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vinylmango · 4 months ago

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Flower Delivery (pt.2)

crazy ex!Nicholas Alexander Chavez x black!reader

Warnings: obsessive behaviors, breaking and entering, gaslighting,

Word count: 1.3k

Note: Sorry about the delay, work has been kinda crazy recently. Anyways, some people were asking for a part two so here it is! Hope you like it!

part one

part three

masterlist

“Alright, that’s a wrap for today everyone!” The director shouted as you and your co-stars left the sound stage and headed for your respective trailers. You shut the trailer door behind you, exhaling when you heard the click of the lock.

Spinning around, a smile grew on your face when there wasn’t anyone or anything waiting for you this time. No more flowers, just the vaseful that remained on the side table, the tiny folded envelope left next to it, your name scrawled in Nicholas’ messy handwriting.

Huffing you grabbed the vase and card, throwing the card in the trash and walking over to the small stainless steel sink to dump the water from the vase. You hesitated, they were such pretty flowers, your favorite in fact. You shook the thoughts from your head as you dumped the water, watching it disappear down the tiny drain. You threw the flowers in the trash, pushing down on the trash can lid as it didn’t fully close due to the length of the flower stems. The lid finally shut with a little extra force as you set the now empty vase on the table.

A content sigh left your lips as you relaxed into the plush of the sofa, taking a moment before you decided to return to your apartment. Your phone ringing disrupted the quiet you had been reveling in, a stark contrast from the loud and active set that you had been on today. “Hello?”

“Hi Honey! How was filming today?” It was your mother, checking in on you for the day. Since you had moved away to Los Angeles from your hometown, hundreds of miles away, your mom or dad had called you every day, missing having you close.

“It was good. We wrapped for the day about 20 minutes ago. I’m about to head back to my place in a few minutes.” You explained, glancing at the time for a moment.

“How’s Nick? He’s a good guy for you, (Y/n/n).” Your mom asked, catching you off guard. You blinked a couple of times, making sure you had heard her correctly.

“Nick? When did Nick call you?” You asked, grabbing your bag and stepping out of the trailer as your eyebrows furrowed.

“Oh I just spoke to him earlier today. He called to wish your father a happy birthday.” She explained. “Speaking of, did you call your father yet?”

“Uh, no. Not yet. It’s been a hectic day.” Your brain was still stuck on him calling your family. “Uh, Mom, I’ve gotta go. Something just came up. I’ll call you tomorrow.” You said quickly, not waiting for her to respond before you hung up. You got out of your parked car, locking it before you walked up the driveway, going through your settings at the same time, trying to find the blocked contacts list to make sure he was still on it. Sliding your phone back into your pocket as you went up the front stairs and stood at your door. You placed the key in the lock, opening the door and looking around outside before closing it and locking it behind you, placing the latch lock on as well. “What the hell is wrong with him?” You mumbled under your breath thinking about how Nicholas called your parents again.

Turning the lights on as the sun now hung low in the sky, your cozy living room was bathed in a soft yellow glow. You hummed to yourself as you placed your bag on one of the chairs at the kitchen table, grabbing the watering can and walking over to the kitchen sink to fill it so you could water all the plants that were scattered around the living room and perched on the windowsills. “How’d filming go?” You dropped the watering can onto the large area rug, your eyes wide and mouth agape.

“What the hell!” You screamed, your vision blurry with unshed tears. You weren’t even sure why you felt the urge to cry, chalking it up to a fear response as you blinked the tears away and picked up the watering can that was now empty since its contents were soaking into the rug as you stood there. You threw the watering can at your ex boyfriend, rolling your eyes when he caught it, though the most that it would’ve done was bounce off of him.

“A bit dramatic, huh?” Nicholas chuckled as he set the empty watering can on your coffee table. “I like what you’ve done with the place.” He gestures around to the plants and slightly different layout from when he had last been there over a year before.

“Dramatic?” You questioned. “Dramatic.” A humorless laugh escaped you as you narrowed your eyes at him. “How did you get in here? This is breaking and entering.”

He dangled the key off of his finger. “Oh I just told Mr. Daniels that I lost my key at the airport and he gave me a spare.”

You gritted your teeth. This was the second time you had talked to your landlord, Mr. Daniels, about either changing the locks or something related to keys. “Get out.” You told him, pointing towards the door.

“Come on (Y/n/n), just hear me out.” His dark brown eyes bored into yours, and you weren’t sure why they were so disarming, why you were even considering listening to him right now.

“I’m calling the cops, Nick.” You told him as you shook your head. “You can’t keep doing stuff like this. Just leave me alone! We’re done! We’ve been done for a year! Let me be.”

“It was a mistake to let you go, (Y/n).” He shook his head this time, the cocky look on his face replaced by something genuine and sad.

“You made your choice. We both did.” You interjected. “We aren’t little kids anymore, we’re adults. Start acting like one and accept that.”

“You know the cops won’t do anything.”

“Maybe, but I’m going to get a restraining order if you don’t stop. You need to stop and...and don’t call my parents! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“You never told them that we broke up, did you?” You watched as a smirk began to pull at his lips.

“What?" Your voice faltered. "Don’t flatter yourself.” You scoffed at the tone of his voice. “I have told them…and if you don’t leave now, I’ll tell them everything else and we’ll see what they do.”

Nicholas rolled his eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t be here if you hadn't blocked me.”

“Ok, well...Goodbye.” You said, pushing him towards the door. You gave him one final push, though you were pretty sure he definitely could’ve put up more of a fight if he had wanted to.

“I’m sure I’ll see you around, huh?”

“Goodbye Nicholas.” You repeated, not answering his question as you closed the door in his face, locking the latch back once more. Sure, you hadn’t answered his question, but you both knew the answer anyway.

It was unavoidable, Hollywood was way too small to avoid him forever whether that meant seeing him at awards shows, working together on the same project, or just seeing him around, you knew he would never actually leave, and for now he seemed content with that knowledge and you were content with the conclusion of the night.

The living room returned to silence as you sat down on the sofa. You pushed your hair from out of your face, twisting a piece around your finger before letting it go.

For now, things were manageable. Maybe you would regret it later, but you had convinced yourself, however naive your thought process, that you would deal with him later. He wasn’t a real threat, he was just annoying.

Future you could handle it.

Let me know if you want to be on a permanent tag list.

