#especially with what it took for him to get to that point

[keeryhours]

please be gentle (when you’re tearing me apart)

Eddie Munson x female! reader, Steve Harrington x reader

Main Masterlist

Eddie Munson Masterlist

Steve Harrington Masterlist

Summary:

You’re in love with Eddie, Eddie’s in love with someone else. Somehow, he accidentally ends up in a relationship with you anyway.

Warnings:

(18+), SERIOUS angst, there is only pain here, hurt/no comfort or hurt/a little comfort, cheating, pregnancy, pregnancy complications, birth/c section, Eddie is really out of character and is a total dick, Chrissy is out of character and she also sucks (sorry guys), smut, fingering, protected p in v, virgin!eddie, virgin!reader, really awkward first time!

Word Count: 14.6k

A/N:

WOW okay this was totally unexpected to write. The length especially. This is just something depressing for the anti-Valentine’s Day mood. I’ve been nervous to post so I hope you enjoy! Big giant thanks to @punkrockmlchael (who made my beautiful banner again and also beta read), @the-witty-pen-name , @fizzing-imagines, @losingmygrasponreality, @writhingg , and @lesservillain for bouncing ideas and beta reading! I couldn’t have written this without you. Also ignore that there’s only dividers for half the fic, apparently you can only add 10 images to a post 🙃

dividers by @/strangergraphics

Best friends.

That’s what you and Eddie were, and always had been. Growing up as neighbors in Forest Hills, you met when you were 8 and Eddie was 10, after he moved in with his uncle.

To be honest with yourself, you had had a crush on Eddie Munson since the first time you laid eyes on him. A silly childhood crush at first, he was so cute with his curls, short at the time, and it made your heart beat fast whenever you walked to the store together for snacks and he held your hand.

He would play you all kinds of music you’d never heard before, heavy stuff that was totally new to you. You weren’t sure about it at first, but you grew to love it. When he got into D&D, he would talk your ear off about his campaign plans for hours. You didn’t mind. You liked listening to him talk. When he started Hellfire, you were the first member to join. You didn’t know how to play an instrument, but you were Corroded Coffin’s biggest fan.

Eddie was everything to you. He was the first person you went to with any news, the only one you were excited to tell anything and everything to. He took you to see every new slasher movie, bought you your first dice set. He was the first thing you thought about in the morning and the last you thought of at night. At some point, it turned into more than a crush.

At some point, you fell in love.

Eddie was oblivious. He never dated in high school, but that didn’t seem to bother him. You didn’t, either, but it was mostly because you were so preoccupied with loving Eddie. You tried dropping hints, but he never seemed to figure it out. You were too scared to just get it over with and tell him outright.

So, you remained best friends. Just friends.

—

“Are you going to prom this year?” Wayne asked, sipping his beer as he sat relaxed in his recliner. Eddie nursed his own beer, feet up on the coffee table.

“Nah,” Eddie said. “You know that’s…not my thing.”

“You should go at least once,” Wayne said. “Might regret it.”

“I doubt it.”

“I had a great time at my senior prom,” Wayne reminisced, smiling at the memory. “You should give it a shot, Ed. Why don’t you take your little friend from next door?”

Eddie shook his head. “I don’t feel that way about her.”

“You can go as friends,” he pointed out. “I’m sure she’d like that. Girl adores you.”

“I’m pretty sure she has a crush on me,” Eddie winced, sipping his beer. “I don’t want to give her the wrong idea.”

“You don’t have to marry her, Ed. Just show her a good time. You two have been so close for so long, I’m sure she would understand.”

Eddie thought about it. He didn’t want to go to prom, like at all, but he wanted to make his uncle happy. And if he had to go with someone, it might as well be you, his only female friend, right?

So, he approached you at your locker the next day at school. “Hey.”

You turned to him, your face immediately lighting up with a huge smile. “Hey, Eds.”

“I, uh,” Eddie looked around awkwardly. “I just wanted to ask if you’d want to go to…prom with me?”

Your eyes went wide, but inside your heart was thundering out of your chest. Had Eddie really just asked you out? “Prom? Really? I thought you hated prom?”

“Yeah, well,” Eddie rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s my last senior year. Hopefully, at least. I figured I might as well give it a shot. We can pre game and sneak in some alcohol. And if it’s lame, we can ditch.”

You couldn’t wipe the huge smile off your face. You were almost a little concerned at how hard your heart was beating in that moment, like it would give out. “I’d love to go with you.”

Eddie gave you a soft smile. “Cool. I’ll pick you up at 6 that night.”

You watched as Eddie left, heading in the direction of his next class of the day. You waited until he was out of sight before you went sprinting in the direction of Robin’s locker.

You found her there, taking her books out. She startled when you ran up on her, placing her hand over her chest. “Jesus. What’s up with you?”

“Eddie just asked me to prom,” you blurted out. Robin’s jaw dropped open.

“No way!” She exclaimed, her look of shock turning to one of pure excitement. “This is huge. I always knew he was into you.”

You blushed. “I don’t know. I had given up hope of him liking me back. This was so out of the blue. I didn’t even think he wanted to go to prom at all.”

“Maybe he’s just better at hiding his feelings,” Robin offered. “Either way, we’re going dress shopping. Prom is only two weeks away!”

That weekend, Robin convinced her mom to drive the two of you to Indianapolis to go shopping in the big city. You were both giddy with excitement - Robin wasn’t much of a dress girl, and she didn’t have a date. The only person she wanted to take, she couldn’t ask. You were pretty sure Vickie was into girls and Robin in particular, but Robin was still too scared to make the move. You didn’t blame her. It wasn’t like typical rejection if things went wrong. So, instead, Robin was going with a group of girls from the marching band as friends.

Her mom took you to the huge mall, which was much more impressive than Starcourt. It was huge, with a ton of different stores. You made a stop at Camelot Music first, where Robin got a new Blondie tape and you grabbed the new The Smiths record and a Metallica Master of Puppets tape for Eddie, since his had recently broken.

Next was the formal wear store. You were both immediately overwhelmed when you walked in, the racks and racks of fancy dresses as far as the eye could see. All different colors, lengths, and styles. It was…a lot.

“Well…I guess let’s get started,” Robin said, her voice unsure.

You probably tried on 50 dresses each. You and Robin giggled as you tried on the dresses her mom picked for you, big floofy pink and blue monstrosities.

“You look like a marshmallow. Like a big pink marshmallow,” Robin had commented.

“Yeah?” You laughed, gesturing towards her powder blue gown. “Well, you look like a wedding cake.”

An hour and a half into dress shopping, you were both getting tired and totally over it. You had the last gown you’d picked out in your hand, and you told yourself if you hated this one, too, you’d just say fuck it and go to prom in your ripped jeans.

You pulled the dress over your head, smoothing it down your body. When you turned and looked into the mirror, you gasped. You actually looked…beautiful.

The dark purple dress hugged your curves, pushing your breasts up and making them look much sexier (and perkier) than they really were. The skirt fell above your knees, showing off your legs. You did a little twirl, the skirt swishing around your thighs. You loved it, it was by far the best one you’d tried on.

“Are you alive in there?” Robin called from outside the dressing room, and you smiled to yourself.

“I think we have a winner,” you called back.

“Ooh!” Robin said just as you moved the curtain and walked out. You saw Robin standing in a dark blue dress that looked beautiful on her, the skirt long but flattering.

“Oh my god,” she said. “You look stunning! Eddie is going to lose his mind.”

You blushed at the mention of Eddie. “You do too!” And she did. Finally, you had both found something.

After you left the dress shop with your bags in hand, you were both feeling much happier. You made a stop at Afterthoughts, where you found some earrings and a necklace to match your dress.

You couldn’t believe you were going to prom, and with Eddie. It was a dream come true.

You couldn’t wait.

—

Prom night, you were shaking as you got ready. The dress was just as beautiful as you remembered. The jewelry you had picked out matched your dress even better than you’d hoped.

Eddie picked you up right on time. He smiled at you awkwardly when he picked you up, holding a corsage in his hand. “Hey.”

You beamed at him. “Hi. Is…that for me?”

“Oh, yeah.” He looked at it like he had forgotten he had it. “You look pretty,” he told you as he slipped the corsage onto your wrist. You blushed as you pinned the boutonnière to his black suit jacket.

“You look handsome yourself,” you told him shyly.

Eddie drove the two of you to the school. The parking lot was packed with students’ cars and even a few rented limousines. Just as you were about to get out of the van, Eddie stopped you. He reached into his glove compartment and pulled out two black flasks, handing one to you.

“This should make this night a lot more fun, yeah?” He smirked. You smiled back, before making a face as you took a sip of the burning liquid. Eddie laughed, which made you start giggling, too.

You took a photo together at the booth near the gym doors, which Eddie wasn’t super excited about. The next thing he did was head for the food, piling a tiny plate full of appetizers. You followed him, grabbing a cup of punch to help wash down the liquor in your purse.

Eddie wouldn’t dance with you until after he’d finished his flask, claiming it was stupid and he wouldn’t be caught dead dancing at prom. But by the time he finished it, he had enough of a buzz that he didn’t care. You were tipsy, too, and absolutely elated when he stood and took your hand, leading you to the floor just as a slow song came on.

Eddie playfully groaned, rolling his eyes, but he pulled you close to his body anyway. Butterflies took flight in your stomach as he placed his hands on your hips and you wrapped yours around his neck. The two of you swayed together in time to the music. You could not stop smiling. You laid your head on Eddie’s chest, tuning out the music as you listened to his heartbeat.

After prom, you headed back to the van. You’d had the best night of your life, one you would never forget. Yeah, you were both a little bit intoxicated, but you were floating on the clouds for a whole different reason.

“D’you want to come back to my place?” Eddie asked as he started the engine. “We could drink a little more, smoke a joint. Wayne’s working.”

You wanted nothing more. “Yeah, that sounds good.”

At the trailer, Eddie rolled up a thick joint as you gathered the bottles of liquor and shot glasses from the cabinet. Eddie was back in normal clothes, and you’d changed into one of Eddie’s shirts and a pair of his sweatpants that were too big on you.

Eddie sparked up the joint as you poured each of you two shots of tequila. You clinked your glasses together before downing them both. Eddie took the first drag on the joint, his eyes falling closed as he inhaled the thick smoke. He looked gorgeous like this, curls still tamed and framing his face. The smoke escaped through his perfect lips, trailing up and throughout the bedroom. He handed the joint to you, and you gratefully took it, bringing it to your painted lips. Some of your lipstick had rubbed off on the shot glasses, leaving a stain.

As the night went on, the two of you got progressively more drunk and high. By the time it was 2am, the two of you were giggling messes, listening to music over the stereo and talking about the latest campaign. Suddenly, in your drunkenly stoned haze, you remembered the gift stashed in your purse.

“Oh!” You exclaimed, jumping up to grab your small bag. “I forgot. I got you something.”

“You got me something?” Eddie asked, confused, his words slightly slurring together.

You reached into the purse and pulled out the bag from Camelot. You hoped he loved it, because now that it was in your hands, you were suddenly nervous. You turned, smiling softly as you handed Eddie the bag. “I just saw it while I was at the mall with Robin and I thought of you.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows at you as he took the bag. He reached inside and pulled out the Metallica tape, a huge grin spreading across his face immediately. “Shit! You didn’t have to do this. But it’s fuckin’ awesome you did.”

You giggled, flopping back onto the bed next to him. You laid with your head on his pillow, smiling up at Eddie from where he sat next to you. “I’m glad you like it. I know yours broke. Probably because you play it all the time.”

Eddie poked you in the side, making you laugh harder. “Shut up, Freak. You love Master of Puppets just as much as I do.”

“That’s true,” you conceded. You looked up at him, his chocolate brown eyes gazing down at you. They sparkled, like his personality was shining its way through. He had a strong nose, kissable lips. God, you wanted to kiss those lips.

Eddie had never realized how pretty you were. He always just saw you as his long time best friend, the girl who definitely crushed on him but he never saw that way. He still didn’t think he had feelings for you, but…you were pretty.

“Have you ever kissed a guy before?” He asked, pushing a section of hair off your shoulder.

You blushed at the question. You didn’t have much experience, your love life was nonexistent. But you had kissed someone, at least. “Yeah. Tommy Hagan in 7th grade.”

Eddie’s eyes went wide. “Tommy Hagan? That dickhead? You never told me that.”

You shrugged, your cheeks red and hot. “It didn’t mean anything. I got invited to Heather Holloway’s birthday party and he was there. We all played spin the bottle. It only lasted two seconds and we never really talked again.” Eddie hummed. “What about you?”

It was Eddie’s turn to look sheepish. “Uh, yeah. A girl at school, Chrissy, in 8th grade. We didn’t date or anything.”

Now it was your turn to be shocked. “Chrissy Cunningham? You didn’t tell me that, either!” He had never mentioned her. You knew it was stupid, but you were struck with jealousy at his words.

“It was nothing,” he said, brushing it off.

“Look at us,” you laughed. “18 and almost 20, and we’re still a couple of virgins.”

Eddie looked down at you, something unfamiliar swimming behind his eyes. He had never wanted to kiss you before this moment, but now... “I mean, we can change that.”

Your heart stopped in your chest. “What do you mean?”

Eddie thought about it for a moment. This could be a point of no return, a step in a direction he didn’t want to take. But in his drunk and high mind…he wanted it. He wanted you.

He leaned forward slowly, so slowly. Your breath hitched in your throat right before his lips pressed against yours. They were just as soft as you always dreamed they were, and your mind went even more hazy from his kisses.

Neither of you were experienced at all and you were both pretty intoxicated, so the kiss was a little awkward and desperate. All tongues and teeth clashing together, hungry for one another. Eddie’s hand slid beneath your t-shirt - his Hellfire shirt - trailing up your smooth skin until he reached your breasts. You hadn’t worn a bra with your dress, so you were bare chested beneath the thin shirt. His calloused fingers delicately grazed your nipples, making you shiver. You’d never been touched there before, never felt anything like this. Being touched by Eddie was so much different than being touched by your own hand.

“I love your tits,” Eddie mumbled against your lips between kisses. You hummed, arching your back into his touch.

“Feels good, Ed,” you moaned quietly, body turning into pure electricity under his wandering touch. Your own hand tangled in the curls at the back of his neck, loving the way your bodies molded together, the feeling of his body finally pressed up against your own.

“Yeah?” He squeezed your breast one more time before his hand moved to your back, sliding down your body until he grabbed your ass, pulling you into him. You gasped, feeling how hard he was through his own sweatpants. “You feel how hard I am?”

“Yeah,” you whispered back. You moved your hand to his chest, sliding it down his body until you reached the tent in his pants. He groaned as you felt him, squeezing his cock through the material.

Eddie sat up, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it somewhere on the floor. You eyed his bare chest, the tattoos adorning his pale skin. You traced a finger over the design on the left side of his chest. God, he was so hot.

His hands slid up your shirt, pulling it up and off. His gaze dropped straight to your tits, he was practically drooling. He reached for the waistband of your sweatpants next, pulling them down your body slowly, leaving you in nothing but your panties. You were grateful you picked something pretty, red and lace.

“So sexy,” Eddie moaned. He leaned forward and kissed your stomach, which startled you a little. He trailed kisses up your body until he reached your breasts, where he ran his tongue over one of your nipples before wrapping his lips around it. You moaned as you arched into his touch, his mouth, whatever he would give you.

His hand slid down your body slowly, slowly, until it reached your panties. He slipped beneath them, fingers dipping between your folds. He could feel how insanely wet you were, and it only made his cock harder.

“So wet for me,” he said. “Bet you can’t wait for my cock.”

You whimpered as he pressed a finger against your entrance. Slowly, carefully he pushed it inside, stretching you for the first time. You gasped at the intrusion, but the pain faded quickly. Eddie slowly pumped his long finger in and out of your pussy, pressing against something deep inside that felt incredible as he curled his finger against it. He added a second finger shortly after, and the stretch was more intense, but from the feeling of the size of his cock in your hand, you knew it wouldn’t even be comparable.

Eddie fingered you a little longer, getting you nice and wet and ready for him, before he removed his hand and slipped your panties off. Now bare before him, he drank you in with his hungry eyes. His cock twitched in his pants.

You helped him push them down his hips, and he kicked them off onto the floor. He didn’t have boxers on underneath, and his dick was so much more impressive once fully revealed. It was big enough that it made you feel scared even through your mind haze.

“You can take it,” he assured you, his words still slightly slurred. “I know you can.”

He reached over you into the bedside table and pulled out an unopened box of condoms. “Finally get to use these,” he laughed, taking one out of the box and ripping it open. You watched as he slid the rubber over his hard cock, tip red and glistening. You wished you could have had a taste.

Eddie got in between your legs, kissing all over your neck before meeting your lips again. His tongue pressed into your mouth immediately, attempting to distract you from the pain where he was lining himself up and slowly beginning to push inside.

You whined as he began to fill you, inch by thick inch. When he was fully seated inside he pulled back and snapped his hips back into you, making you gasp. He set a quick pace, desperately rutting into you as he chased his pleasure, his drunken rhythm sloppy and uneven.

You held onto him tightly as he fucked into you, and he groaned into your neck where he had his face buried. “Feels so good,” he moaned, not exactly caring how you felt, only worried about his own quickly impending orgasm. It was his first time and he was not going to last.

“Eddie,” you whined, “you’re so big.”

He groaned at that. “Yeah, baby? You like it?”

“Mmhmm,” you moaned, and it did feel good, but he was also splitting you in half.

“Fuck,” he hissed, “I’m gonna cum. I’m gonna fucking cum.”

He pumped into you just a couple more times before he was stilling, buried to the hilt inside you as he filled the condom. He moaned loudly, body trembling on top of you as he rode out his orgasm. You didn’t get to cum, but you were too drunk to care.

Eddie pulled out, removing the condom and tying it off before tossing it into the trash can. He collapsed onto the bed next to you, his naked body sweaty, chest heaving.

“That was…good,” you said, not knowing if it was or not. You were happy to have lost your virginity to Eddie, and the whole night had been a dream. But he hadn’t exactly cared about your pleasure. You waited for Eddie to reply, to say anything, but nothing came.

He was already snoring.

—

The unbearably bright light shining through the window around his curtains is the first thing Eddie experienced the next morning. It woke him up, but he only squeezed his eyes shut tighter, groaning as the light made his pounding headache infinitely worse. Fuck, he drank way too much last night.

He barely even remembered it. He remembered the prom, he remembered drinking a lot, doing shots, and smoking a joint. He remembered you, but his memory was hazy. How did you get home anyway? He didn’t remember driving you home after prom.

Eddie stretched, his muscles stiff. He was naked beneath his blanket, which wasn’t entirely unusual. He probably just didn’t feel like changing once he got his suit off.

Eventually he figured he should get out of bed. He rolled over and stood with another old man groan. Fuck, he had to cut back on the drinking, because he definitely felt a lot older than 19 right now.

He pulled on some boxers and a pair of sweatpants he found on the floor, remaining shirtless. Wayne would be passed out in his own bedroom after a long night of work at the plant. But Eddie was starving, and he needed something for that headache.

When he stepped out of the room, the first thing he noticed was the smell. Something delicious was wafting from the kitchen, the smell of bacon overpowering some other food scents. That was weird. Wayne didn’t cook breakfast, not the morning after a work night. He walked down the hall cautiously, brows furrowed as he neared the end of the hallway. He turned the corner, and froze.

You were there in the kitchen, expertly flipping a pancake in a pan. A plate sat on the counter next to you filled with bacon, and another pan on the next burner was cooking scrambled eggs. Oh, and you were dressed in nothing but Eddie’s oversized t-shirt and your underwear.

Oh shit, Eddie thought. What the fuck did I do?

The floor creaked as he stepped into the kitchen, and you turned around, a smile spreading across your lips at the sight of him. “Hey, sleepyhead. I made us some breakfast. Thought you could use something on your stomach.”

Eddie didn’t know what to say or do. Did he sleep with you? Oh god. He was going to be sick. “Uh, good morning. You, uh, didn’t have to do all this.”

