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steddiehyperfixation · 10 months

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don't you forget about me (part six)

(part one)(part two)(part three)(part four)(part five)

Steve allows himself a brief mental breakdown in the shower when he gets home. He lets the water mix with his tears as he curls his arms around himself and wishes with everything he is that they were Eddie’s. There’s nothing he wouldn’t give right now just to be held by him again, just to feel Eddie’s arms around him one more time. All it took was a tiny kiss on the back of his hand for Steve’s skin to remember just how much it missed that feeling. Now Steve’s entire body craves Eddie’s touch, and he shakes in its absence like an addict in withdrawal.

Then he puts himself back together, gets dressed and styles his hair and heads off to work.

They’d defeated Vecna before he could split the world into pieces or whatever his diabolical plan had been. So while Steve’s whole world may have been torn apart, while Steve’s whole world lays bruised and bandaged and amnesic in a hospital bed, the rest of the world carries on none the wiser. The rest of the world still rents VHS tapes and has movie nights and date nights and no fucking clue that they were seconds away from being dragged down into a hell dimension a couple weeks ago, so Family Video is still open for them. Fuck that.

“You’ve gotta handle the customers today because if someone starts asking me stupid questions I can’t promise I won’t snap at them,” Steve tells Robin as he drives them to their shift.

“Aw, but it’s so funny when you snap at them,” Robin quips.

“Robin.” He gives her his best I’m so fucking serious look.

Her humor dries up immediately and she nods solemnly. “Alright, yeah. I got it.”

Steve sighs, pulling into the parking lot. “Thank you.”

He busies himself with cataloging and reshelving and rewinding returns while Robin takes over the customer service part of the job. It’s mindless - mind-numbing - the monotony of the tasks exactly what Steve needs to dull out the thoughts in his brain and distract himself from the way the back of his hand still tingles from Eddie’s kiss.

When the afternoon rush dies down after a few hours and the store is all but empty, Robin sidles up next to him where he’s putting away a stack of fantasy films. “Hey.”

Her voice cuts through his focus and nearly startles Steve out of his skin. “Jesus! Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

“Sorry.” She grabs half the stack of tapes and starts helping him shelve. “Just wanted to check in with you, we haven’t gotten much of a chance to talk today. How are things going with Eddie?”

“It’s fine. He’s fine,” Steve grumbles, glaring down at the tape in his hands. It’s got a dragon on the cover. He thinks Eddie would probably like it. “He still doesn’t remember me, but he’s starting to see me as a friend now at least, so.” Steve shoves the movie into its spot on the shelf. “That’s something, right?”

Robin raises her eyebrows at the sharp bitterness in his tone and how forcefully he put the tape away. “Okay. Yeah. So I see we’re in the anger stage of grief now,” she comments.

Steve scoffs. If this is a stage of grief, he thinks he’s been going through them in the wrong order, or maybe all at once - a neverending ebb and flow of denial and anger and depression all swirled together into one fucked up cocktail of grief. “I’m not angry,” he says, rubbing his hands over his face. “I’m just tired- emotionally burnt out, I don’t know. I just miss him and it’s not fair and I’m so fucking sick of feeling like this.”

“Yeah, that’s anger, Steve,” Robin says, infuriatingly blunt. She slides the last tape in her stack into its place and then leans against the shelf. “Did something else happen to set this off, or are you just generally overwhelmed?”

Steve sags against the shelf beside her. “Both. I don’t know. It’s stupid, it’s so fucking stupid. He just- he kissed my hand this morning, that’s it, and it wrecked me.”

“He what?” Robin questions, curiosity widening her eyes.

“He kissed my hand,” Steve repeats. He sighs and adds context, gives her a full recount of the events of that morning.

“Oh my god?!” Robin practically squawks as she backhands Steve’s arm, which is definitely not the comforting words or touch he needs from her right now.

“Ow!” he yelps, rubbing his arm. “What the hell was that for?”

“Dude. He was flirting with you,” she tells him, eyes even wider now like she’s trying to explain to him something obvious.

“What? No.” Steve shakes his head, looking at her like she’s crazy. “He definitely wasn’t.”

“Ughhh,” Robin lets out a long, dramatic groan, dragging her hands down her cheeks and pulling down her eyes. “I cannot do this with you two again. He totally was.” She drops her hands from her face so she can use them to illustrate her point as she starts to lists off, “First of all, he literally called you daddy-”

“As a joke,” Steve interrupts to protest.

“Yeah, a flirtatious one,” Robin retorts. She continues, “Then he said you have a magic touch, and then his heart literally started racing for no reason-”

“Because I was stressing him out!”

“Only after his heart rate went up in the first place, which, as I was saying, was for no reason other than the fact that you were smiling at him and holding his hand-”

“That literally doesn’t-”

“And then, he kissed your hand - pressed his lips to your skin - and told you that you were his good luck charm,” Robin finishes, looking smug like she’s said something novel and not just completely reiterated exactly what Steve had just told her only with more emphasis.

He sighs wearily. “Your point?”

“He likes you, dingus,” she says, whacking his arm again. “Don’t you get it? His mind may not remember still, but his heart is starting to.”

Steve doesn’t know what to do with that. A lump rises in his throat, a rush of jumbled emotions chafing against his already frayed edges. “Don’t say that. You don’t know that.”

“I think you should tell him what you were to each other,” Robin suggests.

“Right, yeah, okay, sure,” Steve scoffs, somewhere between sarcastic and hysterical. “And while we’re at it, I think you should tell Vickie that you like her. Because telling people things like that is so easy, isn’t it?”

Robin gives him a withering stare. “That is not the same thing at all, and you know it.”

“No, yeah, you’re right,” he agrees. “Because I know Eddie, and he would not take that news well. He already gets a little weird whenever I seem to know too much about him - if I tell him I know him biblically too-”

“Ew, don’t tell him like that!”

“Doesn’t matter if I tell him like that; I say we’ve been together for 9 months, he’s going to assume we’ve-”

“God, okay, I get it!”

“See? It would freak him out,” Steve concludes, crossing his arms. “Even if he does…like me again or whatever, he definitely wouldn’t anymore and it would just generally make him uncomfortable. So I can’t tell him. I just have to keep waiting for him to remember on his own, even though it’s fucking killing me,” he says, his voice harsh as he tries to keep it from breaking. “It’s what’s best for Eddie.”

“Steve-” Robin starts, frowning like she’s only just beginning to realize she may have pushed him too far, but whatever it is she was going to say is cut off by the ringing of the bell that announces the front door being open.

“Customers.” Steve points his chin towards the couple who just walked in, a bitter jealousy boiling in his stomach as he watches them walk hand in hand towards the romance aisle. It’s not fucking fair. He shoves himself away from the shelves and mutters, “I’m taking my break.”

He stalks to the breakroom, closes the door, and sinks to the floor with his back against it. The tears in his eyes feel like they’re made of acid, like they would carve tracks into his skin if they were to spill down his cheeks. He wraps his arms around himself again. The thoughts in his head are made of acid too, bitter and burning and cursing everyone who gets to enjoy their lover's touch while he suffers without his.

Steve’s brain feels corroded, corrupted. “He likes you,” Robin’s words echo there too, “his mind may not remember still, but his heart is starting to.” Would Eddie touch him now if he asked? Would he trace his fingers across Steve’s skin, kiss more than just the back of his hand? Steve digs his own fingers into his sides. He feels gross, he feels rotten. It wouldn’t be right to ask that of Eddie without him knowing the truth, to take advantage of him like that. It wouldn’t be the same, anyways. The superficial touch of a boy with the beginnings of a crush is not the tender lover’s caress that Steve craves.

That is if Robin is even right about Eddie redeveloping feelings. Which she probably isn’t.

Steve’s just being stupid and selfish again. He wants to remove his brain from his skull so he can stop thinking, tear his heart from his chest so he can stop feeling; both so burned and decayed he thinks if he held them in his hands they would dissolve and crumble to dust and ash and sludge between his fingers.

Fifteen minutes pass, and Steve forces himself to be fine. He peels himself off the breakroom floor and returns to work, continues the tedious tasks that he hopes will numb him out again.

Robin catches his eye from across the room where she’s sorting a customer’s cash at the register. I’m sorry, her expression says, I didn’t mean to make you upset.

Steve gives a tiny shake of his head and a small smile. It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault, his own expression reassures her. You meant well. I’m not mad at you.

They don’t talk about Eddie again that day. The next time there’s a lull in customers and they’re able to chat again, Steve tells Robin he honestly just needs a distraction right now, and he lets her ramble on about Vickie and band and school and her impending graduation and the movie she watched last night and whatever other random thoughts are bouncing around that hyperactive head of hers. Her voice fills in the cracks in Steve’s brain, keeps it from falling apart completely. She’s always been good at that, and he’s grateful for it.

Then he drops Robin off after work and he drives away alone in silence because all the songs on the radio are love songs, and he drives back to the hospital - back to the source of his grief again and again like some sort of fucking masochist - because Eddie needs him. Because Steve loves him.

Eddie cannot help the way his face all but beams the second Steve walks back into his room that evening. “There you are, Stevie! How was work?”

Steve returns the smile, genuine, but there’s a tiredness to it. “It was alright. Bit boring, really, uneventful. How are you doing?”

“I’m good,” Eddie says, adding with a jaunty grin, “All the better now that you’re back.”

It comes out a bit more flirtatious than he intended, but thankfully Steve just laughs it off. “Alright, smoothtalker,” he scoffs through a chuckle as he takes his usual seat by the bed. “It’s nice to see you again too.”

“Oh, the actual doctor came in to talk to me today. Good news, don’t worry,” Eddie tells him, the last bit tacked on quickly before that concerned crease can appear between Steve’s brows. “She says I’m healing up nicely, and I might be able to be discharged soon. A few more days’ observation and then they're gonna see how well I can actually move since, you know, the bats chewed through half the muscles in one of my legs. But, yeah, I could be out of here by the end of next week.”

“That’s great, Eddie!” Steve brightens.

“Yeah.” Eddie smiles. “I can’t wait to be somewhere familiar, feel normal again. Or, well,” he amends, smile falling a little as he realizes, “as normal as I can feel given that I’ll probably be walking with a limp for the rest of my life and be covered in nasty scars all over.”

A strange expression crosses Steve’s face then, something happy and sad and sympathetic all at once, and his voice is soft as he says, “We’ll match.”

Eddie blinks at him. “What?”

“The scars,” Steve clarifies. “The bats got me too, you know. I was lucky, it wasn’t as bad for me as it was for you, but, uh- yeah, we’ll match. See?” He stands and pulls his shirt up a bit.

Eddie’s heart rate immediately kicks up again, blood growing warm, as his eyes snap to Steve’s stomach, to skin and muscle and body hair and- oh. Two giant, jagged red scabs cover Steve’s sides, the edges fading into skin bumpy and pink and white with the beginnings of scarring. The bite on Eddie’s own side twinges in sympathy. “That’s-” He swallows back the word hot, and breathes out instead, “Holy shit.” Without really thinking, he finds himself reaching out to skim his fingers over the ridges of Steve’s scars.

Steve gasps - full body shudders - at the touch, and Eddie instantly pulls his hand back, afraid he’s hurt him. “Sorry,” he mutters.

“No, it’s fine,” Steve manages, though it sounds a bit shaky. “You didn’t hurt me, I just- I wasn’t expecting it.”

Eddie tentatively starts to reach back out; Steve nods. He slowly traces the outline of the wound again, every uneven edge, feeling the evidence of hurt and the evidence of healing and the ripple of each breath Steve takes - breaths that echo in the quiet that falls between them. Eddie doesn’t realize just how intimate this silence has become as he runs his hands across Steve’s skin, until he glances up to find Steve just…watching him. It’s impossible to tell exactly what emotion is behind his eyes, but it’s intense and it’s devastating, and Eddie suddenly feels like he can’t breathe.

“Uh-” A nervous laugh stutters out of him. He rescinds his touch. “Twin scars, huh?” he remarks, cracking a crooked smile and attempting to change this strange, suffocating energy with a joke. “Hell of a matching tattoo. Next time let’s just exchange friendship bracelets like normal people do, yeah?”

Steve huffs, a short burst of laughter that escapes from his chest like it’s been punched out of him. “Since when have you ever done anything like a normal person?” he teases in return as he pulls his shirt back down.

Just like that, blown away by Steve’s playful smile, the weird tension lifts. Eddie grins back. “Alright, fair point.” He adds, “Those are gonna be some pretty metal scars, Stevie.”

“Not as metal as yours,” Steve says warmly, settling back in his chair and kicking one leg over the other. “You’re the one that literally survived death, Ed. It doesn’t get any more metal than that.”

“Now who’s the smoothtalker?” Eddie smirks, and he hopes he isn’t blushing. Steve Harrington calling him metal with so much pride and affection in his voice is doing numbers on his heart. Curse this stupid fucking crush.

Steve eyes divert briefly to the heart monitor, which has not once calmed down since the second he’d lifted up his shirt, and Eddie is so sure that he knows then, that he’s finally made the connection between what’s got Eddie’s heart racing, but he doesn’t say anything, just laughs it off again, smiling like everything’s completely normal as he looks back at Eddie and rolls his eyes and mutters in return, “Shut up.”

“Make me,” Eddie mumbles, not quick enough to bite back the words before they fall from his mouth, only managing to lower his voice enough that maybe Steve didn’t hear him.

“What?”

“TV?” Eddie grabs the remote, pretends like that’s what he’d said in the first place. Real smooth.

“Oh, sure.” Steve shrugs. If he noticed Eddie’s slip, he gives no indication of it.

Eddie turns on the TV and they spend the next hour or so laughing and making fun of the bad acting on the show that’s playing. Easy, normal, platonic. Eddie’s heart rate stabilizes, remaining even so long as he doesn’t look too long at Steve’s smile.

When sleep starts lapping at Eddie’s consciousness, he doesn’t fear it anymore. Silently, he holds out his hand, and Steve takes it, wrapping him in the warmth and protection that allows Eddie to let himself drift off undaunted.

And in his dreams his hands skate across Steve’s skin again.

(part seven)

taglist (CLOSED): @romanticdestruction @daydreamsandcrashingwaves @paintsplatteredandimperfect @hallucinatedjosten @mugloversonly @estrellami-1 @alongcomesaspider @thatonebadideapanda @tell-me-a-secret-a-nice-one @dragonmama76 @wxrmland @nuggies4life @sirsnacksalot @myguiltyartpleasure @lolawonsstuff @marklee-blackmore @vinteraltus @sebastiansstanswhore @0happyeverafter0 @scarlet-malfoy @hotluncheddie @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @emsgoodthinkin @alyelf @warlordess @stevesbipanic @lil-gremlin-things @rockandrolodex @badcaseofcasey @bat-outta-hel @fandomcartographer @manda-panda-monium @littlewildflowerkitten @giopandaonice @mightbeasleep @queenie-ofthe-void @krazyperson @worldofshea @marvel-ous-m @tartarusknight @a-little-unsteddie @xenon-demon @goodolefashionedloverboi @xxsky-shockxx @mc-i-r @bookbinderbitch @aspenshade88 @slowandsteddie @thedragonsaunt @daydreaming-mood @space-invading-pigeon @irregular-child @a-lovely-craziness (taglist continued in replies; please lmk if you'd like to be removed from this list. if you didn't make the taglist but still wanna follow along, you can follow the tag #dyfamsteddiefic to keep up with new updates!)

#giving steve mental breakdowns is my favorite hobby actually can you tell #one or two more parts i think i can't decide #should i resolve it in the next part or drag it out an extra chapter and write out some more of eddie's dream memories???#steddie #steddie angst #steddie fic #steddie fanfic #steddie fanfiction #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #fanfic #mine #dyfamsteddiefic

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avoxrising · 10 months

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The Feral One • Chapter 1

Finnick Odair x Y/N

Series Masterlist Link

The first thing you remember after they lifted you from the arena was the hands of Capital doctors grabbing at you. Three weeks in the arena had left you extremely weak and you had a bad cut on your face but none of that mattered. They were touching you and you didn’t like that.

