#chaos boys name is theo

[quacknar]

my roommate has two cats and they have decided i am the arbiter of who is the better boy. i have seen them do similar things and then look at me when theyve done it for judgement and who ever i pet first is deemed the better boy. if the docile child is picked first the chaos boy will sit and look at me spitefully until i give him the required attention for him to forgive me.

[selectivelyslytherin]

See you again

Pairing: Mattheo Riddle x Reader

Summary: You have an interest in healing magic so decide to help Madam Pomfrey in the infirmary for a couple weeks. Mattheo keeps getting into fights in order to see you.

“Good afternoon dear, could you assist the young man in the third bed? Just some minor cuts, you should manage.” Madam Pomfrey greeted as I walked into the infirmary.

This was only my first week helping in the hospital wing, but I had grown to really enjoy helping Madam Pomfrey. Not that she needed the help, but I had taken an interest in healing magic and I’m sure she was glad for the company. I washed my hands and made my way over to the bed.

“Well you are quite an upgrade from seeing Madam Pomfrey.” Mattheo Riddle smirked up at me. I assumed he had gotten into yet another fight.

“Maybe you should stop fighting and you won’t have to spend so much time with her.” I told him as I began to silently clean his wounds, a few minor cuts.

“There, you should be fine, now get out of here so we can help people who are actually injured.”

“Whatever you say sweetheart.” He replied getting up, probably already headed to cause more chaos.

I stayed for a couple of hours, mostly slow afternoon, even having time to do what homework I had between helping with minor tasks. “You should head to dinner, dear, thank you for the help.” Madam Pomfrey said. I collected my things and made my way to my dormitory to drop them off before heading to dinner.

Once I entered the great hall, I made my way to my seat next to my best friend, Rai. “Hey, there you are! I’m totally going to need your help with the Potions homework from today.” Rai greeted. “No problem babes, I already finished all of mine, so I can help you after dinner.” I replied.

“Riddle has been eyeballing you since you walked in the door, what’s up with that?” She whispered. I looked up and made direct eye contact with him accidentally, blushing. “I just helped him clean up a few cuts in the hospital wing, I’ve no idea what he’s up to.”

Three more times within the week, I saw Mattheo Riddle sitting in the bed waiting for me when I arrived. I had always heard that Riddle got into fights regularly but I had no idea it was this often. I hate to admit it, but despite the ridiculousness of the situation, I was starting to enjoy his company.

“Riddle, this is getting ridiculous, there is absolutely no reason for you to be in here every day.”

“Maybe I just wanted to see that pretty face of yours again sweetheart.” He smirked.

I rolled my eyes but I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. I had never really given him much thought as we had never had much reason to interact before but Mattheo Riddle was quite handsome, and charming at that.

“Here, I’m going to give you a few supplies, you’re perfectly capable of cleaning your own, might I add, self inflicted, wounds instead of taking up a perfectly good bed.” I instructed.

Matthew frowned. “Maybe I’m just not as good at it as you are.”

“Maybe I want to help actually injured people instead of cleaning cuts from your foolishness.”

I did not see Mattheo again until Saturday.

I was sitting in the library studying when a boy in a Slytherin quidditch jersey came sprinting towards me.

“Y/N?” he questioned.

“What could I possibly help you with?” I asked bluntly.

“I uh, my name is Theo, I’m Mattheo’s friend.” He stated.

“All of Hogwarts is aware, could you get to the point?”

“Mattheo is in the infirmary again, could you please come with me?”

“Look Theo, I told Mattheo he has got to stop getting into fights this is absolutely- ”

He cut me off.

“This is serious, he didn’t get into a fight. He got hurt during the quidditch match and fell from his broom. He’s not even conscious. I was just hoping you might come with me, I think if you showed up it might help.”

“Why would I show up? Mattheo and I have never even interacted outside the infirmary.” I told him.

“Come on y/n, he was only picking fights so he’d have an excuse to talk to you again. I thought that much was obvious.”

“What.. no, that doesn’t even make sense.”

“Just come with me please.” He almost begged.

I got up from my spot and followed the boy to the infirmary. All I could think about on the way there was how ridiculous Theo’s statement had been. Mattheo always fought, why would I have anything to do with that? And then a wave of anxiety hit. Was Mattheo actually okay? What was he going to think that I had showed up there?

I walked in and sat in the chair beside his bed. He was still asleep. I sat for a while chatting with the rowdy gang of boys also waiting. They weren’t as bad as I had assumed, just typical teenaged boys.

“Alright everyone, time for you all to head back to your dormitories for the evening. Young Riddle will be quite alright, he just needs a bit of rest.” Madam Pomfrey said coming over to kick out the crowd of boys.

“Um, Madam Pomfrey, you don’t mind if I stay a little while longer do you? I could wait for him to wake if you’d like to take a rest.”

She gave me a knowing look.

“That’s fine dear.” She smiled.

“Y/n?” I heard a whisper and felt a squeeze in my hand.

My eyes fluttered open, I looked around realizing I was still in the infirmary. I looked to my hand and realized that it was in Mattheo’s and quickly pulled it back.

“I uh, I’m sorry. I must’ve fallen asleep. I’ve been here a few hours.”

“That’s alright, why are you still here? I didn’t know Madam Pomfrey had you working such long hours.” He said with a faint smile.

“Oh no, actually, I was off today. Theo came to get me when they brought you in here.” I told him.

“Just wanted to see my pretty face again, did you sweetheart?” He smirked.

“Shut up, Riddle.” I rolled my eyes.

“Well you didn’t have to show up.” He said bluntly.

“Actually, Theo said something that I was wondering about. He told me that you were only getting into fights this week so you could see me.”

“I did pretty much tell you that the last time we spoke, you really think I fight people every day? Then I sorta figured after what you said that you didn’t want to see me again but here you are.”

“You don’t have to injure yourself in order for me to hang out with you, you could have just asked.” I told him.

“Well then, how about when I get out of here we can actually hang out?” He asked smiling.

“I would love that.” I said grabbing his hand.

[raekensluver]

jealousy's game

description: plotting to make your ex jealous at a party, you pick the last person anyone could expect. theodore nott.

pairing: theodore nott x slytherin!fem!reader

contains: partying, drinking, mentions of smoking, mention of past relationship, jealous ex, kissing, cocky theo!

song rec: MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT by elley duhé- "just call my name, i'm yours to tame"

w.c: 1.5k

an: saw the above pic of lorenzo on pinterest and i knew i had to write something about him at a party.

the slytherin common room was a whirlwind of shadows and light, the flickering candles casting an eerie glow across the sea of faces, all twisted in various expressions of amusement and mischief. the air had the scent of alcohol and smoke, a potent cocktail that seemed to fuel the already boisterous spirits of the partygoers. the music thumped through the ancient stones, a bass line that seemed to resonate in the very marrow of the castle.

you wove through the crowd, your eyes scanning the room for any sign of trouble. as the leader of your own little slytherin clique, it was your duty to keep an eye on things and ensure that your gathering didn't devolve into chaos. but tonight, your attention was snagged by something far more personal. in the corner, your ex, a boy whose name you refused to let yourself remember, had his hands all over a giggling girl, their lips locked in a display that was no doubt for your benefit. his eyes flicked up to meet yours, a smug grin playing across his features. he knew you were watching, and he reveled in it.

you felt a spark of anger, a flare of indignation, but you weren't about to let him win. not here, not now. you had moved on, grown stronger, and you wouldn't let his pettiness tarnish your night. your gaze slid over to theo nott, the charming rogue with a silver tongue and a penchant for drama. he was surrounded by a flock of eager girls, his laughter a siren song in the smoky air. you approached him with purpose, tapped him on the shoulder, and leaned in close. "theo," you whispered, your voice low and sultry, "i need a favor."

his eyes glinted with mischief as he turned to face you, the champagne bottle in his hand paused mid-pour. "oh?" he drawled, raising an eyebrow. "and what might that be?"

you nodded in the direction of your ex, the corners of your mouth curling into a smirk. "i want to show him i'm not bothered. make it convincing."

theo's eyes followed your gaze, and he took in the sight of the boy with a knowing look. he set the champagne bottle down, his hand brushing against yours as he leaned in closer, his breath warm against your ear. "alright," he murmured, "let's give him a show he won't forget."

his arms slipped around your waist, pulling you into him with a confidence that sent a thrill down your spine. your ex's eyes widened, his smug smile faltering for a moment before it transformed into a scowl. you felt a twinge of satisfaction, but you didn't let it show on your face. instead, you tilted your head back, laughing at something theo whispered, playing the part of the enamored girlfriend to perfection.

his lips met yours in a kiss that was the perfect blend of passion and playfulness. theo's touch was light, teasing, as if he was daring you to break the act first. your heart raced, not from the kiss itself, but from the challenge of keeping up the charade. you wrapped your arms around his neck, deepening the kiss slightly, your eyes never leaving your ex's.

his hands tightened around your waist, and you felt his body tense, the heat of his anger palpable. theo, ever the showman, didn't miss a beat, his eyes fluttering closed as he kissed you more fervently. the crowd around you cheered, the sound of their applause and whistles blending with the throb of the music. it was a heady sensation, one that made you feel alive and in control.

you pulled back slightly, a mischievous glint in your eye. "is that convincing enough?" you asked theo, your voice barely audible over the din.

he grinned, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "oh, i think we've got his attention," he said, nodding towards your ex, who was now red-faced and glaring at the two of you. "but why stop there?"

you couldn't help but laugh, the sound a little too genuine for the situation. theo's arms remained around you, his fingers playing with the fabric of your shirt. "fine," you said, playing along. "let's really make him squirm."

theo took your hand and led you to the makeshift dance floor, where bodies moved in a rhythmic frenzy. the music swelled around you, the beat matching the pulse of your heart. you danced with him, your movements calculated and sensual, every step and sway a silent message to your ex. theo's hands were sure and firm, guiding you with an ease that was surprisingly comforting. your ex's gaze was a fire that burned into you, but you didn't let it get the best of you. instead, you leaned into theo, letting your bodies meld together in a dance that was more of a performance than anything else.

his hands roamed your back, his touch a whisper against your skin, sending a shiver down your spine. you matched his every move, your hips swaying in sync with his. the other dancers parted around you, creating a bubble of space, as if the two of you were the only ones in the room. the music grew louder, the lights dimmer, and the world outside the party faded away. for a moment, it was just you and theo, locked in a dance of spite and rivalry.

but as the minutes ticked by, something began to shift. the anger that had fueled your actions started to give way to a different kind of heat, one that had nothing to do with spite and everything to do with the chemistry that had always crackled between you two. theo's eyes searched yours, the playfulness replaced with something more intense. the kiss had been a ruse, but the dance had become something real.

his hands slid down to the small of your back, pressing you closer, and you felt your breath hitch. your ex was forgotten, lost in the haze of theo's embrace. your movements grew more natural, less forced, your bodies moving together as if they had always been meant to. the music was a siren's call, and you were lost in its seductive rhythm.

his fingers curled into the fabric of your shirt, his grip tightening as he pulled you closer still. theo's eyes searched yours, and for a moment, you saw something there that made your heart race: desire, raw and unfiltered. it was the kind of look that made you feel like you were the only person in the room, the only one that mattered.

his hand slid up to cradle your neck, his thumb brushing against your jawline in a way that sent a shiver down your spine. you leaned into his touch, unable to resist the magnetic pull that had always existed between the two of you. your ex's presence was a distant memory, a forgotten plot point in a story that had taken a turn you hadn't expected.

theo's eyes searched yours, looking for any sign of hesitation, but all he found was the same burning need that was reflected in his own. you tipped your chin up, parting your lips slightly, inviting him to close the gap between you. he didn't need any more encouragement than that. his mouth found yours again, this time with a hunger that was unmistakable. the kiss was no longer a show, it was a declaration, a silent promise of passion and fire.

but just as you felt yourself getting lost in the moment, a hand roughly yanked you away from theo. you stumbled, breaking the spell, and found yourself staring into the concerned eyes of one of your best friends. "what the hell are you doing?" she hissed, pulling you through the crowd and away from the dance floor.

you blinked, your cheeks flushing as reality crashed back down around you. the room was spinning, a dizzying mix of lights and shadows. "i-i don't know," you stammered, your voice breathless. "i just wanted to make him jealous."

your friend's eyes went wide, a grin spreading across her face. "oh my god, you two were on fire!" she squealed, her grip on your arm tightening. "i can't believe it! you and theo nott!"

you managed a small laugh, your cheeks still flushed from the dance. "it was just to make him jealous," you murmured, trying to convince yourself more than her. but the thrill of the kiss, the way theo's hands had felt on your body, made it difficult to maintain the facade.

your friend's squeal grew louder, drawing the attention of several nearby partygoers. "are you kidding me?" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "you and theo nott? that's the juiciest gossip this party has seen in ages!"

you rolled your eyes, trying to play it cool. "it's not like that," you said, though your voice wavered. "it was just to get back at my ex."

but the look in theo's eyes as he watched you being dragged away said otherwise. there was a hunger there, a yearning that you couldn't ignore. the dance had changed something, and suddenly the lines between friends and enemies, lovers and rivals, had blurred into something unrecognizable.

[corroded-hellfire]

As You Wish - Eddie Munson x Reader, Part 9

Collaboration with the one and only Dr. @munson-blurbs 💛

Summary: Eddie's finally moving into a place of his own. It's fun and exciting but at the same time, it makes things more real for the boys.

Note: It is here! A happy As You Wish Wednesday to you all

Warnings: talk of divorce, Brittany

Words: 7.4k

[As You Wish masterlist]

Eddie usually hated his government name. He’s Eddie, not Edward; the latter too formal and a reminder of when he’d get reprimanded at school. 

But today, as the ballpoint pen glides over the paper, he’s never been happier to be Edward Munson. 

“All right,” the leasing manager chirps, procuring a key from her back pocket, “congratulations on your new apartment, Mr. Munson.”

“Thank you.” It’s bittersweet; his first place without Brittany, without his boys as permanent fixtures. But he no longer needs to couch surf or rely on anyone else. This is his place, and though it’s not quite the house he once lived in, it’s home. 

The Harrington household is in its usual state of controlled chaos when Eddie arrives. His sons are running around with Steve and Nancy’s three oldest kids on their front lawn, so engaged in a rousing game of freeze tag that they don’t even notice the car pulling up. 

You spot him right away, greeting him with an excited wave. One arm stays wrapped around Mia, who offers a big smile when she sees her favorite uncle. 

“Ryan! Luke! Dad’s here!”

The boys grumble, clearly upset about their game being cut short, and the Harringtons cheer triumphantly. 

“We won! We won!” Theo cheers. 

Luke shakes his head. “No, we’re just pausing until next time.”

“Nuh-uh! You guys forfeit, which means we win!”

You sigh. “We’ll call it a tie,” you decide, not waiting for a reply. Nancy comes out of the house to pay you, scooping up her youngest. 

“Did we avoid a fight?” She whispers to you. 

“Barely,” you confirm, tucking the bills into your front pocket. “I’m hoping to make our escape before it escalates.”

Nancy nods. “Godspeed.” She ushers Natalie, Theo, and Danny back into the house, bidding Eddie and his boys farewell, but not before Luke sticks his tongue in his friend’s direction. 

“Saw that,” Ryan mutters. So did you, but you lack the energy to reprimand the youngest Munson, so you act oblivious. 

This evening was the final celebration of your birthday week—the cherry on top that it seemed the boys wouldn’t let you go without: them treating you to a McDonald’s date. Ryan and Luke had both chipped in some pocket change they had in a piggy bank or hidden underneath a mattress. Though, you wouldn’t be surprised if Luke scrounged some of his from between couch cushions and between seats in his dad’s truck as well. 

With their donations appreciated, Eddie pocketed the money and told everyone to order whatever they wanted. That’s dangerous territory with the two rugrats around, but it’s a special occasion. 

The order in total managed to fit on four trays, which the guys said they had handled and would head off to find a table while you wait for the milkshakes at the counter.

As you rest your hip against the cool metal island that contains condiments and utensils, you hear familiar giggles coming from the tables around the corner. They bring an instant smile to your face. There’s a lot of turmoil going on in these kids’ lives right now, so the fact that they get to have these moments of peace and joy with their dad is very important. It’s part of the reason you told Eddie that it might be better to take Ryan and Luke shopping for their new rooms on his own. None of the three Munson men were having this, though. Every single one of them trusted your opinion far more than anyone with an XY chromosome in your little gang. 

“Milkshakes?”