#black!reader #nicholas alexander chavez #nicholas chavez x reader #nicholas chavez x black!reader #nicholas chavez x poc!reader #poc reader #nicholas chavez #vinylmango #black reader #nicholas chavez imagines

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petalruesimblr · 6 days ago

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SimCare Medical Clinic

Sim File Share (currently slow due to traffic/site errors. I will keep trying to upload so check my Downloads page for updates.) Dropbox

Our SimCare team is dedicated to nurturing your health through proactive care and patient-centered treatment - whether you're seeking routine check-ups or specialized care. We’re here to support your journey toward a healthier life and ensure that you receive the best support for your health, every step of the way.

Price: 184, 065 Lot Size: 30x20 Lot Type: No Visitors Allowed Store Content: Click here CC Used: Click here File Type: Package Min. Required Game Version: 1.42 Packs Needed: The Sims 3, Pets (buydebug object), LN (elevator, floor, wallpaper), Ambitions, Generations, Seasons Simlish Clinic Signs (Add-on CC): Price: 1500 Environment: 7 HLOD: 122‬ Features: Shiftable, Frame is CASTable Category: Buy > Decor > Wall Decor Room: Living, Dining, Bedroom, Study EA Mesh Used: Painting Ranch 2x1 from The Sims 3 File Type: Package Min. Required Game Version: 1.42 Packs Needed: The Sims 3, Late Night

Hello and welcome back to my blog!

It’s been a minute, hasn’t it? Life got in the way and honestly, I’ve been taking my sweet time with this new build. It also didn’t help that the Sim File Share site kept giving me errors whenever I tried to upload it and I was supposed to post this last month.

Even now, I’m still dealing with errors on the site and after some frustration, I’ve decided to look into alternative sites for uploading content in the future. But after all the setbacks, it’s finally ready!

Thanks for sticking around and I really appreciate all the likes/reblogs, you all are the best! 💜

Click on the ’Keep Reading’ below for more information and pictures on this lot.

📣 Right-click on a picture and select ’Open image in new tab’ for a clearer view.

This clinic is designed to give a real-life feeling of visiting a healthcare facility. Inside, you’ll find a: reception area, consultation/exam rooms, pharmacy, laboratory, x-ray/radiology, restroom, locker room, staff break room, doctors office and a large empty room for the rabbit hole rug/door. Now, a couple of things to keep in mind - the layout is designed with a small staff in mind but you can use the extra space in the second floor, where the rabbit hole rug/door is placed, if you want to add more offices or any other services. Just make sure that there is enough space for the rabbit hole rug/door to avoid routing issues. I had to get creative with the signs for this build as I couldn’t find anything that felt right or any CCs that matches the layout of the clinic so I made my own directory signs. It is included in the download file and I’ve posted the details along with this post as it is an add-on for the clinic. I’m using a font called Simlish Deja Vu by gazifu@MTS for the signs and I’ve also included translations in the picture above. It’s not perfect but you know what? It does the job! I have also placed a big sign shown on the clinic that translates to 'Pharmacy' and I know it might seem a bit out of place but honestly, it’s the only large sign I liked that fit the building aesthetic I was going for. 📣 Please note that the CC included in the lot are not included on the download file. I’ve compiled a list for those interested in downloading them separately (please click the links above or go to WCIF Navigation page) but those are not required and will be automatically replaced in the game. Any expansion packs with build items listed in the Details section above may be required for this lot to show up in your game. This clinic has been such a fun build to put together and I hope you all enjoy the build. This lot has been play-tested and let me know if you experience any problems on your end!

TSR Tutorial - Create Custom Paintings Sims Wiki - Poly Counts for Creators TSR Workshop Simlish Deja Vu font by gazifu Pixabay

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severus-snaps · 8 days ago

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A greasy-haired teenager sat alone in a dark bedroom, pointing his wand at the ceiling, shooting down flies...

never given this line much thought before but it fits with what Bellatrix says about Spinner's End being a "Muggle dunghill" and the dirty river etc, on top of the infamous collection of information in Two Up, Two Down post I love so much.

what follows is another moment for me of realising just how hard snape had it and the likely conditions he grew up in

he didn't have any older siblings (that we know about) to borrow clothes from, which was why he was in his parents' clothing; the fact that he wasn't loaned any clothes that fit marginally better or were even for boys from the neighbours suggests that the Snapes weren't particularly close to the other families, and i expect a large number of flies in the house (enough to be shooting down, enough to spot when harry only saw the memory fleetingly) suggests poor sanitation in the home

It's not just a case of Bellatrix being judgy about a Muggle neighbourhood, currently falling apart with houses on the cobbled streets boarded up and with broken windows, and a dirty, smelly river; Snape's home growing up was considered "a poor recommendation" even when he was a child. Two up, two down houses were, in that period (and even before) often falling apart, known for being unsanitary and unsafe, as well as damp and cramped together. they were never intended to be nice; they were thrown up so that workers could be near the factories, and that was about the only concern at the time

There's some really vivid descriptions of living in these sorts of houses around, but I've just found this one from facebook (with images I've added from flashbak.com):

The house had no electric supply and relied solely on gas for everything.

One wall in each room had one gas mantle fitted to it for light and when the mantle became faulty it would smell and the light would become less bright and eventually cease to do the job and need replacing.

There was a coal fire grate in each room but only the living room fire was kept lit to keep the costs down because although people worked long hours wages were low and money was in short supply.

In the kitchen the heat from the stove when cooking provided some warm that also made its way upstairs into the bedrooms.

During the winter months when the house was particularly cold overcoats were placed over the blankets on the beds for extra warmth for the children in the front bedroom. While the parents slept in the smaller back bedroom.

There was only one water tap in the house situated in the kitchen and the kettle or pans had to be filled when hot water was required. They were heated on the stove and because there was no bathroom the young children were washed in the large sink or a tin bath while others went to the public baths situated nearby, local to the area.

The toilet was in the back yard and was also unlit, leaving the gas light from the kitchen to light up the yard through the window.

Toilet paper was old newspapers that had been cut up into squares and made ready for use.

All flooring in the house was covered with lino with the exception of the living room that had a rug in the centre for comfort and to help prevent wear and tear. Since the end of the world war II there had been shortages and many households struggled to get basic food stuff and clothing.

The black market had been active for some years and those that had the money would get what they needed, while for those that had little depended on the rationing system introduced by the government to make sure that everyone got at least basic food stuff.

The I.D. card had been introduced because of the war and was proof of who you were and was used for the benefit of rationing. There were often queues at the butchers and many families got the scrag ends and scraps that were left over.

