#but it may not catch my interest because of how few women there are
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Aimee carrero in the new candela but also sheâs the only woman in this circle đâđź
#plus it finally has taliesin so iâll give it a shot#but it may not catch my interest because of how few women there are#even circle of needle and thread had 2 women but it still wasnât enough to catch my interest#that one has definitely been my least favorite so far
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HYUNJIN ONE-SHOT
âď¸ â˘[ Bold Colour ]⢠âď¸
Warnings//genre:: SMUT, one-night stand, squirting, fingering
Pairing:: ex-idol!dom!hyunjin x sub!fem!reader
A/N:: this is such a long fanfic but...I hate it. I hate it so much đ but I spent too many hours on this to not post it...
Skz masterlist::đ¨
đ§::
You had seen this man in the museum at least three times a week and he often had security guards near him, not deliberately surrounding him to avoid drawing attention, but they were always cautious when he's in the building. You do have to admit that he is a very attractive young man, probably a model or something. All the girls you work with swoon over him and can hardly speak around him...
It was very late at night, only a few minutes before closing, when you saw him come in again. You held back a groan and greeted him. "Welcome, how can I help you," you lean over the desk slightly and the man smiles before handing you a card.
He had a V.I.P. pass for the museum aka he can waltz in any time of the day, take a stroll, and leave. That wasn't the only perk of the card but that's what he seemed to use it for. You take the card, enter it in the system and hand it back.
"Thank you," he smiles fondly before making his way. You notice he has a bag on his back and you quickly call out.
"Sir, can I check your bag?" You call out and he freezes.
"Almost forgot!" He smiles before handing you the bag. You only did a brief search because you didn't have any reason to believe he was up to trouble. He's been here over a thousand times. You noticed he had a sketchbook tucked in there which undoubtedly interested you but you didn't pry, only handing him the bag back.
"Thank you, enjoy your time," you nod and he smiles before carrying on. Since the museum closes in a few minutes you decided to do some cleaning around the museum, sweeping, and mandatory upkeep. It was five minutes after closing time and you noticed the man staring at a statue and scribbling down some notes or something in his sketchbook, his pencil between his teeth as he used pen. How strange.
You then went up to him, politely asking him to leave and he nodded.
"Yes, I'll be leaving," he closes his book, tucks the pencil behind his ear, and begins to walk away. You sigh in relief before heading back to the front desk. As you do some more closing you notice the same man in the corner of your eye. It was like 15 minutes past closing! You groan and hurry over to the area you saw him in but he turns the corner sharply, bumping right into you.
His body was sturdy and surprisingly strong and knocked you right over. He quickly reached to catch you, tossing his sketchbook down to grab your wrist. "Sorry about that," he apologizes quickly as he assists you up but your attention is more drawn by the photos on the floor. Some were roses and very artistic charcoal drawings but a few were more...erotic.
"My bad," you say as you help him pick up the drawings but also get a closer look at the sketches. Most were women that seemed to be in a lot of pleasure...it stirred something inside you but you brush it aside.
"No, no, it's my fault," he kneels down to pick up the drawings. "Sorry you have to see all this," he blushes with an innocent smile. "Do you draw?" He asks as he scoops up the drawings.
"Uhm I drabble here and there," you hand him back the drawings as the two of you stand. Hyunjin steps back and looks you up and down. You blush, feeling a little embarrassed by his gaze.
"Modeling?" He tilts his head and you shake yours.
"Nope, just desk worker," you laugh softly and the man laughs.
"Surprising. I'm shocked no one has offered you a job before..." he thinks for a moment. "This may be a little bold of me but," he tucks his hand into the pocket of his dress pants and hands you a business card. "Perhaps you'd be interested in being a muse for me. Just an offer," he shrugs before quickly making a leave.
Hwang hyunjin.
That's his name. How nice, rolls off the tongue nicely. Over the next few days, you consider his offer, but he was right, it was a very bold move on his part.
What he wanted was a nude muse or at least little clothing so you really wanted to be careful but...what's the worst that could happen right?
"Hey, it's the girl from the museum you bumped into last week and you gave me your card," you say into the phone and you heard Hyunjin shifting on the other line.
"Oh, hey," you can hear the smile in his voice. "I'm guessing you've...considered my offer?" His voice is laced with some mysterious intent that you can't read through speech alone.
"Yes. I'll model for you," you smile and Hyunjin cheers softly.
"Great! Are you thinking about going nude or just a little exposed?" He asks purely for data. He doesn't mean to pressure you at all.
"I'm not sure yet,"
"That's perfectly fine, whatever makes you most comfortable darling," he chimes and you blush at the way he calls you darling...the two of you then work out the details of your meeting and before you know it you're at his house, totally gagged. His house was huge and a little modern but still classic and it looked fresh. Must've been built at least 5 years ago. You ring the doorbell and Hyunjin quickly opens the door.
He's wearing a tight-fitted dress shirt, slightly unbuttoned, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and tight dress pants that flare out at the end. His hair is tied back in a ponytail with a pencil tucked behind his ear. "Ah, there she is," he smiles and invites you inside.
He does all the basic things like show you around just a bit and offer you some water and some snacks before getting started. "Okay, so have you decided what you'll be wearing?" He asks softly and you think for a moment.
"Will you...judge me?" You ask abruptly and Hyunjin laughs.
"Judge what? I'm doing this for art, to learn about the female body, I don't mind anything. Body hair, stretch marks, scars, etc let it shine," he smiles sincerely at you and you consider his words.
"Alright then...I won't wear anything," you nod and Hyunjin fights to hide his smile at your words.
"Sounds good," he nods and pretends not to watch you undress by adjusting his canvas and preparing materials. He bites his lip as he watches you unclip your bra and slide it off your shoulders, setting it on the designated stool. His eyes follow carefully as you hook your fingers around your panties and slowly pull them down.
You can't deny that you see the lust in his eyes but he hides it well. "Okay, can you raise your left arm and now tuck your hand behind your head," he instructs you how to pose before smiling. "Perfect," he nods and you stay posing for a while as Hyunjin quickly sketches out the basis of your body. "You have a stunning body," he smiles as he looks between you and his canvas. He licks his lips discreetly, more of a focused wipe than sensual, but it strikes something in you.
"You think?"
"I know," he replies quickly and you blush. "You cold?" He looks up worriedly and you shake your head.
"Nah, it's comfortable in here," you keep your pose and Hyunjin nods.
"Good, you're doing good," he quickly finishes up the sketch before pulling out his watercolor and painting his masterpiece carefully. His consistent praise makes your heart race, and your face flush but you try to hide it.
Before you knew it the painting was finished and he was proud to show you. He flipped the canvas around and you smile.
"Wow it looks incredible! Art is your gift hyunjin," you smile and he blushes.
"Thank you but I only recreate what I see," he glances your body up and down quickly before offering you a robe. "And here's your payment," he reaches into his pocket and starts counting out bills before handing them to you. 70 bucks...not bad.
"Wow that's a lot more than I thought," you blush and Hyunjin shrugs.
"Tip," he smirks before wrapping up his materials but you didn't want to leave just yet...
"Can I see some of your other live paintings?" You sway on your feet and Hyunjin smiles, excited that someone wants to see his work. He pats the bench he's sitting on, inviting you. He pulls out a stack of canvases and papers in a protective sleeve.
There were lots more paintings of women in pleasure but it somewhat confused you. If it was a live painting did the women make that expression the whole time? "How'd you make these ones?" You point to three paintings of the same woman, as the paintings of her go on they get more erotic. It looked almost like snippets from a night of pleasure.
"Well, this was uhm...a girl I knew. We had a weird relationship," he blushes softly. "She liked when I filmed her during our nights together and so I asked her if I could paint some screenshots from the videos," he invitingly shows you the drawings and the story somehow makes the drawings more lewd. You then stumble upon a photo of that girl giving a blow job.
Your heart skips a beat as you take in the sight, your mouth watering and Hyunjin panics, flustered that you found that photo. He quickly takes the stack from your hands. "I uh...that one is not supposed to be in there,"
"Would you...make a painting of me like this?" You tilt your head to him and he quickly turns to meet your eyes. He crosses his arms and arches a brow
"What are you getting at here darling?"
"You know what I'm implying," you smirk and he chuckles lowly.
"Your friends would kill you. They all fawn over me no?" He chuckles and you shrug.
"Beats me," you lean closer and Hyunjin sighs.
"How am I supposed to resist such a hot girl," he sighs and unties his hair. "You sure about this?" He looks up at you and you nod. Before you knew it his lips were melting against yours, your tongues dancing for dominance as his hands roamed over your nude body. You hesitantly raised your hands to his chest as well. He pulls back from the kiss to breathe. "You're so fucking beautiful," he admits before leaning down to kiss your neck.
You toss your head back, allowing him more room as he eagerly nibbles at your neck. He brings his hands down to your ass, gently lifting you onto his lap, his boner painfully present against your crotch. He tears off your robe and sucks a nipple into his mouth.
He wasn't just moving fast, he was moving urgently. He craved you. He was desperate for you. He needed you.
"Ah, Hyunjin," you put your hands to his head as he sucks on your tits, making you moan and shiver in pleasure. You grab his long hair between your fingers and he moans softly as his tongue flicks against your nipple.
"Grind on me baby," he encourages as he supports your back with his hands. Per his instruction, you begin to grind back and forth on his bulge. Broken moans fill the room as his cock twitches against your clit but is unable to enter. He pulls back from your chest but continues to rub the hardened nub with his thumb. "Can I eat you out?" He looks up at you, his breathing heavy either from lack of oxygen or raw desire.
"Yeah," you pant out and he scoops you up into his arms effortlessly. He was very strong for a painter. He kisses you as he takes you into his bedroom before setting you on his bed.
He steps back, standing at the foot of the bed, and begins to unbutton his shirt, putting on a lovely show for you. The way his fingers skillfully slip each button through the little slit, his fingers long and sculpted his torso nice and tapered. He flings his shirt off his shoulders before tossing it somewhere in the room. He crawls up on the bed before grabbing your thighs.
"You're so wet," he breathes out, his breath hitting your folds in a sharp tingle. He runs his middle finger up your folds tenderly making you gasp. "So beautiful," he admires every aspect of your body as his fingers tease around your hole. He then puts his lips around your clit making you jump.
You grab a fistful of his hair as he slowly eats you out, licking up every ounce of arousal your body produces. He brings his finger down to wriggle into your pussy. "Good girl," he grins as he rests his head against your inner thigh, flicking his tongue out to attack your clit. His hair tickled your thigh and his body weight against your thigh added to the sensations. "You're doing so good for me darling," he kisses your clit as you feel his finger begin to thrust deeper and faster. "Have you ever squirted before?" He asks abruptly and you blush.
"N-No...I haven't," you admit shyly, already assuming his bold intent.
"How interesting," Hyunjin squeezes another finger inside you and you squirm slightly from the intrusion. He curls his fingers right against that sweet spot that has your gut tied in knots. You moan softly, growing louder and louder by the minute, and Hyunjin smirks. "That's it, feel the pleasure darling," his encouragement was much appreciated and in a way helped you draw closer to your impending release.
Before you knew it a rush of heat coursed through your body and it honestly startles you. The pleasure was overwhelmingly intense, so warm and tingly.
"H-Hyunjin," you warn him, your breathing heavy.
"Don't worry, let it out," he sucks on your clit and you let out a cry as you feel fluid gushing from your cunt. It spurts out onto Hyunjins face and chest and it takes you a moment to realize what had happened.
"I-Im so sorry I-" you got to sit up but Hyunjin quickly rests you back down.
"Relax darling," he pets your thigh softly. "After such an intense high you should relax," he smiles warmly and you pause before nodding, laying back again. "How did it feel to squirt for the first time?" He asks as he dries himself off with a nearby towel, conveniently placed by his bedside.
"I-oh yeah...um it was..." you think of how to describe it for a moment.
"Overwhelming?" He tilts his head and you laugh softly.
"Yeah, definitely that but also...beautiful," you smile blissfully, basking in the afterglow.
"That's good, I'm glad darling," he kisses your forehead. "Are you feeling tired or do you want to continue? Either way I'm as happy as a clam," he smiles sincerely...
Please reply or drop a comment in my inbox if you'd like part 2 đ
#skz fanfic#skz smut reaction#skz smau#skz smut#skz hyunjin#hyunjin smut#hyunjin x reader#stray kids hyunjin#hwang hyunjin#hyunjin#skz request#skz smut request#skz hard asks
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ben barnes characters
â°â⤠18+ none of these stories belong to me! this is a masterlist of all ben barnes stories iâve read and reblogged! just thought it would be nice to have them all in one spot! (if your fic is on here and you wish not to be, please let me know!) <3
MASTERLIST ⢠08/17/24
Ëâ§âş シ Ë Âˇ ŕ¨ŕ§ recs
siruis black
billy russo
𣲠anti-heroe I @sergeantbuckybarnes
Youâre assigned to eliminate Frank Castle. But how can you do it? Heâs your boyfriendâs best friend. And Billy has no idea you used to kill for money.
𣲠just wanted to hear your voice I @chvoswxtch
billy hasn't been able to stop thinking about you all morning, and he just wants to hear your voice.
𣲠sneaking around I @that-sarcastic-writer
You've been sneaking around with Billy, and your brother finds out.
𣲠a women scorned I @queen-haq
(linking last one so all links are available) Youâve been sleeping with Billy Russo for a few months now. Knowing his aversion to any kind of emotional commitments, youâre satisfied with your clandestine arrangement until you catch him having dinner with Dinah Madani one night. Then it finally dawns on you. Itâs not that he doesnât want to commit, he just doesnât want to commit to *you*. Billy may think he knows you, but he has no idea what heâs just lostâŚ
𣲠devil may care I @k-marzolf
Billy keeps ending up on your doorstep wounded.
𣲠the way you look tonight I @stvrlightgirl
aleksander morozova / the darkling
𣲠to love another and be loved I @myhairpintrigger
hanahaki disease
𣲠the hard way I @/myhairpintrigger
𣲠brighter than the sun I @holden-caulfield
aleksander can't help but regret the choice to leave you as he looks at alina and only sees you.
𣲠total eclipse I @inej-ruination-ghafa
You were his everything and when he angered the soldiers in the nearby town, they decided to take their revenge out on you, not knowing of the disastrous consequences.
𣲠the dark side of the moon I @maimingaffairs
king/prince caspian
𣲠prove her wrong I @oneawkwardwriter
both you and caspian have been miserable
𣲠i see the light I @/oneawkwardwriter
you're staring at the moon and stars; Caspian is staring at you
𣲠my prince I @heliads
𣲠snow on the beach I @inej-ruination-ghafa
the one where you realise that there will be a change in your whole life and you have to leave to behind with someone you don't like
𣲠like it once was I @banditthewriter
𣲠do you yield I @im-a-wonderling
𣲠take everything from me I @isolemnlyswearpevensie
Caspian is jealous because of Y/Nâs newfound love for high king Peter Pevensie
𣲠just ask her already I @mxltifxnd0m
Caspian asks you to the yule ball.
multiple characters
𣲠take your pick I @marvelmusing
Your boyfriend has a very interesting ability, and every character he can shift into has a special place in your heart. But which one do you want to spend the night with?
#ben barnes#billy russo#aleksander morozova#sirius black#billy russo x reader#the darkling#aleksander morozova x reader#sirius black x reader#the darkling x reader#ben barnes fic recs#prince caspian#king caspian#prince caspian x reader#king caspian x reader#ben barnes x reader
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Spencer Reid, Celebrity Crush
Summary: Every now and then, you see this FBI agent on TV and you have been crushing on him for years. What happens when you finally meet him in real life?
Pairing: Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader
Word Count: 1.5k
Warnings: use of y/n, they are both really awkward lol, it's like soon to be idiots in love yk, not proof read, idk what else lmk if I missed anything.
A/N: this idea has been rotting in my brain for so long and I finally decided to write it lol. I had sooo much fun writing this so lmk if you a part 2!!! Enjoy!!!!
MASTERLIST
Your favorite time of night was when you and your roommate would gather around the TV to watch the five oâclock news. This might not seem like totally normal behavior for two women in their twenties, but you guys didnât tune in to keep up with what was going on in the world. Rather, you tuned in every night to hopefully catch a glimpse of the man of your dreams. Itâs fair to say that most people have a celebrity crush, although normal people are usually infatuated by famous singers, movie stars, and the like. Not you however, the man that you pined for was a local FBI agent. Your roommate would even go as far as to say that he doesnât count as a âcelebrity crushâ because heâs not even famous, but he was to you.Â
You grew up not far from Quantico, meaning that the nightly news was always full of stories about the townâs own personal superheroes, the FBI. You had never been particularly interested in anything having to do with them, until you started hearing about the Behavioral Analysis Unit. You had seen a clip of one of the agents tricking a bystander into proving he was lying on TV, and you instantly fell in love. So, when you sat down to watch the news, you were more than excited to hopefully see him.Â
You had gotten lucky tonight. The news ran stories about the BAU almost nightly, but it was rare you got to see anyone other than the blonde woman they called Agent Jareau. But tonight was different. You practically screamed when you saw him come on screen, not even paying attention to whatever psychopath he was talking about. Instead, you focused on how his lips moved when he spoke, and the way the breeze outside the police station lifted his hair just ever so slightly. Needless to say, you were practically swooning. You were captivated by his big brown puppy eyes, his mop of messy brown hair, and the way he seemed so passionate about whatever he was talking about. It may have been the delusion talking, but you were pretty sure that if you ever met him, he would fall in love with you too.Â
A few weeks later, you were rushing to get to work on time. Your alarm hadnât gone off when it was supposed to, leaving you frantic. Normally, you woke up early, giving yourself time to make breakfast and enjoy a cup of coffee. But today the fates had decided that you would have to settle for a cup of coffee and a croissant to go from the coffee shop down the street from your office.Â
You placed your order and began to fumble through your purse looking for your wallet.Â
âSorry,â you mumbled to the cashier, who seemed to be growing impatient, âIt must be in here somewhere.âÂ
After looking for a few more minutes, and creating a giant line of annoyed customers behind you, you had come to the conclusion that in your rush to get out the door this morning, you had forgotten your wallet. Just as you were about to give up and leave the coffee shop, hungry and tired, a familiar voice piped up from behind you.
âHere,â he said, handing the cashier his card, âIâve got it.âÂ
âOh my gosh thank you so much!â You said, not yet looking up from your bag.
âItâs no problem really,â He extended his hand to you, âIâm Spencer.â
Oh.Â
You quickly realized where you had recognized that voice from. He was Spencer. As in Spencer Reid, the FBI agent you were so hopelessly in love with. This was your chance. You had to play it cool. You couldnât have him realizing that you were some freak who was obsessed with him, you wanted to land a date.Â
âH-hi!â You stuttered, a little more excitedly than you were hoping to, âI-Iâm Y/N.â You reached out to shake his hand, your own becoming a little clammy at the sight of him.Â
He was tall. Much taller than he seemed to be on TV. You looked up into those big brown eyes you had gazed into through the screen and thought you were going to throw up because of how nervous you were.Â
âUm-â You cleared your throat, âDo you-uh-do you work around here?â You said in an attempt to seem calm, cool and collected.Â
âUh yeah I do. I work for the FBI, so itâs just up the road.â He said, seemingly chuckling at your behavior a little bit.Â
âOh! Thatâs cool! I work just up the road too! Although itâs nothing as exciting as what the FBI must be like I mean-â You were cut off by the barista calling your name, saving you from your incessant rambling.Â
You collected your coffee and turned to head towards the door, stopping to thank Spencer once again. Just as you were about to leave, you got a wave of courage. There was no way you were going to completely blow this opportunity. I mean, you have had a crush on this guy for forever and there was no way you were going to walk out of here without at least trying to ask him out.Â
âHey,â You said much more calmly, âI know we literally just met, and I have been babbling like a freak at you, but I was wondering if you might want to have dinner with me sometime?â You asked, your voice getting higher as you spoke.
âOh-um,â He sputtered back, clearly taken aback by your proposition, âUm⌠yeah?â He said it like a question.
âI mean, if youâre not into it thatâs totally okay,â you feigned a chuckle, trying not to seem as embarrassed as you actually were, âI just thought it might be nice to uh-um pay you back for the coffee!â You spoke through the worldâs fakest smile.
âNo!â He practically shouted at you, âIâm into it! I am definitely into it.âÂ
Before you could catch yourself, you were giving him the biggest smile you think youâve ever managed.Â
âGreat!â You werenât even trying to hide your excitement anymore, âHere, Iâll give you my number and we can try to set something up!â You said as you wrote your number down on one of the coffee shopâs napkins.Â
âY-yeah! That sounds great. Iâll-uh I-Iâll call you!â He stuttered, it was becoming clear that you werenât the only one who was nervous.Â
The two of you made your way out of the coffee shop, taking turns stuttering and rambling at the other. You were starting to feel less self conscious about your earlier performance because it seemed as though he had a tendency to be awkward and ramble as well.Â
âWell, I should probably get to work.â You sighed, not wanting the encounter to end.
âYeah me too.â He chuckled.Â
The two of you just stood there for a moment, staring at each other, trying to figure out what to do next. You didnât want to have to make another move, considering you were the one to ask him out. However, it was becoming apparent that he was too shy to do anything, so you moved closer to him. He made no effort to put any more distance between the two of you, so you took that as your go ahead. You leaned in and threw your arms around his neck, giving him a semi-awkward hug goodbye. He wrapped his arms around you and you realized that you could smell him. All those years of looking at him on TV and yet you never wondered what he might smell like. You were pleasantly surprised. Not that you thought he would smell bad, just that you were used to men who thought that Axe body spray was the same thing as a shower. But Spencer didnât smell like that, he smelled like old books and good cologne. Like, real, expensive, good cologne.Â
You realized that you were lingering in the hug for a little longer than what would probably be considered normal, so you pulled away.Â
âWell, uh, Iâve got to get going,â He blushed and looked at his feet, âBut Iâll definitely call you.â He said holding up the napkin with your number on it.Â
âYou better!â You joked, now blushing as well.Â
With that, he turned and went on his way to work. You stood there for a moment longer, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. You reached into your bag and pulled out your cell phone, dialing your roommateâs number. It rang twice before she picked up.Â
âY/R/N, you are never going to believe what just happened!â You squealed into the phone, ready and willing to relay the story to your best friend.Â
You hung up as soon as you got to the office, and spent the rest of the day unable to focus on work, your brain preoccupied just praying that he would actually call you.
I'm literally obsessed w this lol lmk if you want a part 2 or anything else bc my requests are open!!
#spencer reid#criminal minds#spencer reid fanfiction#dr spencer reid#spencer reid x you#spencer reid fluff#spencer reid x reader#criminal minds fanfiction#spencer reid imagine
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legally binded - 2
Jenna Ortega x F!Reader
masterlist | series mast. ⣠prev part | next part
Chapter 2: Lakers, Headlines⌠New York?
Summary: After getting caught in some hot waters with the press, you are forced into an unexpected agreement with America's sweetheart, Jenna Ortega to save your career.
Warnings/Tags: dual pov, famous!reader, actress!reader, mentions of substances, intoxication, mature language, real people. (do not read if any of these make you uncomfortable)
(this is all fiction!)
Note: part 2 of legally binded! I hear yall and I see the comments! This will be a series, got a lot of ideas for this one. But of course, I am open to hearing what you guys think and want to see! A little bonding moment for R and Jenna đŽâđ¨
Word Count: 6.3k+ (lol sorry, may have gone overboard!)
âSo⌠what does this mean, exactly?â Jenna asks for both of you.
âWeâre gonna make the two of you the talk of the town. And hopefully get people to back off on the allegations that Jenna is difficult to work with and that Y/N is entering her Justin Bieber phase â and not the good one.â Your PR agent, Liv, purses her lips.
Jenna canât help the snort that leaves her lips, awkwardly coughing to hide it. But you catch it anyway, throwing her a glare.
âDifficult to work with huh?â You speak up â in faux interest. âNot hard to see why.â
This time Jenna is the one glaring at you. âYou donât even know me.â
âYou donât know me either.â You huff.