The second thing you remember after they lifted you from the arena was waking up chained to your hospital bed, surrounded by peacekeepers and President Snow.

“Miss Y/L/N,” the old man stated. “I wish you wouldn’t be so difficult with us.”

“Difficult?” you ask with what little voice you have left.

“It seems that you won’t let us treat your wounds, or let anyone get close to you for that matter,” he states. “The poor doctor was just trying to take your temperature when you stabbed him with a scalpel.”

“He was touching me,” you reply.

“Oh my dear we have a long road ahead of us if you are planning on remaining… difficult.”

You hadn’t meant to kill so many people. First it was 6 in the arena, then it was the doctor in the capital, then it was your first client, then it was another capital doctor and a peacekeeper trying to restrain you. By the time you came down from your lapse in sanity, you had been sentenced to house arrest in District 4’s victors village.

“Feral” is what they called you. To everyone outside of your home you were uncontrollable; crazy; even dangerous. To yourself, you were broken; confused; misunderstood. To him, you were everything.

“Y/N Y/L/N!” Linessa, the District 4 escort, calls out as she reaps the tributes for the 75th annual Hunger Games. Mags moves to volunteer but you quickly shoot her a look and she backs down. She knows you won’t hurt her, in fact, she’s one of the few people who genuinely cares for you, but she knows not to interfere when your mind is made up.

Annie shrinks into Mags’ side as you shuffle past her towards the escort. She’s another poor, misunderstood being like you. The two of you have never been friends for the simple reason that she is absolutely terrified of you and sometimes her meltdowns set you off. Maybe in a different reality you two would be friends, but not in this one.

Peacekeepers follow you to the front of the stage as you drag your shackled feet forward. This is the first time anyone besides the victors has seen you in around 5 years, and they’re getting a good look at what “feral” looks like.

The peacekeepers hold a gun to your back as you stand on the stage, head high. It’s so hot out you’re hoping you’ll sweat enough to slip your hands out of your cuffs. The district center looks the same as the last time you saw it all those years ago.

“Finnick Odair,” Linessa reads out and your head immediately snaps towards her. She lets out a small shriek and the peacekeepers tighten their hold on their guns as Finnick makes his way to the front to stand next to you. Of course, they don’t let him get anywhere near you, but you wouldn’t hurt him. You would burn the whole world to the ground if it meant protecting him.

The peacekeepers allow Mags to join you and Finnick on the train but they don’t let her anywhere near you. Finnick tries to tell them that you’re fine and won’t hurt anyone but they won’t listen.

You’re done trying to advocate for yourself. In fact, it’s useless. You haven’t spoken to anyone besides Finnick in five years. Not since your client…

Anyways, peacekeepers escort you to your room and set up guard in the hall. They’re too scared to be in the room with you, and none of the avoxes will go near you.

You wouldn’t have even been fed if it weren’t for Finnick barging into your room (despite the peacekeepers’ protests) with a plate of food. The peacekeepers made him keep the door open so they could monitor the situation but at least you could eat.

“How are you feeling?” Finnick asks as you pick at your food. You shrug your shoulders in response. He goes to lay his hand close to yours in comfort, causing one of the peace keepers to pipe up.

“Hey!” he yells, causing you to jump. “Back up Mr. Odair. We’ve been advised not to let anyone get within five feet of it.”

Finnick stands up and moves himself between you and the peacekeepers.

“First of all,” he states. “She is not an ‘it’. She’s a human being like the rest of us. Secondly, she is not a danger to me. She would never hurt me and even if she tried we both know I would win that fight. Scaring her like that is only going to set her off, and I won’t hold her back if she does. The best thing you can do, for everyone’s safety, is treat her like a human being, absolutely do not touch her, and no yelling. She’s not an animal, she’s traumatized.”

“Sir we’ve been ordered to shoot her at the first sign of agression. The capital doctors have advised us that she’s a danger to those around her,” the peacekeeper states.

“The capital doctors haven’t seen her in over five years!” Finnick exclaims. “They don’t know the first thing about her. Now get out and let us eat in peace. Don’t forget I’ve killed people too.”

The peacekeepers, visibly shaken, leave your room and allow the door to close. Finnick sits back down on your bed with you to resume your meal.

Taglist:

@randomgurl2326 @mystargirl-interlude @uther-pendragon-is-an-ass @yourdailymemedelivery @americanprometheuss @l3xi3luv @noisyalmonddreamer @nordicvxid @teaganthemorningstar @samatokisunfinishedcigarette @justtrying2getby @heytherellala @notplutos

#hunger games #finnick odair #hunger games fic #the hunger games #finnick odair x reader #finnick x oc #finnick imagine #finnick x reader #catching fire #the feral one

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film-in-my-soul · 2 months

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*Part 3 incomplete

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sweetiesicheng · 12 days

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seungkwan - injury

word count : 702

the door slides open, "y/n!" seungkwan shouts and hurries towards you. "you okay?" he asks.

"huh? why are you here?" you ask him, knowing that his schedule is packed today.

"i'm supposed to be at a recording session, but i left when one of the managers texted the group chat," he explains and sets his bag down on a chair. "what happened?" he asks.

you sigh, "fell off the ladder when i was helping my sister," you shortly explain. "it's not that bad.”

"you're in a cast."

"okay, so it's a little bad."

seungkwan sits on the edge of the bed and holds your hand. he brushed some of your hair out of the way.

"how long are you out for?" he asks.

"long enough to miss rehearsals for the tour," you reply, staring at your injured leg.

seungkwan glances over at the cast and then back at you. he knows you're upset, but you're keeping yourself composed with him there.

"i can tell you're upset you know. you're not good at acting," seungkwan says and reaches over to pat your head.

"cause i can’t dance with you,” you reply, leaning towards him.

“hey, look at me,” he says to you. you look up at him. “even if you can’t dance, we’ll still find a way to make the best memories. besides, i’m dragging you on tour whether you like it or not,” he says and wraps an arm around you to hug you.

—

it's been a few days since you were discharged from the hospital. you have been spending a lot of time at home since you can't do much.

today, you decide to hang out at the company building to watch one of the rehearsals for the tour. you're friends with a lot of people who will be on tour too, so you won't be alone the entire time the guys are rehearsing.

"y/n, you're here?" dino asks as you enter the room with seungkwan.

"hi," you greet everyone present.

"sit over here," one of the dancers says, pushing a bag off of a chair. you go over to the chair and sit down.

"i got these," seungkwan says and takes your crutches. "don't dance," he says to you in almost a strict tones while pointing at you.

you pout but seungkwan kisses your forehead before putting his stuff down and starting to warmup with the others.

"has he been helping you?" one of your friends asks while stretching.

you nod, "yea, he's been helping a lot actually. i feel really bad. everyone is busy, and i probably ruined everything," you say before receiving a whack of the head, "ow!"

"you didn't ruin anything," one of your friends says. "everything will be fixed. maybe we can drag you on stage somehow," he says to you.

—

rehearsal continues going on and everyone runs through one of the bigger stages. all of the dancers are involved, so you sit by yourself.

you do the arm movements as the music plays, trying to keep yourself occupied so you aren't bored the whole time.

you watch everyone dance and start to get a bit sad about how you can't dance with everyone.

"y/n!"

you look around and see one of your friends pushing a chair with wheels on it towards you.

"come on, come on," he quickly speaks and gestures you to sit in the chair.

you get up and sit down on the chair. your friend starts pushing you across the room, and you have to hold onto the arms of the chair to brace yourself.

"too fast! too fast!" you shout as you make it across the room. the chair turns and someone else starts pushing you across the room again.

as the music continues, the dancers go back to dancing while you're in a random spot on the floor.

"y/n, what are you doing?" seungkwan asks, not even dancing to look at you.

"gotta be a part of the show somehow, right?" you reply. seungkwan smiles and laughs.

he leans in to give you a quick kiss before returning to dancing while you continue to be moved around and enjoying rehearsal despite not being able to dance.

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the-dumpster-fire-of-life · 1 year

Note

Hey! I really love all of your imagines and I really think your work is immaculate. Especially the Modern!Bill Kaulitz imagine and it made me wonder what it would be like to be Modern!Tom Kaulitz's daughter,if you don't mind could you write an imagine for that? If you do,you don't have to rush, I know you have many other works to publish so take your time! :) ❤️

(Hello! I'm very happy to do so and that you love my writings! This also was the perfect time for daddy issues to pop up in my playlist :')

Being Tom Kaulitz's Daughter

He is the very proud dad all the time

He teaches you electric guitar since before you could even walk

And let me tell you, he did a great fucking job

Doesn't force you though to play instruments and lets you be your own person

Is always happy to talk about his amazing daughter in interviews and videos

You were also taken on stage a lot as a kid

Bill was your best uncle, always had you on his hip and dressing you up and doing your makeup

Gustav is a more careful but caring uncle who let you go ham on drums and steal his shit while also pretending not to see you in hide and seek

Georg was the uncle to let you stay up, eat whatever you want, steal you without anyone knowing and teach you cuss words

You and Tom bickered so much even when you were a kid because you got his attitude

When you were little he always carried you around on his shoulders or was holding you

You're his little girl so much and he doesn't let that go

Doesn't want your career to be based around him if you go into the entertainment business and wants you to be your own person

Not just his kid

He's a supporting dad in whatever job you want to do or whoever you want to date

He's just happy that you're happy

He had almost a full on mental breakdown when you were getting older when you were a baby

He couldn't handle it

Struggled with being a dad to you at first and was nervous but he did an amazing job with you

He lets you dress him up, have tea parties with you, make him wear tutu's makeup and everything

He's sitting in a small ass chair, a tea cup in his hand as you give him a scone, decked in a boa, tiara and tutu at a small table as Bill is teasing his brother so hard

Until you drag Bill and your uncle's into it

He spoke too soon

He's the dad to always be there when you need him or just to be there when you don't want to talk

Is the dad front row when you have a recital, award ceremony, play and everything else

He doesn't want to miss anything going on in your life

The dad to push you higher than any other kid on the swings

Let's you sneak in his bed no matter how old you get or even if you don't live at home anymore

You'll always be the little girl he raised

You and him were partners in crime as you grew up against your mom

He gives you cookies when she said no because it would "spoil your dinner"

He snuck you one and told you not to tell mom

He gets you out of trouble so many times

Picks you up early from school all the time just because he can and wants to take you to a gig or concert they're doing

He'd be proud of you took after him on electric guitar

Is happy if you ever got into a band or music with your friends

You remind him of himself when he was younger sm except for the flirting

He made you swear off dating for so long because he couldn't handle it but actually loved your future partner as long as they treated you right

Whenever you're upset he's still the dad to mess with you, tickle you and make you laugh until you're ready to talk

He is the best dad to ever have

He spoiled you so damn rotten but made sure you appreciated everything

He raises the best kid ever and he didn't even know how he did it

When he first met you in the hospital room and held you he was shaking

He was just in awe that he made this perfect little girl and that he was your dad

Can you tell I'm curing my daddy issues with these requests?

#tokio hotel #tokio hotel x reader #tokio hotel imagine #bill kaulitz #tom kaulitz imagines #tom kaulitz #tom kaulitz x reader #platonic #gustav schäfer #gustav schafer #georg listing #tokio hotel georg #gustav tokio hotel #tokio x reader

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babydollmarauders · 2 years

Text

SLEEP — LUKE HUGHES

luke hughes x fem!reader

FAITHLYNN’S 500 CELLY!

🌷: “They’re so cute when they’re asleep.” with Luke.

“nap time?” my boyfriend asks as he walks into his room. i was already here, laying in his bed and awaiting his return from morning practice for our daily nap.

the routine had started as an accident, us having fallen asleep one day before his game when we were spending some time together. but now it’s become a good luck tradition; i wait for him in his room during morning practice and then he comes home and we nap together until he has to wake up to get ready and leave for his game, in which case i ride with him to the arena to watch him play.

“finally! i was about to fall asleep without you.” i tell him. Luke just smiles, stripping off his hoodie and throwing it to me, leaving him in a t-shirt and sweatpants. i slip the hoodie over my head, burrowing inside it’s warmth, as he crawls in bed beside me. allowing him to pull my body close to his, i snuggle my face into the crook of his neck and let out a content sigh. i close my eyes, letting myself drift to sleep, happy in his arms.

i’m stirred awake by the sound of whispers, the culprits not doing the best job at keeping quiet.

“they’re so cute when they’re asleep.” someone says.

“yeah, cause they’re not telling me ‘Ethan, no!’ and ‘Ethan, get down from there!’ and ‘Ethan, stop doing that. you’re gonna fall and get hurt.’. they’re such buzzkills.” now i know that voice was Ethan Edwards.

“to be fair, they’re usually in the right when they say those things.” another voice pipes up.

“shut up.” i groan, swatting at someone hand that’s currently tickling my nose.

“ow.” Ethan dramatizes and then stage whispers a “bitch.”

“Ethan, if you wanna keep playing hockey, i suggest you take that back.” Luke mumbles, burrowing his face farther into me.

“sorry, mom.” Ethan drags out, and i already know he’s rolling his eyes without even opening my own. i finally crack my eyes open to find Mark, Ethan, Dylan, and Mackie standing in front of the bed.

“what do you guys want?” i whine, scrunching up my nose.

“we have to leave in like 15 minutes.” Mackie says, making Luke pop up.

“what? no, i set my alarm to go off forty-five minutes before we have to leave.” he picks his phone up, checking the time and cursing before sliding out of the bed. i watch my boyfriend run around the room, telling the boys to get out as he gets changed into his arrival outfit.

my own phone buzzes with an incoming text, and i pick up the screen to find a message from Dylan with a picture of Luke and i sleeping.

“aww babe, look at us.” i turn the phone around for him to see but he’s still rushing around the room.

“no time, babe. let’s go.” he tells me. i sigh, rising from the bed to just slip on my shoes and follow him out the door.

i guess it’s time to watch my boyfriend win another game.

@y/noninsta just posted

y/noninsta game day naps are my favorite times with you 💙💛

Load more comments

lhughes_06 love you baby

y/noninsta i love you too sweet boy

edwards.73 yeah they’re my fav too cause i don’t have you guys yelling at me

y/noninsta who else is gonna tell you not to try doing a back flip off the kitchen counter right next to the flaming stovetop?

edwards.73 i still think i could’ve landed it

lhughes_06 and i still think y/n and i would’ve been the ones stuck driving you to the hospital with a broken nose and 2nd degree burns but hey what do i know?

edwards.73 you guys have no faith in me

jackhughes gross this is not the content i signed up for

y/noninsta i could block you. would that help? ☺️

elblue6 you guys are too cute!

y/noninsta at least someone appreciates us! thank you mama El!

#faithlynn’s 500 celly!#luke hughes #luke hughes imagine #luke hughes x reader #luke hughes blurb #umich hockey #umich boys #umich blurbs #umich imagine #faithlynn’s writings <3

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sanest-bsd-delegate · 1 year

Text

Concert tickets

Headcanon: Where its you, them and the music taste. Ft Dazai, Chuuya, Tachihara and Lucy Masterlist Please look at the request rules in masterlist before requesting. Here is a lil headcanon for you (exams are shit, they decrease the writing creative power) bear with it AND THE GIF AM SORRY I CANT LMAO 😭

Dazai:

This man is 10/10 screaming the lyrics in the office.

Now he is a fan of Mitsiki too, but 'I wanna be yours' hits different.

Assuming your favorite band, he makes sure you least have a vintage case tape thingy even if it means Kunikida's bank account goes dead.

You both are broke babes,😭 cant even go to the concert.