He watched as you plated the finished pancakes and eggs. “I thought we could both use a big breakfast after last night,” you said, giving him a smirk. Oh, shit. He did sleep with you last night. He drunkenly lost his virginity after prom, to you.

Fuck. He was a fucking idiot.

You started making plates for the both of you. “I set out a water bottle and some Tylenol for you over there,” you said, nodding to the corner of the counter. Eddie took the medicine immediately, desperate for some relief from his unbearable headache. Now he wasn’t sure what was making it worse, the hangover or the knowledge of what he’d done.

He sat down across from you at the small table. He didn’t know what to say. Your friendship would never be the same after this. He knew you liked him, he didn’t like you, then he slept with you. Now he had to crush your heart. He really felt like he was going to be sick.

“Did you sleep okay?” You finally asked as the two of you ate, breaking the silence.

“Huh?” Eddie snapped back to reality. “Oh. Yeah.”

You smiled softly at him. You figured he was just still cloudy from the weed. “I had a good time last night.”

“Yeah…” Eddie said. “Me too.”

Your face lit up at that, and he could have slapped himself. He didn’t mean that. He didn’t even remember the sex. He was not doing a good job of not leading you on. “Listen,” he said, “about that-“

“It was really good,” you said. Eddie’s watched as your cheeks turned red and you looked down at your plate. “Sorry. I just meant…I enjoyed it. Being with you.”

Eddie had suspected, known even, that you had a crush on him, but this was the first time you’d ever admitted it out loud. Eddie was really going to have to stomp on your heart to put an end to those thoughts, and it was all his fault. He never should have brought you home after prom. “Look, I-“

“I didn’t think you liked me back,” you continued, rambling nervously, excitedly. “I…to be honest with you I’ve had a crush on you for years, but I was always too scared to tell you. But you never seemed like you were into me…until last night.” You giggled, covering your mouth. “I can’t believe we’re together now.”

Together?

Oh, fuck. He couldn’t do this. He could not do this. He couldn’t crush your spirit, wipe that elated smile off your face. He’d never seen you look so happy. He felt like the biggest asshole.

“Oh, yeah,” he said instead. “Um, me either.”

“I can’t wait to tell Robin,” you continued. “She’s going to freak.”

—

Eddie couldn’t believe he had gotten himself into this situation.

Sure, you were his best friend so he liked your personality, and it’s not like you weren’t cute, but he just didn’t have feelings for you in the way you did for him. But now he had slept with you and you thought he liked you back. He had somehow, some way, become your actual boyfriend.

“I thought you didn’t like her like that?” Gareth asked the next school day after prom at lunch. You were sitting with Robin today. You often bounced between the marching band table and the Hellfire table.

“I don’t,” Eddie said simply.

Gareth, Jeff, and Grant looked at him like he was crazy. “Then how…why…?”

Eddie slammed his hand on the table. “Stop grilling me, okay?”

“Someone’s cranky,” Jeff muttered, turning back to his lunch tray in front of him.

“Yeah, you’re in a pretty shitty mood to be the only one of us to lose his virginity and get a girlfriend,” Grant commented. Gareth and Jeff agreed, nodding along.

“Yeah, well,” Eddie muttered. “Would be nice if it was with someone I’m actually into.”

“Harsh,” Gareth tsked. “You should be honest with her. You’re just leading her on.”

“I can’t.” Eddie buried his face in his hands, exasperated and stressed. “It’s gone too far. She thinks I’m her boyfriend. She thinks I like her back. I can’t crush her like that.”

The other three boys exchanged a look. “So…you’re just gonna marry her?” Grant asked.

Eddie froze. That is where this would eventually lead if he didn’t turn it around. But he was scared. He couldn’t bring himself to burst your bubble. “I’ll figure something out.”

As lunch was ending, Eddie jolted when you came up behind him, wrapping your arms around his neck and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, babe,” you giggled. “How was lunch?”

“Good,” Eddie said, giving each Hellfire boy a look that said don’t say or do a damn thing.

“You guys are so cute,” Robin said, holding her hands over her chest as she tilted her head to the side with a smile. “I’m so happy you’re finally together.”

Eddie felt sick. Just like he had all weekend, since the morning after prom. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m a lucky guy.”

Your whole face lit up with a smile. “I was thinking maybe we could hang out after school. Do our homework and work on the Curse of Vecna.”

Eddie groaned internally. This was such a disaster. “Sure.”

That day after school Eddie drove you back to his place. He reluctantly did his homework with you, mostly copying your answers rather than actually learning anything. Then the two of you laid on his bed and made out.

Hey, if he was going to be stuck in this relationship with someone he didn’t actually care for, the least he could do was take advantage of the benefits.

—

You spent four years with Eddie before you started noticing something was off.

It was the scent you started noticing on his clothes at first, like flowers and vanilla. You lifted his shirt from the laundry, the unexpected smell hitting you. You didn’t own anything that smelled like this, and Eddie certainly didn’t. You knew the smell of his cheap cologne better than anything, the amount of times you’d laid your head on his chest and smelled that distinctly Eddie scent. Something was wrong.

When you confronted him about it, he brushed it off. “It’s this new girl at work. Her perfume is so strong, everyone smells like it.”

You accepted the answer for the time being. But then there were other things you began to notice. A scrunchie that definitely didn’t belong to you on the floor of the passenger side of his van. A condom wrapper in the bathroom trash after you’d been out of town for the weekend. And finally, a pair of pink panties stuffed into the back pocket of his jeans that were so clearly not yours it was nearly comical if it hadn’t made you want to die.

When you confronted him about it the next time, it was with tears in your eyes and a lump in your throat. “Eddie,” you said, your voice cracking as you tossed the panties onto the floor in front of where he sat on the couch. “What are these?”

Eddie knew he had been caught. There was no getting out of it this time. You didn’t own any underwear like that, and it was the wrong size. How could he have been so stupid to have kept the panties? “I…”

“Really?” You sobbed. “You have nothing to say?”

“I’m not sure what you want me to say.” Eddie looked down at his hands. “Yeah, I’ve been sleeping with someone else.”

Even though you already knew his words were true, they still hit you right in the heart. You could feel it cracking, could feel the fault lines forming, the blood and life seeping out of it. “With who?” You asked, barely audible. You weren’t sure if you wanted the answer, but you needed it.

“That’s not important-“

“It is important,” you said. “It’s important to me.”

Eddie didn’t respond at first. He didn’t want to respond. “Chrissy Cunningham,” he answered reluctantly at last. “But don’t pull her into this, she doesn’t deserve to be-“

“Chrissy Cunningham?” You scoffed. “Eddie, we’ve been together for four years. Chrissy knows we’re together. So she was just fine sleeping with a guy she knew was taken?” You laughed humorlessly through the tears. “Wow. You guys are perfect for each other, then.”

Eddie shook his head. “Don’t do that, man, she-“

“‘Man’?” You couldn’t believe the conversation you were having. “Wow, I sure got demoted from baby fast, huh?”

He rubbed his hands over his face. “Please. I don’t wanna do this. I don’t feel like doing this.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have cheated!” You yelled back. “Why would you do this? How could you do this to me? I thought you loved me.”

Eddie mumbled something under his breath, something you couldn’t catch.

“What?” You asked. “I can’t hear you. Just fucking tell me. Why would you do this to me?”

When Eddie looked up at you, his eyes were full of anger, flames flickering behind his normally sweet doe eyes. The ones you had gazed into, taken comfort in so many times. When he opened his mouth, nothing but poison seeped out.

“Because I never loved you!” Eddie yelled, hands running through his hair to the point he was practically pulling it out. You had never seen him so upset. “Fuck! I went out with you because we were friends and I felt bad, and by the time we’d been together for months it was too late. I never liked you back like that. That’s the truth, finally.”

His words hit you like a shot to the chest. You stared at him with your lips parted, staggering gasps being dragged into your lungs. You shook uncontrollably as if it were suddenly freezing. But the tears didn’t yet fall. You felt like you might be in shock. “How…”

“How did I pretend to be in love with you?” He scoffed. “I didn’t do a very good job of it, but it doesn’t seem like you ever noticed. You were so blinded by who you wanted me to be, you couldn’t see what was right in front of you. Hey, as long as I came home and fucked you before passing out next to you, you just took it.” He laughed, a cruel, sinister laugh. “You just let me treat you like shit. Like you have no respect for yourself, or were just that obsessed with me.”

You didn’t even know who this was in front of you right now. This person who looked like Eddie, sounded like Eddie, but was spewing such horrible, hurtful words that Eddie never would. You didn’t recognize him at all. You wanted to blame his words on his heightened emotions, but you could tell everything he said was true. Especially with the cheating to back it up.

That’s not how you treated someone you cared about.

“So you just led me on for four years instead of telling me?” You asked. There was no fight behind your voice like there was in his. Only hurt and defeat. “Eddie…even before all this, you were my best friend. How could you do this to me?”

He didn’t have an answer for that. Because he was a selfish idiot coward? That was the truth. “Look, me and Chrissy- it just happened. It wasn’t supposed to, but it did. She came in to the Hideout, we got to talking-“

“And you fucked her?” You finished for him.

He just looked at you. “Yeah.”

The truth was, Eddie felt bad. He knew he had fucked up astronomically bad. He had led you on, used your body, betrayed you. Wasted four years of your life. He knew you thought he was the one, he knew you were waiting for a proposal that was never going to come. It was his fault things had gotten this far.

Maybe he thought he could fake it ‘til he made it. Maybe he thought if he pretended to be into you, eventually he would be. But that never happened.

And now you were crying, hard. His chest ached for some reason, even though he had no right to hurt for what he had done to you. He deserved to feel like shit.

He wasn’t prepared for the next words that came out of your mouth.

“I’m pregnant, Eddie,” you said, eyes squeezed shut as if that would stop the torrent of tears currently streaming down your face. There was no response. You had to force yourself to open your eyes and look, wondering if he was even still there.

He was. He stared at you, brown eyes wide, mouth hanging slightly open. “You’re- no.”

“I am,” you said, voice hoarse from crying. “I…”

Eddie shook his head. “No. No, no, no. This is not happening. It’s not fucking happening.”

You only cried harder. The pregnancy hormones had nothing to do with this; this was pure devastation, pure heartbreak. Your heart felt like it had crumbled in your chest and there was nothing left to repair even if you could.

“Let me see the test,” he said, holding a hand out.

“Why would I lie?” You asked, voice weak. You were so emotionally worn out, you felt like you could sleep for weeks. Months. Years. You wanted to.

“Because you want me to stay with you?” He scoffed. “Look, I’m not saying you’re lying, but I want to see to be sure.”

You just stared at him. Finally, you said “Fine,” going into your shared bedroom and coming out with a piece of paper with your office visit report. “I went to the doctor. Here.”

Eddie took the paper from your hands, examining it carefully. Sure enough, under “Reason for Visit/Diagnosis”, it said “Pregnancy - 8 weeks”.

“Christ,” Eddie said. He rubbed his hands over his face, like he was trying to erase the information from his brain. He was panicked. He couldn’t be a dad. Not right now, maybe not ever. He didn’t even know if he wanted kids. And with you? His soon to be ex girlfriend who he had treated like shit and didn’t love? “I mean fuck, man. What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know,” you said. Your voice was small, like all the fight had left you.

Eddie felt like he had ruined his life. For one thing, you were both still so young. That was without even mentioning the mess of a ‘relationship’ he had gotten himself involved in, the fact that it would never work out even if he wanted it to because he didn’t have feelings for you, and now he was standing here crushing his pregnant girlfriend’s heart. Like an asshole.

He was an asshole, and he knew it.

“Look,” he said finally. “If there’s really a kid-“

“There is.”

Eddie continued. “I’m not gonna abandon it. I’ll…be here. I’ll pay child support, I want to share custody, I want to be involved.”

You nodded. At least there was that, you supposed. As heart broken as you were, as much as you felt like going to sleep and never waking up again, you couldn’t bear the thought of Eddie leaving both of you. This baby deserved better.

“Look, I…I need some time. I’m gonna go stay with Wayne for a little while. Until I can get my own place.” Eddie looked at you with pity now, the news of the pregnancy dousing the fire of his earlier cruelty. “You can keep the apartment. We’ve got the guest room for the baby, unless you decide to move out.”

You just nodded again. “Okay, Eddie.”

The two of you looked at each other. This wasn’t just the end of your apparent farce of a relationship, but also of your nearly lifelong friendship. Things between you and Eddie would never be the same again. He had taken your heart you gave to him and stomped on it, spit on it.

That was the thing you couldn’t get past. He hadn’t just rejected you, he had destroyed you. The cheating, the lying. Playing you like a fucking game. Like you meant nothing not just to him, but at all. You didn’t know how you’d ever learn to trust again, or if you even wanted to. Eddie slept on the couch that night, too late at night to drive to Wayne’s.

When you woke up the next morning, he was gone.

—

Your pregnancy was difficult. You had severe morning sickness in the beginning - hyperemesis gravidarum, your doctor called it. You struggled to keep any food down, and ended up hospitalized for fluids multiple times. Your doctor was concerned and considered you a high risk pregnancy. You went from monthly doctor visits to weekly. You felt pretty sure your emotional devastation wasn’t helping your physical health whatsoever.

Eddie was helpful, at least. He called you every couple of days to see how you were doing and if you needed anything. He remembered your appointment days and called to ask what the doctor said. He shopped for your groceries for you and dropped them off at the house. It would have felt nice, if you didn’t know he was only doing it for the baby and not you, and if you didn’t know he was still sleeping with Chrissy.

You went through most of the pregnancy alone. At 16 weeks, you noticed a bump for the first time, standing in front of your full length mirror as you got ready for work. It took you by surprise, this little baby bump that seemed to have popped up overnight. You ran your hand over the skin there, surprised by how firm it felt. There was really a little baby in there.

You had an ultrasound that afternoon. You were thrilled to see the baby, one of the only things you looked forward to anymore. The technician showed you your baby, thriving and wiggling around in there. It made your heart swell. She measured the heartbeat and played it out loud, the little whoosh whoosh whoosh comforting.

Eddie came to the apartment that evening to bring you the baby swing he had bought. You were in the kitchen cooking yourself chicken alfredo for dinner, wearing a thin tank top and your short sleep shorts. Eddie let himself in, since he still had a key in case of emergencies. You weren’t surprised to hear him coming in since he’d told you he’d be over.

You heard his footsteps heading into the kitchen, then - “Woah.”

You turned from where you’d been stirring the sauce, raising an eyebrow at him. “What?”

He gestured towards your stomach. “You, uh…your…”

You laughed lightly. “The bump? Yeah, that’s new.”

Eddie walked over towards you, leaning against the counter next to the stove. He didn’t know how to feel about it. It was strange to see, and it made him feel weird in his chest. Something he’d never felt before. “It’s…it’s cute. You look cute.”

You laughed again. “I’m about to get a lot bigger.”

The two of you stood in silence for a minute. Then, finally, Eddie worked up the courage to ask - “Can I…can I feel?”

You were surprised by the question. Sure, Eddie had been pretty devoted to this baby during the pregnancy, but it still caught you off guard. “Oh. Sure.”

You turned and he walked up to you cautiously. He raised his hands, slowly moving them towards you as he looked up at you for confirmation it was still okay. Finally he placed his hands on your belly, feeling the firm bump beneath his hands. It was real. He knew it was real, but now it was real.

“Wow,” he said after a minute. “That’s…wow.” He gently rubbed the bump, in shock that that was his child beneath his hand.

“I got an ultrasound today,” you said. “Want to see?”

“Of course,” he answered immediately. He watched as you headed into the living room, already developing the slightest little waddle. He couldn’t help but smile.

You pulled the printed photos from your purse, bringing them over. Eddie gently took them from your hands. “Holy shit!” He said, laughing as he closely examined the photos. “It really looks like a little baby now instead of a blob.”

“Yeah,” you agreed with a smile. “They said we’d find out if it’s a boy or a girl at the next one. At 20 weeks.”

Eddie’s eyes darted up to you. “Really? Can I…go?”

You raised your eyebrows. “Really? You want to come with me to the appointment?”

“Yeah, of course. I want to know what we’re having. I want to be there myself.”

You bit the inside of your cheek, thinking about it. “How will Chrissy feel about that?”

Eddie’s expression hardened for the first time since he’d come over. “I can do whatever I want. And we’re not talking about her right now.”

You rolled your eyes, heading back into the kitchen to tend to your dinner. “I guess you can come, Eddie. It’s your baby too. But don’t bring her.”

“I’m not,” he assured you. You thought he’d have to be a fucking idiot to bring her, anyway. “I just want to be there.”

You felt like you couldn’t take that from him. If he wanted to be an involved father, he could. You encouraged that, in fact. This baby didn’t deserve to be born into the mess that was your relationship, or what used to be your relationship. Your issues with Eddie needed to be put aside for the sake of your child.

So, four weeks later, you waddled your 20 week pregnant self down the stairs of your apartment complex and into Eddie’s van where he sat idling, waiting to pick you up. He helped you climb in, and you waved him off when he tried to buckle you up. “I’ve got it, Eddie. I’m not totally helpless.”

“I know,” he said, “I just want to help.”

You rode to the doctor’s office without speaking, the only sounds being the heavy music playing over the stereo. You couldn’t stand it. Since the break up, you couldn’t listen to Eddie’s music anymore. Too many memories, too many associations.

When he pulled up at the office, he hopped out quickly to run around and offer you a hand as you carefully climbed down. The bump was significantly bigger already, it was in the way and threw off your center of balance. And Eddie was not about to let you fall and hurt yourself and the baby.

You had grown to know the staff at the office since you were there so often. They greeted you by name the second you walked in, looking pleased to see you. In the exam room, Eddie sat in the visitor’s chair, looking as awkward as he felt.

When the tech walked in, she barely managed to contain the surprise on her face to see Eddie with you. You had been to every appointment alone, and they knew you weren’t together with the father. But she quickly plastered a smile to her face, walking over to you.

“Are you excited?” She asked you. “It’s a big day!”

“So excited,” you giggled. “I’m ready to know.”

You laid back and lifted your shirt up and she squirted the cold gel onto your belly, your least favorite part. She placed the wand on your stomach and began moving it around. There was a screen only she could see, and a bigger screen facing you and Eddie that showed the baby.

The little wiggling baby popped up on the screen, moving all around. You smiled, relieved to see the little guy or girl was doing well. You always worried between ultrasounds that something would happen.

The two of you watched as the tech examined and measured the various body parts, making notes in your chart as she performed the exam. Then, finally, it was time.

“Okay,” she said. “Everything looks great! Do you want to know what you’re having?”

“Yes,” you and Eddie answered immediately at the same exact time. You glanced at each other, laughing lightly.

You were nervous. You weren’t sure why. You really didn’t have a preference for the baby’s sex, but this was a huge deal. This made it real, really real. The baby was about to go from “the baby” to your son or daughter. They would have a name, you would be able to shop more. This was a huge moment, and your heart thumped hard in your chest.

She moved the wand a little, looking where she needed to look. She smiled - “It’s a healthy baby girl.”

You choked out a light sob, hands moving up to cover your mouth. You couldn’t believe it. A baby girl, a daughter. Your daughter. Thoughts flashed through your mind of pink little dresses, playing dolls, dance recitals and late night dance parties. Or maybe she would be more of a tomboy, playing sports and getting dirty. You would love her no matter who she turned out to be.

Eddie stared at the screen in awe. A daughter. He was having a daughter. He couldn’t believe it. He didn’t have a preference for the gender either, but hearing it was a girl, it just felt right. Like this was the child he was meant to have, this was the perfect outcome. His body overflowed with the love he felt for this tiny person already. He nearly reached over and grabbed your hand, but thought better of it. It wasn’t his hand to hold anymore.

You left the appointment in high spirits with a stack of ultrasound photos in your hand. You kept looking them over, amazed at how much the baby looked like a baby. Just as you were about to get back in the van, you felt something move that made you gasp and nearly drop your bag.

“What??” Eddie asked, immediately by your side. “Are you okay? Is it the baby?”

You looked up at him wide eyed. “I…” You were about to say something else when you felt the movement again. You quickly grabbed Eddie’s hand and placed it on your stomach, right where you felt it.