When it came to clothing, families would put aside what was worn by one child until the next child had grown enough to wear them and every item including shoes were cleaned and repaired if possible and put away and saved for later use.

In those days children at play preferred to play outside and regularly would play along the canal and the neighbourhood streets and alleyways. There were very few cars around and despite the unclean air from the surrounding factories they would play all day outside until they were called in.

In those days there were very little restrictions on pollution and it was normal to wake up in the mornings to smog that sometimes lasted all week. A real pea souper as they say

but like... imagine snape growing up there, like that, with no sense of community and parents who couldn't afford to or weren't able to care for him properly. this is so far beyond 'weasley poor' with their warm, cosy home and plenty to eat; this is gaunt poor, improper housing, and conditions that regularly made people ill

perhaps the Snapes had to rely on the black market to even eat enough, if they could afford it; I'm picturing chest infections and frost on the insides of the windows over the winters, and flies crawling in the house in the summers - and apparently limited use of magic at the time snape was growing up to rectify any of it, else the descriptions wouldn't be so consistently negative (and evocative) with a potential swarm of flies in his bedroom

(wonder if he was underage here, and using his wand since his mother would've had one, or whether it's a snippet of post-hogwarts snape; the next memory is of snape on a broomstick, so presumably that's at hogwarts, and he was underage in the fly memory, trapped/hiding/sulking in his room)

then he gets to hogwarts with the likes of the malfoys, who have a whole mansion and peacocks and house elves and can afford anything they want, and they look down on the weasleys and their comfortable one-'moderate'-income supporting a seven-child home as if they were cockroaches. what on earth would they have thought of snape, if they knew? he had factual knowledge of the magical world, but i doubt he had that "raised in the magical world" vibe they so desperately want to protect

#severus snape #pro snape #snape #snape fandom #professor snape #pro severus snape #young snape #spinner's end #need to stop thinking about snape when i have things to do

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beyondthesefourwalls · 1 year ago

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This Love Came Back to Me (10)

Summary: You and Bradley hadn’t ended on bad terms; really, you stopped before the two of you could even truly begin. Still, in the last seven months, you had never completely left his mind. So when you suddenly appeared in front of him at the bar, asking for a favor and pulling him into a kiss, he thought maybe it was the perfect opportunity to see if this time, things could be different. But what neither of you realized was that there’s more going on than just rekindling a lost romance, and it might not be as easy as simply just wanting it.

Pairing: Bradley Bradshaw x Reader (no use of y/n)

Warnings: second chance romance, language, allusions of smut and potential full smut, stalking, breaking and entering, unhealthy obsessions, delusions of feelings, unwanted attention.

Part Ten Word Count: 3.9K

Part Nine :: Series Masterlist

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-----

Bradley told you to pack enough for the week. After dropping off all the appropriate forms at the courthouse on Monday morning, the two of you headed off. The further you got from San Diego, the more relaxed you seemed to become. He had managed to find a cabin a few hours away up in San Bernardino. It was secluded, tucked away in the mountains and amongst the trees, but it’s picturesque, quiet, something he knew you would love. He paid more than a little extra to have it ready at such short notice, but it was worth it ten times over to see the smile on your face when you climbed out of the Bronco and breathed in the crisp and invigorating mountain area. He couldn’t help but just to watch you for a minute, your head tilted back and your eyes closed.

There was still a heaviness around you that he knew wouldn’t go right away. But for the first time in days, you looked something close to at peace.

The inside of the cabin was just as impressive as the outside. It had a large open concept space that contained the living room and the kitchen, and it was all wood tones and dark, oversized furniture. Faux fur rugs decorated the hardwood floors, and the windows were tall and wide, letting in whatever natural light peaked in through the trees facing that side of the house. You spun in a slow circle, looking up at the high tilted ceilings with the exposed beams.

“Wow,” you breathed. It was all you needed to say for Bradley to know he had made the right call in bringing you here.

You left him to take your bags to the bedroom as he put away the groceries you had stopped for on the way. You hadn’t come back by the time he was done so he set off to find you, going down the short hallway to the only other room in the cabin. He couldn’t help but whistle in appreciation as he looked around the space. The king size bed that looked like the most comfortable thing he had ever seen sat in the middle of the room. There was a rocking chair tucked into the corner, and the dresser looked like it was made of the same type of sturdy wood as the bedframe. There was an en suite bathroom that he was sure was just as beautiful, but the real draw of this room, perhaps this place in general, was the view he was currently looking at.

He hadn’t spent too much time looking at the pictures on the rental website, but he suddenly understood the price tag on it.

There was a large deck off of the bedroom, and through the open french doors, he could see nothing but the mountain landscape. Rugged peaks and luscious trees of greens and browns and oranges; nature in its purest form. It was only early afternoon and the open blue sky was breathtaking; he couldn’t imagine what it would look like at sunset. More than that though, was the view he had brought with him. You were leaning against the railing, taking in the stunning panorama that the deck overlooked. He joined you outside, careful to make his presence known so that when he wrapped his arms around you from behind, you didn’t jump.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?”

You spoke quietly as you leant back against him, almost like you were afraid to disrupt the calmness surrounding you from all sides.

“It is,” he agreed. And he was looking at the view, yes, but he was mostly looking at you.

You turned to face him, winding your arms around his neck. “Thank you,” you said, “for bringing me here. I think-I think I-” you closed your eyes and shook your head, and the deep breath you took came out a little shaky. Bradley waited for you as you collected your thoughts, his thumbs rubbing circles into the small of your back. “I think I needed this,” you finally settled on. He knew there was so much more behind your words.

Bradley considered his response carefully. He knew what he wanted to say. But he knew it wasn’t the time yet.

“I’d do anything for you,” he said instead. He pulled you a little bit closer. He didn’t want you to thank him for bringing you here, because taking care of you wasn’t something he ever wanted to be thanked for like it was a chore. Your eyes brightened just a bit at his words and you raised on your toes to kiss him.

You passed the next few hours doing not much of anything, and Bradley thought it was exactly what the both of you needed. He could tell that you were still exhausted after the weekend, and if he was being honest, he was too. It was nearing 5pm and he was about to ask you what you wanted to make for dinner when your phone rang. You looked up from the book you were reading to where your phone was sitting on the coffee table. Seeing the hesitation in your eyes, Bradley cleared his throat of his own anxiety and leant forward to pick it up. When he saw that the suggested name for the number was the San Diego Courthouse, he handed it to you with what he hoped was an encouraging smile.

