#currently it is just one room w one half of the room being for kids and teens and the other half being for adults

[dyna-myght]

I’ve spoken my truth before, I need to speak it again seeing debates about libraries. There’s a such thing as city privilege. If you have never lived in a small town w a very limited library that is filled with mostly religious leaning books and a pretty outdated system especially when it comes to requesting books, I don’t want to hear a word.

[c0smoshit]

Heyyy!

Was wondering if I could request a Cloud x reader? Where basically reader is playing Mario Party w/ Tifa, Jessie, Aerith and he’s sitting and watching but after a few hours of it wants to just go snuggle and read some books in bed w/ reader, so that’s what he does?

Ty in advance and sending hugs!

This is so cute!!

Thanks for the req and hugs to u too🫶🫶

Touch-starved kid ミ★

⋆ ࣪. ℙ𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 ≫ Cloud Strife/Reader

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 ≫ fluff, very much fluff, cuddly and touch-starved Cloud

⋆ ࣪. 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥 ≫ 1.300

"Noo!"

A loud whine emerged from Jessie's mouth, Peach had crashed against a green shell. Low chuckles could be heard from both Aerith and your mouth, she was always so competitive.

Silence fell once again in the room, concentrated faces matched with a bored one from a blonde, watching the TV.

You had been playing for almost two hours now, Aerith whining about how she had to beat you the next game. Tifa on the other hand, silently won half of the matches, earning some muttered out curses from the rest of you.

"You don't wanna play Cloud?"

A hushed groan left his lips, staring down at you from his seated position. You had offered him the space next to you, but Jessie was quick enough to steal it.

And you didn't mind, Jessie was actually a sweetheart with you. She often gave you advice of boys, how to read if they were into you or not.

And it weirdly worked with him.

The other brunnete's arm sneaked into your shoulder, bringing you down to the planet. You stared back at her face and then at the screen, your hands still holding the controller.

"Where are you going y/n?"

Red eyes stared confusedly at you as you got rid of the arm that trapped you into a warm embrace. You wanted to stay for a bit, playing with them was always so fun after stressful weeks.

However, your body noticed the lack of coldness in the corner of the room.

"I'll be back soon, I'm going... to the bathroom yeah"

A few more snickers lingered in the room before some quiet yelps and curses filled it once again.

Your socks touched the cold, winter floor, eyes searching around for a grumpy blonde. The hall was dimly-lighted, some cute flowers resting on top of a wooden table.

But that adorable little moment turned into a frenzy one as some arms wrapped themselves around your middle part. Your yell was muffled by a gloved hand, his chest being the first thing that made you realise who was holding you.

"Cloud!"

His hand then left your mouth, chin making contact with the crown of your hair. Your hands grabbed his forearms, letting out a breathy sigh.

"Don't scare me like that you idiot"

You could feel a little smirk burning into his face, arms tightening around your waist as he guided you through the house.

. . .

"What's got you so clingy hmm?"

"You"

His voice was muffled by your chest, head tilted to the right as he laid on top of you. His arms were both bellow your back, not caring if he got cramps thanks to it.

He looked so peaceful, a child who only lived fueled by your arms and warm body.

Your back rested on the fluffy pillows behind you, knees appart as his stomach rested on your lap. Your feet rested by his sides and your hands softly caressed his locks.

You looked outside the window, it was currently winter and you felt a scorching warmth enveloping your insides. You felt so cozy and calm on the warm mattress, but his body on top of you multiplied those feelings.

His touch was featherlike, always managing to boost your mood whenever you were mad at him.

You couldn't have a proper argument with him, no matter how hard you tried to distance yourself from him, yell at him. His hands were always soothing your back.

"Hold on, I'll be back"

But his arms trapped you further into the mattress, not letting you slip off his embrace so easily. His body weight was all resting on top of you like it would always do whenever he was feeling down or tired and you were there with him.

A few more silent whines left his mouth when you, struggling, got his arms finally off you and planted your feet back on the wooden floor.

You gave his saddened face a pleading smile before you dissapeared once again into the hall.

If you were a stranger and looked at him in the eye, you would've thought that boy was cold.

But in reality, he was just a touch-starved kid.

Your fingertips grazed a bookshelf, pupils trying to find a red book surrounded by colorful books Aerith liked to read. You enjoyed meeting up with her and talking about flowers, forgetting just for a few minutes what was happening in the planet.

She knew everything about them, her tone changing whenever she talked to you about tulips or roses.

She was the whiff of fresh air you needed in a polluted city.

Subconciously you smiled at those memories, you loved spending time with her and the girls. A relief from work and the tasks you had to do through the day, soothing hands that massaged your warm shoulders after an stressful journey.

You wouldn't know where you'd be right now without them.

You let out an audible sigh as your hands caressed the soft cover of your favourite book. You liked the smell of fresh books, reading them while you stayed up at night.

With your new friend, you walked your way back into the room, ready to cuddle for as long as he pleased.

However, when you opened the door again, he wasn't laying down on the bed, instead, he was waiting for you the way you were laying on the pillows earlier.

And before you could even mutter out a "Hi" his arms were all over you again, dragging you down to his chest. You took his seat now, your hair sprawled out on his chest and shoulders as your book ended up falling on your lap.

You giggled, happiness filling up his sore brain, he adored your little chuckles. Readjusting yourself on his lap, you two were now sat on the bed, his bigger legs enveloped your closed ones, side by side.

You couldn't even hide the big, pleasured grin that was now placed on your sweet lips.

Did a huge, cuddly dog swaped bodies with Cloud?

Well, you didn't mind if he actually did, you were more than happy to see this secret facade. Maybe if life would let you have more alone time with him you wouldn't need to seek out his warmth in cold, lonely afternoons.

You both were quiet, consumed by the endless words in front of you as he leant his nose further into your hair. He would never say it out loud, but you had him crazy for you just by your sweet scent.

The first thing that woke up his brain whenever you walked into a room, whenever you washed the dishes with him.

Then your calm tone would envelope his eardrums, it always soothed him down.

And finally your adorable eyes, eyelashes batting so cutely at him, blinking whenever you were confused.

You sinked deeper into the pleasant but icy night, the words now seemed to be blurred out. Your eyelids grew heavy and the grip you had on the book softened, a car passed by.

When your limbs appeared to weigh more, he took the book from your lap, smiling when your hands didn't take it away from him. You had fallen asleep on top of him, was his body that comfortable?

It sure was, although he didn't seem to in most people's eyes, he was really strong. The muscles he packed bellow his skin were the perfect pillow, his arms the best blanket.

Your personal warm tent.

Eventually his eyes closed themselves too, breathing slowing itself down as his head lolled into your own one. You both looked so cute right now, not noticing the door creaking and some small giggles following behind.

[ahqkas]

begging for a christmas w dick blurb, snow outside, fireplace going, maybe hot chocolate, and def a christmas tree. pls pls pls

THE SNOW OUTSIDE FELL IN SOFT, SWIRLING FLAKES, blanketing the world in quiet white. the muffled crunch of it against the windows was barely audible over the crackling fireplace, which bathed the room in a golden glow and the scent of pine lingered in the air, fresh and sharp, from the tall christmas tree standing in the corner of the living room. its branches were full, a rich green, but still bare in some spots, awaiting the ornaments scattered across the floor in haphazard piles.

you stood on your tiptoes, reaching for the highest branch you could manage, a delicate glass bauble clutched in your hand. your fingers wobbled, dangerously close to dropping it, and you let out a frustrated sigh as you leaned back down, staring at the tree like it was mocking you.

“you’ve got to be kidding me,” you muttered under your breath, stepping back to assess your progress—or lack thereof.

the lower branches were decorated beautifully, little twinkling lights already woven through, ornaments spaced just enough to look full but not crowded. but the upper half of the tree? a sad, empty space, laughing at your current height disadvantage.

like someone you knew very well.

“need a ladder?”

you turned at the voice, finding your boyfriend leaning casually against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. he was already grinning, that familiar mix of amusement and affection lighting up his blue eyes, and he looked impossibly attractive in the navy long sleeved shirt and gray sweatpants, the kind of casual perfection only he could pull off.

“where did you come from?” asking, you feigned annoyance even though the sight of him immediately melted some of your frustration.

he pushed off the doorframe, stepping closer, his socked feet quiet against the wooden floor. “i’ve been watching you struggle for the past five minutes,” he admitted, the grin widening. “it was cute at first, but now it’s just sad.”

huffing, you crossed your arms over your chest. “i can do it myself, thank you very much.”

“uh-huh,” he mocked you, his tone dripping with disbelief as he crouched down to pick up one of the ornaments. it was a little white dove, the kind that looked like it belonged in a vintage christmas catalog. your boyfriend held it up, examining it like it was something precious—it was. “you’re going to break one of these if you keep trying to do it all on your own.”

“i’m being careful,” you insisted, but even that didn’t sound convincing.

dick stepped closer, his free hand resting lightly on the exposed skin of your waist as he leaned in to meet your gaze. “you’re also being stubborn,” he said softly, his voice warm but teasing. “come on, let me help. you know i’m taller.”

you tried to glare at him, but the way his hand lingered on your body, the way his grin tugged just slightly at the corner of his lips, made it impossible. “fine,” relenting, you handed him the bauble you’d been holding. “but don’t break that. it’s my favorite.”

“wouldn’t dream of it,” he said with mock seriousness, carefully placing the ornament on one of the higher branches. he turned back to you, his expression smug. “see? easy.”

rolling your eyes, you couldn’t stop the smile from creeping onto your face. “show-off.”

he laughed, a soft, melodic sound that made the room feel even warmer. “you say that like it’s a bad thing.”

the two of you worked together after that, dick taking the higher branches while you focused on the lower ones. he teased you the entire time, making dramatic comments about how heavy the ornaments were or how he was “saving christmas” single-handedly.

“you’re ridiculous,” you exclaimed at one point, stepping back to admire your work. the tree was almost complete now, the lights twinkling like little stars amidst the ornaments.

“and yet, you love me,” he replied, wrapping an arm around your shoulders and pulling you closer towards him.

you leaned into him, rosy cheek resting against his shoulder as you stared at the tree. “i really do,” you said softly, the warmth of the moment wrapping around you like the glow of the fireplace.

dick pressed a kiss to the top of your head, lingering there for a moment before pulling back just enough to look down at you. “you want some hot chocolate?”

“only if it has marshmallows.”

he grinned. “like there’s any other way to have it.”

© ahqkas — all rights reserved. even when credited, these works are prohibited to be reposted, translated or modified

[finalgirlrick]

Wicked Game

Pairing: Maggie x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1.1k

Warnings: ~suggestive~ towards the end

Summary: A slightly enemies to lovers maggie x fem!reader farm era fic. I'm in love w maggie so this came super easy, I know it's not very popular to write about but w/e!! we all saw those dead city pics. shoutout @weretheones & @normanplusdaryl for encouraging my maggie simpery.

When you first met her, you swore she might’ve hated you. No, you were certain. With her narrow green eyes always fixed on you and a scowl on her face whenever you entered a room, it was hard to have any doubts. It was intimidating. She was intimidating. You were around the same age when you met, the only people in your age bracket holed up in her dad’s farmhouse other than Glenn. 

Her bold attitude captivated both you and Glenn, and you often found yourselves talking about whatever new shocking thing you witnessed her doing when you went on runs together. “Did you see the way she just slapped Shane?” Glenn asked completely baffled. “Yeah, she’s just asking for murder,” you joked holding back a grin. Maggie Greene, she was full of surprises -- and honestly, you wouldn’t mind sticking around to see how many more. 

There was no denying it, she was gorgeous. It wasn’t lost on anyone with her soft brown hair and the big smile that always stopped you in your tracks the rare times you were graced with it, usually when you bought her something on a run that you overheard her saying she needed earlier. And her distinct farmgirl fashion, maybe you wouldn’t have worn any of it, but she always pulled it off. She could pull anything off. 

Slowly, you became more friendly with her, it was inevitable when you were living in close quarters for so long. You eventually realized her earlier stubbornness was just due to being protective over her family and the farm, and you couldn’t blame her for that.  Once the initial awkwardness faded away, you, Glenn, and Maggie started having regular game nights to pass the time. They were full of laughter and chaos, and Herschel would sometimes peer in to remind you “rowdy kids” to get to bed, which only made you all laugh harder. A few times, you noticed the old man bite back a smile, in relief that there was still at least some joy in this new world. 

You loved seeing Maggie get competitive, or when she would try to trick Glenn into making the wrong move, which was more frequent than not. He was always visibly nervous and stammering around her, and you could tell she was using it to her advantage. She would tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, lean forward with her chest - god that was distracting, flash her doe eyes and that smile and he was a goner. You couldn’t blame him either, you always got butterflies whenever she pulled that move. But instead of reacting like him, you would chuckle and you would exchange a knowing glance with her, a new inside joke between you two. You couldn’t be happier to be a part of it. 

One game night, Glenn brought a bottle of wine he had scavenged, making sure to hide it from Herschel. The three of you had your usual nightly routine together, but Glenn started going overboard with the drinking and before you could finish the round of the game you were playing, he was passed out on the floor. “He’s a lightweight, huh,” Maggie giggled. You nodded. 

“So, I guess it’s just you and me now,” she pointed out. “Yeah, sorry about that,” you said with a half-smile, feeling those butterflies creep up on you. Her eyes crinkled when she grinned, “You’re funny.” Much to your surprise, she scooted around closer to you, making sure not to disturb Glenn, who was currently splayed out on the floor beside you. 

You felt like you were going to lose it. You didn’t have many moments alone with her, and this felt like completely new territory. Plus, the feelings you had developed for her didn’t make this any easier. There was no chance she would ever feel the same way, you knew it. You were going to make a fool of yourself and you were consumed with dread. 

“What do ya say we ditch this game?” she asked. You barely made eye contact with her as you replied, “Maybe that’s a good idea.” 

“This might be a good chance to get to know each other too.” The remark made you snap upright and you repeated it back to her. She continued, “Yeah, silly. Don’t you think it’s a good idea since we’re spending so much time together?” You gulped unsure of what to say next. “There’s just not much to know about me,” you scoffed. 

“Pffft, that’s a downright lie. You might be the most interestin’ person in this house.” You felt your cheeks turn pink and prayed that she wouldn’t notice. “Glenn’s interesting,” you said with a shrug, trying to distract from it. She looked over at him, “Yeah, real interestin,” and you broke out in laughter together. 

“Seriously, tell me somethin’ about you. What did you do?”

“I don’t know. I guess I was in school, I didn’t do much,” you sighed. “I was in school for a while too,” she replied moving in closer. Your heart was racing so fast you were starting to think it was dangerous.  “I think we might have more in common than I originally thought,” she whispered. She was making those doe eyes and you had to be going crazy. She couldn’t possibly mean…that, right? And why was she leaning in so close to you? In your bewilderment, you questioned her. She chuckled then, but it was different. It wasn’t like when you exchanged knowing glances when she pulled her moves on Glenn. She was looking straight through you. 

She took a deep breath in and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, and just like that a wave of heat flushed over your body. Her face was mere inches away from yours now. “Do you like me?” she asked softly, almost embarrassed, a look you never saw on her before. Of course you did, you responded. In more ways than one, but she didn’t have to know about that. 

She nodded and smiled, and you just about jumped when she leaned in and brushed her soft lips against yours. It was a quick, shy kiss - waiting to see how you reacted and you were in so much shock that your mind went blank. But she was so beautiful, and right in front of you, and what the hell - she liked you. So you seized the moment and kissed her back, the movements getting more passionate and desperate by the second, both of your hands moving and grabbing in places they probably shouldn’t have when Glenn could’ve woken up at any second. 

“I didn’t think that was what you meant when you were asking if I liked you,” you admitted after the kiss was broken. “Are you complainin’?” she teased. “No. Of course not,” you giggled and her’s soon followed. 

[i-am-xp-64]

Ok so-

Idk how but @weirdsillycreature guessed the character

This is really monster from her past ;w;

She was the weird creepypasta girl back in time, who also almost a scene girl but that's all she able to do-

Soooo explaining of her past self and more because yes :3

- like I tolded before, monster were into creepypasta and also wish to marry someone like Jeff the killer, well she's now with the jeff but the ffs and tts lol

- she were a alt scene and didn't able to go in the style much due to her being too broke for much and the trauma her mother caused

- her half bangs are cutted and her one eye is purple and burned due to a bullying from her ex band friend (yes she were a band kid, she's a guitarist)

- monster often had either short hallucinations or sudden anger snaps due to the abuse she went through, that also caused her to win the Nick "monster"

- like I told long time ago that monster being a lunatic is started by that, she had the anger snap after she found out that her xxxxpist take advantage of her one new friend and got her(the friend) disabled from the lower part completely, for the revenge and all, she went to her old band place and disable the guy's neck out it's body by stabbing the sharp side of her guitar to it, she also beat up and caused 2 more of her old friends to die, one being died by being pushed through glass window and got her throat and chest cutted and the other by monster literally strangled her with bare ands and even snapped her neck (bad parent game style-), the last words of that strangled friend was her calling monster a monster and ever since then, she kept that nick

- her earings was a gift from her first online crush who end up being beaten up by monster after they met up on a side road and she found out it was her old bully (he's alive and uglyer now lol)

More random facts you didn't know it true :D

- before finding out that the gang stop trying to end Jett and Albert actually being monster's brother, monster burned up the paper writings of her plans and angry notes to kill hunter (especially hunter, idk why), she still hates them a little but at least not murdurest way now

- monster first liked Jett after he show that he cares about lim, but after monster moved on about it since lim now got a family of his own, she started to falling for jett (the ship that called dip is now a legend couple lol)

- it not so opened yet but monster is bi, or bi ish but never liked a girl before (because she never get that close with one like that but eh lol)

- monster actually didn't liked anyone at first, Thomas, Albert, the gang, the feeling, she never liked any of them at first but soon later she warm up to them

- monster speaks Italian if she got too mad or just woke up from a deep sleep, she forgot her english at that times lol

- she's a night owl

- she hates thanksgiving times because her mother abandoned them at the thanksgiving morning, Thomas offered that this be not bad and wanted her to participate in the table but it took her some time, but she at least join on the table for at least an hour after Albert also talked with her, then she just go to the living room till the dinner is over-

(Vicky had a chat with her all night)

- monster loves tiramisu, like, TOO MUCH.

- monster is actually has her silly sides, mostly teasing people like Thomas or Albert of she knew they have a crush on someone or just to mess with them, also silly pranks as spooking them kindly from behind places or poking them from the sides (she knows boundaries so if you told her that you REALLY didn't like it, she'll stop lol)

- she's currently 30 years old, her birthday is on 12th October (idk much about ages or birthdays for ocs, I use a birthday generator for it so correct me if I'm wrong about it-)

Aaaand that's all-

[chthonicgodling]

and now… (THE NEXT) ELYSIUM DRAMA UPDATE

continued directly from page 1 HERE, now it’s pages 2-11!!

[in this current saga; you are: one • two • three • four • here • six • seven • eight • nine • ten • eleven • twelve • thirteen • fourteen (the end!) ]

featuring: EeL’s menagerie of intimidating children, + Tory & Maci who have gone to them for help and,

…….😦

oh. Oh no.

RECAP: TaKi Fuego, a delightfully secretive ménage à trois of Tory ‘n’ ELoki ‘n’ Maci, that’s maaaaaybe extended a bit 💞mushier past the typical Elysium hookups if you squint, ending up with EeL pregnant but all well and good — until he freaked out and vanished on them.

•Behold our Canon Convo scene as Maci and Tory turn to his kids for help locating him and. UHHH HAHHA ALT TITLE, TORY AND MACI GET EVISCERATED BY PRETEENS?!?!! WELP…!!!! THIS WENT…. BAD!!!

•First and foremost as ALWAYS a crucial and special thanks to Elysium’s better half the hiatus’d @fenixethekid , who’s responsible for Tory and all this wonderful orange dialogue. I am every other unhinged wacko in this room being thrown at him + Maci having a literal meltdown at his side. Tory Tory Tory I love you. We’ll get your precious pet back don’t worry W.,,, we hope

• EeL’s children are ingrained with Trust Issues + a sense of cutthroat diehard loyalty to him, which is not something he’s cultivated on PURPOSE it’s just what happens naturally when being A Child of Loki DOES actually make you an enemy of the public, as it did long ago on Asgard with real consequences. Despite the safety of Elysium, the generational trauma has been passed down across the whole family and uh, gestures WELL. Hhhere we are! SORRY TORY AND MACI!! One day the kids will realize you desperately love their Parent too!!! today is… nnOt that day.

• AND SO, REELING FROM SHOCK OF HOW VICIOUS THIS REJECTION WAS, MACI AND TORY RETREAT, LOKI STILL MISSING - what happens next?!! STAY TUNED!!

• I am sorry about that one cop out page, but I have SO Much else planned to draw next for this saga of events. The next updates might Uh. be a while I. still have to draw them. fgkfkgkgk bear with me. but enjoy PWEASE! the next parts will come as soon as I can get ‘em together.

xoxo ty for readingggg g gg

[icee133]

Hi! This is part 6 of the ongoing Marionette series I'm writing. This part is the longest one yet, and finally feels like we are getting somewhere with the story (lol). This series is going to be a bit on the longer side as "slow burn" might be an understatement anyways hope you guys like this part! Sorry for any writing errors 🤍🤍

If you would like to be added to taglist let me know!

The Marionette

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6🤍

Word count for this part: 2643. Enjoy!👻👻

Synapsis:

A new overlord has manifested in hell seemingly overnight. One that overpowered many if not all of the current overlords in all the right ways. Will this overlord use her powers for good to help the members of the hotel? Will she fall in love with a man and end up in a loving gentle relationship? Or will she get her heart broken and turn against them all, burning each bridge she meticulously made. 

The Marionette is a heart wrenching fic with many turns you won't see coming. Stay tuned for each of the episodes as they are released.

¯⁠\⁠_⁠ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ⁠_⁠/⁠¯¯⁠\⁠_⁠ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ⁠_⁠/⁠¯¯⁠\⁠_⁠ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ⁠_⁠/⁠¯¯⁠\⁠_⁠ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ⁠_⁠/⁠¯¯⁠\⁠_⁠ʘ⁠‿⁠ʘ⁠_⁠/⁠¯

It had been a few days since Nette had talked about her regret. The aftermath of which resulted in a long hug and discussion from Charlie that it wasn't her fault -despite not knowing all the details- she stood firmly on that statement as she truly believes it. Nette on the other hand firmly believed the opposite. She could've prevented it, and possibly could've changed her outcome. Though she wasn't certain of that half of it anyway.

Charlie had ended the exercise early after Nette’s confession. Thinking it probably best to try to do one or two instead of everyone at the same due to the heavy load each one is carrying with them. Nette had thanked each of them afterwards before retiring to her room for the night (despite it being early still). A part of her felt embarrassed that she had let the others see her in a very vulnerable state. A state that she thought she had been able to hide away to prevent it being used against her. After all, blackmail was something she was used to dealing with especially when it came to her kids. Many overlords thinking her love and affection for them made her weak, and attempting to take them from her. Leading to a unforseen bloody massacre led by the other 2 boys and her. Though she didn't like violence she definitely could show others a picture perfect reference to the definition of the word. Her kindness was never a weakness. Just more of a strength to her as ‘you don't need to be an asshole to be strong’ she would always say. Teaching her boys that manners truly matter and show a sense of superiority over your opponent.

Though she was embarrassed about that version of herself she knew Charlie and the others wouldn't judge her for it. Nor look at her any differently because they were each carrying something of a similar weight. They still saw her as their terrifying friend who isn't afraid to put a rude customer in their place. Nette had been thankful they had given her a bit of space after as they were sure she might need it, but she found herself feeling rather lonely in that time rather than anything else. Which led to her talking with Angel sitting at the bar one night feeling much better by just being in his company. She found herself often seeking out Angel for comfort as he seemed to be the one who understood her the most. He never judged her for anything she needed to talk to him about, and she offered him the same amount of comfort on that matter. They often spoke about things that the others didn’t know much about them both. Their relationship had evolved to one of being truly comfortable around each other. Even going as far as to reveal their true names to each other. Promising to keep quiet on the matter and to never use them around the others.

A bit later Nette took a few days away from the group to start working on the project of talking to a winner with her boys. Attempting to find out ways to get heaven to listen to them speaking with a winner. After all, the chances of heaven allowing them to sit down and talk to a winner was slim. Nette knew they would be worried about the sinners ‘corrupting’ the winner and having them fall down to hell. Though could a winner even fall? Could they even end up down in hell if during their life they proved to be worthy of heaven? Could they be corrupted? It wasn’t even a fact that sinners could be redeemed- though Nette had her suspicions about that- so if they couldn’t get redeemed could a winner even fall? They knew an Angel could fall, but that was a heaven born creature. Much like some imps and such in hell. Wait- could imps go to heaven? Wow what a way to get side tracked what a weird thought. Nette felt like they possibly wouldn’t allow it especially if they attempted to speak with the seraphim again. Though the one Charlie spoke of called ‘Emily’ might allow it. Seeing as she wasn’t high seraphim though might cause issues if the other one thought she was beginning to undermine her authority. The last thing they wanted is to cause another Angel to fall. Lucifer had been through enough down here. Seeing only the worst of people, only the evil and malignant. Lucifer might be able to help. How would she ask him though? ‘Hey Lucifer, could you reach out to speak to heaven?’ Yeah cuz that went swell the last time. Though heaven seems to still care about what he thinks. Or wants for that matter. But this isn’t them wanting to talk to the court of angels, this is wanting to speak with a winner. A soul that had ascended to heaven after their life on earth. Nette knew she could reach out to someone else for help but doing that would possibly cause a bigger problem than necessary for this. She figured she should at least speak to Lucifer first. Asking him for a few ideas on the matter wouldn’t hurt.