âEnough!â Jake yells. Anger steadily rose in the manâs bloodstream.
You and Jenna flinch at his loudness. Sliding down the chair, you feel ashamed again; ignoring Jennaâs piercing glare.
Liv is sighing but opts not to add fuel to the fire. âItâs going to take a few hours to get the paperwork and contract drafted âbut once itâs done weâll have it sent over to you. For now, get to know each other, I donât know.â
You shoot Liv a scowl. She was making this already awkward situation so much worse.
She catches your look, sighing, âJustâpretend this is another job and youâre new castmates. Anything please. â She rolls her eyes, already fed up with what disaster this morning has been.
âYou can do that, right?â Liv crosses her arms, staring at you two in question.
âYes.â Jenna mumbles.
âMhmm.â You hum lazily, changing the subject. âCan we tell people? That this isnât real?â
Liv glances at Jake and Sarah sharing a silent conversation. They nod at each other. âIf they sign an NDA. Only family, your team and us. This cannot leave the room.â
You feel pale. You couldnât even tell the people around you about this fake relationship without binding them to a contract? Suddenly, the situation starts to feel more real; the carpet of delusion being pulled from under you.
Youâre standing up, pushing the chair back with a loud scrape that rings terribly against your ears. âI need some air.â
âYouâre really leaving in the middle of a meeting?â Jenna questions with a snip, crossing her arms.
âSorry your highness, I got better places to be. Liv you can send the contract to my assistant. Ortega, wish I could say it was a pleasure to meet you⌠but well.â You trail off, shrugging.
Liv and Jake are fuming red in the face at your words, but you were still hungover and the comedown was begging to wreak havoc â your irritation getting harder to restrain.Â
Jennaâs face scrunches, offended. You walk away, not bothering to listen for a response.
âThereâs no way I can work with herâŚâ You catch it anyway.
âââ
âI mean can you believe what theyâre asking me to do!â You pace up and down your living room.
âOh come on, I donât buy the allegations that sheâs difficult, you know they love to tear women down when they get their come up.â Link reasons tapping on his phone.
âI mean how can this face be rude?â He holds up a picture of Jenna at the SAG awards and you furrow your brows because you donât remember seeing her there â you might have been late.
You were just nominated anyway. So you pulled a BeyoncĂŠ and only showed up for your category.
âMaybe Jennaâs not so bad?â
âQuit it.â
It was now mid-afternoon and the battering Californian sun was shining bright above clear skies and through your floor-to-ceiling windows. You bought this house in the Palisades for the peace it provided you. Not too far from central L.A. but still tucked away enough for a moment of solitude with a life like yours.
It was your own version of a sanctuary â like a home should be.Â
âOkay, that sounds crazy, I agree. But dude, you fucked up. Big time.â Your long-time friend Link said.Â
You and Link grew up together and when you got your come up, best believe you took your best friend with you. You offered to help him out while he lives with you as you achieve your dreams but ever the stubborn guy, he refused. Only agreeing to move to Los Angeles with you if he works as your assistant to earn his keep.
Heâs a good guy like that.Â
Since then, heâs been by your side. Through every disappointment, bad news, great news, red carpets, and movie premieres. You couldnât do this job without him.Â
Heâs like your brother.
âI know!â You groan, dropping to the couch. Why the hell did you let your designer choose these couches? They were stiffer than a plank of wood.
âLook at this article online, 2-time Grammy winner and Academy Award Nominee, Y/N L/Nâs fall from grace? Sin City indeed! The actress blacks out at a Vegas strip club! Click here to see exclusive mugshots.â
âTheyâre selling my fucking mugshots?â You lift your head above the headrest horrified, watching Link sit across the room on a bar stool reading his phone.Â
âIâm pretty sure theyâre public domain.â He refutes.
Falling back, you groan louder â hiding your face behind your palms.
âI donât see how you have a choice, buddy.â He sighs, placing his phone on the bar top.Â
âThere has to be another way. Why canât I just run away? Iâll fly back home for a couple of weeks, and let all of this shit die down. Itâs worked before.âÂ
âYeah, I told Jake and Liv youâd say that.â He rolls his eyes, walking to you. âI donât think you can run from this one, Y/N.â
The softness in his voice has you sighing in defeat. Heâs right, you know heâs right. This wasnât just some tiny mistake you can brush under the carpet like all the other ones. This was serious.Â
You got arrested. For blacking out with someone who had drugs on them. In a strip club, no less.
What a mess.
Something like this could seriously hurt your career. You could lose roles, relationships, connections, brand deals â the blood, sweat, and tears you poured in; everything you worked so hard for â gone.
âI know⌠Doesnât make me wanna do it more though,â You mumble, distantly staring at the high ceiling.
He chuckles, âI know bud. But this is what we signed up for, right?âÂ
You frown. Itâs what we signed up for.
Itâs a mantra that you have adopted in all your years as a working performer. It certainly wasnât the most comforting and loving thing to say, but it works because itâs true and thereâs no greater motivator than a slap in the face to reality.Â
You much preferred tough love anyway.
âRight.â You mutter.
âCome on, I think Jennaâs manager just sent me the signed contract, theyâre just waiting for your signature.â He walks off to his office.Â
You close your eyes, letting the sun warm you up through the glass panes. A few moments pass until Link comes back out with a tablet and pen. âSign here, under Jennaâs signature.â
She has pretty handwriting â you note as you sign the electronic document.Â
Call it weird but you had a thing for people with neat handwriting, steady hands and all that.Â
But then you remember who the professional signature belonged to and forced yourself to snap out of it.
âDid you even read it?â He arches a brow.
âThatâs what lawyers are for.â
He scoffs, âOkay, superstar. It basically says what you and Jenna need to do. Public spottings at first, then dates, appearances at each other's events. Maybe posts on social media, but the idea is to be discreet â we canât have it seem like weâre using this to scrub away the Vegas incident.â
âBut thatâs exactly what weâre doing,â You sigh.
âYeah, but they donât know that. And itâs your damn job to make sure they donât ever find out either.â
You rub your forehead; a headache beginning to form. Not sure if it was from the hangover or from all this PR mess.
âAnways,â He takes the tablet out of your hands. âIâll send these over to Liv. Now as for you. Go upstairs, take a shower because you smell horrendous and then put on what your stylist picked out.â
Wrinkling your nose, you ask, âWhat, why? I literally just got back, I already have to go out and show my face? The paparazzi will hound me.âÂ
âWe have to beat the Vegas headline with a bigger story, so you need to be seen with Jenna ASAP. That means out for a late lunch at a well-known spot downtown. You have to act like the news doesnât bother you â like youâre moving past it.â
âWho goes out for late lunch?âÂ
He sends you a pointed look.Â
âIâll be upstairsâŚâ You mumble, dragging your feet as you ascend the steps.
âââ
You tap your fingers on the steering wheel, glancing up at the modest house through your sunglasses.
A mid-modern century house in Glendale. Not where you pictured her to live but whatever. Her front yard was bare but professionally trimmed. No signs of any plant life that made the space look a little⌠dull. The only signs of life in the house was the humble SUV that you assumed belonged to the young actress.
Your tapping grows impatient the longer you wait.
As if staring harder at the front door will make the actress come out faster. Another five agonizing minutes pass â you seriously consider pulling away to go home and sleep off this hangover but Link stood a good half-foot taller than you.
Heâd lock your ass out of your own home.Â
Eventually, the door opens and the short brunette walks down the driveway in confident strides. Dressed in jeans, combat boots and a cardigan; those headphones around her neck, again. Somehow, she looked consistently gothic and you pondered if she really was like her character in real life.
You see her scan your Mercedes-AMG GT3 for a moment before pulling the passenger door open; sliding into the cushy seats. âNice car.â
You blink, âThanks⌠you sure took your time though,â
You couldnât stop the slight attitude that accompanied your words.
She gives you a sharp glance, âwhy didnât you just ring the doorbell?â
âYou had to unlock the gate to let me in, you knew I was waiting outside.â You huff, staring at her back.Â
âThen would have waited in the living room if you had knocked. What difference does it make?â She shrugs.
âThatâs not the poiââ You gruff but stop, inhaling a deep breath. The pounding in your skull was begging for you to cool down.Â
âI think I much preferred waiting in the car⌠alone.â You whisper the last bit then shoot her a sarcastic glance; shifting the gear in reverse.
You donât bother to check if she had her seatbelt on as you aggressively pull out her driveway; leaving skid marks on the pavement.
She jerks forward at the sudden movement. âShitâ a little warning next time?â She glares bracing herself on the dashboard.
âHands off the leather,â You bite as you pull off her street and to the restaurant Link sent you the directions to.Â
She scoffs. âMy driveway!â
âââ
âTable for 2 under Ortega? Please follow me, can I be the first one to say how delighted we are that you two decided to dine here.â The host enthused a little too much.
âItâs our pleasure.â Jenna answers politely.
You plaster a tight-lipped smile keeping quiet; sliding a modest hand on Jennaâs back when he leads you past other patrons and to a secluded table â heads already turning in your direction. Jenna jumps, sending you a menacing glare and for a moment you feel slightly scared by the fire in her eyes â dropping your hand immediately.Â
Okay, no touching. Got it.
âHere we are, the best seat in the house. We have complementary champagne on the table to start your evening. Weâll give you a few moments to get settled,â He sends a tight smile causing his wrinkles to show â definitely trying too hard but youâd never say no to free alcohol.
âThank you,â You bid, pulling a chair out for Jenna.
She walks to claim the opposite chair, assuming youâre taking the one you pulled out. But she stares as you stand behind the open chair, awkwardly. Only then did she seem to realize that the seat was for her.
Raising her brows, she looked a little surprised but wordlessly and a bit awkwardly (she sends a tight-lipped smile) sits over to the chair allowing you to push it in for her, before taking your own seat across.
The first thing you grab is the bottle of champagne and the flute.Â
You miss Jennaâs tracking eyes as you pour a hefty glass. âIs that really the best thing for you to have, especially after last night? Also, itâs like 4 PM.â
âI didnât know you were the alcohol police and itâs 8 PM somewhere.â You take big gulps of the champagne, savouring the way it burned but also felt cool on the way down.
âTrust me, Iâm not. But my ass is on the line here too and there are people watching.â She grits out the last part, signalling with her eyes. You glance up catching two girls from another table with their phones up, no doubt taking pictures and recording you and Jenna.Â
Looking away, you place the glass flute down, sitting back in your seat with a slump. âFineâŚâ
âWhen are you going to take this seriously?â She whispers, tone: sharp.
âI am taking this seriously,â You fight to keep your face impassive knowing there are eyes on you both.Â
âNo, youâre not. You couldnât even sit through the meeting this morning and now youâre acting like a child. Might I remind you, weâre in this mess because of you.â
You clench your jaw, trying your hardest not to blow up in this fine establishment.Â
âIâm the reasoââ
âAre we ready to order?â The waitress cuts in.
âYes, we are.â Jenna turns to her with that large, sweet smile that sells millions.
âââ
âNew Gal-Pals in Hollywood, Y/N L/N and Jenna Ortega spotted out for lunchâ
It was now the following day after your âlunch dateâ with Jenna and you wish to say it only got better as time went on but that would be a lie. You two did not get along â at all. How was it possible for your management to find the one person on this planet that you just couldnât get along with.Â
You know difficult, you can handle difficult. Youâve worked with the likes of Shia Lebeouf, Gweneth Paltrow, Michael Bay⌠just to name a few. Youâve had your fair share of difficult colleagues.
But this girl? Sheâs something else.Â
âGal pals? Really?â Your nose scrunches in distaste.
âNo wait, this oneâs better! Wednesday star Jenna Ortega supports new bestie, Y/N L/N amid Vegas arrest.â
âStop.â But Linkâs loud laughter overpowers you.
âOh! We got one thatâs different, Trouble-maker, A-lister, Y/N L/N, will drag down rising-star Jenna Ortega!â
âOkay, thatâs just bullshit.â You pique up.
âRising star?â Jenna voices in disdain.
âEnough!â Livâs voice echoes from your laptop speaker. âThis isnât the headline we wanted.â
You roll your eyes, scanning the candid photo of you and Jenna sitting at the restaurant.
The images look tame enough and can definitely be interpreted as just two friends out for a bite. News outlets donât buy it, but the internet is already freaking out; spewing out unsolicited opinions on this new pairing. Some think you two are just friends, some think itâs a date, others think itâs for a movie role.
âI thought I did a good job,â Jenna speaks up on the other line of the Facetime call.Â
âClearly notâŚâ You mumble, but she catches it anyway, rolling her eyes.Â
âWe need to up the ante, this is not good enough.â Liv sighs and you can hear the trepidation through the call.
âLike what?â
âThereâs a Lakers game tonight and you two are making your first official appearance.â She grins with mischief.
âLakers?â Jenna rouses, sounding excited.
âHow would they interpret that differently than before?â Shaking your head.
âI got a plan already, darling. I have a guy in TMZ whoâs going to break the first official headline that you two are in the âgetting to know each otherâ stage. Which is where you two come in⌠after the game headlines of your guysâ date night will be the number one trending topic.â She explains, eyes lighting up in excitement.
Liv loves to lay out her plans to whoever was willing to listen â youâre already tuning her out.
You are sure her plan is genius like she says it is.
âAre they versing someone decent, at least?â You ask tiredly. When were you going to get some time to yourself?
âCeltics.â
âIâm in.â
âââ
âDo you really have to wear sunglasses indoors? Everyone knows weâre here.â Jenna whispers from beside you.
âItâs part of the look.â You retort, sliding down the foldable chair. Why are courtside seats so uncomfortable for all the money Iâm paying?
âWhat look.â
âWe got two stars in the Lakers house tonight! Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Y/N L/N and Jenna Ortega!ââ The announcer booms through the stadium speakers.Â
Looking up at the jumbotron, you and Jenna are plastered big and bright on the screen. You flash a dazzling smile and force your body to untense â ignoring Jennaâs quip.
You embrace the loud cheers and applauds, waving and sending the camera that dazzling smile you have mastered. Jenna copies your movements.
Eventually, the camera pans away from you two and you finally feel like you can breathe again.Â
âGod, I think my eardrums ruptured.â She complains, clutching her earring clad-ears painfully.
You laugh, âOh come on, you donât have people shouting for your attention at you at every turn?â
She frowns, shaking her head, âNot at this level⌠I like to think I still have some anonymity.â
Snorting, you say, âYeah well, just wait. Thatâll all be gone â so enjoy it while you can.âÂ
You donât see her frown deepen because you spot a familiar face. âLook whoâs in the house!â
âHey!â You stand briskly. Lebron James comes barreling over in large steps; greeting you with a hug and a pat on the back.Â
âFeeling ready for tonight?â You ask, smiling up at the athlete. Being a big name in Hollywood definitely came with nice perks like knowing world-renowned athletes.
As much as you complain about your life â this is certainly a perk you canât deny.
âYou know it! Weâre gonna mop the floors with your lil Celtics team.â He smirks making you laugh.
âOkay, save the trash-talking for the court... This is Jenna by the way.â You move to the side to reveal Jenna sitting; watching the two of you with a flabbergasted look on her face.Â
âNice to meet you, Jenna. My kids loved Wednesday, I think my daughter might dress up as you this Halloween.â He jokes; shaking her hand.Â
It was quite an amusing sight to see Jenna crane her neck to meet the basketball playerâs eyes. And you really tried your hardest not to snort when her tiny hands slide into his gigantic palms â her upper arm practically disappearing in his grasp.
They continue talking for a few more moments before the basketball player eventually bids his goodbye to continue warming up.Â
âYouâre friends with Lebron James?â She asked in disbelief when you sit back down.
âYeah, is that surprising?â You arch a brow.
âYes?â She asks like you were stupid for even asking.
You chuckle. âWell, now you know.âÂ
âAlso⌠a Celtics fan, really? Thatâs just disgraceful.â She shakes her head.
You scrunch your face in faux annoyance, puffing your chest proudly, âHell yeah the Celtics! Weâre gonna wipe the court with your little Lakers in their own house.âÂ
âDonât let people hear you say that, youâll be stoned,â She laughs heartily.Â
For a brief moment, you watch as she shakes in laughter at her own joke â unable to fight the infectiousness of her laugh. Her bangs shake with her movements as she attempts to hide her smile behind her hand.
Were you guys getting along? Nah, impossible.Â
âIâll just use you as a shield.â
âIâm like five-foot, I donât think Iâll be much help.â She snorts.Â
âPocket-sized shield â makes travelling easier.â You shrug, smirking.Â
She shoots you a side-eye but you see the smirk she tries to hide from you.Â
Eventually, the national anthem is sung and tip-off begins. Youâd be lying if you said you werenât enjoying yourself right now. After the weekend disaster in Vegas, all you wanted to do was sleep away your fuck-ups. But this⌠isnât so bad.Â
Jenna seems to have loosened up and allowed herself to enjoy the game.
You cheer enthusiastically when the Celtics go on a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter.Â
The score is 94 - 90, with the Lakers in the lead. You were standing now, your concession drinks and snacks forgotten under your chair. The energy in the stadium is infectious as everyone cheers for their respective teams.
âThis is what Iâm talking about, now we got a game!â You clap loudly, yelling.
â$100 Lakers win this one.â The sweet voice shouts over the crowd.
You turn, grinning. âThatâs it? $1000, Celtics win.âÂ
The quiet contemplation is burning bright in her eyes, but eventually, she gives in extending her hand. âYouâre on.â
Somehow, your grin stretches wider when she slides her hand in yours to seal the deal. âI canât wait to be a $1000 richer.â
âIn your dreams,â she clicks her tongue, focusing on the court.
âCome on ref, that was a foul!â She shouts at the checkered-shirt man as he runs past you.
Sheâs not looking at you but you find yourself unable to look away from her.Â
Granted, you barely knew anything about Jenna before meeting her yesterday. But you think you like this laid-back version of her more than the one you met at first.
A whistle-blowing breaks your staring before it becomes too obvious.
Eventually, the game goes into overtime with the score being 104 - 104 when the Lakers gets both free throws in. Youâre practically shaking in excitement as you watch from courtside.
You are bent over, hands on your knees like a soccer mom watching their kid get a penalty kick. You miss Jenna snapping a photo of the court with you bent over in the corner of the picture.
âCome on, Tatum!â You shout, a vein on your forehead protruding.Â
âDid you say a $1000 richer?â She mocks, using your words against you.
âDonât go on a victory lap yet,â You stand as the last time-out is called, âThe scoreâs even and thereâs still 5 seconds on the clock. Itâs anybody's game right now.â
When the whistle blows signalling time-out is over, you are tense again. Jenna seems to share your sentiments as she absentmindedly grabs your jacket when the Celtics shooting guard walks behind the line to inbound the ball.
Anticipation getting the best of her.
You ignore the touch â unsure if you wanted to pull away or never move your arm again.
âShit!â You yell when someone on the Lakers intercepts the Celtics attempt to inbound â sloppily passing it to another player in gold and purple.Â
3 seconds remaining on the clock and a fast-break on the Lakers side ensues; green jerseys struggling to keep up.
âSchroder tips the Celtics inbound and manages to pass it off to Thompson, to James! James with a hail mary from half-court with 2 seconds, will he make it!â The announcer exclaims.
It was like the movies when everything goes silent and somehow you see everything in slow motion. You watch as the ball spins high above in the air with the powerful throw from the Lakerâs power forward. The only thing you feel is Jennaâs fist gripping your arm, bunching the jacket in her hands.Â
You unconsciously lean into her; the intensity of the room bouncing off you.Â
The ball continues to spin until it amazingly flies through the basket with a satisfying swoosh and the buzzer rings loudly.
The crowd explodes â bursting into loud cheers.Â
âHoly shit!â Jenna jumps, cheering.
âNo fucking way.â You groan.
You feel her grab your shoulders to face her, still jumping up and down; a large smile on her face. You find yourself matching her grin despite your team not winning.Â
Nodding in defeat, you admit, âOkay, okay⌠that was a pretty great game.â
âGreat?â She shakes you like a rag doll, âThat was the best game Iâve ever seen!âÂ
âAre you turning into a basketball fan, Miss Ortega?â You tease as she pulls away from you.
Still with a grin, she says, âNever⌠Football will always have my heart.â
âI didnât peg you for an NFL fan but I guess Iâve heard stranger things.â You tease as she rolls her eyes.
âSoccer, Y/N.â
âWhy didnât you just call it the proper name then?â
âWe are not starting this.â She holds a hand up, turning to sit back in her seat. The high of winning the bet, dwindling away.
âââ
âThis is meâŚâ Jenna says into the quiet night air.Â
You shifted on your feet as you stood by your car. The night had been an unexpectedâŚ. success. After the game, you two made sure to stick around to chat and take pictures with fans in the crowd.Â
The more eyes that saw you two together, the better.Â
âUm⌠this was nice, I guess.â You mumble, feeling a bit awkward now that it was just you and her.Â
She blinks up at you, surprised by your admission. âUh â yeah, this wasnât bad. Surprising, but not bad.âÂ
A small smile creeps on your face, âOkay, well I guess Iâll see you later⌠or whenever our managers say we need to be seen together again.âÂ
She laughs, nodding, âYeahâŚâ
A bright flash from your peripheral has you blinking, unfocused. âWhat theââ
âPapsâŚâ She sighs. âKiss my cheek.â
âWhat?â You asked bewildered.
She sends you a pointed look, turning her back from the direction of the flash so they couldnât see her face. âKiss my cheek, theyâll take a picture and then theyâll know weâre not just gal pals.â
Jenna is rolling her eyes but youâre still stuck in your spot. âY/N.â
Snapping out of your thoughts, you clear your throat, âAre you sure? I donât want to make you uncomfortable.â
Something indecipherable shines in her eyes, but it disappears as she blinks, âYouâre not asking for my hand in marriage, Y/N. Just kiss my cheek.â
Blushing, you lean down. Shyly placing your lips on her soft-dimpled cheek â she leans into the contact, placing a hand on your neck. Immediately, a flurry of bright flashes and sounds of clicking interrupt the moment.Â
âGoodnight, Jenna.â You say softly once you pulled away; ignoring the goosebumps that rose on your skin.
âGoodnight.â She takes a moment to look at you before walking to unlock her gate.
You wait until she opens the metal door; not missing the kind eyes she shoots you as she shuts the gate. Only once Jennaâs out of your view did you let out a deep sigh, turning around.
âY/N! Over here! Did you just kiss Jenna Ortega? What about the singer you were with in Vegas? Are you two over?â
You didnât want to give the paparazzi lurking on her street more reason to stay, so you keep your head down ignoring their shouting and slip into your car.
âââ
âHow was it?â Her sisterâs voice can be heard on her phone.Â
âAwful â sheâs a menace, Mia.â Jenna replies as she opens her fridge, looking for a mid-afternoon snack.Â
It was now Sunday afternoon and as predicted â you and Jenna are the top headline of every major news outlet in America.Â
âDid you tell her that you loved her in Little Women?âÂ
âWhat? No, of course not! Iâm not gonna tell her that.â
âWhy not? You watched that movie like five times when it came out.â Her sister reminds.
âShut up, Mia.â
âOkay, anywaysâŚâ She trails off, laughing. âI saw the pictures. Youâre smiling pretty wide with her. Also the kiss on the cheek when she was dropping you off? Chefâs kiss. Just perfect.â
Jenna rolls her eyes, âItâs all part of the act. Of course, I look happy.â
âThereâs videos of you jumping on her. I can barely scroll through my Twitter feed without seeing an edit of you two at the game.â
âStop. I donât want to talk about her anymore.â Jenna snaps.
âOkay, okayâŚâ Mia laughs and Jenna can picture her raising her hands in surrender. âLetâs talk about New York, are you excited?â
Jenna lets out a repressed sigh. With all of this PR mess with you, she hasnât had time to think about how busy her schedule is about to be. The Scream VI premiere and SNL is inching closer and the Coachella native is feeling the familiar phantoms of anxiety rumbling in her chest.Â
âYeah, of course, I am. Itâs SNLâŚâ
âBut?â Aliyah, her younger sisterâs voice comes out of nowhere.