But if you get to go into a concert, *cough* Kunikida's card *cough*, he makes sure you stay close to him

He 1000/10 gets lost in the concert, so pretty much you have to make sure his body aren't damaged. Twig like mf fr

WHY DO I IMAGINE HE MIGHT AS WELL AS CLIMB THE STAGE AND SING OUT-😭

If there are any fan meets, he makes sure you are with him cause there was this one time you beat him up just cause he didn't take you to a meetup. 💪💀 #saddazaicauseheisbroken

Dazai slays in the artist's t-shirts.

He secretly writes those artist x reader fanfiction on tumblr or smthg idk

I think he had a arctic monkey obsession phase.

It was a traumatic phase

I can feel like once you both only talked in I wanna be your lyrics, and oh boy the ADA was traumatized.

Once you refused to give him cuddles and bro really screams 505 lyrics.

He got a restraining order from the band when he sung at their concert.😭

The whole neighborhood got deaf by his singing.🤡

IMAGINE FIGHTING WITH PM AND THEN MF GOES LIKE "I go crazy 'cause here isn't where I wanna be" AND THE PM GOES WHO POSSESSED THIS MF NOW. (I need sleep)

Aww you love your boyfriend even when he is having broken bones and currently in hospital bed for going to a concert alone and getting crushed by sweaty people😭 <333

Chuuya:

"MILLANIUM KIDS THAT WANNA DIE" Bro might as well be a Dazai kinnie in music taste.

He had a Conan gray phase and still isn't over it.

Its a good thing you are his S/O.....YOU GET A FREE TICKET TO CONCERT WITH HIM.💪💀

can we appreciate this man? HE BUYS MERCHS FOR YOU <3333 WITHOUT STEALING OTHER'S MONEY UNLIKE SOME. 🤡

(well technically he steals their life so naturally the pay is for the life so he steals soul and money but he is a babygirl...he is forgiven.)

He has to use his gravity powers thingy. YOU BOTH ARE TO MUCH DEPRESSED IN THE CROWD.

"Woah, this place is just like my mind, messed up" "STFU Y/N 😭I AM TRYING TO BUY SOME MF TICKETS"

Awww he probably have you sit over his shoulder so that he can lowkey fly and you both can see the concert.

He cries if the song describes his life.🤠

Cause like one time you caught him listening to Mitski and he was crying. YKW YOU HUGGED HIM AND KISSED HIM CAUSE NO ONE LIKES A CRYING CHUUYA (maybe in bed thats different)

PLEASE I CAN IMAGINE THAT WE FORCE THIS MF

INTO

SINGING

LEVITATING

WHILE FLYING 😭

"I wish he levitates away forever, his singing makes my ear bleed" *Dazai proceeds to levitate to ADA hospital bed*

Chuuya supremacy

Tachihara:

Who knew this man got a music taste?

The same music taste as yours.

213420/10 the best music taste duo.

YOU CAUGHT THIS MAN RED HANDED LISTENING TO CPR. 🤡

His personality will be screaming Daddy Issues 😭

You still are suspicious how he got the concert tickets that too for TWO PEOPLE 💀

He will be those people who either will scream lyrics in someone's phone while they are recording or will those privileged people who get recognized by the band.

Why can I imagine him saying that the concert sucks?

YADADA YOU STILL DRAG HIM ANYWAYS.😭

*insert him doing funky dance on new rules by Dua Lipa*

Lowkey feels he listens to Spanish songs.

Imagine being along in room with this mf and he starts to sings Die for you??? While he spins you around dancing and laughing????

#blessed.

STFU. He had a Alan walker phase. No ifs and buts.🤡

Awww he brought your favorite artist's merch......WHERE IS THE HIDDEN MONEY BOY.

(Ill vibe with him on song 'this december')

EXTRA BUT HIM SINGING TELEPATH?? MY HEART CANT-😭

He brought a spotify premium for both of you <33 TAKE THAT ADS. 😭

Lucy:

She gives me girl in red vibes.

Pretty sure she is embarrassed to admit her music taste.

SHE IS THE REASON YOU LISTEN TO AMERICAN MUSIC ATM IDC.

You both will be sneaking in the concert using her ability.

LIKE FOR FREE??🎉🤠

You suggested that you should just have the door half ass open cause the crowd is just to much crowdy.🤡

She dragged you to follow her.

HELP SHE GOT CALLED ON THE STAGE TO SING WITH THE ARTIST. 10/10 she sings well.

Her music taste really is various but we love it.

She lowkey thinks you don't know she had a Justin Bieber phase, but you aren't confessing, it will hurt her ego.😭

You both watch those 2 hr concert video uploaded on Youtube (bless those uploaders)

"Y/N we can very well visit the concert venue you know?"

WAIT TILL THE COPS REALISE THAT💪💀

Awww look at you, just you both making Spotify playlist for each other.

"F-R-I-E-N-D-S" "Y/N please, you are acting worse then when you are drunk😭" "🤡 Haven't I made it obvious"

You brought her a little marshmallow keychain.

So like Atsushi accidently entered you both jamming to your favorites of all time and ummmm it left a traumatic picture in his mind that day. (Dw its just both of you jamming to much hard and the room is trashed out <3🤠

Fun fact: I was really confused on who to pick and wrote Tachihara thinking the poll cant change in 30 mins. (P.s it did and Lucy won)🤠 Fun Fact pt 2 : Requests are getting proceeded, stop spamming asking when they are finished 🤠 dw, am up for y'all love and appreciations and Ideas

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sunshine-overload · 25 days

Text

[BSTS] Heath 5th Anni Eve 4* Card Story

chapter 1 -starless back rooms-

saki: (This piece of paper flew over from somewhere… Oh, it was from the voice training room.)

saki: Uwah, I can’t catch it.

heath: What are you doing?

saki: Oh, Heath-san. That piece of paper flew out of the voice training room.

heath: Oh sorry, that’s mine. I got dragged away by Kongou, so the room has been vacant for a bit. He finally let me go once he saw me eat my lunch… It was a massive serving too.

saki: Fufu, do you have practice now?

heath: I was planning to shut myself away in the voice training room for a while. If you’re interested would you like to join me?

-voice training room-

heath: I should pick all this paper up, my bad.

saki: I’ll help you. Ah, this is…

heath: The the lyrics to ‘Dokuhebi’, the show B performed for the store’s second anniversary. I usually lock myself in here to write new songs, however today I’ve been thinking about that show.

saki: Your second anniversary show you mean?

heath: I’d rather not remember the period of time after the second anniversary up until the new year but it’s not like I could ever forget it either. I caused my team a lot of hardship. But the worst part was being stuck sitting in that hospital bed whilst my words were stolen from me. It was hell.

saki: Heath-san…

heath: My songs are my very soul. By shouting them out into the world, I can prove that I’m alive. That I exist. So that’s why ever since I got discharged from the hospital, I’ve been thinking about my songs… As well as B’s shows.

saki: It’s true that you’ve made every single song for B’s shows.

heath: …Say, what do you think of the current state of B’s performances? Let me know how you honestly feel about them, what is Team B in your eyes?

-choice

They’re really powerful and amazing / They’re really moving / They’re very Team B, I like it

(all options have the same response)

>They’re really powerful and amazing

saki: B’s shows are always really engaging, they’re so powerful and impressive.

heath: I see. If that’s how you see us, then I suppose that’s how Team B are. Thanks, Saki.

chapter 2 -backstage-

heath: The show will be starting soon, did you come to wish me well? I’ll make sure to meet your expectations. I’ll get both the stage and the audience fired up. I’ll put on a show thats power will impress you, kind of like a power play. Don’t go forgetting that, ok?

saki: Heath-san… You’re really motivated today, aren’t you?

heath: I guess so, you could call it that. It’s because seeing your face energises me. To be honest, I had just been thinking, what direction am I trying to take my performances in? But then when I saw your face, the answer came to me.

I can’t always envision tomorrow and yesterday won’t ever come back. All I have is the present. That’s what just clicked for me…

I had two reasons for coming to this store. The first was to give life to my lyrics. And the second was to have those lyrics be heard by those that I want to hear them. Those reasons haven’t changed and won’t ever change… They can’t be changed.

saki: …Heath-san?

heath: I’d like for you to keep watching the way I live my life. Just as you have been up and until now… Please continue doing so.

saki: Of course. I’ll always be here to watch your shows.

heath: Yeah. I’ll do my best. You should get to your seat already, I’m gonna go all out straight out the gate, so make sure you keep up.

saki: I’m looking forward to it. I’ll head to my seat then!

-saki leaves-

heath: ….Saki. I’m different from back then. I won’t let anyone touch my life ever again.*

-stage-

-cg

heath: “Do you think singing hymns will keep you safe? Pride is a machine gun loaded with betrayal. No forgiveness, no groove. In this world you can’t have faith in anything. No forgiveness, no groove. No one’s gonna be fooled by a world like this.”

—end

*The word for ‘life’ that heath uses here is 命 (inochi) which is the word he commonly uses when he calls his songs his life

*Dokuhebi is based on The Brothers Karamazov, Smerdyakov specifically, the ending is lyrics from the song

#bsts translation #bsts heath

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radiowallet · 2 years

Text

Glasses

Main Masterlist II Tied Masterlist

Summary: Dr. Djarin is slightly in denial about his eyesight. Pairing: Din Djarin x f!reader (First Assist) WC: 1.6K Warnings: Mature 18+ MDNI This is an over 18 blog and all content is considered mature. Established relationship, unprotected P in V sex, light choking, vaginal fingering, oral (female receiving), medical/surgical discussions, descriptions of surgical complications, fluff, talk of family.

I do not use a tag list. You can follow @radiowallet-writes and turn on notifications to get fic updates.

“You’re staring.”

He’s not wrong.

You are staring.

You are staring and Din is squinting. His brown eyes are fixed on one single point on the computer screen, moving in and out of focus, the wrinkles at the edges beautifully (and needlessly) pronounced. You watch as his brow furrows in, the dip between his eyes set deep as he tries to make out the words in front of him, every inch of him steadfast and stubborn.

“First.”

His tone is biting, but the warning is dulled, a smile teasing at the corner of his lips, the surgical mask pulled down below his chin moving with the small twitch.

“I never took you for a vain man, Dr. Djarin.”

His chair swivels, metal wheels giving a whining groan in protest of the sudden movement. Sharp eyes meet yours and you don’t bother hiding your grin, dragging the toe of your dirty sneaker up and down his calf, a silent cue from you to him – with love.

“You need glasses.”

For a second he doesn’t say anything, his scowl pursing deeper into his bottom lip, his mustache following not far behind. And then, just before he turns back to the computer screen, “I don’t.”

“You asked for loupes today.”

“Not an uncommon occurrence.” His voice is even, but his back is steel, his fists are flexed.

“You only ask for loupes in vascular cases. Today was just a valve replacement.”

Din doesn’t respond, instead leaning his face closer to the computer screen; a move that only helps to further prove your point. You lean back in your own chair and breathe in deep, the smell of burnt coffee and cold pizza invading your senses. You had meant what you said; you didn’t take Din for a vain man. Confident, of course. A bit of an ego, sure. The best surgeons had both, practically parting gifts on the way out of residency.

But vain?

He had shouldered every grey hair he found beneath the bright synthetic lights of the hospital with cool indifference. He had barely paid lip service to his changing body, hard edges earned from daily runs and vending machine sandwiches switched out for a soft belly gifted over two years of a warm bed and home cooked meals. He had even given in to your plea for a new mattress with zero fight, going as far to agree that yes, his back did feel better, the admission grunted in your ear as he fucked deep inside you, the plastic half-torn away, the delivery men barely out the front door.

Through all of it he smiled, that same cocky tilt to his features he’s been giving you since the day you met. And you loved him all the more for it. Loved that he was embracing this next stage of life, with all of its many gifts and numerous changes, with grace and a touch of humor.

But this? Glasses? That’s his tipping point?

“You pointed at the menu last night. Didn’t even try to read it.”

He clicks the mouse once.

“I read it.”

Twice.

“They brought you salmon. You hate salmon”

Three times and the chart finally closes.

“A man can change.”

His hand gently touches to your knee, a warm grip that draws your eyes up to his own. His features are set, his mouth drawn thin, and when he speaks, his clipped tone speaks volumes.

“Next cut time is in ten.”

“I think you would look sexy with glasses.”

“I’m just a piece of meat to you, aren’t I?”

“If the scrubs fit.”

You try again two days later with a different tactic.

“How about contacts?”

Din only hums, his lips preoccupied, sucking a bruise into the curve of your hip, his thick fingers digging at the flesh of your thighs. His destination is clear, but he’s taking his time tonight, no piece of skin left untouched, lips and teeth and tongue mapping a twisting pattern across your body. You’re pleasantly warm, arousal simmering sweetly beneath the surface of the evening and you’re hoping it’s enough for him to finally agree.

“Din?”

He switches to your other hip bone, barely pulling away from the heat of your skin, to give you a gruff reply.

“Contacts would dry out in the O.R.”

You bite your lip, a moan threatening to break the seal of your lips, the tip of one of Din’s fingers dragging through the folds of your pussy. Your silence only spurs him on, and he sucks harder, a bite of pain flaring beneath his kiss.

“H-how about… shit– lasik?”

He pulls always from you then, the suction of his mouth breaking off with a slick pop, his incredulous gaze piercing you from below. The tip of his finger is still inside you, his finger curling forward to meet his answer, your own gasp of pleasure not far behind.

“You want me to let some hack put a laser near my eyes?”

He doesn’t wait for an answer, instead slipping a second finger inside you to join the first, pumping them in out of you in time with his words.

“Do you know that 0.3% of patients come away with some form of infection after any type of eye surgery? Or that dry eyes are the number one side effect?”

His voice is steady, belying the way he’s stretching you open, slick arousal dripping out around his fingers and soaking the sheets below. Your legs are trembling where his shoulders push them wide, and he only seems to delight in the break in your composure.

“What about the increase in glares? Halos?”

He dips his head and licks gently at your clit, his chest rumbling in delight as you twist beneath him, hips canting up to meet the thrust of his fingers.

“How about that 1% chance of a dislocation of the corneal flap?”

“Oh my god! Din!” You groan, your pussy clenching around his fingers even as you arch off the bed and shoot him an exasperated look. “Just shut u–”

Your words are cut off, head falling back to the mattress, his mouth fusing to your clit, bursts of white blinding your vision as he sucks the bundle of nerves between his teeth. He groans into you, the vibrations sending liquid heat up your spine, his fingers pushing deep inside, his tongue curling through the folds of your pussy to collect every drop of you he can. Your fingers find the curls at the crown of his head and you tug, desperate to keep his mouth occupied with anything but the statistical risk of lasik eye surgery.

And still, you can’t help yourself.

“Can you…can you even s—ee what you’re doing?”

Your laughter can barely catch up to your joke before Din is on you, the fingers just buried inside your cunt wrapped around your throat, his lips still shiny with the taste of you, hovering just out of reach of your own. His cock sits heavy between your legs, and he thrusts up, dragging the hard length against your core, precum smearing into your skin as he steals your breath in the process.

“I don’t need to see to take you apart. Trust me.”

“It’s not about vanity.”

You don’t look up from the computer screen, but you stop typing, ignoring Din’s long list of chart deficiencies in lieu of waiting patiently for him to keep talking. Fortunately, he doesn’t keep you waiting long.

“I don’t want to stop cutting. Not yet. I’m…It’s…a part of me.”

This time you do look up, trying and failing to keep your face neutral as you set your eyes as him, embarrassed frustration barely stewing beneath the grimace on his lips.

“Dr. Djarin?”

“Yeah?”

“I know.” And then, “You won’t.”

The last thing you expect is for Din to bring the topic up on his own.

You’re stretched out on opposite ends of the couch one cold November night, Grogu sitting on the floor between you, breaking in a new set of crayons as he covers sheet after sheet of construction paper in green scribbles. It’s a far cry from nights spent in on-call rooms waiting for an inevitable page that would pull Din and you apart, a warm mug of tea replacing cold coffee, Din’s clever hands rubbing soft circles into the ball of your foot instead of wrapped around surgical tools.

