresser's contents to the floor to put her down, and heโ€™d seen them this morning when heโ€™d been cleaning up his mess. Heโ€™d cum in his sleep like a fucking teenager, and moved faster than almost any other point in his life to cover it up. But Ben didnโ€™t say any of that out loud, because he didnโ€™t know if She wanted the Pussy Brigade to know that heโ€™d been eating her mouth like a feast for two days and fifteen hours. Ben didnโ€™t give a shit if they did, heโ€™d fuck Her in front of them if it made it clear to them that he wasnโ€™t going anywhere. But this seemed like the type of thing Sheโ€™d care about, and he didnโ€™t want to risk her taking away what sheโ€™d given him so far.ย 
So he just said, โ€œI think I remember where I put them.โ€ And retreated to their room.ย 
Ben gets the sunglasses first, propping them back up on the dresser where he wonโ€™t be able to miss them when he leaves. He shits quickly, puts on his supe suitโ€”if the Pussy Brigade had a problem with that they could suck his dickโ€”and stared at his shield in the bathroom for a second before deciding to leave it. Heโ€™d just be blasting Neuman and leaving, no damn point in taking it where Cocksucker would try and pick it up again. He checked his hair in the mirror, and failed to not think about fucking Her against it. Or fucking Her on the bed. Or on the stairs. Maybe in the kitchen. Defiantly during training, and if she ever made good on Her promise to show Ben porn-
He grabbed the sunglasses and stormed back downstairs, shoving the Thing and his desires to let itโ€”Herโ€”keep consuming him deep, deep into him. Ben had a fucking job to do. Sheโ€™d still be there to dream about fucking until the bed broke after.ย 
She was waiting for him, talking to Kimiko in silence with a smile splitting her face. MM had left, Butcher was watching them with a look like heโ€™d tasted shit, and Ben didnโ€™t think anyone would miss the asshole if he somehow got slammed, face first, into the wall over and over. Especially as She heard Benโ€™s step, looking up at him with the same smile she needed to stop giving him. The smile that Ben couldnโ€™t stop himself from reading as oh, itโ€™s you! Hello, Benjamin. I adore you and if you wanted to give me every fucking piece of you, covered in blood or not, Iโ€™d take them and keep them safe.ย 
But that didnโ€™t sound like Her at all. For one, sheโ€™d never say every fucking piece of you. She might say every part of you, or all of you, good, bad, and ugly, but she wouldnโ€™t say every fucking piece of you. Ben would say that.ย 
Also, She didnโ€™t think that. She gave a shit about him, Ben knew that much, but she didnโ€™t adore him. Not like he adored Her. She didnโ€™t want to keep him safe, not like Ben needed Her to be safe. The Thing would keep every bloody and dark part of Her safe if sheโ€™d give them to him. It would hold them carefully until she wanted them back, and then care for the place Sheโ€™d put them until they returned.ย 
So Ben just took Her smile as best he could when he wasnโ€™t allowed to pull it up to his mouth, make it open into a moan, and keep going and going up he learned what Her orgasms sounded like.
If She ever let him hear what her orgasms sounded like, it would take a damn miracle of God to stop him from hearing them every single fucking day.
He took Her smile, returned it with his own, and passed her the sunglasses. โ€œFound them under the bed,โ€ he grunted, stopping at Her side.ย 
โ€œOh,โ€ She frowned, opening them and placing them on her brow. โ€œI thought I checked there.โ€ย 
โ€œDid you say the bed.โ€ Butcherโ€™s voice was mocking and cold, but lined with what Ben pinned to be genuine, morbid curiosity. โ€œAre you two sharing a bed.โ€
Ben is more than fucking ready to cut out Butcherโ€™s tongue. Maybe stab him in the throat to finish damn the job. But She speaks first.ย 
โ€œYeah, we are. Because some of us have nightmares about Homelander raping us and feel safer when we're not alone. So shove it up your ass.โ€ย 
The Thing was boiling in Ben. Overflowing with warmth and power for Her. Her, Her, Her, it chanted, making the continuing conversation a little fucking hard to hear. Ben could see Her look at him from the corner of her eyes. Giving him the tiniest smile that says thank you for not leaving me alone.ย 
Ben couldnโ€™t stop himself smiling back. Wouldnโ€™t fucking dream of it. Youโ€™d be lost without me.ย 
She wrinkled her nose at him. You canโ€™t even use a phone camera without my help.ย 
Not anymore, he winked. And you have not one to blame but your damn self for that, Sunshine.ย 
She stomped on his foot, hard enough that he sort of feels it, Ben had to cover his snort with a cough.ย 
Butcher wasnโ€™t fooled. โ€œSomething funny, Gov?โ€ย 
โ€œNot to you, you boring fucking pussy,โ€ Ben drawled. โ€œAre we going to actually fucking go or just wait for you to jerk yourself off?โ€ย 
โ€œSuddenly his head is in the game,โ€ Butcher sneered. โ€œI wonder what fucking did it?โ€ His gaze turns to Her. โ€œCan I borrow your tits, Love? I think they might be bloody magic.โ€ย 
โ€œStop being a cunt, Butcher,โ€ She snapped, just in time to stop Ben throwing Butcher out the door hard enough to break the Pussy-Mobile Ben could see in the driveway. โ€œAnd Benโ€™s right, we should get moving.โ€ย 
Butcher muttered something that sounds like horny fucking bombs shouldnโ€™t be allowed within ten miles of each other, and stalked out the door. Kimiko signed something to Her with a smile, and she signed back with a laugh. Before Ben could even ask what the fuck theyโ€™re saying, Her arm was linked through his and she started telling him.ย 
โ€œKimiko says my tits are magic, but not as magic as Butcherโ€™s. Which proves heโ€™s just a dick, because if it was about magic tits heโ€™d have the game on lock.โ€ย 
โ€œHuh,โ€ Ben frowned, trying not to let the Thing overtake him with thoughts about how right it feels to be walking with Her looped against him. โ€œI wouldnโ€™t have pegged Butcher to have good tits.โ€ย 
โ€œThatโ€™s because you,โ€ She bumped her shoulder with his. โ€œAre very unobservant.โ€ย 
โ€œIโ€™m incredibly fucking observant. I clocked your tits the first time we met.โ€
โ€œI remember. You werenโ€™t listening to Hughie because of it. Which is very unobservant.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s not my fault you have such good tits,โ€ Ben grumbled, savoring the way Her heart flutters as she tried to fight her giggle. Looking up at him with fucking perfect, happy eyes. โ€œTheyโ€™re fucking weapons of war.โ€ย 
She fully snorted. โ€œI think your compliments are regressing again.โ€ย 
Ben rolled his eyes, just offering a hand to steady Her as she climbs into the van. She takes it with a grin, and doesnโ€™t let go when Ben follows her.