âBut itâs SNL!â Jenna exclaims, âItâs a big deal! What if⌠what if I fuck up? Or I break character?â
âOkay⌠letâs take a deep breath,â Mia speaks up. She recognizes her sisterâs looming anxiety and knew she had to act before the young actress sends herself into a panic. âYou will kill it, like you always do and you wonât mess up. Itâs okay to be a little nervous.
âRight, right.â Jenna agrees but the weighted pressure in her chest was still to creeping in.
Mia hums over the line unconvinced, âListen, the whole family is flying in before your premiere. So donât worry, weâll be there, cheering you on!âÂ
Jenna canât fight the smile that creeps up on her face. The thought of her family being there on one of the most important nights of her career is all she needs. They always had her back, picking her up when she felt like she couldnât do it anymore. âThanks, guys. I really appreciate that.â
âââ
âYou want me to fly to New York, to whatâ be her personal cheerleader?â You dead-pan, watching as Link frantically throws clothes and shoes into a suitcase.Â
Itâs been about a week since the Lakers and Celtics game and news of you and Jennaâs night out in town are still abuzz. The two of you made a couple more subtle appearances over the last couple of days and the media is eating it up shamelessly. Pictures of you and the star are plastered on the front pages; be it grabbing coffee or grocery shopping or walking your dog at the park.
Now, you couldnât even step outside without someone hurling Jennaâs name at you.
But you couldnât lie. It was nice to have some company while you run your errands. Only yours though â you hated when you had to do hers. Jenna always thought too hard about which cereal to get, like sheâs ever home to eat it.
âNew budding romance in Hollywood? Do we have a new power couple on the rise with Y/N L/N and Jenna Ortega? These two seem to be getting to know each other well⌠click here to read moreâÂ
Was the first thing you read when you turned on your phone this morning.Â
Of course, itâs never that easy because there are still a handful of nobodies sending hateful messages about your criminal escapades â not everyone was convinced.
Some well-known people on social media â people you personally know are adding fuel to the fire; engaging in discourses of you and Jenna and if you are dragging her down just by being associated with you.
Fake-ass motherfuckers.
âYes, I think those are the exact words Jake and Liv put in their texts, actually.â He reaches for his phone to read over the message; mocking you.Â
âStop, LinkâŚâ You run a hand on your face, âTell them Iâm not going. I have better things to do, Coachella is right around the corner and I literally have a song I need to send to my producer.â
He watches as you childishly cross your arms, scowling.Â
If you werenât his best friend he wouldâve said goodbye to the Hollywood life â too rich for his blood. Link wasnât sure how he still put up with your attitude after all these years. Could you have said those words any more snobbishly?
âAre you done?â
âNo.â
âWell you donât have a damn choice. Now, take a shower â Marcus will be here in an hour to drive us to LAX. And you can record in New York, no one said you had to be attached to Jennaâs hip.â
âWhat if I donât want to.â You stand your ground.Â
âDonât do this today, Y/N.â He sighs.Â
For a few moments, you hold your ground; contemplating if you should dig a hole and barricade yourself â metaphorically, of course. But never say never.Â
Link raises a challenging brow â daring you to try him today.Â
Wow, someone must have woken up on the wrong side of the bedâŚ
Knowing what that look meant, you knew when to pick your battles and accepted the loss, trudging over to the master bathroom but not before slamming the door behind you.
âDonât be slamming doors âround here! I donât care if the house is under your name.â He shouts from the other side.Â
âFuck off!â You yell back, yanking your shirt off as the water turns hot.
He is such a dad.
â
âWhat are you doing here?â
âHi to you too, Jenna. How was your day? Mine was great, the flight was a bit bumpy but I can handle a âlil turbulence. Thanks for asking.â You reply, ignoring the furrow in her brow hidden behind the silky fringe.Â
You wonder what conditioner she uses to get her hair looking that soft.
âY/NâŚâ Jenna sighs, walking past you to enter your hotel suite. Walking into the living room to place her shoulder bag on the coffee table then she turns to face you, crossing her arms still waiting for an answer. âIâm serious, why are you in New York.â
You lean against a wooden panel, crossing your arms as well. âDidnât your team tell you?â
Her frown deepens, patience thinning the longer you beat around the bush. âObviously not or I wouldnât be here.â
âOkay relaxâŚâ You warn not appreciating her tone. You literally just landed an hour ago and itâs almost midnight East Coast time. The timezone switch is fucking with you and her attitude is the last thing you need.Â
âDonât tell me to relax.â She snaps. The young actress hated those words, it always made her more riled up.
You scoff trying your hardest not to snap back but controlling your anger has never been your strong suit. âWhy do you think Iâm here? Liv told me I had to show face for your premiere and SNL episode. Be your cheerleader or some shit.â
She drops her arms, frown still etched on her soft face. What? Ignore that.
âShit, I think Sarah mightâve mentioned it but I was just so busy with rehearsal and fittings with Enrique that I didnât see.â Jenna sighs, rubbing her forehead.
For the first time since she barged into your room â you take a moment to scan her. Her face is bare and makeup free but you can see the dark smudges from her eyeliner earlier today just under the lashline. She was dressed in a large sweater and mismatched sweatpants; the sleeves are so long it covers half her hands and her short wavy locks tied into a messy low bun.
Her clothes practically engulfed her tiny stature. You figure this is a pretty rare sight that most people arenât privy to and suddenly youâre unsure as to why itâs so hard to look away.Â
âI didnât mean to snap⌠Iâm sorry.â She says quietly, looking at you like she was genuinely apologetic.Â
âItâs fineâŚâ You shrug and pushed off the wall to sit on the couch. Everyone has their days, you thought.
âI didnât mean to ambush you. I really thought you knew Iâd be here.â You turn on the TV, not being to stand the silence in the large room.
Jenna sits down beside you, tucking her feet against her chest. When did she take off her shoes? âItâs not your fault.â
The sigh she lets out is heavy and something tells you thereâs some meaning behind it too. But you didnât feel like it was your business so you zip it and continue watching the TV drone on about a program you donât care about.Â
âI saw clips of your SNL promo⌠I thought it was hilarious â you were great and that reporter outfit? So cool.â You change the subject. It gets her to smile as her dimples poke out, a little shy now.Â
âItâs so cringy.â She covers her face.Â
âAwh, nah⌠the internet loved it.â You laugh, a little amused that the actress was all flushed by a single compliment.Â
Call it big-headed, call it ego, call it whatever you want but you personally relished it when people fawned over you.Â
âOf course they did. Theyâre the whole reason for the meme.â She rolls her eyes after dropping her hands but she still had a toothy smile.Â
âI bet that dance follows you everywhereâŚâÂ
âEvery. Fucking. Day.â She says then raises a brow at you, âHow do you know about the dance, though?â
You send her an affronted look, âIâm not a grandmother, Jenna. I know whatâs hip with the kids.â
She snorts, âYouâre an idiot â I just mean, I didnât think you were on TikTok like that with a schedule like yours. Also, that app is toxic.â
âEvery social media app can be toxic.â You quip, âBut get off your high horse, your majesty. I literally just saw a couple of edits on Twitter of it.â
âUh huhâŚâ She hums, unconvinced, if the side glance she throws you was any indication. âBut yeah the writers wanted to do a bit with Wednesday and this is what we came up with.â
âWell, I think itâs genius⌠from a business standpoint.â You offer up, nudging her shoulder then turning back to the TV.
You miss Jennaâs bothered frown. âBusiness standpoint?â
âYeah,â You say off-handedly, âItâs smart, good for you.â
âAre most things a âbusiness standpointâ for you?â She asks, genuinely curious about what you could mean.
âHmm. I guess I never thought of it like that but now that Iâm saying it out loud, yeah, kinda.â You shrug, thinking about it.Â
Most of the interactions in Hollywood that you have had are based on transactions and is usually for your own self-interest.
â...Thatâs kinda sad.â She says getting you to turn.
âWhat does that mean?â You frown.
âIâm just saying⌠thereâs more to this industry than business deals and brand offers.â This time Jenna offers up a thought but it sounds a bit judgemental to you, shrugging.
Youâre furrowing your brows, sitting up straight. âLook, you donât even know me. Just forget what I said.â
But the laugh she lets out grinds your gears in the most unpleasant way.
Jenna holds up her hands in surrender but it feels mocking. âClearlyâŚâ She emphasizes. âBut Iâm just saying, thereâs no need to get all defensive.â
âOkay, I donât know what kind of shit you were dealing with today but donât take it out on me. Donât come to my room talking about things you know nothing about.â You glower.
She matches your frown, standing. âIt kinda sounds like youâre the one dealing with something, actually.â
âI think you should leave.â Your glare turns sharp and cold, standing too.
âAlready on my way out.â She scoffed, snatching her bag aggressively off the coffee table then turns to walk to the front door.Â
You follow to make sure the door hits her on the way out but she stops abruptly by the hall causing you to trip on your own feet to not tumble over her.Â
âI think you should go back to L.A.â She glares up at you, tightly clutching her shoulder bag.
The laugh you let out is humourless, stepping back to create space between you and the other actress. âAnd get my ass handed to me by Jake, Liv and Sarah? Theyâre like four horsemen of the apocalypse â just searching for their last member. No thanks. You got a problem with me here? You deal with it.â
She clenches her jaw, âDone. Leave it to me.â Then turns and leaves making sure to slam the door shut.Â
Those hotel doors weigh a fuck ton, how did she do that? And what did she mean leave it to me?
âCan I come out now?â Link peeks his head out from the adjoining room; fear present on his features.
âââ
:)
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tagging who comment so far:
@alexkolax @ladey @jjsmaybank20 @werewoofrobinbuckley
#jenna ortega x reader#jenna ortega x you#jenna ortega x fem!reader#jenna ortega#wednesday netflix#legally binded
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Because the Night
The atmosphere in the pub was already in full swing by the time Major Bucky Egan led his group to the table Tommy saved for them.
âJesus, itâs like those paratroopers never seen a woman before.â Curt wiped his uniform jacket, âThey took one look at [y/n] and it was like Niagra Falls.âÂ
Taking the seat Bucky held out for her, [y/n] thanked him as she sat.Â
âI think Olâ Faithful Geyser at Yosemite might be a better choice Curt.â Buck replied taking a seat across from Bucky.Â
âYeah, yeah whatever cowboy.â Looking at the expectant faces of Bucky and Buck, Curt sighed âYes, Bucky I wouldnât mind getting the drinks. Why thank you Buck, I am the kindest man in this bar.â Â
Ignoring Curt and Buck, Bucky leaned in closer to [y/n] watching the paratrooper across the bar tense. âSo, who is he?âÂ
Major Bucky Egan was not shocked that men looked at [y/n]. She was not only one of the few women around, but she was as pretty as a picture. And she knew it, hell it was on the reasons Bucky liked her. Her beauty caught his eye but her self assured nature drew him in. So while he didnât love the looks men gave her in general, the look of recognition and remorse in this paratrooper in particular sent air raid sirens through his mind.Â
Twisting her earring with a sigh, [y/n] met Buckyâs inquisitive gaze. âMy ex.âÂ
Raising his eyebrows as if to ask for confirmation of what he just heard, [y/n] nodded to the brunette. From across the table Major Buck Clevens sat up straight as he watched the growing opposing demeanor of the pair. One that spoke of apathy while the other spoke of interest in the topic.Â
âWho we fightinâ?â Dropping the drinks on the table, Curt rejoined the trio, âBuckyâs got that rabble rouser look on his face.â Â
âThe ginger at 12 oâclock doing a shitty job at secretly surveying [y/n].â Buck drawled watching Bucky attempt to catch the gingerâs eye. Major Gale Clevens knew John Egan well enough to know when he was looking for a fight. Gale had seen John protective over his friends and his men, so he could only imagine what he would be like over his unofficial girl. Â
âNo shit? Want me to fuck him up for you?â Turning around in his seat, Curt assessed the paratrooper and his friends. âThereâs only four of them, we can easily take âem.âÂ
[y/n] leaned back in her chair contemplating the situation she found herself in. Before she had walked into the bar, her biggest concern was how she was going to keep Bucky from serenading her tonight. But walking in and seeing her exâs face and Johnâs reaction threw that concern right out of the window.Â
âWhile that is sweet of you Curt, no. Itâs been two years, Iâm long over him and if anyone should be scared, it should be him. Iâm not the one who cheated.â Since their breakup, she hadn't put much thought into her ex or dating. And it certainly wasnât because she was still in love with him. Rather the war broke out and she joined the WAC leaving her with little time or interest to date. Or that had been the case until Major John Egan swaggered his way onto Thorpe Abbotts base.Â
âThat fucker⌠makes me wanna punch him more now.âÂ
 âIf it makes you feel better Curt, I broke his nose when I found him cheating.âÂ
âAtta girl.â Buck chuckled while sipping his ginger beer. He expected nothing less from the spitfire who stole his best friendâs heart.Â
 âDidnât you say you were getting harassing letters from an ex?â The arm that had been carelessly thrown over the back of her chair suddenly wrapped around [y/n]âs shoulder pulling closer to John.Â
âI was exaggerating, John. It was just a letter!â Placing her hand over his, [y/n] squeezed his hand in a silent plea. âPlease donât do anything stupid...â Looking for Buck for support, [y/n] was however, met with the profile of the blonde major.
Bucky chuckled as he watched [y/n]âs attempt to deter him. While he and Gale Clevens may have been opposites, Buck was a true friend. And true friends let other friends knock out the guy bothering his girl. âWonât be considered anything stupid if it comes to you, sweetheart.âÂ
Between the protective glint in his eyes and baritone voice, [y/n]âs heart began hammering in her chest. Grounding herself in the contrast of his rough hands against her softer ones, she was reminded of who Major John Egan was. âLook if he comes this way then you can be my knight in shining armor but right now can we just go back to flirting and listening to Curt rewrite a story about how amazing his flying is?âÂ
Curt put hands up in defense. âHey, I am amazing at flying and I donât rewrite stories, I justâŚembellish them.âÂ
Hooking an arm around Curtâs neck, Buck tapped a fist against Curtâs chest. âOh embellish, what a big word for you Curt.âÂ
Deciding that it had been far too long since he had her attention all to himself, John Egan tucked an escaped curl behind her ear before leaning in to whisper. ââŚSo you are flirting with me, Lieutenant? Keep that up and someone might think you like me.âÂ
The warmth of his body and the smell of his aftershave left her all but lightheaded. They had unofficially officially been an item since his second day at the base. When she decided to share her umbrella and laughter with the handsome hapless Major who lost the battle and a shoe to the English mud.Â
âOh the horror BuckyâŚâÂ
âOh, calling me Bucky, you must really want me to do this for you.â Caressing her the inside of her wrist, John considered if tonight would be the night he could kiss her like he always wanted to. As a promise for it their last first kiss because the night belongs to lovers like them.Â
âIâll call you whatever you want as long as you donât start a bar brawl.â [y/n] supplied in response watching the smile light up across his face, knowing she had opened a can of worms. But she couldnât say she regretted it; Bucky Egan was the sun and she basked under his warmth.
âOh, with a request like that how can I say no?⌠for now.â Sharing in her laughter, John placed a lingering kiss on her cheek.Â
Sipping his whiskey, John turned back to the group and sought counsel on his new dilemma. âWhat do you think boys, handsome, the way to go? No, maybe I should go with pretty boy? No, too soft. Mhmm, how about my darling future husband? Now that has a nice ring to it!âÂ
A/N: I apparently have a thing for hand holding... I appreciate any and all feedback!
#john egan x reader#bucky egan x reader#john egan x female reader#major john egan x reader#mota x reader#mota fanfic#john egan imagine#masters of the air imagine#john egan fanfiction
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MERUđđđ i finally had a free moment to relax and the first thing i wanted to do was play hold your tongues and i've spent the last few hours pouring over how absolutely beautiful of a piece it is in storytelling and visuals. i genuinely have so much to gush over and idk where i should be doing it so into your inbox it goes. i apologise in advance, you also don't have to respond to this bc 1) i am aware it's gonna get vv long and 2) spoilers will definitely be mentioned
i hope sel knows what an absolute gem of a writer she is for executing all of this bc i am fucking gobsmacked by how well certain ideas and concepts were interwoven throughout the entire piece. maybe a lot of the things following are just my interpretations, but that's another thing i really really love â there's enough ambiguity in the prose to be able to infer it in so many different ways
first to the namesake of the game, âhold your tonguesâ and the many connotations of tongues that are explored throughout; as symbols of liberation and entrapment that intermingle so so well. i feel like the game really delves into the struggles that women face in society, in relationships, just in general and i like how since it's done so through maelyn's own perspective, we're privy to a more complex and raw display of how deeply emotionally scarring it can be.
eric is a little bitch imo (i won't retract that statement ever) but the ever judgmental, taunting and superior tone he has as the âvoiceâ in maelyn's head speaks volumes of the character he possessed and the lasting impact it had on her. giving her dress to another man makes her âunfaithfulâ, the fact that it's emphasised that these are only âremainsâ of a dress too â bc eric left her with shreds, physically, mentally.Â
if we take the dress to act as a metaphor for maelyn herself, he left her in shreds.
in response to this, maelyn bites her tongue, so hard that it bleeds. it's restraint, quite literally biting back your anger and the feeling of being wronged. grounding yourself again to the harsh reality of it all, and it brings her back to the present moment when starling points it out.
we see a similar occurrence later on when maelyn relays her tongue âlonging for a taste, was to be kept down.' so again, she stops herself (and i think the wording here is particularly interesting, that it was to be kept, so intrinsically this too may also link to how women are commonly taught to be submissive and forced to fit to certain standards).Â
in both contexts, the act of biting the tongue can be taken as a suppression of some sort of desire â the first is the desire to be mad, and the second is the desire of lust. both which women have been criticised for through the ages.
i also like to think that the tongue is a representation of freedom. starling is very much making wings to fly out of them, and taking them away from ppl has âforever deprived of their ability to lieâ (in which case lying = freedom, i won't expand on this too much bc it'll be another whole essayđ) so going back to maelyn, her biting hers can also be seen as her freedom being hurt, prevented.
another thing is, the line just before âhe never ran out of tonguesâ, we can take this as starling never having his freedom threatened. and it poses further questions. is this because of his strength? is it because he has the ocean âwhollyâ? is it because he's a âmanâ?
on my first run through, one of the most prominent questions i came away w/ was what was it that attracted maelyn to starling? to the concept of these monsters of the sea that had surpassed human constraints that had her waiting out all those hours to catch a glimpse of one to begin with. what was it that kept her coming back? time and time again, day after day when she could've not gone back to that shore after leaving.
the text narrates a couple of things that i think contributed, there's a sense of warring humanity and animosity in the repetitive motifs of dirt and uncleanliness, in her noting that starling looked âhalf a manâ and that one half could've âconsumedâ the other. maelyn has an envy that's touched upon frequently. does maelyn want to be closer to a monster so that no one can hurt her? or does she feel like a monster is all she can be now?
then there's a dynamic with power that was honestly done so well. again, my praise to sel for how well thought out it all was. that part where she put her hand into his guts and he made sounds he was âunable to controlâ, another when she tells him âcutâ and he does so without question â she recognises she holds the reins in that moment, acknowledges, âin control, I breathed.âÂ
starling listens to her for the most part, it's a reoccuring theme. even when making his wings, he's following her instructions although it's made clear that he learns quick and is capable. perhaps this gives her comfortability.
but we see this turn on its head when things start to go left, starling begins to do as he pleases and maelyn is taken back into her trauma, back to feeling âdisgustingâ and âuncleanâ, she even apologises and promises to do better.
leashes are mentioned a few times, maelyn first describes them as a sort of ânecklaceâ â perhaps this is tribute to the way a woman's submission is often beautified and normalised. the âleashâ starling puts on her in one of the ends is made of pearls, he keeps it in his mouth before this. could this be a reference to eric's sweet words that bound maelyn before he revealed himself? starling ties it somewhat loosely âso she could breatheâ yet that doesn't take away the fact that it's still there. it has a sort of your cage is not small, but that doesn't mean you're not locked in it kinda feel.
there's so much more i could say but i think ive alr said too muchđ i didnt even get to touch on the cuddle ending which was my favourite, or the symbolism of losing fingers, the significance of the numbers two, three and four to the story. I DIDN'T EVEN TALK MUCH ABT THE ARTđđ MERU SORRY I GOT DISTRACTED BUT THE ART WAS PHENOMENALâď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
maelyn is super pretty and i love how her and starling contrast each other in design so nicely. starling's expressions were stellar ++ the bgs and cgs were beautiful (you're right, if you didn't clarify it i would think you were behind the chest one haha). also the body horror aspect was really brought to life with the visuals and ik it definitely mustn't have been easy drawing all those organs, thank you for your service meruuuu
i'll shut up here before i write another 3k, but both you and sel did such a great job w/ this. the two of you deserve a nice break to rest so pls make sure to take things easy and take care of yourselves!! drink water and sleep when you can, and know that you've made a masterpieceâĽď¸
OH MY GOD THIS ASK IS MAKING ME GO FERAL
It's so well written??? You did such a good job picking up the details hidden behind their lines??? I fish you continued writing because I for sure did not want to finish it and please do send the other thoughts you had if you can, I love this so much
I'm sure @celerifleuri will too so I'll tag her
You already mentioned the spoilers at the start but I'll also note it down here for people who haven't played the game yet. I'm sure sel will do a much better job answering your story analyses but I'll also say you're completely right with most things you've said.
The story takes place in 1800s with dated gender roles we unfortunately can still relate to. Maelyn is a curious woman who wants to study and experiment, but is being held back by society and even people who she thought she could trust, but again Sel will do a better job explaining those.
I'll talk about the art a bit. One thing I really enjoyed that was kinda unintentional on my part was the use of night and day.
The story starts at night time, the first ever cg we get of Maelyn is her jumping down the cliff, with the moon's reflection on her left and the waves giving an illusion of wings as she looks up, in that very moment she is free.
On the other hand the first ever cg of Starling is day time. The sun is shining brightly from his left, almost blindingly, as he looks down. His hair covering the screen like spider webs.
To contrast these, it's night time in the wood ending. Just like the first cg of Maelyn, we can see the soft moonight shining upon them but not quite reaching Starling's face. Maelyn is alive.
Meanwhile in the bone ending, even though they are underwater we can tell it's day time, just like the first Starling cg. We get to see a glimpse of them through the seaweeds covering our view, the sunlight showering them gently. Starling is alive.
For the character designs too, a bit of a reverse but I'd say Maelyn resembles the sun, meanwhile Starling is like the moon.
They both share green eyes, although quite different shades. Maelyn has bright red hair that contrasts Starling's red tongue tail.
I also like that Maelyn's hair, albeit a bit loosely, is braided and kept tidy. Meanwhile Starling's hair is usually all over the place and quite messy.
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BM Lilith Aspecting Ascendant Culture:
*Just based on my experiences, only take what resonates
-Being labeled as a weirdo as a kid and being outcasted from most social groups
-Getting to know the other outcasts and caring for them
-Being seen as feisty and often being blamed for starting fights when you stand up for yourself
-Having authority figures dote on you, often taking too much interest in you and what youâll do
-Otherwise having beefs for seemingly the most petty reasons with other authority figures (which is crazy like why are grown folks fighting kids)
-Or being surprised that figures you looked up to seemed to have ulterior motives (especially conjuct, square, and opposition)
-Often you grow up being shamed to the point that you donât grow into yourself and become confident in your Lilith energy until youâre older (late high school, early college, post college even). this is especially true for hard aspects (conjunct, opposition, square)
-People assume youâre mean and find you intimidating and are surprised if youâre nice to them
-Sometimes your kindness can mistaken for weakness and people severely underestimate your power and all of the hardships youâve gone through in your life
-You may have gone through a period of downplaying your femininity/being a pick me before embracing your femininity/probably becoming a feminist
-You may be drawn towards alternative/unique styles that express a darker femininity
-You may be drawn to having an unnatural hair color (as I write this my hair is pink and orange so I get it)
-You may also identify as non-binary or femme instead of cis because of how much you donât identify with traditional femininity
-No matter what you wear, it looks s*xy. You could be covered from head to toe and it wouldnât make that much of a difference
-You may have gone through a period of wearing lots of layers to hide your body shape. Then embracing your curves by wearing more stylized outfits.