The worker’s voice pulls you out of your head and you give her a polite smile as you pick the cardboard carrier up off the counter, holding two vanilla shakes for you and Ryan, a chocolate for Eddie, and a strawberry for Luke. You set off in the direction the previous laughter came from and just as you turn the corner are greeted by the sight of the back of your boyfriend’s head in all its curly glory. Thing One and Thing Two are on the other side of the table throwing fries at one another, trying to catch them in their mouths. 

“Come on, try me,” Eddie says, tilting his head back a bit. Ryan throws a fry first, but it bounces off his father’s cheek. Luke then throws a fry that is way too long and was never going to make it across the table. You watch in silence as the boys make a few more valiant attempts, Ryan able to sink one in eventually. The shakes are getting melty now though, so it’s time to barge in on their game.

When you walk over to the table and set the drink caddy down, you notice Eddie’s expression goes from playful to remorseful. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take your brain long to make the connection that this is something Brittany probably would’ve berated him for in the past—acting like a child and goofing around with the boys. It’s preposterous to even think of, really.

Instead of assuring Eddie with comforting words, you just slide onto the red vinyl booth next to him and nudge his arm with your elbow. 

“My turn.”

Juxtaposed with the fun dinner you just had is the quiet car ride back to Brittany’s house to drop the boys off. Seeing the two happy little moods dampened weighs on Eddie’s heart, so he tries to get them engaged in another fun topic.

“Are you guys excited to pick out stuff for your new rooms tomorrow?” he asks, grinning at them through the rear-view mirror.

“Do I get, like…a new bed?” Luke asks.

“Sure do,” Eddie says as he flips the blinker on to turn into his old neighborhood. “And whatever kind of sheets you want to put on it.”

“Can I get ones with Spider-Man? Or Batman? Or Spider-Man and Batman?”

Eddie chuckles. “We’ll see what they have.”

That seems to satisfy Luke, at least for the moment, which is all you need. Eddie takes a deep breath as he pulls up to Brittany’s house—his former house. That twinge of pain never seems to dissipate, even though the end of his marriage was inevitable, the loss still hurts. Ryan doesn’t give him much time to dwell on things, though.

“Can I get a PlayStation for my room?”

Eddie barks a laugh and rubs a hand over his eyes. Before he can open his mouth to say no, Luke has to add his own outlandish request.

“Can I get a dog?!”

Your boyfriend just looks at you, silently begging you to take over before his patience completely runs out.

As you unbuckle your seatbelt, you casually announce, “No additional living beings until further notice.”

Luke grumbles, but ultimately relents, climbing out of his booster seat and running up to the door where Brittany is waiting.

“Mom!” Ryan and Luke yell out in unison. The older boy’s enthusiastic grin falters a bit when he notices the fakeness in his mom’s smile, but the younger boy thankfully remains oblivious.

“We’re gonna pick out stuff for our new rooms tomorrow!” Luke chirps.

Brittany’s perfectly plucked brows pinch together in a mix of confusion and her usual perpetual annoyance. “Tomorrow?” she asks, her voice far from genuine. “I thought we would spend tomorrow together, guys.”

“Britt, you said tomorrow you had that work thing, remember?” Eddie reminds her, a smug smile on his face. They both know damn well she just wanted to get out of taking the boys to the toy store when Luke originally asked the other day. 

Brittany glares at Eddie but Luke shrugs and walks away.  

“Another time, Mom.” He says casually, and something inside you breaks. You can feel it in Eddie, too. Luke’s unbothered attitude is too natural, like he’s accustomed to his mother constantly breaking their plans. 

Speaking up will only incur the wrath of Brittany, so you stay silent, leaving Eddie to maneuver the rest of the awkward conversation. 

“See you guys tomorrow,” he calls out to his sons, giving a cordial wave to Brittany. She doesn’t return it, closing the door in your faces. 

Eddie turns to you. “That could have gone worse, I guess.”

You scoff. “Yeah, she could’ve turned into one of those Demogorgon things from your D&D campaigns.”

“Now that would be entertaining.” He takes your hand in his, his rings pressing against your fingers. 

The car ride home will almost certainly involve a discussion about the way the boys’ faces fell when they saw Brittany and how to undo the damage of her bailing on plans. But for now, you take the moment to relish the love between you and Eddie. 

“Look at that lamp! It looks like a jellyfish!”

It seems as if every other thing that Luke sees as the four of you walk up and down the aisles of the store catches his eye. If his new room incorporated all these new interesting finds of his, the small bedroom would look like the storage space of an eccentric car enthusiast who has an odd pension for nautical memorabilia. 

“I thought you wanted a Hot Wheels room,” Eddie says for what feels like the fortieth time.

“I do, that lamp just looks cool,” Luke says. “Hey! Can I get one of those rugs that looks like there are roads on it so I can drive my cars all around?”

“If we see one,” his dad tells him. 

Luke may only be five, but he already has expensive tastes. Ryan seems to be the opposite on this shopping trip—he doesn’t seem to know what he wants. None of the movie or character themed bed sets thrilled him, and there wasn’t a sport or activity he wanted highlighted. The only things the elder Munson brother had in the cart so far were a set of two black bookshelves to hang on the walls and a package of glow in the dark stars to stick to his ceiling. 

On the other hand, Luke had already collected Hot Wheels sheets, Hot Wheels curtains, a nightstand that looked like three tires stacked one on top of the other, a stuffed German Shepherd (since he can’t get a real dog, he said), a Scooby Doo calendar, and a set of four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle posters. The young boy had also tried to add an espresso machine to the cart, which was immediately halted by both you and Eddie.

“What in the world do you need an espresso machine for?” you had asked.

“For when I have guests,” Luke replied simply. 

“Oh, right,” Eddie said, raising his eyebrows. “Because I think that much caffeine is exactly what Mia Harrington needs.”

Luke scoffed and rolled his eyes as if his dad thought he was stupid. “Well, I wouldn’t give any to a baby.” 

You pinch the bridge of your nose between your thumb and forefinger, massaging gently. As grateful as you are that you have this opportunity to shop with Eddie and his boys, you can’t deny that your patience is swiftly draining.

“Luke, why are you pouting?” 

The voice doesn’t belong to you, Eddie, or even Ryan. No, this shrill, weasley voice could only belong to one person.

Brittany stands before you, a gaudy pocketbook tucked underneath her arm. Her lips curl into what you can only consider an attempted smile, though it still makes your insides curdle. 

“C’mere.” She motions to her youngest son, pulling him into a too-tight hug. You watch him squirm out of her grasp.

“Britt,” Eddie says through gritted teeth, “I thought you were busy today.”

Brittany shrugs nonchalantly, as though she hasn’t just completely derailed your afternoon. “Moved some things around.” She grins at Ryan and Luke. “What are we buying today?”

We. Like she was paying for any of it.

You swallow your frustration and shoot her an equally feigned smile. “Luke’s getting stuff for his Hot Wheels room, and Ryan still needs a reading lamp.”

“I wanted a race car bed, but Daddy said it was too ‘spensive. So, I’m gonna get Hot Wheels sheets instead,” Luke proudly announces.

Brittany furrows her brows in mock confusion. “But how can you have a Hot Wheels room with a regular bed?” She cocks her head, looking at Eddie. “I mean, you can’t splurge a little? I’m sure you have a guitar you could pawn.”

Eddie bites his lower lip so hard that you swear you see a speck of blood form. He’s holding himself back; being in public and in the presence of his kids keeps him from launching into an expletive-laden tirade.

“I’m not pawning a guitar for a bed he’s going to outgrow in a few years. Especially not when we came up with a good compromise.” His tone is terse, clipped.

Brittany rolls her eyes. “I’m sure the court will love to hear that,” she mutters under her breath, still loud enough for you and Eddie to hear. The boys, luckily, have dashed ahead. 

Your instinct is to bite back with a snarky comment about the court being much more interested in every important event she’s missed, but you restrain yourself. This isn’t your battle to fight, and any remark will just make Eddie’s life harder. Instead, you act as though she hadn’t said a word as you all catch up to the kids. 

Not one to be ignored, Brittany turns to her oldest son. “What about you, Ry? What did you pick out?” Her frown deepens when Ryan shows her the three items in the cart belonging to him. “That’s it? It’s like they forgot about you!”

“We didn’t—” you start, watching hurt seep into Ryan’s eyes, but Eddie quickly squeezes your hand. Don’t play into it. You know her comment stung him, too, and that it was even more difficult for him not to defend himself. 

There was no need for either of you to say anything, because Ryan is ultimately the one who speaks up. 

“I’m still deciding what I want. No one forgot about me—not like how you forgot about my holiday concert.”

Brittany’s cheeks go beet red, her jaw clenched. “You know what? I need to get going now, anyway.” She glares at Eddie. “Drop them off at my house when you’re done.” With that, she walks away. 

Your gaze immediately drops to Ryan, who just stands there as though shocked by his own comeback. “I…I didn’t mean to…” Tears well up in his eyes, and he blinks them back before they can stain his cheeks. “She just…”

Eddie puts one hand on his shoulder. He takes a deep breath, looking up, and you know he’s weighing his options. He can harp on Brittany’s insufficiencies, or he can do the right thing. Be a role model. 

“I know, bud. It’s hard. Especially when we’re angry.” He gives a soft smile. “You’ve got that Munson temper—quiet till it boils over. But you can apologize to Mom when you see her later.”

Ryan nods somberly. 

Eddie glances at you for help, and you carefully oblige. “That doesn’t mean that it’s okay for her to miss your concerts,” you say. “But you can talk about how it makes you feel before those emotions get to be too much.”

“Maybe we should go home,” Eddie says, but Ryan shakes his head. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Ryan swipes at his misty eyes. “I wanna pick out a bed. Maybe one that has the drawers underneath.”

You grin. “More storage space for books?”

Ryan nods, and Eddie grins. “Whose kid is this? Certainly too smart to be mine.”

You want to ask him what he kept stored in his bedroom drawers, but refrain at the last second. Perhaps some things are better left unknown. 

Just one aisle over, Ryan’s attention snags on a bed that has his eyes widening. 

“It has a desk, too!” he says, taking off towards the bed at the end of the aisle. 

“Whoa!” Luke echoes, following behind his big brother. 

You slip your hand into Eddie’s as he pushes the cart forward with the other hand. Even though the boys are preoccupied with the piece of furniture, you keep your voice low. 

“I’m so proud of how you handled that,” you tell your boyfriend. “I was ready to scoop Ryan into my arms and comfort him and tell him everything is okay, but you did the right thing.”

Eddie sighs and gives your hand a small shake. “Shit. When did I become a grown up?” With another, more dramatic sigh, Eddie shakes his head. “Gotta fix that.”

Before you can ask what he means, he leans over and licks up the side of your face, tongue flat and hot against your skin. You squeal, taken by surprise and duck your head down away from him. 

“You’re a child!” you say through a heavy bout of laughter. 

“Damn straight, baby.”

When you look up ahead, the boys are now watching you two, your squeal having gained their attention.

“You guys know that your dad is bonkers?” you ask with a playful smirk on your face. 

“Uh huh!” Luke declares proudly. “We’re the Goof Troop!”

“Oh, are we?” Eddie questions. He spins the cart out of his way, like a car doing donuts, and hoists Luke up, throwing him over his shoulder. “I think you’re the goofiest of the goofs.”

Luke laughs as his orange t-shirt rides up his back. You adjust it for him before leaving the two guys with the matching curls to their antics and join Ryan over by the bed.

“You like this one, huh?” You wrap an arm around the elder brother’s shoulders and give a gentle squeeze. 

Ryan nods. “I wanted a desk in my old room. I mean, the room at the old hou—uh, Mom’s house. But my room is too small for one. But this is perfect! I crawl up top, there’s my bed! I come back down, it’s a desk!”

His excitement is palpable, and you can’t help but lean in and press a kiss to the top of his head. God, you’d give this kid the world if you could. Luke too, of course. They’re both such great kids and it’s moments like these where you realize just how lucky you were to meet this family. 

Brittany’s abrupt departure, while welcome, also means that the boys will be accompanying you and Eddie while you pick out his furniture. Or, as Luke so aptly puts it, “the boring stuff.”

The youngest Munson lasts all of six minutes before he starts whining. Your patience has already worn thin from Brittany’s antics, and you have to take a deep breath before you respond. 

“Luke, we picked out your stuff, now it’s Daddy’s t—”

Tears well up in his eyes. “But I don’t wanna! I wanna go home!”

You and Eddie share a glance. Between your schedule and his, there are few opportunities for you to shop together. You’re trying to remember what days you’ll be free when you hear Ryan pipe up. 

“We should play The Price is Right!” He exclaims. “Y’know, that show we watch when we’re home sick? We can guess the price of Dad’s furniture and see who gets the closest.”

Luke ponders this for just a moment before nodding emphatically. You and Eddie exhale twin sighs of relief, and you make a mental note to thank Ryan later. 

The boys guess on everything from bed sheets to sofas, with Luke’s answers only getting more outlandish. There’s no way he thinks a TV stand costs $80 million…right?

Eddie chuckles as he watches his sons over his shoulder. They’re looking up at a chandelier, Ryan’s lips pursed, and Luke with his head tilted to the side like a confused puppy. Your boyfriend shakes his head in amusement as he faces forward again, pushing the now-heavy cart further down the aisle. 

“I kinda like that lamp,” Eddie says, taking a closer step to the display sets blinding you with their high wattage all aimed in your direction. “Oh shit, that’s nice, too. Babe, what do you think?”

Coming up beside him, you loop your arm through his and press a few kisses to his shoulder.

“Sweetheart, it’s your apartment,” you remind him. “You deserve to make this place your own.” Giving a soft shake of your head, you wrinkle up your nose in a way that Eddie finds adorable. “You don’t want your girlfriend playing interior decorator.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows and angles his head down to meet your eyes. “Am I allowed to ask for my girlfriend’s opinion?”

“Of course.”

“Okaaay,” Eddie says, playfully pulling you in front of him so he can wrap his arms around your middle and run the tips of his calloused fingers over the soft material of your pink shirt. “So, girlfriend, which of the two lamps do you like better?”

The one that first caught Eddie’s eyes was a simple, basic design, but who really needs more than that? The black, twisting metal that twines up to an off-white lampshade is elegant and something you can absolutely see being in Eddie’s new living room. The second lamp is a little more ostentatious, though it’s certainly pretty. The silver body of the lamp resembles an hourglass, rounded edges topped off with a round white lampshade. It’s nice, but not something you can see Eddie being really happy with.

“I like the first one,” you tell him.

“That’s the one I was leaning towards,” he says. Eddie presses a kiss to your cheek before unwinding his arms from around your body so he can grab two of the lamp boxes to add to the cart. “Come on, shortstops. Keep up.”

The boys trail at a small distance, calling out numbers and pointing at various objects on shelves they’ll never be able to correctly identify prices on. With one hand, Eddie pushes the cart forward, and he lays his other hand, large and warm, against the small of your back as you walk.

“Now, this next part in particular is what I really want your opinion on.” Eddie’s words are just above a whisper and the ghosting of his lips against the shell of your ear sends a chill down your spine. There’s no need for you to look, you already know your boyfriend is smirking at the reaction he has on you. 

You turn the corner with the cart and when you see the next aisle, your face feels warm. Of course this is what he wants your input on the most. The bedding department. 

“What exactly would you like my help with?” you ask, feigning as much innocence as you possibly can. 

The aisles of bed linens, bed frames, mattresses, and pillows seem to stretch out for a mile before you. You don’t see this ending without Eddie severely working you up. 

“Well,” Eddie says with a shrug, far too innocuous for the thoughts you know are running through his mind. “We found things for the boys’ rooms, but none for mine yet. And since I’m really hoping you’ll be spending a good amount of time in my bedroom, I’d like you to be comfortable there.”

“Sounds reasonable enough.” You don’t meet his eye, instead strolling closer to the mattresses, to get a better look at them.

“Oh, yes!” you hear Luke cheer as his black and blue sneakers squeak on the linoleum floor. “I’m gonna guess all the beds right!”

Ryan follows along behind his little brother, shaking his head. He looks at you and mouths no he’s not. A chuckle rumbles your chest as you watch the boys walk further down the aisle, inspecting a shelf of body pillows. 

“What kind of mattress do you prefer?” you ask Eddie. “Firm? Soft? Somewhere in the middle?”

“I—” he cuts himself off, brow wrinkling as he looks down at the scuffed white floor beneath his boots. “I don’t actually know.”

“No?” you ask, curiosity burning inside of you. He’ll explain if he wants to, but you’d never push. 