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered, squeezing your ankle from where your feet were resting in his lap. You nodded and answered the phone with a deep breath.

“Hello?”

Bradley kept his eyes trained on you and it wasn’t long into the call that your eyes squeezed shut and you bit down on your lip so hard he worried about drawing blood. That same defeated look that had been on your face the last few days reappeared.

He knew, without you even needing to say anything, that you hadn’t been granted the emergency temporary restraining order.

His heart fell and he reached out and grasped your free hand in his. He could feel the bandages still covering your palm against his skin and your nails dug into his hand as you squeezed. A tear slid down your cheek and he brought your hand up to press a kiss onto your fingers. He scooted closer on the couch, drawing you into his chest. You tucked your face into his neck and he listened as you asked about a court date and thanked them for calling before letting the phone fall to the couch. Immediately, both of your arms were wrapped around his neck, and he was pulling you fully into his lap.

“What did they say?” he asked gently into your hair. He felt you take a shuddering breath.

“Not enough concrete evidence as of right now,” you told him. “I’ll get a phone call about a court date. God, this is such bullshit.”

Bradley let out a long sigh, pressing a kiss to your head as he held you close. He couldn’t say part of him didn’t see this coming after the conversation he’d had with Sadie, even if he had hoped with everything in him it would go the other way.

He pulled back, cupping your face in his hands and making you look at him. He wiped away the wetness on your cheek with his thumb. “We can call Sadie later. Figure something out. Okay?”

You nodded, but he could tell you were beating yourself up, and that all the worst scenarios were running through your head again. “What can I do?” he asked, feeling somewhat desperate. He’d do anything for you, just like he said.

It took you a moment to respond, playing with a button on his open flannel shirt. “I think I just want you to hold me right now,” you answered back quietly.

He wondered if you had any idea he’d do that forever if you let him, no matter the circumstances.

——

When Bradley blinked awake the next morning, you weren’t beside him. He felt a flare of panic for a brief moment at the cold sheets, his sleep-fogged brain having a hard time coming out of the nightmares he had had, but then he heard the soft hum of music and movement coming from the main area of the cabin. He let his face fall back into the pillow and took a deep breath as his heart rate slowed.

He laid there for a moment just listening before dragging himself out of bed, popping into the bathroom quickly before heading out of the bedroom.

He found you quickly enough, his suspicions confirmed that you were in the kitchen. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched you pop back and forth between the stove and the fridge, wearing his shirt from the day before and a pair of fuzzy socks on your feet. A smudge of what looked like pancake batter was on your cheek, and there were specks of flour in the messy bun on top of your head. You smiled brightly when you caught sight of him standing there.

“Morning, sleepyhead.”

He couldn’t help but feel a bit of surprise at your tone. You sounded at ease and energetic, which was the complete opposite of how you had fallen asleep last night. He responded back with his own greeting as he walked over to you. You were manning pancakes, just like he had thought, and bacon sizzled on the other burner. He wrapped his arms around you from behind, pressing his lips to your cheek. He could taste a hint of vanilla from the batter he kissed off.

“How long have you been awake?” he wondered, voice still thick and rough with sleep. You leaned back into his chest as you flipped a pancake. He noted that it was a little after 9:00 from the clock on the microwave, and was surprised he himself had slept so long.

“A few hours,” you shrugged, and you turned the temperature down on the bacon before turning in his arms to kiss him properly.

He raised an eyebrow in question when you pulled away. “A few hours?”

“Yeah,” you told him, and you took a deep breath before offering him another, softer smile. “I emailed my resume to that contact that Anna gave me, about a potential job. And then I put in a few more applications. And then I emailed Sadie all that she had asked about, and my landlord about not renewing my lease. And then I realized the time, so I thought I’d make us breakfast.”

“Wow,” he murmured, “productive morning, huh?”

You shrugged, glancing down almost shyly before meeting his eyes again. “You went through a lot of trouble getting us this place for the week. And you…you’ve gone through a lot of trouble for me.”

“Bug, I-”

“No, let me finish,” you told him, putting your finger against his lips to stop him from speaking. “I really appreciate it, Bradley. I appreciate you. And I want to be here, be present with you. Everything else can wait until we get back to San Diego. It’s certainly not going away anytime soon. But for this week…I want to just be. Here. With you. Happy. Because that’s what you make me. And I think we both deserve the time away, no matter what got us here. Right?”

His heart beat a little faster in his chest as you spoke, and he felt something that he thought was pride bubble up in him. You said the words almost reverently, like you craved nothing more. Bradley could see it in your eyes how desperately you meant it.

“Okay,” he murmured, nodding his agreement. He pressed a kiss to your nose, delighting in the way you giggled in response. “So, what are we doing first?”

“Breakfast,” you told him with a grin, “And then we can figure it out from there.”

He squeezed your hips with a nod. “That sounds perfect.”

After an unhurried breakfast, you ended up spending the day hiking on some of the trails down the mountainside. He knew how much you loved being outside and that the last few months, between how busy you were and how uneasy you felt, you hadn’t really had the opportunity. So he didn’t hesitate to indulge you as you kept a leisurely pace, simply enjoying being outdoors and taking in all of the scenery that Mother Nature offered you. You packed a small lunch of sandwiches and fruit that you took with you, eating together amongst the grass and rocks.

The sun was setting by the time you got back to the cabin, sweaty with sore muscles but both of you smiling. You were still giggling at the story he was telling you about a prank Payback had played on Nat last week - and the payback she had gotten in return - when you walked through the door and toed your shoes off.

Bradley pulled you to him with a gentle hand on your hip, leaning down to place a kiss on your lips as your laughter died down.

“Why don’t you go shower, and I can start on dinner?” he suggested.

“I can cook tonight,” you insisted, but he shook his head.

“I got it.”

“B…”

He silenced your protest with another soft kiss, squeezing your hip over your spandex leggings. “Shower,” he whispered against your lips. He pressed his own to your nose and forehead before winking and stepping back. He watched you walk back to the bedroom, pausing when you got to the doorway. You looked back at him over your shoulder, your bottom lip drawn between your teeth. You looked like you were contemplating something, and Bradley clocked the flash of heat that pops up in your eyes. His heart beat a little faster in his chest. You looked like you were contemplating saying something, but after a moment, you gave him a quick smile before disappearing into the room.