-People will often react as if youâre dressed scandalously for work or for different occasions even though the same outfit wouldnât catch negative attention for anyone else
-Very specific but you may struggle when dating other women/femmes to either close the distance between you or to not unlock some petty behavior with the person youâre dating
-Maybe going through a phase of dating around after you come into your attractiveness. Partially being surprised by the attention (especially if you date men/masc folks) and partially being shocked by how dudes react when you date them (getting possessive and controlling only a few dates in)
-No matter how many people you date you tend to get shamed by friends or family for dating around
-But taking a certain amount of pride in the attention youâre getting after your glow up (if square or opposition your Asc you probably go back and forth between pride and anxiety/disgust)
-Getting favors from total strangers but evil eyes from (some) family/close friends
-Having to be aware of mean girl behavior for the rest of your life (4th house for family/7th & 8th house for relationships/10th house workplaces/1st house every aspect of your life lowkey and the experiences will likely shape your personality)
-Often growing out of friendships because you realize some people donât actually like you but theyâre indulgent on some aspect of your energy (for example, seeing you as strong so they like to âhumble youâ and make you feel small)
-Being seen as a temptress or a damsel in need of saving but rarely being seen as yourself (treasure the people that do see you clearly and treat you well)
-Being seen as âirresistibleâ to certain extremes. Trines and Sextiles are more likely to embrace this and squares and oppositions are more likely to be wary of volatile behavior this attracts.
-Older men are nicest to you. Men who are in relationships often ogle you or avoid you most adamantly. And f*ck boys get into you but like just physically. (Guys who claim to not be f*ck boys also can get caught up in the same way)
-In positive romantic relationships you may still find yourself unlocking passion in unexpected ways from your partners (ex. They may be the quiet unassuming type but when you hook up a more intense side of them seems to come out of nowhere)
-Getting dudes that have been in your dms trying to hook up for years (goofy behavior lol)
-Getting shown off by someone your dating but less likely to be introduced to someoneâs inner circle as anything more than a friend
-Having guys that pursue you just to try to get you to change how you express yourself (how you dress, how you act, etc)
-Being the friend with all the stories of guys hitting on you in weird ways
-Having an interest in exploring s*xuality and bodily autonomy, but not matching the n*mphomaniac image projected onto you (more so for squares and oppositions)
-In general your s*xuality is a significant part of your personality either through embracing (trine, sextile) it or suppressing it (square, opposition) or by going back and forth between those extremes (conjunct, square, opposition)
#astro observations#astro notes#astroblr#astro community#lilith square ascendant#lilith astrology#lilith aspects#lilith#Lilith culture
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BEGGING you to speak on your dark content mai thoughts.....on my hands and knees fang
the only one for me | z. mai
⎠cw ; DARK CONTENT, afab + fem!reader, manipulation / BULLYING, dubcon (so much of it), it gets weird and sexual (of course.), alternate universe / not canon complaint, mai is INCREDIBLY possessive over reader sdkjs, humiliation, a lot of nobara conflict, mai calls nobara a bitch once, use of honorifics (senpai + san), 18+
⎠wc ; 2.3k (??)
⎠a/n ; i don't know....dont ask me fdjkkjsd. this is very like. i say this a lot but this is so much more bullying heavy than my other stuff and mai is a lot more selfish than my other characters lol.
the smut isn't super graphic! this is mostly psychological tomfoolery. reader is also peak pathetic here SDKJSJK
It's not an accident.
And it didn't happen overnight, though Mai is certainly wants to make you feel like that. It happened, or it started mostly because Mai notices the way interact with Nobara. And there's always competition there - the same current of tension that makes the two of them hate each other while never leaving the other alone.
It's not accident, the first time Mai decides to bother you. It's not an accident when she ruins your social life, not an accident when she clings to your side and makes you feel nauseous with how she refuses to leave you alone.
The world of Jujutsu Sorcery is small and archaic. Even with the death of the Zenin clan - and the slow, steady departure of clan politics, not much has changed. There are plenty of women in sorcery, and they're all interconnected like a web. A solidarity there that exists because it has too.
It's hard to survive without such a thing, and it's hard to work yourself into a network with such deep roots.
You stick out like a sore thumb among them.
A late bloomer, you began as a sorcerer after high school and joined Jujutsu Higher at the technical college level at 20. You're bright, she hears from the grapevine. You start working in the field only attending one mission, and Gojo Satoru declares you as a prodigy before the day is over.
She sees you, for the first time when she's forced to attend an even at the Tokyo school for all sorcerers. You're with Nobara. Unlike what she hears about, you don't have much of a presence.
The first time Mai catches you and Nobara alone - she finds herself surprised. Nobara's bullying is cruel but crude. Insulting but not particularly clever. The first time Mai catches the two of you alone, it's in alley with you on your knees - your face under Nobara's skirt as she demeans you with a heel between your legs.
Mai is mostly surprised. She didn't think Nobara had it in her, too much of a goody two-shoes.
But more than that, more than anything - she's interested in the look on your face when you pull away. You're quite the cry-baby, and you don't push Nobara even when Mai knows you're stronger than her by a lot. One of the greatest sorcerers to pop up in the last few years, and there you'd been.
Crying, weeping, pleading - in ruins about so many things.
How cute.
It's hard for things to catch Mai's interest. She thinks it's the little sister in her. She wants plenty but not enough to keep them. She finds people cute but never enough to date them.
But there was something about you - something about how timid and weak you acted when she knew you were strong, that made Mai curious. At first, it was just to piss Nobara off. Approaching you was a silly game she played her hand in to pass the time.
She liked seeing the crease in Nobara's features when Mai got your attention. She liked the way you looked uncomfortable when she was friendly, knowing her terrible intentions but still being polite. She liked that you used formal speech with all the higher-ups, and that you got along well with the boys of your age group but not so much the girls.
Mai likes, especially, that you are so socially outcast. You never seem to know how to be comfortable in conversations with all the girls. You try too hard, talk too rough but you can't raise your voice.
And her head is always replaying that same image of you on your knees, face soaked with cum and tears and so desperately hanging on. It plagues her a little, to watch you.
It's not an accident, the first time Mai asks to partner with you on a mission. The higher-ups owe her a lot and something this simple takes no effort on her part at all.
It's not an accident you take on a dangerous mission, it's not an accident when you get cornered, and it's certainly not an accident as Mai watches you take down a horde of curses all by yourself. You're a prodigy when you sweat. You're strong.
But you fold under the slightest pressure.
__
It's easy enough to isolate you.
You're too clever to fall for manipulation, and Mai doesn't enjoy lying to her peers. Cutting the threads that tie you to other things, things that aren't her - is enough to make it happen. She calls the shots to get you relocated, and slowly takes your social life apart when you enter. She tells Momo that you don't seem to like girls like her, tells Miwa something about the fact that you're cruel from what she's seen. They believe because they know Mai and don't know you.
The other women hear something along those same lines. It's all too easy.
She watches from a far after that. The seeds are spread, and you fumble trying to make friends. Mai waits until you're lonely. No one signs up with you for missions, no one seems to say hello in the halls.
Mai waits patiently. She catches you on a good day, when you're alone.
("I thought Nobara didn't like cigarettes," Mai leans next to you on the wall, supressing a smile at the way you startle. You nearly drop what you're smoking but it never ends up falling to the floor "She kept whining about it like a kid when her ex used to smoke."
"Mai-san," Your voice is hoarse, like you've been crying. She checks to see if your eyes are red, but it's too hard to tell "What are you doing up here?"
"I can't be friends with you? How harsh, senpai."
You look uncomfortable the familiarity. She knew you would. She's been watching you all this time.
"You shouldn't be picky," Mai tsks, sitting herself too close to you. She takes your cigarette and puts her lips on the end, lipgloss sticking to the paper. Your eyes grow wide, expression a little shocked. Is it the indirect kiss? How innocent of you "It's not like there's anyone else who wants to be around you, is there?"
You don't protest her words. Her timid upper classmen. If you had more of a spine, you would surely say that doesn't mean you want her around either.
You don't though. You just sigh, and pull the cigarette from her lips and put it out.
"Don't pick up bad habits."
Mai wants to tell you it's already much too late.)
Mai learns you have several interesting things about you. You're a crybaby, but you're strong. You're easy to bully, but you like to be helpful.
You're too friendly. You're always especially nice to girls and it seems you have no issue winning them over even on accident. Mai doesn't like that about you. It bothers her when you stray too far from her sight. When you have to return to Tokyo for work and she can only imagine what nonsense Nobara is putting through your thick skull.
She learns the easiest way to get you to listen is by using her feelings. No matter how much Mai troubles you or inconveniences you, you can never leave her to the snakes. No matter how much Mai pushes you against your boundaries, you'll never push her away.
You're too moral and too upright. Too good and too naive. And there is something about those things inside of you that make it hard for Mai to leave you alone.
She can't help but unload all of the cruelty that wells up inside her when she looks at the face you make when you're defeated. That pleading look you get when Mai pushes just a little too far - to helpless to your own sense of responsibility to ever scold her properly.
You make such a perfect target, it makes so hard for Mai to stay away. She always wants you next to her. Wants to tangle you inside of a web so intricate you never stop feeling like you'll lose balance. She wants to leave you in that sort of ruin, where the feeling of suspense drives you into madness and you can't do anything but lean.
It's a bad habit she's picked up. Putting you in uncomfortable, frustrating situations. Coercing you into touching her, into letting her feel you up. Her reasons are always the same.
If it's not you, then maybe I'll go and do it to someone else. Wouldn't that be bad, senpai?
__
"Mai-san," Your voice is cute when it's like this. It's in the middle of a dangerous situation and there's a curse lurking near by - but part of the fun is the danger. Mai sits between your legs with a grip, a hand on your cheek. "We shouldn't do this here. Th-theres curses. Y-you'll get hurt."
She laughs - she can hear the callous in it. Truthfully she's pissed. Whatever you get up too when Nobara is around you is more than enough to sour her mood. You come back to Kyoto with all of your clothes smelling of that sickly perfume - so it's only fair she makes you uncomfortable.
It's only fair that she keeps you here, trapped with her against the wall. That she suffocates and overwhelms your senses with her. Nobara is still too soft on you. But Mai owns you. She'd put a dog collar on you if it helped you understand, she worries you'll always be too thick.
"You were hanging around with that bitch weren't you," She tsks. You widen your eyes than look away, have the nerve to get flushed. The anger she feels is so visceral it nearly burns her alive "You look real happy about it too,"
"You shouldn't talk about Nobara-san like that," You gasp when Mai pushes her knee between your legs. Your head falls forward, and your heart is pumping. "She's a nice girl."
Haah.
She wraps her hand around your hair, tugging enough that you're forced to look up at her.
"You're saying that even after she bullied you like some kind of psycho. Do you have a fetish for it or something?"
You open your eyes and blink up at Mai.
"She's not like that," You gasp as Mai digs her knee further into your pelvis "I-it's harmless. She doesn't mean anything by it."
Her anger hits a high.
"So what, you wanna go play housewife with her? Do you like that annoyingâyou'll take anything won't you. So pathetic all by yourself that any attention will do."
"Mai,"
"It can't be anyone else but you. And I have to vent my anger somewhere, so get it through your thick fucking skull, alright? Nothing else will work."
You look at her like you've realized something, but you don't raise your voice to speak. Mai doesn't bother herself with what you could be thinking. It doesn't matter to her what it is anyway.
She busies herself instead with doing what she knows will soothe her mood. Unzipping the top of your jeans and undoing the button as a curse creaks behind you. You widen your eyes. Mai puts a hand over your mouth, electricity buzzing through each of her nerves.
"Quiet, senpai," She whispers to you softly as she pushes her hand into your jeans, fingers running over your slit. You're so predictably, soaking wet from just a little bullying. You're so easy to target it's no wonder. She pulls back just slightly to peer at the expression you have on your face. "It'll hear you."
Once those words hit you, you make that face that Mai adores so much. Tears well up and spill down your face in waves, warm breath tickling the palm of her hand as her fingers tease your clit. It doesn't take anything to make you cum, you're easy in all the ways it matters. Mai can always use that so she doesn't mind.
She knows all the ways to break you down slowly, knows how slow to go until your sniffles turn to soft sobs. Her beloved upperclassmen, pathetic and too forgiving. If you happen to leave her sight, she's sure something worse will happen to you.
Another girl will take advantage of you helplessly and that wouldn't be fair. She's the only one allowed to do it. She's the only one who will ever understand you so fully. Nobara can't do it like she can.
Only Mai is allowed to break you. She knows all the best ways to put you back together.
"You're so wet. Such a bad girl. How could you being doing this in the middle of a fight. Tsk, tsk," Mai reprimands you with delight, watching the way your eyes roll back as she toys with you. Your clit throbs under her touch - hot and sticky and desperate. "You better hurry up and cum so you can go fight. How else will you protect me, huh?"
"Mai-san," You gasp as she moves her hand from your mouth, body leaned against the wall - sweat dripping down your forehead "Mai-san, please."
"Say it," Mai taunts, grabbing your chin "That I'm the only one for you. Repeat it so you understand."
You give her a look but do as she says. So obedient she wants to praise you.
"You're the only one for me, Mai-san,"
You look at her when you say it. Even though she knows you don't mean it, she feels her heart thump and swallows the feeling before grinning.
"My dear senpai,"She hums, leaning into to tug your ear lobe between her teeth "Cum, okay? Cum as much as you want."
Mai tucks your head against her chest as you cum, pulsing around her fingers.
Yes, it was never an accident to begin with. And it's Mai's responsibility to keep wrapped up with her right where you're supposed to be.
#return to sender#mai zenin x reader#mai x reader#bullying cw#writing tag#dark content cw#yandere cw#dubcon cw#jjk x reader#jjk smut
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I've been thinking about the 2nd part to my 'Severen during your period' headcanons, aaand the gremlin man himself has taken possession of my mind and won't leave me alone until I write this. Will I succeed at purging Severen from my system? I don't think so.
Also, I know people normally post warnings and stuff, but Severen is his own warning imo.
Severen Van Sickle â NSFW headcanons
As a bi woman, I have the authoritas to say: yes, he´s a bi king. Big bi energy. Doesn´t actually care about what's what, if he likes it, he's gonna get it. Does it have a penis? Great. A vagina? Cute. Both? Fangggtastic. Count him in, darlin'.
That being said, he loves tits. Could spend hours biting, licking, sucking. Play with his too, he likes it and can cum just from that if you're good.
In the same line as Lestat during TVL, I do think in the past he would have found men to be more appealing than women, simply because he would have had more of a common ground with them, and would have found them more interesting. He would still have had sex with women and gone to brothels regularly. But a real emotional and sexual connection? It would have taken a really unusual lady to achieve that.
Which brings me to... Being from the Wild West, he most likely lost his virginity in a brothel, or at least with a prostitute. Unless you count those times when he was still on his early teens and he and another guy would play with each other, almost innocently, trying to see what's what and how it feels, but knowing very well they can't get caught.
He's got a nice dick, not massive but long and thick. Definitely knows how to use it. Has nice big balls too, loves it if you play with them, he himself will caress them if you're giving him head.
He's hairy, it's sexy, and he knows it. Doesn't wash himself much, he likes his natural smell, and likes to smell himself on his partners as a way of showing ownership. He prefers his partners soft and freshly shaved â may even shave you himself and then eat you out.
He knows what he's doing. He's a pro. Even before being turned, he was nothing but an hedonist, and pretty much lived to do risky shit, drink, gamble and fuck. He's easy to sleep with, but difficult to keep. He can fuck you so hard and good that you'll cry, both from pain and pleasure.
He has no shame. I can think of very few things he wouldn't do when it comes to sex, and even then he may try them once to see what it's like. Also he has like, 1000 kinks. I think if he likes you, everything has the potential of becoming a kink. Pretty feet? He's suddenly into feet.
Also really into dirty talking: if he's so crude on a regular basis, you can imagine the kind of filth that comes out of his mouth in the bedroom. Also LOUD.
BLOOD KINK. I don't think I need to explain. He loves to bite his partners, but this leads to them turning... so he is sure to kill all of them afterwards. The other ones have susprised him in more than one occasion naked and completely covered in blood after his last date got out of hand â again.
If he's turned you, this escalates to a whole new level. He's constantly biting you and drinking from you, even when you're not having sex. He loves it too much, and it makes him feel close to you. It's also a sign of ownership â no one else can bite you like he does. So, sadistic: pain is pleasure.
Also a masochist. If you drink from him, get ready for the most pornographic moan you've ever heard â he's gonna cum hard.
PERIOD KINK. Again, no comments needed, but how can he resist when he catches the sweet smell coming from your pussy? Smells like delicious Christmas dinner to him.
He's a dom through and through. He likes to chase, flirt and seduce, and once he's got you trapped between his body and the mattress (or in the nearest surface) he's gonna let you know who's calling the shots.
Saying this, he does have a very playful side, and you could easily seduce him into letting you do all sorts of naughty things to him. If it feels good and it's depraved, he's all for it.
He will be his asshole self and taint you, mock you and bully you through the entire thing though. It's part of his charm. If you manage to shut him up and make him a moaning mess, he would find it sooo hot.
Will fuck you everywhere and anywhere. If there's an itch to scratch, there's a way.
If you don't have a penis, he may let you use a strap on him. Plus points if he rides you making cowboy noises. You know he would make yeehaw noises during sex. C'mon. You ride him? Yee. He rides you? Haw. 100% would refer to himself as a bronco, and to his partner as a mare etc as if already seen in other fics.
He's very dominant, but I think he has the ability of being very silly during sex and still make it really fucking hot. He would make you laugh and two seconds later you're crying and screaming from how hard he's ruining you. The only time when he'll be completely serious is if he's hate-fucking you or marking territory. Also, spanking? Yes, please?
Why can I see him fucking with his sunglasses on?
Loves to eat you out: he eats pussy, dick and ass like a boss. It's not just how experienced he is, he genuinely likes it so much he's simply really good. The way he moves his mouth and tongue is absolutely sinful. 69? Say no more.
Adores it when you give him head. Easily his favourite thing alongside with drinking blood. He will let you get comfortable and then grab your head and face-fuck you. Will take his dick out and slap your face with it, then spit on you, calling you names and making you carry on. Please swallow his cum and kiss him, he loves to taste himself in your mouth.
Filthy. Loves cum swapping. Will make you squirt if you can, then cum inside you, then lick it all up as he eats you out, moaning like the sex crazed maniac that he is. Loves to cum all over you, and doesn't like it when you wipe it off.
A bit of a breeding kink, even if he's unable to get you pregnant. Loves to cum deep inside you and tell you how he's filling you up, how good your pussy or asshole is milking him, what a good girl/boy you are for him.
Won't. Leave you. Alone. Always trying to rile you up for another round. If he's not having sex, he's thinking about it most of the time (like that Buffy episode when she reads Xander's mind lol).
Unashamedly likes porn. He's mostly into dark BDSM material, the kind of thing that was hard to come across in the 80s. Still, if one day you're in a city with an adult cinema, he's dragging you in and you end up giving each other a handjob as you watch the film. He loves it if you're shy about it, he's gonna ruin that innocence.
Exhibitionist. He loves people to see him having sex. He's good and he's hot, he likes to put on a good show. He would also like to take pictures and make short films with you if you're up for it. He once took a video of his partner jerking him off from behind until he came all over his chest and balls, he genuinely thinks it's the hottest thing ever and would soooo post it online if he could.
I think he had a threesome with the pick-up truck ladies before killing them. So yeah, into threesomes and orgies, and will love giving orders to his partners and having them horny for him, answering to whatever he wants them to do. It's all about the power dynamics. Very territorial with his partner if he has one, though. Won't like anyone else to touch them.
But, nothing beats the blood. Vampires are of course sexual creatures, but Severen legit gets hard every single time he feeds.
Loves to watch you being aggressive and brutal. If he watches you feed, get ready because he's gonna show you just how much he's enjoyed the show.
Very touchy and cuddly. If there is an emotional connection, he will pull you to his chest and cuddle you as he smokes until you fall asleep. Can get very soft after sex, but ooonly if he has a partner. If that's not the case, it's feeding time.
He's basically terrible and so much fun. Would be the best sex in your life â if you survive, of course.
I need Holy Water after this. Was this too long? It probably was too long. Now I'm gonna go and cry myself to sleep because I can't have him in this life đ
#severen#near dark#severen van sickle#near dark 1987#bill paxton#severen x reader#severen van sickle x reader#severen headcanons#severen near dark#slashers#vampire
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đ¸ | Sakura Blossoms
Samuel Seo x FemReader
ââ˝ââââââââââââĽ
"It's that time of the year again, huh?" Samuel sighed as he kept on recieving countless of messages from his lover, (F/n).
She's been constantly reminding him the lasy few weeks about the sakura trees blooming once again.
It's been her dream to experience it.
"Either you answer your phone or I break ot for you," Gun said, getting irritated by the notifications.
"Alright! I'll answer it, jeez."
Once Samuel opened his phone, he was greeted by hundreds of hundreds of reminders from (F/n), all telling him to pick-up different things for a picnic.
All while sending him fun stuff they could do underneath the cherry blossom trees.
Samuel sighed at his partner's dedication for this.
It warms his heart to see her so excited and happy to this type of thing.
"If you may excuse me, I'll have to go and run some errands."
Samuel then left the building and went to his car to head to the mall, he went grocery shopping and went to pick out a few gifts for (F/n).
Once he got home, he was greeted by a happy lover who's wearing one of his hoodies.
"Sammy! Welcome back!" She greeted, her arms wrapped around Samuel's neck and her face nuzzled into his chest.
Samuel let out an amused chuckle and held his lover in his arms, "How was your day, princess?" Samuel asked, "My day's alright, I went out for a walk with Dexter and Diesel!"
Dexter and Diesel, a Husky and a Doberman, both bought by Samuel as a gift for (F/n) they were her dream dogs.
They were rescued pups from bad owners and ever since they were little, (F/n) had been taking care of the two pups.
"Where are they right now?" Samuel asked, "They're eating their dinner out the balcony."
(F/n) smiled and pecked Samuel and the cheek, she kept on kissing him over and over again while giggling, "What was that for?"
"Nothing, I just missed you!"
Samuel smirked and kissed (F/n)'s lips, he kept on kissing with passion and lust, he didn't want to stop, he couldn't.
(F/n)'s scent, touch, skin, lips, her everything drove him crazy.
He couldn't get enough of her.
Samuel isn't typically a lover boy, he isn't too interested in women, but women found him captivating, charming, handsome, he didn't care what women thought of him, they were all toys to him.
But that changed when he first met (F/n), an intelligent girl who was willing to sacrifice herself in order to achieve a goal, a goal that's not even hers.
Maybe that's why Samuel fell for her, the way she cared and put others before herself.
The first night (F/n) laid eyes on a bruised and bloodied Samuel, was the night he finally admitted to himself.
Her touch was so gentle and delicate, afraid to hurt the young man.
People like Gun saw Samuel as a beast, a killing machine, a bomb that's bound to explode at any moment.
(F/n) on the other hand, saw Samuel as a mistreated animal, an animal who was casted away, therefore it had to do everything it can to survive.
(F/n) saw Samuel as human, someone who grew up to fend for himself in order to keep living in the cruel and unfair world.
"Sammy~," (F/n) spoke, Samuel blinked a couple of times and shook his head, "You spaced out again."
Samuel chuckled and looked away, "Yeah... There's been a lof of things going on," he said.
(F/n) huffed and placed her hands on her hips, "Is it because of the workers? If they're making things tough for you, tell me!" She said.
Samuel smiled and patted her head, "It's fine princess, I'll be alright."
(F/n) hummed and puffed her cheeks, "Fine! But if I catch them mistreating you, I won't hesitate to end them."