โ€œWhatโ€™s the plan,โ€ She asked, and the Thing hummed as she still didnโ€™t drop Benโ€™s hand, pulling him into his place at her side.ย 
Butcherโ€™s answer was short, clipped. โ€œBlast Neuman.โ€ย 
She blinked, her body tensing against Ben. โ€œAnd?โ€ย 
โ€œThat, um, thatโ€™s kind of it,โ€ Cocksucker said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. โ€œWe donโ€™t have a huge window before Vicky gets word weโ€™re up to something-โ€œ
She raised a hand, and Cocksucker fell silent. โ€œWhat, exactly, did you use yesterday for.โ€
โ€œGetting Neumanโ€™s schedule,โ€ MM answered this time, voice stronger than Cocksuckers but still lined with fucking guilt. โ€œThose motherfuckers run a tight ship, we needed to know where sheโ€™d be-โ€œ
โ€œBut you didnโ€™t come up with a plan. For when you would, inevitably, know?โ€ย 
Nobody answered this time, and She gave a long sigh. Her heart was fast in her chest, but it wasnโ€™t the stumbling, unordered beat that signals fear or panic. It was moving because Her brain was moving, her perfect face scrunched in thought, the machine that was her brain practically audible. The Pussy Brigade even had the nerve to look afraid, despite the fact that She wasn't smoking or making the air of the van wave with heat.
She turned to Kimikoโ€”sitting at the French Prickโ€™s sideโ€”who was the only one watching with plain curiosity. They started to sign at each otherโ€”the French Prick jumping in to add something that was received with a frown and a nodโ€”and when She turned back to the group her face was drawn in determination.ย 
โ€œHereโ€™s what weโ€™re going to do,โ€ She said slowly, staring ahead at the wall with her brows knit. Ben pulled Her a little closer into him, and her heart slowed slightly. โ€œWeโ€™re catching Neuman at home. Off-guard. Do we know if other people live in the building?โ€ย 
โ€œOnly some other bureaucrat fuckers,โ€ Butcher answered from the front, and Starlight shook her head.ย 
โ€œAnd their fucking families, Butcher.โ€ย 
โ€œOkay,โ€ She nodded slowly. โ€œFrenchie, you burned off your fingerprints a while ago, right?โ€ย 
โ€œOui,โ€ the French Prick holds up his hands for display.ย 
โ€œGood. Youโ€™re going to pull the fire alarm. Hughie,โ€ Her sharp gaze turned to Cocksucker. โ€œI need you on the cameras. Make sure everyone is out. MM will be on standby if there are stragglers. Kimiko and Annie will cover the exits, Butcher,โ€ She paused, and Ben could hear the gnaw of her lip. โ€œScratch all of that. Annie canโ€™t be seen participating in this, sheโ€™ll be on the cameras, and Butcher will take her spot on the exits. Hughie, youโ€™ll come with Ben and I. Iโ€™ll cover you when he goes off.โ€
Thereโ€™s a second of silence, and then the van erupted in protests. Butcher shouting about how heโ€™s not going to cover a bloody exit, he wants to see Neuman get fucked. Starlight whining about how she doesnโ€™t want to be useless in the van, she can really help. Cocksucker fretting about how heโ€™s not sure this is a great idea, and might be better staying on the cameras. The French Prick and Kimiko are silent, exchanging a look with subtle gestures at Her, Kimikoโ€™s face determined, gestures growing and growing until the French Prick raised his hands in surrender. Finally, MM seemed to be trying to do what he considered reasoning with Her, that they couldnโ€™t just go off with only Hughie, what if you need backup, what if Soldier Boy goes nuclear.ย 
Ben opened his mouthโ€”ready to defend himself, defend Herโ€”but She caught his eye and shook her head. I can handle this.ย 
He gave a curt nod back, not hiding the scowl on his face. Fine. But donโ€™t be fucking nice to them.ย 
Shut up, Her eyes narrowed at him before she turned back to the group, who was starting to tire themselves out like the fucking children they were. When the van was quiet once more, She spoke in a clear, bored voice.ย 
โ€œButcher, weโ€™re not killing Neuman, so youโ€™re not invited. Annie, I know you want to help. Staying here is helping. Youโ€™ll draw attention, and if the public realizes youโ€™re associated with Soldier Boy then weโ€™ll be assfucked. MM, Ben wonโ€™t just go nuclear. Weโ€™ve got it under control. Hughie, youโ€™re the only one Neuman wonโ€™t try to pop on sight. Sheโ€™ll talk to you, and itโ€™ll be good to have a friend there for when Benโ€™s done. And-โ€œ She sat up a little straighter, glaring around the van. โ€œIf any of you donโ€™t like my plan, Iโ€™d love to hear your alternatives.โ€ย 