He looked at you strangely, but kept his hand there. Then, a second later - another kick, right where Eddie’s hand lay.

“Holy shit!” He exclaimed, jerking his hand back out of instinct before putting it back. “Did she just kick?”

“I think so,” you said, an incredulous giggle in your voice.

“She’s strong,” Eddie commented with a smile. He gently rubbed his hand over the bump. “My girl. Gonna be a soccer player or something. Or just kick some serious ass.”

You laughed, your hand resting next to Eddie’s. “This has been the best day I’ve had in months.”

Eddie felt a pang of guilt at that. He knew he was the reason for your sadness, for your pain. And now here you were, giving him the greatest gift he could dream of, even if it’s one he didn’t expect. He couldn’t wait for this baby to be here.

Robin threw you a baby shower when you were 33 weeks pregnant. You were huge and uncomfortable, and still mentally a disaster. But Robin had put in so much work you were at least going to make an attempt to enjoy yourself.

She had taken you shopping for a dress, and you’d landed on a long, light pink one with a hem right beneath your breasts, the rest of the dress draped over your belly. It made you feel pretty, even if gigantic.

When you and Robin walked in, the party was already underway, your friends, family, and acquaintances mingling around, eating from the buffet table. There was a table surrounded and piled high with gifts, a rocking chair with a bow on it sitting next to it.

“Oh my god, Robs,” you said, tears springing to your eyes. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“Of course I did,” she said, nudging your arm. “You deserve it, babes. You and her both.” She placed a hand over your belly, making you smile. “You’ve been put through hell this pregnancy, the least I can do is give you a good party.”

Robin led you over to the buffet table, where Steve Harrington was standing. You furrowed your brows at your best friend as you walked, and she gave you a sheepish smile and shrug.

“He’s different now,” she said. You couldn’t believe your ears. “He’s not King Steve anymore. And he helped me out a ton with this party. He’s kind of a dingus, but he’s cool.”

Steve gave you a kind smile as you approached. “Hey,” he said once you’d both reached him, standing up straight. “Congratulations. You look beautiful.”

You blushed, because you certainly didn’t expect him to say that. “I’m huge,” you said.

Steve chuckled. “Well, you’re growing a whole human. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s hard work.”

You were completely shocked that Steve was being so nice to you. He had never been mean to you, but he definitely saw you and Eddie as Freaks in high school, and never gave you or Robin the time of day. He really did seem different.

“Come on,” Robin said, pulling gently on your arm. “Let’s get you and that baby something to eat. It’s gonna be a great party.”

And it was a good party. You were having a good time talking with your guests, everyone wanting to feel the baby and asking you questions. The food was good, too, you thought as you filled your third plate in 30 minutes. You were having a good time.

That is, until the door opened and two guests walked in late.

Eddie walked in, looking awkward, a gift bag in hand. He knew a good number of the people in attendance hated him, and for good reason. The fact that Eddie showed up to your party wasn’t the bad part. You were on okay terms. It was the fact that he walked in, hand in hand with Chrissy Cunningham.

Your heart stopped in your chest. You hated that you still weren’t over Eddie, but it was the truth. You felt like you would throw up at the sight.

“Oh, fuck no,” Robin muttered under her breath from next to you, before she stood tall and started walking over to them with purpose.

“Robs, wait!” You called, following after her, but Robin’s long strides were much faster than your 8 month pregnant waddle. Robin was already there when you reached the three, her finger pointed in Eddie’s face.

“And what do you think gives you the right to come marching into her party with your little girlfriend?” She was yelling, fury in her eyes like you’d never seen. “What the fuck is wrong with you??”

“Robin-“ you started, but she wasn’t even hearing you.

“You are the scum of the fucking earth,” she said to Eddie. “You don’t belong here. You don’t belong outside enjoying the day. You belong in a cave.”

Eddie was looking at her with an irritated expression on his face. Chrissy stood next to him, her big eyes wide as she held onto his arm. It made you feel so much worse.

“This is my daughter’s baby shower,” he said. “I have a right to be here.”

“No, this is her shower.” Robin gestured towards where you stood slightly behind her without even turning around. “This is for her. She has been through hell, and it’s entirely your fault. The only thing you did besides ruin her life is put the damn baby in her. Good job, Eddie!”

Eddie scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Down, guard dog, this has nothing to do with you. Get out of my face. I’m here to celebrate my daughter. Not yours.”

“And you had to bring your skank with you?”

Both you and Chrissy gasped. You had never heard her speak that way before. Eddie’s eyes darkened. “Don’t talk about her like that. She has nothing to do with this.”

“She slept with you multiple times while knowing you were in a relationship. So yeah, she’s a skank, and you’re a slut too. I guess you guys are made for each other.”

“Babe, why don’t we just go-“ Chrissy said softly.

“Babe,” Robin mocked. “How cute.”

“I’m not leaving,” Eddie said, looking from Chrissy to Robin, and finally to you. “I deserve to be here. So get over yourself.”

“I think you should leave, Eddie.”

You turned as you all looked behind you, where Steve had walked up. His expression was serious, and Eddie narrowed his eyes at him.

“This doesn’t concern you, Harrington.”

“Well, it kind of does,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “These are my friends. I helped organize the party. No one would have cared if you wanted to be here, but you had to go and bring your girlfriend to rub in her face?”

Eddie was taken aback. He couldn’t believe Steve Harrington was here and had the nerve to talk to him and his girlfriend this way. He was about to say something rude back when you spoke up.

“It’s okay,” you said, your voice timid. “They can stay.”

Steve and Robin looked at you with concern etched on both of their faces. “Are you sure?” Steve asked quietly. “Robin told me your pregnancy has been complicated. You don’t need any extra stress.”

“It’s okay,” you repeated. You weren’t entirely sure if you were really okay with it, but you didn’t want drama at your baby shower. At least, not any more drama than what had already been caused.

Steve looked at you, giving you any chance to change your mind, but you didn’t say anything else. Steve looked at Eddie and Chrissy. “She says you can stay, you can stay.”

The rest of the party was admittedly very awkward. Eddie kind of felt like shit - he knew he shouldn’t have brought Chrissy here. It was the wrong move. He thought maybe it would be alright, but the second he walked in the door he knew what a mistake it had been.

When it was time for gifts, you felt a little uncomfortable. Even as a child you had never enjoyed the whole “opening gifts in front of the whole guest list” part of parties, but you knew your older relatives would find it rude if you didn’t.

You got a lot of lovely gifts - lots of girly clothes and tiny dresses, bottles, burp cloths, a baby monitor, baby soap and towels, health stuff, toys, all kinds of things. You even got some bigger items, like a high chair, a car seat, and a stroller. You were so grateful you teared up multiple times. As a single mom, you had been worried sick about how you’d afford a lot of this stuff.

When you opened Eddie’s gift, it was just a piece of paper inside the bag. You were confused, until you took the paper out and saw the photo of the crib you had been eyeing on it, and a note that he had ordered it for you. Cue the waterworks.

Chrissy’s gift was probably the ugliest baby clothes you’d ever seen in size 24m and a toy she wouldn’t be able to play with for years. You wanted to throw the gift back in her face. She did that shit on purpose.

The rest of the party went well. You managed to avoid Chrissy, or maybe she was avoiding you. You gave each of your friends and family hugs as they left when the party was over, thanking them for coming and for their gifts.

Eddie gave you a nod as he and Chrissy left. He was always so much more pleasant when he wasn’t with her. You could always tell when she was in his ear, too, because he would start stupid arguments and stress you out. You were tired of Chrissy in your business. You never wanted to see her for the rest of your life.

But that was Eddie’s girlfriend, the girl he actually liked, and Eddie was this baby’s father. So you supposed you’d have to live with her.

At 33 weeks, days after the shower, you noticed horrible swelling in your hands and feet. More than the normal pregnancy swelling. You brought it up at your doctor’s appointment, and she was immediately concerned.

Your blood pressure was through the roof. You were diagnosed with pre eclampsia and told to head straight to the hospital to be admitted.

You cried on the way to the car. This whole pregnancy had been hell, and as excited as you were to meet the baby, you were miserable. And it wasn’t time for her to come yet. You were terrified.

You drove around the corner to the hospital’s main entrance, walking inside and giving the receptionist the paper from your doctor. They had you upstairs and set up in bed in no time, hooked up to monitors and put on strict bed rest.

The first thing you did once you were settled was grab the bedside phone. You dialed Robin’s number first, filling her in through tears. She promised to be over right after work with movies to watch, wanting to make you as comfortable as possible while you had to be in the hospital.

Next, you called Eddie.

“Hello?” He answered, a laugh in his voice, and you could hear Chrissy giggling in the background. It made you feel infinitely worse.

“Eddie. It’s me.” It was obvious in your voice that you’d been crying.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, suddenly serious. “Is it the baby? Is she coming? It’s too early!”

You sniffled. “Not yet. But I have pre eclampsia. They hospitalized me and put me on bed rest until the baby is born.”

“Shit,” Eddie hissed. “Do you, uh…do you need me?”

“Can you run by the apartment and grab my bag I packed?” You asked. “Maybe throw some extra stuff in there since I’m going to be here for a while?”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The next week in the hospital was a long one. You were bored to death, even with Robin and Steve coming by every day after work and on their days off. They would bring different movies from Family Video every day, and they had bought you a collection of board games to play together.

At 34 weeks, things took a turn for the worse.

Your water broke and labor began far too early. You were in a panic. Robin had been visiting at the time, and next thing you knew, doctors and nurses were rushing in, checking your vitals and fussing over you. The contractions started immediately, coming strong and fast.

“Call Eddie!” You called to a shocked Robin, who froze for only a few seconds before dashing for the phone.

By the time Eddie sprinted through the door, breathless and mercilessly alone, things were well underway. Labor had set in fast, and the baby’s vitals were dropping. They had to get her out as soon as possible.

“We’re going to be taking you back for a C section, okay?” The doctor told you kindly, but you could hear the seriousness of the situation in his tone. “We need to get this baby out right now.”

You had never been more terrified in your life. You could not lose this baby. You didn’t care much about your own well-being, but losing this baby would kill you.

“Can I come?” Eddie asked, his voice shaking. He was equally terrified. This baby, his daughter, meant the world to him already and she wasn’t even here yet. He needed both of you to be okay.

“Yes, you’ll just have to change into a pair of scrubs,” the doctor said. “One of the nurses will bring you some then bring you to the OR. We just need to get her in there and prepped immediately.”

Eddie watched as they wheeled you from the room quickly, disappearing down the hall with an urgency that made him sick to his stomach. Just as he’d been told, a nurse walked up with a pair of surgical scrubs and a hair cap, snapping him out of his internal panic.

He went into the bathroom and changed into the scrubs, pulling his hair up into a bun and putting the cap on. He slipped the shoe covers on last. He felt like he looked ridiculous, but he really didn’t have time to think about that right now.

Inside the operating room, you laid on a table with your arms strapped down out to the side. You also wore a cap over your hair, and a large drape curtained off everything below your chest.

“Hey,” you said, sounding nice and calm and a little out of it. “You came.”

“Of course I came,” Eddie said. He stood next to you as the doctor got to work. He did not want to think about what was going on behind that curtain.

It wasn’t long before the doctor said “Here she is!” and the next thing Eddie knew, he heard a shrill cry. It made his heart stutter in his chest, he lost his breath. Moments later one of the nurses came around with the tiniest baby Eddie had ever seen, wrapped in a hospital blanket. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His child.

You gazed at the tiny bundle in the nurse’s arms. You were so drugged up you couldn’t really comprehend the moment, but you knew that tiny bundle was your daughter. Here at last. And alive, healthy. Pink skin and a head full of brown hair.

“Would you like to hold her?” The nurse asked as the doctor went to work on stitching you up. “We have to get her to the NICU, so only for a moment. I’m sorry.”

The NICU. Eddie didn’t want to think too hard about that. “Yes, I want to hold her.” Eddie held out his arms and the nurse gently placed the tiny baby in them.

She was so small. She felt like glass, like the most fragile thing in the world. He took in every aspect of her appearance, from her hair that matched his, to her tiny button nose, her little pink lips. Her eyes were closed, so he didn’t get to see her eye color.

He moved over to you and held the baby down for you to see. “Here she is,” he whispered to you. “Our baby girl.”

You smiled a loopy smile, but you could feel the love practically bursting out of your chest. “Hi, Lottie,” you said, tears welling in your eyes. “Charlotte Mae.”

Charlotte did great, and had none of the problems common in premature babies. It was a miracle, and you were so grateful.

There was a knock at your door before it opened. Robin walked in, Steve trailing behind her. They both had smiles on their faces and held gift bags. Steve held a bouquet of beautiful flowers. He wore a yellow sweater and jeans, his long hair styled. You couldn’t help but notice how cute he was.

“Hey, mama, how are you feeling?” Robin greeted, coming over and giving you a kiss on the cheek. She looked down at the sleeping baby in your arms. “Hi, Lottie!”

“We’re doing good,” you said, a tired smile on your face. Eddie had been over earlier, but had to leave when Chrissy called the hospital phone, demanding he come home. It had made your chest ache, especially when he obeyed.

“Hey,” Steve said, moving to your other side. He held up the flowers. “I, uh, brought these for you.”

“Had the idea, picked them out, and bought them himself,” Robin said, wiggling her eyebrows.

The way Steve was looking at you did something to you, something felt deep in your chest. “Thank you,” you smiled at him. “They’re beautiful.”

“We also brought you these,” Robin said, placing both gift bags on your lap. One was purple with pink tissue paper, and the other was blue with yellow paper. “Can Auntie Robs hold her now?”

“Of course,” you replied, gently passing the tiny bundle into Robin’s waiting arms. She held the baby like a natural, gently rocking her.

You reached for the purple bag first. You pulled the paper out and found a comfy pair of pajamas for yourself, and a matching set for Charlotte. There was a card inside that read, I’m so proud of you. You’re going to be the best mom ever! Love, Auntie Robs.

You almost teared up, looking at Robin. “Thank you,” you said. “This means so much.”

“Of course,” she smiled. “Now open Steve’s!”

You laughed as you grabbed the blue bag and removed the paper. Inside you found an assortment of candy, and a small teddy bear. A card inside read Motherhood looks beautiful on you. You’re going to rock it. I’m glad we’ve become friends. Love, Steve.

“How did you know I have a sweet tooth?” You asked Steve with a laugh. You couldn’t focus on his note right now unless you really wanted to cry.

“Robin,” he laughed. “She filled me in.”

Robin and Steve visited for as long as they could, taking turns holding Charlotte and helping to take care of both her and you. You were so grateful to have such support, such amazing friends.

Custody was a whole other ordeal. You and Eddie had agreed that he would get Charlotte every other weekend, starting when she was 5 months old and could take a bottle when she was with Eddie since you were breastfeeding.

It worked out, Eddie didn’t argue with you much unless Chrissy started convincing him to, as she sometimes did. He started missing his scheduled weekends, claiming plans with Chrissy. The thing is that Chrissy knew what weekends Eddie had Charlotte, and she would do this on purpose. And he just let her.

It made you so mad. Lottie deserved better than this. She deserved a father who was excited to see her any chance he got. You began to resent Eddie more and more.

It was Saturday night, and Eddie had bailed for the weekend again. He was taking Chrissy to Indianapolis to spend the weekend and go shopping. Honestly, you were in the mood for a good cry.

Not only was Eddie bailing on his visitation, but he was also pushing for more. You didn’t understand it, but you knew who was behind it. Chrissy just liked stirring up shit between you and Eddie. You were convinced she got a kick out of it.

You figured the best way to get a good cry was to go rent a sappy movie. You were sure a good romance would have you sobbing within the hour. You packed Lottie’s diaper bag, strapped her in her car seat, and drove to Family Video.

You smiled when you saw Steve behind the counter through the glass doors. He was on the phone as you walked in, but he gave you a big smile and held up a finger to tell you to hold on a second. You started browsing the movies, seeing what was available.

Steve got off the phone as quickly as possible, rushing over to your side. “Hey, Lottie,” he greeted the baby on your hip, making her giggle and reach for him. You handed her off as Steve happily took her. “So, what brings you in today? Not that I’m not excited to see you.”

You couldn’t help but smile at Steve. “Rough weekend. I need a good cry.”

He frowned. “Why?”

You sighed. “Just Eddie and Chrissy stuff. The usual.”

Steve nodded in understanding, but it pissed him off. He hated the hell Eddie and his girlfriend put you through on a constant basis. He wished he could make it better. “So you need a sad movie?”

“Yeah. Any recommendations?”

He thought for a minute. He browsed the shelves as Lottie played with his name tag. “Hmm…oh!” He reached forward and plucked a VHS off the shelf. “This one will get you for sure.”

You took it from his hands. “Steel Magnolias. I haven’t seen it.”

“Oh, it’ll definitely make you cry,” Steve laughed as you examined the tape, reading the back synopsis.

“Do you know that because it made you cry?” You teased, a playful smile on your lips as you looked at him again.

Steve blushed bright red. “Maybe.”

You laughed, poking him in the side. “Who knew you were such a sap, Steve Harrington.”

“Hey,” he said, holding up his free hand in surrender. “Chicks dig a guy who’s in tune with his emotions.”

“Is that so?”

“It is so,” Steve confirmed with a grin. You could never wipe the smile off your face when Steve was around. He was just so fun, and kind, and funny. He was a great friend, and cute, too, if you let yourself admit it.

You exchanged the tape for Lottie then followed Steve back to the counter where he checked you out. “Just one movie tonight?”

“Yeah. I pass out too early now to watch more than one.”

Steve chuckled as he scanned the tape and pulled up your account. He clicked on his computer for a few seconds before a receipt began to print. “Alright, you’re all set.”

“Thanks,” you smiled as you took the tape and receipt from him. “I’ll see you around, Steve!” You turned and began walking to the front door, ready to get home, get Lottie comfy in bed, then watch your movie.

“Hey,” Steve said, stopping you. You turned around, confused.

“What’s up?”

“Um…” Steve cleared his throat. “Would you…want to go out sometime?” His voice was nervous, like you’d never heard it before.

His words caught you off guard. You raised your eyebrows, switching the baby to the other arm. “What?”

“Go out? Like, on a date?”

You blinked at him. “You want to go on a date…with me?”

“Yeah,” he smiled nervously at you. “I’ve…been wanting to ask you out for a while. But you just had so much going on, I didn’t want to add more stress to your plate…”

“Steve, you could never do anything but make my life better. I love spending time with you.”

He beamed at that. “Yeah? Well…would you want to go on a date with me?”

“Sure,” you smiled. “I would love that.”

You finished packing up Charlotte’s bag, making sure it was stocked with plenty of clothes and her favorite toys, including the teddy bear Steve had given her, which was her absolute favorite. Eddie had plenty of diapers and wipes at his house so you didn’t have to worry about that.

You had your date with Steve tonight. He was going to be picking you up shortly after Lottie left, so you had already gotten ready. You wore a short little dress that you’d been waiting for an excuse to wear forever, your hair hung perfectly, and you had done some light makeup. You hadn’t dressed up like this and gone on a date in…ever.

There was a knock at the door right on time. “There’s daddy!” You told Charlotte, who smiled big and clapped her little hands together. You scooped her up and headed for the front door, opening it to reveal Eddie.

Eddie smiled at Charlotte, but immediately took notice of your look. “Where are you going all dolled up? Got a hot date?” He asked, a sneer in his voice.

Your smile dropped. So he was going to be like this today. “Yeah. I do, actually.”

Eddie didn’t like that. The thought of it struck an unusual and unwelcome jealousy into his chest. “With who?”

“That’s none of your business,” you said. You handed over Charlotte’s bag. “I can do whatever I want. You cheated on me, remember?”

He didn’t acknowledge your second comment. “It is my business if you’re bringing my daughter around some guy.”

You stared him down. “Well, you bring your mistress around our daughter, so I don’t think you have the right to say anything.”

Eddie’s eyes darkened. “Chrissy is my girlfriend.”