The mood is near-perfect, so much so that you have no intention of pointing out the way Din is squinting at the picture his son just handed him, struggling to name the creature Grogu is so proud to share.

“It’s great, buddy. I love…”

“Frog, Dada,” Grogu offers with a stomp of his foot before snatching the paper away and bringing it over to you, chubby fingers pulling at your sweatshirt in frustration.

“It’s such a good frog, baby! Definitely going up on the fridge,” you coo sweetly down at your son, pushing his hair back and out of his eyes.

Without prompting Grogu goes back to his coloring, his attention stolen back by the rainbow of colors scattered across the living room floor and you can’t help but watch a little longer. Across from you, Din shifts, and when you sneak a glance his way he’s frowning, the brown of his eyes focused on some invisible threat hovering just out of sight. You call his name softly, drawing his attention back to you, raising your eyebrow in a silent invitation to explain.

When he does finally speak, his throat bobbing with the weight of his words, the answer almost too simple for your liking.

“I don’t want to miss any of this.”

You don’t ask what he means by this. You don’t have to.

And you were right.

Din does look sexy with glasses.

A/N: I know it's been almost a year since I've posted anything for Dr. Djarin and First, and I have no good reason other than I hit an emotional wall with this story that had many contributing factors. I hope this little drabble means I'll be able to finish this story properly.

Bonus Medical Jargon

Loupes: Loupes are a simple optical devices used for viewing details of objects with some magnification.

Valve Replacement: An aortic valve replacement involves removing a faulty or damaged valve and replacing it with a new valve made from synthetic materials or animal tissue

Vascular Surgery: Vascular surgery is a surgical subspecialty in which diseases of the vascular system, or arteries, veins and lymphatic circulation.

Lasik: Commonly referred to as laser eye surgery or laser vision correction.

Dislocation of the corneal flap: A flap dislocation would cause notable pain, discomfort, excessive watering in the eye, and/or blurred vision

#Din Djarin #Din Djarin AU #Doctor!Din #din djarin x f!reader #The Mandalorian #The Mandalorian AU

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eddiemunsonsmum · 1 year

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Aftermath | Chapter 4 | Eddie Munson

Eddie Munson x Female OC | E.M x Karmen Jones

Chapter Summary: Eddie and Karmen finally reunite after nearly two weeks apart during the events of Season 4.

Story Summary: This story takes place after the canonical events of Season 4. Eddie wakes up in the Upside Down after 'dying' in Dustin's arms. He wakes up again in the hospital and is reunited with his loved ones that he hasn't seen since before Chrissy's death. This story covers Eddie's time in the hospital and overall physical recovery after the Upside Down.

This fic is part of the She Feels Like Home series. It sits between Boxing Day and Drop Out but can be read as a standalone.

Tags: Reunion, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Lots of Comfort, Medical Talk, Injuries, Vomiting, ASD !Eddie, Autistic Eddie, Non-verbal Eddie, Wayne Munson is a gem, Canonical Murder, Canonical Gore/Murder Descriptions, 4 Spoilers

Words: 6112

A/N: This chapter is 3x as long as the others and will probably be the longest chapter in the story. I kept trying to find places to break it up into smaller parts but it just wasn't doing the story justice. Also please do me a favour and ignore the placement of all these wires and tubes I mention. It was literally not important to the story to keep mentioning them getting tangled.

Eddie’s bed was propped up on an angle that probably wasn’t all too comfortable for sleeping. He was connected to a few different machines by tubes and wires. He appeared to be only wearing a hospital gown that was put on backwards so it could open at the front. Exposing his pale torso that was littered with purple and brown bruises in all the areas that were not covered by large plasters or wrapped in bandages.

He had large dark circles under his eyes and his cheeks looked gaunt and hollow. There were a few smaller bruises spattered across his face and some larger running down his neck towards the plaster on the left side that also covered a large part of his cheek.

His lips were dry and split in several places and seemed to be in different stages of healing. It looked almost as if they had been picked at. As thought it hadn’t happened naturally from dehydration or being hit in the face during the crash…

His hair was oily and matted. Huge masses of knotted hair replaced his wild curls. Even his bangs had suffered, all mangled together and swept out at different angles. He was one step away from natural dreads.

Although he seemed clean, Karmen got the sense that he had been filthy when he arrived and was hastily washed down with betadine by the nurses before the surgery to repair his wounds. He would need to be cleaned properly once he could move around a little. He probably felt disgusting in his own skin.

She studied him for a long while. Categorizing his injuries and trying to commit them to memory so that when he was awake she could try and prevent him from hurting himself further.

She really didn’t want to wake him. Even though he didn’t really look peaceful. His brows were furrowing and evening out repeatedly while his eyes flittered under the lids with their rapid movements. The beeping from his heart rate monitor speeding up and slowing down again as his heart reacted to whatever was happening in his dreams.

Nightmares, more like.

He was trembling, she realized as she reached out a hand, letting the pads of her fingers touch lightly on his forehead. She saw him flinch at the contact, almost pulling away but decided to stay since she’d already gone this far. She trailed her fingertips down the uninjured side of his face. Petting tenderly the way she knew he liked.

Her fingers dragged uncomfortably along his clammy skin even with her featherlight touch.

Eddie grunted as she moved over the corner of his mouth before gliding back up. His eyebrows knitting as his eyes began to flutter open. She paused her movements, waiting for him to come around properly. His iris’ darting to the hand on his face. His body tensing as wide eyes made contact with hers and she smiled kindly.

“Hey.” She greeted him simply. Not sure what else to say. She watched as he startled at the word. Scared eyes flicking over her, looking sceptical.

Slowly he began to move his hand. Lifting it up to press gently at the back of hers. Touching it lightly and flinching away before slowly coming back and engulfing it with his large palm. He pulled it away from his face to study. She let him do what he needed to. Swallowing down heartbreak as she realized that he didn’t believe she was real.

She remained still, just observing quietly as he turned her arm in his hands and pressed his fingers against the pulse point on her warm wrist. The perfume she’d dabbed there before leaving the house wafted towards his nose as he frowned to himself, keeping his eyes downcast.

Karmen watched as they widened momentarily, her jaw clenching as his grip on her arm tightened. The steady beep of his heart monitor sped up as he turned to look up at her properly. His large eyes burning with unshed tears as he took a deep stuttered breath that rose his back off the bed.

She was here. She was really fucking here and she was smiling at him and letting him touch her instead of pushing him away in disgust and demanding answers.

He let go of her arm abruptly. Holding out his shaking hands and silently begging her to take them. She did, placing her palms in his and trying her best to not show her surprise when he yanked her forwards in what she was sure was supposed to be a smooth and gentle gesture.

She brought his hands to her face. Leaning into him so she didn’t have to drag them high and risk hurting him or pulling at his IVs. She kissed each of them tenderly, giving them a small squeeze.

“I’m going to sit up here, okay?” She asked as his eyes spilled over and tears ran down his cheeks. Karmen placed his hands back in his lap momentarily before putting her own hand down on the mattress and using it for leverage as she jumped up onto it.

Before she could get situated properly on the edge of the bed he was clawing at her. Hands scraping down the front and sides of her body as he tried in vain to pull her closer. Only serving to strain himself and accidentally push her back off the bed as she tried her best to calm him.

“Hey, hey, hey!” She whispered as she caught his wrists, holding them still for a second as she looked him in the eyes and willed him to relax. “It’s okay.” She told him softly, placing his hands on her hips so that he would stop moving them and holding them there for a long moment before letting go. Hovering over them, waiting to see if he would move them and ready to catch them if he did.

He didn’t, instead digging his fingers impossibly tight into her hips. Staring at her with red rimmed eyes and wet cheeks. Breath hitching as he waited as patiently as he could manage.

It’d been over a week now easily, maybe two. He hadn’t been away from her for that long since they’d met and while under normal circumstances he would survive that easily, albeit dramatically, if he had to, this past week had been anything but normal.

He couldn’t lie and say that she had been the first thing on his mind after Chrissy died or that he had been thinking about her constantly in the long week that followed finding out that other dimensions and monsters existed. But when he was alone in Rick’s boat shed, before Dustin showed up, he had longed to go to her instead. Knowing deep down he couldn’t, that he needed to hide because a girl was dead and Eddie ‘the Freak’ Munson was definitely going to be to blame. But it had been so hard to stay there alone after experiencing the most traumatic moment of his life and then not knowing what was going to happen to him after it all.

He had been a little distracted the rest of the time he had spent with the party. The fleeting thoughts that if he just pushed through and killed Vecna they could clear his name and he could come back to her, got him through. He hadn’t let himself take any more time than that to think about it. To figure out what the fuck he was actually going to say to her or how he was going to explain it once everything was said and done.

Despite how hard he tried not to think about it since waking up in the hospital, she had occupied his every waking thought. Suddenly the reality of being back in the real world with Vecna dead, he assumed and still no fucking clue how he was going to explain it all was at the forefront of his mind. The fact that Wayne wouldn’t answer him properly about where Karmen was or why she hadn’t visited while he was awake was disconcerting. Not that he could really ask and be persistent about it in the way he wanted, without speaking. But he knew Wayne understood him and was deflecting his answers, pretending not to really get it so that he didn’t have to tell Eddie the ugly truth.

He thought she wasn’t coming. The only thing that had stopped him from breaking down about it this far was that Wayne had said she was there earlier. Whatever the hell that meant.

Karmen smiled at him softly, bringing her hands to his face. Careful to avoid the bandage over his left cheek as she cupped it in her palms.

Eddie closed his eyes, his breathing speeding up as a choked sob fell from his lips. His entire body was trembling and it was hard to tell if it was due to her proximity or the exertion of forcing himself to sit up slightly. His heart was beating like crazy. The monitor began to alarm as his bpm reached a certain threshold.

Letting go of his face she pulled herself up onto the bed properly. He shimmied over unconsciously to make room as she moved in beside him. Small, painful grunts leaving him as he used weakened muscles. His brows furrowing as his head began to spin.

Fuck… It hurts… It all… hurts.

“Come here Sweetheart.” Karmen whispered as she slid an arm around his shoulders. Lying back against the propped up mattress she put gentle pressure against his bicep. Eddie responded immediately by diving into her. His clawing hands back on the job as they desperately tried to move him closer. As if they weren’t already as close as they could get, squished up against one another on the tiny bed made for one.

His unwounded cheek pressed against her collarbone. The top of her breasts cradling his chin as he curled himself into her. Groaning in pain as he ignored his body's protests. Everything was burning, his head was dizzy from the agony. He felt like he was going to throw up.

But that just spurred him on. He needed her so badly. Needed her comfort. Needed to be on her, in her, part of her, he didn’t know. He didn’t realize how desperate he had been for her until she was within reach. Now that she was here, he needed her as close as she could physically get. Anything less was painful in a way that rivaled the intense ache of his physical wounds.

Need you. Need you. Need you.

He chanted to himself, his entire body shaking violently against her as she wrapped her arms around him and held him as tight as she could. Trying her best to avoid putting pressure on his bandages.

She held back on the instinct to rock him like she wanted to. Not wanting to irritate his injuries and hurt him any further or possibly make him sick. So instead she settled for a firm hold and whispered words of comfort.

“It’s okay Bubba.” She whispered against his temple. Planting gentle kisses on the skin she could reach as she reminded him that he was alright. “You’re safe now.” She told him, feeling him shudder at the words. His face rubbing wetly at her chest as he sobbed into her neck. “I’ve got you, you’re safe.”

It took a lot of calming but eventually he quieted down. She felt him relax a little more against her. His breath evening out, deepening. She could feel his eyelashes fluttering gently against her and knew he was moments from sleep but fighting it hard.

She wanted to talk to him so badly. Feeling guilt well in her chest as she selfishly lamented the fact that even if he was verbal right now she knew it wasn’t the right time to ask questions.

He needed her to hold him, kiss him, tell him everything was okay with them and in general. He needed her to let him sleep and she would because she cared so deeply for him and his well-being. It was more important to let him rest with her and recover than it was to press for information no matter how much she wanted it.

But she had so many goddamn questions. Questions that she’d been asking herself all week. Questions that swirled in her mind every waking minute and sometimes slipped out in hoarse screams that drained all of her energy and burned her throat.

She concentrated on Eddie. Forcing away flashbacks of striding into an empty field off the side of the highway near the trailer park and screaming at the sky until her lungs were empty and she couldn’t stand up anymore. Two sets of warm hands pulling her back to her feet and all the hazy memories that came after that of being force fed so she wouldn’t collapse after days of refusing food and gruff voices, uncharacteristically soft as they assured her they’d find him. Eddie didn’t do it. He would be okay.

Karmen took a calming breath. Tilting her chin downwards slightly she could see that Eddie had fallen asleep. He was heavy in her arms, melted against her body like putty. His arm slung loosely over her waist instead of tightly gripping her as it was before. The worry lines on his forehead smoothing out as he snored gently against her chest.

She wondered how long it had been since he’d rested willingly and not in a medicine induced haze.

As if in answer to her question, Wayne appeared from behind the curtain shielding their view of the door. Surprise on his face as he looked between the two of them. His features settling into a warm smile at the sight of Eddie resting so peacefully. He nodded at Karmen approvingly and she forced a smile back as he made his way to the chair beside the bed. Leaning back in it and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Good job.” He said softly, clearing his throat afterwards to rid it of emotion he hadn’t intended on showing. Karmen huffed out a laugh, letting her head roll against the mattress so she was facing him.

“Thanks.” She whispered back. Her hands absently petting Eddie as she thought. “So you don’t know anything else?” She asked, getting straight to the point and watching as Wayne leant back in his chair and sighed.

He didn’t seem surprised by her brashness. She supposed he had the same questions as her waiting to be answered in his own mind. Only, he had a little more information than she did. She was on the backfoot. Needed to play catch up and he was more than willing to oblige her after seeing how well she had managed to calm Eddie while he was gone.

She was the one. He was sure of it now.

“No.” He answered apologetically. “A couple of men in uniform came in here the first time I was visiting. They weren’t cops. Although they were here too, lurking. But these guys, I don't know.” He paused to think. “The Army, maybe.” He decided. “Said they found the killer and that it obviously wasn’t Eddie.” He replied with venom in his voice.

Karmen nodded. She had seen on the news that morning that Eddie had been cleared as a suspect after the real murderer was found. Apparently there was still a large portion of the town that was not convinced and was outraged at Eddie’s charges being dropped.

“They wanted to talk to Eddie.” He continued, gesturing with his head to his sleeping nephew. “But look at him. He can barely keep his eyes open and it was even worse a few days ago. They were none too happy when I said I’d need to be present to make sure he retains whatever information they needed to give him.” He scoffed.

“What do you think they wanted?” She asked with a frown. Her hand coming up to stroke at Eddie’s cheek when he stirred at her words.

“No idea.” The older man replied with a sigh. “Surely not to apologize.”

Karmen snorted at the statement, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at the notion. Absolutely not. After the witch-hunt the cops had led on Eddie, she doubted they’d ever accept responsibility and apologize. Hoping instead that Eddie was so grateful for no longer being a suspect that he would quietly fade into the background and never question their dodgy detective work.

Wayne and Karmen continued to chat quietly for an hour or so. Only being interrupted by the bustle of a busy nurse as she appeared by Eddie’s bedside.

Karmen smiled at her guiltily as a brow was raised in her direction. She’d been a visitor in the hospital plenty of times before and knew full well she shouldn’t be on the bed with the patient. But she’d found over the years it often depended on the nurse that was on duty as to what the rules were or how far she could bend them.

The woman looked them over with a sigh. Choosing not to say anything as she eyed the steady beat of Eddie’s heart monitor.

“If she wasn’t up there, he’d be down there.” Wayne chuckled, gesturing towards the visitor chair on the other side of the bed. “It’s for the best, trust me.” He added, his tone conveying the wisdom of someone that had been taking care of Eddie for a long time.