โ€œHow do you plan on getting into the bloody building?โ€ Butcher snapped. โ€œThey ainโ€™t just gonna let you in.โ€ย 
โ€œFire escapes are very real, dumbass.โ€ She retorted. โ€œAnd Hughie can do that shit where he makes their cameras play the same video so they donโ€™t see us. Weโ€™ll corner Neuman, then Frenchie will pull the alarm, and Ben will go off once itโ€™s just us and her and Zoe.โ€ย 
โ€œWhatโ€™s your escape plan?โ€ Starlight asked, giving Cocksucker a worried look. โ€œYou two can just leave, but Hughie-โ€œย 
โ€œI can redirect Benโ€™s blast. Make sure it doesnโ€™t destroy the building. Hughie will be fine.โ€ Ben stiffens beside Her, because as far as he fucking knows sheโ€™d only done that once. And it had ended in Her small and sad and broken, curled up into herself and alone.ย 
She has you this time, the Thing reminded him. If this goes to shit, sheโ€™ll always fucking have you.ย 
โ€œAre we good?โ€ She was asking the van, and Ben saw each of the fucking pussies nod. โ€œAwesome.โ€
She leaned back into Ben, and he frowned down at Her, lowering his voice so only she could hear. โ€œYou can redirect my fucking blast?โ€
She shrugged, starting ahead with empty eyes. โ€œHypothetically, yeah.โ€ย 
โ€œAnd youโ€™re going to risk Hughieโ€™s life on hypothetically?โ€ Ben didnโ€™t give a shit about Cocksuckerโ€™s life, but She did. And Ben gave a shit about Her life, about her not breaking down and tearing herself apart about accidentally killing Cocksucker.
โ€œItโ€™s an educated guess, Ben.โ€ She muttered. โ€œItโ€™ll work. It has to. And donโ€™t you dare say-โ€œ She shot Ben a glare, voice dropping into her dogshit impression of him. โ€œBut what if it doesnโ€™t.โ€ย 
Ben scoffed. โ€œI wasnโ€™t going to fucking say that.โ€
โ€œYes, you were. You always say that.โ€ย 
โ€œShut the fuck up,โ€ Ben felt the Thing become a little lighter as a smile tugged at Her mouth. โ€œDo I have to do anything in your plan besides hit Neuman?โ€ย 
โ€œYou have to not be a dick to Hughie, let me do the talking, and stand around looking pretty until I tell you to be useful,โ€ She counted her answers off one by one on her fingers, and Ben chuckled.ย 
โ€œBe pretty, huh?โ€ย 
โ€œDonโ€™t fish for compliments, Benjamin,โ€ She teased. โ€œItโ€™s unbecoming.โ€ย 
โ€œIf I give you one, will you give me one?โ€ Ben leaned forward a little, fighting every instinct in his body to soothe Her lips where sheโ€™d been chewing them with his tongue. Any marks were gone, so he couldnโ€™t really fucking pick out where Sheโ€™d been biting, but that just meant heโ€™d have to cover all his bases. Soothe Her whole fucking mouth. โ€œA quid pro quo?โ€ย 
She hummed. โ€œGood use of quid pro quo.โ€ย 
โ€œIs that a fucking yes?โ€ย 
โ€œFine,โ€ she sighed. โ€œYou look very nice in your stupid suit.โ€ย 
โ€œNice?โ€ย 
โ€œJesus fucking Christ,โ€ she gave him a flat glare. โ€œHandsome.โ€ย 
โ€œSay the whole thing.โ€ย 
โ€œMy compliment better blow Shakespeare out of the fucking water,โ€ she muttered, but looked up at him with batting eyelashes and an over-sweet voice. โ€œYou look very handsome in your stupid fucking suit. Your turn.โ€ย 
Ben started to stall, because he couldnโ€™t think of anything good enough for Her. โ€œWe should get you a suit.โ€ย 
She snorted. โ€œI am not wearing a costume.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s not a fucking costume, Sunshine, itโ€™s a uniform.โ€ย 
โ€œIf I can buy a semi accurate version of it at Spirit Halloween, itโ€™s a costume.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat the fuck is a Spirit Halloween.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s a costume store. Stop stalling and give me my compliment.โ€ย 
Ben sighed, scanning Her face and trying to make the Thing come up with something a little more fucking poetic than you, you, you itโ€™s just you and if you liked we can go right fucking now and leave forever and Iโ€™d keep you safe and happy and smiling and fuck you wherever the hell you want whenever you want because itโ€™s you and youโ€™re perfect.ย 
โ€œYouโ€ฆโ€ Off to a remarkably fucking shit start. โ€œAreโ€ฆโ€ Ben was going to find it, if it was the last thing he fucking did. He was going to keep staring at Her until he figured out exactly what say that would make her face all flushed and thighs clench and heart stutter.