He shakes his head. “I had a hand-me-down mattress when I lived with Wayne. Brought that same mattress when Jeff and I got a tiny ass apartment on the edge of Hawkins. After that I moved in with Brittany and we just used the one she already had. We got a new mattress when we moved into the house, but Brittany went out and picked it out herself. I didn’t see it until I went to sleep on it that night. It’s the same one there now.”

“So that mattress has a few good memories then,” you tease, giving him a gentle smirk. “Let’s test out what you like then.” You take a seat at the foot of the bed on the nearest mattress and hold out your hand to Eddie. 

He parks the cart between two adjacent mattresses and climbs on the mattress next to you. The two of you situate yourselves as if you were going to go to bed, to sleep. 

“This feels…” Eddie shifts his position, adjusting his shoulders to make himself more comfortable. “It’s a little hard.”

“I think so, too,” you agree. “Onto the next.”

After testing half a dozen beds, you and Eddie have deduced that he likes softer mattresses, but not too soft. With one goal achieved, now it’s time to find the most comfortable of the semi-soft mattresses.

“Okay, this might be the best one we’ve laid on,” Eddie says after four attempts. “I really like this.”

“This is nice,” you concur. “One more test.”

Eddie turns his head to look at you in question, but it clicks soon enough as you cuddle up to his side and rest your head on his chest. It’s the exact position the two of you lay in quite frequently, and you have to make sure that this bed is accepting and supportive of that. 

“I mean, I can think of another test,” Eddie says as he wraps his arm around you. “But I don’t think they’d let us do that in the store.”

With a girlish giggle, you press a kiss to Eddie’s chest and push yourself into a seated position. 

“What’s your verdict?” you ask.

Dark chocolate eyes gaze up at the ceiling as Eddie adjusts his position on the bed once more. Then, he slips his eyes closed and rolls onto his side, which is his most common sleeping position.

“Yeah,” he says, opening his eyes. “I’m gonna go with this one.”

“And this one is…thirteen thousand dollars!” Luke calls as he and Ryan run over. Luke face plants on the bed and Ryan plops down next to his brother on his bottom. 

“He tried guessing the price of a lady’s dog,” Ryan says.

Luke lifts his head, blue eyes wide as he pulls his shoulders up towards his ears.

“She was carrying him in a little doggy bag! It looked like she was buying him!”

“This is the one you’re getting?” Ryan asks, ignoring his little brother completely. The older brother bounces slightly as he sits, testing out the springiness.

“Yep,” Eddie says as he pushes himself up from the bed. “Just have to get some sheets for it now. You two stay here and watch the cart, okay? We’re just gonna be right over there looking at the linens.”

“Okay,” Ryan says.

“Aye aye!” Luke gives his dad a salute before going to sit up near the pillows. 

Eddie laces his fingers with yours, tugging you over to where bedsheets lay wrapped in their plastic coverings. “Gonna need your help for this one, baby.”

“Eds,” you protest, “this apartment is for you and the boys. I don’t wanna—”

Your boyfriend leans in and silences you with a kiss. “While I appreciate that…you and I are gonna be the ones getting well-acquainted with these sheets. I wanna make sure you’ll be comfy laying on them…or kneeling on them.” His eyes twinkle mischievously. “Don’t want those pretty knees getting scratched up while you’re riding me.”

You shove him away playfully. “Behave,” you warn, thumbing through the linen options. 

“Yes, ma’am,” Eddie mumbles under his breath, though it’s hard to take that promise seriously when it’s followed by a pinch to your ass. 

Eddie grabs a set of dove gray sheets and a matching comforter from the shelf and turns to head back towards the boys. Before the two of you reach the end of the aisle though, your boyfriend stops short and looks to you with eyes wide as saucers.

“Can I get Star Wars sheets?”

As much as Eddie tries to hold in his laughter, a snort breaks though. You shake your head in bemusement as you pass him by and head towards the arguably more mature Munsons. 

“Okay, so.” Steve stands with his hands on his hips as he addresses his two oldest kids along with Eddie’s boys. “Any box marked with this word,” he points to where FRAGILE is written in black Sharpie, “is not for kids to carry.”

Luke furrows his brow. “Why not?”

Before Steve can answer, Theo speaks up. “Because it says the F-word,” he says matter-of-factly. 

“No, it does not!” Steve sputters. 

“There’s an F right there,” Luke points out. “See?”

Steve sighs. “Yes, that is an f-word, but it says ‘fragile,’ not—never mind.” He shakes his head. “Just don’t touch it.”

Across the room, Eddie grimaces as his uncle tries to lift a coffee table. “Old man,” Eddie calls out. “Put that down before you hurt yourself. My goal is to avoid the emergency room at all costs.”

Wayne shakes his head. “I’m not just gonna stand around while everyone else works,” he protests. 

Eddie runs his fingers through his hair, wincing when he snags them on a knot. 

“I didn’t wanna have to bring out the big guns…” He grins at Wayne’s puzzled expression before calling out to his sons. “Ryan! Luke! Grandpa wants to hear all about that cartoon you’re obsessed with.”

Luke bounds over with Ryan right behind him. “Okay, so there’s a cat and a dog, but they’re stuck together where their butts would be!” He cackles at this. 

“And Cat is scared all the time, but Dog is crazy,” Ryan chimes in. “And he’s always getting Cat into trouble.”

Eddie throws his uncle a wink, a silent I warned you, and slides his arm around your waist. 

“Thank God for shitty kids’ shows,” he murmurs. 

You roll your eyes. “Pretty sure I’ve caught you watching that ‘shitty kids’ show’ on more than one occasion. Even without the boys there.”

Pressing a smacking kiss to your temple, Eddie whirls around to see Lucas, Max, and Dustin struggling with the sofa. “That’ll stay our little secret,” he says before darting off to help them. 

A few hours later, once the moving van has been unloaded and furniture and boxes have been placed in their respective rooms, the whole group finds themselves in the living room. The youngest Munsons sit on the floor next to their Uncle Dustin. Wayne rests on the couch, sandwiched between Eddie and Steve. You, Lucas, and Max pull up some folding chairs. Each of you has a slice of pizza on a paper towel, since no one wanted to unpack the plates. 

Pressing on his knees, Eddie stands up. “Before we dig in, I’d just like to offer a toast.” He raises his beer bottle, and everyone does the same—root beer for the boys, of course. “To the best moving crew this town has ever seen. May we never have to do this again.”

Everyone nods in agreement, bottles clinking before the room goes quiet. The only noise is the sound of pizza being devoured. 

You look at Eddie, trading exhausted smiles. Today was long, but it was one huge step closer to your future together. No matter how strongly sleep beckoned you, you wouldn’t trade this for the world. 

Once all that remains of the pizzas are the few crusts left behind in the box, everyone starts to head out. Eddie makes sure to thank each of them again when they say their goodbyes. 

Wayne is the last one there besides you and the boys. The older man yanks his keys free from his back pocket and jingles them in his hand as he walks towards the front door.

“This is a nice place you got here, Ed.”

It doesn’t matter how old he is, hearing praise from Wayne still makes Eddie feel like a little boy making his father proud. He can’t help but smile as he shuffles over to his uncle.

“It is pretty nice, isn’t it?” Eddie looks around, taking in the dark green walls that he can’t wait to fill up with silly photos of the boys and pictures of your beautiful face to greet him every morning. A blank slate, his to do what he wants with.

“I’m proud of ya, son,” Wayne says, clapping Eddie on the shoulder. “You were dealt a rough hand but you’re making it through alright.”

“Doing my best,” Eddie admits with a shrug.

“That’s all anyone can,” Wayne says. “I’ll see you later, kid. Where my boys?”

As if waiting for their cue, both Luke and Ryan rush at Wayne, arms open and ready to receive their goodbye hugs.

“Bye, Grandpa!” Ryan says as he’s squeezed in the older man’s arms.

“Remember,” Luke says when it’s his turn to get hugged, “Catdog is on Nickelodeon, not Cartoon Network.”

“I’ll try to remember that,” Wayne says with a hearty chuckle. Next, those wise blue-gray eyes are aimed your way and before you even realize it, you’re going in for a hug. 

Being hugged by Wayne is like cuddling up with a cherished childhood teddy bear after you’ve had a bad day. It feels safe, warm, and loving. It’s as obvious as Luke’s love for Hot Wheels where Eddie learned how to be a good father. Wayne might like to make people think he’s rough around the edges, but you’ve learned in a short time that he’s Mr. Softy when it comes to anything involving his family. But who can blame him when his family is Eddie, Luke, and Ryan?

“You take care, doll,” Wayne says, giving you a soft pat on the back before pulling away. “And let me know if any of these three get out of line.”

“Us?” Luke asks, voice an octave higher than usual as he gestures to himself. “Never!”

“Uh huh,” Wayne hums with a rumbling laugh. He ruffles the smallest boy’s curls before heading out the door. 

You, Eddie, and the boys leave a few minutes later—not without arguing with Luke about using the bathroom. Ryan and Luke climb into the backseat, and after double-checking that they’re securely buckled in, you slide into the passenger seat. 

Eddie shifts the gears from park to reverse, and you keep your hand atop his. The ride back to Brittany’s is fairly quiet, with no bickering from the brothers. Apparently, a long day of unpacking boxes and bothering their grandpa has worn them out. 

It isn’t until you’re a few blocks away from the house that Luke speaks up. 

“Dad, what’s for dinner tonight?”

Eddie keeps his eyes on the road as he answers. “You’re, uh, gonna have to ask Mom about that,” he says evenly. 

“Can you ask her not to make fish sticks? I hate those.”

A lump forms in Eddie’s throat. He thought the boys both understood what the living situation was going to be. Sometimes it’s easy to forget Luke is only five with the larger than life personality he has or that Ryan is only seven when Eddie’s pretty positive the kid is smarter than he is. Eddie silently prays that he won’t have to explain the separation time and time again because he doesn’t think he has the strength to repeatedly let his sons down. Because that’s what he’s doing, right? Breaking their little hearts by telling them things are changing whether they like it or not.

It seems like aspects of it they like—like you being around more and being their father’s girlfriend. But it’s hard for them to grasp that in order for that to happen, they have to have Mom live in one place and Daddy in another. Eddie’s sure that the three of them not all waking up in the same house everyday is killing him more than it is them.

“Luke, buddy,” Eddie starts. “I’m not eating dinner with you tonight. We’ll eat dinner together when you stay at my place.”

Ryan leans forward. “Is Mom gonna eat with us there, too?”

You catch the sadness in Eddie’s face. The two of you know that it isn’t healthy for the boys to grow up in a home with parents who don’t want to be together, but that doesn’t mean the divorce is easy. You give Eddie’s hand a small squeeze of support.

“Guys, Mom and I don’t live together anymore. She lives at the house, and I live at the apartment.”

“Oh.” Realization hits Ryan. “So…you and Mom are gonna be separate forever?”

Forever. Eddie had promised Brittany forever that day at the altar, and now they’d reached a much different definition of that word. 

It’s funny how the same word is so full of promise and excitement, blooming with life and warmth when he says it to you, but shriveled up and desiccated when presented by his sons in this context.

“Yeah. That’s what happens when people get divorced—they stop living together. But you will always have a home at Mom’s, and you’ll always have a home with me. They just won’t be the same home.”

There’s only silence as Luke and Ryan process the information. Neither you nor Eddie are used to them being so quiet; the million follow-up questions you’d anticipated never arise. 

The floodgates burst when Eddie pulls into Brittany’s driveway, before the seatbelts can even be unfastened. 

“I d-don’t wanna leave!” Luke cries, tugging his knees to his chest. “I don’t want Dad to live at the ‘partment!”

Your heart lurches. There’s nothing to say or do—he’s disappointed, and rightfully so. As much as you love Eddie, as glad as you are that he’s yours, you wish he and his sons didn’t have to deal with the pain of this divorce. 

Eddie helps Luke out of the car, then Ryan. The older boy is fighting back tears of his own. 

“I know this change is hard,” Eddie says to both kids, “but we’ll get used to it. I promise.”

Luke shakes his head, his curly mop of hair tangling. “No! I don’t wanna get used to it! I want you to live here again!”

“I know,” Eddie repeats, exhaling. “I wish I could make it easier.” He kisses each of his boys on the forehead and turns to you. 

Ryan and Luke follow his gaze. They look even younger, smaller somehow, when they’re sad. All you want is to protect them from all of the bad in the world. 

You open up your arms, enveloping them in a hug. “We’ll see you guys super soon, okay?”

It isn’t okay, and you’re sure Luke is about to tell you that. But then the front door swings open. 

“Good, you boys are home. Wait. What’s wrong? What’s going on?” Brittany looks from the heartbroken boys in your arms over to Eddie in question. She doesn’t give anyone a chance to reply before her eyes snap back to the boys and she demands, “What’s wrong? Luke?”

The five-year-old turns out of your arms and buries his face in his father’s t-shirt. His small sniffles and sobs are heart wrenching, and you find yourself holding onto Ryan a little tighter out of reflex. Ryan rests his head against your body. The feeling of his shoulders heaving dials up your instinct to comfort, so you card your fingers through the boy’s honey brown curls.

Eddie is doing his best to comfort Luke as well. One ringed hand rubs up and down Luke’s small back, while the other cups the back of the boy's head as he cries. The pain lashing through your heart is nearly unbearable—you can’t even begin to imagine how bad it is for Eddie. 

“He was a little confused about having two places to live now,” Eddie explains to Brittany. “He, uh, doesn’t want me living at the apartment.” 

Brittany, to your surprise, stays quiet. She simply nods her head and crosses her arms over her chest. 

“Do you want to go inside, Luke?” Ryan speaks up from your arms, standing up straight so he’s no longer leaning against you for support.

Still sniffling, Luke turns from Eddie’s torso and nods at his big brother, his left fist coming up to rub at his eye. 

Ryan nods and steps out of the circle of your arms to offer his little brother his hand. Luke grips it tightly, like it’s a lifeline and he’s scared Ryan is going to be the next one to live somewhere else. 

The two make their way into the house and the gazes of you three adults on the porch follow them until they’re out of sight. 

Letting out a pained sigh, Eddie rubs his hands over his face. He hardly gets those two seconds of reprieve because Brittany immediately snarls at him.

“So, you just explained it all to him without me? Without even telling me?”

The look you register on Eddie’s face first is shock, but it disappears after half a second, used to this insanity and savagery from his ex.

“What did you want me to do?” Eddie sounds exhausted. Mentally, now, in addition to physically from moving furniture all day. “He was upset, did you want me to have him hold on so I could have you come over to the apartment? Get into the car with us?” 

She probably wouldn’t have anyway, you say to yourself.

“Now I have to deal with him being upset,” Brittany complains.

You’re seeing red. The world is painted in crimsons and scarlets and it’s a good thing Eddie speaks up first, because something would’ve come out of your mouth that you would’ve ended up regretting later. 

“He’s your son,” Eddie argues, seething anger present in his voice as well. “That’s part of your job. You should want to comfort him when he’s upset.”

With one last roll of her eyes and a loud scoff, Brittany steps back into the house and slams the front door behind her. 

Eddie takes a few breaths before he lets out a pained chuckle and turns away from the house.

“I hate her so fucking much,” he says. 

Your boyfriend takes a deep breath and turns to you. The pain in his eyes steals the breath from your lungs. That agony morphs into a look you can’t interpret at first. No, it’s still pain, just a different kind. He speaks up before you can ask about it.

“This shit isn’t easy,” he says. The tone of his voice makes it click for you. Part of him thinks you’re going to walk away from all of this. Now that the emotions are raw on a different level, he thinks you’re going to change your mind about this. About him. 

But he’s crazier than Brittany is if he thinks you’re going to leave his side for even a moment.

“I know,” you answer him with a shrug of your shoulders. “But I’m not going anywhere, Eds. I’m here for you—all three of you.”

The plug is pulled on that pain and worry, and it all disappears down the drain to make room for the love and gratefulness that fills him up now. A small smile even curls one corner of his mouth up.

“Have I told you that I love you lately?” he asks.

“Not in the last…” you peer down at your watch before meeting his gaze once more, “hour or so. So, I think you’re due.”

Eddie steps forwards and presses a soft kiss to your forehead.

“I love you,” he whispers. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

His voice faltered slightly on the word “home,” but you don’t let him dwell on that. You slip your arm around his waist and start walking towards the car. “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” Eddie says as the two of you step into the driveway, “I got that bottle of champagne I bought for your birthday that I left at the Harrington’s. Figured it could be used to celebrate the new place. But, shit, I think I’m going to need something a whole lot stronger than champagne when we get back.”

