#but it wasn’t as bad as the nightmares I have about crashing the car so. win!!!

[continuousmeowing]

Girls will take a nap at eight pm, have an extremely realistic dream about the apocalypse, and wake up at midnigjtb with absolutely no thoughts except “what the actual fuck”

[babyleostuff]

― BROKEN CAMERAS

𝜗𝜚 THEME: fluff, domestic vibes, absolutely whipped kim mingyu 𝜗𝜚 PAIRING: dad!mingyu x mom!reader 𝜗𝜚 WORD COUNT: 1.2k

⦗💌 ⦘in which your little girl wants to take a picture of you and mingyu but drops the camera she stole from him in the process

„i was thinking,” mingyu murmured into your hair and turned the volume of the tv down, „that we could go to the farmer’s market tomorrow. since i don’t have any schedules, y’know.” 

you peeled your eyes from the screen and looked up at your husband from where your head was resting on his chest and nodded immediately, as if you’d ever say no to a day out with him and your daughter. „sounds perfect,” you sighed happily and fixed the blanket that mingyu wrapped you in some time ago. „maybe we’ll manage to find some vintage frames to match those in the living room.” 

he hummed and brushed his nose against your cheek. „just… this time we have to avoid the section where they keep the plushies.” 

ah yes, the plushies. 

your little girl’s current hyperfixation and your husband’s cause of nightmares. not that you minded, there was something endearing in a 6 foot something man sitting in a circle of bears and unicorns drinking tea from a miniature teacup. 

you smirked and lifted your head. „but she’ll be devastated, honey,” you fake-pouted.

she wouldn’t though, not really. your little girl has had her dad wrapped around her little finger since day one and she was a very smart kid, so figuring out how to get her dad to do anything for her wasn’t that difficult. she’s had the puppy-eyes technique figured out for a long time now, which… she used a lot to her advantage. 

mingyu groaned and lowered his head, bumping it against your shoulder. „there’s literally no room left in her bedroom. last night, when i was kissing her goodnight, i tripped over at least three of them!” he whined.  

that was very much true. you spent fifteen minutes this morning trying to find one of her shoes amongst the mess of unicorns of all shapes and sizes, and all you found in the end was a sock that you had been looking for for the past month. it didn’t help that soonyoug bought her tiger plushies every other week, not to mention seungcheol who loved spending his money on your daughter for some reason. 

but you couldn't help but throw your head back and laugh at your husband wholeheartedly. „gyu, you’re capable of tripping over air, it doesn’t count in your case,” you giggled and ran your fingers through his messy hair, pushing back the few curly strands that fell over his eyes. “besides, she’ll find a way to get those plushies either way. it’s not like you’ll ever say no to her.”  

you could feel your husband’s pouty lips against your collarbone as he said, “you’re right. but it’s unfair that mr.unicorn gets all the cuddles now. even that ugly monkey that looks like it had been through a car crash and a bad lip injection is more loved than i am.” 

heavens, sometimes you wondered who the real baby in your family was. 

“gyu, listen to me,” you took his face in your hands and peeled him away from you, “stop overreacting-,”. 

“but what if she’s all grown up now and won’t-,”. 

“she’s three, kim mingyu. besides, she loves you, you dumbass,” you ran your thumb over his cheek, though that didn’t seem to convince him. “she’s a daddy’s girl, okay? trust me, i am the one who should be complaining about the lack of cuddles,” you said and smoothed the crease between his brows.

“if you say so,” he sighed, and nuzzled his cheek into your hand. “but-,”. 

suddenly, out of nowhere, you heard a loud bang behind you, like something fell and... glass broke? mingyu being mingyu, almost fell off the couch, but you were quick to turn around to inspect where the sound came from. 

and your heart almost broke when you saw what, or rather who, was standing behind the couch.

"oh, honey," you cooed.

your little girl was standing in the middle of the room, clad in her pink nightgown mingyu had bought her on one of his trips abroad, only instead of the bright smile that always graced her face, there were tears in her gorgeous, brown eyes.

"what the?" your husband murmured next to you. “is that my camera?” 

your daughter’s eyes widened in panic as she looked at him. “‘m sorry, daddy,” her voice wobbled in the most heartbreaking way possible. the little girl’s tiny hands were clutching onto the neck strap that was supposed to be connected to the camera. “didn’ mean,” she sniffled, “to break it,” she said and the first tears started rolling down her puffy cheeks. 

you quickly untangled your limbs from the blanket but before you could get up, mingyu put his hand on your thigh. “no, no, no,” he almost tripped from how fast he got up from the couch. “it wasn’t your fault, princess.” 

you thanked whatever grace that your daughter was smart enough not to move because the floor around her was litreed in small glass shards and you weren’t sure what you and mingyu would do if anything happened to her. 

not even a second later, he was at her side, picking up her small body and engulfing her in his big arms. 

“don’ be angry, daddy,” your baby cried into mingyu's shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. 

mingyu shook his head and turned around to face you with a heartbreakingly sad expression. “i’m not angry, baby. i was just scared,” he murmured. “daddy thought you hurt yourself.” 

you waved for them to come over to where you were sitting and muttered a quiet “come here”.  

your husband placed your daughter on his lap, her head pressed against his chest, on the same spot where yours was just a minute ago. her tiny fists were pressed against his naked tummy as she continued to sniffle quietly. 

wiping every tear that escaped her eyes you started to hum one of the lullababies mingyu used to sing to her when she was a newborn, something you still did when she was upset. your husband was stroking her hair the whole time, rocking her back and forth, as you continued to hum quietly.

“why did you take my camera, sweetheart?” mingyu asked after a while, when her breathing calmed down a bit. 

“i woke up,” she said, looking up at him with her big brown eyes. “and i saw you n’ mommy sittin’ and i wan’ to take picture. like you always take of me n’ mommy.” 

mingyu’s own eyes welled up with tears and he quickly tucked her head back to his chest so she wouldn’t see him upset. 

“oh, baby,” you whispered quietly, though you weren’t sure who needed more comforting at that point. “that’s so sweet, but next time ask me or daddy for help, okay? you could’ve seriously injured yourself.” 

your baby girl nodded and she scrambled off mingyu’s lap to throw herself in your embrace instead. well, it was nice to know that the unicorns and your husband hadn’t replaced you completely yet.  

“what do you say we go and grab a camera together, hm?” he asked. “and we can do a whole photoshoot, we can even make a white background with the sheets.” 

“pink. pink sheets,” she said and clapped her hands. it seemed that you and mingyu breathed a sigh of relief that your daughter was back to her normal, bubbly self.  

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[mountttmase]

If I Lost You

Note - this fic was such a struggle for me but we’re here and we made it 😂 I know I haven’t uploaded in a really long time by my standards so I’d love to know what you guys think and also thank you to my besties for your help on this one, I couldn’t have done it without you 🩷

Pairing - Mason Mount × Reader

Word count - 7k

Warnings - angst and fluff

There was nothing Mason hated more than traffic. Traffic coupled with a later than usual training session was even worse

He’d been sat pretty much stationary for around 20 minutes now, slowly moving every couple of minutes but he hadn’t made it far. Eventually turning his playlist over to the radio so he could listen out for traffic updates but the flashing blue lights up ahead let him know what was happening.

He was right in the thick of it, no option to turn around and go another way, but not close enough to the front to be able to get around it yet and when a few more police cars came up to join the scene he realised it must have been a bad crash.

So he did the only thing he could do and waited. His mind wandering off to far away places that he tried not to visit too often and once he realised he was starting to spiral he quickly switched the radio back over to his playlist so he could distract himself.

It was only around 15 minutes later he’s made it to the front of the line, watching the traffic warden wave a few cars forward at a time to drive into the oncoming lane to get round and soon enough it was his turn.

He knew he shouldn’t have, but there was something making him want to look at the scene as he drove by. Head turning to the left of him to see how bad it was and the sight before him shocked him to the core.

The car was on its side, bonet crushed from hitting a lamppost and he could tell the windows had been broken to get whoever was inside free but after a few seconds the realisation that something was wrong slapped him in the face.

He knew that car. It was yours.

It was the colour that alerted him first. That specific shade of light blue he’d only ever known you to have but as he looked closer he could tell it was the same make and model as yours too. The panic rising up his chest until he thought he might have been sick but the sound of beeping horns shocked him out of his trance.

He couldn’t sit and wait and let himself process anything, the traffic officer waving him forward but it was like he was having an out of body experience. He wanted to get out and find you, the urge to scream your name was on the tip of his tongue but he did as he was told and drove forward, leaving the scene of the crime behind him but he felt too weird to carry on too much longer and pulled into a side street so he could park up and sort himself out.

There wasn’t much he could do, you hadn’t spoken in months and the only other person the pair of you had in common would no doubt tear him a new one if he called asking after you and he also didn’t want to worry everyone if it was nothing. He still needed to do something though and In the end he decided to text you in hopes you’d get back to him soon and settle his mind. You always had your phone in your hand so he knew this was the easiest way to grab your attention and hopefully speak to you.

The rest of the drive home, albeit short, was a nightmare. He couldn’t concentrate on anything and was constantly messing up but he made it back in one piece. Running inside so he could turn the news on immediately, hoping for any sign of what had happened whilst he sat and panicked. Not being able to think about anything other than knowing you were okay.

This was hell, and he hated it. But the way he was feeling for you right now was mostly his own doing.

You’d met Mason a few years ago at the after party for the final of their euros. Your best friend's brother was Rashy and she’d invited you along to watch the final, and although it had ended in heartbreak there was a certain brown eyed boy you and the rest of the world couldn't seem to tear their eyes away from.

You knew it was over for you when he came over to console Marcus, seeing how genuinely kind and concerned he was for his friend made your heart thump and when the pair of you were finally introduced you didn’t miss the way his eyes flickered over you.

He couldn’t stick around too long, needing to get back to his family but you caught eyes a few times throughout the night and when you were at the bar alone he used that as his in to come and speak to you properly.

It was his smile that caught you first, but it was hard not to notice his big brown eyes and musical laugh. In the end standing and chatting until the night was pretty much over and you had to go your separate ways but he gave you his number and made you promise to message him as soon as possible.

You didn’t know what you were expecting from Mason, but what you got was a blossoming friendship and you were more than thankful he was in your life. With you living in Manchester and him in London it was hard to see each other, Mason constantly referring to you as pen pals but you took what you could with him. Going to watch him play at Wembley sometimes and seeing him in the summer or whenever he has some free time for a few days gave you something to look forward to and you loved getting to know him on a deeper level.

It was very much a will they won’t they type of relationship. As much as you adored Mason, you didn’t want things to change and you knew long distance would be hard until just over a year had passed and you decided to take the plunge. The pair of you in Greece with a big group of the other boys and their girlfriends and Mason confessed he hated the thought of maybe seeing you with someone else and was willing to put the work in for you if that’s what you wanted.

And you really did.

Being Mason's girlfriend was everything you thought it could be and more. He was still his cute charming self but you felt free being able to be with him in the way you’d secretly always wanted. Your first kiss being a little awkward but he kept you relaxed and let you go at your own pace. Kissing all over your face until you were ready to try again and now it seemed as if you couldn't get enough of him.

It did come with its own set of challenges though. Being away from each other a lot of the time took its toll and even though when you were together you always made it count, the goodbyes were getting harder and Mason couldn’t stand to see you cry everytime he had to leave again. Or your sad face on FaceTime when you spoke in the evenings when you were apart, wishing he could reach out and touch you but he was never able to give you the comfort he so desperately wanted to.

It was around March of 2023 when it all came crashing down. Mason had a lot on his plate with an injury that wouldn’t go away and Chelsea’s new owners not treating him the way he should have been. You could tell he was more down than usual and planned a trip to go stay with him for a week so he’d have someone to come home to and someone to cuddle after a long day but at first you felt like he didn’t want you there at all.

You still remember the night before he ended it all. It’s like he was back to your Mason for a bit as you made dinner and spoke on the sofa until the early hours until you went up to bed. It was like he held you extra tight that night and whilst you figured it was just because he’d missed you and he’d had a nice night you now wondered if there was more behind it. Maybe thinking he should hold you properly if it was the last time and then out of the blue, he turned your world upside down the next morning.

He tried to give you the usual spiel of it’s not you it’s me and you were about to cuss him out for being so ridiculous but one look at him and you could see how much he was struggling. Telling you he hated that he couldn’t give you what you needed at that it broke him seeing you so down when he already had so much on his plate. You knew he needed to lighten his load, you just hated that it was you that would be cut off.

You didn’t argue with him, it being clear that he couldn’t take it but you spent the rest of your day packing up your stuff into the early evening where he made you stay for one more night so you weren’t driving home in the dark.

You felt stupid, making sure he was okay even though you felt like you were dying inside but you loved Mason and even though this was hurting you more than you could possibly imagine, you kept on a brave face for him. Telling him you’d still be there if he needed you and not to hesitate calling if he needed someone to talk to.

Sleeping in the guest room that night hurt more than anything he’d said to you over the last 24 hours but you remember him coming into your room at around two am as your cries had kept him awake. Holding you and shushing you in hopes you’d get some sleep but it didn’t work and all you wanted was to go back in time and undo everything he’d said but you couldn’t. So you stayed awake and tried to remember what it felt like to hold him, what he smelt like and how his skin felt pressed up against yours.

‘Can we make a deal?’ He whispered all of a sudden and you nodded into his neck in hopes he’d feel it, knowing your voice wouldn’t hold up if you tried to speak. ‘I want you to live your life and forget about me, yeah? Like if you meet someone new I want you to go for it. But in five years time, if we’re both single, do you think we could try again?’