โ€œI am?โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re good.โ€ Ben settled for simplicity. Poetry was not his fucking strong suit, and that was more than okay by him.ย 
โ€œIโ€™m good?โ€ She frowned at him, and for a second Ben wanted to bring her into his chest, just show Her what heโ€™d meant. He couldnโ€™t show her with just words, and she was frowning, and just fucking showing her would be more fun anyways. It would make Her smile, make her understand, he was goddamn sure of it. โ€œAre you going to elaborate?โ€
โ€œYouโ€™re good,โ€ Ben repeated, shrugging and his hands fisted to stop himself from grabbing Her. โ€œItโ€™s pretty fucking simple. Your pretty brain should be able to figure it out.โ€ย 
โ€œWell congratulations, youโ€™ve stumped me. Can you please be just the tiniest bit less cryptic.โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™re good.โ€ย 
โ€œYeah, I heard you the first two times-โ€œ
โ€œNo,โ€ Ben said Her name, too lost in trying to make her get it to stop himself grabbing her chin. โ€œYouโ€™re good. Youโ€™re not what these pussies say you are. Youโ€™re a lot fucking more than whatever Homelander thinks you are. Youโ€™re better and more important than any politician, supe or no. Youโ€™re good.โ€ย 
โ€œOh,โ€ She whispered. โ€œThanks.โ€ย 
Benโ€™s hand was still against Her jaw, and she wasnโ€™t pushing it away. If anything She was leaning into it, keeping Ben touching her as if she didnโ€™t care about the useless fucking onlookers either. And She was staring at him, keeping Ben with her just by fucking looking at him, her mouth just slightly open. If he wanted Ben could move his thumb up, trace Her perfect lips, see if sheโ€™d let him push it into her-ย 
Someone who Ben was going to have to kill later said Her name, and she looked away.ย 
The Thing was so absorbed in Her, in try to get back to Her, that Ben missed the entire first half of the conversation. MM was crouching in front of Herโ€”holding onto the seat at her side to steady himself from Butcherโ€™s fucking terrible drivingโ€”and talking without sparing Ben a glance.ย 
โ€œ-Even if Butcher doesnโ€™t tip her off, what makes you absolutely so goddamn certain Soldier Boy wonโ€™t blow his load early and screw us,โ€ MM was hissing, and Ben scowled.ย 
โ€œI never fucking blow my load early-โ€œย 
She caught his eye, her own flaring slightly to tell him, Shut up, Pretty Boy.ย 
Ben grunted, but fell silent with a clenched jaw, shooting Her a look of, I donโ€™t blow my load early.ย 
She rolled her eyes. Now is not even remotely the time to start measuring your dick. Let me handle this.ย 
Fine, Ben winked. But youโ€™re welcome to help me measure it later.ย 
She kicked Benโ€™s shin, addressing MM. โ€œHe wonโ€™t. Iโ€™ve been working on it.โ€ย 
โ€œYouโ€™ve been working on it?โ€ MM scoffed. โ€œJust because youโ€™re all smiley and gross at each other doesnโ€™t mean you can control this motherfuckerโ€™s PTSD.โ€ย 
โ€œNo, but my fucking healing powers mean that I can get rid of it.โ€ย 
MM blinked at Her, glancing quickly at Ben before speaking in a low tone that Ben, for one, didnโ€™t fucking appreciate. โ€œYou've been healing him.โ€ย 
โ€œAllegedly,โ€ Ben muttered under his breath, and earned a dirty look.ย 
โ€œYeah, well, youโ€™ve only blown your load once this month. So shut the fuck up.โ€ She looked back at MM. โ€œHe can control it.โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s your ass if he canโ€™t,โ€ MM snapped, and She rolled her eyes.ย 
โ€œIโ€™m aware. He can.โ€
Both Ben and the Thing were big fans of how clear and final She said those words. Ben could control it, that was it, no room for discussion. She had faith in him, she trusted him, and if anyone had any issue with that sheโ€™d defend him. Just like Ben would defend Her. To the ends of the fucking earth, until they burned together.
โ€œDo you know where weโ€™re putting Neuman and Zoe after this?โ€ She was still talking to MM, but Her voice had raised enough for the whole shit team to hear. โ€œShe canโ€™t just keep being Vice President. Homelander will kill her.โ€ย 
โ€œAbout that,โ€ it was Cocksucker who answered, rubbing his hands together like an anxious pussy. โ€œTheyโ€™re going to the safe house.โ€ย 
โ€œThe safe house?โ€ She repeated with a frown. โ€œLike, our safe house?โ€ย 
The Thing liked Her use of our. Ben did too. He did not like where this conversation was headed. โ€œI am not living with Head-popper and her kid.โ€ย 
โ€œWell, Iโ€™ve got fantastic fucking news,โ€ Butcher drawled, standing and turning as the van came to a halt. โ€œYou ainโ€™t gonna. You two,โ€ Butcher pointed between Ben and Her. โ€œWill be moving.โ€ย 
โ€œTo a different safe house?โ€ She asked, and Butcher shook his head with a snake-like grin.