[suugarbabe]

the 'anything but' party | m.r x reader

prompt: it’s a gryffindor (maybe) party but it’s acc a theme party. the theme is dressing up as another house and reader (not a slytherin) borrows some of the boys’ quidditch clothes (like a bomber jacket or a jersey) and theo/mattheo get super jealous even though reader and him aren’t together. but it’s like he’s been after her for the whole year but she likes to play hard bc he normally doesn’t have to make any effort to have whoever girl he wants at his feet, and she doesn’t want to be just another girl, if you get what i mean? so she just shows up wearing another guys’ name and he goes feral.

word count: 2.2k

warning: angst, smut, heavy smut, 18+ MDNI!!

You were okay with parties. You weren’t ever overly obsessed with them, but the party tonight you were particularly excited about. It was a theme party. The theme being any house but your house. Very typical of the Gryffindors to throw something that will likely cause absolute chaos, but you were here for it. 

You threw on the jersey you had borrowed from Enzo Berkshire. You had a few classes with him and was even partnered with him in potions last year. When you heard about the theme he was the first person you went to. You asked if you could borrow his jersey for the party and he was more than willing to loan it out to you. 

As you threw it on it fell to about mid thigh. You thanked Merlin for Enzo’s height because now you could just wear his jersey as a dress. You turned to Luna, who had borrowed a bomber jacket from Blaise, “How do I look Lunes?”

She tilted her head, smiling and clasping her hand together, “You look marvelous! I think it would’ve suited us well to be sorted in to Slytherin.” 

You laughed a little, “Yeah, I do quite like how I look in green.” Your thoughts drifted to another Slytherin that would be able to accommodate your new favorite color. 

“Thinking about Mattheo?” Luna’s voice cut into your internal monologue and your cheeks instantly flamed. 

You did your best not to stutter over your words, “I don’t, erm, I mean why do you ask?” 

In very Luna fashion, she made no comment about you being flustered, her voice fluttering out like a feather with simple observation, “I only ask because it’s obvious that he likes you very much. It’s quite sweet, really. Are you going to finally tell him that you like him as well?”

You couldn’t help but stare at her dumbfounded. You figured your constant rejections to Mattheo’s advances made it appear to everyone that you did not reciprocate his feelings. That wasn’t actually the case, but you wanted to make him work for it. 

Girls came far too easy for Mattheo, basically throwing themselves at him. It was vomit inducing to you at times, how blatantly obvious they would be and how he essentially cherry-picked whatever girl he was feeling that particular moment. 

You weren’t going to be one of those girls, you absolutely refused it. So when you first noticed Mattheo staring at you at the beginning of the year, you just rolled your eyes anytime they connected to his. 

The first time you did this, his eyebrows shot to the ceiling, not used to this type of response from a woman. When he tried to stop you after class, you quickly shot your hand up before he could even get a word out, “Not interested, Riddle.” 

He was met with a chorus of “ohhhh’s” from his friends, which likely died down quickly due to a glare or threat from the scorned man. He tried again after that…and just about every other day from that first moment you rejected him until this morning. 

You weren’t blind, you knew Mattheo was attractive. Hell, you’ve known since the bloody sorting ceremony in first year. But the way that all of the girls swooned over him, and how he so obviously ate it up, you vowed to never be that girl. 

So for the last six years, you never really paid him any mind. You knew he was there, you knew his reputation, but he never really consumed your thoughts. So when he started staring at you, then starting actually pursuing you, you couldn’t quite understand why your heart would beat faster, or get butterflies in your stomach. 

You had boyfriends throughout your school career, even dating the quidditch captain of your house, but something about Mattheo focusing solely on you like he has made your stomach flutter like no other guy you’d been with. You weren’t even with Mattheo, but him pursuing you essentially deterred any other guy from coming up to you. 

Finishing your hair and makeup, you and Luna joined a few other Ravenclaw’s and headed to the Gryffindor common room. Walking through the portrait hole you would think there was nothing going on, but as soon as you passed through the entryway you broke the silencing charm barrier and was assaulted with the sound of bass and smell of weed. 

You looked over at Luna, who took a deep inhale, “Don’t you just love that earthy smell?” You couldn’t help but laugh at her care-free spirit. “I’m gonna go get a drink, do you want one?” Luna nodded, telling you she was going to find Blaise and to look for her in the usual spot. 

Heading to the drink table you spotted Enzo who was adorning a Ravenclaw cardigan. You had a little skip in your step, sidling up next to him and grabbing cups for you and Luna, “Well hey there, looking dashing in blue and bronze.” 

He smirked at you, leaning against the table while you got yourself a drink, “Looks like you were sorted into the wrong house. Green definitely suits you.” You turned to him, a drink in each hand, “Thank you, Enzo.” 

He held an arm out, “Shall we? I’m assuming you're not doublefisting tonight and one of those is for Miss Lovegood?” You let out a laugh, nodding and following him to the back corner where his gang of miscreants resided. You both were simply walking next to each other. Your hands were full with both drinks and while he only had one his other hand was flailing around in the air as he recounted aspects of the last Slytherin quidditch game. 

So when you reached the group, you were surprised that Mattheo’s face was set in a scowl. You quirked an eyebrow when he finally met your eyes, which took a moment as his were apparently taking their sweet time scanning your body, his eyes rolled, scoffing slightly and leaning back on the couch. 

You decided to be bold tonight, Luna’s voice from earlier in the back of your head. You greeted the others, then went and sat down next to Mattheo. As soon as your ass hit the chair, Mattheo scooted a few inches away from you. You told yourself not to be hurt by this, but he had essentially been trying to be all over you for the last month and a half. 

“What’s wrong with you?” you turned to face him, one leg now on the couch, causing the jersey you had on the ride higher on your leg. Mattheo’s eyes cast down briefly, seeing more of your skin exposed before meeting your eyes again.

“What are you wearing?” His eye contact was intense, making you squirm a little. “It’s a theme party, I’m wearing Slytherin clothes.” He let out a huff of air through his nose. You narrowed your eyes at him now, asking him again, “What’s your problem?”

He pinched the number that laid just above your left breast, your breath getting caught in your throat with how close his hands were, “You’re wearing Enzo’s jersey.” You couldn’t quite place his tone but it sounded almost like…jealousy? This made you smirk a little and now the wheels in your mind were turning. 

You shrugged your shoulders, “I thought it looked cute.” Your hands caressing the side of your body to the hem of the jersey. You saw his eyes follow your hands as you roamed your body, now focused on where your hands played with the hem, “And it’s so long on me I didn’t even have to wear any panties.” 

You saw the clench in his jaw, and you’d be lying if you said the action didn’t send a searing heat through your body. You started to pull the jersey higher up your legs, just to tease him a little. His hand shot to your wrist, “Stop.” You smirked at him, “What’s wrong, Matty?”

The nickname was something new you were toying with and it seemed to have the effect you were looking for as the grip he had on your wrist tightened. He placed his other hand on your thigh, using it as leverage to lean closer to you. 

His lips ghosted the shell of your ear, goosebumps rising along your skin, “It’s gonna be really hard for me to fuck you with Berkshire’s jersey on.” Your cheeks immediately turned red. You turned your head, staring into his eyes, faces so close your noses are nearly brushing against one another. Your heart was beating out of your chest, you feared he could hear it over the bass of the music.

Your facade was failing, quickly. The desperation you were feeling was more extreme than you could control. “Kiss me,” you requested, eyes not leaving the brown ones you were gazing at. He laughs softly, smirk adorning his face as his eyes flicker down to your lips. 

Normally that type of cockiness from him would have you leaving Mattheo there hot and bothered but tonight you found yourself leaning towards him with just as much anticipation. His mouth slotted against yours, he tasted like cigarettes and firewhiskey. You latch onto him, fisting a handful of the hufflepuff cardigan he chose for the party. 

When you finally pull away, lungs burning for air you can’t help the smile that breaks out on your face. Mattheo’s lips were red and swollen. You look at him with big eyes, silently telling him you wanted more than was possible in the open common room. 

Mattheo glanced around, searching for a solution. He stood up quickly, grabbing your wrist and pulling you toward the stairs to the dorms. He led you down a hall, opening the first door he could find and pulling you in behind him. 

Before you could even glance around the room Mattheo had you pressed against the door. His arm circled your waist, sliding down the small of your back before grabbing a handful of your ass, his mouth attaching itself to your neck, sucking at biting at the soft skin there. The action had the most obscene noise leaving your throat.

His grip on your ass tightens, holding you flush against his body as he tucks a knee between your legs. You whine at the contact, the fabric of his trousers grazing against your bare clit. He braces himself with his free hand on the door, resting his forehead to yours, “Merlin, I’ve been wanting to make those noises leave that pretty mouth of yours all year.” 

You open your mouth to respond, fully prepped to give a witty retort when he pressed his leg against you again. A whimper leaves your throat this time and Mattheo looks cockier than you’ve ever seen him.

You gripped his forearm, “Matty…please.” You looked up at him through your lashes as his hand dipped under the jersey, fingertips feather light on your skin. “So needy, love. Had to wear someone else’s jersey just to get me riled up, hmm?” His head dips down, lips grazing the sensitive skin where your neck and collarbone meet. 

He bites you lightly, nipping and sucking at the skin there, surely leaving his mark in a place where it’d be hard for you to hide, claiming you as his. You’re basically grinding yourself on his leg now and Mattheo thinks he can cum from the sight of you using him for your own pleasure. 

“So wet, love, can feel you through my trousers,” Mattheo grabs your hips, stilling you against his leg emitting another whine from you. “You gonna be good f’me, love?” he was teasing you now, but that didn’t stop you from nodding pathetically. 

He dragged the material of the jersey over your hips, a gasp releasing itself from your lips as the air hits your bare center. Your teeth are sinking into your bottom lip and Mattheo drops to his knees. He puts one of your legs over his shoulder, your hand shooting to his shoulder to brace yourself as his tongue licks a stripe up your dripping cunt. 

A mewl spills from your mouth and you swear you can feel him smirk against you. Without warning he plunges two fingers deep inside you, your back arching off the door and into his touch. His free hand grabs your hip, stabilizing you against the door.

He flattens his tongue, dragging it from his fingers inside you back to your sensitive nub. Your other hand flies to his curls, fingers laced and pulling harshly. This only spurs him further, curling his fingers inside you. They rut against your g-spot, pressure building in your lower belly.

You thank Merlin for the loudness of the party because the sounds Mattheo was getting you to make were sinful. His lips are attached to your clit, mercilessly sucking and licking and humming against the bud. 

Your legs are trembling and Mattheo’s grip on your hip tightens, your vision begins to blank, mouth hanging open in a silent scream, you can’t even cry out, your mind dizzy with anything but the bliss that Mattheo is giving you between your legs as your tumbling over the edge.

He continues to eat you through your orgasm, overstimulating your clit as he slowly removes his fingers. “Fuck, Matty,” you breathe, trying to catch your breath as he lowers your leg from his shoulder. 

Mattheo stands, mouth attaching to yours immediately. You moan into his mouth, tasting yourself on his tongue. He trails kisses along your jaw, down your neck then up to your ear, “Now let’s get you out of this fucking jersey.”

[teenwolf-theoriginals]

happy brithday, my love

pairing: tommy shelby x reader + dad!tommy

warnings: mild swearing, sex

summary: it’s that time of year again - tommy’s birthday

side note: another fic inspired by the shelby family from this fic

side note #2: other fics in the afternoon shelby chaos series: dad!tommy, mr giraffe, the boys, and her name is, evening shelby chaos

side note #3: this fic is set when flo is around five years old

"Thomas". You sang from the couch, tilting your head to the side to look at your husband engrossed in typing.

"No".

"You don't even know what I was going to say".

"I do. And the answer is still no".

"How about-".

"No".

"Even if-".

"No".

He continued typing in hopes if he remained busy you wouldn’t further the discussion. As you approached the desk, patiently waiting, watching as he struggled to focus, Tommy knew the discussion was far from over.

"Don't look at me like that, love". He uttered, knowing you were displaying a sweet smile and loving gaze that sparkled underneath all kinds of light; sunlight, moonlight, the dim glow of the fire embers or lamp light. Whenever he stared into your eyes, he knew all. What kind of mood you were in, how much love remained for him, which to this day was the same amount since he had met you. Among others, he knew when you were lying, when frustration loomed, and his favourite of all, when you yearned for him, needed him like one needed water or air to survive.

"If you won't do it for me, then do it for Flo".

With a few taps of his fingertips along the dark mahogany desk, Tommy sighed and leaned back. "Fine. But no gifts and no big party".

Sliding happily off his desk, you kissed him on the cheek. "I love you".

"I love you too". He smiled, watching you leave with no doubt an abundance of ideas swirling and disregarding his no-gift policy. Every year, Tommy would insist he needed nothing as he had everything. You and the children living inside a beautiful house, all healthy and depending on the day, mostly happy. And every year, you would agree with his request and by evening tell him it was all Flo's idea.

Hand in hand with Flo, the two of you walked down the street. The sun worked well with the light breeze. In your free hand, you carried two bags. One contained birthday supplies, nothing fancy, balloons and a few paper plates. The other held a new dress for Florence, who decided the colour theme of Tommy's party would be navy blue and silver because each colour matched Tommy's eyes.

"Alright Flo, shall we go and decide on a cake?".

Her greyish-blue eyes lit up. She brought Mr Graiffe closer, whispering in his ear and holding his mouth to her ear. "Mr Graiffe says yes, Mama".

You grabbed her hand and carefully crossed the road, making a left turn down Cherry Street. Even before the bakery door closed, Flo rushed toward the display, eyes twinkling.

"This one!" She exclaimed, pressing her finger against the glass.

You chuckled at her choosing a cake more for her than Tommy. It was round, covered in pink frosting, garnished with dollops of white cream all around, each with a strawberry gently placed on top. In the centre, "Happy Birthday" had been written in white icing.

"Flo, sweetheart, pink isn't in our theme-".

"Please!" She pleaded, using her puppy eyes that she would no doubt use again on Tommy. The elderly lady behind the counter smiled, giving a knowing look of a mother who knew how young children could be.

"Alright, we'll get the cake". You replied, nodding to the woman.

Returning home, Flo ran to Frances to share details of the cake, swearing her to secrecy so Tommy wouldn't find out. The boys overheard and shouted. "A pink cake?!"

"Shh! It's a secret".

"Dad doesn't like pink. We're men". They replied, standing tall with hands on hips.

"Mr Giraffe likes pink. He likes all colours".

"He's a toy, he doesn't count". Theo responded, quickly backtracking when Flo's eyes started to water. "No, no, I'm sorry, Flo. He counts!"

She wiped away the tear from her cheek, running to Tommy who walked through the door. He picked her up with ease, noticing her wet cheeks. "What's wrong, eh?". He gently asked. She buried her face in the crook of his neck, mumbling how Theo said something mean about Mr Graiffe.

"Theo, apologize". Tommy commanded.

"I already did! Ask Charlie". He remarked, receiving a show of support from his brother.

"Alright, off you two go then".

They walked off together, muttering it wasn't fair how Theo got in trouble. Tommy softly rubbed Florence's back, speaking once she had calmed down. "Where's Mama?".

"Upstairs". She replied, kissing Tommy's cheek and rushing off to play.

"Why are the boys upsetting Flo?". Tommy asked, almost colliding with you as he entered.

"What happened?".

"Something about Mr Graiffe being just a toy".

"Technically, he is a toy".

Tommy smiled, kissing you hello. "Don't let Flo hear you say that".

"I'm sure they didn't mean to upset her".

"Whether they meant to or not, they did. And I don't like it when Flo's upset".

"We're all aware, my love". You helped him remove his jacket, handing him a fresh white shirt to change into. "You need to be careful when it comes to playing favourites".

"I don't have favourites. Flo's the youngest and-".

"And is very much a Daddy's girl who looks at you with adoration, and has you wrapped around her finger".

"And what about Mama, eh? Is she my girl too?".

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you whispered back. "Very much so, especially when you listen and behave".

He smirked, deepening the kiss while making quick work of his hand to lift the side of your dress past your knee, his impatience evident by the way Tommy swiftly steered you toward the bed.

“Not yet, Tommy”. 

“Pre-birthday celebration, I’ll be quick”.

You chuckled, cupping his cheek to advert his attention to you. “The children are waiting. We’ll have dinner and then we’ll give presents”.

“I said no presents”.

“Flo insisted”. You sweetly smiled. “Go, I need to finish getting ready”.

After dinner, Tommy lit the fire and joined you on the chair. The children had all given their gifts, Tommy ensuring that he loved each one; Florence and her art drawing of him riding a horse. The boys and their gift of a new dark blue tie to match any of his suits. And Ava, with the help of Frances gave him a new money clip.