Nette’s relationship with Lucifer had evolved as well. Becoming more comfortable in being able to speak to him about anything to do with the hotel. She found herself not wanting to push their boundaries, often tiptoeing around any personal matters. She was also thankful he hadn't brought up her confession of her deepest regret since she last spoke about it. About him though, Hyperfixation seemed to be an issue of his. Leading to more issues such as the king forgetting to eat. Finding himself up to his chest in a mountain of paperwork that needed to be completed and time passing by without him realizing. She had brought him a few meals to his office as a way to ensure he didn’t starve for days. Seeing as he didn’t have anyone else but Charlie at the hotel. Choosing to leave his staff at his castle after him moving into the hotel. His way of ensuring he didn’t make it seem like his daughter was incapable of running the hotel on her own. Depression was also something Nette had found the king had. Anytime he wasn’t engrossed in a mountain of paperwork he was in his office creating ducks. Rubber ducks. Nette had to admit the ducks were cute, and found herself asking him about one of them that was on his desk when she went in to deliver a meal. Leading to an hour long discussion about ducks. Not that she minded, in fact, she didn’t mind one bit. After all, the king seemed a bit happier after being able to talk to someone about it so much so that she allowed him to do it again. Actually she allowed him to do it about 6 more times, but nobody needed to know that. She enjoyed listening to him talk about things he was proud of.

After thinking it over for a while Nette found herself standing in front of Lucifer’s office door. Behind it was an apple shaped part of the building. The door was an elegant red color adorning his signature symbol and a golden apple door handle. She wanted to knock but found herself feeling nervous about the situation at hand. Asking a fallen Angel to speak to the place that cast him out was not something she wanted to do. It felt a little too personal. Sure she let the man talk her ear off about ducks,but this was different. This is the place that caused him to end up down here. She sighed lightly before raising her hand to the door knocking 3 times before hearing a ‘come in’ echo from the other side. Taking a deep breath she opened the door, seeing Lucifer sitting at his desk reading paperwork with his hat and overcoat on the chair next to him. “Nette what can I do for you?” She hadn’t realized she had been staring at the man till he spoke. “I have something to ask of you but first, when was the last time you ate something?” She looked at him accusingly. “Oh uh- maybe a bit ago…” he trailed off at the end of his sentence. “I’ll bring you something after we talk, you really shouldn’t forget to eat Lucifer it could cause Charlie to worry” Nette found herself giving him the same speech she did each time she reminded him to eat. “You are right, I shouldn't forget something so important. Apologies, I did not realize how much time had passed. What was it you needed to talk to me about?” He stood from his desk walking to sit at the table he had off to the side. Motioning for Nette to join him there as well. She walked over to the table Lucifer had pulled out her chair to allow her to sit down before seating himself across from her.

He could tell she was a bit nervous about whatever this was about, which in turn made him nervous. As Nette wasn’t one who usually was readable in terms of her emotions, at least not this readable. “Thank you, It has to do with what Charlie and I discussed the other day about speaking to a soul in heaven. I was wondering if it was something you had given any thought to?” Nette could feel her nerves about the topic, and was hoping he couldn’t see them as much as she could feel them. The tidal wave of anxiety growing in tune with the second of silence between the two. “Of course, I had forgotten about that. What were you thinking?” Of course he wanted to hear my ideas Nette thought to herself. Still very much a pile of anxiety. “Well heaven wasn’t very keen on the idea of redeeming a sinner. They didn’t seem to take it very seriously either from what Charlie had told me. Though I wonder if Adam had anything to do with that. On the opposite side though many of them had no idea the extermination was even going on, or that any sinners were attempting to rewrite the wrongs they had done in life that landed them down here to begin with.” She paused, Lucifer had been listening to her intently as she spoke. Her slight accent and rambling gave away her nerves about this topic causing a small smile to form on his lips. “I believe that since the last extermination led to many of the exorcists being disposed of and the first man no longer being ‘alive’ -in a sense I guess- that they would be more willing to hear out what we have to say. Though I have suspicions about no sinner ever being redeemed. It makes no sense as to why they would think they needed to begin the extermination anyway without having some kind of reason. An uprising doesn’t seem like a reliable enough reason especially since angels were thought to not be able to be killed. The only thing I can think of is that a sinner had been redeemed before and possibly caused issues in heaven? Though I’m not sure. Sorry getting off topic” she turned her head away from the man in front of her.

Thinking to herself that she was rambling about nothing at this point. “No need to apologize, I’m following.” Lucifer said allowing Nette to continue “I just am not sure if they would risk us talking to a winner. After all I believe they would be worried that the soul might end up corrupted and find themself well… down here.” Nette said quietly. Lucifer nodded before saying “I haven’t heard anything about souls falling from heaven. After all they proved they could end up there in their life on earth, but I do see the issue. If we are saying a sinner can be redeemed that would mean a winner can be corrupted. Which would cause issues with the very foundation of heaven itself.” “Yes, this is why I wanted to speak with you about it before I went to Charlie. After all, the chances of them speaking to hell again after last time might be a bit more, but I have a feeling they’d want to hear us out at least. All things considered. But allowing us to speak to one of their souls might be pushing it. I just don’t want to let her down but I think this might be out of the question.” Both found themselves pondering over the thought for a bit. Before Lucifer spoke “I think it would be worth asking them. If your feeling is right about a sinner having been redeemed then that would mean all the souls that had been exterminated could have been redeemed and sent to heaven. Corrupting a soul could be as easy as it is to redeem one, which is not at all. I think reaching out couldn’t hurt.” “Who would you ask? Sera doesn’t seem one to listen, but the archangels are well… them” Nette said before realizing she spoke as if she knew them personally. “I mean they’re basically the equivalent of the sins down here, and if they’re anything even remotely close I doubt they’d hear out what Charlie has to say.” She quickly corrected herself. “I believe they will listen even if just for a moment.” Lucifer seemed to have a much more determined demeanor about the hotel then how Charlie originally explained it. “Okay I think that’s for the best then. We start with asking them and see where it goes from there.” Nette said before standing. “Thank you for hearing me out about it, and glad we came to a consensus about the matter.” ‘Of course, thank you for coming to me about it first” Lucifer said standing from his chair as well. He could help but find himself smiling at the overlord in front of him. Forgetting his earlier feelings of reprise towards her thinking to himself that he enjoys her company. Nette opened the door to the office before turning back towards the Angel and saying “I’ll be back with food for you. Also, don’t work too late, you need to try to get some sleep tonight. I know you didn’t sleep at all last night Luci, that's not good for you.” He sheepishly nodded before saying “would you join me for the meal?” “Of course Luci I’d be delighted to” Nette smiled before closing the door behind her. Leaving the Angel alone in his office once again to ponder over how she knew he didn’t go to bed last night, and how she had given him the nickname ‘Luci’. Maybe he liked her calling him that.

While walking down to the kitchen Nette found herself enthralled in admiring how Lucifer stood by Charlie’s dream and would do anything to help her with it. Whatever lies in store he would help her through it. Nette found herself wishing she had a father figure like this. One that was proud to call himself her father, one that would help her through things. She couldn’t help but want that. But she knew it was an absurd dream to wish for anything like that from her actual father. After all, he was the one who ended her life as she knew it. The one who stripped everything from her and threw her away like she was nothing. Maybe that’s why she found herself not wanting to overstep into personal matters with the fallen Angel. Perhaps she related to him a bit more than she’d like to admit. But she also couldn’t help wanting to get closer to him.

Taglist:

@popamolly @preciousbabypeter

[horanghoe]

SBIADITO - Scarlet Fever 1/2

Main Masterlist // SVT Masterlist

Group: Seventeen

Members Mentioned: Hoshi//Soonyoung, S.Coups//Seungcheol, The8//Minghao, Han//Jeonghan

Pairing: Werewolf!Soonyoung x Reader (Fem Perspective)

Genre: Angst / Fuff / Heavy Smut / Werewolf!SVT, minors dni !!

Word Count: Just over 17K

T/W’s: Heavy smut with frequent mention of Werewolf features & lore. This is purely fiction and not intended to harm. If you don’t like Werewolf!au’s, please scroll on, with peace and love!! 

(Pls dm me if you would like a trigger warning added ♡)

SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS & A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL MY BETA READERS:

Banner, Header & Divider Art: @classicscreations

MTG Discord Furries /jk/: @slightlymore // @raibebe // @starlitmark// @just-come-baek

IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTES:

Wow. So I think it's fair to say I never ever ever thought in my time here writing that a werewolf series would even be in my league, but here we are, wahahaha... This beast took me over 3 months to fully draft, write and edit. (There's already an Epilogue of the original series, (Spider Boy Is A Dog In This One) in the works, along with an edit of the OGS!)... So please stick around for more ;) Asks welcome!!

Music to listen to while reading ♡  (in no particular order)

None currently on the OP's mind - please feel free to recommend some via my ask inbox ;)

In the dark, familiar belly of your home; your breath stilled.

Soonyoung was having a nightmare again. 

You could hear him struggling. Again. 

Through your link. Through the pain. 

Through the walls. 

With a soft exhale, you padded across the living room to approach the space leading to his doorway. 

You had been camping out in your own living room for near enough eight long and silently dragged-out hours. 

Listening with an aching ear to your Mate’s irregular breathing and the violent fluctuations of his heart rates through the thick, distant walls. Attending to his moans of discomfort; the duvet being thrown off his body, on, then off again. Pressing him with water, or food, whenever able.

He was in deep, deep Fever.

And you couldn’t stand to be away from him any longer.

“What is it? What’s wrong with him, Jeonghan? What is it you’re not telling me?!”

Jeonghan had sighed, with a withdrawn look seeping even further across his face than when the two of them had entered your home. 

Jeonghan looked to his left side, whining softly. His hands twisted together as older brother Seungcheol shared that pained, unspoken expression with him. You instead turned to whisper-yell towards Jeonghan; your closest confidant and the second half of the hierarchy.

“I’ve never witnessed anyone in this family even catch a cold, let alone anyone get so sick that they become bedridden Han?!” 

You spared a glare towards Seungcheol, only to be met with the crown of his head.

They were avoiding your eyes. 

And it was rightfully making you aggressive and irate.

The two Alphas had come to check on their brother per request. To protect their adopted sister - you - again, per request. And yet, the two Alphas sat, withdrawn, in the middle of your home, with nothing to offer but side eyes and uncomfortable expressions.

The sanctity of your high rise was being mitigated by Soonyoung’s sudden illness and the Alpha brothers' sudden beckoning. The two men could smell the stress coming off of you in hot waves.

“Why is nobody answering me?!” You finally yelled, tugging your silk nightgown closer against your body, heart rate rising with a sudden pump of adrenaline. You knew better than to shout at your leaders. Yet you were pressed into a corner, and desperate for a response. 

“You came here because I asked for your help - and yet you have nothing to say?! There was no point in you coming all this way just to sit in silence, so you may as well leave!”

A sharp warning of a growl and a ticked jaw from eldest brother Seungcheol made you turn on your heels quickly, out towards the window. You puffed out your cheeks like a kid being scolded, hugging yourself tightly with a pumping heart and an instant strike of guilt. Soonyoung wasn’t here to negotiate the social politics of Wolves, and you were out of fucks to give. A dangerous combo.

You weren’t about to apologise, but your gut told you it was wrong; so if you had to stand your ground with a prickle of desperate sadness striking up your throat, you would do so with your back turned. 

For a Wolf, turning your back signified trust. 

But it also flagged up the indirect demand for space. 

A moment to gather yourself. A minute to bite your tongue and feel it bleed in an effort not to speak out against the pack’s rigid hierarchy.

The soft breeze billowed your unfamiliarly distressed scent out then back into your very own home as they stayed silent. 

Respectful of your body language; even if you didn’t know what it was you were demanding, they remained stoic.

Your fingers and palms danced at your face, dappling away the tears on your sore cheeks, sniffling against your shaking knuckles. All the while trying to breathe through the sudden heavy lump surfacing in your throat. 

You heard a rustle in the distance; digging your nails into the soft flesh of your bicep - the noise had come from your Mates' room; anxious to your body no doubt stirring him with your chemically pungent grief, only a few metres away.

Jeonghan and Seungcheol had heard it too. Exchanging a look that confirmed they would need to comfort you while their brother was displaced.

They often forgot you were born human. 

That being an Omega who needed guidance was not something that came instinctively to you. That your metamorphosis of lifestyles and sacrifice of power and anonymity would be life-long. 

They would do well to remember it.

You whimpered, defeated, with your chin tucked in and lip wobbling in grief.

“I just want to know what’s wrong with my husband…..”

Your soft peal of grief touched Jeonghan. He knew it well. 

His own Mate had been turned, Human to Wolf.  Memories of his wedding flashed behind his eyes at the endearing way you referred to Soonyoung - as your 'husband’ - recalling memories of your wedding, also. He remembered the way he cried in joy for his brother. For you. 

Although Mated for life, the wolves had gone through an unnecessary human wedding process for their loved ones, upon their request. They never regretted it once; this seemed to just be yet another building block in the path to a healthy life bond.

Jeonghan considered the kindred connection between you both. He stood for a moment, adjusting his suit, attire out of place for the morning hour, the fabric still tinged with his Mate's citrus scent. Then, he approached you, meeting your side at the window.

His palm reached to your furthest shoulder, pulling you towards him until you crumbled against his side. Tucking your scalp against his Adam's apple. Embracing you, despite your tense demeanour. Taking a moment to connect and intake a heavy amount of air; before releasing with an angelic-sounding sigh.

“You’re okay, pup.” Jeonghan whispered soothingly, “You’re okay.” 

A smile breached his face, expression placating entirely; matching your fearful teary eyes in the windows’ reflection.

“We know you’re scared. But we’re here for you, Y/N, as much as we’re here our brother. You’re okay, pup. We’re here now. Take a breath. Nothing is going to suddenly change. No one else is going to invade your space - not even within the next few days - not without our permission, first.”

The insinuation of ‘our permission’ was that the two oldest Alphas were now protecting you both. It made your heart weep, happily.

“Me and Cheol are here - your brothers are here, Y/N. And Soonyoung doesn’t need to be removed. You’ll stay together, for now… So take a deep breath. For me, please?”

His voice calmed your nerves an unreasonable amount.

You pressed your palm against Jeonghan’s rib cage; body reacting to the proximity of another man, another Wolf, another Alpha via its own whims; such a feeling was unfamiliar, strange.

While you were smart enough to realise that Jeonghan was exerting a considerable amount of force on you emotionally to control you; you were not knowledgeable enough quite yet to realise how desperately you needed to let your walls down for them.

It was a generous attempt at contorting your grief into comfort, and Jeonghan was particularly skilled at manipulating emotions in others…

But you were even more stubborn. 

The two of you now glared at each other like siblings about to spark a brawl, inches away from each other's faces.

So much so, that the tugging on either side was tangible to even Seungcheol who sat behind you both. The elder rolled his eyes with a slight sigh. 

‘She’s not going to curb, Han. Not while she’s this distraught. Step down, before you waste your energy - or better yet, start a fight on her turf - brother.’ Seungcheol murmured mentally through the link, bypassing you entirely.

Jeonghan’s cheek muscle twitched in response. You were capable of more than Seungcheol yet knew.

“Breathe, pup. Before you pass out.” Jeonghan growled, ever so delicately.

You readied your mouth, ready to speak back, before -

“Do it. Now. I won’t ask you again.” Jeonghan grit his jaw; enacting harsh love without a second thought. Before releasing a sad sigh that sagged his upper body down into a weak curve. “Break the tension, pup… We’re not here to fight.”

Jeonghan’s eyes flashed a bright tulip yellow; the type of power that forced a clap of white noise into your brain - showing that to all company present in the room,  through his true power, the sixth sense tug and pull was merely child's play to him - you were finally compelled to do as you were instructed, as much as he hated to use it on you.

Your lungs heaved a deep, sudden inhale

“You cheap shot fuck.” You bit back, hitting Jeonghan in the chest with weak fists. The sudden intake of oxygen made you dizzy; your body entirely at will to the Alpha that held you steady.

“Atta girl.” He purred, gripping your elbow as you padded on the balls of your feet, knees buckling ever so slightly under the weight of his exerted link. “Just - take a second to get your brain back - then we’ll explain what’s going on as best as we can. How does that sound, hmm, our fierce little newly-turned? Some answers might help settle your nerves a bit; whenever you’re ready.”

You wanted to argue with him. Truly, you did.

But after so many hours of feeling disconnected from another Alpha - Soonyoung or otherwise; journeying through stress and fear alone - you finally felt safe with the two of them directing you.

Even if it killed a huge part of you to admit that.

And whether you realised it or not; their presence eased this new part of you, to a noticeable degree.

After a few spare seconds of considering their words, you finally averted your eyes, frowning and exhaling in defeat. Breathing again, the tension of your shoulder muscles began to release, and you nodded to the Alphas mentally. ‘Go ahead’.

“Good job,” Jeonghan hummed, solely to you. “You’re in our care now, Y/N. You’re safe. I promise.”

Jeonghan’s lips pressed against your forehead in a platonic kiss, before his grip slacked, allowing you to pull away. 

You chose to stay close to him though. Heart pattering loudly to every Wolf in the room. Standing there, covered in only your thin night clothes.

‘Just follow Cheol’s lead.’ Jeonghan prompted internally, soft in tone. ‘And all will be okay, in the end.’

You felt strangely…vulnerable.

Shifting on your feet to cautiously glance at them both under your eyelashes. They didn’t seem mad. Nor upset. But you still felt awful.

Soonyoung had originally gone to sleep early complaining of common illness symptoms; something Wolves could sleep off in a matter of hours. This time, however, was different. Something felt wrong.

It was nearly 3 am when you called them. Terrified as to why Soonyoung was sweating and moaning as his muscles cramped and rippled in agonising pain, calling out to you to 'Call my older brothers!' through the link in his sleep. 

They had sped to you immediately from the other side of the city and made it to you by half past the hour. Sending Minghao to sit with you in the lounge - living only a few floors below and already unsettled by the ‘bad vibes’ he had caught through deep sleep - until Jeonghan and Seungcheol got there; the three brothers closing Soonyoung away and in his room, alone, as a ‘precaution’. 

When they arrived; Minghao was sent away. Despite his insistence to stay by your side; they seemed set to speak to you alone. You were left waiting alone on the couch for the better part of an hour as they stayed with your Mate, deadly silent, in his room. 

You ended up pacing quick lengths across the suite window view as the sun began to rise - until they exited, without words, to take a seat on your couch, with a look someone only gave when they had bad news to share. They had the look of bereavement that you never wanted to live down.

“We thought he would have told you by now,” Seungcheol spoke aloud after some time. His voice as steady and clear as ever. “We didn’t realise he had left it this long -”

“Thought he would have told me what, exactly?” You shot back, bitterly. 

A squeeze from Jeonghan’s hand reminded you that they were on your side. Peaking a glance up at his forgiving expression. Though well renowned for being something of a tease, Jeonghan’s yellow eyes held a good ounce of compassion inside of them. There were some selfless ions inside that body of his. But even they dressed in sheep's clothing.

You sighed through your nose on a pressed exhale, shifting on your toes.

“Told me…. what?” You tried once more.”Soonyoung should have told me what, exactly, Cheol?” 

It sounded a little better - more respectful. Your shift in tone made Jeonghan chuckle, releasing your arm as you turned to see Seungcheol. A faint smile eased onto the elder's face. Jeonghan’s opposite arm rejoined your shoulder, facing forward this time.

A beat of silence passed before Seungcheol thanked you quietly, dipping his head at your correction - a sign to say he had accepted the otherwise shaky attempt at repairing your composure, with great fondness and tolerance.

You bowed your head back. 

It was enough for the Alphas. And they weren’t about to ask you for anything more. Even in your own home, you were still sometimes a little lost in their world. Just thankful for their patience in teaching you their ways.

The older Alphas' gaze was intense when he opened his mouth and finally began to speak, capturing your attention completely.

“Soonyoung suffers from a pretty rare genetic disease. He was the only one who caught it in our generation and we’ve only been able to track it back roughly nine generations - to no cure known. That may seem like a lot of lifetimes to a human, but our lineage is aeons-old. He just happened to draw the short straw in the gene pool, I’m afraid.” 

Seungcheol watched your face contort. Stuck somewhere between being confused and afraid. His expression softened, along with his tone.

“Our little Soonyoungie has always suffered from Scarlet Fever,” Jeonghan noted. “Sometimes…. Well, some phases can become worse than others…” He trailed off slightly, eyes unfocused as memories flashed behind his eyes.

“I’m imagining you’re aware of our cycles by now, Y/N? And how it follows the Moon’s cycles, bi-monthly?” Seungcheol continued where his brother had left off, the two of them working like Cheshire cats in tandem with each other.

You nodded, looking down bashfully as your own memories of Heats and ruts passed in your mind's eye. You returned eye contact gradually, to then allow the Wolf to continue.

He was patient because he knew you learned these things pretty fast.

“And I’m safely presuming that your people have, in the past, told you tales of our vicious, beastly turns on new moons, and the like? Young, fair maidens come to mind?” Seungcheol's question was pinched and drenched in sarcasm, despite his efforts to conceal his disdain. 

Your head dipped again into a nod, somewhat ashamed. You were more Wolf now than ever, but you knew the damage of the folklore humans had spread for centuries would forever stain the real love of these gentle beasts.

“Yeah, they did…” You nodded again. “I never knew they could be so wrong, though, Cheol.” Your words had weight to them. Raising your head as Seungcheol scoffed in agreement. Jeonghan smiled to himself just out of sight, then hummed again pleased, pushing forward. 

“The stronger the cycle, the stronger our Omega’s Heats, our own ruts, hormones, hunger, thirst, intuition, senses, everything - EVERYTHING - becomes. Just for our Soonyoungie… It can become so strong, that it inhibits him from socialising -”

“With humans,” Seungcheol interjected with a sore expression and tone.

“Right,” Jeonghan nodded with a sharp sigh. “It prevents him from socialising with humans - in our newly mixed world. Otherwise, things… Well, he can become very dangerous, little sis. It’s not something we can prevent, or protect people from. Especially when the Scarlet hits suddenly. He can lash out, and get confused like a rabid animal. It’s - it’s not fun to see.”

“He’s a danger to society when in deep fever, Y/N.” The leader spoke in a stern and deeply impactful tone. 

Or, maybe, it was just the words' meanings that carried a message to you like a scream in the night. 

“He has gravely injured people in the past, and I have no doubt he would have killed many more without our family sticking close by.”

“All to no fault of his own, that is,” Jeonghan added, again very tenderly. His brother hummed in solemn agreement. “He suffers from it as much if not more than, the people around him. It’s in his body, after all...”

“It’s important for you to know about all of this, in case of any incidents where you may be alone together again in the future Y/N. You may need to spot the signs for its progression, as he spots you for your early Heats.”

Seungcheol rounded his speech off remarkably delicately given his usual stern and unbending nature, and you would have been amused, were it not for the long beats of silence that followed afterwards.

“I’m sorry, on behalf of all of us; you should’ve been warned sooner. But it was Soonyoung’s story to tell, and I can see now what not telling you could’ve done. The danger we could’ve put you in. The fear and pain keeping such a secret could have caused. I’m sorry, Y/N. On behalf of the family.” 

Seungcheol dipped his head solemnly, followed by a slight bow from his brother.

It was rare to get such an apology; so it struck even more anxiety in your heart as to what exactly the fever could do, to warrant such an action.

You returned the Alpha’s small bow, a show of respect and understanding, but your brow still creased, working quickly to gather the breadcrumbs in your mind. 

Somehow, they had managed to warn you about Scarlet Fever; yet gave absolutely no reasons as to why it was inherently a bad disease to have. It didn’t take you long to realise that they were both incredibly clueless.

“Dangerous?” You mumbled aloud after a short while, troubled by the thought of your bubbly and sweet caring Soonyoung causing anyone harm outside his job of protecting the pack and his family. 

“I realise it’s his line of work to get into brawls, but… He’s maimed people because of this?” You questioned tentatively, “Purposefully? Because he’s what - lost control of himself? That doesn’t make any sense, Hannie. That’s not like him at all. Even you can see that - right?”

Jeonghan hummed ly. He could see your pain, clear as day.

“When the pull of the moon is too strong, out and about on the streets of the city, you may not know friend from foe. Scarlet makes it very hard to suppress the instincts of an average Wolf, let alone an Alpha.”

Jeonghan puffed a huge exhale, clearing his throat.

“You may mistake someone waving at a friend as an attempt to throw something at you, or take another being’s scent - friend or foe - and lose yourself trying to chase and track it. Could end up in a different District following an otherwise fruitless path.”

“Could end up in another city,” Seungcheol mumbled, eyes distant this time. 

Jeonghan nodded, then continued.

“It might be hard to think of Soonyoungie like this… but, it has happened before. He’s ventured too far from home. Sure, maimed people, if you want to call it that. We wouldn’t lie to you for fun, Y/N. We’re just looking out for you as an extension of our younger brother.”

You met Jeonghan’s forgiving eyes with your own, searching them for any space of a lie, before dipping your head in defeat. You could see no deception. Sense nothing but the truth from the two of them. Smell nothing but familial, platonic love in their presence trying to comfort you.

“There are two options for us to consider as a family here. You could either stay here with Soonyoung, and we will leave him in your care with some guidance,” Jeonghan started, voice low and somehow even more delicate than before.

“Or you can stay with one of us for a while, and we’ll send one of his brothers’ to watch over him in a few hours. Either way, we won’t press you for an answer right now, and the final decision is yours to make.” Seungcheol rounded off with a smile. And surprisingly to you, a low growl.

What would otherwise indicate aggression was almost like a purr from the older Alpha. 

And as you and Seungcheol watched each others’ faces for confirmation, you faintly heard Soonyoungs’ pulse on a steady beat. Your gut churned at the thought of leaving him there alone for a week; confused and in pain. If you knew anything about your Mate, you knew that in some way or another, he would search for you, and potentially harm himself in doing so if you left the high-rise to stay with his brothers. 

So, before you knew it, you had barked out an answer. 

“I’ll stay!” A strong growl released from the back of your throat and over your tongue as you yapped, making Jeonghan laugh heartily at your side.

You made a shocking squeaking sound at the back of your voice box that caused your tongue to recoil into the back of your throat, before apologising quickly with a bowed head.

It had been over three years since your turning, but you were still adapting to the changes. 

As usual, neither of them minded. 

“Cute, pup.” Jeonghan snickered, knocking you gently with his hip.