โ€œTo the new FBSA HQ,โ€ Butcher winked at Ben, and Ben wanted to sew his eye shut. โ€œIn Jersey.โ€
โ€œI am not living in fucking Jersey either,โ€ Ben snapped, and She sighed.ย 
โ€œWhy not a new safe house?โ€ย 
โ€œBecause.โ€
She snorted at Butcherโ€™s useless fucking response. โ€œWhat, does the whole CIA somehow only have one safe house?โ€ย 
โ€œListen,โ€ MM grunted. โ€œYouโ€™ll get an apartment. Just a little fuckin smaller than the house. Youโ€™ll have more freedom-โ€œย 
โ€œWe both still wonโ€™t be able to leave the house.โ€ She pointed out, and MM shrugged.ย 
โ€œBut youโ€™ll be able to fuckin order food. Get packages delivered without texting me or Mallory about it. Have visitors. Anything you order will have to be under a fake name, and visitors will have to be approved, but itโ€™s more than what you have now.โ€ย 
โ€œWhy now? That building was finished in January, I saw it on the news. Why move us now?โ€ย 
โ€œBecause,โ€ Butcher crossed the van with a shrug. โ€œWe bloody said so. Now are we ready to get a move on? Time is of the essence in this shit plan.โ€ย 
โ€œOkay,โ€ She took a deep breath. โ€œHughie, can you-โ€œย 
โ€œOn it,โ€ Cocksucker gave Her a thumbs up, starting to tap of his little laptop. โ€œIโ€™ll let you know when Iโ€™m good.โ€ย 
โ€œThanks. Just so weโ€™re all on the same page, Butcher, what are you doing?โ€ย 
Butcher rolled his eyes. โ€œWatching the exit. Why am I getting fucking cold called-โ€œย 
She ignored Butcherโ€™s whiny bitching, and turned to Starlight. โ€œAnnie?โ€ย 
โ€œStay in the van, make sure the buildingโ€™s clear.โ€ย 
โ€œMM?โ€
โ€œStandby to help Annie get people out.โ€ย 
โ€œFrenchie?โ€ย 
โ€œFire alarm.โ€ย 
She signed at Kimiko, who responded with a smile.ย 
โ€œGood,โ€ She looked around the van, and Ben realized she hadnโ€™t asked him.ย 
Because She trusts you, the Thing rumbled. She isnโ€™t worried about you fucking it.ย 
โ€œAny questions?โ€ She asked, and when she was met with shaking heads she nodded. โ€œHughie?โ€
โ€œWe're good. Annie, do you need help-โ€œ
Starlight shook her head, taking the computer from Cocksucker. โ€œIโ€™ve got it.โ€
Cocksucker gave a small nod, and turned to Her. โ€œIโ€™m ready.โ€
โ€œAlright,โ€ Ben could hear the tap of Her fingers in the familiar pattern, her heart speeding up as she took another breath. โ€œWeโ€™ll go first. Annie, find exits for Butcher and Kimiko, and send them fast. If Neuman sees us coming we need to have our asses covered. Iโ€™ll text when Frenchieโ€™s good to pull the alarm.โ€
She stood on unsteady feet, and Benโ€™s arm shot out instinctively to catch her around the waist. He was rewarded with a grateful smile and Her heart slowing ever so slightly. โ€œReady?โ€ย 
The question was for Ben. He knew it, because She wasnโ€™t looking anywhere but him and her voice was soft. โ€œFucking born for it.โ€ย 
She huffed a small laugh, dropping the sunglasses onto the bridge of her perfect nose, and Ben didnโ€™t bother to remove his arm from her as he stood. The Pussy Brigadeโ€™s confused and judgmental stares could go suck each other off if they wanted. She gave a small gesture to Cocksucker, who left Starlightโ€™s side to follow them out the van and into the cold alleyway.ย 
They were silent for a second as She took in the tall brownstone building before them. Cocksucker kept shooting them both anxious fucking pussy looks as Ben held Her against himโ€”using his body to block her from the chills of the windโ€”and would look away frantically whenever Ben held his gaze.ย 
โ€œBen,โ€ She looked up at him with sharp eyes, over the frames of her sunglasses. โ€œYou need to throw us.โ€
โ€œWhat?โ€ย 
Ben and Cocksucker spoke in almost perfect unison, though Cocksuckerโ€™s words were more panicked in comparison to Benโ€™s disbelief.ย 
โ€œI am not fucking throwing you,โ€ Ben snapped Her name.ย 
โ€œYou have to,โ€ She looked back at the building, pointing as she spoke. โ€œWe canโ€™t go through the emergency exit, alarms will go off. That,โ€ Her finger moved to the iron stairs and grates lining the building. โ€œIs our best bet. You can jump, me and Hughie canโ€™t.โ€ย 
โ€œThen Iโ€™ll go first and lower the damn ladder.โ€ย 
Cocksucker nodded. โ€œI second Soldier Boy, thatโ€™s a better plan.โ€ย 
โ€œNo,โ€ She elbowed Benโ€™s ribs, shaking her head. โ€œItโ€™s not. Thatโ€™s something people might notice. We need to leave as little a trail as possible. Benโ€™s going to throw us. Me first, then Hughie, then heโ€™ll jump.โ€ย 
Ben wanted to argueโ€”tell Her that there had to be a better idea that didnโ€™t involve Her just being chucked into the fucking airโ€”but She had already detangled herself from Ben, and was moving towards the building. So Ben followed, Cocksucker stumbling behind him, and stopped at Her side.ย 
โ€œThis is fucking stupid, Sunshine.โ€
โ€œUh huh,โ€ She looked up at the fire escape. โ€œWhenever youโ€™re ready, Pretty Boy.โ€ย 
Ben huffed, but picked Her up carefully, locking his arms firmly around her body and balancing on one leg as he propped up a knee. โ€œDonโ€™t die.โ€ย 
โ€œCouldnโ€™t if I tried. Go.โ€ย 
Ben squeezed Her slightly, then threw Her up. The half-second before she grabbed the railsโ€”where she was suspended almost fucking cartoonishly in the skyโ€”sucked all the air from Benโ€™s lungs. But She was fast, finding a grip and hauling herself onto the platform with only a small grunt that was carried away by the wind.
โ€œAll good!โ€ She called down. โ€œSend Hughie up.โ€ย 
Ben looked at Cocksucker, whose face was like a fucking deer about to be mauled by a wolf.ย 
โ€œUh, Iโ€™m not sure this is a good idea-โ€œย 
โ€œShut up,โ€ Ben grunted, walking to pick the gangly fucker up. โ€œIโ€™m not going to fucking kill you. And sheโ€™ll catch you.โ€ย 
โ€œBut-โ€œย 
Ben grabbed Cocksucker under his arms and tossed him into the air with a yelp. As promised, She grabbed Cocksuckerโ€™s hand in the air, holding him steady until the little pussy got a hold on the bars himself and pulled up to Her side. Ben sighed, rolling his neck and trying to measure the jump as he backed up.ย 
โ€œBen-โ€œย 
Her call was cut off as he lept into the air, landing pretty damn perfectly on the platform. Right in front of Her. โ€œYes?โ€ He winked, tone mocking, and She wrinkled her nose at him.ย 
โ€œShow off.โ€ย 
โ€œYou fucking told me to do that.โ€ย 
โ€œFuck you,โ€ She turned away, and the Thing started brainstorming ways to get her back later for those words. โ€œHughie, what floor is Neuman on?โ€ย 
โ€œThe top one, I think.โ€ย 
โ€œYou think?โ€ย 
โ€œIโ€™m like 98% sure.โ€ย 
She sighed. โ€œThen we better start climbing.โ€ย 
The walk up the stairs was silent, Her leading the way, Ben at the rear, and Cocksucker moving in small, quick steps between them. The wind was biting, howling in Benโ€™s ears louder and louder the closer they drew to the top, drowning out the sound of Her heartbeat. When they stopped, one level from the roof, She crouched below the window. Cocksucker followed suit, and Ben gave Her a flat look.