“Sure.” You turned to Charlotte, smiling at her. “I’ll see you Sunday, baby girl. I love you so much.” You gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek before handing her off to Eddie. “I’ll see you Sunday.”

Eddie left, and you sighed. You took some deep breaths, trying to calm yourself. You would not let Eddie ruin this night. This was your first time being asked on a date, and you were going to have a good time.

It was about 15 minutes later that Steve picked you up. He looked handsome, wearing a button up shirt and jeans. He held a beautiful bouquet of flowers that he handed you as you opened the door.

“You look gorgeous,” he said, and you could tell from his voice that he truly meant it. You blushed deeply as you took the flowers.

“Thank you,” you smiled. Steve followed you into the apartment, stepping over toys as you walked into the kitchen. You grabbed a vase and filled it with water, placing the flowers inside.

“Where are we going?” You asked as you walked with Steve to his car. He held the passenger side door open for you, and you smiled at him as you slid in. He was such a gentleman.

“I was thinking, dinner and a movie is too lame, too cliche. We watch movies all the time. So,” he gestured into the backseat, “I packed us a picnic, and got us tickets to see David Bowie in the city tonight.”

You stared at him, blinking. “I…no you didn’t.”

Steve laughed. “Yeah, I did. I know you’re a big fan, and he was performing nearby, so…”

“Oh my god!” Your heart was beating out of your chest, you felt like it would explode. “Steve. Oh my god.”

Steve was very proud of himself for this one. He knew you’d freak out, but your reaction was even better than he hoped. “That’s why I asked you out tonight specifically. I, uh…already had the tickets.”

You quickly swiped a falling tear off your cheek before it could mess up your makeup. “Steve Harrington, I think I’m in love with you.”

That made Steve’s heart swell. Because he felt the same way about you.

Steve drove the two of you to the park, where you found a spot next to a large tree. He laid out the blanket and sat down the picnic basket he’d packed full of all kinds of foods. You ate together, laughing and joking and having the best time. But you couldn’t shake the buzzing excitement in your belly from the news of the concert.

It was a couple hour’s drive to the city, but it was worth it. The show was incredible, everything you dreamed seeing David Bowie would be. Steve held your hand, which sent electricity through both of your bodies.

When Steve brought you home, he walked you to your apartment door. Butterflies were flying in your stomach, still ecstatic from the most incredible date you ever could have imagined.

“I had a great time,” Steve said.

“Me too,” you agreed. “Truly. Do you…want to come in? The night doesn’t have to be over yet.”

A smile spread across Steve’s lips. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

Steve followed you in. As you turned to him, you saw something behind his eyes. Like he was thinking, considering something. He lifted a hand and caressed the side of your face with the back of his hand, thinking he had never seen someone as beautiful in his life. “Can I kiss you?”

Your breath hitched in your throat. “I…yes.”

Steve smiled lightly. Then he was leaning in, closer and closer, until his lips pressed to yours.

Sparks flew. You kissed him back eagerly, and he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling your body flush to his own. The kiss turned heated, Steve pressing your back up against the wall as he kissed you passionately. His hands began sliding up the skirt of your dress.

“Steve,” you said, breathless against his lips. “Take me to my room.”

The next morning, you woke up next to Steve. He had his arm around your waist, cuddling you close. You were both naked. As you awoke, Steve did, too, pulling you closer to him and nuzzling his face into your neck. “Don’t go,” he mumbled.

“I’m not,” you giggled. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Steve asked you to be his girlfriend that morning. It may have been a little soon, but you happily said yes. You knew Steve well, he was one of your best friends. You knew you wanted to be with him.

Robin was ecstatic when you told her the news. “About time!” She exclaimed, throwing her arms up. “Took you long enough, dingus.”

You knew you had to tell Eddie. As much as you dreaded it, he deserved to know as the father of your daughter. You waited a couple of weeks into the relationship, wanting to be sure things were going to work out before you brought it up. But your relationship with Steve was incredible, a kind of joy you never thought you could experience in a relationship.

Eddie came to the door to drop off Charlotte one Sunday evening. He was a little early, and Steve was over.

“Shit,” you hissed as he knocked at the door. “I guess it’s now or never.”

You answered the door, loving how Lottie’s face lit up at the sight of you. “Hi baby!”

“Mama!” She called, reaching for you. You took her from Eddie’s arms, sitting her on your hip. “Dada!” She exclaimed next, only she wasn’t looking at Eddie.

Steve had come up behind you, and Lottie was pointing at him. Your mouth dropped as Eddie’s face turned to one of pure anger. “What the fuck?” He said.

“I swear, I don’t know what that’s about. She’s never called him that before,” you explained quickly. Honestly Eddie deserved to have his feelings hurt, but you knew how destroyed you would be if Lottie called Chrissy Mama.

“What is he doing here anyway?” Eddie asked, gesturing towards Steve. “I don’t see Robin here. Do you have a life of your own, Harrington?”

You looked between Steve and Eddie. “Ed…me and Steve are…together.”

The words hit Eddie like a punch to the gut. He figured you would date eventually, but maybe he just got spoiled by you being single. He didn’t expect the pain of finding out you had moved on. And with Harrington? “What?”

You pursed your lips, knowing this had the potential to go badly. “We’re together. Steve is my boyfriend.”

Eddie just stared between the two of you. Then, he laughed, a sinister sounding chuckle. He knew he had no right to be pissed, but he was pissed. “Well, isn’t that just great.”

“Eddie-“

“No,” he said, holding a hand up. “You don’t owe me an explanation. You do whatever you want. Enjoy your life with Steve.”

And with that, he left. He didn’t even tell Charlotte goodbye.

Things with Steve were incredible. He was the best boyfriend you could ask for, and he was amazing with Lottie. She loved playing with him, and he could sit on the floor and play with her for hours without getting bored.

You had been together for a year and a half when he surprised you with a trip to the beach. You spent the weekend laying out in the sun, playing in the ocean, making love until the early morning in your suite.

On the last day there, you were walking down the beach hand in hand. As you were looking down at the sand for seashells, you noticed some writing in the sand. You let go of Steve’s hand to walk over and read it.

Will you marry me?

“Steve!” You exclaimed. “Look, someone proposed! How cute-“

You froze when you turned around to see Steve on one knee, holding a beautiful ring in a black velvet box. You gasped, tears immediately falling. You always were emotional.

“Will you make me the luckiest guy in the world and marry me?”

Eddie came home a little early from work one evening, and immediately knew something was wrong. He could feel it in the atmosphere before he even heard the noises. Those unmistakable noises.

He crept down the hallway, careful not to make any noise. Not that he thought he’d be noticed, anyway. Not with what he deeply suspected was going on.

He made it to the bedroom he shared with Chrissy. The door was slightly ajar, and he took a deep breath before pushing it open all the way.

Chrissy and her ex, Jason Carver, were in his bed, absolutely going at it. Eddie knew this was what was going on from the moment he walked into the apartment, but seeing it, he still felt like he’d be sick. Chrissy turned at the sound of the door opening and screamed, covering herself and Jason, who didn’t really seem to give a fuck at all.

After Jason left and Eddie was left alone with his girlfriend, he demanded the truth. She admitted she had been sleeping with Jason again for months.

Naturally, Eddie kicked her out. Then, he was alone.

Alone with only his thoughts, he had too much quiet time to think. And what he found himself thinking about was you. Far too often. He thought about your relationship, how he fucked everything up, including your lifelong friendship. Sure, he got his beautiful daughter out of it, but he could have treated you better. He should have treated you better.

He also thought about the way you’d treated him. The way you had loved him. How you were the only woman who had ever loved him, besides his mom all those years ago. How he had taken you for granted. He thought about how he would feel if some asshole treated Lottie the way he treated you. The thought itself made him furious.

Because now that Chrissy was gone and he was no longer blinded by his lifelong crush, he was realizing something:

Eddie loved you.

Not just as the mother of his child, or as a platonic friend, but love love. The kind he had been too blind to see back in high school, back during the days of your relationship.

He hated himself now. He had fucked up more than was even fathomable. He had thrown you away, for Chrissy. You were so much better than Chrissy in every way. Prettier, smarter, funnier, kinder. And you had treated him well.

Eddie dwelled on it for months. He grabbed his mail from the mailbox as he headed into his trailer one day, flipping through the various bills and junk mail - until he stopped at one with your name on it.

He dropped the other pieces of mail in his rush to open that one. He nearly ripped it in half getting it open, and as he pulled out the card inside, his blood ran cold.

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Mr. and Mrs Harrington.

It was too late.

tags

@ali-r3n @crispystarfishhottub

[httpknjoon]

peach and vanilla lip balm | jjk

plot | No kissing rule was made between you and your secret boyfriend when he learned how you got your lip balm. But can Jungkook win in this rule he probably brought to himself?

words | 2.2k+

genres | fluff, crack,  secret relationship au, established relationship au, friends to lovers au

pairing | jungkook x reader

note | set before their other friends found out.

main masterlist  |  drabble series masterlist

If your friends were ever detectives, you and Jungkook doubt they would be able to find any clues to a crime.

It has been a couple of years since that New Year’s day when you two made it official to each other. And after one failed attempt to share the news with your friends, you two managed to just keep everything lowkey for the meantime, much to your surprise with how affectionate your boyfriend can get and how much of a bad liar you are. But for now, you two enjoy keeping things to yourselves. It felt more peaceful these last few weeks.

Now, you and your friends are at Jenny’s after she invited everyone for dinner. Every time she wants to try a new recipe as a head chef for one of the best-reviewed restaurants in the city, she calls up everyone to be her official food taster. For tonight, she made her homemade pasta with pesto, along with Caprese salad. To say that everyone was satisfied is an understatement, especially since Blaire brought the rose wine.

After dinner, Jungkook was left alone in the living room with Wooshik and Dara. You were still in the kitchen with Jenny while Blaire was taking a call outside. Jungkook didn’t really catch on to what his friends were talking about as he kept his attention on some dog videos he found on his Instagram feed. He was giggling to himself while watching someone’s puppy howl along to some song playing in the background of the clip.

“What flavor is it? Cherry or strawberry?”

“I like what YN has! It tastes good.”

As if someone called his attention, Jungkook’s head shot up from scrolling at his phone when he heard Wooshik say that. He didn’t really care what everyone was talking about until someone mentioned you. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Wooshik, phone long forgotten while he tried to catch up with what he missed within the ten minutes he was distracted.

“What’s going on?” Jungkook asked.

Dara shifted on the couch, turning to him, “Wooshik wants me to buy him something when I go to Tokyo tomorrow.”

“And what is it?” 

“That lip balm YN uses. She said she got it there!” Wooshik exclaimed. “I can’t find it anywhere here. I like the flavor.”

“How… How–” Jungkook finds himself pausing for a second when he feels his tongue-twisting with words he is about to ask, “How did you know what it tastes like?”

“I borrowed it before. It’s not like we kissed!”

“Ew!” you entered the living room lightly smacking Wooshik at the back of his head. “Correction, I gave it to him after he used it without permission. I don’t like sharing lip balms,” you said, lowkey reassuring Jungkook.

You took up the space next to him on the other couch before comfortably resting your legs on his lap. You were a little tired of helping Jenny clean up in her kitchen and dining room. She still has to prepare the dessert that she’s been proud of in your group chat so you promised to take over the cleaning part for her. 

“I was curious! It smells good every time you open it everywhere.” he reasoned, making you roll your eyes.

“It doesn’t give you any permission to use it! You know I buy those straight from Japan,” you replied.

“What flavor is it anyway? Why does Wooshik like it so much?” Dara asked.

“It’s peach and vanilla. It really does smell good! Wait–”

They watched as you sat back up and reached for your purse to get your famous lip balm. Jungkook had seen the small baby pink tube before. You carry it with you everywhere. To prove your point, you slowly removed the cap off the tube. The subtle and pleasant smell of your favorite lip care product filled the room. It smelled exactly what you would expect it to be: fruity and sweet. Jungkook immediately recognized it and immediately connected the scent with you, like it was already ingrained in his brain.

“See?” you said proudly before reapplying the product on your lips.

Your friends agreed before getting back on Wooshik asking Dara to buy that for him. But, your boyfriend got his eyes stuck on you. Jungkook watched intently as the pale pink balm smoothly glided on your lips. He caught how your favorite lip products made your lips glossier and more tinted with pink. His eyes were so focused on your lips that he didn't notice that you were looking at him, observing how he seemed so dazed over that specific part of your face.

After pressing your lips together, to equally spread the product, you see him unconsciously licking his lips. You tried not to smirk. Instead, you smacked your lips together, as if giving a kiss to the air. The action snapped him out of his daze. When his eyes finally moved to meet yours, you were already smiling, scrunching your nose at him, being a tease.

After finishing the night with Jenny’s creamy Tiramisu cake and another dumb debate about eggs and chickens, everyone began going. Dara had to leave earlier since she still had to prepare for her flight. Everyone decided to leave an hour later. Jungkook became the designated driver for you, Wooshik, and Blaire, who currently have her car in the shop. Of course, you were the last passenger in his car even though you already passed by your house when driving Wooshik to his house, who didn't stop talking about your lip balm. Curiosity grew in your secret boyfriend's head and began asking questions while he drove you to your place.

"Is that why you have like a stock of them in one of your drawers?" he asked in a tone like he was learning something useful.

You nodded even though he could not really look at you, "Yeah, I mean, I have to at least make the shipping fee worth it."

Squinting his eyes, he nods in agreement. He continued, "How did you even know that balm anyway if it's from another country?"

That's when you take a short pause, pressing your lips together, thinking if you should tell the detailed version of your favorite lip balm's history. Yeah, he can take it.

"Well... Remember Kenji?

It was like something stirred in Jungkook's ears when he heard that name after so many years had passed. But he remained cool, stealing glances at your direction.

“Yeah, your ex-boyfriend in college?"

“Yeah," you replied, trying to stop yourself from grinning after sensing a shift in his energy. "He was the one who bought me that lip balm at first, back when he visited his grandparents there during a holiday break."

He hummed, suddenly losing interest in that lip balm, "Is that so?"

"Yup!" you popped out your answer. “If you are curious about it, I will let you try it. Here.”

You offered the said lip balm to your boyfriend. Because of the stoplight turning red, Jungkook had a chance to give you a dirty look instead of trying it on his lips.

“Not when your ex bought it for you."

“It’s not like he still buys it for me now. I don't even know where that guy is anymore!" you laughed when you finally got his jealousy confirmed with that response. "It just happens that an ex of mine recommended a great product. That’s why I’m still using it now!”

Jungkook didn't say anything anymore, but you could see the small pout forming on his lips. No one said anything for the rest of the drive. You don't really mind letting the radio take over. But when he stopped the car in front of your house, you gently held his chin and made him look at you before moving your hand on his cheek.

"Baby, are you jealous?" you asked, almost in a whisper, while drawing circles on his skin with your thumb.

He was quick to shake his head before pulling away from your touch, "Nope. Just don't want to try it."

After knowing each other for so many years, even before you began dating, you can see easily through Jungkook's pouty lips and scrunched brows. He can be the jealous kind, you are very much aware of it and find it cute. So, you'll just let it float around for now.

"Okay, that is good to know, that you are being truly mature about this." you grinned devilishly with a sarcasm laced around your words, when in fact, you are not handling the scenario maturely too. You added, "If you don’t want to try it, fine. Then, that means no kissing because I use this lip balm like my life depends on it.”

“Fine,” he replied like it was nothing.

“Fine,” you repeated with the same tone.

 For the last time, you took the cap off and reapplied the lip balm, knowing fully that he was looking at you. Jungkook could not look away as he immediately began regretting the last thing he agreed on. With how competitive you can get, he knows that you will wait for him to break.

“So... I guess, I'll go." you smiled, picking up your purse. Jungkook leaned for at least, a kiss on your cheek. But you opened your arms and gave him a hug with a tap on his back. Like he is some distant acquaintance. He can spot the shit-eating grin on your face as you pull away and step out of his car.

You waved before turning your back, "No kissing! Bye, babe!”

How much must a girl put on that lip balm?

Because Jungkook has been counting and so far, that peach and vanilla-flavored lip balm of yours has moved smoothly on your soft lips exactly fourteen times ever since he arrived here in your house.

It has been thirteen days since that dumb agreement of no kissing and Jungkook feels like he is losing his mind. He feels like a twelve-year-old hoping to finally kiss the girl he was pining for. He kind of hates that he seemed to be the only one affected in this game. He was the one sitting on the couch, watching you silently as he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the couch armrest. You were chatting with Dara about her trip, along with Blaire and Jenny, when you pulled out that balm mid-conversation.

"Why are you mad?" Wooshik suddenly showed up next to him.

He turned his head, "What?"

"You look angry." his best friend pressed harder. "Your hard stare on YN can literally dig holes."

"I don't know what you're talking about." he got up, heading to your kitchen to get a glass of ice-cold water.

Even though you are in the middle of chatting with your friends, you still spotted your boyfriend leaving the living room, where you guys were having your game night that you hosted. After excusing yourself to go get some snacks, you successfully found Jungkook in the kitchen. You never thought someone could look sad while filling up a glass of water.

"You okay?"

That small whisper of yours managed to almost make him jump as he was too deep in his thoughts. You stepped closer, standing next to him, fully taking advantage of your friends being in the other room. He tried not to react when you rested your chin on his shoulder. But then, after receiving nothing but dry hugs and just physical touches from you these past few days, you tiptoed and planted a kiss on his cheek.

It was quick. But enough to break him. You were being unfair, he thought.

So, his hands held your waist and looked at you, looking for any sign of surrender on your face. But all he got was the same grin you sported that night in his car. He rolled his eyes and you chuckled, knowing that action meant that he was already raising his white flag.

"Do you have anything to say, babe? Because I think, we should go back–"

"Princess, I miss you." he pouts.

"But we see each other every day, silly." you teased him, pinching his lips. "I don't know why–"

Jungkook cuts you off again. But this time, it was not with his words. More like his lips. He leaned in, pressing your lips together, finally feeling your soft and smooth lips on his. He felt you smile during the kiss. So he didn't waste time anymore, deepening the kiss. You felt him pressing your body closer to him as his tongue glided on your lips, tasting the peach-vanilla flavor on it.

"So good," he whispered.

He felt the vibration when you chuckled. Just when he felt your fingers in his hair, you heard footsteps coming closer.

"YN, can you–"

"Oh my god!"

Panicked, you accidentally pushed your secret boyfriend much stronger than you anticipated, making him lose balance and fall to the ground. You instantly covered your mouth as Jungkook groaned. Jenny, who just came in to ask you for something, definitely heard the thump since she came in with a raised eyebrow.

"What happened?" she asked.

Jungkook was already getting up with his hand on his side rib, rubbing the skin on it. You were too shocked to even think about your response, which was,

"We... We were looking for my lip balm. I think I lost it here while getting the chips."

Jungkook just nodded at that, "Yeah, I wanna try it."

TAGLIST (closed)

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PERMANENT TAGLIST (CLOSED)

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[sonicssweetheart]

can I get some movie Sonic x reader relationship head canons? being the main character I barley see any fics of him :( 💞

sonic x gn!reader || relationship head canons .ᐟ.𖥔 ݁˖

ᝰ.ᐟ warnings: none! sfw <3

🎐 𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀ ⋆. 𝜗𝜚 ˚⋆ ⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒🎐

— crush stage ;

this boy is NOT non chalant. he couldn’t try even if his was life was at stake. whenever you’re around, even if you were simply standing there minding your business, he would just stare, absolutely dumbfounded. fondling with his fingers, he would think of anything to say in order to talk to you. later on that day, he would begin to stress if he bothered you, which just ends up him in him invading again as a means to apologize.

he still wants to be subtle in ways, which to him means to gift you random little things. on multiple occasions in one day, where you were visiting the wachowskis home, sonic would zip to you, holding some little trinket with a warm smile on his face. they were always things like your favourite animal as a keychain, sparkly rocks, colourful hair accessories… just random things. of course, you would never turn them down, taking them with a huge smile and putting them to use immediately. sonic would feel so proud of himself, where you would catch him giggling to himself in his room later on.

his confession was messy & sweet, and it took place plainly in the backyard of his home while you two laid under the stars. he just rambled like time was endless, spilling out how he thought of you and how these feelings were so new to him that he didn’t know what to do. his voice was shaky as he tried to look at you — but you made him so nervous that he mostly stared at the sky. when you reciprocated unexpectedly, he had to confirm with you multiple times that you were serious. he hesitantly moved his hand over to brush his pinky against yours, and you two laid there in comfortable silence for awhile.