After all, you were an adopted younger sister to them now. And they only wanted you and Soonyoung to remain safe, happy, and well looked after under their care.

“Of course,” Seungcheol chuckled. He reached for your palm, providing a tight squeeze in reassurance, before letting go. “You can stay with him as long as you’d like. But we’ll stop by occasionally to check on the two of you. I do have some bad news, though. Would you like to hear it?”

What a silly question, you thought, but nodded a solid yes regardless. Does anybody ever really feel prepared for bad news? Not in your opinion. But you supposed it was kinder to ask for permission than to throw it upon someone unknowingly.

“Unfortunately - “ Seungcheol hummed, disdain on his quipped sigh. Lip quirked down from his sun-through-the-clouds, break of a smile; fluidly moving into his more familiar and earnest expression at breakneck speed.

Despite what some members had shared with you about their brothers' stiffness, you truly enjoyed being witness to the occasional breaks that Seungcheol shared with you. His heavy warm hugs, gummy smiles, and occasionally an airy high-pitched laugh that lit up any space. It was an honour that you made him feel safe as a part of their adopted family. 

But sometimes; it was equally as warming to know that the person carrying that serious, stern voice, was perfectly willing and actually able to take on incredible feats to protect his family. 

Like he was doing right now. 

He was guiding you to make a decision, via a gentle push. Matching your energy and soothing your Wolf; whether you realised it or not. It was what he was born to do. And he pulled it off extremely well.

“Suppressants won’t help much with the Scarlet Fever symptoms.” 

Seungcheol cleared his throat, noticing your dazed expression and offering you a mutually shared nod, before continuing.

"in fact, they pretty much do nothing at all to curb the amount of hormones being pumped through his body right now. They may possibly help if the Scarlet triggers his rut, but more often than not, he’s simply in flu-like pain. Human drugs are not nearly strong enough to ease the symptoms, as our immune systems burn out the medication before it can even hit our abdomen… I’m sorry Y/N, It might be challenging, but we’re here if you need anything. All twelve of us, I mean.”

Your brow creased, body tensing as you sensed that this conversation was about to come to an end. “And if he goes into Heat? Act as normal, or?”

Jeonghan laughed like chiming bells at his brother's expression of sudden distaste, making you smile faintly before Seungcheol nodded at you. He didn’t even bother to correct your mistake of confusing Heat with rut, simply choosing to move on with a sheepish look on his face.

“Treat the rut as normal. But if anything gets dangerous - if he doesn’t know how to stop, or if he’s injuring himself in an effort to get off - we’re only a very loud shout away. You know that, right, Y/N?”

He looked up expectantly. You quickly nodded, though more reserved than before and with a tucked chin. 

“These walls are thick, but nothing can truly ever be hidden from us - as a pack, or as a family unit. Chances are we’ll sense something before you tell us, anyways. We’re just that damn clingy.” Jeonghan eye-smiled down towards you with another hip tap. “Good or bad, that is.”

Seungcheol gave one last reassurance attempt.

“Look, it’s… unlikely that he will try to hurt you. It’s unlikely that he’ll even acknowledge your presence. You’re just another Wolf to him when he’s in a deep state of fever, I'm afraid.”

Seungcheol shifted in his seat before rising.

Such a subtle movement into your space made your whole body twitch backwards; the sandwiching between the two pressing males made you feel mute, and impacted upon. It was a vulnerability to be standing between two Alphas like this. Suffocating in the wrong scenario. And both you and Jeonghan could feel it.

Jeonghan continued - with cautious eyes towards his brother that told him to stop moving, immediately from where he had stood - drawing away your attention to a more familiar and safe sight. 

His hushed gentle voice eased you once again.

“He’s never signified to any of us that he even knows who we are. I’d even give it a good 99% chance he would affiliate your presence with safety, and family, but not do much beyond seek comfort. I’d consider even some basic acknowledgement as a good few steps forward.”

It was no secret to the family whose affection you preferred when facing challenges.

None of them blamed you; Jeonghan had imprinted his protection upon you since your first meeting - scared, newly turned in his brother’s arms - in their communal elevator. It touched him greatly.

The same with Minghao. You, a newly turned, had been thrown into his office and into a literal pack of wolves the day you met his brother. You were one savvy female among… idiots. And so he also watched over you as an older brother.

They both felt compelled to you and you to them, in a bond only a wolf could ever feel.

Accidents of the purest kind, that never went unnoticed by others.

Seungcheol nodded with a newly stringent tone entering his voice. Almost like he was pleading for you not to push.

“Right - but there’s always room for error. And we’ve never seen him go through the cycle with a Mate - with you, Y/N. Unfortunately for us, those fairytales were written and shared for a reason, and this is a live trial. There’s always a chance that somebody could take something too far, or for him to lash out.”

“Or a chance that it will all go absolutely swimmingly,” Jeonghan drawled with a sarcastic thin-lipped and squinted smile at his brother. You couldn’t help but laugh at his defensive side; ever the witty protector. “Right, brother?”

Seungcheol’s expression pinched with distaste before mocking his brother; then pushing out his last few points.

He realised you likely needed some time alone; space to process and freedom to hide in your safety net of a den. He was eager to leave, but only when he knew you felt secure.

“As I said; it’s unlikely anything bad will happen. But you need to bare it in mind before choosing to spend the next three or four days with him. It might sound like a short amount of time, but he's been known to cry for hours on end. To scream in pain. Starve himself to the point of exhaustion… You'll have to stay strong, Y/N. For your husband. For the family. Just as much as you would for yourself.”

Seungcheol’s tone faded as you withdrew into yourself, avoidant to their eyes and non-respondent. Fumbling with your satin shirt hem as the wind blew through the window and lifted the long sheer curtain around your feet, fabric brushing against your shins.

The jokes felt bittersweet now that you were to be left alone with your Mate, who lay tacky and feeble and in significant pain in your sole care.

“Just being by his side will be treatment enough, I imagine.” Jeonghan smiled down at you, providing one last shoulder squeeze before pulling his body away from you completely. “Shout us if you need anything beautiful. Even if it’s just to talk.”

They had left you unattended, to nurse away your remaining fear and thoughts shortly after. 

Leaving you with the rising sun crawling its way over the city in a burning orange display, until the nearing full moon sat tauntingly low in the distant sky. Skulking away under the earth until it could rise again.

You had eight hours until the red moon would rise and claw its upward ascent until it sat upon its cruel throne once again.

Eight hours of bated breath and loneliness.

Oh, what you wouldn’t do to shoot the cruel thing from where it hung.

Edging around the hallway, you could hear faint whimpering and huffs coming from your Mate’s room. 

You shuffled against the carpet with dreadfully heavy feet. Still not totally convinced that you should even be going anywhere near him beyond absolute necessities.

You knew not to call out for him. 

Knew that this deep into such a restless sleep; this deep into his fever; that would do more harm than good anyways. 

The poor guy was already disorientated; so calling into the night as he tossed and turned as some kind of awfully heavenly ghoul would likely be nothing short of torture.

Pausing at his bedroom doorway, you cracked open the door. And took a moment to absorb his state. 

His room smelt like a den in Heat; only, without the intoxicating sweetness. 

Sweat covered his body as he writhed in his sheets - Soonyoung’s white hair lay in contrast to the flush of his beautiful naturally honey-toned skin - the wolf having to pause occasionally to groan and whine at the deep throbbing of his bones.

Given what you were told; sneaking into a Wolf’s den as an idiot maiden with nothing but a deadly curiosity was sort of only going to give you one of two outcomes. 

This was either going to end relatively badly - null response falling into this category also - or it could all go surprisingly… Well.

Maybe you were just selfish. But you could tell something was off.

The pack - the Wolf family - always seemed fearful of Soonyoung. As if he could fly off the handle at any given moment. But that didn’t make any sense. That wasn’t the Mate you knew him to be. Or the one you knew he had the potential to become. 

So all this fear - in your entirely selfish and willfully naive opinion -  was entirely unfounded. And just plain wrong.

But maybe, you thought, maybe he just loved you so much that no matter what the situation; he would never take it out on you. 

You quickly shook that thought out of your head. 

Not everyone can be the chosen one. People fight, it’s in their nature. So is being fearful of the unknown. Of which; the Wolves were guilty.

Pushing forward with a heavy chest and a huge puff of a sigh; you entered the Wolf's den.

Usually, Soonyoung could hear your heartbeat in another room, across a field, or even a few floors below. 

But by now, he was too far enraptured in his fever to even notice your close proximity.

Or at least, that’s what you had thought. 

Soonyoung had heard you coming. He just didn’t have the motor skills to show that he knew it was you entering his den like he usually would. His voice was gone, and beyond the pain, he could do little but call for you with animalistic whines. His eyes were pressed shut with a throbbing skull overwhelming his thoughts.

Standing at the edge of fate; you considered just how much it pained you to exist like this; unable to help your Mate, your friend, while he suffered great bone-aching amounts of pain.

You had even avoided Minghao and Jeonghan's calls within the sunlit period. Pretending to be occupied as knuckles rasped at your door - only to hear Jeonghan’s sigh and a “We’re worried about you, Y/N. I know you can hear me, just - text one of us, whenever you’re ready. We’ll stop by in the next few days if we don’t hear anything pup. Rest well. Good luck.” 

You mostly found yourself staring out into space in the time left alone. Eyes wide and dissociating your vision to outside the large windows of the open living space area, until the sun had begun its descent. Only moving for water and some food, scrolling endlessly on your phone between trips to tend to Soonyoung. 

The hours never seemed to end.

With the percussion of your Mate's erratic and unusual heartbeat setting a comforting backdrop of noise, you had considered throughout the day the Alphas’ words and their implications. 

In their words, you were a bodyguard for a week. Able to swap out your shift at the castle’s front doors should you ever need to.

You had considered the idea of your life partner not knowing who you were. It had probably happened, and it was probably terrible. But you couldn’t lessen the pull of your gut to follow those fears down a very dark and anxiety-inducing rabbit hole.

And as the sun began to set across the far corner of the horizon, you toyed with the emotions that such anxieties would impose upon your life.

What if he were to get stuck? In his fever? In his rut? Would you be able to live like this?

But despite what your mind told you, the warnings the Alphas had placed upon you; you followed that part of you that strung to him like the fabled red string of fate. 

Bound to each other no matter which way you ran.

His body reacted to you. Even now.

“I’m sorry, baby,” You whispered through a sniffle as you entered, moving fluidly to kneel and slide along on his mattress to sit beside him. “I just needed to check on you. To make sure that you’re okay.” You padded your nose before reaching across his back to smooth over the dishevelled duvet on his ribs; alerting him of your presence. “Or, as good as you can be right now…”

Upon sudden touch, Soonyoung stirred slowly.

One eye peered over his puffy cheek until he could see you. His gaze was sharp, and so unfamiliar that it hurt to look at him. Tears welled in your eyes as an offended expression and a low, consistent growl rattled the mattress beneath him. 

But you had to fight it. Fight against the voices that told you what you knew to not be true. He wouldn’t hurt you… not even like this. 

You just had to prove that to yourself, first. Then you could believe it.

You reached to brush a cold knuckle to the hot skin of his exposed shoulder, testing the water. 

He seemed totally unwilling for you to be there. 

Teeth bared, body rigid and eyes dry; left open long enough that you could feel the ghost of a sympathetic pain in the back of your own head.

But you pressed on. Gingerly toying with the hair on the nape of his neck before pressing as he usually would love you to do against the pressure points on his scalp that could massage his brain.

The sensation of your nails scraping against his sensitive scalp struck a shiver up his spine. A sense of deja vu for a memory he couldn’t quite find. And his growls edged into something more relieved than before.

“Hi baby, it's just me,” You sniffled, laughing bashfully as his cold expression met your own. “It’s just me.”

He seemed unsure. 

You realised how heavily his brain was intensely fogged over; as his brows folded low, eyes sharply focused on far too many things than usually would be comfortable. 

Even though the sun was setting, it was still currently light out; making reflections even harsher to his sensitive eyes. 

His irises were impossibly pinched. And his usually dark brown eyes were replaced with a striking Scarlet red, coupled with a slightly deepened purple ring around the edge. 

What would usually signify your bond gave you a sickly anxiety you struggled to swallow.

“I just wanted to check in on you, was all…” 

You averted your eyes, not willing to tempt fate, even if it was to stare at your Mate’s beauty. Direct eye contact could someday cost you your life. Soonyoung had taught you that. 

“See if you wanted to clean up a bit… Have a drink, eat some food? Maybe stretch a bit?”

A rattling, coarse growl struck up Soonyoung’s throat. 

What he had intended to signify familiarity; became totally misplaced and more threatening than something he would ever direct towards you usually. Enough to make you flinch.

The force of the growl made him hack a dry cough, curling into himself with short wheezing pants. Soonyoung whined loudly in frustration at his own body betraying him. 

He just wanted to reach you. But it was so damn hard.

You smoothed over his hair, shushing him until he settled.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re alright. Don’t push yourself.”

He pressed his face into the duvet with an expression that you had only ever seen on an overheated canine. His chest rattled as his anger pressed another shaking growl through his gut.

You smiled with a demure scoff toward yourself. Totally falling for the faux aggression and admitting to yourself the truth of what his brothers had explained to you.

“Yeah, I know Soonie. I’m sorry, love. I know it hurts. That you probably just want to be left alone, to sleep... Probably don’t even know who I am, or why I’m even here. I’m sorry I can’t take your place love… I would if I could, you know.” 

You fiddled with your unity ring, as you wiped gently at your cheeks.

“Well, hey. I just - I just needed to be one hundred percent sure… You know, before I considered a life where we become severed for several days at a time, or be cautious around you... That’s quite a big thing, you know. In sickness or in health. I just - just… yeah…”

Something sorrowful washed over you.

And you scrunched your face behind your spare hand with a broken inhale at the sudden rush of sadness.

“I miss you Soon… I miss you so fucking much. Even if it’s only been a day…”

He could feel you tugging at the link. 

So sadly that it pushed him to move against his sore limbs.

Soonyoung huffed with a deep, yet hushed growl as his instincts pulled him towards you like the rope around the hull of a downed ship. 

His voice was too hoarse to speak, but he was still there, with you. And he would kill himself to show it. 

He would haul himself through the hot coals of hell until he was nought but dust and bones to breach that gap between you both. If only you would ask; like you were currently.

You were trying to get him to respond like a kid pulling at the fin of a beached whale. 

Sure, there were a million better ways to do it. 

You hadn’t even tried to speak to him through the link. 

But he didn’t blame you. Not at all.

He could sense your fear. Smell your anxiety and deep sadness settling in the room like a light mist. Taste it like brine on his tongue.

Soonyoung rose on heavy arms; back muscles flexing against deep-set scars in an impressive effort to reach you. Groaning at the sensation of his heavy head being lifted; stars bursting behind his eyes.

Once up, he turned on his hips to drop his head onto your shoulder and body weight onto your back with a deep growl that made you strike a shiver; the sound rumbling across the back of your rib cage and into your jaw.

You were unsure if it was actually your own scent that drew him near, or simply that of a female Wolf, but as his dopey smile spread across his face and a sheepish grin pressed into your skin in your peripheral vision, you felt a little more secure. 

And you returned his lopsided smile anxiously.

“You stink, Soonyoung,” You whispered, laughing weakly at his low whine as he shuffled closer. Wiping your nose and your eyes harshly. His heavy body rested on your back, arms wrapping around the soft of your belly to pull you backwards. 

He buried his face into the junction of your neck as he held you. Whines impossibly high-pitched and needy.

And he held you tight. Tight enough to make you frown. Lip wobbling and tears spilling down your cheek.

It seemed like… he knew. But you weren’t convinced that he could tell you apart from just anyone that could walk in here.

“Do you even know who I am?” You choked.

Soonyoung whined after some seconds - initially whimpering at the pain he felt leaving you so isolated and vulnerable - but further crying out against that notion ever being a possibility.

You felt his nose prodding at your cheek until you turned to look at him. His eyes met your own, as striking as ever. 

You averted your gaze quickly, until he whined in succession, squeezing you with all his might to just look at him, unable to communicate with broken lips formed into a pout and a lost voice.

As you looked back up, your heart skipped a beat.

Soonyoung may be in a deep, deep fever, but he was still yours. 

Yours to love. Yours to hold. 

With his chin resting on your shoulder, burning red eyes coupling his usually dopey smile, and his arms heavy on your waist, you released the pent-up emotions in your chest. Sobbing into your firmly swiping fist as he held you tightly. 

Soonyoung began to hum softly. A random tune to soothe you both. Gravely but deep and rumbled due to his vocal cords in this state. Gentle bass like a purring cat. Swaying you in his arms in a gentle rocking motion.

His hot skin rippled under your fingertips as you brushed over his arm. Self-soothing by reminding yourself he was still there, right there with you.

Soonyoung moved his heavy forearm particularly ungracefully into your own. One palm pressed into your stomach to keep you close; while the other pressed into your palm to open. 

Patiently; you allowed him to fumble his hand until he met your ring, twisting it against your knuckle and growling against your cheek with a puff of air and some grunts. It was the best he could do to confirm he truly knew it was you. 

And it worked. The action made you smile, tears welling as you leaned your cheek against his hair, face pressed down into your collarbone.

He squeezed you impossibly close. Able to crush you if he so wished; but gentle as ever.

He was practically purring for you.

It was safe here, and you knew it.

Knew it despite what the leaders had advised.

“Thank you, Soonie, I just …” You bit your inner cheek, sighing. “I just had to make sure…” 

Soonyoung chuffed quietly as he nuzzled you. Not letting go and consistently growling until your heart rate settled and the tears were mostly gone.

He followed his nose against your skin until he reached the back of your neck, the top of your spine almost being burrowed into as you removed your hands to swipe at the tears on your face.

But you didn’t mind. Even while being set on fire, he just wanted to be near you. To hold you. 

Unconsciously his hands searched for your own again, in the dimming light of the sun on his bed sheets. 

You pressed your fingers between his, guiding his arms in a cross over your belly until he held you even closer against him on his own accord, sitting with his knees on either side of you.

“You okay, big guy? My big puppy? You seem content enough just to hold me, hmm?"

Soonyoung’s response washed over your scalp like a blanket being pulled over your head. The low consistent hum of almost a purr pressed against the back of your rib cage and vibrated your stomach pleasantly.

"I'm sorry I left you in here all alone - it's what I was told to do. But I knew it was wrong. Should've trusted my gut, hmm?"

He nuzzled against your hairline, following his nose until you shivered with a muted putter of a sigh. That was a ‘yes, I’m great, don't worry, you're here now’ on his behalf.

“It’s almost night time again.” You spoke absently with a wide yawn. Smacking your lips and not even expecting an answer at this point as you were expectedly met with a rumbling growl and consistent PDA to the back of your neck.

“There’s not much point in washing any of your stuff, but… we should definitely get you washed. Hmm, Soonie?” 

Soonyoung seemed to answer. But you couldn’t quite make it out. Chuffing against your cheek before relenting his attention and resting his head on your shoulder.

“You really do stink.” You smiled. Side-eyeing your Mate as he huffed with an annoyed expression. Letting yourself giggle as he pouted.

“I’ll even go make you a bubble bath, Soon. I would just appreciate it if you could try and gather some strength to help me get you across the hall if you can. That okay, my big puppy?”

Soonyoung growled deeply before pausing, opening his eyes a mere slit to simply look at you. He was deeply touched, even in this state.

Yes, he nodded.

Yes, I would do anything for you.

Yes, I would go through hell if only you asked it of me.

You wiped the tiger-shaped soapy soft sponge directly behind Soonyoung’s ear; gliding it down his shoulder blade, before coming back to his chin to slide it down his chest.

At first, you had simply ignored the way his groans of discomfort had melted into twitches in response to your lazy, hot touch. The patterns you drew on his body with soft humming and an otherwise empty brain. 

You were treating his open-mouthed and airy moans as a symptom of a usual rut like the others advised might happen.

But before long, the continuous slow torture of the soft gliding sponge against Soonyoung’s skin became a test against your will to stay in control of your body and the way it reacted to him.

Soonyoung released a long, loud, rippling growl, before panting softly, head falling to the side away from you. Canines peeking from under his lips and skin hot to the touch. He rolled the muscles in his shoulders and his neck away from you until your mouth watered.

The bastard knew the effect he had on you.

Even kneeling behind his broad shoulders next to the bath, you could see your Mate’s hard-on poking up from the bubbly surface. 

By now, it was throbbing just as hard as you imagined it might be after a suddenly induced rut.

But you still couldn’t help but tease.

“Soonyoung!” You gasped with a giggle. You relished his embarrassed whine as you kissed his temple.

“Even with Scarlet giving you the worst fever like ever, you’re insatiable, aren’t you Soonie? Hmm, my needy little puppy?” 

Soonyoung whined again, but louder this time. He was so obviously found out and badly affected by your words. He shied away from you; pouting and folding his knee up to cover himself. 

You simply giggled, continuing your sponge pattern over his skin. 

He was struggling to control himself. And knew you couldn’t be teasing him deliberately… right? 

But as your pillowy lips pressed to his drying hair and ear, he was starting to get antsy.

“You can go ahead, you know. I know it hurts. I won’t stop you, baby. Go on. Go ahead. It might even help you relax a little bit.” 

Soonyoung moaned softly at your kiss to his temple, easing his knee to the bottom of the tub as his eyes widened into slithers, starting to slowly open.

“Never know - might help you sleep later.”

By now, with the heat of the bath, mixed with your very discreet smell of attraction, his very sudden rush of hormones starting to cloud the room, and your body being so close to him in your burrowing night clothes; Soonyoung was fully panting.

Panting in an effort not to consume you whole, or jump your bones.

Intoxicated by your presence.

With Soonyoungs sweet scent adding to the fog of the bathroom, your poor fan was working overtime to clear it. 

But mostly, it was just pushing hot heavy air around and pooling out of the glass bathroom door and into your suite.

You swiped directly behind his ear again, pressing down his neck in a slow but steady pressure until you reached his shoulder blades. Moving forward to press open kisses and a flat tongue to his ear.

Soonyoung moaned long, and low. Eyes pressed shut and head back.

You strayed your sponge down the crease of his abdomen, circling up and around his nipples in a slow drag before pulling back behind his shoulder.

"Go on, baby. Know you need it. Know you want it."

You could tell he wanted it. Almost unable to breathe anything but his libido signals at this point. And other than verbal response; he was fully able to advocate for himself. 

Soonyoung’s body shuddered, jaw slack into a moan as you peered over his pecks in curiosity.

He had indeed begun pumping himself beneath the water. 

His hand went white from tension as his leg muscle tensed, bucking up out of the soapy surface. Biting painfully at his inner gums to stay quiet. Grunting through nasal exhales, he began panting again with long, ear-aching whines.

But his whines were pained more than anything. Frustrated. Unable to move his aching arms at the pace he would have liked. Battling his stiff joints to scale to direct pleasure.

“Easy baby, you’re going to hurt yourself.” You mumbled against his hair as he turned to lean into you in a daze.

"Let me, Soonyoung."

Making a quick tsk sound, you knocked his hand out of the way. Shuffling further down the side of the tub with loosely rolled up sleeves to move until your chest met his shoulder.

"The shit I do for you…" You grumbled with a hefty amount of amusement. He would give his life up for you if you asked. You just felt the need to tease. "You're lucky I love you, honest to the Gods…"

Truthfully, he looked desperate. Panting with red eyes piercing through you in the fog, begging for a release.

You stuttered for a mere second as Soonyoung’s thick musk hit your nasal cavities; but unbeknownst to you, the Wolf took notice. Nuzzling at the collar of your silk shirt to waft your own scent directly into his brain, growling softly with sharp canines pressing to the thin of your skin. Pressing kitten licks to your collarbone.

A soft growl rattled past his grit teeth as you peeled away his hand. Before he licked his gums and nuzzled your collarbone at the sensation of your soft palms linking together to massage his length in a firm but gentle pressure.

“You big baby.” You laughed gently, the twitching in his legs telling you this wasn’t going to last nearly as long as normal. He whined and huffed, wet hands pulling at the sleeves of your silk shirt until you released a hand for him to manoeuvre.

He threw the given arm behind his head before dropping his nose against your collarbone, grumbling as you pulled your fingers through his already drying short hair. Running your nails over his ears and jaw in long scratches.

You continued to cradle his head against your chest, pulling a few last times before his panting peaked, stomach tensing before groaning loudly into your tacky skin. 

Hot strips of white and warm spurting cum slipped across the top of the bath; causing you to stop breathing through your nose and in through your mouth in quick succession. 

He usually held a decent load - but that was a lot. Beyond the usual rut amount. AKA, a fuck ton of semen.

And it was a sinful scene that you had naturally begun reacting to. Thighs pressing together and cunt slicked within seconds. 

Soonyoung pulled his leg up to roll closer to you. Burying his face into you with a heavy groan.

“Feeling any better?” You whispered through a shaky laugh, dousing your hand with nearby soap before flicking it in the water. 

Your Mate nodded weakly, shuffling to sit up and press his lips to your own. You held his strong muscles up in the right direction as he keened for you.

The kiss started out gentle.

It did, truly.

But before long he had your cunt pulsating around the air in the way he wantingly sucked at your lip as he pulled away. His wet hand reached up to secure your neck in place with one solid, wide, strong palm. His thumb pressed up against your jaw. Spit drooling between your chins.

And as his tongue swiped up against your palette, completely overpowering you in the sloppy kiss; you knew you were fucked. 

Moaning into the broken kiss before pulling back, almost stumbling back on your ass to quickly move away from him. 

Gasping breaths and shaking your head with a choked sound of a shock to try and clear your brain.

But it was far too late to try and hide what your body had begun to beg for. 

Or rather - there was no point in stopping what had already started to spin into motion. 

Within moments, he was rock hard again. 

Tongue pressed to the side of his mouth, sharp eyes staring into your own and softly growling. 

You scoffed. “Seriously?! That was meant to relax you, not get you - or I guess, both of us - in the mood to fuck, Soonyoung! Seriously!! You should be in bed!!!"

You were met with another moody growl, sighing as you rolled up your newly wet sleeves.