โ€œIโ€™m not-โ€œ
โ€œBenjamin, get your ass down before I make you.โ€ย 
He glared at Her, only because this is important, and hunched to the floor.
โ€œIโ€™ll go in first. Ben, Iโ€™m going to have to keep my eyes on Neuman, so you need to text Butcher.โ€ย 
โ€œI donโ€™t have my fucking phone-โ€œย 
She tossed it at Ben wordlessly, raising Her brows.ย 
โ€œShut up,โ€ he grumbled, and She stuck her tongue out.ย 
โ€œReady?โ€ย 
Ben grunted, and Cocksucker gave a barely perceptible nod.ย 
She exhaled through puffed lips, moving the sunglasses into her jacket as she looked at the window. โ€œHere we fucking go.โ€ย 
Neumanโ€™s apartment was nice. Cozy. If Ben didnโ€™t have a fucking job to do, heโ€™d ask for her interior decorator. Especially if heโ€™d understood MM correctly and was going to be getting his own apartment soon. To share with Her. Their apartment.ย 
Would she like that carpet? The Thing was fixated on a deep blue, stupidly damn fluffy carpet thrown across Neumanโ€™s floor. No, itโ€™s blue. Fucking pussy color. Sheโ€™d like the texture though-ย 
Job to do. Ben had a job to do. The Thing needed to shut the fuck up, because Ben had a job to do.ย 
A job that walked right into the hallway they were standing in.ย 
Neumanโ€™s eyes widened, talking a stumbling step back as she yelped. โ€œHughie? The fuck are you doing here? In my home?โ€ Nuemanโ€™s eyes darted to Ben, then Her. โ€œWith Soldier Boy and the Anomaly?โ€ย 
โ€œItโ€™s complicated,โ€ Cocksucker rubbed his neck nervously. โ€œYou should, uh, you should get Zoe.โ€ย 
โ€œStay the hell away from my daughter. Whatever youโ€™re doing here doesnโ€™t fucking involve her.โ€ย 
โ€œVicki-โ€œย 
Cocksuckerโ€™s pleading words were cut off by Her, tone firm. โ€œNeuman, weโ€™re not going to hurt you, or Zoe. We just need you both. Now.โ€ย 
Neuman laughed disbelievingly. โ€œYouโ€™re not here to hurt me, but you brought Solider Boy?โ€ย 
โ€œWeโ€™ll explain,โ€ She answered, voice calm even as Her heart started to pick up. โ€œBut please get Zoe.โ€ย 
โ€œFuck no-โ€œ
โ€œNeuman.โ€ She crossed her arms. โ€œYou canโ€™t pop me or Ben. You wonโ€™t pop Hughie. I swear we arenโ€™t here to hurt you. Go get Zoe.โ€ย 
There was silence for a second, Ben could see Neuman looking around frantically, trying to find a way out where there wasnโ€™t one, and eventually giving in. โ€œZo, baby? Can you come here please?โ€ย 
A girl, couldnโ€™t be more than fucking twelve, entered the hall. โ€œMom, whatโ€™s-โ€œ The kidโ€™s words died with a gasp as she saw Ben, Cocksucker, and Her in the hall. โ€œMom?โ€ย 
Neuman moved the kid behind her, holding her hand with a white-knuckled grip. โ€œItโ€™s okay. Itโ€™s going to be okay.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat is Hughie doing here, with Soldier Boy?!โ€ The girl's voice was frantic, and Ben could hear her heart race. โ€œAnd Homelanderโ€™s girlfriend? What the fuck is happening-โ€œย 
โ€œSheโ€™s not Homelanderโ€™s girlfriend,โ€ Ben hissed, and She slapped Benโ€™s arm.ย 
Sheโ€™s just a kid, Her glare said. And you said youโ€™d let me do the talking.ย 
Youโ€™re not Homelanderโ€™s anything, Ben glared back. She should fucking know that.ย 
Just a kid, Ben. She gave the phone in his hand a pointed look. Text Butcher that weโ€™re good.ย 
Ben scoffed, but opened the damn phone to tell Butcher that the French Prick needed to move as Neuman continued to comfort her daughter.ย 
โ€œDonโ€™t worry about it, baby. I canโ€™t explain right now, but weโ€™re going to be fine. I just need you to stay behind me.โ€ย 
โ€œMom-โ€œย 
โ€œZoe,โ€ Cocksucker said gently. โ€œWeโ€™re not going to hurt you, or your mom. We just need to talk.โ€ย 
โ€œAbout what?โ€ Neuman hissed. โ€œIโ€™d have taken a meeting, you didnโ€™t have to resort to breaking into my home, Hughie.โ€ย 
โ€œWell, uh-โ€œย 
โ€œAnd I fucking know you visited Stan on Monday. So donโ€™t lie to me and say youโ€™re not up to something-โ€œย 
Neuman was cut off as a wailing, deafening siren rattled through the building. Turns out the French Prick moved impressively fast. Ben had barely hit send two seconds ago.ย 
โ€œBen,โ€ She mumbled, eyes not leaving Neumanโ€™s fearful expression. โ€œCan you break the alarms?โ€ย 
Ben nodded with a grunt, walking to the red light above them as smashing it with his fist. That seemed to be enough, he could hear everyoneโ€™s breathing and heart again, so he returned to Her side.ย 
โ€œHughie, tell me when Annie says weโ€™re good.โ€ย 
Cocksucker nodded, pulling out and fidgeting with his phone, and Neuman took a shaky step back.ย 
โ€œDonโ€™t try and leave, Neuman,โ€ She said, voice tired and face bored. โ€œI really donโ€™t want to hurt you, so please just wait.โ€ย 
โ€œWait for what?! What the fuck is happening?!โ€ย 
She sighed. โ€œAs you probably figured out, we cut a deal with Edgar. Heโ€™s going to help us out, as long as we talk you and Zoe out of the game.โ€ย 
โ€œOut of the game?โ€ Neumanโ€™s face twisted in determination. โ€œYou lay a hand on me, on Zoe, and Iโ€™ll blow Hughieโ€™s brains up.โ€ย 
Cocksucker paled, โ€œVicki-โ€œย 
โ€œI phrased that poorly.โ€ She addressed Neuman firmly, standing her ground. โ€œWeโ€™re removing the V from your system. So you donโ€™t have to be a part of this shit show. The CIA will keep you safe, and weโ€™ll get what we need.โ€ย 