Samuel let out an amuse laugh and kissed (F/n)'s forehead, "It's alright princess, you don't have to do anything."
(F/n) smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, "Let's eat dinner, I'm hungry."
"Sammy! Quick, come on!!" (F/n) tugged her boyfriend's arm, eager to head to a good spot in the park.
Samuel sighed and went along with his hyper lover, eventually, they found a quiet place far away from the crowd.
Samuel gently laid down a picnic blanket and (F/n) took out some sandwiches and neatly placed them on cute paper plates.
After nearly organising everything, (F/n)'s eyes wondered on the trees and how beautiful it all looked, her eyes shone as she watched mesmerized by the beauty of nature.
Samuel took a snap of this and made his new wallpaper.
The two lovers talked about the past, the present, and the future together.
They both ate their sandwiches and held each other in their arms, "(F/n)..." Samuel stuttered, his lips felt dry at that moment.
The young woman pulled away from him and turned to face him, "Yeah? What's up Sammy?" She asked, her smile sent butterflies in Samuel's stomach.
"I know it took a while for me to admit my feelings when we first met... But in the end, I was able to confess to you how I truly felt, regrettably it's because of a life and death situation..."
(F/n) tilted her head, her heart raced as she had a thought to where this was going.
"Right now... I want to tell you how I feel, without waiting, or making things long."
Samuel pulled out a box with a gold trim, his face was tinted with red, and the atmosphere felt tense.
Samuel opened the box to show the beautiful custom made ring.
ââ˝ââââââââââââââĽ
The young girl's eyes teared up as Samuel looked at her, "Miss (F/n) (L/n)... You've treated me like I'm the most powerful and respected king, you make me feel things that I don't understand."
He paused and smiled, "Will you make me the happiest man ever, and be my queen?"
(F/n) covered her mouth and sniffled, "Yes! Yes I will!" She nodded.
She then threw herself in Samuel's arms, her arms snaked around his neck, Samuel laughed and held (F/n) by the waist.
He then held her right hand and slipped in the ring, it was the perfect size, "Oh, Samuel..." (F/n) sobbed, she cried tears of joy as she smothered Samuel with kisses.
"I... I-I love you... (F/n)."
I Love You My Bbg Sam
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Dating Earl and Valentine would include~
(Not my gif)(Requested by anonymous)
- Earl and Valentine come as a pair so itâs no surprise that youâd wind up dating both of them; even if things donât start out that way.Â
- Chances are youâre not a blonde with big tits and legs that go all the way up, so, even though youâre most definitely a catch in your own right, itâs initially only Earl who actually notices and shows any interest in you. Valentine is too busy standing back and being disappointed, questioning his friendâs taste in women as he watches him lightheartedly flirt with you.Â
- He makes a comment about his buddyâs attraction to you once the two of them are alone together and Earl spends the rest of the car ride home lecturing him about his high standards and refusal to date anyone who doesnât fit his very specific list of requirements.Â
- Earl gets to know you and probably takes you out on a few dates before Valentine starts to actually pay attention to you: mainly because he has no other choice but to acknowledge your existence when youâre suddenly being included in a majority of their affairs.Â
- His attraction to you is a somewhat slow burn: seeing the way you act around Earl and considering the fact that he wouldnât mind a relationship like yours, looking at you when youâre all dressed up/distracted by a task and surprising himself by thinking that youâre actually really pretty, interacting with you more and finding out that he actually really likes your personality, etc. Â
- He keeps his distance most of the time and occasionally acts sort of stand offish, but itâs plain to see that he likes you; even if he doesnât want to admit it. And Earl takes notice of this, sending the two of you knowing looks that tell you heâs aware of what's going on but that he isnât particularly upset about it.Â
- The two of them are vaguely aware of how much they care for one another and that it may or may not be closer than your average handyman partnership, but nothing comes to fruition until you come into the picture and make them consider things that they normally wouldnât have to consider.Â
- Earl is the one to initiate things, but heâs fairly subtle about it: inviting Val to come along on your dates, telling him to spend time with you, saying things that are meant to make him think about his feelings towards you, etc.Â
- He probably has a conversation with you about your openness to the idea and subsequently brings it up to Val, letting him know that you like him and that heâs welcome to be a part of your relationship if he wants to and/or whenever heâs ready to.Â
- It throws Val for a loop and though he initially insists that he isnât interested; mainly because he doesnât want to admit that Earl is right, he does start to grow closer to you after getting the verbal go ahead. Heâll start showing you a lot more kindness, start doing you little favors and acting more friendly towards you. Heâs always acted a little shy with you but he starts getting a bit more bold: touching and spending more time with you, looking at you a lot more, etc.Â
- He doesnât do a lot of it in front of Earl, but thatâs sort of to be expected; especially in the beginning when heâs still trying to figure out how he feels about the entire situation. He doesnât need the old man making comments towards him or giving him his knowing glances whenever heâs being blatantly obvious about his growing feelings towards you. I think a part of him would also be a bit worried that Earl is making fun of him and merely joking around whenever he talks about sharing you or the feelings that you apparently have for him.Â
- Earl may or may not teasingly tell the younger man to go and âhelp her outâ whenever you head into the house alone. But regardless, Val does end up making some kind of move on you when the two of you are alone and thatâs how you finally end up securing both of your boys....
- Thereâs not a ton of pda in your relationship but itâs kind of unnecessary when the entire town already knows that the three of you are dating. Both of your boyfriends arenât ridiculously touchy individuals so they sort of keep to themselves, thinking it kind of unnecessary to be hanging all over you; especially when youâre in front of your neighbors who they may or may not be trying to keep your relationship a secret from. When they do give you affection, itâs the rough and tumble sorts of touches that are common with âmanly menâ like themselves.Â
- For instance, they give you a lot of little pats on the back or squeezes to your shoulder; silently asking how youâre doing or gesturing that you should all start to head out of âthereâ. Their actions show a level of familiarity or closeness, but if anyone outside of the residents of your small town were to see it, theyâd probably just assume that the three of you were caring acquaintances or close friends.
- Earl is generally a bit more touchy and affectionate than Val is. The younger man may talk a big game but he tends to get a bit shy whenever itâs time to actually âwalk the walkâ. Heâs a hardheaded and cocky youngster who occasionally cares a bit too much about his tough guy reputation or feels heâs backed himself into a corner because of it; especially in comparison to the old man whoâs willing to show you that he cares and be more sweet on you from the get go.Â
- The two of you exchange a lot of quick pecks; especially when youâre greeting each other or saying goodbye. Earl tends to kiss you himself or meet you halfway, while any kiss that you share with Valentine tends to be initiated by you; knowing that the younger man wonât make the first move unless heâs been working himself up to it or gets it in his head that he âhas toâ for one reason or another. Youâll usually kiss his cheek and watch as he tries to hide his shy smile or play it off like it doesnât affect him as much as it does.Â
- Kisses with Earl tend to be lighthearted and a bit on the shorter side. They range from sudden and giddy sorts of kisses; shared when heâs particularly happy or excited, to romantic and sweet kisses; shared after the two of you have been flirting back and forth and finally end up leaning in. His beard also adds a level of roughness; particularly in comparison to your other more baby-faced boyfriend.Â
- Kisses with Valentine tend to be longer and a lot more passionate. He usually waits to kiss you until heâs about ready to bust or is so wrought with emotion that he just canât help himself anymore. You can practically feel him buzzing against you with how eager he is: ravishing and clinging to you in a fiery and lasting way, one that leaves you feeling a little breathless whenever the two of you finally separate. It isnât often that he really kisses you, but when he does, he certainly makes it worth your while.Â
- The three of you kind of just sleep in a mess of limbs. Theyâre not really huge on cuddling; they sleep like logs and kind of just cluelessly conk out the minute their heads hit the pillows, but you usually squeeze in together and sleep on and around each other, sharing the same small bed that honestly wasn't made to fit three full-grown adults. If youâre just hanging around and not planning on napping, then theyâll throw an arm around you and cuddle you into their sides, letting you relax against them while you watch television or whatever bonfire theyâve set up in the yard.Â
- Thereâs a lot of affectionate name calling in your relationship but theyâll still call you terms of endearment whenever they feel like it. They call you âgirlâ a lot, but when they arenât addressing you simply by your gender, Earl will call you sweetheart or sweet pea and Valentine will call you sweet cheeks.Â
- Taking part in the cooking cycle. If they start to fight about whose turn it is to make breakfast, youâll usually just start to do it yourself, or surprise them with the fact that you already made it before the two of them even woke up. Once the three of you start dating, they might reason that itâs kind of your job to do all of the cooking, but donât take it to heart. Theyâre simple country folk who were raised on some strict gender roles, and one eyebrow raise and unamused look from you will send them straight into the kitchen themselves.Â
- Diner dates.Â
- Grabbing a soda and/or a snack at Changâs general store.Â
- Being gifted junk that theyâve found and think that you'll like; if youâre into that sort of thing.Â
- Watching tv and drinking a beer with them after a long day, or; if you have other hobbies youâd like to indulge in, parallel playing with them while they crack open a cold one and do their own thing. Catch them watching you with mild interest as you crochet a blanket or paint a picture, just zoning out as they watch you count your stitches or search for a different color, trying to understand how the hell youâre doing that.Â
- Occasionally joining them on some of their work outings or having your own little job that they visit you at. I feel like theyâd probably insist that they can fully support you themselves;Â wanting to bring home the bacon like the stereotypical men that they are, but theyâre also not gonna force you to become their stay at home wife if that's really not something youâre into. Just know that itâs an option and that theyâre willing to follow through whenever you feel like taking them up on their offer.Â
- Sitting between them in their truck or occasionally sitting on one of their laps. Sometimes you nap in the back of their truck or stargaze in the bed of it when the sun sets and youâre still out in the wilderness. They have a tendency to live out of their vehicle when they get too tired to drive all the way home, and since youâre probably out there with them, youâre forced to get used to it just as much as they are.Â
- The three of you are incredibly comfortable with each other, like thereâs no way that you couldnât be after going through all the things youâll undoubtedly end up going through during your relationship together. Rest assured that thereâs going to be moments where you are forced to get over your natural discomfort at the thought of seeming gross in front of your partners: whether thatâs bleeding through your pants on your period or needing to pee in front of them while in the middle of nowhere. Theyâre completely unphased and probably somewhat amused or empathetic, so itâs really just mind over matter.Â
âAre you done yet?!â
âWould you look away! I canât do it while youâre watching!!âÂ
- And Valentine is really just the epitome of boys will be boys. Donât be surprised when he does stereotypically gross âboyâ stuff: drinking straight from cartons, pissing off cliffs, adjusting himself in his jeans, etc. Earl is a bit more civilized and tries to get him to act right, but it certainly helps to lower your need to seem perfect in front of them and help the three of you grow closer in the long run.Â
- Earl apologizing for cursing in front of you and giving Val looks whenever he does; as if youâre some kind of saint who has never cussed in her entire life and will faint at the sound of it. Generally, anyone who cusses in front of him will garner some kind of disappointed reaction; even you.
- Getting fatherly advice and reprimands from Earl. He nags the two of you quite often, but itâs done out of love so you usually just laugh it off and/or assure him that youâll do whatever heâs asking you to. Itâs usually pretty easy to get him to soften up whenever you manage to tick him off; especially if itâs you whoâs managed to get in trouble, just kiss up to him and heâll melt, even if he tries to act like heâs still a bit upset.Â
- Both you and Earl look to Valentine whenever thereâs a job that needs to be done, and though he usually gives you a look or complains, heâll still follow through with it.Â
- If you have any kind of special education; or even if youâre simply mildly intelligent, theyâll both ask you questions as if youâd undoubtedly know the answers to them. You could have majored in literature and theyâd still ask you scientific questions, as though simply going to college would allow you to possess the answers of the universe. Valentine, I donât know if mixing those two cleaning chemicals will blow up the house. I studied photography.Â
- The both of them looking to you for final confirmation before actually going through with something. For all of their preconceived gender roles, theyâre more submissive to you then theyâd like to admit; both because they think youâre really smart and because you secretly have them by the balls.Â
- Them asking you where their belongings are: pants, boots, keys, cigarettes, lighters, etc. Youâre probably the only one who ever knows exactly where theyâve left things. Although, if you tend to be forgetful yourself, you all probably act like three peas in a pod: one person has the keys, another has the cigarettes, and the last one has the lighter, etc.Â
- Valentine gives you his jacket to use as a blanket; and would do so even before the three of you started dating. He used to love to pretend like he didnât like you, but heâd always be taking care of you in one way or another, even when it wasnât even really necessary.Â
- Messing with each other is commonplace in your relationship; at least for Valentine it is. Youâll either stand back and watch as he shoots you a wink and pranks Earl, or join in and get an earful about how the younger man is a bad influence on you. Although, he isnât complaining when youâre helping him get back at the blonde later in the day.
- Calming them down and holding them back whenever need be. The both of them have pretty fiery tempers so you try to mediate whenever thereâs an issue, whether between the two of them or some outside force.Â
âIâm gonna kick his ass.â
 âIâm gonna help.âÂ
- Melvin flirting with and making indecent comments towards you. The two of them genuinely almost throw hands with the 13 year old at least once a week.Â
- Valentine tends to be a bit more jealous than Earl is, but whenever the mood strikes; like when an outsider rolls into town and starts trying to flirt with you, they both join forces and make it obvious that youâre off limits. Theyâll deny that they were jealous after the fact, and pretend like they didnât do anything after intimidating the other person, but itâs pretty obvious that theyâre lying whenever they laugh off your accusations. Valentine will usually blow their cover by letting some kind of âdid you prefer having him hang all over you?â comment slip whenever you press them on the subject any further.Â
- Valentine also tends to be a bit more outwardly protective: mainly because heâs young, dumb, and selfless. He reacts faster than he thinks sometimes; like when he punched the graboid with his bare hand, so Earl usually has to hold him back whenever he thinks starting trouble is unnecessary. Regardless, they both back you up whenever they feel someoneâs giving you a hard time and patch you up whenever you get hurt, apologizing for not being there to help you out or for hurting you in the process of dealing with your wounds. Earl tends to be protective in a more caring and understated way: like refusing to let you walk home alone or serve a shift at the dinner when itâs dark outside, etc.Â
- They have a habit of being too busy arguing to really listen to you, so sometimes you just have to sit back and let them hash it out whenever a fight between them arises. They might try to get you to back one of them up, but itâs best not to do so unless itâs completely necessary, since theyâll likely be a bit upset with you if you happen to choose the other persons side over their own.
- Valentine is a little more hardheaded and hot tempered than Earl is, so if youâre going to argue with one of them, itâs probably going to be with him. The only thing is that he struggles to make amends due to his stubbornness, so even when he knows heâs in the wrong, heâll probably hesitate to approach you and apologize, unsure of how to bring up the subject and what to say.Â
- Earl will always apologize whenever heâs in the wrong; albeit a bit shyly, but if you want to make up with Valentine, itâs best to approach him first when you stop being mad and let him feel as though youâve calmed down enough to hear him out. Itâs easier for him to say sorry when he feels like you arenât gonna snap at him for saying the wrong thing: so at the end of the day, heâll hang back and offer a little âsorry for ...you know, everything.â whenever you find yourselves alone.Â
- They both struggle to outwardly tell you they love you, feeling like a bunch of pansies whenever they say it, but they do enjoy hearing it coming from you, and seeing the smile on your face whenever they say it back. They tend to mumble it a little; as though someone will pop out with a camera and laugh them out of town, but Earl grows more comfortable with it over time: leaving only Valentine to really struggle with his inability to appear too soft in front of anyone; including you and your other boyfriend.Â
- The three of you honestly live in the perfect place to be a poly couple: no ones bothering you or prying into your relationship, no ones passing judgement or starting trouble. You just get to live out the rest of your days as ambiguous roommates who may or may not have been seen kissing each other every now and again.Â
#tremors imagine#tremors headcanons#tremors imagines#tremors headcanon#poly imagines#poly headcanons#valentine mckee imagine#valentine mckee imagines#valentine mckee headcanons#valentine mckee headcanon#earl bassett imagines#earl bassett headcanons#earl bassett imagine#earl bassett headcanon#90s movie imagines#90s movie imagine#90s movie headcanons#90s movie headcanon
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Hinata Hyuga Slander and why it is obnoxiously idiotic.
I actually thought the Hinata Slander was a joke or one or two people sided with it. But I am totally taken aback to realize that itâs actually realâand a little popularâitâs real?
Prepare for a run down through Naruto Series kids, because some few fellas clearly did not watch it properly. Either that, orrrâŚtheyâre filled with unreasonable hatred for a character who should be the last to be hated. By literally anybody.
Iâm going to try to keep this short (Iâm lying), but there are going to be topics on Hinata Iâm going to go over so itâs not a messy bunch and rather organized and you can skip to which ever you find most relevant.
Before anything, a remark, I never overly cared for Hinataâs existence and she isnât even in my top 15 Naruto characters but that does not mean I dislike her nor do I look down at her character. Now imagine a person like me going out of their way to take time and write an entire blog for herâyeah, itâs that ridiculous.
There will be that one personâand Iâm saying this beforehandâwho will barely skim through this and childishly reply to my blog. Catch me caring though!
All of the topics will include manga based evidence as well as a breakdown of the scene and what they portray, therefore, canon reasonings. There are plenty of other and more evidence out there, I will only provide some and main ones that back up claims. Here are topics I will be going over:
Hinata Hyuga as an anime character/character writing
Personality
Goals & Dedications
Skills & Strength
Incessant Love for Naruto Uzumaki
#1 Character Writing
While many people believe that Kishimoto is terrible at writing female characters, Iâd like to disagree. Females like Temari, Konan, Ino, and Karin all pass the main checkmarks of being an exceptionally âgoodâ character; a solid background/past, special abilities, and set personality. What I do agree with though is that he does not know how to put them to use, and it is obvious why. These females were not the only ones tossed asideâso were good characters like Lee, Neji, Jiraiya, and so on, all because of the authorâs obsession with the Uchiha as well as Sasukeâs story.
Hinata is included in the âgoodâ character checklist, and rather exceeds. The difference between her and the rest of the women is that she is the best representation of an individualistic woman and had incredible character development.
â How did we go from a girl so easily shaken and brought down with mere words
â To the girl who had the guts to charge against an Akatsuki member,
â And seeked frontlines during the war?
It may look like itâs only for the sake of Naruto, but itâs not entirely the reason, only partial. Everybody was set on saving Naruto anyway, instead of fighting the war themselves because they knew Naruto was their key to winning.
Hinataâs introduction may have started with her admiration for Naruto Uzumaki, and it did play a big part, but her entire existence never just revolved around romance. She had way more to her. Hinataâs character itself promotes women empowerment despite her not being the main female protagonist.
Through her writing, we learn that women donât need to not seek love in order to be independent and a powerful female with goals and dedications that have nothing to do with romance. Hinata is a perfect example of this.
As a side-side character, Hinata excels in character writing, and is interesting enough to keep the audience invested in her existence. The next few manga pages and break-downs will explain it well.
#2 Personality
Her personality did not revolve around her undying love for Naruto only. She was her own person, too.
â While shy and timid, Hinata is also a pure and kind hearted soul, as we do not know any character she actually has bad blood with, making her somebody easy to be around with. Sheâs very gentle, making the atmosphere around her almost tranquil.
â Her conflict with Neji was very one-sided, and despite his harsh treatments, she still used honorifics and respected him.
â Yes, she might be a soft human being, but not to the point she is unable to pick out flaws in other people.
She seems more warmed up in Shippuden than she was in Classic, and itâs fair to say that ever since Chunin exams, she had gained confidence with the help of Narutoâs cheering. Confidence in herself and her skills. (Panels above may help)
Something to keep in mind is that Neji was known to be more cold, arrogant, and stronger than Sasuke during this time, by Kakashiâs words.
â Yet Hinata did not back away even after being told to, multiple times I believe, even by Kiba himself.
â This was the beginning of her journey of trying to be more assertive about herself, as she believes she could keep on going without chickening out.
â And she didn't back away when someone from the Hyuga Clan told her to do so--she was persistent.
Hinata was never meant to be somebody with great leadership skills; she has always been a follower, almost, who takes a lot of inspiration from people she looks up to. The obvious person, Naruto, and Neji were mentioned.
#3 Goals & Dedications
Her goal had never been only to be a wife and a lover to Naruto. It was one of her goals, the hope to get Naruto to acknowledge her, which he did several times. But that was not it, there was more.
Hinata did not seem so close with her family, so she had no certain goals regarding the Hyuga Clan. She was almost avoiding them and was deemed to be a shinobi, which she probably preferred, participated, and found likeness to, rather than the next heir to the Hyuga Clan, simply because her father did not believe her feather-like personality was fit for it, nor did Hinata seem too interested to lead a clan with such twisted rules and laws.
Despite her father's harsh, degrading words (and Neji's), she did not let it effect her because she continued to get stronger later on.
Hinata always wanted to be self-assured, and wanted to be as confident as Naruto always has been. She wanted to be of use, somehow. Refer to #2, second last image.
â Here, too, we see her admitting that she never believed in herself, until she did.
"I stared liking myself a little more..." shows she had very little fondness for herself.
Hinata wanted to change herself for a very long time. She did not ever want to stay the way she used to be--scared.
Another admittance,
But then...
All of these images show that Hinata had something she was thriving for, something she was dedicated to achieve that was not just romance. So, props to Hinata (and Tenten, but that's another story) for actually having a goal/objective.
#4 Skills & Strength
All powers Hinata has been shown to use/possess:
Byakugan (Kekkei Genkai)
Gentle Fist (Specific Taijutsu)
The Eight Trigrams (Air Palm, Palm Rotation, 64-Palms)
The Gentle Step; Twin Lion Fist
The Eight Trigram; Twin Lions Surging Shots (Utilizes Hagoromo's Chakra)
Hamura Otsutsuki's Chakra
And some others I mightâve missed
I'm not going to make this section breaking down each ability, but I'm going to use this information to factually prove that Hinata has more amounts of known and used abilities than probably all female characters, as well as like 90% of overall Naruto characters or something. And she's definitely stronger than a lot of characters, logically, despite her not having been in fights very often.
During younger years, Hinata Hyuga was put against Neji Hyugaâonce again, claimed to be possibly stronger than Sasuke at that timeâand Hinata was actually able to put up with Neji. For a bit, or a while, it doesn't matter. For a young, scared girl who has never been in a fight before to be able to do so speaks for her skills.
Inexperienced against the nearly strongest genin, one filled with hatred, among her generation, Hinata exceeded enough.
â In Shippuden, we even get a scene where she protects Neji!
There's a very few people Hinata actually canonically fought, but when she did, she did plenty well for being a side-side character.
â...And that same side-side character, Hinata Hyuga, was the only kunoichi in the entire show to actually land a hit on Pain, during Pain Arc. The inevitable praise.
Here comes the cries of, âbut she was flung LOLâ âhinata didnât achieve shit from thisâ âhe threw her like she was nothingâ
Frankly, those are most ignorant things you can say regarding her actions. To stand up against an Akatsuki member? That takes a lot of balls, considering that nobody was standing up for Naruto, and practically gave up, giving into Painâs near-victory.
The entire point was not even to defeat Painâit was to defend Naruto. And in doing so, she stalled for a bit, preventing him from immediately killing Naruto. In that amount of time, the few who remained couldâve backed her up, they couldâve offered some sense of rescue, but because of twist of fate, and the expected, Hinata was unable to keep Pain off of Naruto. It brought her to near-death, triggering Naruto Uzumakiâs 9-Tail-Fox.
Hinata was the fiercest woman. She wasnât stupid, she accepted she was weaker and couldn't win before she even got onto the battle field. But she tried.
The scene was never about physical strength to begin with; it was her strong mindset and dedication. She was aware of the consequences and still stepped in, demonstrating her everlasting commitment for Naruto. This entirely proves that she not only had great self-development, she had the audacity to stand against the strongest Akatsuki member (excluding Obito), who killed a Legendary Sannin.
#5 Incessant Love for Naruto Uzumaki
In the entirety of Naruto Anime existence (excluding Boruto), only one of its movies have been considered canon, that being Naruto: The Last.