“Come on, up, out. I’ll have to help you shower. And we’re doing it cold. Near ice cold, so you can try warming up in bed while you sleep again. Cock soft, head empty this time, please. Come on, help me, please. Get up.”

Soonyoungs upper left corner of his lip curled into a non-threatening and no-noise snarl as you gripped under his nearest armpit, using your strength to heave him up until he could take over. His feet squeaked against the porcelain bath before soapy liquid hit the floor and he managed to haul himself out.

You almost helped him with your eyes shut, just trying your absolute hardest to ignore him. His overwhelming, choking and dizzying scent. His unusually sharp gaze. His hot skin you were just aching to melt against. 

As you reached past him to get a towel, Soonyoung scoffed to himself. 

You were far too obvious. Having danced around him like a scene a mime would put on to make a Werewolf laugh, this entire time.

You used those clothes to burrow in. So they had a smell to them you would never be able to get rid of. Similar to your duvet, or mattress. Or his underwear. Or the slick stains on your thighs. The pre-cum on his shorts.

It was just something innate. Primal.

They gave your untouchable Wolf senses an anchor to ground you; only challenged by the pack's Alpha in a usual family dynamic or your Mate. Both of which combined happened to be staring you down like a four-course meal as you paused for air.

The scent of your wet cunt against your nesting clothes struck some primal part in him. 

Something that urged him to soothe you. 

To Claim you. 

To fuck you so deep and fill you so full with his cum and his scent, that you would want nothing else in the world but to fall asleep in his arms. 

Not have to rely on your own scent or your own items of clothing to feel safe again.

And more importantly; to paint you so full with so much cum that his scent would stick to you for weeks.

The thought - and the current visuals - made his gums and his cock throb with a carnal fervour.

He hadn’t seen those clothes in such a long time. You had never worn them outside of your room, as that was… kind of the point of the whole arrangement. Your private comfort area stayed isolated from everyone, oftentimes even Soonyoung. So in essence it acted like a den. Somewhere to go when the world demanded too much of you; as it usually does an Omega. Especially a female one.

And you really, in honesty, rarely ever needed time away from your Mate.

But he supposed it comforted you as you had camped out and waited for him in the lounge until late evening. 

He had been checking for you too, in his moments of peace. Knew the effort you were making to worry for him. He thought it only kind to return the favour, as your body was cluing him in to-do. 

The Alpha in him very rarely ruled the scene. Found no want nor need to impose himself upon you. 

But in your nesting clothes. Weathered with such fatigue. Still, the smell of fear and sadness clinging to your skin. Caring for him so well, as he should do for you. 

It was time.

“Soonyoung -” You huffed, sighing as he moved like you were afraid he was going about to do. 

His sharper-than-usual nails dug into your hips as he spun you to face the mirror. Hot breath hitting your cheek as he nuzzled behind your ear, boner pressing against your ass as you huffed in a faux-irritated way. He lay his tongue flat against your pulse, dragging up into your hairline then back again.

“You’re getting water all over the floor -” You groaned with closed eyes and grit teeth. Stubborn with resistance to his laments at your skin. Even you were able to pick up on your own arousal in the air now.

The two of you were going to scent this entire floor if you weren’t careful.

Somewhat haphazardly, his palms pressed into yours on the sides of the sink. His hips fell like a heavy weight as he pinned you against the marble. Between his teeth was your Mating Mark, a sharp tooth making you twitch as he chuckled in a low baritone growl. You whined without noise, lips parted with a gasp.

“I can smell you too, flower. Don’t ever forget that.” He spoke in a raspy voice against your cheek, voice hoarse and skin on fire against you in the bathroom fog. His broken lips dragged a new texture across your hot skin. “Thanks for the help. Now please, let me return the favour.” 

You choked a moan at the sudden open kiss at your collarbone. One hand moved to grasp at your breast over the top with wet soapy hands. The other keeping your hand pinned.

You keened over, choking again at how suddenly tender the area was.

“Soonyoung, please hear me out - I don’t think this is a good idea! You’re not even meant to be out of bed yet -”

“Look up, pup. Look at me.”

Your tongue grew heavy in your mouth. Lips pliant and eyes dragging up as an instant haze tugged over your brain.

He was commanding your body, and it made you shake with desire.

But you wouldn’t give up that easily.

“Soonyoung -” 

You moaned airily before gritting your teeth in defiance. His hands pinched your nipples between his sliding fingers, rolling over your shirt with a chuckle. “- you’re going to get me into so much trouble, you horny little shit -”

He smiled with a pointed-canine grin against your neck. A hoarse laugh pulled a loud bouncing growl forward until it racked your brain.

"I don't give a fuck, precious. I'm the only person you ever need to answer to. Or to seek comfort from. Not any other dogs. And certainly not my brothers."

Soonyoung moved his hand to pinch your chin and tilt backwards to look at him. Lip curled in a gentle peel of a snarl.

“Look at me, flower. Or I'll eat you alive.”

Before licking directly into your ear and grinding up against your core. Your leg jolted with another choked moan. 

But you closed your eyes firmly, shaking your head.

By now; you were soaking wet. Both from him physically and… from him physically  

Actually, in every sense. 

And you surprisingly had very little want to fight it.

The past day had made you feel so bitterly alone. Lost, and afraid in his world. 

You just wanted some guidance again. To be held. And he was more than happy to provide. He just had to convince you the jump was worth the fall.

Soonyoung hummed.

“You’ve shown me so much love this past day or so, my beautiful Mate."

His growl vibrated into his hum, hips gliding back and up again until you couldn’t help but take over. 

"You’ve done so well for me. Been so good to my family intruding all over your home and in your den."

His wet cock pressed perfectly into the curve of your body, ass and cunt, as he thrust up against your clothes. 

"Listened for me even when you felt so alone.”

You mewled pathetically; cunt so suddenly ready to be stuffed full that it sent you for a spin.

You stilled abruptly in your movements only once Soonyoung had chuckled into your hair, finally having caught you. 

His hips had stopped moving long ago.

“Look. At. Me. My pretty Omega.”

Soonyoung’s words made your entire body shake.

And you hadn’t whined this needily in a long, long time. Maybe ever.

Your lip started to wobble until you finally allowed yourself to succumb to him. 

Eyes blinking open and meeting him in the mirror. 

Soonyoung hummed a beautiful and pleased vocation from the back of his bass vocal cords, lips pressed to a kiss on top of your skin.

Your pearl pink silk nightwear was covered in his wet soapy handprints as your breasts lay perk and your hair became dishevelled in his musings. Stuck to your tacky bodies. 

Your knees had begun to tremble as he bit higher up on your neck in faux threat; moving to press sharp points into your flesh and wet the skin; only to retract and move them further and deeper once again.

“I would love to cover you in my scent, you know, pup. If you would let me.”

You choked a sob as his fingers pressed into the sides of your throat. You gripped at his forearms; not holding him to you but not entirely pulling the pressure away.

"I want to leave so many Claim marks on you that another Wolf wouldn’t even think about looking in your direction without my permission.”

Soonyoung gently thrust his hips upwards, pushing the edge of the sink further into your bone as he moved to the other side of your neck. Growling at his own words and working himself up in the process, eyes slit thin in the foggy reflection. 

"I want nothing more than to fuck you so completely full until your brain starts fucking melting, sweetheart. How does that sound, hmm?"

He held you until you fell apart in his arms like you had always wanted him to do. He pressed the length of his cock up and against your core again. Making you sob out a moan.

“I could fuck you into the type of submission and bond; the likes of which you've never felt before, my love. A connection that most other Wolves spend centuries trying to reach. Remember we spoke about that, before? Remember how much you begged to be bonded, out on our stupid little fucking business trip? Remember how much you had keened for it before I said we should stop?"

He was talking about… a specific time. 

A specific time and place where he had blown your back, soul and brains out then told you via pillow talk about the inner workings of higher mating and what it took to get there. 

You nodded eagerly. "Yes," You moaned breathily, "Yes, God yes I remember -" You sobbed as you began to get dizzy, core soaking the fabric pressed up against your lips and thighs; soiling the expensive silk clothes in your scent. " - we were so close but you pulled away too soon…"

“Good. I'm talking about that connection, pup. It wasn't the right time, back then… We weren’t ready yet, love." Soonyoung hummed gently in fond memory of the night. “I think it's time. You're ready. I'd be honoured, if you'll let me guide you…”

He growled lovingly, pushing forward.

“What do you think then, pup? Would you like that? To have my cum spread all over your belly? Stuffed up so full inside your cunt you'll be leaking for hours? You just need to say the words, gorgeous, and I'd do anything for you, angel… anything you ask for. Anything at all."

The rasp in his voice struck deep in your essence, and despite yourself, a long, deep whimper escaped your lips. Struggling to battle his aura as your thighs pressed together. Head full of nothing but the thought of his canines catching on your scar.

“But - Soonyoung - you’re still weak - ahhh-” A moan interrupted your arguments as he sucked in an unfamiliar place behind your ear, making your body tremble.

He seemed to be searching for something. His smile told you that he had found it.

“You need to rest -” 

He didn’t seem to be listening. Growling deeply as he caught the skin between his sucking lips, lazily placing a bruise into your skin.

“Would you like that pup? For me to Mark you again? I can smell it on you, you know. You want to give in, but it's unfamiliar. An Alpha’s powers. You're nervous.”

His confession shocked you for a moment. Squeezing up under your jaw until your cunt clenched and you saw stars.

"I could take over? Make the decisions you're too afraid to make. Cut the shit you don't have the energy to refuse. It's what we were made to do, Y/N. The power bred into me. I just need to hear you say the words, my love. Then I’m all yours."

He released the pressure on your throat to gasp breaths and hold his strong forearm, in a complete and utter rush to lock eyes with him behind you - 

Ah.

You were an idiot.

Not only was he not going to hurt you, but he had also spoken before many times about how he tried his best not to exert his powers onto your conscience. 

He knew the control he could exert over you.

Knew the risks involved.

Fantasised about them greatly.

You whined in a desperate panic before chuffing needily at the gentle hushing and peppered kisses on your cheek. 

He kissed you sloppily at this angle, but you didn't care. 

Just so obviously desperate and hungry for his reassurance in this state.

His body was hot. So hot against your exposed neck, thighs, back, arms and even against your pyjamas.

And you were unable to form a single thought until he licked the shell of your ear, edging you towards the point of no return. Coaxing you there as he pressed your palm firmly into the sink. Cheek against yours. 

He nuzzled you before relenting his kisses to watch you in the mirror, awaiting your response. Skin to skin once more. His growl rippled over your back, fuzzing over your brain.

'Answer me, angel.' Your evolving and sifting yellow eyes met his bright red ones. His tone became instantly a thousand times softer than mere moments ago, as soon as he saw you."Do you want it, or not?"

Almost immediately, your head began to spin. You were starting to feel the sudden guttural pull of your Mate looking at you with pure want. 

Your Alpha was seeing you for all that you were, all that you would ever be. And beyond anything, he was finally forcing his power upon you. He had a question and intended to receive an answer. It was a foreign feeling, but one that sparked a fire in your gut that made you moan wantonly.

You became lost in his eyes until your head became entirely blank and foggy and slow like traipsing through the mud. 

The Wolf in you pushed you to nod with a high nasal pitch of a plea, head rolling back to meet your cheeks together in submission. 

'Easy, pretty girl. I've got you.'

He shushed you, growling feebly in response to your eyes meeting him with a deep belly whine in the mirror; struggling to give in.

'Lean into me, pup, if you need grounding. I'm here, and I’ve got you. Lean in.'

His irises relaxed only once yours had expanded, starting to shift into the still unfamiliar colour of honey yellow that met his softened gaze.

'Soonyoung, it hurts my head!' You whimpered loudly. Soonyoung growled softly through open lips, peppering slowly over your exposed skin.

"Breathe, angel. Let me lead. I've got you."

It had been a while since you had submitted to him fully.

But God did it feel good.

An instant tension set into your skull; in your jaw and in your brain. Fuzzing up the hairs on the back of your neck and over your scalp until you shivered, eyes flashing stars as they moved and evolved.

“Good job. You’re so good for me baby.”

It wasn’t that the trust wasn’t there, but your meeting had been one of sudden fate. Your love was a growing one, that you expanded upon daily. And he never saw a need to exert his power onto you unless you benefited from it, or asked. 

Your jaw opened and shut in an effort to speak but right now you couldn't muster the words; pleading with your body while being gently pushed along by his guidance. 

A burst of gold sprang into one of your eyes, a bright daisy mixing with deep wood before disappearing. 

New signs were appearing. 

Something was bubbling in your wolf blood.

It made your connection twang enough for Soonyoung to nuzzle your shoulder. 

'That's it. Lean into it. You’ve got it beautiful. Can you feel it? It's stronger than ever this time.'

Your legs trembled as he licked and bit at the skin on your hairline, whining as your pulse beat against his lips. 

“Answer when you’re ready - lean into the pull, my brave Mate…”

It was your turn to pant, your stomach twisting as you gushed with sudden arousal, skin hot to the touch. 

"Do you want this? To become Claimed completely?"

Your bones began to shake as your eyes and head struck a tension headache, mind swimming in his demand until finally - you answered.

“Soonyoung - please -” You cried out, pressing back against him anxiously.

Soonyoung immediately rippled a protective growl. Confirming he was there non-verbally. Pressing his hot torso against your back and your cheek against his. Eyes soft and watching you carefully in the mirror.

"You're okay, sweet dove, I've got you. You're okay…" 

He whispered affirmations into your ear space so they echoed in your brain. Ready to cut the pull and save you from the crash if you gave the signal to stop. 

But your next cries confirmed what he knew to be true.

"Please, yes I want that - want you to make me come so so bad, I just - just make it stop Soonie, I want you so bad it aches, my head, it - feels like you're pulling me apart - I want it, please -”

“Easy pup." Soonyoung rattled against your temple, voice softer than before. Pressing a soft kiss on your cheek. "I’ll ease it - just don’t fight the pull. You'll only end up hurting yourself more if you do."

He moved to look behind you for a moment; pulling the waistband of your trousers until they caught at your knees.

With steady movements, he aligned himself with you. Knowing your body and anticipating the acceptance even before any prep.

Such was the influence of the Scarlet; forcing the two of you into a temporary Heat, pulling the energy of the upcoming one backwards so you would be allowed a much longer break. But God it was so much stronger than your usual symptoms.

“Can you feel just how deep it hits, Y/N?” A deep raspy growl spoke directly into your brain, making you whimper. Body heat back against your skin in an instant.

With heavy eyelids you inhaled sharply, nodding as your irises expanded. You were melting like old and slightly clunky kinetic sand towards his pull, panting deeply as your thighs shook against him. 

Trying to lean into it, but struggling greatly.

Something was pulling your soul towards him like a hunger you had never experienced.

“The Scarlet is pulling your Heat forward, pup. My body is… our souls are matching each other. Wherever my cycle is… you’re meeting me halfway."

Soonyoung kissed your shoulder delicately.

"Wanna fuck you till you can’t move baby. I know you were awake all day and night, hmm? Watching out for me. Poor pup, all alone. Scared of being left alone in the world.”

He nuzzled you, eyes bearing through your mind in the foggy reflection.

“I could hear those thoughts, you know. So loud and frightened. Pretty flower, I would never let that happen to you. You have me for eternity.”

In your overwhelmed state, you couldn’t help but immediately wash over with emotions. 

And Soonyoung moved his free hand to wipe the stray tear from your cheek.

“I would never let that happen to you, Y/N. I would never leave you so suddenly. I knew the Scarlet was coming. I just needed to see it out. To see how we would work. Thank you, for your love. For everything.”

He whispered. Just for you. Wrapping his arms around you to hold you tight. And he held you there until you eased. Intertwining his hands over yours as they met the sink again.

“Do you want this, Y/N? To be paired, again? To be Claimed entirely? Marked by me so that you never feel alone?"

At your pitiful whimpers, Soonyoung pressed his cheek against yours, growling affectionately. He could feel your pent-up energy ready to burst.

"You'll never need to feel that isolated again, angel. But you’ll also never be apart from me. You know the risks. We’ve been through it before. So - do you want it, Omega? Want to become a part of each other so that we never have to be apart again?"

Softer this time, he closed his eyes. 

"I'd give you my everything, love. Even my life, if you asked for it. I'm yours after this, as much as you become mine. This is your last chance to pull away. The last time I'll ask…"

Without even a few seconds of a pause, you nodded hard, fast, and multiple times, releasing pitiful moans as your head flopped back against his shoulders, pleading against his lips in hushed unintelligible whispers. 

After a gentlemanly kiss and some shushing, Soonyoung moved to nuzzle again at the base of your spine, resting against yours as he took a deep inhaling breath.

“I love you, my precious Omega. Breathe for me, baby. The stretch might hurt a bit.”

Upon his instruction, you met his inhale, attempting to follow his exhale before letting out a cry and crumbling into his hold against him. Moaning loudly, shaking even more so.

You were immediately overcome by the stretch of him entering you; along with something unintelligible sparking under your spine and up into your scalp until you folded with a slack jaw and loose numb lips.

Upon entering you, Soonyoung sunk his teeth into your soft, tacky and salty skin. 

Right up and in; against the spot behind your ear that had made you tremble; until his gums were pillowed; biting down hard enough into your neck that your muscle tensed to curl up into his hold and press his nose into your hair. 

A wicked embrace. Full of pain and desire.

Your pulse thrummed against his tongue enough for him to moan loudly. 

And his cock throbbed heathenly at the way you melded into his arms with such brainless gasps and cut-short gulps of breath and mouthed words to explain how the poison struck a match of buzzing meadows across your skin on the downward plunge of your lungs first being set alight like a burning forest fire, then gasping for clean, crisp air.

But he didn’t need your words.

And as if a second Claim Mark wasn’t enough, the head of his cock pushing past your entrance and spreading your walls even further than usual, matched with the fog of hormones and the sudden wave of Heat striking up inside of you, made you orgasm instantly.

Your back had arched in a sharp backward curve into his chest; gripping at the hand spread flat and wide over your throat; cunt pulsating as stars passed behind your eyes in this sledgehammer of a sudden incline and breach of ecstasy burning the muscles in your thighs until they gave way. 

Soonyoung released the power in his jaw as your body liquefied into his hands. The removal of his canines in your pressure points released your neck and shoulder muscles; gravity pulled your head and chest to fold forward. 

His forearm levered under your chest; and controlled your body weight to stay hovering just above the solid counter sink with care. 

He held you as you shook and airily moaned. Your cunt pulsating around his cock in a vice-like pulsation that had your body hot and ready for more.

Soonyoung released your weight only when you dragged your burning elbows into yourself and pressed down against the counter to heave your torso back up; headspace elsewhere as he peered over you.

From the edge of your hairline, a long strip of blood smoothed down the expanse of your back. 

It folded into your spine and descended fast enough for Soonyoung to quickly grab a towel - the one you had discarded on the side of the sink after his move to pin you - to stop the flow from meeting your conjoined bodies.

He used the towel to press at the wound after wiping the trail clean up your spine in one solid motion; causing you to shiver as he held you up via pinned hips. 

All as he sat snug to the hilt inside of you.

The sight of blood had bewitched him, if even for a second. 

Mouth dry and breath caught in fascination.

Your heart leapt in your chest at the scene before you and the sudden asphyxiating vulnerability you had begun to process once up and looking back at him.

Washing with bashfulness; you scrunched your shoulder up and against your cheek. Moaning in embarrassment at the buzzing tingles of ecstasy sparking up your neck and into your cheek muscles.

His fingers pressed into your warm skin over the towel; while the unfamiliar pout and coyness caused Soonyoung to laugh at you benevolently.

He released the hand holding your chest to shake his head playfully. Resting against the counter to smile down at you. Peppering the opposite shoulder with kisses. Brushing his thumb up and down against the back of your neck where it was trapped; just to feel you shiver and whine. 

“What’s wrong, angel?” Soonyoung’s smile pressed into the skin on your shoulder as he pushed a mocking tone. “Does something hurt?”

“Nghh - Soon -” You moaned shyly as he pressed down forcefully at the wound. You couldn’t help but grind down on him at the spark that struck through you - the fucker did that on purpose - before moaning quietly. 

The fucker was deliberately teasing you, but you had no will to bite back like usual. And that only made his eyes crease further in amusement.

“Yeah - yeah it - it does - hurting - ngh -” 

But you both knew it didn’t really hurt. It was pleasantly numb despite the pinch and you were just bashful in the spotlight of sudden vulnerability, more than anything else. 

'Need you - it hurts - please, Soonyoung.' 

You whined suddenly, loud and needily  in the echoing link.

You were satiated only by his cheek meeting your own, and being held against his chest in a solid purr of an embrace. He pressed his lips all over your free ear, pacifying you.

“Show me, angel.” Soonyoung soothed you, kissing at your ear and grumbling against your cheek dotingly. “I need to see it, to close it, love.”

You moaned at the tingling spreading into your scalp; the shifting of his hips pushing your blood at a faster beat in your chest and out of the wound every time his cock throbbed inside of you.

“Can you show me, please, beautiful? Need to see ~”

With a muted whine and a nod, you released your shoulder very slowly. You prevented the new blood flow from being pushed out every other second by your anxiously beating heart via your palm atop Soonyoung’s hand pressing down tighter and tighter over the towel on your skin. 

He grumbled at the contact; gently twitching his knuckles under your fingers.

You pulled your eyes away with a swimming mind to ease the pressure pulling in opposite directions over your head.

“Thank you, gorgeous.” He purred through open lips, pressing a chaste, open kiss to the shoulder behind the towel, before guiding your dizzy head up and away by a pinched chin as he peeled away the fabric. 

You whimpered feebly, palms pressing down into the counter to ease your nerves.

It was unusually tender. Somewhat awkwardly angled. But it had hit the mark. And it was a clean bite, too.

He hummed softly at the sight once the towel was removed. 

“I see…” Soonyoung mumbled absently. “Relax baby, I’ve got it.”

He moved past you to turn on the tap and dampen the edge of the towel; switching between dabbing at your skin and rinsing the cloth with warm water until he could lick and suck at the skin with the iron taste removed as much as possible.

He didn't mind blood in his line of work. He often came home stinking of it.

He also didn't mind it to protect you; in fact, it was a byproduct that inflated his ego.

But any blood coming from your body made his knees weak, in a rush to protect you.

There was no need for soap or disinfectant as his mouth provided all the goods; meaning he could close an open wound immediately if he wanted.

But Soonyoung held a particular distaste for any spec of your blood on his tongue - for the above reasons - and tried his absolute doggy darn best to avoid it.

“You’re all worked up - that’s why it’s bleeding so quick and heavy - my pretty dove."

The new pet name rolled from his throat with a vibration that made you moan.

"All that adrenaline - it's gone and mixed with the poison in your veins. That’s why it’s best not to fight it… Don’t want you getting hurt, or panicked… Easy, let me…” 

Soonyoung’s voice trailed off as he cleaned the mark, moving to concentrate on clotting the wound with his saliva.

His tongue spread flat and wide up behind your ear. Completely consuming you in affection. Licking and sucking at your ears as he went, growling against your efforts to gain some sort of friction on his heavy cock.

You whined softly, closing your eyes to the overwhelming buzzing atop your shoulder. What had started on the surface, ebbed into a lack of sensation across your one bicep and shoulder blade; even aching up into your jaw. His saliva mixed with the poison and acted as a natural numbing cream and it was starting to make you feel equally unbelievably horny and anxious.

The feeling of relinquishing control and being unable to move in his protective grip made your lip wobble in a voiceless battle.

A hugely unfamiliar grumble of a growl struck up Soonyoung’s chest as he chose not to let you go, holding you to him in an unusually possessive way once the bite was sealed.

Your heartbeat spiked, the Wolf in you fighting your human aspect, and Soonyoung pulled out and away immediately, releasing you.

“Easy, easy pup, you can let go. Go on, go out, you're free to go -”

He anticipated it before it even hit you. 

Struggling slightly on strong arms: he reached to pull the door open. 

"Easy Y/N, you're okay."

Allowing the fog to release and you  stumble out desperately, silk pants bundling your knees until you fell against the soft carpet of the entry hall. Panting heavily with shaking legs and unmatched eyes as you spun to peer up at your Mate at the door, his eyes a beacon amongst the blurred view.

“Soonyoung -” Your face read as a pure shock. Voice practically a moan, confusion evident as your mind caught up with your fight or flight response that threw you out of the room and onto the floor. 

Before you could fumble an apology, he understood.

"Shh, it’s okay my pretty Omega. Take a breath. You're safe."

Your pulse was pounding and the sudden feelings caused you to go into overdrive. He purred at the desperation in your voice.

“Are you okay?” He huffed in deep worry. Deep, hoarse. His Wolf was clearly fighting to move, but he was still in control.

“I’m -” You thought for a moment, before gathering yourself. Nodding. “Yes. Just - I - that was a lot… I’m sorry, I was fighting it Soonyoung, I-I wasn't ready, I -” 

“Would you like to try that again, after you’ve calmed down some more, pretty dove?” He stopped your rambling again, in an unusually calm voice. "We moved too fast - it spooked you too much, is all."

You paused momentarily. “The - I - but you’ve already Marked me once Soonyoung, are you not tired? Do you not get any kind of rebound from moving so fast?” Even in the fog, you could see his eyes pinch.

“No.” He answered simply. “Just a hunger to Mark every inch of you until there’s no clean skin left.” His voice was low, coarse and drawn out. 

Soonyoung was clearly holding back, but it was making your heart patter with even more anticipation. You pulled your knees to your chest in a loose attempt to cover your modesty. But the scene was tinged with the smell of sex and the sound of your anxiously bated breath, so there was little point in hiding yourself.

“The chemicals in my body are endless. They only ease after the urge is satiated. And you know how that goes.”

Despite the tone, you cracked a smile at his cheek pulling up. A canine snug over his lip in a smile. “Yeah, I do.” You whispered, shying from his gaze. “It never ends.”

Soonyoung had matured a huge amount since you had first cornered him to finally claim you, to tie you onto his life bond with pure instinct and little brain involved. The decision was final, fated. And you could never see a life without him in it, even on your worst days.

The strengthening of the bond would mean giving up your whole self. After so many years of isolation as a human female in a world of very real threats, you knew the decision should be a weighted and worrying one. But the prospect only brought you a sense of peace.