‘I’ll see’ you whispered, knowing he wasn’t happy with that answer by the way he kissed your hairline softly but he let it go. Knowing he didn’t have a leg to stand on after what he was putting you through.

You left the next morning early, him giving you an emotional goodbye on his doorstep but you were ready to go home and be on your own now. Mason asking if you could still be friends and if he could text you and you stupidly agreed before getting away as fast as you could but you only made it one street away before you had to stop for a big cry. Wanting to get it all out before you began your drive home and after 15 minutes you set off again. Your phone going off every so often but you ignored it until you were back in the comfort of your flat and when you saw they were all from Mason you felt sadder than you expected to.

You were curious as to what he’d deleted but you didn’t have the energy to ask so you sent him a quick reply telling him you were fine and going to sleep before taking yourself straight to bed. Too tired to be upset or over think anything and when you woke up the next morning things still hurt but you’d resigned to your fate of being his friend again.

A friend.

So you spoke here and there for a while and even though you were broken it was a fairly easy split. You remained civil and on good terms and it broke you to see how unfairly he was being treated on the field and with his whole contract saga. He kept going though like the Mason you knew and loved but when the news hit he’d had surgery it felt like your world had tumbled upside down.

You felt useless, wanting to help him as much as you could but he was so far away and you’d already used up all your holiday so you did your usual and let him phone you when he needed a chat.

Not too long after his surgery everything seemed to fizzle out. Nothing happened as such but your texts and calls came few and far between until there was nothing and when the news broke he was moving to Manchester you felt too awkward to text him. Not wanting to give the wrong impression that you expected something from him now so you left it so he could come to you.

He never did though.

You weren’t sure why he didn’t, but Mason had his own reasons. Not wanting to drag you back into the mess of his life and the fact you’d stopped messaging him made him think you were done with him and he didn’t have the heart to face your rejection no matter how much you were on his mind.

So he moved to Manchester and didn’t reach out, even though he thought about it everyday, and tried to rebuild his life without you. He was doing well but you were always there in the back of his mind, even thinking he’d seen you a few times and his tummy jumped each time before he realised it wasn’t you. He’d wanted to message you more than anything but he didn’t have the guts, even though you’d both promised to stay friends the messages had become so few and far between and now there was nothing.

As soon as Mason was inside he ran to the living room to put the news on, pausing the TV as soon as it showed the aftermath of the accident so he could get a better look before playing again to where it was panning past what he thought was your car. He managed to stop it at a point to be able to examine it more carefully and he could feel the nerves rippling through him.

Same colour, same make and model, same sticker on the back window with where the car came from, different number plate…

Different number plate.

Mason let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t you. Someone was clearly hurt and that wasn’t good but he couldn’t deny he felt lighter at the fact it wasn’t you who was in harm's way. Falling back into the cushions of his sofa so he could take a few breaths to steady himself.

You were okay.

He felt a little silly now, panicking so much when you were clearly fine but as the minutes wore on he managed to talk himself back into a frazzled state.

He didn’t know what it was, not being able to settle and focus on anything but you. Now you were back on his mind, all he could see was your pretty eyes and perfect smile.

He knew nothing about you anymore. The only piece of information left being the address of your old flat and now he was getting to know the area he knew you weren’t too far away. But he didn’t know if you were there anymore and if he did turn up whatever the chances you would even want to see him?

What if you’d moved on? Surely Rashy would have told him but Mason couldn't stand the thought of turning up at your house and a random guy being there. No doubt he’d be taller than him and funnier and be able to make all the time in the world for you and the thought of seeing you with someone who’s everything Mason isn’t made him miserable.

It was like there was an itch in his brain that he couldn’t scratch, not able to settle as his mind came out with random questions to make him doubt what he already knew. He decided against messaging Rashy, presuming he wouldn’t have much of an idea either and he didn’t want to start worrying everyone unnecessarily if there really was nothing wrong.

Maybe he read it wrong and it was your number plate? Or maybe you’d changed your number plate and it was you all along? Why hadn’t you answered his texts yet either? Was there an innocent explanation or had he missed something and it really was you that was hurt?

The only thing he did know was that he couldn’t stay in and drive himself insane. Eventually coming to the conclusion that a run would clear his head so he quickly changed into some shorts and a hoodie before setting off. No particular place or destination in mind, just the need to let off some steam and clear his mind.

When the rain started to fall he cursed under his breath. Too far away from home to turn around and avoid it and also not done with his run as he was still feeling on edge so he grit his teeth and carried on. Weaving in and out of streets until he started to recognise where he was a bit more.

Maybe it was just a coincidence he ended up here, like in the back of his mind this is where he needed to end up to finally put his mind at rest but as he stopped to get his breath just outside of your building he only felt worse.

Your car which you always parked in the same spot was nowhere to be seen, and the flat he knew to be yours had all of the lights off but the curtains were open. Like you’d been out and not made it home yet to shut them and he felt sick to his stomach at the thought.

‘No no no no no’ he whispered under his breath, not understanding where your car was and it seemed like only the worst possible outcome was the right one.

He knew it was a bad decision to come here but he’d done it anyway and now his mind was spiralling more than he thought possible.

He thought about going home but the need to see that you were fine with his own two eyes outweighed everything else and before he knew it he was running up the path and standing outside your front door with his hand poised to knock.

What am I supposed to say? He thought. I thought you were dead so I came to check you were alright? No, he couldn’t but he knocked before he had a chance to think of anything else. Waiting anxiously as he heard a few noises from behind the door but if you were there then you were taking forever to answer.

As soon as you opened the door he felt his body flood with relief. Your hair was pointing up in all different directions and he could clearly see the pillow marks on your cheek. A shocked and confused expression painted your features as you realised who was standing in front of you but he just felt his heart swell before his face crumpled as he tried to hold the tears back.

‘Mase? Mase what’s wrong?’ You asked, reaching forward to touch him in some way but you second guessed yourself before you got there. Not knowing if he wanted you to touch him but he looked distraught so you pushed your thoughts to the side and pulled him into the doorway. ‘Mase, you’re soaked. Come inside, it’s okay’

‘I’m sorry’ he told you, his voice wobbling as you shut the door and the feeling of warmth engulfed him immediately. He felt self here.

This feels like home, he thought. The place was unchanged from when he was last here and he stood awkwardly in the hall as you shut the door before leading him into the living room just around the corner.

‘Sorry, you've caught me at a bit of a bad time’ you laughed as you tidied the blankets off of the sofa and reset the cushions so you both had a place to sit. Flustered that he’d turned up so randomly and in the back of your mind you wondered if it might have happened one day but you chalked it off as being a silly daydream in the end.

‘Danger nap?’ He asked and you felt your face flush at the way he’d caught on so quickly. ‘Don’t worry, I remember them well’

‘Well I’ve been having them a bit more frequently since I’ve got no one to tell me off anymore’ you joked but you saw his face drop ever so slightly. ‘Take a seat, you want a drink or anything?’

‘I’m fine, thanks’

‘You sure? I’ll get you a tea you look like you need warming up’ you told him softly before scurrying over to the kitchen and he felt his chest warm with how kind you were to him. Hearing the kettle flick down before you came back to close the curtains and then run over to the cupboard under the stairs. ‘Take your hoodie off Mase, you’ll catch a chill. I’ve got you a towel and I’ll turn the heating up’

‘Sorry, this is probably the last thing you needed tonight’ he sighed, grabbing the towel to run over his hair once he’d taken his hoodie off but the shoulders of his top were still wet and now he was sitting here waiting for you he felt silly.

‘No don’t worry about that, I know we haven’t spoken for a while but I always said I’m here if you need me’ you told him shyly. Sitting down next to him so you could place his tea on the table before sending him a reassuring smile

‘I know’ he huffed. ‘I just feel a bit dramatic now that’s all’ he told you, trying to laugh it off but you knew him and you knew something was on his mind.

‘What’s going on? Why are you here?’ You pushed gently, trying to get him to open up a little bit more and when his eyes fell to his lap you weren’t sure if he was about to tell you or not. Thankfully he did after a few moments but you weren’t prepared for the words that were about to tumble from his lips.

‘There’s um… well there’s been this big accident on the main road out of Manchester. It’s all over the news and I was stuck in traffic for like 45 minutes until I could get round it’ he told you but you were unsure as to why he was updating you on the traffic when you’d asked what he was so upset about.

‘Okay?’

‘The car that crashed… well I thought it was yours’ he told you, his voice wobbling at the end and you felt your heart shatter as you realised what was wrong now. ‘It’s the same colour and make and everything and I… well I was out of my mind worrying that… i don’t know that you were hurt or something-‘

‘Oh Mase’ you breathed, cutting him off as his voice got more and more emotional and all you wanted was to pull him into a hug but you weren’t sure if that was what he wanted. In the end you just reached for his hand and you were surprised at how tightly he gripped onto you.

‘Sorry I bet I sound insane’ he laughed, wiping his eyes with his free hand and you felt your heart break for him.

‘No no it’s okay’ you reassured him, placing your other around your already clasped ones. Hoping he’d keep on talking but you let him take his time as he was clearly overwhelmed and upset by everything that had happened tonight.

‘It was on the news and I saw it wasn’t your number plate so I thought you were fine but then i managed to talk myself out of thinking that and I tried to text you, but i didn’t hear anything back but I guess you were asleep’ he smiled, squeezing your hand gently and you smiled sadly back at him.

‘I never got a text from you, I don’t think I did anyway’ you told him. ‘I was only asleep for like ten minutes. I did see some texts but it was a number I didn’t recognise and I thought it was a scam thing so I didn’t bother looking properly cause the number wasn’t saved’

‘A scam?’

‘Yeah I keep getting those texts like Evri has your parcel but it’s damaged and the details are lost. Please send your address, bank details and blood type so we can attempt a redelivery’ you joked and you felt your tummy flip when he let out a little laugh.

‘No it’s my fault, my personal number got leaked a little while back and when I moved up here I thought it would be a good idea to get a new number. I texted most people but I wasn’t sure if you wanted to hear from me so I just kept your number in my contacts. I completely forgot you wouldn’t have it saved’

‘You know that makes a lot of sense actually’ you smiled, watching his eyebrows pinch together in confusion and you thought his expression was adorable. ‘I sort of texted you last week. You know, after your goal? I didn’t hear back from you’

‘Shit, I’m so sorry’ he sighed, his free hand dragging down his face and you could tell he was annoyed with himself as he rolled his eyes.

‘No it’s alright-‘

‘No cause you probably thought I was ignoring you and I wasn’t’ he told you, almost pleading with you to make you believe him but you already did and when you sent him a soft smile he let out a big sigh he’d been holding in. ‘Where’s your car? It's not parked out the front?’

‘Chrissy upstairs moved out and I was next on the list for a spot in the underground car park so I park it down there now’ you explained, releasing how shaken he must have been and still was to know you might have been hurt and when one of your hands let go to touch his shoulder, his eyes snapped up to yours. ‘Are you alright, mase?’

‘No’ he whispered quietly, his glossy eyes looking back down to his lap and as much as you wanted to push him you also didn’t want to scare him off so you sat waited for him to come clean and tell you what was going on in his head. ‘I know it’s stupid but like… I realised if I lost you then… well it felt like my world was ending in all honesty’ he confessed, laughing slightly but you could tell there was no humour in it l. ‘I know that’s dramatic but all I could think about was everything I’d never told you, all the things I’d never be able to say to you again, you know? Never be able to hold you or kiss you…’

‘Kiss me?’ You whispered. Unsure as to why he’d said that at the end as you’d been broken up for almost a year now but you couldn’t deny his confession made your heart jump. If truth be told it hurt more than you thought it would when he didn’t reply to you a week ago and seeing him so heartbroken on your doorsteps just now was a shock. But the words falling from his lips right now were even more of a shock.

‘Sorry’ he mumbled, his voice thick with tears as he shook his head but you didn’t want him to shut down on you now. You wanted him to keep talking, to see if he’d say the things you’d been waiting a year for him to admit so you carried on stroking his skin and letting him get himself together.

‘No no it’s okay, I just wasn’t expecting it’ you laughed, looking up at him to thankfully looking back at you with a small smile on his face. ‘Now’s your chance Mase, what do you wanna tell me’ you whispered, wondering if he’d say anything at all but ever the unexpected he said the last thing you thought he would.

‘I love you’ he whispered instantly. The words sending a tingle down your spine and you almost lost your breath. ‘I’m still so fucking in love with you and the though of you not being around anymore hurt more than I could tell you. Not that I’ve tried, but I can’t love anyone else like I loved you. Like I still love you, y/n’

‘Mase-‘

‘I know it’s been a while and you won’t feel the same but-‘

‘Mase stop’ you whispered, your eyes stinging at the thought of what he might be doing but the sincerity in his eyes kept a spark of hope alive. ‘Are you sure? I think you’re in shock a bit, you may want this now but what about in a month's time? Or two? I can’t go through feeling like that again’

‘I’m sure, i promise’ he nodded, dropping his eyes to his lap before taking a deep breath and you knew he had more to say. ‘I know we said if we were both single in five years we’d come back to each other but that’s too far away for me and I don’t wanna give anyone else the opportunity to have you. People like us, we’re meant to meet in a few years time when we both know who we are and what we want for ourselves but I don’t wanna do that. I want us to work through it all and grow together, you know?’

‘Mase-’

‘I pushed you away when I should have held onto you tighter. I think about you… all the fucking time and I can’t be without you’ he sniffled. ‘I know it’s incredibly selfish of me but I don’t want you to be just a chapter in my life when you’re the whole damn book baby’

You couldn’t help but laugh at his last line, your chuckles seeming to break the tension a little bit as he smiled at you and you could feel your heart in your throat at all the sweet words he’d spilled to you tonight.