While I hoped it would show us Naruto promoting to Hokage, all of it was focused on Hinata and Naruto's relationship, and we found out a lot through it. Like, a lot.
There are very few couple/characters in Naruto that actually have past together/some story and strong reasoning to start liking their love interest. Such characters being Kushina, Karin, Konan (the K's lol), and of course, Hinata.
There are filler episodes that go before The Last, but I wouldn't count them (even if they add on to the actual story), but in The Last, we figure out that Hinata and Naruto first met when he protected her from getting bullied due to her Byakugan, and he gets beaten up for it.
"Never go back on my word" was one of Naruto's internal rules that he stuck by and it made up his entire personality, almost. Hinata really seemed to respect it and use it for herself.
She tend to turn his imperfections into motivations,
Those feelings seem to get more bold in Shippuden and more confronting. So much so she did not hesitate to put her life on the line for the boy. Not "just because." Hinata gave a list of unavoidable reasonings, that we were able to point out, too.
And vice-versa, she did make a difference in Naruto's life pre-marriage. She gave him courage, motivation, and a reason to keep going. Refer to the fourth image in this section, too.
Then, our closure, he finally realized that Hinata has been there for him since the beginning of the times (also in The Last).
ââŚbutâŚbutâŚ! Hinata is a stalker! She was always watching Naruto! Sheâs so creepy!â
Okay, but her canonically shown watching Naruto was like, twice in 700 episodes⌠â
And...honestly...it's not really...that...deep...lol? Old Japanese humor. And don't act like girls nowadays don't stalk the shit out of the boy they like--let's get real here. Just get over it. It's an exaggerated cartoon.
People have different views when it comes to love. But one thing I heavily disagree with are weak or false reasonings to fall in love with somebody. Youâll screw yourself over. Seeing a guy walk through the door and finding him physically attractive should not be your reason to âfall in loveâ and keeping that reason forever; youâre falling in love with his body, not him. It could be the start of your interest. Taking your time to get to know what kind of individual they are, and then accepting their personality, and falling in love with that person is guaranteed success. Reasons are important.
And Hinata understood that well, unlike someone who didnât (Iâm throwing shade!)
(A very quick addition and counter-argument I might get is that Hinata was the cause of Neji's death. I didn't want to put this into an entire section because it'll involve mentioning Neji's own character. But to be frank, Neji chose to protect Hinata and died that way. And I idiotically love Neji far more than Hinata. You don't need somebody's permission to protect them, nor did Neji do it just because he was the lower branch of the Hyuga Clan. Neji and Hinataâs relationship was beyond that. Way beyond. Reread the manga, or even rewatch the anime, and listen and figure out why he did what he did. It had nothing to do with Hinata being a higher rank than him, at least not entirely at all.)
__________________________________________
I was going to add another section titled, "Comparison", but because of image restrictions and as well as the thought that this blog is only about Hinata, I scratched it out.
I don't even praise Hinata. She isn't my favorite Naruto female, either. Personally, for me, she just existed as a character. But I'd be damned if I threw any dirt on her for any reason.
If anything, I believe Hinata Hyuga's character is underappreciated in the way she should be appreciated. She's not just some...loyal, attractive girl (hell, Kishimoto never canonically even drew her with tight/exposing clothing, they were always baggy. So, screw the anime studio.) She was a figure of a powerful woman, better written than any other female in Naruto, and a strong individual, with more story than several, several other characters.
So when I heard "Hinata Slander" was a real thing, truly, I was baffled. I'll admit my blog was quite messy despite my effort to keep it organized with main claims and obvious evidence, but there are still multiple more panels that back up everything I've mentioned that make up Hinata's character.
After all this, I really don't think there's anything that can be said against her in the context (and lie) of "she is a horrible character." And there aren't a lot of characters she can fairly be compared to, anyway. She's just awesome.
As a person, and a side-side anime character, Hinata Hyuga undeniably exceeded.
"Hinata Slander" is fake. Find something better to do than embarrassing yourself.
#anime#naruto#hinata#hinata hyuga#pro hinata hyuga#neji hyuga#neji#naruto shippuden#itachi uchiha#sasuke uchiha#sasuke#itachi#anti hinata slander#anti hinata hyuga slander#anti sakura#anti sakura fandom#naruhina#hinanaru#naruto x hinata#hinata x naruto#hinata hyuga character breakdown#hinata hyuga is a good character#hyuga hinata#naruto uzumaki#uzumaki naruto#anti sasusaku#anti narusaku#anti narusasu#anti sasunaru#anti sakusasu
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I often wonder what was that one particular thing, ingredient X, if you may, that made Harry succumb to Meghan in June 2016?
I understand that he had psychological trauma from his mums death, from his dad's bourgeois parenting style, from the very fact that he was Windsor male for that matter. I also agree that he is quite simple minded, so now in hind sight we can say he is increasingly motivated by resentment towards his perfect brother, his own greed and need for adulation etc. But back in 2016, he was on a good path. Settling into his job. Enjoying the perks of his popularity. And it's safe to assume that both William and Harry, were used to the fact that women threw themselves at them both. So they also had some sense to know that not everyone had good intentions.
It's also been speculated that Harry did meet Meghan a year before in 2015, at Soho Istanbul (according to many bloggers). And may even have met her in 2014 at Miami (according to Shauna, Vintage Reads). So he had enjoyed her company and still evaded her clothes then.
And not just her, he probably had come into contact with many wannabes who he hooked up with and managed to shake off.
So why 2016? When everything seemed to be going so well for him? His family circle was fairly well grounded. He had an independent profile of his own royal work. He had a good team and loyal, competent staff. He had a great, extensive friend circle. He could have anything and anyone he wanted. He seemed nice, engaged with people, showed empathy and some commonsense when out and about. So I am so perplexed as to how and why, that "blind date" at Soho in May/June/July/whenever led to his spectacular downfall.
I know this isn't really the blog or the platform where we can psychoanalyse Harry correctly and succinctly. But it's just a question that I'm fascinated by. In 3 years, he lost every single thing he had - his family, his relationships, his work, his friends, his honour, his glory, his legacy, his prospects at any royal relevance. How were mental defences so down, so ineffective, how was he so walled-in into his trauma that he had no chance at being saved? It sure couldn't be as simple as greed for more money or a Hollywood lifestyle?
And let's be honest, Meghan isn't that great a catch where someone like him would just lay down everything at her feet and be like "here queen, feed on my guts, eat my flesh raw". Urghhh
I'm so confused and so perplexed.
All of Harry's friends and cousins were getting married and settling down in 2015/2016. That's a lot of peer pressure and expectations on him, even if it wasn't overt and directly applied.
And when everyone around you is coupling up, settling down, getting married, and having babies, that can give you beer goggles because now you're rushing through relationships to catch up with them. We've all seen it happen in our own friend groups, I'm sure. I've got a few friends who were so bothered by being in their 30s without partners and families while the rest of their friends are planning weddings and having babies that they marry the first guy who shows interest. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't.
That seems to be what happened to Harry. Everyone was settling down. He was feeling left out. So he met someone that suited his needs, said "to hell with the rest" and married her ASAP.
And also this: "He could have anything and anyone he wanted." isn't true. He wasn't getting the girls he wanted. He wanted someone like Kate - pretty, British, media-trained, from a good family, and well-off - and all those girls were staying far, far away from him. They knew what he was really like behind closed doors; needy, paranoid, cheap (he once made Cressida buy her own plane ticket for a trip he had invited her on), and heavily partying. The 'anyone he wanted' that Harry was going after wasn't into that.
Also, anon - if you haven't already, you might want to give Tom Bower's Revenge a read. Specifically Chapter 13, "A Troubled Prince," has a little bit of psychoanlysis of Harry that you might enjoy.
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Announcing my new fic: Heaven's Gate
Heaven's Gate is a long oneshot starring Daryl Dixon and a gender neutral reader character, featuring angst, hurt and comfort, and some fluff.
NOW POSTED!!!!!
In this fic, you and Daryl get separated when the prison is attacked by the Governor, and though you both believe the other person is dead, you two end up finding each other at the most unexpected time. This fic is about hope, the human connection, and how love is about more than romance - it's about how people take pieces of each other and grow with them, never truly able to forget each other.
This fic is going to be a longer oneshot that is currently about 15k long - and will likely be longer by the time it has gone through editing. It is 80% of the way done in my drafts (not including editing), and I hope to have it posted by April 30th - which is a tentative date that may change. If you want to know for certain when the fic is posted, you can follow me here and turn on notifcations or you can subscribe to me on AO3 to get an email notification when the fic is posted. I am really excited to share this fic with all of you đ.
Below is a short preview of the fic - so if you wanna get a better sense for the upcoming fic you can read it. If you enjoy this preview and you're excited for what the fic holds, please let me know!
Also an important note: with my gender neutral reader fics, I don't use any references to gender whatsoever (this is not a 'GN afab' fic). And in this fic in particular, I didn't use any pronouns (other than you/yours) or gendered terms for the reader - and at points where the terms they/them were used, I made it purposefully vague so that the dialogue could be referring to the whole group as 'they' or just the reader. I want my gender neutral fics to be enjoyed by everyone - cis women, cis men, gender non conforming people, trans people - every kind of fanfiction reader.
I am making this post for two major reasons - one, I want to generate as much excitement for oneshots as there is for series. Especially for oneshots that are longer than 10k because those take a lot of time and effort. If a series is like a TV show, then long oneshots are like a feature film. And two - nobody seems to read my pinned post where I announce new upcoming fics anyway, so I might as well make posts like these so that people can know what to expect from me. And hopefully you guys will get excited about my upcoming fics this way. And when I tag these posts with the relevant tags, people interested in those topics can follow me to anticipate the fic if they want to read it.
Heaven's Gate (Daryl Dixon x GN!Reader) - Preview
Preview Word Count: 1,800
Warnings: no pronouns used for the reader other than you/yours; there are major plot spoilers for The Walking Dead if you are watching the show for the first time - spoilers for Season 2 all the way up through Season 5; typical warnings for TWD - mentions of death, emotional despair; all of these themes and emotions are expanded upon in the full fic.
...
âDaryl!âÂ
You called out his name as you jogged up toward the stables, and he stopped in his tracks, waiting for you to catch up with him.Â
âDaryl, hey.â You greeted him with a small smile. âRick told me youâd be up here.âÂ
He grunted in reply. âYeah. âm gonna take a horse out. Make better ground tâ look for the girl.âÂ
Your stomach clenched at him mentioning her.Â
The group was supposed to be headed out towards Fort Bennet - supposed to be finding refuge at the hopefully safe military base. Instead, you were all setting up camp at the very reluctant Hershel Greeneâs farm, not straying too far from where you had lost one of your own in the hopes of finding her.Â
But that was why you had come to talk to Daryl in the first place.Â
Sophia had become like a sister to you in the few short months that you had known her, and though it was unlikely, you were hopeful that she was alive - that she would be found. And you did believe that Daryl would be the one to find her.Â
âHowâs the trail?â You asked. âDo you think you know which way she headed? You - you can be honest with me.âÂ
You hesitated on the last part. But you did want his honesty more than anything. And you knew that he was never one to sugar-coat things. Even if you hadnât told him that, he would have given you the truth anyway.Â
âTrailâs a little muddy.â He said, doling out that honesty. ââm gon follow the river. Itâs her biggest landmark out there, so sheâll probably be somewhere around it.âÂ
You smiled at him. And then, you remembered -Â
âI brought you something.â You noted, reaching for the back pocket of your jeans.Â
Daryl watched with quiet curiosity as you pulled out a piece of paper - when you showed it to him, he quickly realized that it was a half-used set of stickers.Â
âThese are some of the stickers that I got for Sophia,â You explained. âMy mom always used to tell me that cardinals are good luck.âÂ
You peeled off a sticker of a bright red bird - as much of a nature man as he was, Daryl was never one for bird watching. He didnât care about identifying certain species of birds unless he could shoot and eat them. But he quickly reasoned that this must be the cardinal that you spoke of.Â
âGive me your bow.â You said, shoving the rest of the sticker sheet into your back pocket again and holding out your hand expectantly.Â
âI donât need no luck.â He replied, voice full of snark.Â
âJust give it.â You replied - equally snarky, equally stubborn.Â
Daryl sighed and tugged his bowâs strap over his head, presenting it to you. You placed the sticker on the bowâs handle, in one of the places where it wasnât as worn down from him holding it.Â
âThere,â You said, giving it back to him with a smile. âNow youâre all set.âÂ
It was more for you than it was for him - a token of good faith and protection. The idea that you could do something to bring Sophia home when you felt so powerless.Â
Daryl let out a harsh sound - somewhere between a laugh and a sarcastic snort as he walked away. âThanks.âÂ
âYouâre welcome,â You replied brightly, edging on sarcastic once again.Â
âŚÂ
When the prison was attacked, Daryl got out with Beth.Â
He almost couldnât stand her bright eyes, big eyes staring at him, waiting for answers - her chirpy little voice, prodding at him, demanding that they âfollow the trailâ and go look for everyone else. Telling him that he was a tracker, that he could find them. As if it was his damn responsibility just because he had the skills to get it done.Â
It was all too reminiscent of you, telling him that he could find Sophia. That it wasnât an âifâ - it was a âwhenâ.Â
Perhaps that was what got him off his ass and doing what he did best - reading the dirt.Â
âWhatâre you doinâ?â He asked, staring at the girl curiously as she went to one of the bushes and rushed to pick berries from branches. Had she not gotten enough to eat that morning?Â
âTheyâll be hungry when we find them.â Beth told him confidently.Â
Of course. That undefeatable streak of optimism.Â
Daryl knew that blueberries werenât your favorite - but he should have something to give you. He would be too busy tracking the footprints to properly hunt for squirrels or rabbits and clean them for you. So, he found himself pulling a large bandana from his back pocket and offering it to Beth - something to hold the berries in to keep them safe as an offering for you.Â
âHere.â He grunted at her.Â
Beth smiled at him.Â
It was one of the last smiles she gave him for a long time.Â
When they came across those bodies splayed out beside the tracks - any sense of hope was crushed inside of him. The picture you had gifted him was heavy inside his breast pocket, and he hated that tears threatened his eyes - even if he knew that none of those bodies belonged to you. There was no trace of you there.Â
The days started to blur into each other, and Daryl couldnât get you off his mind.Â
One hazy evening, as they both stared into the fire with dead looks on their faces, he took the drawing out of his pocket and unfolded it.Â
For good luck.Â
He didnât believe in luck - because it didnât exist. The world was fucked. Nobody was lucky. You and your good luck were dead.Â
He tossed the drawing into the fire, and it was only a moment, when the corner of it had barely caught, when Beth snatched it out. She stomped on it with her boot, successfully saving it.Â
âDonât do that.â She hissed at him.Â
Daryl snatched it from her, and crumbled it up, tossing it aside. He let out a grunt, but refused to look at her.Â
âThat was from Y/N, wasnât it?â She posed.Â
He could feel her imposing stare as she waited for an answer.Â
He didnât give her one.Â
âYou canât burn them just because you think theyâre dead.â Beth sighed. âYou canât burn up memories. Weâre gonna find them. Y/N, and Maggie, and Michonne, and - and everyone.âÂ
Daryl scoffed. âYeah. Cause thatâs gonâ happen.âÂ
Beth rolled her eyes, but didnât speak any further on the subject.Â
After she had fallen asleep - when the fire was dull, Daryl picked up the crumbled ball and smoothed it out again. The charred corner hadnât even touched your bird. He felt like a fool doing it, just as much of a fool as he accused you of being, but he folded it neatly - well, as neatly as he could - and then put it back into his breast pocket again.Â
But that was the thing - Daryl wished that he could. He wished he could burn up those memories.Â
That you would stop haunting him. Then he wouldnât have to feel like this anymore.
âŚÂ
âCan I see it again?â Beth asked, suddenly changing the subject.Â
Again, this was a confusing little whip for Daryl - something that clearly only made sense to Beth in her own drunken mind.Â
âSee what?â Daryl replied.Â
âThe picture.â Beth answered. âThe one you tried to burn.âÂ
Daryl felt a pinch of guilt surge over him at the thought. Oddly enough, this was the one time he would be willing to admit that Beth was right - you canât burn up memories.Â
âIt was Y/N, wasnât it? That drew it.â Beth added on, her words slurring slightly - she lifted the mason jar of booze to her lips again and Daryl was tempted to snatch it away from her.Â
Instead, he found his hand drifting to his breast pocket and reaching to take the picture out. He presented it to Beth, who put down her drink to unfold it - she stared at the picture fondly under the brightness of the moonlight, tracing a finger over the slightly faded details.Â
âYou know⌠my daddy used to tell me that a cardinal is like an angel.â Beth said, recognizing the bird from her fatherâs teachings on the farm. âSomeone - someone you loved who passed away, watching over you from heaven.âÂ
âY/N said they was good luck.â Daryl replied.Â
Beth shrugged. âSame thing.âÂ
It was this thought that kept Daryl going for a long time. The idea that even if you were dead, you were watching over him somehow. He sure as hell didnât believe that someone like Merle would be an angel - but you, you definitely were. And even if it was a waste of your eternal life, you would be determined to watch over Daryl - to make sure that he was safe, well-guided.Â
You would make sure that he was lucky.Â
That thought alone carried him through the long journey to D.C.Â
It was something that lingered in his mind as the group hunkered down in a random barn - as he spotted something carved into one of the wooden beams holding the place up. Even though it wasnât colored, he could have sworn that the long tail and pointed head of the silhouette indicated that the carving was meant to be cardinal. Of course.Â
Who knows who had stayed in the barn before them - if it had been left there by a weary traveler, or even put there by someone who had used the barn before the turn. But Daryl could have sworn that you - your ghost, your angelic hand - had led him to this very spot.Â
It was a thought that gave him strength as he held the doors up - helped to keep them from caving in while the storm raged outside.Â
Your luck, and your damn bird - you would keep him safe.Â
When they reached Alexandria, and they were forced to give up their weapons - Daryl spotted your bird perched on the fence. Bright red, with its pointy head cocked sideways at him. All too knowing, staring at him like it wanted to say something. Just like it had been when he had fallen off the cliff out in the woods when he had been looking for Sophia.Â
Oddly enough, it made him feel safe giving up his crossbow - perching it on top of the fully loaded cart of weapons before the awkward, bespeckled woman wheeled it away.Â
Rick was still weary of this new place after Terminus, and Daryl understood. He followed Rickâs lead. Especially because he couldnât tell Rick that he had a good feeling about this place because he saw a damn bird.Â
But even if it was just in spirit, he felt you there. He knew that it was the home you had chosen for them.
#sundrop speaks#sundrop writes#daryl dixon x reader#daryl dixon fanfiction#daryl dixon#daryl dixon x gn reader#twd daryl#daryl x reader#daryl x y/n#daryl x you#daryl dixon x you#daryl dixon x y/n#the walking dead#twd#the walking dead fanfiction#twd x reader#twd x you#twd x y/n
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Bearded Eddie: @eddiemunsons-missingnipple
Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader
â
Invitation â
My Masterlist
Summary: After nine years of living separate lives and carrying the weight of unresolved emotions, destiny intervenes when you and Eddie unexpectedly cross paths at your high school reunion.
Author's Note: I've been working on this since February and I'm so proud of how it turned out.
1994 AU with no Upside Down. No use of Y/N. Established past relationship. Reader & Eddie are roughly 28 yrs old. POVs are first told separately, refer to the time stamps! Reader is depicted as introverted but it's a minor detail.
Word count: 11.4k
Warnings: MDNI 18+! Substance consumption, mentions of sex, includes swearing.
Youâre not sure why you came here tonight, itâs not like high school was particularly memorable for you. Be that as it may, youâve been feeling homesick lately and you needed an excuse to be in Hawkins. What better way to satiate a craving for nostalgia than to attend the class of 1984âs ten-year reunion?
As you stride through the double doors and enter the gymnasium, youâre taken aback by how dated it looks. Even though the light fixtures and basketball hoops have been replaced, it looks just as it had when you were here last. Judging by the meticulously buffed floor, itâs evident that the basketball team continues to receive the majority of funding.
The glossy court is dotted with circular folding tables that are draped with forest-green plastic runners. Each table has a bundle of balloons that are secured by gold foil weights. The decorations are fairly tacky but you expected nothing less. On the far end of the gym, the makeshift dance floor in front of the DJ booth lacks participation.
At the welcome table, you use the provided Sharpie to sign a sticky name tag. You blow on the wet ink to expedite the drying time because the last thing that you need is a jet-black stain on your favorite top. It feels silly to be wearing a name tag at a reunion but the harsh reality is that the majority of your graduating class doesnât know your name; very few bothered to learn it in the first place.
While scanning the sparse crowd, your eyes land on a petite woman who is waving you over. You catch up with Mary, your junior-year lab partner. She introduces you to her husband but you swiftly lose interest in the interaction because theyâre droning on about how difficult itâs been to get their son into a good preschool.
You hadnât anticipated feeling this drained from a single conversation. You politely excuse yourself from the mind-numbing chat and scour the room for an available seat. The one that you choose has three people seated on the opposite side and they eye you while you pull out a chair. They look vaguely familiar so you flash them a polite grin. They resume their discussion without further acknowledgment of your company.
In front of you lies a pamphlet with âGo Tigers!â printed across the front in large block letters. Thumbing through the pages, you glance at the various pictures of high-achieving students who have since created prosperous careers for themselves. You look closely at the photos and then search for the individuals in the room, seeking to compare their old appearances to their present ones. It occurs to you how much beauty and fashion trends have changed in the past decade.
Most of the women here have abandoned their Aqua Net and mousse-finished perms. There are multiple pixie cuts, but what stands out the most are the emulations of the choppy and layered âRachel haircutâ from that new show Friends that your pals force you to watch with them.
You push air through your nose when you get a load of the self-appointed queen bee of your class. Sheâs wearing a gown that is unquestionably inspired by Princess Dianaâs revenge dress. She looks ridiculous compared to the sea of casual attire surrounding her. It doesnât surprise you though, she came from money and she likely married rich too. If anything, it would be out of character for her to be wearing jeans.
The bookletâs various snapshots make you wonder who achieved their goals or started families. Who peaked in high school and hasn't found any purpose in life? Whoâs been arrested or fired from their jobs? As you reach the last page, youâre caught off guard by a large hand being placed on your shoulder. It makes you jump in your seat but when you turn to see who it is, the tension is alleviated from your body.
Scott Daley beams at you with his remarkably pearly whites. The five years of braces paid off and heâs obviously gotten professional whitening done. âIs that who I think it is?â He withdraws his hand from your shoulder and takes a half step back.
Youâre enlivened as you get to your feet. âNo way!â The hug is brief but not awkward. âHow have you been?â
His blonde feathered brows arch gleefully at your reaction. âNot too bad,â Scott motions to the seat beside yours. âMay I?â
âYeah, of course!â After returning to your seat, you take notice of his gel-slicked waves and the ironed Polo shirt that clings to his broad shoulders.
Scott angles himself to face you and shamelessly checks you out. âYou look phenomenal, truly.â
Warmth spreads across your body because youâre not used to men being so forward with you. Although, this isnât a stranger. Scott moved into your neighborhood when you were eleven. Your mothers became close friends so naturally you wound up being the best of friends. You didnât sit next to anyone else on the school bus or at lunch; you were practically attached at the hip.
Scott wasnât always this handsome. When you met him, he was nerdy and excelled academically. He may have been scrawny but his competitiveness made up for his shortcomings. He was motivated by receiving awards like trophies and plaques. Scott Daley had his eye on the prize, which was attaining a perfect report card and being elected as class president. He had an insatiable hunger for success and that was something you found fascinating.
After you became freshman at Hawkins High, you grew apart. You didnât have any classes together due to Scott being in advanced courses. As one would expect, you fell into different social groups. Rather, he joined the tennis team and buddied up with the jocks while you faded into the background and kept a low profile. There weren't any hard feelings because you naturally grew apart.