— little things ;

shaky voice when he speaks to you — nervous boy <3

talks to longclaw through the stars at night and asks if she thinks that you feel the same

assumed his feelings were a yearning for a new teammate rather than romance, but he quickly realized the latter when tom had to break it to him.

catches himself staring a lot. kind of like a baby staring mindlessly at a stranger. when you catch him, he tries to play it off cool. it’s not cool.

— relationship ;

now that you two are official, he will brag about it or bring it up anyway he can, especially with knuckles and tails. they could be talking about a whole different subject, and he would find a reason to bring your name up whenever he can. additionally, tom has to hear his rambles 24/7. he will just go on and on how you make him feel, how he can’t even explain it, but continues to explain every time. sonic will talk his ear off until tom has to politely tell him he’s getting a headache 😭. but, ultimately, tom is extremely proud that sonic found someone who understands him. as a plus, you’re always invited over since he knows how much you guys enjoy the others company.

very very very affectionate, especially physically. he cannot go one day without cuddling you at one point or simply just laying with one another. he adores snuggling up on you, his head laying on your chest with his arms wrapped around you and one leg draped over yours. he falls asleep constantly like this, snoring loudly and definitely pooling drool onto your shirt. it’s hard to be annoyed, though — considering these are rare times for him to be so peacefully relaxed. also, he’s very similar to a cat. one slight shift of your leg or arm will jolt him awake, his ears folding down in annoyance and readjusting for another 3 minutes. besides sappy cuddling, physical affection to him are the simple actions like holding his hand while doing something independent, him laying his head in your lap, or nudging you with his elbow when teasing you. effortless, yet it completely consumes him.

he is biiiiiig on acts of service, he just wants to do everything for you all the time. need to pick up something from the store? he’s got it. need to drop something off to someone across the city? done. just need a glass of water from the kitchen downstairs? stay put, he’ll take two seconds. sometimes it isn’t his greatest attribute — considering you would like to do things for yourself once in awhile. when you bring it up to him, he explains how he just wants you stress-free; it makes him relaxed when you’re relaxed. again, it’s hard for you to hold it against him, since all that boy has in his heart is love. if you were to be stressed out due to school/work/etc, he would do anything he can to make things easier for you, whether it be taking care of your meals, doing laundry for you, maintaining a clean room… he would do anything and everything to keep you at peace.

— litttle things ;

he loves cheek kisses. randomly sneak one as you walk by and he’ll freeze up and giggle to himself.

takes you to silly little cafes, specifically cat cafes. you can’t tell if it’s because he thinks you love cats or because he loves cats.

gets a teensy bit jealous when you talk to knuckles, simply because he’s convinced knuckles is “manlier” than him.

whenever he’s angry he will distance himself from you to avoid snapping or giving you attitude. locking himself in his room or dashing somewhere unknown are his go-to’s.

“can we go on a walk?” “y/n, i really want a pet.” “your hair is so nice. do you know that?” “ *random facts* “ — things you hear daily from him.

[omgfangirlland]

The Shadows That Nurture 15

Don't really have anything to say 🫠 thank y'all for the attention, for reading etc, ch 16 is done, ch 17 may take longer cuz I think I'm catching a cold so uhhh- enjoy and stay safe!

Masterlist || First || previous<< Chapter 15 >>next(TBC)

Jason was having a terrible week, starting with Ms. “I wouldn’t have been as forgiving if you didn’t die and came back kinder to me” Wayne- well- Grayson? He doesn’t know anymore- he’s close enough to just forging papers that say you’re his biological little sister just to fuck with Bruce.

Speaking of- Jason hasn’t turned on his coms and the phone specifically for the bats since the night the family found out. He’s seriously debating throwing those devices out the window, but he finds it more entertaining how everyone is in shambles.

Granted, while the others have tried cornering him to- politely ask questions- Jason is more paranoid about Damian and Cassandra. Cassandra not speaking wasn’t something he worried about, but her not texting him nonsense throughout the day made him antsy. Adding to that the fact that the demon brat didn’t even try to knife him down once? Yeah, no, Jason was on edge. Either those two were planning something or they knew something the others didn’t- frankly, he didn’t like either option.

He and the other rogues have been upping the attack on the rich to try and exhaust the bats, take their attention from you- but with each attack the bats seemed to care less and less. And if they did show up, they were starting to punch harder, to break more bones, to use those “only when necessary” blades more and more. They were getting angrier, desperate, and dangerous.

Good. It was about time they saw what they’d been pushing to the side, what they all did at one point. However, Red Hood was getting angrier at the pure audacity they had to just snoop around his turf every 13th of the month, they’ve been doing it for a while, sure, but they got sloppier with their stealth. It was making everyone nervous, the kids especially.

And now the gall of him to show up as Bruce Wayne, with that blasted fake smile, and that sweet, sweet food from Alfred. “Bruce. What are you doing here?” Harvey’s voice broke Jason from drooling over the buffet Pennyworth had made. “I-…” Bruce took in a shaky breath. Batman knew he should have rehearsed something, but lately, he’s only done impulsive things. “I’ve been a terrible father to my youngest daughter. I’m sure you all know that- I’m trying to slowly see the great achievements she made despite that and to try and understand her better.”

“And we’re supposed to believe that?” Waylon growled, tail tapping the asphalt anxiously. Harley backed Croc up, grinding into the ground the fact that he’d never tried before, that it’s been years. But one of the kids ignored the tension, coming up to the man and just grabbing his hand, smiling brightly at him.

“She always told us that some people are worth giving second chances.” The little girl looks back at the others. “He’s seeing he did bad and trying to fix it.” She shrugged and the rogues couldn’t argue. Without those second chances they wouldn’t be here, but that doesn’t mean they’ll make it easy for the trust fund baby. “Well, Mr. Wayne. Better get to work.” Two-face cackled as Cobblepot started directing the man to start carrying old, unusable furniture out of the buildings, giving the goons a break.

Jason turned to look at the little girl, his hands on his hips. “You stole his watch.” It wasn’t a question, it was very much a statement, a statement at which the little kid just smiled brightly. “She always said to rob the rich blind, too, and that man is too trusting of little kids. I got his ring too.” Jay couldn’t argue with that, so he just ruffled the little rascal’s hair and went on his way.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

“I’m sorry- You have to marry a fish?!” You almost yelled into the com as you stopped a car from splatting a woman. “And C is just letting that happen? I’m telling you, he’ll become enemy number one.” Setting the car down, ignoring Cecil saying he could hear you, you quickly grabbed the woman and flew to the protective dome where most civilians were staying safe. Your eyes met hers and you immediately complimented the bright green color. “Wha- not you two morons! I was talking to somebody else- Yes, I’m on the job.” You sigh as you set her down before getting back to action.

“Robot wanted me on the scene to take care of the civis, said something about Immortal needing the win, but uh…” You watch as the man gets overwhelmed and decapitated, his body going limp while Dupli-Kate and Black Samson try to get to him. “It’s kinda pathetic. They’re not fighting like a team. Robot, Shrinking Rae, and Moster Girl seem to be the only ones able to keep up.”

Cecil just sighs, turning on the coms for everyone. “Sorceress. End it, now.” While Robot tried to argue against it you just acted, getting tired of this mess. Getting higher in the air your hands raised, eyes glowing as you muttered some of the new spells Zatanna and John taught you.

Most of the aliens fell to the ground lured into a deep sleep state while the ones who could fight against the magic were quickly chained- all, with a wave of your hands, fell through a portal straight to their home planet. Landing you grabbed the Immortal’s head, moving closer and sticking it close enough that the skin started reattaching on its own. When you got up Kate was quick to tell you off and take your place, pulling the man onto her lap.

You just shrugged making your way to Robot and Amanda. “What’s her problem?” You mutter while subtly checking everyone out for injuries. Rex almost crashed onto you as he groaned, arm swinging over your shoulder. “She’s pissy because you and the ass were a thing, and she thinks he still likes you.” You frown, hand hovering over his face to fix the bloody mess. “That’s stupid. We weren’t. And if we were and he was still after me she should put herself first and find someone who won’t make her feel like that.”

“Wait- they are together? Like for real?” You look at the others as they get closer, most nodding. “You two weren’t? You really expect me to believe that-agh! You did that knowingly!” Rex cried as a bone set back in place quite painfully while you simply answered with a yes.

“Most of the heroes thought that. You two were pretty friendly for a while.” Black Samson shrugs. “Yeah, because we’re both immortal. We were venting about that, we understood each other, and then… Omni-Man happened, and he called me and my brother ticking bombs. Too dangerous to be helping.” Amanda hissed at that, face cringing. “Damn, that’s such an asshole thing of him to say.”

“I don’t hold that against him. But we are not our father, he should know better, and I won’t hang around him until he apologizes and means it.” You looked over your shoulder as the man in question groaned. “Speaking of- time for me to go.” You let go of the healed Rex, pat Robot’s head, and high-five Amanda. “See you later, losers.” Rudy looks at Amanda. “Why did she pat my head?” Monster girl snorts. “It’s called affection- don’t!” she slapped his hand away. “Don’t do that to me, I’ll break your legs.”

Before you could lift off the ground once you were far enough the woman you saved before quickly stopped you, calling you over. “I just wanted to thank you. Have you eaten? Perhaps I can buy you something? There’s this café down this street, they make amazing toast sandwiches and milkshakes.” You just laughed; not like you could say no to free food. “You don’t have to thank me or pay for-“ You tried to be a lady and politely refuse, but the woman insisted, urging you to take her and have a little break.

“Alright, ma’am, you won.” You smirked as you picked her up before taking flight. “May I know the name of who’s paying for my meal, at least? I mean, I may start thinking you’re an assassin or something if you keep being so mysterious and pushy.” You teased while following her directions, but she just gave you a smirk. “I’m Talia.”

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Bruce was sitting next to Jason, looking at the kids and rogues, but his eyes couldn’t help but drift to the murals. “She really did all of this?” Jason just nodded at his question. “She did a lot. This is a small thing. Your foundations can only do so much, Bruce. Sometimes people need community, need love, and support, and to feel like they belong. She gave that to a lot of people here.”

He nods to the murals. “When she was painting those, some kids tagged it. She caught them and asked them to join, telling them she’d pay. And she did. It was enough for those kids to keep a roof over their heads while we were building the affordable housing building down the block, and it was enough for them to put towards education.”

“One is aiming to be an engineer and the other two are going for art subjects.” Jason looks at the man. “Many of the goons Batman was fighting quickly quit and started working at the orphanage or the hospital once they found out they could afford to live and their wants with the salary offered. You can’t always solve shit by paying for buildings, sometimes that does the opposite. It just makes shit more expensive when it has the name of some billionaire attached to it.”

“This? Helping each other, creating things they can afford while opening job opportunities everyone is qualified for, and nobody will have to break their backs only to decide if they should pay for groceries or rent that month- that helped. It brought the crime rate down. Sure, I still sell drugs, crimes still happen, but surprisingly that has gone down for my zone too.”

“She has a job now, a well-paying one. So, the allowance you send mostly goes to this- I think she even sends some of her actual salary here. I began adding to it, and Penguin started doing similar on his turf.” Jason shrugs. “We gather it all and split it so everyone can pay bills, can have money for groceries, and clothes, and even have some extra on the side. Some still don't get paid enough due to the government not wanting to fund us, but what we put together helps make what is a 7-dollar-per-hour job into a 20-25-30-dollar-per-hour job. When she sends too much, we either give bonuses or put it to vote and repair something. It usually ends up being that, it’s how we repaired the local kindergarten and school. It’s how we repaired a lot.”

“I never knew-“ Jason just laughs at Bruce. “Yeah, I didn’t either. I was a little shit like you, too, remember? It took me dying to see that.” The young crime lord looks Bruce in the eyes. “That’s why I won’t tell you where she is, what she does, who she is now.” Bruce looks at his son, the tiredness in him shining through now more than ever. “She’s in Chicago, lived in NYC for a bit.” The older man mutters.

“I’m… I’m afraid of how she’d react, of what I will find out if I go looking for her.” He whispers and Jason simply shakes his head. “You’re afraid she’ll reject you, brush you off like you did. You’d deserve it. Everyone in this blasted family would.”

Bruce nods. He wasn’t able to sleep for a while after finding out one of his kids was missing and he didn't even know. He mostly sat in his office, in front of his parents' portraits. Every single one looked more disappointed in him than the other- he knew that wasn’t possible, they were paintings… but a part of him also remembers those portraits being- happier.

“Have you gone in her room yet?” Bruce shakes his head, his question waking him from his thoughts. Nobody did, not even Alfred, the guilt was eating everyone alive, he was sure Dick would cry or break something if he even looked at her door. “You should.” Jason insisted. “Call the others, you all are going to look into her room, into her life, and see what hell we all put her through.” The young man nudged the older man to get up when Cobblepot came closer, trying to put Bruce to more work. He wasn’t doing this to better them, Jason wanted the family to be broken. It was selfish, but being selfish is what made him your favorite rogue.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

“So, how was everyone’s day?” Debbie’s nightly question was asked again as she set her drink down.

“Well, instead of marrying a fish I ended up fighting a sea monster and then I finally moved into my dorm with William.” Mark said as he ate. “I have hella parental issues, and I think everyone should compliment my achievements more because I almost cried when this lady I ate lunch with said she was proud of how quickly I grew in my powers.”

“You almost cried?” Debbie asked, worry on her face at the revelation. Maybe they should have put you in therapy the first time you came clean with Bruce’s neglect. Mark, however, was more fixated on the unnamed lady, knowing you were mostly joking. “…You went on a date?” You sigh. “No. Stop doing that overprotective older brother BS, you look like a mangy Chihuahua acting like that.” He just pouted.

Tag list: @bat1212 @trashlanternfish360 @shycreatorreview @syrooo @a-lurking-fae @alittletiredcry @kittzu @plsfckmedxddy @blackhood1229 @nxdxsworld @leeiasure @dandelion-delusion @lovebug-apple @sillysealsies @tsxukikami @enchantingarcadecreation @alishii @d3nnji @itsberrydreemurstuff @yuyuzi-ling @welpthisisboring @1abi @mxvoid26 @persephone-kore-law @bluevenus19 @ryuushou @asillysimp @aalunar @cxcilla @sirenetheblogger @pinkluv29

[classfiedyapper]

LADS MEN WITH DESI GIRL HCs.

Alright ladies its my first time making any post on my own on Tumblr, its 3 in the morning and I am on my leuteal phase so, yeah, the grammar in this sucks cuz if you haven't guessed it already, English isn't my first language, also this isn't proof read either. I just had my phone and messy ADHD brain filled with ideas. Anyways, THIS IS FOR MY DESI GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD. Seriously tho I made this because every time I read any headcanon it was hard to relate with most of the things, so I took matter into my own hand with encouragement from @syluskiwifeyyy so enjoy my Desi babies.(under the cut)

Xavier:

This boy is enthralled by you, its not just the golden tan of your skin that gets him, its those deep dark eye and luscious thick hair too.

Xavier is a foodie I can totally see him loving the Desi meal you both cook together (well you cook and he stands their holding your utensils for you, maybe pass the spices, will pout after handing the wrong one)

I see him as being a gol Gappay fan boy

Xavier will sit quietly and hear you talk about your people.

Also about the shenanigans of your relatives.

If you show him any nakhre, he will be confused at first but do his best to make you happy and fulfill your demands (and you will melt in an instant because...look at him!)

He strikes me as the guy to deeply appreciate the culture, and will actively try to learn more about it.

He will also be the kind that your parents will approve off, sweet kind caring, with government job and oh so innocent looking (but only we know the real deal hehe)

Xavier is also respecting of religion so if it comes down to it he will wait till marriage (tho I bet all boys will since they are respectful, and understanding and oh so very patient, So i won't be adding this point in the rest).

Xavier will partake in all your traditional festivities, and since your parents love him he will be there following you while holding your anchal (catch him glaring at the relatives who did you wrong lol).

Huge fan of saree's, will get you beautiful waist chains to wear over them with his initial on them (because of course he will).

Will give you nothing less then queen treatment because a that is what you deserve.

Will wakeup early just to see the the morning sun make your skin glow.

Xavier will sweep you of your feet so fast your own parents will push you towards the marriage, not to let a gem like him slip

Xavier loves when you put henna on your hand. He finds it so alluring.

I can see him holding your hand and lovingly trace the pretty patterns on it and then kiss the palm. And when he sees his name artistically hidden in the design, he.will.melt.

All blushy and giggly like the love sick fool he is.

"So does that mean we are now together forever my little star"

Rafayel.

Now this man will love the way you will dress, the vibrant colors and intricate designs of your clothing that sets you apart from the others.

He love LOVES that you wear your culture with pride.

Will buy you the fanciest of Bengals and most expensive jhumkas.

Will paint you in them, especially in the golden hours.

Sharara is his favorite because it makes you look like a princess in his eyes.

May or may not use your duppata to wear as his own (he wants to match with you come on)

Like Xavier will also hear you ramble about your relatives, but will not be quiet about it nu huh.

He WILL have a thing or two to say to them if they meet him ( but one glare from you and he is sat)

You parents do like him, yes, but most of the time they are like ???? While interacting with him.

Oh and if you show him nakhre, he will show YOU nakhre. (But you will win the contest ofcourseeee)

Rafayel not only respect culture he cherishes it. I see him integrating few things into his daily lives.

Also he will draw the most beautiful henna design on your hand, not just on occasions but anytime he feel like it, or you ask for it. (might do it on your whole body you never know)

He will share some of his lemurian culture with you too

And you both will end creating a mix of the two and make personal family tradition that will be followed with ages to come.

I feel like once you get to the point of marriage, Rafayel will make it such a beautiful and soulful day. He will be pulling all stops to make the dreamiest wedding come true, after all you are his beloved bride *sigh*

Zayne.

Congratulations you are your parent's second favorite now.

And you will be marrying him.

If zayne is not every Desi parents dream son-in-law idk what he is. (Tall, handsome and DOCTOR)

Now for zayne he loves you, so much. Everything about you is enticing to him. But damn it girl why are you getting dizzy every time you stand up.

Best believe he is going to take Care of your anemic ass.

Will ask for kheer whenever you feel like spoiling him and ask him what he wants you to cook for him.

Zayne is a shalwar qameez enthusiast I don't make the rules.

Its elegant, its classy, its comfy, hell he wears the men one whenever he can.

Especially with floral print and/or embroidery.

Will handle your nakhre like a pro, the fire is extinguished before it could even burn.

And he does it like its an honor for him, his sweet gentle smile and those loving eyes.

Yep zayne loves that he is the one...maintaining you (ykwim)

Brings you gajray almost everyday after work. He loves to see you wear them.

Zayne is the kind of guy will encourage you to embrace your feminity.(is thats what you want of course)

Loves your long hair, no matter the type but he seems like wavy hair kinda guy.

Will put flowers in your braids, jasmine specifically.

Zayne will also be the kind to listen and only speaking when you specially ask him too, he is a rock. The most reliable guy to have with you.

During family events he will socialize to show he is willing to be the part of, not just the family but the whole damn village (cuz you know we Desi have bi as fuck families.)

Zayne will come home to see you doing your thing weather it be work or reading or cleaning he just comes behind you and hug. "It was long day with out you meri Jan" (siiwskjsoshs).

Also also also after you are married he is the type to call you "begum" (I am throwing myself off a cliff aisisisiwow)

Sylus

Someone posted something along the lines that you will make this guy go back to his dragon roots the moment he sees you in a shiny lehnga and gold jewelry

Don't be surprised if you find yourself in a cave being hoarded away by him lol.

But no seriously he loves that you like gold or wear gold because now he has a reason to spoil you with the most expensive accessories money could buy

Now sylus is also a Saree guy but will also appreciate a lehnga too, specially when you do the twirl in them.