‘Sorry I know it’s a lot but I just needed you to know’

‘Well thank you, and you know I care about you so much Mase-‘

‘Oh’ he sighed, trying to remove his hand from yours as you hadn’t told you him loved him back and he felt a bit embarrassed but that wasn’t your intention.

‘No Mase, wait I just… look it’s a lot to think about’ you laughed, squeezing his hand tighter so he couldn’t move away. ‘Just give me some time to take it in, yeah?’

‘Sorry’

‘No please don’t be sorry’ you told him before a quietness settled over you for a moment. Not really sure what you were wanting to say and knowing Mason had said enough for a lifetime tonight so you went back to what you thought you did best. Looking after him. ‘Listen, have you eaten? I’ve got a pasta bake to put in the oven and you know I always cook for about five people’

‘I haven’t eaten’ he laughed ‘Too busy worrying that you'd been flattened’ he joked, rolling his eyes and you couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh at his attempt at humour.

‘Well let me make us something to eat, And we can hang out a bit and catch up, yeah?’ You asked hopefully and thankfully he nodded in agreement.

So you made the pair of you some dinner before getting settled on the sofa. Keeping the tv volume on minimum so you could talk and it was like having the Mason you fell for back with you. But your heart broke even further when he explained to you how hard the last year had been for him, from being sold to the constant injuries and feeling pretty lonely up here some nights when it was just him and his family and friends had to go home.

Soon enough your plates had been discarded to the coffee table as it was your turn to open up. Not that you had as much to say but he was interested all the same in hearing about your life and getting up to date with all the people you used to talk about together. Updating him on your job and all the changes that had been made before he commented on how even with all the changes your flat was still the same and it made him feel happy.

‘Hey Mase?’ You asked quietly when you saw him try to suppress a yawn and you knew he’d realised you’d seen when the bridge of his nose turned red like you used to love.

‘Yeah?’

‘Do you wanna stay here tonight?’ You asked, his eyebrows shooting up in shock as he clearly hadn’t expected you to ask anything like that but now you had him back here you didn’t want to let him go.

‘W-what?’ He mumbled, scratching the back of his head like he did whenever he got nervous but you send him a reassuring smile in hopes that would help.

‘I mean you don’t have to, but it’s late now and I won’t be having you walking home or paying for an Uber. Unless you want me to drive you home-‘

‘No you can’t drive me, I don’t want you driving back on your own’ he argued back but you were both smiling so you let out a little laugh before being a bit firmer with him.

‘So you’ll stay then? And I’ll drop you home on my way to work?’

‘I think that could work’ he nodded but you knew he was shy about it even though he had no need to be.

‘Okay perfect’

‘Do you still keep that blanket in the cupboard?’ He asked and you felt a wave of disappointment flood you.

‘Oh I um…’ you trailed off, realising he’d got the wrong end of the stick and you knew you needed to set him straight no matter how awkward it might get.

‘What’s up?’

‘Well I thought you might want to sleep in my bed? You know like… with me?’ You explained, his face a mask of shock as the words left your lips but you knew you needed to put the idea out there.

‘Oh’

‘Sorry I’m being silly’

‘No I want to, I just didn’t wanna push it you know? I wasn’t sure if that’s what you wanted’

‘I do’ you smiled. Holding your hand out for him to take and you felt your heart give a squeeze and he gently took it in his. ‘And I think it might be what you need’

‘I think so too,’ he laughed. A shy look on his face as you walked him through and into your bedroom and once you were inside you sent him a reassuring smile. ‘Get in, I’m just gonna use the bathroom and I’ll be with you’

You left him to sort himself out, quickly applying your skincare and trying to keep calm before returning to your room. Seeing Mason was already in bed and that he was still in his T-shirt but he’d stripped down to his boxers on the bottom half and you caught a cheeky flash of his thighs as you lifted the covers up.

You knew what you wanted, and what he probably wanted too so when you got yourself under the covers you turned away from him as you shuffled up close. Your back against his chest before taking his arm so you could wrap it around your body and you could tell from how stiff he was that he wasn’t expecting it but it only took a second for him to settle down and nuzzle into your neck.

‘I don’t think I need to wait until the morning’ you suddenly heard him whisper after a few moments and you felt your heart begin to pound. ‘I never ended things with you because I didn’t like you or I didn’t see us going anywhere. It was more that I didn't like myself. You’ve been the right person for me this whole time and I knew it long before we were friends, like it had always been my plan to make you mine and then when I finally got you I let you go’

‘Well you know what they say, Mase’ you whispered, holding him to you tighter and you felt him lightly kiss your shoulder. ‘If you love something you should set it free. And if it’s yours it’ll come back’

‘Will you come back to me then?’ He asked, his voice sounding more vulnerable than he intended it to. ‘Cause I’ll always come back to you’

‘I think we can work something out’ you whispered and you felt him stiffen before moving back so he could roll you over to face him. His eyes wide and glossy as he looked at you and you could tell you’d taken him by surprise.

‘Really? You’d wanna try again?’ He asked. Lip wobbling and it all became too much for him so you reached out to stroke his cheek and catch a few of the stray tears.

‘It just wasn’t our time back then, Mase. I get that now and yeah it sucked but if it’s really what you want then it’s what I’ve wanted since things ended’ you told him softly. Kissing the end of his nose as he shut his eyes softly. ‘I’ve been yours from the second you looked at me’

‘I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want this, or if you were seeing someone else’

‘Well lucky for you, you don’t have to worry about any of that’ you told him and you didn’t miss the look of relief on his face. ‘Things will be easier now we're closer okay? We can see each other more and all the things that drove us apart won’t be a problem’

‘You really think it’ll be that simple?’ He whispered, the hope in his eyes made you want to reassure him even further.

‘I think so, yeah. You said earlier you still loved me right?’

‘I did’ he laughed, not meeting your eyes as he blushed and you thought he was the most adorable thing you’d ever seen.

‘I still love you too’ you whispered, so quietly you thought he might now have heard you but from his reaction you knew he did. Letting out a shuddery breath before he hid his face. Giving you room to kiss all over his cheek until he had the courage to look at you again. ‘Shall we go to sleep?’ You offered, noticing how exhausted he was after a long evening and once he’d nodded you turned back onto your side and let him hold you close. Smiling at the way he was kissing your shoulder softly and nuzzled into your neck.

‘Hey Mase? Can I ask you something before we go to sleep?’

‘Anything’ he whispered, and the sound of his voice made your heart jump. Knowing he really would answer absolutely answer anything you asked him and this was something that had been plaguing your mind for a year.

‘That day I left to come home and you texted me the whole way, what did the message say that you deleted?’

You felt him let out a small chuckle, squeezing you a little before huffing and you knew it was something he probably never wanted to admit. You didn’t want to push him if that was the case but after a moment you felt his lips on your shoulder again as he began to speak.

‘It said, I think I’ve made a mistake. Can you come back and we’ll talk’ he told you quietly and you felt your heart pound at his confession. ‘I gave it ten minutes and said to myself if you hadn’t replied in that time then it wasn’t meant to be’

‘Mase’ you whispered, your eyes full of tears as a wave of regret from not checking your phone washed over you but he was quick to reassure you everything was fine.

‘It's okay, I’m glad you missed it’ he laughed. ‘It would have only made things worse probably. I needed that time to go through whatever was going on and realise how much I actually need you. Cause I really do’

‘I’m here’ you mumbled, turning you head to look at him and his whole face lit up as he looked down at you.

‘So am I. And I’m never going anywhere again okay?’

‘Me too’ you told him firmly before he finally lent down and placed the softest kiss to your lips. A feeling you’d waited almost a year for and when he pulled back to look at you, you almost felt disappointed but you could tell he was greedy for seconds. Diving right back in but with a bit more force this time and you let him do as he wished thankful the universe had brought him back to you.

[merwgue]

Why Feyre as High Lady Could Lead to the Night Court's Downfall (Or, How to Ruin a Court in 10 Easy Steps) comming from someone who is planning to study international relations and whos whole family is quite familiar with it:

Look, we all love Feyre. She's fierce, she's brave, and she can paint a mean flower. But let's be real: as High Lady of the Night Court, she's a Fucking diplomatic nightmare. If there were an award for "How to Piss Off Every High Lord and Their Neighboring Courts," she'd win it. Twice. Here's why Feyre's reign might just bring the Night Court crashing down faster than rhys can growl or cum to the image of his child

1. Explosive Temper and Poor Diplomacy Let’s talk about the High Lords meeting in A Court of Wings and Ruin. Remember that? Feyre’s blow-up at Beron wasn’t just a passionate defense—it was a major diplomatic fuck-up. Yes, Beron was being a total asshole, but diplomacy often means biting your tongue and playing the long game. Feyre's outburst could have easily cost them an alliance with the Autumn Court, potentially turning Beron into an outright enemy. With Hybern on the horizon, losing any potential allies could have been catastrophic. Instead of keeping things cool and trying to find common ground, she let her temper flare, risking everything Rhysand had worked for to keep the courts united. Feyre basically threw a damn match onto a pile of political dynamite.

2. Alienating Potential Allies Ah, the Summer Court fiasco. Remember when Feyre decided it was a good idea to steal from Tarquin? Not just any theft, but a "Hey, let's be friends—JK, I’m taking your most powerful magical artifact" kind of theft. Brilliant move. And then she had the nerve to act all shocked when Tarquin was pissed about it. "What do you mean you're mad I stole from you? We're supposed to be allies!" Gee, I wonder why Tarquin wasn’t thrilled about that little betrayal. It's like borrowing your friend's car and returning it on empty, with a dent in the side. And by "borrow," I mean grand theft auto. Feyre, maybe try not to screw over potential allies next time? Just a thought.

3. Emotional Decision-Making Feyre often lets her emotions drive her decisions. While being passionate isn't inherently bad, it becomes a problem when it overrides logic and strategy, especially in the high-stakes world of Prythian politics. The High Lords meeting is one instance, but it happens repeatedly. Her open hostility toward Tamlin, even if understandable on a personal level, didn't help the broader cause. By pushing him further away instead of seeking some form of truce, she risked driving him into Hybern's arms. A High Lady needs to think beyond personal grudges to what’s best for her people and her court, and Feyre struggles with that balance. You can't just say "screw it" and go off on people when the fate of your entire court is on the line.

4. Ignoring the Complexity of the Night Court And let's not forget the Night Court's lovely little secret: Hewn City. You know, that underground hellhole they basically keep under lock and key. Rhysand and Feyre are all "Oh, look at Velaris, it's so pretty and free!" Meanwhile, half their court is rotting in a glorified dungeon. And what's Feyre's big idea for dealing with Hewn City? Oh, right, pretend it doesn't exist. Smart. Because ignoring a potential uprising within your own court is definitely the way to keep things stable. It's like the French Revolution all over again—if the Night Court were France, then Feyre's approach is like Louis XVI ignoring the starving peasants while hosting extravagant parties. Eventually, ignoring the discontent and keeping people oppressed leads to revolution. Treating Hewn City like an inconvenient problem rather than addressing it is a recipe for disaster.

5. Undermining Rhysand’s Diplomacy Rhysand spent centuries mastering diplomacy—playing the long game, keeping everyone in check. And then comes Feyre, storming in like, "Oh, you spent centuries building these delicate alliances? Well, watch me fuck it up in five minutes." She's like that one friend who always says, "Hold my beer," right before doing something incredibly stupid. Rhys is trying to keep the court from crumbling, and Feyre's out there acting like diplomacy means "scream at the enemy until they go away." Newsflash: That’s not how this works. This isn't some street brawl where whoever yells the loudest wins. It's politics. You know, the art of not making enemies out of every living soul around you?

Conclusion Feyre's got the passion, the guts, and the fighting spirit of a warrior. But when it comes to actually leading a court? She’s like a bull in a china shop, if that bull also happened to have a grudge against every piece of porcelain in the room. Being High Lady isn’t about who's right in the heat of the moment; it's about playing the long game, keeping your people safe, and not, you know, burning bridges with every other court. If she keeps going down this path—alienating allies, ignoring the needs of half her own court, and letting emotions drive her decisions—the Night Court is in serious trouble. Feyre needs to understand that diplomacy isn’t about who can throw the best tantrum. It’s about avoiding a revolution and ensuring the stability of your people. Otherwise, the Night Court might fall not because of an external threat, but because its own leader is too busy screwing things up from the inside.

[socks-nb]

“I saw someone comment how ford was forcing himself to hate stanely bc the moment he got burnt, ford immediately asked if he was okay as a reflex”

POOKIE (hiii POOKIE <<33) Sent me a comment on a tiktok video that had me sobbing at work and I’m not letting this character analysis get lost to the void because god dammit stan deserves so much better than the fucked up cards he was handed in life.

Ford definitely had to force himself to hate Stanley. Every time he started writing anything positive about him in journal 3 he’d immediately cross it out. I think that if he put any thought into it hat happened between them and his part of what he’d done it would have broke him. Because really what did he expect to happen to his brother after he got kicked out at 17? He knew it would be nothing good, but if he wasn’t angry he’d have to feel bad instead and that anger was a lot more palatable than the alternative.