โ€œNo,โ€ Neuman shook her head, taking another step back. โ€œFuck no. Youโ€™re not touching me, or Zoe, and whatever Stan said heโ€™d give you I can give you as well-โ€œย 
Neumanโ€™s words choked him her throat as fire spread slowly along the floor. Controlled, careful flames that blocked the exits and never rose above a foot.ย 
โ€œWeโ€™re not asking.โ€ She said softly, almost fucking apologetic. โ€œIt might hurt for a second, but youโ€™ll be fine. I promise.โ€ย 
โ€œUm,โ€ Cocksucker said Her name, looking up from his phone. โ€œWeโ€™re ready.โ€
โ€œIโ€™m sorry,โ€ She said to Neuman, and Ben knew She fucking meant it. Her heart was bouncing around in her chest, her breathing was labored, and her face was full of guilt when she looked at him. โ€œNow, Ben.โ€ย 
Ben called the drums, pulling them as fast as he fucking could into his chest, into time with his heart. It was building, growing louder and brighter, and he angled his chest at Her right before everything fell in place inside him, and the world exploded.ย 
The Thing roared as the bomb caught Her, even if every conscious part of Ben knew sheโ€™d be fine. She was strong, she could handle it, sheโ€™d fucking told him to hit her. But that didnโ€™t stop the Thing from trying to climb out of him, to get to Her as she floated off the ground, surrounded in golden light and fire with her eyes shut. Ben couldnโ€™t hear Her heart, couldnโ€™t read her face, couldnโ€™t give shit about Neuman trying to run or Cocksucker backing up to the window. It was just Her, burning alone, impossible to reach. Impossible to help.ย 
She went out. For only a second all the light died, and Ben could hear Her heartbeat again. Then Her eyes opened, fucking wild and glowing, and everything exploded. Light shot from Her chest, hitting Neuman and Zoe head on, moving through their bodies as she levitated further off the floor. Ben even fucking stumbled, because the world shook. The ground moved and everything seemed to come to a screeching halt, suspended in time as She grew brighter. Time only resumed when the lightโ€”as fast as it had appearedโ€”died, and She collapsed to the floor.ย 
Ben fucking dove to catch Her, grabbing around her chest right before she hit the floor. Her eyes were open, and Ben could see the exhaustion in them, hear the slowing of Her heart as the energy drained from Her body. He heard Cocksucker run past them, checking on Nueman,ย  but didnโ€™t look away from Her.ย 
โ€œBen,โ€ Her voice was weak, breathless. โ€œIโ€™m fine. Make sure it worked.โ€ย 
โ€œIโ€™m not fucking leaving you-โ€œ
โ€œAll you have to do is turn your head, check that Neuman and Zoe are alive, and tell me,โ€ She gave a soft laugh. โ€œFucking drama queen.โ€ย 
โ€œShut the fuck up.โ€ Ben muttered, but glanced over his shoulder to where Cocksucker was standing awkwardly as Zoe climbed her feet, Neuman pulling her into a hug. โ€œThey look fucking fine.โ€
โ€œOkay,โ€ She sat up slowly, not trying to leave Benโ€™s hold as she called over him. โ€œHughie, are they-โ€œย 
โ€œWe are,โ€ Neuman answered. โ€œI canโ€™t feel it. Your blood or hearts. Zo?โ€ย 
The girlโ€™s hands moved to her face. โ€œTheyโ€™re gone.โ€ย 
Neuman nodded, and looked back at Her. Ben could hear the race of Neumanโ€™s heart, almost smell her fear. โ€œNow what?โ€ย 
โ€œButcher and Kimiko are on their way up,โ€ Cocksucker said, glancing at his phone. โ€œWeโ€™re going to get you somewhere safe.โ€ย 
โ€œWhat about my life,โ€ Neuman shook her head. โ€œZoeโ€™s life-โ€œย 
โ€œYou both wouldnโ€™t have fucking lives if Homelander decided you werenโ€™t useful anymore,โ€ Ben snapped. โ€œYouโ€™re fucking welcome.โ€
Neuman looked at Ben with a frown, her eyes scanning over how he was still holding Her, keeping her carefully upright. โ€œWhat did Edgar offer you.โ€ย 
โ€œHelp,โ€ Ben hissed. โ€œAnd it's not your fucking problem now.โ€ย 
โ€œWe need to move,โ€ She tugged at Benโ€™s shirt, voice even quieter than before. โ€œHomelander will have noticed this, we need to go-โ€œย 
Ben nodded roughly, and scooped Her into his arms. Ben turned to Cocksucker as She wrapped her arms around his neck. โ€œTell Butcher you pussies better fucking haul ass to get Neuman out.โ€
Cocksucker nodded nervously. โ€œUm, where are you-โ€œย 
โ€œThe van. We still have shit at the safe house, weโ€™ll need to get it before you move us. But Iโ€™m not fucking waiting here until Butcher arrives.โ€ Until Homelander arrives. Not when Sheโ€™s about to pass out. Ben spoke the last words through gritted teeth. โ€œI did my job. Do yours.โ€ย 
Ben didnโ€™t wait for Cocksuckerโ€™s response, climbing back out of the window and studying the drop down the alley. He could just jumpโ€”it would be faster and theyโ€™d both be fineโ€”but it would be loud. Crack the pavement.ย 
Get more unwelcome attention.ย 
So Ben climbed down the stairs, keeping Her secure against his chest. He jumped down from only the last platform, making sure Her hold on him was firm before did he, and moved to van in long, fast steps. He vaulted through the doors, dropping against the wallsโ€”not bothering with pointless fucking greetings to MM or Starlightโ€”and listened to Her breathing fall, becoming slow and easy as her eyes drooped. She passed out in Benโ€™s arms, and he rubbed small circles on Her back because he fucking could. Because they had done it, She had done it, so Edgar would come through and sheโ€™d be safe.