“Would you like to try that again Y/N? In a short while, after you've got your breath back?”

Looking at the large windows in your lounge, you took a minute and thought about it again. A little longer this time. Considering him with an innocent and somewhat blank face - the face of someone who totally wasn’t considering the implications of giving up their total anonymity to their partner. 

“We can wait. It’s a big decision.”

Before something struck in your gut. 

Soonyoung was gently pushing you for an answer. 

He could hear your anxious thoughts like distant ghostly whispers. Inaudible, but inescapable. 

Telling him to pull you towards him like the singing of angels in the absolute knowledge of God’s choir; a responsibility that weighed heavy on his soft and dog-eared heart that beat empathetically for only you.

“No, no, it’s okay… I know my answer. Yes, I would. I want it. I would want you to  - do, whatever it was you needed to do, in order for us to be matched up for good.” Your cheeks heated up after that last one. “It’s been on my mind since you taught me about it.”

Underneath his shadow at the foot of the door, your thighs rubbed unconsciously together. The new indents on your neck were framed by your hair, and highlighted by the dim yellow eyes that looked up at him for reassurance. 

Soonyoung smiled softly, nodding with a loving haze pulled over his features. Resting his head and body weight against the door as he smiled down at you.

You were ready, but your nerves were tangible. The scent lay sour on his tongue.

“Go to your den, my brave little Turned-Lupine. You're still far too highly strung to think clearly. Even if it doesn’t feel like it. Wait for me there. Then, if you change your mind, we can stop. Or we can carry on. Whatever you want, I'll follow. It’s your decision in the end, Y/N. I promise.”

Soonyoung’s instructions were soft in delivery but final. And the use of such an official legal title made you shy.

You nodded, curling in on yourself before he eased you with a smile, "Go on, pup. Go calm down. I’ll be with you in a minute. I’m sorry for pushing it - the link. We’ll go a little slower next time." 

He waited for your timid nod of confirmation before pulling the bathroom door closed and moving fluidly into the space behind the darkly tinted glass door.

“Wait, Soonyoung -” You called out softly, tenor weak as you felt him move away.

It was still all too much… But you didn't want to be left all alone again.

He re-opened the door enough to see his upper body. Smile soft, eyes small against his cheeks.

“What is it, love?”

You - you weren’t sure.

You just knew you didn’t want to let him go.

"I don't - just - don't go…"

Soonyoung’s expression softened greatly. 

You were tugging at the bond again, very very desperately. So lost in the changing of tides. So desperately afraid to ask for guidance. 

“Go on, Y/N. I’ll be with you shortly. I’ll be there. I promise. I won’t be going anywhere else but with you, in that den, once I'm done here. Okay?”

Soonyoung watched as you battled with yourself greatly. Fiddling with the ankle hem of your trousers and worrying your lips. Your brows creased and your eyes were drawn to the floor.

But he was patient. Eventually, you nodded with a pout. Soonyoung mirrored you; nodding back gently.

“Alright. I’ll be going now. See you soon love ~"

You smiled with a returning wave as he closed the door. No doubt returning to the scene of original sin to let off some more ‘steam’ to control himself better. 

You didn’t blame him. In fact, you were starting to feel the same way. Maybe even somewhat jealous.

On the floor, with the morning light hitting the windows, you quickly scrambled to gather your thoughts. 

They rushed into your brain, harsh enough to grant a small ache behind your eye.

The truth was; you were a grown woman. An Alpha’s Mate. You trusted him with your life. And yet you felt silly at the virtually butterfly-inducing anxiety imagery of him coming into your safe space after what had just happened.

And the lies lay multiple. Thin and sparse and barely backed up by anything you had seen. He wasn’t about to hurt you. The guy loves you, you reasoned internally.

With a putter of a puff-cheeked sigh, you hauled up on heavy arms to tug the trousers back up around your ankles, to your thigh, to your waist.

It was a little silly; given there were wet handprints layered over every high point of your ass. But it was enough to get you going; shuffling towards your room. 

Soonyoung’s grunts and quieted moans made you warm from head to toe.

“Den - right - got it!” You whispered to yourself. 

A small yelp escaped you as you got up way too fast; stumbling towards your room to get just past Soonyoung’s heavy groaning breathing made you even more insane than before the whole thing had started.

You approached the door of your den; and ran into it. Collapsing onto the bed with a quick yell into the cushions before composing yourself.

"This is gonna be one hell of a night, me. Get it together girl. You got this."

“Y/N. Can I come in?” 

What a silly question. It was his home. But as he waited patiently for an answer, you hummed a noise of approval, picking at the button on your duvet.

Soonyoung opened the door before closing it behind him softly.

It had been a long time since he had been in here. Your place of rest. Your sanctity. Your burrow. You slept together often - but it was important you had somewhere to go when you needed to be alone. And he never tried to enter this space, should it be tinted by him. Today was different.

“Wow - It’s pretty in here, pup!”

Soonyoung noted how much you had cosied up the place. Mesh curtains aligned the walls. The window was blocked completely. Instead, the light came from fairy lights scattered randomly across the room. Soft music came from a nightlight speaker hidden behind some pillows, muffling any harsh sounds. The blue water light flowed across the ceiling, calming and serene.

You shuffled, releasing your grip on your knees as he waited for you to acclimate to his pressing aura inside of your gentle-edged bubble.

“Thank you.” You mumbled finally, releasing your pent-inhale and watching the patterns with him for a moment.

After a while, your hand reached out. Linking your fingers into his. Pulling your Mates attention towards you on the mattress. 

He followed his eyes, up your arms towards your face with a hum. Until he stood above you, red eyes bearing into your own.

“You look better already…" You mumbled.

A small smile came from Soonyoung. 

You loved it when he smiled. His round cheeks brightened up any rainy day.

"Do you feel any better, Soon?"

“Thank you, sweetheart. The fever may come back, after the rut.” He whispered back bluntly, hand straying to thumb at your cheeks. “But the more you’re near me, the better, me thinks.”

“Oh…” You mumbled bashfully. “Then, Soonyoung?”

Soonyoung’s irises pinched as he inhaled deeply, nodding at you to go ahead and ask your question. At this level, your nose picked up the sweet smell of his rut before he had even made it to the bed. 

Right now, your mouth was watering. And when you looked back up, he was met with yellow eyes and the most submissive expression he had ever seen from you in the years you had known each other.

“I - I do want you to fuck me, Soonyoung. As my life partner. As an Alpha - my Alpha…"

Those words were foreign and weighted in your usually independent mouth. But they were genuine.

"You've been so patient with me. Please, Mark me. I’m ready. I - I need you, Soonyoung. Really, really, really, really badly.” 

And so at the break in your weak pleading voice, Soonyoung’s stomach erupted into a growl you could feel spike the hair on the back of your neck. You took a deep breath before the match struck, and you were both pulled to each other.

You’re not sure if you met Soonyoung’s mouth halfway or if he totally overpowered you as he clashed your gums with his, but in a flash, you were laying flat on your back with his body weight hot and pressed against you, throbbing hard cock pressed into your thigh and hip and abs pressuring your nipples even through your shirt.

Upon impact, he ate up your whines, rib cage vibrating against his. He weighed you into the bed; like a large weighted blanket of pure love placating your thirst and hunger and lust; all in the safety of your private room.

Your den was going to be left with the scent of him, and the thought made you drool.

The kiss was nothing but pure sin. 

Hot and heavy lust that sucked your tongue between his teeth, leaving you breathless and gyrating under the weight of his abdomen for any friction whatsoever. Your thighs wriggled free under his legs until they hit the floor alongside his own, Soonyoung kneeling on the bed.

A long line of saliva dropped between your lips and into your open mouth as he pulled away, face hovering over yours. Soonyoung gripped your cheeks; curling his lip to snarl directly down upon you, commanding a direct “Open up”. 

With an entirely submissive moan, you opened your lips, tongue welcoming the spit of your mixed saliva into the back of your throat with a gulp against your palette. You choked lightly before swallowing, moaning and performing intensely for the red eyes watching you with possession before Soonyoung moved you both in a jolt.

Soonyoung used his grip on your face and an arm under your ribs to tug your entire body onto the bed, following immediately after. 

His sharp teeth met the flesh of your left breast as he pressed his thighs onto your legs, pushing your breast up and out of your silk shirt with almost closed eyes.

He was acting and moving on pure instinct. 

Licking and nipping messily at your nipples until you gained the will to move, your own sharper nails grabbing at his scalp.

Soonyoung stiffened. Coming to a sudden, complete stop. It was momentary, but it felt like hours with the way you strained to look down at him. He had a scowl on his face and it made your legs shake in anticipation.

But it was a test. 

You should be laying down. Trusting him to move for the both of you. This could take some time, he realised as you pressed up on your elbows to prompt him.

He considered you as your heart beat frantically against his lips. Not yet eased. 

Still trying to put up a fight with your new body. Battling the poison in your blood and yet desperate to fulfil your desires. 

One could not complete without the other subsiding. You needed to pick a path or be encouraged. The poison would dissipate after eventually being fought for a long period; or consume your biology entirely if you just let it.

He would guide you to the edge. But then it was up to you to choose if you truly wanted to fall.

And as your heart pumped your blood even faster into your body in an attempt to rise, to challenge him and speak - Soonyoung had sunk his sharp and long canines into the thin skin between your breast and your heart, moaning in a deep baritone hum at your cries.

That close to your heart, the poison in his gums made you writhe underneath him. 

The familiar pain melted into that slow and consistent thrumming full-body pleasure. 

He held your wrists firmly against the duvet, unable to control your legs kicking up the sheets beside his hips and thrashing your head while your heart pumped the poison into your limbs.

“It hurts so - fuck - so good Soonyoung, please, please, I need a release, please, please please please, fuck!”

The poison set your veins on fire. Sparkles and cracks hitting along each inch of your body as you cried out, moaning and whimpering, writhing for something, anything to get you off.

As soon as it hit your brain, Soonyoung let go of you.

(THIS IS THE END OF PART 1/2) ~ (FORWARD TO PART 2/2) ~ (CONTINUE TO SVT MASTERLIST….. )

Well would you look at that: 13/April/2023

[mr-something-0r-another]

I tend to do mostly one shots, I say as more than half of the fics I have up currently have more than one chapter, but I'm wanting to do something bigger. Just not sure which to start with. And yes, I have most of these planned out, as well as begun writing them. I'm just not sure what I should focus on currently. And no, these aren't the official names. (I struggle with titles)

BirdFlash Slowburn HS/College AU:

BirdFlash w/ powers and superhero stuffs, and they also go to the same highschool. Current plan is to only have Dick and Wally attend the same highschool, but we've got some other supers of their generation in the hero side. Super slow, and long. Identity shenanigans, Dick is a theatre kid, they won't confess until in or after college (but don't worry it, opens on senior year), they will be Robin and Kid Flash at the beginning but will morph into Nightwing and Flash just cause I want to play with a little bit of cannon. probably gonna be super long, and will take me a year or more to complete.

Captain Marvel Lawsuit:

Both carol and billy (in their respective universes) facing lawsuits and media backlash, because they copied off of a fictional superhero. So, we've got the Avengers helping Carol, and Jon and Damian and some Justice League helping Billy. In Carol's (the Marvel universe) DC is the main comics company. And In Billy's (the DC universe) Marvel is the main comics company. Idk, just thought it'd be funny cause it's a real lawsuit between DC and Marvel. And I don't really like them calling Billy 'Shazam', because that's his power activation thing and it just seems weird, he can't even introduce himself as a hero.

Avengers Vacay Shenanigans:

Basically a crackfic of shenanigans. Like, they're staying at a rented cabin for a week or so. And what place would have enough rooms? So roommates, I think they might almost die for the sake of breakfast, and there may be the slightest bit of angst (which will just be me projecting about my own angsty mac and cheese experience onto Clint), other than that relatively fluffy shenanigans that would ensue on one of their vacations. I'm definitely pushing both friendships and relationships in this one. Current plan includes WinterFalcon, estabed Scott/Hope, Clint/Loki, platonic Science Bros, platonic Steve + Bucky + Sam, platonic Clint + Sam (honestly, geeks), platonic Bucky + Loki (admiring their geeks), platonic Natasha + Thor (competitive besties?), ect.

HalBarry Domestic Dreams:

Similar to a Superbat idea from frownyalfred,(https://www.tumblr.com/frownyalfred/738620242981470208/fic-idea-a-world-where-clark-and-bruce-both-get?source=share), like I think that's where this idea originated from. Simply thought it months later, and had to hunt down the og for this post. ANYWAYS, Barry and Hal have been having the same dreams, a continuous plot of a domestic life between the two. But it's kinda weird to mention to your coworker that you've been having ultra realistic dreams about being in a relationship with him. right? So they both stay silent. However, they know things that they wouldn't know if it weren't for the dreams, random phrases, or actions, all that fun stuff. So, cue awkwardness. Might be a bit of a slowburn but not as much as the BirdFlash one.

BatArrow bonding over billionaires, kids, vigilantes, and the fucking media:

the media basically forces Bruce and Ollie into a relationship, after seeing them having lunch together once and that was a business meeting. They end up fake dating, for the media, then they start to see the benefit of having another single father billionaire around. So they bond over that, and start to become official. Eventually they have the inevitable superhero secret identity reveal, and turns out their dating the coworker that they only tolerate. But they learned to love each other in the hero side too. They just deserve some love. Where else to get it from other than your childhood friend/repeated hookup/coworker?

[yaostars]

NANAMI KENTO ─

playing . . . . sunsetz ; cigarettes after sex

౨ৎ : she / her prns , fem reader ౨ৎ : js the lil things that matter in his relationship w u guys ♡(>ᴗ•) ౨ৎ : headcanons series !! ౨ৎ : i love nanamin sm :(

he loves at home dates just chilling on the balcony while he reads a chapter from the latest book out loud while its sunsetting or sunrising

for your first year anniversary being together and finally moving in together. u bought a massive bookshelf for him that currently sits in the lounge room

as a man he does drink heavy black coffees but at the end of the day he'll drink a chamomlie tea

if nanami was ever sick he would try to cover it up and go to work but he's always been stopped by his s/o and dragged back into bed

weekly you two would have soft music going on in the background after cleaning the kitchen up while u both slow dance while the lighting is dimmed

nanami always has thoughts on marrying his lover and even having kids at some stage after everything

gojo couldn't believe his eyes when one time he walked into nanamis house out of nowhere seeing you cleaning up. at first he thought you were a maid before realising you were wearing one of nanamis shirts. gojo had felt betrayed after nanami telling him that you were his partner of two years

he loves plants but not too many.. just a few to brighten up the house a bit

first meeting his family was scary after being told that his mother didnt like his past lovers. but once she laid eyes on you she treated you like her own daughter telling you how gorgeous you are and that she needed her future grandchildren to look like you.

after meeting his family nanami kept getting calls from his mother asking if you were doing well not bothering about nanami much

nanami thought after two and a half years you both were ready for marriage and he had asked gojo for help to pick out the ring which made nanamis wallet cry

he had formally asked your parents to marry you without you knowing one day of him skipping work just to see your parents to get approval and obviously they said yes

it only took him a week to propose to you at a field since he couldnt deal of waiting

the first person to know you accepted the proposal was nanamis mother and she was over the moon demanding for you both to come see her soon

the wedding was quiet with simple colours but it was still an event for both of them to remember

nanami loved his name come out of your mouth it made him have butterflies

even though he can be a blunt, stubborn old man he literally has the body physique of a teddy bear when you both go to bed

at night nanami loves hugging you and whispering small things that make you laugh or smile

loves having you lay on his chest while he reads for you

help im tiredddddd

[ginalinettiofficial]

hey what’s up hello okay so i finally just finished s2 e52 of dndads (had a very crazy work week so was listening in bits and pieces) and here’s the thing is that im also currently relistening to the whole season and earlier in this week, the most recent episode i finished, was halt and catch fireball, and before that ya know was mrs. swallows oak garcia’s home for peculiar teens or whatever that one is called where they are just. at normal’s house and we got to actually get to know rebecca a little bit and i have got to say that i don’t know if i could’ve picked a more painful and wild older ep to listen to as a precursor to dood riddance i really don’t!!! literally half of the shit in dood riddance just circles back to that arc in the swallows oak garcia home and it’s CRAZY

like first of all. the red vines, which they called twizzlers the entirety of e52 which was MADDENING as a person who legit just finished e30/31 where the red vines were introduced

but then like. e31 is where taylor gets the anime sword from nick!!! that he loses in e52!!!

there were a few other things that i’ve forgotten in the half an hour since i finished the ep because my brain is a sieve on a good day and i’m just getting home from two back to back 13 hour shifts (with an extra 1hr10/20 each day for the commute) so the brain machine is so fucking broke rn

but mainly. i wasn’t loving e52 esp after dood left i just was not vibing with it, i feel like the vibes were off in the room in a way that translated into the ep for a bit there, but then anthony in those last like three minutes brought it back around and with the roll of rebecca??? after i legit JUST finished listening to the eps that feature her the most prominently and like truly showcase not only normal’s relationship w his mom but also, as is said several times in e30/31 and their teen talks, just how similar normal IS to his mom and how he really clearly is a total momma’s boy and very much so seemed to be a kid who sought solace with his mom more than anyone else in his family and just. having legit JUST reestablished that in my own, made the end of e52 DEVASTATING for me in a way that idk if it was for other ppl??? idk haven’t checked the fandom yet im very disconnected this season but just.

like

i think that okay so we have ten parents it could’ve been, right? and five of those are the kiddads, and none of us want to see them die, so in that moment when anthony was telling us what was gonna happen, obviously my instinct was like “oh god don’t do this don’t do terry jr again but truly permanent” and then my next instinct was that it would be potentially even MORE awful if it was scary’s dad because finally there he is and that’s ALL she wants and for willy to take that moment from her would be INSANE and then (mind you this was my thought process over the course of literally 10 seconds, my brain is ping ponging in my head and has been since the second i got in the car to head home i need to sleep) and THEN my next thought was, oh god, but how fucked up would it be if it were marco??? oh god, how fucked up would it be if it were cassandra?!?!?!?! and then it was time for the roll and truly in those brief seconds basically my brain flicked through every potential victim and said “oh god THAT one would be the WORST”, EXCEPT for veronica and rebecca, and it made the hit of it being rebecca who was low down on my instinctual list to think of but then the second he said her name i was immediately ricocheted back to earlier in the week when i was listening to halt and catch fireball and mrs. swallows oak garcias home and how many emotions i had about normal and his mom just relistening to those episodes and then the fact that i DIDNT think to worry about her just

all of that combined to make that a CRITICAL HIT FOR ME OKAY like i am SO fucked up over this truly that was WILD and i applaud anthony burch for it and now am excited for the finale even though ive spent the last three eps just dreading it for several reasons but now im excited and devastated and i love that

anyways. that was word vomit i just NEEDED to get this out because the connections between those two episodes really will not stop hitting me in the head and i need to impart that onto SOMEONE. if u read this. ur a real one. rip rebecca swallows oak garcia you were a legend and i am so sad about u

[a-babe-without-a-name]

Sister Lovers, Water Brothers

Chapter Two: Crime Scenes and Chicken Parm

Masterlist

Steve wasn't happy with the way Munson was treating one of his kids. So unhappy in fact, that he forces himself into their club leader's van to see what he's getting up to with Chrissy Cunningham, and maybe it's a good thing he's so paranoid because it might just save her life.

Or, the one where Chrissy doesn't die in the Munson trailer, and, despite the world-ending, the king(former) and queen(current) of Hawkins High cannot take their eyes off Eddie Munson

Read on A03

Eddie never in a million years thought he’d step foot into Steve “The Hair” Harrington’s house. Yet here he was, leaning against the counter in the house half of Hawkins' High had partied in not that long ago, feeling wildly out of place. He stared down at the glass of water in his hand, swirling it around in the cup. After they arrived, Steve and Robin had played host to the odd pair. Steve insisted his house had enough rooms for both Eddie and Chrissy to have their own, but Chrissy seemed anxious enough at the idea of being secluded that Robin had quickly jumped in, offering the couches in Steve’s living room as an alternative. Robin then whisked Chrissy away to get her into clothes that weren’t her cheer uniform, leaving Eddie and Steve standing awkwardly in the kitchen. In any other situation, Eddie would have just left. But this wasn’t a normal situation. 

When Steve went upstairs to get bedding for the living room, Eddie finally relaxed for a moment, alone for the first time in hours. Part of him wasn’t convinced that this wasn’t some hyper-realistic drug-induced dream, or maybe a very elaborate prank being pulled on him by people he barely knew. But weirdly enough the logical part of his brain knew this wasn’t a fantasy. This was real life. He had felt it in the way Chrissy shuttered thinking about what she went through. 

Eddie was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Robin and Chrissy come back downstairs. They didn’t notice him standing in the kitchen. He watched for a moment. He had never seen Robin be outwardly kind at school.

“Hey, if you need anything I’m right upstairs, okay?” Robin said, placing a hand on Chrissy’s arm.

“Thank you,” Chrissy responded, fidgeting with her own hands, “for being so nice about this, I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” Robin shrugged, almost laughing, “Weird shit is kind of our specialty. You're literally probably in the best hands with me and Steve.”

“That’s reassuring,” Chrissy actually laughed this time, not with the same carelessness as she had earlier when they met up in the woods, but she seemed to be a little less tense.

“I’m glad you think so,” Robin smiled, “I’m gonna head up to get ready for bed, if you or Eddie need anything, really, just yell.”

“Thank you,” Chrissy glanced towards the back yard, “I think I’m gonna go sit outside for a minute actually, try to get some air, you think that’s okay?”

“Oh yeah, of course.” Robin walked towards the sliding back door, hitting a switch that Eddie could just barely see turn on the pool lights.

“Thanks,” Chrissy slid open the door stepping outside as Robin turned to leave.

“Goodnight Chrissy, see you in the morning,” Robin said, more like a promise than a good night.

Eddie watched Chrissy and Robin leave the living room in different directions. He dumped out the water in his glass, leaving it upside down in the sink. He walked out into the middle of the living room, as Chrissy walked towards the pool and then took a seat on the edge of a deck chair.

Steve returned, arms piled with pillows, sheets, and blankets that he threw onto one of the couches with a huff. Then, noticing Eddie’s attention was elsewhere he followed his eyes to where Chrissy was sitting out next to the pool. Seeing her there made him flinch, but she wasn’t too near the water and at least the outside lights were on.

“Don’t… leave her out there, yeah?” he asked Eddie, still watching Chrissy, reminding himself she was alright.

“Sure, man,” Eddie scoffed, and started rifling through the bedding that Steve brought down, only to be interrupted but Steve’s handing him one side of a sheet. Unspeaking, they stretched it out over one of the couches, then Eddie copied Steve’s movements as he tucked it around the cushions.

“I’m sorry,” he said genuinely, if tired. “I’m not trying to boss you around, I just- the world is ending again, and I really, really don’t want to see anyone die.”

“Nothing is going to get her in your backyard,” Eddie tried to brush off his concern.

“That’s where Barbra Holland died,” he replied quickly, knowing there was no kind way to say it. “Sitting by my pool. Where I left her, so yeah, something could get her in my backyard.” Steve could hear Robin calling him bitchy, but he felt it was warranted.

“Fuck man,” Eddie breathed, trying not to let out a nervous laugh. “That's heavy. Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Steve shook it off, doing up the second smaller couch on his own. “You didn’t know… but now- I mean, yeah, I was still being a bit of a jerk, but now you get why I’m a bit of a freak about this- the kids being safe.”

“Yeah,” Eddie laughed, “I guess I do.” Their eyes met, and they shared a weak smile in the brevity of the moment amongst the weight of the night. They fell into a brief silence, neither sure of what to do.

“Here,” Steve thrust something into Eddie's hands, “thought you might not want to sleep in chainy jeans.”

“Chainy?” Eddie giggled under his breath but accepted the neatly folded sweatpants. Steve hardly seemed to notice.

“And just ask if you need anything else, you know… I really am sorry, I’m trying not to be a jerk.”

“Nah,” Eddie shrugged, “Just used to herding your sheep.” Steve opened his mouth to say something back but was cut off by Robin hollering down the stairs.

“Steven! We’ve got a big day tomorrow and it is past my bedtime!”

They both laughed at her, hands clasped over their mouths to stifle the sound.

“Guess I should probably go,” Steve said with a final glance outside towards Chrissy.

“Don’t worry, I got her,” Eddie told him with a pat on the shoulder that landed a bit more awkwardly than they both would have liked. “Go get your girl.” Steve cringed at the implication of Robin being his girl, but let it slide,

“Good night, man.”

“Good night.”

Eddie slid open the back door, hoping it made enough noise not to startle her. A surge of panic passed through him when Chrissy didn’t react to the sound, worried she was having another episode.

“Chrissy?” he called, taking a few nervous steps down the stairs.

“Yeah?” she turned over her shoulder, looking up at him in the doorway.

“Hey, fuck ,” Eddie breathed out, relaxing his shoulders, “Sorry I thought we were losing you again.”

“Oh,” Chrissy scoffed, “Yeah, I’m still here, I think.”

“Good,” Eddie fidgeted, suddenly feeling nervous for non-supernatural reasons, “Mind if I join you?”

“Please do,” Chrissy said, “It’s kinda creepy out here alone.”

Eddie took a seat on the edge of the chair next to Chrissy, watching her face as she stared into the pool. The pool lights cast her face in a soft blue glow, the reflections creating gentle movements.

“How’re ya feeling?” Eddie asked, worried about upsetting her, but wanting to check in.

“I’m okay,” Chrissy chewed on her bottom lip, trying to think of the right thigh to say, “I feel better not being alone, but… yeah.”

She trailed off, glancing up at Eddie and then looking away towards the woods. Feeling that there was more she wanted to say, Eddie egged her on.

“Hey, we’ve only really known each other, like, a day,” Eddie offered, “but you can talk to me if you need…want to. About anything.”

“That’s sweet,” She spared a small smile his way, “It’s just that, I can’t tell what's real.”