Stan’s entire life has been nothing but living for and loving ford. As kids it was him who protected him from the other kids. It was Stan who was always so proud of him when their father couldn’t give a shit. It was Stan who after 10 years of being homeless. 10 years of being ignored. 10 years of his other half seemingly not caring where he was dead or alive. 10 years of horrors that “I had to chew my way out of the back of a car!” can only elude to. 10 years of either being chased out or chased down. But when he got that post card from Gravity Falls? He dropped everything and went straight there in the middle of winter. He had to travel several states to get there with what little money he might have had, gas alone must have been a nightmare. It was cold, his jacket was old asf, the Stanmobile couldn’t have been in the best of shape, and neither was Stanley himself. But he still came. And after all that he was just?? What? Threatened with a crossbow, immediately told to fuck off again, and then branded for fucks sake?

(Who else thinks about the fact that Stan probably never went to a hospital to get it treated so he had to deal with the infection on his own 😍🔫)

I’m surprised he didn’t have an even bigger crash out than he did in canon tbh.

And then when all was said and done, this highschool drop out spent the next 30 YEARS teaching himself quantum physics with a third the notes he needed, filled with ramblings of a paranoid lunatic, all to bring the only person who made his life worth something home.

Not just bring him home but making sure Ford had a home to come back too. Yeah he converted part of it to the shack but who does ford think was paying the electric bill? His mortgage? All of it was Stan. And what did he get in return? A fist to the face before later being told that at the end of the summer he’d be back on the streets. A 60 year old man, who’d lived in gravity falls, lived in the shack, for longer than he’d ever lived anywhere. Longer than Ford had even lived there. The first and only stable place he’d had since glass shard beach. He’d be back where he was all those years go, accept he wouldn’t have what he had the first time. Specifically, he wouldn’t have his youth, and he wouldn’t have his reason. The only thing that kept him going all those years was the thought of his brother and a blatant refusal to die. 60 year old stan has a hearing aid and cataracts, and is also legally dead. He wouldn’t have made it out there. Stan would have died.

Stan never got to have a life of his own. His life is and always has been his brother. Sure Ford didn’t get to go to the college he wanted, but he had a life and a pretty damn good one at that. He was never even guaranteed to get into that school in the first place.

As smart as Ford is, a perpetual motion machine is impossible. Physically and mathematically it can not happen. It was never going to happen. It would have never worked. Weather Stan was there that night or not, it would have stopped eventually.

Ford went to college, made a best friend, got 12 PHDs, got a large enough grant that he was able to move states again and build his own custom home from the ground up AND STILL ended up studying what he’d always dreamed too. And with bill he got to experience shit that he assumed no one else ever had before. His life really only god fucked up after bill showed his true colors.

Yeah, pushing ford into the portal was a fuck up. A MAJOR fuck up. But Ford acts like he’s not the reason fiddleford fell in, another person he had to lie to himself about and convince himself that they were the problem. He never even checked on fiddleford afterwards and Ford ruined his life. He took a father away from his wife and child, he made Tate grow up watching his father slip further and further into madness until he was unrecognizable. His mind was so fucked not even bill could handle being there. Or he acts like he doesn’t understand how easy the roles could have been reversed. How easy it would have been for Stan to fall through the portal instead of him. After going through the portal I don’t believe for a minute he didn’t run into at least one portal stan.

They both fucked up, but the difference is that Stan spent his entire life trying to atone for what he’d done, and Ford spent his entire life blaming Stan for everything that had gone wrong in his life, (which was practically nothing before he decided to make a deal with a demon because he thought he knew better than anyone who had ever met bill before) for a mistake he made when he was 17, like he everything Stan did for him before that point meant nothing. One fuck up was all it took for him to look at Stan the same way their father did.

I think allowed himself a minute to think even for a minute about the situation in its entirety he’d break. Being angry is easier than being hurt and afraid. It’s easier to deal with than guilt and regret. It’s so much easier than looking at yourself and having to question where you went wrong and acknowledging than you fucked up and hurt someone. But Stan spent his entire existence doing just that. Looking at himself and knowing that he fucked up and had no way of making it better. Feeling guilt and regret for a fuck up anyone could have made. Because he was a teenager and afraid of losing the only person he had, and he had t even meant to touch his project!! He hit the table and that was enough to make fords machine explode into nothing???? That always seemed strange to me. I genuinely believe that even if Stan hadn’t been there it would have broken anyways. Not that it makes it right what happened. Stan should have told Ford when it all went down. But Stan didn’t deserve what happened to him for the next 40 years after than.

These old men own my entire soul. All of it. I love their relationship so much despite how bittersweet and tragic it is but god I could talk about them for hours. I don’t know what I would have done if they didn’t get their happy ending.

[wander-wren]

bothers me in trc fandom when people refer to “ronan’s suicide attempt” because it was pretty importantly NOT a suicide attempt. gansey, noah, adam, they all assumed it was, which is why gansey freaks out when ronan goes missing overnight at the beginning of trb, but it is not. it was a dream creature he brought back that had clawed him up.

i’m sure you could argue that that’s just an indirect suicide attempt, ronan’s subconscious, etc (opal tells him the night horrors are him), but i don’t see it that way. ronan is angry and grieving and violent in the wake of niall’s death. the night horrors, to my knowledge, don’t target ronan so much as they target any soft, living thing they can destroy. we don’t see this scene happen. we don’t see the day or the nightmare that comes before. we just have ronan’s word, and ronan says it wasn’t a suicide attempt, so it wasn’t.

and we can talk in circles then about whether ronan is suicidal actually—personally i think he has a sort of reckless disregard for his own life (see: drag racing, dream drugs) and has internalized a lot of the ideas about him being a “bad kid,” but i don’t think he’s actively suicidal. and that’s important to me. it’s important that ronan doesn’t actually want to die. i think he’s struggling to see the point of what everyone wants him to do (school), and struggling to envision a future for himself.

if ANYTHING was going to make ronan suicidal, truly, it should have been the dreamer trilogy. he’s isolated from all of his loved ones, literally starts dying if he’s not careful with the ley lines, and also the world is ending. we can see his same thought patterns repeating (“you’re always the car crash, ronan”) and we see him struggling with reality and identity (every conversation with bryde, who remember is part of ronan’s psyche, and also the looping dream with the mirror). and he’s not suicidal in the dreamer trilogy.

we talk a lot in this fandom about “gansey kind of wanted to live.” i think we should talk about how, despite everything, so did ronan.

[toournextadventure]

bad dream?

Summary: Tara wakes up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. Again. They always seem to come at the worst of times. But at least she can ask you to keep her company for the night.

Word Count: 1.8k Warnings: swearing, mentions of Ghostface and related trauma Pairing: Tara Carpenter x Reader

Tara woke with a start. Her eyes opened to the dark room illuminated only by the street lights outside her window. The image of Ghostface was engraved into her eyelids every time she blinked. If she focused on one spot for too long, she could almost see him standing in the corner of her room. Watching her. Waiting.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes quickly; if she took too long, He would be there again. It didn’t make much of a difference though, her palms were so sweaty she had to wipe them off on her bed. Not that it helped much, her bed was soaked too.

“Gross,” she mumbled to herself as she continued to sit in almost a literal pool of her own sweat.

Every time a car drove by outside, she flinched. It was from the headlights, or the sound, or even just the knowledge that someone had been outside her room even for a fleeting moment. All they would have to do is climb up the fire escape and that would be it, she would be done for.

Tara liked to pretend during the day that nothing bothered her. Sam was already so openly traumatised about it, she couldn’t add her own trauma to it. But she was scared, and it came out at night. When she was enveloped with the darkness and every sound could be Him, watching and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

With shaky hands, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand and turned it on. The light from the screen blinded her, but only for a moment. 2:17am. Too fucking late to just stay up, too early to do anything about it. She sat there and chewed her lip, thinking about what her next move was.

There was no way she was going to wake Sam up. What, was she going to waltz in there in her pyjamas, stand at the foot of the bed and say “I had a bad dream?” No, she wasn’t a little kid. But she didn’t want to be alone, and that narrowed her options considerably.

Well…

She dialled your number and held her phone up to her ear. Each time it rang, she felt herself getting more and more anxious. What if you didn’t answer? God, what if something had happened to you? What if He was back and had gone after you to get to her and Sam?

“Hello?” You mumbled, sleep evident in your voice. She exhaled through her nose; you were safe.

“Did I wake you?” She asked.

“No,” you said, followed by some ruffling on your end. “I’m always awake at 2:30 in the morning.”

“It’s not 2:30 yet,” Tara said quickly. She got out of bed and started digging through her dresser drawers; she needed something clean to put on.

You were silent on the other end of the line, and for a moment Tara was convinced you had fallen back asleep. It was a habit of yours to fall asleep while on the phone, or during a movie, or occasionally while hanging out with her friends. You blamed it on studies, she blamed it on the massive crash after all the caffeine you drank during the day.

“Did you have a nightmare?” You finally asked, your voice far too gentle for her to appreciate.

“No,” she said quickly. “Just a bad dream.”

“That’s a nightmare.”

“Semantics,” Tara argued. She started pulling on a new pair of shorts as she waited for you to say something else.

“Would you like some company?”

She froze and stood in the middle of her room. Yes, she thought. She very much wanted some company, especially from you. There was something about you that made her feel safe; it was why she had agreed to go out with you in the first place. But she knew how often you sacrificed your own well-being for her. She couldn’t ask that of you again.

A creak in the apartment made her jump.

Actually, yes she could ask you to sacrifice your well-being again.

“I’ll leave the window open,” she said, quickly moving to do exactly as stated.

“Give me about ten minutes,” you said, and she heard more shuffling from your end of the line.

“Stay on the line with me?” She asked hesitantly.

“Sure thing, pretty girl,” you said. “Give me a sec, I’m switching you to my headphones.”

Tara looked down at the firescape outside her window. The light two floors down came on, and she could see a shadow reflecting off the metal railing. It moved, and she heard the matching shuffling and clamouring before you spoke again.

“Can you hear me?” You asked; you sounded a bit staticy, but otherwise clear.

“Yeah,” she said with a nod that you couldn’t see.

“Did you wanna talk about it?” You asked as you continued to shuffle around your room. The light from your room swayed as you moved inside.

“Just the usual,” she said absentmindedly, leaning against the windowpane and trying not to shiver from the cold fall air.

It was a lie; it wasn’t the usual nightmare. This one was about you. About Ghostface coming back and using you to strike a very particular note of fear into her. Using you as the bait in His twisted game, asking her questions she didn't know, and being forced to watch as He gutted you like a fish.

“You’re such a liar, Tara,” you huffed, but she could hear the little laugh.

“How would you even know?” She asked with her own huff.

“Cause I can see you.”

Tara jumped and dropped the phone to the floor, spinning on her heels to look at the window. You were crawling in, a duffel bag over your shoulder and holding something in your mouth. It almost looked like a movie case. Your headphones covered your ears and you smiled at her as best you could.

“You’re such a prick,” she grumbled, but quickly ran over to help you in.

“Take it,” you mumbled around the case, holding your head forward. She took the hint and grabbed it. “Thank you.”

“Do you make it a habit of creeping in people’s windows?” She asked as she grabbed you by the elbows to steady your stumbling into the room.

“Only when they invite me,” you said with a smile. You leaned forward and captured her lips in a quick kiss. “Hey, baby.”

“You didn’t actually have to come,” she mumbled against your lips.

“You asked me to,” you said, giving her another quick kiss. “I’m always happy to keep you company.”

While you moved to set the duffle bag on the bed, Tara went to close the window. She looked down to the alley below for a moment, checking to make sure no one was out there. It wouldn’t surprise her if He was watching, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. Sam and Quinn were asleep, it would be easy for Him to-

“-Baby.”

She turned quickly to see you already stripping down the bed. You were moving with the speed of a military vet - all thanks to your mother - with none of the stress. But your eyes were on her, looking her up and down. It made her self-conscious. With a sigh she crossed her arms over her stomach, holding herself in a faux hug.

“Wanna tell me about the nightmare?” You asked in a soft voice. She hated when you were soft with her; it made her feel fragile.

“Aren’t those your bedsheets?” She completely overlooked your question, her eyes landing on the new sheets you were finishing tucking in.

“Freshly washed,” you said with a half smile. “I have to do laundry tomorrow anyway, I’ll throw your sheets in.”

“Anyone ever told you you’re whipped?” She asked, but nonetheless she crawled into the freshly made bed. It smelled like you.

“All the time,” you said with an exaggerated sigh. “Feels better, don’t it?”

“They’re cheap sheets,” Tara shot back. You barked out a laugh that echoed through the room.

“Talk about ungrateful,” you said around a few more bouts of laughter.

The sheets were warming up when she slid down a little further, pulling the thick comforter up to her chin. She just watched you move around. It always amazed her how many things you could fit in your trusty duffle bag. Tonight, you brought out a folding lawn chair, your laptop, a textbook, some snacks, and…

“Is that a bat?” Tara asked when you plopped down into the chair, the weapon resting on your lap.

“Why yes it is,” you said proudly. “Wooden and ready to beat a few heads in.”

“You brought a bat to your girlfriend’s room?” She probed.

“Tara, I love you,” you said with a pointed look. “But you and your sister are danger magnets and I am not taking any chances.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but quickly closed it. It wasn’t like she could deny your accusation; you were right. She and Sam were always attracting some sort of danger, whether it was Ghostface or the crazy conspiracy theorists from Reddit. There was always something around the corner.

And you apparently were choosing to face it head on instead of running away like everyone else had.

“Get some sleep, baby,” you said softly when Tara remained silent. “I can see the window and the door.” There was a seriousness on your face even though your body seemed relaxed. “No one is getting in.”

“Can you stay in bed with me?” She asked.

“I can’t see the door and window from the bed,” you said not unkindly.

“Just until I fall asleep,” she tried again.