"And what did you get me for my birthday, eh?". Tommy softly teased.

You leaned in, dropping your voice so only he could hear. "You get me later tonight. And as I ride you, and I feel you on the edge of release, I will breathlessly whisper "Happy Birthday, my love" in your ear".

His eyes shifted to make sure the children weren't paying attention, too busy discussing which flavour - chocolate or vanilla - was better, before he ran his hand up your dress, finding out you were completely bare underneath. "You spoil me, love".

You smiled, innocently shifting in his lap. He dug his fingers into your waist to stop further movement. Smirking, you gently brushed a finger over his beautiful bulge, earning a low hiss in your ear from Tommy. 

He turned to the children, sternly instructing. "Alright, time for cake. Go with Frances to the kitchen, have a slice and then off to bed".

"Daddy, you don’t want cake? Don’t you like it". Flo quietly asked.

"I love the cake, sweetheart. And I will have a slice later".

"Promise?"

"I promise".

She smiled and wiggled her way in between Charlie and Theo as they headed to the kitchen.

"What if I wanted some cake?".

"It's my fucking birthday, you can have cake later".

Hopping off his lap, you grabbed his hand and hurried to the bedroom. Tommy swearing when the buttons on your dress wouldn't corporate with his wolfish needs.

"Let me". You pushed Tommy to sit on the bed, taking a few steps back to give him the best possible view. Slowly, you undid the four buttons, dress pooling around your feet.

Tommy drew a breath, licking his lips at the sight of you. "My favourite girl".

"Don't let Flo hear you say that".

Tommy smiled, slowly running his hand over your curves and your ass, giving it a cheeky light smack. "You are so fucking beautiful". He pulled you forward, sending goosebumps up your leg. “And your all mine”. He whispered as he left kisses over your stomach.

Removing his shirt, it fell beside your dress. The next several minutes intertwined love and dominance, lust and desire. Tommy’s hands settled on your back, breath growing unsteady as his climax neared. And true to your word, you brushed your lips over Tommy’s ear and breathlessly whispered. "Happy Birthday, my love".

He deeply groaned, spilling into you.

Laying beside him, you traced his sun tattoo to steady his breathing. Tommy closed his eyes for a brief minute, calmness settling on his flustered cheeks.

"I'm quite famished after that”. You lightly chuckled, kissing the top of his tattoo.

Grabbing white pajama bottoms, Tommy returned with a slice of vanilla cake. He cut a small piece with the fork and fed you. In turn, you did the same, making sure Tommy kept his promise to Flo. With your thumb, you wiped the excess pink frosting from the corner of his mouth.

"See, Flo picked out a good cake after all".

"The cake tastes much better when I lick it off you". He smirked, dabbing some cream on his finger and swiping it across your lip. Tommy kissed you until he was satisfied, leaving the plate on the side table.

“There’s still a few hours left of your Birthday, how do you want to spend them?”. You asked, running your hand over his chest.

Pulling you onto his lap, Tommy brushed away your hair, bringing his lips to your shoulder and following the path to your lips. “With you. Always with you”.

[sadnymi]

The Tortured Poets Department: {Slytherin boys version} A Headcanon.

[Mattheo Riddle-Theodore Nott-Lorenzo Berkshire-Blaise Zabini-Draco Malfoy

The Department: These five delinquents may not be penning sonnets, but they cause enough drama to fill a Shakespearean tragedy. They're the rebels, and champions of chaos at Hogwarts.

The Name:  name, bestowed upon them by Professor Abraxas Rookwood, a man as obsessed with forbidden muggle literature as he was with the Dark Arts, was a cruel irony. Rookwood, with his melancholic readings of Byron and Shelley, saw their broodiness reflected in these young Slytherins, They became the Tortured Poets, their "poetry" scrawled not with ink, but with blood and fear.

The Rules (Unbreakable):

Loyalty is Our Blood Oath: Mess with one of them, you mess with all of them. This unwavering loyalty is their foundation.Betrayal is a fate worse than expulsion. A single transgression could result in a "disappearance," a fate worse than Azkaban.

Secrets are sacred currency: What's shared in the dimly lit corners of the Department stays there. Unless it involves a particularly juicy Ministry scandal, then all bets are off (courtesy of Blaise Zabini's insatiable gossip appetite).

Darkness is a double-edged sword: They embraced their darkness, honing it into a weapon against those who deserved it - revel in darkness too long, and it devours you whole.

Art over Arson: Destruction wasn't the goal. The Department aimed to leave their mark with a touch of twisted artistry.A perfectly sculpted ice sculpture of a screaming victim, a whispered poem etched on a sleeping rival's forehead, a haunting melody tinged with despair echoing through the halls.

No Scars: The mark of a Tortured Poet was discretion. Leaving physical evidence was a rookie mistake. The true artist left only a shattered spirit.

No Outsiders: The Department is a closed casket. New members are hand-picked, tested, and broken before being deemed worthy.

Never Love, Only Possess: Love is a weakness, a vulnerability they cannot afford. Possession, domination – these are the true expressions of power. ( a rule they all broke )

The Members:

- Mattheo "The Mastermind" Riddle:

The brains behind the operation. Heir to a dark legacy, Mattheo possessed a chilling charisma that masked a calculating mind. He wielded curses with grace, his voice a silken threat, capable of weaving hypnotic lies or unleashing venomous truths. Mattheo is cunning and calculating, always two steps ahead with a plan so outlandish it just might work. He's the one who assigns roles and ensures their targets get a taste of their own medicine (or worse).He embodies the darkness, a shadow that chills even the bravest hearts.

Theodore "The Artist" Nott:

With a talent for manipulating shadows, Theo could create phantoms that danced on the walls, whispering secrets and igniting paranoia. brewed potions that twisted emotions and conjured illusions that blurred the lines between reality and nightmare. His signature move: A shroud of darkness that swallowed the victim, leaving them alone with their inner demons. He was also The department's strategist. His mind, as sharp as a serpent's fang, weaved intricate webs of psychological manipulation.He took a perverse pleasure in dissecting his victims, unraveling their secrets with a chilling detachment.

Lorenzo "The Charmer" Berkshire:

The Charmer. Lorenzo's weapon of choice is not a wand, but his silver tongue. He can disarm with a smile and deceive with a single word. Information is his currency, secrets his trophies. He is the Department's siren, luring the unsuspecting into a web of lies. tongue that could weave illusions as real as dreams. His victims, lulled into a false sense of security, often found themselves entangled in compromising situations or facing fabricated scandals.

Blaise "The Blackmailer" Zabini:

Blaise has a knack for finding dirt on everyone and isn't afraid to use it to his advantage .He's the one who gathers intel and makes sure no one double-crosses the Tortured Poets. He was the Shadow Dancer. Elusive and acrobatic, Blaise was the Department's phantom. He could infiltrate even the most secure locations, leaving behind unsettling calling cards – a misplaced object, a cryptic message scrawled on a dusty window pane.

Draco "The Distraction" Malfoy:

Draco was the prodigy, a master of forbidden spells before he even reached adulthood. His talent fueled a quiet arrogance, but his loyalty to the group was undeniable. He was their muscle, the unleashed storm of magic when subtlety failed.He saw emotions as a map, effortlessly navigating the labyrinthine corridors of fear and hope.

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

The Tortured Poets Department existed in the shadows of Hogwarts, a clandestine group teetering on the edge of sanity. They were not poets, but dark artists, sculpting fear and pain into a twisted form of power, a chilling testament to the allure and danger that lurks in the human heart.

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

[rosesareredrosa]

West Coast

Theo Nott x fem reader

a/n: Literally having writers block and i am sick send requests pls

w/c: 1067

The salty tang of the sea hung in the air, mingling with the chill of the evening as the waves crashed against the cliffs. Theodore Nott stood at the edge, his dark hair tousled by the wind, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Somewhere far away, the world he once knew continued without him. Hogwarts. The war. The expectations that came with being a Nott. But here, on the west coast of Wales, the weight of his name seemed to slip away, carried off by the ocean breeze.

He could still hear her laugh.

Y/N. A name he wasn’t supposed to remember, let alone whisper in his thoughts. But here she was, lingering in the empty spaces between his breaths.

“You never belonged in their world,” she had told him once. Her voice had been soft then, but there had been fire in her eyes, the kind of fire that made him feel seen. Seen in a way no one had bothered to before. Y/N had always known too much, her gaze cutting through his indifference, her touch burning through his carefully crafted walls.

Theo had fought it at first. The feeling of being unmoored, of losing control around her. He had tried to keep his distance, tried to be the cold, untouchable boy everyone expected him to be. But it was futile. Every time she looked at him, every time she smiled that half-smile of hers, it felt like the ground was shifting beneath his feet.

“You're like a storm,” she had said once, fingers trailing over his jaw. “Beautiful. Dangerous.”

He had laughed at that. Dangerous? Maybe. But beautiful? No. He wasn’t one of the golden ones, like Draco or Blaise. His beauty was quieter, buried under shadows and secrets, something only she had ever seemed to notice.

And now he stood here, miles away from everything, and still, he couldn't shake her from his mind.

The memory of her burned like wildfire.

It had been during one of those nights when everything felt too loud—his bloodline, his future, his past—that he had shown up at her door. Hogwarts had been on the edge of war, tension crackling in the air like static. And somehow, amidst all the chaos, he had found his way to her.

“Theo?” Her voice had been soft but filled with surprise.

He didn’t answer. Couldn’t. Not when words didn’t feel enough.

Instead, he had kissed her. Roughly. Desperately.

He had expected her to pull away, to tell him he was being reckless, but she hadn’t. Instead, she had kissed him back with the same intensity, her fingers threading through his hair, grounding him in ways he hadn’t realized he needed.

“You shouldn’t be here,” she had whispered against his lips, but the words held no conviction.

“Tell me to leave, then,” he had murmured back, his hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer. “Tell me.”

But she hadn’t. She never did.

You’re feeling hot at the show, I’m feeling hot to the touch.

On the nights they were apart, Theodore found himself haunted by the way she made him feel. It was electric, the pull between them. A love that felt as dangerous as it was beautiful. He could still see her, the way she danced barefoot on the sands during their late-night escapes from Hogwarts. The world always faded away when it was just the two of them. The blood, the war, the expectations of their names—it all disappeared when she was with him.

But it couldn’t last. He knew it. She knew it.

“People like us don’t get happy endings, Theo,” she had told him one night, the light from the fire reflecting in her eyes as they lay under the stars.

“People like us don’t follow rules,” he had replied, fingers brushing against hers.

The rush, the fire, the wildness—it was everything.

Even now, with his feet on the rocky cliffs and her miles away, he could still feel her, like a pulse beneath his skin. A memory, yes, but more than that. Y/N was alive in him, a reminder of the boy he could’ve been if things had gone differently.

But they hadn’t.

Theodore turned, walking back towards the small cottage he had rented out, the one that overlooked the sea. The sun was dipping low in the sky, casting everything in hues of gold and crimson. It was beautiful in a way that made his chest ache, a reminder of all that he had lost, and all that he couldn’t keep.

And yet, he couldn’t stop thinking of her. The way she looked at him with defiance and softness all at once. The way her laughter had been loud, but her love had been quiet, gentle, slipping into the cracks of his heart when he hadn’t been paying attention.

I can see my baby swinging. His Parliament’s on fire and his hands are up.

He had chosen the war in the end. Or maybe it had chosen him. His name, his father, his birthright—there had been no escaping it. Theodore had walked a path set before him long before he had met her. And she had known. She had known and still loved him.

But loving someone like him came with a price.

The cottage was empty when he stepped inside, the silence ringing in his ears. He moved to the window, staring out at the waves that crashed against the shore, his hand pressed against the glass.

Would she still remember him?

The nights had been theirs once. Full of stolen moments, whispered secrets, and love that tasted like rebellion. But in the end, it hadn’t been enough. The war had swallowed them whole, and when it had spit him out on the other side, Y/N had been gone.

She had always been too good for his world.

Now, he was just a boy on the edge of something vast and lonely, yearning for a love that felt like sunlight slipping through his fingers.

And as the sky darkened, Theodore closed his eyes and let the memory of her wash over him. The wind whispered her name, and for a brief moment, he could almost feel her beside him, her fingers brushing against his skin like they had so many nights before.

But when he opened his eyes, there was nothing but the sea.

[cosmicpearlz]

yours for the time being |4|

summary: what happens when your academic rival of years proposes an offer of fake dating? pure chaos.

pairing: gryffindor!jude bellingham x slytherin!reader

a/n: only one more chapter after this one! i wanted to stretch it out, just so everything made sense timeline wise. anyways, enjoy <3

everyone knew. it seemed like the word traveled fast around the school halls. jude couldn't take the staring or the countless whispers among the students anymore. y/n was nowhere to be seen, missing in action. oh, how the gryffindor boy wished to catch another glance at her. to have her next to him, giggling as he made the worse jokes known to man. just so that she'll smile, and it worked every time. to feel her hand in his once more.

"jude, you've been quiet lately," harry turns towards him. "anything you wanna share with the group?"

"no."

"mate, you've completely shut down. does it have something to do with y/n?" ron questions. jude's face drops and his brows furrowed. as if y/n leaving him wasn't enough, his friends had to bring up her name. not saying 'the snake' like they usually did but saying her name.

"no."

"i think what harry and ron are trying say is, we're here for you whenever you're ready to talk."

"she broke up with me, alright! she's clearly stated that she wants nothing to do with me and i just have to accept that."

"oh jude, i'm sure she didn't mean-" jude shakes his head, cutting hermione's sentence off.

"you weren't there. just leave it alone and leave me alone while you're at it."

jude stands from his seat and leaves the library abruptly. the more he thought about the situation, the angrier he got. angry that y/n gave up before even exploring what could've been. angry that it seemed so easy for the girl to just leave. his heavy footsteps ringing throughout the castle halls.

"jude!" lavender yelled out. the boy halts his movements and quietly curses to himself before turning around to face her. it's been a while since the gryffindor girl bothered him.

"what do you want?"

"y'know, since you and y/n broke up. i was wondering if you wanted to go out," lavender steps closer, rubbing her hand on his arm. jude felt disgusted. what didn't she understand by no?

"are you seriously asking me that?"

"well yeah. i just thought that i could help you get over the breakup."

"please leave me alone. i'm not interested and i'm pretty sure y/n told you that!"

before jude could get another word out, he glances over lavender's shoulder and sees y/n. he hasn't seen her in days and the only thing he could think of was how beautiful she looked. her eyes weren't as bright as they normally were. now replaced with a dull sunken look and the puffiness that followed.

as much as jude wanted to reach out, he couldn't bring himself to. he couldn't force the girl to love him or even reciprocate those feelings that he held for her.

"just forget it," jude mumbles, turning around and walking in the direction he was originally heading in once more.

-

you were dying. certainly, sure of it. you couldn't go to your classes, preferring to do as much work as you could from your dorm room. not being able to stomach seeing his face around the campus. the face of the person whose heart you broke. you knew you had feelings for the boy, but you couldn't act on them. at least that's what you kept telling yourself.

the endless tears that pansy, theo and blaise had to dry. they've never seen you so sad. it was weird for them. not sure on how to cheer you up. truth was, there wasn't anything they could do to cheer you up.

"come with me to the kitchens. we need to sneak things for the party on saturday," pansy says with a smile.

"do i have to?"

"yes. no questions about it." you groaned but got up anyways just to please your friend. you watched as she jumps while clapping. pulling your hand and dragged you straight to the destination.

the walk through the halls was quiet. you kept your hand laced with pansy's. not minding the friendly gesture, although it reminded you of a certain gryffindor boy.

"is that jude? with lavender?" pansy whispered. you stopped dead in your tracks. head whipping around to see if your friend was lying or not. of course, she wasn't. you watched as lavender rubbed his arm, almost smiling to yourself seeing him visibly disgusted by her.

"we should go before we won't have a chance to get the supplies."

"you don't wanna speak to him?"

"i'm sure he doesn't want to speak to me. i broke it off with him."

"you could tell him that you didn't mean it. i mean, look at you! you're miserable because he's not in your life anymore. you clearly like him a lot."

"pansy let it go," you whispered softly, turning around and facing the opposite direction. you tugged the girls' hand to follow you.

-

while each friend group had no idea on how to individually cheer the two up, it didn't stop them from continuously brainstorming ideas. which eventually lead the slytherins to face the fellow gryffindors tuesday afternoon.

"we need to talk," blaise speaking for the group and facing the three gryffindors. harry and ron's eyebrows raised in question. hermione sat there, as if she already knew what they were going to say.

"we need to get jude and y/n to talk."