He’d only been a patient for a couple of days but in that time he’d already proven himself to be difficult even while being cooperative. Not that he would remember any of it in the grand scheme of things. He had been in and out of sleep for days. Waking up confused every time until Wayne convinced him to breathe and he remembered where he was and why. The older man had no doubt that by the time Eddie was released, the memory of these first few days would be reduced to a blur of colors and sounds.

“I’m sure.” The nurse agreed flatly, holding up the observation monitor. “But I need to check his vitals.” She explained, pulling the probe from its casing and leaning over the couple.

To her credit, she worked around the fact that Karmen was absolutely in her way, without complaint. She was a good one.

‘Nurse Jo.' Karmen thought to herself as her eyes lingered on the woman’s name tag. 'Noted.'

Nurse Jo took Eddie’s bicep gently and slotted the small object under his armpit making him jolt. His eyes flew open, heart rate ticking up dramatically as he panicked at the feel of a warm body under him. He shoved at Karmen, frantically. A cry of pain fell from his lips as she released him from her arms and he rolled back onto the mattress beside her and tried his best to scramble down the bed away from the perceived threat.

Wayne was on his feet in an instant, standing steady by Karmen’s side and preparing to remove her from the bed for her own safety if Eddie accidentally lashed out violently, not realizing who he was hurting. The nurse on the other side of the couple locked eyes with Wayne briefly. A silent understanding between them, that she would hold Eddie down if she needed to so that he could sling Karmen over his shoulder and get her out of there.

Thankfully their silent plan of action didn’t come to fruition. Instead Eddie brought his arms up to cover his chest as he curled in on himself. The pain radiating from his wounds was suddenly more pressing than anything else in that moment. The overwhelming agony that throbbed throughout his body winding him as he tried desperately to take in a breath and came up empty. He choked on nothing as his lungs refused air.

Karmen slipped down the bed quickly. Her head level with his as she slowly reached out to place a hand on his forearm.

He looked up at her, confused. The fear in his eyes made her stomach drop as he stared at her like she could help and was refusing to.

The hand on his arm squeezed ever so gently. A familiar gesture that seemed to knock something into place and remind him of falling asleep with her earlier. He found the breath that had been alluding him and inhaled it greedily. Exhaling sharply before suddenly trying to shuffle closer. Whining as it sent new waves of pain through his torso.

Karmen was quick to pick up his slack. Inching closer and moving the hand from his arm to stroke over his shoulder, up his neck and into his hair.

Somewhere behind her, she heard Wayne breathe a sigh of relief. The squeak of his boots on the linoleum floor and the whoosh of air from the noisy cushion on the visitors chair, told her that he had returned to his place. Content that Eddie wouldn’t lash out at her at this point.

She looked up at the nurse still standing behind Eddie. The woman smiled at her sympathetically before her eyes flicked up to Eddie’s heart monitor. Watching as the rate slowly dipped back to normal before moving around the bed to where Eddie could see her and holding up the obs machine again.

He eyed her cautiously. Still breathing heavily due to the pain. His bottom lip trembling as he glowered up at her. Not wanting to give her permission to touch him again.

She seemed to understand. Sighing softly before giving him a pointed look.

“If you let me do your obs, I can get you more pain medication.” She said softly, clearly peaking his interest although he had tried to hide it. He continued to stare at her for a few more seconds before tearing his eyes away. Looking at Karmen instead and giving the faintest of nods as he stared into her empathetic eyes.

Karmen stroked his knotty hair gently as the nurse slipped the probe back under his arm. He shivered involuntarily at the feeling, closing his eyes against the embarrassment he felt welling in his chest. He was so weak and helpless. Scared. He never wanted anyone to see him this way, least of all Karmen.

It had definitely been nearly two weeks, he decided, since the last time they saw one another. He’d left her place happy and full of confidence. Determination had swirled in his gut as he set off for school, excited for his campaign. Ready to give those kids that best night of their young lives.

They had enjoyed the campaign thoroughly. Despite the substitute. At first she seemed an inconvenience but ultimately she won them the game. It had taught him a little more about not judging a book by its cover. Something he’d already known not to do. But ironically he had already questioned his morals about it once that same day. Wondering if perhaps he was secretly and shamefully, more prejudiced than he had ever realized. When he’d spoken to Chrissy in the woods and realized she wasn’t actually the massive bitch he assumed she would be simply because she was popular and a cheerleader. But he had given himself grace for that one, considering that perhaps his assumptions had more to do with the fact that she was Jason Carver’s girlfriend than anything else so trivial.

Anyway, after leaving the Drama room, his memory was foggy. He remembered driving back to his trailer with Chrissy in tow and making small talk. Ironically about Karmen. She had given him good input on his plans for their anniversary. He remembered not being able to find the ketamine. He didn’t remember if he ever found it or not. Just, walking back into the living room to find Chrissy acting strange…

Eddie physically shuddered at the thought. The nurse that was currently counting his breaths studying his face as his closed eyes screwed up tighter. Flashes of memory assaulting him. Making him grunt and jolt with the sound of every snapping bone.

Karmen watched as he turned pale before her eyes. She hadn’t realized it was possible for him to lose any more color. Her hand slid down to his cheek and she stroked it with her thumb. Her fingertip dragging again over his clammy skin as sweat began to bead on his forehead.

He opened his eyes to look at her. The same fear from earlier intensified as he blinked at her, lips trembling as his stomach lurched and he dry heaved dramatically. Both Karmen and the nurse jumping into action and rushing to help him into a sitting position. His shaking hands holding the bowl he was handed tight as Karmen scooped fistfulls of his hair out of his face and pulled it into a loose bun using the spare hair tie on her wrist.

Eddie retched into the container in his hands. Not bringing up much of anything as he grunted and cried through the pain of hunching into some of his worst wounds. His abs burned under the strain. His insides felt like they were trying to crawl out of his mouth.

Chrissy’s broken face was staring at him in the darkness of his eyelids. Her sunken eyeballs watching as he let tears slip passed his lashes. A broken whine burning his throat alongside the bile. The pain in his stomach rising up into his chest at the sight of her.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.

He hadn’t even tried to save her. He’d watched her tiny frame crumple to the ground and he’d run. He hadn’t stopped to think. He wasn’t sure how he ended up at Rick’s or where he’d left his car. He had snippets of walking along the country road that led to the lake. But that was all before he was there. Hunched under the tarp, hiding in the boat. Playing the situation over and over in his mind and wondering if it was too late to do something different. Knowing deep down that to try and go back to the trailer or call for help would essentially be handing himself in and that would be his downfall. He’d be in Prison right now or dead if they’d pushed his case through the courts fast enough. Which of course they would have with the way the town had rallied against him.

Slowly he opened his teary eyes, hovering over the bowl and breathing out a heavy exhale through wet lips. Drool connected them to the container in his hands as he lifted his head, huffing at the stab of pain in his neck. He was dizzy. So, so dizzy.

The nurse gently took the bowl from him before he tipped it over. Stuffing some paper towel into his empty fist. She promised to be back with his pain meds. Leaving him alone with his precious people.

Glazed eyes traveled down his body to where Wayne’s hand rested supportively on his shin before the hand on his left shoulder caught his attention.

“Do you want to lay back?” Karmen asked softly, surprised he could sit in the first place.

“That’s a good idea.” Wayne agreed, moving around the end of the bed and placing a gentle arm behind Eddie’s back. Karmen mimicked him on her side, both of them encouraging him to relax and let them take his weight.

Eddie did his best, not wanting to be a burden. Because that was really all he was. All he’d been for the last two weeks.

A burden.

“Come on, Eds. Relax.” Wayne coached as they guided his stiff body back towards the mattress.

“We’ve got you.” Karmen reminded him. The hand that pressed gently against his collarbone slid up to brush at his neck as she leaned close. Her breath was hot on his ear as she moved with him until he was lying back again. Their arms slipping out from under him and letting him settle as he looked up at her with a broken expression.

She took the paper towel from his hand, wiping at his mouth and ignoring the way fresh tears continued to spill persistently down his cheeks at the gesture.

He grabbed for her hand before she could pull away. Pulling it down onto his chest with both of his as he inhaled a broken breath that shook his entire torso. He needed to tell her what had happened. Needed her to know where he went. How Chrissy had come to be in his trailer in the first place. It was the reason he had tried so hard to stay alive. Not wanting his favorite people to think he was a murderer and possibly a dirty cheater to boot.

Karmen didn’t know anything as far as he understood. Yet she was here, sitting by his side and holding his hair while he vomited. Despite his new disfigured body and his unrelenting weakness. She was right there, holding his hand. Looking at him with such adoration and a kindness he would never understand.

He didn’t deserve her. Never had. But this situation was something else entirely. She had every right to walk away and she hadn’t.

Yet, anyway.

He curled his fingers around hers, pulling her hand up to press his face against it as he screwed his eyes shut once more. A desperate sob rattled through him as he pressed his nose into the flesh of her palm and cried for her as if she wasn’t right there. Preemptive grief. It wouldn’t hurt as much when she left if he could see it coming. If he had already mourned her.

Karmen felt her own eyes begin to well with tears as she leaned down towards him. Resting her free arm on the bed and balancing with her elbow beside his head as she whispered in his ear once more about how he was safe and everything was okay.

Although meant to be reassuring it only spurred on his tears. The belief that he didn’t deserve her kindness and that she would leave if he ever told her the truth had him feeling helpless. The inability to talk that had grasped him at exactly the wrong moment only served to make things worse as he desperately willed her to understand all he needed to say through his silence.

Please.

Please understand.

He begged silently. Opening his brilliant brown eyes to look up her. One of his hands reaching for her shirt and tugging at it to try and bring her even closer again.

It was drugs! She wanted drugs! I didn’t kill her!

I didn’t kill her!

I didn't…

Wayne watched them silently. Feeling like a third wheel as Karmen pressed her forehead to Eddie’s and kissed him anywhere she could reach without moving.

“Here we are.” Nurse Jo announced, startling the three of them as she returned, holding up a syringe. She pushed between them, to Eddie’s dismay and got to work rubbing alcohol patches over the connections on Eddie’s IV. Making sure everything was sterile before placing the syringe in the connector and pushing down on the plunger. Eddie gagged involuntarily at the feeling of the cold liquid entering his veins, eliciting a snort from the nurse.

“Mmm, no one likes that.” She hummed, reconnecting him to his bag of fluids before turning to Karmen and Wayne. “I’m sure you know this, but visiting hours are almost over.” She said almost apologetically as Eddie began to tremble.

No… No. No.

He chanted in his mind, looking between the both of them frantically as he waited for one of them to protest.

“He’s not been waking up much during the nights so he’s barely registered being alone.” Wayne explained to Karmen. “This… Might be the first night he remembers.” He added idly, the casual tone to his voice only adding to Eddie’s panic. His wide eyes continued to flick between them as he mutely pleaded for one of them to say they would stay with him.

Can’t be alone.

He cried out, although it didn’t come from his mouth. He hadn’t said it. His mouth was open now and still nothing was coming out. Just random sounds that sounded nothing like the words he wanted to make.

“Hey, hey.” Karmen shushed him as he used her shirt for leverage to try and pull her to him possessively. He wasn’t letting her leave.

The three pairs of eyes in the room that weren’t Eddie’s all turned towards the heart monitor as it began to alarm his beats per minute. The nurse moved around the bed to silence it as she gestured towards Karmen faintly.

“Try and calm him down.” She instructed, studying his cardiac cycle on the monitor as Karmen shared a look with Wayne. The older man nodded softly before Eddie’s arms wrapped tight around her hips.

“Eddie.” She whispered, locking her legs against the edge of the bed as he finally succeeded in pulling himself closer. “Eddie, it’s alright. It’s okay.” She assured him, his ears deaf to her comforting words.

Don’t leave. Don’t leave. Don’t leave. Don’t leave.

He chanted. Holding held her impossibly tight. Willing her to understand as he pressed his face against her so hard that stars began to appear behind his eyelids. His nose lost in the flesh of her chest as he breathed stuttered breaths through his parted lips. Mouth moving to form the words he wanted so badly to speak but wasn’t able to force out.

Please. Please. Please.

He silently begged, hands tightening in her shirt. Knuckles white as he fisted the fabric and again tried to press closer. Clawing at her but not moving any further as she was already so painfully close.

He whined softly as she tried to card one hand through his matted hair. The other, gently circling his back.

“I know.” She whispered sadly, leaning down closer. “I know.”

Her heart was breaking for him. He seemed genuinely terrified. The way he was clinging to her was reminiscent of a cat clinging to the sides of a cage to avoid the vet or a bathtub. She wished he could tell her what was going on. That he had a way to communicate without needing to use words.

Something sparked in her at the thought. The beginnings of an idea forming in her brain that she would explore later when she was alone.

“Hey?” She asked, sliding a hand under his chin and tilting it so he was looking at her. “I’m not going just yet and I’ll be back first thing tomorrow. I promise.” She whispered, her tone low and calming. “I won’t go until they force me out, okay?” She asked, nodding at him as he swallowed thick and loud in the sterile space.

“Still half an hour left.” The Nurse said absently as she stepped away from the heart monitor. “I didn’t think he’d take too kindly to it. Wanted to give him time to adjust to the idea.” She explained, giving them all a once over as Karmen looked up and joined Wayne in giving her a grateful smile.

“Thank you.” The older man said softly, arms folded over his chest as he nodded at her. Feeling some sense of relief, finally content that Eddie would be in good hands while he wasn’t around.

The last half an hour of visiting hours was tumultuous to say the least. Eddie flittered between emotions like a hummingbird between flowers. Anger then sadness, indignance and then despair. Pain, so much pain. Physical and emotional. In the end it was more like a whole hour before they actually left and it had ended with sedation.

An outcome no one was looking for. Least of all Karmen, who couldn’t help the ugly sobs that left her as Eddie stared at her with betrayal in his eyes while a male nurse held him down and the Nurse Jo injected him with the sedative.

Wayne held her close, tears in his own eyes as Eddie’s rolled back and the hand that had previously been death gripping her shirt, slowly fell limp off the side of the bed.

A disgusting gnawing in Karmen’s gut at the limpness of his body made her look away as she cried into Wayne’s chest. The intrusive thought that she may as well have witnessed his death, forced harder sobs into flannel fabric as the older man squeezed her tight and reminded her that Eddie was okay.

That they’d see him again in the morning.

Part 5 Here!! Feel free to let me know if you want to be tagged in the rest of this story as I post it.

Okay so in this chapter I accidentally set up for two other fics I am writing. One of them I’ve actually started (Eddie’s drive home from Hellfire with Chrissy) and the other is basically Season 4 from Karmen’s (and by proxy, Wayne’s) POV. But obviously as Eddie is “missing” for the entirety of that time I’m not sure anyone would actually be interested in reading a fic that is purely Karmen|Wayne centric. So, please me know if that’s something you’d be interested in or if I could maybe get the info out there in another way that interests you rather than an entire fully written fic.

Read the rest of the series here :)

This series is so personal to me, so it means the world to me when someone let’s me know they enjoy a work from this series. If you guys liked this please pleaseee consider letting me know via comment, reblog, message, anon ask etc.

Tag List: @ghosttownwherenoonegoes @3ddi3-daydreamer @micheledawn1975 @munson-blurbs @wheels-of-despair @browneyes528

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mamamittens · 7 months

Text

For all Your Troubles

Commissioned by @raptures-finest

Warnings: Murder, off screen violence, blood, and implied yandere behavior.

Featuring Andy (OC)/Koala/Kaku very lightly.

Word count: 7,002

There was a chill that hung heavy over Andy’s blankets despite how close he tucked the thick fabric to his chin. The bunk house creaking ominously as leaves rattled over the roof tiles. Soft snores and sleepy shuffles absently registering to his muffled senses.

Something woke him up.

The shuffle of feet on carpet and wood. Blankets shifting as a hand pressed over his shoulder. Shaking him gently.

A breathy call of his name.