"Its for the culture darling" he says "the girls in Desi culture wear gold ear rings straight out of the womb" you have no idea who told him that, he just knows.

Loves it when you show him nakhre, cuz now he has a reason to spoil you rotten.

Your snobby relatives just don't exist any more lmao (jk jk...or am I?)

Sylus is also a foodie so whenever you make something for him he would be over the moon delighted, and will compliment with every bite.

This happens every single time no matter how long you two have been together.

Sylus will go above and beyond for traditional festivals. Will be doing the most honestly.

No you do not need that many pathakay, this isn't some kind turf war damn it sy.

Oh yeah your parents love him too he is so charming, suave and successful fruit seller. (They don't care where the money is coming from their daughter is now rich!)

Also out of all the guys I can only see him being a fan of cricket honestly so if you like that then you two will be having a blast watching it together.

Will stop you from throwing the TV when your team looses lol.

Sylus will always be there for not just you but your entire family, your Lil sibling got in trouble with the wrong crowd, Luke and Kieran are there to kick their ass.

Everyone's favorite damad jee.

And boy oh boy when you get to the wedding stage, yeah, this man is putting ambani to shame, mhm mhm.

Sylus will indulge in everything you ever wanted to do, will do everything your parents never let you do. He will heal that inner child of tours without even knowing.

Caleb

Cooking dates, cooking dates COOKING DATES AAAAARGH.

doesn't matter if you hate cooking, you will be sitting their like the pretty girl you are as he works around the kitchen cooking up the most banging chicken Tika biryani and all you have to do is keep your pretty brown eyes on him.

Caleb is a pilot of course your parents Love him duh.

Caleb is very possessive man so yes you will be accompanied by him where ever you are going. He just might the your duppata with his watch on purpose.

Caleb is more on the side of indo-western. He Loves you in Kurti and jeans and outfits like that but damn it you look good in everything how is he suppose to choose.

"Now we are stuck together for good pips"

Teases you about your nakhre, but will be bending over backwards to keep you happy.

Oh and you are only allowed to show him those nakhre, do it in front of any other male specie and he will be huffing and puffing and all up and over you.

"Pips let me do it for you, tell me what is it that you want?"

You two are getting Desi street food all the time even if he complains his cooking is better he will do it for you.

Caleb will occasionally snitch on you to your parents behind your back tho, but not to get you in trouble but to make sure his parents will trust him more to take care of you (hey in this house we like our men a little crazy)

What can I say he is just looking out for you.

You and Caleb will always be fighting for your lives during ludo and you will flip the board cause why is winning again and again, its YOUR game for fucks sake.

But if you want to short circuit his brain just put those pretty tanned legs of your on display, even tiny bit. He is gone. Caleb exe has stopped working.

When he confesses to you he does it in the mist sharukh khan way possible (ifykyk)

Is pretty sappy and romantic. On your anniversary he will learn and okay the song "suraj huwa Madham" on his guitar (ajwhwusjs)

Every time you bicker he makes it up with gajray as well.

[issdisgrace]

Hi!! For the request thing I hope it isn't too much of a hassle but could you do Bruce Wayne x Just Some Guy Reader

Like Bruce is obviously like the guy ever, Rich, Handsome what have you. But he falls for this Average Joe kind of guy, there's nothing special about him other than being compassionate and kind Ig?? He isn't some rich or famous person, just a guy working a normal job.

And maybe can you put a little bit of Alfred being happy for Bruce?? Idk if it isn't too much of a bother sorry 😭

WOULD LIKE YOU TO MEET

WARNINGS: None, written during writers block

“Alfred, I would like for you to meet my boyfriend.”

“Finally, I thought you would never ask me to meet him.”

“Wait, how did you know I was seeing someone?”

“Well, the fact that your mood has improved, you’re more talkative, not that it’s a bad thing. You’re also spending a little less time as Batman, along with a couple other small things first tipped me off that you were seeing someone. Then my suspicion was confirmed when I found a sweatshirt that wasn’t one of yours that smelt of cigarettes, whiskey, and pine. And unless you had recently taken up smoking and drinking cheap whiskey, the sweatshirt did not belong to you Master Bruce.”

“I did that bad of a job at hiding it?”

“Yes, Master Bruce, yes you did. Anyhow, I want to know about boyfriend of yours.”

“His name is Y/n. He’s tall, nice, handsome and the owner of Bucky’s bar and grill.”

“Interesting. How did you meet him?”

“Met him through Selina. He’s a friend of hers.”

“Why am I not surprised? Anything else I should know about him?”

“No, not really.”

“Ok, when am I supposed to meet him?”

“Saturday at 7pm. We’re going to meet him at the bar and then go have dinner somewhere.”

“Alright, sounds good, Master Bruce.”

A couple of nights later, like Bruce said, he and Alfred were on the way to Bucky’s. Alfred took note of the fact that the bar was located in the East End of Gotham as Bruce drove. It felt odd to be the one sitting in the passenger seat. Alfred was so used to being the one driving, but Bruce insisted on driving since they had taken the ‘63 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. They were about a couple of minutes outside of Crime Alley when Bruce pulled off to the side of the road in front of a place that had a glowing sign that read Bucky’s bar and grill. 

“We’re here.”

“Thank you for pointing that out Master Bruce. I couldn’t tell.”

“Just making sure you’re not getting senile on me.”

“You don’t have to worry about that anytime soon. Now shall we go in?”

“Yeah, he’s probably wondering where we are.”

The two then get out of the car and headed inside. As they entered the bar, the smell of beer and food hit their nose. Alfred scrunched his nose in displeasure at the scent as he looked around. The bar was large and surprisingly nice especially for the place in which it was located. The two made their way to an open spot at the bar. Bruce leaned over the bar and got the bartender’s attention. The bartender made he’s way over and Alfred thought that this must be Bruce’s boyfriend. Until Bruce said.

“Hey Clay, where’s Y/n?”

“He’s in the office. He’s waiting for you and your dad.” 

“Alright, thanks Clay.”

Bruce pushed off the bar and lead the pair to the back of the bar where two swinging door where. The doors lead into the kitchen as they made their way through the kitchen. There was choir of hi and hellos followed by Bruce’s name.

“It seems you’re quite popular here.”

“I guess.” Bruce shrugs as he stops in front of a red door labeled office. Alfred gives a nod of acknowledgement as Bruce goes to open the door. 

As the door open it reveals a decent sized room with a dark oak desk in the middle of the room where a man sits, two chair sitting in front of the desk facing it, a filing cabinet and snack/drink bar off to one side of the room, and to the other side a black couch with a matching armchair and coffee table. The man at the desk looked up from his paperwork a smile spreading on his face as he saw Bruce. Alfred quietly closed the door behind himself as Bruce stepped further in. 

“You’re finally here. I was beginning to think you bailed on me.” You said as you got up. 

“Sorry about that. But l brought Alfred like I said I was going to,” Bruce says, gesturing to the man beside.

“Yes, sorry didn’t mean to be rude. I’m Y/n, Y/n L/n. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” You say as you walk closer to give Alfred a handshake. Alfred gives it a shake before saying, 

“Alfred Pennyworth, it’s nice to finally meet the man that has captured Master Bruce’s heart. Also, I must say this is a lovely place you have.”  

“Thank you. I put a lot into this bar. It has been my whole life, grew up here and I’m still here so.” 

“You grew up here?” Alfred asked.

“Yep this was grandpa’s place. He was the one who raised me, so I’ve spent basically every day here since I was a baby.”

“This must have been an interesting place to grow up.” 

“It was, it definitely was.”

You guy stood around chatting for a little, so you and Alfred could get to know each other a bit more before heading out for dinner. As you three chatted away, Bruce felt his heat warm. He was happy to see that you guys were getting along. You two were the most important people in his life, so it would have sucked if you two didn’t get along. Anyway, after 30/45 minutes of chatting with you.

asked,

“So, where are we going to go for dinner?”

“Romero’s.” Bruce responds.

“Alright, sounds good. I got to wrap up here quickly, so why don’t you guys head out and I’ll meet you out there in a couple of minutes, then we can head over to Romero’s together.” 

“Ok, don’t take too long.”

“I would never Brucie.” You say, giving him a quick kiss. 

With that, Alfred and Bruce head outside to wait for you to finish up. As they step into the outdoors, Bruce asks,

“What do you think of him?”

“He seems nice, genuine, kind. Doesn’t seem like he’s after your money or your status either, which is good. But if I’m being honest with you Master Bruce, I don’t think my opinion matters all that much. I think what matters is yours and what you think of him. So what do you think of him, Master Bruce?”

“I think he’s the best thing to happen to me, Alfred.”

“See that matters, Master Bruce.”

[animationexhilaration]

In anticipation of the next chapter with Leather, his deranged brothers, Jammy and Hitch.

Ok so, Leathers brothers are the ones i had the most fun with. I especially had fun with Hitch. Think I had the most freedom when designing these two because there's little to know indication of what they look like. the most to be inferred was "similar to Leather" and "farmers"

I just realized I gave them similar poses lol

Honestly, a lot of my interpretations of the brothers is very loose. From what I can gather, they are based on the Sawyer family, pretty obviously with Leather being a sexy Leatherface. But aside from that, I believe that Hitch takes inspiration from Nubbins Sawyer, who's known as the Hitchhiker and the most deranged; I mean we get dialogue from the Mc About how much we hate Hitch. I'm not too sure about Jammy; Its possible he could be the cook but that's a reach.

I took a lot of liberties with how Hitch and Jammy could be interpreted. Like, Leather feels like he's got a lot of older sibling energy, there's no way Hitch ISN'T a middle child, and Jammy feels like a youngest child. We get little info on their individual personalities outside of a few minute, easy to miss moments, based on vibes.

We hear about Jammy first; Leather comments that Jammy slacks off and in a later chapter, we have the option to tease Leather about Jammy fooling around with girls and from the way Leather reacts: he doesn't rule this out as a possiblity. So its likely he might have lured people to kill. Buts that's a headcanon tbh. But we do know the most about his personality, especially compared to his brother. Minus the blood and if he tried not to look like a shifty bastard, he'd come off as a simple farmer

Then we see Hitch in a later chapter, but he's unnamed until Leathers mask off episode. We don't get much info on him, it feels like he lurks in the background until its time to kill, so I reflected it in how his hat obscures his eyes. Whatever personality we can glean from him, i think we can also draw from Nubbins from TCM; psychotic and mentally deranged with erratic behavior. He might be the most bloodthirsty or confrontational, as evidenced by the fact he's the one hunting us down the most in Leathers mask off chapter.

It's pretty obvious that Hitch and Jammy are closer to each other than they are to Leather, as evidenced by the way they talk about him. From what I know about toxic family dynamics especially among siblings, it honestly feels like they might have been turned against him at some point. One could guess they somewhat cared for each other, but their hatred of witches and outsider overrode that. Their family is generally pretty fucked and we might get more info on them outside of the witch stuff. I hope so at least.

[sister-lucifer]

Insufferable 

Edward Nygma AKA The Riddler x Gender Neutral Reader 

Genre: Smut 

Words: 1,140

Summary: You’ve been an obnoxious pervert for too long, but all your shameless begging has finally paid off. 

Content/Warnings: Hate sex, rough sex, penis in ambiguous hole sex, choking, mean dirty talk, insults, degradation, slapping, sub/bottom reader

“Is this what you wanted, you sniveling little cretin?” 

Edward’s question comes out as a snarl. You can hear the words pushing through his gritted teeth, but they run over your mind like water to a stone. You’re not really listening. 

How could you be when he’s pounding into you from behind this way, like his life depends on making sure he molds your insides to fit his cock? 

You’ve never seen Edward this angry. 

You’ve never seen him angry at all, really. Annoyed, irritated, sure, but this goes deeper. He’s fuming. 

Just like you wanted. 

You took a liking to Edward the moment you laid eyes on him. More than a liking, really. Obsession was the better word. Obsession was the only word. 

To put it bluntly, you couldn’t go five minutes without humping his leg. You were never shy about your attraction or want for sex, and never wavered despite his biting insults. What kept you coming back, though, was the fact that Edward did too. 

He’s a highly intelligent man, any clueless window licker could see that in an instant, and you’re a rather new rogue on the scene—no one would be bothered by him killing you just to be rid of you. 

But he didn’t. He never even laid a hand on you, though you’ve seen him take his cane to quite a few unruly thugs before. He could’ve landed you in the hospital seven times over by now, but again and again you stood untouched. 

And then he broke. 

You can’t even remember what you said at this point. All you remember is that look in Edward’s eyes, like bulging glass exploding and sending shards in every direction—for whatever reason, he’d hit his limit. 

It’s all a blur from there until now. You can vaguely recall gloved hands on your body, his rough grip on your arms and neck as he dragged you to whatever position he deemed fit. Now, though, none of that matters. 

You finally have what you want. 

“Answer me, dammit!” 

A particularly hard thrust hits deeper than you were ready for. You cry out from the sensation, every nerve ending in you screaming with pleasure. There’s no mistaking your utter ecstasy, but it only seems to aggravate Edward even more. 

“God, just listen to you,” he hisses, leaning down to speak into your ear, “those fucking noises you’re making…is that all you know how to do, mewl and beg like a whore? I’ve never seen you do anything else.” 

He gives a harsh smack to your ass as he sits back up, and you make sure the sound you make is as lecherous as you can make it. His grip on you tightens for a brief second. You’re still getting under his skin. No matter what he does, you’re still going to enjoy this. 

“Pathetic,” he growls, “just pathetic. Do you even hear to yourself? For weeks on end you were completely incessant…’Oh, please, Eddie, give me your cock, Eddie, I need it, Eddie, oh Eddie, oh Eddie—‘“

He pushes your head into the mattress, muffling the shameless moan that spills from your lips as he ruts erratically into you. 

“I mean, do you ever shut up?!” 

He’s already losing any semblance of rhythm, not that he had much in the first place. It’s clear what this is really about for him: dominance. He’s not seeking pleasure from this as much as he is an ego boost, another way to tell himself he is the superior, especially to someone like you. 

Suddenly, he stills. You make a noise of confusion, but don’t have much time to think before he’s sliding out of you. You open your mouth to protest, naturally, however you get no chance. Edward grasps you once more before roughly flipping you onto your back, making the mattress creak and shudder from the sudden force. 

For just a moment, you lock eyes. His green iris’s shine with rage, ginger brows furrowed so tightly and scowl so deep it’s nearly a work of art. His harsh expression doesn’t waver as he pushes his length back into you. Your back arches, but you don’t look away from him; you make sure he sees that smile he despises so. 

A hand wraps around your throat, fast enough to startle you with how quickly your airflow is cinched. You sputter for a moment before collecting yourself. 

“You are just insufferable,” Edward mutters, inches away from your face, “and you know it, and you just can’t help yourself. I get it now. No matter what I do, you’ll just eat it up, won’t you? It doesn’t matter how much I throw you around or abuse you, you’ll enjoy it either way. I just can’t win.” 

You swallow, feeling your throat bob against the palm of his hand. Your grin only widens, now open and showing teeth. 

He backs up, looking down at you silently for a long few moments. He’s completely still, letting his pulsing cock rest inside of you—he’s contemplating something, and he doesn’t like it. 

After a few moments, he huffs. It’s a sigh of frustration, you think, or something akin to it. When he speaks again, his anger has deflated just a bit. 

“…Fine. I can’t win. But if I can’t win…”

He adjusts his position, releasing your neck and making himself comfortable looming over you. 

“…I’ll just pummel you until I feel better. Now close your cock-hungry maw so I can slap you without breaking it.” 

You blink up at him dumbly. Did…did you hear that right? 

He raises a brow, and a hand. In a split second, you shut your mouth tight, and squeeze your eyes shut, bracing for impact. 

His open palm comes down on your cheek without mercy. The sound of the slap is loud in your ears, and it’s delicious. You sigh in pleasure as the sting sprawls out across your face. 

Edward doesn’t let it show, but you could swear satisfaction flashes in his eyes. It’s brief, hardly there at all, but you can see it. Only you could ever see it. 

He grabs your chin and turns you to face him once more. He raises his hand again, and you gladly let him slap you for a second time. This hit is even harder, and it feels so damn good. He’s starting to thrust into you again, just as needy and erratic as before. The mere thought of him cumming inside of you makes your stomach flip in anticipation. 

“Something tells me you’ll never learn your lesson,” you hear him mumble, and it pulls a breathy giggle from your throat. You shake your head no, and Edward lets the briefest smirk cross his lips. 

“I can live with that,” he replies, “I suppose I could stand to do this again…and a few more after that.” 

This is not fully proofread, please let me know if you see any errors. 

Feedback is appreciated and encouraged. 

If you like this fic, please reblog! It’s free, takes two seconds, and it’s a great way to support writers.  

[writhyv]

⋆｡°✩ jake and his heart beating for you would you kiss me? | sim jaehyun x male!reader

pairing: jake x male!reader genre: fluff, highschool!au words: 2.8k notes: i have been falling faster for jake these past few weeks so I just had to write this down ... i hope you guys appreciate jake as much as i do 😭💙💙

"Is he sleeping?" Joey moved an inch closer as she finally got to her seat.

"Ugh, don't even ask me." Sunoo rolled his eyes as he grabbed a hot corndog from Joey's hand. "He's been like that since he got here."

Clearly, Joey had brought some goods from the snack stands, and she took a good look at your figure again.

"Are you sick or som-?"

"I'm not!" You defended, your voice barely above a whisper. "Shh!"

"Sir, did you just 'shush' me?!" Joey acted mock-offended, settling into her seat with some force.

"I think he did." Sunoo smirked, looking at you with a devious side-eye.

"Ugh, what are you two on about now..." You continued to shrink yourself in your seat, trying to blend into the crowd.

"Take that off!" Joey grabbed the large overcoat you'd wrapped around your body.

"Ah!" You yelped, clutching the coat tightly.

"Ugh, about time!" Sunoo raised his hand for a high-five, and Joey reciprocated with a grin.

"Hey!" You spoke, looking at your two best friends. "Are you two ganging up on me?"

The two snickered, their eyes gleaming with amusement.

"He's totally mad." Joey whispered.

"He's definitely fuming." Sunoo spoke quietly.

"I'm still here!" You tried to pinch their ears, earning yelps from both.

"Ow ow, let it go!" Joey spoke, squirming away.

"Ahh! You!!!" Sunoo tried to remove your finger before you let him go.

"Now, are you two finished?" You crossed your arms, grabbing your overcoat from Joey.

Sunoo retreated to his seat, rubbing the part of his ear you'd pinched. Joey shot you an obvious question.

"So Jake-?"

"AAAAAAA!" You interrupted, clearly in a situation.

"Don't even." Sunoo spoke, waving his hand dismissively.

Joey looked at Sunoo, then back at you. She observed you and knew immediately what was going on.

"Oh, you two talked, didn't you?" Joey looked at you, her intuition sparking.

Sunoo sat up and gasped. "You did?!"

"H-how d-?"

"Mr. ACTING president, I can literally tell what you're all about right now." Joey smugly raised her chin towards you, pointing to the field. "It's obvious you like hi-?"

"AAAAA!!!" You tried to scream, covering your ears.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic!" She spoke.

"But he doesn't want to admit it." Sunoo took a good look at you, shaking his head earnestly. He couldn't take it anymore. "Honestly."

"I just!" You tried to speak. "Why m... me? Argh!"

The two looked at you, then at each other.

"That's what you're worried about?" Joey shot you an almost indignant look. "For real?!"

"He's having a crisis." Sunoo inhaled deeply. "He thinks Jake's just messing with him."

"That or he's being genuine." Joey adjusted herself in her seat. "You can tell he's trying to impress you."

And you couldn't help but agree. For all the times you'd encountered Jake, he'd always tried. One way or another, he was trying his best to get your attention.

And now, he definitely had your gaze.

"I'm just..." You shrunk in your seat again. "I'm just a guy, you know?"

"Oh, shut it and be confident!" Sunoo pulled you out of your chair, forcing you to cooperate unwillingly. "And sit properly; you're the ACTING school council president!"