“What do you mean?” Eddie asked. He thought he understood what she was saying; with all this weird shit going on he too was having a hard time knowing what was actually true, but he also felt like there was something more to what she was saying.

“I mean, when I was…having an episode? It started like everything was normal, I was still in your van, we were driving to your place.” Chrissy explained, “It was… so normal. And then it wasn’t and I’m just so scared that at any second everything that feels normal now is going to turn out to be that again.”

Eddie could tell how scared she was, He wished he could make it stop. No one deserved to be that frightened, especially not her.

“Hey,” He said softly, reaching a hand across the space between them, and waiting. Luckily Chrissy reached back, placing her hand in his. “I know it might be hard to trust this and I wish there was a better way for me to prove it, but I promise you this is real.”

“Thank you, Eddie,” Chrissy held on tight to his hand, she could feel the cool metal of his rings against her skin, “Really, you shouldn’t have to deal with all of this, with me.”

“Are you kidding me?” Eddie asked, not letting go of her, “I get to say that I saved Miss Chrissy Cunningham from a demon or an alien or something? Really I should be thanking you for providing me with the coolest backstory known to man...”

For a moment, Eddie was worried she wouldn’t find him funny, but she laughed, “I’m grateful to have been saved by you.” 

Eddie held onto her hand for a moment, he could feel the tension fall away from her, to a degree, and was grateful she was beginning to relax again.

“Hey,” Eddie said, suddenly remembering the original intentions of them meeting up after the game, “I know you were hoping for something stronger, but would you settle for some nicotine in place of the ketamine?” 

“Oh, uh, I’ve never smoked before. Not even a cigarette.” Chrissy admitted, taking her hand back and fidgeting.

“Really? You really were skipping over all the gateway drugs, huh.” Eddie laughed, fishing in his pocket and pulling out a crumpled pack of cigarettes and his lighter.

Chrissy watched as Eddie placed a cigarette between his lips, the lighter glowing against his face as he pulled the flame in.  She couldn’t help but notice the way his dark lashes almost touched his cheek while he looked down at the cigarette in his mouth. Boys always had better eyelashes. He caught her, his eyes flickering over to hers as she watched him. He smiled around the cigarette between his teeth and took a puff before holding it out for her. She stared at the burning cherry, hesitant.

“You don’t have to take it if you don’t want to,” Eddie said, still holding it out to her. 

Chrissy thought for a moment. Earlier today she had been prepared to do ketamine; in comparison a few hits of a cigarette was child's play. She took it from him, bringing it up to her lips and looking at him for approval.

“It’ll be hot and you might cough,” Eddie warned, “But just go slow and you’ll be fine. I promise.”

Chrissy nodded, feeling the pressure of doing this right grow. It had been a long time since she had actually cared about looking dumb in front of a boy. She kicked herself for thinking like that; she had a boyfriend, she shouldn’t be worried about looking good in front of anyone else.

She raised the cigarette to her lips, looking over at him one more time before taking a drag. She watched as the cherry flared a deep orange when she breathed in. It tasted better than she expected, rich and earthy, but it was also hotter than she was prepared for. It instantly stung the back of her throat, making her cough.

“Woah, easy,” Eddie said, putting a hand on her back as she coughed into her hand, holding the cigarette out away from her, “Just breath,” She took a deep breath, trying to clear the feeling. “Hey, that wasn’t that bad! I almost threw up the first time I had a cigarette.”

“Ew,” Chrissy laughed, letting out little teary eyed coughs, “That’s awful.”

“Yeah, I mean, I had the excuse of being 14,” Eddie shrugged laughing and taking the cigarette back from her and taking a drag, “I definitely got better at it.”

“14? That’s so young,”

“Yeah, that was what? 5 years ago?” Eddie mused, taking another drag, “Feels like forever ago. Probably shouldn’t have been left unsupervised back then.”

“You're still alive, right?” Chrissy offered, “things could have ended up worse.”

“Well, aren't you a glass half full kind of gal.” Eddie punctuated his words by tapping her on the knee, and then, “Here Little Miss Sunshine, want to try again.”

“Sure,” She took the cigarette back, feeling a little more confident. She held the cigarette and took a short but heavy drag, letting the smoke enter her lungs and doing the best to keep her composure.

“There ya go, good girl!” Eddie congratulated, his words taking Chrissy off guard. She hid her shock with a cough, smoke spilling past her lips and out her nose, “Feel better yet?”

“Mhm,” Chrissy nodded, watching as he got up and moved to the edge of the pool, hopping around like had earlier today at school, “Thank you, for caring enough to make me feel better, I mean.”

“Anytime sunshine,” Eddie watched Chrissy react to the pet name, turned around to hide the smirk on his face as he stalked around the pool, “Anytime.”

“Of all the Hawkins kids I could have ended up in this situation with,” Chrissy took another short drag, “I’m actually really glad it’s you.”

Eddie paused, taken off guard by the weird but genuinely very sweet compliment, “I feel the same way.”

He reached the end of the pool, looking down at the deck end of the diving board and then back up at Chrissy with a raised eyebrow.

“Eddie don’t .” She warned, unable to keep a wide smile from spreading across her face.

He slowly lifted a foot, tilting his head at her as he took a teasing step up onto the board.

“Eddie,” Chrissy gasped, “What if you fall?!”

“Me? Fall?” He asked with exaggerated cockiness, taking confident steps down the board, the end beginning to dip as he got closer,“No way, I’m practically a cat.”

On queue, Eddie began to lose his balance, flailing his arms and rushing back towards stability. Chrissy gasped, standing up and throwing a hand over her mouth, nearly dropping the cigarette. 

Back on the cement deck of the pool Eddie stared at Chrissy for a moment, cheeks red. Chrissy couldn’t help the giggle that spilled past her lips, then the full on laughing just moments later. Eddie joined her, laughing heavy as he walked back over to her. 

“Yeah, very cat-like,” Chrissy said as their laughter died down, both now standing next to each other next to the glowing pool. The urge to jump in and take Eddie with her was gnawing at her shoulders. Another night, she told herself. 

“Hey, cat’s aren't perfect.” Eddie shrugged, looking down at her, unable to take his eyes away from the soft lines of her face.  A pretty hand, the one not holding the cigarette, came up to her mouth as she yawned, “Ready for bed?”

“Definitely,” She said at the end of the yawn, and then lifted her other hand, holding the quarter of the cigarette that was left up towards Eddie, “Want the rest?”

“Oh, sure,” He hesitated and then instead of taking the cigarette from her, leaned down to where she was holding it up to him. Looking at her, he placed the end of it in his mouth, her thin fingers nearly touching his lips as he took a long drag. He pulled back, gently taking the cigarette with him before blowing the smoke out of his nose. He pretended not to notice the way she paused and looked at him. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and pushed into the ashtray on the table. 

“Uh, it’s…it’s late, we should get some sleep,” Chrissy said, trying to sound casual.

Eddie nodded, turning towards the house. He resisted the urge to grab Chrissy’s hand as they walked inside.

**

From Steve’s bedroom window, he and Robin can see the two newest members of their highly exclusive club sitting beside the pool. This is not how he intended for any of this to have gone.

Honestly he didn’t know what he thought would come of throwing himself into the back of Eddie’s van, interrupting what was apparently a drug deal. Which, maybe that’s what he expected given Eddie's reputation, but it didn’t really matter. All he could think about now was the way Chrissy had clung to him, the fear in her eyes as she fell out of her nightmare, but also the waver in her voice as she’d talked to Steve. He knew she hadn’t wanted him there, but she'd been paranoid enough and he’d scared her further. He had shoved his way into her and Eddie’s space where she, evidently, felt comfortable. Down next to the pool they sat together on a lounge chair, calmly, then Eddie searched for something in his jacket.

“Talk to me, dingus,” Robin called, spread out like a starfish on Steve’s bed. Her eyes were closed but he didn’t doubt she was giving her full attention. Steve let out a sigh and fell onto his bed beside her, feet dangling off the side.

“It’s happening again,” he said it, even as he couldn’t believe it, “and this time instead of gaining a Robin, I’ve got The Freak, who hates my guts at the moment, and Hawkins High royalty, who- oh thats right- also hates my guts!” He let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I did that thing again, where I don’t ask and just help when I’m not wanted,” he admitted.

“Well it worked in your favor this time,” Robin scoffed, “or at least in Chrissy’s.” Steve shook his head, 

“I don’t think I did anything to save her.” 

“Well you at least knew what was going on,” she reasoned. “Plus, they don’t hate your guts, well Eddie might, but not your guts. He hates your reputation’s guts. Sure, you’re overly protective and pushy, but you make up for it in other ways.”

“Like how?” He asked, disbelieving.

“Well, you’re a total push over, for one.”

“Wow, thanks,” he said flatly.

“No really,” she insisted, “and sometimes you cook.”

“So you’re saying my best qualities are my willingness to drive you and brats around and cook you meals?” He rolled over to look at Robin, face resting in his elbow, and she mirrored him to answer,

“Sorry, I don’t feel like getting all sappy right now but yes, those are some of the things I like about you,” she rolled her eyes but watched as his attention drifted back to the open window and the pool lights shining up at them. “Why do you care so much what they think of you?”

“I don’t really, it’s mostly… I think they like each other,” He frowned, unsure of why the thought bothered him so much, “I mean it makes sense, Chrissy is… perfect, and Eddie’s got that whole,” he waggled his fingers in Robin's face, “edgy guy in a band thing going on. They’ve got opposites attracting going for them, so maybe I’m just jealous that they make sense, and they're like… falling for each other as we watch.” They both sat up, Robin pulling a pillow to her chest and clutching it as they looked out the window together. As if trying to prove Steve’s point, Eddie placed a comforting hand on her back and let it rest there as they continued to take turns pulling drags from the same cigarette.

“How was your date with… what’s her name, Lin-”

“Brenda,” Steve sighed, “It was fine I guess. Honestly, I cared more about the game, plus she’s not looking for anything serious, mostly interested in seeing what Steve Harrington has gotten up to since graduating.”

“So you’re jealous because last time it was you saving Nancy, but now-”

“It’s not about Nancy,” he insisted, a little too harshly. Nancy was still a sore spot, and he could only deny having feelings for her so much. “It’s about… how easy it looks, but here I am going on date after date with nothing to show for it, and after one failed drug deal, Eddie Munson, of all people, has a girl laughing like her life wasn’t flashing before her eyes an hour ago.”

“If only we could… combine,” Robin said, still watching out the window.

“Combine?” Steve repeated, finally pulling his gaze away, and turning back to Robin.

“Yeah, I’ve found the girl of my dreams, but can’t find the courage to ask her out, while you go on a million dates just looking for anyone!” She threw up her arms in frustration.

“Not anyone,” Steve grumbled.

“No not anyone,” Robin corrected, “but someone worth your time.”

They trailed off into comfortable quiet, and when Robin’s eyes began to drift Steve ushered her into the bathroom to get ready for bed. 

After they’ve both brushed their teeth they settle under the covers back to back, as they tend to whenever they can convince Robin’s parents to let her stay over at her friend Melissa’s (Stevie seemed to obvious for how often he picked her up, or was forced to stay for dinner, but Melissa would have been his name had he been born a girl). It was usually easier to sleep with Robin close to him, but that night he tossed and turned unable to keep his eyes closed. His restless night typically started after he had woken from a nightmare, but it wasn’t visions of  monstrous mouths, or fleshy mall destroying monsters that kept him up.

“Hey, Robin?” He whispered, “You awake?”

“Yeah,” she groaned.

“Isn’t Eddie… gay? I mean, that’s what people say right?” he asked, unsure of the words even as he said them.

“Steven,” she warned, sounding more awake, “you know better than to assume-”

“No, I know, I just- it would be cool for you to have a gay friend, right?” he said, almost too quickly for her to understand, “but he’s got a thing for Chrissy anyway, so never mind.” He pushed himself back against his pillow, pointedly, and pretended to be drifting off to sleep.

“Woah, that was a lot, but yeah maybe it would,” she shrugged, “as for the Chrissy thing, people can like both, but still you shouldn’t-”

“Assume,” he finished for her, his eyes now wide open but gazing distantly. “Or even guess, I know. I won’t.”

“Good,” Robin said into her pillow before leaving Steve alone in the world of the waking, as her words played over and over in his head.

People can like both.

*

The morning after the game, Max woke up gasping for air, holding back a scream as the image of Billy faded from her mind. The horrible images were quickly replaced with a pulsing headache that forced her from her room in search of Advil. She shoved them in her mouth, followed it with a handful of water, and hoped they might buy her another hour of sleep.

Those hopes were dashed when the sound of police sirens whooped outside of her house, growing closer. Human curiosity getting the best of her, Max made her way to the front door. Stepping out onto the porch, she watched as three police cruisers and an unmarked car speed their way down the gravel road of the trailer park, all skidding to a stop in front of Eddie Munson’s trailer. His uncle was sitting on the porch smoking a cigarette.

“Looks like that Munson boy’s up to no good again,” Her mother’s voice made Max jump, not expecting her to come out behind her.

Without saying anything Max stepped off the porch, walking across the gravel road and towards the scene in front of her. Cops were pulling yellow rolls of barrier tape from the trunks of their cruisers, officials already rushing about as Chief Powell spoke to Eddie’s Uncle.

Max continued creeping closer, watching as Powell and Officer Callahan walked towards the hitch end of the trailer. When she couldn’t get any closer, she craned her neck to see around the cars and people. What she saw made her sick.

It was what used to be a person, a girl from what she could tell. But she was… crumpled. Her limbs were lying at odd angles in the grass, broken in unnatural places as well as at the joints. She looked the way a dead spider did, dried and caved in on herself. With horror, Max realized it was Anne Carver. Max recognized the windbreaker she was wearing, she had seen her in it last night. Anne was only a sophomore, only a year older than Max, and Jason’s Carver’s little sister. Max had never seen her even breath in the direction of the trailer park, but last night while feeding her neighbor's neglected mutt Max saw her here. She was getting out of a car with a boy around their age Max had never seen before. He had been wearing what she had learned by proxy was the opposing team's colors. Anne was giggling with him, hanging off his arm as he smoked a cigarette before they went in. 

Max tried to piece together some understanding of what had happened, there was no way that boy killed Anne. Anne was tall for her age, almost the same height as the boy she was with, and Max was sure she remembered him to be a twig of a boy, scrawnier than Wheeler. There was no way he had the physical strength to do this to her, not alone at least. And even then, a group would have a hard time committing something this awful without anyone noticing until the next morning. Max couldn’t help but connect the strangeness of the body with the way the lights had flickered violently through the park last night. She had tried to convince herself it was shitty infrastructure and nothing else, but she was having a hard time sticking to that sentiment now.

Before Max could take another step forward, an officer landed a heavy hand on her shoulder. Making her jump as he turned her around, demanding she go back inside. With another quick glance back, Max ran across the road to her mother. The idea of getting any more sleep this morning was lost from her mind.

*

Dustin was sitting next to his mother, taking in yet another death. It never seemed to end, the death that filled Hawkins. Though it was still tragic, he couldn’t help but be relieved that this time he hadn’t seen it and wouldn’t have to take on any more grief.

That’s what he was hoping for, at least. Then Max showed up at his doorstep after barely acknowledging him and the party at school for weeks. She hadn’t been looking herself recently. Her clothes had all somehow turned to drab, muted shades, and even when Dustin managed to talk to her, she usually kept her headphones on and ignored half of what he said.

Now she was here, heavily breathing from the bike ride over and looking frightened in a way that could only mean one thing. 

Max confirmed as much with her story about the lights, and the body she shuddered to even think about. Given the confirmed murder and with the rest of the party MIA, Dustin knew he didn’t want to deal with this alone- he needed to get to Steve.

They couldn’t speak over the whirring of their tires or their labored breaths, but Max and Dustin kept careful watch over each other. As they both frantically pedaled across town, Dustin tried to stop from thinking of the demon dogs chasing them down in the junkyard, or the demogorgons following them through the school. At least the adrenalin made him pedal faster.

The sign for the arcade was in sight, and Dustin couldn’t help the childish thought that told him Steve and Robin would be taking over soon, that they would make it alright. He knew he was older now, had dealt with this plenty before but he was barely managing to keep his friend group together. With Max drifting from them in her grief, and Lucas now ditching out on Hellfire, it felt almost good that he could still rely on them in crisis.

Just as Family video came into view, Steve’s voice crackled through the Walkie in the side pocket of Dustin's back-pack,

“Henderson, we’ve got a code red.” The buzz cut off as Steve waited for a response. “Can you hear me? Code Red. we have a code red,” he continued to ramble through the radio as Dustin and Max both slammed on their brakes, swerving to stop themselves from crashing into each other.

“Steve!” Dustin yelled back into the walkie, waiting for a chance to interject between his friend's repetition of “Code red. We have a code red.” Eventually, he got through, “Steve! I know, I’ve got Max with me. We’re almost to Family Video. Over.” Max leaned in closer, awkwardly walking her bike next to Dustin’s so she could better hear Steve.

“Why would you- oh, Rob and I called off, you need to get to my house stat.”

“Okay,” Dustin accepted, mapping the route to Steve’s in his head. “You have a phone, right? We need to find Eddie. And don’t forget to say over. Over.”

“Eddies here?” Steve told him, confused as to how Dustin would know he was involved. “Wait, how did you know it was a code red?”

Dustin lets Steve’s abysmal Walkie-Talkie etiquette slide in the face of Eddie being found.

“You have him!? Is he okay? Over.”

“Why wouldn’t he be okay, Dustin?”

“Steve!” Dustin reprimanded, but Max had grown tired of his screeching and yanked the walkie out of his hand.

“Turn on the news dipshit,” she ordered, “we’ll be there soon.” Then after a pointed look from Dustin she added. “Over and out.”

The walkie clicked off again, and Steve knew it would be futile to try and get them back on the line or explain what the hell they were up to. He knocked his forehead against the walkie a few times before letting it clatter to the kitchen counter.

“Robin!” He called towards the living room, “Turn on the news.”

“What?” She called back.

“Deaf bitch,” Steve groaned to himself, walking out of the kitchen and towards the living room where the others were, “Turn on the news, local probably.”

Robin leaned forward from where she was on the couch, sitting with Chrissy between her and Eddie. Steve couldn't help but notice how close they were to each other, the sleeve on Eddie's right arm was pulled up past his elbow, rolled tight on his bicep. He was showing Chrissy his tattoos. Steve resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Robin grabbed the remote off the table, flicked the TV on, and flipped through the channels until she landed on the local news. 

Steve sat on the arm of the couch next to Robin while the group took in the story on the news. 

“What the fuck…” Eddie trailed off, voicing what both Chrissy and Steve were also feeling.

The reporter was standing almost directly outside of Eddie’s trailer, a crowd of people and police cruisers filling the background behind her.

“We’re at Forest Hills Trailer Park in east Roane County,” The reporter began, addressing the viewers, “We don’t have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning.”

“What?” Chrissy said to herself, almost like she was worried she was a ghost watching her own murder on TV.

“Police have not released the name, though we are told they are currently in the process of notifying the family.”

Eddie looked down at Chrissy next to him, placing a hand on her knee and squeezing. Steve didn’t try to understand the pointed look he gave her.

“That was supposed to be me,” Chrissy said out of the blue, looking down at her hands in horror, “I was supposed to die there, not them.”

“No way,” Robin said, shaking her head in disbelief, “This has to be a coincidence, there’s just no way.”

“How could it be?” Tears started to well in Chrissy’s eyes, guilt heavy in her chest, “This is my fault!”

“Don’t feel bad about surviving, Chrissy,” Steve tried to reassure, “Whoever it was could have died even if you did too, we don’t know.”

“Steve’s right, Chrissy,” Eddie said, pulling her attention to him, “You can’t blame yourself for this.”

“And we’re gonna figure this out as soon as we can,” Steve added, “Don’t ever tell them I said this, but the two of the smartest brats I have ever known are on their way over to help, it’s gonna be okay.”

*

Lucas hated this. If he had known how bad everything would hurt this morning, he would have skipped more than half the drinks he had last night. He was sure that the cold bathroom tiles against his knees were the only thing keeping him alive at the moment. Another heave wracked his body as more alcohol made its way back up.

A knock on the door made him jump as he spit into the toilet.

“You alright in there, Sinclair?” It was Jason on the other side of the bathroom door.

“I’m good,” Lucas grimaced, giving a thumbs up no one else could see.

“First hangover feels like you're gonna split in two, but you’ll live,” Jason advised through the door, trying to catch his breath Lucas was sure he was lying.

Lucas waited another moment more, sitting back on his heels and waiting for himself to gag again. When the danger of nausea seemed to have subsided, he stood, kicking the lever on the toilet to flush it, and went to the sink. Lucas looked at himself in the mirror, he was sweaty and his face hung in a way that made him look older than he was. He bent over, careful to not move so fast that he sent himself back to praying in front of the toilet, and splashed cold water on his face, rubbing it around his eyes, trying to wash away the grime from last night. He snatched a few paper towels from the roll someone had thought to leave in there and dried his face and neck.

Making his way to the kitchen, Lucas grabbed a solo cup from the stack of unused ones to fill with cold water and slowly sipped on it at the sink.

From where Lucas stood at the unused serving window, he could see Jason, Andy, Patrick, and Chance all in front of the TV. The volume was just loud enough for Lucas to hear it from where he was. 

“Hawkins’ student got murdered,” Patrick told Jason.

Lucas slowly made his way out of the kitchen and towards the TV to try and get a better view.

“As you can see behind me, Chief Powell and the Hawkins Police Department are actively investigating the scene,” The familiar news reporter turned and gestured to an even more familiar trailer behind her. Lucas almost dropped his water when he recognized Eddie's home behind her. 

He had only been to Eddie’s place specifically a few times, but back before Max broke up with him he had spent almost all of his time at Forest Hills Trailer Park. He had spent long nights on the outdoor couch in the background of the news broadcast talking to Eddie, mostly about Max. 

Lucas couldn’t help the thoughts racing through his mind. Was it Eddie? He could really only push his luck so far, one of these days his mouth was bound to get him in trouble. But, as awful as it sounded, Lucas didn’t think Eddie’s murder would end up on the news. Most of the town treated him as either a pest or as a dead man already. 

What if it was Max? Lucas stopped himself there. He couldn’t think about that. He’d call her when he got home just to check. She was probably fine, though, he told himself. She was the toughest person he knew, she had to be fine.

The sound of sirens tuned Lucas back into the real world. Patrick was getting on Andy about some joke he made and Jason was walking up to the window, watching the approach of police cruisers.  In a moment of panic, Lucas ran back into the bathroom, deadbolting the lock behind him to wait out whatever was happening.

Lucas felt like he had been hiding in the bathroom forever, but he was glad he did instead of running. Luckily when the door knob to the bathroom had rattled Jason was quick to lie about it being broken and locked up, saving Lucas’s cover. Lucas had stood with his ear to the door as soon as he heard Chief Powell asking Jason to sit. 

Powell began asking Jason about the party last night, lukewarm threats of arrest for trespassing and underage drinking thrown around. This had to be about the murder, there’s no way it wasn’t. Patrick told him that in all the years that they had partied here, not once had the cops shown up.

“What about your girlfriend?” Powell asked, “Did you see her last night?”

“Chrissy?” Jason asked softly, no longer pushing back at their questions. “No.”

Lucas had to push closer against the door to hear as the conversation took on a somber tone.

“That’s odd with her being your girlfriend and all,” the other officer prodded.

“When was the last time you talked to her?” Powell asked calmly.

“After the game,” Jason answered shortly, even as the chief stared at him down, clearly wanting to hear more. “Look, this… this doesn’t have to do with that dead student, does it?” Lucas could hear the shake in Jason’s voice through the door. Powell ignored his question and continued to push,

“What did Chrissy say when you talked to her?” 

“Well- she… she said she was going to go home, get changed, something like that.” Jason stuttered, getting agitated.

“Did she mention anything about buying drugs for the party?” Chief Powell’s tone remained flat, trying to seem unthreatening now, even as he made the accusation.

“Drugs?!” Jason blanched, “No. No way. Chrissy doesn’t mess with that crap.”

“Maybe someone talked her into it,” He suggested, “Maybe your sister was interested, asked her to tag along?”

“No, wait, Anne?” Jason looked between the two officers, fear building in his voice, but neither offered him any information. “What does Anne have to do with this?”

“Do you know of any connection your sister or girlfriend would have to Eddie Munson? Ever seen them talking to him?”

“That freak? No! No way,” Jason spat. At a loss the policemen looked at each other as if deciding to believe him or not. “What- what does Eddie have to do with all this? Did that freak hurt her?” He was desperate now, and shouting, demanding answers even as he dreaded what they could be. “Is my sister all right? Is- is Chrissy- Tell me what he did!”

Lucas could barely breathe. He leaned all his weight against the door to the bathroom, ear pressed close so he could hear the two police officers explain that Annes body had been found in the trailer park. She wasn’t supposed to be there, but there’d been a party and she’d found herself in Forest Hills. For a brief moment he wondered if Max had been there, but quickly assured himself that she wouldn’t have been interested. Still he hoped she was okay, it sounded like it might not be safe where she lived if there was someone killing people running around the trailer park.

Chrissy was missing, they explained to Jason, their words heavy with implications that she might also be dead. Eddie was also missing, but that meant something entirely different to them. They tried to ask Jason if there was anywhere she’d have run to, but he was quickly overwhelmed by an angry confusion and wasn’t even trying to answer their questions any more.

A drug dealer and two missing girls, one already dead? Lucas knew that didn’t look good for his friend.

Jason ran outside, the cops taking the opportunity to make a quick exit, and the rest of the boys could hear his cries of anguish. To Lucas, it sounded like rage, like the roars of monsters he’d seen tear grown men to shreds. 

*

Max and Dustin threw their bikes recklessly on the lawn and sprinted up the steps, where Dustin proceeded to pound on the door. Needlessly waking the whole neighborhood, as Steve almost immediately opened the door, and waved them in.

“Eddie!” Dustin cried happily, despite expecting him to be there, “Thank god you’re alright.” The two briefly hugged, and Eddie ruffled his hair as they pulled apart.

“I’m perfectly fine, pipsqueak,” He teased with an easy smile. “And now I know all your secrets, and am beginning to understand why Steve Harrington feels like he’s your guy's mother.”