"how did she know what we were going to talk about?" draco mumbled to pansy.

"because she's hermione. mione knows everything pretty much," pansy throws a playfully wink towards the girl.

"well, have a seat i guess," harry gestured to the empty seats. theo, pansy, blaise, and draco gladly sit down.

"let's get right into it. y/n has been miserable since they broke up. crying her eyes out almost every day and-"

"she's the one who called things off!" ron cuts theo off. theo huffs and rolls his eyes.

"i know that you dimwit. if you let me finish, i was gonna say that she clearly really cares about him. whatever happened between them, we need to undo it."

"but how?" harry asked.

"we're having a slytherin party on saturday. you guys are welcomed to come but bring jude," blaise began to explain the plan.

"then what? are we going to lock them in a room?" hermione chuckles, looking around the table. her chuckles fall mute due to the silence. "wait, are you joking?"

"no. it's the only way they're gonna talk," said pansy.

"no way that's actually gonna work," ron shakes his head at the thought of it.

"it doesn't hurt to try. the party starts at 9, don't be late," theo ends the conversation there. nodding his head at the three gryffindors, he stands up along with pansy, blaise and draco.

the group of them head out, leaving the three to themselves. the silence being loud as they sat thinking about how to get jude to the party. the boy barely wanted to talk about y/n and going to her common room for a party? it might take some heavy convincing.

[sheeple]

Miracles don't exist | 19: The Department of Mysteries

Genre(s): Riddle!reader / Slytherin!reader / kinda slowburn / little happy moments Fandom(s): Harry Potter Pairing(s): Theodore Nott x Reader / Harry Potter x Riddle!reader Summary: Being the Dark Lord's daughter and raised under the strict supervision of the Malfoy's is no easy life. Especially if you start crushing on your father's arch-nemesis, Harry Potter. And that while being engaged to one of his follower’s sons. Warning(s): Use of crucio / blood A/n: The fact that y'alls comments saved Sirius' ass [Masterlist] [Mini masterlist] [Playlist]

"Can you see them?", you ask in a whisper as Theo and you watch how the DA flies away on the Thestrals. He shakes his head, finding the sight of his schoolmates flying away on thin air very fun to see.

You grab his hand and make your way towards one of the leathery beasts. Theo unsurely lets you place his hand on nothing and gasps as he feels something. It's... weird. Almost hairy.

"Do you feel it?", you whisper again, eyes flickering from the brown-haired boy towards the Thestral.

He nods wordlessly. He reaches out his other hand, an amazed smile on his face. "It's wonderful." He looks at you in amazement. But his smile soon drops as he remembers that you can see them. "I'm sorry..."

You shake your head and turn your head towards the edge of the forest. "Don't worry. Let's warn Dumbledore that the DA is on its way to the Ministry. Maybe he can notify the Order of what Harry has seen."

Theo nods and the both of you hurry out of the forest. But before you set foot on school grounds, the hair on the back of your neck stands up straight.

Stopping, you turn around and peer around the dark of the forest. Something... calls you in. It's like someone or something is calling your name.

"Do you hear that?", you ask, turning towards Theo. But the boy look around confused, only hearing wood noises. 

Suddenly, a dark smoke cloud comes barreling towards you and you scream. Theo grabs your hand and the both of you start to run towards the castle. You strip over a tree branch and your hand slips from Theo. A yell leaves your lips as you feel something grab you and lift you up from the ground.

You vaguely hear Theo call out your name in panic before the world completely goes up in smoke and chaos. It feels like you're travelling a million miles per hour, swirling through the air like a tornado. 

When you're finally dropped you crawl away, trying to keep your dinner inside. It's almost as bad as apparating. You flip around and shuffle away from the figure until your back hits a wall. 

The figure disappears like it's called and you're left alone in the room. It's round with black tiles and a giant arch in the middle of it all, some sort of weird white thing floats in the arch. Faint whispers are seeming to come from it, but you can't understand what they are saying.

Just as you stand up to approach the arch, you hear something woosh through the air before five figures drop out of nowhere. You quickly hide behind a stone and try to make yourself as small as possible. You search your pockets and let out a silent breath of relief as your wand is still in your pocket.

The five turn out to be the DA, all looking bloodied and bruised up. Harry and Luna can hear the voices, just like you. The same people who can see Thestrals. Has it to do with seeing Death, maybe?

There is banning coming from somewhere and the five quickly draw their wands. But it is no use as the same smoke that kidnapped you start to attack them. They yelp and struggle and when the smoke disappears, it's only Harry laying on the ground, clutching some ball.

The other DA members are all held by Death Eaters. You spot Mr Nott and your mo... Bellatrix Lestrange. She holds her wand painfully against Neville's neck and looks like she is playing with her prey. Hermione is closest to you, her hair tightly in the grip of a man you've seen a few times over the summer and at the Christmas party. She whimpers.

Uncle Lucius appears out of the darkness, his cane clicking on the ground. "Did you actually believe? Were you truly naive enough to think, that children stood a chance against us?" He holds out his hand towards Harry. "I'll make this simple... for you, Potter. Give me the prophecy, now. Or watch your friends die."

You've never seen your uncle act like this before. Yes, he would be foul at times when he didn't get his way. But now he's just flat-out evil. 

Harry looks around, blood dripping from his nose and his glasses slightly askew.

"Don't give it to him, Harry!" Neville is the only one to speak up. Bellatrix hushes him with a poke of her wand.

Uncle Lucius still stands awaiting with his hand open, and Harry places the ball. It once glowed brightly, but now it turned dull in your uncle's hands. 

As your uncle revels in holding the ball, a white smoke appears from behind him and Sirius emerges. Lucius turns around to see who has arrived.

"Get away from my godson", says Sirius and punches your uncle. He flies and so does the orb, and it lands on the ground, breaking into million pieces.

That seems like a sign and other Order members start to join the fight, knocking the Death Eaters away from the children and firing spells left and right, knocking out Voldemort's followers.

Seeing as chaos breaks out, your hiding place is no longer secret and you jump out, pulling Hermione down. 

"Wha- what are you doing here?", she asks bewildered as the others join the both of you, all looking at you confused.

"I don't know", you huff, firing blindly from behind the stone, "someone took me."

The cackle of Bellatrix Lestrange, while she flies around, makes the hairs on your arm stand up straight.

As Sirius and Harry battle and disarm a man and your uncle, you see Bellatrix land on top of a stone, malicious content in her eyes. You jump up and before she can yell out the first letters of the killing curse, you hit her with Dipulso and she loses her footing.

Harry, Sirius, and Bellatrix all look surprised to see you there. "You traitor!", she bellows and advances upon you.

You turn around and bolt out of the room, down a corridor and end up in the main hall. All the while Bellatrix chases after you, one curse after the other barely missing you. 

Another set of footsteps hurry after you but you're too concerned about getting to the exit, that you don't dodge when you need to and Bellatrix hits you in the back with the Cruciatus curse.

You fall to the ground and cry out in agony, memories of the day the Dark Mark was forced upon you. You crawl away but another spell hits you and you flip over, harshly landing on your back.

"I should have killed you when I got the chance!", she screams, stepping on your left hand and a sickening crack can be heard. "You are not deserving to be his heir!" You wail out in pain, kicking and screaming to get her off your broken bones.

A spell knocks Bellatrix off of you and Sirius kneels by your to check out your hand while another Order member holds her at wand point. You try and protest to get Sirius away from your arm. You don't want him to see the mark. You don't want him to hate you. Be disappointed in you.

"Let the girl be, Bellatrix", comes a whisper from behind you and you turn your head. Scrambling from your seated position, you look scared at Voldemort.

He appears out of nothing, his voice haunting. "We're all young and weak once, aren't we?"

Green flames erupt from one of the fireplaces and out comes Dumbledore. It flips Voldemort's attention from you to the headmaster, and you're quickly pulled away by Sirius.

"You shouldn't have come here, Tom."

A great battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort. Fire against Water. Light against Dark. Good against Evil. With one final show of power makes Voldemort all the widows explode and he sends the chards towards Dumbledore and Harry. As it seems like Dumbledore's not defeated, with one final look disappears Voldemort in a swirl of sand and glass.

You whimper and clutch your arm tightly to your chest, trying to suppress your already-flowing tears. Sirius appears before you and takes your face in his hands. "Are you further hurt? Any glass?"

You shake your head, your eyes roaming over the DA members now running into the main hall, their eyes flickering between Harry and Dumbledore to Sirius and you. 

He helps you on your feet and supports you to sit on the edge of the fountain. You turn towards Dumbledore. "Did Theo- is he okay?"

"Get them out of here", orders Dumbledore to the Order members while turning around to greet the Ministry workers and the Minister of Magic, ignoring your question. 

Harry gives you a look while you are whisked away to a fireplace and the world gets engulfed in green flames. 

Taglist (bold means I couldn’t tag you): @the0doreslover @lqndkxlmqma @st4rrry  @choppedpartymuffinwinner @ledtassoo @literallyobessed @lestat-whore​ @vanishingcherry @harrysnovia @pietrobae @ireallywannasleep127 @yeolsbubbles @fruityfrog505 @fluffybunnyu @theroyalmanatee @shinrjj @hegdus @kermits-bitch @m1kasawps @noah-uhhh-what @mypolicemanharryyy @fals3-g0d @decapitated-coffee @thatgirljas13 @slytherinambitious

[incorrectringsofpower]

Season 2 Episode 8 liveblog reaction notes (spoilers behind the cut)

- Sad dwarf time :( - Durin :(((( - Don't wear a riiiiiiing - Why hallo there Durin's Bane! Ever wondered where that name comes from? - Oh he removed the ring ;_; - Now that's a poster shot! - Checkbox on predicting King Durin's death! RIP. - DON'T TRUST HIM FFS - JOIN ME AND TOGETHER WE CAN RULE THIS GALAXY, GANDALF - Not the Stoors :((( - Hwat the fuck are you doing, Eärien? - Oh Catholic schism time, fun! - ANÁRION SEASON 3? DID THEY FINALLY REMEMBER HE HAS ANOTHER CHILD? THAT THEY HAVEN'T MENTIONED ALL SEASON UNTIL NOW? - Míriel nooooo my beloved doomed ship :((( - NARSIL FINALLY - God Lloyd Owen is doing the most to make it clear he also ships it lmao - Ah right. Eregion is still quite doomed. - GALADRIEL OUR BELOVED - Ooh Sauron eye motif via the sun! - Ah boob ring pouch has finally come back. - Oh Celebrimbor :( - This is deeply upsetting. - OH GOD THEY ARE GONNA FOLLOW THE SILM HUH - TITLE DROP TIME - 2nd predicted death that everyone expected ngl - Lol wow the angsty single tear as he yet again uses the many names line - ISILDUR - THEO - Dead mom angst :'( - So yeah he is gonna return to utter chaos back at home and his dad on the run, huh? - Well this is hella awkward. Maxim pines for all of his love interests with the biggest puppy eyes. - Estrid you could break it off with Hagen. - FUCKING KEMEN. YOU RUIN EVERYTHING YOU FUCKING ASS. - FUCKING LIAR WHO LIES. - BEREK BEST BOI! - ESTRID DON'T GO I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE HUMAN SACRIFICED. - NOT THE HORSE. - OHHHH FLAMES ON THE SIDE OF MY FACE!!! - Why aren't you showing your face, Adar? Huh? - PRETTY ELF ADAR PREDICTION WAS TRUE - lol the Nolduruk shippers are gonna have a field day - TAKE THE BLOODY RING FIRST THEN ANGST! - I'm really sorry to the Adar stans. This is gonna be rough. - Ooh my wild card prediction for Glûg and the orcs was true! Gotta do a narrative parallel to the first episode. - Shoulda run while you could, Galadriel. - Sauron vs Galadriel round 2! - Well yeah, Galadriel, fascists think purging and razing is cleaning. - Fuck this not gooooood. - Of course Elrond would try to prevent a book burning. Very in-character for him. - Where is Duriiiiin? - Lol again parallels to the last finale - HOT BISHOUNEN SAURON - LMAO - THIS IS GREAT ACTUALLY - HORRIFIC BUT GREAT - The way is shut, it was made by those who are dead, etc. - NOT THE TITS! RUDE! - Okay so that's how he gets the Nine. Figures lol. Not boob fondling but boob stabbing. - ARONDIR STAY ALIVE BUDDY - Poor Elrond still can't see his friend :( - OOOH SECOND ELWING MOMENT THIS SEASON? -Aww I wanted her to kamekameha him on the way down! - Ah fuck I was hoping my wild card guess of Glûg dying would be wrong. Ah well. Robert Strange will be back! - ARONDIR WAS THE FIRST TO GET TO HER YES - Ooh ring magic healing! Just not as we expected. - Elrooooond buddy the ring! - Ugh he seems so haunted by having to be a ring-bearer, even temporarily. Angst x1000 for his future. - Oh Poppy :( - This is upsettiiiiing - MOTHERFUCKER STOLE FEANOR'S HAMMER I HATE U - "Grand-elf" okay that's funnier than Stick-elf I guess - Noriiiii :'( - So depressing that the Stoors had to leave everything. - Aha! A branch from the tree of the Stoors as predicted, eh? - Hi Tom, you missed a lot. Where is your wife? - Tom: What did you think this was? Hogwarts? - Hallo not!Saruman! - VALLEY NORTH OF HERE? RIVENDELL?! - Poor Durin :( - WHY IS THE RING STILL THERE DAMMIT - CRAFTY EVIL LITTLE THING - lmao Gil-galad "my great-aunt is source of all my migraines" - Aww Elrond got at least one smile this season! - Arondir being alive as well as Merimac and Gundabale makes me so happy ngl - Elrond really, really wants to open a B&B - Oh hey Vorohil didn't die. Thank god. Would have liked Rían to live as well, but :/ - (Wait is Camnir still alive?) - Oh a puppy survived! - Will say, Gil-galad is much improved by the armor. - Lady Galadriel in a white dress implies stuff for the next season, I should think? - RIVENDELL SEASON 3 I BEG

[un-named-dumbfuckers]

this is an oc I made for my best friend Shalena, so here she is with her man (whom i made up lol)

they will have 3 children together they are both jedi but only he is on the new jedi council.

Sha’lena Lygas (Ne: Bo) she/her FC: nazish jahangir

Mirialan, Jedi

35 BBY Order 66 survivor

New jedi order master

Meets Cixxor near the later half of the clone wars she gets assigned to him to finish her training when her master dies, they fall in love as the clone wars comes to a close, following O66 she makes her way to [insert planet here] was it is a predetermined meeting location they discussed in the event of a disaster.

Cixxor Lygas (He/Him) FC: Theo James

Evereni/chandrillan human, jedi

38 BBY Order 66 survivor

New jedi council member

Meets shalena near the later half of the clone wars when she is assigned to him as a padawan so he may finish her training when her master dies. They fall in love as the climax of the war swells, and they are seperated during O66

They find eachother on [insert planet name here] where they had previously agreed they would go to in the event of a disaster.

Possible hearing loss from an explosion

Gelen Lygas (He/Him)

Evereni/chandrillan/mirialan

5 BBY

Trained in the ways of the jedi but doesn’t join the new order maybe a Politian or lawyer in future

Oldest child of Shalena and Cixxor

Damian Wayne esc kid but less murder

Tanven Lygas (He/Him)

Evereni/chandrillan/mirialan, Jedi

3 BBY

trained in the ways of the jedi from birth, goes on to join the new order

Middle child of Shalena and Cixxor

Preciouse little boy an angel

Su’Liri Lygas (She/Her)

Evereni/chandrillan/mirialan

8 ABY

Youngest child of Shalena and Cixxor

Gremlin child untameable chaos

No interest in joining the new order has other priorities potentially artist

their face claims...

[imhere-imqueer-ilikedeer]

Guys he's posting about his wips instead of writing them again

Made some new picrews of my characters!!!!! And I am so in love with this one.

Look at my babies!!!!!!!! (top row WCHIAWTO, bottom row AFICBYDT)

Closeups and me going ballistic over them under the cut

Hawthorne Carter:

trauma boy!!!!!!!!!! I delight in his misery but also feel sad about what I have done to him! He got possessed by god who isn't a nice person and had to kill himself to get rid of her, so that's not good. But the plot line!!!!!!!

Theo Varma:

He is fed up with everyone's shit. He just wants to go home. Just let him go home, man (but it's so fun dragging him into things). He's Hawthorne's long suffering best friend.

Iona:

Iona!!!! the queen of confidence herself!!!! A little arrogant, but she's still awesome. She's a witch, and she fucking loves annoying the heck out of Theo.