You listen attentively while Scott fills you in on his experiences. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Notre Dame. This isnât shocking in the slightest, itâs a very prestigious school and he certainly has the brains to thrive in such a setting. He mentions having invested in a starter company that took off and now he gives entrepreneurial seminars around Indiana. Scott also mentions that heâs divorced with no kids.
Itâs a relief to hear that the relationship with his high school sweetheart didnât work out because youâre in the same boat, minus getting married and divorced. Youâre glad that youâre not the only one here whoâs companionless. Itâs embarrassing to attend get-togethers like these as a single person but youâre feeling less insecure now that you know Scott has already had a failed marriage by the age of 28.
When he begins to gab about the parasailing classes heâs been taking, you gradually zone out. You donât mean to but you canât listen to the rambling any longer. Even though youâre visibly on another planet, Scott obliviously continues with how great his life has been. You immediately regret glancing away.
Your lungs are packed to the brim with fine sand and your throat fills like the stem of an hourglass. You didnât anticipate seeing him.
Eddie looks older, even from a distance. The deeply set lines under his eyes make him look tired but the dark scruff brings an enticing liveliness to his fair complexion. His boyish charm is long gone but heâs a sight for sore eyes nonetheless. Eddieâs charcoal dress shirt is undone four buttons from the neck, revealing the band tee heâs wearing underneath it. An eyebrow and nose piercing is a tricky look to pull off but it suits him. The array of black tattoos that adorn his veiny forearms is on display from his lazily rolled-up sleeves.
His left arm is slung around the shoulders of a dark-haired woman while he converses with two other people. When Eddie flashes his signature smile, your heart is carved from its rightful place in your chest. Youâve tried so hard to forget how much you missed being the reason he beams; back then, he only smiled like that for you. Up until now, you were fully convinced that youâd gotten over him. Yet, being merely fifteen feet away from Eddie causes bitterness to unearth. The resentment was buried but it never decomposed.
The woman canât possibly be his wife because you vividly recall that Eddie didnât subscribe to the concept of marriage. Itâs not that he thought there was anything wrong with it per se. In the midst of one of his innumerable non-conformist rants, Eddie expressed that neither a ring nor ceremony is necessary to prove your devotion to someone. He made a good point because signing a certificate doesnât lower the chances of a devastating breakup. Scott can certainly speak to that.
It wasnât a big deal to you and if anything, you were indifferent toward his take on the topic. You agreed that vowing fidelity doesnât have to be lavish and elaborate. But there was a small part of you that imagined a special day where you get to feel like a princess. The desire wasnât all-consuming and by no means something that you strived for. Even so, it stung to know that wasnât what your future with Eddie was going to look like. All in all, he wasnât the marriage type and you accepted that.
A pair of binoculars would be awfully useful to check this ladyâs finger for a ring, just to be sure. Youâre struggling to put a name to the face. Her hair color is modern but her crunchy roller-curled bangs are a blast from the past. Thatâs the detail that yields the recollection of her identity.
Karie West. You had classes together but you never saw her and Eddie exchange so much as a glance. She was at the bottom of the upper-crust crowd because her family has run the local hardware store for generations. Not exactly brag-worthy but it made her somebody. Eddie and Karie are an odd pairing but maybe his preferences changed. To be fair, sheâs pretty and you donât recall having an issue with her back in the day. She wasnât anything to write home about but she was nice enough. The real question is, did he raise his standards or did she lower hers?
Is Eddie sweet to her like he was to you? Do they talk about the future like you and Eddie did? He used to insist that youâd join Corroded Coffin on the road when they inevitably made it big. Over the years, you kept an eye on the tabloids at the supermarket to see if his band made their way onto the front covers.
Initially, you arranged to start your lives together after graduation but the plan was squashed. You walked the stage to get your diploma but Eddie didnât. You stayed in Hawkins for another year and worked odd jobs while you waited for him to finish school. You sacrificed your personal goals to support him but Eddie didnât graduate in 1985 either.
When it came down to it, you couldnât bear to continue setting your aspirations aside when Eddie showed no initiative to pursue his diploma. In due course, a letter came in the mail informing you that youâd been awarded a full-ride scholarship to the university of your dreams.Â
You and Eddie talked about a community college that was three towns over but that wasnât what you wanted. You knew you wouldnât reach your full potential if you went that route. There were a lot of things that you wanted for your future and Eddie was one of them. At the time, you assumed that he would be ecstatic to hear the news regarding the incredible opportunity youâd been presented with.
It was a toasty summer evening. and like most days, you were lounging around and basking in the adoration you had for one another. His heavy-lidded mocha eyes studied your face while you snorted at his jokes. On your twin-size bed, Eddie was laying on his back with you nestled comfortably under his arm. He was sharing the ideas that he had for his next tattoo. You drew the concepts he described onto the velvety skin of his forearm with your fingertip. Eddieâs eyes fluttered closed as your featherlight touch painted your interpretations in his mind. At some point, you excused yourself to use the bathroom. Upon your return over a minute later, your heart stopped when you saw the cream-colored paper in his grip. âAre you shitting me?â he boomed with a piercing glare. âYouâre fucking leaving?â âHold on, let me explain-â You stepped forward to capture his free hand but he yanked it away before contact could be made. âI donât see anything that needs explaining.â Eddieâs eyes had never looked more ablaze. âThis school is hundreds of miles away. What happened to our plan?â His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched as he boomed. âGod, all you ever do is think about yourself. What about me, youâre just gonna leave me here?â Your red-rimmed eyes conveyed the harm done by the biting tone of his voice. âWhy would you say something like that?â The blood in your veins began to boil and your face became feverish. âYou donât need to get so upset. Weâre gonna make it work, weâll talk on the phone every day and youâll come to visit me during the holidays.â Eddie scoffed and crossed his arms with no regard for the letter being crumpled under his bicep. âYouâve convinced yourself itâll be that easy, huh? Youâve lost your mind if you think being this far apart will be a piece of cake.â âI need to take this scholarship,â your eyes welled and your voice began to break. The defensiveness withered away with each word that you spoke. âThis is a huge opportunity for me.â âI had no clue that you wanted to get outta here so damn bad.â Eddieâs voice dropped to a growl. âYou werenât even gonna tell me, were you?â You bunched the bottom of your shirt into your fist and squeezed so hard that your knuckle cracked. âI was going to but I was afraid of you reacting like this.â Eddieâs frown deepened. âYâknow what? Iâll make this easy for you then.â He crushed the letter into a ball and dropped it at your feet. âSince youâre doing whatâs best for you, Iâm gonna do whatâs best for us.â Eddie stepped around you and stopped in the doorway. âWeâre through. So uh- good luck with everything.â
In 103 seconds, the years youâd spent together were thrown to the wayside. You couldnât wrap your head around how easily he threw in the towel at the mere proposal of attempting long distance. Apparently, you werenât worth the trouble.
From thereon out, every waking moment was nothing short of hollow. For a week following the event, you stayed near the phone; but when it rang, it wasnât him. You half-expected Eddie to show up with a teddy bear or a bouquet but he didnât. Despite not being the one who ended things, the guilt picked at you like a vulture until your bones were clean. You didnât mean for him to feel like you were putting your career before him.
Leaving the house was a rare occurrence given that you rarely got out of bed. Taking care of yourself wasnât a priority. You were either eating too much or too little and the same went for your sleep pattern. Everything was in excess or deficit with no in-between. There were so many tear-soaked tissues on the floor around your bed that it looked like a gathering of white doves surrounding your place of blubbering. It was ironic, really. Doves are often seen as a symbol of tranquility and you felt anything but at peace.
Before then, you thought it was clichĂŠ when heartbreak was described as losing a part of yourself but you finally understood. Beneath the layers of blankets, you were splayed out as though your mattress was a sidewalk and youâd just plunged from the top floor of a skyscraper. Miraculously, you were alive but the impact left you broken in every way possible.
There were a few times that you picked up the receiver but you stopped yourself before dialing his number. Consequently, no contact was made for the two months leading up to your departure. In the fall of 1986, you left Hawkins and didnât look back.
Being each other's first love, you and Eddie shared an irreplaceable bond. He was your reference point when it came to matters of the heart. In a world full of options and roads to take, you couldâve been anything but you wanted to be his again.
It took a while but you got back in the saddle. The mediocre dates outnumbered the satisfactory ones. You had a handful of boyfriends but none of the relationships got serious enough for you to meet their folks. You struggled to fully invest yourself even when they were the perfect gentleman who cared about you. They were nice but they werenât Eddie.
You knew that youâd be okay someday. It took two years for the ball and chain to rust through entirely. While the ache may resurface from time to time, it has dwindled to a dull throbbing. Whenever the pain begins to swell, you remind yourself of how much youâve achieved on your own. Hell, brushing off the hurt has gotten you this far.
Seeing Eddie canoodle Karie is driving you to question if you ever healed at all. Perhaps you merely fooled yourself into believing that you moved on. By the looks of it, Eddie is fulfilled being with her. Youâre curious about what he remembers. Does he know your birthday or the color of your eyes? Has he forgotten the nickname that he called you so frequently that it made your real name sound unfitting?
With a subtle shake of your head, you concentrate on Scott, determined to divert your thoughts away from Eddie. As Scott continues his story of riding Vespas in Italy, you nod and grin, doing your best to feign interest and play it off as though you have been fully engaged this whole time. Itâs difficult to fight the urge to sneak another glance at Eddie.
Despite your best efforts, your eyes betray you. They dart back in his direction. His curls, once a beloved characteristic, look soft and shiny. The chocolate coils cascade around his features like the delicate branches of a willow tree. Your mind conjures images of him carefully tending to them with care.
Eddie looks down at Karie and says something to her. In response, she kisses the hand of his thatâs dangling off of her shoulder. Eddie and Karie's interaction, their seemingly effortless interaction, twists your guts like a saturated towel being wrung out until itâs bone dry. You wish sheâd rip the look of contentment off of his face.
The overwhelming urge to avoid any potential encounter with Eddie intensifies. You donât know what youâd say to him. As the pain of seeing Eddie persists, you use Scott as a lifeline to anchor yourself in the present. His animated gestures and stories offer an escape from the thoughts that threaten to consume you. He's going on about how your moms are still good friends and they started a book club together. As Scott mentions their current choice of reading materialâa steamy romance novelâyou can't help but feel a flicker of amusement at the wiggle of his eyebrows.
After your laughter dies down, Scott continues to ramble. His incessant words enter one ear and exit the other without leaving a trace. Heâs like a chattering teeth toy thatâs been wound up too tightly. You're acutely aware of Eddieâs proximity and itâs like an invisible weight on your chest. The mere thought of him conjures emotions you've been desperately trying to keep at bay. It's a delicate balance between acknowledging his existence and avoiding the sorrow that accompanies it.
The intro of "Heat of the Moment" fills the air, sending a jolt through your body. The song paints the picture of a time when it was your anthem, the soundtrack to your relationship with Eddie. But now it feels like a cruel twist of fate to hear it playing. As the thumping beat reverberates through the speakers and the lyrics echo around the room, it becomes harder to maintain your composure. You canât remember the last time you heard it but it surely hadnât hurt this much. In great need of space to collect yourself, you place your hand on top of Scottâs. The touch halts his self-absorbed rambling. âWould you excuse me for a moment?â
Sensing your distress, he looks at you with concern and his self-centered demeanor fades. âSure thing,â Scott nods before sparking up a conversation with the trio seated across from him.
You weave around clusters of people until you find yourself in a less populated area. The sound of chatter and laughter recede into the background as you approach a short table adorned with generic-looking tiger decorations that are undoubtedly meant for childrenâs parties. The three-tier stand has been picked over but there are a few remaining cupcakes that have Hâs messily piped in orange frosting on top. Across the backside of the table is a tri-fold presentation board with photos taken by the yearbook staff stapled to it. Yet again, you look at the faces of people who didnât give your existence much thought. While you look closely at the images, you donât realize that youâre humming along to the song.
The two asshats conversing with Karie are as uninterested in Eddie as he is in them. Rather than actively engaging in the dialogue, he adopts a passive approach by making occasional sounds that mimic agreement. Heâs trying to make this experience as painless as possible.
Heâs in attendance against his will but heâd rather be here than to have Karie on his case about her feeling humiliated for attending by her lonesome. Unlike her, Eddie doesn't place a great deal of importance on his reputation or what others think of him. It's one aspect of his character that remains unchanged.
Eddie observes the lively scene unfolding before him. He watches as people mingle and sip generic brand punch from disposable cups. His line of sight sweeps the seating arrangements and he does a double take. It feels like an arrow spears his chest and his heart is the bullseye. âApple,â He breathes out with his mouth narrowly agape. Apple of my eye.
As Eddie looks you over, he takes note of how your appearance looks effortful and your jewelry pairs perfectly with your outfit. The subtle differences that time has brought make him yearn to acquaint himself with them. The dark circles below your eyes defy the light layer of makeup thatâs been applied to conceal them. Your hair, styled in a way that accentuates your features, beckons his fingers to play with it.
He marvels at you, his eyes tracing the contours of your form. Eddie knew that you wouldnât look the same if he saw you again but your mature beauty is throwing him for a loop nevertheless.
Youâre talking to someone. He looks familiar but Eddie isnât sure who he is. Sam? Brett? Who the hell cares, whatâs for certain is that this dude is a hunk. His shirt is immaculate, devoid of any wrinkles. His facial hair is precisely trimmed to create a sharp edge along his jaw. Eddie's hand instinctively glides over his scruff and he regrets not touching it up while getting ready.
Judging by the way youâre engaging with him, itâs plain to see that this guy is your boyfriend or maybe even your husband. But since when are you into the athletic type? Obviously, the man is mindful of the food he eats and has a consistent workout routine.
Eddie looks down at his bicep, which rests behind Karie's head, and a wave of insecurity washes over him. He convinces himself that he is not toned enough to meet your preferences. You used to love the slight pudge of his belly but you probably wouldnât find his physique attractive anymore. Ever the hypocrite, Eddie grits his teeth when your hand grasps the manâs forearm. Your laugh cuts through the noise and sends a pang through Eddieâs core.
He feels selfish for wanting the meathead to kick you to the curb and leave you so heartbroken that you come crawling back to him. Eddie could save the day and treat you well like he always intended. Is this guy keeping you comfortable and ensuring that your needs are met? Does he spoil you with gifts and shower you with affection?
He hates that he hasnât seen or made you smile like that in so long. He tried to forget how much he missed the little things. He canât remember the way your perfume smelled but he reminisces about the way it used to fill him with light. It was invigorating to smell, touch, and taste you. You had a way of flooding Eddieâs senses that was borderline addicting. You were oxygen to him and you breathed him back to life when he felt deflated. Throughout the years, Eddie had been holding his breath as he navigated life without you. Finally, seeing you as beautiful as ever, he feels like he can breathe again.
He wonders how youâve changed. Above all, he hopes that your infectious laugh, with its distinctive snort that he adored, hasnât gone away. Heâs itching to walk over but Eddie finds himself restrained by Karie. He feels a sense of restlessness from how badly he wants to engage with you.
Karie looks up at him and asks a question but he doesnât comprehend what she says. Eddie clears his throat, âYeah, thatâs true.â He throws in a light chuckle and that sells it. She kisses the top of his hand and he feigns a grin at her affectionate gesture. The sensation of her lips pursed against his hand makes his skin crawl more than it usually does. Eddie imagines that theyâre your lips instead. He knows that her gesture is for show. Sheâs not remotely this lovey-dovey behind closed doors. Karie is portraying the image of a stable relationship for people who could give a shit about her love life.
Eddie believes that you left Hawkins because you didnât have faith in his third try at graduating. You left because he wasnât good enough of a reason to stay. The argument you had flipped on the defense mechanism switch in his brain. It was a means of self-preservation and he protected himself in the only way he knew how. While this impulsive act may have prevented you from initiating the breakup somewhere along the line, it didn't diminish the pain of losing you.
When he got back to his trailer shortly after the fight, Eddie tore his bedroom apart to frantically collect any item that had anything to do with you. Within the jumbled mess of hair accessories and mismatching socks were the tangible reminders of your shared attachmentâa skull ring you had given him on his previous birthday, folded notes, and Polaroids that were once lovingly taped to his mirror.
Eddie couldnât bring himself to throw any of it away because it all meant so much to him. He simply couldn't bear to have any reminders of you lingering around. The keepsakes were dumped into a wilted shoebox and stuffed in the far back corner of the hallway closet. By stashing it away, Eddie was shielding himself from the sharp sting of abandonment that he feared would accompany their presence. He hoped that by removing the mementos, he could somehow free himself from the emotional burden that they carried.
Eddie may not have fit the mold of a traditional Prince Charming, but he regarded you as his princess in the imperfect fairytale that you lived in. Truthfully, he was flawed and so was the relationship. Some arguments started over trivial matters such as Eddie chewing with his mouth open after you asked him to stop countless times. There were instances that you reminded him politely but sometimes you were less than patient.
Thatâs one of your flaws that drove Eddie up the wall. It seemed that no matter what he did, there was a sense of dissatisfaction or criticism. Be that as it may, he accepted that it was part of the exchange. You hated shit that he did and he felt the same way toward your bad habits. No romance is without its trials and tribulations. The various points of conflict proved that love is not smooth sailing at all times. It requires effort, compromise, and understanding from both parties.
Occasionally, you would go to sleep mad at each other. When that was the case, Eddie insisted on saying âI love youâ and exchanging a goodnight kiss. It didnât matter if it was brief, on the cheek, or over the phone. He made certain that you never went to bed without a manifestation of his devotion. These acts of reassurance served as a testament to Eddie's refusal to let negative emotions overshadow the deep affection he held for you. Eddie ensured that you didn't spend the night in your respective bedrooms drowning in tears or overthinking every word that had been said in the heat of the moment. The first and only time he broke that commitment was the day he discovered the acceptance letter.
Despite not handling the situation well, Eddie wasnât usually immature. He always listened intently when you spoke to him. He nodded and maintained eye contact to make certain that you knew he heard and supported you. One thing Eddie had to learn how to do was to stop giving unsolicited advice. It was a habit that stemmed from his discomfort with unresolved problems. It was challenging for him to refrain from trying to find solutions when handling a situation that seemed potentially fixable. However, Eddie gained awareness of his shortcoming when he realized that you stopped confiding in him about the girls who teased you in PE.
It was a love of such great intensity that many adults struggle to comprehend, let alone handle it if they are fortunate enough to find it.
After the season transitioned from crisp to bitter, Eddie went looking for a new way to keep himself warm. You were the only partner heâd had and he wouldâve been content rolling around with you for the rest of his days. But you gave up on him, so he did whatever he had to in order to keep the loneliness away. To the best of his ability, Eddie avoided the memory of you by sidetracking himself with pretty faces. Engulfed in a string of one-night stands, he found himself desperately chasing the elusive feeling he experienced with you.
No rebound was going to help Eddie get over you. He realized that if he was going to live without you, heâd be miserable at best. Engaging in casual encounters did little to alleviate the emptiness within him. Instead, it merely provided a temporary surge of dopamine. This fleeting pleasure offered a brief distraction until he moved on to the next woman and endured yet another night without you.
Your lips left a watermark that couldnât be washed away with time. Your touch was delicate as if you were scared he would shatter in your palms; but it wasnât your touch that could break him, it was the loss of it. Eddie has been nothing short of broken since. You hold the key to the vulnerable part of his being. Behind a heart-shaped padlock lies his compassionate, goofy, and gentle side. A side that has remained locked away since you left.
Fortunately, Eddie earned his diploma on his third try after shedding blood, sweat, and tears. Regardless of his initial determination to leave Hawkins following graduation, Eddie didnât take the leap. He realized that if he left, you would have no way of finding him. Despite the painful way things ended between you, he made a sacrifice, forfeiting the opportunity for a brighter future in the hopes that you might reappear in his life someday.
Sleeping around became tiresome so he reluctantly agreed to go on a blind date with Karie. It would be a stretch to say that he actively chose to continue seeing her. Following their dinner together, Karie became an unabating presence in his life, akin to a persistent house fly buzzing in his ear. She frequently called him, making her pursuit of him abundantly clear. Eddie found himself lacking the motivation to address and shut down her behavior, indifferent to the situation that unfolded.
At first, he was confused by her persistence because what would someone like her want to do with someone like him? She had run through all of the eligible bachelors in Hawkins, only to drive them away with her insufferable behavior, leaving Eddie as her last option. Theyâve been on and off for so long that itâs merely routine at this point. He has no desire to try his luck dating other women. No matter how unhappy she makes him, itâs better than being alone. With Karie, the good times are okay at best. She has a tendency to instigate senseless arguments, seemingly for the sheer thrill of drama.
On top of that, the sex isnât mind-blowing by any means, which hardly makes it worth it. For Eddie, itâs emotionless and strictly physical relief. He couldnât get invested if he tried because of how controlling she is, inside and outside of the bedroom. When theyâre in the car together he doesnât get to tune the radio to the station that he likes. She dictates his plans and makes sure every moment of his free time is spent with her.
Eddie chose mistreatment over being lonely and longing for the girl he pushed away. Karie is a welcome distraction, albeit a toxic one, from what he really wants. Even if he could only be your pen pal or someone you get coffee with while you visit on occasion, heâd take the chance in a heartbeat. Heâs bruised from years worth of kicking himself for letting you go.
Part of Eddie knew that you were unlikely to return to Hawkins, but he couldn't help but hold onto a glimmer of hope. Each year, he would check the phone book and search for any sign of you. It was wishful thinking but he couldnât let go. On occasion, Eddie asked around town in the hopes of gathering any tidbits concerning your whereabouts or how you were doing. His inquiries yielded no substantial leads or insights that could provide a glimpse into your life.
Eddie wonders how much time passed before you moved on. He can't help but hope that you touched yourself to the thought of him, that you cried into your pillow pretending it was his chest instead. He hopes that hearing your song kept the memories from eroding.
The absence of your light cast a shadow over Eddie's days, leaving him immersed in a perpetual state of darkness. He found himself trapped in a world of thunder and gray skies, where the vibrant colors of life had faded to muted shades. At night, as he lay in bed, Eddie's thoughts would inevitably drift back to the way it felt to hold you in his arms.
It shouldnât have been goodbye, it certainly didnât have to be. The discovery of the letter hit Eddie like a punch to the gut. It was a farewell, one that would unfold gradually. He was confronted with the painful truth that people inevitably walk out of his life. It was an inevitable pattern, one he had encountered time and again. Friends had drifted away, relationships had crumbled, and now it seemed you that you too, were going to outgrow him.
As the years went by, Eddie thanked himself for holding onto the shoebox of keepsakes; it was all that he had left to cherish. You were god knows where doing god knows what. The only place Eddie could find you was in his dreams and in that box. The selfishness didnât falter as the regret heightened. He crossed his fingers for your plans to go up in flames, for you to flunk your classes so that you would have no choice but to move back home. If by chance you did return, he intended to do everything in his power to show you how sorry he was.
Eddie zoned out while a cyclone of feelings tore up his ability to stay present with Karie under his arm. Heâs been so caught up in his head that heâs practically vibrating. As if the universe has decided to spare him, âHeat Of The Momentâ begins to blare from the speakers. Eddieâs eyes snap to your table but youâre nowhere to be seen. His panicked eyes scan the floor for the pair of legs that never failed to make him drool.
As if luck is on his side tonight, Karieâs voice cuts through the noise. âI need to use the ladies' room.â
âIâll be here.â Eddie shrugs and watches Karie walk toward the restrooms. He spots you hurrying past a group of people. In this charged atmosphere, surrounded by the whispers of what could have been, Eddie has to make a decision. Is he going to take the leap and risk further heartache or let the moment slip away, forever wondering what might have been? Apparently, Eddieâs feet have a mind of their own because heâs going after you at a momentâs notice.
His scuffed sneakers squeak against the polished floor as he weaves with determination coursing through his veins. Eddie mutters, âExcuse me,â when he bumps into someone but he doesnât stop moving until he finds you checking out the snack table display. As he steps closer, he gets dĂŠjĂ vu from being drawn to you the same way he was the first time he noticed you.