Not that she should have been concerned whether you would or wouldn’t get in bed with her. You didn’t even hesitate before placing the bat down on the ground and standing up, stretching for only a moment before crawling into bed behind her. Relief flooded her veins the instant your arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her close.

“Thank you,” she whispered, leaning forward to kiss the hand near her face.

“Of course, baby,” you said just as quietly. She felt your lips press against the back of her neck. “I’ll always come when you call.”

With a soft sigh, she cuddled further into you and finally felt her body relax. You were there with her, you were safe. No one was going to get in, He wasn’t going to come back. Someone she loved was with her, holding her tight and keeping her safe.

“Good night, Tara,” you whispered, and she felt you press another kiss to the top of her head.

She had never fallen asleep so fast.

[folkloresthings]

Another NORTHANGER ABBEY!! This time could I pretty please ask for a drabble with my boy Max Verstappen and the nightmare comfort trope? I just love me some good hurt/comfort, and I have full confidence that yours will be amazing!

Thank you in advance, and I really hope you’re doing well!! ♡♡

was tempted to make reader have the nightmare but my boy maxie needs serious comfort so

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. ❨ max verstappen x reader ❩

you were usually quite a deep sleeper. you needed to be, with max’s incessant snoring. but for some reason, this night roused you. the room was warm, that cosy kind of warmth you always found under the duvet, but the weight of max’s arm wasn’t heavy on your waist like it usually was.

groggy and confused, you roll over to max’s side of the bed. his breathing is heavier than usual, neck twitching every few moments, hands fidgeting at his side. it takes a moment, but you realise he’s still fast asleep, showing no signs of consciousness.

“max?” you whisper, voice hoarse from sleep. you glance at the clock: 03:41. he doesn’t rouse, only getting more and more agitated in his sleep. laying a gentle hand on his shoulder, he jumps awake. his chest heaving, eyes wide as they dart around the room.

“hey, hey,” you coo, forcing his attention onto you. he finds your eyes and relaxes, a little, gripping your hand. “what happened?”

“sorry,” the dutch boy sighs, trying to ease his breathing. “had a nightmare.”

your face twists in sympathy, wrapping your arms around his shoulders to pull him into your chest. he gives in instantly, slumping against your hold and letting whatever emotions had been building pour out.

“sh, baby. breathe,” you remind him, still gasping for air. your hand smooths repeatedly along his back, guiding his breath until it returns to a somewhat normal pattern. “you’re alright.”

max feels himself well up, and as much as he wants to hold it in, he can’t help but crumble for you. you, who never judged him. the tears fall quickly down his cheeks, staining the shirt you’d slept in. his shirt, really. you hold him even closer, your heart breaking for him.

“do you want to talk about it?” you murmur, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head.

“the car— it crashed,” he stumbles over the few words he can manage, but it ends there. he curls up into you, grasping at your skin to keep you close; to make sure you’re real.

“you’re safe, max,” you assure him softly, rocking him gently. he felt small now, smaller than he’d ever been. the world champion, on top of the world, dominating every race. and now he was clinging to you like a small child, searching for comfort. “it was just a dream.”

max sniffles, hiding his face in the crook of your neck. his hands hold tight to your waist, your soft kisses calming him gradually. when he eventually dozes back off again, his grasp on you never loosens. and in the morning, he’d tell you just how thankful he is — how blessed he is to have you right by his side, during the good times and the bad. even if they are in the middle of the night.

[igotanidea]

Taken: Dick Grayson x f!reader x Jason Todd (part 2)

part 1

***

No.

No. no. no. no.

This was not happening.

This must have been some kind of crazy dream and he was about to wake up from in a second and everything was going to be fine.

Yes.

Absolutely.

He was about to open his eyes in his own bed with Y/N by his side, sleeping softly on her belly with messy hair and slightly parted lips, looking all cute and innocent.  And she would be all warm, soft, happy, protected and 100% safe in his embrace.

And he would hug her close to his chest making sure it will stay like this forever, kiss her and never let her go, regardless of her best effort to wriggle out of his embrace and start the day.  She was always the responsible one…..

And she would smile at him with her pretty smile and look at him with her beautiful eyes giving him the loving gaze and…

“Dick?”

He raised his head abruptly, being thrown out of his reverie and forced to crash with reality. And the realization that this was all true and not a nightmare brought a few tears to his eyes.

It all came back.

Y/n.

His poor girl, his love, his light, his heart.

Neglected by him.

Broken and abandoned.

And the car accident that he heard happening through the phone.

And there was nothing  he could have possibly done about it, forced to listen to the crashes and that deadly silence on the other side, desperately calling her name, hoping for a word of answer or even a single breath of a prove she was ok.

Honestly at this point Dick wasn’t sure which of those circumstances were worst.

He was currently sitting on the chair in the hospital, outside of the OR, Y/N was currently operated in. And everything was too much. The bright light, the whiteness of the walls, the sounds and that overwhelming feeling that all of it was in fact his fault.

“No…” he whispered with pale, numb limbs.

Honestly, it was a miracle he was able to sit at all. If it wasn’t for the fact that he’s been here for what seemed like hours now, he would probably be pacing nervously back and forth.  

Right now he only felt like screaming at the world about the unfairness of everything.

“Dick….”

“What?!” he snapped standing up abruptly, running hands through his hair in the mix of panic, guilt and the sudden urge to punch something.

“Please calm down……”

He looks at Jason with fury in his eyes. How dare he? How dare he ask him to be calm when his girlfriend was fighting for her life in the operation room. How dare he be so calm sitting on the hospital chair?! How dare he after everything that happened?

Yeah, he knew.

Dick was always a good detective and the moment Jason fell to his knees after hearing Y/N’s car crash and started weeping Grayson connected the dots pretty quickly. At that moment it all made sense. Jason held much more than friendly feelings for Y/N. Much more.

 And that brought a hurricane of emotions.

How? When? Why?

And most importantly – did she feel the same for Jason? Was she going to leave him?

“CALM DOWN?!” Dick yelled taking a few steps towards his brother, standing inches from him and eyeing him with a murderous gaze, but not doing anything. “DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF?!”

 “you might want to step back…..” Jason hissed warningly

“Or what?” Dick narrowed his eyes

“Or you’ll be grateful you’re in a hospital.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m just saying…..” Jason smirked vindictively, almost baring his teeth.

“Well I think it would be better  if you just shut up after everything you did to her.”

“I did to her? You were the one to brush her off! She needs love! She deserves love!”

“Oh so now you love her?!”

“I do!”

“Well too bad, cause she’s mine!”

“Not for long though…..”

The chances of them beating the shit out of each other on the hospital corridor were skyrocketing by a second and who knew what might have happened if it wasn’t for the clueless doctor coming out of the operation room.

It took the MD a second to figure out what was happening and his gaze turned from confused to stern immediately. He’s had enough experience with crazy, strange, straight-out-of-shitty-romance -novels incidents happening in his hospital and was not in the mood to deal with another one.

“Sit.” He hissed and it was hilarious how two grown up men complied with his order without a single word.

“Is she……?” Dick started, watching the doctor with wide eyes, begging for as little as a scrap of information.

“Can I…..?” Jason muttered at the same moment and when they spoke in unison their murderous gazes met again.

 “Are you family?” the doctor asked and boys’ faces fell instantly.

“I’m her boyfriend ……” Dick stuttered and that word made Jason clench both his jaw and his fists.

 “Not a family.” Doctor replied sternly

“But…..”

“No.”

“please?” Dick knew well enough he was making a fool out of himself in front of his younger brother (who apparently also happened to be his opponent for Y/N’s heart), but he couldn’t care less. He hadto know if she was alright. He just had to. And if it required stooping to begging he was going to do it. Anything for her.

“She’ll live…..” the doctor rolled his eyes in a bit of annoyance.

“Can you…..?” Dick tried to ask something more, but he didn’t even get to finish the sentence when Jason jumped to his feet, towering over the doctor backing him against the wall, grabbing the front of his lab coat.

“TALK!” Jason yelled. Just like Dick he was desperate to know anything about Y/N’s current state but unlike his brother he was not going to ask nicely. Yelling, punching and threatening was way more his modus operandi.

“Jason!”

“Fuck off Grayson! I care about her!”

“Are you suggesting that I don’t!?”

“You’re just going to take this doctor’s shit?!”

“Both of you calm down now.”

The calm deep voice coming from behind made everyone turn their heads towards the direction of the door.

“Mr. Wayne!”

“Bruce?!”

“Let the gentleman go, Jason.”

“I’m not taking orders from you.” Jason scoffed not letting go.

“From what I can tell I’m the only one entitled to Y/N’s medical information so I suppose you do take orders from me.”

“You’re fucking bluffing” Jason’s eyes narrowed, the vein on his forehead pulsing as he weighted the options. Not knowing about Y/N or surrendering to Bruce.

“Try me.” Bruce retorted, his face resembling an expressionless stone.

“Fuck!” Todd cried out, dropping the doctor to the ground, not caring about delicacy.

Bruce smirked.

“Now. Shall we doctor?”

And acting like he owned the place (which was not that far from the truth) Wayne started walking towards the office.

“Bruce…..” Dick whispers desperately, with a broken voice and equally broken expression.

“Don’t worry Dick. Everything’s going to be fine.” Bruce patted his shoulder reassuringly.

***

It took Bruce ten minutes to gather all the necessary information and enable Dick to get inside Y/N’s hospital room.

Obviously Jason was about to fight tooth and nail to get the same privilege as his brother but no one cared.

Why was he always the bad one…..?

He loved her too…… He deserved to be able to see her…..

Anything…… just to hear her breathing and see she was alive…  anything to be close to her……

Instead he heard hard no.

Which was heartbreaking.

Soul shattering.

Simply unfair and punishing.

Making him feel like an outcast. Again. Over and over and over again.

Like he was just a piece of shit.

Of course he could have fought, but what was the point? It would end up with him being injected with a sedative and kicked out.

And just a thought of being tortured…again…… made him retreat into himself.

But it hurt like hell.

Only because he fell in love.

And he felt like crying at the simple thought it was Dick sitting beside her bed, holding her hand, brushing her hair and kissing her forehead.

Would she even want that?

He could remember how soft and sweet she was when he was the one kissing her. The way she touched him, hugged him….. how she melted into him… Not Dick… him.

Her lips, hands, skin, curves, her body and her taste.

So perfect…..

And then she run….

And he was hurt…. scared for her, for himself, for them….

Was there ever them…..?

Jason was conflicted, shuddering and not knowing if he ever stood any chance to be with her.

Could it be possible that she wanted him the same way he wanted her…���?

Please…..

Please…..

Please….

***

Meanwhile Dick was indeed sitting next to Y/N’s bed, rubbing her soft, pale, limb hand whispering soft words that made no sense but helped him keep himself together.

He almost expected Y/N to look pale, small and fragile in the hospital bed, surrounded by all that medical equipment and encompassing white. He didn’t have much experience with hospital, since all his life he’s been home-patched, but all the stories he heard always portrayed the casualty of the accident in such way.

But not Y/N.

She was as beautiful as always and even all the bandages and tubes and fuzzy colours of the surroundings could never change it. She was strong… she was a fighter…. She survived and now she was just resting after all that.  

His pretty, brave girl.

His Y/N, who was going to open her shining e/c eyes soon and see him as the first person.

“I’m here baby….” he whispered, putting  a strand of hair behind her ear “Not going anywhere. Ever. Please come back to me…. I need you…. I love you, baby…”

He brushed her cheek softly. He probably shouldn’t have, but at this point all his reason and logical thinking was out the window replaced by the sheer need to feel her soft skin.  Honestly he didn’t care about any rules as long as it didn’t mean he was putting her life or health in danger.

They say people in coma can hear when you talk to them, when you call upon them, touch them.

Well, she was not in come, but regardless he wanted.. no, he needed her to feel he was here. She was safe now, he was going to make sure of it.

“I’m so sorry my love….” Dick whispered, rubbing her hand gently. She was so warm and soft and it brought him hope. He was given a second chance to care for her. To keep her safe and protected and he was not going to waste it. “I’m so sorry for everything… I promise I’ll be better. Just please… open your eyes…..”

Sure, life doesn’t work magically and he wasn’t really expecting his words to bring the effect, but miraculously Y/N stirred in the bed and he could feel her fingers squeezing his hand.

“Y/N? Baby? It’s me… It’s Dick…. Honey, can you hear you hear me?” he asked, putting enormous amount of energy to keep his voice calm and not scare her or to take her in his arms and hold to his chest.

That would be unwise, she still had to recover and get back to health

“Dick……?” she asks faintly, opening her eyes slowly.

Oh, screw that.

Without any thinking he wrapped his arms around the girl, rubbing her back, kissing the top of his head, letting the tears fall down, rocking back and forth with her bruised body so close to his.

“Y/N…..” he muttered repeatedly as if that word were the sweetest one in the whole wide world. “Y/N… Y/N…. Y/N…..”

“Hey…..” she smiled softly, getting lost in his embrace.

“I thought I Iost you, baby…..” he held her a bit tighter making her grunt a little. “sorry my love.” He pulled back slightly looking straight into those beautiful eyes, showing a bit of tiredness and weariness. What he saw, however, was the shining orbs, the view he would be happy to watch solely for the rest of his life is she only let him. “Y/N….” he pressed his forehead onto his, cupping her cheek and chuckling a bit nervously a bit hysterically. “You’re all good, baby…..” he couldn’t help his wandering hands that seemed to cup her cheeks almost out of their own volition.

“Dickie….”

He almost whimpered at the word. She was the only one to use the diminutive form of his nickname and the only one allowed to do so. And he could have never heard that coming out of her sweet mouth.