“Andy! Psst! Andy, wake up!” Blearily, he cracked open his eyes, squinting against the darkness surrounding his bed. Faint moonlight cutting past curtains on the far wall. Casting soft beams of light up the rows of bunk beds. Catching on soft, golden hair and piercing blue eyes. “Andy, the heat is out but it smells funny. Something is wrong!”

He--who was he? He knew this boy, but what was his name?—was right. There was a gross, rotten egg smell filling the room. But it was hard to think. Maybe a prank? Wouldn’t be the first. But—what was his name? He has a name and Andy knew it by heart—thought it was important so he reluctantly shuffled out of bed. Socked feet hitting the cold floor as he was led by a cold, soft hand through the dark to the radiator. Metal pipes silent save for a soft hissing sound.

Huffing, Andy shuffled over the area rug and went to poke at the dial that the camp counselors warned them not to mess with—

IT WAS SO SUDDEN.

IT WAS BURNING.

HE WAS BURNING AND SCREAMING AND WHERE WAS SA—

Andy gasped, his lungs curling into a sob. His hands fisted into the bedding, dragging it close as he sought comfort. His skin itching and burning at the nightmare.

At the memory.

Andy shivered despite the warm room, crying softly as he rode out the shock and phantom pains. Drenched in cold sweat.

It was… a very long time ago. He didn’t have many memories of that summer or anything before it. Flashes of playing in a creek. Laughter as they chased minnows through the mud, catching frogs and letting them leap from their hands. Campfire songs drifting on the wind. Burnt marshmallows on sticks oozing between a broken chocolate bar and graham crackers.

He spent a long time in the hospital after that. The old radiator had a leak and, to the best of the investigation’s findings, it was only a matter of time before it blew. Andy just had the misfortune of carrying a static charge when he tried to look at it. The other boys were also hurt, but luckily no one died. The entire campground had to be renovated after that, closed for two whole years as they worked.

When it reopened, Andy was the first to show up.

Despite not remembering well, he had the sense that they changed a lot. Gone were the old metal radiators for centralized heat and air conditioning. Though most of the nice amenities were in the main house, the segregated bunks for the kids weren’t left wanting for much. They still had a building with bathrooms and showers, separated by gender of course. Close by the bunk houses, in fact, so it was now less of a walk. Though it did go past the counselor’s cabins.

There were even a few small cabins for housing special guests or certain occasions. Someone got married out by the lake one year, catered by the camp and every camper helped out. Receiving a piece of cake for their efforts. But usually the cabins were for inspectors, repairmen, and officials who had business over multiple days. It was easier than driving the two hours from the nearest city or camping in the woods.

The main house was a massive building, built to accommodate the campers for meal times and special events with a stage out back for any performances. A large fire pit ready to warm them up during cold, windy nights. Head office and med bay for official business and emergencies. Room and board for staff also provided so they could have peace from noisy children at all hours.

Safety devices outfitted to every building. Lights, sign postage, emergency phones, intercoms connected to the head office, and detectors for smoke and gas. And all of it was carefully reviewed by state inspectors every year before camp opened for the summer.

So, with all that, Andy knew his ‘accident’ was unlikely to happen again. But that didn’t change the hard time he had sleeping the first few nights. His parents had assured him he didn’t need to go back—but he wanted to. First as a junior camper, then a counselor, and now a head camp leader.

He loved this place. All the memories. Even with the pain, he was always drawn back to this place. If he could, he’d live here year-round. But he can’t so almost year-round would have to do.

Andy was first to volunteer when the owners of Camp Crescent asked for help keeping the place in check until first snowfall. Teens and homeless folks alike tended to leave a hell of a mess during the off season. Break things, graffiti buildings, and just generally leave more cleanup for the spring team to handle. The owners didn’t want anyone here during winter—too much risk for insurance purposes—but for the month and a half between the last campers leaving and average first snow was prime time.

Andy squeezed his eyes shut and took in a deep breath.

They were all in the main house. The other cabins shut down to keep the cost of heating and electricity to a minimum. It was also just safer in case wildlife migrated through the camp at night to their usual homes in the national park a few miles away. That and, to be frank, no one wanted to walk in the frigid autumn air from the showers at any time of day.

After a long moment, Andy squinted at the bedside table where an alarm clock sat. The time stung his eyes.

4:38 AM.

Gross.

But he wasn’t going back to sleep now. So, with great reluctance, Andy got out of bed. Mindful of his roommate, Koby. Koby continued to sleep as Andy stripped his bedding and retreated to the adjoined bathroom. The water took a minute to heat up but in short order, Andy was clean of any residual sweat and his nightmare mostly behind him.

He threw on a loose sweatshirt and joggers, camp logo blazoned on the front and down the side of his pants in bright yellow and an earthy green. His bare feet chilled slightly as he crept out of his shared room. But he didn’t mind it, finding the contrast comforting while he made his way down the thick, wooden staircase to the kitchens.

Andy perused the pantry, taking his time to plan a meal. Most wouldn’t be up for another few hours, so he wasn’t in any rush. And any hunger he felt was assuaged by a comfort snack of peanut butter and sugar on saltine crackers.

The kitchens were renovated last year on the advice of an inspector. Stainless steel appliances now ready to serve upwards of three hundred people on short notice with a full staff. Fridges stocked with the leftovers of the last campers and some fresh groceries for the next few weeks. Anything left behind after that will be given to the park rangers ‘nearby’.

Parentheses on ‘nearby’ because even by road it would take almost an hour to get to the nearest station. Hiking would be over two if you knew your way and didn’t mind the rough terrain.

But there were only six people present, so Andy didn’t foresee any trouble keeping them all fed until it was time to leave.

Looking out at the dark, almost foreboding cafeteria beyond the pony wall, Andy considered turning on the radio. It would lessen the spookiness of his early morning breakfast chore, at least. Though the radio stations available were few and only because of a special receiver on the roof to ensure the staff could know the weather report and nay major incidents.

Supposedly, next year, they were adding a satellite connection or something like it to afford internet and phone access to privileged individuals.

But for now, their only communication was a few radio stations and the transceiver to the park rangers nearby. If anything happens, they’re to call them first and they will organize help from more official channels depending on the need. With no cell service this far out, it was the best they could do. Truthfully, Andy could only recall a few times over the years that It’s been needed.

A few near-drownings that needed to be checked by medical professionals. That one time a rowdy kid found an old barbwire fence and needed a tetanus shot. There was, of course, the kids that cried and had to be sent home but didn’t really count. In those cases, staff would pack them up and drive to a signal spot and call the parents. Sometimes a phone call was enough and they’d come back but other times parents would meet halfway with a partial refund for their troubles.

It happens and Andy was usually more than happy to talk to the poor kids. Homesickness was a bitch.

Decided, Andy turned towards the pony wall and the hidden cabinet underneath where the sound equipment was hidden. It could be used to announce things or just play soft mood music. After some messing around with the buttons and ensuring the volume was turned way down, he had early morning radio filling the kitchen space. Just soft enough that he could still hear it over his cooking but not disturb the rest of the house. Hidden speakers carrying top hit radio as he rolled out dough for cinnamon rolls.

“—and that’s it for our ad break. In today’s news, local Roronoa Zoro has been missing for three days. Last seen at the visitors center in Crescent Moon National Park with his friends. Five ten, tan, green hair, and a scar over one eye. If found call the hotline for missing adults or local authorities. This is the eighth disappearance in the area over the last three months, though based on personal accounts, it’s doubtful that this one is connected to the prior missing cases. Close friend, Monkey D. Luffy seemed unsurprised and cheerful about his friend disappearing. Other friends corroborate this with anecdotes of getting lost in other such places. Here’s to hoping the young man is found safe and sound with another humorous story for those that love and miss him.” The radio host regaled with a light, humored tone as Andy put the tray of cinnamon rolls in the oven to bake.

Smiling, Andy snorted. Having personally met Zoro and agreed that he was likely fine. The man could get lost in a hallway with one exit. How none of his friends hadn’t put a backpack leash on him to prevent this sort of thing was a mystery. Andy made a mental note to purchase one when Zoro was found and gift it to the man. He’d likely get punched for it, but it would be worth it to stop stressing out the energetic group.

Prepping a skillet for sausage and bacon, Andy bobbed his head as the regularly scheduled music started playing again.

The kitchen filled with the scent of cinnamon rolls, bacon, sausage, and eggs by the time the first person stumbled into the kitchen. Paulie yawned widely, waving blearily to Andy as he started a pot of coffee. Stained shirt hanging loosely over his broad shoulders.

“Mmm, smells good, Andy. Thought it was Koala’s turn to make breakfast?” Paulie asked as the pot filled slowly.

“I co—”

“It was!” Koala protested, coming around the corner with a sleepy scowl, fluffy pink robe tied around her waist. Andy grinned sheepishly, waving a spatula at the oven.

“They’re almost done if you want to ice them. I just… couldn’t sleep is all.” Andy explained softly. Koala’s scowl softened as she huffed.

“Fine. But next time you cut into my cooking, I’ll serve you for breakfast, ya hear!” Koala threatened, searching for oven mitts. “Showing me up—honestly!” Andy grinned to himself as he turned his attention to the bacon. Removing them to a plate with a paper towel on it when they were done.

Koala was a decent cook, really, but when you have hours of prep time and a home recipe for cinnamon rolls… well, the competition can have a hard time measuring up by such standards.

Koby finally stumbled into the kitchen, much more awake than the others, Valentine and Bonney behind him.

“Ooo~!” Valentine cooed with interest. “A man that cooks, what a sight!” she playfully winked, pouring herself some orange juice. The early morning light pouring into the cafeteria from behind the trees. Just beyond them was the lake, only visibly by the flashes atop gentle waves in the distance.

Koala slammed down the trays of cinnamon rolls with a huff.

“Jeez, did you really need to make this many? There’s only six of us here and these things are almost as big as my face!” Koala complained, though her tone was light. The rolls perfectly baked and pipping hot. Andy… may have gone overboard. But, in his defense, he could eat three of those face-sized rolls by himself. It was a bit of a weakness of his, really.

There was a light chime of the front door and Koby perked up.

“I’ll get it!” He volunteered and took off, Paulie frowning at his retreating back.

“Who the hell is all the way out here at this hour?” He asked softly. Andy shrugged but the question was answered soon enough. Boots clicking over hardwood and carpet.

“My! That smells delicious! Oh—should have known it was your cinnamon rolls, Andy! Mind if I join?” Kaku asked, his uniform lightly rumpled from the trek outdoors.

“Uh, sure thing, ranger Kaku. Plenty for everyone!” Andy stammered, a bit surprised to see the ranger at the camp. Usually, rangers didn’t come out here. Their main interest the park as opposed to the privately owned campgrounds. Kaku beamed, eagerly washing his hands and retrieving a plate, his eyes lingering on the cinnamon rolls despite grabbing plenty of bacon and eggs.

Seemed that Andy wasn’t the only one with a soft spot for cinnamon rolls!

They all set their plates down around the island table, barstools already set up for the small group. Milk and juice passed around for whoever preferred it. Andy served himself a hearty amount of bacon and eggs with a plate dedicated to a single cinnamon roll, though he fully intended to have at least one more. The soft dough falling apart on his fork as it unravelled, generous icing dripping over the crisp skin and thick cinnamon insides.

It was hot, naturally, but that didn’t deter anyone. Conversation broken into pleased compliments and inquiries about sleep.

The radio music paused for another break, but instead of an ad for car dealerships or lawyers, it was the host.

“Good morning, folks! Looks like we’ve got a line of storms rolling in just before sunset with wind gusts of up to fifty miles per hour. We’re going to have a downpour until tomorrow afternoon with plenty of lighting and a chance of hail after midnight! Well, that’s what the weather report tells me, at least. Looks like I’ll have to postpone mowing—again! Missus won’t be happy but them’s the breaks, honey!”

Kaku cleared his throat, licking a smear of cinnamon and icing from his lips.

“Mm! That’s actually what I came out here to tell you guys about!” Kaku cheerfully replied. “You probably won’t be able to call until the storm passes and I wanted to check in. Let you guys know to close the shutters and all that.” Kaku scooped up some eggs and ate it with a smile.

“Well, looks like you came all this way for nothing!” Kaola teased, Kaku glaring at her playfully. Andy knew they had met but never had the impression they got on quite this well before.

“I got delicious cinnamon rolls out of it, didn’t I?” Kaku challenged, reaching for another one. Koala smacked his hand with a glare and Andy snorted, quickly scooping up one to give to the man before dropping another on his own plate.

“Ack! Andy! Don’t encourage this mooch!” Kaola protested with an exaggerated pout.

“C’mon Koala, it’s not like we’ll be able to eat it all ourselves!” Valentine giggled, batting her eyes at Kaku who winked in response.

“Well, I just might!” Paulie declared, retrieving more sausages and eggs, leaving Koby to scramble to claim more of his own.

They all laughed as Andy unraveled another cinnamon roll for his own enjoyment, his chest tight with happiness.

It felt good to have everyone enjoying a meal together like this.

Kaku didn’t hang around long after that.

“Don’t forget to call and let us know you guys made it out of the storm alright! No power loss or anything! Oh, and if you happen to see Zoro stumble into camp, his folks are worried sick!” Kaku bid them goodbye, snagging one more cinnamon roll for the journey back to his station.

“Jeez, if Zoro wandered all this way, I’d be more impressed than anything. That’s like, what? Five hours hike through dense bush and assorted forest bullshit? Straight?” Valentine mused to herself.

“Something like that!” Koby affirmed. “The start of the park is quite a ways off with no trail straight to here.”

Paulie volunteered to do the washing up so everyone else could get a head start on preparing for the storm. No one wanted to be running around when the rain started, and it easily fit into their usual walk around anyway.

Koby paired up with Andy as they headed to the boat house to make sure everything was still stored properly and the boat was tied up. The canoes were still neatly stacked away, along with the life preservers, oars, med kit, and the speed boat tied to the dock inside the boat house. One last check to make sure the old wooden doors were locked shut and they made their way to the boys cabins.

The cabins were still as they left them, tidy but growing a light layer of dust. Windows closed and shutters locked. A stray sock was stuck under a bed but neither of them bothered to retrieve it, disinterested in the dirty fabric or touching it with their bare hands. They locked the doors behind them as they went, rattling the handle to ensure it stayed that way. They even checked the further cabins that are meant to house guests.

Still locked and uninhabited as intended. The mini houses quite cute—if he ever won the lottery, he’d want to buy one. Assuming the owners would let him.

“Well, that’s this side taken care of. Ready to head back?” Koby asked brightly, pushing up his glasses. Andy nodded.

“Yep. I doubt anyone will try and break in tonight but I guess we’ll still have to check in case of damage.” Andy shrugged as they made the leisurely trek back to the main house. It was nearly noon and clouds were already rolling in. Koala and Valentine still out checking the girls’ side.

“Hey, slowpokes!” Koala waved from the amphitheater, poking at a low fire in the fire pit. The heat was welcome as Koby and himself took a seat. There was a pack of hot togs and an open cooler set out. “Figured we’d have a simple lunch and make a big dinner later tonight.” Koala winked, handing him a thin rod. Andy looked over and saw more hot dog supplies, including snack packs of chips, and laughed.

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Andy speared the unfortunate wiener and held it over the fire. “Where’s Paulie and Bonney?” he asked. Koala shrugged.

“Dunno. They should be back by now.” Andy narrowed his eyes and waved his hot dog at her with a smile.

“You don’t think they’re up to something, do you? You know we’re not supposed to be doing that~!” Andy chided with a grin, aware of the lewd joke he was unintentionally making by pointing his food at her. Koala rolled her eyes.

“Those two? Doubt it! They’re probably eating snacks like the black holes they are!” Koala denied.

“Someone say snack!?” They yelped as Bonney jumped down to join them, snapping up Andy’s hot dog.

“Bonney!” Valentine snapped, glaring at the young woman. “You scared the shit out of us!”

“C’mon, Bonney, what are you doing snagging a man’s meat like that?” Paulie chuckled, handing Andy another rod as he slipped in beside Andy. “For shame~!”