He let out a long huff of air and ran a hand through his hair.

He hadn’t even thought about touching you since Saturday morning before you had left for brunch. It was only Tuesday night now, but it felt like so much time had passed since he took you in the bed of that goddamn house of yours. You had both been upset the last few days, and he’d never dream of using those emotions to his advantage. He knew today had been better, but you hadn’t invited him in the shower with you - he’d wait until you told him you were ready.

But damn if the happiness you were exuding today and the look you just gave him didn’t make resisting difficult.

He kept things simple, and an easy meal was done by the time you were finished. Your hair was piled in a wet knot on top of your head and you wore one of his oversized sweatshirts that was so long on you, he could barely see the hem of the athletic shorts you had on, too. Still, when you walked back into the main area of the cabin, his breath caught. He stared at you for a moment, and when you furrowed an eyebrow, softly asking him what was wrong, he cleared his throat and shook his head.

“Nothing,” he said, and then held out one of the bowls of pasta in his hand. The two of you sat at the small kitchen table as you ate your dinner. He was happy to see that your appetite seemed to have come back after not eating much of anything the last three days. You did the dishes together when you were done, your side flush with his as he washed and you dried. He excused himself after that to go take his own shower, and he didn’t miss the way you bit your lip again as the same look crossed your eyes. But you gave him another one of those gentle smiles when he caught your eye, turning away before he could say anything.

He made it a quick one, in and out in enough time to scrub off and run some of your shampoo and conditioner through his hair. He was worried spending anymore time in there with his thoughts would be cause for something significantly colder in temperature.

A buzzing drew his attention as he was toweling off. His brows furrowed together and he was quick to slip his black briefs on and step back into the bedroom. Your phone was on top of the dresser, vibrating against the wood. It stopped before he could reach it, only to start again in short, quick bursts that indicated you were getting multiple texts in a row.

He picked it up with the intention of taking it to you, but then he caught a look at the screen. His blood ran cold in his veins and his muscles locked up.

Underneath the notifications of the missed calls, you had a slew of messages, all from an unsaved number.

Unknown: You haven’t been at work in two days. Are you okay?

Unknown: I miss seeing you

Unknown: Why won’t you answer the phone?

Unknown: I still have your necklace. Don’t you want it back?

Unknown: I can’t see where you are anymore. Why did you do that? I need to check on you.

They continued to come in, each one more concerning and unhinged than the one before.

He could feel the corners of your phone case pressing into his palms from how hard he was gripping the device, as well as the heat that crept up his neck in anger. It was obvious who was sending these messages. Paul must have gone out of his way to get another phone number, and Bradley's not sure why he was surprised by this. He was foolish to not have thought of it before.

You may have blocked his number, but that doesn’t mean your number was blocked from his.

God damnit.

The phone rang again, the same unknown number flashing on the screen. Every single fiber of Bradley’s being wanted to answer it and demand that he leave you the fuck alone and get everything that he had kept in off of his chest. His finger hovered over the answer button as he intended to do just that.

But the cops you had spoken with as well as Sadie had said that neither of you should engage with him, and that it would turn in his favor if you did. He knew that it would only make things worse for you. So he fought himself and let it ring. He was nearly trembling by the time it stopped, and he watched as more texts came through. Red tinted his vision at the last one.

Unknown: He took you from me. You should have told him that you were already mine.

Bradley nearly broke the screen with how hard he pressed on it as he went in and blocked the number. He was set on deleting everything, but paused before he did. He glanced up at the open bedroom door. He could hear the TV playing softly, some sitcom you liked to rewatch over and over again. You had made the conscious decision this morning that you weren’t going to worry or think about Paul this week. You had laughed and smiled and seemed truly relaxed and happy all day. He didn’t want to ruin that.

But he wondered if this could help you in the long run, and be some sort of evidence of just how unhinged this guy was when it came to you.

Making a split second decision, he took screenshots of all your missed calls and texts and sent them to himself before deleting them from your phone and turning it off.

You didn’t need to know right now. He could shoulder this for you until it was necessary.

He sunk down onto the edge of the bed, putting his face in his hands and trying to take deep breaths. He knew he needed to calm down before he went back out to you. He was so angry his hands were shaking, but after a few minutes, that rage transformed into something sadder.

He couldn’t understand why this was happening to you. You, who was inherently good. You worked so hard and were kind to everyone you met, even when they didn’t deserve it. And this asshole had taken advantage of and construed that kindness into something that it wasn’t and tried to manipulate you into thinking you were at fault.

That last text played in his mind again, and for the first time, he wondered if his presence in your life was what made all of this what it was. Paul had been following you for months, yes. But as far as you both knew, he hadn’t escalated to what he had until that night in the bar when Bradley had announced himself as your boyfriend.

It left a terrible feeling in his stomach and a bad taste in his mouth.

He took one more deep breath and stood from the bed, slipping on a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt. You were curled up on the couch under a thick maroon afghan that had been draped over the back and you smiled at him when he came into view, sipping on a mug of what he assumed was tea based on the string hanging out of it.

“Hi there,” you murmured.

He leaned over the couch to press a kiss to your waiting lips. “Hey.”

“How was your shower?” you asked.

“Good. I don’t smell like dirt and sweat anymore,” he joked, and he felt himself calm down further when you laughed, just like he had hoped you would. A playful look came over your face and you set your drink down, crooking a finger for him to come closer. You kissed him again when he did.

“I’ll be the judge of that. Come sit with me. We can watch a movie.”

You shifted so he could settle onto the couch behind you, your back against his chest as you laid between his legs. He wrapped his arms around you and you pulled the blanket over the two of you as you grabbed the remote again to flip to a different streaming service on the tv above the fireplace. You scrolled through the extensive movie collection, and Bradley thought about what things would look like if he had declined your request for help that night and didn’t kiss you, if you never would have reconnected. Would they have gone so far? Or would things be the same, only you would be dealing with them on your own?

But he was selfish enough where he couldn’t handle the thought of losing you again, either. He had to believe you were safer with him there, because he could protect you. He wasn’t going anywhere - he couldn’t.

He loved you way too much to let you go. At this point, you controlled and owned nearly every part of him, and he didn’t think you even knew it. He wanted to tell you.

“What do you want to watch?” you asked.

Bradley cleared his throat that was suddenly thick with emotion. He pressed a kiss to the side of your head, nuzzling his face into your neck and breathing in the sweet smell of your hair.