Cody:

I love this guy. He's so chill, and happy, and probably ends up in a qpr with Hawthorne (idk yet tho). He's gorgeous, but doesn't care that everyone thinks it.

SECOND WIP!!!!!!! (which is a sequel to the first wip).

Robin: (i named myself after her, not her after me ok)

It's God herself!!!!!!!!!!!! She is also done with everyone's shit, and doesn't like people. The only person she does like is:

Casey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:

My most favourite character in the whole wide world!!! Chaos incarnate, and absolutely does not give a fuck. Zero self preservation. If it weren't for God/Robin, they'd have died riding a zebra down an iceberg /j

Owen!!!!:

Poor, poor Owen. All he wanted was revenge. God/Robin ruined his life, he tried to kill her, failed spectacularly, and is now stuck with her and Casey. I'm sorry man.

YAY! THAT WAS MY OCS. i hope you like them, and i hope inspiration to actually write (or study, that too) strikes me sometime soon :)

I did manage to write something the other day, so... noice.

Have a wonderful and writers block free day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[420thewritersroom]

Warhammer/Horus Heresy Kinktober 2024

Day 8: Blood Angels/Battlefield Sex/Blood Play

Summary: Fucking and sucking the savior of mankind

Day 8 bby! This time introducing my other warhammer OC, Theodoric, twin brother of Emelia and current Avatar of Isha. Watch him get hammered by a giant angel! Maybe one day I'll publish a (finished) piece introducing Theo.

TW: Blood Play, Public Sex, Belly Bulge

Retaking Venkrous has resulted in the purification of the planet from Nurgle's embrace and the lessened loss of soldiers in the process. In most cases, no one would have to lift even a dagger to fight back the corrupting forces of the enemy. All thanks to the creature named Theodoric, spreading their unique ability of purity, cleansing the rot that plagued the planet, and effectively destroying any and all Chaos creatures that even so much as breathed on him.

This is not always the case, however. Some situations require a firm, bolter-filled hand to ensure the path is clear for the half-breed to perform their duties uninterrupted. Theodoric is a valuable asset, a tool they cannot afford to lose. Thus, some battles must be waged, and some losses must be counted.

But there are other reasons for why they keep the boy around.

Dante gasps, unable to hold the moan in as he grinds the tiny man on his dick. His heavy breaths can be heard, modulated, through the helmet that concealed his face. Despite being able to hold Theodoric with one hand, he chooses to grab his waist with two, his gauntleted thumb brushing against his stomach, feeling the outline of his dick pressing against the insides of the small half-breed's belly.

He looked so divine. The way he softly moaned with each upward thrust, how those tiny hips rolled, trying to grind himself onto Dante to keep his length inside his small body. Theo lets out a satisfied hum, his eyes fluttering open as he smiles at the Angel.

"Feeling better?"

Even his voice was enough to send shivers down his spine, Dante's grip tightening slightly as he held the young man in place. He swallows dryly, taking a moment to recenter himself before replying with a simple nod. Theo leans forward, resting himself on his armored chest, bouncing his hips up and down as he rode the Chapter Master at a sensually slow pace. Slow for Dante, at least. He wanted to ram into the tiny body that sat lovingly in his lap, to have him screaming and begging for his cock, his cum, before finally begging him to stop. But Dante restrains himself, letting Theo ride him at his own pace and allowing himself to slow down with him.

If only he could allow himself to leisurely enjoy this moment. They weren't in the most private of places, Dante having carried Theodoric away from his brothers in the aftermath of the prior battle, just so he could satisfy himself here. They were far enough away from any prying eyes or ears that none could hear them, lest they followed the pair. The near-open field was beautiful to experience when Dante sought a secure location for them to have alone time. The green grass persevering against the corrupting growth, crystal-like roses, the Emperor's Grace, sprouting here and there as it contributed to the dissuasion of the Warp corruption that still plagued the planet. Dante had hoped to make a private request for the young half-breed's blood, its taste sweeter than any mortal blood he has ever tasted in the centuries he's been surviving.

But he couldn't ask for such a simple burden from the savior of Venkrous. Theo needed all the strength he needed to restore the planet in full, and selfishly devouring him would only slow their progress. Thus, where they found themselves now.

Dante makes a drawled moan, his hips jerking up sporadically as Theodoric picked up the pace. The two of them remained there in utter bliss, lost in each other's bodies, until Dante heard a tiny yelp from the little one.

"You're holding me too tight..." Theo whispers, still too engrossed in his own pleasure to show any actual signs of pain or dissatisfaction.

Dante hums in acknowledgment, lessening his grip on Theo, but he takes notice of the small creatures' stained robes. The white dress was form-fitting on Theo's androgynous body, now ruined after the black-haired man rubbed himself on Dante's armor.

Within the confines of his mask, Dante licks his aged, battle-scarred lips. He has deprived himself of blood for some time now, the tempting, sanguine essence taunting him as it soaks into his clothes, outlining the small cock and perky nipples veily concealed by the robes. Theodoric sighs, lazily rolling his hips again and clawing lines down his blood-stained armor. Brown eyes gaze upon the magnificent mask of Sanguinius, raising his hand to the helm, caressing the face.

"May I?" Theodoric softly asks.

Dante doesn't stop Theodoric from removing the mask, revealing his aged face and stringy silver hair. Theo looks on in shock before immediately switching to worry.

"Have you been depriving yourself of blood again?"

Dante jerks his hips forward, forcing a startled moan from the little one, "You do not need to worry about me, my lord. I'm fine."

"B-aah! But, you look," Theo bites his lip, lulling his eyes before straightening up, "You look sick." The darker-skinned man shoulders off the sleeves of his robes, revealing more of his body and, most importantly, his available neck.

"My lord-" Dante weakly attempts to protest, his thoughts cut off by a single finger gracing his lips. Small, soft, velvety. Dante can almost hear the blood flowing, whether it's his own blood pumping and running through his body or if his flaw allowed him to sense the essence of others. Regardless, the outcome was the same; the little one willingly offered a taste of his life.

"My lord, You need your strength," Dante forces words out of his mouth as his thrusts become more frantic and rough.

"My protector cannot go without sustenance. It pains me to see you like this-" Theodoric releases sharp gasps between straggled speech. Theo falls into the pit of ecstasy as he becomes devoid of thought, mind & body, submitting to the tantalizing feeling of being speared by the chapter master. He leans back, exposing his neck for Dante to see. A tempting offering, whether Theodoric meant to or not. The Blood Angel can feel himself drawing closer and closer to the edge, his own thoughts being clouded by the pink mist of pleasure.

"Bite me," Theodoric begs quietly before his speech melts into senseless muttering. Speech that Dante can recognize as the small lordling begging to cum, and for him to finish with him.

Dante is not only here to protect but to serve and to pleasure. And the little one is asking to be bitten. Dante hisses as he feels Theodoric hole tighten around him, the young half-breed screaming as he cums, his clothed cock further staining his white robes. He grows increasingly limp under Dante's grasp while the Asartes continued to use his body to seek his own release.

Dante's skin prickles, his thrusts becoming needy and erratic as he reaches his own orgasm. He leans forward, opening his mouth, revealing his sharp incisors as he bites into the half-breed, teeth piercing skin and drawing blood. The feeling of Theo trembling, the pained moan he exudes, yet the soft feeling of tiny fingers patting and combing through his hair pushes Dante to his limit as he spills himself inside the boy. Theo hums, body further electrified as he focuses on how Dante's large tongue laps at his essence, greedily slurping away and deepening the bite wounds so that he may taste more.

The lordling tasted sweet, the sweetest blood he'd ever tasted. It revitalized him unlike no other; his strength renewed at alarming rates. Dante pulls away, huffing as he analyzes the boy, ensuring he did not harm them beyond repair. His concern is unfounded; he'll return even if he should kill Theo. Theodoric panted softly, rubbing his swollen belly and smiling lazily. He lifts his hand, taking a seemingly considerable amount of effort, as he touches Dantes's cheek.

"You worry me more when you don't care for yourself."

"It is not my intent to, little one," Dante dryly replies as he lets out a last, satisfied huff. His balls emptied one final squirt of cum inside the half-breed.

"I know," Theo leans forward, tiredly resting against the Angel, "I know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's the Kinktober lists for anyone who wants to partake! Let's be extra horny this lovely October

[teenwolf-theoriginals]

evening shelby chaos

pairing: tommy shelby x reader + dad!tommy

warnings: mild swearing, violence, sex, over-protective/controlling tommy

summary: adjusting to a new dynamic after a new baby is the easy part. the hard part, dealing with tommy when his over-protectiveness explodes when he catches ava and rob’s romantic bond reach new levels

side note: another fic inspired by the shelby family from this fic

side note #2: other fics in the afternoon shelby chaos series: dad!tommy, mr giraffe, the boys, and her name is

"Frances will tend to her". Tommy whispered as he saw your eyes shift towards the door. In the next room over, Eleanor resided, almost five months old, and already showcasing her Shelby personality; feisty, full of energy and charisma that shined in every room she graced. To help distract you, Tommy kissed down your neck. Your body arched closer to his touch, impatient to feel your husband. But Ella had other plans, her fussing getting louder and harder to ignore.

"Tommy".

"I'll get her".

Entering the nursery, it had gone through several changes to highlight each newborn. Ava's nursery had been subtle. Earth tones throughout, colour coming from the pink flower printed wallpaper. Charlie and Theo's only differed in the crib - Charlie's dark brown and Theo's navy blue. While Flo's had been bright, colours representing Mr Giraffe; cream crib, dark blue rug to match his bow tie and a splash of orange in the art that hung on the walls. And lastly, Eleanor's was a mix of reds and pinks, matching her strong Shelby allure. But the one item that remained a constant throughout was the grey chair nestled in the corner. The one where you sat during night-time feedings, the one where Tommy cradled Ava when he couldn’t sleep, watching her drift in and out of daydreams. And where the boys snuggled, carefully holding Florence as they met her for the first time.

"Charlie, Theo, the two of you should be in bed".

"Frances helped us with some warm milk and we heard her fussing". Theo whispered as Charlie made silly faces at Ella. Her tiny fist reached upward to grasp the air.

"And we wanted to make sure there were no monsters in her room". Charlie added.

"They are no monsters".

"What if they are invisible?". Theo gasped, startling Ella as he looked around the room, peering behind the curtain and under the crib.

"Invisible or otherwise, there are no monsters". Tommy replied, tapping each of them on the shoulder. "Go on, go to bed".

Making sure the boys did as they were told, Tommy stood by the door and watched them enter their rooms before meeting Eleanor's curious, bright blue eyes. "Mama and I need some time alone. Can you help me out, eh?".

She cooed in response, letting out a soft yawn. Tommy smiled and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He left the door ajar and returned to you. The sight of you naked in bed never grew old. He stood by the dresser, admiring the body that had given him five children. Your curves, full breasts, those fucking thighs that he loved to run his hands over.

"I can feel you staring".

He chuckled, licking his lips as he spread you across the bed sheets, resuming where the two of you had left off as if no interruption occurred. Tommy slid into you, gasping in unison when your bodies instantly welcomed each other. He moved slowly, allowing you time to adjust to his thickness.

"Tommy, don't stop". You breathlessly demanded, gripping his ass to keep him close.

However, the echoes of Ava's voice and another shifted Tommy's focus. He yearned for you, needed to feel you in such an imitate way again. But his mind coupled with his over-protectiveness took control. You could see it itched in his frowned brow and pursed lips. His concentration depleting, and not even a kiss brought him back to the moment.

"It's probably Ava coming home".

"I thought she was home". Tommy grunted, slowing his movements right when your body needed him most. Much to your exhale, Tommy slipped on a pair of loose pants, peering out the window. "She went to Johnny's camp again, didn't she?. Did you tell her she could go?".

Slipping on your white nightgown, you massaged his shoulders. Like the kiss, it had no effect. He licked his bottom lip, marching with a mission across the room.

"Tommy, don't".

"I told her not to see that fucking Rob guy". He retorted, throwing over a white linen shirt and leaving you frustrated in more ways than one.

The front door swung open causing Ava and Rob to pull away from their goodnight kiss. Rob backed a few more steps when he met Tommy’s murderous gaze.

"Ava, get inside".

"Mr Shelby, I was only making sure Ava got home alright". Rob reassured, hoping it would defuse the situation.

"I know what you're intentions are, you and I will have a word later. But first, Ava get inside".

"I'm 10 minutes away from curfew".

"Your curfew has now changed, get inside".

She exhaled, her spirited side inherited from Tommy clashing with his. Two bulls stomping at the ground, fury at the other for not listening and for growing up too fast.

"You and Mum said that when I turn 16 I can have a later curfew. It's 8 minutes away from 9 pm, I didn't do anything wrong!"

Tommy pointed a stern finger her way, lowering his voice to a chilling tone. "Get inside the fucking house". By now, Ava was all too familiar with her father’s temperament, knowing how to let it roll off her skin. Rob, however, was not. He swallowed the lump in his throat, wiping the sweat from his palms.

As you joined the tense scene unfolding, you wished you had taking few extra seconds to put on a warmer layer of clothing. A thin nightgown and matching robe did very little to protect against the bitter air. "Rob, thank you for walking Ava home. But I think you should leave".

"He’s not going anywhere until he and I have a word".

"Tommy, enough".

"Why do you have to ruin everything!". Ava shouted, Rob looked over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Ava marching inside with you right behind, leaving Tommy standing alone under the starry night.

When he stepped back into the bedroom Tommy’s hands roamed over your body. Slipping out of his embrace, you looked towards your husband who displayed little sense of guilt for ruining the evening. "Are you really trying to get me back into bed after what you just did?".

"I didn't do anything wrong".

"You did several things wrong, Tommy".

He sighed, lighting a cigarette as he took a seat on the bed. You by the vanity, waiting until he inhaled a few puffs of nicotine.

"Ava's found a nice guy. One that should be running far away from this family, but isn’t. Because that is how much he likes our daughter. Why are you so hell bent on taking a good thing away from her? Tommy, this is her first love".

"Ava's 16, what does she know about love, eh?".

"She won't know anything if her overprotective father keeps getting in the way".

"I will not apologize for looking out for her".

"Rob's not going to hurt her".

"You don't fucking know that!" He shouted. "Our daughter's safety comes first, before teenage love, do you understand?"

"He’s Johnny's cousin, what danger do you think he possibly possesses?".

"I don't know. But until I find out, they are not to spend any more time together".

Kneeling in front of Tommy, you rubbed his knee. "I am begging you to stop. You can't keep controlling her every move".

"Everyone will follow whatever rules I make. And it will be the same for the rest of the children when they grow up".

You stood, shaking your head at Tommy's stubbornness. Once more, he tried his luck. Hands scrunching your nightgown, lips connecting to your shoulder, lightly grazing his teeth over your skin. "No, the window closed for that 20 minutes ago". You sternly replied taking his hand and placing it over his semi-hard crotch. "You're smarter enough to figure out the rest".

"I rather you stroke me, love".

"And I rather you didn't interrupt us to go yell at our daughter".

"I gave her an order, and she disobeyed. And why did she disobey? Because you told her it was alright to go see him".

"So your idea to get me back into bed is to blame me for your misguided behaviour?".

He drew the smoke inward, releasing it within a few glorious seconds of having it warm his lungs. "I say no, and Ava runs to you".

"Like how I say no and Flo runs to you".

"Ava's situation is about her safety, Flo just wants new toys".

"Tommy, we have two more daughters. I am not going through the same ordeal with Flo and Eleanor. I know your first instinct is to protect. But your tendency to protect often crosses lines".

"That's never bothered you before".

"I spent years learning and adapting to your methods, the children have not". You responded, handing Tommy the tray to extinguish his half-smoked cigarette.

"And like you did, they will learn".

"Before or after you ruin your relationship with your children?"

"Tomorrow, I will fix things with Ava, alright?”. Placing the tray on the small table by his side of the bed, Tommy kissed you, once again sowing the seeds of arousal. ”This is the first time in five months that I am able to touch you. So please, can we get back into bed and enjoy the rest of our evening?”.

"You can go to bed. I'm going to check in on Ella and then Ava".

"Come on, love, Eleanor’s asleep and Ava will most likely tell you to leave her be”.

“Goodnight, Thomas”.

The next evening, Tommy came home to the dining table decorated with the pristine white cloth you only brought out for special occasions, and two candles positioned beside a small vase of daisies picked by Florence. You hadn’t noticed his arrival, too busy walking around the table straightening the crooked cutlery, wearing a knee-length, 3/4 sleeve navy blue dress. It wrapped around your body beautifully, Tommy’s eyes roaming over your curves. The urge to undo the belt holding the dress together prompted him to take a step forward, stopping when he noticed there were four plates instead of two. His mind telling him this wasn’t going to be a romantic dinner between husband and wife, making Tommy’s stomach churn.