“He already told you?” Dustin gasped, “I wanted to get to tell you.”

“Yeah, well, you snooze you lose,” Steve shrugged, locking the door behind Max and sliding the deadbolt into place. “Plus, we need to fill you in on what’s happening now.”

Dustin finally managed to look past Eddie, where Robin was sitting on the couch with Chrissy fucking Cunningham.

“What the hell is she doing here?!” He exclaimed, gesturing toward the cheerleader as if she even managed to rank top ten weirdest things he’d ever seen.

“That’s rude,” Steve said under his breath slapping his hand down the same time that Max shoved past him to introduce herself.

“Ignore the loud mouth, he just doesn’t know how to cool it. I’m Max.” She plopped herself down next to Chrissy and looked to her for explanation. “So they filled you in? What’s happening?”

“Someone… died,” Chrissy started, her eyes darting around the room, never landing on anyone and instead looking off unfocused. “But I think it was supposed to be me. I- I- can’t.” She cut herself off with a choked-off sob and looked to Eddie as she leaned into Robin’s hand rubbing soothingly up and down her arm. “Could you…” Eddie jumped into action, with a literal little hop,

“Yeah, yeah of course,” He assured, doing his best to stop himself from replacing Robin on the couch, pulling Chrissy’s hands into his own. Instead he paced as he recounted the previous night, glancing over at Steve and Chrissy for confirmation whenever he lost the thread. As he finished, he managed to stand in one place, elbowing Steve in the side, “Then Steve here kidnapped us both and forced us to spend the night on his fancy ass couches.”

Max looked around their assembled group, ignoring the way Steve was practically glaring at Eddie, and trying not to antagonize the already upset Chrissy.

“If it’s back again we need to know,” She pushed, “Did you see anything? Dark particles maybe.”

“It would almost look like dust, swirling dust,” Dustin interjected from where he had slumped over in a large lazy boy during Eddie’s tale.

“No, no, man there was nothing you could see or…touch,” Eddie recounted with a haunted look in his eyes before they darted up to Chrissy as if to check she was still there.

“We tried to wake her,” he explained, nodding toward Steve, letting the motion take him further into his space, “but she couldn't move. It was like she was in a trance or something.” Noticing Eddie's distress, Steve’s hand came up to grab lightly at his elbow and rested there when it didn’t get shaken off.

“Or under a spell.” Dustin wondered aloud.

“A curse,” Eddie agreed, the seriousness of his voice growing even as they brought in their nerdy nature.

“Vecna's curse!” the kid confirmed, as if that made sense to anyone else around them.

“Who’s Venca?” Steve asked at the same time Chrissy spat, “I’m cursed?!”

“He’s an undead creature of great power,” Dustin plowed on, unbothered by their questions as he and Eddie pieced together their newest enemy.

“A spell caster,” the DM leaned in closer, a comfortable mindset falling over him as he put words to the indescribable, spoke fantasy into reality. “A dark wizard.”

“Yeah, that's great,” Chrissy cut them off, “Can we circle back to where I’m cursed.”

*

Wayne was trying to gather himself, maybe work his way through a pack of cigarettes, and not worry his head off about his missing boy. It was going alright, minus the not worrying part, until a girl, looking around Eddie's age came up and introduced herself. They were only feet away from the crime scene that had once been his front yard, so he didn’t feel that bad when he told her to take her little notepad and leave him alone.

“Look, let me level with you, Mr. Munson,” Nancy, she had said her name was, continued, taking a seat next to him on the picnic table. “The paper that I write for is... small. We don't have the staff to keep up with the big guys. And I'm just... looking for something, anything really, about what happened last night.” 

“Why?” He scoffed, flicking the ashes off his smoke. “S’far as I can tell, you all have it figured out already. My nephew's a freak.” He spat the word, even though it was a kinder term than Eddie usually had thrown his way. “He killed that girl. Ain't that about right?” 

“Let me guess,” She smiled, trying to seem relatable. “You've been speaking to the Hawkins Post? Chuck Bailey?” Well, she wasn’t wrong about that. He watched her for a moment. She did look quite young, but he knew better than to think that meant she was incapable. Wayne nodded in confirmation. “ Yeah, I used to work with him. I mean, that guy doesn't know his ass from his elbow. Let me tell your side of the story.” 

Maybe she convinced him, maybe Wayne just needed to tell someone who would at least pretend to listen, but he opened his mouth and defended his nephew,

“Eddie, he may look dangerous, but he didn't do this. It just... ain't in his nature. No matter what anyone says, and they will say things, believe you me. But... This... wasn't Eddie,” Wayne thought back to the scene he’d arrived home to, then shut his eyes as if to block it out. It wasn’t something that Eddie could have done. Forget the demons on his shirts and the ear-splitting volume he likes his music, the kid was still just that, a kid.” The man who did this,” He continued, “Who killed that poor girl, he's... pure evil.”

"Man?” Nancy questioned, “You think you know who might've done this?” 

“You ever hear the name Victor Creel?” he asked, and when she shook her head he felt almost bad for feeding her nightmares, but she asked for his opinion. So he told her about the boogieman that had haunted his youth, the one that never really went away, while keeping to himself images of Eddie lost and running with some monster of a man after him.

When the young reporter excused herself, Wayne nodded her off and, though he wouldn’t admit to it, sent a prayer more like a threat up to a God he knew didn’t care if Eddie lived or died. He did. He cared, and maybe that could be enough.

*

At a loss for what to do next, everyone at Steve’s house… floundered. 

 Max and Dustin were posted at the phone calling around to the Wheelers, Byers, and Sinclair's but no one was home, and their parents were getting sick of the ringing. Robin had found a notebook somewhere and had taken to writing down every detail Eddie, Chrissy, and Steve could give her. The three of them were hesitant to go anywhere while they were still unsure of what exactly was after them, or at least Chrissy.

Steve had basically force fed everyone lunch right after the kids arrived, and had thrown himself into putting together something good for dinner. He didn’t know if it was the unreasonable over protective voice in his head again, or if it really made sense, but something told him this could be their last good meal. So there he was, slaving away in his kitchen while Eddie and Chrissy tried to pretend not to cuddle on the couch, and Robin flipped frantically through her notes, rambling at him from her seat on the counter next to his cutting board,

“Max is pretty sure the body was Anne Carver, so we’ve got two Hawkins High seniors who were…cursed or whatever. The only other thing connecting them is Jason and the location, the trailer park. But nothing has ever happened there before?” She ran through the same issue a couple dozen times by now, trying to think of any other angle that might reveal the solution.  Steve was half listening and nodding along as he began dunking the chicken breast in the egg mixture, then rolling it around in the breading. The methodic task calmed him at least a little bit.

“I’m going to talk to Eddie again, maybe he knows more about what this…wizard…Vecna could be,” Robin let out a frustrated sigh and hopped off the counter. “How the hell are you just cooking right now?”

“I need something to do,” he shrugged, “Plus it seems you’ve got the whole investigation thing under control.”

“Yeah, sure, it seems like it,” She scoffed, and moved to leave but he barred the way with his arm, careful to keep from touching her with his hands as they were practically breaded themselves.

“Rob,” he scolded gently, “you’re doing everything you can. You’re doing more than me, but- I mean, everyone is safe right now and that's the most we can ask for.”

“Yeah, okay,” she relented, with a half-hearted smile and a squeeze of his wrist.

Alone in the quiet kitchen, Steve was able to convince himself that it was just a normal night, he was prepping some dinner for the week, that he wasn’t scared. His refuge was interrupted by Chrissy, leaning up on the counter next to him as he washed off his hands. When he shut off the water she asked timidly,

“You need any help?”

“Sure!” he said a bit too eagerly, surprised by her offer, “You want to uh… shred the cheese, I’m just doing chicken parm.”

“Just,” she laughed, picking up the task given to her and getting to work. “There is a magic murderer after us and your first instinct is to put together an entire meal for the… host of people that have invaded your home.”

“Maybe not my first instinct,” he joked, “but yeah, someone has to take care of all of you.” 

Conversation broke off as they set to work, Chrissy pulled the chicken from the oven and began layering the cheese over it, while Steve pulled a huge pot out of the cabinets and set to filling it. 

“I’m sorry, by the way,” he offered up, earning a confused look from Chrissy. “Robin said I should apologize,” he explained, “not that that’s the only reason I’m saying it. I am, sorry I mean. I…scared you and that isn’t at all what I wanted to do, but I’m glad I was there, and that you’re alright.” Chrissy tried not to think of how the previous night could have ended, how Anne’s night had gone but managed to respond casually.

“I am too.” Surprisingly, she found she meant it. “Thanks for having us by the way, for… explaining all of this to us- Eddie and I.” Steve hummed at that but only spoke when Chrissy asked, “What?”

“Just… Eddie and you?”

“I’m- Jason,” she argued, and Steve let it go easily, sliding a cutting board with some broccoli on it in front of her. The two continued in companionable silence, passing ingredients to the other as needed but not feeling the need to speak much.

Eddie roped Max in to help him find the stuff the set the table and the kids took their usual seats across from each other, while Robin took one of the chairs crammed together on the short side of the table. This left Chrissy and Eddie also looking across at each other when Dustin dragged Eddie into the chair next to him.

Everyone was waiting there in their seats when Steve brought out the last dish. Eddie had his fork and knife in hand as if he was about to start banging them on the table, but was restraining himself. Max and Dustin squabbled over the serving spoons, batting each other's hands away trying to get to the food first and Steve couldn't be bothered to stop them as he took his chair at the head of the table alongside Robin.

“Children!” Eddie interrupted, letting his silverware clatter back down on his place mat. The flurry of sound got them to stop bickering for at least a moment so he continued while he had their attention, “Did you forget grace?”

“Screw off,” Dustin deadpanned, used to Eddie's antics, and served himself a scoop of pasta with a wet slap.

“Well, you could at least thank your mother for cooking this delicious meal,” Eddie said with a wave of the broccoli tongs, piling vegetables onto Max and Dustin's plates then after a pointed look from Steve, his own.

Dustin mumbled his thanks under his breath, and just to outdo him Max looked at Steve and clearly said, “Thank you, Steve.” 

Even though she made a joke of it, Steve could tell a part of it was genuine.

“Of course Max, and thank you Chrissy for helping,” Steve returned, slipping into a strange sort of contentedness. For all that lead to this moment he was happy here, with his closest friends and possibly some new ones safe under his roof, and cared for.

They all ate peacefully, for the most part. Of course a couple times Dustin and Max started going at it but Eddie easily got between them and was able to break it up. If Steve was being honest with himself, seeing Eddie with the kids made him a bit jealous. They listened to him easily, whereas Steve telling them to do anything was met with at least a little bitching, if not outright refusal. Dustin loved the guy. He raved about what an amazing dungeon master Eddie was constantly, and he knew so much about all the books the kids loved. What did Steve have?

It didn’t matter, he told himself. He knew the kids cared, and that they trusted him. Steve reached back out for that happy feeling.

Everyone was still enjoying their dinner, pushing impending doom from their mind, and Steve's eyes wandered back to Eddie. Sure he chewed with his mouth half open most of the time, but it was because he couldn’t keep the smirk off his face as he continually added food to the kids' plates, kicked Robin under the table, or shot Chrissy a wink.

He was checking in on everyone, Steve realized. Constantly gauging their mood and redirecting them if they seemed to fall out of the conversation, in a way it was familiar to Steve. He constantly wanted to know the kids were alright. It’s why Robin stayed over whenever she could, and why he’d set up a phone in his room so they could call him anytime. Eddie did it differently, but Steve found himself…admiring the ease with which they accepted his help. Steve had not learned that sort of subtlety, and certainly couldn’t claim to have the sort of charm that radiated off of him. 

When he’d been King Steve that charm had come from a big house, being decent at sports, and a reputation he’d done very little to earn. Eddie on the other hand built his charm from scratch. It came from the constant movement of his hands, highlighted by the chunky rings he apparently never took off, and the way his fingers flew, always grasping or clawing or curling away from some invisible force. Not only did any gesture take his whole body, but his mess of hair added to the chaos, billowing out in an extension of his mood.

Chrissy was enthralled by it. She ignored the scraps left on her plate and leaned towards Eddie. Her hair was back up in a ponytail, giving Steve a chance to take her in unobstructed. She was pretty, he admitted to himself, though it felt confusingly bitter. Her smile was bright and her laughter made the whole room feel lighter. He could see how she’s taken Hawkins High by storm- with her dedication to her sport, naturally good looks, sweet demeanor, and the way she ducked her head down to hide her giggles but looked up through her lashes. It wasn’t fake like the girls Steve let walk their way into his bed. No, Chrissy felt real.

Realizing he had been staring a bit too long, Steve forced his gaze back towards Eddie, recounting some story about a princess. Steve pictured Chrissy as the princess.

Eddie played with his hair a lot, Steve noticed. He pulled it in front of his face when he wanted to hide a taunting smile, shook it out whenever he laughed, and twirled it around his fingers unthinkingly. Steve wanted to run his hands through it.

That made Steve choke on his pasta, and as much as Robin thought slapping his back was helping, it was not.

“Okay, Stevie?” Robin asked as he washed down his shame with some water, hoping they attributed his redness to the choking and not the blush he knew it was.

“Yeah, Stevie,” Eddie smirked at the nickname, “You alright?” He most certainly was not alright.

“Yeah,” He wheezed, shooting Robin a desperate look, “all good.” 

The rest of their meal went by without note, and afterward, Eddie corralled the kids into doing the cleanup. 

Eddie had begun to insist that, since Chrissy helped with the cooking, she didn’t need to do any of the cleaning up. But Max interjected, asking Chrissy to find the Tupperware in Steve's kitchen to store the leftover food. Chrissy agreed, hearing Ms. Kelly’s advice about distracting herself after eating in her head. She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she shuffled around Steve’s kitchen, opening cabinets and drawers to find what she needed. 

“You okay?” Eddie asked, asked as he began soaking the plates in the sink, Chrissy looking through the cabinet next to him.

“Oh, yeah, I’m good.” Chrissy nodded trying to reassure him, finally finding the containers, “I’ll be okay.”

“Okay,” Eddie trailed off, looking at her, not fully convinced, “Let me know if you’re not, yeah?”

Chrissy nodded in agreement as she headed to the other counter where Max brought in the dishes of leftover chicken and pasta. Chrissy carefully arranged the food, taking her time.

“Steve is a good cook, right?” Max said to Chrissy, bring another dish over.

“Yeah,” Chrissy nodded, “I’m surprised he did so much for tonight.”

Max nodded, “Yeah, he cooks when he’s stressed, gives him time to think. Last summer we all came over to swim and I broke my wrist. He blamed himself and spent a whole day making chicken noodle soup from scratch for me.”

“Wow, that’s a lot.” Chrissy snapped the lids onto the containers.

“Yeah, it’s how he shows he cares, I guess.” Max shrugged, “Food seems to be like that for a lot of people, it's its own love language.”

“Hm,” Chrissy thought for a moment, “That’s true, I guess I’ve never thought about that before.”

“Yeah, even the bad stuff, like cauliflower or mushrooms ,” She made a face at the idea of them, “feel worth it to eat when someone else cooks for you.”

“That’s a nice way to think about it,” Chrissy said, realizing that the pointed words from this girl she didn’t know were more than just chatter to fill the silence.

Max leaned in close, lowering her voice so only Chrissy could hear in the large kitchen, “By the way, Munson has been staring you down all night,”

Chrissy glanced over her shoulder, meeting Eddie’s eyes for a moment before he quickly looked away, suddenly very interested in the design of the plate he was drying.

“Seriously?” Dustin grimaced, looking back over his shoulder where the girls were packing away their leftovers. Steve had made too much as usual.

“What?” Eddie feigned ignorance, even as he could feel Chrissy’s gaze boring into the back of his skull.

“You’ve been making eyes at Chrissy Cunningham all day,” Dustin stated, point of fact, “What happened to balls in the laundry basket, down with the popular crowd? I mean Chrissy Cun-”

“Dude,” Eddie hissed, snapping the towel he was using to dry with at the kid, “stop saying her full name like that you freak.”

“You’re the freak,” Dustin snapped back, before drifting into a more somber mood as he scrubbed at the casserole dish. “Do you really think you have a chance? I mean you really are a freak and she's…”

“Okay dude,” Eddie shut him down, “So you get to have a girlfriend who’s hotter than Phoebe Cates and crazy smart but what, the rest of us have to suffer? Shut the fuck up and finish the dishes.” Thankfully, he relented, leaving Eddie to wonder after his own desirability.

He knew that Chrissy was dating Jason, so he’d been avoiding thinking about how every interaction he had with Chrissy was slowly wrapping him around her finger, but of course, Henderson went and messed that up. The thing was the kid wasn’t wrong, he wasn’t what any normal person would consider good boyfriend material, at least not in a town as small as Hawkins. Eddie was a freak, and he liked it that way, but Chrissy didn’t seem entirely put off by his strange nature. He didn’t know if whatever affection she appeared to have for him would stick around once the world went back to normal, or if she really thought about the fact that he was a super senior with no real plans. 

Then there was also the whole, queer thing to contend with. Sure guys thought it was hot when two girls made out at parties, but Eddie didn’t think it went the other way. Plus that was just for show, and he didn’t want his hard earned self accepted off his gayer side to be played off as some joke. Eddie’s identity was a carefully constructed mosaic, and he wasn’t about to put down his bisexuality.

Then he remembered this was all futile. Chrissy was with Jason. It didn’t matter, and yet he found himself hoping she could at least be an accepting friend.

*

When the rest of the group peeled away to clean up, Steve grabbed Robin by the hand and dragged her into his bathroom, doing his best to look normal, and sane, not like everything he’d ever known to be true had been blown to bits by Eddie Munson.

Unlike the star court bathroom, this was a particular safe haven for Steve.

The counters were full of bottles. Some hair products that he had tried and never touched again. Some were completely empty, their labels a reminder for him to buy more, and a majority were part-way used. When Robin had started staying over, she tried to claim some of the counter space for herself, figuring it would be fine to move some of the abundance of bottles under the sink since Steve had cleaned out half his dresser for her, but that had been a mistake. He had simply steered her into the guest bathroom next door and rushed back to put everything where it belonged.

Steve would make room for Robin almost everywhere in his life, but not here. 

This bathroom was where he’d put on that mask of the perfect high school heartthrob, day after day. It had become a sort of ritual somewhere along the way, the intensity with which he looked over his appearance, every hair in place, every muscle trained into a date-winning smile. In recent years the ritual has changed. He still found comfort in his hair, his best feature, but instead of putting on the mask, Robin had slowly talked him into looking through it. ‘Finding himself’ she called it.

Right now he didn’t want to look at the mirror, so he sank to the floor leaning against the cupboards under the sink, and dragged Robin down next to him.

“What’s going on Steve-o? You’re scaring me a little,” She laughed, easily going down next to him.

“I think I’ve found my Steve Harrington,” He said, eyes staring blankly ahead.

“You...” Robin tried to puzzle out his meaning but couldn’t. “What?”

“I think…” he took a deep breath to settle himself, and did his best to speak slowly, knowing he wouldn’t be able to repeat himself. “I found my own Tammy Thompson, and he’s come with his own Steve Harrington.” Robin choked, and tried to read Steve expression, to make sure he was saying what she thought he was saying, but he’d turned away, biting his knuckles between his teeth.

“Steve,” She tried, but he shook his head and let out a cry muffled by his hand, breaking her heart. “Steve, please.” With careful hands, she pulled his hand down, wincing at the red marks already left on his hand, and turned him back to face her. “Steve,” She treaded carefully. “Are you saying-”

“I think Eddie Munson is really pretty,” he started, and if they were clenched around Robins she would have said he was ticking revelations off on his fingers, “I’m sick of dating when none of it’s real, I want someone for real, you said I could like both, and I really want to wash his hair.”

Robin stared at his aghast, trying to process everything. Steve barreled right on, “I mean it’s like the guy goes through all that effort of growing out that hair, but he doesn't take care of it. What the hell's that about? But then I was thinking maybe no one showed him how, and that made me think-”

“Steve,” Robin cut him off, her tone serious but quickly dissolved into giggles. “You’re telling me you never looked twice at a guy, but in the face of 'the freak's' greasy ass hair you decided that what you really wanted- in the middle of the world ending, I might add- was that you want to wash it.”

“Yes,” Steve blurted, then slapped both hands back over his mouth trying to contain the crazed laughter now spilling out of him even as the tears he'd been holding back lingered in the corners of his eyes.

Without a second thought, they both fell into each other, laughing so hard it brought on another wave of tears, and left them clutching their sore stomachs.

“I love you, dingus,” Robin said gently as they helped each other off the floor.

“I know, I know, you too,’ Steve mockingly brushed her off, but still wrapped an arm around her and dropped a kiss on top of her head as they went to get ready for bed.

[bella-goths-wife]

Daughter reader gets attacked

Lost boys x daughter reader

After your fit of rage David had no idea how to punish you.

He refused to hit you because of how much it had already damaged your relationship. He couldn’t ground you because you were already confined to the cave and he couldn’t destroy your things because you no longer had anything of sentimental value.

The boys told him to just leave you alone, and that sparked an idea into his head. Total isolation, no friends and no longer would the boys interact with you. You would come crawling back to them just for some form of attention.

So that’s what lead you to be in your current position of being alone in the cave while the boys were out after being ignored by them all week.

You were loving it, well parts of it. You loved that you didn’t have to talk to David. You liked that you didn’t have to listen to Paul’s high babbling about how he “toughened you up by staying away” and you definitely liked that you didn’t have to deal with markos controlling attitude towards you lately. You however did not like that you couldn’t receive the usual love and comfort from Dwayne. You knew it was on you but you didn’t regret it, you relished when you had to watch David forget about his broken chair and have to find somewhere else to sit, it lighted up your day.

The lack of bothering did also help you relax as well. The boys would be out all night and didn’t expect you to stay up for them so now you could enjoy your night how you wanted to.

You had the boom box turned up all the way as you danced around the living room to ‘cum on feel the noize’. You felt yourself lose yourself in the music and you feet jumped up and down in excited dancing.

You didn’t care if the boys came back, you didn’t care if they threatened you, you didn’t care about the judgemental looks, you didn’t care as long as you could have a few more hours of fun.

You weren’t the only one enjoying the music apparently as the person who had been watching you for around ten minutes also tapped his foot.

You hadn’t noticed him yet as he hid in the shadows watching you enjoy your self as he pondered your occult and mentally decided what weapon would best suit you.

You looked to the table where you saw Paul’s half empty bottle of vodka and you mentally decided ‘fuck it’ and turned your back to pick it up and take a gulp from it

You heard the boom box stop as you were at the end of your CD so you quickly turned around to press play again with the bottle still in your hands. You turned and quickly notice the figure who had walked into the light.

He was tall, around 4 feet taller thank you. He had a muscular build with large arms but your focus quickly shifted form his arms to his hand which was caressing a shiny silver blade, pure silver you would guess.

“Hello little one” he chuckles out at your stopping of movement “what creature are you then?”

You didn’t know what to say, who was he? What did he want with you? Your just a kid.

“What do you want?” You asked while trying to mask the fear that wanted to creep out.

“I’m just doing a job kid” he stated as he moved closer “are you alone or do you have a pack?”

You moved yourself back as he moved closer

“Pack?” You questioned, you knew your fathers are vampires but clearly they didn’t explain in enough depth “I don’t know what you want but I don’t have any money”

The mysterious man chuckled at your statement as his eyes are drawn to a picture hanging behind you of four men posing with a small child in the arms of the platinum blonde as he held a proud look. He quickly figured out that there was more than one of you.

“Jesus now I see why those frog boys hired me” he chuckled out as he still crept closer to you “this is a full blown nest, they even brought a kid into this”

“W-what do you want from us?” You cursed yourself as you stalled for time and hoped this man would explain long enough for your fathers to get back.

“Just doing my job as a slayer kid” he says nonchalantly as if someone had just asked for the weather “so your their baby bat then?”

“Baby bat?” You questioned, not understanding a word this man was saying.

“God they turned you young, they must not be worried about teenage angst huh” he continues to corner you as you draw out the conversation

“You can leave now y’know” you stated in an attempt to come off confident “they won’t be happy to find you creeping on they’re ‘baby bat’ will they?” You used air quotations as you still didn’t fully understand the term but you hoped it would come off threatening enough.

“Believe me kid, I’m not creeping” he says as he finally backs you against the cave walls in an aggressive manner “and maybe killing their baby bat will send a message and weaken them a bit, it does tend to your kind pretty hard when a pack mate dies, especially young ones”

You gulped as he brought a different blade out to tap your cheek, this one looked old and wasn’t as shiny as the other. The dagger ran torturously across your cheek before he pressed down and broke skin as you blood trickled down like tear drops.

“Please don’t” you quietly begged as you began to lose hope for your fathers to show up “I’m sorry for whatever they did but i didn’t have anything to do with it. Please. Im just a kid”

Tear drops dripped down and stung you scratched face and you pleaded for mercy.

“Yes but how long have you been just a kid” the man stated as you tilted your head in confusion “you see-“

He was loudly interrupted by the sound of your fathers motorcycle engines revving and markos loud, obnoxious laugh entered the cave. You quickly took the opportunity

“DAD” you yelled out to them but the man clamped his hand down over your mouth. You but his finger hard and he let go with a groan “DAD PLEASE”

You didn’t know which dad you begged for but you just wanted someone to save you.

The boys heard your cries for help and went to comfort you but David put his hand up in a silent command to halt

“She’s just trying to get our attention, we’ve ignored her all week so she’s bound to get desperate” David reasoned with the panicked boys “ignore her”

“But David-“ marko tried but he was quickly cut off with a nasty glare from David.

While the boys ignored your cries you began to lose hope

“Seems like you daddy’s busy” the man taunted as he puts the blade to your neck “maybe you weren’t their pack mate, you were probably just a pet for them”

You screamed loudly as the tears now streamed down you face as the man began to put pressure on your neck with the blade.

“PLEASE DADDY” you cried out David’s old honorific title in desperation but no one came for you, you had to think fast.