“Whatever you want,” he rasped out, tightening his grip on you. You hummed in pleasure as you snuggled back into him. “You’re in control here, Bug.”

-------

Part Eleven :: Series Masterlist :: Main Masterlist

Notes: Tell her, B! Likes/comments/reblogs are the best encouragement for posting more🖤

Thank you to Mak and Em for all of your help making this story come to life. And thanks to Mak for the AMAZING banner!

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miss-bushido · 5 months ago

Text

sweet surrender is all that I have to give

Week 2 of @softsteddieseptember using the prompt ‘Dreams of the future’

Rating: T

October 31, 1986

Steve glanced at the clock on the mantel. It was 8:40. He had about twenty more minutes before Eddie got home from his job. Eddie had found work at a record store shortly after they moved into their bungalow, and was actually enjoying going to work. There he was able to talk for hours with other like-minded musicians and metal heads: discussing the intricacies of the guitar work on ‘Master of Puppets’ vs ‘Ride the Lightning’, and got into good natured arguments about the fact that ‘Screaming for Vengeance’ was the superior Judas Priest album, no matter how much the customer argued that it was actually ‘British Steel’.

Eddie was happier than Steve had ever remembered seeing him. Having a job he actually wanted instead of one that he had taken only out of necessity certainly helped. Along with the fact that they were no longer living in Hawkins. Funny how moving away from a place where everyone who was openly hostile to you helped your mental health. Steve owed a debt of gratitude to Chief Hopper for getting them in touch with Dr. Owens. Owens had been able to pull all the strings to allow them to both move from Hawkins to a neighborhood just outside of Indianapolis in early September.

Owens had set them up with a 3 bedroom bungalow: it had a fireplace, a garage, a nice yard for gardening. Best of all, it was theirs: Owens had put both Steve and Eddie’s names on the deed to the house, and had bought it outright for them. No one could ever take it away from them.

Steve was emotional over this, but Eddie more so. Steve had always lived at his parent’s home, but Eddie’s home life had been in an upheaval since his Mom died when he was a kid. The most stable home he’d had was living with Wayne, and that was only consistent after his Dad had abandoned him two years ago. He’d cried in Steve’s arms their first night in the house, worried it would be taken away from them. It had taken at least three weeks for the worry to ease, for Eddie to sleep through the night soundly.

They had set up their home pretty quickly with help from their friends and loved ones. The master bedroom was easy enough, as all it required was Eddie and Steve to combine their own bedrooms. One of the other bedrooms was set up for guests, and the third one was an office slash music room for both of them to use. The Wheelers and the Hendersons had gotten them set up with bed and bathroom linens, lamps for the living room, a dining room set of table and chairs, and two dinnerware sets with flatware, cups, plates, and bowls. Chief Hopper and Joyce Byers had combined their money and gotten them a few things for their kitchen: a kettle, two pans, two pots, and basic cooking utensils. Owens had even given them a large area rug, end and coffee tables, two couches, and two armchairs, both of them new.

All of these things meant that they had zero to no worries about money to furnish their house. They could focus on getting settled in their new neighborhood, getting their new jobs, and settling into their domestic life together. In addition to Eddie’s work at the record shop, Steve was working part time as a substitute teacher for the local middle school. He also was a shift supervisor at the local supermarket. His pay was also decent at both places and the extra bit of cash let them start building up their savings.

Before they’d moved to this house, during the midst of their intense romance that had begun in April of that year, they’d talked about future plans. Steve told Eddie that he wanted a future with him. He’d said that he wanted to get him a ring that he deserved. And after two months of looking, he’d finally found one.

He’d found a ring he wanted to use to ask Eddie to marry him.

They couldn’t get legally married. Both of them knew that, but Steve wanted to do something. Even something like getting a ring for the person he wanted to marry. And wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

The fact that Steve wanted to get married at all spoke to how much growth he’d had as a person. Seeing how toxic his parents’ marriage was as he grew up had initially soured him on it. Being with Nancy had changed his mind a little bit, but it wasn’t until his relationship with Eddie started that Steve saw what he wanted for his future.

And exactly who he wanted it with.

He heard the key turning in the lock and stood up as Eddie came in humming. He looked up at Steve and gave him that grin, the dimples on full display. “Hey, baby,” he said, closing the door and putting his keys away. As he walked,he shrugged out of his leather jacket and held up the plastic bag. “I stopped by the grocery store and got us some chocolate. I have to assume the trick or treaters cleaned us out?”

Steve nodded, brushing his hair back from his face as he closed the distance and gave Eddie a soft kiss on the lips. “They did. The Reese’s got decimated, but they left us with a lot of Butterfingers.”

Eddie kissed him back and laughed. “Just as planned.” He liked all candy, but Butterfingers held a special place in Eddie’s heart.

“You were right,” Steve agreed, running a hand through Eddie’s curls and kissing him once more. “Give me the chocolate. Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll go get us something to snack on.”

“You’re the best,” Eddie said, kissing Steve, with teeth this time before he reached behind and grabbed his ass. “Don’t be too long. I want to watch ‘Fright Night’.”

“Of course,” Steve agreed, giving Eddie his own ass grab before he took the bag of candy into the kitchen. He set the bag down on the counter and sighed shakily.

He was going to do it. And though he had a feeling he knew what the answer would be, asking the question scared him to death.

A few minutes later, Steve came back into the living room holding a tray laden with the bowl of candy, two unopened beers, and a medium sized jack-o-lantern, with the face turned towards him. He had lit the candle inside but his body blocked the light.

This ended up being a good thing, as Eddie had turned off the main lights in the room, leaving the only light in the room coming from the two jack-o-lanterns, and the glow of the TV. “Very spooky, babe,” he commented, setting the tray down on the table, leaning back against the couch.

“I thought so, too,” Eddie said, eyes flicking to the table. “Is that another jack-o-lantern? Why is it turned away?” He started to reach for it when Steve grabbed his hand.

“Don’t turn it around just yet,” Steve said, rubbing his thumb over the back of Eddie’s hand. “I wanted to talk with you about something. Something good, I promise.”

Eddie blinked, but didn’t let go of Steve’s hand. “Okay…” he said, scooting closer on the couch.

Steve was silent, licking his lips to try and gather his thoughts. “This time last year, I couldn’t have imagined I’d be where I am now: in my own house, living with a partner I’m absolutely in love with.” He gave Eddie a shy smile. “Watching my parents as I grew up…it was hard to want to have a relationship with anyone. They had to be really special to me. They had to be someone I could be myself around, I could spend all my time with and not get tired of, as mean as that might sound.”