“I love you….” he blurted. “I love you… Oh, I love you…..”

“I love you too, Dickie boy….”  

“Do you remember what happened?” he kissed her forehead “How do you feel? Is there anything I can get you?” Dick’s natural chattiness branched off into the series of question that she didn’t even have the chance to answer because of the speed.

Dick Grayson was babbling.

Because she came back to him. And only then he realised how stressed he was.

“Dickie…. I….”

“Shh…” he kissed her temple, holding her to his chest again “don’t worry about anything my love. We’ll get you discharged from this hospital immediately. I’ll take care of you. I swear. Not letting you out of my sight. I love you so much……”

“Oh, Dick….” She cooed touching his cheek and wiping those traitorous tears. “I;m so sorry….”

“Sorry?” he frowned a bit confused “for what? Listen to me, baby…” he softly put a hand under her chin making her look up at him. “None of this was your fault. You hear me? Nothing.”

“But … but Dick…. Dick I…… I did something….”

“I know.” Dick simply said, putting a finger on her lips and brushing her hair. “I know, you don’t have to say a thing….”

“No….no you don’t know…. I…. I kissed Jason and….”

“I know.”

“You…. Do?” she looked at him with shock written on her face.

“Yeah, baby, I do…..” he smiled “I’m not mad, I swear….”

“Is he here now?”

“He’s sitting outside.”

Outside.

Jason was sitting outside.

That thought made her heart drop a little.

Partially because he was here at all serving as a reminder of her mistake.

But the bigger part of her heart dropped because she wasn’t even sure if that was a mistake anymore. Maybe it was what she truly wanted.

Poor Y/N was so confused remembering everything that happened before her accident.

Jason’s lips on hers.

His calloused hands moving across her body.

His scars under her fingertips.

“Dick…..” she stutters

“Yes babygirl?”

“Please hold me……”

“Of course, anything for you….” He smiled moving to sit on her hospital bed, hugging her.

In any other circumstances it would be a sweet, loving scene.

But right there, right then… they were both terrified.

Unsure of what was coming for them.

Unsure of their own feelings.

......

@fullbelieverheart

[softtdaisy]

it’s me thatsdemko hehe how about “what can i do for you? please, i want to help." with my love Pierre xx

Pairing: Pierre Gasly x female!reader

Words: 809

A/n: for some reasons, I always write Pierre having an accident??? But he’s fine, I promise. Thank you for your request baby 

You can feel it again. This feeling of being trapped. Incapable of moving. Incapable of speaking either.

All you could do was watch and listen. 

Watching your boyfriend’s car hitting the wall.

Listening to the awful silence in the crowd and the terrifying sound of the crash.

You wanted to scream but you couldn’t.

You wanted to run but you couldn’t.

You couldn’t even close your eyes to block this view.

You had no other choice than face it. Deal with it. Accepting the suffering and the loss.

“Oh fuck.” You whispered when you woke up. You immediately sat up to find the control of your body again. You put a hand on your mouth because you could feel your breath being heavier and louder. You didn’t want to wake Pierre up. Not again.

These nightmares had been happening for weeks now. Since your boyfriend had a terrifying accident and you thought you had lost him. You’ve never been more scared in your life than during those five minutes when nobody could give you any news about him. Watching the mechanics fears of losing him too.

You already saw yourself calling his parents, meeting them at the hospital. Crying in their arms.

Hopefully, Pierre had nothing. Except for some bruises. He kept saying it wasn’t that bad but everyone was calling it some kind of miracle. 

He was already in the car for the race the following weekend. And you were the one dealing with the stress post accident. 

Some nights, you were alone to deal with the nightmares and most of the time you couldn’t even fall back to sleep. 

Some nights, you woke up screaming and Pierre was there to help you relax.

And some, like tonight, you managed to woke up in silence without your boyfriend noticing.

Or you thought. 

Technically you didn’t wake Pierre up. When he moved and went to put his arm on you, he met the cold pillow. He wasn’t a deep sleeper. Thinking you weren’t there was enough for him to open an eye. And seeing you sitting on your bed trying to find peace.

“Mon amour, what’s going on?” He asked with a deep and low voice. He yawned before sitting next to you and putting his arm around you. Smelling his perfume was such a comforting thing anytime he took you in his arms. You could always pretend it was somebody else if you needed to. But that smell didn’t lie. It was Pierre holding you.

“Nothing, you can go back to sleep” you try to reassure him with a smile. But he wasn’t an idiot. He knew you by heart. You sounded anxious and were still trembling against him. He hated seeing you like that.

He started to rock you slowly, trying to calm your anxiety. “What can I do for you? Please, I want to help." He whispered, more like a cry for help than a real question. Pierre knew there was nothing he could do to make you feel better. He was there, that was the ultimate proof that he was fine.

After you had the same nightmares three nights in a row, Pierre said one thing that could never be forgotten. “I can always stop racing…” You guessed it was more of a thought than a real offer. Especially because you were falling asleep in his arms and he probably imagined you were already sleeping. But that wasn’t even an option. Never would you even consider asking him to stop doing what he loves the most in his life. Just for some stupid nightmares.

“Talk to me about Monza.”

It wasn’t the first time you asked him this but it was the perfect compromise. Hearing about a race he did perfectly was reassuring. Talking about his first race was always a pleasure. No matter how many times he would tell you about this, he could feel all the pride in your eyes. Or in the way you caress his arms with tenderness. Or, when you weren’t asleep yet, how you would react to every little thing. 

So he laughed when he heard your request before accepting it. You slowly lay back on the bed, with your head on his chest and his hand brushing your hair. “You’re sure I can’t do anything else?” He asked again. He sounded anxious even if he tried to hide it. 

You turned your head to look at him. “You’re here.” you simply replied. “Or maybe win another race so you can tell me another story” you added, laughing. Pierre rolled his eyes from amusement before pinching your cheek. 

“Yeah well I’m trying babe.” 

In the end, that was all you really needed. Remembering that Pierre was always by your side, even when he was away. And nothing could ever take him from you. Not even a stupid car accident.

[dynamic-power]

Time Travel AU, Back to the Past part 5

Part 1 | Part 4 | read it all on ao3 here

Steve wakes up to the feeling of someone shaking him. He is about to tell Eddie to fuck off and let him sleep a while longer when he realizes a few things at once. 

He’s lying on something cold and hard. His sides hurt and his head aches and all of his muscles are sore and his exhaustion is bone-deep and seeps into every corner of his existence. And the voice calling his name is distinctly female. 

“Steve! Steve, get up! Please. Please get up.”

He cracks his eyes open, waking fully into his worst nightmare. 

He struggles to sit up, wincing as he realizes scars that have been healed for years are open wounds again. He chokes on the thick air around him and blinks until Nancy Wheeler comes into focus. 

It’s not Nancy as he knows her. It’s Nancy as she was while they were dealing with the Upside Down. 

Fuck. 

He knew it was coming, but the reality of the situation comes crashing down on him as he takes in his surroundings. They are definitely in the Upside Down; the sky is a deep gray that’s never been touched by sunlight and the buildings around them are cracking and decaying, over taken by vines. He shivers. 

“Thank fuck,” Nancy says, sitting back on her heels. “What happened?”

“I-I don’t know,” he says, because he doesn’t. He may be in the past, but he doesn’t remember what happens over the next few days. Because he wasn’t here. He was in 2008. 

Fuck!

“Did you see anything? You were in there for a minute before it spat you back out.”

Nancy isn’t looking at him. He follows her gaze. 

There’s a gate to their left. Instead of leading to the right side of Hawkins, it leads to more Upside Down. There’s no reflection of the world they are supposed to be in, just more of the same dark, desolate landscape. 

He’s seen this before, but only once. 

“Stay away from it, Nance,” he says, pushing himself up to his feet. It takes some effort, but he works through the pain and manages to get himself upright. “Something happened when I went in.”

“What?” she asks. She sounds uncertain, but her eyes give away her eagerness and curiosity. 

“I dunno. But we have to get out of here. We need to find Dustin.”

-----

Robin is waiting for them on the front step of his parents house when Steve turns the Beemer into his driveway. 

She’s so young. Nancy is, too, but for some reason, seeing teenaged Robin makes it real. He gets out of the car and runs to her, ignoring the pain in his sides and the blood seeping into his shirt. 

“Holy shit,” Robin gasps as Steve crashes into her. He pulls her as close as he can, wrapping her up in his arms and tucking his face into her neck. “Jesus, Steve, what happened to you two?” She hugs him back briefly, but then her hands are flitting over his sides and pulling the fabric of his shirt away from his ruined bandages. 

He steps away from her, grinning so widely that his face hurts, too. She looks at him like he’s lost his mind, and maybe he has. It’s been a couple months since he’s seen her, though. And it’s been decades since he’s seen this version of her. 

He lets her pull his shirt off and she curses when she sees the damage. “Let’s get you inside,” she says, “and we can take care of this. And then you are telling me what the fuck happened. Dingus.”

Unable to help himself, he swoops in and presses a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “I’ve missed you,” he says, grabbing her hand and pulling her through the front door. “There’s a lot of shit I need to tell you.”

She splutters, wiping at her mouth with the hand he isn’t clutching. Nancy follows them, and the three of them make their way to the downstairs bathroom, where he remembers keeping a first aid kit. 

“What do you mean, you missed me?” Robin asks as he sits down on the toilet and finally looks down at his torso. And yeah, it’s pretty bad. Blood is seeping from the bandages and dripping down into the waistband of his jeans. “You just saw me two hours ago.”

“Two months ago,” he corrects. Because if he’s going to be able to get anything done, he’s going to need people who know. Fuck the rules of time travel, if there even are any. He’s not keeping any of this shit from Robin. “And even then, you were, uh, different.”

Nancy is fussing with the first aid kit and Robin kneels in front of Steve and takes his hands. “Steve. What are you talking about?”

“You know I’d never lie to you, right?”

“I know.”

“What I’m about to tell you is going to sound absolutely crazy,” he says, squeezing her hands. “But Robin, I need you to know that it is the truth.”

She frowns and the spot between her brows furrows in that way it does when she’s concentrating. “Okay,” she says after a moment. 

Nancy comes over and tries to fuss with his bandages. “We need to stop this bleeding, Steve,” she says when he tries to elbow his hands away. Robin lets go of his hands and he lifts his arms, wincing as Nancy begins to peel the ruined bandages away. The stitches in the biggest of his wounds has stayed intact, but one of the smaller ones, a bite mark on his other side, has split open again. She begins wiping at it and he winces. “Sorry,” she says, “but I need to get the dirt out.”

Robin pulls his attention again as Nancy continues cleaning the bite out. “What crazy thing were you going to tell me?”

“I think I’m a time traveler.”

Nancy stops her ministrations and they both stare at him. 

“You’re what?” Robin finally asks. 

“I know it sounds crazy. But hear me out. Yesterday I was in 2008. And then I went to sleep, and when I woke up, boom! Here I am in… 1986, I think?”

“Yes,” Nancy says hesitantly. She curses under her breath, jumping back into motion and applying pressure to his side. “Hold this. Pressure, Steve.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He takes over for her, and she walks on her knees until she’s beside Robin. She sits with her back to the wall. “Right. 1986. Here’s the crazy thing. When I was 19, when I was actually in 1986, I time traveled. I went ahead in time, to 2008, the year that I’m from, and swapped places with another version of me. An older version of me. Who was from 2008.”

Nancy looks concerned; like maybe he’d hit his head too hard in the Upside Down. Robin, though, is clearly considering what he’s saying. 

“So you’re, what? Going in loops? Not you personally. But versions of you.”

“Yes!” he exclaims. “I don’t think I’m supposed to stop it. I think I’m just supposed to find a way to get me and my younger self switched back again. But there’s something else.”

“What’s that?” Nancy asks. Steve can tell she’s skeptical. She doesn’t not believe him, but she isn’t taking anything he’s saying at face value, either. Robin, though, is hanging on to his every word. And god, does he love her for it.

“I have to find Eddie Munson.”

“What?” Nancy and Robin say at the same time. 

Before he can explain, though, teenaged Argyle pokes his head into the bathroom. Steve wants to laugh. All of this is so surreal; this Argyle is so young. He probably doesn’t even remember Steve’s name. It’s really that early in their friendship. 

“Uh, sorry to interrupt, brochachos, but this little dude keeps calling out a code red?” he says, and in his hand is a walkie talkie the size of a brick. 

There’s the sound of static, and then a voice comes through, clear as mud. “Steve, are you there? Steve! Come in, Steve!"

It’s Dustin Henderson, and this time, Steve does laugh.

-----

Part 6

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[lonesome-witching]

Drawing

This is the saddest thing I've ever written. I usually end with a happy ending or at least a hopeful one. This isn't that. This is pure angst.

Do you have any prompts yourself? Or do you want to dive into what I wrote before? You can read my previous prompts or send me some new ones.

There was something wrong with Robin.

That was the only thing Nany knew. It was all she had been told.

You have to come over. There is something wrong with Robin.

It was all Steve would say. Despite the questions that tumbled out of Nancy’s mouth as she held the phone to her ear. He wouldn’t say what was wrong. Wouldn’t even say if it was something supernatural.

Just come over. Robin’s place. Now.

And so, Nancy had. She had jumped in her car and rushed to Robin’s place at a speed that really wasn’t legal. But Nancy had broken enough laws to save her friends and she didn’t mind breaking another. Not when her heart was beating this rapidly. She hated the uncertainty. She hated not knowing.

When she put the car in park, she took a deep breath and ran to the front door.