On a gloomy Friday in September during sophomore year, Eddie was in U.S. history when he was hit with inspiration. Ideas for a campaign flickered in his mind and he needed to capture them before they slipped away. While he scribbled, Eddie momentarily tuned out the ongoing presentation that was being delivered by his classmate. He was fully immersed in the realm of his imagination as he jotted down strategies and visual concepts.
Not long after his pencil hit the paper, Eddie felt a tap on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw Mr. Gatlin standing beside him with disapproval stamped on his face. Eddie tried to explain that he was taking notes for his own project, hoping to avoid any consequences. Mr. Gatlin was unconvinced and wrote him a detention slip.
In the designated classroom for the disciplinary measure were three other students who, like him, were slouched at their desks. Eddie kept himself busy by filling out the form that he needed to submit to start a new club. The blank space on the paper seemed to mock him, taunting his inability to come up with a clever club name. As Eddie's thoughts swirled around, he was abruptly brought back to reality by the sound of your voice softly greeting the teacher. With a lifted gaze, Eddie watched how you interacted with her, offering a respectful salutation instead of presenting a dismissive attitude like the average disgruntled student would.
His eyes traced the contours of your profile while you settled into a desk near the door. He couldnât recall seeing you around, you seemed detached from any particular social clique. Eddie could tell that you didn't dress to conform or uphold a particular image. There was a refreshing authenticity about you. It was clear to him that you weren't shy. Rather, you preferred to avoid unnecessary attention.
It was as if a dormant part of him had suddenly awakened and the self-consciousness gnawed at him. His hair, which he had been growing out, was at an awkward length as it fell just above his earlobes. He frowned at his reflection in the nearby window, noticing the acne that bespeckled his complexion. He examined his shirt for any visible signs of wear and tear. The insecurities crept in, making him question whether his appearance was enough to catch your eye.
Eddie spent the entire hour utterly captivated by how cute you were. As the teacher announced dismissal and you gathered your belongings, his heart sank. He had the chance to make a move but his nerves got the best of him and he was rooted to his seat. The desire to go after you to introduce himself tugged at him. Eddie was stuck on all the reasons why he shouldn't. What if you didn't want to be approached? What if you had somewhere to be or you weren't interested in getting to know someone new? He berated himself for letting his insecurities hold him back.
That following Monday, Eddie was tardy to fifth-period study hall and when he lifted his eyes from his shuffling feet, his heart leaped in his chest. There you were in the far back corner of the classroom. As it turns out, youâd been in his class the entire semester. The teacher asked Eddie to take a seat. He swore under his breath and smoothed down his frizzy hair while he sauntered over to the available desk beside yours.
Eddie settled and a creak resonated through the otherwise silent classroom. You remained in your own world, engrossed in the act of doodling. He respected the reminder from the teacher to maintain silence, understanding that this was not the opportune time to introduce himself.
He stole glances at your notebook, intrigued by the abstract shapes and lines that decorated the page. They held a certain allure, a reflection of the intricacies of your mind. It was as though he was stepping into your dimension, one where vulnerability and creativity intertwined. Eddie felt a connection with you. He understood that sometimes, amidst the pressures and expectations of daily life, it was important to allow yourself to breathe and simply be. At the end of class, Eddie once again watched you gather your things and leave. Instead of being hard on himself for letting you go once more, he became eager.
The next morning, Eddie got out of bed early to spend more time on his appearance. He aimed to look and smell his best because he was finally going to put himself out there. Bouncing through his day with a spring in his step, Eddie made his way to the classroom. As he settled in the desk next to you, he intentionally made more noise than necessary. He rummaged through his backpack and shuffled the contents but you didnât pay him any mind.
As Eddie tore a sheet of paper from his notebook, the sound echoed through the classroom, drawing disapproving glances from your classmates. With his slightly chewed-up number two pencil, Eddie wrote a message on the first line. He held his breath as he slid the sheet onto your Trapper Keeper. For a few heart-pounding seconds, everything else seemed to fade into the background. He had yet to exhale, watching as you picked up the note and read Eddieâs messy penmanship.
The furrow in your brow softened. In that instant, the ice that surrounded you began to melt. The brief moment of eye contact felt electrically charged. He swam in the hue of your irises as he looked past your initially withdrawn disposition. When your toothy smile took shape, it tugged on his heart. To him, you were more than just a pretty girl; you welcomed him with open arms, free of repulsion or fear.
The minutes ticked away while the paper was passed between you like a messenger. It was a blank canvas transformed into a heavily graffitied wall. High school had been nothing short of cruel to him so far, so he needed a friend. When the bell rang, Eddie folded the paper and tucked it away into his backpack where it would be safe. From thereon out, a mute dance evolved between the two of you on a daily basis. The restrictions of the no-talking rule seemed inconsequential as you found other ways to communicate, transcending the need for talking.
In times of solitude and introspection, Eddie has sought solace in those pages. Like a worn-out book, he knows them by heart, having reread them countless times. Whenever he opens that shoebox and unfolds those precious notes, heâs transported back to the time when his life was in technicolor. They became more than ink on a page. Each word, each scribble, carried the significance of your history.
Itâs quieter by the snack table. The closer Eddie gets to you, the wetter his shirt feels. His palms begin to tremble as the adrenaline in his system kicks up. The sensation feels eerily similar to the pre-show jitters he used to get back in the day when he and his bandmates would take the stage at The Hideout. Eddie takes another step and now he can hear that you're quietly singing along to the song. He canât stop himself from singing with you.
As his familiar voice reaches your ears, a mix of emotions well up within you, causing a lump to form in your throat. With a quick intake of breath, you turn around and put on a mask of surprise as if you hadn't been staring at him with his girlfriend. âEddie!â
âHey, you.â He purrs, casually holding his arms open. He wishes heâd taken a second to rehearse what he was going to open with but thereâs no going back now.
At first, youâre rigid when he goes in for a hug. But once his hands find your waist, you instinctively wrap your arms around his neck. Eddie's embrace tightens, lifting you slightly off the ground. Being lifted onto your tippy toes ignites a playful giggle and you bury your face in his silky curls. His chuckle rattles against your chest, the sound creating a soothing vibration that rolls deep within you. You nuzzle up to him as you melt. Being wrapped in each other's arms feels like a balm for the wounds of the past.
Eddie is a little too high to be on his best behavior. Your natural scent evokes a sense of nostalgia and comfort. The fragrance of your perfume adds a layer to the intoxicating mix, its fresh and mature notes entice him. Your bodies feel different pressed together but just like puzzle pieces, they only fit with their corresponding piece. Being chest to chest, your hearts dare to relink.
He guides your feet back to the floor and loosens his grip, splaying his palms flat on the small of your back. When your eyes meet, you feel like youâre anywhere but in the musty gym. You donât miss the way his gaze flickers down to your lips and you canât help but do the same.
âEdward,â Karie says loudly, her voice laced with possessiveness as if sheâs his mother.
Promptly pulled out of his lustful trance, Eddie releases you and steps back. A rough clearing of his throat breaks the stillness. He turns to face Karie and consciously composes himself by donning an innocent expression, aiming to hide the intensity of what just transpired. âYeah, babe?â The pet name tastes sour as it rolls off of his tongue.
Karie loops her left arm around his right one and tugs him close. âWhoâs this?â She doesnât blink once while she looks you over from head to toe.
You nearly scoff because you refuse to believe that she doesnât remember you. The audacity to pretend that she doesnât know you were his girlfriend for four years. You can see right through her poised and cordial exterior. Sheâs intimidated because she knows how much you meant to him, and youâre not wrong about that. One day, Karie was being nosey and snooped around Eddieâs trailer while he was outside tinkering under the hood of her car. The desire to uncover any hidden secrets of his past compelled her to dig deeper, disregarding any boundaries of privacy. She came across the stash underneath his bed, nearly camouflaged by dirty clothes and junk food wrappers. The shoebox, once a privately kept capsule of young love, laid open before Karie. She knew exactly what sheâd found.
Before Eddie can give a proper introduction, you outstretch your hand to her and do it yourself to see how long sheâll play dumb. You refuse to let Karie's facade deceive you, remaining steadfast in that sheâs well aware of the impact youâve had on his life.
Eddie scratches the back of his neck and stares down at the floor while Karie repeats your name as if it tastes familiar but she canât quite place it. Sheâs drawing out her performance but Eddie hasnât picked up on it in the slightest. He isnât any good at detecting subtlety. When you were together, he had to be told how you were feeling because heâs ânot a mind reader.â Poor thing, he truly thinks that Karie has no idea who you are.
Her burgundy-painted lips curl inauthentically, revealing her somewhat crooked teeth. âOh! We had algebra together, right?â
You let out a sound that resembles amusement, though the irritability with her bitchiness is evident. âNo. American Literature, actually.â
She considers arguing that youâre the one whoâs misremembering but Eddie pipes up before she has the chance. âWould either of you ladies like some punch?â
Karie says âNo,â without taking her eyes off of you.
From the heat of her stare, the moisture in your mouth has evaporated. You meet Eddieâs gaze and grin warmly. âSure, I could go for some.â
He leans in and winks, âWant me to spike it?â
You giggle and nod in reply. Eddie shoots you with finger guns and then walks away to the nearby table that houses the beverages. In his absence, it becomes apparent how much he was buffering the tension. It skyrockets and Karieâs glare is unwavering. Regardless of how uncomfortable sheâs making you, you offer her pleasantness to glower at. âWell, it looks like youâve been taking care of yourself.â
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â She snarls while folding her arms across her chest.
Thankfully, Eddie returns with the two cups of fruit punch and he hands them both to you. You hold them steadily as Eddie pulls a small flask from his sneaker. With practiced precision, Eddie adds a dash of the mystery liquor to one of the cups, while the other receives a more generous pour of two shots' worth. Oblivious to Karie's scoff and eye roll, Eddie remains focused on his task, unaware of the disapproval emanating from her.
Eddie takes the stronger cup and taps the lip of it against your own. âCheers,â He grins before chugging the entirety of the concoction.
You take a small sip and watch as the flushed sunset crawls across Eddieâs neck. As you go to take another sip, Eddie gently lifts the bottom of your cup to encourage you to swig instead. Your eyebrows lift in surprise but you do what he wishes while he smiles goofily at you.
Now that youâve swallowed enough to really taste it, you can tell that his palette has evolved. The bitter scald sends a shiver down your spine and you squeeze your eyes closed. A cough bubbles from your throat, bringing the earthy pine flavor back up with it. Eddie pats your back through your coughing fit as if itâll help but he knows it wonât. Itâs simply an excuse to touch you.
âThanks,â You clear your throat. âThatâs some strong stuff, pretty different from your Blue Ribbon days.â Back then, Eddie swore that Pabstâs Blue Ribbon Beer was the nectar of the gods and he vowed to drink it to his grave. Eyeballing the remainder of the tainted punch in your cup, you try to think about anything other than how awful the aftertaste is.
 âYâknow, thatâs forty-five dollar gin youâre choking on.âÂ
Your eyes widen slightly. âWoah, big spender over here.â Without thinking, you poke at his belly, sharing a laugh while the liquor warms both of you at your cores.
Unbeknownst to Eddie, Karie is seething beneath her carefully curated surface. She taps her foot and looks around the room with her arms still crossed. Though she has been listening to your conversation, Karie has chosen not to participate. She perceives herself as being above Eddie's antics. But there's an underlying fear that lingers; she recognizes the depth of the bond that you have with him and sheâs threatened by it.
Youâre getting a rise out of her by entertaining his spontaneity and itâs rather satisfying. The steam blowing out of her ears is just below Eddieâs emotional awareness radar. When your eyes meet hers, a nonverbal conversation ensues.
What the fuck is your problem, lady?
I donât like you and heâs mine, so donât even think about it.
Meanwhile, Eddie is bobbing his head to the music while the combination of substances takes him up into the clouds. Your focus is brought back to him when he resumes the conversation. âWhat about you? Whatâve you been wetting your whistle with?â He continues to ignore Karie and neglects to include her. âAre you more of a chardonnay or champagne girl?â Eddieâs brows scrunch together. âWait, whatâs the difference?â
You giggle at his genuine puzzlement and it makes his breath quake. Thereâs something about the way you beam so dazzlingly while heâs making a fool of himself. Except, he saw you smile similarly at your boyfriend. Eddie can feel his temper ignite at the thought alone but thatâs not the only source of heat. Heâs drawn to you like a moth to a flame, unable to resist the pull of your radiance. Yet, heâs aware of the potential burn and consequences that may arise from getting too close.
Karie is tired of watching the spotlight be on you. She nudges Eddie and he grudgingly acknowledges her. âIâm going to go catch up with the Reynen twins.â At last, Karie has given up on doing her best to intimidate you.
âTell them I say âhi,â I guess.â Eddieâs mouth forms a straight line and he shoves his hands into his front pockets. When he looks back at you, joy returns to his face. Partially due to the buzz overtaking his nerves and because the wicked witch is gone. A silence hangs in the air while he thinks, God, she looks fucking incredible, but he forgets to say anything.
Your eyes land on the familiar necklace peeking out from beneath Eddie's dress shirt. The guitar pick dangles there, a symbol of his lifelong enthusiasm for music. âIâm glad to see you still play.â
Eddie sucks his teeth and flips the guitar pick between his fingers. âUh- yeah, not so much anymore.â
âWhat, why not? You used to play every day.â
âI know.â Eddie murmurs, "Just been busy, y'know?" Heâs making a feeble attempt to cloak the depth of his emotions. The timeline he recalls was the turning point when his love for playing began to wane.
Not only did Eddie lose his first love but you were his muse as well. After the split, music didnât feel or sound the same. Sure, he listened to his favorite albums but to this day, playing feels meaningless. He tries picking up his Warlock on occasion but he never gets past strumming a chord before he gets too heavy-hearted and puts it back in its case.
Losing you immediately caused a rift between him and the other members of Corroded Coffin. Their disbandment was swift due to the altered dynamic. There was no passion and he had completely given up. As cold as it was for his bandmates to reciprocate his hostility, he did nothing to preserve his tight-knit friendships with them. Eddie had already lost the most important thing in the world to him and losing his buddies wasnât going to hurt more than that.
âThatâs a shame, you were so talented.â You shift your weight between the balls of your feet with a blend of shock and disappointment on your face. Feeling that this is probably the moment you should walk away, you muster the courage to give parting words. "It's been fun catching up, but I should get going." Your voice carries a tinge of sadness.
âWait! I was thinking, uh- do you wanna go to The Hideout?â He licks his lips. âLike old times?â Eddieâs chocolate saucers search your eyes while twists the ring below his middle knuckle. âIâd love to hear about what youâve been up to.â Eddie is terrified that youâre about to slip through his fingers because this is his chance; this is what heâs been waiting for.
You bite the inside of your cheek at his pleading expression. âAre you sure? Whatâll the missus think of that?â
Eddie dismisses your concern by blowing a raspberry with his tingling lips. âPfft, Iâm a grown-ass man. I can do whatever I want.â
âI donât know,â Your mouth goes dry again at the thought of revisiting the watering hole that holds innumerable memories. It becomes impossibly difficult to deny him as his eyes reflect the light.
âCâmon, let me buy you a drink,â He pouts.
You close your eyes and mull it over for a moment. The sound of Eddie anxiously tapping his knuckles together is enough to convince you. âOkay, fine.â
âThatâs what I'm talking about!â he pumps his fists but then he pauses. âWhat about your beau?â Eddie motions to Scott who is still conversing at the table that you were previously sitting at. Buff blondie seems to have forgotten about your return.
You look between Scott and Eddie. âIâm here by myself.â
As much as he tries, Eddie fails to fight the cheek-aching smile that forms. His heart is thrumming so hard that he wouldnât be able to stop it from bursting through his ribs if it went flying. âMy mistake.â Eddie pulls his car keys from his back pocket and spins them around his index finger. âWanna ride with me?â
Your mouth opens but instead of words, a squeak of agreement is all that comes out. You turn to walk toward the exit and without missing a beat, Eddie instinctively moves to your side, matching your stride as you make your way toward the exit. His smile is so deeply engraved on his face that heâs going to need to ice his cheeks later.
On your way out of The Hideout, Eddie holds the heavy metal door open for you. The clouds had opened up while you were inside and theyâve left the air dense with the scent of fresh rain. It mingles with the aroma of tobacco smoke drifting from the bar's door. In the street, puddles form small mirrors that reflect the pearlescent moon above.
You delved into conversation with ease and traded stories of the lives youâve led since your last encounter. Tales of success and misfortune spilled forth, weaving your individual journeys into a tapestry of shared experiences. The interaction was a dance of subtlety, an unspoken agreement to move at a pace dictated by each otherâs ever-growing willingness to explore. A brush of fingertips here, a gentle touch on the arm thereâsmall gestures laden with hope.
Cars roll through flooded potholes and splash the curb with a wave of pavement fragments. The mist hanging in the air makes the streetlamps and neon signs glow. Eddie leans against the dampened brick and you echo his position, standing shoulder to shoulder. You frown when Eddie pulls a stray cigarette out of his breast pocket and balances it between his lips. âI kinda hoped youâd have quit.â
âI did for the most part.â He mumbles. As Eddie lights his cigarette, a wisp of smoke swirls lazily from the tip, blending with the haze of the earlier downpour. After taking a long drag and smoothly releasing, he looks at you. âI really only smoke when Iâve got a lot on my mind.â On the come down from his weed high, heâs combining nicotine and alcohol to combat the intense feelings of attraction stirring within him. Itâs occurring to him that this night is coming to an end.
Eddie looks like heâs battling to stay in the present while actively seeping away. For a moment, you listen to the water drizzling off of the tattered awning and hitting the ground. Music escapes through the door as patrons go in and out of the bar. âSo⌠Karie West, huh? How long have you two-â
âDonât do that.â Eddie bites off the end of your sentence.
You turn to face him fully. âDonât do what?â
Eddie huffs and flicks his cigarette. âDonât bring her up. Sheâs the last thing I wanna talk about.â
âOkay,â You sigh barely above a whisper and glance away. The sting in your chest shoots to your fingertips at his sharp tone, not unlike the one he used that fateful day.
Eddie takes a shorter drag but holds it this time. He allows it to char the inside of his lungs before exhaling the plume of smoke. The events of the evening are rippling through his mind, the conversations and laughter seamlessly melding with the good memories heâs held onto. âI was gonna propose to you.â He states very matter-of-factly as if that isnât a huge bomb to drop on you.Â
âNu-uh.â You blink rapidly in utter disbelief.
âYeah huh. I carried the ring box on me for like three weeks.â At this point, he canât tell whatâs what. Either his emotions are so strong that he canât feel his toes or the booze, nicotine, and traces of weed are causing him to short-circuit. âBut then I found out about-â Eddie stops himself, unwilling to relive it out loud. He flicks his cigarette and brings it back to his mouth.
âWow,â Thereâs that stabbing sensation in your chest that you know all to well. Tears flood your vision because what couldâve been seems better than the life you wound up living without him. Due to the way youâre dodging his eye contact, he fails to see how glassy your eyes have become. You sniffle, your nose reacting to the drop in temperature and your emotions running high. The weight of disappointment settles heavily as you grapple with his statement. âDid you give it to her instead?â
Eddie tosses his cigarette to the pavement and stomps it out. âFuck no,â His laughter is accompanied by a shake of his head as he entertains the absurdity of the notion. The very idea of such a fate makes his stomach churn; the mere thought could induce physical sickness. âNot a chance in hell.â
âThen why are you with her?â You wish you hadnât blurted it out, but if heâs so miserable then why does he stick around? Considering what you went through, you know damn well that Eddie isnât afraid to leave when something no longer serves him.
He adjusts his back against the wall which causes the change in his wallet to jingle. âItâs complicated.â
Your persistence to know the truth causes the tears to spill over your waterline and drag streaks of mascara down your face. âDo you love her? Is that why?âÂ
Looking into your eyes right now brings him right back to that day and heâs watching you shatter all over again. âAbsolutely not.â The insecurity in your tone is obvious enough that Eddie picks up on it. He loses his train of thought in knowing that there must be a reason behind you asking that particular question. Eddie looks down before meeting your gaze again.
âD-Did you love me?â You nibble your bottom lip and watch the way his expression softens. At the time, it felt like he did but with all of the overthinking youâve done, your view of the past has been distorted.
He canât tell if heâs breathing right now, you look so beautiful with the streetlight reflections turning your tears into gems. âDid I love you?â Eddie chokes out, âOf course I did. I never stopped.â
Your lips part a sliver as your brain begs for more oxygen to cope. To soothe yourself, you begin picking at your cuticles but you can hardly feel the pinch.
âYou were everything to me.â As Eddie steps closer, his scent overtakes you. His hand trembles as he swipes at your dampened cheeks. âI couldn't stop thinking about you,â he whispers, âEvery day, every night, you were constantly on my mind.â
Youâre frozen in place, fidgeting ceased as you stare back. You gulp at the way his hair flies behind him in the brisk twilight gust. Eddie takes your hands and the heat of his warms your own. A sense of intimacy flows through you, interlacing the past and present. âI thought about you too.â You look down at your joined hands, watching his fingers rekindle their connection with yours after so many years apart.Â
You trace the lines of his palms with your fingertips. It's as if your hands remember each other, relearning the contours and textures that were once so familiar. Eddie's eyes remain fixed on you, his gaze dripping with tenderness and longing. He guides your hands to rest on his collarbones and you can feel the strength of his body through his shirt. He gently caresses your ribs and slides his hands down to your waist. You respond eagerly by stepping closer and your navels touch.
His bated breaths mirror yours, both of you caught up in how itâs as if the universe has conspired to bring you back together. Eddie canât bear the distance much longer. He rests his forehead against yours and it creates a bridge between your souls. You share the air, recycling each otherâs breaths. The hovering of his lips causes your heart to pound against your ribs. But as his lips draw closer, you find yourself compelled to stop him. âWait.â
Eddie pulls back ever so slightly to provide space for your voice to be heard. He can tell exactly what youâre thinking. âI donât want her, I want you.â
You look away, feeling conflicted. Eddie guides your chin back to his and he strokes your cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. Meanwhile, his other hand applies comforting pressure to your hip. He studies your face while you lean into his touch. âI need you, Apple. I donât wanna lose you again.â
His mind begins to race when heâs met with nothing in response, fearing that exposing his heart to you isnât enough. After his words have soaked in, Eddie notices the shift in your expression, and relief rids him of the fear of being rejected.
âYou wonât,â You hum and breathe as deeply as you can.
Both of your eyes fall closed and your lips brush with hesitance. Itâs you who caves first; your lips interlock, pillowy soft, and sweet with a boozy burn. The kiss breaks. Both of your chests heave and your eyes remain closed. The briefness has you weak in the knees but your hold on his shoulder has tightened to keep you upright. Eddie tugs you impossibly closer and kisses you like itâs the last time heâll ever get to. He has to make this count.
A groan rumbles in the back of his throat and his nose presses into the plush of your cheek as he deepens the kiss. Itâs both a declaration and an apology, conveying everything that shouldâve been said a long time ago. Your movements are slow, intentional, and the definition of pure bliss. Thereâs no rush or urgency, just the desire to savor each other. Your hands find their way to the nape of his neck and your fingers gently entangle themselves where they belong. The nine-year gap between the last kiss and this one evaporates.
When you pull away to catch your breaths, aching smiles overtake your features. On the day of the fight, you saw nothing but indignation in his eyes. And now, all that you see is the promise of forever.
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tags: @tlclick73 @nj01
#eddie munson#eddie munson x y/n#stranger things 4#eddie munson fics#stranger things x you#stranger things x y/n#eddie munson x you#fanfic#eddie munson x fem!reader#eddie munson x female reader#eddie munson x reader#eddiemunson#stranger things#eddie munson fluff#eddie the banished#eddie munson fic#eddie munson fanfic#stranger things eddie#st4 eddie#eddie x fem!reader#eddie x you#eddie munson hurt/comfort#eddie munson angst#eddie munson imagine#the hideout#hawkins high#hawkins tigers#lovesick!eddiemunson#joseph quinn#joe quinn
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