It took a few minutes, but the remainder of the teamโ€”now joined by Nueman and her daughterโ€”returned to the van. The door slammed behind them and MM took off, hightailing it away from the alley, from where Homelander would surely arrive any minute. But Ben didnโ€™t give a shit, didnโ€™t bother to listen to Butcher, Starlight, and Nueman talk about next steps, because She was here. Holding Ben, heartbeat in rhythm with his own.
She leaned against Ben the whole way back to the safe house. Face smushed into his chest, hair tickling Benโ€™s chin as she climbed up just a little closer in her sleep. Curled in his lap, a little bit of droll falling from her mouth. Ben had never seen something so fucking perfect in his life. She deserved to be like that for the rest of fucking time, comfortable and peaceful. Against Ben, if thatโ€™s what she wanted.ย 
Ben moved slowly, careful not to disturb Her, and pulled out his phone. 696969 was a fucking stupid passcode, but heโ€™d noticed Her fight a giggle every time he had to enter it so it would stay like that forever. It took him a minute to find the camera appโ€”there had to be a better way to navigate this piece of shitโ€”but when he did he raised his free arm, holding the phone down at Her perfect face, and took a photo. It might be fucking creepy, he might be getting weird looks from the Pussy Brigade, but Ben didnโ€™t give a single fuck. If She ever decided to leave him, if he had to let Her go, at least heโ€™d have a memory of this. Of Her just needing him, just wanting him.ย 
Something of Her, forever.
End Note: My wife (Victoria Neuman) is home from war (s4 of the Boys)
Thank you guys for 100 followers!!! I want to do something but have literally no clue what. If you want to throw a snack into my writer enclosure, leave a comment with any thoughts or jokes or angry words for me about cockblocking our favorite horny idiots again. And if not just being here is always more than enough!
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pearlprincess02 ยท 4 months ago
Text
1st house synastry playlist
mirrored vibes - 1st house synastry (playlist) / inner planets / asteroids
for when their jupiter is in your first house:
"good vibrations" - the beach boys / "happy" - pharrell williams / "ain't no mountain high enough" - marvin gaye & tammi terrell / "beautiful day" - U2 / "can't stop the feeling!" - justin timberlake /
for when your jupiter is in their first house:
"higher love" - steve winwood / "you raise me up" - josh groban / "firework" - katy perry / "can't hold us" - macklemore & ryan lewis / "hey soul sister" - train /
for when their saturn is in your first house:
"beautiful boy (darling boy)" - john lennon / "diamonds" - rihanna / "the scientist" - coldplay / "stronger (what doesn't kill you)" - kelly clarkson / "i will survive" - gloria gaynor /
for when your saturn is in their first house:
"the sound of silence" - simon & garfunkel / "say you won't let go" - james arthur / "someone you loved" - lewis capaldi / "best song ever" - one direction / "i'll stand by you" - the pretenders /
for when their uranus is in your first house:
"like a prayer" - madonna / "rebel yell" - billy idol / "electric feel" - mgmt / "blue suede shoes" - elvis presley / "don't stop believin'" - journey
for when your uranus is in their first house:
"power" - kanye west / "walking on sunshine" - katrina & the waves / "changes" - david bowie / "born this way" - lady gaga / "run the world (girls)" - beyoncรฉ /
for when their neptune is in your first house:
"wish you were here" - pink floyd / "clair de lune" - claude debussy / "dreams" - fleetwood mac / "across the universe" - the beatles / "my immortal" - evanescence /
for when your neptune is in their first house:
"้€ฃใ‚Œใฆใฃใฆ ้€ฃใ‚Œใฆใฃใฆ" - dreams come true / "what the world needs now is love" - andra day / "imagine" - john lennon / "somewhere over the rainbow" - judy garland / "chasing pavements" - adele /
for when their pluto is in your first house:
"before he cheats" - carrie underwood / "runnin' on empty" - jackson browne / "carry on wayward son" - kansas / "holocene" - bon iver / "decode" - paramore /
for when your pluto is in their first house:
"secret" - the pierces / "heartbreaker" - pat benatar / "higher love" - kygo & whitney houston / "gives you hell" - all time low / "story of us" - taylor swift /
@pearlprincess02
main masterlist
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