“She’s upstairs in her bed. We’re not entirely sure what is going on. She’s in pain and I’ve asked her if she wants to go to the hospital but she’s refusing. Maybe you can talk to her,” Steve rambled as Nancy walked in.

Robin was laying in her bed, covered with blankets and surrounded with pillows. She looked surprisingly small. Nancy could feel her heart sink. Even Robin’s smile as she saw Nancy wasn’t easing the feeling in her chest.

“Hi, Nance.” Robin coughed loudly, turning her head into one of the pillows next to her.

“Hey. How are you feeling?” Nancy shuffled into the room. She felt out of place. It crashed into her that she had never been in Robin’s bedroom before. She had never seen the movie posters on the wall. A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, The Apartment, Psycho. Not entirely an unexpected selection. The non-movie posters were slightly more surprising. Although were they really? Should Nancy really be surprised of the messages Robin was declaring to herself? The posters of women, a poster advertising the 1981 women’s independent film festival, drawings she might have made herself of girls kissing.

“I have been better.”

Nancy waited for a ramble, an onslaught of words that would comfort her in the midst of the sight she was taking in. No words came. Nancy just stood there, staring at a drawing she could almost see herself in, because it was easier than staring at Robin.

“Maybe you should see a doctor?”

Robin didn’t speak until Nancy turned back towards her. Until their eyes met and she could read the sad expression that was captured in them. She shook her head. “It won’t help.”

“You don’t know that.”

“You like the drawing?” Robin pushed herself up slightly.

“Yeah, did you make that?” Nancy stepped towards the bed.

“I did.”

“I didn’t know you liked drawing.”

“It’s a nice outlet. Art helps people express themselves. It’s easier to hide behind drawings and movies and music than to talk about what I feel.”

Nancy reached for the blanket. She wanted to crawl into the bed with her. Lay there, hold het, protect her from whatever was hurting her.

“You should go to a doctor.”

“I’ve been to plenty.”

Nancy’s eyes shot up to her. It was bad news. She didn’t have to be a genius to figure that one out.

“I don’t want to die in a hospital room. This is more comfortable.”

“You’re not dying, Robin.” Nancy fell down on the edge of the bed. She suddenly craved to lay on top of Robin’s body. As if that would keep her with her. She’d restrain her body to keep her.

“I am.”

“You’re not allowed to die. I won’t let you.” She was starting to cry. She felt her heart breaking in her chest. She couldn’t lose her. She couldn’t lose anybody ever again.

“I’m afraid even you can’t stop this one, Nance.”

“I’ll get another doctor, or I’ll— I’ll make a deal with the devil if it helps.”

Robin reached out, placing her hand on Nancy’s arm and softly stroking up and down. “Do you think you could just stay with me instead?”

“I don’t want to give up on you.” Her voice sounded wet with emotion.

“You’re not giving up. You’re helping me.”

“It doesn’t feel like that. There has to be something else I can do. We did not come this far for you to die.”

“Nancy, please.” Robin’s hand was pulling at her now. Pulling her down. Nancy let her, laying down next to her and sobbing into her shoulder.

“Please don’t leave me.”

“You shouldn’t see it as leaving. I’m just— I’m just resting for the next battle.”

“I don’t think I can do this without you.”

“You can do anything, Nance.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do. You are the strongest person I’ve ever met. You’re an unstoppable force. I can’t impact that.”

Nancy’s hands wrapped themselves into Robin’s shirt under the blankets. “You overestimate me.”

Robin shook her head. “You overestimate me.” And then she pressed her lips against the crown of Nancy’s head.

-

Nancy looked at the room. The wall still covered with the same posters. The women, the movies, the drawings. The bed now empty. The window stood open, letting in the sunlight and fresh air.

Nancy wanted to close it. It was washing away the remnants of Robin’s sweat. Instead, she fell to her knees at the edge of Robin’s bed as if in prayer. Sobs tearing their way out of her body with a force she hadn’t imagined possible.

Steve sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and crying silently along with her.

It took several long minutes before Nancy’s body stopped shaking. Before she crawled back to her feet and walked to the drawing of the girl that looked like her. She reached for it, softly pulling it from the wall.

“Do you think her parents would mind?” She held up the drawing for Steve to see.

“I don’t think they’ll notice,” he said, sighing softly.

She pressed the drawing to her chest and closed her eyes. She would take up drawing herself, she decided. She would start drawing so she could draw Robin, so Robin would be with her everywhere she went. Deep in her heart she felt like she would be.

[cherryspikes]

Need a ride?

‧₊˚🩰✩ ₊˚Justine Dancer x Ramona Badwolf - EAH Modern AU

⭒ desc: Justine's car breaks down so she goes to Ramona for help.

⭒ content: takes place in my modern au but you don't need any knowledge of it to be able to read it. references fairytale aspects from the series but there's no magic or actual royalty and shit. awkward lesbians don't know how to talk to each other, bribelle mention and minor references to puertorican culture because of my headcanons.

⭒ wordcount: 3,697

cross-posted on ao3 !!

⭒ note: i'm currently working on cross-posting all the works I'm working on to this blog and since this one got a lot of kudos i decided to start working on more fics inside this universe so stay tuned!!

“Oh my god, are you kidding me?” Justine let out an annoyed sigh as she tried to start her car again. She hoped this wasn’t actually happening and that the car would turn on just like it did every day, but all she got as a response to her pleas and prayers was the engine's weak sputtering. 

Justine lived the misfortune of having to share the same old car with her 11 sisters. And it made going anywhere a nightmare. If you were going somewhere you had to say it a month in advance or else you’d have to ride the car with at least 6 other people. In order to avoid this problem, Justine usually asks her friend Briar to pick her up and drop her off at the studio. But of course, the one day she decides to drive there herself, the car decides to break down. 

As she rested her head against the steering wheel, she wondered what to do. The car had never broken down before (to her knowledge at least) and she was in a part of town she wasn’t too familiar with. This was a disaster, but at least she wasn’t in the middle of the road.

She texted her sisters in the family group chat, hoping they’d try to help. But instead, they just ended up fighting over how this was going to mess with their ride schedule.

“How am I going to get to practice on Friday?”

“Does this mean I can’t go shopping tomorrow?”

“But I have an audition on Saturday!” 

“Did you crash the fucking car?”

Sighing once again, she decided to call Briar. Due to her party girl nature, she basically knew everyone, everywhere and everything. She knew about the gardener who got angry at his employer and totally wrecked his backyard, the guy from the highschool up north who sold gourmet candy to other students, that lady from the coast who got angry at her neighbor and dyed his dog green, etc. She definitely knew someone who could fix her car, but the praying wasn’t over yet. She now had to pray Briar was awake so she could actually tell her who that person was.

“Hey Justine! What’s up? Fay, say hi to Justine.” Briar answered the call immediately. “Hey dance girl number 12!“ Faybelle could be heard in the background. Justine heard a bit of shuffling and the muffled noises of what sounded like Briar scolding her partner, telling them to call her by her actual name. Justine smiled and rolled her eyes. 

She looked at her watch and noticed time was ticking by fast. She had practice in about an hour. “Hey Bri, hi Fay.. Listen, I'm like in a weird situation right now and I was hoping you could help me out.” Briar stopped playfully arguing with her girlfriend and started to get a little worried. “Yeah, sure. What's wrong?” Justine noticed the worry in her voice and quickly reassured her. “Oh, it’s not that bad don’t worry! It's just that, the family car broke down and I don’t know where to go get it fixed at and I know you know people, so yeah.” She laughed. 

“Oh, yeah I could totally help! What part of town are you in? Down south or up north?” Briar responded while walking around her room. Once Justine stated she was going to the studio up north she started to get all giddy. “Ooh, lucky you! People up north are hot!” Justine pinched the bridge of her nose playfully. “Briar..” She tried to defend her point and Faybelle helped her out by using themself as an example. But Justine couldn’t care less about getting some northsider’s phone number right now. 

“Can we talk about this later? I need to get to practice, remember?” Briar laughed while pushing Faybelle away. “Right, sorry! So there’s this car repair garage store thing around there. It’s like a couple minutes away from Hocus Latte. It’s called ‘Badwolf’s Hood Garage Shop’ or something like that I don't know.” Justine looked around the street from her car windows. She spotted a shop that seemed to be what her friend was describing, but its name was not what she said it was. 

“Is it the one with the basket sign?” She asked and Briar responded with an enthusiastic ‘Yup!. Justine got out of her car and grabbed her bag while thanking Briar for her help. “Oh it's nothing. You should talk to Ramona! Tell her I sent you and make a move! I think she’s single..” Briar said. Justine could practically hear her smirk through her phone. “Whatever…” She walked up the tiny steps leading to the shops door. “Oh and for the record, the shop is called ‘Mr Badwolfs Hooded Garage’.” Briar rolled her eyes and they all said their goodbyes before ending the call.

Justine walked inside the shop and looked around at the decor. Chairs made out of dark oak wood and walls painted to look like trees and flowers. The place really nailed the enchanted forest look and it was beautiful. Due to their town being the inspiration for so many fairy tale writers, it's become a Book End tradition to theme local establishments after fairy tales or fantasy objects. It was great for tourism and a nice touch if you knew the town's history, but above all that, non themed stores just wouldn’t fit the town’s environment. It was called the Village of Book End after all. 

Justine figured she must’ve been admiring the shop's decor for too long since she heard someone clearing their throat behind the counter. The person rested their arms against the counter while holding their phone. They looked Justine up and down as if trying to see if they knew her. The gold chain on their neck rattled as they did so. Justine awkwardly walked towards the person with long brown hair and tried to think of what to say. Said person could tell she was awkward by the way her fingers played with the ribbon of the yellow wrapped top she was wearing. 

“Heh sorry, got kind of carried away looking at the walls. The theming here is amazing!” 

“Thanks, it was my mom's idea.” She smiled looking at the devorated ceiling. “My sister's girlfriend helped paint the walls and shit.” The person behind the counter spoke with a husky voice. Seemingly out of nowhere, someone with a hood appeared. 

They stood next to the person behind the counter with crossed arms and you could see anger written all over their face. “Can you seriously stop? Cedar is not my girlfriend.” The hooded girl's sibling backed away from her while laughing and raised their hands up like they just got caught commiting a crime. “Sheesh, my bad! Didn’t think it was that serious.” 

Once the hooded girl left, she turned back towards Justine and mouthed: They’re totally dating . Justine held in her laughter and shook her head. Justine's nerves about being on the unknown, other side of town started to disappear. This sibling dynamic reminded her of her sisters and it was comforting. 

“Well uh anyways, welcome to our shop!” She leaned onto the counter again. She pointed to herself “I’m Ramona,” and then her sister. “the mysterious, hooded chick over there is my sister. We'll try our best to help but our dad does most of the work so we don't know how good our service will be.” Ramona spoke with sarcastic enthusiasm. Justine nodded in response while Ramona went back to using her phone. 

“You don’t look familiar. This your first time coming?” She said while typing on the phone. Unbeknownst to Justine, Ramona was currently stalking all of her friends' socials to try and find out who she was before she told them herself. 

They swiftly looked through Briar’s following count, figuring she was the most likely to know someone outside of town. However, Ramona quickly realized she underestimated the amount of people Briar followed on MyChapter and how much the accounts content varied. Shitpost meme pages, house party announcements, theme accounts, local bands and My Little Pony edits? She decided not to question it but she was definitely going to bring it up to her later. Just as Ramona found an account with a profile picture that looked like the woman in front of her, Justine spoke up.

“Oh, I’m not from this side of town, so yeah.” She scratched her head. “I’m from the southwest side of town so yeah I don’t really come up here often. I also don’t use the car a lot, it just decided to break when I use it.” She laughed at her own predicament. Ramona clicked on her profile and spoke sarcastically again. “Wow, you must be very lucky!” She multitasked. Looking through Justine's posts while listening to her talk about how the car broke down. 

She noticed she mainly posted pictures and videos of her performing or practicing. Anyone could've guessed she was a dancer based off her current outfit. Baby yellow leotard matched with a wrapped shirt and skirt of the same color. Topped off with a thin baby pink ribbon on her waist to match the bow on her head. All the other outfits on her page fit the same aesthetic and Ramona shifted her head to rest on her palm. She had to admit the style was very cute, she didn’t want to fall for her so quickly. But dammit, she always had a preference for fems.

“So, what do you think is wrong with the car?” 

Ramona is sort of a lazy overachiever (if such a thing exists). She felt like she had to do something at all times which is why she constantly multitasked. Studying while cleaning her motorcycle, doing math homework while practicing for a game, bothering her sister while cooking dinner, etc. She usually was able to listen to someone talk while doing something else and totally understand everything they said after.

Keyword: “usually”. Ramona was too distracted by Justine's feed in order to actually pay attention to what she was saying. She knew she was talking about her car, and how it broke down and how she wanted to get it fixed… but that was about it. She could feel her face grow hot in embarrassment, realizing the situation she's in. Fuck, I look like an idiot right now.

“So, uh, did the car like, just stop completely?” Justine gave her a confused face and held her phone up to her chest. The air in the room felt colder as their interaction became awkward. “No.. I turned it off to go to Hocus Latte and when I came back to turn it on it didn’t. That's what I said earlier..” Ramona nodded rapidly while grabbing some papers from under the desk so fast she nearly punched it on accident. Way to go man, you totally blew it. 

Justine flashed a small grin, trying to hold back her laughter, as Ramona mumbled in slight pain as a response to her hand scraping against the hardwood furniture. She looked at her as she looked through the papers quickly, taking the time to look at the parts of her outfit she could see from the other side of the desk. A navy blue muscle tank, bracelets of all colors covering her forearms and a red flannel that she could barely see wrapped around her waist. The outfit made sense for a place like this.