Bonney rolled her eyes, grabbing another hot dog to warm over the fire as a cold breeze whipped by, leaved rattling over the wooden stands and concrete stage.

“Big deal! It’s not like he was eating it yet!” Bonney protested, lowering hers till the skin bubbled, almost charring it. Andy sighed but restarted his own hot dog.

“What took you guys so long?” He asked. Bonney’s nose wrinkled.

“Ugh! Something got into the bathrooms and dragged toilet paper everywhere. Might have been a racoon or something. Thought the door was locked but it looks like the lock’s broken. Won’t lock. I put a big rock in front of it but we’ll have to check after the storm.” Bonney supplied helpfully.

“I hope you washed your hands before coming back.” Koala asked, mildly disgusted.

“Hey, it wasn’t used! It was literally like someone grabbed the roll and pulled, stringing it up everywhere! You know they empty the trash cans before they leave.” Bonney huffed, tossing her long pink hair back. Every let out a relieved sigh.

“Thank fuck for that!” Paulie barked, smirking as he drowned his hot dog in mustard and ketchup.

Those preparations done, they all enjoyed what little sunshine was left. And, exactly as was foretold by the radio host, the rain came in just barely an hour before sunset. A light sprinkle of cold rain that quickly turned into a downpour as they shrieked and ran for the main house.

Bonney pressed her face to the glass as the rain fell in sheets, rapidly darkening the skies and obscuring anything mere feet from the building.

“Wow… really coming down, huh?” Bonney mused over the muffled roar of rain.

“Yeah. Really is.” Andy mused, frowning as he realized the rain sounded louder than it should have. There was the rapid beating of water all around them, but notably even louder somewhere behind. Andy investigated curiously, walking quickly through the cafeteria, pausing every so often to determine where the sound was coming from. Totally ignoring the voices calling after him.

“What are you looking for?”

“Pft, he looks like a dog. Yo, Andy! What is it? Timmy stuck in a well?” Paulie teased, following Andy to the front entrance.

Andy paused, his eyes fixed on the open doorway.

“Huh… did Kaku not close it?” Andy asked out loud, the others coming up behind him.

“Uh… I don’t think that’s it, Andy. Look.” Koby pointed out, gesturing to the floor. The welcome mat was damp—something Andy was ready to dismiss as rain blowing in. But that didn’t explain the damp, muddy footsteps leading into the house. Andy walked over and closed the door, their group following the footsteps to the stairs where they disappeared completely on the carpet runner.

“Who the hell could that be?” Valentine asked. Koala stooped down low.

“They look like men’s boots. Wide too.” She looked down at everyone else’s shoes. “Not any of ours, we just came in from the kitchen… HEY! WHO’S IN HERE?!” She yelled suddenly, startling everyone.

Obviously, no one spoke up from upstairs.

“We’re not mad! Is that you, Zoro?” Andy called out, but didn’t receive a response either. He looked to his friends in confusion. “Split up into groups and check it out?” Andy suggested cautiously, receiving worried nods as thunder cracked above.

No one found anything.

No doors were open. Nothing had been moved.

Nobody answered their calls.

They ended up reconvening in the kitchen.

“…so… what now?” Valentine asked nervously. “I mean, obviously, someone’s here. They couldn’t have gone back out!” She gestured to the far windows in the cafeteria, a hazy world of shadows and rain so thick it was like watching static. Lighting ripped through the skies and cast sharp cuts of light across the landscape every so often.

“Well, maybe they’re scared?” Koby asked, voice small and uncertain. When this was met with clear skepticism, he shrugged. “I guess there’s nothing left to do but wait until the storm clears and call Kaku. And don’t go anywhere alone until then. Either this is a big misunderstanding or… Just, don’t be alone, okay?” He asked, squaring his shoulders like anyone would challenge the suggestion.

“Alright. Sounds good to me. Let’s just… make dinner and go to bed. Lock your doors. We’ll figure this out in the morning.” Andy affirmed, giving Koby a small smile which was returned with relief.

Paulie huffed but nodded.

“… how does pizza sound? Maybe it’ll smell so good our new friend will stop hiding!” Bonney suggested brightly with a wide grin. Andy snorted and Koala rolled her eyes.

“Pizza sounds good. Let’s do it.” Koala agreed despite her exasperation with Bonney.

It was a messy but cheerful affair. Flour may or may not have been dumped onto Andy’s head at one point, though Paulie claimed it was an honest mistake. His own hair hardly changed by the liberal addition of flour due to it’s blond hue. Sauce was spilled onto the floor. Toppings scattered across their personal pizza’s like it was a crime scene.

Clean up was horrendous, but for a while, Andy forgot about the storm outside and the possible intruder inside.

But they all remembered as they turned off the lights behind them and made their way up the stairs to their rooms. Andy watched as Bonney peered from outside the door into their rooms anxiously. Paulie and Valentine acting nonchalant but there was no mistaking the tense way they looked back at Andy after glancing into their own rooms.

Koby and Andy were no exception. Leaving the door open as they looked everywhere for an intruder. Andy even kneeled down and looked under their beds, noting that it would not be a comfortable fit for any grown adult. Even the dust bunnies looked a little cramped. In the end, they closed their door and locked it. Preparing for bed in relative silence. Showering away the remnants of the pizza war as rain poured overhead.

Andy let Koby go first, watching out the window anxiously as the occasional roll of thunder followed a flicker of lighting. The shower barely audible as he fixated on the faint tree line bordering the main camp area. The trees swaying with the turbulent wind gusts that howled loudly.

“Your turn.” Koby’s voice cut like a knife and Andy almost yelped. Jerking his attention to his friend.

“Oh. Yeah. Sure.” Andy stammered nervously, grabbing his clothes and heading into the shower. The water didn’t need time to warm up but Andy found himself constantly distracted. Ears pricking at every foreign sound he could barely hear over the water pounding the shower curtain.

It was a very brisk, short shower.

Andy shared a tense look with Koby as he checked the bedroom door again to ensure it was locked.

It was. And all there was to do was wait until morning. Wait until the storm passed and they could call for help.

Hopefully it was nothing. And they could have a spooky story for the kids next summer. Or maybe it was Zoro and the man found an unlikely place to sleep off his exhaustion. But regardless, it was time to sleep.

“D-Do you think… we could share a bed? I-It’s just—I’m right next to the door a-and—“ Koby asked nervously and Andy smiled, secretly relieved Koby brought it up.

“Sure!” Andy agreed readily, throwing back his blanket and scooting to the side. The bed wasn’t exactly made for two, but with how tense they were, neither was going to turn down cuddles. Koby glanced at the door and quickly grabbed a chair, shoving the back rest under the doorknob. Nodding affirmatively to himself before flicking off the light and quickly sliding in next to Andy.

Andy noticed Koby was shaking but said nothing, throwing the blanket over Koby and pulling him closer.

Sleep came a lot easier with someone next to him. Even the howling winds and booming thunder seemed just a little further away than before. Just after ten, they had about twelve hours before the storm was gone.

The scream was piercing though, hounded by a roll of thunder so vicious the windows rattled. Incredibly loud and practically right in his ear.

Instantly, Koby and Andy were up. Scrambling to investigate, the alarm clock showing it was just past three AM.

The chair was tossed aside and the door thrown open. Paulie and Valentine already out of their rooms as Koala stumbled from hers, tugging on her shirt. Her eyes wide as she looked out at them.

“Where’s Bonney?!” She gasped, their eyes cast downstairs where a faint light slipped into the front from the kitchen.

They all ran, nearly tumbling down the stairs. As the only one barefoot, Andy managed to not slide on the hardwood floors when he rounded the corner. Stumbling back with a strangled scream.

Bonney lay prone on the floor in a pool of blood in her pajamas. Butcher knife in her stomach as she gasped for air, the makings of a sandwich spilled onto the floor. Her eyes locked with Andy’s, tears slipping free. Lips curling around faltering words as she jerked to life.

“K-K-kkk…” Bonney gasped wetly, choking on blood. Andy stumbled over, falling to his knees as he tried to do… something? Anything?! His hands shaking as he pressed around the knife, barely aware enough to know better than to remove it. “—oooooo…” Her lungs rattled wetly as she collapsed, chest falling still. Her hot blood still gushing around Andy’s fingers. Slipping under his toes and knees.

“B-Bonney! BONNEY!” Andy screamed, vision blurring in a smear of blood and pink. Hands pulled him away from her body as he found it hard to breathe. None of his sobbing gasps deep enough to satisfy his lungs, eyes fixed on her lifeless ones. Bloodstained hands reaching out to save what was already gone.

“—dy! Andy! Andy, listen, she’s gone!” Koala cried out into his ears, barely audible over the ringing. His gaze torn away by Koala turning his head into her shoulder. “Someone get something to clean his hands!”

“O-On it!” Koby stammered, crying as he stepped past Bonney to get a wet rag. Gentle as he crouched in front of Andy, blocking the bloody scene from view with a soft, wet smile. “H-Hey, Andy. C’mon, l-let’s get you cleaned up, huh?”

Andy felt numb, the wet rag feeling hot on his cold hands as Koby wiped the blood away.

“S-She… B-Bonney…” Andy cried softly. Koby’s eyes softened.

“I know. I know…” Koby responded, his voice a little dull. “…W-We should hunker down in the same room—the head office. Block the door and call first thing when the storm breaks.”

The head office had the transceiver. It was the best course of action now that they knew their uninvited guest had bad plans.

“Right. No more going off on your own. No one.” Paulie demanded. “Gather some bedding and we’ll make a pallet in the floor if we have to.” Paulie grabbed two knives from the kitchen block. Koby and Koala helped Andy stand up, careful to not let him see Bonney again as they led him out of the kitchen.

They moved as a tight group, Andy taking until halfway up the stairs to find his own footing. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Bonney.

All that blood…

Hot between his fingers. Shuddering breaths under his hands…

His mouth watered and Andy wrenched away, running into an open room to the toilet. Bile ejecting into the bowl as footsteps followed. Gentle hands stroked his back.

“I-It’s okay, let it out, Andy.” Koby reassured him. “Y-You guys get the stuff ready.”

Andy gasped, gripping the cold porcelain in his hands.

“K-Key! I-In my room—b-bedside---ugghhh!” that was all Andy managed before a fresh wave of nausea overcame him. All his attention on what was left of a good meal. Utterly wasted.

Ruined like Bonney in the kitchen…

“I’ll get the key. You two grab bedding. Make sure to piss if you need to before we go in—I have no plans on leaving that office until the cops come.” Koala hissed, storming off as Paulie protested.

“—What did I just say, woman?!” he followed her out.

“…I’ll grab blankets.” Valentine sounded meek as she walked away, Koby barely acknowledging her.

“Just throw them in a pile and we can drag them down the hall.” Koby advised, rubbing Andy’s back anxiously. “You’ve stopped for a while… how are you feeling, Andy?” Koby asked softly.

“H-Horrible! B-Bonney… she’s dead!” Andy cried, blindly fumbling for the handle. The water swirling away with a loud rush under his face.

“… I know. C’mon. Let’s wash up and join the others.” Koby murmured, helping Andy stand up.

Reluctant to venture back to their room to brush his teeth, Andy settled for aggressively gargling mouthwash. The minty flavor burning away the taste of bile. He noticed the blood on his pants and shucked them off, leaving only his boxers. Koby had to stop him from scrubbing the bottom of his feet raw from the blood. This time, he was able to walk on his own. Koby hovering at his side anxiously as they made their way to the head office where Koala was arguing with Paulie.

“—get it, really, but we can’t fucking run off right now!” Paulie hissed, gripping the knives anxiously.

“The faster we get our shit, the faster—Andy!” Koala gasped, her attention instantly on him. “Are you alright?” she asked softly, Paulie huffing before looking at them with worry.

Paulie frowned.

“…Where’s Valentine?”

Andy felt his blood run cold and he whirled around. Valentine wasn’t anywhere to be seen. They all ran down the hall, turning to the corner to find a pile of blankets just outside of Koala and Bonney’s shared room.

“Oh!” Andy sighed in relief, Koby walking just ahead of him. But when Koby got to the doorway he froze, paling sharply.

Andy tried to look past him but was shoved away.

“DON’T!” Koby screamed, startling them. With trembling hands, Koby stepped back and closed the door, barely touching the knob. He then gripped the edge of the blanket pile and quickly started to drag it, hysterical sobs bubbling up.

Horrified but unwilling to see two of his dear friend’s corpses, Andy picked up the other side and helped Koby quickly carry it away. Paulie glanced at them as they passed and seemed to think better of something.

The head office was a generously sized room. A large oak desk with a map of the surrounding area just behind it. The transceiver and an intercom transmitter on the shelf under the map. The large bay windows flashing as the storm raged on. The door was locked firmly, the guest couch shoved firmly against it.

Andy and Koby fussed with the blankets, trying to decide where to best put them all. Near the couch, where they could brace closed the door in an emergency? Or behind the desk, where it felt safer? Koby was still crying and Andy hadn’t really stopped since finding Bonney.

“C’mere. We’ll move the desk in front of the couch and sleep where it used to be.” Koala suggested.

They liked that idea. All four of them moving the desk into position. It was a better plan anyway. The area rug the desk used to stand on thick and helped make up for the lack of bedding.

“… what happened?” Andy asked softly as they took pillows and leather couch cushions to make a head rest. Koby gave him a long, mournful look.

“… choked with a shirt.” He finally said after a long moment.

Andy didn’t know what he was expecting. The answer hardly made him feel better, after all.

Nothing Koby said would have.

They all curled up close under thick blankets, anxiety in every movement. Every shift for comfort on the barely cushioned floor making someone startle. Andy found himself furthest from the door, his back to the shelf with the equipment. Koala in his arms and Koby just behind her.

Paulie settled with his back to Koby, eyes fixed in the door, knife under his pillow and one in his fist.

Andy was certain he’d never fall asleep. But somehow he drifted off, a warm hand rubbing over his back, his nose buried in Koala’s hair.

It seemed damp in places.

Andy woke with a jerk and a crackle of the radio. His arms still holding Koala as daylight poured in. The sudden absence of rain jarring to his senses.

“—this is Camp Crescent, can you read me?” Paulie asked urgently, his voice husky and rough with lack of sleep.

“This is Ranger Kaku—I see you guys made it alright! Heck of a storm, you know—”

“They’re dead. B-Bonney and Valentine were murdered last night. S-Someone came in a-and we d-don’t… fuck!” Paulie shook, Andy looking up at his friend with tears in his eyes. Paulie glanced down and they shared a wobbly smile. “J-Just get the cops here, Kaku. W-We don’t know if they’re still here.”

“Shit.” Kaku cursed softly. “I’ll call it in and head on over. Is… is everyone else safe?” he asked gently.

“Safe as we can be. Holed up in the head office. Barricaded the door.”

“Good. You guys just hang tight, alright? Don’t go nowhere. Boys in blue will want to investigate everything exactly as it is. That means no snack runs, ya hear?” Kaku joked but it did little to break the tension.

Kaku pulled up less than thirty minutes later, he looked high and low before turning up outside the office. It took a bit but they pushed the desk and couch out of the way, cracking open the door.

Kaku looked relieved to see them more or less alright, opening his arms for an embrace that they all accepted. He also looked like he barely slept.

“I’m sorry you had to see that—shit what a mess.” Kaku sighed, rubbing Andy’s back as they all waited for the cops. Andy buried his nose in Kaku’s jacket, noting that it was a bit damp and smelled like cleaner.

One of the officers shook his head, muttering as they were lead out to the ambulance for shock blankets. All of them drifting off under the reassuring weight, particularly Paulie, who definitely didn’t sleep at all.

“Place looks damn spotless. You’d think there’d be a blood trail from the kitchen at least.” Andy looked up in confusion.

There’d been footprints into the house. Hell, he’d definitely left bare footprints from the kitchen. No one had time to clean that before they bunkered down.

And… thinking about it now, Andy didn’t remember seeing any footprints when they found Bonney either.