Eddie smirked. “I mean, yeah, it doesn’t sound that good, but I get what you mean.”

Steve nodded. “So, when you and I started dating, it was like everything clicked into place. We didn’t have the best experiences with one another in high school, and then being thrust together like we were in March? Not the best experience there, either. As I’m sure you know.”

Eddie answered by squeezing Steve’s hand, frowning a little. He kept his eyes on Steve, knowing that there was more to whatever Steve had to say to him.

“I’m not really sure when it was, but I was drawn to you, pretty early on. You’re a hard person to ignore. Getting to know you when we went through all of that. And then spending time with you after…That night you came over in April? I’d been thinking about kissing you for a while. And then…we did, and more, and ever since, I’ve felt as though I’ve been having the best dream of my whole life.” He swallowed, feeling emotion beginning to build, but he wanted to get through this.

“I fell for you so hard and so quickly, but it didn’t scare me. Everything with you has felt good, and right. And…well, I feel as though I’ve found the missing part of myself.” He brought Eddie’s hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it, not letting go when he set it back down. “You’re who I dream about, the first person I think about when I wake up, and the last person I think about when we fall asleep…and I don’t want to be with anyone else. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives.”

Eddie’s brown eyes were shiny with unshed tears, and Steve could feel them in his own eyes, so he knew he had to make this next part quickly. He let go of Eddie’s hand to reach over to the jack-o-lantern on the table. As he turned it around, showing that there was no face, but the words MARRY ME carved into it, he asked, “Eddie, will you marry me?”

Eddie let out a sob and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Steve, kissing him hard. “Yes, yes, yes, of course! Of course I’ll marry you!”

Steve was also crying as he returned Eddie’s kisses, pulling him on top of him as he lay on his back on the couch. They were laughing and crying in equal measure, cheeks red with emotion.

“This was so goddamn sweet, Steve,” Eddie said, voice watery as he calmed down.

“Well, thank you,” Steve said, brushing some hair out of Eddie’s face. “I was worried you would think it was corny.”

Eddie giggled. “Some would say it’s a little corny, but I can’t imagine anything better. And on Halloween?! Babe. You’re the best.”

“Oh, I know,” Steve said, smirking a little. “And because I’m the best, I got you this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little grey velvet bag. Eddie took the bag, his lower lip beginning to quiver. “Oh, sweetheart,” Steve said, voice soothing. He re-situated them so that he was sitting up, Eddie straddling him. He opened the bag and pulled out the ring: it was a thick silver band, with a square onyx stone. There were carvings around the stone setting and along the side of the band. As soon as he saw it in the store, he knew it was the right one for Eddie.

“Give me your hand, baby,” Steve said. Eddie put his left hand forward, shaking as Steve slid the ring onto his left ring finger. It was a perfect fit.

“Oh, Steve,” Eddie gasped, putting his right hand over his mouth. “Oh my God I love it so much. I love you so much!”

Steve smiled. “I love you, too, honey.” He was still holding the bag. “You should look in the bag again. There’s something else in there.”

Eddie swallowed, reaching into the bag. His eyebrows went up as he pulled out a similar ring, but with a dark green stone instead of onyx. It was also at least a size bigger, so it could only be for Steve. “Stevie,” Eddie sniffled, a tear sliding down his cheek. He grabbed Steve’s left hand and slid it onto his ring finger.

As soon as Steve’s ring was on, he pulled Eddie in for another kiss, wrapping his arms around his body. “Let’s go upstairs,” he whispered, voice thick with emotion. “I want to make love to you.”

“Yes,” Eddie breathed, kissing him hard. “I want you all night.”

“You’ll have me all night,” Steve promised. “Tonight, and every night after.”

Eddie smiled against Steve’s lips. “I can’t wait.”

#soft Steddie September #fanfic #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve harrington x eddie munson

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sephirthoughts · 6 months ago

Note

I wish you would write a fic where... actually, I don't got anything weird. I've just been thinking about Rude/Sephiroth domestic fluff lately because I think Rude is probably a skilled cook and Sephiroth wants that normal life and he could wield a broom as well as he does Masamune. I don't have anyone to tell this to lol

HELLO THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!! Alright, this is probably not exactly what you had in mind, but it is the madness that came from your ask, so if anything, it's all your fault. Enjoy! 😂

“What are you doing?”

“Sweeping the floor.”

“You swept in here three times, today. You’re taking off the varnish.”

“I think this is vinyl.”

“¡Vete!”

Sephiroth pouted, but he knew better than to argue with Rude when he was speaking his native language and using a wooden spoon to point, so he retreated from the kitchen, broom in hand, to seek out another spot in the house that he hadn’t polished to a blinding shine, in the past few hours.

Maybe the upstairs closets? He wavered for a moment, then decided he may as well give the whole place an extra once-over. Better safe than sorry.

With his silver hair pulled up into a martial ponytail, and his weapon-calloused hands wielding a mop and feather duster like twin blades, he whirled through the living room, dining room, entryway, stairs, hallways, bedrooms, and all associated closets, in a blur, hellbent on eradicating even the tiniest molecule of intruding dust from his domain.

A large, fluffy, white cat was impolitely awakened from a nap, during this maelstrom of domestic activity, and made her displeasure known by violently assailing the feather duster, from atop a bookshelf. Otherwise, the operation suffered no serious setbacks.

Thirty-three minutes later, Sephiroth had scooted the last of the area rugs back into place, and was standing back, imbibing deep satisfaction from his well-ordered house. Then his stomach let out a loud growl.

Much like a member of a big-cat species, his ability to move at superhuman speeds demanded superhuman energy, and after the burst of activity, he was ravenously hungry.

It didn’t help that Rude was saturating the air in the house with the beguiling, come-hither aromas of meat and fat and spices, piquant and savory and ever so enticing, wafting from the kitchen to brush coquettishly against Sephiroth’s olfactory nerves.

Compelled by forces far stronger than himself, he slunk back into the kitchen, where he sidled up behind Rude and settled his hands on his hips, looking over his shoulder at the big, bubbling pot he was stirring. “What is all this? It smells wonderful.”

“Pozole, elotes, sopas, beans, rice, and tortillas,” Rude said, pointing at each pot, pan, and covered dish, respectively, as Sephiroth’s hands slid lower. “Don’t think I don’t know exactly what you’re doing.”