You smash your bottle across the man’s face as he’s distracted by his cruel taunting. He fell back with a yell as the bottle exploded and only left the handle with sharp shards hanging on to it in your hand.

The man lunges at you aggressively but your quick to position the bottle in front of your chest in a defensive position which causes the man to stop and try and stab you but you quickly move away and accidentally slash the man’s neck.

The man drops his knife as he clutches his wounded neck and blood spouts out. You drop the bottle and step back with your hands covering your mouth in shock

The man quickly chokes on his blood and passes away as you back yourself into the corner in a longing attempt to escape the situation.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” you repeated as you dropped to your knees and curled up into a ball while rocking back and fourth

The boys rush to you when the smell of blood hit them and they stumbled over your traumatised self with the corpses empty eyes staring straight at them. You hands were covered in blood and a pool of blood separated you from your fathers

What had you done?

Part two coming soon! :))

[apcthetics]

*˖ ⊹ ────────  lore dump.

this is just a little collection of explanations about where my characters currently are physically, emotionally, career-wise, etc. it's mainly for me to keep myself straight with my ideas and their development but uhhh also to make sense if i drop any of it in a post. that's all ! read or don't read at your discretion ! don't matter to me.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  alistair castillo.

i really don’t imagine his life changes much from day to day to be totally honest………. there is nothing new happening in his life he’s still just being a menace upon new york and giving people sick ass tattoos.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  brady ackerman.

he’s been wound up in a lot of different projects and probably running himself into overdraft; busy filming the next season of his show, and also alongside it trying to finish out a manuscript for the next book he’s supposed to be writing, all while flying all over the world in just a handful of weeks. hasn’t touched down in new york for more than a few days in the past 2 months but hey at least he’s successful right. right guys. right. haha. he's not tired at all. don't look at his dark circles for too long. 

*˖ ⊹ ────────  caleb williamson.

christmas is a pretty big time for his little side gig selling rare records online, so that picked up quite a bit even as his music lessons kind of trailed off as kids went off on winter holiday. it’s also just been rly quiet for him because obviously christmas didn’t go very well as family dinners never really go well at the willamson/michaelson house and then luvena has been either away or rotting in her room so there’s not really been much for him to do if levi and trinity arealso preoccupied (with each other? idk i dont god mod 👀. ) he did do a really successful new years eve show i think that he’s proud of but mainly it’s just been his little side hustle and now as lessons are picking back up.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  clementine bailey.

so clem is still in the process/paperwork of buying the diner, all the bank loans and everything like that but she is now effectively in charge of it which has definitely been ! a big deal ! her and loren moved into a new apartment and clem has yet to even unpack most of her boxes because she’s spending a lot of time at the diner going over all the financials and trying to teach herself how to handle the back end of a business instead of just the front half. it’s A Lot and she’s definitely Stressed and crying a lot and everyone has been getting 3am baked thumb print cookies, but don't even worry about her !

*˖ ⊹ ────────  damien clarke.

christmas is always the best but busiest time of year for retail so i imagine damien has been putting in a lot of extra effort to make sure that it’s special !! he did some big holiday toy drives alongside some local charities, but since the christmas rush has kind of fallen off and times are slower he’s now just trying to get through the pile of bookkeeping and administrative stuff that he needs to worry about. i have been playing with the idea of him running a very limited indie comic publishing thing out of the back office of his shop, having started with the one done by him & honey and now kind of expanding to artists who maybe don’t have the funds or ability to afford printing and stuff themselves but………… idk the logistics of that yet so it’s definitely just an idea in his head that’s in the early stages. he’s having fun with it. honestly he's having a great time.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  eli russo.

again i don’t think his daily life has much variation. working security at a show venue a few evenings a week and still coaching the Youth ™ w/ boxing a few days a week… sometimes he does do like 14 hour days which is a bit unfortunate and his schedule is all over the place which is bad for the brain that can barely remember what day it is on a good week but you know!!! his memory has been slightly improving thanks to all of the puzzles & all that stuff!!! so like good for him!!! go off king!! 

*˖ ⊹ ────────  elijah guiterrez.

again i just brought him here so i don’t really think things have been particularly outstanding in his life. just him and carmen doing their little school thing idk. he’s working as a TA in among all the other school stuff he’s doing i suppose.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  esther thomas.

lowkey i think she’s started dropping off from doing auditions all together… like she’s so bored of them, and getting anywhere in the snow and cold is rough, so while she hasn’t admitted it to anyone or even necessarily herself she’s just like. not been looking. kind of giving up on her dream but doesn’t want to admit that because then that means her parents were right. but like really she’s resigned herself to the bartending life. otherwise nothing new.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  grace bao.

she’s been stuck in this hellish domestic civil lawsuit at the moment that’s eating up practically all of her spare time because the judge and the defense are assholes and she has gotten competitive about it, alongside all of her Daughter Responsibilities for her parents and their millions of holiday and new years parties. grace does nothing but work, eat, be miserable at charity dinners, work some more, and maybe sleep right now. that’s her whole social life. 

*˖ ⊹ ────────  jackson ruíz.

construction is fairly seasonal work so while he’s still working he’s not as busy as he usually is, and also it’s winter and everything is depressing, so he’s definitely been deep into hermit “i haven’t seen you in a week” mode. especially with giselle kind of flying out to conferences and stuff there hasn’t been much reason for him to get out of his apartment. he’s in a Depression Era but hey ! it happens ! 

*˖ ⊹ ────────  kal sekh.

i think the news of eren’s diagnosis has had quite an effect on kal, especially having to keep it a secret from everyone and also because she doesn’t want as much support for it as he feels like he should be giving, so he’s slipping a little bit into old habits again and overworking himself into the ground so he doesn’t have to rly stop and think about what’s happening. double shifts and insomnia are back baby !!!!!!!!!

*˖ ⊹ ────────  kas peters.

just came out of a period where he had a few different mural commissions going on all at the same time and he was much busier than he’s usually used to so now he is simply basking in the fact that he doesn’t have to worry about funds broke-ass artist bitch but also that he doesn’t have anything to do. just kind of vibing. fucking around with his art in his room. fucking around w/ gabriella’s emotions. you know how it is. no cares in the world for this guy.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  minji kyung.

around new years she had the opening of her studio !! so she’s been very busy, not really making art but she’s been spending a lot of her time at the gallery/studio. this is a really big change from her because she’s kind of lacked purpose or a project for a really long time that i imagine she’s just really happy and really excited ??? but also probably very daunted because she feels like she doesn’t belong or doesn’t have the skills to do it properly yano. 

*˖ ⊹ ────────  reid baker.

he took a little vacation time off since his work is also pretty seasonal to go back and visit his parents on the farm, but mostly his life has been no different except he’s been shovelling snow off the central park steps instead of just being a glorified gardener. honestly he’s pretty chill he doesn’t have the braincells to be anything except chill.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  sebastián dominguez-herrera.

this bad boy went on tour !!! first it was america, and following that he did a few shows in europe & south america. he’s also been working on his next album in between, but he’s at a bit of a stand still with that one because he isn’t feeling ~ inspired ~ and he’s kind of groggy and thinks he’s sick all the time because all the travelling + the winter that he’s not really used to. drama queen never experienced seasonal depression before and hes getting a little taste of it.

*˖ ⊹ ────────  wren noor.

i think wren is starting to actually reconsider the kinds of things she wants to do with her life and the degree she already has now… i think maybe she’s looking into online courses at other universities where she might be able to finish her masters but also is considering a career change totally… she’s been spending way more time on the roof with her telescope and getting excited about that stuff again as she heals, but definitely is still cautious,,, anyway she's been doing her research.

[dragonmuse]

@weirdnatasha and @believesinponds wanted to know if Pru Callahan ever ran into Izzy again as an adult.

There was a long wait at the passport office. Pru had made an appointment and figured that that meant there’d be some order to the whole thing, but instead, she’d been standing around for a half an hour with no end in sight. Annoyed, she searched the benches again for a place to sit and finally found an empty space.  It wasn’t very big, but neither was she.  

She moved down the row and said to the lady in a fluffy mink coat with her purse on the bench, “Excuse me, would you mind if I took a seat?”

The lady didn’t look up from her phone, didn’t acknowledge Pru at all. Someone snorted. The man on the other side. He glanced up at Pru and the unresponsive woman, gave her a sympathetic eye roll and moved the few inches of bench he had left to make room for her. 

She hadn’t addressed him first for good reason. He looked like the type of guy that would be unreasonable just for the hell of it, ancient black leather jacket, fading face tattoo, wire rim reading glasses and mostly silver hair raked back away from his face. Like he’d maybe got out of prison yesterday. Pru had maybe ignored the spot for just that reason until her feet started to ache. 

But he’d moved for her and she wasn’t going to ignore that. With a soft ‘thanks’, she sat down and sighed. 

“No problem,” he said hoarsely and when his eyes went down, it wasn't a phone, but a book. 

Pru didn’t read much, but the idea of a book appealed right now. She had her phone in hand, but if she looked at it, she’d have to check her email and she wasn’t in the mood to deal with her current client, who’s specification changed hour to hour. It was maddening. Instead, she wanted to think about this summer when she and Patrick would go to London, a week-long vacation that would take her out of the country for the first time in many years. 

The woman beside her reached for something in her purse, knocking her elbow into Pru. She grabbed the bench to keep from colliding with the man beside her, but still managed to knock her shoulder to his. 

“Sorry,” she sighed. 

“Don’t be,” the man glared not at her, but at the woman beside her. “She’s being a fucking asshole.” 

The language made Pru’s nose wrinkle a little, but she had to give a brief nod of acknowledgement.  In the shift, the cover of the book became more evident and she was surprised to recognize it. 

“My boyfriend’s daughter read that one,” she blurted, then flushed. There was no way this guy wanted to be compared to an adolescent girl.  “She liked it, I think.” 

“Got decent taste,” the man said, apparently unperturbed. “It’s not bad.” 

“Is it scary?” 

The man made a soft snorting sound, “Certainly trying to be.” 

“She had a nightmare and I wasn’t sure- well. Patrick always says she’s allowed to read what she likes, but I worry.” 

“The kid I got this from always says there are scarier things in high school every day than in his books,” the man said and Pru heard fondness there.  

“Hailey is still in middle school, but I guess that can be scary too.” 

“Way I remember it,” the man agreed and turned a page, probably trying to signal an end to the conversation. 

Pru accepted that. She opened her purse and rustled around a little, picking out old receipts and things that she could throw out, finding a stray advil that was more fuzz than pill. Gross. She should probably do this more often.  

“Israel Hands?” Someone called from the front. The man beside her got to his feet. 

It had been twenty years and if you had asked Pru an hour ago what Faith’s thug boyfriend’s name had been, she wouldn’t have been able to answer with a gun to her head. He’d just been a face in the hallway, a sneer and a curdled curse in her father’s mouth. 

But hearing it said rang down through the years and she could hear, for the first time in a long time, her sister’s voice clear as a bell. The breathy way she’d always said ‘Israel’ like she could hardly contain it in her mouth, the defiant way she’d hurled it at their parents like a shield. 

“No way,” Pru breathed out, but he was already standing at a window, talking with someone. 

She stared at him, heart thumping.  The last time she’d seen him had been the day he had come up to her in the halls and demanded the ring from her finger. She hadn’t wanted to give up the pretty delicate band. Her friends had been so nice about everything, fawning over her and resting her like a fragile thing in the days after her sister’s death. Pru had taken the ring from a tray set beside the body when they went to the funeral home. 

It had been the first dead body she’d ever seen. She’d had to sit through a wake like that, twisting the ring around and around her finger. The thing in the coffin wasn’t her sister, not least because their mother had chosen some dress Pru had never seen her wear, a floral thing and her face had been painted with more makeup than Faith ever actually wore. 

They’d fought and spat at each other, barely tolerant of each other’s presence, but they had also held hands in the dark and Faith had stood in front of Pru more than once, trembling as she did it, but holding firm. 

And he’d just shown up and taken that small bit of her sister away from her. Pru watched him talk to the clerk. Who was he now? A man reading a book with glasses that he’d now tucked away. 

Ancient bitter rage howled in her, warring against her sensible nature. 

When he finished and the next name was called, Pru got to her feet and gave away her spot. She followed him out of the passport office and he seemed to know it, turning to her as soon as they were both out on the sidewalk. 

“Did you go to Roosevelt?” She demanded, surprised by her own vehemence. 

“About a hundred years ago,” he said warily. “Why?” 

“You don’t remember me. No, of course you don’t,”  she stood straighter. “My name is-”

“Prudence,” he said softly. “Jesus fuck, Pru. I thought you looked familiar.” 

“I didn’t know it was you until I heard your name,” she said stiffly. “Listen. I don’t- I’m not sure what I want to say to you.” 

He took a step toward the building bringing them out of the flow of foot traffic. She stepped with him. He didn’t rush her, didn’t ask a thing. Just waited for her, hands in his pockets. 

“You- I was really angry back then. The way you took her ring from me. I didn’t have anything of hers left. They tossed it all, except that and her boots.” 

“Didn’t know that,” Israel frowned. “Tracks though.” 

“You could’ve let me had that.” 

“No,” he shook his head. “I couldn’t. It was my ring to her.” 

“It was?”

But as soon as the question was asked, it was answered. Of course it was. Their parents were handing out jewelry and Faith’s money was carefully saved. Pru had tried stealing a five once and Faith had noticed within hours. Instead of fighting, Faith had just coldly told her to return it and then hidden it so well that Pru didn’t find it again for months. 

“Promise ring. We were going to get married.” 

“She never-”  Pru cut herself off. Of course Faith hadn’t told her. They hadn’t been each other’s confidantes.  

“That was the plan.” And then he reached into his collar and Pru watched confused until he tugged loose a chain and there it was. 

“You still have it?”  Her anger melted away. She took a step closer and he let her though he watched her warily. 

It was Faith’s ring. It had to be. It looked too tiny for any reasonable adult hand.  Her sister had always been small. Frail. As if death had just been circling, waiting for her to fall. 

“Never took it off,” he confirmed and then it was gone again. A card appeared, white and classy. She hadn’t seen a business card in years. “I’ve got to run and you’re going to miss your appointment. You want to talk, you call.” 

She took the card bemused and watched him walk away. He had to be over fifty by now, decades away from the guy she’d usually heard referred to as ‘That Fucking Psycho that Your Sister Dates’.  

She went back into the passport office and sat back down next to the women in the fur coat. 

“Sorry,” the lady glanced up and moved her purse.  

“Thank you,” Pru said numbly. 

What kind of business did an ex-thug boyfriend with a face tattoo do? Pru held up the card and her breath caught in her throat. 

Callahan Investigations 

There was a website and she brought it up on her phone. It was simple, probably put together on one of those services where you could drag and drop things. There were three photos on the site, Izzy in a suit, with a list of qualifications. A younger person with sharp eyes, sitting on the edge of a glass desk. ‘Jim Jiminez’ apparently and an even younger person with one of those androgynous haircuts and a disconcertingly sunny smile compared to the other two ‘Read’ was the only name given.  

None of them said Callahan. 

He still wore her ring. 

Faith had been gone since before the turn of the millennium. 

Pru’s eyes stung. All these years, she’d assumed she was the only one carrying Faith’s memory. As far as Pru knew, their parents pretended that she’d never even been born until the day they died and whatever friends Faith had, hadn’t even made it to the graveside and after vague ‘sorrys’ in her direction, disappeared entirely. 

“Prudence Callahan?” The agent called and Pru got to her feet. 

She went through motions of bureaucracy and was grateful that she didn’t need to smile for a photo. 

When she got home, Jenny was making something in the kitchen which would either be amazing or a burnt, no in between. 

“That took ages,” Jenny said into a pot in the stove. “Told you should’ve gotten it started online.” 

“You were right,” Pru told her and sat down heavily at the table. 

“Woah, hey, what happened?” 

“I saw a ghost today.” 

It would take weeks before she could work herself up to send an email. She kept it bland enough. He agreed to meet her for coffee. She tapped the boots on the way out the door, too hot today to wear them, then paused. 

“You were loved, girlie,” she said softly to those boots. “Hope you know that. I’m going to go say hi to your boyfriend.” 

The boots said nothing back. The ring probably wouldn’t either. But Israel Hands could still talk and Pru would get memories from him that she could lock in her heart beside two girls holding hands in the dark.

[beatrizamante]

Before We Leave

“Does the set of all those sets that do not contain themselves contain itself?”, the old professor asks with his chin set on his right hand. A half smile on his face.

“Sieben, I swear to any gods hearing this, I’ll finish this night without throwing you both off this cliff, but you gotta help me in this.”, the engineer tells the mathematician. There is a constellation patterned blanket sprawled against the grass, and four bodies sat within it. It was a cold night for star-gazing, but the doctor was so excited to come, that Morgan didn’t try to stop her. Dammit, he even brought Warrick along in a hurry, crossing the city in a haze, dodging the late shift traffic as well as he could, powered by awful humour and the mixture of energy drink and coffee he dared to try. Morgan was still dry heaving from that. Of course, it was De Armas' idea.

Beckett was set next to Lara, still inspecting the astrophotography camera that the physicist lent into his trustworthy hands. He was holding onto the camera with a firm grip, studying how he could use it. It was impressive that the soft kid could hold onto something with this much strength. 

The engineer was fixing the light equipment they’ve brought, while trying to dodge Dr. Sieben’s paradoxical questions. Of course none of this madman’s students were normal, who the hell talks like that outside a lab? Dr Yu was a goddamn engineer, not a mathematician or a physicist, for that matter. He hated paradoxes, for fuck’s sake. He only ever did finished advanced calculi because he partner with fucking Dr de Armas. 

“But, Morgan, my friend, I see no reason for this hostility… Hm, what I said makes you, ahn, unhappy?”, at the older man’s wavering voice, Morgan sighs. Why did he end up in this freakshow of a group, anyway? He loved them, surely, but he could have a better hand? Or was his karma from all his past lives that bad? 

Most likely the karma from his current life. Yeah, he could see that.

“Morgan is just being grumpy again, Sieben. But I’ll throw you one for good measure. Why is the sky so dark, if we can see the stars?”, Lara hums from her place by the telescope. A huge charting journal sits beside her, gaining new notations in this fateful night, some neon blue markers glowing in the darkness. 

“Ah, yes, Frodo, can you bring Schrodinger's cat in a box, hm? Why don’t we just make a whole night of these, so I can finally take the mental leave that I deserve after having to engage in five years of academic dread with you by my side?”, the engineer dramatically replies.

“Oh, and here I thought you’d already be able to take mental leave just from your personality alone, Morgan, but why yes, let’s do it. The sooner I can put you in a straightjacket inside a white room, the better the world will be.”, the woman replies, a sickly sweet smile grows at her face as she bats her eyelashes at her friend. 

Beckett huffs a breath, setting the camera in the correct position in a way that it can survey the whole night sky from the top of that cliff. He always loved photography, but astrophotography wasn’t something that he particularly paid attention to if not for Lara. They developed a fast friendship and after five years of her PhD in the same neighbourhood that Beckett moved to, they were inseparable. But so was Dr. Kuiper and well, Morgan Yu.

Whenever they went out together, this would happen. They would bicker the whole day. It was actually really impressive that Dr Yu was the only person that Lara would actually bicker like this. Sure, she loves to be a clown and make people laugh, but their relationship? Was something Beckett would never understand. 

They were like siblings. They loved each other. And they would bicker to their death beds. 

Whoever was in the middle of it, would targeted by Morgan, so the photographer already learned his lesson of just rolling his eyes every now and then and staying quiet. And then, there was Sieben Kuiper, the sixty-something professor that was like an uncle to them. 

Kuiper was possibly one of the tallest people Beckett has ever met. Sitting at 6 '7'’, the professor had a haircut close to his scalp, salt and pepper hair framing his very unique face. More salt than pepper, truth be told. Sieben’s face was sharp, ending in a pointy chin that sported a mostly white goatee. His aquiline nose mode him look like a hawk, and a set of thin lips finished that visual. The man was all angles and sharpness, even with those soft sky blue eyes… But his disposition couldn’t be softer. He was patient, loving… A dreamer to heart.

Beckett’s eyes glance towards the astrophysicist after Dr Kuiper cuts through the bickering with yet another paradox. It was something they would do often. Paradox each other and theorize endlessly. Talk about all and any sciences, in every detail, discuss things most people would avoid talking about. 

An AI could have a soul if it reaches conscience? How to calculate the light velocity while in an event horizon? Do we learn to read social cues from animal instinct or from society norms? Why is the dark sky dark if the stars produce light? 

The list went on and on and on… Bee would hardly enter these discussions. Not because they weren’t interesting, but because he didn't know what to add to them. It was mostly a thing between Lara and her professor. A bonding ritual.

Bee and Lara were different with each other. There was softness. It wasn’t about the night sky, the galaxies and all that is out there, waiting for Lara to reach, but about his day… How many photos did you take? This frame is so wonderful, what made you take it? Can you teach me to have such a good eye?

On nights like these, she’d dream about all that is out there, deeply in love with whatever discoveries could be made, and Bee would listen happily. Very few people retain this level of passion and wonder after their childhood.  

Their friendship was something that Beckett never thought that he needed, but… After knowing her, how could he not want it? Not rely on it?

He felt like he was part of something beautiful.

Some of his best pictures were from Lara’s starlit eyes, when she was passionately talking about what she loved. As she was now. He remembers the first time they went stargazing. She took Bee to a place in Iceland. A frozen piece of ocean where they could set up equipment. He watched the meteors travel above them, from all directions, reflected in the forever frozen ocean below them.

 He was stunned. 

“I used to go stargazing with my childhood friend. He’s the reason why I love this, you know? If not for him, maybe I’d never have found my passion… His name is James… I miss him so much.”

And he clicked his phone camera when the doctor fiddled with the chrome puzzle piece in her necklace, looking at the star scarred sky. Lara flustered, imploring Beckett to erase the photo. 

He still has it in his house and she has a copy in her dorm.

Lara settles back again, adjusting the telescope, softness in her eyes and a small smile in her lips. She seemed… At peace. 

There was no Lara de Armas without the sky and her passion for the unknown.

“Do you see it? The night sky extends infinitely throughout the whole universe. It has always been here, and it will always be here, after our departure. We are seeing the past, present and future all in one. I wonder if someone, somewhere, on this planet or in any other, is looking back at us...”, she breathes out, humming under the same breath. Bee’s head follows her voice to find the scientist already looking at him.

“I don’t usually have such a positive attitude towards it, Raider. I think your love for… well, life, universe and everything else is uniquely yours.”, he says with mirth, nudging the small woman. 

She rests her head on his shoulder and Beckett instantly cradles her in a side hug. They have a warm friendship. Comfortable. Bee gives a deep breath, feeling the cold air entering his lungs as Lara pulls a cosy orange blanket with puppy faces to them. They stay like that, looking at the sky in silence, hearing Morgan frustrated attempts to fix the nightlight and Sieben’s hums of classical music. 

Lara stretches to grab a thermal bottle filled with amazing hot chocolate that she makes only for her best friend, offering some. 

He kisses her temple, receiving a soft hum in response. There’s a closed lip peaceful smile on their faces when they go back talking, still looking at the stars. 

  “How could I not love it? Look at this, Bee! I imagine it as if someone froze countless raindrops and hanged them against a blaring sun. How many of these are being born, how many are not with us anymore? There are black holes out there, I wonder if worm holes too? And what else? So many things unanswered… I wish I could learn it all.”, Lara takes a break, a wistful look in her eyes. “There is a folklore, I don’t remember from which old civilization, that says that the departed travel up into the sky and become stars, to guide their loved ones safely at night…” Bee takes a sip from the thermal cup, savouring the perfectly made chocolate with closed eyes. Then, his head snaps at Lara’s last sentence, worriedness written all over his face. “Lara…”

She shrugs, slightly sad, but recovers fast. The physicist wants a memorable night, not to linger in old pain and guilt. 

“It’s a beautiful thought. Based on faith, of course. But I digress. My point is… We are so small when compared to the vastness of it all. How long would it take to learn all its secrets?”

“Now you’re making me feel insignificant, Raider.”, Lara nudges Bee again, gaining a breathless laugh from her friend. 

“That’s a silly thought. We are significant to everything we do and everything we interact with. In the great scale of things, we will always be a cog in the engine, Bee. For our work, for the people we love… For things that we are passionate about.”, she exhales, hushing her tone a little bit. “Thank you, Bee. The letter made me a little… Well, I’ll deal with that tomorrow. But with Morgan and Sieben going to the LHC lab, I’ll only be able to see them and go back to these studies when we come back from Fernweh. There are some people I want to see there… I miss them. I hope we can make it into a nice visit. I just wish that Pa… Hm.”, Lara seems so tired. Beckett holds her tighter on the side hug, trying to give her the support she needs. He can’t even begin to think about how she feels. He knew very well that she wanted to reconnect with her grandfather before going to the Hadron Collider experiment. “My point is, thank you, really. The circumstances are grim, but I have you and these incredible people in my life. I have a job that I’m always falling in love with. I have the possibility of reconnecting with people I’ve missed for so long…”, she looks at the sky again, a distant expression on her face.    

“I’ll always be here for you, Lara. You have always been there for me.”, he reinforces, shaking her slightly. She slightly forces her head on his shoulder to show that she listens. She cares and will indeed always be there for him.  

“Goddammit, Raider, how the hell did you manage to lose the capacitor for this thing?”, Morgan cuts their soft and hushed conversation with a huff, still tinkering with the night lamp, while Sieben was giving them a moment. Lara needs it. 

It’s never easy to lose people you love.

Lara releases a soft chuckle, which immediately makes Morgan look up from the lamp with narrowed eyes. “Wait… Lara de Armas, I’m not trying to fix this shit for half an hour while you sit your huge ass on a capacitor, am I?” At that, Lara's composure breaks. Bee looks towards her, in confusion. She didn’t… Did she? 

That’s when she fumbles with her pocket, still laughing and showcases a small electronic part. 

Beckett can only protect his hot chocolate in time as a laughing small scientist suddenly takes off from their cosy setting, chased by a crazed engineer. The photographer snorts. All over again. 

“LARA, I SWEAR-”

“CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, LOSER.”  

And they run off.