Like it had been cleaned up before they got there.

Andy’s gaze fell to Koala’s pajama pants. It was definitely different from the ones she wore the day before, a pair she had professed dislike to since they were apparently itchy.

The gurneys rattled as they were pulled out of the house with black body bags and Andy squeezed his eyes shut. Taking in a deep breath before letting it out.

He didn’t want to think about it anymore.

Andy didn’t want to think about any of it anymore.

Kaku jogged up to them with a soft smile.

“Well… good news. Zoro was found just before the storm broke. Scared the shit out of a hunter and nearly got shot for his troubles. Maybe this will keep him from wandering off, huh?” Kaku chuckled weakly. Andy smiled, sharing a commiserating look with Koby.

It was doubtful but…

“I guess we can only hope… did they… find anything?” Koby asked faintly. Kaku frowned, shaking his head.

“No. ‘fraid not. No signs of forced entry or exit. It’s like they just… disappeared.” Kaku sighed.

Paulie swallowed hard.

“You showed up quick—thanks.” Paulie whispered tiredly. Kaku shook his head and smiled. “Called as soon as the storm broke.”

“Hey, what are friends for? I was on my way to check anyhow.”

Andy frowned, faintly sure he’d briefly woken up several times as Paulie tested the system, trying to get a call through. The storm stopping all at once suddenly being partly responsible for waking him up.

“Must have been hard to drive through.” Andy muttered with a weak smile.

“Worth it!” Kaku declared with pride.

The rain hadn’t let up once until Paulie managed to call.

Andy sighed, feeling a bit relieved he had such good friends willing to brave such weather.

Still… Andy would have thought at least Kaku would have left a trail into the house with how much mud was out here… His boots looked pretty dirty.

Koby yawned widely and leaned against him, Koala half asleep against his other side.

“M glad… been a long night.” Andy sighed, feeling the night’s events weigh heavily on him.

It’ll all make sense tomorrow, surely.

#one piece #one piece oc #sabo cameo #op kaku #op koala #jewelry bonney #paulie one piece #miss valentine #koby one piece #murder mystery #suspense #one piece yandere #tw: vomit #tw: blood

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bumblepony · 6 months

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Hi, I was wondering if you could do a kiss prompt for Alexei & Amos from As Nandorluna’s Go Your Own Way & As Long as You Follow. I liked your one short fic of them.

The prompt would be "kiss with trembling lips"

Thank you

This was not as sexy as I first thought I was going to go, but I still liked making it sooo, here we go. I hope you like it, Nonnie.

I am also linking this to my good friend @chronicallyonlinewriter because these are her original characters, and I want to make sure she is happy with this little slice of story I slipped into her universe.

If anyone is interested in reading her work I highly recommend it, it's one of my favorite series in TLOU fanfic fandom here is the link People Still Listen to Fleetwood Mac in the Apocalypse

Story under the cut!

“Alexei?” Amos’s voice called sleep-rough from down the hall, a familiar sound that always managed to stir something soft in Alexei. Normally, after hearing it, he would drag whatever book he was reading back to the bedroom and cuddle up under the covers with Amos’s pleasant warmth pressed along his side. But today, Alexei didn’t have time. He’d already spent too many days away from the hospital, and he needed to get back. He shoved another book into his bag.

“In here.” He called, then mumbled quietly to himself as he looked around him, making sure he’d grabbed everything.

“What are you doing?” Amos asked, his confusion clear in his tone. Alexei looked up at his husband, tall and mussed, standing in the doorway. His T-shirt wrinkled, one leg of his sweatpants hiked up just below his knee, and the wild red curls of his hair half falling out of the low ponytail he usually put it in for bed. His shockingly blue eyes were tired but sharp as he took in Alexei’s actions.

“I have to get back to the hospital. I’m already so behind… on everything.” He sighed, his mind already cataloging all the different experiments that were waiting for his hand, each at a different stage of completion that only he could correctly handle.

His mind was so taken by his musings that he didn’t realize Amos had moved until his hand was over the top of his own. Strong fingers stopped his relentless packing and repacking of his bag. Placing his thumb and pointer finger under Alexei’s chin, Amos turned his face to his.

“Alexei, stop. What are you doing?” Amos asked again, his voice low, desperate. Alexei’s eyes skate over his worried face, his bushy brows pulled down over his dark circled eyes, mouth creased into a thin line between his scruffy beard. “You nearly died less than a week ago, I thought… Jesus, when I got the call, I thought that was it. I rushed to the hospital, sure I’d be too late, sure all I’d be able to do was hold your already cooling hand as they told me you were gone. But by some fucking miracle, you were still alive. My beautiful, reckless, stubborn husband was still alive.” Amos’s hand came up and brushed away a lock of silver hair from his forehead before he leaned in and placed a trembling kiss on his lips. Alexei could feel Amos’s hand also shake, where it rested on his face, and guilt sprang up hot and acidic from his gut.

“Alexei, you look like shit. You’ve been burning yourself at both ends since we got here. And I understand, I really do, I know how important this is for you, for us, for everyone.” Amos took a deep breath and placed his forehead against Alexei’s, “But, Alexei, I need you. Do you understand? If-if you do find a way to make a cure, but I end up losing you in the process because you’ve run yourself down to the bone, then none of it will have been worth it for me.” Amos pressed his lips to Alexei’s once more, so fiercely that their teeth clacked against one another. He held himself there, his breaths harsh and sharp against Alexei’s lips before pulling away and piercing him with his gaze. “Do you understand Alexei? None of this is worth it without you.”

Alexei knew the heart attack had scared Amos. It had scared him, too. But hearing that fear in Amos’s voice, feeling it in his touch, finally forced him to see that his life meant something beyond his ability to make a cure. His wellbeing mattered to Amos, and he had not been taking care of himself.

“Amos, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…” Alexei stammered and lifted his hands to rest on Amos’s shoulders, needing to feel his solid frame under his palms.

“Well, you do now, so I need you to take care of yourself. This was a wake-up call, and I need you to listen to it, please,” Amos said and pulled away to take Alexei’s bag and shove it under the desk. One last clear message that Amos did not plan on letting Alexei go anywhere today.

“Okay, Amos. Okay, I will.” Alexei laughed weakly. His earlier need to be back at work spilled out of him in a rush and left him feeling raw and exhausted.

“Good then. Good.” Amos ran a shaking hand through his already chaotic curls, his tone surprised as if he had expected more of a fight and then reached down to take Alexi’s hand. “Come back to bed. I know you’ll have to go back eventually, but can we work all that out tomorrow?”

Alexei laced his fingers with Amos’s and reached out his other hand to gently smooth down Amos' jaw, the rough scrape of his scruff a calming sensation against his palm. “Of course, sweetheart. It can wait.”

“C’mon,” Amos tugged him from the little office and back to their warm, comfortable bed.

#tlou #tlou fanfiction #the last of us #ao3 #Alexei #Amos #Go your Own way

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lovesosweeet · 11 months

Text

better left unsaid // cth

chapter thirteen

in which orion has leukemia, and calum doesn’t know.

calum hood x fem!oc

read other chapters

august 3, 2018 los angeles, california orion

I've not left the apartment since I got home from the hospital two days ago, except to take Duke out a few times a day. The nausea has been unrelenting the entire time and I feel like I've been hit by a bus. I don't even sleep in our bed. I spend the whole time on the couch.

I'm grateful that I've only vomited once, but I haven't eaten a full meal in several days. From being stressed about Cal leaving to getting started on chemo, food hasn't exactly been appealing. I can tell my weight is going to plummet over the next several weeks, but it's hard to fight the feeling that I'll throw up anything I eat and also that adding anything else to the chaos in my stomach already is not a good idea.

Duke has been a great cuddle companion and has barely left my side. Calum called again yesterday but hasn’t yet called today. The time zones make it so confusing and I keep forgetting whether he’s ahead or behind of me in time. He texted me a few hours ago—it was just a selfie of him and Ashton backstage, letting me know they were about to perform. Once they finish the show tonight they’re flying to New Zealand, which I know he’s excited about.

It’s been long enough now that I think he should be off stage soon, if they aren’t already, but I know they’re going to be kind of chaotic afterwards because they’ll be rushing to the airport. I don’t plan on calling him at all; his schedule is so insane and busy, and I know he will do his best to call me as much as he can. I’ll call him if it’s important enough, but so far nothing has happened that should mean I call him.

This morning I woke up to a banging on the apartment door and to my dismay I found my moms had ordered groceries for me. It was just a bunch of easy to make foods — cans of soup, frozen pizzas, instant ramen — but it still frustrated me that they would do that without asking me. I don’t need their help.

I grumble silently, dragging the food inside with Duke sticking his face in the bags. “Nothing for you, sorry buddy.”

Once I get the frozen food into the freezer, I go to flop back on the couch. My body aches so much. I don’t feel like I can stand for more than a few minutes at a time. I’ve debated checking with Macy to see if she would be able to walk Duke for me, but I’m scared to rope another person in on my secret. I’m on the couch watching more Girl Meets World when Emelia texts me.

From: emi✨ how ya doin today? need anything?

To: emi✨ yuck. am fine. just don’t wanna move ever again.

From: emi✨ do you want me to walk duke for you? i can come by after work!

I want to say yes, but she’s already doing so much. She’s the one who will be driving me to and from chemo next week, and she’s already planning on coming over again tomorrow to keep an eye on me. I’m hoping I feel okay enough to hang out with Macy in a few days like we’d planned… I decide I am just going to suck it up. I can handle it. What's the worst that can happen?

I text Emelia "no" and then muster as much strength as I have left to get off the couch again. It's time to take a shower, I decide.

It takes me a somewhat shameful amount of time to get to the bathroom and turn on the water. I crank it all the way up because I'm freezing. Before I get in, I grab a pair of Cal's boxers and one of his hoodies to put on when I get out, and then I hook my phone up to the Bluetooth speaker so I can listen to music.

The sound of Maisie Peters' brief but iconic discography echoes in the room while I step under the hot water, and I instantly feel better. Washing my hair feels weird because it's so much shorter than it was when I last washed it. I pump out far too much shampoo for the amount of hair I have left, but it smells nice, so it's fine.

I'm singing the words to Worst of You when the music is replaced by ringing. Someone is calling me, and, if I had to guess, it's Calum. Of course, he calls right during the first time in the past several days that I can't answer. Quickly, I rinse the shampoo from my hair and try to scrub my entire body, undoubtedly missing a few places, but I just want to get out.

Tossing the sweatshirt on over my wet hair and clumsily stepping into the boxers, I grab my phone off the counter and hit the button to call Calum back. While it rings, I wrap the towel over my hair and walk out of the bathroom, plopping back on the couch.

"If it isn't my favorite girl on the planet," Calum answers.

My mood instantly lifts but I roll my eyes. "I'm telling Joy that she's not your favorite. She won't be happy."

"That's different and you know it."

I smile. I love that he loves his mom so much, but being ranked higher than her is really such an honor. She's a wonderful lady.

"Sorry to miss your call, I was in the shower."

"No, it's fine! We're driving to the airport now and I just wanted to say hi really quick."

"How was the second show?"

Calum starts talking about a technical issue that I don’t really understand but try to listen intently. Something about the sound in his earpieces cutting off and no one believed or understood him so he had to play the whole show not being able to hear anything. He said the fans made him a sign to remind him of his lyrics (a common trend) and someone threw a beaded bracelet onstage that had a C and an O with a heart between them.

“It’s yours now,” he says. “It won’t fit me but it’ll fit your tiny wrist.”

I smile. It’s a cute memento and I am glad the fans are kind of warming up to me. I try to avoid looking for their opinions and thoughts on me but it’s a bit inescapable if I go on any of the 5SOS pages to check for updates.

“Can’t wait to have it,” I tell him.

“Did I tell you I’ve flown Mum out to Auckland? We’ll get there around the same time.”

“No! You didn’t tell me, but I’m jealous. I miss her.”

“She misses you too. She said they’d love to come to LA for Christmas, too, so we can maybe start planning that?” He says it like a question. “I know it’ll probably be you planning it because I know you love planning but it doesn’t have to be just you.”

My heart gets warmer at the thought. I love hosting and spending time with our favorite people, especially for special occasions. It could also be the first time we get to introduce our families to each other. We only have one guest room, but Cal’s office/studio could fit an air mattress for Mali if she doesn’t bring a partner. My family could just come up for the day, or maybe Cal and I could sleep on the couch and give my moms and brother our room.

Then I remember treatment plans and all of the uncertainty in my future and my head starts to spin. Will we be able to host if I’m going through treatment? Maybe Cal should just go to Australia for Christmas without me, and I’ll stay here and get treatment or just spend it with my own family. I try not to think on it too hard, but there is still, devastatingly, a chance that Calum won’t be happy when I tell him I’ve been lying.

He wouldn’t break up with me over it, I don’t think, but sometimes when he’s mad he does lose sight of rationality. It’s not a unique trait to him. We all do it. He’s never gotten mad at me—we’ve had fights and arguments but he’s never been angry with me specifically, more a situation or something that just frustrates him. I don’t know how he’s going to react, and maybe that’s part of why I didn’t want to tell him at all. I am 98% sure Calum would’ve opted out of tour for me, but that other 2% gnaws at the back of my brain.

Would he have ended it then and there? Why go through the heartache of being with someone you know will die soon?

“Orion?” Cal’s voice interrupts my spiral.

“Sorry, what?”

He laughs. “I said you’d probably want to be in charge of planning Christmas.”

I laugh nervously. “Yeah, I mean… probably.”

He’s silent for a minute. It’s a short pause and with anyone else, it wouldn’t matter or stick out, but with Calum, it does. “You okay?”

I hate how easily he’s able to read me without even being able to see me. I quickly try to come up with an excuse. “Yeah, just been having a hard time sleeping. The apartment feels so empty without you.”

Calum pauses again, and I know it’s because that idea makes him a bit sad. “Would you feel better if Em stayed there? That could be fun, a four month sleepover with your bestie.”

I purse my lips, holding back that Em has already stayed here one night of the three that he’s been gone. “Maybe.”

He sighs. “I’m sorry you’re feeling lonely. Let me know if there’s any way I can help. Even if it’s just to fly home for a day whenever we have a break or to fly you somewhere for a day. I don’t care. I want to see you, especially if you’re down, okay?”

I want to shake my head but he can’t see me. “Cal, it’s fine. We’ll be fine. Just might take a bit to get used to.”

“I don’t want you to get used to a life without me, O. I’m here, forever, okay? Whatever you need, I’m there.”

With each word, I can feel my heart ripping down the middle, inch by inch. I don’t know how it’s still whole.

“I love you,” is all I manage to say. I’m choking back tears, the guilt is so much. How can I keep this up? How can I hold this in?

“I love you, too.” He sounds sad now. “Love, we’re almost to the airport. Do you want me to call you again once we’re through security? We don’t have to stop talking.”

I clear my throat. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be fine. Just text me before you take off.”

“We’re both gonna be fine. I’ve gotta go. I love you.”

I feel my tears slowly trickling down my face and I don’t bother to wipe them away. “I love you. Bye.”

Then we hang up, and I can really start sobbing. Duke runs over, his ears perked up. He’s not sure why I’m crying and he hops up next to me, sticking his face by mine. When he starts licking my face, I stop him. I’d read something about how all bodily fluids post-chemo are essentially poison. I don’t want to get Duke sick, too. I can’t handle that. We can’t both be sick.

I pull Duke close to me and squeeze him as much as I can without hurting him. I don’t know how I’m going to get through this, but I know I will, at least for now. I’ll have Em and my moms and Ash and Duke and everything will be fine. It has to be.

next chapter

a/n: spoiler next chapter will have a bomb drop hehehe

#5sos #5 seconds of summer #luke hemmings #calum hood #ashton irwin #fanfiction #fanfic #5sosfam #5sos fanfic #calum imagine #calum fanfic #calum 5sos #calum #better left unsaid #calum fic

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