The shop wasn’t hot, there was air conditioning in the waiting room and garage itself, but being around car smoke and gasoline probably made the air feel thick and humid. Justine accidentally found herself looking back at her toned arms. Jesus, she must play some sport right? The realization that she was staring for far too long confirmed Briar's statement about people from the north side being attractive. 

“Okay so, somethings probably up with the car battery and that kind of stuff takes like 15 minutes so I’ll see if my dad can fix it up for you now.” Ramona jumped over the counter and walked out the back door. Justine sat on one of the stools and tapped her foot on the floor anxiously. 

She was nervous about getting to practice late. She had somewhat of a track record of late arrivals, which she was incredibly ashamed of, and hated the idea of adding more to it. Even though her teacher didn’t mind her tardiness, she still felt like a burden to her class. Justine always insisted on staying after class to make up for the minutes she missed and was more than happy to help clean up the studio when it closed. She was really dedicated to her craft but the universe never seemed to be on her side. 

Ramona walked back into the waiting room, scratching her head. “So we kind of got a problem here, princess. Your car is old and sort of busted which means replacing the battery is going to take way more than 15 minutes.” Justine shifted in her seat and Ramona layed against the counter with her arms crossed. Both confused as to where that nickname came from. Ramona noticed how Justines blushed slightly but she couldn’t determine whether it was because she was interested in her or because she was embarrassed. She wouldn’t blame her if it was the latter half though. Ramona was cringing at herself for being so cheesy. 

“How long do you think it’ll take?” Justine's leg bounced while she bit the inside of her cheek. Was she going to miss practice entirely? Ramona reached her hands over the counter and grabbed the papers she was reading earlier. She looked through them quickly while mumbling different times to herself. “Well, we’re sort of booked for the whole day, so we won’t be able to actually work on it till tomorrow.” 

Justine started to silently panic. Are you kidding me right now? Oh my god, please tell me this is a dream. Justine unlocked her phone and started to look through her contacts to see if anyone could get her to the studio. “Ah, but I have somewhere to be today!” She started texting people from her class, asking if they could pick her up but according to Duchess and Ashlynn everyone was already there. She called Briar but it went straight to voicemail. “She probably fell asleep.” Ramona chimed in, trying to lighten the mood. Justine nodded in agreement before freaking out again. 

This is it. She was ready to act like not getting to practice was the end of the world. But before she could overreact and walk out of the shop, Ramona stopped her. 

“I could give you a ride if you want.” 

Silence filled the room for a couple of seconds while Justine contemplated saying yes. Getting into a car with a stranger was a huge no no, but Ramona was friends with Briar. And sure Briar knew a ton of people but she doesn’t become friends with just everyone. She had her standards and Ramona met them for sure if Briar suggested she should ask her out. So she decided to take the risk. 

If her dead body ended up being found later she’d come back to haunt Briar as a ghost. “Um, sure okay. Do you know where the Red Shoes Studio is?” Ramona nodded while grabbing a leather messenger bag from behind the desk. Just before she could move away from the counter to walk out the shop, her hooded sister jumped down from the ceiling. 

“Holy fuck! Cerise, I told you to stop doing that!” Cerise ignored her sister's scolding and spun some car keys with her index finger while resting her head on her other hand. “Your motorcycle’s busted and you’re not supposed to use dad's car, how’re ya gonna get there?” Ramona groaned and grabbed the keys from Cerises hands. “I’ll talk to dad about it later, he won’t mind. And don’t listen in on my conversations, weirdo.” Cerise reached over and ruffled Ramona's hair while talking back, mimicking her tone. “And don’t call girls princess when you first meet them, creep.” Ramona fixed her red striped hair and mumbled a shut up before walking towards the door. Justine followed soon after, hoping Cerise didn’t notice her skin flushing at the mention of Ramona giving her a nickname. 

Once the front door closed shut, Cerise ran to the garage. “Dad! Ramona stole your car just so she could get a girl's number!” 

Back in the car, Justine made an attempt at getting to know Ramona a little more. She was Briars friend after all and she wasn’t wrong about her being hot, so why not try to at least be friends with her? “So, you ride a motorcycle?” Ramona started up the car and adjusted the rear view mirror before talking. “Yeah, it was my dads. It's pretty old so it breaks down sometimes but I don’t really mind it.” She looked both ways before riding the car out the parking lot. “It has its charm, I guess.” 

“Can’t relate. My family keeps that old piece of junk because we can’t get a new one.” Ramona shook her head while Justine explained her living situation. The idea of having 11 other siblings made Ramona's head spin. She could barely deal with one Cerise, imagine having 10 other versions of her running around. 

After a bit of talking, the car ride became comfortably quiet. Ramona had turned on some music and Justine was scrolling through her phone. The silence wasn’t awkward but Ramona wanted to talk with Justine more. “So you do ballet right?” Justine looked up from her phone and towards Ramona. “Oh yeah, I’ve been doing it practically since I was born. It kind of runs in the family. We’ve been going to the same studio for years now” Ramona nods. 

“How do you even know where the studio is?” Justine stands upright and turns to look at her directly. “Most people don’t look past the club and think the upstairs is just some storage space.” 

Ramona smiled at the last part. “I actually didn’t know about it till like, 3 months ago? My friend takes classes there too.” Ramona turned her head towards Justine. You might know her but if you did I’d feel sorry for you.” Justine shook her head. “Well there are some pretty tough personalities to deal with in my class so your friend is probably one of them. What's her name?” 

The car stopped as they reached a red light and Ramona turned to look at Justine. “Duchess Swan.” Justine threw head back laughing. Duchess did take classes with Justine and she understood why Ramona had said that. She’s sort of a difficult person to deal with but she has her best interest at heart, you just have to break a few walls in order to get there. 

They talked about their mutual friendship with Duchess for a while. Ramona explained how they met at a basketball game which confirmed Justines suspicions of her playing sports. Ramona was the captain of her school's female basketball team and they were up against Duchess’ school, which was also Justines. Duchess had asked Justine to join her cheerleading squad a couple of times but Justine was still thinking about it. She was already doing a lot. Dance practice, theatre club, plus regular school barely gave her enough time to just chill. If cheer lets me see Ramona more I might consider it to be honest.. 

“My family’s history with basketball is probably a lot like yours with ballet to be honest.” The car turned right, getting closer and closer to the studio. “My grandpa was a captain for my school's team during his days, then my dad did the same and now I’m living that out too.” Justine was genuinely interested in learning more about Ramonas life. She hoped she would get to see her again but she was too shy to directly ask for her number or any of her socials. 

“What other things do you do besides basketball and fixing cars?” Justines asked and rested her arm on the window. “Well, whenever I'm not slouching around and watching TV I read comic books and stuff.” She rolled up into the studio's parking lot and pointed towards Justine. “Oh and I cook! I’m pretty good at it to be honest. I make some mean pasteles.” 

Justine decided to take this as a chance to be bold. “I guess I should come over and try them sometime.” Ramona parked the car and smiled at Justine. “You should! I’ll pick you up with my bike.” 

Justine shook her head and started to unbuckle her seatbelt. “I am not riding a motorcycle!” Ramona whined. “Aw c'mon, it's not that bad.” Justine rolled her eyes and smiled. “I’ll think about it.” Ramona mumbled a hell yeah and pulled out her phone. Opening up her contacts and placing it in front of Justine. The dancer put her number in and Ramona did the same. 

“Now I have to go. I'm almost 20 minutes late.” She rushed out of the car. Ramona lowered the car's window. “I’ll update you about your car later!” Justine nodded at her. She mumbled an ‘okay’ and ran off. She flew through the stairs as she heard music coming from the studio. 

Catching her breath, Justine sat on a nearby bench. “You’re late. Again.” Duchess, who had been drinking water outside, said. “Yeah,” Justine breathed heavily. “I know.” Duchess shook her head while closing her water bottle. “You can’t keep doing that if you want a lead role for this year's showcase.” Justine looked at her while putting on her pointe shoes. Duchess walked towards the studio's door. “If it’s difficult for you to get here on time I can pick you up if you want. Just let me know.” 

Before Justine could thank her, Duchess walked into the studio. Showing that beneath that judgy exterior, she really does care. While Justine finished putting on her shoes, she received a notification. 

MyChapter: 

r.badwolf started following you. 

[captain-lessship]

Does It Run In The Family?

You knew you were exactly the greatest individual. But you weren’t the worst. 

You were completely and utterly average. Which was worse considering who your father was anything but. Your dad was a god. And by relation, better than you.

You hated how disappointing you knew you were. If only could be great at one thing. That’s what brought you to the marching band. You played the trombone and you enjoyed it. 

You were playing your heart out at homecoming and your eyes were scanning for you dad, hoping to see a glimmer, a fraction of a think of pride in you. When you saw him: 

He wasn’t even looking. 

Tears pricked at your eyes as you kept playing but then, your worst nightmare happened. 

Your shoe came untied and was getting caught under the shoe of the player in front of you. The wave of horror washed over you as you fell backwards, a loud crash ensued and engulfed you. 

It was embarrassing, you stood up, dropped your slightly bent trombone and ran for it. You didn’t even know where you were going, all you knew is that it was way. Maybe someone would feel bad for your father and give him a better kid. 

That was all you could think about til you finally stopped running. You were a good ways away. You sat down on the curb and watched the ground. 

All that was in your head was the fact that you were not and never will be good enough. How many nights you wished for you to wake up the next day and be amazing. Then there were times you wished for an average dad. 

A Dad who tells dad jokes.

A Dad who was proud when you brought how a report card.

A Dad who would ask you to help work on a car.

A Dad who would drop you off at school and honk the horn to embarrass you.

A normal Dad or an Amazing Son.

One of you would have to give.

The sound of footsteps tore you from your thoughts. It was him. You felt the urge to get up and run but you didn’t. 

He sat behind you. 

“So… I take it that the incident wasn’t intentional.” 

You pulled your legs to your chest, ignoring him the best you could. 

“I know you were looking forward to this so I can’t see why you’d want to. So it must’ve been an accident.”

“That’s all I am!” You screamed, anger hitting the limit you didn’t know you had. 

He looked at you with surprised eyes, “You’re not.”

“It’s all I can do! All I do is mess up! I don’t know why? It just do!” You stood up, “Not like you understand! You’re..” you motioned at all of him, “Must’ve skipped over me because I am nothing!”

Tears were pouring down in heaven streaks, you attempted to dry them but you felt a pair of arms wrap around you and pull you close.

“You are so much more than I ever will be.” 

That made you cry even more, shaking and heaving into his chest, wishing that he’d never let go so you wouldn’t have to go out and make more mistakes. 

[traumasurvivors]

Tw for mentions of a car accident

God the anons out there trying to act like trauma can only be valid if it’s obtained through a very specific way are so annoying. It’s not their business to tell someone that the source of their trauma, no matter how ridiculous, wasn’t bad enough.

I currently have long lasting PTSD from a car accident last year and I’m afraid of semi-trucks as a result. Does that sound ridiculous? Yes. But considering I still get reoccurring nightmares of the crash and still jump harshly when something comes at me quickly from my side, I’d say my trauma is perfectly valid!

No person has any right to dictate the level of pain someone may have gone through. I’m sorry you have to deal with such ignorant people.

I don’t think it sounds ridiculous at all. But you’re right about a lot of people thinking trauma can only be obtained through specific circumstances.

Your trauma is perfectly valid and everyone else’s.

Signed from someone who has been through several of the traumas others find valid but has trauma from an incident with a spider that affects me more currently.

[lily-higginson-writing]

TW: SA, Abusive Family, Homelessness

Leaving

“You threw a knife at me!”

My voice cracks as my mouth hangs open in astonishment.

“No, I threw it at the car!”

My fathers response is somehow both incredibly wrathful and incredibly casual, as if cars are simply where you throw knives, and I’m the one in the wrong for not recognizing that fact.

There were about a billion different thoughts running through my head at that point, but the one that won out was “I’m getting out of here.”

As soon as I stepped foot on the threshold of the garage, I heard him coming up behind me, and I felt his hands on my back shoving me out.

Like most times like this, I couldn't turn and face him, so I just kept walking.

I spent the next week crashing on couches, I did spend one night on the street, and decided it wasn't for me, so I found some guy off grindr who’d let me stay over a night or two and get crossed in exchange for some road head. Of course, as soon as I was out of it, he took it farther than that, but I’m not sure what I was expecting, I still smell him sometimes when I’m waking up from a particularly bad nightmare.

At the time, I wasn’t sure what I’d do, I needed to survive until the end of summer, but at the moment that seemed like a distant prospect.

If it wasn’t for my best friend Jameson, it would have been. He took me in after a week, and gave me a place to stay over the summer.

That’s why a week later I was back at the garage, this time though, my dad was gone, we pulled up in Jameson’s 1998 Toyota Corolla, the thing almost died in the parking lot, but he kept it running while I grabbed my fishing gear and a tool box.

In retrospect, I most regret not grabbing my retainer.

We peeled out of there as best as that shitty 4 banger could, and went back to his house.

The rest of the summer was a lot of weed, a cool fishing trip, and just us kind of vibing.

I worked at a sketchy car wash, and blew everything I made on Magic the Gathering cards.

My “family” held a going away party for me at the beginning of August, and my uncle let me drive to the airport in his car, I said goodbye to everyone, and hopped on a plane headed towards Arizona.

I remember stepping off at Tucson International, and it kind of hit me that “oh shit, I’m 2500 miles from everyone and everything I’d ever known, then again, maybe that’s for the better.”