"What's all this?".

You smiled his way, lighting the candles. "We are having a dinner guest".

"Who's coming?".

"Rob".

Tommy blinked, pressing his lips together. "Why the hell did you invite him to dinner, eh?".

"You want to get to know more about him, this is how you do it".

"And have him lie to me? Not a chance".

"Here's the deal”. You instructed, turning him toward the direction of the stairs. “You are going to get cleaned up for dinner. And for the sake of your daughter, Tommy, you going to sit down and behave".

"And if I don't?".

"You really don't want me to answer that, my love".

"You can't withhold sex forever. You enjoy it as much as I do". He teased, reaching for your bow belt.

You smacked his hand away, pushing him up the stairs. "Not getting sex is the least of your worries right now. Go wash up, I laid out a new suit for you".

Half an hour later, Tommy descended the stairs watching you warmly greet Rob. Ava beside him, holding his hand, providing emotional support. Tommy placed a soft kiss on the side of your forehead, and made sure your attention was secured on Ava before tightly squeezing Rob’s hand.

"Welcome to our home, Robert".

"Thank you, Mr Shelby". He said, grimacing through the pain, determined to hold his own, even if that meant a broken hand.

Much to Rob’s delight, you approached before bones broke. Tommy clapped Rob on the back inviting him to take a seat. Dinner moved at a snail’s pace. Tommy rather stare down the barrel of a gun than have to endure another minute of watching Rob’s puppy eyes linger on Ava, while her hand lingered on his knee.

“How about some tea and cake?”.

“That’s a great idea, love. Ava why don’t you go help your mother”.

Everyone knew the inevitable would come. Tommy wanting a private word with Rob was a father’s prerogative. Fire the hard questions, and make the boyfriend squeal like a pig heading to slaughter. In Rob’s case, they would be no squealing, just a Shelby-wielding axe falling hard and fast.

Reaching for his cigarette case, Tommy firmly kept an eye on Rob. “Do you smoke, Robert?”.

“Sometimes, yes”.

“Would you like one?”.

He shook his head, quenching his dry, blistered throat. “No, thank you, Mr Shelby”.

Tommy smiled to himself, sipping on his whiskey, more than ready to swing the axe. "How much?"

"Excuse me?"

"How much for you to walk away, go back to Johnny's camp and find yourself someone that isn't my daughter?".

"You must be joking?".

"I rarely joke, Robert. So tell me, what I have to do to get you away from Ava?".

"Why do you hate me so much? I treat your daughter well. I respect her. And despite many telling me that getting involved with a Shelby is a death sentence, I can see a future with your daughter".

Tommy chuckled at the naivety of the young. "You're 17, she just turned 16 a few months ago. The two of you don't know a single thing about love".

"No offence, but I don't think you're the right person to lecture us on love".

Tommy narrowed his gaze, lowering his voice. "My wife and I have built a beautiful family together. Made this house a home. Even when she had every reason to leave me, she stayed. She is the only woman I want laying beside me, and the only woman I want carrying the name Shelby. I would die for her. So don't you dare fucking lecture me about whether I know what love is".

"Then wouldn't you want the same for Ava? A love as timeless as yours?"

"I want Ava to be happy, above all I want her to be safe. To choose a man that can protect her. And I don't think you can do that".

"Because I'm not wealthy?". Rob retorted.

"No. Because to survive in this family, you can’t be weak or afraid of getting dirty and wiping blood from your cheek. You need to know how to step up like a man to protect your family, no matter what”.

“I can step up for Ava”.

“You’re a boy who thinks he is a man. You believe you can step up, and maybe one day, you can. But people like you are the ones who want to play at the big table too soon, who always have something to prove. But every time, every fucking time, those men end up pissing themselves. Even now, you can’t handle sitting at my table”.

“No disrespect, Mr Shelby, but I don’t appreciate having my character attacked. You only want to see me as a bad guy. But I’m worthy of your daughter".

You and Ava returned, breathing a sigh of relief to see Rob at the table, unharmed. Tommy stood in the foyer, adjusting his black coat. Frances mouthed one word as she wandered past with his peaky cap in hand - business.

“Please tell me you didn’t have someone call so you could have a reason to leave?”.

“No, I did not”.

You placed a finger under his chin, Tommy having no choice but to look at you. “Did you say anything to Rob to scare him away?”. 

“I behaved, like you told me to”. He smiled, kissing you. “I love you. I won’t be long”.

“I love you too“.

When Tommy returned an hour later, an empty house awaited. Dinner had been cleared, no echo of Charlie and Theo pretending to be pirates, or the sight of Florence’s chestnut brunette locks and bright smile racing to say hello.

“Love?”. Tommy called out, noticing a note on the small round table in the middle of the foyer, reading: “Frances, the boys, Flo and I have gone for a walk around the estate. Be back soon”.

Removing his coat, a strong wave of protectiveness kicked in when Tommy’s eyes fell onto Rob’s sage green coat. Logic and reason disappeared as he marched upstairs, heart hammering in his chest when he stood in front of Ava’s closed bedroom door.

“Ava!”

Misty blue turned to blood red. Rob’s hand under Ava’s shirt, hair tousled, lips red. The intention was clear. And there was no angel sitting upon Tommy’s shoulder telling him to calm himself. Just two devils repeating “Kill him”. All the colour drained from Rob’s face as Tommy yanked him by the shirt, ignoring the cries from Ava to listen, to calm down.

"Dad, stop!" She begged, frantically rushing down the stairs. “Dad, please!”

Slamming Rob to the wall, Tommy’s hands would have to suffice, his gun locked away in his office. Rob struggling under Tommy’s deadly grip, struggling to collect air, to try and make amends.

"Mum, please make him stop!". Ava pleaded, rushing to you.

"Boys, take Flo outside. Now!".

They quickly ushered a terrified Flo back to the garden, Charlie covering her eyes to prevent her from witnessing the dark side of their father.

"Tommy, let him go!". You demanded, trying to loosen his hold on Rob.

He leaned in, ensuring Rob would never forget what he was capable of. "If you ever touch my daughter again. If you ever go near her. I will take a gun with a bullet craved with your name, and I will fucking kill you".

"Thomas!".

Letting Rob go, Tommy marched into his office, slamming the door. Ava rushed to Rob’s side. Her tear-stained cheeks would fade in a few hours, unlike the red mark across Rob’s neck, which would remain for days, weeks even. And when it did eventually fade, it would become an unforgettable warning, a reminder that he had only survived because Tommy had granted it.

"What the hell were you thinking, Tommy?". You barged in, right when he swallowed a glass of whiskey at his desk.

"His fucking hands were under her shirt". He clenched his already tense jaw, the sound of his teeth grinding as he growled. "Our daughter was about to have sex in our fucking house. And where were you, eh? Out for a fucking walk".

"I have four other children to look after, Tommy. Don't you dare blame me for this".

“Your priority should have been Ava. Frances could have handled the boys and Flo, and you could have been inside keeping an eye on him”.

“Keeping an eye? You found nothing of concern about Rob. He isn’t a criminal or a part of anything suspicious. He is an ordinary young man who likes our daughter. Our daughter, Tommy, who is smart and cautious. If she had a bad feeling about Rob she would never have continued a relationship with him”.

“What fucking relationship, eh?”. He remarked. “They’re fucking kids, who don’t know a damn thing about love”.

“We didn’t know a damn thing about love either, but we figured it out. They will too”.

Tommy sunk into his chair, glancing at the several photos nearby. The wedding photo stood in the centre, to the left a family photo, and to the right a picture of Eleanor three days after she was born. Beside that, a small frame housing a photo of Florence, no more than two years old, sitting in his office chair, smiling wide with Mr Giraffe on her lap.

“From the moment you rolled your eyes at me, and laughed when I called you beautiful, I knew you weren’t like any of the other women”. He recalled, softly smiling. “You weren’t desperate to fuck me. You didn’t care about my power or influence, you still don’t. You even had me waiting in the rain for 20 minutes on our fourth date. And when you finally arrived, you didn’t apologize, just told me good things were always worth waiting for”.

"I was surprised to find you still waiting”. You commented, leaning against his desk.

"I would wait in any storm for you”. Rising to his feet, Tommy rested one hand on your thigh, rubbing his thumb across the cotton material of your dress. “Before we slept together for the first time, I asked you if you were ready to give yourself to me. To belong only to me. And you did so, only when you were sure about us. You knew what laying in my bed would mean. But Ava is too young to decide whether to give away her body”.

“I hear you, I do. And it was my choice to give myself to you, Tommy. And I don’t regret that for a second. And it’s also Ava’s choice when and how, even with who, she decides to give her body too. Not yours. I know you hate it. I know you want to protect her innocence. But as parents, our job is to make sure our children are equipped with the knowledge to make safe and smart choices. We have to trust Ava”. Stroking his cheek, you softly added. “I don’t like the idea of her fooling around any more than you do. But how you handled it, wasn’t okay”.

“I know”.

“You frightened her. Not to mention the boys and Florence”.

At the mention of Flo, Tommy’s eyes softened completely. “How are they?”.

“Confused and scared. Especially, Flo. For fuck sake, Tommy, they saw you nearly choke Rob to death”.

"I never wanted Flo or the boys to see me like that”.

“Daddy?”. At the sound of Florence’s fragile voice, Tommy wiped his cheek, squatting to her level. “Why did you hurt Rob? Did he make you mad?”.

“He did, sweetheart”.

“What did he do wrong?”.

“He put his hands where he shouldn’t have”.

“Like you did?”. She asked, clutching Mr Giraffe.

“Like me, yes”.

“You have to say sorry, Daddy. When we hurt someone, we say sorry”.

“Florence, sweetheart, why don’t you go upstairs. Frances will help you pack a small bag”.

Nodding, Flo ran out.

“Bag? Where are you going, eh?”.

"To Linda's, where me and the children will stay for the night. And you will stay here and calm down”.

“I am calm”.

“No, you’re not, Tommy”. You replied, placing a hand over his chest. “You’re heart is racing. And you have that look in your eyes that tells me you still want to teach Rob a lesson. Which is why I will call Polly, and she will stay with you and make sure you don’t-”.

“Don’t what? Kill Robert?. I don’t need a fucking babysitter”.

“I’ll be back tomorrow to check in”.

“I love you. I need you to know that”. He whispered.

“Take a bath, shoot cans in the field to blow off steam if you have to. But make sure that tomorrow, that look in your eyes is gone”.

He counted your steps from his desk to the door, holding his breath when you reached the threshold and didn’t turn back. For the first time in the marriage, you hadn’t said those three words back.

Tommy hadn’t slept all night, not even after Polly came to deliver her “Fucking men and thinking they always know best” lecture. Keeping her watchful eye on him until an hour ago. Once Polly left, the house became far too silent for his liking. He needed noise. Needed to hear the sounds of Charlie and Theo stomping around. Needed to hear Florence tell him about the adventures she and Mr Giraffe had taken that day. Needed to hear you say that you loved him. He needed his family.

Wandering into the nursery, Tommy drummed his fingers over the crib. Four children had grown up in this very room, the fifth on her way to becoming a grown Shelby. He thought about the challenges Eleanor would bring. Would she be defiant? To spontaneous? A rule breaker, following her own set of rules like her father? Or would she be a lover of knowledge? A restless soul craving new adventurers? Whichever version Ella grew into, Tommy knew she would inherit your goodness, your beauty. All the children had. They held love in their hands, savoured the laughter in their throats, and chased what their hearts desired - even if it only lasted a few hours. They were better than he was because they had you as their mother.

“Ava and I spoke last night”. You softly said. Tommy turned, hesitant but willing to listen. “She told me that hands under shirts is as far as it went. And I explained to her the responsibility that is attached to something as intense as sex. And she reassured me that when she is ready for that step, she’ll come to me first”.

“I don’t like the fact that this is even a topic of conversation”.

“We have two more daughters and two young boys. This conversation will happen again, Tommy”.

“Ava’s different, love. She’s our firstborn”. Putting his hands on the crib, he half-smiled remembering how tiny Ava looked inside. “That first month, you didn't step out of the house, too scared to leave her alone. And I sat in this nursery watching her sleep, making sure she was breathing. Now, she hates me".

"Ava loves you, and she will forgive you".

"I fucked up. I never should of...I fucked up and I don't know how to fix it".

Rubbing his shoulders, you kissed the back of his neck, whispering. “By taking baby steps. We’ll get through this. We’ll be okay”.

He sighed, holding onto you. Hoping that he hadn’t destroyed his relationship with Ava.

By late afternoon, you brought the children home. Tommy waited in the driveway, Florence rushing to tightly hug him hello, using her Shelby innocence to make Tommy promise to play tea parties sometime in the week. She happily bounced inside, Charlie and Theo rushing towards the kitchen to fill their bellies with the newest dessert Frances had whipped up. While Ava avoided eye contact with Tommy while they headed across the fields.

“Why are we here, Dad?”. She asked, noticing the familiar surroundings of Johnny’s camp and catching the smell of firewood.

“We're here so I can do the right thing". Tommy replied, nodding across the camp to Johnny who ventured off. “Ava, it’s not easy for me to watch you grow up. Sometimes, I see demons where there aren’t any. I lose my temper, and I do bad things because my priority is to protect our family. But I need to let you grow up. To let you become a beautiful, smart, extraordinary woman, just like your mother”.

Ava smiled, tucking her dark locks behind her ear. To her left, Rob cautiously walked over. Her eyes fell to his neck, bearing the red mark of Tommy’s violent temper.

Tommy cleared his throat. “Robert, I would like to apologize for putting my hands on you. It was not the way to handle the situation. And I should have trusted Ava's judgement. She wouldn't have you in her life if she didn't believe you were a good man”.

Extending his hand, it took a full minute before Rob did the same. This time, Tommy’s grip was firm but not deadly. Like men, they shook heads, nodded and signed a silent agreement never to speak of the incident again.

“It went well then?”. You asked, stepping out of the barn as you saw them approach.

Ava nodded, sheepishly smiling. “Now that Dad doesn’t want to hurt Rob anymore, does that mean I can see him again?”.

Glancing at Tommy, he starched his cheek. “Your father and I discussed it, and until we say otherwise, you can only see Rob under our supervision. No closed doors, no fooling around”.

“Can I see him tonight?”.

“Baby steps, Ava”. Tommy warned, flicking his cigarette and squashing it under his boot.

“Baby steps”. She repeated, leaving a kiss on his cheek.

You smiled, pulling Tommy to you. “I kind of love you, Tommy Shelby”.

“Kind of, eh?”.

“Alright, fine. I fucking love you”.

“I fucking love you, too”. He whispered, sealing such a feeling in a lasting kiss that left you breathless. “How quiet do you think you can be?”.

You pondered his question, giving a mischievous smile. “We haven’t visited our spot in a while”.

“By the lake? Under the oak tree where we conceived Theo?”.

“Where we think we conceived Theo. But, why not? The children are playing inside and anything they need Frances can help with. The weather is nice. And-”. You tugged on his shirt, suggestively biting his lower lip. “And I don’t feel like being quiet”.

He smirked, sparking a shiver down your spine. Intertwining your hand in his, Tommy grabbed the checkered blanket from atop the hay bale, leading you across the dirt road and beyond fields.

[stardust-in-my-mind-blog]

risking it all

yesterday my golden retriever followed me out the door

his name is Vincent and he's perfect

I thought about getting a leash

then said fuck it and went to the bus stop

I didn't know he had a plan

we waited and talked in the language between

humanity and a dog the size of a golden lion

the vet says he's overweight because he's

shameless about stealing food

and uses his intellect to find a way to get

what he wants in a rather clever way

it's hard for me to correct resourcefulness

and he knows it well

the bus came yellow on a day so beautiful

it didn't feel real more like a dream

little did I know it was a dream

his dream that was about to come true

the doors opened and my son Theo appeared

Vincent mounted the stairs to greet him

a rather quick flash for the density of dog he is

and before I knew it he was on that bus

to get all the laughter and squeals and pets

from all those young children liberated from school

I apologized profusely to the bus driver

who said it was fine as he laughed in the chaos

my cheeks were red and my face hidden by my hands

as he wrangled that beast from his vehicle

and we walked home as a trio

a dog and his boy and fulfilled dreams and wishes

and me just a pawn in their grand destiny

an unexpected and unplanned by a moment in history

where a big yellow dog and his laughing child

had their time in bus life infamy