"Aaaaaargghhh..." You groaned. That's all you could do.

And now, you couldn't take him off your mind. Especially that golden smile he seemed so proud to show off in front of you.

Joey, knowing you were feeling overwhelmed by these new emotions, tried to settle you down.

"Listen, if you can't bear the Jake-ness of it all-?"

"The what?"

"The Jake-ness."

"Oh. Psh." Sunoo retorted.

"What?" Joey looked at him.

"Continue." Sunoo flapped his hand dismissively.

"Okay, anyways... You should try and distract yourself with the game right now. The committee didn't elect you to just do nothing, right?" Joey tapped your back, letting you breathe for a second.

That's right. You were tasked and obliged to attend the game as the ACTING student council president. It wasn't a big deal to get in as yourself, but people were paying close attention as you did your duties. You sat up straight, realizing this. You weren't just here for one reason.

"That's right..." You sighed. "I'm weird, aren't I?"

"We know." The two shared the same sentiment.

"Hey!" You pouted. "You're not supposed to agree with that."

"But you're our weirdo." Sunoo smiled.

"So be weird all you like. Mister Weirdo." Joey poked your cheek, rolling your eyes.

In a way, it comforted you. To have these friends by your side. But of course, they couldn't help you take Jake off your mind. They even seem supportive of it ... too supportive even. You tried to relax your back on the leather covered seat, waiting for the game to start.

Suddenly, the whistles were blown. That was the sign of the teams' entrance for the championship.

In this match, whoever won would make it to the state championships. Calling it a big deal was an understatement. It was a HUGE deal. Especially since the opposing team was supposedly stronger than in previous years.

"And ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome them to the stage. Last and not least, the Peterson Saints!" A loud roar erupted from your side of the field. As much as this was your home court, the crowd couldn't help but yell their hearts out, seeing their pride and honor.

And there he was, beaming with his golden smile—Jake Sim. The Prodigy of the Ages, The Golden Ace, and the MVP for the 3rd consecutive year. All those monickers and titles bore his achievements and qualifications. He was truly something special.

Yet you could look at him with such a look. Out of all the people in this world, this one? This lucky guy who deserved a better person was in love with you? You had to laugh.

Why couldn't you believe that maybe this was the universe appreciating you? All these thoughts lingered in your head.

As if by chance, Jake spotted you quickly and smiled wide, waving his hand. Clearly, he'd expected to see you. He was beyond excited to have you there.

And that broke you. You could only smile back and wave, feeling chills down your spine. He really did want you to see him.

He eyes-locked with you, as if saying, "Watch me." And that you did.

The Peterson Saints took their positions on the field, and the game began. The opposing team, the Ironclad Titans, was known for their aggressive plays and solid defense. Jake, as the captain, called out plays to his teammates, his voice clear and confident. The crowd roared as the game started, and the energy on the field was electric.

"Keep them grounded, we can't let them breach us early!" Jake commanded, his teammates getting into their positions.

The first half was intense. The Titans were relentless, pushing the Saints to their limits. Jake, however, was a force to be reckoned with. He dodged tackles with ease, his movements fluid and calculated. But despite his efforts, the Saints were struggling to keep up. The Titans' defense was impenetrable, and by halftime, they were leading by a significant margin.

While halftime was up, Jake noticed one of his teammates, Bush, flipping over like a pillow in the middle of the field, or at least, that's what he was acting like.

"Bush, you good?" Jake panted, reaching out his hand towards the other.

"Get a life." Bush swatted Jake's hand, standing up by himself.

Jake couldn't just react then and there, but that really felt awful. Still, he has to go, and so he did.

As the teams headed to the locker rooms, tensions ran high. Jake's teammates were frustrated, and some were on the verge of giving up. That's when two of the players, Bush and Trell, started undermining Jake's tactics, blaming him for their poor performance. They accused him of being too selfish and not trusting his teammates enough, even though at best, they themselves couldn't really contribute anything on the field at all.

"You were hogging the ball!" Trell shouted. "Or worse, passing it down to these newbies!"

"He was trying to get it to score, you dumbass!" Another teammate seemingly defended Jake's actions, with more agreeing in unison.

"Well, we don't see it that way!" Bush stands tall, trying to put some intimidation onto the others. "Buttering yourself up for another win?"

One of Jake's teammates ultimately wanted to punch the guy, but Jake stopped him as soon as he lifted his fist.

"No," Jake mouthed.

Ever the leader, Jake didn't let their negativity get to him. He listened calmly, then addressed the team with a steady voice.

"We can do this," he said. "We just need to work together. Trust each other, and trust the plays. We've trained for this."

His words inspired the team, and they returned to the field with renewed determination. The second half was a completely different story.

The Saints fought back with everything they had. Jake led the charge, making incredible plays and encouraging his teammates. The crowd was on their feet, cheering wildly as the Saints slowly closed the gap.

"GO SAINTS GO!! GO SAINTS GO!! GO SAINTS GO!!" The crowd erupted in glorious cheers. Even you couldn't help but get your voice louder at the sound of it.

And Jake? One glance at your cheers was all he needed for a boost. The way your eyes closed as you tried to shout their team's cheer louder, or the way your voice was definitely getting higher as nerves almost popped from your neck, or even how excited you are jumping around and cheering for them? That was heaven for him, just to see you support and appreciate all of his and his team's hard work. He loved that. And he loved you too.

"Good job, Saints!" Jake cheered with his hands towards his teammates. The others responded with the same sentiment, those closer to each other patting backs and hyping each other.

In the final minutes of the game, the score was neck and neck. The tension was palpable. Jake had the ball, and the crowd held their breath as he made his way down the field. With seconds left on the clock, he lined up for the final shot. The Titans' defense was tight, but Jake was unfazed.

"One ball..." Jake took a deep breath.

He looked closely at the goal, seemingly trying to get the aim at this second.

"One goal." He took his one last millisecond, inching away at the true kick.

With a swift, powerful motion, he released the ball. Time seemed to slow as it soared through the air, heading straight for the goal.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the ball scored, securing the Saints' victory. Jake was mobbed by his teammates, and the crowd chanted his name.

He'd done it again—the Golden Ace had proven his worth.

As the Saints celebrated their win, Jake spotted you in the distance. He mouthed, "I won!" with a wide, triumphant smile.

"You did!" You mouthed back, pride swelling in your chest.

"Thank you for coming." He mouthed again. "Backstage?"

You tilted your head, wondering what he meant. There was an area within the field called the backstage, where players and teams rested before the game. You nodded, knowing what he was implying.

"Okay!" You blushed slightly, wondering if this was something normal.

"Yeah!" Jake mouthed, before being carried away by his team.

You could only laugh as you left slowly, your best friends chuckling behind you.

"You two are seriously gonna be something else." Sunoo walked beside you.

"Definitely, I mean, that was too romantic." Joey spoke, walking backward in front of you.

"You guys, stop it." You chuckled. "I'm just proud. Nothing like that at all."

The two shot glances at you as you continued to walk.

"He's definitely into him now." Joey whispered.

"Don't tell me twice." Sunoo spoke, earning a hand chop to his shoulder.

As you took a seat on a nearby bench, you waited with bated breath for that one guy who'd led you here. The "backstage" wasn't a familiar sight, but it was large and extensive. Even the hallway was long enough to stretch across the field. It was a marvel at how lucky you were to study in this school.

"Glad you came."

"AAAAH!" Jake sprung up close, and you jolted in surprise. He flinched back, and you both laughed, cackling at the stupidity of the moment before calming down.

"Warn me next time!" You punched his shoulder playfully.

"Please! Your face was priceless." Jake continued to laugh, his hand on his face.

"Ugh, you!" You tried to speak, but the words failed to come out.

"You what?" Jake taunted with a smile.

"You..."

"Hmm?" Jake grinned.

"Stop it." You raised your hand.

"Stop what?"

"Stop doing this." You tried to walk back a bit, feeling bothered by the weather suddenly. That or by the temperature.

"Stop me from what?"

"Stop me from—"

Before you could finish, a warm kiss enveloped your lips. It was soft and comfortable, like a feeling of pure sweetness and love—all in one. You couldn't even fight it, even if you tried. At this point, your lips had already remembered Jake's embrace. It was as if they'd already accepted his touch, and you couldn't help but say yes to the feeling of being close to him.

"Mhh..." Jake smiled as he pulled away, his lips lingering for a moment.

"Hahh..." You tried to catch your breath, and Jake giggled at the sight.

"What?" You asked him, still wrapped in his arms.

"It's just..." Jake looked to the side, then faced you again. "You didn't flinch this time."

You rolled your eyes, giving him a look. "I'm just appreciating you. Can't I be charitable?" Your tone soaking in hot sarcasm.

"And I appreciate it." Jake smiled back. "You! I mean ... totally you."

With the personal space between you practically gone, Jake couldn't help but ask.

"So... you want me to try?" Jake asked, a subtle questioning tone laced in his voice. He was still unsure if you were all in with the whole 'loving you back' thing.

You sighed heavily. "I didn't want to think about it, you know?"

"Huh?" Jake tilted his head.

"The way I feel. Deny it." You expressed your emotions, your face contorting into slight stress. "That I don't deserve someone as good as you."

Jake looked at you with disbelief, clearly taken aback. "Hey! I'm not that special."

"But!"

"I don't want you to care about me being ... something, okay? Yes, I do want to impress you, but I don't want that to scare you too." He held your hand.

"Sometimes, I long to hold someone rather than a trophy."

Your heart stung a bit at that. It felt like you were scared, but of course, you never just paid all your attention at anyone's achievements. You wanted to know the people beyond the surface. As much as you tried to not think of it, you knew just how hardworking Jake was, and you didn't want to interfere. But in this new light, you saw a deeper side of him.

You were seeing his real self. That he was willing for you to see it.

"Jake..." Your hands crept up to his shoulders, comforting him in a way.

"I want to date you. Eventually, love you too." Jake smiled. "I don't want these feelings to just go away because I've never felt so much in my life before."

You looked into his eyes. Seeing him being so earnest just ... melted you right then and there. It was a sight to behold.

"I want to love someone I can genuinely be with, without pretenses." Jake held your hands tighter. "And it doesn't matter if you're a guy who's got me going. Nothing changes."

Tears started flooding your eyes at that moment, with Jake noticing sooner. He then raised his gentle fingers to wipe them away.

"Look at you." Jake gazed at you lovingly. "Such a pretty man, no?"

You could only laugh, wiping your own tears yourself. "You too, Jake. You're too beautiful for this world."

"I am, huh?"

"Yup." You booped his pretty nose.

"Then..." He asked with a slight blush. "Would you kiss me?"

"Again?" You tried to scoff at him.

"Mhm." His puppy eyes. His damn puppy eyes...

"Okay..."

And in one final moment, you laid your lips onto his, lingering almost a second longer than before. This time, it was slow, easy, and a little bit lasting. Jake took a good look at you once more and asked an important question.

"Are we dating now? Or should I just make you my boyfriend?" He asked bluntly.

"Pftt!" You laughed in front of him. "Already? We haven't even done anything!"

"Oh!" Jake pondered for a second. "Should we do 'that' then?"

You shot him a glance. "THAT?! Get yourself together! We just got to this point!"

"Got it, we'll chill for the moment." Jake agreed, his mouth hanging wide at that. "I'll prepare myself for it then." Clearly, he was still uneducated at how these things worked, being with someone he liked and all.

"So, be my boyfriend?" He muttered, his lips pursing through.

"Although I wouldn't mind, dating comes first." You spoke back.

"Got it." Jake nodded in gratitude. "Then boyfriend after."

"I mean ... If you're comfy, why not?" You replied. "I mean the boyfriend bit. If you're comfortable with it, just call me that right now."

"Okay!" Jake giggled at the thought. "I love you, my boyfriend~"

You rolled your eyes, feeling stupidly in love with this guy. Was this really true, or was he just putting on an act to disarm you? As if it really mattered. When he was hugging you tightly and you could feel every beat of his heart, you were definitely doing fine.

"I love you too, Jakey." You mumbled softly, reddening Jake's cheeks easily. He was totally caught off-guard with that nickname.

THAT WAS A RIDEEEEEE and like ... i love jake so much ... I WILL WRITE MORE OF HIM AAAAAAA

hope you guys enjoyed it! please like, comment, or reblog~

my masterlist!

made by writhyv.

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

crawling into your asks to whine about percy being a mary sue

I maaaaay have to disagree with you here 😅(but also not? hear me out.)

Percy is absolutely one of those characters that you look at and go "isn't he a mary sue?" (especially when you're a fan of an equally-powerful girl who gets called a mary sue by the wider fandom. meg haters i am looking in your direction.)

According to Wikipedia, a Mary Sue is "a type of fictional character, usually a young woman, who is portrayed as free of weaknesses or character flaws." TV Tropes expands on this by saying it "differs wildly from circle to circle, and often from person to person.

"These traits usually reference the character's perceived importance in the story, their physical design and an irrelevantly over-skilled or over-idealized nature."

This is where I would question if Percy is really a Mary Sue - the first series is, after all, his story, so he will of course be important to it. His physical design isn't anything new, either, since attractive black-haired, green-eyed boy has been used before in other media. Now is he overly-skill?

*steeples fingers* Yes and no. Let me explain.

No, because he is, after all, a child of one of the elder gods. It's a given that he'd be much more powerful than other demigods.

Yes, however, because Percy absolutely serves as a power-fantasy for readers. He does have a leg-up on other demigods of the elder gods in comparison, like Thalia, Jason, Hazel, and even Nico.

But what I would argue separates him from being a Mary Sue is that he does struggle (losing control of his powers, for once, becoming fearful of them even), and he does have flaws (obvs his fatal one is the most prevalent, and yeah you can argue since it's a "good natured" one it doesn't count, but I'd point out that even good things can become bad if not used in moderation - which is something Percy eventually learns and overcomes in TLO by handing the knife to Luke, and ergo defeating his desire to be the one to save his friends and letting Luke fulfill his own destiny) - and he's not universally loved by everyone in-story, either (eventually...yes, but really that's kinda understandable, considering he's saved the world twice by then). He was after all ostracized TWICE in the first two books by CHB, and CJ wasn't all the welcoming to him either - some even said "another loser for the Fifth" when the Fifth took him in, DESPITE the fact that he's obviously a powerful demigod and was JUST given Juno's blessing to boot.

But but but...I can definitely see why he could be argued to be a Mary Sue.

Especially when we think about Meg McCaffrey and how some people in the wider fandom call her a Mary Sue.

Mad she's just as powerful as Percy? That she has the potential to be even more so? Too bad. Meg rules. This blog loves Meg McCaffrey send tweet.

Notice how I didn't mention her with the other children of the elder gods before? That was on purpose.

Because Meg is allowed to BE powerful. She gets to flex her skills and practice her abilities! That sets her apart from the other elder god kids, who, besides Nico, really don't get much time to shine in the Power department. Like yeah, we KNOW they're powerful, but...we don't really see it?

Thalia, for one. The most powerful thing she does in-series is a lightningstorm in TLO. And it's not described in any detail. Jason? Capturing the wind spirits, likely. Hazel? Defeating Scyron with the Mist.

Nico also has different treatment when it comes to power compared to the other three, though he does have a handicap for shadow travel.

All's this to say, I guess, is that I can see the argument for Percy being a Mary Sue, but also I can't because there is nuances to consider, and Meg absolutely matches him and she is NOT a Mary Sue (fight me haters).

Also, "Mary Sue" has become a rather...hmm...sexist term, in my opinion? Particularly towards women, ofc, but also I think it's damaging to how men are written too.

Plus, Mary Sues and their male counterparts aren't always bad characters. Going back to wikipedia for a hot second; "In a 2011 interview, Smith cited James Bond and Superman as examples of male Mary Sues, arguing that such characters benefit the male audience's coming of age." Kirk from Star Trek has also been debated over of being a Mary Sue, and yet he, Bond, and Superman are all popular characters.

...I suppose this is where the part on the perception of female vs male characters kicks in - AKA, the "sexism in fandoms" talk and OH BOY DOES THE RRVERSE FANDOM HAVE THAT PROBLEM

#HOTTAKEALERT (not for the toa fandom tho. we know what we're on about :3)

Case in Point: the above talk about Meg. god forbid a girl be skilled or powerful at anything.

"but she's twelve she's not supposed to be able to fight good-!" SHE'S BEEN ABUSED AND VIGOROUSLY TRAINED SINCE SHE WAS 6 AND PERCY WAS ABLE TO DEFEAT THE GOD OF WAR AT 12 AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF TRAINING + WATER

"she's annoying!!" bro have you NEVER met a twelve year old?? were YOU a twelve year old?? because I sure was and man i was annoying. also, Percy & co don't come off as annoying because we are IN THEIR PERSPECTIVE, and twelve year olds are not as visibly annoying to other twelve year olds - MEANWHILE we're seeing Meg through the eyes of a 4,000+ year old god.

also, her "annoying" qualities are endearing. Rick has correctly written a likable 12 year old y'all just hate girls that don't fit your stereotypical vision. traffic light outfits FTW i want to be as unapologetically myself as Meg is unapologetically Meg.

a 12 year old is inspiring to ME, and ADULT. so yeah.

hot take of the day is Meg is/will be more powerful than Percy. Haters just refuse to accept she's anything but a "mArY sUe!" because they hate the thought of any woman being able to match up to Percy.

Anyway I guess this was all to say that I don't personally consider Percy a Mary Sue, because he's a good comparison to use for other characters to determine just how shafted by the narrative they were.

Cheers to Meg and Nico for measuring up well, and pour one out for Thalia, Jason, and Hazel who are victims of "tell and not show".

[chukys-mouthguard]

slim pickins

a boy who’s jacked and kind, can’t find his ass to save my life

featuring -> arber xhekaj x female reader

word count -> 1.1k

genre -> fluff, very mild mild angst

-> short n’ sweet series masterlist

You let out a sigh as you made your way up the stairs of your apartment complex, another night seemingly wasted on a guy who only took you to dinner to try and get in your pants afterwards. And while sure, it had been awhile since you’d slept with anyone, you weren’t solely looking for that. And sex on the first date was never a good start to a relationship in your eyes.

So now here you are, going home with your tail between your legs after another failed date. A bottle of wine calling your name once you took off your makeup and swapped your heels and uncomfortable bodysuit for an oversized T-shirt and reruns of Gossip Girl.

Fumbling with your keys as they got caught in the zipper of your bag, you let out a groan.

“Woah, tough night?”

Your neighbor Arber smiled at you as he came up the stairs, a soft chuckle leaving his lips as he watched you struggling.

“Yes, Arber. Thank you for pointing out the obvious.”

With a huff, you finally got your keys untangled and unlocked the door of your unit. Heading inside you kicked off your heels and threw your bag on the counter, leather jacket flying across the room to land on the couch as you made a b-line for the fridge to get your hands on that bottle of wine.

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

You practically ripped the handle from your fridge as you jumped. Arber had a habit of lingering, and while you appreciate how he took interest in your life and when you were upset, he could do a better job at not scaring the crap out of you.

“Arber, seriously?! How many times do I have to tell you to knock or make your presence known a little less jumpscary?”

“Sorry.”

He laughed as he closed the door, taking off his own jacket and laying it over the back of a bar stool tucked under the kitchen island.

“So, what was this guy’s problem? Did he smell? Oh no, I got it. He likes to collect stamps.”

Shooting him a glare you returned the wine to the fridge after pouring two glasses, then sliding one to Arber.

“My grandpa collected stamps, relax. And no, didn’t smell. Simply just wanted in my pants, like all the other guys out there.”

Arber found himself a spot on your couch while you quickly went to change, opting for an oversized shirt and shorts now that you had company. Sure Arber had accidentally seen you in nothing but a t-shirt the few times he’d come barging in without warning, but you didn’t willingly want to give him anything to get wide eyed over.

“Hey now, not all guys want in your pants, you just must have really shitty luck with the ones you find.”

You rolled your eyes as you found a spot adjacent to him on the couch, taking a healthy sip of your wine.