The hands stopped where they were. “Who? Me?”

“Don’t you try that, ‘who me’ shit. You always turn into a slut when you want food. You and that cat, both.”

The cat in question, who had, indeed, padded into the kitchen after Sephiroth, to see if any treats were to be gotten, plopped down on her ample haunches and set about having a bath, like she had no idea what they were talking about.

By way of reply, Sephiroth nuzzled the hollow behind Rude’s ear and then bit down on his warm, tawny skin, just hard enough to dent it, but not actually leave a mark.

“No biting,” Rude scolded. “Use your words.”

“Starving,” Sephiroth groaned, against his neck. “For real, this time. I’ve got mere seconds left to live.”

“Tch,” Rude smirked. “If you have energy to bitch, you’ll survive till dinner.”

“It’s too late. I’ve died,” Sephiroth intoned, slumping heavily against him. “Have me buried at sea.”

“Dinner will be ready in a minute. If you go set the table, we can start eating sooner.”

This incantation miraculously resurrected the recently deceased Sephiroth, who sprang back to life and hurried away, tripping over the cat in his haste.

“Damn it, Cloud, stop trying to kill me all the time,” he admonished the deeply offended furball, who’d already had her nap and her bath interrupted by this dubious character, and was now being picked up and kissed on the head, of all insufferable indignities.

“I can’t believe you named the cat Cloud,” Rude groused.

Sephiroth was the picture of innocence. “What’s wrong with Cloud? I think it’s a good name.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. She’s white and fluffy, like a cloud.”

Rude arched an eyebrow. “Then explain why the dog is named Zack.”

“He’s named after the puppy I used to have, back in SOLDIER,” Sephiroth answered, with a completely straight face.

Rude snorted out a laugh, which naturally meant Sephiroth had won the interaction. “Very funny. Go set the table, ass.”

Sephiroth put the fuming cat down and went to do as he was told. Just as the last fork was being set on the corresponding napkin, the front door banged open, and a voice announced, “Guess who’s here!”

Sephiroth cast a distasteful eye on the day-glow-red haired individual. “The Association for Homosexual Fashion Disasters.”

“You’re one to talk, Sephir-goth,” Reno retorted, taking the lollipop out of his mouth to gesture with it. “Are you seriously wearing leather pants and a band t-shirt to hang around the house?”

“These are the only pants I have, that are not currently in the wash,” Sephiroth answered, with a haughty toss of his head.

“Hey, wait a minute…that’s my shirt!” Reno accused. “It’s the tour edition you could only get at the shows! Take it off! You’re gonna ruin it!”

Sephiroth looked down at his shrink-wrapped torso. “Ah. I wondered why one of Rude’s shirts would fit me so tightly. Since he isn’t the size of a teenaged girl.”

“Look what you did! Your huge tits are stretching it all out! Mick Jagger’s face looks like it’s melting! Or…wow, that’s just how his face looks. Still, it’s mine! Give it back!”

“If you care about a clothing item, you shouldn’t leave it lying around in other people’s homes.”

So saying, Sephiroth pulled the t-shirt off over his head, and held it out to Reno.

“What the—you can’t just—naked!” Reno sputtered, pointing the lollipop at him. “Rude! Your boyfriend is stripping in the living room!”

“Busy, take pictures,” Rude’s patently unconcerned voice called back, from the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Sephiroth had snatched the shirt away, just as Reno reached for it, and was now holding it high above his head, while the much smaller man tried in vain to jump up and grab it.

“Why am I not surprised to find you two half-clothed and fighting, like a couple of children,” Tseng sighed, as he stepped in the front door, followed closely by Elena.

“Leave it to me, sir! I’ll defuse the situation!” Elena declared, reaching for her sidearm.

Tseng held up a hand to stop her. “When has your interference ever defused a situation? And I told you on the way here, no guns in the house.”

“R—right, sir. Sorry, sir,” Elena said sheepishly, withdrawing her hand from the concealed holster.

“Welcome, Tseng and…colleague,” said Sephiroth, who had his hand on Reno’s head and was still keeping the t-shirt away from him. “Please, make yourselves at home. Dinner is almost ready.”

“And colleague?” Elena pouted. “Do you even know my name?”

“How rude of me. Of course I do. You are…uh…Cissnei?”

“No, I’m—” She broke off and her shoulders slumped dejectedly, as Reno nearly expired laughing. “Ugh, forget it. Enjoy your dinner, everyone. I’ll just wait in the car.”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Tseng announced, in that calm, paternal tone, that made people instinctively want to obey him. “Reno, shut up. Elena, sit down. Sephiroth, give Reno his shirt and go put one on. Now.”

Looking like chastised school children, Reno stifled his laughter, Elena went and sat down on the sofa, and Sephiroth relinquished the shirt before vanishing upstairs.

“Hey, at least wash it first! I don’t want your stink all over it!” Reno shouted after him. Then he sniffed the shirt and his expression changed. “What the fuck, this is what you smell like?! What is that, cedar and sagebrush? And…rain? Elena, smell this!”

“Gross, I’m not sniffing some guy’s—oh, holy shit that smells amazing! He should bottle this and sell it!”

“Keep that thing away from me,” Tseng warned, as Reno brandished the rumpled t-shirt and advanced upon him. “I already know how wonderful Sephiroth smells, I don’t need a cat-hair covered reminder.”

“Oh, there is cat hair all over it. Damn it, it got on my suit.”

At that moment, Rude stepped out of the kitchen, wiping his hands with a towel. “Dinner. If you’re all finished sniffing my boyfriend’s dirty clothes, that is.”

“If I could just—one more. Yes, all done,” Elena said, letting go of the t-shirt, which Reno was forcefully tugging away from her.

“The food smells great, too, partner!” Reno grinned, which expression collapsed back into a scowl, as Sephiroth reappeared, wearing the exact same t-shirt as before, only several sizes larger. “If you had Rude’s the whole time, why were you wearing mine?!”

“I just found it, now. You whine a lot, for an adult man. Are you certain you’re not a teenaged girl?”

“Wow,” said petite Elena, whose head wasn’t even level with the huge former SOLDIER’s spectacular pectorals. “I’ve never seen you with a shirt on, general. You look really nice.”

Sephiroth smiled. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you, Cissnei.”

“I’m not—ugh, whatever. You’re welcome. Let’s eat.”

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