“I just. I don’t know, I like to think I’m a catch. Like any guy would be lucky to find me. But it just feels like I’m never good enough, and I always end up hurt and alone. Maybe I’m just meant to be a single cat lady in this life.”

Though you were somewhat joking about the forever alone comment, you couldn’t help but feel like maybe there was some truth to it. Trying not to let the wine get you in your feelings, especially in front of Arber. Though you’d grown close, you didn’t feel like your relationship was on the level of crying while wine tipsy just yet.

“Y/n, stop with the pity party, you know none of that is true.”

“But what if it is? I mean, you said it yourself I suck at picking guys. Why don’t I deserve to find a guy that will listen, that wants to be around me, that likes me for me! Not just for the opportunity to get in my pants at the end of the night. Why can’t I find a guy like that? One who is kind, funny, can deal with my sarcasm and silliness and dish it right back. Why is that too much for me to ask for?”

Arber sighed as he set down his wine glass, sitting up on the couch as he pondered how to say what was on his mind. Not wanting to come across mean, but he felt that maybe some tough love was what you needed.

“You know what your problem is y/n? You’re oblivious!”

His words came out a bit harsher than he’d wanted, but the few drinks he’d had at the bar earlier mixed with the glass of wine had him feeling a bit relaxed and comfortable speaking his mind to you.

“Excuse me?”

He paced the floor as he let out a slight laugh, running a hand through his hair while you sat up confused.

“You’re so fucking busy looking for Mr. Perfect who checks all your boxes, that you fail to see a good guy when they are staring you in the face. You’re too hung up on the apps, face buried in your phone as you swipe left and right, that you fail to realize that maybe what you’ve been looking for, has been right in front of you. But don’t worry, message received loud and clear. Sorry I don’t want to sit around and hear you complain about your shitty luck with guys and how no one sticks around, when I’ve been here the whole fucking time. Goodnight y/n.”

With a slam of your door he was gone, and you couldn’t have felt like a bigger idiot. Of course, it was clear as day.

Arber.

Every time you’d come home crying because of a shitty date, or embarrassed because of the guy being a total weirdo, and every other story inbetween. Arber was always there. A glass of wine and a handful of jokes to make you feel better. To pick you back up and get you feeling confident in yourself again. To help you feel like there was still hope of finding someone. But little did you know they were just across the hall this whole time.

“Y/n you fucking idiot.”

Setting down your glass you quickly made your way across the hall. Hesitating as you pondered whether Arber would even open the door for you. But as you faintly knocked three times, you heard the lock click, and he soon appeared from behind the frame.

“Hi, I’m not sure if we’ve met? I’m y/n, and, I know this is random and possibly extremely forward of me. But I had a shitty first date tonight, and I’ve got a bottle of wine calling my name but I figured some company might be nice? Would you like to join me for a glass?”

A soft smile appeared on Arber’s lips as he accepted your hand in a shake, stepping out into the hall before closing the door behind him.

“Nice to meet you y/n, I’m Arber. And I’d love to join you.”

[variousqueerthings]

ohohohooooooo we just had s4ep3 👀👀👀👀👀

feel like ive gotta copy-paste some of the thoughts had onto here, rather than rewrite them, but suffice to say for the moment, big big character growth for one ray kowalski

the trajectory from early s3 to now as something that at first was very inward-facing (he's aware that his life isn't what he wants it to be, but he isn't at a point where he can pinpoint why and so he's at that stage of jerkily sharing and then withholding emotions, looking at himself and not taking in how others may feel (stella, fraser), and thinking more about how he feels bad, without knowing yet how to challenge that) to end s3pt1 (commitment to change) to these three episodes:

baseball: growing confidence in himself, less insecurity easy money: putting fraser's story first (on a meta level as well, s3pt1 very much pulled fraser back for a bit, and now he's slowly coming back into focus again at the point when ray is starting to take more action) ladies man: looking at his past and taking responsibility for those actions and how they affected someone else and the idea that it's never too late until it's too late (and he made it just in time!) (also like. none of that was his fault. but you get how he feels like it was his fault. and i think it's more that he probably felt like something was wrong about it all for years and it took him all this time to dare face her and ascertain for the first time that she Didn't kill her husband, so it's less that first mistake, and more the subsequent avoidance of trying to rectify it maybe.... things to think about. i am gonna go ahead and hc that beth and ray remain friends btw)

and throughout, he's been less and less ray vecchio. i believe mentioned off-hand in the first of these, but otherwise, he's stepping more and more into his own shoes/his own skin -- and a lot of it also (maybe?) related to those anger issues he has. because ep3 really started us off with that "hey, remember how ray has some really bad anger issues. let's see if he can make a conscious choice to work through those" which is what he did and ended with "guilt, sadness, shame, regret"... much much harder to feel, but he allowed himself to feel them, at last (and cry)

which is also interesting, because fraser is trying to facilitate that/support him and he's LETTING him now, it's more honest, more Real, unlike the false start back in early s3pt1 (especially episode 4 when ray was tryna work through his stella feelings in.... less than optimal ways... stellar ways.....)... which means im holding out for fraser to fall to pieces a little bit at some point as well, because he is Brittle!!!

if i think of this season as a mirror-ish to one another, albeit sort of shifted, because baseball was a bit of an outlier (bdth/easy money being about fraser losing something pivotal and needing to carry on, eclipse/ladies man dealing with events in ray's past that he feels shame about/hasn't been honest with himself about/needs recontextualisation in the present), potentially around episode seeeeven to mirror bounty hunter? throwing it out there as a maybe maybe, i could be overreading this mirror thing (we'll see)

but point is we're really seeing ray having floundered and struggled to identify his emotions and how to act, rather than react to the world and he's pushing against that! and he's feeling his feelings

(something... SOMEone........ who shall not be named.................... could do with? maybe?) (oh but see fraser's very well-adjusted, because he doesn't ever get angry or sad or lonely ever ever, he's Happy-go-lucky just doin' his job 😔😔😔) (fraser acknowledgement that he imagined killing his "father's killers"/gerrard and me like "i know bby, i saw you point a gun at him and throw a knife next to his head, but it's still 👀👀👀👀 to hear you say it out loud.... but also you're STILL doing it for ray's benefit and not your own, i think!")

[sorceressofthesky]

I’m sad we didn’t get to see more of alternate timeline Silco, but I still really enjoyed what little we got… specifically with his eye!

In the main timeline, Silco’s eye still technically functions thanks to Shimmer. However, the process of actually administering the drug is painful, his facial scarring spreads, and his pupil degrades. Silco is unhealthily desperate to cling onto what Vander nearly took from him, in the same way he allows the event of nearly being drowned by him dictate his life.

In the alternate universe in which Silco forgives Vander, he seems to be largely blind (and apparently has cataracts) in the eye he lost. However, he generally looks much healthier, especially in regard to his healed facial scarring.

TL:DR- The first person I saw point out this detail was “The-cycle-continues” on Reddit. I like eyeball symbolism.

Thank you for sharing, anon!! I'm obsessed with the eye symbolism as well. There's so much you can learn about Silco just by looking at his eyes.

Another detail I noticed in the AU is that if you look super closely, he actually seems to have an eyelid:

Whereas in the main universe, he doesn't - or, not quite as much of one:

I'm not sure how this works anatomically, since he doesn't have one before the timeskip either, and the timeline diverged towards the beginning of Episode 1 (which would mean he somehow got the eyelid back, rather than just never lost it in the first place). My best guess is that the muscle was somehow paralysed previously such that it couldn't move as much, or the effects of Shimmer caused the lid to ?? recede into the socket I guess?? Either way, I do find it an interesting detail.

The scarring definitely does look better, and he doesn't cover it up or fill in his eyebrow in this universe, which is a nice mirror to Vander's now uncovered arm scar. So much to analyse from only a ~20-second appearance; I really wish we got to see more of him!

[princessofghosts-posts]

I just realize that all of the sons of the Big Three had memory loss.

Percy and Jason got switched and Hera erased their memories.

Percy could remember only Annabeth's name because Hera couldn't totally cancel her from his brain (their love is so strong and,also,probably Aphrodite's doing),of his beef with Ares (hate so strong that he couldn't forget it) and unconsciously also Nico (some says it's for the strong guilt that he has for him,but I don't think so).

Jason,on the other hand,couldn't remember anything of his past,and with also Aphrodite and her mist manipulation,he had his brain a little fucked up. Even after HoO,he didn't have ALL of his memories back,and his friendship and relationship were based on a lie (Jasper could have gone on,they could have started all over again as they wanted if they really wanted to,but Rick didn't give them the possibility).

Both of them had their memories taken away by Hera,that for Percy is like an horrible petty aunt,and for Jason is like a sort of strange step-mother,and he was also her champion.

Then we have Nico (and Bianca).

The memories of his life,before arriving at the Lotus Hotel & Casino,have been washed away in the Lethe by his father himself. And for half of the narrative he struggles to remember his mother and what his life was before the discovery of being a demigod. And,like Jason,I don't think he'll ever be able to get all of them back. Hades thought he was doing them some good (especially with Maria's death,that at the time was still fresh and he didn't want them to live with that weight),but he still deprived his son of memories of a mother and sister that he will never get back,or at least not all of them.

On the other hand,we have Bianca,Hazel and Thalia: their daughters.

Bianca had the same problem as Nico,but she never understood what was actually happening with her memories,because she thought it was only the Lotus effects on them (70 years is big after all,even tho for them it was only a couple of weeks). And she died too early to find out that her father erased half of their life.

During SoN,we see Hazel struggling with her flashbacks regarding her past life. And it's linked to her death. Hazel spent years as a soul,although she remembered who she was and her life. But when she was brought back to life by Nico (he became the equivalent of Jesus in Greek mythology at this point) those same memories returned with her too. This caused her to have flashbacks both because she had to readjust to being alive again and because of her curse. She also had to readjust herself with the modern world,that was different from what she had always knew. It was never a memory loss,but for me it's close to that. She was processing her life.

Thalia's been dead for years,and when returned to life,after the events of SoM,she felt like she didn't belong. Luke,her best friend (and crush),become their enemy; Annabeth,the girl she took care of,had grown up and knew how to take care of herself now; Grover was almost never present at the camp,and she did not know who most of the demigods there were. Time passed for everyone but her,and she felt stuck in the change. I don't think she had any sort of memory loss problem,but more of the fact that she had to readjust herself with the years loss.

At this point for the Gods,erasing the memories of their demigods children/nephews,it's a family tradition. Because half of them had amnesia and the other half was stuck in time (2 of them also came back to life,while another one died,but anyway-). Unfortunately Nico belongs to both,that guy can never catch a break.

[chaoortu]

How do you go about keeping characters well..in character?

Asking because I read through your fic anatomy of a terrarium thus far, and I´ve never read a story where Nick has bipolar. But I read through it and go wow yeah I I´m still reading about Nick. I´m still reading him going through all this, Charlie helping him (or at least trying to). This still feels like canon even with it delving into much darker topics (like Nick using drugs, and him dealing with getting raped, amongst others)

Idk if I worded this awkwardly but basically, you just handled all these guys so well and I wanna know more about your process!

you didn't ask this awkwardly at all! So for me at least, I'm always like "man i wonder if this is ooc or if it feels as ooc for readers as it does for me the writer" something that helps is that i frequently reread or rewatch the canon if i feel like something i'm doing is veering too ooc for me to get away with. specifically the darker chapters or the more serious t.v episodes (the cinema episode in season one, the gcse bonfire in season 2, and the third episode of season 3 especially.) this keeps my characterization more consistent and refreshes me on tone. i also try to make narrative choices that make sense given what we know in canon. nick obviously has no signs of being bipolar in canon, that's something i came up with on my own, but he does use alcohol to numb himself during the Halloween episode of season 3 (and it's the first time we see him presumably drunk, as he does not drink that much when Charlie is around.) so I took that canon nugget and let it snowball into nick using drugs in the anatomy of a terrarium series (I have a lot of thoughts about substance abuse and how it's portrayed in media. generally i could see a nick who doesn't get help struggle with substance abuse in the future but that's a topic for another time.) i have a post somewhere where i dug into nick's mentality following his sexual assault and how much i based that around how he acts in canon. i'll link it here in case you'd like to read it but it's a good example of what i mean above! here I also go into a lot of my angst fics with the intention of using the angst, whether it be substance abuse, mental illness, terminal illness, etc, to say something about the characters and how they would act if those things happened instead of just having those things happen to them for the sake of it. Because I go into the idea with that in mind, it makes it easier to write them behaving similarly to how they do in canon. I also tend to base the angst off of my own experiences either going through things or witnessing loved ones around me going through them and that helps to keep things more grounded. and a lot of it just comes from experience and writing a lot. even though i've only been posting hs fic for like... maybe a year? maybe less, i've been writing fic in other fandoms for a decade at this point and when i'm not writing fics, i'm working on my own novels so i am literally writing every single day (it's my hobby and i love it to bits!!!) sticking to core canon things to make a fic read as "in character" is a skill in of itself. i look back on my first hs fics and i cringe a little because i can see my own inexperience with the characters in them. i would also say that even in my darker fits, i try to make sure everything ends happily or ends with a happy for now, and i think that promise of a happy ending keeps the whole fic feeling closer to canon because heartstopper will have a happy ending and we know nick and charlie stay together forever.

[heisenbergs-magnetic-dick]

captain whiskers getting scritched on the butt is so funny because cats raise their butt For No Reason and when he turns back into wesker. Well.

that's it that's the rq 💓 wishing you out of your block!

butt scritches

wesker & reader

summary: you let a hungry stray into your house and he’s the snobbiest little shit ever

no use of y/n - gn!reader

a/n: this idea is extremely funny to me 😭🙏 especially since Wesker is such a serious character lmao. sorry this took so long I got sick in the middle of writing it and had absolutely zero energy for anything these last few days 😞 anyways THANK YOU 🫶🫶

At first, you didn’t think much of it. What appeared to be a stray cat kept showing up in your backyard, so why not give it something to eat before it went on its way? Only… what started as one can of tuna soon became two cans—then three cans, four, and so on.

At some point, this stray’s visits got so frequent that you started picking up some wet food along with your regular shopping. After all, too much human food couldn’t be healthy for the poor creature. Or so you thought until the cat smacked away the first can of cat food as soon as the scent hit his face.

His whiskers twitched and his ears folded back in a disgusted manner. This happened a couple of times until you decided to give in and let him dine with you every night at dinner. Of course, you didn’t want to sit outside each night and wait for him to finish eating… so you started bringing him inside. In hindsight, it might not have been one of your better ideas.

Lord only knows what kind of diseases the little fleabag was carrying. Did you care, though?

Of course not.

Besides! How could you deny that round, cuddly face and sharp blue eyes? A strangely unique shade, those eyes. They almost looked sort of human, but you tried not to look into it too much before you creeped yourself out too much.

…

It’s 5:30 again.

Your four-legged guest is more punctual than most people you know. He’s always right on time— and lets out the most irritated meows if you’re a minute late to let him in.

Treading over to your backdoor, you slide it open and the orange tabby struts into your home. He makes a B-line towards the dining room (where he sits across you every night).

“You’re really making a dent in my bank account,” you sigh as you watch the cat tear into half a pound of salmon right before your eyes. You could’ve sworn a fly drifted out of your wallet at the register earlier. Of course, the cat pays you no mind.

You forget he’s only here for the food.

“Hm… how many other people are you finessing like this?” you ask rhetorically. “You look too well-fed to not be eating three square meals a day,”

The cat pauses his eating, to your surprise, and he lets out a sharp meow as if he’s talking back. You nearly drop your fork. You already figured that this cat was a little different than most others.

For starters, he acts like a person. He even communicates as such—just like right now. Always meowing after you spoke to him, but you knew some cats were just talkative and liked meowing… but responding to your questions was a different thing, though.

Or maybe this is your Disney princess moment. Maybe you’re the chosen one and you’re actually some kind of animal whisperer. Next time you see another stray, you’ll talk to it and see if it responds to test your wild theory.

As you finish up your meal, so does the cat, signalling that it’s time to leave. You go to pick him up, but he leaps off the table gracefully before you even get close to him.

You follow him back to the sliding doors where he came from, and he meows at you with all the impatience in the world until he hears the lock click and the door opening. You try to pet him before he heads out, but he hisses at your fingers barely grazing the top of his fuzzy little head.

“Fine. Be that way, ya shit.” You say, slightly annoyed as the cat hurries out the door so he can spend the night out in fuck-knows-where. At least Raccoon City was stray friendly… for the most part. “Be safe, dude,”

You shut the door, with the thoughts of spending the rest of your evening glued to your couch and finish watching The Lost Boys. Except right before you’re able to grab a few snacks to indulge in— the meowing starts. It’s the stray, of course. Who else would it be at this hour?

A defeated sigh escapes your lips and turn on your heel muttering to yourself. “What, forget your wallet or something?” you jokingly ask as you approach the door again.

Oh.

It’s raining.

Well… you can’t just leave him out there, can you? And judging by the angered look the creature gives you as the rain continues to soak his fur—he wants to come back in. You let him in, and immediately he begins to shake like a maraca in an attempt to dry himself. Though, by the looks of it, he’s gonna need more than a simple shake to dry off.

“Hold on, wait here. I’ll get a warm towel to dry you, how’s that?” You ask. The cat looks up at you for a moment before planting his butt down on the doormat. “Good. I shouldn’t be long,”

Wandering through your house, you slip into the laundry room and pull a towel from your dryer (which is thankfully not empty since you had started the laundry earlier). It’s not too hot, so you deem it suitable enough for the cat. You head back to the little guy and see that he’s licking away at his fur to get the moisture out.

“Jesus, you couldn’t even wait a minute… come ‘ere.” You say, crouching in front of the cat and dropping the towel on him. With both hands you gently rub him down thoroughly through the towel, his fur becoming tousled and pointing in all directions.

Low meowing her heard from underneath the cloth so you stop, instead you do your best to wrap him up so he’s snug before picking him up and holding him tight to your chest as if he were a baby. But all cats are the cutest little babies to you. Angels sent down from above even with how prissy they got.

You carry him into the living room, deciding that he can warm up with you while you watch tv. Surprisingly, he hasn’t tried to escape your impromptu swaddle. He’s actually purring.

At least he’s comfortable, you think.

…

Almost an hour into your evening, the cat ends up falling asleep in your lap, purring quietly even in his sleep. It gets you thinking… maybe it wouldn’t be that bad if you actually took him in— he’d be your cat instead of just a stray going from place-to-place.

It could be nice, anyway.

Half-asleep, you yawn and your hand absentmindedly finds its way to the cat’s tail end and you give him a few scratches. At the feeling of your fingertips combing through his fur and getting every itch, he raises his rear as he purrs some more, eyes slowly fluttering open as you continue to scratch him.

You hardly have time to process that such a stuck up, demanding cat is giving into your affection with your eyelids drooping shut. You should really head to bed soon… you don’t exactly want to spend the night on your couch, even with a kitty curled up on you. Alas, the events of your day catch up to you and you shut your eyes mid-scratch.

However, they shoot right back open as a roughly ten pound creature soon becomes two-hundred pound… man…? No… that can’t be right— the cat was just here! Immediately, you retract your hand.

You rub your eyes to make sure this isn’t just you being tired. Why else would a grown man be lying across your lap— back arched slightly and your hand rests on his lower back, with a towel resting on his head. The very same towel that was just holding a stray cat in its confines.

You’re completely speechless, mouth agape as you see this man slowly lift his head, relaxing his position on you. He seems to be unaware of the situation, disheveled hair and an almost dazed look on his face. It doesn’t take him long to sit up and notice that you’re there. It’s then that those bright blue eyes of his widen and his mouth falls open.

He says nothing, only backing up and getting off the couch in such speed that it could only be described as unreal.

Snapping out of your trance-like state you swallow thickly and finally, you find your voice again. “… what the fuck.”

a/n: as you can see I went a lil overboard and wrote too much but I’m lowkey back on my shit now so yayay.!.!.!!!! also I’m SO SORRY this is late 😞💔 I been sick so erm.. and I been playing re4r for the first time AND IT WAS SM FUNNNN I LOVED IT.